Saturday 1st April 2017

6

SATURDAY, april 1, 2017 • T H I S D AY

PAGE SIX NDUME: BORNO GOVERNOR LEADS DELEGATION TO PLEAD WITH SARAKI members from the state, all members of the State House of Assembly, and representatives of traditional rulers.

The visit of such important personalities may influence the Senate President to seek a reconsideration of the matter in the coming days, a source told THISDAY. “The Governor, because of his closeness to Saraki, knows if anyone can help Ndume, it would be him. So he led the delegation to meet with Saraki. I am not completely sure yet, but it would be hard

to ignore such an important delegation of ‘who is who’ in the state, so maybe the Senate may reconsider the matter,” the source said.

“Infact, the Shehu of Borno wanted to come with the delegation, but the governor prevailed on him not to, that he (Kashim) is capable of handling the matter. The Shehu still sent representatives though, so it would be hard to ignore,” he added.

The source disclosed that the governor expressed worry that the state, which is just

recovering from the throes of the reign of violence of Boko Haram, would lose some of its representation at the national level, at such a critical time.

“Of course, the governor harped on the fact that they need all hands on deck, to ensure that the rehabilitation of the state remains a priority in national discourse, including the hand of the Senate President. So while not trying to absolve Ndume, or make excuses for his action, he urged that justice be tampered with mercy,” he said.

The former majority leader, who was Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission at the time of his suspension, was on Wednesday slammed with a six month suspension, after the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions found him guilty of failing to conduct due diligence before filing what it described as a frivolous petition against Saraki and Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West).

The committee accused him

of dragging the institution of the Senate into disrepute.

Ndume citing an online news medium report which was rehashed by a daily newspaper (not THISDAY), had raised a point of order, noting that the integrity of the Senate was being questioned following the report that the lawmakers were on a vengeance mission against the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hammeed Ali (rtd) due to the siezure of a bullet proof Range Rover Sport Utility

Vehicle (SUV) allegedly owned

by Saraki.

Ndume also noted that the report claimed that Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) did not have a first degree from the Ahmadu Bello University (A.B.U), and urged the Senate to investigate the allegations.

Saraki and Melaye appeared before the committee alongside Vice Chancellor of ABU, Prof.

Ibrahim Garba, the car importer, Mr. Tokunbo Akindele, and the dealer, Mr. Olanrewaju Shittu, who cleared them of the allegations.

government, which the incumbent administration considered worthy to be sustained and therefore set out to fine tune the structure with a view to making it commence operations.

Speaking on how the bank will operate, its Managing Director, Mr. Tony Okpanachi said the bank would run a lean structure of 35 well-motivated personnel and would not be operating on any form of subsidies, adding that it would build its own funds.

Okpanachi stated that the DBN would operate on four areas of impact, among which is financial inclusion.

He noted that jobs would be created through the SMEs, adding that strong emphasis on women empowerment will be a major focus.

The CEO stated that a strong point of the bank would be lending to commercial and microfinance banks for onlending to SMEs. According to him, what had stifled SMEs was the absence of long term financing as well as high interest rates.

These areas, he stated, were what the DBN would bridge, stressing that a credit guarantee scheme would be in place for risk sharing, noting that the bank would be ready to share risks of up to 50 per cent.

Okpanachi disclosed that the bank was targeting 20,000 SMEs across the country in its first year of operations.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance has provided clarifications on the reported fraud in YouWin. The ministry said in a statement that the current administra-

tion inherited YouWin as an ongoing programme, which had made legally binding commitments of grants to 1,500 entrepreneurs.

"The administration decided that those commitments should be honoured. It was in that regard that a batch of awardees under YouWin 3 was submitted to the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, for cash disbursement totaling N611,821,910 million.

"Allegations were received from an anonymous whistleblower, which provided documentary evidence of irregularities in 10 cases out of the batch," statement issued by the Director, Information, Mr. Salisu Na'Inna Dambatta said The minister, the statement added, immediately directed that an internal investigation be conducted to determine the veracity of the alleged fraud

and report the findings to her for necessary action.

"The substance of the allegations was that an awardee was the child of a former director in the ministry and there were a number of cases where married couples each benefitted.

This raised concerns about the integrity of the original selection process, which took place in 2014.

"The position of the ministry is that investigations are ongoing under the Presidential Initiative on Continues Audit (PICA) who will review each suspected case to determine whether any irregularity occurred. In the interim, disbursements of this batch have been suspended.

It is on record that the original YouWin programme midwife 3,900 enterprises within four years, and was just one of the multiple intervention

BANKS FRUSTRATING NEW FOREX MEASURES, CBN CRIES OUT This warning is coming based on information received by the CBN through its misery shoppers who complained that banks were turning back their customers. The apex bank further directed that any bank customer turned back at any branch nationwide should report such bank through its hot line.

It urged any customer that is not attended to within 24 hours for BTA/PTA or 48 hours for tuition and medical fees should call a dedicated number or send an email to the Consumer Protection Department of the CBN, with the name and branch of the non-cooperating bank.

Also yesterday, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun assured that the newly-established wholesale development finance institution, Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) would be free of any form of political interference.

The apex bank, which made the accusation against the banks in a statement by its acting Director, Corporate Communications, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, titled: "There is Adequate Forex for PTA, BTA, Tuition & Medical Fees," said such claim by banks was totally untrue.

According to the CBN, all banks have more than enough stock of forex in their possession for the purpose of meeting genuine customers’ demand for BTA, PTA, tuition and medical fees. "Indeed, on a weekly basis, the CBN has been selling at least $80 million to banks for onward sale to their customers for these invisible items.

"Members of the public seeking to buy forex for the above-mentioned purposes are,

therefore, advised to go to their banks and obtain their forex," it added.

"Furthermore, no customer should accept to buy forex from any bank at more than the currently prescribed rate of N360/$1," it added The development in the market negatively impacted the performance of the Naira on the parallel market as it fell to N391 to the dollar yesterday, lower than the N384 to the dollar it was the previous day.

In continuation of its determination to sustain liquidity in the foreign exchange market, the CBN had on Thursday increased the amount of dollars to be sold to Bureau De Change (BDC) operators to $10,000 weekly, up from the $8,000 per week it was previously. This meant that the operators would be entitled to $5,000 per bid, at a new rate to be announced on Monday.

The CBN had on Monday directed all banks to immediately begin the sale of FX for BTA, PTA, tuition and medical fees to customers at not more than N360 per dollar. The CBN explained that it will sell to banks at N357 per dollar, adding that banks are expected to post the new rates in the banking halls of their branches immediately.

Also, barely 24-hours after the policy was announced, the CBN lowered the rate at which dollar inflows from International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) are sold to BDC operators to N360/$1, from the N381/$1 it was previously. With this directive, the BDCs were expected to sell the greenback to retail end-users at not more

than N362/$1, lower than the N400/$1 it used to be sold at this segment of the market.

Adeosun: DBN will be Free of Political Interference…

Meanwhile, the Minister of Finance has assured Nigerians that the newly-established wholesale development finance institution, Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) would be free of any form of political interference.

She stated that DBN had been well structured to be run in a seamless professional manner devoid of any form of politics and shenanigans, noting that the bane of many government organisations with high failure rate was political interference.

Adeosun was responding to a question on what the new bank would be doing differently from other existing development finance institutions, when she introduced the management of the bank to journalists in Abuja.

The minister said apart from the DBN enjoying an atmosphere of non-political encumbrances, it also has the distinction of multilateral financing, adding the management and board also came through stringent recruitment process and will be controlled by the government.

She stated that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) segment, which DBN is set to target accounts for about 50 per cent of Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), adding if cheaper funding window is provided, a quantum leap would be recorded in the economy.

According to her, DBN was of the legacies of the previous

L-R: Former Presidential Liaison Officer, Alhaji Kashim Imam; former governor of Lagos State and National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, and Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, during the 65th birthday celebration of Tinubu at his Bourdilon residence in Ikoyi ...recently

OLANIPEKUN FAULTS BUHARI’S ANTICORRUPTION WAR, SAYS IT’S LOPSIDED in the way and manner we pronounce and crucify people in this country, without trial, and without affording them the right to be heard. The right to fair hearing is inalienable, given to man by God, right from the time of creation. God gave Adam and Eve the right to fair hearing before He passed judgement on them.

“The acting Chairman of the EFCC was quoted by several national dailies as saying that he was not given fair hearing by the DSS before he was condemned of wrongdoing by them. I sympathise with Mr. Ibrahim Magu and I agree entirely with him that he ought to have been given fair hearing. But I want to plead that every tier of Government in this country, including agencies of government, including also the EFCC and the DSS, should give Nigerians the right to fair hearing in obedience to the clear provisions of the Constitution, as well as the right bequeathed to man by God. Annexed to the right to fair hearing, is also our duty, whether as government or people, to obey court orders under the doctrine of the Rule of Law. “We cannot also hide under the pretext that we are fighting corruption or any particular vice, in refusing to obey any court order, whether in civil or criminal cases, and also including others where courts have directed that citizens should be released on bail. The Supreme Court succinctly summarized the imperative of obedience to the rule of law.”

Olanipekun said the Nigerian government, to a very large

extent, had been reactive and not proactive in the fight against corruption: “In my view, Nigeria arrives at the scene of corruption after the deed has been done, after the horse has bolted from the stable. No efforts have been devoted to building strong institutions and systems which make it impossible for corruption to be perpetrated and perpetuated or which detect same and quickly nip it in the bud.

“The virus called corruption has entrenched itself in virtually every area of our national life.

Over the last decade, Nigeria has consistently ranked high on the Global Corruption Perception Index of Transparency International, as one of the most corrupt countries in the world; in fact, the country was ranked as the 136th most corrupt country amongst 145 countries for year 2016 (nine countries short of being the most corrupt).

“This leads me to another virulent manifestation of corruption in our country, the corruption of public institutions and agencies. I dare say today that corruption is present in one form or the other in our public institutions. The civil service, security agencies, specialised agencies of government, Customs, Immigration, court registries, land allocation and processing agencies, even our universities are not left out.

He said Nigeria as a country, had simply been pretending to be combating corruption by not tackling the problem from the root and the very foundation.

Continued on page 9

8

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • APRIL 1, 2017

INSIGHT

Obaseki’s Rescue Mission in Edo

T

Victor Ajayi

he mind is a terrible thing to waste, and perhaps the best way to keep the mind productive is to ensure that your hands do not stop working.

In Nigeria, for the most part, the prevailing socio-economic, ethno-religious and political challenges take their root from these two sides of the same coin: idle hands and wasting minds.

Call it the insurgency in the North-east, which has claimed the lives of over 30,000 people and displaced over two million, with an estimated economic loss of $9 billion, representing around 50 per cent of Nigeria’s budget for 2017, or any of the other less analysed restive situations around the country, they all take their roots from idleness of a large proportion of the population, particularly young people.

Unfortunately, these counter productive socio-economic upheavals have spread across the entire country in the form of herdsmen-farmers fatal clashes across the north-central regions of the country and militancy in the Niger Delta which almost brought the country to its knees recently.

With the atrocities caused by terrorism in the north and militancy in the Niger-Delta already well documented, the problems of thuggery and gangsterism devastating to socio-economic and political cohesion in states like Edo, are creeping in subtly, about to become intractable in the near future that will result in national emergency.

In Benin City and other parts of the State, names of thugs and gangsters, some of who now lay claim to some form of political relevance which is actually non-existent, dot the societal horizon.

Ask these fellows and their likes what they do for a living, or what skills they possess with which they ply one trade or the other, for their economic survival and the answer you are certain to get is “nothing”. They have no jobs, no vocations, no trade.

Yet, you see the hoodlums move around in SUVs, build expansive houses with wives and children spread across various local government areas of the state.

If you thought that these people seeming to live in opulence without any commensurate productive effort is a tragedy, then more tragic is the fact that the younger generation have them as role models. This poses potent threat to posterity and must be addressed.

If a survey is carried out in the suburban and parts of Edo to determine what children want to become when they grow up, the outcome will likely be shocking.

Those days are gone when children wanted to become doctors, lawyers, engineers and scientists when they grow up. Now they want to be community thugs and local tyrants, who seem to be the ones with all the money, fame and power.

However, judging by some steps taken by Governor Godwin Obaseki, since he took office, it seems like he has set out to address some of these maladies.

A good example is his decision to return the responsibility of revenue collection in local governments across the state to local government employees.

Obaseki’s argument anchored on the fact that only parties empowered by the laws of the land should carry out constitutional activities like collection and remitting of government revenue is sound to any fair-minded person.

But for the thugs and gagsters who have made govern-

Many have said that by trying to change this negative status quo, which puts money where no real value is created, out of fear of political backlash, Obaseki is trying to commit political suicide. But the governor himself seems to have effectively counted the cost and is resolved that it is always a suicide mission when anyone attempts to put the interests of the helpless over those of the ‘privileged’ few

Obaseki

ment revenue collection their forte and have in the past amassed mind-boggling wealth for themselves as a result, Obaseki has murdered sleep.

Threats are being issued and efforts are being made to stir up violence in the state with the instrumentality of proliferating secret cult groups across the state, as well as activities of other criminals.

Some politicians and interest groups seeking undue relevance in government and in the polity have also thrown their subtle or sometimes brazen support behind these aggrieved thugs who have been nothing but leeches to the government for decades. There are also allegations that major security agencies that are supposed to be unapologetically on the side of law and order, are sometimes in passive support of these hoodlums, conferring with them and treating their criminality with kid gloves.

They want the waste to continue, because when there is chaos and disorder, people receive patronage that they do not deserve.

Each of these individuals consider themselves as power blocs in the state and they demand to be courted ‘one-by-one’ by the governor. When they are told that the appropriate thing to do is to form themselves into interest groups with productive agenda, they get offended.

Their intention is to reduce the responsibility of governance in the state to continuous frolicking with individuals towards satiating each person’s selfish needs. This will never be a sustainable approach to governance.

The biggest mistake being made by these people is that they have failed to understand the resolve of the Edo governor to stick to only decisions and activities that are in the best interest of the majority of the Edo people instead of satisfying the greed of a handful.

The old model of governance made popular by some Nigerian governors, where state chief executives seem to strengthen their political security, simply by patronizing individuals who have created some mobster status for themselves, as well as some so called political leaders and godfathers, is never in the interest of the larger population of any geopolitical entity.

The most essential, yet most limited resource available to a governor or a president for that matter is his time.

Instead of spending it courting the approval of a few individuals in the name of political survival, it must be spent meeting the manifold and dire needs of the teaming populace with the people left to judge in the fullness

of time, who has served them well and who has betrayed them.

Having analysed the problem, Obaseki seems to clearly understand that among the negative actors comprising the thugs, mobsters and the seemingly responsible politicians who support them are many who are largely victims of the system, so he is therefore developing models that can return them into the state’s productive economic cycle.

He has identified the need to create massive amounts of jobs and is deploying a clear strategy to ensure that millions of decent jobs are actually made available. The idea is that people mostly want to be honest and decent as long as in their honesty, they can be gainfully employed and be given the dignity deserving of responsible members of the society.

Obaseki’s foray into the development of the Azura-Edo power plant is clearly part of the overall strategy. It is a 450MW Open Cycle Gas Turbine power station being constructed near Benin City in Edo State, Nigeria. It is the first phase of a 1,500MW Independent Power Project (IPP) facility located on a 100-hectare site, large enough to accommodate future expansion of the power plant.

The plant is situated close to Nigeria’s main trunkline, the Escravos Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS), which is only 1km from the Azura-Edo project site.

With power generated and effectively deployed in Edo State, the governor is working on industrial zones that will receive the power evacuated, along with favourable tax regimes and massive human capacity development through revamped global-standard technical education.

When all these come on stream, it is expected that labour will move from thuggrey, gangsterism and the prevailing wasteful ‘community youths’ system in different suburbs in Edo into technical and vocational schools for skills acquisition that will help them benefit from an actively evolving economic climate.

Many have said that by trying to change this negative status quo, which puts money where no real value is created, out of fear of political backlash, Obaseki is trying to commit political suicide. But the governor himself seems to have effectively counted the cost and is resolved that it is always a suicide mission when anyone attempts to put the interests of the helpless over those of the ‘privileged’ few.

––Ajayi, a social commentator writes from Benin City

9

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •APRIL 1, 2017

NEWS

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

Nigerian Family Jailed 252 Months in US for Internet Dating Scam A United States District Judge, Paul W. Grimm has sentenced Gbenga Ogundele aka Benson Ogundele, age 58; of Laurel, Maryland to 234 months in prison, and sentenced his wife, Moji Popoola, aka Mojisola Oluwakemi Tin Popoola/Moji T. Popoola, age 42, also of Laurel, to 18 months in prison, each followed by three years of supervised release.

They were jailed for conspiracies to commit wire fraud and money laundering arising from a scheme to defraud vulnerable victims of millions of dollars. Ogundele was also convicted of aggravated identity theft in connection with the scheme.

Judge Grimm ordered that Mojisola Popoola’s supervised release is to be served in home detention.

He also ordered Ogundele to forfeit $2,195,103.36, and ordered Mojisola Popoola to forfeit approximately $165,000 and to pay restitution of $34,100.

On March 20, 2017, Judge Grimm sentenced Moji Popoola’s brother, Babatunde Emmanuel Popoola, aka Emmanuel Popoola/Tunde Popoola, age 34, of Bowie, Maryland, to 12 years in prison, on the same charges.

He ordered Babatunde Popoola to pay restitution of $465,170.76.

Ogundele and the Popoolas were convicted on November 18, 2016, after a 17-day trial.

In a related case, Funmilayo Joyce Shodeke, age 67, of Burtonsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty on March 22, 2017 to conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business, and was sentenced to 13 months’ probation, and ordered to forfeit $29,900.

The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to the evidence presented at trial, and co-conspirators’ plea agreements, from January 2011 to May 18, 2015, members

FOR REGIONAL SUPER HIGHWAY ...

L-R: Minister of Power, Works & Housing and the Chairman of Steering Committee, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN (left) and Hon. Minister of Infrastructure & Transport, Togolese Republic , Mr Ninsao Gnofam(right) during the 7th Steering Committee Meeting on the Abidjan – Lagos Corridor Highway Development Programme at the EcoBank Transnational Inc. (ETI), Lome, Togolese Republic

of the conspiracy searched online dating websites to initiate romantic relationships with vulnerable male and female individuals.

They phoned, emailed, texted and used internet chat messenger services to form romantic relationships with the victims, who lived in Maryland and around the country.

Members of the conspiracy used false stories and promises to convince the victims to provide money to the conspirators, including fake hospital

bills, plane trips to visit the victims, problems with overseas businesses and foreign taxes.

Ogundele, the Popoolas, coconspirators Olusegun Charles Ogunseye, Olufemi Wilfred Williams, Adeyinka Olubunmi Awolaja and others opened bank accounts, called “drop accounts,” in order to receive millions of dollars from the victims.

The victims provided money to the defendants as a result of the false stories and promises, either

depositing money directly into drop accounts controlled by the defendants, or by checks sent to the conspirators.

The payments from victims ranged from $1,720 to $50,000.

Ogundele, Babatunde Popoola, and others used victims’ names, bank account numbers or driver’s licenses in furtherance of the fraud scheme.

Ogundele, the Popoolas, Ogunseye, Williams, Awolaja and their co-conspirators dispersed

Olanipekun Faults Buhari’s Anti-corruption War, Says It’s Lopsided “What we pretend to be combating and over which we make so much noise and employ high propaganda is the genre of corruption relating to the depletion of our national till, without appreciating the fact that a lot of factors and combinations aid and abet this process.”

The eminent lawyer also condemned what he described as political prostitution.

“What we practice in Nigeria today is akin to political prostitution and harlotry. It is a tragic-comedic situation whereby it is so easy and seamless for one politician, within a space of 2-4 years, to migrate from one party to two other parties, and in each of them, to occupy very sensitive positions, whether elective of appointive, without any qualm.

While cross-carpeting from an otherwise denounced party where he is seen as a devil incarnate, his erstwhile political adversaries welcome him to their party of saints and angels, with pomp and pageantry, and like the biblical Naaman, he moves into their Jordan, and his leprosy is washed off.

He quoted Major Kaduna Nzeogwu' famous speech against corruption: “Our enemies are the political profiteers, the

swindlers, the men in high and low places that seek bribes and demand 10 per cent; those that seek to keep the country divided permanently so that they can remain in office as ministers or VIPs at least, the tribalists, the nepotists, those that make the country look big for nothing before international circles, those that have corrupted our society and put the Nigerian political calendar back by their words and deeds” Olanipekun also said the country’s political and economic prowess will continue to nosedive unless it reverses to true fiscal federalism, branding the present “unitary system, where powers are concentrated at the centre” as an aberration, which he said can’t offer practical solutions to Nigeria’s problems.

Being part of the ways to cut wastage and bail the country out of economic recession, Olanipekun suggested part-time legislature for Nigeria, adding that the country’s National Assembly seems to be the costliest globally, considering the money being paid the federal legislators.

The lawyer also scoffed at the federal government for making a core politician like former Senate President, Ken Nnamani the head of the Electoral Reform Committee,

describing this as mere duplicity of policies since late President Umaru Yar’Adua had earlier set up Justice Mohammed Uwais Committee to fashion out robust electoral reform for Nigeria in 2007.

Olanipekun said the country’s skewed federalism was caused by long years of military reign, saying this has further reversed the nation’s progress in all spheres.

He said the country was doing well, particularly during the defunct Southwest region under the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo as the Premier, “because resources available for the zone were being harnessed to develop the region, rather than government taking absolute control.”

Olanipekun said: “This anomalous federal system has established a trend of over-dependence on the government at the centre by the states, leading to the stifling of initiative and innovation for revenue generation on the part of the States.

In effect, states, being the federating units, have been reduced to living off breadcrumbs and hand-me-downs from the Federal government. By extension, fiscal autonomy remains a mirage, an idea never to be reached until critical

Cont’d from Pg. 6

adjustments are made in the constitution and composition of Nigeria.

“In the past two years or thereabout, the over-fed and bloated federal government, out of the surplus it has amassed, has been doling out bail-outs to states in order to meet their financial obligations to the citizenry, including payment of workers’ salaries. In the process, the federal government has been hailed as the messiah, while the state governments are condemned as derelicts.

The senior lawyer said virtually every Nigerian citizen was plunging into politics, because of huge salaries being paid elected and appointed officials.

“I see no reason why legislators must take up the mandate to serve on a full time basis. As at today, a Senator in the United States collects annual salary of $174,000, while a professor at the University of Texas takes an average of $232,000 dollars annually.

“But In Nigeria, a report published in 2009 by ASUU revealed that a professor in Nigerian university gets a sum of N3 million annually while a senator takes an average of N36 million. This is why there is election rigging and other vices in the system”.

money received from the victims by transferring funds to other accounts controlled by the conspirators, by obtaining cashier’s checks, and by writing checks to individuals or entities, in order to conceal the nature, source, and control of those assets.

Co-conspirator Victor Oyewumi Oloyede, age 42, of Laurel, Maryland, was also convicted at trial for his role in the fraud scheme. Oloyede was sentenced to 234 months in prison.

Co-conspirators Olusegun Charles Ogunseye, age 59 of Laurel, Maryland, Olufemi Wilfred Williams, age 28, of Owings Mills, Maryland, and Adeyinka Olubunmi Awolaja, Jr., age 34, of New Carollton, Maryland, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Judge Grimm scheduled sentencing for Awolaja on June 12, 2017, for Ogunseye on July 25, 2017, and for Williams on July 27, 2017, all at 2:30 p.m.

EFCC Harassing Senators for Rejecting Magu, Says Nwaoboshi Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (Delta North) has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of harassing members of the upper legislative chamber for the non-confirmation of the Acting boss of the anti-graft agency, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, as substantive Chairman.

Nwaoboshi noted that harassing him and other members would not stop his alignment with the position of the Senate as a body, or from speaking the truth.

He said these on Friday while reacting to media reports that he was being investigated, alongside his brother, Augustine, for supplying used equipment for a N1.5 billion contract with Delta State Ministry of Works, in 2010, and for not declaring certain properties in his asset declaration forms with the Code of Conduct Bureau. The reports, in two dailies (not THISDAY) also alleged that Nwaoboshi’s BVN number had been linked to 20 bank accounts,

to which his brother was signatory.

Nwaoboshi berated the commission for its indulgence in media trials instead of carrying out thorough investigations.

He admitted that Bilderberg Enterprises Ltd, where he was a Director at the time, bidded for the contract and won.

“We brought the equipment from manufacturers in China. Sino Truck, XEMG, Sanya, the companies we bought from all have offices in Nigeria, why can't the EFCC contact them, or even contact their offices in China, provide the serial numbers of each equipment, and ask if we bought used or brand new? They can check shipping documents, etc,” he said.

The Senator added that all relevant agencies in the state certified the equipment as brand new.

“What they did not add was that I was not in government at the time. I was a businessman. I was a Director in the company at the time of the contract. This was long before I came to the Senate. As I speak, nobody has invited me.

12

APRIL 1, 2017• THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

PORTRAIT OF PAIN

Michael Egbejumi-David writes on his bumpy ride from Abuja to Warri

I

arrived Utako Motor Park in Abuja just before 5:30 am.

I wasn’t going to fly. My woman had recently come in from the UK through Lagos. A few days later, she came to Abuja.

She started by road from Delta to Benin, then flew to Kaduna via Port Harcourt. The journey from Kaduna airport to Abuja took another three hours. I wasn’t going to subject myself to all of that.

Two hours after I got to the park, we eventually got on a bus and drove out. I sat up front by the driver who turned out to be a most cantankerous old man. He drove leisurely to a fuel station where he was informed that they were yet to open up for business.

Before the driver could respond, his phone rang. He had a short conversation with someone and then drove us back to the motor park. He had left his manifest behind. Back at the park, the miserable old man proceeded to have a heated argument with the young chaps that ran things there. It took some passengers intervention before the driver collected his now torn manifest and drove out of the park again.

We drove at no more than two miles an hour to another fuel station. From there, we proceeded at a slightly quicker pace onto a dirt road without any word from this driver. We ended up by a vulcaniser. That was when one of the passengers lost his cool and an inelegant argument ensued. The driver ultimately out-shouted the passengers – from plenty of practice, I guess.

Finally, we hit the motorway. We were only about 30 minutes in when the driver pulled up again, in front of some stalls. He wanted to buy some food stuff. Most of the passengers also got off the bus.

Before I knew what was up, people were buying pink, blue, yellow, green beans; buying onions the size of small footballs. By the time we resumed the journey, it’d gone past 9am Ten minutes later, the bus’ air conditioner packed up. Just the fan was blowing hot air around. We protested. The driver said there was nothing he could do about it. That was that.

The old git slotted in a CD; very energetic Igbo Christian music filled the bus. The music was so loud, even angels needed ear plugs to keep from going deaf. The bass was so deep (and I kid you not) it kept my family jewels from resting undisturbed on the seat. We asked the driver to reduce the volume. He ignored us.

Less than three hours later, we were in Lokoja. Humidity-wise, Lokoja might be the hottest place in Nigeria. Also, the place has been kept perfectly preserved as Lord Lugard left it. The only change I could see was that, a long time ago, someone tarred the main road. I got off the bus and bought some great smelling suya.

Before my suya could be served, a young lady approached me and handed me a typed A5-sized card. That card was colourful and well laminated. I read it quickly. It claimed the bearer is ‘deaf & dumb’ and that the reader should kindly help. I gave the lady a little money and her card back.

That turned out to be a mistake as I was immediately besieged by a horde of beggars. I tried to give as much as I could but the beggars were just too many. Amongst them was a short man with a slight hunch on his back. I told him that he really should try and get some form of employment or a trade. To encourage him along, I refused to give him any money.

Then a young lad of about eight came to me. He put out his hand and asked me in perfect Pidgin English for assistance, pointing back to two people I assumed were his mother and sister. They all looked North African – perhaps Moroccan. I wondered how they ended up in a rest stop in Lokoja. Anyhow, I only advised the youngster not to go to South Africa at this time. He acted displeased; he did not know that I was dropping priceless advice

PREPOSTEROUSLY, BY A BYPASS, ON WHAT HAS GOT TO BE THE WORST ROAD IN THE COUNTRY AT THE MOMENT WAS A BILLBOARD BEARING THE PICTURE OF THE GOVERNOR AND THE MESSAGE, ‘KOGI STATE IS WORKING!’

on him.

As our bus was leaving, I saw the lady who had earlier handed me the deaf & dumb card chatting animatedly with a uniformed security guard. It was my turn to be speechless.

One of the passengers handed the driver a music CD. Pleaded with him to play it. Turned out to be a collection of wonderful old school Nigerian music. A few of the tracks were by that splendid musician, Bongos Ikwue.

In a short while, we were engaged in a robust political discussion that was served with assuredness and humour the way only Nigerians can do it. It was fantastic.

Thirty minutes or so after Lokoja, we swung left at the Okene bypass, and the road simply disappeared! I wasn’t prepared for that. We drove like that, bumping painfully along before we got to something that was once a road. Honestly you couldn’t drive straight for three metres. It was more swerving than driving. I’ve seen potholes before but nothing like these. We all got hold of our seats as we were being thrown in every direction.

Preposterously, by that bypass, on what has got to be the worst road in the country at the moment was a billboard bearing the picture of the governor and the message, “Kogi State is working!”

We bumped slowly along like that until we entered Okene town.

Well, Okene turned out to be a place time left behind. The place wears a 1940s look. Majority of the buildings there are mud jobs with tiny wooden windows complete with conspicuous ancient graves right up front.

The inhabitants lolling about those mud houses looked out of it.

There were a few scraggly dogs and ewures gathered by the sides of the road. They were flagging down vehicles, they too wanted out of the place.

One day, a merciful government would have pity on Okene and send in bulldozers to level the place and start all over again.

Perhaps half of the okada motorcycles in Nigeria are in Okene - which I really don’t understand because about 70% of them had no passengers. We drove up to one open spot and this chap was picking himself up from the ground. I wasn’t sure whether he fell off the bike or the thing simply disintegrated underneath him as pieces of the okada littered the road. The only thing that cheered me up in Okene was the sight of the people in their varying wonderfully colourful attires as they returned from Jumat service.

From Kogi, we limped our way into Edo State. The roads were just as bad. Often, vehicles were forced to abandon the highway and drive on the bush’s verge. On that horrible road, I saw a large monkey skip across into the bush and saw a van being towed along by another van with nothing but a bamboo stick. Thankfully, there were plenty of military and police men about moving things along and providing security. For entertainment, I began reading the various slogans written on many of the trailers and lorries clogging up everywhere. First prize went to a long trailer with this inscription: “Man proposit, Allah this pose.”

Over time, our governments must develop a rail transportation network to take the burden of freight and petroleum off the roads.

There is a busy cement factory at Okpella. I wonder if Alhaji Dangote knows. At that place, I bought four bottles of what turned out to be the best peanuts I have ever tasted. Soon, we ambled pass the historic Auchi Polytechnic, passed Ambrose Ali University in Ekpoma and passed a very expansive Jehovah Witness structure covering hectares and hectares of land. Only God and a few senior angels know what the Witness people are up to in there.

demdem@hotmail.co.uk

WORK IN PROGRESS

F

Gov. Nyesom Wike gets a pat from the National Economic Council Monitoring Committee, writes Simeon Nwakaudu

or two years, Governor Nyesom Wike has been on the field working for the people. Every day, contractors are funded to recreate the state.

For three days, March 22 - 24, 2017, officials of the federal government under the National Economic Council Resolution Implementation Monitoring Committee were in Rivers State to inspect projects executed by the Wike administration.

The South-South Team covered the six SouthSouth states. They were in the state to examine the projects being executed by Governor Wike since May 29, 2017. The three days the team spent in Rivers State took them to 48 projects spread across the three senatorial districts of the state. They were received by Governor Wike who briefed them in his office before handing over to a team of commissioners, special advisers who took them to projects impacting positively on the people.

Projects implemented by the team on a senatorial district basis include: Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity Road; Zonal Hospital, Bori, Khana LGA; Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Bori; Sakpenwa-Bori Road General Hospital, Bodo City; General Hospital, Nchia – Eleme; Kpopie-Bodo Road in Rivers South-east Senatorial District; Government Secondary School, Ogu; Zonal Hospital, Okrika; Okrika Jetty; Ecumenical Centre; Federal High Court; Borokiri Road Network; Dredging and Reclamation work at Ogbunabili/ Nkpogu Location; Trans-Amadi Road; Tam-David West Road; Rumuokoro Market and Bus Park, Port

Harcourt; Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Rumigbo, among others, in Rivers East Senatorial District and the General Hospital, Ahoada; Reconstruction of Edeoha-Ikata-Ochigba road, Ahoada-East LGA; General Hospital, Abonnema; General Hospital, Buguma; Zonal Hospital, Degema; General Hospital Omoku; Nyemoni Grammar School, Abonnema and others in Rivers West Senatorial District.

At the respective project sites, the members of the National Economic Council Resolution Implementation Monitoring Committee got briefing on the philosophy behind the projects, the progress of work, its relevance to the benefiting communities and the multiplier effect of the projects to the welfare of the people.

Speaking at the Sakpenwa-Bori Road that connects Eleme, Tai, Gokana and Khana to Port Harcourt and Akwa Ibom States, Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Mr Bathuel Harrison noted that the dualisation of the road was initiated

by Governor Wike to boost the economy of the Ogoni-speaking local government areas of the state, neglected by the immediate past administration.

Also at the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity Road, the Works Commissioner, Mr Bathuel Harrison stated that the road will create access to two major riverine local government areas, with several communities benefiting.

The Rivers State Education Commissioner, Prof.

Kaniye Ebeku explained the rationale behind the reintroduction of boarding schools by the Wike

administration when he briefed the team at the Government Girls Secondary School, Rumuokwuta in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area and Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Bori. Professor Ebeku stated that more than 20 of such schools have been earmarked for total rehabilitation across the three senatorial districts, while work has started on six of such schools.

The restoration of the health sector is one of the highpoints of the second year of the Wike administration. Seventeen General and Zonal Hospitals are undergoing comprehensive rehabilitation across the three senatorial districts of the state.

Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Caroline Wali explained that the rehabilitation which will be followed by the re-equipping of the hospitals will create access to quality healthcare for the people of the state.

The monitoring committee also inspected ongoing work at the State Ecumenical Centre, the Port Harcourt Pleasure Park, the Federal High Court Complex being funded by the Rivers State Government and the Court of Appeal that is being reconstructed.

Special Adviser on Special Projects to the Rivers State Governor, Mr Dum Wite stated that the Pleasure Park will re-energise the tourism sector of the state and also generate internally generate internal revenue.

Team leader of the National Economic Council Resolution Implementation Monitoring Committee,

Alhaji Abdullateef Shittu expressed satisfaction at the quality of projects delivery across the state.

He commended the governor for the spread of his projects and the number of projects executed, pointing out that all senatorial districts have been reached by the administration.

For Rivers people, the approval rating of Governor Wike continues to climb because he prefers to satisfy the greatest number through projects, rather than satisfy a few persons through political patronage.

This dedication to the greatest number has led to few politicians and their associates grumbling. But the governor maintains that the people come first.

In 2016, the state budget was 60 per cent capital expenditure and 40 per cent recurrent expenditure.

He raised the bar in 2017. The state budget has 70 capital expenditure and 30 per cent recurrent expenditure.

According to Governor Wike, a project like Obiri-Ikwerre Road would benefit all Rivers people and visitors to the state, irrespective of the political affiliations. However, if the same amount is shared out in terms of political patronage, only a few privileged persons will benefit.

Majority of Rivers people have benefited from the strategic projects and programmes of Governor Wike in the last 22 months. The state is marching forward and achieving the goal of a New Rivers State.

Nwakaudu is media aide to Gov. Wike

14

APRIL 1, 2017 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

POLSCOPE

with Eddy Odivwri eddy.odivwri@thisdaylive.com 08053069356

The Amphitheatre Called the Nigerian Senate

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or those who are keen on watching free shows, I am certain the plots and intrigues dominating the drama in the Nigerian Senate are quite entertaining.

Yet, the members of the Senate are not comedians, but legislators; the109 persons elected by the rest of us to make laws for our benefit and good governance.

But to a large extent, we have got anything but good laws for the good governance of the Nigerian state.

On the contrary, we have been served tragicomic scenes, typified with foibles and hubris of stage clowns.

Last Wednesday, the Senate resolved to suspend, for six months, its former senate leader, Senator Ali Ndume. His offence is that he “brought the Nigeria Senate to disrepute”. And I ask: how? Ndume had moved a motion last week calling for a probe of a news story published by Sahara Reporters to the effect that the senate president, Dr. Bukola Saraki had indeed bought an armoured Range Rover SUV which was impounded by the men of the Nigerian Customs over fake documentation and inappropriate duty payment, and that was why the Senate was harsh and hard with the DG of Customs, Col Hameed Ali (retd) over the failure to wear his uniform as well as the new policy on duty payment on old vehicles. But even when the Customs suspended the new policy, Ali did not receive respite from the senators, until some “busy-body lawyer” took the uniformwearing controversy to court.

Same day and on the same motion, Ndume had also drawn the attention of the Senate to another publication by the same Sahara Reporters claiming that Senator Dino Melaye did not graduate from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, as he had claimed.

Ndume had emphasised, while moving the motion, that it was necessary to clear the image of the Senate of any scam or scandal Swiftly, the Senate referred the two matters to the Ethics and Privileges committee.

And in a speed unusual with the Senate, the committee met, invited the accused persons, relevant witnesses and returned a verdict that Saraki was not directly involved in the importation of the said armoured SUV Range Rover, just as it confirmed from the Vice Chancellor of ABU that Senator Dino Melaye indeed graduated with third class in Geography from ABU as Jonah Daniel Melaye in Year 2000.

The latter in celebration of the acquittal had worn outlandishly, an academic gown to the floor of the Senate, in a typical Melayinic manner.

Smarting from the twin acquittals, the Ethics and privileges committee went beyond its brief of ascertaining the veracity of the claims in the allegation, by recommending that Senator Ndume be suspended for one legislative year. It had to take the pleading of some senators to reduce the punishment to six months.

So what is the offence of Ndume? Was it true or not that Sahara Reporters published the stories Ndume referred to? Since when did it become an offence to either react to newspaper publications or draw attention to news publications? Is it not ironical that on the same day that Ndume was suspended for raising the issue of what was published in the SR, that Senator Ibn N’allah, also drew the Senate’s attention to a newspaper publication where Professor Itse Sagay was said to have described the senators in uncomplimentary

Saraki language? And the senators got very angry, resolving to invite Sagay to the Senate chamber to identify the senators he thinks have questionable character… So assuming Sagay denies that he did not say so, is the Senate going to pounce on Ibn Na’allah for drawing its attention to the publication?

What is the difference between what Ndume did and what Na’Allah did?

For crying out loud, Ndume was not the one who made the allegations against Saraki and Melaye. He merely drew the attention of the Senate to the publication with the intention of clearing the image of the Senate, just as Na’Allah wants the image of the Senate cleared from the smear tag of Sagay.

I thought if the Senate is to be angry, it will be with the publisher of Sahara Reporters, not Ndume, who was merely reacting to what was published.

Indeed, did the probe not clear the image of the Senate? Was that not the expressed intent of Ndume? Until the probe, didn’t many people believe that Saraki was merely using the institution of the Senate to fight a personal battle with the CG of Customs? Or did the scandal over certificate forgery by Melaye not assume several twists while the allegation lasted, until the VC from ABU cleared the air?

I thought Ndume, rather than be vilified, should be commended

for goading the Senate to clear the air over the issues, once and for all.

Not many people are however surprised that Ndume fell under the hammer of the Senate. It was indeed a night of long knives. The voice vote supporting the suspension of Ndume for six months betrayed the deep conspiracy behind the anti-Ndume plot.

With over 15 senators including Saraki and even his wife, Toyin, under probe by the EFCC, nobody expected Magu and his allies to be treated with priestly kindness. And for aligning with Magu, Ndume inadvertently isolated himself for the dagger.

Ndume, it appeared, had been on collision course with the leadership of the Senate ever since he claimed that the initial rejection of Mr Ibrahim Magu as the EFCC chair did not mean that Magu will not be confirmed as the EFCC Chair. For that utterance, considered antithetical to the position of the entire Senate, Ndume was promptly removed as the Senate’s majority leader. Ever since then, both the Senate leadership and Ndume have been watching each other’s back.

In the light of the foregoing, I believe it amounts to abuse of word and power to accuse Ndume of bringing the Nigerian Senate to disrepute. He was not the one who alleged. He merely made reference to a published allegation. Those who speciously argue that Ndume should have confirmed the veracity of the allegation before raising it on the floor of the Senate, miss the point.

I ask them: Did Ibn Na’ Allah confirm from Prof Sagay whether he indeed said what was published before raising the issue on the floor of the Senate? If Na’allah was not vilified, why is Ndume facing suspension? Didn’t the two of them make reference to news publications? Or is it because Saraki and Melaye are involved in the reference made by Ndume?

Surely, the Senator Samuel Anyanwu-led Ethics and Privileges committee put the Senate on a needless overdrive in meting out a disproportionate punishment on Ndume just to please the sacred princes of the Senate: Saraki and Melaye. In conspiring to descend on Ndume, the senators have betrayed the fact that they hardly have a mind of their own.

Several court rulings have however indicated that the Senate lacks the power to suspend any member from the chambers.

Ndume has the liberty to seek such judicial redress.

Pray, did this same Melaye not bring the National Assembly to a more profound disrepute when on June 22, 2010, he and others engaged in a shameful brawl on the floor of the House of Representatives, wherein his clothes were torn to shreds?

This is the same Senate that has failed to pass the national budget presented to them since December 14 last year. This is April. The rains are here already. Construction works will now be impossible.

This is the same Senate that has been dithering over the allimportant Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) for over eight years.

Having watched the hilarious scenes of Magu and the “terrorised” senators; anti-uniform Col Hammed Ali (retd) and the Senate; Senator Ndume vs the Senate leadership, the Nigerian audience sitting pretty cool in the amphitheatre is itching for the starring of the next set of characters in this endless drama of legislative circus.

FGPL:HasPENCOMnotWorsenedtheWoesofPensioners?

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or those who had chosen First Guaranty Pensions Ltd (FGPL) as their Pension Funds Administrator (PFA), they must be wondering what cruel fate has befallen them in the last six years, almost.

That was when the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) took over the running of the FGPL for some alleged infractions.

During the period (since August 12, 2011 till date) neither the shareholders of the company nor the pensioners who chose the company as their pension fund administrator have held any meeting to determine the fortunes or otherwise of their pension. It is not certain how many such pensioners had died waiting to receive their pensions from FGPL, no thanks to the takeover of the company by its regulator, PENCOM. It is probably right to suspect that there is more to the seizure of the company by PENCOM given the illegal determination to either subvert the wish and operations of the FGPL Board or in disregarding the many court orders that have been delivered in favour of the owners of the company. It is even more curious that the PENCOM leadership under Mrs Chinelu AnohuAmazu, as the Director General has exerted more energy in wracking down the original

Chinelo Anohu-Amazu –DG PenCom owners of the company, using the coercive institutions of the Nigerian Police and even the EFCC, than in ensuring that whatever problems detected, warranting the take-over of the company are redressed and solved.

That probably explains why almost six years after, neither an AGM nor EGM

(Extraordinary General Meeting) has been held to determine the fate of the shareholders of the company. That way too, the pensioners have been languishing in abandonment.

What is more, the failure to hold an AGM or EGM means that the company has not been paying tax to the government. Sources close to the company say it is already having a tax liability of over N1.3 billion. Surely, the takeover by PENCOM has neither benefitted the pensioners, nor even the government.

But more importantly, the takeover of the company by PENCOM may have been an overreach by the regulator. Section 82 of the Pension Reform Act of 2014 had provided that “ if for any reason, Pencom, in the annual report conduct its report or examination of a PFA or a Pension Fund Custodian, PenCom would then have to submit that report to the board of the PFA or the board of the PFC. The board of the PFC will now, upon receipt of that report call an extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders of the company to consider the report. The decision of the board of the shareholders is now communicated to PENCOM”. But the Anohu-Amazu –led PenCom did not follow this process. Rather, she peremptorily ordered the Board members to resign, thus usurping the function of the company’s shareholders.

And she then sent in staff of PenCom to take over the running of the company whose

market frontiers have shrunk considerably in the last six years.

It is to be understood that it is for the breaching of the takeover process that the courts severally, delivered judgments in favour of FGPL, which sadly, have been disregarded by PenCom, thus betraying the suspicion that there is a personal grudge fight between the PenCom DG and the owners of FGBL, using unfairly, a state apparatus to prosecute a personal disagreement.

In fact, so peeved was Justice Okorowo on July 18, 2012 that he reprimanded PenCom for disobeying his order. He said, “On 11th August, 2011, the court made an interim order which is in issue. The Court order was served on the first respondent (PenCom) on 12th August 2011. Despite the knowledge of the Order of the Court and the service of the processes of the order of this court, the first respondent went ahead to deal with the subject matter of the case, interfering with the power of this court, to decide the issues in the action.”

All things considered, PenCom ought to be more bothered about the plight of the pensioners who had chosen FGPL as their PFAs, given their raison d’etre, in such a way that their intervention in the running of the company is seen as redeeming instead of what it presently seems: pensioners as victims of a proxy war.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •April 1, 2017

15

NEWS

In Brief

7Year-OldBoySuffocatesinCarBooth

Asevenyearoldboyreportedlydiedinsidetheboothofhermother’sToyotaCorolla carinIlorin.TheincidentaccordingtoTHISDAYcheckshappenedonWednesdayhot afternoonafterthedriverofthecarhaddroppedtheboyathisIlorinGRA.Sources toldjournalistsonFridaythat, parentsofthevictim,whowereabroad,hadbefore embarkingonthetrip,madeanarrangementwitharelationtobepickinganddropping thechildrenfromschool.Thedriverwhoisanuncletotheparentswassaidtohave droppedtheboyonthatfatefulattheIlorinGRAhomeafterschoolandleftthecar keyonthediningtableandleftforhishome.Itwasatthispointthat,theboyallegedly pickedthecarkey,wentinsidethebooth,andlockedhimselfinside.

PoliceTrainonRapeCases

ThepoliceinBayelsayesterdayconcludedanintensivetrainingonthehandling ofrapecasesfollowingtheincreaseofsuchincidentsandotherformsofviolence againstwomen,girlsandothervulnerablegroupsinthesociety.The'refresherand strategy’workshopwascarriedoutincollaborationwiththeFaceInitiative,anongovernmentalorganisationandtheStateChapteroftheInternationalFederation ofWomenLawyers(FIDA).OrganisersofthetrainingwhichtookplaceatthePolice Officers'MessinYenagoa,toldjournaliststhattheprogrammewasmeanttoempower thelawenforcementagentsonhowtodealwithmostlygender-basedcrimes.Senior officersfromtheBayelsaStatePoliceCommandandmembersofCivilSociety Organisationsagreedduringthetrainingthatunlesswell-trainedpersonneltook oversuchcases,theywouldcontinuetobebungledbytheauthorities.

REWARDED FOR LOYALTY...

L- R: Francisca Badiru, Branch Manager, Retail Branch , Abuja, Diamond Bank Plc; Blessing Oghale, N1M Winner, DiamondXtra, Season 9; and Martins Onowa, Customer Service Manager, Retail Branch Abuja, Diamond Bank Plc at the cheque presentation Ceremony to DiamondXtra February month – end draw winners held recently in Abuja

Omatek Founder, Florence Seriki Buried Amid Tears Emma Okonji The remains of the Founder and CEO of Omatek Computers, Mrs. Florence Seriki, was finally laid to rest yesterday in Lagos, shortly after a funeral mass in her honour at the Catholic Holy Cross Cathedral Church, Lagos. She passed on March 3, 2017 at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), after battling with pancreas cancer.

The Catholic Church in Lagos witnessed unprecedented crowd who came out to pay her their last respects.

Stakeholders in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector, where she left indelible marks also turned out in their large numbers.

Monsignor Gabriel Osu, from Lekki parish, celebrated the funeral mass with Rev. Fr. Vincent Bankole from Surulere parish, both from Lagos. The homily by the Monsignor centred on four key points: material things, the human body, relations and friends, as well as the human soul. He said most people attached too much importance to the first three and neglect the fourth, the human soul, which ought to be given more priority. He prayed for the respose of the soul of Florence Seriki and advised all present to begin reconciliation with man and God, since nobody knew the day and hour that death would come knocking.

Immediately after the funeral mass, her remains was quickly moved to its final place of rest by Ebony Undertakers, leaving friends and relations of

the deceased in tears.

Seriki who studied Chemical Engineering from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife, (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife), was married to Olalekan Seriki, an Architect, and blessed with a boy and two girls.

She was born to the family of late Andrew Udebu and Mrs. Victoria Udebu, both from Ebu in Oshimili North Local Government Area in Delta State. She had her primary and secondary school education in Lagos, before proceeding to the university to study Chemical Engineering.

Florence Omatule Seriki, started computer trading as a vendor before establishing Omatek Ventures in 1987, as a local computer assembling plant in Lagos. In 1993, she launched the Omatek brand of computers. She later

expanded the business by opening a branch of Omatek in Ghana and another branch in Singapore later.

She was a member of several ICT industry associations, including the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS and the Information Technology Industry Association of Nigeria (ITAN, where she was president of ITAN. She won several industry awards while alive.

As a Chemical Engineer, Seriki put her skills in the business, which started picking up as at that time. In order to raise money for the computer assembling business, Seriki listed her company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in 2008, and the IPO was oversubscribed, raising more money for her business, being the only technology company listed on NSE as at then.

Ikpeazu Mulls ‘Pardon’ for 1,642 Peace Returns to Ex-President LG Workers with Fake Certificates Jonathan’s Town after 26 Years Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia

The move by the Abia State government to sanitise and instill discipline in the local government system appears to be heading for the rocks as Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has come under pressure to abandon the implementation of the staff verification exercise which exposed 1,642 workers with fake certificates.

The State Executive Council had in a memo dated December 20, 2016 authorised the ministry to embark on the sanitation exercise to weed out fraud and its perpetrators in the local government system. It was also mandated to instill discipline, maintain a comprehensive data system for staff and issue unified identity cards that contain information on date of birth and expected retirement date of every employee.

But the Commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, Chief Charles Ogbonnaya, yesterday lamented at a press conference that the verification exercise was now being threatened following moves by some government officials and other interested parties to protect the fraudsters in the system.

He told journalists that those kicking against the findings of

the verification exercise had become so vicious to the extent of threatening his life in order to protect the fraudsters in the local government system.

“I’ve been receiving knocks here and there with people pouring aspersions on me for, according to them, not doing what I was asked to do. But I leave everything to God and to Abians,” he said, adding that he had been receiving threats from opponents of the verification exercise.

According to Chief Ogbonnaya, 1, 642 persons were found to have got employed in the local government system with fake certificates while over 300 employees were found to have manipulated the system and extended their service by upwards of three years after they were due for retirement.

Governor Ikpeazu had already stated that he would not pardon the “criminals” in the local government system but those bent on protecting the fraudulent workers have continued to mount pressure on him to rescind his decision.

Even the national president of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel has appealed to the governor “to pardon” the indicted workers.

Michael Olugbode Peace has finally returned to Ogbia local government area, Bayelsa State, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s town, after a 26-year kingship tussle which led to several court cases beginning from 1991.

The stool, it was gathered, was last occupied by King Bennett Ayebakari Isiki, who died 26 years ago after spending 30 years on the throne.

National Chairman, Ogbia Brotherhood, Chief Benson Agadaga, who spoke after the three-day event which witnessed the presence of dignitaries, including politicians ,businessmen and first class monarchs , told journalists that with the inauguration of His Royal Majesty , Dumaro Charles Owaba as the new Obanobhan, calm had returned to the town.

“It is significant in many respects.

First, the highly revered and ancient throne which has remained occupied has joyfully been filled. The death of King Bennett Ayebakari Isiki in 1991 after 30 years of reign marked a long journey of uncertainty over the choice of a substantive king in Ogbia.

“It is regrettable that his successor, Justice E.J Igoniwari who was chosen after the regency HRH Paul Nathan was not coronated. He eventually died after waiting for 13 years to retire from service.

“Secondly, the throne stands out as the first among the other three first class kings, and represents a common voice, symbol of unity and the rallying point of the people” , Agadaga, head of the apex socio-cultural body and highest decision making body of the Ogbia people said.

The new king, Obanobhan III, who hails from Otabi community, but was born in Oloibiri, where oil was first discovered in Nigeria, promised to uphold the peace and strong values the people of Ogbia were known for.

The Civil Engineer, who was first elected paramount ruler of Otabi, his community and has over 28 years’ experience on the traditional system in the place, said he would work hard to unlock the vast potential of the kingdom.

He also vowed to promote cultural and infrastructural development of the town and solicited the support of all indigenes of Ogbia kingdom in that respect.

The new king told the Ogbia people to always put the interest of the kingdom first, assuring that his reign would usher in peace and development in the town.

The coronation also brings to an end the wrangling between the three contending families which had earlier gone to court but eventually withdrew for the new king.

GlaxoSmithKlineAppointsAkshikarMD

GlaxoSmithKline,aglobalhealthcarecompany,hasannouncedtheappointment ofBhushanAkshikarasitsManagingDirector.BhushanjoinedtheNigeriabusiness inJanuary2017fromMumbai,India,whereheheldthepositonofExecutiveVice President,GlaxoSmithKlineIndia. HewillbepartofawiderAfricaandDeveloping Countries Leadership team, responsible for driving business performance and top line growth in Nigeria. Prior to joining GSK, Bhushan worked with Johnson & Johnson for over 16 years across diverse markets like India, South Korea and Belgium. Bhushan holds a post graduate MBA in Marketing and a Bachelor’s DegreeinPharmaceuticalSciencesfromtheUniversityofMumbai,India. With overtwodecadesofworkinginvaryingpositonsandincreasingresponsibilityin thehealthcare industry, Bhushan brings rich and broad commercial experience to theGSKNigeriabusiness

BontusGroup

ThechairmanofBontusgroupchiefUcheOkaforhassaidthathiscompanydid not sign any MOU with Dangote group rather Dangote group was desirous of appointinghiscompanymajordistributorofDangotecommoditiesinthesouth east.Reactingtoapublicationwhichgavetheimpressionthatbothcompanies signedamemorandumofunderstanding,chiefOkaformaintainedthathiscompany hadjustfinishedfillingthedistributorshipformsandwaitingforappointmentletter fromDangotegroupaddingthattheimpressiongiveninthepublicationmustbe anoversightfromthereporterwhocoveredthesmallceremonywhereDangote teaminspecteditsfacilitiesatKilometer6,OnitshaOwerriroad,Obosi."Bontus GroupregretsanyembarrassmentthemisrepresentationmaycauseDangote Group,"saidOkafor.

CANHoldsCrusadeinBayelsaState

TheChristianAssociationofNigeria,CAN,SouthSouthzoneisholdingatwo-day crusadewiththetheme“ThyKingdomCome"hasbegunintheBayelsaStatecapita, Yenagoa.Inhismessageatthecrusadewhichstartedlastnight,theChairmanof CAN,SouthSouthzone,ArchbishopGoddowellAvwomakparemindedthepeople ofBayelsaStatethatiftheUnitedStates,thepoliceoftheworldandarenowned worldpowercouldsay“inGodwetrust"andtheirleadersandpolicymakersensured thattheyputGodfirstinallthattheydo,thentherewasnoreasonwhydeveloping nationsshouldnotembraceGodandputtheirtrustinHim.

GroupOffersFreeMedicalServices

AcharitablehumanitarianandNon-GovernmentalOrganisation,“DanielOgechi Akujobi Memorial (DOAM)” Foundation has provided free medical services for over1000patientsafflictedwithvariousailments.DOAMwhichwasestablished in2007inmemoryofMasterDanielOgechiAkujobi(1992-2005)wholosthislife followinginjurieshesustainedinaroadaccidentonhiswaybacktoschoolonthe Lagos-Ibadanexpresswayistailoredtowardsprovidingsuccourtothelessprivileged stormedtheEzikeHealthcentre,inIsialaMbanoCouncilAreaofImoStatewhere patientswithcasessuchasmalaria,typhoid,Highbloodpressure,Diabetesandpelvic ulcerwereexaminedandtreated.Thefounderandproprietorofthefoundation, Mr.DanielAkujobiexplainedattheepoch-makingceremonythatwhilethevision wastoimprovethequalityoflifeofthelessprivilegedinthesociety.

QueensBatonRelayArrivesNigeria

The Queen' Baton Relay officials to Nigeria will arrive the Murtala Muhammed InternationalAirport,Lagostoday.Thefive-manteammadeupofGideonSam, AdamBest,PatriciaQuayle,JeremyStton-HibbertandColinBriggswilltouchdownat theMurtalaMuhammedAirportby10.40a.mwherethewillbereceivedbyChairman oftheMainOrganisingCommitte,MrsHauwaKulu-Akinyemiwitheothersports aficionadosincludingOlympiansandParalympiansandothertopofficialsofthe NigeriaOlympicCommitteeandhordesofnewsmen.Therewiibeabandanddance troupeandaward-winningSupportersClubtoentertainthevisitors.TheQueens BatoncarriesamessagefromHerMajestytheQueen,throughallnationsasto calltheCommonwealthtocometogetherinfriendlycompetitionattheGames.

Sir Joseph Igboanugo for Burial April 27

SirJosephIkechukwuIgboanugowillbelaidtorestonApril27,2017athiscountry homeinUmuikekindred,Umuofa-EzumeriOraifiteinEkwusigoLocalGovernment AreaofAnambraState.AccordingtoastatementbytheIgboanugofamily,theevent willkickoffonWednesdayApril26,2017,withserviceofsongsathiscompoundin Umuike,UmuofiaEzumeriOraifiteby5pm.Otheractivitiestofollowarelyinginstate by7am,GloriousserviceatSt.JudeAnglicanChurch,Oraifiteby10am,afterwhich internmentandotherfuneralritesfollowthereafterathiscompound.Theburial riteswillhowever,continue9amonFriday28,April,atlateSirJosephIgboanugo’s compoundfollowedbyOutingServiceatSt.JudeAnglicanChurch,OraifiteonSunday April30,2017.Someofthepersonalitiesexpectedtobeattheeventareprominent Igboleaders,membersoftherespectedIgboclubinNigeriaF19,membersofUmu AbaConnect,prominenttraditionalrulers,membersofNALTInternationalamong otherrespectedNigerians.

16

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • APRIL 1, 2017

THE ALTERNATIVE with Reno Omokri President Buhari’s Certificate Scandal and the Rising Trend of Suicide

I

read the statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, saying that President Muhammadu Buhari is not involved in any certificate scandal and I was rather surprised that a professional like Garba, whom I know to be a polished media man, would even have responded to that story from The Punch Newspaper in the first place.

The response was unnecessary. As a presidential spokesman, you do not respond to every story. In fact, under President Obama, there was a template in the White House which was that if multiple media networks are not carrying a story, then it is not worth responding to it because by responding to a small story, you make it a big story. You give it the attention that makes other news houses interested in it and that is what Garba Shehu’s statement did.

Now, to say that President Buhari does not have a certificate scandal is an act of dishonesty and to quote Edmund Burke, Garba is being economical with the truth.

The Presidency is being clever by half by saying that President Muhammadu Buhari, like Dino Melaye, is not involved in a certificate scandal. That is patently dishonest. President Buhari DOES have a certificate scandal.

If the President does not have a certificate scandal, how come he hired thirteen high-priced Senior Advocates of Nigeria to defend him in a case brought to compel him to provide the certificate or proof that he has one, including one Kola Awodein (SAN) who gave a ‘gift’ of 500,000 to Justice Ademola, the judge that was handling the case against the president, at a time the case was pending before him!

A man who has no certificate scandal will simply produce the original certificate or if it is lost he will apply to the University of Cambridge International Examinations for a Certified True Copy of his results. You do not need to defend the truth with 13 SANs. The truth will defend itself.

Now, do not get me wrong. I am not saying that Buhari has no GCE Certificate. I do not know if he has or does not have a certificate. What I know is that the story keeps changing. We read that the Nigerian Army had his certificate until they denied. Then we were told that the certificate was seized by the Babangida administration when Buhari was overthrown in 1985. We have also read that the certificate is with President Muhammadu Buhari’s provincial school in Katsina. Which is it? Your guess is as good as mine. What I am saying is that except hiring thirteen SANs is part of his strategy for fulfilling his campaign promise of employing three million Nigerians in two years, it is safe to conclude that President Muhammadu Buhari HAS a certificate scandal! A confirmed one.

On January 21, 2015, the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, even intervened and said that they could assist in verifying the certificate if only then Candidate Buhari would officially request them to.

On that date, WAEC’s spokesman, Mr. Yusuf Ari said, “WAEC cannot take any action except, the owner of the certificate asked us to do so. We are an independent body, therefore, we cannot be partisan on this issue.”

Would it be far easier to just ask the relevant authorities to release the documents as Mr. Ari said, than to hire thirteen SANs? In fact, I wish the efforts by Dino Melaye’s enemies in the All Progressives Congress to verify his certificates can be applied to verifying the certificate of another powerful man in the APC. We should not treat Dino Melaye one way and President Muhammadu Buhari another way. If they think Dino Melaye is unfit to hold his senatorial seat because he did not graduate from university (which is untrue), then they should apply their logic to all political office holders no matter how high they are. If Dino must present his certificate, then others must also present their own too! What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander!

For the avoidance of doubt, the minimum educational requirement to contest a Senate seat is the equivalent of a West African Senior School Certificate Examination. There is absolutely no doubt that Dino Melaye has one. Yet so much pressure was piled on him due to his Bachelor certificate simply because he ruffled the ‘cabal’s’ feathers.

If questionable certificates are the issue, then it is not Dino we should be looking at! There is somebody who has more questions about his school certificate than Dino. Why are we turning the spotlight on Dino and pandering to President Muhammadu Buhari? Just as the Senate summoned the Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University to give evidence in this matter, the Senate should likewise summon the representative of Cambridge International Examinations to answer questions about President Muhammadu Buhari’s certificate!

In a nation in recession with two of the deadliest terror groups on earth, our fixation is on the certificate of a senator without executive power! That is the problem with Nigeria’s leadership.

Our current leaders cannot spend time planning the progress of this nation, but they can devote razor-like focus to planning the downfall of real and perceived enemies even to the smallest and most ridiculous detail!

And the fact that elements within the APC are shining a spotlight on Dino Melaye’s certificate is yet another example of how divided that party is.

This is even as the recent contretemps between Malam Nasir El-Rufai and some mandarins in the ‘cabal’ has shed more light on why the Buhari administration has failed to deliver the goods it promised.

Never in the history of Nigeria have we ever had a government

Buhari

Buhari

so divided against itself.

The Nigerian Customs Service Versus the Nigerian Senate, the Directorate of State Security Versus the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nasir El-Rufai Versus the Chief of Staff and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Versus the Nigerian Senate, Aisha Buhari Versus the cabal, Asiwaju Bolaji Tinubu Versus John Oyegun, Abike Dabiri Versus the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Raji Fashola Versus Akinwunmi Ambode.

Yet you wonder why this government cannot deliver! If the grass suffers when only two elephants fight, what do you think will happen to the grass when all the elephants are fighting simultaneously? A government that uses all its energies to fight itself will not have any energy left to fight for you!

And to make matters worse, the Buhari administration and the APC keep saying former President Jonathan ruined Nigeria for five years. Yet in those five years you had affordable food, fuel, dollars and regular salary at the federal level.

Moreover, Jonathan did not spend unspecified sums of money on his health abroad neither did he write letters to the National Assembly defending members of his cabinet caught red-handed in corruption.

Perhaps, Jonathan ruined Nigerian by reviving our previously moribund railways and making it possible for you to travel by rail from Lagos to Kano at a cost of 1500? Perhaps, he ruined Nigeria by building the ONLY standard-gauge modern railway that makes it possible for you to live in Kaduna and work in Abuja? In fact, I am sure Jonathan ruined President Buhari’s home state of Katsina, by building the ONLY federal university in that state. If ruining is what Jonathan did for five years, then what will you call what President Buhari has done to Nigeria in the last two years?

It is now tickety-boo in the minds of the apparatchiks of this administration to lay the blame for all their problems on Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, but there is only one small problem.

In January 2015, then Candidate Muhammadu Buhari released a campaign ad with a picture of him that said and I quote, “If anything goes wrong, I will take responsibility and fix it. THAT IS WHAT IT MEANS TO LEAD” (emphasis President Buhari’s, not mine).

Going by the above words of President Muhammadu Buhari himself, we can see quite clearly that judging him by his own standards, the only possible verdict is that he has failed as a leader because two years into his administration, he has yet to “take responsibility and fix it” and is still blaming his predecessor.

By constantly blaming Dr. Goodluck Jonathan for the woes of his government, President Buhari is saying that a man in retirement in Otuoke has more influence over his administration than he as president does. The reality is that the penchant to blame the previous administration shows that ex-President Jonathan is more powerful in his absence from power than incumbent President Buhari is with his presence in power.

Saying anything to get elected and then breaking the promises you made after you are elected is deception and the worst form of corruption!

But in truth, what derailed the Buhari administration and the APC is that they focused all their energies on destroying Goodluck Jonathan, the PDP and the Transformation Agenda instead of concentrating on building Muhammadu Buhari, the APC and the Change Agenda.

Leaders must realise that power is like fire. You can only make progress with fire if you use it to light the way in darkness. But if you use it to burn your enemy’s house, after burning his house, the wind will spread the fire to your own house. Good leaders focus on making progress, bad leaders are fixated on revenge. You cannot combine both. You must choose one or the other and President Buhari made the wrong choice.

And the fixation of the Buhari administration on blaming Jonathan and fighting its real and perceived enemies has meant that only minimal attention is being given to the economy. Consequently, a man who inherited the third-fastest growing economy in the world from former President Jonathan has turned Nigeria into a nation with the world’s fourth-worst performing currency!

The effect of President Buhari’s mishandling of the economy has been catastrophic on the lives of Nigerians.

Never in the history of Nigeria has suicide been so widespread as it is today. There is so much despair in the land. We obviously need permanent police presence around the lagoon in Lagos.

But my thinking is that even if we police the lagoon, how many suicides go unreported in cities, towns and villages across Nigeria?

And even in the Nigerian Police Force, there is a rising wave of suicide amongst officers and men which has become so prevalent that the police authorities themselves have been forced to take action.

At the beginning of the year, the Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 5, Abubakar Mohammed told newsmen that he had received a mandate from the Inspector General of Police to intervene to stem the rising trend of suicide within the force. He said and I quote, “The IGP has asked us to now go close to our officers as well as the rank and file to know what their problems are because the level of suicide within the police is getting higher.

Police officers are killing themselves without knowing what the problems are.”

So if those who are meant to prevent suicide have some of the highest rates of suicide within their midst, what are we to do as a nation?

I am reminded at this time of Proverbs 29:2: ‘When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked bears rule, the people mourn.’

This is not about PDP or APC. If doctors and businessmen and women are being moved to suicide, what about the increasing number of unemployed? I call on churches to shift focus from miracles and financial breakthroughs to extending love to the broken, lonely, unemployed and the abandoned in their communities. Sell your founders private plane and use the money to feed thousands as Jesus fed thousands!

Though there is so much gloom in the land, I want to end this piece on a positive note, so I will leave my readers this week and every other week with one of my wisdom nuggets which form the basis of my ministration as a pastor and an ambassador of Christ.

Reno’s Nuggets: Don’t ask for money from wealthy men. Ask for friendship. A beggar of a rich man is poor. A friend of a rich man becomes rich.

You see, people remain poor because when they get money, they think of the latest phone or shoe instead of a business idea to invest in. But when you befriend the wealthy, you learn to think like them. Finally, you can only become successful by association if you hang out in places where the people you want to be like hang out #RenosNuggets.

18

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 1, 2017

PLUS

My Dream Now is to be the Best in Africa Young, dynamic, and devoted, he kept dreaming as he walked the streets where dreams are broken, where hopes are shattered. Momentarily, he looked into the heavens and wondered if there was a sliver of hope for him to trudge on. For Nigeria’s best actor, Sambasa Nzeribe, excelling in life and his arts was by no means a walk in the park. In winning the 2017 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), he sees the hands of God, the unstinting support of his mother and the sacrifice of his church. But there is much more about the superstar that needs to be known.

Ferdinand Ekechukwu writes

“E

verybody in that group deserves to win,” Sambasa Nzeribe said.

“Winning the award wasn’t the first time I was overwhelmed. I hear of how hard it is during screening like more than a hundred movies at the end six people are picked to be in a particular group.

“My God, I was picked among the legends; people that I grew up watching without knowing the definition of acting.

Now, I am in the same space with them.

I was overwhelmed.”

It appears Sambasa was relatively far from reckoning when the nominee list for the 2017 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), was unveiled.

Going by the other six nominees in the category, it seemed a tough contest to be pitched in a group made up of titans of the African cinema – half of who are his role models.

Having been nominated in a category of strong contenders was an achievement for him even if he did not clinch the much coveted award in the end.

Not many thought he had even a slim chance of emerging as winner in the category.

Eventually when it was time to announce the winner, the audience looking petulant and filled with anxiety yearned to hear the winner’s name announced.

There was the palpable suspended thrill in the Convention Centre of Eko Hotel and Suites.

As the name – and it was Sambasa Nzeribe – was announced the audience was ecstatic with celebration.

Sambasa is the 2017 AMVCA Best Actor Drama Movie/TV series for his role in the movie, Slow Country.

The tall and humble Nzeribe, in a blue jacket on printed multicoloured pants and white snickers, walked up stage.

“Thank you Jesus,” he said, repeatedly, in an indistinct voice.

At this point, his disposition seemed to have failed him as he struggled to breath out of excitement.

When he could finally speak, he said, “I never thought I would be in the same space with legends and gods of

Sambasa (middle) on set

African cinema: Uncle Olu Jacobs, RMD, and Ramsey Nouah. I know it’s your ‘permission’ I win this. I want to greet you in a special way.”

In a rare display of respect and admiration, he prostrated before the trio.

Sambasa is a star with a heart for God; fluent and voracious with his craft. His humility is unmistakable.

Born Chiedozie Sixtus Nzeribe, the journey to limelight was not an easy one.

“The very beginning was when I lost my father. My mother she took refuge in the church, Saint Mary’s Catholic Church Isolo,” he recalled.

Her mother, a member of the Charismatic Renewal Prayer Group, earned a living teaching in an elementary school.

She was also drama and choir teacher in the church. Like an obedient child, Sambasa was always in tow with his mother.

Not too long, tragedy struck again as he lost his mother. Sambasa and his other siblings – four of them – are now orphans.

Left with some family members and the church community, with little or no strict guidance on how to live, Sambasa turned to the streets.

“Basically, I lived like someone who wakes up in the morning and go into the streets loitering around,” he recalled.

Such was his predicament until one fateful day after activities with his group members of the Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria, Sambasa was on his way out of the church when some representatives of the Catholic Women Organisation of Saint Mary’s Catholic Church Isolo, stumbled on him. That moment marked the turning point in his life. Through the programme run by the Catholic women group called An Orphan Scholarship Scheme, they offered to support him should he decide to further his education.

He seized the opportunity for a university education and studied Creative Arts. By the structure of the scholarship scheme, the women provided him with books and paid his school fees, including assigning him to a guardian who happened to be an academician.

“They just did what they could; my Nzeribe family supported me too,” he said.

19

APRIL 1, 2017 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

PLUS The success of the movie coupled with determination and encouragements from friends spurred him on to go further. And just within a space of four years from his debut in 2013 as a rookie to date, Sambasa has featured in about 10 Nollywood movies, including: A Soldier’s Story; Road to Stardom; and Ojuju; all award-winning movies.

He was also featured in Nigeria’s latest blockbuster movie, The Wedding Party, by Mo Abudu

How I Emerged From the Streets into Stardom While in the university, he journeyed passionately, doing all he could do in his department until his third year, when by a stroke of luck, his path crossed with Eric Aghimien’s, the producer of the multiple award-winning movie, A Mile From Home.

While auditioning for the movie, which was his first opportunity to star in a film, having auditioned in some other areas, Eric had come to seek permission to use a place in the Creative Arts department for audition.

It happened that the space granted to the movie producer was where Sambasa had engaged some students in a tutorial on how to direct a movie as part of his practical in a course requirement for graduation.

“He (Eric Aghimien) saw me and then walked up to me and said, ‘will you like to be part of an audition?’ Hysterically, I said ‘yes, yes,’” he narrated.

Done with the students, he then joined in the audition process, and “read scripts and did monologue” and left.

Later, he was called to play the role of “Suku”, a deadly character that fits perfectly what Eric the producer had searched for in Sangisha, Magodo, and Ketu areas of Lagos.

“A Mile From Home” turned out a great feat and was remarkable with 13 local and international awards that it was not reflect that it was a low-budget movie.

But it reminds Sambasa of the near-death experience that played out, like a scene from a thriller during the making of the movie; on his way back from location, after a late-night shoot, some security guards in the area had mistaken him and other colleagues for criminals.

They threatened to shoot them following a commotion that broke out as a colleague made to scamper. But for the timely intervention of someone around the scene that had identified them by their recording equipment.

“A Mile From Home wasn’t easy,” he said as he recounted challenges he faced. “We did it out of passion. Eric

L-R: Regional Director M-Net Africa, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu ; AMVCA Lifetime Recognition Award Winner, Chief Chika Okpala; CEO of M-Net, Yolisa Phahle; AMVCA Best Actor Drama Movie, Sambasa Nzeribe and Adonijah Owiriwa during the 2017 AMVCA ceremony in Lagos

had a vision; and we had a vision of where we wanted to be. He wanted us to join our visions. Then, I was in my third year – combining acting with academic.”

The success of the movie coupled with determination and encouragements from friends spurred him on to go further. And just within a space of four years from his debut in 2013 as a rookie to date, Sambasa has featured in about 10 Nollywood movies, including: A Soldier’s Story; Road to Stardom; and Ojuju; all award-winning movies.

He was also featured in Nigeria’s latest blockbuster movie, The Wedding Party,

by Mo Abudu.

His outstanding performances in these movies within a short while have won him fans across the continent with positive reviews that placed him on a high pedestal in Nollywood. So far, he seems to have established himself as the contemporary Nollywood antagonist

character in the eyes of movie buffs – the kind that could be likened to Hanks Anuku, Kelvin Ikaduba, Jayke Aernan, and Earnest Asuzu.

To Sambasa, it’s a notion driven by the performance in his breakthrough movie which producers and directors have connected with.

He said, “They forget that Sambasa is an actor and not a stereotype. And when you check the definition, an actor is that person that gets anything done. So for now, the job has to do with Sambasa playing the antagonist character. It is fine, it pays the bills. But that thing that has to do with passion in which I want to express my art by God’s grace has come.

“Winning Best Supporting Actor AMVCA 2016; also winning Best Supporting Actor Nigeria Entertainment Award 2016 in New York and now winning Best Actor AMVCA 2017, I think I can breathe now and express

myself the way I would want to.”

As is typical of the young and talented actor, the conversation didn’t end without him giving a peek into his role in the upcoming flick, TATU The Movie. And a couple of projects he’s working on.

One is a monologue titled, No Wahala There’s Garri At Home, which is basically a reflection of the Nigerian society. The second is a musical drama coming up soon.

“Those are the things that people will see and understand that there’s no box for Sambasa to be placed in as actor,” he pointed out.

Like every young man with dreams of success growing up, Sambasa tried being a footballer and then thought of reading Business Administration. The challenge now is winning the Best Actor in Africa, which he acknowledged as the responsibility to deliver on any project.

23

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • APRIL 1, 2017

INTERVIEW Blocking Leakages Helping to Improve Kano’s Revenue we will be able to improve our teachers’ competence.

We also pay our counterpart funding with the federal government. Recently, we paid N1 billion, expecting N1 billion from federal government which will soon come and the whole N2 billion will be put into education. On this Almajiri issue, we took a survey and discovered we have more than 3 million almajiris in this state but from our investigation, most of the Almajiris are not indigenes of Kano state. Some are from Niger, Chad and some from other states especially in the North-west and North-east.

So, we are taking some steps to introduce some elements of integration since we don’t have enough money to observe them by providing infrastructure. We don’t have enough money to employ teachers to handle them because the number of out of school children equals the number in the classroom. So, what we have done is to introduce some core subjects into the Koranic schools because the almajiri schools are in the Koranic schools. We introduced mathematics, English and Social studies. After some time, they will take entrance examinations; that is one part. Another part is to convince our counterparts, our governors to have a common law to prevent the migration of school age children. We cannot stop children from coming to Kano and any child that comes in is an almajiri. Some we have agencies that take them back to where they come from but they always find their way back. That is not a permanent solution. The solution is for the states, especially contiguous states to make laws preventing the migration of school age children. For more than 10 years, there was no promotion for teachers, but last year, we promoted. That is great motivation for them. We build new classrooms and put money into materials and training. It is a wide area and when the economy is bad, the first thing that suffers is education but we are addressing those issues with all seriousness.

We learnt Kano is doing very well in agriculture, with what you have on the ground, can Kano feed Nigeria?

Commercial agriculture is on, we are doing everything to eliminate the middlemen in agriculture; to regulate subsidy because subsidy destroys whatever you want to do. It is only captured by untargeted group, so what we did was to first of all identify actual farmers by bringing them together under cooperatives. Whatever enabling environment we create, we do it directly for the farmers.

We identified with people who are producing wheat and address their problems, problems of improved seedlings, mechanisation and pricing. If you sit with the farmers, you will hear their story and know where to come in, you will see where they too will come in and that is how we are succeeding, we are the highest producer of wheat in the country. Last two days I spent in the farm harvesting and we are lucky we have infrastructure built by the first governor of Kano State, Audu Bako of blessed memory a foresighted man who constructed major dams in the state and that is what is giving us advantage and to add to that, we go into mechanisation in farms and we increase old channels and you find that agriculture is now throughout the year both dry and rainy season. If you go, you will see thousands of men and women in the farm that don’t want to come to the city at all because they like what they are doing. Another one is a consistent policy in agriculture which Mr. President has agreed to because if you allow the importation of all these things into the country then the producers will be shortchanged. When people complain that rice is expensive, I just sit back and laugh because I know that farmers are very happy. But someone who is used to cheap foodstuff not minding how it affects the economy of the country will complain but eventually when people go to farm and start producing, then the price will come down , gradually it will stabilise and become normal. Those countries that are selling food to us are subsidizing them. They are subsidising so that they will be able to export. On rice and tomato, we are working very hard and our fertilizer blending plant which was established by late Abubakar Rimi was abandoned for many years, we spent over N1 billion in it and it is now working. I am sure they are working day and night producing fertiliser. Last year we supplied fertilizer to some states, I could remember Kebbi State bought over 200 trucks and the company made more than N500 million profit. The federal government has now identified our own fertilizer blending plant as one of the plants to be provided with raw materials to produce. So you can see how we are encouraging agriculture and we will continue to do that. Kano will feed the nation gradually, not immediately but gradually. Like tomato paste, we are still having some problems and we are asking Mr. President to come to our aid because till now, there is no serious policy on importation of paste. We succeeded in convincing the richest man in Africa, Dangote, to establish a tomato paste industry but with the importation of tomato paste, the farmers are finding it difficult to fix their prices and I believe the President is working on that.

There is this notion in Nigeria that many governors perform very well during their first terms but not during their second terms. Already the slogan of four plus four equals to eight has rented the air. What would be your pact with Kano people?

Ganduje at the Textile Market being constructed under PPP I don’t know how you drew your conclusions, maybe looking at what is happening across the country but in our own case, we know that we want to leave a legacy.

We know that we have to leave a mark because we know that one day, you will leave the stage and would be remembered for the good things you have done for the state. The reason is that I am not coming from the blues as far as governance is concerned. I did not just hit a jackpot and found myself in governance. I have been a recruit in public service. I started from level 8 as a graduate and went through all the levels to level 17; that was civil service. I am a PhD holder from a premier university, the University of Ibadan; the first time I was looking for admission, I said I needed a university where I will face tribe and religious challenges and some people told me to go to the University of Ibadan and I went there. In my class, I was the only Hausa man and I liked it. I came out of that, I was a university lecturer in that aspect too. I went into politics and was seconded to the local government level where an illiterate was my chairman, later I became Assistant Secretary; I contested election and failed and I was rehabilitated and was posted to work in government. So, I have been in so many sectors of development

Whatever enabling environment we create, we do it directly for the farmers.

We identified with people who are producing wheat and address their problems, problems of improved seedlings, mechanisation and pricing.

If you sit with the farmers, you will hear their story and know where to come in, you will see where they too will come in and that is how we are succeeding, we are the highest producer of wheat in the country. Last two days I spent in the farm harvesting and we are lucky we have infrastructure built by the first governor of Kano State, Audu Bako of blessed memory a foresighted man who constructed major dams in the state and that is what is giving us advantage and to add to that, we go into mechanisation in farms and we increase old channels and you find that agriculture is now throughout the year both dry and rainy season

and I know it would be shameful for me to come, see and leave. So I have to come, see and conquer. So I don’t think that I belong to that category of administrators who will work for four years and relax when I get another four years and enjoy; tell me, what type of enjoyment do I need now? In fact my enjoyment is if I am busy, if I have something worthwhile doing so I cannot waste my time on enjoyment than planning what to do after this.

Most of my children are graduates, having good jobs and I have only one wife, I don’t want to trouble myself with issues of polygamy. My wife is a PhD holder, so we can move together. Therefore, this four plus four that you hear, some people say I will do only one term, then people reacted and said no no no, it is four plus four, not one and you know you cannot prevent certain things. You know this is politics we are playing. They are just playing politics and entertainments. So, it is not an issue that is calculated but we politicians know that it is the flavor. It is just like a woman when she wears a makeup, it does not increase her flavour or stature. It is a mere make up to make her attractive. So, all what you have seen about four plus four by the people makes politics attractive.

As a governor on the platform of APC, are you not worried that the party may lose elections in 2019, considering the problems within the party and the economic crisis in the country?

I think we can see it as lack of synchronisation in the party. Yes, I think there is something like that. You know APC is a mega party formed from different factions consolidating into one party and it takes time. For those of you who read chemistry, there is a difference between a mixture and compound. In mixture, you will be able to separate the particles through a process while a compound, anything you touch is the same. So, APC is a young party that is coming up and finding cohesion; that is one aspect of it and we shall overcome that. Democracy is growing because swome of the disagreements you refer to are part of democracy because the Executive has to swallow bitter pills from the legislators and the legislators sometimes have to withstand pressures from the Executive but at the end of it, there will be solutions. After some compromises here and there, things will be resolved according to the dictates of democracy.

Before now, I am sure if we invited you to come to Kano you would not come because of insecurity, then churches were bombed, mosques were bombed, filling stations were bombed, car parks were bombed, vehicles stopped on highways and passengers were slaughtered.

Three quarters of local governments in Yobe and Borno were in the hands of insurgents but now it is a different story.

Now people have forgotten that problem which was threatening everybody, even trying to penetrate the South.

That achievement to most people will not look like an achievement because the problem has been solved.

Then comes the problem of the economy, the prices of oil has gone down and we have to look to agriculture but agriculture does not yield overnight, it requires time, even the orientation of farmers who are used to looking for contracts in offices. You have to struggle for them to work in the farms and to make agriculture profitable. That too itself is not something you can do overnight.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •April 1, 2017

Auto

2018 Lamborghini Huracán Spyder

Lamborghini Huracán Spyder: 2017 Car of the Year Stories by Bennett Oghifo

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ar of the Year competition by Robb Report, one of the most anticipated events in the automotive community has been unveiled. The global voice of real luxury revealed the winners of this year awarding Lamborghini Huracán Spyder. The open top version of the Huracán Coupé presented at last Frankfurt International Motor Show was elected between 13 cars by 150 judges

participated to the annual that was held in California’s Napa Valley from October 28 through November 9, 2016.

The Huracán Spyder stands for inspiring technology, outstanding quality and breathtaking performance. Luxurious comfort with a pure and dynamic design ensures the convertible version of the Huracán is an iconic Lamborghini in its own right. Its lightweight, electrohydraulic soft top gives the new Lamborghini a distinctive presence with roof both open and closed, and maximum comfort for

driver and passenger with uncompromising handling and performance.

Designed to cut through the air and become one with the sky, the Huracán Spyder is the pinnacle of Italian taste and hand craftsmanship, a sports car concept elevated to the performance and sensation of a coupé.

The result? Behind you, the roar of the powerful V-10 engine. Above your head, an ultra-lightweight soft top that opens in just 17 seconds. Ahead, only the horizon awaits.

Toyota Builds Dream Toy for Adults

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oyota is rekindling childhood memories with the reveal of a stunning concept vehicle that brings together the iconic Tonkaand“unbreakable”HiLuxbrands.

A full-size dream toy for adults, the HiLux Tonka Concept is an impressive rock-crawling truck that combines the enviable reputations for toughness and durability that dominate the Toyota and Tonka DNAs. The high-riding off-roader celebrates HiLux’s breakthrough in becoming Australia’s best-selling

HiLux Tonka Concept 2017

vehicle last year, alongside significant global anniversaries for both Toyota and Tonka.

It was conceived, designed, assembled and tested by designers and engineers from ToyotaAustralia’s 150-strong product planning and development division.

Product design chief Nicolas Hogios said the extreme style and capability of the HiLux Tonka Concept would capture the imagination of kids and adults alike.

“We have taken Tonka out of the sand pit and

reinvented HiLux from top to bottom and from nose to tail,” Mr Hogios said.

“Inspired by the Tonka trucks that kids play with in their backyards, the HiLux Tonka Concept goes way beyond the already hugely capable abilities of HiLux to traverse rocks and other rugged terrain,” he said.

“The HiLux Tonka Concept is dramatic evidence that our local team loves to have fun, we’re keen to explore new ideas and we’re always looking to push the boundaries of what’s possible,” he said.

Underneath the dramatic black-and-yellow livery of the HiLux Tonka Concept is the top-of-the-range production HiLux - the SR5 double cab with a powerful 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine.

An extensive makeover starts with substantially extra ground clearance - an increase in ride height of 150mm (6 inches). Combined with a high-riding axle, heavy-duty suspension and 35-inch diameter tyres, the HiLux Tonka Concept is equipped topower over rugged terrain that would be off-limits to other off-roaders.

A new front bar is compatible with the vehicle’s safety systems while the bonnet has a carbon-fibre skin and features an aggressive “power bulge” and air scoops. High-performance off-road LED lighting in the bar and roof pod combine to provide excellent night vision for off-road trails.

A rugged bash plate made from 6mm-thick alloy is designed to protect the sump and other vital components. Tubular side rails protect the body and chassis. Behind the cabin, almost everything has been changed. The transformation includes a new tailgate, also wrapped in carbon fibre, that incorporates an integrated spoiler and two air vents for optimal airflow. A durable, lightweight strap rather than a handle releases the tailgate.

Massilia Motors Offers Free Diagnosis on Mitsubishi Vehicles

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ole distributor of Mitsubishi vehicles in Nigeria, Massilia Motors Limited, has announced a free one week diagnosis for all Mitsubishi vehicles beginning from Monday, April 3 to Friday April 7, in Lagos.

Massilia Motors which was recently unveiled as a joint venture of CFAO and Kewalram Chanrai Group, says the free diagnosis will take place in its after-sales facility in Ijora, Lagos. According to the company, the offer is starting in Lagos and will eventually be offered in other parts of the country in the future.

After Sales General Manager of Massilia Motors Limited, Dominique Beguin, stated that the gesture was the company’s way of appreciating the numerous Mitsubishi customers in Nigeria and re-assuring them on Massilia Motors ability to handle all their after-sales needs.

Dominique said all Mitsubishi vehicle owners are to “get free professional check-up and diagnosis for all Mitsubishi vehicles from 2010 models and above, and beside the free diagnosis, the customer gets a 10% discount for labour”.

He added that the company will also be offering a 25% discount on selected genuine spare parts as well as free estimation valid for two weeks from date of issue.

Revealing that customers can take advantage of the offer by booking for a check through calling Massilia Motors or sending an email via the company’s website, he also said the company is offering free car wash and numerous gift items for those who attend.

Speaking during the unveiling of Massilia Motors recently the Managing Director, Mr Thomas Pelletier said ‘’ ’The Massilia advantage is that we do not only sell cars, we consider our customers as stakeholders and provide solutions tailored to their needs. From counsel on the best product for each use to establishing a maintenance plan, we follow the customer through the product life cycle to ensure good value and a longer life span”’.

Massilia Motors Limited provides customers with Mitsubishi Motors passenger cars, SUVs, pick-ups, spare parts and after-sales services across Nigeria.

The head office located at 4A Ijora Causeway, Ijora Lagos is a major after-sales hub with a fully equipped workshop and qualified technicians.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •April 1, 2017

27

Auto

Lincoln Debuts Advanced Head-up Display for 2017 Continental Stories by Bennett Oghifo

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he Lincoln Motor Company wants its drivers to keep their hands on the wheel. One way Ford’s luxury brand is aiming to accomplish that goal is with a new, enhanced head-up display. In fact, Lincoln is claiming it has scored a benchmark with its all-new head-up display for

the 2017 Continental sedan. The updated headup display features new technology to enhance legibility in bright light, and is customizable.

Lincoln says the new display is the biggest on the market and can even be seen with polarized sunglasses. The technology responsible for the head-up display, named Digital Light Projection, is exactly the same tech movie theaters use for brightness. Texas Instruments first developed the technology in 1987, but it wouldn’t make its

way to projectors until 1997. Lincoln is the first brand to incorporate the technology for a HUD. Drivers will be able to customize everything the HUD shows through controls on the Continental’s steering wheel. Available for display on your windshield are such information as outside temperature, lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control status, fuel level, navigation directions, trip computer stats, outside temperature, current speed and time, and incoming calls.

2017 Lincoln Continental

Jeep isTeasingTwo 2017 Easter Jeep Safari

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he Easter Jeep Safari is almost upon us again, and like always, Jeep will roll out some unique concept vehicles to celebrate the event.

The two concepts seen in the photos are known as the Jeep Quicksand and the Jeep Switchback, just two of the new vehicles that will head to Moab this year to hit the trails.

The Easter Jeep Safari concepts are always heavily modified versions of existing Jeep vehicles, built to show off the capabilities of the brand and also to showcase many Mopar add-on parts.

For example, last year we saw the Jeep Trailcat, a Wrangler fitted with a Hellcat engine. There are usually six or seven concepts in total.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Annual Easter Jeep Safari, so what better time than now to take a look back at some of the craziest creations for the event? For several years now, Jeep has brought numerous concepts to the annual event, not just to showcase the potential of its vehicles, but also to gauge public interest in possible special edition models.

Thousands of off-road enthusiasts make the journey to Moab for the annual event that typically takes place right before Easter.

For an entire week, enthusiasts take on the famous and challenging off-road trails in Utah, alongside some of these awesome concepts from Jeep. Since 2002, more than 50 concept vehicles have been created for the Easter Jeep Safari.

2017 BMW X5 xDrive 35i: Fast and Fun

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here’s definitely a place in this world for sporty SUVs, but sometimes they can be a bit excessive.

You know the ones: plenty of power and performance, but not a whole lot of practicality to match. This is where the 2017 BMW X5 xDrive35i comes in. It may not offer the same degree of dynamism as its maniacal sibling, the BMW X5 M, but it can be fast and fun when called upon.

A Base on Which to Build As the base version of the X5, the 35i comes packing a decent punch right out of the box. Residing under the hood is a 3.0-liter straight six-cylinder that’s been fitted with a single turbocharger to make

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300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque.

That power is routed to the wheels — all four of them in this case, hence the xDrive portion of the name — through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Put it all together and the powertrain provides a nice blend of sporty responsiveness and everyday sensibility that something like the X5 M simply can’t.

With the full serving of torque kicking in at an impressively low 1,300 rpm, there’s very little turbo lag to speak even when easing onto the throttle.

While V6-powered X5 has been accused in the past of being underpowered, including by AutoGuide. com’s own Sami Haj-Assaad, it never feels like it’s struggling to move its mass — in this case, all 4,736 lb (2,148 kg) of it.

2017 BMW X5 xDrive35i

Still On Glacuoma, The Sight Thief

ast week I told you of the risk factors to watch out to save your sight as a driver.AccordingtotheWHOreports, Glaucoma is the second leading cause of avoidable blindness in the world.

The total number of known cases worldwide is estimated to be about 65 million. As at 2010, about 44.7million has been estimated to have glaucoma.Anestimateof4millionAmericanshaveit but only half know they have it. Though there are no establishedstatisticaldataonthenumberofglaucoma sufferers in Nigeria, researchers have shown that thereisanalarmingincreaseinprevalenceamongthe old and the young which is risky for driving safety.

What then is glaucoma? It is a group of complicated condition in which damage to the optic nerve leads to progressive and irreversible vision loss. It is often referred to as the SILENT THIEF OF SIGHT because initsearlystage,thereisnopainoranyothersymptom but can gradually steal your vision.Let me briefly open our minds on what happens in the good eye with a healthy drainage. The front part of the eye is filled with a clear fluid called intraocular fluid or Aqueous Humour (AH) and this is produced by the ciliary body found behind the colored part of the eye (iris). The fluid flows out of the pupil ( a small aperture through which light enters the eyes) and thenabsorbedintothebloodstreamthroughtheeye’s drainage system and the cycle continues.This proper drainage helps keep the eye pressure at a normal

SAFE DRIVING with

JONAS AGWU

amnipr, mcipr,mprsa,arpa (Corps Commander) Corps Public Education Officer Federal Road Safety Corps. + 2348033026491

level. The production flow and drainage of this fluid is an active continuous process that is needed for the good health of the eye.The inner pressure of the eye, Intraocular Pressure (IOP) depends on the amount of fluid in the eye at each point in time. If your eye’s drainage system is working, then the fluid can drain out and prevent a buildup. A normal IOP can vary at different times of the day but the normal range is 10-21mmHg. In most types of glaucoma, the eye’s drainage system becomes clogged either by papillary blockages, exfoliated fibers, insufficient drainage of the fluid produced due to narrowing /increase in blood flow, the intraocular fluid cannot drain the way it should.

As the fluids build up, it results to pressure building up in the eye. High pressure damages the sensitive optic nerve and results to loss of vision.

Theglaucomatouseyereferstothebadeye-In mostof typesofGlaucoma,theeye’sdrainagesystembecomes

cloggedeitherbypapillaryblockages,exfoliatedfibers, insufficient drainage of the fluid produced, due to narrowing/increaseinbloodflow,theintraocularfluid cannot drain the way it should. As the fluids build up, pressure builds up in the eye too. Accumulated pressure damages the sensitive optic nerve (nerve that connects the eye to the brain) and results to vision loss.As I explained earlier, this process is usually painless and occurs in such a subtle way that most people do not even realize that something is wrong.

In fact most people notice reduction in vision after the damage that has occurred becomes permanent.

This condition should be checked and managed as soon as possible or else it could lead to “tunnel vision” where the peripheral or side vision is completely lost and one can only see objects straight ahead.

There are many types of glaucoma but I will conveniently and broadly divide it into Primary Glaucoma and Secondary Glaucoma.Primary Glaucoma refers to any case in which the elevation of IOPis not associated with any other ocular disorder which includes the Primary open angle glaucoma, Primary angle closure glaucoma and Congenital glaucoma. Most commonly is the Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG). Painlessly, increase in pressure at the onset occursslowlyovertimeandhasnosymptomsinmost people. Once vision is lost, damage has already set in. There is progressively slow and irreversible loss of peripheral (side) vision and optic nerve damage.

Its advanced stage ends up in blindness.

The Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma(PACG) occurs when exit of AH is suddenly blocked and causes a quick, severe, and painful rise in IOP. Our body mechanisms are quite different so in some individualsthereisnauseaandvomiting,cloudyand steamy vision. Some others experience rainbow-like haloes especially while looking at a bulb light, red eye, severe eye and head pain and sudden loss of vision. Congenital Glaucomaas the name implies are naturallyseen in babies at birth or in few months later. It is caused by abnormal development. Look out for frequent tearing and cloudiness in front of eyes, red eyes high sensitivity to light and unusually large or bulgy eyes.

SECONDARY GLAUCOMA is the case where another disease or condition causes or contributes to increase eye pressure which results to optic nerve damage and loss.Eye Trauma (eye injury) is a very common example; a hit by airbag in a crash, a blunt blow in a case of violent conflict between a ‘molue’ conductor and an angry passenger, the list is endless.

Othercausescanbe,pigmentgranulesbreakingoffat the back of the coloredeye (iris) into the fluid, flakydandruff-like materials peels off the outer layer of the lens into the anterior chamber of the eye, drugs (Steroids),inflammations,hypermatureandadvanced cases of cataract,new vessels forming on the colored eye (Iris) blocking the drainage system, systemic diseases such as Hypertension and Diabetesand eye diseases such as Uveatis.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •APRIL 1, 2017

TRAVEL&LEISURE

by OMOLOLA ITAYEMI omolola.itayemi@thisdaylive.com 08054699602

NANTA: Domestic, Religious Tourism Can Help Nigeria Out of Recession

One of the most attended tourism and travel events in the country is the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) Annual General Meeting. Its 41st AGM held recently in Lagos offered stakeholders hope of reviving the moribund tourism industry in a recessed economy and the way forward for the association. Omolola Itayemi writes

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he Cocoa Hall at Sheraton Hotels, Mobolaji Bank Anthony way, Ikeja was so packed, it spilled to the large general lobby next door, that’s an honest indicator of the huge crowd that were in attendance. But that didn’t get in the way of the important topics being discussed with its theme “Tourism in a Recessed Economy: the Way Forward” as stakeholders from both government and private sectors identified challenges within and brainstormed solutions to these identified challenges.

In attendance were Kola Olayinka of British Airways Nigeria, Munir Bankole, Chairman of Medview Airlines, Bankole Bernard, National President, NANTA, Paul Adalikwu, Acting DG, NTDC, Harold Demuren, former DG, NCAA, Adamma Oni, Tourism Officer, Lagos State Ministry of Arts and Culture, Hloni Pitso and members of the board of trustees of NANTA. In his welcome, the host of the day, Bernard got the ball rolling in positive spirits by advising practitioners to look for solutions rather than insisting on challenges in this industry. For him, saying the nation in recession today is not the issue, but finding a solution to the various challenges the economic meltdown presents.

Bernard stated that unstable and scarce foreign exchange has led to partial and for some others total withdrawal of the airlines from the Nigerian airspace.

The restriction of some inventories by some airlines like SOTO/SOTI tickets and finally the closure of Abuja airport are few of the challenges the travel industry is currently facing, NANTA boss maintained.

H said these challenges have brought hardship and unfriendly business atmosphere to their members, adding that the scenario presents a huge burden to them at NANTA. The Minister of Information, Culture and National Orientation, Lai Mohammed represented by Adalikwu, revealed in his keynote address that this administration was determined to revitalize the Tourism Satellite Account

L - R: Mr. Kola Olayinka of British Airways Nigeria, Mr. Munir Bankole, Chairman of Medview Airlines, Mr. Bankole Bernard, National President, NANTA, Mr. Paul Adalikwu, Acting DG, NTDC, Mr. Harold Demuren, former DG, NCAA, Mrs. Adamma Oni, Tourism Officer, Lagos State Ministry of Arts and Culture

(TSA) as a means of properly capturing the total contribution of tourism to the country’s economic growth among other things. He said: “The government is working with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, UNWTO, the specialised agency in the United Nations in the field of tourism towards full implementation of the tourism master plan, attracting increased funding for the sector, enhancing the coordination of practitioners, tourism trade group and government and the re-enactment of the Presidential Council on Tourism.’’

Former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s contribution was greeted with a loud ovation.

His address was read on his behalf by Bernard.

Obasanjo advised NANTA to emphasize more on inbound tourism instead of outbound tourism. He said with tourism, there should be

nothing like recession in the country. The former President stressed the need for the promotion of domestic tourism in the country.

Tourism without aviation in an economy like ours is almost impossible. The former director general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren is in the best position to address this. And he did, excellently with the advice that Nigeria should promote Nollywood because it is not in recess.

Demuren stressed the need to market Nigeria as a tourist destination by promoting festivals and events like Durbar, Eyo and others. He said what the British Airways is doing is what Nigerian carriers should be doing because the country has the business, the population among others.

The former NCAA boss pointed out the huge

Solutions at Badagry Economic Summit

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he two-day Badagry Economic Summit took place at Administrative Staff College of Nigeria ASCON, Topo, Badagry last week, with participants advocating for sustainable growth of Badagry and Epe economy in tourism, maritime, oil and gas.

Furthermore, the need for Lagos State government to develop a master plan for the two divisions was stressed.

In a communique issued at the end of the summit with the theme: Unleashing Investment Potential around Historic and Coastal Zones of Badagry and Epe, the summit underscored the usefulness of Badagry and Epe as viable economic hubs for the promotion and development of tourism, oil and gas and maritime economies.

It resolved that to prepare the minds of the indigenes of Badagry for the emerging new investments in tourism, oil and gas and maritime investments, there is need for the stakeholders to take drastic measures to ensure and avoid a replica of Niger Delta crisis.

The forum stressed the urgent need for government and the relevant stakeholders to institutionalise and establish vocational and skills empowerment schools to train youths of Badagry and Epe divisions to prepare and make them competitive in the labour market.

The Summit noted in the communique that the problem of tourism industry in Nigeria was the absence of power supply, hence, the need

Dignitaries at the summit

for government to address the development particularly in Badagry and Epe through the use of abundant water bodies in the area including gas to generate electricity.

While observing that global adverts in credible media are all about tourism promotion, the conference urged the Lagos State Government to invest in strategic marketing and promotion of tourism potential in Badagry and Epe in other to attract tourists and investors alike.

The meeting lauded the very detailed and professional packaging of the two days summit

by Badagry Convention and Visitors Agency and advised that the summit should be an annual event.

It urged the Badagry Convention and Visitors Agency to stimulate the establishment of a local Chamber of Commerce in Badagry and Epe in conjunction with Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Co-operatives.

benefit the country can derive from religious tourism, adding that the impact of synagogue Church of All Nations, Redeemed Christian Church of God and Winners Chapel is enormous.

He advised on the need for NANTA and their members need to take advantage of this religious tourism. Demuren urged the government on the need to ease the burden of visa on arrival. Stella Obinwa, Dubai Tourism; Funmi Ogidan, Vapo and other organizations made presentations during the event.

Sheraton, LeMeridien and FourPoints Celebrate the Easter Holiday in Style In line with the upcoming Easter season, Sheraton Lagos Hotel, SheratonAbuja Hotel, Four Points by Sheraton Lagos, Le Meridien Ogeyi Place and Le MeridienIbomHotel&GolfResortgetssettodeliver a variety of exciting packages the period. This special celebration promises to be grand as the hotels get set to exceed the expectations of its customers. Whether you are looking to whisk the family away or take advantageofthelongweekendwithfriends,theoffers whicharevalidfromthe12thtillthe23rdofApril2017 includealine-upofvariousfunandengagingactivities gearedtothrillfamilyandfriendsastheycometogether tomarkthelongawaitedcelebration.Accordingtothe AreaGeneralManagerfortheSheraton,LeMeridien and Fourpoints by Sheraton brands in Nigeria-Mr. Barry Curran “we welcome all our patrons to enjoy an enriching and tasteful experience with our lavish EasterbuffetofferingsatourCrockpot,Papillion,Ororo and Brazzerie Restaurants in Nigeria. “Our Room rate deals are exceptional as they start from NGN 31,999pernightandincludefreeaccesstotheinternet, Buffet breakfast for 2 adults and complimentary use of all hotel recreational facilities including our fitness centers for that energising workout”.Barry Curran goes on to unveil each Hotel’s special offer as follows; “ Sheraton Lagos Hotel will organise an Easter Egg hunt to keep the kids busy; during our yummy, specially created Easter Sunday Brunch, Easter eggs and bears will be handed out to each kid that comes in to dine with their parents. Guests are also encouraged to indulge in our gym facilities and enjoy special classes by our trained instructor specially created for them”.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • APRIL 1, 2017

GLOBAL SOCCERR\\OTHER SPORTS

Riliwan Babatunde, winner of Mojisola Ogunsanya Trophy displaying his two miilion naira cheque, during the GOtv Boxing Night 11 at Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan

L-R: Minister for Youth and Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalung; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel; his Wife, Martha;and Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr. Glory Edet during the opening ceremony of Ist Akwa Ibom Youth Sports Festival 2017 at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo... recently

GOtv Boxing Night 11

Ibadan’s Night of Knockouts

It was perhaps a fitting tribute to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, that it should host GOtv Boxing Night 11, the first edition of the show held outside Lagos. Ibadan, in 1963, became the first African city to host a world boxing title fight, which saw Nigeria’s Dick Tiger defeat Gene Fullmer of the USA to retain the World Boxing Association, WBA, middleweight title.

At the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, which hosted Dick Tiger’s fight, Ibadan has one of the country’s iconic sporting facilities, despite having lost much of its halo as a sporting cathedral.

But last Sunday, the Indoor Sports Hall of the stadium fizzed with joy when the GOtv Boxing Night train rolled into town. Ibadan has always had an association with boxing, notably through the promotions of the late Chief Francis Aiyegbeni, but had not-since

1963- seen anything like GOtv Boxing Night 11.

In action were some of the biggest names of this era. Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph, national and West African Boxing Union lightweight champion; Olaide Fijabi, national and West African Boxing Union light welterweight champion; Sule Olagbade, national light middleweight champion; his predecessor and opponent on the night, Wahab Adebisi; Akeem Sadiku, Ibadan’s answer to Fijabi; and the tyros Kabiru Towolawi, Adewale Masebinu and Rilwan Babatunde, winner of the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy and N2million cash prize for the best boxer at the event.

Of note is the fact that all the fights ended within the distance. Joe Boy successfully defended his West African Boxing Union lightweight title by proving his mettle to Ghana’s Ayii

Mettle via a first round knockout. Fijabi also knocked out the young Vincent Essien in the third round. Olagbade took seven rounds to finish off his old adversary, Adebisi. Dodo did the business on Kazeem Saka in the third round. Towolawi dismissed Masevex in the second round, leaving him with a face gash, while Sadiq Adeleke saw off the feeble challenge of Taiwo Kareem in the first round of the bantamweight challenge clash.

Baby Face, the story of the night, delivered a memorable performance to knock out Waliu Arogundade in the fourth round to justify raucous fan applause and his choice as the best boxer on the night.

Sponsored by GOtv and supported by the MultiChoice and Federal Inland Revenue Service, GOtv Boxing Night 11 left Ibadan fans yearning for more.

Baby Face Wins N2m, Thanks Sponsors Fast-rising light welterweight boxer, Rilwan "Baby Face" Babatunde, on Sunday, emerged the best boxer at GOtv Boxing Night 11, held at the Indoor Sports Hall of Obafemi Awolowo Stadium in Ibadan. The young boxer won the N2million cash prize and the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy attached to the award. The cash prize is the biggest ever won by a boxer fighting locally.

Previous winners of the award went home with N1million, but the prize was boosted for GOtv Boxing Night 11 by Mr. Adewunmi Ogunsanya, Chairman, GOtv Boxing, in honour of his late wife, Mrs. Mojisola Ogunsanya, who died on 22 March, 2014.

Baby Face, 21, knocked out Waliu Arogundade in the fourth of their eight-round national light welterweight challenge bout.

Baby Face commended the sponsors for making his dream come true.

“I have to thank the sponsors and organisers of GOtv Boxing Night.

They have encouraged me to make something with my life by providing the platform to do what I do best. Winning N2 million while fighting in Nigeria is not something that had happened before. I pray that God should continue to bless GOtv,” said the 20-year old.

Yomi-Egbe Wins Consolidated Hallmark Insurance 10th Anniversary Tourney The golf tournament put in place to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Consolidated Hallmark Insurance came to a thrilling end at the Ikeja Golf Club on Saturday with Esimaje Yomi Egbe emerging the overall winner of the competition.

To win the event Egbe, who is also a former competition secretary at the club netted a score of 67 defeating over 120-others who took part in the competition.

In his remark, Egbe described the victory as refreshing, saying it’s been long in coming.

“I am very happy to be walking away

with this prestigious trophy”, he said.

Omini Ofem, playing off handicap 13, was runner while Goke Akinboro and Obafemi Ajala were third and fourth respectively.

Satisfied by the outcome of the tournament, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the sponsoring outfit, Eddie Efekoha, commended every participants in the event saying the past 10 years of the company existence as been a fulfilling one made possible by contributions from its stakeholders many of which are members of Ikeja golf club.

While thanking the club for providing the platform for the organisation of the

event, Efekoha pledges the outfit’s commitment to the club, saying “we shall continue to partner with club in several ways through prgaramme sponsorship and asset management.

The club captain, Akin Areola, in his remark wishes the company’s continuous growth from strength to strength.

Other winners in the keenly contested 18-holes competition are Lynda Obieze, winner in the ladies category, Akai Annieodiong, winner in the guest category, Uwamai; runner in the guest category, Chris Obije, Pastor Femi Faseru, Biyi Fetuga, Fred Apah, Falobi Balogun among others.

A cross section of participants during the international school swimming competition held recently in Meadow Hall, Lekki, Lagos

Froch Backs Klitschko against Joshua Anthony Joshua is likely to be taking on the best ever Wladimir Klitschko, according to Carl Froch.

Klitschko has just turned 41 and will have not boxed for 18 months when he faces the British superstar at Wembley Stadium on April.

'Dr Steelhammer' lost the IBF, WBA and WBO world titles to Tyson Fury in November 2015 but Froch believes Joshua and the venue will see him return to form - for one last time.

"We know Klitschko is an ageing fighter but with age comes wisdom and the experience he's got," he told Sky Sports News HQ. "He's had 68 fights and he was unbeaten in 10 years as a heavyweight up until he faced Tyson Fury and that was an awkward, torrid night for him.

"He had problems in the background with his wife, Hayden Panettiere, going through post-natal depression and it wasn't publicised much but if he had something else on his mind, wasn't switched on and on top of that had someone like Tyson Fury goading him, smiling and doing his weird dance for 12 rounds, he just couldn't get going.

"We may just see the best and last of Wladimir Klitschhko.

It's at Wembley Stadium and if he is thinking this is my final fight on this stage - with 90,000 not 80,000 - and if he thinks to himself this is it for me, my exit card, my final fight you know he is going to turn up."

Joshua will be making the third defence of the IBF title that Klitschko used to own and will be headlining a sell-out crowd at the iconic national stadium.

WoemanPartnersColliins SportsforYouthDevelopment Young talented Nigerian footballers who have the ambition hitting it big in their chosen career but are looking for the right foundation to actualise their dream can now heave a sigh of relief. This follows the recent move by Collins Edwin Sports Club’s partners, Woeman to open a football academy in Nigeria.

According to David Kornemann, a representative of Woeman organisation at the official unveiling ceremony of the Collins Edwin Sports Club 2016/2017 football season held at the Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

He said that a team of European football scouts would be arriving Nigeria soon as guests of Collins Edwin Sports Club for proper assessment of the players the club is grooming before the next line of action.

But for him as a front runner, Kornemann was full of praises for what he met on ground since arriving Nigeria and commended the proprietor, Nwokeabia Edwin for a job well done even as he looks forward to greater relationship. He stressed that their major aim was to bring their partnership with Collins Edwin Sports Club to difference level.

On his part, Edwin, said his club was lucky to have attracted the interest of a Germany firm like Woeman, adding that his project had been in the forefront of helping young talented Nigerians actualise their football ambition as could be seen from the case of Pascal Onyedika Okoli, who is currently plying his soccer trade with Turkish side, Bussasports and Ugonna Anyaorah, who just moved from Norway to Sweden as well as Alikwe Joseph Nado, currently with FC Ifeanyi Ubah among others.

Meadow Hall Wins International School Swimming Competition Meadow Hall penultimate Saturday emerged winner of the international schools swimming competition hosted at the school’s 25m swimming pool in Lekki, Lagos.

Nine schools in Lagos, which include Greensprings Lekki, Greensprings Anthony, Grenville, Greenwood House School, Lagos Preparatory School, St. Saviour’s School, Temple, Learning Place and the

hosts, Meadow Hall participated in the competition.

The participants put in their age categories between seven-11years, contested all four strokes: backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle, with Meadow Hall coming out on top with 126 points. In second and third place were Lagos Preparatory School with 109 points and Greensprings Lekki with 96 points, respectively.

Radio personality, Dan Foster was on hand to welcome parents. He thanked the organisers and called for greater participation in sports and other non-academic activities.

Meadow Hall is a co-educational institution that was established on July 8, 2002 in Lekki, with the vision is to raise excellent, Godly and well-rounded children that will attain their highest potential in life.

Some of the players on parade with the management of the team last week in Lagos

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •April 1, 2017

FAIRGROUND

Ego Boyo: The 60th International Women’s Society

with

AZUKA OGUJIUBA

azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

R

ecently at the Lagos Preparatory School in Ikoyi, the International Women’s Society (IWS) held its 60th investiture and conferment of Mrs. Ego Boyo as president.

The ceremony, which was compered by Jasmine Tukur, IWS Programmes Secretary, and Ifeoma Williams, Image Consultant, celebrated women doing extraordinary work and changing lives through a photography series that was displayed at the venue. The event was a “call to arms” to young women to embrace charitable service whilst pursuing their careers.

The new president, Mrs. Boyo, in her acceptance speech talked about the importance of women, children and youth affairs. “This year, our focus is strengthening existing partnerships with individuals or organisations that have a focus on women, children and youth affairs, as well as building new alliances.

“Therefore, we are planning to open our event calendar to allow for more meaningful collaborations,” she said.

The crème de la crème of the Nigerian society graced the event. They included included Mr. Mofe Boyo –Deputy Group Managing Director, Oando and husband of the new president; Oba Adedotun Gbadebo- Alake of Egbaland; Oba Rilwan Aremu Akiolu- Oba of Lagos; Omoba Abiola Dosunmu- The Erelu Kuti of Lagos; Mr. Wale Tinubu- CEO Oando Plc; Mrs. Toyin Saraki- Founder-President of Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) and wife of the Senate President; Senator Daisy Danjuma; Ms. Mo Abudu- CEO EbonyLife TV; Mrs. Bola Adesola- MD Standard Chartered and chairperson of the event; Dame Abimbola Fashola- Former First Lady Lagos State; Princess Sarah SosanFormer Deputy Governor Lagos State; Ms. Nike Osinowo- Former Beauty Queen; Mr. Supo Shasore- Former Attorney General, Lagos State; Mr. Asue Ighodalo of Banwo & Ighodalo and Chairman Sterling Bank and his wife Mrs. Ifeyinwa Ighodalo- MD/CEO DOii; Dr Jeff Nnamani- ED Total Fina Elf; Hon Justice C A R Momoh- Former Chief Judge Edo State; Chief Sena Anthony; Chris Ubosi- MD Classic FM & wife Ijeoma Ubosi; Actors Richard Mofe Damijo, Rita Dominic, Susan Peters, Ufuoma McDermott, Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju and Eucharia Anunobi, Fashion Designers Lanre DaSilva Ajayi and Deola Sagoe. IWS trustees Chief Mrs. Funke Arthur-Worrey, Mrs. Ekua Abudu, Mrs. Sicily Jacob, Mrs. Amina Ahmadu, Mrs. Sonja Ally as well as past presidents and members.

Other dignitaries were Mrs. Derin Agbaje, Mrs. Nkiru Anumudu, Ms. Grace Osime, Ms. Ruth Osime, Mrs. Adesuwa Onyenokwe and many more.

Fun highlights of the day included performances by Singers Chee who sang a powerful version of “I’m Every Woman”

by Whitney Houston and Emma Nyra who performed her new single title “Love Vs Money” and a spoken word performance

by Bikiya Graham-Douglas titled “Wait”.

Rep of Dr Zainab Bagudu, First Lady of Kebbi State, Ms Suraiya Mansur

Ego Boyo- 60th President IWS

Mr Mofe Boyo

Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Aremu Akiolu and Alake of Egba Land Oba Michael Adedotun Gbadebo Femi DaSilva, Lanre DaSilva Ajayi and Ono Bello

Middle, the Erelu Kuti of Lagos, Omoba Abiola Dosunmu

Ms Nike Osinowo, Dame Abimbola Fashola and Ms Mo Abudu-CEO EbonyLife TV

Ruth Osime, Ego Boyo, Mo Abudu and Pat Faniran

Mrs Nkiru Anumudu

Rita Dominic

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •April 1, 2017

FAIRGROUND

Mo Abudu Talks About Africa’s Media Influence with CNN

“W

e’vegotincredible talent here and the world needs to know.”

This week, CNN’s ‘African Voices’ features MoAbudu, one of Africa’s most prominent media figures, who has operated across both television and film in her career. Reporting from Lagos, Nigeria, the programme joins Abudu in her studio, where she serves as CEO of EbonyLife Television and EbonyLife Films.

Explaining how she began her career in media, Abudu tells ‘African Voices’: “I wanted to be known for something. I wanted to do something that would change the world, but I just couldn’t figure out what it would be.”

In 11 years, Abudu has moved from hosting her own TV show to owning and running one of Nigeria’s most premier television networks and a film studio.

Abudu explains to ‘African Voices’ how significant she feels it is to be operating at the highest level of her industry: “It’s incredible the impact that media has on our lives. It’s important for us, as people of colour and as a black person sitting here today, I know how important it is to have people I can look up to that represent me in media.”

Growing up, Abudu lived between Nigeria

Mo Abudu

and England, which eventually shaped her future goals in media, despite experimenting with many different hobbies during her childhood.

Abudu explains to ‘African Voices’: “At one point I wanted to dance, I wanted to be a model, I wanted to write. It’s interesting that I’m doing

what I’m doing now, because you go all the way around in life doing different things, until you finally get to a point where you know you have found that thing that God wants you to do.”

The programme hears how her first foray into media began with a talk show in 2006 called ‘Moments with Mo’, where Abudu interviewed

the likes of Hillary Clinton, Christine Lagarde and several notable heads of state from across Africa.

‘African Voices’ accompanies Abudu around the studios of EbonyLife Television, which she founded in 2013, and Abudu explains the differences she found between serving as a host and a media owner.

Abudu tells the programme: “The hardest part about the work of what we do is that sometimes people don’t see the vision the way you see the vision. I know I have a responsibility to share the vision and communicate it for them to see it so they can buy into it.”

EbonyLife Television airs in both the United Kingdom and across the Caribbean, whilst some of the films produced by the network have taken place through deals with global brands such as Disney.

For Abudu, the success of EbonyLife just further demonstrated the potential within Africa: “We’ve got incredible talent here and the world needs to know.

That’s why it’s important for us to ensure that EbonyLife Television as a platform can sit in a global space because the world must respect us, they must see us and must understand who we are as Africans. Especially this generation…

There are so many stories that we have not told in Africa that I think that we can share with the world.

Goldberg Tour: DJ Kingsley and Nathaniel Win DJ and Free Styling Competition

D

isc Jockey (DJ) Kingsley Amhas andNathanielIyayi,aRapperhave emerged winners of the grand prize of N250,000 in the Goldberg Excellency Tour competition for DJs and free style artistes in Benin City, Edo State.

The competition, in Edo languages, was organised

by Goldberg, also known as “Your Excellency,” and was held at the Play House, Okhoro Road, Benin City, from March 24 to 25, 2017. It was part of efforts at promoting the culture of the people of Edo State in line with Goldberg’s 3-point agenda of culture, respect and enjoyment.

The competition, which started with audition of five DJs, thirteen rappers and four singers, was later streamlined to five, comprising of a DJ and rapper as a team for the finale on March 25, 2017.

The second position with a cash prize of N150,000 was won by DJ Eze John, nicknamed Viroxz and Markuz Obasehan; while DJ Bright Osaromore and Destiny Okoedo, also known as Black G, claimed

the third position and settled for the N100, 000 on offer for the slot.

Theothertwoteams, DJAmandinOsahenrunwen (Amando) and Okungbowa Endurance (Spanky B), as well as DJ Egualeona Daniel and Endurance Isaac got N50,000 each.

Speaking at the finale, the Portfolio Manager, Mainstream Lager, and Stout Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Emmanuel Agu, said the Goldberg Excellency Tour was aimed at promoting the rich culture of the people of Edo State through traditional DJ and Free Styling competition. He said the tour which kicked off in Abeokuta, moved to Ilorin, Ikare Akoko and Ado Ekiti before the edition in Benin City, and that the next place on the agenda was Oyo town in Oyo State.

According toAgu, the Goldberg Excellency Tour is coming on the heels of the unveiling of Goldberg lager beer as “Your Excellency” in 2016 and it is in line with the brand’s unique credentials that position it in a class of its own, away from its peers in the market.

Judges of the Traditional Drummers Competition, representatives of Nigerian Breweries Plc and Aje Olokun Drummers overall winners of the traditional drummers’ competition during the prize presentation ceremony at the Ikare Akoko edition of the ongoing Goldberg Excellency in Ondo over the weekend

MTN Revitalises Comedy Industry With Comedy+

I

n a move that will boost Nigeria’s comedy industry, MTN Nigeria has launched an innovative digital comedy platform tagged Comedy+.

Comedy+, which is the first digital platform to aggregate indigenous comedy content, will serve as a source of income for comedians, as well as ensure on-demand access to comedy content for subscribers.

Speaking during the launch of the unique platform, the General Manager, Brands and Communications, MTN Nigeria, Richard Iweanoge said that the introduction of the app aligns with MTN’s mandate of providing lifeenriching products and services for subscribers.

He said: “The launch of this unique platform is borne out of the need to fill the yawning gap in the comedy sector. Comedy in Nigeria is fast assuming a critical position given its exponential growth and there is a need for us to harness the potentials of the sector and ensure that there is mutual benefit for all the key stakeholders.”

Iweanoge further added that the Comedy+ platform would ride on the blueprint of its successful sister app, Music+ which is presently Africa’s largest digital music service.

“The success of Music+ has shown us where the comedy industry should be heading. As far as comedy is concerned in Nigeria, with Comedy+, content owners, comedians and even

L-R: Comedians Ali Baba, Afeez Oyetoro aka Saka and ace producer, Chief Opa Williams at the launch of the new comedy platform, Comedy by MTN recently

comedy lovers now have every reason to be optimistic because it is a win-win situation for everyone,” he declared.

While reeling out the benefits of the unique app, Iweanoge stressed that comedy+ subscribers would have access to tons of comedy

contents by simply downloading the app on their mobile phones from the respective app stores or by simply sending COMEDY to 2100.

He added that a month’s free access period is available upon first time download and log-in while subsequent access is subscription based.

The introduction of Comedy+ also got the nod of members of Nigerians comedy community that were in attendance during the event. Some of the comedians present included Koffi, Saka, Nedu, Ushbebe, Emmaohmygod, Senator, Etinosa, Longmancomedian, MCShakara, Stillringing, Mark Angel, Monica Friday, Wofaifada, Josh2funny, Ebiye, Deeone, Bellokreb, Romeowj.

Also speaking on the initiative, veteran comedian, Ali Baba, described it as a very welcome development that was coming at a time when the comedy industry was in dire need of re-organisation.

According to him, “We are very happy to welcome this platform. MTN has done well by introducing this platform at a time when Nigerian comedians are feeling short-changed.

The value proposition is exciting and Nigerian comedians will benefit immensely from it. It will provide an avenue for upcoming talents to also showcase themselves but the ultimate beneficiaries are the Nigerian fans who always want to hear their comedians perform.

Also commenting on the app, ace producer and pioneer of the successful comedy show, Night of a Thousand Laughs, Opa Williams said: “It’s really heartwarming to see this happen.

MTN has done an amazing thing for comedy. It is evidence that comedy is growing and getting the right recognition.”

April 1, 2017 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

39

43

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • APRIL 1, 2017

WITH

MARKET PLACE

OMOLABAKE FASHOGBON 08033621009

L-R: DG, Lagos State Safety Commission,LSSC, Hon. Hakeem Dickson;CEO Altitude Energy Limited, Babajide Sotande-Peters; Deputy Director, LSSI; Mrs. Odeneye Ronke and Head, Grassroots Safety, LSSI, Engr. Festus Todowede at the 2017 Nigeria Safety Summit in Lagos... recently

L-R: Compliance Officer, Lagos State Lottery Board, Rowland Samuel; Marketing Director,Suntory Beverage & Food Nigeria, SBFN, Rosemary Akpo, Representative, CPC, Lagos, Ehi Aigbadon; Marketing Manager, Yusuf Murtala and Deputy Managing Director, Rajiv Das both of SBFN Limited at the launch of the 2017 Lucozade Airtime Promo in Lagos...recently

Pinet Informatics Launches E-Insurance Market to Boost Sector Minister of Communications, Mr. AbdurRaheem Adebayo Shittu has lamented over the underperformance of the insurance sector which he said covered only 1.5 million of the over 170 million Nigerians which represented a paltry 0.9 per cent.

He stated this during an eInsurance conference where the launch of insurancemarket.ng

by Information Communication Technology, (ICT) firm and pioneer Internet Service Provider (ISP), Pinet Informatics.

Shittu, acknowledged the strength in the insurance market, especially to financial institutions but lamented the non-performance in the sector.

“Despite being a major driver of business growth that provides a critical support system to the financial market, the sector has not fared

well given the current size of the Nigerian economy and population.

“Information available to me indicates that there are less than 1.5 million insurance policy holders, representing a paltry 0.9% of a population of well over 170 million citizens.

Similarly, the gross premium of the sector is said to be less than N500 billion, implying that the sector contributes less than 1% to national GDP”, Shittu lamented.

He was however optimistic that the utilisation of ICT tools to developing innovative solutions would improve insurance practice, increase product development and expand market activities in the insurance sector.

The initiative followed the need to drive insurance penetration in the country which is believed to have performed below expectations

Firm Preaches Healthy Lifestyle on Mother’s Day Nigeria’s heart friendly vegetable oil brand, Power Oil, has charged mothers to always imbibe healthy lifestyle beginning with the food they consume just as its feted them in an elaborate party on the occasion of 2017 Mothers’ day.

The celebration which held simultaneously across four locations in Nigeria brought together mothers from all tribes who were given executive treatment to appreciate their roles in family, society and the country at large, while children who participated in the Power Oil #Mommy Dearest Campaign were also honoured at the occasion.

Speaking on the event, Brand Manager of the firm, Amisha Chawla, explained that the #MommyDearest Campaign was specifically designed to give mothers an outstanding treat, an opportunity to relax and catch fun alongside their children who must have taken part in the contest of sharing the most remarkable experience and lessons derived from their mum.

The contest was open to everyone on both online and offline platform.

“Mothers’ Day was equally celebrated last year with the brand ambassadors who paid special visits and presented gifts to mothers at home on behalf of their children who had nominated them on the brand’s platform.

“For this year, we have decided to give our mothers another unique treat by hosting them in a grand style at four different locations, same time and same day which we believe they appreciate and enjoyed to satisfaction”, Amisha Stated.

The Public Relations Manager of the brand, Omotayo Azeez expressed fulfillment at the occasion seeing that the mothers were elated.

“It gives us so much joy to see that they all had fun, as they danced, sang, ate and laughed in unity. We acknowledge mothers’ multifaceted roles from taking care of the kids, home, career, business and most especially keeping the home healthy, these activities give them little or no time to look after themselves. We believe strongly that mothers deserve to be celebrated, which is the rationale behind the #MommyDearest party”, Azeez said.

in recent times.

Managing Director of the firm and convener, Mr. Lanre Ajayi noted that the insurance industry still remained an untapped goldmine hence, the urgent need to embrace the instruments of ICT to blossom.

“This is why we have come up with the online market place initiative where insurance product vendors can sell to buyers who can now buy any type of insurance policy on their laptops, tablets or phones and pay with their credit cards. The product is available at insurance market.ng.

“The Insurance market simply offers operators the opportunities to set up micro websites at a market place where anyone can buy from any vendors while each vendor has an address that looks like insurance

FG Accredits Rullion Capacity Builders as Vocational Trade Test The Federal Government through the ministry of Labour and Productivity has approved that Rullion Capacity Builders, a non-governmental organisation focused on empowering women and youths in skills acquisition and entrepreneurship, be granted national accreditation as a trade testing centre for vocational training.

The Chief Executive Officer of the organisation and Programme Director, Oluwatoyin Egedi disclosed this recently at an event to mark the commencement of the 2017 training session.

According to her, the latest development would boost the performance and yield of the organisation.

“We are indeed honoured to have been accredited by the federal government. This is a great achievement for us that will no doubt impact our trainees positively as they can now embark on industrial training programmes in government institutions and reputable private organisations upon completion of their training here,” she said She stated that the accreditation covered all the programmes offered in the centre which included cosmetology (Make up, gele tying and beauty therapy), catering and baking, beads accessories and clothing embellishment. Others are event decorations and management, photography as well as slippers and bag making.

The CEO recounted that the organisation had trained more than 1000 women and youths in the last three years , majority of whom were educated but had stopped pursuing professional careers as a result of the challenges that come with parenting.

“We tailored our progammes

according to what each individual’s family commitments allowed and we are proud to announce that many have gone on to build fledging businesses that allows them adequate time for the family. We have had women come in from as far as Ghana and Cameroon to train with us and this excites us.

“Rullion has been able to help women and youths develop selfconfidence and achieve financial freedom with the new skills they learnt. We not only train but also support women to build SMEs. We will be opening centres across Nigeria in the nearest future and look forward to working with government, non-government organisations and corporate bodies in reaching more Nigerians,” Egedi concluded.

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market.ng/vendor’s name where they can effect transactions or at the market place front end(insurance market.ng)”, Ajayi explained.

He stated further that the new market which enrollment and set up process come at no cost for insurance companies and brokers, provided a fertile ground to transform the sector thus, becoming a major contributor to the national economy.

Ajayi urged ICT companies to come up with more strategic and workable solutions that would further help to boost the sector for efficiency.

The conference had in attendant’s over 40 world class experts from the insurance and ICT industries who shared ideas and experience and brainstorm on the way forward in the insurance market using technology tools.

Lucozade Gives out N200m in Airtime Promo Suntory Beverages Limited, makers of Lucozade drink, has announced the opening of the 2017 Lucozade airtime promo as it plans to appreciate consumers with 200 million worth of airtime this year.

The year’s activity which was an improvement on last year’s when the promo was officially launched is targeted at larger population where more customers could win as many times as possible.

At the event, Marketing Director, Suntory, Rosemary Akpo pointed out that the idea was to reach out to as many Nigerians as possible.

She said “It is unfortunate that many Nigerian consumers have lost interest in promotions because only a few and an insignificant number of the populace benefit, this is quite discouraging.

This is why we are re-launching the promo which gives room to more Nigerians to participate and stand a chance to be winners while enjoying their favorite everyday energy drink”. Akpo added that the promo was specifically designed to reward new and existing Nigerian consumers who purchase Lucozade Boost 500ML or 330ML or the Sport Orange pet with a yellow cover as they were required to look under the cover and text the code to 20966 to win airtime.

The Marketing Manager of Lucozade, Yusuf Murtala stated further that the exercise was also the company’s way of appreciating its teeming customers as well as restate its commitment to making people feel refreshed and energised.

“We also want to use this as a platform to reach out and encourage patronage from new consumers”, he said.

He explained that all consumers both old and young stood the chance to win as many times as possible from now till the end of May as he urged them to continue to patronise the Glucose-rich drink.

“Lucozade Boost contains glucose, the body’s preferred source of energy. Therefore it delivers energy fast and can be enjoyed while hanging out with friends, at school, at home, in the office, and even at parties. With the new 330ml bottle at the price of N150, anyone can recharge at any time. The promotion is open to all network users on MTN, Airtel, Etisalat and Glo mobile network.

Murtala said.”

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •April 1, 2017

44

SHOWBiZFlAir

Tosin Clegg

07062816737 e-mail: tosinclegg@hotmail.com

KOREDE BELLO

Why I Did a Remix with Kelly Rowland After he got signed on to Mavins a few years back, Korede Bello’s career kicked off gallantly with the release of his nationwide hit single, Godwin. In this interview with Tosin Clegg, he talks about his new album, and career

B

The concept of ‘Beloved’ album eloved is for my fans and they are why I am where I am today. So the album is a way of me saying, ‘thank you for loving this boy.’ So, for me, they are all Beloveths. I want people to enjoy my album and digest it well. I will be doing a lot of musical videos as well and will be going on tour pretty soon. National, continental and international tours.

ter relationship between the parties.

I think the Police should understand young people and young people should understand the Police.

Being Police Ambassador In a country of over 200 million people, where about 60 per cent is made up of young people, selecting one person to celebrate the police force is a big deal and honour. I felt really overwhelmed and not that alone, but also because I want to be a part of the change to be identified with. If everybody is complaining about the Police, then someone needs to do something about it. I have met some responsible Policemen that are very sane, gentlemanly, very fine ones and I like people to know that part of them too. We accept that there are shortcomings and bad eggs but there are good ones out there too.

And I accepted the honour.

My career It’s been a beautiful journey before and after I joined Mavins. I have had like core fans that have been supportive all the way. And my fans base is from 1 year old, all the way to like 80 years old. So, it’s a big spectrum and I am grateful to God for giving me such loyal fans base. They have come to love the person behind the music and not just the music.

Godwin, the Single Good feeling because you know that was my first shot at having a big song or a national anthem so to say and not just a hit song but a song that can be identified with every type of person. Whether you are a Muslim or Christian, young or old, office holder or politician it circled around everybody. And for once I felt all eyes on me and Godwin is such a good song.

It projected my brand and that side of me the world knows. It got me to corridors of power. I performed before Presidents, leaders and the elders welcomed my brand. I think the problem with a big song like that is that many people want you to replicate that song and that’s why I like to do different type of music.

I am still a student I am still a student of Mass Communication at the Nigerian School of Journalism and I’m in my final year now. To be honest, I initially wanted to study Accounting in UNILAG but for some reasons it just didn’t happen and I was like you know what let me just study Mass Communication since it’s still in line with what I’m doing and I can use the knowledge to better my act and my craft as a Mass Communicator of Music. So it’s still in line and some of the things I learnt from there I use for Media engagement and in future I could own a media platform.

Love for fans I am grateful for the fan-love and my ladies love me and I love them back.

I’m also grateful to God, especially and I pray that God blesses every person who has been with me since the beginning and is still with me.

Even if you like one Korede Bello song; God bless you.

About my music That’s why, if you noticed, before ‘Do Like That’ or from when I got signed, all my songs are different, from Godwin, African Princess, Mungo Park, Cold Outside and more are all different from different genres. And I want people to know I can blend into different styles. From ‘Do Like That’ I want people to know what I was feeling. Fortunately, it cuts across globally as it was a global hit.

I was in a studio in Lekki when it came about and I worked with my producer to do the song and it came out really nice.

Remix with Kelly Rowland To be honest we were not the one looking out for a remix. Kelly Rowland and her management hit

Why I’m Different I really can’t be anybody else, and I kind of like people to see me inside of my music and my brand. I like them to see me as I am and not as an illusion of a perfect guy. I like them to see me for who I am. My flaws, my good and bad because I’m part of the society and I could be your brother, your friend and your boyfriend. I like them to see me in all aspects and I like to inject myself in the family.

Bello

us up that they like the song and would like to do a remix which will be a bang. She called on Skype and was like I really like this song and a remix will be a bang. So, we sent her the instrumentals and then we had a remix.

Empowering youths I have an initiative I run that is centred on education and empowerment of young people. Later in the year, we will be putting some

projects in motion regarding that.

We also organised a symposium on Police and media. My team and I came up with that. It was an interactive forum to shed light on the relationship between the police and the media. So, the next we are having is the Police and the youth.

That will involve stakeholders, the Police and youths, student unions.

We will have to sit and talk about the existing relationship between both parties and how we can foster a bet-

My Initiative It centres on education of the less privileged and disadvantaged youths. Also, I like to use my music to communicate the ideals I want to see in the world, because you never know how far your song can go for it to inject some positives which will do the world a lot of good.

My Style I like to look good and nothing is behind anything. My hair is inspired by a vintage look and something people will remember when they see me.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •April 1, 2017

SHOWBiZFlAir

MY STORY RITA DOMINIC SHINES IN NIYI TOWOLAWI’S NEW FILM Rita Dominic and Joseph Benjamin lead the cast in an upcoming blockbuster film, Desecration, a star-studded cinematic thriller to be released in all Nigerian cinemas from Friday, 21st of April, 2017. It was premiered in London to a full house of ecstatic movie goers and celebrities, including a special performance by legend, Majek Fashek.

Set and shot in London, UK, the film also stars Nollywood veteran Rykardo Agboh, alongside UK actors of both Nigerian and British backgrounds, such as popular British TV actress, Nicola Alexis (currently starring in Harry Porter musical), Max Cavenham, Moji Bamtefa and talented eight-year-old Angel Agala.

The story follows a casual extramarital affair that soon becomes a living nightmare for Dr. Daniels who quickly discovers that his freespirited conquest (Rita Dominic) wants more and would go to great lengths to achieve it. He must now find a way to make her disappear before her obsessive nature destroys his family.

Desecration was produced by Bode Odetoye of Kherut Films.

Helming the motion picture as the director is international multiaward winner, Niyi Towolawi of HekCentrik Films. Incidentally, for the director, who is London based, Desecration is his first feature film set in London, because his previous three films were shot in the US and

Nigeria.

Desecration is distributed by Genesis cinemas. Following the

Nigerian release, Desecration will be released in other African countries and beyond in 2017.

MACFOY JOSEPH LOTANNA

I am Launching Bag Collections Soon Macfoy Joseph Lotanna is a fashion entrepreneur. Kicking off his business operations in 2010, he has since grown to become a household name.

He has styled celebrities like Falz, MI, Ifeoma Williams, and others. In this chat with Tosin Clegg he talks about fashion industry

DAVIDO, SAUTI SOL, BURNA BOY FOR GIDIFEST 2017 The Gidi Culture Festival 2017 is slated to hold at Eko Altantic City on the 15th of April and will have a lineup of both local and international artists and DJs. Music, food, arts, games and everything youthful will be a part of the event, which will give life and fun to everyone.

The VIP experience is also available to give access to close up views, privileges at the event and more. Burna Boy, Davido, Sauti Sol, Seyi Shay, Reekado Banks, Vanessa Mdee and more, slated to perform, have

already kicked off individual campaigns towards the April showdown.

Beach soccer and volley ball tournament will also be part of the side attractions of the event.

DJ Obi, DJ Neptune will be on deck while DJ Jimi and Folu Storms will be the host. The event is proudly sponsored and supported by Eko Atlantic, Eko Hotel, Kenya Airways, Lasaa, Red Bull, Trek Buy Fly, Mikano, Hyperia.

MAZE SET TO SHAKE THE MUSIC SCENE Okoh Chinedu Sunday popularly known as MAZE looks set to become a key player in the music industry.

Born in Warri Delta State, he hails from Nnkanu West Local Government in Enugu.

He started his musical career in 2014 when he moved to Lagos after his studies as a marine engineer and dropped his first song with a video in late 2014 titled VAM VAM. After then Chinedu Onyebuchi picked interest in him and began to support him.

More recently he featured Solidstar in a song titled Oyekele and also shot the video.

H

ow has the experience been like?

Each season, since its inception in 2010, Frisch sought-after line of shoes has been highly anticipated. Frisch is a shoe brand where tradition and style meet with class and confidence. It began its journey as a bespoke shoe brand and has now evolved into a storied house offering sophisticated precise craftsmanship.

Tell us about the brand?

This luxury brand is known for creating high quality shoes in both modern and classic styles. Designed to improve with age and wear, these simple, understated shoes are the perfect addition to an elegant wardrobe.

This March, we will be launching our bag collections.

What other things are you into?

I am a core businessman and I’m also an uber partner, and I’m about to launch a sports application called Footy Fixer. I am also into poultry and agriculture, because to be successful in Nigeria you must diversify.

46

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • April 1, 2017

ENTREPRENEUR

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, MainOne Cable, Funke Opeke; Chief Executive Officer, Channels TV, John Momoh; Chief Executive Officer, FSD-VTE Academy, Omowale Ogunrinde; Sahara Group Co-Founder, Tonye Cole; U.S. Consulate Public Affairs Officer, Darcy Zotter; Chief Executive Officer, WFM, Toun Okewale-Sonaiya; and U.S. Consulate Public Affairs staff member, Ibrahim Aliyu, at the opening session of the Conference for

US Supports Entrepreneurship Because it Promotes Economic Opportunity, Says Consul General Bray

The United States Consul General F. John Bray told a group of aspiring entrepreneurs that the American government supports entrepreneurship all over the world because it is firmly convinced that entrepreneurship is the key driver to job growth, economic opportunity, political stability, and a vibrant civil society. Bennett Oghifo reports

U

nited States Consul General F. John Bray did not mince words when he informed some budding entrepreneurs at a conference in Lagos, during the week, that they must do a lot of work to succeed.

The conference, “Emerging Entrepreneurs – Skills and Networks”, for 102 budding Nigerian entrepreneurs, was organised by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos in collaboration with the Field of Skills and Dreams (FSD), a leading vocational, technical, and entrepreneurship training institute.

Held under the auspices of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), the Conference was designed to equip the emerging entrepreneurs with the requisite skills and entrepreneurial know-how to enhance their success in the business world.

Some leading business and public sector leaders were there to inspire, mentor, and train the participating young entrepreneurs. These highly successful entrepreneurs, who told their personal stories and advice included John Momoh, the Chief Executive Officer of Channels Television; Sahara Group Co-Founder, Tonye Cole; and MainOne Cable CEO, Funke Opeke. Also present was Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, who told the aspiring entrepreneurs how Lagos government could assist them, for free.

Consul General Bray, however, gave the young entrepreneurs hope when he said, “Entrepreneurship can launch you on a path to change the world. Entrepreneurship can give you freedom to change the lives of you and your family. I can’t think of any better reason to start your business.”

The US government, he said supports

entrepreneurship through “the Global Entrepreneurship Summit,” which the founder of FSD, Ms. Omowale Ogunrinde attended. “We also have the African Women’s Entrepreneurship Programme, the Global Innovation through Science and Technology and the list goes on.

“We want to identify, train, mentor, incubate, provide access to marketing and funding, and create enabling environments and entrepreneurship cultures.

I believe that if we do this, you will be able to create a successful business.”

He gave them to-do-list, “You will have to decide what problem your company will solve; you will have to launch your business; the last thought I want to share with you- don’t take no for an answer.

Believe in your idea and lose your fear of being told ‘no’ because you’re going to hear ‘no’ a lot.

“Find a few people who believe in you and your idea, keep them close – you need them when you have heard your hundredth “no”. Don’t be shy about asking people for information or connections. The entrepreneurial world is built on people helping one another.”

He reminded the young aspiring entrepreneurs of Mark Zuckerberg, the Chief Executive Officer of Facebook, who visited President Muhammadu Buhari without the usual protocols. The president requested that he come back to see him after Zuckerberg had left to Kenya.

He wished that all the developing entrepreneurs would leave with the set of skills and networks that would enable them launch their dreams.

He thanked the resource persons “for taking time out of their busy day to join us.”

Earlier, Darcy Zotter, P A O, Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos said, “Entrepreneurs are driven by many factors like a desire for financial gain, or the independence

to increase the social impact of your venture.

“We also know that entrepreneurs don’t need loads of money to get started, it helps, but they do have to have skills and a vision, and we are looking to you because we know that you have skills and a vision.”

She warned that “entrepreneurs do not always succeed; better get used to hearing the word No and when you hear the word No, you say no I don’t think so.”

She also told them that “entrepreneurs almost never succeed at the first try but they do learn from their mistakes and keep on trying.

“We hope that when you leave here you will have a whole new network of support of friends and mentors.”

The CEO of Channels Television, John Momoh told the story of how started his station with a small transmitter that did not broadcast beyond the compound.

But then, he had started and did not look back since then, though things were pretty rough and tough.

Momoh said he started with a production facility in 1993, stating that “it was one of the most challenging times ever.”

It was in the same year that he successfully applied for a free-to-air news television license “with limited resources but resolute to succeed.”

He said he got a small loan from retail bank and from a few friends and a committed core staff of 15 people, they began test transmission two years later. “We had switched on an electronic transmitter, the size of a brief case. Its rating was a hundred watts.

Regardless, Channels Television was live on air, and he was satisfied and excited. “Some people were not as excited; some derided me, ridiculed and mocked the whole idea, while many others thought I was crazy, but I couldn’t blame them.”

His resolve was marched by the com-

mitment of his wife and today, Channels Television has come to stay, regardless of the fact that for the first year there was no income.

He advised the budding entrepreneurs to have a passion for what they want to do; clear vision of what they want to do; ready to take risks; be decisive; think big; positive mindset; surround yourselves with energisers and not drainers or sappers.

He charged them to also “seek out opportunities; keep learning all through the journey; work hard but it doesn’t guarantee success but the lack of it guarantees failure.

He urged them to “be innovative because the only that is constant is change; do not focus your mind on making money, but on satisfying your client, creating value and if you do that, then money will come; you need a good spouse and above all you need God.” The Sahara Group Co-Founder, Tonye Cole, a game changer in the oil and gas industry, advised the aspiring entrepreneurs to think big but to start small, saying he began his now very big company in a boy’s quarters of a house in Surulere, Lagos.

The urged them not to be carried away with their emerging status because it was important for them to save money to enable them increase the capacity of their businesses.

He said there were concepts that could deceive them, like setting up office in a high-profile building or buying a big car to announce their new status, which would definitely impact negatively on their business.

Giving her talk, Funke Opeke, whose company, MainOne Cable, provides the backbone for internet services in the country, advised the aspiring entrepreneurs to discipline themselves if they intended to do well, adding they should develop the capacity within them.

47

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • APRIL 1, 2017

VINTAGE

Art Lovers Commend Olu Amoda’s Presentations at Art 21 Justina Uzo

A

rt 21 Lagos recently held an opening reception for “Index Season ll,” a solo exhibition of renowned mixed media artist Olu Amoda, featuring sculpture and painting.

It was also an occasion when high level personalities in the art community converged to support their own. Amoda had presented his newest body of work created over the past two years at the modern art gallery.

One of Nigeria’s most celebrated visual artists, Olu Amoda’s sculptures combine discarded metal fragments to form hybrid figurative and abstract installations. His works often incorporate rusty nails, metal plates, bolts, pipes and rods, that are welded together to create figures, animals, flora and ambiguous forms.

Amoda uses these materials to explore socio-political issues relating to Nigerian culture today, including gender, privacy, consumerism and economic distribution.

He attempts to critically draw the audience’s attention to the global crisis of political gridlock plaguing the world today, suggesting that we must consider humanity as an ever-evolving process that shares affinity with one another.

In other works in the exhibition, Amoda continues his investigation into the organic processes of our natural world.

Art lovers who were obviously enjoying themselves during the opening reception of the “Index Season ll” at Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos said the level of art in Nigeria has gone up and the nation now has a lot of artists.

One of them, Raqib Bashorun said: “Look everybody is enjoying art, students, colleagues and the buyers. We have a lot of artists now. People appreciate art. We need it.”

Bashorun commended Amoda and Art 21 Lagos saying that if you have a lot of money and you don’t have the right artists,

Amoda it becomes a problem. “Olu is going places.

He was in Dakar where he was guest to the biennale of African contemporary art, Dak’Art 2016, Senegal.

“This April, he would be participating at Art Paris Art Fair at the Grand Palais, Paris in France from March 30 to April 2, 2017,” he said.

Another who described himself as an art lover, Paschal Ott, said Index Season ll is a “Great exhibition” and “great works with precision.”

Ott, a French man, also praised Amoda stating that “Amoda is one of the greatest artists in Africa.”

According to him, “Olu Amoda is a hardworking guy with a lot of works to show

for it. The works can easily fill a big space like Art 21 Lagos; the gallery boasts the right ambience. His works come on a regular basis. He started with the women series in the last exhibition and now expanding more of the women in the latest exhibition.”

Index Season ll will be on showcase at Art 21 Lagos from March 28 to June 25, 2017.

Art Twenty One (Art 21Lagos), a 600 sqm space and platform dedicated to contemporary art in Lagos, Nigeria, is located at Eko Hotels & Suites in Victoria Island.

The gallery is intended to contribute to and solidify the growing art scene in Lagos, as well as position the city as a major force in the international art world.

Meanwhile, in Index Season ll, Olu

Amoda uses leaves as a metaphor to address the notion of a nation undergoing political impasse.

Creating metal sculptures that evoke the changing colours of the four seasons, Amoda compares the individual leaves to human relationships, bunched together in social interconnectedness.

As an isolated object, the leaves are meticulously sculpted to show their unique shapes and characteristics.

As a collection, they form an abstract, geometric mass that binds the sculpture as a cohesive whole. Just as the tree’s foliage changes colour in different seasons, the collective nation goes through different stages and journeys.

Tijani Adediji’s Moment of Glory in Ede Olumide Lawal

T

he children and other family members of late Papa Tijani Ayinde Adedijji (a.k.a Baba Port-Harcourt) of Ikolaba Compound, held the ancient city of Ede spell-bound for three days – Thursday, 23rd March, through Saturday, March 25, 2017 - as they gave their father of blessed memory, befitting final burial ceremonies, that was kingly and majestic.

Ede literally stood still for the patriarch of the Adediji family of Ikolaba Compound, Ede. Pa Adediji, answered the call of Almighty God on 16th March, 2017 at the ripe age of 85.

Hundreds of friends and associates of the deceased children, namely, Alhaji Hakeem Adediji, Kola Kazeem Adediji; Mrs. Adefunke Fashola, Alhaji Lukman Adediji, Olajire Rofiyat Adediji, Abiola Oyedeji Adediji and Omolayo Adediji travelled from far and near, to honour them and indeed the deceased, who in life as in death, loomed larger than life.

Baba Port-Harcourt, came, saw and went back to his creator a fulfilled man.

This great son of Edeland, who spent some part of his life as a staff of Public Works Department carved a niche for himself, as far as selfless and dignified service to humanity was concerned. He was a success story, who was likeable and lovable by all in Ede. He carried himself with honour

Tijani Adediji and simple approach to worldly affairs.

Born in 1932, Pa Tijani Adediji had a very humble beginning and made the best use of every opportunity, that his limited education offered him. He was a great socialite and a good mixer, who did not lose sight of adherence to his chosen religion of Islam, which he faithfully practiced,

till he breathed his last. Pa Tijani Ayinde Adediji so much valued education, that he gave his children the best of it, believing that education is the lasting legacy, any parent could bequeath to his children. The children in turn gave a good account of themselves. They are all successful in their different professional endeavours.

To show the great respect, the children attached to their late father, one of them, Engineer Kola Kazeem Adediji, flew in all the way from Singapore to give his father a befitting farewell. And when it was time for the 8th Day Islamic Fidau Prayer, the amiable children spared no efforts and expenses, to ensure, that all went well for their guests. It was a carnival of sort that will remain the talk of town for a long time to come. Ede became a ‘Mecca’ of sort, as Pa Adediji’s children well-wishers from London, U.S.A and other parts of Nigeria, were just very eager to partake of the events as a show of solidarity, Prayer by top Islamic clerics, drawn from various denominations in Edeland were offered at Oke-Gada, Ede, the residence of the deceased. And all the children gave a good account of themselves. The Ansarudeen, Zumurat Islamiya, NASFAT, among others had a field day. Alhaj Abdul-Ganiy Abidoun Adediji, who is the OLORI EBI, was available to put smiles on the faces of the Alfas.

The Alfas left happier than they came.

On Friday, March 24, 2017, the children of Pa Adediji sent prayer mats and ablution kettles to all Jumat Mosques in Ede, as a

further demonstration of their appreciation to Allah for a life well lived by their father.

The grand reception for guests shifted to Western Sun Hotel, where the sons and daughters of late Pa Adediji played perfect hosts to their guests. On the bandstand was Olu Mighty from Ile-Ife, who dished out sonorous high life hits that sent guests, old and young rocking the dance floor.

Speaking about his late father, Engineer Kola Kazeem Adediji, who is resident in Singapore, said apart from God Almighty, he owes every inch of his success in life to the prayers and solid support his father, gave him, just like his other siblings. His father he said ensured that they embrace western education, through his meager resources.

He described his father as a complete and undiscriminatory family man, who gave equal attention and love to them all – immediate and extended family members.

The final burial ceremonies of Pa Tijani Ayinde Adediji will linger on and treasured for a very long time to come.

It was a moment Ede people stood up in solidarity and love with THE ADEDIJIS OF IKOLABA COMPOUND. It was truly, a moment of honour for the deceased. It was a day, the Lord giveth. Goodbye and good night, Pa Tijani Ayinde Adediji –Omo Ede Mapo Arogun, Omo a ji lala Oso.

50

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • April 1, 2017

ENCOUNTER Willie Nwobu

I Hope Buhari Will be Open to Senior Citizens’ Welfare in Nigeria

Ike Willie-Nwobu, Coordinator of the International Federation on Ageing in Nigeria (IFAN), is one of the few Nigerians championing the cause of the elderly. Last year, he organised an event marking the International Day of Older Persons Observance, which was hosted by Digital Bridge Institute and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment. In this interview with Nduka Nwosu, Willie-Nwobu who has anchored activities of the worldwide UN-assisted organisation for over a decade, gives an update on the prospects and problems of elderly people in Nigeria

Y

ou have been the coordinator of the International Federation on Ageing in Nigeria (IFAN) for more than a decade now. Tell us about the association.

The International Federation on Ageing (IFA), which was founded in Toronto, Canada, in 1973, has as its mission statement to make life better for the aged, the elders in the society by stimulating, collecting, analysing, and disseminating information on rights, policies and practices that improve the quality of life of people as they age. Since becoming the IFA coordinator in Nigeria, we have made policy inputs spanning several administrations, raised funds and erected institutions meant for the aged. During former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure, he was well disposed to initiating policies such as pension scheme reforms and benefits that were designed to cushion positive effects for elders. IFAN has always been the driver working to make better the quality of life of elders in Nigeria. Under Obasanjo, we had a week-long programme and an awareness walk led by him.

Right now we have a senior citizen as President in Aso Rock and we are hoping he would be disposed to re-awakening the noble aspirations of IFAN for our elders. Already, this is happening with the monthly payment of pension benefits to retirees. However, there are other issues in terms of creating awareness and constantly reminding the people that a nation whose elders are exposed to the vagaries of ageing, a country that leaves its aged unprotected remains a laughing stock among the comity of nations.

Why are you part of this movement for the aged?

I had an academic and commercial programme in Israel between 1997 and 1998. I attended a conference in Jerusalem that fired my imagination and interest. On arrival in Nigeria I made contacts with different levels of government, connected to the United Nations institutions in the country and created the platform that powered the ‘Ageing Revolution’ in Nigeria. In 1999, Chief Obasanjo gave me a huge support and encouragement. In addition, I became the focal person for the United Nations in Nigeria for the ‘International Year of Older Persons in 1999.’ Obasanjo provided access and proximity to IFAN and its activities. He understood governance; and had a huge capacity in synching with the needs of the aged and connected with the issues on the ground.

What about President Muhammadu Buhari?

I have had three encounters with Mr. President. We are hoping he will be open

to IFAN in the days ahead just as Obasanjo did especially through our end-of-year programme – the 2016 International Day of Older Persons Observance.

What is the partnership between IFAN and the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) on the one hand, and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment on the other hand?

The idea is to create synergy; a kind of institutional marriage and consolidation of partnership among the three organs for information dissemination of elders in the society. The DBI, a brain child of the National Communications Commission (NCC), is recognised globally as an international centre for communication technology and has the requisite skill to drive research and data for the aged in Nigeria. Such information gives room for quick and accurate decision making. An ITU member, the DBI is a centre of excellence and custodian of the National Digital Training Infrastructure, which has five campuses in the country.

Why are you partnering with DBI? We are in partnership with the DBI to promote what is known as the Veteran Information and Communication Management System, National Retiree Portals and the Retired Persons Information and Communication System. Both templates keep track of elders and the ageing in the society; connect the elderly with those replacing the baby boomers – the millennial and the adults.

This arrangement keeps a tab even on those growing into the club of the elderly just as the millennial are preparing to become adults. It is a chain that ensures no one is left out in the general scheme of things. We are promoting and projecting a major study, a critical analysis and research in the country woven around the impact of telecommunication in the productive index of the country and how it affects the elderly in such areas as pension and health insurance scheme and other sectors of the economy.

Where does the government come in?

IFAN has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in advancing the needs of elders. The MoU is anchored on three thematic areas: the Elderly Employment Scheme (EES); National Elderly Productivity Audit (NEPA); and the Elderly Social Response Initiative (ESRI). Our theme for the 2016 International Day of Older Persons Observancewas: ‘Ageing and Life Course.’

It provides a major platform of cooperation among the three partners.

How do government policies impact on your activities?

We are not looking to be spoon-fed because the concept of big and centralised government is over and gone. The bureaucratic roadblock has been overthrown.

Unknown to people, our country has been restructured. States are in competition. We

Nwobu

are working and walking with the states, that are connected to the realities of the time and that are IFAN-compliant. All IFAN projects are fundable, viable and visible. I am impressed with the present leadership in Lagos, Kaduna, Borno, Ekiti and Anambra states. With its huge resource base, Lagos State seems to be a country within a country just like California n the US. With highly modernised internally generated revenue, it offers a case study for the other states waiting for the federal revenue allocation to survive.

How do other sectors of government assist IFAN and its activities?

Since IFAN’s funding protocol changed, we have been operating along the line of innovative public and private sector partnerships; we work on joint venture transactional relationships with government, multinationals, the big and small national institutions, foundations and individual contributions for big ticket transactions, medium and modest projects for the aged.

What other programmes do both organisations run?

We are project-based with economic value content for the elderly and the aged, whom we chose to dignify as senior citizens and it parades in its hall of fame, the accomplished in various sectors of as well as the less privileged among them.

Our programmes have project content and value tailored to the needs of the elderly.

For instance, we hosted a programme in July 2002 on the rights of the elderly with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which helped the commission to open the International Elderly Conversation and the World Elderly Right Dialogue and Connection. I am impressed on what Professor Ben Angwe has done with the ideas and vision we placed on the table of his institution. On November 6, 2012, we hosted a media dialogue programme with the National Environmental Standard and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) on environment and longevity designed as a mobilisation and sensitisation strategy on the impact of the environment on longevity since longevity has a lot to do with the environment, nutrition and physical exercise.

What other projects do you have?

This year, we will be launch, facilitate and host six national strategic projects that will enhance the case of the elderly. These include, the National Elderly Care Space; National Elderly Parliament (NEP); Senior Citizens Games (SCG); Social Life Campus (SLC); Retire Retirement Programme (RRP) and the National Elderly Sensitisation, Mobilisation and Advocacy Programme (NESMAP).

Can you elaborate on some of these national elderly projects?

There is also the National Elderly Parliament (NEP). This is a conflict-resolution mechanism aimed at harnessing the wisdom of elders using community resolution mechanisms whereas the Senior Citizen Games is a sports festival incorporating drama, music, arts and fashion for people and population from 60 years and above.

What is the social life campus all about?

Social Life Campus is an initiative of getting higher institutions to host homes and centres for senior citizens, the vulnerable population in a higher institutions’ environment. These centres would be managed by youths – students and the idea is to generate dialogue and understanding of each other’s problems; an inter-generational relationship within three demographic groups – elders, youths and children. We also have the Retire Retirement Programme defined as a change of job assignment; that’s our connection with Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), in terms of digital skill and knowledge transfer.

What about the sensitisation programme?

The National Elderly Sensitisation, Mobilisation and Advocacy Programme (NESMAP), is an integrated documentary on the state and status of the elderly. Added to this is the Retirement Village programme; an economic elderly empowerment cluster design for agriculture; an agro-industrial centre in six geo-political zones aimed at energising the entrepreneurial skill of elders; an innovative retirement village for retirees.

What is your relationship with the United Nations institutions in Nigeria?

In the beginning from 1998 to 2002, we related and collaborated with the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), under Mr. Finjap Nginga, Bill Mouseke, Country Director (UNFPA), Prof. Kuli and Dr. Mou, Country Director of the World Health Organization (WHO). They were excellent, humble, deep and reflective personalities that enjoyed and endured our criticisms and conversations.

What roles do health experts play in your advocacy?

They implement policies and play an advisory role to elders. Physical exercise is good; natural environment, healthy nutrition and lifestyle remain the best medicine. We are helping some state governments to develop Geriatric Training Centres (GTCs) accommodating special needs of the elderly.

IFAN remains close to the aspirations of the founding fathers. We are social investors with interest in health, humanitarian and the life-support industry that ministers to the needs of the elderly.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • APRIL1, 2017

51

MARITIME BITS

WITH

JOHN IWORI 08057763164

L-R: Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Port Notel Limited (PNL), Mr. Victor Akpanika and the IDB Resident Representative, Country Gateway Office, Abuja, Mr. Abdallah Kiliaki in a warm handshake shortly after a meeting in Abuja…recently

L-R: Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Customs Area Controller (CAC), Eastern Marine Command (EMC), Comptroller Usman Kankara Bello assisted by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Rivers State Command Controller, Comptroller Aminu Yerima decorating one of the newly promoted junior officers with his new rank at the EMC Headquarters, Port Harcourt…recently

The Battle for the Soul of Free Trade Zones There are many Free Trade Zones (FTZs) in the country. They are created to achieve specific aims and objectives. This depends largely on the Federal Government fiscal policies. The administration in power also goes a long way in determining the FTZ it establishes. For instance, what the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration set to achieve as a government was miles apart from that of the late President Umaru Yar’adua. This is also applicable to the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration and the present government of President Mohammadu Buhari. These FTZs are situated in different parts of the country to attain set goals and objectives earmarked in the enabling laws. These include the Lagos Free Trade Zone, Snake Island Integrated Free Zone (SIFZ), as well as the Oil and Gas Free Zone, Onne, Rivers State.

In each of these Free Zones (FZs), there are components that make them vary from one another. For instance, the components of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA) include Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone, Rivers State; Oil

and Gas Free Zone, Warri, Delta State; and the Eko Support Services (ESS), Lagos. Others in the pipeline are the Brass Oil and Gas City, Twon Brass, Bayelsa State and the Ibaka Oil and Gas Free Zone, Akwa Ibom State.

The OGFZA has a vision to be the premier agency of government responsible for promoting, securing and sustaining investments in the nation’s oil and gas free zones. Its vision aside, it also has a mission to facilitate public-private-partnership investments in the nation’s oil and gas free zones as vehicles for promoting accelerated growth and sustainable development. The OGFZA establishment was sequel to the passage of the Oil and Gas Export Free Zones Act number 8 of March 29, 1996. It is a regulatory agency which derived its powers from section 2 of the Act. The Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone is situated in the oil and gas rich Rivers State. It was the first oil and gas export free zone to be established in the country. The success of the free zones is hinged on the robust synergy between the

CAC Decorates 33 Officers in Eastern Marine Command No fewer than 33 officers of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Eastern Marine Command (EMC) have been decorated with their new ranks.

The 33 officers of the command were among the 1, 561 junior officers promoted nationwide by the NCS Headquarters, Abuja. The NCS promotion was in line with the Federal Civil Service rules and regulations.

In his charge to the officers shortly after their decoration in the EMC headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the command, Comptroller Usman Kankara Bello enjoined them to be more dedicated to their respective duties.

While expressing delight and congratulating the newly promoted junior officers, Bello who was ably assisted on the decoration exercise by the Immigration Controller Rivers State Command, Comptroller Aminu Yerima said: “To whom much is given, much is expected. Be always discipline and selfless to your fatherland.

You should always shun any action that are capable at tarnishing the cooperate image and reputation of the service” A statement issued by the command and signed by its Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Sunday Oyinloye quoted the CAC charging the officers to continue do their best.

Bello urged them to see the promotion as a motivation to work harder in the discharge of their roles and responsibilities as personnel of the NCS. “Those who were not promoted should remain steadfast and committed to their duties as promotion is an on-going exercise. The management of the Nigeria Customs Service is doing very well to improve the welfare of officers and men of the service. The Comptroller General of Customs has outlined training and re-training for capacity building for officers and men with special reference to the marine command nationwide”, Bello added.

Yerima on his part said: “when promoted you have been added with more responsibilities in the discharge of your duties. Put in your best and nothing but the best in order to move the Nigeria Customs Service forward and the nation at large”, he said.

Federal Government, some states across the country, as well as private sector operators in the development of the logistic support base for the oil and gas industry.

There is no doubt that the successes recorded by the first oil and gas export free zone in Rivers State have spurred several others to pick interest in it. The interest is not limited to existing ones such as the OGFZA but also in the establishment of new ones. Many key players in the economy, especially in the maritime industry and the oil and gas industry have their eyes firmly fixed on the free zones, especially OGFZA. Not a few players in these two critical sectors of the economy have vested interests in operations of the government regulatory agency as well as the creation of new ones in the months nay, years ahead. Their quest to ensure that they did not miss out of the largesse accruing from the operations of the OGFZA has resulted in a cut-throat fight for who gets what, how and when among the gladiators. The supremacy contest is not limited to

Asadu Seeks Increase Investments in Transport Infrastructures The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Ports, Harbours and Waterways, Hon. Pat Asadu has called for increased investments in transport infrastructures in the country.

The legislator stated this on the heels of the lack of investment in the transportation infrastructures, especially in the South Eastern part of the country.

Apparently not pleased with the budget of the Ministry of Transport, the lawmaker expressed dismay at the neglect of the other modes of transport especially the inland waterways.

The legislator raised eyebrows over the budget of the ministry and the policy statements emanating from the ministry since the appointment of Right Hon. Rotimi Amaechi as its helmsman.

Asadu wondered why a government that is promoting national peace and harmony and the multi-modal transport policy can concentrate all its investments to the near total exclusion of a geopolitical zone where a high percentage of the overall cargo are traded, or neglect the inland waterways that provide 28 out of the 36 states of Nigeria and the federal capital territory (FCT) with cheap, fast and secure means of transportation of bulk cargo, including containers, agricultural and mining products.

Asadu who stated this in a statement issued in Abuja and obtained by THISDAY wondered why Amaechi said N213 billion of the ministry’s 2017 budget was devoted to railway infrastructure alone while only a paltry N4 billion allocated to the inland waterways and why such railway projects would not be extended to the South East zone of the country.

The House Committee Chairman reminded Amaechi of the fact that the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended clearly makes it mandatory that both appointments to public offices and development of the country’s infrastructure must be spread evenly, so as to command national loyalty.

He also maintained that the neglect of the South East Zone in the ministry budget was not only an anomaly but

also a violation of the Federal Character principle as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.

The lawmaker argued that these were some of the anomalies that sometimes generate ethnic and regional tensions, agitations and even militias across some parts of the country.

According to the statement, Asadu, a three time member, representing Nsukka /Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency of Enugu State made his remarks during the budget defence session by the Federal Ministry of Transportation and its agencies before the House of Representatives Joint Committees considering the Ministry’s 2017 budget estimates.

The joint committee comprises those of Aviation, chaired by Rt. Hon. Nkiru Onyejeocha (Abia), Land Transport; Rt. Hon. Aminu Sani Isah (Sokoto), Maritime Safety, Education and Administration; Rt. Hon. Mohammed Bago (Niger) and Ports, Harbours and Waterways ; Asadu (Enugu).

He also decried the very low budget releases to the ministry, pointing out that even the only 24 percent released, the ministry is yet to fully utilize it.

He enjoined the ministry to devote at least 10 percent of its railway budget to the inland waterways sector and see the effect on movement of bulk cargo and improved safety on our roads.

Asadu said the long completed Onitsha River Port, and the other River ports in Baro, Niger State, Lokoja, Kogi State and Oguta, Imo State would be wasted if the ministry cannot fund NIWA to create navigable waterways to take cargo to and from these ports.

He went on to emphasize that the Onitsha River Port is already wasting due to disuse atrophy since its completion in 2012. Disagreeing with Amaechi, the legislator insisted that the Onitsha-River port had huge potentials considering the cargo loads to the South East which made this particular river port very viable, especially when the zone has been left out in the modern railway projects of the government.

the economy as the key actors have their backers within and outside the corridors of power.

The battle for the soul of the OGFZA has been on for years. However, it was not an open one.

It was a subtle one with several intricacies and complexities unknown to the uninitiated until the recent attempt by the National Assembly to amend the OGFZA Act. The fierce fight for the free zones have made not a few to wonder in whose interests they are fighting for. Is it in the interest of ordinary Nigerians or the competitors? Are the gladiators fighting for the interest of Nigeria or for themselves? Who is afraid of the amendment of the oil and gas free zone bill presently before the National Assembly?

These and many more questions should agitate the minds of discerning members of the public, especially stakeholders in the maritime industry and the oil and gas industry. They should be alert to the key issues at stake as the legislators carry out the onerous task of amending the OGFZA Act and the NEPZA Act in the months ahead.

Chartered Institute of Customs Brokers Underway A Chartered Institute of Customs Brokers which has a mandate to attain professionalism among practitioners through capacity building as well as distinguish customs agents from freight forwarders is to be established soon by the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), its National President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu has said.

Expressing confidence in the National Assembly readiness to pass the bill into law, Shittu expressed hope that President Muhammadu Buhari would give his assent to the bill thereafter.

The National President revealed that the association has already put appropriate machinery in motion to acquire 10 acres of land for its permanent site in the federal capital territory (FCT).

Apparently aware that it tale a long time to complete the structures that will house the institute in its permanent site, Shittu also disclosed that ANLCA has plans to kick off the institute in a temporary location once the bill is passed into law.

According to him, upper chamber of the National Assembly has gotten to an advanced stage in its considerations of the bill that will make the Institute to become a reality.

We plan to put the institute in place in line with global standards and practices. We will ensure that customs brokers maintain their distinct identity. We have gotten international backing for the institute.

Continuing, Shittu who is also the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Skellas Limited said: “We are embarking on the establishment of the institute based on what is done internationally. The distraction we are having now is that it is because the CRFFN wants to continue to put all animals in one cage when they are not compatible genetically and in real sense by lumping customs brokers with freight forwarders “Of course, we are able to get international intervention for what we are doing and the National Assembly has been able to see the rationale behind it that we are not compatible within the framework of freight forwarders.’’

He stated that the forwarding of the bill to the legislature was made easy for the fact that there was no dissenting voice on it by all the organs of the association. These include the National Executive Committee (NECOM), the Working Committee and the Board of Trustees (BOT) as well as the entire members.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • APRIL 1, 2017

POLITY

Ekweremadu Makes Case for Regional Economic Integration by States

T

he Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has made case for regional economic integration by the states of the federation along their geopolitical zones to fast-track the nation’s industrialisation.

This is even as he said the failure to maintain a uniform exchange rate was antithetical to the promotion of the industrial sector and Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, SMEs, and had led to the flight and death of many industries and enterprises.

Ekweremadu spoke yesterday at the

opening of the 28th Enugu International Trade Fair , where he also advocated linkages between different groups of enterprises as big businesses had more access to international trade and investment links. The Senator said states stood to gain more and develop commerce, industry, mines, and agriculture faster when they converge their potentials and resources to benefit from the economies of scale.

To encourage this, however, he said the nation needed restructuring to allow the federating units reasonable autonomy

NACJ to Hold Integrity Award May 27

T

and constitutional empowerments to take initiatives.

“Contiguous to regional economic integration is the need for restructuring to move matters like power, railway, aviation, ports, and mineral resources, among others to the concurrent list. That way, States will not have to depend on the Federal Government for the critical infrastructure needed to drive industrialisation.

“With this and visionary leaders, the South East can easily become the Japan, Dubai, and Europe of Africa rolled into one, given the entrepreneurial capacities and ingenuity of our people as well as the potentials already shown by Nnewi, Onitsha, and Aba. “By their convergence, for instance, South East States can easily attract investors or pool their resources to establish industrial parks, develop the Onitsha seaport, dredge the River Niger, revive the Oji River Power Station or build an entirely new one. This is the way to go”, Ekweremadu said.

He further called for systemic intergovernmental and inter-agency collaboration and synergy, where each State and Local Government is able to optimise its potentials.

To this end, he said the report of the ‘One Local Government One Product’, OLOP, study carried out by SMEDAN to identify unique products or services in each of the 774 Local Governments in Nigeria should be taken seriously with a view to developing them to be competitively attractive in the global markets. The Deputy President of the Senate advised government to take steps to arrest the exchange rate volatility and create special tax regimes for SMEs, noting that “currency volatility is worse than high exchange rates as it makes planning and business transactions extremely difficult”.

He appealed to the Federal Government and the States to design a special tax regime for SMEs to help them to grow.

“In the midst of highly deficit socio-economic infrastructure, running businesses in our country is a herculean task, especially for upcoming firms, hence the need to streamline and trim their taxes”.

Ekweremadu the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Mines, Industry, and Agriculture of National Assembly’s readiness to always provide all necessary legal frameworks and legislative interventions to support the industrial sector and SMEs.

integrity. “Although, we are well aware that our recipients are imperfect people but that they have demonstrated certain degree of integrity in their lives, their career, especially in their leadership positions. They deserve to be encouraged, hence, the prestigious Annual Integrity Award.”

Some of the past recipients of the NACJ awards include the immediate past Inspector General of Police, Dr Solomon Arase; Dr Oviemo Ovadje, an Army General; Social Activist, Dr Yinka Odumakin; Prince Bisi Olatilo; Mr Femi Adesina, the current Media Adviser to President Buhari; AIG Ogunsakin; Dr TOE Ekechi; Bisi Deji, Editor, Saturday Punch, to mention just a few.

Okhai added: “This year, we are extending the categories of the awards in order to make the event one of the biggest media events of the decade. A few of the prospective awardees this year include Professor Pat Utomi; Hon Abike Dabiri; Actress Bimbo Akintola; Group Managing Director, Daar Communications, Mr Tony Akiotu; Mr John Momoh; Chief Dele Momodu; Mr Jimi Agbaje the popular Gubernatorial Candidate of Lagos State in the 2015 election; Bishop Mike Okonkwo, who will preside over the event as the Chairman, and a few others.”

R-L: Life Patron, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo/Ekiti Chapters, Prince Olusegun Ologbese presenting a merit award plaque to human right activist, Dr. Joe Okei Odumakin as the ‘Best Female Human Right Activist of the Year 2016’ while the Editor-in-Chief of MP3 Weekly Newspaper, Comrade McDonald Azuju Newspaper watches with keen interest in Lagos…recently

R-L: British Deputy High Commissioner, Ms. Lauren Beaufils; Hon. Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Ogun State, Otunba Bimbola Ashiru; and Hon. Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Ogun State Ms. Aderenle Adesina at the launch of the report by PWC and UK Foreign Commonwealth Office on promoting economic prosperity - Analysis of the State Level Business Environment in Nigeria in Abeokuta…recently

L-R: Director, Nigeria Airforce Hospital Laboratory, Wing Commander, Chukwuma Ohanele; Laboratory Director/ CEO, El-Lab Laboratories Limited, Lagos, Prince Elochukwu Adibo; Representative of Lagos State Commissioner for Health and Director of Pathology, Dr. Babafemi Olukayode Thomas and the Acting Registrar/CEO, Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), Mr. Tosan Erhabor; during the unveiling and presentation of IOS accreditation certificate to El-Lab...recently PHOTO: KOLA OLASUPO

L – R: Brand Manager, Peak, Mr. Jide Odelola; Marketing Manager, Peak, Mrs. Dolapo Otegbayi; Winner, Mr. Ifedayo Bello; Mother of the Winner, Mrs. Sileola Bello and the Digital Manager, Peak, Mr. Tuoyo Erikowa during the presentation of cheque and a refrigerator to Mr. Ifedayo Bello who emerged winner in Lagos...recently

L-R: Members, Association of Table Water Producers of Nigeria (ATWAP), Mr. Okechukwu Madubieke; Mr. Taiwo Olungbemi; Chairman, ATWAP, Mushin/Surulere Zone, Mr. Banji Akitiegbe; Founder, Hearts of Gold Childen’s Hospice, Mrs. Laja Adedoyin; National President, ATWAP, Mrs. Clementina Ativie; State General Secretary, Mr. Obadaiiro Segun; and Mrs. Afolabi Oluwokemi, during the visit of Hearts of Gold Children home by ATWAP to mark world water day in Lagos..recently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

he Nigerian Association of Christian Journalists (NACJ) has announced that the 5th Anniversary of its Annual Lecture and Integrity Award will hold on Saturday, May 27, at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island Lagos.

The association which has been at the background over a decade broke into limelight in 2013, with the Annual Integrity Award.

A statement signed by the Secretary General of the association, Charles Okhai, said: “Having been impelled to contribute our quota as a group to the developmental progress of the nation, we came up with the integrity award to address the issue of corruption and bad leadership, which had been the major clog in the wheel of the nation’s advancement.

“The idea is to encourage Nigerians to imbibe the spirit and virtues of integrity, because integrity is the direct opposite of corruption, and we believe that when the people become conscious of the virtues of Integrity, better still, when the people are mentally integrity-configured, then corruption will have no place in their life.

“This underscores the reason we celebrate, annually, a few of our illustrations sons and daughters who have no doubt distinguished themselves, having consistently lived within the frames of

PHOTO NEWS

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •April 1, 2017

NEWS

Fine: NCC Confirms MTN’s Payment of Another N30bn Emma Okonji

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecoms industry regulator, yesterday confirmed that MTN, on Thursday, paid additional N30 billion, being the third tranche payment of the N330 billion fine imposed on the telecoms company for refusal to deactivate 5.2 million unregistered SIM cards on its network.

Having paid N30 billion in December last year, after the initial deposit of N50 billion, making it N80 billon as at December last year, the current payment brings the total amount paid so far, to N110 billion, out of N330 billion.

Based on the enormity

of the fine money, NCC, in collaboration with the federal government, spread the payment in six tranches, after the initial N50 billion was paid. The first two tranches, which were December 2016 and March 2017 had been paid, which includes the recent payment. The other four tranches are March 31, 2018 (N55 billion); December 31, 2018 (N55 billion), March 31, 2019 (N55 billion) and May 31, 2019 (N55 billion).

Director, Public Affairs at NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, who confirmed the Thursday payment, said the money had been paid to NCC’ Treasury Single Account (TSA) with the Central Bank of Nigeria.

According to Ojobo, there was an agreement reached between

NCC and MTN on the spread of payment of the fine money in tranches and MTN has kept to that agreement so far.

Head of Corporate Communications at MTN, Omasan Ogisi, also confirmed to THISDAY that another payment in respect to the fine, was recently paid.

NCC had in October 2015, fined MTN N1.04 trillion for its failure to disconnect 5.2 million improperly registered lines within the prescribed deadline. After much plea on the part of MTN management for a reduction in the fine, it was subsequently reduced by 25 per cent to N780 billion, an amount that MTN considered still inimical to the survival of its telecoms business.

MTN Nigeria subsequently sought judicial determination as a means of protecting the local ecosystems valued and supported by MTN’s business, but later withdrew the case and continued with its plea bargain, which eventually led to further reduction of the fine to N330 billion and the payment spread in six tranches.

MTN, which operates in 20 countries, had set aside $600 million last year to pay the fine.

Two months after making the first payment from the fine, MTN Group declared its first full-year loss, blaming it on the fine.

Negotiations on payment of the fine lasted eight months and saw both parties going in and out of the court.

Port Manager Unveils Security Boat John Iwori

In a bid to enhance security in its area of operations, the Onne Port Manager, Alhassan Ismaila Abubakar has unveiled a 75 horse power high speed marine boat.

The boat was procured by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Onne Port as part of the measures to address the security challenge in its area of operations.

To ensure that the boat is properly managed and put into effective use, the boat was handed over to Marine Police, Onne Port, Rivers State.

According to him, his office had recovered abandoned fire truck. The rehabilitated firefighting truck is working and ready to go for deployment not only within Onne Port, but within their host communities wherever fire outbreak may occur.

He said other relevant firefighting equipment was also put in place to ensure performance and promptness by Onne Port fire fighters.

These were contained in a statement signed by the Port Public Relations Manager, NPA, Onne Port Complex, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Mrs. Barbara Ejemeh Nchey-Achukwu.

Speaking at the unveiling of the boat, Abubakar said that the

river craft was purchased to serve the Marine Police within the operational area of Onne Port.

His words: “The reason for acquiring this boat is to provide security and to aid your men in the Marine Police to provide regular surveillance of all the waterways within the jurisdiction of Onne Port”.

Abubakar observed that the boat was state of the art watercraft, strong and well built.

Abubakar said that security of life, property and the facilities within Onne Port were of utmost priority to his leadership even as he expressed joy that since he assumed office as the Port Manager last year, that there has been tremendous improvement in the security status of the port.

He disclosed that as at the time he arrived, the port facility was operating on ISPS Code level 2, but expressed joy that the situation had now changed.

“As we speak, the ISPS Code level of internationally recognised security status of Onne Port has moved to level 1, meaning that insecurity in and around Onne Port has changed”, he added.

The Onne Port Manager noted that the current security status level of Onne Port has been certified by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Buhari Deploys 4 Ambassadors to US, Others Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja

OMATEK BOSS GOES HOME ...

R-L: Father of the deceased children, Olalekan Seriki; son of the deceased, Temidayo Seriki; daughter of the deceased, Atinuke Seriki and sister of the deceased, at the funeral mass of the CEO, Omatek Computers, late Mrs. Florence Seriki at the Holy Cross Cathedral Catholic Church, Lagos...yesterday

Fix Nigeria, Stop Bickering, PDP Tells APC Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi has asked the ruling party, All Progressives Congress to deliver on promises made to Nigerians.

The opposition party said that it had been two years since APC took over power in May 2015, all it had done was complaining and whining, instead of governance and delivering to Nigerians its campaign promises.

In a statement issued by the Spokesman of the Caretaker Committee, Dayo Adeyeye, the party said Nigerians had never been as hungry in their entire lives, except during the civil war as seen in the last two years.

"We read with amusement and utter dismay the APC statement in response to our patriotic assessment of its lackluster performance in the last two years," he said.

The Spokesman maintained that Nigerians should take critical look at the Mid-Term Report of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan's Administration and compare it to that of the current APC led government and assess them

on performance and achievements.

"While we have no time to dwell on the internal leadership issues within the PDP in order not to fulfill the desires and aspirations of the APC, we wish to however remind the ‘ruling Party in opposition’ that Nigerians are also aware of the meddlesomeness of the APC in the current leadership issues in the PDP. "Nigerians have not also forgotten how the APC in opposition politicised all issues of governance without proffering a single solution to any of them, but remained adamant, condemning the sincere policies of previous PDP administration .

"Nigerians thought the only reply by the APC to our statement of Wednesday, March 29, 2017, would have been for the Party to roll out its achievements in the last two years instead of another shameless descent into the abyss of propaganda, blamegame and media trial of previous PDP led administration. However, we are not surprised because the APC has no achievement to flaunt before Nigerians than the boring rehash of what the PDP did or did not do, they said.

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday deployed four of the newly confirmed ambassadors to the United States, Europe and East Africa The affected officers are: Professor Tijani Bande (Kebbi State); Itegboje Sunday (Edo); Kadiri Audu (Kwara) and Bankole Adeoye (Ogun).

A statement by the president's media aide, Mr. Femi Adesina, said Bande would proceed as Nigeria's ambassador/Representative to the Permanent Mission of Nigeria in the United Nations Headquarters

in New York. lt also said Itegboje had been deployed as Nigeria's Ambassador/Deputy Representative to Permanent Mission of Nigeria in the United Nations Headquarters in New York. ln the same vein, the statement said Audu would proceed as Nigeria's Ambassador/Representative to the Permanent Mission of Nigeria in the United Nations Offices in Geneva while Adeoye was deployed as Nigeria's Ambassador/Representative to the Embassy of Nigeria/Permanent Mission in the African Union in Addis Ababa.

Osinbajo is New NEMA Chairman, Onabule Chairs NTA Board Bayelsa Residents Nab Robbery Gang, Recover Loot Omololu Ogunmade inAbuja

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday named Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) as the new Chairman of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). He also appointed Chief Duro Onabule, former spokesman for ex-Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, as the new Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

Other members of the NEMA Board as announced by the president are Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal; Captain Talba Alkali, representing Ministry of Transport and Aviation; Ambassador Rabiu Dagari, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Ngozi Azadoh, Ministry of Health and Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido, Ministry of Interior.

Also included in the board membership are: Ajisegiri Benson Akinloye, Ministry of Water Resources; Air Vice Marshal Emmanuel Anebi for Nigerian Armed Forces; and Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Salisu Fagge Abdullahi from the Nigerian

Police Force.

On the board of NTA, the new Director-General is Mr. Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja while the new executive directors of the television station include: Dr. Steve Egbo, Administration and Training; Abdul Hamid Salihu Dembos, Marketing; Mohammed Labbo, News; Fatima M. Barda, Finance; Stephen Okoanachi, Engineering; and Wole Coker, Programmes.

In the same vein, Buhari appointed Aliyu Hayatu as the new Chairman of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) while Buhari Auwalu and Yinka Amosun are Zonal Directors for Kaduna and Lagos respectively.

The President also constituted the management of some agencies under the Ministry of Information and Culture. In the Nigerian Film Corporation, Dr. Chika Maduekwe was appointed as the General Manager; Comrade Tar Ukoh as Artistic Director, National Theatre and National Troupe of Nigeria; Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture and Folorunsho Coker, Director-General, National Film and Video Censors Board.

Emmanuel AddehinYenagoa An angry mob waylaid a suspected gang of armed robbers in Bayelsa yesterday, beat up the suspects and recovered N1.3 million belonging to a cleric.

The two-member gang was said to have trailed the pastor identified as Andy Sese, from a bank where he withdrew the money to a supermarket along the Opolo Area of Yenagoa Local Government Council.

The hoodlums identified as Wero Paul, 32 and Innocent Uche 34, broke the window of a Toyota Xterra, at Market Square Premises at Opolo before carting away the money.

However, luck ran out on Paul and Uche, who reportedly came in a get-away Commercial Tricycle, when one of the private security guards attached to the popular Supermarket, raised the alarm.

The shouting guard attracted the attention of members of the public which immediately mobilised and went after the gang.

"While a vehicle beside the fleeing Keke Napep assisted the private security by blocking it from getting away, I saw two young boys come down with some heavy bags under their clothes.

“I screamed and asked them to stop and asked the security to search them. We discovered some substantial part of the stolen money from them”, a witness who identified himself as Elder Emmanuel said.

He added: “The mob reacted and descended on the suspects by beating them black and blue before the arrival of men of the Special Anti-Robbery squad. Within minutes the suspects were beaten beyond recognition."

In a statement confirming the incident, the Bayelsa state police command said that though the culprits had been apprehended, investigation was still ongoing.

"At about 1500hrs, one Wero Paul, 32 years and Innocent Uche 34 years, broke the window of a Toyota Xterra, at Market Square Premises Opolo and stole about N1.300.000 million belonging to one Pastor Andy Sese.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •April 1, 2017

55

newXTrA

NDLEA Discovers Cocaine in Passenger Shorts

Chinedu Eze

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos said it discovered cocaine hidden inside the boxer shorts and luggage of a passenger, Okonkwo Godwin, 57, an importer of jewellery.

It also arrested one Nnaemeka David Chinedu, an auto part dealer for a haul of heroine. Chinedu allegedly ingested 94 wraps of heroin.

NDLEA said that volume of heroine was one of the largest quantities of drugs ingested by a suspect at the Lagos airport lately.

The commander at the Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba said that

the suspects arrived from Brazil and Uganda with cocaine and heroin respectively.

"Two suspected drug traffickers are currently being interrogated for illegally importing narcotics into the country. Okonkwo Godwin was caught with one wrap of cocaine in his boxer shorts and another inside his bag all weighing 750 grammes.

He was arrested during the inward screening of passengers on a South African Airline flight from Brazil while Nnaemeka David Chinedu was arrested for ingesting ninety-four wraps of heroin weighing 1.595kg during the screening of passengers on Rwand Airline from Uganda" Ahmadu stated.

Okonkwo told NDLEA, "I am

married with two children but I am in a terrible financial crisis. I used to import jewellery for sale at Trade Fair complex in Lagos and Onitsha main market. Things have changed so drastically that l even find it difficult to feed my family. This was what led me into drug trafficking. l was given two wraps of cocaine; one was hidden in my boxer shorts while the other was in my luggage.

The agreement was for me to sell the drug and share the proceeds with my partner in Brazil" Chinedu also said, "I ingested drugs for N450, 000 naira because l was desperate. This is my first time of smuggling drugs. I have been selling auto parts in Lagos for the past 15 years but l must admit that things

are very rough with me financially.

I was paid to smuggle drugs from Uganda to make ends meet.

NDLEAChairman/Chief Executive, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd.) said that the agency would continue to disappoint the plans of drug traffickers who wish to make money from drug the illicit trade.

"NDLEA is working very hard to intercept drugs at all entry points and also arrest every trafficker. Those who intend to enrich themselves with proceeds of drugs will end up in detention. The arrests so far made validates our resolve to address the problem of drug trafficking in the country", he said.

The suspects will soon be charged to court.

Imo Citizens Demand Open Budget System Amby Uneze in Owerri

Worried by the shoddy nature of budget proposal and implementation in Imo State, citizens have decided to demand for open, inclusive, transparent and realistic budget that would impact positively in their lives.

Rising from a one-day workshop tagged “Open Budget Forum” in Owerri, the state capital, they lamented the crude way the Imo State House of Assembly passed budgets without public participation as well as the manner the state government implement same, indicating that budgets were not meant for the public good.

The forum which was put together by a non-governmental organisation, Development Dynamics (DD), in partnership with UKaid, and Actionaid, had described good budget as one that has the features of realism, transparent, flexible, accountability and inclusiveness and that it must be generated from the public.

In his presentation, the Executive Director of Development Dynamic, Dr. Jude Ohanele said that open budget meant that all of the people in a country or a state could access information on the revenues that were collected, the amount of funds allocated to different types of spending, and how international donor assistance and other public resources were used.

AROMA OF SUCCESS...

L-R: President/CEO Transcorp Plc, Emmanuel Nnorom; Chairman, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) Plc, Tony O. Elumelu; and Group Company Secretary, Transcorp Plc. Helen Iwuchukwu at the Annual General Meeting of Transcorp, held in Lagos on Wednesday

Foundation Culls Commercial Sex Workers off Streets AdedayoAkinwaleinAbuja

As parts of its effort to get more commercial sex workers off the streets and give them a better means of livelihood, a Non-Governmental Organisation, the Wanda Adu Foundation has embarked on free skills acquisition program for commercial sex workers.

The Founder, Ms. Wanda Ebe gave the hint yesterday in Abuja during a town hall meeting with some commercial sex workers willing and ready to engage in another means of livelihood.

According to her, "the foundation is about giving vulnerable, marginalised and abused young women and girls a voice. It is a town hall meeting for female sex workers, we have gone round to bring together sex workers; brothel based and non-brothel based street girls. The essence of this is to let them know that prostitution is not the only option to make money. I feel that they can explore other means of

making money other than sex work."

Ebe added that, "we are here to let them know that whatever skills they have they should work on it, they should use the skill and if they don't have any skill we are willing to transfer skills to them free so that they can have a means of livelihood, if it is hair making, baking, fashion and designing, we are willing to teach them free, we have experts in the house, so that we reduce the number of sex workers."

She explained that her experience in life spurred her to establish the foundation having suffered from domestic violence, child molestation and even rape.

Ebe stressed: "My experience in life, have being through a lot, I suffered infant molestation, rape, domestic violence and this things can actually drive a woman to be vulnerable and just drive you to do anything that is not right, but have been able to come out of it.

Nigeria's Health Care Proffessionals under the aegis of the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), on Thursday in Enugu called off its three-week nationwide strike action.

The union had embarked on industrial action since 6th of March, 2017 as they asked the federal government to address the unhealthy discrepancies in the running of hospitals in the country.

The union which comprised Physiotherapists, Dental Therapists, Dental Technologists, Medical Physicists, Health Information Officers, Dietitians, Medical Laboratory Scientists, Radiographers, Optometrists, Pharmacists, Clinical Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Medical Social workers and other healthcare professionals also demanded among other things that federal government and its personnel should obey the judgment of the National Industrial Court. The National President, Dr.

Ogbonna Obinna Chimela announced the suspension of the strike action at a press briefing shortly after the meeting of the Union's National Executive council held at National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu.

He said the suspension of the strike was hinged on consideration of the poor citizens of Nigeria who could not afford to seek treatment outside the country and a court order to that effect.

He also said suspension of the three weeks indefinite strike followed series of dialogue with the Federal Ministry of Health and stakeholders and among others consideration for the poor citizens of Nigeria who cannot afford to seek treatment outside the country.

According to him, the NEC of the union decided to suspend the strike even as it called the federal government to implement immediately areas of agreement and initiate meetings to conclude the outstanding issues within four weeks to avert resumption of strike.

Customs to Raise Billions from Online Auction of Seizures Eromosele Abiodun In a bid to shore up the federal government’s revenue, the Nigeria Customs Services (NCS) will soon commence the auction of seizure across its commands in the country.

This is just as the service has said that only tax payers with Federal

Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) issued Tax Identification Number (TIN) will be eligible to participate in a new auction sales of seized items by the service. This is part of the guidelines contained in a new e-auction portal to be deployed for disposing of seizures that have undergone the process of court condemnation.

The portal, www.trade.gov.ng require applicants to input recent passport photo with a payment of non-refundable administrative fee of N1000.

The new e-auction portal for the sales of seized items at Customs Commands across the Country is expected to reduce congestion in

the various government warehouses and increase revenue from the sales.

Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd.) introduced the process as a way of enhancing transparency, reduce human contacts and ensure that only the highest bidders for any auctioned item wins.

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Health Workers Suspend Strike Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu

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