Saturday 24th June 2017

NDLEA: $85bn Global Cocaine Trade Fueling Terrorism, Money Laundering in Nigeria Apprehends 8,257 suspected drug traffickers in 2016

Chinedu Eze in Lagos and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Col. Mohammad Mustapha Abdallah (rtd) has

stated that funds from the $85 billion global illicit drug trade is exacerbating insurgency, money-laundering, political instability, international terrorism and wider destabilisation in Nigeria in particular and the

entire West Africa sub-region in general.

He made the disclosure in Abuja, yesterday, while presenting the programme of activities to commemorate the 2017 International Day

Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

Abdallah revealed that a recent report showed that every $1 billion of pure cocaine trafficked to West Africa earns more than 10 times as much

when sold on the streets in Europe.

He said that drug trafficking, once viewed largely as a social and criminal problem, had transformed in recent years into a major threat to health

and security of Nigerians.

Abdallah also alerted Nigerians to the increasing drug addiction among the citizens.

“We have cause to worry Continued on page 8

Osinbajo: Internet Constitutes Great Threat to Nigeria's Survival ... Page 47 Saturday 24 June, 2017 Vol 22. No 8101. Price: N250

www.thisdaylive.com TR

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DSS Arrests 3 Terrorists Planning to Attack Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna Restriction of movement reintroduced in Maiduguri for sallah

Paul Obi in Abuja and Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri The Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday arrested three

terrorists allegedly planning to attack Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna and Maiduguri during Sallah celebration this weekend.

In a related development,

restriction of vehicular movement has been reintroduced to Maiduguri, Borno State as a result of recent security breaches.

Speaking to journalists in

Abuja, DSS’s spokesman, Tony Opuiyo said the objective of the terrorists was to hit soft targets and the vulnerable.

He said: "In the past few

weeks, the DSS has uncovered a sinister plot by terrorist elements to stage series of coordinated attacks using explosives in different cities across the country.

"Their aim was to hit on soft targets such as markets, public parks, public processions, Continued on page 8

Desperate People in Government Bent on Pulling Me Down, Says Saraki Unperturbed by appeal of CCT ruling Chides Sagay for putting pressure on trial judge

Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki says he is unperturbed by the decision of the federal government to file an appeal against the ruling of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), which upheld the plea of ‘no case submission’ he made on the 18-count charge of false asset declaration preferred against him.

In a statement issued yesterday by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki expressed confidence that the verdict of the Appeal Court would not be different from that of the CCT, as the facts of the case remain the same.

He added that the grounds, on which the CCT based its decision to acquit him, remained unassailable.

The Senate President said the appeal was nothing but

another attempt to grandstand and embark on a media trial without any substance.

He said the outcome of the trial at the CCT was expected, considering the evidences given by the prosecution witnesses during examination and cross examination.

“Those who are running commentary on the ruling by the Tribunal and criticising it are those who are not even familiar with the case and the details coming out of the trial.

“Some desperate persons in government and their collaborators outside are bent on pulling him down at all costs, even if they destroy the institution of the judiciary in the process.

“That is why they sponsored stories of allegation of bribery in an online publication against Continued on page 8

Supreme Court Sacks Senator OSINBAJO AT JAJI...

L-R: Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the graduation ceremony of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Senior Danladi, Herman Hembe… Pg 52 Course 39, in Jaji, Kaduna ...yesterday

Dino Melaye Sues INEC to Stop Recall ...Page 48

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Weekend Photo

NUPENG IN THE HOUSE...

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike (4th Right) in a group photograph with NUPENG members after a meeting at the Government House Port Harcourt ....yesterday

DSS ARRESTS 3 TERRORISTS PLANNING TO ATTACK KANO, SOKOTO, KADUNA recreation centres, as well as worship centres, especially the Eid praying grounds and other densely populated areas during the forthcoming Eid-el-Fitr Sallah celebration.

"The latest plan by the terrorists was to unleash mayhem on Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna and Maiduguri.

"Consequently, the Service wishes to announce that the planned terrorist attacks in Kano and aforementioned states have been nipped in the bud.

"This followed the arrest of Yusuf Adamu and Abdumuminu Haladu in Sokoto. Adamu and his accomplice were to command the operation in Kano.

Opuiyo explained that the DSS had earlier arrested the facilitator of the Kano attack, an explosive expert called Bashir Mohammed in Kano.

"Their plan, together with

others now at large, was to assemble the explosives and use them on select targets during the Eid-el-Fitr Celebrations.

"On the arrest of Mohammed in Kano, a search was conducted at his residence wherein the following dangerous weapons were recovered: Eight (8) AK-47 rifles; Twenty (20) fully loaded AK-A7 magazines; Twenty seven (27) hand grenades; Seven hundred and ninety three (793) rounds of live ammunition; one (1) gas cylinder; three (3) laptops; one (1) GSM phone; one (1) Lifan motorcycle; one (1) Honda Civic Car (Ash); and one (1) printer.

"The Service has also uncovered plans by the terrorist elements to infiltrate the ranks of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (a.k.a. Shiites).

"This is in an attempt to assume a formidable cover

to unleash violence and evoke a complete state of chaos in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja during the group’s Qudus Day Procession/Rally scheduled for today (yesterday 23/06/2017) in Abuja and several states in the northern parts of the country.

"Sequel to this, the Service is warning members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) to desist from staging any form of procession or demonstration as the terrorists will seize the opportunity to unleash mayhem.

"The public is encouraged to disregard the antics of these terrorist extremists to cause a breakdown of law and order and instill fear in the populace.

"The Service is working, in concert with other security agencies, to ensure that no section of the country is attacked during and after the Sallah

celebrations," Opuiyo stated.

Also to stem attacks on soft targets during the festivities, there has been an order reintroducing restriction of vehicular movement in Maiduguri.

Vehicular movement was allowed during festivities only two years ago when the security situation in Borno State improved with the push-back of the insurgents and capture of their stronghold in Sambisa forest.

The security situation has, however, deteriorated in the last few months with an attempted invasion of Maiduguri by the insurgents, suicide bomb attacks at the University of Maiduguri and highway ambush, among others.

To prevent any ugly incident during the Eid-el-Fitri celebration, the police in the state have ordered vehicles off

DESPERATE PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT BENT ON PULLING ME DOWN, SAYS SARAKI the Tribunal judges.

“This same desperation made a man like Prof. Itse Sagay, the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Anti-Corruption (PACAC) to appear on tape admitting in a foreign country that he interfered with the process in the tribunal in an unethical manner. He was instructing the judge on how to conduct the trial. Corruption is not just about giving or diverting money. When an official interferes with the judicial process with a view to achieving personal objectives, it is corruption,” the statement said.

Saraki called on security agencies to investigate those who made allegations of bribery in his trial and invite them to substantiate their claims.

The statement reads further: “We hear the same desperate people say there was so much evidence and are surprised at the verdict of the tribunal.

But they forget to mention that this was a case that the prosecution counsel amended charges thrice. If as it is being portrayed to the public it was a

straight forward case following investigation, how come every time their case was dismantled during the process, they went back to amend charges just in desperation to get a conviction?”

The Senate President notes that another sign of desperation by those who want to get him convicted at all cost was the failed antics of the prosecution counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacob who in collusion with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) sought to manipulate evidence at the tribunal.

“On realising the fundamental flaw in its case as it did not invite the defendant to make any statement at any point in the investigation, the prosecution brought in an agent of the EFCC to tender old statements Saraki made in a totally different and unrelated matter that had nothing to do with false asset declaration.

“The prosecution forgot that the letter inviting Saraki to make the tendered statements explicitly mentioned the matter being investigated. However, the

Tribunal, as it is obvious in its ruling, saw through the dirty trick. It therefore disregarded that piece of evidence and described it as irrelevant and of no value to the case.

“If not desperation by the prosecution, why is the EFCC so involved in a case of false asset declaration which is an exclusive preserve of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB)? All the evidence presented during the trial were from the EFCC. That is why the only CCB witness presented by the prosecution gave what the tribunal referred to as 'hearsay evidence’.

“The CCB chief prosecutor testified that he got his instruction to investigate the case orally.

He made his report from the investigation orally. Even the directive to 'collaborate with EFCC' on the investigation was given orally, a development the tribunal found strange and unknown to law.

“All these antics aimed at perverting the course of justice were obvious throughout the period of the tribunal's sitting.

Though, one is conscious of the fact that the anti-graft agency and its ally bodies are frantically looking for a poster-case to sell its anti-corruption campaign, and there is the hunger for conviction in a celebrated case to advertise in the international arena government's determination to pursue the anti-graft campaign, we implore them to achieve this aim by allowing Justice to take its normal course.

“This appeal against the CCT ruling is nothing but another attempt to grandstand and embark on another media trial without any substance. This is why the Senate President is sure it will be another exercise in futility.

“Dr. Saraki has demonstrated his unflinching belief in and respect for the judicial process and its ability to resolve issues relating to fundamental rights of Nigerians. That belief in the judiciary is the basis for his assurance that the position of the CCT that he is not guilty of the charges preferred against him would be sustained in the higher courts.”

the road in the early hours of the celebration when Islamic faithful are expected at prayer grounds.

In a signed press statement, yesterday, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Borno State, Victor Isuku, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, advised Moslems to pray at prayer grounds within walking distance from their homes.

The statement read: "In view of the Eid-el-fitr sallah celebration coming up on or about

25/6/2017, Borno state police command wishes to reiterate its commitment towards ensuring a crime-free celebration. In pursuance therefore, the residents of Maiduguri metropolitan council and Jere local government areas are by this release informed that, there will be restriction of vehicular movement until after the Eid prayers on 25/6/2017.

"The restriction will include the use of motor vehicles, tricycles, bicycles and animals except those on essential duties.”

NDLEA: $85B GLOBAL COCAINE TRADE FUELING TERRORISM, MONEY LAUNDERING IN NIGERIA over the increasing conversion of jurisdictions such as our neighboring African countries into transit routes to Europe and Asia because some of these illicit drugs will no doubt find their way through the porous borders to our hinterland, into cities for local consumption. This calls for some diplomatic engagement with these countries for them to adopt equally stringent measures if they must be on the same page with Nigeria in drug control," he said.

The NDLEA boss said the Nigerian government had displayed sufficient political will to address the drug menace, adding that the agency had observed that the social investment policy thrust of the federal government, coupled with the laudable initiatives in agriculture would profitably engage youths who are a vulnerable group in substance abuse, thereby de-escalating the problem of drug trafficking and abuse.

Abdallah said in spite of the lack of numerical strength, insufficient budgetary provision and even lack of modern equipment at the agency's disposal, "the agency arrested a total of 8,257 suspected drug traffickers comprising 7,720 males and 537 females in 2016.

"Illicit drugs weighing 263,947.57kg were also seized from traffickers. The drugs include 305.166kg of cocaine,

66.283kg of heroine, 187,394.00kg of cannabis sativa, 1,352.56kg of methamphetamine, 718.265kg of Ephedrine and 74,111.30kg of other sundry drugs.

"In 2015, suspected drug traffickers arrested were 8,778 consisting of 8,143 males and 635 females, while 903,624kg of drugs were seized. Comparatively, there was reduction of 521 persons in the number of 2016 while drug seizures also reduced by 639,677kg," he stated.

Abdallah stressed that the reduction was due to updated strategies adopted by the agency in preventing cannabis cultivation as cannabis seizure alone in 2015 was 871,480kg, stressing that operationally, the agency was able to take the battle to cannabis plantations located in the depth of the forests.

"More plantations were destroyed in 2016, amounting to 718.78 hectares compared to 377.12 hectares in 2015. Correspondingly, the number of drug cases favourably determined in favour of the agency in court increased by 559 from 1,690 in 2015 to 2,249 in 2016," the Chairman said.

Abdallah noted that if the country really hopes to tackle drug abuse and illicit trafficking effectively, there was need to increase the numerical strength of the agency, procurement of modern technology and increase in budgetary allocation.

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JUNE 24, 2017 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

RingTrue

07013940521 yemi.adebowale@thisdaylive.com

Yemi

Adebowale

Let’s Shift Conversation to Our Multidimensional Poverty

I

The biggest danger this country is facing today in this fight against multidimensional poverty is that a large chunk of followers are ignorant of their rights. Many are too timid to challenge their leaders to provide basic infrastructure. They are too timorous to challenge them to deliver on their electoral promises

t’s time to shift conversation from mundane things to development issues.

Enough of corruption war noise, Buhari’s illness, Biafra and restructuring. Let’s tackle our governments at all levels for lacking in service delivery to Nigerians, particularly in the last 37 years, which has resulted in what experts define as multidimensional poverty in our dear nation.

This encompasses a range of deprivations that households suffer across Nigeria. It includes lack of access to quality public education, public health facilities, housing deficit, hunger, disease, lack of empowerment, constant humiliation, decrepit roads, unemployment, insecurity, high infant and maternal mortality and more. Our governments have continued to inflict all these on hapless Nigerians.

In Lagos, Imo, Kaduna, Kano and many states across the nation, 99% of households struggle to access their homes because inner roads are in a mess. Yet, we have people claiming to be state governors and local government chairmen in these states. Many lack access to ordinary things like public water supply in these states. I can clearly recollect that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said that Lagos State was battling with a shortage of 510 million gallons of water supply on a daily basis. He said instead of 720 million gallons needed by the citizenry daily, the government was able to provide only 210 million gallons.

So, what has Ambode done in the last two years to reduce this huge deficit? What did

to respond appropriately. Just on Tuesday it emerged that Nigeria now has the highest number of under-immunised children in the world, displacing India with over one billion population which hitherto occupied the uninspiring spot. This is according to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations.

A recent United Nations report described Nigeria as one of the poorest and unequal country in the world, with over 80 million of her population living below poverty line.

The report made public during a consultative meeting on the formulation of the UN Development Assistance Framework IV for the South-east painted a dismal picture, reporting that most of the social indices and development in our country are below acceptable standards.

The UN remarked: “Nigeria has 64 per cent of her population living below poverty line. The situation has not changed over the decades, but increasing. Poverty and hunger have remained high and these cut across the six geo-political zones, with prevalence ranging from approximately 46.9 per cent in the South-west to 74.3 per cent in the North-west and North-east. previous governments in the state do after the Youth unemployment which is 42% in 2016 departure of Jakande to ameliorate this agony is very high, creating poverty, helplessness and despair and easy target for crime inflicted on our borehole generation? and terrorism. Over 10 million children Reports on Nigeria by international agencies paint gory pictures of the situation of this of school age are out of schools with no country; yet, those in government have failed knowledge and skills.”

An “Inequality Report” released by

El-Rufai Vs Inuwa Abdulkadir

The All Progressives Congress in Kaduna State is in tatters. The power tussle is becoming intense and the biggest victim is Inuwa Abdulkadir, the North-west Vice Chairman of the party who owns a house in the state.

His residence located on Yakubu Avenue, near Bafra Hotel was partly demolished some weeks back allegedly on the orders of Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i. The Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority backed by the police partly demolished the four-bedroom duplex. Abdulkadir insists that the governor had sometimes back threatened to take such action against him.

The APC chieftain said El-Rufa’i made the threat in the presence of six other governors from the North-west. Abdulkadir and ElRufa’i had been having running battle over the crisis in the Kaduna APC. The North-west

office of the party had quashed the suspension of Senator Shehu Sani and asked officials of the party loyal to El-Rufa’i to abide by the directive.

The battle in court now is over the legality of Shuaibu Idris Lauje as the new Chairman of the party in Kaduna State. When the former chairman, Barnabas Bantex was elected Deputy Governor of the state, his erstwhile deputy, Danlami Wada stepped in as the acting chairman according to the party’s constitution. Trouble however started when Lauje, who is enjoying the support of El-Rufai, started parading himself as the state chairman of the party while Wada was locked out, allegedly on the orders of the state governor. Lauje eventually took over the secretariat, forcing Wada to approach the court.

El-Rufai is clearly at war with virtually everybody. His supremacy battle with Senator Sani is still raging. Abdulkadir is in court, asking for N120 million in actual damages and N500 million in general damages for his demolished building.

He says he has all the approvals for the building and that he was targeted by El-Rufai over his stance on the Kaduna APC crisis. Wada is in court over his chairmanship. One would have expected some decorum from politicians who claim to be progressives, but this has not been the case in Kaduna State. The key actors are battling for the soul of the state, largely for selfish interest. This is the change the good people of Kaduna voted for.

Oxfam International on Nigeria last month reiterated the large and growing gap between the rich and the poor in our country and estimated that more than 112 million people are living in poverty in this country: “Nigeria is one of the few countries where the number of people living in poverty is on the increase despite the growth of the economy. About 69 per cent of people now live below the poverty line in North-eastern states, compared to the 49 per cent in the South-west.

“Despite being Africa’s biggest economy, the share of the national budget allocated to education, health and social protection is one of the lowest in the region. In 2012, Nigeria spent just 6.5 per cent of its national budget on education and just 3.5 per cent on health. By comparison, Ghana spent 18.5 per cent and 12.8 per cent, respectively in 2015. As a result, 57 million Nigerians lack safe water, over 130 million lack adequate sanitation and the country has more than 10 million children out of school.“ The biggest danger this country is facing today in this fight against multidimensional poverty is that a large chunk of followers are ignorant of their rights. Many are too timid to challenge their leaders to provide basic infrastructure.

They are too timorous to challenge them to deliver on their electoral promises. Some silly ones even make excuses for the failings of their leaders. This is poverty of the brain. We may never get out of our multidimensional poverty if we continue like this. We must shift focus to our multidimensional poverty and force our leaders to act appropriately.

The Agony of Nasarawa Civil Servants Who will save Nasarawa State civil servants from anguish? These workers and their families have been going through hardship in the last two years because of irregular payment of salaries and other entitlements, with backlog running into several months. The seething workers have been on strike for several weeks without result. They say they spent the Ramadan month breaking fast with water. The workers began an indefinite strike on May 12 to press home their demands. Governor Tanko Al-Makura is unperturbed by the suffering of these star-crossed workers. He seems more interested in his own security vote. The NLC and TUC at the national level must step in to save these unfortunate Nigerians from the pangs of Al-Makura.

Our Impotent Federal Character Commission The Federal Character Commission as constituted today, under the leadership of Shettima Abba is incapable of ensuring that federal character is reflected in federal ministries, departments and agencies. This is my humble submission on Abba and his team, particularly after reviewing the activities of the agency in relation to the 2016 lopsided recruitment into the Department of State Security. A responsible government ought to have fired this incompetent team at FCC. I am shocked that it did not happen. Abba and his team should be courageous enough to resign in view of their obvious

incompetence. Rather than carrying out a forensic audit at the DSS, the FCC has simply issued an ultimatum to the security agency, to come and explain the lopsided recruitment. In fact, Abba gave the DSS a cantankerous threemonth ultimatum. A whole three months to do what? It is an obvious fact that the DSS in 2016 recruited 51 persons from Katsina State alone, more than what all the states in the South-east got, contrary to section 14 (3) of the 1999 constitution as amended. On the one hand, my dear Abba, who admits to be unaware of the current nominal roll of the DSS, said in an interview last month that he believed it might be a corrective measure. On the other hand,

this same Abba said that he had written to the DSS to provide justification for the lopsided appointments. The FCC Chairman had reached a conclusion, even before the arrival of the DSS report. Abba and his team were not even aware of the cockeyed recruitment in the DSS until the media drew attention to it. This country needs a proactive Federal Character Commission. Buhari must rejig the FCC and its leadership to ensure justice and equity in recruitments into our ministries, departments and agencies. This is one of the ways of reducing agitations in our nation.

Al-Makura

Musiliu Obanikoro’s Comical Defection

Obanikoro

I nearly cracked my ribs with laughter on Tuesday while reading the tweets of the former minister of state for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro on his obvious defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The tweets were in reaction to Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s statement that Obanikoro was back home when he attended a town hall meeting organised by her. Obanikoro tweeted: “My attendance has been insinuated wrongly in the media but all such speculations remain firmly in the realm of rumours and imaginations. I commend Senator Remi Tinubu once again as I continue to consult with my political associates and friends in Lagos, and

also across Nigeria. Whatever the future holds politically for us, it will be openly done by us and seen by all but right now, please disregard those rumours.”

Koro’s heart and soul is already with the APC. He is always hanging around Bola Tinubu. Just watch out. In a few weeks, he will make a formal announcement and come up with humdrum reasons for dumping the PDP. These bread and butter politicians never cease to amaze me. Real men don’t run away when their house is on fire. For the likes of Obanikoro, it’s not about ideology but the next meal ticket; and of course, a haven to deflect pressure from anti-corruption agencies. Politics of ideology took a flight

from our dear nation a long time ago. Koro knows the difference between a Progressive and a Conservative, but his belly supersedes. Today, he’s a progressive and before you know it, he’s flying the flag of conservatives. It’s all about his stomach. This country can’t make progress with people like these. Obviously, Obanikoro can’t be trusted. I am surprised that he is the only one unaware of this. This is why he is dreaming of the Lagos Central senatorial ticket. Tinubu is clearly enjoying the Obanikoro soap opera. The Asiwaju that I know can’t be twice deceived.

He discerns the real progressives in Lagos.

He knows those with electoral value in Lagos Central.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •JUNE 24, 2017

NEWS

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

FOR N'DELTA SUSTAINABLE PEACE...

Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (5thright, front row) Chairman of the newly inaugurated Ijaw National Reconciliation Committee, His Majesty, King Alfred Diete Spiff, (5thleft front row) and his Deputy, H.E. Sir. Gabriel Toby (4thright) pose with members of the Committee at Government House, Yenagoa

'Osinbajo Has no Magic to Stop Agitations, Tension' Kukah, Okoye, Attah speak on restructuring

Paul Obi in Abuja The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Metropolitan See, John Cardinal Onaiyekan yesterday said notwithstanding the efforts of Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, he did not have the magic to stop the current agitations and tension in the country.

Onaiyekan stated this at a Mass to mark the Centenary of the Late Eminence, Ignatius Cardinal Ekandem, the first Episcopal Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Metropolitan in Abuja.

He further stated that the unity of Nigeria was not in the capacity of any political, traditional or religious leaders to determine but the people of Nigeria.

The cleric however, urged the

people to shun those who were beating the drum of disintegration and chaos, saying they always run abroad to hide when the thing go out of hands.

He said the presidency could only calm nerves; it was Nigerians who could refuse to be used to cause havoc.

According to him, “the Acting President is not God and he has not gotten the magic to stop all agitations.

"He can of course take position; make statement that will calm nerves and encourage those who are working for peace and tranquility.

“I think he is making effort in that direction, but it depends on all Nigerians. The point I have always made is that it is the ordinary

Nigerian who will decide whether we should live together or not.

"The people on top when they start playing their game sometimes they even forget the people on the ground.

“We on the ground too, we should remember that when the thing gets hot, there are certain people up there who always find a way out. They pack their family on board, fly abroad and leave the poor people on the ground to suffer. We better think that seriously and not allow anybody to push us into a situation, where there is chaos”.

Onaiyekan admonished the federal government to refrain from gagging or preventing people from protesting against bad governance, as they had the right to voice out

whenever they were shortchanged by their leaders.

“People are angry and when they are angry, they have the right to say so. Therefore, I don’t think government can stop people from making pronouncement explaining what is annoying them, but in doing that, one should count the consequence of what one says. We have the freedom of speech but cannot say everything.

So, let us live together in peace and be patience,” he said.

Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah called for true fiscal federalism.

Attah argued that restructuring should not be done for the sake of it, but that it should focus on the main issues of resources and fiscal federalism.

Delivering his Homily at the Mass, the Catholic Archbishop of Calabar, the Most Rev. Joseph Ekuwem emphasised the need for Nigerians to live in harmony.

“God said He will give us rest if we come to him. So, if God loves us so much like this, we also must love one another,” he said.

Ekuwem described the Late Dominic as an epitome of humility, the quality that all people must emulate. Late Ignatius Cardinal Ekandem lived between 1917 to 1995, and that, the Mass signals the process of his canonisation.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Most Rev. Mathew Hassan Kukah insisted that the implementation of the 2014 National Conference Report should kick start by making

the report public.

He called on Nigerians to demand for the report as a strategy to arm themselves with the details of the report for proper understanding of the recommendations.

Kukah told THISDAY that "the implementation of the 2014 National Conference report is not a ping-pong thing between the Senate and the executives.

"Such initiatives are always ongoing, it is left for the citizens to demand to know the details of the recommendations about what is dearest to them."

The Bishop added that the call by the Senate though "is a good omen," naturally, such demand ought to fall within the purview of "the people's parliament."

Nigeria Ranked 109th in 2017 Police Seek Death Penalty for Social Progress Index Report Kidnappers, Other Criminals Obinna Chima With an aggregate score of 109th out of 128 countries evaluated, Nigeria recorded one of the world’s worst performances globally in the 2017 Social Progress Index Report released yesterday.

The above mention score recorded by the country was an aggregate measure of sectors which included healthcare, education, housing, rights, tolerance and environmental indicators.

It showed that Nigeria registered one of the world’s worst performances globally in terms of how effectively the country's economic wealth was translated into social progress as it achieved quality of life outcomes below what its per capita GDP ($5,639) suggests is possible.

This was despite making overall improvements in social progress outcomes over the last four years (2014-2017).

The report further showed that over the last four years Nigeria had seen improvements in Personal Freedom and Choice (due to changes in freedom over life choices and increased freedom of religion).

"Tolerance and Inclusion has improved over the last four years due to improvements in tolerance for immigrants and a better community safety net. Access to Information and Communications is another area of improvement because Nigeria increased its number of mobile phone subscriptions whilst proportion of the population who use the internet increased from 33 per cent in 2014 to 47 per cent in 2017.

"As a result Nigeria has one of

the most connected populations in Africa.

However, despite gains in Personal Freedom and Choice (116th ranking) and Tolerance and Inclusion (114th ranking), these components are still areas where Nigeria lags significantly behind countries at a similar level of GDP per capita.

"Nigeria remains one of the worst countries in the world on discrimination against minorities and has one of the highest rates in world of early marriage, though this fell slightly from 33 per cent to 29 per cent of girls aged 15 to 19," the index provider states.

It also showed that Nigeria was one of the most dangerous places in the world to live: on Personal Safety measures (125th ranking), saying that "Nigeria has a long way to go."

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotum Idris has called for a law prescribing life jail of even death penalty for kidnappers and other criminals engaged in heinous crimes against the society.

Speaking on the rising incidence of kidnapping, Herdsmen attacks and other forms of violent crimes in the country during an interface between the Police, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Civil Society Situation Room in Abuja, Idris said the Federal Government should consider proposing a law to establish special court that would help accelerate trial of kidnap cases currently on the increase.

He said that there was also need to review the scale of punishments for culprits to ensure stringent

punishment for offenders.

"We have almost 2000 kidnapping suspects all over the country. We are suggesting the enactment of law for the setting up special courts for trial of kidnaping suspects. We have to get special courts to address this crime of kidnapping and we have to review the punishment.

We have to raise the punishment for kidnapping so that if you get involved in the crime you get either life jail or death penalty," he said.

The police chief said intelligence report had shown that kidnap kingpins were avoiding states that had enacted stringent laws against kidnapping.

Idris said that the kidnap suspect, Evans had in one of his confessional statements said that he told his boys to avoid his home state, Anambra because there was a

law that provides for destruction of homes and properties of kidnappers.

Apart from the feat recorded by the police in arresting the kidnapping kingpin, Evans, the IGP said that his men had also recorded success in tackling the criminal activities of herdsmen, adding that some arrests had been made in Niger State and that they were being prosecuted.

As part of measures to combat crimes and adequately police the society, he said they had so far recruited 10,000 new personnel this year.

According to him, the shortfall in the number of police came from the non-recruitment of personnel since 2010, adding that going forward, the police force intended to fill the gap by making room for the recruitment of 30,000 every year.

T H I S D AY SATURDAY JUNE 24, 2017

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JUNE 24, 2017• THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

BASHING SOUTH AFRICA

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Those attacking South Africans have done so in defence of the binding spirit of Pan-Africanism, argues Okello Oculi

’Africa Youth Day’’ was designated by the African Union to honour the historic bravery of school pupils in Soweto who dared to throw stones at the racist police and burn down government property on June 16, 1976. They were rejecting a law which stipulated that they would be taught only in the language of Dutch immigrants, but not the English language. The political aim of the racist government was to isolate the black community from the rest of Africa north of the Limpopo River where the virus of political independence had exploded. The apartheid regime was building a ‘’mind wall’’ to keep out ideas its rulers considered subversive to its durability.

President Jacob Zuma marked the day by thrilling a massive crowd of youths at a rally by quoting texts from William Shakespeare’s books. A telling text was that of King Macbeth reflecting on a turn in the fate of his regime after reports come in saying a forest moving towards Dunsinane was doing so without human help, thereby fulfilling a prophesy uttered by three witches at the beginning of his tenure. Zuma was making the point that he did not sit inside any classroom where pupils only learn to pass examinations. He claimed that he taught himself classical literature to guide his life; not get certificates. It is almost certain that the children were thrilled by his literary versatility, rather than by his message of reading books to improve his mind as a traveller in world history.

In this season of incessant calls for his impeachment - by political opponents within the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and in smaller political parties - new critical voices may accuse him of not being grateful to all the more education prisoners on Robben Island who took turns to teach in their informal school inside prison for the benefit of those with little education like young inmate Jacob Zuma. It is, however, unlikely that this new ‘’crime’’ will earn him the impeachment they crave.

President Zuma has also been criticised for apparently condoning ‘’xenophobic’’ attacks on Africans from other countries who now live in South Africa. Zambia’s minister for Information, Chishimba Kambwiri, is reported to have demanded that South Africa’s new rulers pay back the support Zambia and Malawi gave during the fight against apartheid. ‘’Most of the prominent politicians in South Africa were residents in Lusaka, the headquarters of the African National Congress’’, including Oliver Tambo and Thabo Mbeki, the minister asserted.

Godwin Murungi, a researcher at the Institute for Development Studies in Nairobi, Kenya, recalled that Jacob Zuma, as the master spy of the ANC, was living in neighbouring Maputo from where he smuggled youths out for military training and smuggled them back to fight for freedom. He noted that President Samora Machel of Mozambique was assassinated through a plane crash devised by South Africa’s racist regime who resented his support for liberation fighters in today’s Zimbabwe, Namibia, Angola and South Africa.

It is a strange type of gratitude to later reward Mozambique by gorging out eyes and setting ablaze some of her immigrants in South Africa.

Those throwing rage and anger at South Africans have done so in defence of the binding spirit of Pan-Africanism. This claim was first made when Prime Minister Kofi Busia, of Ghana, expelled Nigerians from Ghana. Some claimed that he was pushed by agents of South Africa, the United States and Britain who wished to throw mud at Kwame Nkrumah’s legacy and dictum that Ghana’s independence would be complete only when the whole of Africa had been freed from colonial and racist domination. Their case was strengthened by reference to Tanzania where President Julius Kambarage Nyerere had continued to host liberation movements and the headquarters of the African Liberation Committee despite

CURRENT CRITICS OF ‘’XENOPHOBIA’’ IN SOUTH AFRICA ARE TO BE COMMENDED FOR RECLAIMING THAT LAND AS A MEMBER OF THE AFRICAN CONTINENT’S BLOODLINE. THEY MUST, HOWEVER, GO BEYOND AN OPPORTUNISTIC CLAIM TO SHARES OF THE PRODUCTS OF SWEAT AND PAINS ON HER HISTORY

attacks by Portuguese aircraft and South Africa’s terrorist acts.

There has, however, been little focus on what African countries have done to fight for an end entrenched legacies of white racial domination in the post-political liberation period. Dr. Diallo Telli, as Guinea’s first ambassador to the United Nations, was exemplary in using his enormous brilliance and energy, for taking into, and vigorously sustaining, the corridors of the United Nations, the release from prison of Nelson Mandela and his colleagues; and the end of racist governance. That legacy of combat was not carried into post-1994.

Joseph Garba as Nigeria’s permanent envoy to the United Nations, was among those who proclaimed that, with the end of colonialism, African diplomacy would focus on economic liberation of the continent. This was NOT translated into a post-democracy ‘African Committee for the Economic, Social, Cultural and Political Deconstruction and Dismantling of Apartheid’. Into this vacuum rushed those adventurers who the European Union would insultingly label as ‘’economic refugees’’ fleeing from poverty in their home countries. The most ironical were immigrants from Malawi, Kenya, Ivory Coast and Zaire (now D.R. Congo) whose governments had been fraternal with white racists; and openly hostile to ANC personnel.

The costs of this political and intellectual laziness have been varied. Socially, there were no preventive measures against legacies of centuries from brutalities of racism by European immigrants. Occurrences of resultant violence have rolled from car-jackings; school children dragging out offending car drivers, clobbering them to death and casually returning to games of street football, to the current plague of rapes and murders of young girls and women.

Recent street demonstrations by black men openly apologising for ‘’failing our women’’, illustrate the problem.

In economic terms, there was no talk of building an African Investment Fund for the empowerment of inheritors of exclusion from prosperity and employment. In 1994, only 15 out of 100 black African workers were skilled compared to 42 per cent of whites.

In 1994, 32 out of every 100 people were wasted by working as low-skilled domestic servants. White oppressors lived in morbid fear of highly educated and skilled black workers. It was an economy which strangled its internal expansion and blooming of human resources. It was bound to have a deadly problem of high unemployment.

While it was known that foreign multinational corporations whose governments controlled key organs of the United Nations, including the IMF and the World Bank, had for several decades ruthlessly exploited black labour inside mines, on farms and industries, no collective African economic diplomacy was directed at demanding reparations, including a version of a ‘’Marshall Plan’’ for economic empowerment of victims of apartheid.

The intellectuals who failed to mobilise African popular and official opinion to pursue these economic measures, are presently openly shocked by the wrath of blacks whose rate of unemployment fell only minimally from 43 per cent in 1994 to 40 per cent in 2014.

From 1948 to 1994, successive racist governments strained to block knowledge of events in other parts of Africa from black South Africans. Literary works like Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart were banned as subversive and communist texts. Current critics of ‘’xenophobia’’ in South Africa are to be commended for reclaiming that land as a member of the African continent’s bloodline. They must, however, go beyond an opportunistic claim to shares of the products of sweat and pains on her history.

Prof. Oculi is a member of THISDAY Editorial Board

ALL ROUND LIFTING FOR FATHERS

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n His wisdom, God has spared our lives to celebrate the 2017 Father’s Day. I invite you all to reflect on the heavy burden of responsibilities that fathers are called to bear. I know that you all are familiar with these responsibilities. Yet, it serves us well to reflect on these things for the purpose of encouraging one another and for the purpose of examining our devotion to the sacred tasks committed into our hands by our Maker.

For fathers who acknowledge the existence and Lordship of God over all things, it is their primary and fundamental duty to teach their children the way of God. More importantly, it is their responsibility to teach by words and conduct that it is important to fear God. As a commissioner for the Ministry of Establishments, Training and Pensions in Lagos State, I am aware of the enormous challenges facing the government and the society at every level of the society. Given my vantage position, I can confidently state that the lack of a strong commitment to Godly values and the lack of a clear moral compass are responsible for many of the ills in our society. I hope, most fervently, that all of us will resolve to re-commit ourselves to instilling Godly principles and values in our children.

The second most important responsibility of fathers is to provide for the upkeep of our children.

Although our society is now drifting towards a situation where both the father and the mother

Akintola Benson - Oke writes that fathers should not give up, despite the hard times are expected to bring income into the home, we all know that, at the end of the day, the ultimate responsibility lies with the father.

I dare say that this is a duty we ought to embrace with joy and enthusiasm. We should not shy away from it. In fact, we should be proud that we have been found worthy of that trust. As we do this, however, it may help to also briefly reflect on the consequences of not discharging this trust. Appreciating the consequences of not discharging this trust will enable us to better appreciate the magnitude and importance of the trust given to us.

When fathers fail to provide, children become wayward as they become responsible for their own upkeep. When children become responsible for their own upkeep from a young age, they feel justified in their hearts to engage in any action without regard to morality, Godliness or societal norms. When young children become hardened in this manner, their rebellion begins a gradual, insidious atrophy of the fundamental social values that hold the society together. Finally, when these fundamental social values are destroyed, things literally fall apart, the centre fails to hold and the myriad of alarming occurrences confront us: terrorism, prostitution, abandonment of the aged, disregard for education, endemic corruption, and a vicious cycle of imbalances in the society. In appreciation of the enormity of this responsibility, we need to encourage one

another to keep at the daunting task of taking charge and of going beyond the call of duty in fulfilling the responsibilities of fatherhood.

Now, I will be the first to admit that the times are hard. These are tough times for our nation. Money which has always been scarce, has now become figuratively unavailable and available money has dramatically lost value. Those who maintain children in European and American schools are lamenting and school fees in Nigeria have become astoundingly high. Add to all these, the ever rising cost of living and the seeming lack of effective response from our economic managers.

Should we throw our hands up in the air and give up? Should we, on the basis of tough times, abdicate our duties? Should we begin to take it out on our wives? Should we tell our young children to go fend for themselves? Should we abandon our love for God and His ways? Should we lose hope that things will turn out well? What shall we do?

What we shall do is not to give up. As we have all heard over and over again, tough times don’t last, but tough people do! James Sama wrote an article reflecting on this truth. He wrote: “Lest we forget - the challenges persist. So, persist we must as well.

As we overcome each obstacle life brings our way, one day at time, we develop and grow with each victory. We learn new lessons both about the

world and ourselves. We discover who our friends are, who loves us for who we really are, and who will be by our side as we walk the dark road to the bright lights - where many more, undoubtedly, will be waiting for us.

We develop the character to handle the success waiting to reward our perseverance. Character never developed by those who are handed or born into success. Character that gives us depth. Appreciation.

A brighter perspective when we do make it, because we earned our position in the world.

We trudge through the cold winters of life armed with nothing but our backpack full of dreams that will burst open come springtime - if we can make it there. If we choose to lay down in the snow and give up all hope, that backpack will remain forever sealed and we will never know what it held.

To live a life of fulfilment and happiness, we must pledge to ourselves to continue digging deeper until the treasure is uncovered. Until we can let out a sigh of relief and reap what we have sowed.”[1] Indeed, there is a treasure load of wisdom in those words. How shall we discover the joys if we don’t endure the pains? Dear fathers, please do not give up.

Excerpts from a speech delivered by Dr. Akintola, Benson Oke, Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Establishments, Training and Pensions

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JUNE 24, 2017 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

There is need to maintain the peace

Lagos’ Renewed Assault On Land Grabbing

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he Lagos State Government recently arraigned a suspected land grabber, Chief Kamorudeen Lamina, before a Special Offences Court sitting in Oshodi over alleged unlawful dispossession of residents from their legitimate rights to land ownership. Those who were arraigned together with him Lamina are Alhaji Wasiu Orenuga, Biliaminu Orega (aka Bili-aminu Salau), Mr. Omotola Ogunsanmi, Mr. Samson Shobule (aka Samson Salau), Alhaji Jimoh Aromasodu and Alhaji Nurudeen Kasali.

Famously referred to as ‘Sir K’, Lamina was charged to court along with six others on a six-count charge by the Special Anti-Land Grabbing Task Force set up by the Akinwunmi Ambode’s led administration. According to reports, Lamina and his band were said to have constituted themselves as a threat to residents of the state, particularly those who reside in the Ikorodu axis.

While legal procedure continues on the case, it is presumed that the accused and his group are innocent until proven otherwise, it nevertheless needs to be stressed that through the arraignment of Lamina and his gang, the Lagos State Government has sent a strong signal to others who indulge in similar misdemeanor of its intention to tame the monster of land grabbing.

Incidence of land grabbing has almost attained a monstrous image in Lagos.

Consequently, buying a piece of land in Lagos and putting up a structure on same is usually a tall order, thanks to the belligerent activities of land grabbers and land speculators popularly known as “Omo-Onile” who make life unbearable for intending house owners through their frivolous demands. There have been many instances where unsuspecting buyers paid for land only to be told to come and pay again to reclaim their land, or settle some aggrieved family members who were not factored into the sharing formula of the previous payment.

They also ensure that buyers are not free from their strangulating grip as they exact different fines on them, at every stage of the development of their property. Prominent among such fines are foundation bill, lintel bill, decking bill, roof bill, fencing bill, and a whole lot more.

The value of such bills could sometimes be equivalent of the total value of the land or a little less depending on their scale of relevance and location of the property. Property owners are often mercilessly beaten up, wounded and forced to stop work until payment is made.

Through this trend, land grabbers have successfully stalled the development of many projects.

The activities of land grabbers are not only illegal, but anathema to society, development, peace and progress. They speculate on land with little or no recourse to land use laws, as they engage in the illegal sale of government land to unsuspecting individuals. They sometimes even dispossess people of land that are legitimately bought from the government.

They also sell land with no proper planning or cognisance of a mapped out environmental outlay.

This is especially so with new satellite settlements in the suburb of the state. Some houses within such locations don’t have a pathway for movement as other houses have been erected on their path; more appalling, some are built under high tension wires.

It is in order to decisively tackle the recurring nuisance of land grabbers in the state that Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, signed the Properties Protection Bill, which seeks to curb the excesses of land grabbers in Lagos State, into law in 2016.

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

The Sanctity of Imported and Exported Products

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igeria is a great country with a lot of consumer goods across the broad spectrum of the manufacturing industry. There are some products that are produced within our shores while some are imported from across the globe.

Recently, there have been a lot of revelations about the quality of the products available to Nigerian consumers from within and outside the country.

I heard a story some years ago about the export of some alcoholic beverages from Nigeria to other parts of the world because it was believed that the quality of Nigerian beer was better than the one brewed in other regions of the world. It sounded nice that a finished product is being exported aside the traditional raw materials export.

Recent reports about made in Nigeria edible products are being discredited in Europe. The situation is very disturbing. Some certified consumables by the National Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have brought untold ridicule to the country. This makes one question the integrity of the products, the manufacturing companies and the government agencies.

Possibly, many companies pay their way through these government agencies while they keep expanding their production capacity in the

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

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

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country. The unwholesome practices that abound in the country make it difficult to distinguish between the original products and the counterfeited ones.

Unfortunately, Nigerians are accustomed to damage control as a country. The media mostly get engaged to enlighten, educate and re-awake consumer’s interest in the product and the brand. This is usually after information has gone viral about the hazard of consuming these products. It is pertinent to mention that some of the chemical substances used in the manufacturing of these items have adverse effect on the human anatomy over time.

It also causes economic misfortune and untimely death for many Nigerians. Nigerians are not entitled to nursing illnesses for the profiteering sake of the companies. Aside manufacturing products, there are challenges with food production too. According to BusinessDay newspaper of June 7, 2017, the European Union rejected 24 food products for not meeting the stipulated standard. Major products rejected include groundnut, palm oil, sesame seed and beans. Groundnut was rejected because it contained aflatocin, while palm oil had a colouring agent that was carcinogenic. This is as a result of the extreme application of chemicals on these crops which in turn is dangerous for human health. BusinessDay summed it up by saying that many foods and finished products of Nigerian origin are rejected in other continents on the account of poor adherence to standards. In another vein, poisonous substances are being imported from other countries of the world for different reasons. According to Business Day newspaper, Nigeria is a major importer of rice from Asia. Due to the rapid industrialisation in that region the proximity of agricultural, smelting and mining activities to planting regions are postulated to contribute massively to the contamination of the rice.

The United States Food and Drug Administration warns that long-term exposure to high levels of Arsenic may predispose humans to skin, bladder and lung cancers, as well as heart disease. Other adverse health effects include kidney damage, bone defects, hypertension and cancer.

We have got to a stage where we import and export deadly consumables. This will also impact our economy negatively because many Nigerians in the diaspora might be denied access to their ‘delicacies’ which is believed to be nutritious. There is a need for all sectors of the economy to wake up to their responsibilities. Government agencies like NAFDAC, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Health must come together to create a holistic team for effective quality control across board.

Olutayo Irantiola, Lagos

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 24, 2017

SUPER SATURDAY

Exploring the World through Bolaji Alonge’s Camera Lens

Alonge

As a subject, he’s complex but unique as his underwater recreational engagement and photography. But there is more to Bolaji Alonge, a man who has made the world his living room. Ferdinand Ekechukwu writes on how he achieved that

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core Lagosian by birth, he has traversed the whole world, hosted people globally, taken them to different places of interest. A global citizen with a local flavour, he knows Lagos like the back of his hand; Bolaji Alonge is very familiar with places like Ikeja, Yaba, Ajah, and Victoria Island.

That, in some way, exposed and provided him the opportunity for what he found himself doing.

Without mincing words, he tells you he’s an iconoclast, a nomad having travelled across continents to different parts of the world and in the process taking pictures but primarily, scuba diving. He got certified in Turkey in 2013 by the highest scuba diving body – PADI – Professional Association of Diving Instructors.

Some of the photographs taken from plateau of moun-

tains, some in the glitz of cities and deep inside the forests, while some in the depth of the sea, and in the most unlikely places unknowingly capturing the vastness of the world and exhibit nature in its undiluted form. These photographs cover a period of five years spent by Alonge on his scuba diving and photography adventures.

As at last count he has crisscrossed over 17 countries, including Germany, Netherland, Norway, Sweden, India, Egypt, Belgium, Turkey and Spain, the farthest being Yekaterinburg in Russia, carrying with him a large cache of pictures of places sojourned.

Bolaji says he has a mission: to connect the world together through photography. Little wonder his www. awefirm.org hoists a massive collection of over 50,000 photographs. He had envisaged a situation where young creative photographers from home and abroad come

up together in a collaborative effort showcasing photographic materials like never before experienced.

To Alonge, photography wasn’t for business enterprise when he started “I was born into photography, so to speak,” he says. “I started with my dad in his little dark room. I remember myself and my younger brother being with him inside the little dark room giving one form of assistance or the other.”

His late father, Olu Alonge, was a photographer and had engaged in photography even in his pastime and as a military man then in the Air Force. He went everwhere with his camera.

Growing up as a teenager in the 1990s there was always a camera around the house for young Alonge to play with. “I think I’m more of a self-taught photog-

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 24, 2017

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SATURDAY EXPLORING THE WORLD THROUGH BOLAJI ALONGE’S CAMERA LENS rapher who now brings arts to it. And then I studied Mass Communication; I did photo-journalism course and all of that,” he adds. “Everything just came together. So before the travel started I was always taking pictures; I took pictures of everybody, pictures of my environment and so on.”

Alonge started out scuba diving, in the coast of Lagos Atlantic Ocean, an activity that, aside not being for one lacking in courage or boldness, is not common in Nigeria. “It’s something I have always wanted to do,” he said in an effusive manner. “Of course scuba diving in this part of the world is seen as dangerous; people think of mermaid, and then sharks, like they understand how it is down there.

“But I tell you sharks don’t attack scuba divers actually,” he claims. This somewhat sounds fable. “Start taking note, most of the shark attacks are done on people by the coastline. The water gets warm sometimes and sharks miss their way. And the water gets too warm and they find themselves in this strange environment and it’s not like they are going to attack people. But they are just trying to touch to know what it is and sharks have no hands.

It’s only the mouth and it touches the person with the mouth and the leg or arm is gone.”

With varied tact experience to it, he has scuba-dived at world famous sites like the Red Sea, and the Golf Coast of Oman, the country he has stayed in the last three years. “Dive sites around the world drive scuba divers and are different,” he said. “The Red Sea is different from the Mediterranean. The Caribbean has its own difference too.” Talking about scuba diving in the Red Sea, Alonge said, “The Red Sea off the Coast of Egypt is one of the best dive sites in the world, rich with corals and enormous and protected Marine life.”

An experience of a lifetime for him was diving down the historic British Armed Merchant Navy Ship SS Thistlegorm, a sunken World War II Ship filled with trucks, motorcycles, train coaches and ammunition 40 meters down the coast of Sharm El Sheikh, near Ras Muhammad in the Red Sea. In the course of travelling the world with his then German partner, looking around to discovering esoteric places well enough to scuba dive, Alonge found himself consumed with the art of photography.

“I got to a point in my life where I was left only with the camera. It’s only photography I was left with. And living outside of this country I was just taking pictures.

And I have the opportunity to travel,” he explains. “So my aim now is just to bring this back home. This is home. I’m back home now. No matter where I go, this is home. And Lagos is perceived the artists’ hub of Africa.

“And fortunately, I’m from Lagos, so why not show what I’m doing to encourage young Africans. Not every person can read; but everyone can always identify with photos. So I intend to speak more with my photos. This is the aim of the exhibition and it’s going to be in a series of exhibitions, photos, coming up.”

Just recently, after touring the world exploring its vastness and taking it all in with the lens of his camera, Alonge comes home on a solo streak with iconic images that capture the diversity of nature and reflects his artistic inclination. Buoyed by the fascinating images in his cache, it would become necessary that the artist shares with Nigerians and young Africans, these interesting moments of his experience through a photo exhibition tagged, ‘Eyes of a Lagos Boy’.

“The exhibition tells the story of Alonge.

The things he has seen and now back home to share with young Africans,” he said. “But again there is still more to life.

I intend to come up with different stories of things to talk about in life through photography. But again, it will always be from my eyes and saying it the way it is.

Prof. Soyinka and Alonge during his exhibition

As at last count he has crisscrossed over 17 countries, including Germany, Netherland, Norway, Sweden, India, Egypt, Belgium, Turkey and Spain, the farthest been Yekaterinburg in Russia, carrying with him a large cache of pictures of places sojourned

Alonge off Atlantic Coast, Lagos Considering Lagos is vibrant. We have near-perfect weather. We have all going on.”

His ‘Eyes of a Lagos Boy’ exhibition showcased 27 selected framed photos with numerous shots running in the background.

The exhibition shows different things from different parts of the world from his perspective, having received divergent views during the exhibition from art aficionados that “you need to make it more African, you need to make it more traditional, you need to make it more this, you need to make it more that,” he noted.

It, however, received some high score with Prof. Wole Soyinka suggesting that one of the pictures could have been used for his book cover.

“Right now, there’s huge information highway out there. It has always been.

But then Africa’s contribution to this information highway is less than just five per cent. What we are doing we are just getting the small part of it. We are not really in the action. So, what photography does to us is helping us to document history.

“Every picture you take and post out there is out there forever. This kind of thing I did is different. Of course, I see people do photo exhibitions here in Nigeria; this one is a different thing. I mean I look at the walls and I see those pictures sometimes and I wonder: who took these pictures?”

In a way, Alonge’s exhibition appears timely as much as it synchronised with

the buzz around activities marking Lagos @50 and he gives credit to Theo Lawson, the Director of Freedom Park, for shaping up the theme of the exhibition.

The week-long photo exhibition at the Freedom Park museum was awe inspiring, just as Alonge had anticipated.

It invoked the spirit of the adventurer and wanderlust in Nigerians and humanity as a whole, just so to encourage those that have not, do not or cannot travel and take photos.

“Not like they are out of this world.

But the pictures just represent something for some people. Like some of the Dutch pictures I took; a lady from the Dutch Embassy came and she was looking at it and the first thing she told me was, ‘Wow, these pictures make me homesick!’ And that was my aim!” Alonge pointed out.

Bolaji Alonge’s Mission to Connect theWorld through Photography

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 24, 2017

POLSCOPE

with Eddy Odivwri eddy.odivwri@thisdaylive.com 08053069356

Fuelling the Narrative of the Opposition

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hose who do not believe in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and all its persons and programmes have been shouting themselves hoarse that the APC is out to snuff out life from the opposition. One of the reasons they have given is pasting the list of those who have so far been hounded by the anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Those who believe the opposition are being persecuted do not exactly deny that there are grounds for the arrests and prosecutions that have been recorded in the camp of the opposition. Their complaint seems to be that it is all selective, noting that there are equally APC personalities whose hands are also not very clean. And that they are being spared the EFCC claws, all because they belong to the party in power.

From Sambo Dasuki through, Olisah Metuh down to Godsday Orubebe, Femi Fani-Kayode, Usman Nenadi, Mrs Patience Jonathan, Mrs Diezani Madueke, many former aides of former President Jonathan etc etc. The opposition believes that even those perceived to have used their positions to hurt the advancement of the APC are also facing the furnace. Such group as the seven High Court judges whose homes were raided in Commando style, last October. Even though huge sums of raw cash, in foreign and local currencies were found in the homes of these judges, some of them yet hang their arrest on the fact that they refused to bend the rules in favour of the APC in their election tribunal judgements. But they appear hard put explaining the humongous sums of money found in their homes which many suspect are proceeds of fraud and bribe from politicians who had paid heavily to procure election verdicts in their favour. Indeed, the hall of shame constructed by the APC government has been hugely populated by those believed to have been anti-APC. Not many reckon with the fact that the APC until last week, had had a running battle prosecuting one of its own, the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki on false assets declaration. The Code of Conduct Tribunal last week, discharged and acquitted Saraki of all the charges against him. The Federal Government has however filed an appeal against the judgement that freed Saraki from the judicial noose. The belief is that Saraki is being “punished” for going against the ordered wish of the party on the structure of the National Assembly leadership. I shall return to this shortly.

But it is not for nothing that they are being held and prosecuted. Each and every one of them is accused of one mega breach or the other… all bothering on the rape of the treasury. The EFCC has been ultra-busy hurling suspects into detention. Indeed, so much money has been recovered from those who called the shots yesterday.

Expectedly, not even one of the publicly prosecuted persons has admitted guilt. That has thus created a judicial logjam as the courts are literally filled with the trial of all sorts of persons.

But recent events in the judiciary are helping the narrative of the opposition, i.e. that the APC-led government is merely persecuting those not in the party in the name of anti-corruption war. What has given strength to this argument is the fact that the Federal Government has lost almost all the major anti-graft cases, seeming to suggest that indeed the accused persons were merely being harassed using the instrumentalities of state.

The case of the seven justices, arrested last October for money laundering and other crimes is a perfect example.

Abubakar Malami

The raid of the homes of the judges was a major bullet fired in the anti-corruption war. But is it not sad that eight months after, the federal government could only arraign two of them.

What about the other five? Even among those prosecuted, the court has cleared one of them: Justice Adeniyi Ademola and his wife. He had an 18-count charge bothering on gratification and illegal possession of firearms hanging on his head and that of his wife and lawyer. The prosecution could not establish any of the counts against the accused.

Vexed by the endless wait for prosecution, the Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC) has ordered the hitherto suspended judges to resume work, since the system cannot wait endlessly for the federal government which seems to have gone on a far journey of judicial adventure. It is such a discomfiting verdict slammed against government.

The lousiness of the prosecution had seemingly bungled the cases. The judiciary could not but free the accused if those accusing them of graft are unable or unwilling to prove it.

The legal maxim that he who alleges, proves, seems to mean little to the prosecutorial team. The courts were left with no other choice than to throw away the cases.

Here is a judiciary which many believe will in normal circumstances not draw the dagger at one of its own. At least not for the sake of the executive which has also held the judiciary in loud suspicion. It was thus doubly demanding of the prosecution to tighten all the loopholes of the case so that it will be difficult for the judges to rule in favour of their troubled colleagues in pursuit of esprit de corps.

But this was not done. How can it be explained, for instance that eight months after the judges were accused of money laundering and other charges, the state could not conclude investigation so as to arraign them?

It is this lousiness that Professor Itse Sagay has been expressing his frustration about. He had blamed the Attorney General of the Federation for the loss of the major anti-graft cases, which altogether removes the steam from the anti-corruption war. Indeed, no major case has been won.

Sad! The pattern established seems to be the hasty arrest of suspected individuals, invite the media to feast on the arrest, detain the persons for a while and thereafter dilly-dally whether to investigate the matter or not. Were it not so, there is no reason why the federal government will be losing all the cases, as if it is all a judicial drama of no consequence.

Take the case filed against Godsday Orubebe on false asset declaration. Too many times, the prosecution was absent in court and eventually unable to provide evidence that can be used in convicting Orubebe. So on what basis is the court expected to throw Orubebe into jail, when there is no evidence of the crime he is accused of?

The latest is the arrest and release of Ifeanyi Ubah, the Managing Director of Capital Oil, who was accused of selling petroleum products worth N11 billion which were stored in his facility by the NNPC. After six weeks of detention, he was during the week released after nothing was said to have been found against him. So why was he arrested and detained for six weeks? Reference to the continued detention of the likes of Col Sambo Dasuki (retd), former NSA under former President Jonathan has become a major dent on the human rights record of the Buhari administration. All the explanations on why he has continued to be incarcerated despite court orders granting him bail, make little sense.

Again, it feeds the belief that there is a personal grudge and scheme aimed at suppressing those not on the same page with the party in power.

Or shall we refer to the case of El Zakzaky, the Shiite Muslim leader who has been held since December 2015?

The courts have ordered his unconditional release on a number of counts, just as the Shiites have led numerous public protests…all to no avail.

The Information and Culture minister downplays the issue by stressing that El Zakzaky is not held in prison but in a decent apartment and that he is being held for his own protection. How cheap!

And finally, the failure of the prosecution to diligently prosecute the senate President led to the surprise acquittal of the number three citizen of all the eight charges against him.

It is after the prosecution has failed at the CCT that it seems to be gearing up for an appeal against the judgement.

Contrary to the “bold face” argument and posturing of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, , Justice Abubakar Malami, I believe that the cases were shoddily handled by the prosecution team. The ministry of Justice has made a mess of the anti-corruption war and has given the opposition the ground to claim that they are being persecuted. Or can the AGF say he is proud of the way the federal government has been losing all the cases? Perhaps soon too, the court will throw out the case against the former Petroleum minister, Mrs Diezani Madueke or the ones against Femi Fani-Kayode as well as Mrs Nenadi Usman.

In all, it is correct to say that the Federal Government is by its shoddiness in handling these cases supplying the opposition camp the bullets with which it will be shot.

Canticles...

Will Dino Drown?

H

mmmmm, Bad Breeze is About to Blow Bad breeze? Where and why?

The breeze is about to blow within the confluence state.

Stop the rigmarole. What are you talking about?

Have you not followed the threat of a typhoon from Kogi State? The typhoon that is likely to blow away that noisy, garrulous and controversial third-class graduate senator away from the red chambers?

Oh, Now I understand what you have been driving at. You are referring to the recall process being instituted by the electorate on Kogi West senatorial district?

Sure!

It is a forceless storm. It will soon calm down and the bumpy ride will continue again.

What do you mean by a “forceless storm”? What force can be more than the push of 188,580 adults? Did you not hear that over 52.3 per cent of the total number of registered voters in the Kogi West Senatorial district (360,090) have signed the register for the recall of Senator Dino Melaye? And you say it is a forceless storm? Do you think they are joking? Or didn’t you also hear that they loaded all the signatures into six GhanaMust-Go bags and took it to the headquarters of INEC? And you call it forceless storm?

Look, I can tell you that INEC has written Senator Melaye to intimate him of the petition of his constituents who want him to come back home and make those noise in the palace of the village king. So, my friend , don’t dismiss it.

But Dino himself, who has survived even fiercer storms has said it is an exercise in futility. He has even described it as a comedy of errors threatening further that he sees many people going to jail because many of the signatories Melaye asking for his recall are fake. He sounded so confident.

Such bravado is his standard template. He can dismiss them at his own peril. You know he boasts and flaunts a lot. He vaunts.

But it does not look like the petitioners will lose steam soon. They seem determined to follow through the whole process until Dino drowns in his folly.

Will Dino drown?

As long as forces of the home trouble pull hard on him, he will surely sink and drown. The framers of the constitution were not joking when they added the recall clause in the constitution.

Dino’s constituents have been yelling that they are highly underrepresented in the Senate. They say Dino is a noise specialist, creating confusion and always swimming in controversies, instead of attracting development to his constituency, whish is the raison d’etre of his election in the first place. The Kogi West electorate seem determined to test the process and follow it through.

Hmmm, I don’t see them succeeding. I am told many of the signatories are not from Kogi West. That many of them are from Kogi East senatorial district. INEC has promised to verify the signatories.

That man called Dino Melaye is like a cat with nine lives. I see him wriggling out of this noose with a thicker bunch of white goatie beards.

He believes the person stoking fire in the recall project is Governor Yahaya Bello whom he had accused of sending him assassins few months back.

Well, I don’t know if Gov Bello is behind it. But it is politics. If Dino has been tackling him and calling for his resignation, it will not be out of place for him to also deal a silencing blow on his traducer by funding and fanning the embers of the recall fire. It’s almost like saying “If you Dino me, I Bello you”. It’s quid pro quo!

Have you forgotten Dino is Saraki’s Man Friday? You think Saraki will be there and watch his strongest pillar in the Senate thrown out, just like that? Not after Dino helped him to overcome the CCT trial.

Trust me, the process will be scuttled. This is Nigeria. Very soon you will hear all those bags containing the signatures have been eaten by rats. Do you think it is for nothing that Dino described it as exercise in futility?

Well, Nigerians are watching. And INEC is on trial. Even our constitution is on trial. The entire democratic system is on trial.

Let’s see the voodoo that will thaw this ice. (stretching out his fore finger) Bet me, on this matter, the more you look, the less you will see. It is called Digital politics!

Plus

LOUD WHISPERS TRAVEL AUTO GLOBAL SOCCER FEATURES FASHION FILE

pg. 20 pg. 22 pg. 26 pg. 29 pg. 34 pg. 41

Ekeoma Eme Ekeoma I Pity Men Who Engage in Extra-marital Affairs

18

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JUNE 24, 2017

PLUS

My Evangelical Ministry Is More Important Than My Business Born in Igbere, Abia State, he came to Lagos with his uncle while he was only 19. His life is a testament to industry, vision and dedication to God. Ekeoma Eme Ekeoma’s life, like many others, was a chequered one. As he grew up, he learnt to turn stumbling blocks to stepping stones. With his astounding success as an entrepreneur, Ekeoma’s life was to witness a giant leap. Many milestones, which constitute all the hurdles Elder Ekeoma had to cross, on his way up will serve as a motivational tonic to any hardworking young man or woman who encounters him. At 57, the Chairman of Nepal Oil and Gas Limited’s influence comes through his vision for eternity and evangelising. He speaks with Adedayo Adejobi on the birth of his ministry and hope for the future

R

ecently you got involved in full-time evangelical ministry, launching the Believers Ministry. What inspired that?

For a child of God, we are all full-time workers in the Lord’s vineyard. I wouldn’t say I am a full-time minister. But I have a commitment to share the Word of God on a continuous basis.

In the last couple of years I have had the burden in me, but lately about three months ago, in my sleep I had a direct message from God. The message was ‘My son put your total trust in me. I have in you deposits unutilised.’ I heard the voice clearly, and I knew it was God who spoke, and that kept me thinking. So that birthed the Believers’ fellowship. I had the leading to create a platform within the Ikoyi axis, where people could fellowship with God. It’s a non-denominational organisation where the Word of God is propagated. The target is to sensitise people about the end time and the need to get closer to God at a time the world is falling apart. It’s a forum for Believers to express themselves in God’s presence. I have seen the best of both worlds, and I know the right place to be. I came to Lagos in 1979 and lived the life of an adolescent before the Lord drew me closer to propagate his word. If I could embrace things of God, I encourage everyone to embrace God because he is rounding off his agenda for the earth, and it would not be good we are found wanting.

Mr. and Mrs Ekeoma

How do you strike a balance between business and the ministry?

You cannot separate the two. They are intermingled. Having knowledge of the things of God, one becomes more successful in business. For everything that manifests physically, there is always a spiritual precedence.

It’s important to know who ones

maker is. My call in the ministry is a fulfilment of the injunction that every child of God is a priest. Every believer has a role to play in the work of God. Unfortunately, most people don’t know what their gifts are. But until we begin to get closer to God, those gifts may not fully manifest. I have been doing the work of God since 1992. If after several years I am just getting involved, I don’t think it’s early. There’s really no clash with my work with God and my business. My work with God enhances my business because he gives me ‘revelational’ knowledge behind every decision I take in my daily work and marriage.

How did you find God in 1992?

The late Revered Ukegbu was holding a crusade in our church, The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria. And there was an altar call and there I submitted to the Master’s will. That became a turning point in my life.

Has there been any time your Christianity was questioned?

If you understand the things of the spirit, there are no minuses. 25 years down the line, there are no regrets. It does not also mean that there haven’t been challenges, but there has been adequate grace to sustain me. It’s a good thing, and I encourage people to tow the same line, as you’ll never regret working with God. With your status and influence, do you engage in politics?

I don’t engage in politics. I am not involved in any form, shape or colour in politics. I don’t relate with politicians; that doesn’t mean I condemn them. You cannot mix the present-day politics with business. I am also not saying godly people cannot get into politics. At the appointed time, If God wants to use me to restructure my state, to advise people in government or do anything, I will know. But there is no such inclination. It however does not

19

JUNE 24, 2017 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

PLUS

The Ekeomas

I Pity Men Who Engage in Extra-marital Affairs mean I don’t take interest in political affairs of my state. At least, I do the best I can, even at the community level. I get involved in the welfare of the community. I am not looking for any elective position in the country at the moment.

What’s your retirement plan?

My retirement means working with less effort. It doesn’t mean I would not get involved in the daily running of the organisation. I get more involved with things that edify the spirit because time is running out.

I learn to depend more on God to guide my efforts in order to give me inner strength that guarantees safety, reassurance to taking my business to higher levels. Working with less effort is my brand of retirement.

What has kept your marriage going?

I have a very supportive wife. I may not be the best, but with God on my side, He brings out the perfection in the union. I am sure like any other marriage; we’ve had our highs and lows. It’s taken maturity, patience to steer the ship. I have decided to give more time to my family and also begin to exercise a lot of tolerance, thus giving everybody their space and act in advisory capacity. I am spending more time in the secret chambers, talking to God on anything I feel is not right in my family.

And God has been so helpful, and those things have been addressed.

Spending time with God praying and seeking His face under any challenge I’ll say is the secret to the longevity of my marriage. My wife is a very good woman. We’ve done almost 29 years, and I am only trusting God for a better tomorrow in our relationship.

Don’t you feel tempted to have dalliances with women, despite

being happily being married for over two decades?

What would I do with them?

I pity men who get involved in extra-marital affairs. I am fulfilled as a married man. I don’t have any reason to look at any other woman outside. God gave me my wife and he didn’t make a mistake giving me Ngozi as my wife. She is beautiful inside-out, and so what would I be looking for outside? She is beautiful at heart. There’s really no temptation.

I pity men who get involved in extra marital affairs, because when you sleep with a different woman, you have slept with a different spirit. And that’s an evil covenant. The dangers of extra-marital affairs are three-fold – they expose one to sickness, spiritual attack and death. A man separated from God is dead. People should learn to be faithful to their spouses.

Righteousness is a great factor in relationships.

You must have had issues at various times. How did you settle them?

You just have to depend on God. There is no home or marriage that is made in heaven. There are no two marriages that are the same.

Relationships have to go through the process. People must also accept the challenges that come with it. A relationship may look rough at the beginning but at the end, it’ll turn out good. For that joy in marriage, our total dependence is on God. As a grandfather, how did you feel the day you had your first grandchild?

I felt very happy. It is an indication that I have come of age. It is also an added emotional responsibility as I know there’s someone looking up to me as a grandfather.

What inspires that?

What inspires me? Creation. I am not addicted to anything. I love the good things of life in moderation.

There is nothing I cannot do without.

I strike a balance. Whatever I do is in moderation.

What is your counsel to the young generation?

My ideal day begins with God. I set aside quality time in his presence, because I need same to survive this harsh environment. The country is passing through turbulence. It’s like a vicious cycle that does not do anyone any good. And what I am trying to do is to impact my generation, challenge those who are older and more experienced in life to know the need why they should hang on to their creator. I have a holistic approach to life. I know that there is the need to create good values for the family, business and society. Life is so short. We don’t have all the time in the world. I don’t need the whole money in the world to be happy, as I can only wear a pair of shoes and lie on a bed at a time, no matter how expensive. I encourage Nigerians to live an upright life. It pays.

You still look so young and good for your age, what’s the secret?

Contentment is my secret. I’ll be 57 on June 25. We must be satisfied and happy with whatever God has made available to us. Everybody must not be rich or wealthy. There are people that wealth has brought more destruction into their lives.

God is the greatest democrat and we are left with choices in life. Another reason is that, I don’t keep grudges.

If I have issues with you, I sort it out by expressing such. I don’t carry hurt overnight. I return hate with unconditional forgiveness. I free myself from unnecessary tension and pressure.

nvolved in any form, shape or colour in politics. I don’t relate with politicians; that doesn’t mean I condemn them. You cannot mix the present-day politics with business. I am also not saying godly people cannot get into politics.

At the appointed time, If God wants to use me to restructure my state, to advise people in government or do anything, I will know.

But there is no such inclination. It however does not mean I don’t take interest in political affairs of my state. At least, I do the best I can, even at the community level. I get involved in the welfare of the community.

I am not looking for any elective position in the country at the moment

20

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 24, 2017 with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

LOUD WHISPERS

Melaye

Dino Melaye : Time for Action Just last week here, I wrote about this wonderful senator. I had talked about his performance as the main reason why I felt the on-going recall may not come to fruition. But it is looking like I spoke too soon o. Reports reaching us state that his enemies have collected about 188,588 signatures out of 360,098 who voted. This is bad o and I must say that time to sing or release another song has come o. I hear INEC has received the signatures and the processes may just begin. But egbon, fret not, there is nothing in this our Nigeria that has no solution. I have placed a call to Prophet Joshua on this matter and even though the call did not go through, I am sure that as long as the call rang out and the holy man sees the missed call, everything will be solved and we will be singing another song of ‘freedom’ very soon. Last time I had a problem like this, although mine was not this serious, I rushed with the pictures of my foes to the mountain at Ikotun and submitted myself to a series of fasting and mountainous climbing. By the time I came down, the signatures were not only recalled but I was given another mandate. So my Lord, whenever you are ready, let us move, my thinking is that if we wait for the Prophet who I hear is in Jerusalem, things might have gone wrong o. There is this other baba at Oworonshoki, I use him occasionally. He is good. You will however have to shave your beards, come with two passport pictures, one full-sized picture of Governor Bello, a strand from his beards, his father’s finger nails and also water from the River Niger for the action. Speed is of the essence, this thing has gone too far.

ETISALAT : A Swan Song They fought a spirited battle, they showed tremendous resolve to overcome this wahala but it seems the whole thing may have been too much for them. We hear that a consortium of banks led by Access bank may have finally taken them over. This is as a result of maybe their inability to reach a mutually acceptable position on the huge debts they had garnered. This is really sad and I suspected this would happen last week. I was in someone’s office (you know I am an investment banker) having a short meeting when the chairman of Etisalat called. My host was doing some jobs for them on the negotiations and immediately, his handsome face went pale and ashen. He lost his composure. When he dropped the phone, he told us who was on the other line and we did not need to ask any question. We sensed it was over even as he ushered us out of his office. The bankers are only after their funds of which they have a responsibility to their own stakeholders and I am sure they will do everything within their powers to ensure that while getting their funds out, they keep the boat sailing. The brand is such a vibrant brand and to show mu support, I walked into their Awolowo road outlet to buy N2,000 data. Pele dear, it will be well. Don’t worry my people.

Dbanj welcomes the King This highly talented guy is a bad liar. Last year when the buzz about his

D’ Banj

Reno Omokiri

Rotimi Amaechi : The God Mentality I really did not want to say anything about this matter because seriously I am tired of this Rivers wahala. But on second thought, let me say one or two things. I have read that my brother, Honourable Amaechi has sworn that he would never allow Senator Magnus Abe contest for the governorship of Rivers State come 2019. If this is not God mentality, I really do not know what is. We like playing to different tunes. This was the same person we all gave our support and tears when Mama Peace was

marriage was all over the place, I paid him a visit at his palatial Lekki abode. In between bouts of hot Eba and well made okro soup, I looked squarely into his eyes and asked him if it was true that he was married. He too looked squarely into my eyes and told me NO. well, I did not want to push as I was getting ready to ask for another plate and did not want to risk refusal, I left it. Today, he has just announced the birth of his newborn son and the whole world and I remain highly excited for him. He is a trusted and loving brother and this new addition would finally set him on the path of true fulfilment both in his career and his life. Congrats my paddy.

When is the party?

Reno Omokri: Uncle Lai, Let Me Handle this One This man no dey fear o. The way he writes and dares people is unimaginable. Be like say he has read all the bilateral agreements between Nigeria and the US confirming that there is no treaty that would úmaruDikko’him. His

squeezing, today he is ‘terrorising’ Abe who stood by us during all those trying times. Some of these things beat my imagination which just weakens me. My lord, can’t the people decide for once who they really want to lead them? When will we witness true democracy in our land? Even the Abe sef, what else does he want to offer us that he has not offered before? Let Rivers State breath, let us have fresh blood. I know this is a dream that will never happen. But who says we cannot dream.

regular and persistent attack on great people like Uncle Lai leaves much to be desired and I must say that I am not enjoying it one bit. Everyday, this ‘boy’will just be abusing uncle Lai like say he was there when the great spokesman was born. We must respect elders at all times.

Look, Reno I hear you were my junior in secondary school and I must tell you that you were lucky that I did not meet you otherwise, I would have severely punished you for all these atrocities you are committing. In fact, I am pushing for your expulsion from our school Alumni, thereby effectively blocking you from holding any executive position in the association and barring you from attending the 40th anniversary of the school coming up this October. It is not as if you even can attend because if you are cited anywhere in Lagos, we will unleash all the Eyo masquerade to pursue you into the lagoon , the one near the Oba’s Palace. I do not even think you are a true commando sef. Which year did you attend the school and did you use

Nicholas Okoye

to sneak into the female hostel at night?

Did you receive lashes of the Koboko during the morning assembly, did you use to go into the jungle for cocoa, did you eat remnants, did you do labour and were you a volleyball player? If you cannot answer all these questions, then I doubt your integrity and by extension your credentials to be yabbing Uncle Lai the way you have been doing. This is me sending you a very serious warning to desist and do not even think this yourself exile will protect you from me when you exhaust my patience. I am the Duke of Shomolu and my kingdom knows no boundaries. Ask my landlord and he will tell you how I stole all the meat from his pot in the middle of the night flying on a broom. I am permanently behind Uncle Lai and will do everything within my powers to defend what he stands for as a true Nigerian patriot and please do not ask me what he stands for, that should not be my problem this morning abeg, my house is flooded.

Nicholas Okoye: A Brilliant Guy I used to know him as Nicholas Okoye, when he turned to Nick, I really do not understand o. You know this guy men, they can do anything to maintain the shakara. Today is not to yab Nick but to praise him. Ever since this Biafra thing, all sorts of commentators, both charlatans and serious-minded ones like myself have continued to contribute to the discussion on opposing sides. None to my mind has driven home the point like my brother Nick or should I say Nicholas. In his write-up published by THISDAY last Saturday, Nick perfectly situated the debate. He told us that the lack of political patronage suffered by the Igbo did not make them marginalised within the country especially if you juxtapose that with the fact that they are the most economically viable nation within the group. He also opined that they have the largest per capita income within the federation and the control of strategic parts of the whole economy. He cited manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, spare parts, services as some of the key sectors of the economy in total control by the Igbo. He went on to mention a long list of markets nationwide also under their control so if they cannot parlay all these into political relevance, who but themselves would they blame. What I have learnt from all these is that we Akwaibom people have suffered. We only came to this Nigeria to eat Afang and Fufu. If there should anybody crying for marginalisation, na we o. We no get anything and no dey anywhere. I am constrained to launch my own campaign and also give October deadline for all Ibibio people to secede. Let us go with our women and our Ekpannkukwo and seek our salvation elsewhere. This Nigeria is not for us. I hereby declare myself the Nnamdi Kanu of Akwa Ibom, but first I hope we now allow conjugal visits in our prisons, if not, abeg let’s leave the campaign o. we really do not mind the marginalisation. Akwa Ibom Isongoooooooo!!!!!!!!!

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • june 24, 2017

21

SPY GLASS

Ita-Giwa

ITA-GIWA’S FEARS

It is no longer news that the political firmament in Cross River State is being ripped apart over an alleged rift between the incumbent Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, and Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, a former Special Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on National Assembly Affairs.

Until recently, many had dismissed the report as a figment of the imagination of the author. But Spy Glass gathered that the duo, who used to be tagged mother and son, are almost sworn enemies today.

It was gathered that the rift developed after some officials of the state government allegedly diverted some relief materials sourced by Ita-Giwa for Internally Displaced People (IDP) in Bakassi from the National Refugee Commission.

However, some other sources alleged that trouble started after Ita-Giwa defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress. This move

by Ita-Giwa was said to have infuriated the governor who is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party.

This frosty relationship between the two powerful politicians has, however, taken a new twist, as fans of Mama Bakassi are worried over the alleged threat to her life.

A source, who craved anonymity, told Spy Glass, “She has been receiving life-threatening messages.

It will be recalled that Ayade, last year, attended the opening of an upscale restaurant in Calabar

by Ita-Giwa in company with a powerful entourage and even made worthy donation on the occasion.

Consequently, one can only wait to see the end to the war that has set them against each other.

OLATINPO ODUTOLA’S PASSION

She has always had everything at her beck and call. Providentially, she has never tasted poverty.

with bayo adeoye .... 08054680651 Yet, Olatinpo Odutola, one of the granddaughters of the late Ijebu-Ode-born billionaire, Adeola Odutola, has always identified with the hoi polloi in the society.

In recent time, the beautiful lady has shown more commitment to the uplift of the downtrodden in the society, a development that has continued to wow all.

She is focused on empowerment and education of women. Interestingly, her platform for reaching out to this group of disadvantaged womenfolk is her Olubusola Akingbehin Memorial Foundation, a non- governmental organisation, NGO. Over the years, the foundation is reputed to have provided delivery packs for pregnant women in the state general hospital, Otunba Tunwase Hospital and in rural clinics in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

She is also in the vanguard of campaign against gender inequality in education, which she considers as the greatest tool to unlocking their potentialities.

Also, she has never hidden her disgust for domestic violence against women.

OLUKOKUN ADEPEJU’S HEART OF GOLD

Olukokun Adepeju is known to be a man with a heart of gold. He has demonstrated his humanness to the admiration of all on many occasions.

Indeed, out of curiosity, many have wondered what his philosophy of life is. But he is always quick to say that, “All wealth belongs to God.” Goaded by these inspiring words, it is rare to see him flaunt his wealth in the midst of lack around him. In fact, he detests gaudy lifestyle, preferring instead to offer a comfortable shoulder for the suffering ones around him to lean on. Unlike some others, he also connects to the needy via the social media.

As proof of his determination to further help the needy, he launched The Kokun Foundation a few years back. During the launch, Adepeju said, “I had no reason for setting up the Foundation. But it was borne out of my sheer passion for rendering assistance to the needy; so, Kokun Foundation sauntered into the picture.’’

Ever since the birth of the foundation, Adepeju has extended his

hands of care to many, and has received accolades from top officials in the country.

BIANCA OJUKWU’S AGELESS BEAUTY

Bianca Ojukwu, wife of the late Biafra warlord, Emeka Ojukwu, is still a stunning beauty, even as she is grandly approaching the golden age.

When you consider the fact that she was 21 when she won the coveted Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, MBGN, in 1988, you will not but admire her beauty.

At a recent event, she dazzled all with her uncommon beauty. No wonder, she is still being idolised by many other beautiful ladies who admire her charming comeliness.

It will be recalled that a riveting chapter was recorded in her yetto-be published memoirs, so to say, when she was appointed Ambassador to Spain by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Though the appointment was received with mixed feelings, she displayed her brilliance and intelligence at her duty post, as she carried out her assignments, which many had thought would be too overwhelming for her, with uncommon ease.

Before she was recalled by President Muhammadu Buhari, she had gained popularity as a worthy Nigerian ambassador.

ADEMOLA ADELEKE’S DESPERATION

Ademola Adeleke, a younger brother to Isiaka Adeleke, the first civilian governor of Osun State, is better known a businessman.

But this may no longer be all there is about his profile, as the death of his brother has suddenly forced him to take a dive into the murky water of politics in the state.

Consequently, the socialite is determined to vie for the slot of his late brother at the Osun West Senatorial District, a situation that has caused a serious upset in the political calculation in the state as the July 8, 2017 bye- election draws near.

The Lagos-based socialite had hoped to clinch the candidacy of APC on a platter of gold, but as things didn’t go as envisaged, he quickly defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to achieve his ambition, where he won unopposed.

Already, tongues are wagging,

Bianca Ojukwu as many have labelled him a desperado in quest of power.

Most political observers were agape when the news of his defection broke. ‘’Many would have thought that the man, who is not known in the political scene in the state, would have used the opportunity to launch himself among the grassroots, especially in his hometown, Ede,’ a source said.

SECRET OF SHINA PELLER’S SUCCESS

His name is synonymous with night club business in Nigeria.

Having been plying his trade for some years, the CEO of Aquila Group of Companies has continuously redefined the face of the business to the admiration of all.

His entry into the business was hailed by many who know his antecedent as an accomplished entrepreneur. From the outset, his vision was clear and his strategies were also realistic.

Since Aquilox Nite Club kicked off, he has proven that he has the Midas touch to change the clubbing business in Nigeria.

Aquilox, it was gathered, is now a meeting point for top businessmen, politicians and die-hard fun lovers, among others, from across social divides.

Apart from the clubbing business, he also has his hands in other businesses such as Oil and Gas, Properties among others.

Though many are asking questions about the secret behind his rising profile, his close friends say he is unapologetically committed to his faith. A pious Muslim,he usually shuts down his famed fun centre, Quilox, during Ramadan.

Also, he religiously performs the lesser Hajj, Umrah, where he prays to Allah for more success in his business. The source further added that he sponsors lots of people on holy pilgrimage to Mecca yearly.

F

Olatinpo Odutola

Olukokun Adepeju

Ademola Adeleke

Shina Peller

22

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •JUNE 24, 2017

TRAVEL&LEISURE

by OMOLOLA ITAYEMI omolola.itayemi@thisdaylive.com 08054699602

Nigeria ‘sTourism on a Bumpy Road

Stakeholders and practitioners in the hospitality and tourism industry recently spoke with one voice to condemn the latest sacrilege against its apex body, the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation in the “National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) Bill 2016.“ The bill seeks to effectively extend the control of the institute in industry practice. With the calibre of stakeholders and umpire in the person of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Mathew Urhoghide, a temporary truce was found. OMOLOLA ITAYEMI examines the need for a well-defined NIHOTOUR bill that sticks to its original founding mission

F

olorunsho FolarinCoker, helmsman at the apex tourism parastatal, NTDC, is not known for theatrics. His works speak for him. If and when he speaks, as he did at the June 15 public hearing of Tourism and Hospitality Institute Bill sponsored by the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), there is the need to listen to him. The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agents NANTA, the Nigerian Association for Tour Operators NATOP; the Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria, ATPN, and many other associations lined up to oppose the bill on.

An impressed Senator Mathew Urhoghide couldn’t help but applaud such a large and highly passionate crowd of stakeholders and practitioners, such crowd he reiterated could only be seen during times of budget defense. The Bill seeks for an Act to provide for the Establishment of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) for Training of Personnel and Regulation of Professional Personnel Practices and Services of Hospitality and Tourism Activities in Nigeria and other related matters.

Sadly, Chika Balogun, DG of NIHOTOUR failed to show up at the hearing sending two officials of her agency to represent her.

The NIHOTOUR bill, which intends to assume powers to regulate, discipline players and operators, empower the Minister to appoint members of the governing council of the school, as captured on parts III, VI, VII, VIII, are fraught with vexatious interpretations and consequences. Unfortunately, NIHOTOUR is not a child of happenstance as some think, it was a well-thought out plan. In the quest to make tourism become an important sector that has an impact on development of the country’s economy, NIHOTOUR was established in 1987 through a tripartite agreement between the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), International Labor Organization (ILO), and the federal government and saw the commencement of training activities in 1988. In the beginning, though, where there was critical man-power shortage, the institute was made a department and the training wing of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation before it gained autonomy in 1998.

The main benefits of tourism are income creation and generation of jobs which is one place NIHOTOUR serves to make an impact by training workers, constantly certifying and recertifying industry players and disciplining offending institutes.

Many believe that Balogun with NIHOTOUR has a very large level playing field without infringing on the right of other sister-agencies.

Rhet say it is better for Balogun to channels her energy towards making

DG, Nigeria Tourism Development corporation (NTDC) Mr Folorunsho Coker shaking hands with the Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Matthew Urhoghide after the one day public hearing on the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Bill 2016 held in Abuja

NIHOTOUR one of the top colleges of tourism in West Africa like Utalli College in Kenya instead of trying to become a trainer, a court and a regulator at the same.

There are many complaints about the quality of courses offered in the institute and accreditation issues that should be addressed. Stakeholders said NIHOTOUR should stick to functions such as registering hospitality and tourism practitioners for the purpose of training and stop being ambiguous and unduly broad giving room for invasion of NTDC responsibility. Also, disciplining offenders should not extend beyond personnel.

They argued that regulation of and punishment of hospitality and tourism establishments should be outside of the purview of the institute, because where this happens, it strips the corporation of its regulatory powers in that respect creating a direct conflict with the power of the corporation’s inspector under section 15 of the act.

The ability of the national economy to benefit from tourism depends on the availability of investment and laws put in place to develop the necessary infrastructure and conducive environment for tourism to thrive. But how can NTDC thrive if it is stripped of its functions. Remember, it has the 2013 Supreme Court judgment in favour of Lagos state to contend with.

In the Hospitality and Tourism Establishment (Registration, Grading,

and Classification) regulation byelaw enacted by the Federal Government in 1997, Section 1, Sub-Section 3 of that bye-law provides that no person shall operate a hospitality or Tourism establishment ‘unless he has obtained and in possession of a current certificate of registration from the Corporation,’ which by implication confers on the NTDC the duty of a regulator. It was the view of the Supreme Court that the NTDC Act went beyond its powers as stated in the Exclusive Legislative List of the Constitution which is to regulate “tourist traffic”.

This effectively challenged the constitutionality of the NTDC’s powers to unilaterally regulate and control hotels and tourism in Nigeria.

The court therefore validated the

respective laws of Lagos State. And this is another area NIHOTOUR bill seeks to act on.

So one can understand where Coker and the rest of the industry are coming from.

There is the need to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water as noted by Urhoghide. He explained that the Bill was not meant to override any parastatal, but to put them in their proper perspectives and define their roles.

“We are not against the bill, we are only asking for amendment of some sections in the Bill which create conflict and clash of operations, especially on the legal and structural framework of the agency so as to make way for improved operations,” he pointed out.

Senate Commends Ojo-Lanre

T

he Senate Committee on Tourism has commended the National President, Nigerian Guild of Tourism Editors and Nigerian Tribune Newspapers’ Tourism Editor, Wale Ojo-Lanre, for underscoring the need for the establishment of a separate Ministry of Tourism.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Tourism, Mathew Urhoghide, who gave the commendation during the public hearing of the bill sent to the senate, said, “The Tribune Tourism Editor, Wale Ojo-

Lanre, made one of the best submissions thus far.”

Ojo-Lanre submitted that to ensure a speedy and pragmatic development of the tourism industry in the country, there should be a separate Ministry of Tourism.

He said, “It’s good for NIHOTOUR to be legally established as a proper training centre, the contentious section in the bill should also be expunged.”

He added out that serious tourismconscious countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Ghana, Gambia, South Africa, and others, have separate Ministry for the tourism industry.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 24, 2017

THE ALTERNATIVE with Reno Omokri

23

El-Rufai, Tunde Bakare and the Groove From Timex Social Club

I

never thought I would live to see the day that Sahara Reporters would publish a story alleging, together with supporting documents, that a person reputed to be one of its benefactors, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the under-performing Governor of Kaduna State, has been systematically engaging in acts of corruption by way of awarding over-invoices contracts to his fronts, family, friends and cronies, without passing these contracts through the due process of tendering and public advertising.

Not only did I never think I would see such a day, I also did not believe that El-Rufai would turn around and accuse the website he had celebrated of lying and practicing gutter journalism. Wonders shall never cease to happen!

But I have issues with El-Rufai’s contretemps with Sahara Reporters after his many long years of nuptial bliss with the notorious site.

My issue is not that El-Rufai spoke, tweeted and facebooked against former President Jonathan and even my humble self during those times like a parrot that swallowed a dictionary of curse words!

Both Dr. Jonathan and I have since moved on. Jonathan to international statesman status, I to a bestselling book. No, my issue is that having used and promoted many slanderous Sahara Reporters’ stories against the former President and me, this mischievous and femininely vindictive character now wants the world to join him in his unholy crusade to delegitimise that medium.

El-Rufai’s actions are pitiable. Obviously, he has never read the words of Nabi Suleiman (King Solomon in Christendom) which says “Whoever digs a pit will fall into it”-Proverbs 26:27.

That El-Rufai, the notorious disseminator of false information who has has said false things about almost every noteworthy Nigerian that has held influence in the federal government at one time or the other, should call Sahara Reporters liars is rich, very rich indeed.

El-Rufai seems to think that you can sleep with a prostitute at night and deny her in the morning. That will be a very difficult venture for El-Rufai seeing as his fondness for the prostitute led to sweet and carnal moaning from their love nest which was so loud that all Nigerians could hear.

There are also some dots we can connect in this whole saga. Sahara Reporters’s exposition of El-Rufai’s alleged sordid corruption and his labyrinthine scheme (according to Sahara Reporters, not me) is coming as news that a major telecommunications firm is facing serious money troubles became public knowledge.

One can only hope that those who may or may not have lost huge sums of money in this telecommunications firm are not desperate to recover their lost monies from whatever avenues they can find.

I do not know who is or was behind a certain failed newspaper or this telecommunications outfit that is failing right before our very eyes, but assuming I was behind both ventures, I would not be in a position to boast about having any managerial or business acumen. Especially if I have made a mess of my present office and turned a once peaceful enclave into the most murderous place on planet earth. Of course, I have been speaking hypothetically. Do not let your imaginations run wild!

And while we are on the subject of El-Rufai, I would like to talk about his very close friend, Tunde Bakare’s recent not-so-subtle attacks on the acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who he accused of trying to outdo his ‘benefactor’. Said Bakare, “The king may be cold, the king may need warmth, but the final authority is still in his hands. All the actors in the corridors of power can keep acting, but the residual power is still in the man who is cold.”

Not content, he also said Adonijahs confuse birthright with leadership rights, and “assume that the next in line is automatically the next king, whenever the current king is no more”. He then concluded by warning that Adonijah is more strategic than Absalom, that he connects himself with “Emirs, Kabiyesis, Obis…the chief of army staff,” but often has a hole in his armour, adding that the next in line is a “show-off”.

For those not familiar with Tunde Bakare, let me introduce you to him.

He is the man who famously prophesied that the prophetic axe would fall on former President Olusegun Obasanjo before his swearing-in on May 29, 1999. His exact words on March 7, 1999 were: “Rejoice not oh land, or your joy will be temporary. For I am bringing the nation - Nigeria, the rulers, the priests and the prophets there to my threshing floor. I will judge Saul and his comrades, and after I have finished my purging, then I will restore to you permanent joy” Obasanjo is not your messiah. He is King Agag and the prophetic axe will fall upon his head before May 29.

It is not my place to question Mr. Bakare’s prophecies. Romans 14:4 says, “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.”

However, my response to Tunde Bakare on his shading of acting President Osinbajo is this: If Osinbajo’s ‘show off’ is leading to the appreciation of the Naira, the reduction in the price of diesel, the availability of petrol and the prompt payment of salaries, then not only Osinbajo, but every elected politician should show off. By the way, Muhammadu Buhari ran with Tunde Bakare and lost, then he ran with Osinbajo and won. Maybe if Tunde Bakare had “shown off” he would not have lost the election for Buhari!

Tunde Bakare perhaps can now see that he may have not been wrong when he said in the The Punch Newspapers of Monday October 2, 2006 that “Let me tell you the truth by the Spirit of God, neither OBJ, Atiku, IBB and this tall one, Buhari are part of the new. They are part of the old that is decaying. That old one is passing away. The new is emerging and these ones are not part of that new.”

Bakare himself confessed with his mouth that President Muhammadu Buhari is not “part of the new”. He says the Holy Spirit told him this. If what he said in 2006 was indeed given to him by the Holy Spirit, as he claims, then why is he in 2017 fighting for the man that the Holy Spirit, according

El-Rufai to him, revealed was part of Nigeria’s “decaying” past? Why is he fighting against a new political blood like the acting President?

When you marry what Tunde Bakare said in 2006 with what he said last Sunday (June 18, 2017), there is a disconnect, there are discrepancies, there are contradictions. And what does the word of God say in 1 Corinthians 14:33? “God is not the author of confusion.”

How can the Holy Spirit reveal Muhammadu Buhari to you as part of Nigeria’s decaying past and you, the vehicle through whom The Holy Spirit gave us this message, are trying to shove the decaying matter (according to Bakare not Mr) down our throats?

Is Tunde Bakare in the habit of feeding his own children food that is rotten, “old” and “decaying”? I am guessing no. Then why does he want us to eat what he does not feed his children? When I was a boy, there was a major hit song titled ‘Rumors’ performed by a group known as ‘Timex Social Club’.

Some of the lyrics of the song went thus: ‘How do rumors get started, they’re started by the jealous people and they get mad seein’ somethin’ they had and somebody else is holdin’ I highly recommend this song to Tunde Bakare. It was tailor-made for him.

He is starting a rumour about the acting President wanting to usurp the Presidency by outperforming his boss and “benefactor”. Why is he doing it? Because, he wanted to be Vice President to Muhammadu Buhari but unfortunately their joint ticket lost in 2011. Why is he jealous? Because the

‘Howdorumorsgetstarted,they’re startedbythejealouspeopleandthey getmadseein’somethin’theyhad andsomebodyelseisholdin’ Ihighly recommendthissongtoTundeBakare.

Itwastailor-madeforhim.Heisstarting arumourabouttheactingPresident wantingtousurpthePresidencyby outperforminghisbossand“benefactor”.

Whyishedoingit?Because,hewanted tobeVicePresidenttoMuhammadu Buhaributunfortunatelytheirjointticket lostin2011.Whyishejealous?Because theactingPresidenthassomethinghe wantedbutdidnotget.ThankyouTimex SocialClubforsimplifyingwhatwould havebeenverydifficultforsometo understand

Bakare acting President has something he wanted but did not get.

Thank you Timex Social Club for simplifying what would have been very difficult for some to understand.

The funniest thing to me is that had it been that the acting President had not done all the consultations he has been and is still doing in the wake of the quit notice given to the Igbo, it is precisely characters like Tunde Bakare that would have criticised him for being inept and letting down his ‘benefactor’, but now that he has shown that he is up to the task of leadership, he is being accused of outshining his boss. Let me however assure Tunde Bakare et al that it is not hard to ‘outperform’ President Buhari. I have a 12-year-old daughter. I bet she can also outperform him.

Now, I am a known admirer of the acting President, but I must say this to him. When Professor Yemi Osinbajo warns that the Federal Government will deal with those making hate speeches, I hope the acting President knows his boss and “benefactor” is guilty? President Muhammadu Buhari’s 5% versus 97% D.C. speech marked the beginning of hate speeches in this dispensation. Before that he was guilty of hate speech when he threatened that both the “baboon and the dog will be soaked in blood”.

Fish starts to get rotten from the head. When a nation is led by a hate speaker, should anyone be surprised when the led begin to act like him?

And let me close this piece with the way I began, with Sahara Reporters.

Lai Mohammed says President Muhammadu Buhari talks to acting President Professor Yemi Osinbajo everyday, meanwhile Sahara Reporters, once Lai Mohammed and the All Progressives Congress’ favourite news medium, reported recently that President Buhari has not spoken to Osinbajo since he left Nigeria for London, U.K. on the 7th of May, 2017.

Who do Nigerians now believe between Lai and Sahara Reporters? I would like to believe Lai, but my mind finds it hard to believe a man who said that President Buhari has fulfilled his campaign promises or that the Whistle-Blower policy has generated $8 billion within two months or that the President is ‘hale and hearty’ or that dressing up a single masquerade can provide a thousand jobs or that the herdsmen killing Nigerians are from Mauritius. The truth is that even when I want to believe Lai, he makes it hard for me to do so. And yes, you read me right. Lai Mohammed actually claimed that the Whistle-Blower policy has generated $8 billion within two months. In fact, his exact words were, “Within two months of our whistle-blower policy, we retrieved $8 billion”.

Lai, easy with these lies, remember YOU ARE FASTING! If not that The Bible established that Satan is the father of lies, I would have thought that Lai was Lie’s father and wished him a happy Father’s Day yesterday!

I think it is high time we did a DNA testing on lies to determine who is their real biological father between Lai Mohammed and Satan.

My readers would be pleased to know that the hardback edition of my book, Facts Versus Fiction: The True Story of the Jonathan Years, Chibok, 2015 and the Conspiracies, is out. And Amazon has put a certificate on the front cover certifying the book as a #1 Amazon Bestseller! Thank you! You made it happen. You can purchase the book directly from Amazon or from my website renoomokri dot org.

Reno’s Nuggets:

Be very careful who you marry because a wife who can turn you against your parents will definitely use the same tactics to turn your children against you one day. And if you hate poverty, NEVER marry a man or woman who has no job or business, yet is at every party wearing every latest fashion. Finally, note that sex is easy to get. If a woman wants to get a man, she should give him what is not easy to get. Love is not easy to get #RenosNuggets.

24

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • june 24, 2017

environment

‘Scientists are Developing GM Crops Resistant to Flood, Drought, Climate Change’

L

Bennett Oghifo

accounted for 24 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2010 and 70 per cent of freshwater use. Additionally, scientists are developing GM crops that are resistant to flood, drought, and cold, which improves agricultural resistance to climate change. GM crops also allow for greater use of no-till cultivation, which helps with carbon sequestration, soil erosion prevention, and better soil fertility.”

ast week in Abuja, a group adverse to what they perceive as the dire environmental and health impart of genetically modified organism foods (GMOs), took their protest to the National Assembly. There is palpable fear among members of the group that the nation does not have enough scientists competent in that field to keep the population health and the environment safe.

Genetic engineering...

“Genetically Modified Organism” has been described as “a non-scientific and confusing term used widely in popular media to refer to plants and animals improved through techniques of modern biotechnology and to distinguish them from crops and livestock.”

The United Nations Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) offers this definition: “Genetically engineered/modified organisms, and products thereof, are produced through techniques in which the genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination.”

GMOs and the environment...

Scientists in favour of genetic modification have determined that it has good effects on the environment.

They explained that “In order to feed a world population that is expected to top 9 billion by 2050 and to do so in ways that do not harm the environment, farmers will need to roughly double current production levels on about the same amount of land. “Genetically modified crops are more efficient and therefore use less agricultural inputs to produce the same amount of food. The global hectarage of biotech crops has increased 100-fold from 1.7 million hectares

Minister of Environment, Usman Jibril in 1996 to 179.7 million hectares in 2015 by up to 17 to 18 million farmers - this makes biotech crops the fastest adopted crop technology in recent times. This impressive adoption rate speaks for itself, in terms of its sustainability, resilience and the significant benefits it delivers to both small and large farmers as well as consumers.

“GM technology reduced pesticide use by 50% in the period from 1996 - 2015. Because genetically modified crops require less ploughing and chemical usage, GM technology can reduce fossil fuel and CO2 emissions.

Genetic engineering can therefore help to ameliorate the effects of agriculture on the environment.”

According to these scientists, “Farming

FG’s regulation...

The federal government desires food security and understands the adverse environmental effect of aggressive agriculture, as well as the delicateness of genetic engineering. For this reason, it set up the National Biosafety Management Agency to keep an eye on things.

Former Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, during the 2nd edition of the National Biosafety Conference, last November said the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) is adequately positioned to carry out risk assessments on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) currently under trial in the country.

“Nigerians should be rest assured of the protection of their health and the environment by the National Biosafety Management Agency on matters concerning GMOs. The Agency is here to safeguard the health of all Nigerians, taking into consideration national interest, socio-economic issues, human health and safety to the environment.

“Let me assure you that the President is committed to ensuring food security. This can be seen from the recent signing of the historic Paris Agreement by the President. In furtherance, of this commitment to zero hunger, the government will welcome technology that will provide safe and adequate food for Nigerians, hence the Government established the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) to enable Nigerians benefit maximally from the

practice of safe modern Biotechnology.

“Essentially, the Agency is charged with responsibility for proving the regulatory, institutional and administrative framework and mechanisms for safety measures in the application of modern biotechnology in Nigeria. This is to ensure the safe practice of modern biotechnology and, use and handling of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) to avert adverse impacts on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, considering risk to human health.

“With the creation of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) Act, Nigeria has joined the league of countries in Africa with Biosafety laws and Agencies, these include South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Mali, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Sudan, Ghana, Cameron amongst others.

Amina Mohammed, who is now the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, said “NBMA has capable Biosafety regulatory personnel (scientists), who are well trained within and outside the country to effectively carry out its regulatory functions and has well equipped laboratory to detect any smallest genes in GMOs. The Agency also carries out risk assessments on GMO’s currently under trial in the country.

“Nigerians should be rest assured of the protection of their health and the environment by the National Biosafety Management Agency on matters concerning GMOs. We hear and we will do.”

The environment ministry, she said was working in partnership with other line Ministries and Agencies, State governments, NonGovernmental Organisations, Youths, Women and Farmers Associations and the international community in line with the United Nations Convention to protect the environment. “These partnerships are important if we are to succeed in ensuring food security.”

25

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 24, 2017

EXPRESSION

MEDIAGAFFES BY

‘Remand in Prison’?

D

AILY SUN of June 19, my birthday, welcomes us today: “Spokesman of the group…said the North is (was) no longer disposed to….”

“Invest in quarry mining (quarry-mining) plant” “NPFL: Inyama hails Abia Warriors (Warriors’) fighting spirit” “Its (It’s) been a year since you left us (a comma) but it seemed (seems) like yesterday” “The candle you lighted (lit) at the end of the tunnel continues to glow” “One arrested over (for) kidnap of Delta Polytechnic Registrar” “Court convicts bizman, remands another in prison over fake product” Yank off ‘in prison’ in the interest of grammatical purity. Please note that ‘bizman’ is not a formal entry.

“Igbos (Igbo) and the Northern Youths’ (youths’) threat” “The management and staff of Metrotile Nig. Ltd. & Euro Building System rejoices and felicitates….” I discontinue!

“Brand Marketing and Marketing Management in a Recovering but Restructured Nigeria (Nigerian) Economy” “Ajimobi commissions (inaugurates) WAMCO’s new DDP milk facility” “Stop relying on foreign based (foreignbased) players—Chukwu” “In line with your request and sequel to an agreement reached after series (a series) of meetings….” (Half-page advertorial by Ebonyi State Government endorsed by Chief (Dr.) Emma Okorie Offor, Chief of Staff, Govt.

House, Abakaliki) “A patriot and statesman” A poser: is a statesman not automatically a patriot?

“The seven bank chief executives currently being investigated by the EFCC for their alleged racketeering roles in the current pension fund scam have been placed under security

watch to forestall them escaping outside the country.” A rewrite to save time and space: The seven bank chief executives being investigated by the EFCC for their alleged racketeering roles in the current pension fund scam have been placed under security watch to forestall their escape from the country. The copious blunders in the extract remind me of inflectional Middle English!

“Assailant, vigilante member die in gun duel” (DAILY INDEPENDENT, June 7) Get it right: vigilance member. Alternatively: Assailant, vigilante die in gun duel.

“INEC official arrested over ‘missing’ ballot papers” (THE NATION, June 7) Truth in defence of freedom: ‘arrest’ takes ‘for’—not ‘over’!

“Woman arrested with AK-47, 148 live ammunitions” (THISDAY, June 7) The last word in the extract is uncountable. The Old English (Anglo-Saxon) period is gone!

“This will remove the possibility of passing the bulk (buck)” (THE PUNCH, June 7) No pedestrian English.

“The organized private sector took the bull by the horn recently….” For a better society: take the bull by the horns.

“Britain handed over the reigns of power to the politicians.” (THE GUARDIAN, June 7) Modern English: reins of government.

“One even wonders why government did not adopt that method from the onset (outset).” (Vanguard, June 7) “This is true given the restricted and guarded comments from those who have been priviledged to view the clips.” (Leadership, June 4) Spellings count: privileged.

“Government needs to put (get) its acts together and prosecute the kidnappers.”

(Vanguard, June 4) My own comment: get its act (not acts) together.

“Vigilante group accused of murder“ Get it right: vigilance group.

“Apart from all these, the debt recovery (a hyphen confirms class) level of the banks

have not been any issue of interest to NDIC.” (THISDAY, June 7) Question CBN has to answer, debt recovery has (not have).

“It is believed in some quarters that the Nigerian Police has….” (THE NATION, June 2) Get it right: the Nigerian Police have.

The next five blunders are from Daily Trust of June 2: “And the leaders, being new on the saddle of political leadership (another comma) were.…” The challenges of good grammar: in the saddle.

“Efforts by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his group to remove Akintola from office was (were) fiercely resisted.” Why the discord?

“As a new democracy, there was (were) bound to be problems.”

“In the course of the crisis, Awo and some of his lieutenants were arrested and charged for (with)….”

“The ethnic colouration of the coup led to a counter coup (a hyphen) in July 1966.”

Spell-check: coloration.

“Have the previous exercises impacted meaningfully on the lives (life) of the average Nigerian?”

“This could not have been possible if they had been outrightly liquidated.” (Source: as above) ‘Outrightly’ is a Nigerian creation! The right word ‘outright’ functions as an adverb and an adjective. Therefore, it does not require any inflexion. In other words: This could not have been possible if they had been liquidated outright. Even at that, ‘liquidation’ does not need any qualification because of its causative finality. So, if they had been liquidated.

‘Reopening’ abhors hyphenation. It is not automatic that any word with a prefix must go with a hyphen, except where there is a vowel replication. For instance: re-entry, but readmit, readjust, etcetera.

“Legislators, oil chiefs parley on industry enhancing issues” (DAILY SUN, June 2) Imagine the classical excellence a hyphen between ‘industry’ and ‘enhancing’ would

EBERE WABARA

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

have conferred on the headline.

“I said these are (were) beggars and I told my wife I better (I had better) get money ready for them.” (DAILY INDEPENDENT, June 2) “The remains of the Ovie, sources in the town revealed, was (were) later tied….”

“And just last Friday, it was reported that the police has (had) arrested the….” (THE GUARDIAN, June 2) “The meetings were about some developments alright....” (THE PUNCH, June 2) ‘Alright’ (non-standard) is unacceptable for ‘all right’ in formal settings.

“My suggestion, therefore, is that our National Assembly members should tow (toe) the line of reason.” (THE PUNCH, June 2) “This is because of the numerous restraints, both social and economical, which is (are) associated with the day to day (day-to-day) life of a convict.” ”…especially those public officers who remain suspect with regards (regard) to their qualifications and credibility to hold public offices.” (Nigerian Tribune, June 2) Alternatively, as regards their qualifications….

“The nation has (had) in the past pardoned and forgiven it’s (sic) past leaders and “Infact (In fact) every (all) loving parents....”

Alternatively, each loving parent “In the agricultural sector, the two countries can learn a lot from one another (each other).”

(Nigerian Tribune, June 3) “Such citizens had since been integrated back (reintegrated) into the system.” (Source: as above) “A recent summit in Kaduna on education in the northern states provided the appropriate forum to revisit, once again….” (THE PUNCH, June 2) ‘Revisit’ cannot co-function with ‘again’.

“Gone are the days when government can (could) go it alone.” (THE GUARDIAN, June 2).

TRIBUTE

Madam Imade Ugiagbe Ezele, a Super Midwife Matron Goes Home Ayowie Ayobahan

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s family, friends, nurses and other professional colleagues in the medical field congregate today in Benin City, Edo State to bid our mother, Madam Edith Imade Ugiagbe Ezele a grand farewell, it is important to say a little about the pioneering work she undertook in establishing maternities in the then Midwestern Region and later Bendel State.

Madam Edith Imade Ugiagbe Ezele was born on September 27th 1923 to the family of Chief Ugiagbe Ezele of the Ogiefa Kingdom and to Anna Amieravbiye Ogbeide of Izighiri and Ilobi.

She attend the Baptist primary school upon graduation and proceeded to the famous Baptist College in Idiaba in the Old Oyo State.

She was given a schorlaship by the Baptist Missionary to study Nursing with a preference to Midwifery. Upon graduation she came back to the old Midwestern State and was seconded to the newly opened Eku Hospital as a pioneer staff together with her best friend Mrs. Ideh who is still alive and healthy.

The government of the day also seconded her to Agbor to open the Midwifery hospital where she held sway with distinction and was immediately sent to Igarra in 1964 to open the Midwifery hospital. She traversed the whole

local government opening Midwifery school and hospitals, and made her station Igarra.

Upon her success in developing the Midwifery schools in the Midwestern State she was again seconded to Ubiaja in 1971 and Warri in 1973.

She worked assiduously to Merit awards and accolade.

She was again sent to Igarra to reinvent and resuscitate the dwindling fortunes of the Hospital Board in 1977.

In 1979 she and other heads of personnel brought the Midwifery Hospital and Board to Benin city.

In order to advance with modern details of Midwifery, she attended the Bendel State University for a higher degree in Midwifery and Nursing as was certified by the University of Benin with a degree in Nursing and Midwifery.

After her stint she was again seconded to the Hospital Management Board in Benin City as pioneer establishment of the Institute where she retired on May 27th 1984 as a super Midwife Matron.

She is survived by six children: Mrs. Eunice Antenyi; Mr. David Igbinadolor; Mr. Godwin Obasuyi; Mrs. Ruth Luesink- Ugiagbe; Ms. Ewemade Ayobahan; and Mr. Ayowie Ayobahan.

There are 10 grandchildren: Tessy Okparaku; Daniel Atenyi; Alain Luesink; Imade Igbinadolor; Gwendolyn Obasuyi; Brian Luesink; Iwinosa Ayobahan; Oghosa Ayobahan; Odosa Ayobahan; Aizenosa Edith-Imade Ayobahan.

Ugiagbe

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •JUNE 24, 2017

aUto ESSENTIAL SKILLS with STEPHEN DIESERUVWE (Director General, Delta State Traffic Management Authority (DESTMA)

Approaching Junction toTurn Right

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L-R: Chairman, Efex Executive, Engr. Isaac Uhunmwagho; Chief Cyril Udoye, Representative of Chairman, ‘Young Shall Grow’, Chief Vincent Amaechi Obianodo; Chairman, Association of Mass Transit Operators of Nigeria (AMTO); National President, Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON), Dan Okemuo and Managing Director of ABC Transport Plc, during the inaugural conference of ALBON, AMTO coalition held yesterday at Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos... recently

ALBON, AMTO, BTOA, Others to Merge in 60 Days Stories by Bennett Oghifo

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he Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON), the Association of Mass Transit Operators of Nigeria (AMTO), the Benin Transport Owners Association (BTOA) and other inter-state road passenger transporters nationwide are to merge into one strong formidable Association for all the Inter-state Bus Owners/Operators in Nigeria within the next 60 days.

For this reason, all inter-state road passenger transporters nationwide are to be invited to the next meeting of ALBON & AMTO Coalition with a view to fussing all the

various inter-state passenger transporters/ associations.

This is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the inaugural conference of ALBON & AMTO Coalition on the Nigerian Economy and Road Passenger Transport at Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja on 22nd June 2017.

The conference deliberated extensively on major common challenges facing all interstate road passenger bus owners/operators in Nigeria, as well as the urgent and compelling need for all inter-state bus owners/ operators nationwide to come together as one unifying body to develop strategies to tackle the challenges.

The communiqué, signed by Sir Dan Okemuo ALBON Representative; Chief Greg Inyaba,

AMTO Representative; and Engr. Isaac Uhunmwagho, BTOA Representative stated that Inter-state Road Passenger Transporters nationwide have common challenges that require concerted efforts of all the inter-state bus owners/operators in Nigeria to resolve.

The forum said that a Steering Committee involving all the inter-state road passenger associations in the country should be set up immediately to commence the urgent work of fussing all the inter-state bus owners/ operators together in Nigeria.

That the Coalition, as well as the proposed new Association should retain the services of a suitable member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics of Nigeria (CILT) as a Consultant with immediate effect.

Jetvan Improves Service Quality for Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

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n preparation for the Ramadan celebration, Jetvan is offering a 50% service discount on labour and diagnostics to its customers as part of activities to ensure a safe and enjoyable ride all through the Ramadan season.According to Mr. Tobi Ajayi, Managing Director, Jetvan Automobiles Limited in a recent communique, this special offer is aimed at ensuring all her Sprintercustomersareinperfectdrivingcondition and all necessary safety precautions are taken in this peak season.

Proudly supported by a wide network of aftersales representatives nationwide, the Sprinter has gained the confidence of the public by providing a delightful driving experience regardless of the distance travelled. Jetvan Automobiles Limited is equipped with not just state-of-the-art maintenance facilities but a dedicated professional team, steadily willing to offer technical advice, service and genuine spare parts to the public, which is in line with the global benchmark set

by Mercedes-Benz.

Since its incorporation in 2014, Jetvan Automobiles Limited has steadily built a reputation for its impeccable sales and aftersales services.

These services include sales and maintenance of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans and minibuses. As Weststar’s sole authorized dealer of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Buses in Nigeria, Jetvan also engages in the provision of VIP vans/mini bus charter service to individuals and corporate institutions. The Sprinter is often seen on Nigerian roads as it caters for emergency centers, travel

Jetvan workshop

and logistics, schools, hotel pick-ups, family van and VIP shuttles.

“The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter offers a revolutionary transport and logistics solution for Nigerians.

All thanks to the Sprinter’s key qualities of safety, comfort and efficiency, over 300 units have been sold to fleet owners since its inception. This is due to the fact that God is Good Motors and our other key fleet partners have been able to identify with what sets the Sprinter apart from

other brands.

Again for this season, we’re on a mission to ensure the safety of our customers while on the move With our team’s specific combination of skills, offering the best for a reasonable cost, especially this Ramadan season is a priority for us - knowing that our customers will be doing a lot of travelling and family celebrations, we therefore urge the public to pay us a visit for hassle free maintenance while benefiting from

Road Junctions nypointwheretwoormoreroadsmeet isreferredtoasajunctionanditincludes T-junctions, crossroads, roundabout etc. To deal with all junctions safely, you will need to apply the MSPSL or hazard routine: · Mirrors - check your mirrors to assess the speed and position of traffic behind you.

Signal - if necessary, you signal to warn other road users what you intend doing, give the correct signal.

Position - take up the correct position for the manoeuvre you are about to undertake.

Speed - select the suitable gear and speed for the manoeuvre you are about to undertake.

Look - look to see if it is safe to continue.

Approaching Junction to Turn Right This is when you are leaving a main road to turn into a side road, gateways, or other entrances on your right. In approaching junction to turn right, use the MSPSL or hazard routine as follows: Mirrors – After identifying the road you want to turninto,thefirstthingtodoistocheckyourmirrors.

Check the interior and right door mirrors (in that order). The interior mirror gives you a picture of whatishappeningwellbehind,whilsttherightdoor mirror will tell you whether there is any immediate problem close behind and to the right.You are doing thistomakesurethatitissafetoslowdownandturn.

Signal – After checking your mirrors and you have ascertained that it is safe to turn, give a right indicator signal. Signal in good time, but not too early, so you do not mislead or confuse other road users and you are signalling for other road users to recognise your intentions. If there are other side roads to the right before the junction you want to turn into, take particular care in timing your signal.

Position – After signalling, move into position.

For right turn, maintain your safe driving line or normaldrivingposition,whichisaboutametrefrom the kerb or edge of road. The only exception to the ‘normal’safedrivinglinepositioningwouldbeifyou were turning into a very narrow road, entrance or gateway, and where there are obstructions (parked vehicles). In this type of situation you may need to swing out. For very sharp turns you might need to move closer to the centre of the road.

Speed – Once in position to turn, you will need to adjust your speed. Start to slow the car down to a speed that will allow you to safely negotiate the turn, by easing off the accelerator pedal, and use your footbrake in good time so that traffic behind haveenoughtimetoreacttoyourbrakelightsignals.

Select the gear most appropriate for the speed you are travelling, and for most right turns, the second gear would be the most appropriate, except where your view is restricted or an extremely tight turn, you might need the first gear.

Look–Finally,makesureitissafetoturn,bychecking into the new road to assess how clear the junction is, and look out for parked vehicles or pedestrians who could be crossing the road. You should be aware of any motorcyclist or tricycle (Keke) who may try passing you on the right. Just before you make the turn,checkyourinteriormirrorandrightdoormirror again, then take a final look into the side road to make sure it is still safe to turn. Your point of turn is when the front of your vehicle reaches the corner and steer smoothly to follow the line of the corner.

After you have turned, make sure that your signal is cancelled and check your mirrors again to check the new situation behind you before increasing speed and making progress. You need to ensure that no one is trying to overtake.

In next week’s article we shall be discussing approaching junctions to turn left using the Mirror, Signal,Position,SpeedandLookroutine(M-S-P-S-L routine). For further explanations or clarification on the articles in the Essential Skills of Driving column, consult the author.

Stephen K. Dieseruvwe

Director General, Delta State Traffic Management Authority (DESTMA) **Driver Trainer and Road Safety Consultant **Email: sdieseruvwe@gmail.com **Tel: +2348167814928

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •JUNE 24, 2017

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aUto Company Launches Online Internet Cab Booking in Edo Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

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Interior of Peugeot 301 Midlife

PAN to Introduce Peugeot 301 Midlife Series Stories by Bennett Oghifo

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an Nigeria Limited has immediate plans to launch its all-new Peugeot 301 Midlife, a successor to the Peugeot 301.

The Peugeot 301 Midlife is a luxury sedan, a second upscale vehicle to hit the Nigerian market under the watch of PAN’s Managing Director, Ibrahim Boyi.

The 301 Midlife has stately aerodynamics with modern features like auto gearboxes and LEDs all

over the place. It has been given a subtle facelift that starts at the front with a new grille that has pulled the Lion logo from the hood. The headlights have a little indentation at the bottom, just like they do on the 308. The new front bumper includes some LEDs and a wing element designed after the much bigger 508 sedan.

There is also a new design for the wheels and an upgrade of the taillights. The significant bit is still the trunk, which can accommodate up to 640 litres (including underfloor space) of luggage.

The interior receives some slight revisions, like

the seat fabric or the dash trim. But the part that counts is a new 7-inch touchscreen that can latch on to the driver’s phone, using Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There is 3D navigation, Bluetooth pairing, USB and a reversing camera.

The engine range now starts off with a 1.2-liter three-cylinder making 82 horsepower. This is then backed up by the 1.6-liter rated at 115 hp, also available as an automatic.

In addition, the new 16 ‘’ wheels highlight the dynamism of the car. The ‘Albury’ style steel rim offers a 16” economical offer with a rewarding style.

n online Internet Taxi Cab booking services has been launched in Benin City to satisfy the growing request for such services in Edo State.

The all-Internet-based car rental scheme, known as ‘Smart Cab’, can only be effected from a client’s mobile phone, who will then develop a Driver Passenger Relationship.

Its operations revolve round application which is available on all Android and IOS Devices and has three packages with a base fare per minute, while the Smart saver Vehicles are equipped with free WI-FI services and Anti-Riot Security.

Unveiling the scheme in Benin City, the Country Manager, Smart Cab Nigeria, Jubril Arogundade said the business which target youths was launched in Lagos in February this year and that its successes informed the need to introduce the scheme in Edo State. He explained that the software Development Company has the potential for riders to get connected to their drivers and enjoined customers in Edo to key into the scheme.

Director Samson’s Resources and Benin City Manager Smart Cab, Mr. Samson Bakare noted that the firm is a Technology Company which is first in the State that has brought gainful opportunities to all.

He said the firm has limitless opportunities for youths car owners and would be client and emphasized need for citizens in Edo to embrace the company.

The public relations officer, Federal Road safety CommissionzoneRS.5.1Mr.GeorgeOshokeencouraged the operators to go through the established process of Licencing Drivers who will be engaged in the scheme. Oshoke stressed need for Nigerians to embrace the Nations Road Safety Code in order to reduce Road Traffic Crashes.

Coscharis Motors Offer Discounts on Jaguar Land Rover Parts

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oscharis Motors is now offering a 10% rebate on its Jaguar Land Rover parts with the discount offer on suspension and filters from now until June 30, 2017.

The aim is to help cushion the cost of replacingthesepartsduringbasicservice and the effects of bad roads during the raining season.

AccordingtoCletusAregbeshola,theBrandManager, Coscharis Jaguar Land Rover, “every part comes with the peace of mind of a 12 month unlimited kilometerwarrantywhenfittedbyCoscharisMotors, or 6 months when you purchase it over the counter”.

Coscharis Motors National Parts Manager, Cyril Dcruz said, “This is an opportunity to enjoy access to genuine parts, which are actually very cost effec-

tive. Not utilizing genuine parts will inhibit your Jaguar Land Rover vehicles feeling like a Jaguar Land Rover, but could jeopardize your vehicle’s warranty and future value especially given the availability of trade-in and buy back options currently packaged

by Coscharis Motors.”

Also, the Company’s qualified technicians will do full health check on customers’ Jaguar Land Rover vehicles to ensure that these vehicles are always in good condition of above and beyond.

Coscharis Jaguar Land Rover, he said, “believes that when you have genuine parts, you will enjoy genuine performance from your vehicles. This we intend to provide by helping customers to conquer their budget.”

2018 Jaguar F Type

WAITING FOR THE EMOTIONAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST

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ast week I began a teasing piece on theproposedemotionalpsychological evaluation of recalcitrant drivers better referred to by some observers as psychiatrists test, effective July I, 2017.Since the announcement was madebytheFederalRoadSafetyCorps,therehave been interesting reactions from motorists, medical professionals, Non- Governmental Organisations among others on the new strategy meant to deter motorist from the increasing infractions that has further worsened the driving culture and also tilted the crash trend on our roads. Information available from the Corps as justification for the move says that the FRSC recorded 3,646 cases of phoneviolation;1,017dangerousdrivingand3,337 light sign violation between January toApril 2017.

Thisfigurewillnodoubtincreaseduringfestivities such as the sallah and Christmas among others.

Let me first refresh your memory with the press statement released by the Corps on the proposed evalaution. The statement reads read thus ... ‘’Scheduled to begin nationwide on July 1, the test will focus on life threatening traffic offences namely, use of phone while driving, route violation, traffic light violation, dangerous driving and overloading.According to the Corps’ Public EducationOfficer,MrBiziKazeem,offendersshall have their driver’s licenses withdrawn pending confirmation of their sanity or otherwise. Kazeem explainedthattheoffenderswouldbearthefullcost

SAFE DRIVING with

JONAS AGWU

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

ofthemedicalconsultation,whichshallbeconducted at recognised public medical facilities.“The move arose from observed aggravating crashes and disobedience to road traffic laws and regulation.“This nation can no longer watch the lives and property of its citizens wasted by a few nonconformists on the highways,’’ he quoted the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, as saying, Since the announcement was made, there have been divergent views as expected from the motoring public. However, as a follow up to last week teasing piece, I intend to run these reactions and concerns this week, but will from next week, x-ray the listed offences and their risk factors .According to FRSC statement, someAbuja residents have lauded the FRSC for the move which they said was long overdue. One of them who is said to be a civil servant, said the behavior of motorists on the road especially in Abuja called for a check on their mental state.“Abuja is a place where the roads

are too wide for motorists. They prefer driving on sidewalks meant for pedestrians.“Security agents and private vehicle owners are not left out in this madness. I hope the FRSC will have the courage to also subject them to psychiatric test,’’ she said.

Therearehowever,thosewithsomereservationson the released procedure for the exercise. One of such persons is the Executive Director, Technical, Safety beyond Borders, Mr. Patrick Adenusi. According to media reports, he was quoted as saying that,’’ I don’t have problems with psychiatric tests, but one of the major concerns that I have is the advocacy side of whatever action that government is taking.

(Nigerian)Governmentdoesnotinformthecitizens; they just instruct them. The FRSC should run jingles on the radio; advocacy does not necessarily mean that they have to go to the motor parks. They have to factor into the information process all others who are not commercial vehicle drivers.

The ministries of information (and) the National OrientationAgency are not meant to be instruction centres. It is (should be) information. Like I said, we don’thaveenoughsignageonNigerianroads.Most of the people who drive on Nigerian roads are not trainedtodrive.Whensomebodydrivesdangerously —thatis,overtakingatabend,overtakingonaslope, overtaking on hills, driving against traffic — those are the attitudes that actually warrant psychiatric test. But the use of phone among all of those traffic violations is overkill. He also expressed concern on the appropriate legislation for such an initiative; I

know that Lagos State, which has zero tolerance for people driving against traffic, enacted a law.

I think part of the Lagos State Road Traffic Law 2012 has it that anyone that a drive against traffic needs to go for psychiatric test. But I don’t know if there is anything like that at the federal level. But the fact that that law exists in Lagos State means the FRSC could enforce that in Lagos because it’s a law in the state and Lagos State is part of Nigeria.

But at the federal level, if that law does not exist in other states of the country, I don’t know how they want to take someone for a psychiatric test.

He went further to say that anybody who engages in dangerous driving must have an idea of what dangerous driving is all about. The word “dangerous” is self-explanatory. Anyone who is overtaking at a bend knows that it is not a safe thing to do, yet they do it. And the reason they do it is because there is no sanction against the offender.

I don’t have a problem with sanctioning people who drive excessively. For example, if you look at these transport companies with the small buses, and the rate at which they operate at “Formula One” (speed) on interstates, those drivers actually know what is dangerous driving. If you overtake at a bend, on a hill or slope, those are instances of dangerousdriving,includingdrivingagainsttraffic.

Dr.OscarOdibo,automotiveconsultantandsenior lecturer at Covenant University have called on the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, to thread softly with its recent pronouncement to send traffic offender to Psychiatric test as from July 1, 2017. “It is looking like the way to go. But, it seems they have abandoned what they were known for in the past.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • June 24, 2017

FAMILY HEALTH

Dangers of Excessive Alcohol in Men

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here is usually a bad side to everything or habit that gives you pleasure of false satisfaction.

The habit of drinking alcohol, starting with a few occasional sips, to drinking alone, and gulping it publicly in excess is what actually makes you lose control and end up in alcoholism. It becomes a habit, usually ending in disgraceful moments when you drink yourself to stupor.

Men are more likely than women to drink excessively.

Excessive drinking is associated with significant increases in short-term risks to health and safety. The risk increases as the amount of drinking increases. Men are also more likely than women to take other risks (e.g., drive fast or without a safety belt), when combined with excessive drinking, further increasing their risk of injury or death.

Fourteen units is equivalent to six pints of averagestrength beer or 10 small glasses of low-strength wine.

New evidence around the health harms from regular drinking have emerged in recent years.

There is now a better understanding of the link between drinking and some illnesses, including a range of cancers.

The previously held position that some level of alcohol was good for the heart has been revised. It is now thought that the evidence on a protective effect from moderate drinking is less strong than previously thought.

Alcohol’s impact on your body starts from the moment you take your first sip. While an occasional glass of wine with dinner isn’t a cause for concern, the cumulative effects of drinking wine, beer, or spirits can take its toll.

A glass a day may do little damage to your overall health. But if the habit grows or if you find yourself having a hard time stopping after just one glass, the cumulative effects can add up.

Low-risk drinking advice To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level if you drink most weeks: men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis spread your drinking over three or more days if you regularly drink as much as 14 units a week if you want to cut down, try to have several drink-free days each week If you’re pregnant or think you could become pregnant, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all to keep risks to your baby to a minimum.

No ‘safe’ drinking level If you drink less than 14 units a week, this is considered low-risk drinking.

It’s called “low risk” rather than “safe” because there is no safe drinking level.

The type of illnesses you can develop after 10 to 20 years of regularly drinking more than 14 units a week include: • cancers of the mouth, throat and breast • stroke • heart disease • liver disease • brain damage • damage to the nervous system The effects of alcohol on your health will depend on how much you drink. The less you drink, the lower the health risks.

Damages From Excess Alcohol • Digestive and endocrine glands Drinking too much alcohol can cause abnormal activation of digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas.

Buildup of these enzymes can lead to inflammation known as pancreatitis. Pancreatitis can become a longterm condition and cause serious complications.

• Inflammatory damage The liver is an organ which helps break down and remove harmful substances from your body, including alcohol. Long-term alcohol use interferes with this process.

It also increases your risk for chronic liver inflammation and liver disease. The scarring caused by this inflammation is known as cirrhosis. The formation of scar tissue destroys the liver. As the liver becomes increasingly damaged, it has a harder time removing toxic substances from your body.

Liver disease is life-threatening and leads to toxins and waste buildup in your body. Women are at higher risk for developing alcoholic liver disease. Women’s bodies are more likely to absorb more alcohol and need longer periods of time to process it. Women also show liver damage more quickly than men.

• Sugar levels The pancreas helps regulate your body’s insulin use and response to glucose. When your pancreas and liver aren’t functioning properly, you run the risk of experiencing low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. A damaged pancreas may also prevent the body from producing enough insulin to utilize sugar. This can lead to hyperglycemia, or too much sugar in the blood. If your body can’t manage and balance your blood sugar levels, you may experience greater complications and side effects related to diabetes.

It’s important for people with diabetes or hypoglycemia to avoid excessive amounts of alcohol.

• Central nervous system One of the easiest ways to understand alcohol’s impact on your body is by understanding how it affects your

with

BOBO BODE -KAYODE

lifeissuesfromwithin@yahoo.com, .Cel, 08053372356

• Sexual and reproductive health You may think drinking alcohol can lower your inhibitions and help you have more fun in bed. But the reality is quite different. Men who drink too much are more likely to experience erectile dysfunction. Heavy drinking can also prevent sex hormone production and lower your libido. Women who drink too much may stop menstruating. That puts them at a greater risk for infertility. Women who drink heavily during pregnancy have a higher risk of premature delivery, miscarriage, or stillbirth. Women who drink alcohol while pregnant put their unborn child at risk. Fetal alcohol syndrome disorders (FASD) is a serious concern. Other conditions include: • learning difficulties • long-term health issues • increased emotional problems • physical development abnormalities

Men are more likely than women to drink excessively.

Excessive drinking is associated with significant increases in short-term risks to health and safety. The risk increases as the amount of drinking increases.

Men are also more likely than women to take other risks (e.g., drive fast or without a safety belt), when combined with excessive drinking, further increasing their risk of injury or death

central nervous system. Slurred speech is one of the first signs you’ve had too much to drink. Alcohol can reduce communication between your brain and your body. This makes coordination more difficult. You may have a hard time balancing. You should never drive after drinking.

As alcohol causes more damage to your central nervous system, you may experience numbness and tingling sensations in your feet and hands. Drinking also makes it difficult for your brain to create long-term memories. It also reduces your ability to think clearly and make rational choices. Over time, frontal lobe damage can occur. This area of the brain is responsible for emotional control, short-term memory, and judgement, in addition to other vital roles. Chronic and severe alcohol abuse can also cause permanent brain damage.

•Dependency Some people who drink heavily may develop a physical and emotional dependency on alcohol. Alcohol withdrawal can be difficult and life-threatening. You often need professional help to break an alcohol addiction. As a result, many people seek medical detoxification to get sober. It’s the safest way to ensure you break the physical addiction. Depending on the risk for withdrawal symptoms, detoxification can be managed on either an outpatient or inpatient basis. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include: •anxiety •nervousness •nausea •tremors •high blood pressure •irregular heartbeat •heavy sweating •Seizures, hallucinations, and delirium may occur in severe cases of withdrawal.

•Digestive system The connection between alcohol consumption and your digestive system might not seem immediately clear. The side effects often only appear after there has been damage. And the more you drink, the greater the damage will become. Drinking can damage the tissues in your digestive tract and prevent your intestines from digesting food and absorbing nutrients and vitamins.

As a result, malnutrition may occur. Heavy drinking can also lead to: • gassiness • bloating • a feeling of fullness in your abdomen • diarrhea or painful stools For people who drink heavily, ulcers or hemorrhoids (due to dehydration and constipation) aren’t uncommon.

And they may cause dangerous internal bleeding. Ulcers can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated early. People who consume too much alcohol may also be at risk for cancer. People who drink frequently are more likely to develop cancer in the mouth, throat, esophagus, colon, or liver. People who regularly drink and use tobacco together have an even greater cancer risk.

• Circulatory system Alcohol can affect your heart and lungs. People who are chronic drinkers of alcohol have a higher risk of heartrelated issues than people who do not drink. Women who drink are more likely to develop heart disease than men who drink. Circulatory system complications include: • high blood pressure • irregular heartbeat • difficulty pumping blood through the body • stroke • heart attack • heart disease • heart failure Difficulty absorbing vitamins and minerals from food can cause anemia. This is a condition where you have a low red blood cell count. One of the biggest symptoms of anemia is fatigue.

• Skeletal and muscle systems Long-term alcohol use may prevent your body from keeping your bones strong. This habit may cause thinner bones and increase your risk for fractures if you fall. And factures may heal more slowly. Drinking alcohol may also lead to muscle weakness, cramping, and eventually atrophy.

• Immune system Drinking heavily reduces your body’s natural immune system. This makes it more difficult for your body to fight off invading germs and viruses. People who drink heavily over a long period of time are also more likely to develop pneumonia or tuberculosis than the general population. About 10 percent of all tuberculosis cases worldwide can be tied to alcohol consumption. Drinking alcohol also increases your risk for several types of cancer, including mouth, breast, and colon.

Alcohol poisoning What Is Alcohol Poisoning?

1. Alcohol poisoning impairs the body and eventually can shut down the areas of the brain that control basic life-support functions like breathing, heart rate, and temperature control.

2. You become more susceptible to alcohol poisoning when you: • Binge drink, or consume four or more (women) or 5 or more (men) alcoholic beverages in a single occasion.

• Drink heavily, or consume eight or more (women) or 15 or more (men) alcoholic beverages per week.

• Drink during pregnancy. No amount of alcohol is safe to drink during pregnancy due to risks of passing alcohol toxicity through the placenta to your unborn child, which can cause severe damages at any stage of pregnancy.

• Drink under the age of 21. Underage drinkers are more vulnerable to alcohol poisoning as studies have shown that they typically consume about five drinks in a single occasion.

Alcohol Poisoning Symptoms Alcohol poisoning comes with very serious health penalties, which is why it’s very important to be wellinformed about what symptoms you need to watch out for. Below are some of the most common telltale signs of alcohol poisoning: 3 . Loss of coordination Cold, clammy hands, and bluish skin due to hypothermia Vomiting repeatedly and/or uncontrollably Irregular or slow breathing (less than eight breaths per minute or more than 10 seconds between breaths) Seizures Confusion, unconsciousness, stupor (or conscious but unresponsive), and sometimes coma Alcohol Poisoning Risk Factors : Generally, women are more vulnerable to alcohol poisoning. They feel the effects of alcohol faster than men of the same size. Unfortunately, they’re also more predisposed to suffer from long-term alcohol-induced damage in the body. This is due to several physiological reasons, such as: 4. Poor ability to dilute alcohol because they have lower body water percentage in the body. The average female only has 52 percent while the average male has 61 percent.

Poor ability to metabolize alcohol because they have less dehydrogenase, a liver enzyme designed to break down alcohol in the body, than men.

Hormones.

Premenstrual hormone changes tend to make women get intoxicated more rapidly during the days before their period. Birth control pills and other estrogen-containing medications, on the other hand, slow down the excretion of alcohol from the body.

Treating alcohol misuse : The treatment options for alcohol misuse depend on the extent of your drinking and whether you’re trying to drink less (moderation) or give up drinking completely (abstinence).

A visit to your doctor and counselor would do you great good , once you have come to the realization that you are an alcoholic. The help of family and close ones are extremely important, especially when it involves detox and drying out.

GLOBAL SOCCER

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 16, 2011

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WEEKLY PULL-OUT

Austin Eguavoen Left Sunshine in the Cold

24.06.2017

SEMI FINAL BERTH AT STAKE PAGE. 29

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • june 24, 2017

GLOBAL SOCCeR

Eguavoen

Left Sunshine in the Cold

His unveiling as Sunshine Stars Technical Adviser was widely celebrated but with the ultimatum to save the club from relegation. Having formerly abandoned his post at enyimba and Gombe united, Austin eguavoen promised to see out his contract with the Akure-based club. Characteristic of the former nigerian international, he rocked the boat recently as Kunle Adewale reports

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ustin Eguavoen was in April unveiled as the technical adviser of Nigeria Professional Football League club, Sunshine Stars, with a shortterm contract till the end of the season. He was given the mandate to rescue the team from relegation in addition to doing well in the Federation Cup. Former national teammate, Ike Shorunmu was also signed to work with Eguavoen.

“The assignment is to save Sunshine Stars from relegation. I will implore our fans to be patient with the new coaches. I believe they will work for us; there is no sentiment in the appointment of the coaches. There is no sentiment or politics in football, the governor has instructed us to look for good players to save

Sunshine Stars from relegation. We agreed on bringing Eguavoen and Shorounmu on board to handle this club because of the track records of the two coaches. We believe they can save the club from relegation as well as so well in the FA Cup,” Gbenga Elegbeleye, Head of the Interim Management of the club said at his unveiling.

Reacting, Eguavoen said, “We have been saddled with a huge responsibility. This is a huge task. I walk out on clubs that don’t do what they are supposed to do but I won’t walk out on Sunshine Stars. We want support from our people and we will do our best for Sunshine Stars.”

In his first game in charge, the former Super Eagles coach lifted the spirit of Akure fans with a 2-0 victory over defending champions, Enugu Rangers.

Eguavoen reacted thus, "I am impressed with

the performance we put up against Rangers, though we won but there are obvious places we need to work on. The organisation of the team was very good because Rangers didn't get a clear cut chance at the goal. They kept the ball well but don't forget that they are the reigning champions. To curb any form of pressure due to the situation we are in, we told the boys to enjoy themselves and the result will come.

"Akure fans showed great passion, they love football, they don't want their team to lose but emotions must be controlled. We don't pray for the worse; we want to keep winning so that the fans will be happy. The major focus is to survive and if we keep winning games who says we can't pick a continental slot."

However, after just five matches in charge, in which he won two and lost three, Eguavoen threw in the towel citing bad officiating in the

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JUNE 24, 2017 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

GLOBAL SOCCER

Sunshine Stars players waving to their fans

referee and the match commissioner and asked them to tell me how many ex-footballers from the Super Eagles class of 1994 (who are coaches) are involved in the league in terms of coaching. I was advised by some of my ex-teammates not to take up the offer to return to coaching in the NPFL but I insisted as I wanted to give back to my country.

“However, after just a few weeks, I have realised that it is hard to change things because there are few people in the league who are making it difficult for the league to grow. Some people say I have a reputation of not staying long in a particular club but I am an authority in this game and have a name to protect so quitting was the best option in this case,” he concluded.

The immediate past President of the Nigeria Referees Association, NPFL as his reason. He added that NRA, Ahmed Maude, urged the he was now aware why some of his coach to tell the truth behind his colleagues turned down coaching resignation, charging the League jobs in the local league. “Not all Management Company, LMC, to referees are bad, just some of them, look into the issue and apply sancit is quite unfortunate,” he said. tion accordingly.

Eguavoen experienced two home He said, "There is more to this defeats while in charge of Sunshine honestly. I have never heard of it Stars, against Lobi Stars and that a coach quits because of bad against Plateau United. officiating when there has been no He claimed that questionable ref- official report. It's high time the ereeing decisions in those matches, LMC looked into this, they can't as well as some during his side’s keep treating referees like this; 1-0 defeat to Shooting Stars in we are blamed for everything. We Ibadan, forced his hand as regards agree that there are times errors his eventual decision to quit. are made. "It's not fair that he will “Against Lobi Stars, we (Sunportray referees in this light, we shine Stars) scored a good goal are doing our best; he should say which was disallowed. Against the truth. We have referees that Shooting Stars, we scored a good just returned from continental equaliser which was again disalengagements. If they are not good, lowed. I was not happy and in our will they be officiating for CAF? He next game against Plateau United, should be punished for sabotaging another injustice happened when our efforts." a player from the Plateau team Meanwhile, some have blamed scored a goal with his hand and it Eguaveon's resignation on corrupwas accepted. tion.

“Afterwards, I spoke to the Former Green Eagles Captain,

Segun Odegbami, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said that the situation was sad. "It's a psychological thing, this has been an issue for a very long time and nothing has been done. I don't know if anything can be done in this regard because it seems nothing has been done to make our referees better. It's like corruption in this country it has eaten deep into the system, in fact that's what is wrong with our football. It is the same set of people that have been there that are still there so you don't expect much from them," he said.

Former international goalkeeper, Dosu Joseph said Eguavoen’s resignation speaks volumes about the state of football in the country.

“The truth is at times human error comes into play but when it becomes consistent, it shows something is wrong. For him to resign shows that he knows what he is doing. He saw that he could not cope and did the needful.

It takes guts for him to do that; it’s unfortunate that he resigned and Sunshine has lost a good coach, ” Joseph said.

Nduka Ugbade said, “There is more to it, that’s my assumption; Austin is a coach that knows his worth. It’s so unfortunate that things ended like this for Sunshine, they really needed his experience.

However, former chairman of Lagos State Football Association, Waidi Akani, said referees’ bad conduct was not enough reason for Equavoen to resign.

“The truth is our referees need reorientation but it’s not enough for Eguavoen to resign. He should present his evidence to the relevant authorities. This is not to justify anything but the truth is officiating in the NPFL needs serious upgrade,” he said.

The truth is at times human error comes into play but when it becomes consistent, it shows something is wrong. For him to resign shows that he knows what he is doing. He saw that he could not cope and did the needful.

It takes guts for him to do that; it’s unfortunate that he resigned and Sunshine has lost a good coach G LO B A L S O C C E R ASSISTANT EDITOR KUNLE ADEWALE WAHAB AKINTUNDE THISDAY ON SATURDAY EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE THISDAY NEWSPAPERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE

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june 24, 2017 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

GLOBAL SOCCER

Cameroon and Australia risk being ousted of the Confederations Cup

Cameroon Seek Semifinal Berth against Germany

With just one point in two matches, African representative in the on-going Confederations Cup, Cameroon, must win against Germany in their last group game for a chance to forge ahead in the competition

T

he Germans played out a 1-1 draw with Chile in their second group outing after a 3-2 win over Australia in their first match.

A point from today’s game against Cameroon will see Germany seal a place in the semi finals next week but defeat could see them tumble out depending on the result of the other game.

Africa Cup of Nations winners, Cameroon, were in front in their match against Australia but they were pegged back and had to settle for a point. The Lions had lost their first game against Chile -2-0 and only a win today will give them a prolonged stay in the tournament.

Group B remains delicately poised after a day of 1-1 draws that left all four teams in exactly the same positions they

held on Thursday morning. More importantly, none of the quartet are yet assured of a place in the last four or consigned to elimination, though Chile and Germany remain well placed to qualify due to the three-point cushion separating them from Australia and Cameroon.

The mutual respect that exists between the joint-leaders was evident throughout a high-quality Kazan encounter in which

Portugal, Mexico, Russia in Semis Battle

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he Germans played out a 1-1 draw with Chile in their second group outing after a 3-2 win over Australia in their first match.

Portugal are set to rest Cristiano Ronaldo for today's clash against New Zealand as the Euro 2016 winners look to confirm their passage into next week's Confederations Cup semifinals.Ronaldo brushed off allegations of tax evasion in Spain with man-of-the-match performances in the 2-2 draw with Mexico and 1-0 win over Russia, when he scored the winner.

Ferdinand Santos is expected to rest some stars, including captain Ronaldo, against the Kiwis.

AC Milan's new signing Andre Silva should lead Portugal's attack in the David verses Goliath clash in St Petersburg.

Things remain tight in Group A before today's final round.

Mexico, top of Group A equal with Portugal on four points by virtue of having scored one more goal, face Russia, who are just a point behind in third.

Only fourth-placed New Zealand have no chance after losing their two games so far.

The Kiwis will breathe a slight sigh of

relief if Ronaldo is rested with the Real Madrid star having scored 15 times in his last nine games for club and country.

"Even if you take Ronaldo out of the team, you still have world-class players like Ricardo Quaresma and Nani, we have a game plan and we won't be over-awed," said Kiwi coach Anthony Hudson.

"The Portuguese probably don't want to be playing New Zealand right now."

Like he did before the Mexico game, Hudson called on the Kiwis to be 'brave' against the European champions.

This will be the first senior meeting between eighth-ranked Portugal, and New Zealand, who are 95th – sandwiched between Guatemala and Madagascar.

The Kiwis are without a win in all of their 11 Confederations Cup matches and bow out against Portugal after already losing to hosts Russia and Mexico.

The plucky All Whites gave the Mexicans a scare in Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat in Sochi with Leeds striker Chris Wood giving the Kiwis a shock first-half lead.

It was their first goal in 555 minutes of Confederations Cup football before Raul Jimenez and Oribe Peralta scored secondhalf goals for Mexico as the Kiwis faded.

"We took a great side all the way against

Mexico and we can do that against Portugal. If we play like we did the other night, I have all the confidence in the world," said Wood.

It promises to be a battle royal in Kazan where Mexico need just a point to make the semis, while Russia need to win or their prospects hinge on Portugal losing.

After the draw with Portugal, Mexico's coach Juan Carlos Osorio made eight changes against New Zealand, which back-fired and his side only reacted when they fell behind.

"Russia are going to be a different proposition, they like to keep the ball and bring it out of defence," said Mexico's midfielder Juergen Damm.

"We'll try to counter their strengths and exploit their weaknesses, but we need to be focused."

Having spent the New Zealand game on the bench, star striker Javier Hernandez is expected to start while Osorio must make changes after injuries to defenders Carlos Salcedo and Hector Moreno.

Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov has said he will decide his starting line-up after training with an electric atmosphere expected for the national team's first game at the Kazan Arena.

Alexis Sanchez made history. His sixthminute opener was the FIFA Confederations Cup's 400th goal and, more significantly, took him past Marcelo Salas as La Roja's all-time leading scorer.

While Cameroon and Australia remain winless and rooted to the foot of the table, neither is giving up hope of a third-match upset that could propel them into the semi-finals.

Fixtures

TODAY Mexico v New Zealand v

Russia Portugal

TOMORROW Germany v Chile v

Cameroon Australia

Group A Teams

P

W D

L

GF

Mexico

2

1

1

0

4

3

1

4

Portugal 2

1

1

0

3

2

1

4

Russia

2

1

0

1

2

1

1

3

New Z

2

0

0

2

1

4

-3

0

Group B

GA +/- Pts

Teams

P

W D L

GF

GA +/- Pts

Chile

2

1

1

0

3

1

2

4

Germany

2

1

1

0

4

3

1

4

Australia

2

0

1

1

3

4

-1

1

Cameroon 2

0

1

1

1

3

-2

1

33

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • june 24, 2017

GLOBAL SOCCeR\\OTHeR SPORTS

L–R: Grace John, MVP; Mr. Mauricio Alarcon, MD/CEO, Nestle Nigeria Plc; Mr. Olufemi Akintola, Category Manager, Beverages, Nestle Nigeria Plc; Ibrahim Muhammad, President, NSSF; and Mr. Segun Akinlotan of the Ministry of Sports Lagos State Liaison Office during the presentation of cheque to St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School, Amarata, Bayelsa State, national winner of the female category after the grand finale of the 19th Milo Basketball Championship held at the National Stadium, Lagos...recently

Chairman Ikoyi Club, Mr. Tunde Akinleye, presenting a plaque to the Managing Director, SNEPCO, Mr. Bayo Ojulari, while his wife and the chairman of the tennis section, Oloye Esan Ogunleye, watch with admiration

Hearn Fears Wilder May Reject Whyte’s Offer Deontay Wilder could make the next defence of his WBC title in September or October, but promoter Eddie Hearn fears he will reject the offer of a Dillian Whyte fight.

The unbeaten American heavyweight is yet to announce his next opponent and Hearn has tried to set up a world title defence against Whyte, who is due to make his US debut this summer.

But Wilder seems to have rejected the deal in an expletive-laden rant on social media.

"I've made several offers to Al

around at the press conference as well.

"Let's hope we can all be sensible and give the fans what they want - real heavyweight match-ups."

Promoter Lou DiBella, who works closely with Wilder, pointed out that the 'Bronze Bomber' still has to fulfil a mandatory title defence against Bermane Stiverne.

"His immediate priority is to get the biggest fight he can get, but the Bermane Stiverne fight is a reality we have to deal with," DiBella told Sky Sports.

Haymon's team and we are awaiting a final answer, but I think Deontay made things clear on his Instagram," Hearn told Sky Sports.

"It's a great offer and a great career move - a chance to earn plenty of money but also be involved in a real fight and IF he is good enough to win then it sets up a massive fight between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder.

"What I'm seeing from these camps is a reluctance to face Dillian. They know he is a handful and it's more than likely you are going to have a roll

NNPC/SNEPCO Promises Future Support for Ikoyi Club Tennis Section The NNPC/SNEPCO tennis tournament which took place at the tennis section of the Ikoyi Club 1938 came to close last week after six days of thrill from participants.

In the men’s singles A finals, Gbenga Familoni defeated number one seed, Nishant Abbi in two straight sets, 6/4, 7/6 while Kunle Ogunkoya beat Femi George 6/4, 3/6, 10-3 in the men’s singles B finals.

In the ladies singles finals Maryanne Chuks defeated Chizoba Onuoha by 6/3, 6/2.

Men’s doubles finals saw the pair of Kayode Awokoya and Eric Ereyi beat Evans Ukoh and Chinedu Idike by 6/4, 6/4.

The pair of Ejiofor Onyia and Olowe Olaleye got the better of Chris Akpunonu and Walter Jibunoh by 6/2, 6/4 in the men’s double 60 above.

In the team events finals, Bonga North west defeated Bonga south west by eight points to two.

Speaking at the end of the championship, Managing Director, SNEPCO, Mr. Bayo Ojulari, thanked Ikoyi Club Tennis Section for being a fantastic host.

“I was pleased when the request for the sponsorship of this tournament came up.

It’s a new beginning and SNEPCO would have more opportunities to collaborate with

the tennis section. We are indeed looking forward to a better collaboration in future,” Ojulari said.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the tennis section, Oloye Esan Ogunleye described the tournament as a very special outing, especially being sponsored by “our old friend”.

“NNPC/SNEPCO had squeezed the tournament in their annual programme.

It’s a renewal of our old friendship and Ikoyi Club has become an institution that could not be ignored,” he said.

Trophies, cash vouchers and other various prizes were won by participants.

Seka is VAT Wonder Goal No. 4 Winner FC IfeanyiUbah’s Iv orian import, Pasca Seka got the highest votes of 338 to emerge the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Match Day 23 VAT Wonder Goal award winner.

Seka ran neck and neck with Lobi Stars’ Anthony Okpotu in the votes on the twitter handle picking 73 votes to Okpotu’s 71 of the 198 votes cast by fans leaving El-Kanemi Warriors’ Aghahowa Otakho with the remaining 54 votes.

However, it was fans voting on the www.

npfl.ng website that gave Seka a wide lead as his goal was the favourite of 267 of the 466 voters and Okpotu picked up votes from 229 fans while Otakho had 43.

In the final count, Seka secured 338 votes, Okoptu 229 and Otakho finished with 97 votes. The goal was the Ivorian forward’s fourth this season and the second of their 2-0 defeat of Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) FC in the fixture decided at the Nnewi Stadium. The burly striker had benefitted from a defensive mix-up by defenders of

ABS to slam home from inside the box.

It was a goal Fred Edoreh, Chairman of Lagos State chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) described glowingly in these words: “it takes not just intuitiveness but also calculation to shrug off a marker to hit the ball well in the situation he got the ball inside the box”.

A cash prize of N150, 000 goes to the winner, half of which will be donated to a charity to be nominated by player within the state where the club is located.

Muslim High School Targets GTBank-Ogun State Principals Cup Treble Defending Champions, Muslim High School, Isolu’s hope of winning the GTBankOgun State Principals Cup for the third consecutive time was boosted after booking a place to the final of the Season 5 of the competition, courtesy of a 3-0 victory over Makun High School, Sagamu at the MKO

Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta on Tuesday.

The defending champions dominated the better part of the game but poor marksmanship and fantastic goalkeeping on the part of their opponent’s goalkeeper, who unsurprisingly was voted the player of the match stood between them and victory in

regulation time.

In the eventual penalty shootout, Muslim High School scored three of their goals while Makun failed to score one.

In the other game, Iko Gateway Grammar School, Idiroko defeated Our Lady of Apostles, Ijebu Ode by a lone goal.

NNPC/Shell Cup Zonal Preliminaries Results uyo Center Abia Imo Rivers Benue

1:1 2:1 0:3 1:1

Ebonyi Abia Enugu Rivers

Ijebu-Ode Center Oyo Edo Lagos Osun

5:0 5:0 5:0 0:1

Kwara Delta Ondo Akwa ibom

Katsina Center Kogi Kebbi Zamfara FCT

4:0 1:2 5:0 3:0

Jigawa Sokoto Jigawa Kaduna

Bauchi Center Borno Niger Plateau Niger

0:0 2:1 0:3 2:1

Yobe Taraba Katsina Plateau

Akande Hopes to Lift Club with Experience as Chairman Table-Tennis Section Newly elected President of the Lagos Country Club, Tajudeen Akande has once again reiterated his pledge to take the club to the next level following his victory in their election held recently. Speaking during an interview in his office at the club, Akande promised a totally overhaul and upgrade of infrastructure at the club. Excerpts....

How are you settling in into your new position?

I'm just trying to get to grip with what is on ground. To be able to move smoothly it's good to have a good understanding of what has happened, so the last couple of days has been to look at documentations and correspondences so that one can be on the same page with the career management people who are here to assist us with day to day operations.

What motivated you into running for the position?

The main motivation is service, selfless service and two, I'll say effective leadership. I've been part of the club, I've been an active member in terms of club activities, not politicking and even I can see where we are as against where some of us thought we ought to be and when in that kind of situation you need to look at why are we where we are now and what do we really need? At this point I believe, as a member of the club prior to the election that the club needs a kind of effective leadership, a leader who will be a team builder and I know I can provide that effectively.

What are your goals and objectives for the club?

The main objective is to accelerate the speed of development.

As a club we have massive facility and infrastructure but they are deteriorating very fast in terms of maintenance or the lack of adequate maintenance, also we have a situation where we need to rebuild our brand reputation. It's not as if the club when compared to other clubs isn't up there, but at times we get complacent and we think we are there so before you know it others overtake you, so my goal first and foremost is to ensure that we take the club as it were back to its pre-eminent elitist position in terms of public perception. We want a situation where no matter the number of clubs you mention in Nigeria, Lagos Country Club will be ranked at the very top, so to achieve that, there are things we need to do. In this tenure there will be a complete overhaul of our physical infrastructure.

So what do you think will be the key to achieving these goals?

The first thing is a buy-in from them to share the vision. We have put this program across to them during the electioneering and I believe the vote is a reflection of how much people believe in that, but we will not stop at that, we will still sell this vision for people to be convinced because we need funds to achieve them, everything that is good comes at a cost, so we will be needing funds.

Do you think the experience of serving as the chairman of the Table-Tennis section has put you in a better position to effect change?

Definitely. When you serve as the chairman of any of the sections, because the same set up you have at the club is what is obtainable at the sections and even there you have closer interactions with the members. It is like we have in the country, a federal system where you have the state and the federal, a state governor has that experience when he comes to the national level on how to manage legislators and the rest. My experience as chairman of one of the sections is of course is an added advantage, I also believe that the level of achievement myself and the team there made might also be a contributing factor to the support I got, because when you are going into election you make promises but with the experiences we’ve had it's difficult to believe promises, you can only make references with promises that has been delivered. So having done that, people have seen the little that one was able to deliver which serves as a good reference point and I think it helped in bringing this massive support.

How would you summarise your time as the chairman of the Table-Tennis section and what are the highlights during your tenure?

There are so many. Even though it is not ideal to assess myself but I finished that assignment over two years ago and I've also had the opportunity to get feedbacks, when you leave people will talk. Generally and with all sense of modesty I want to term that as largely successful and in terms Akande

34

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • June 24, 2017

FEATURES Dokun Adedeji

Taming Drug Abuse in Nigeria

As the United Nations declares June 26 of every year as World Drugs Day, Christ against Drug Abuse Ministry, a non-governmental organisation led by its National Coordinator, Dr. Dokun Adedeji, will stage a walk to increase awareness about the scourge, drug abuse and how to deal with it. Funke Olaode reports

D

rug abuse and addiction is an age-long war that has survived many generations. What are its effects on youths, adults and future generation? And why are government policies to combat the scourge counterproductive? In 2007, reports said the drug trade in the world worth $322 billion and the global trade in cocaine same year was about $95 billion.

Without doubt, many societies still grapple with the effects of drug and there seems to be no end in sight winning the war. Government and its agencies spend fortunes every year battling the use of drugs with some of the wealth that could be utilised to better the lives of citizens.

The fact still remains that the impact drug abuse has on the communities is enormous and the negative effect on the society at large is obvious.

For the past 26 years, Christ against Drug Abuse Ministry (CADAM), a non-governmental organisation founded

by Pastor Odeyemi of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (Ikeja family) has been at the fore front creating awareness on the harms drug abuse and addiction and how it can be tamed.

Buying into the vision of Odeyemi to take drug addicts off the streets and make them a better person is former Chief Medical Director of Cadbury Nigeria Plc., Dr. Dokun Adedeji. Adedeji joined CADAM in 1992 as a member of RCCG. Adedeji’s lives in comfort and life has been good to him. But he has always seen life beyond ‘self’ as he has launched out in the last 25 years helping humanity especially drug addicts. “CADAM started as a Drug Addict Rehabilitation Ministry with the aim to pray for people who have drug issues, families and even go to the hospital to pray. When I joined in 1992 I just felt visitation to selected group of people would not be enough that we shouldn’t wait for people to get into drugs before we get involved. We embarked on advocacy and that was when the scope changed,” he recalled Having redefined the scope of the ministry, Adedeji and his team stormed various drug joints where he cajoled and advised the addicts. The addicts advised him that instead of occasional viitation the team should get a center for then so that they can stay away from joint. In 1996, the NGO got a place somewhere in Epe and started a residential programme where they rehabilitate addicts. “We have acquired three centers now: Two for men and one for women. It is a one year programme fully free boarding. The first six months is treatment and the next six months is for skill acquisition for those who want to learn one thing or the other while students spend only six months.

Even university sent students to us and we rehabilitate them and even write reports giving them a clean bill of health.

These students go back and graduate.

Some of the addicts we pick off the street went back to school and become pastors, lawyers, medical doctors and equally excel in other fields. When they graduate they form an alumni to check on themselves as a support group. Drug addiction is not a limitation but a challenge that can be overcome,” said Adedeji.

The extent at which drugs have eaten deep into the fabric of society according to Adedeji is alarming. “Today, one of the most scary thing for me is the abuse of drugs, substance and addiction. I remember a group of 10 undergraduates were picked and tested randomly, eight

Adedeji

had tested positive to drug abuse. I tell you if they take ten young people in Nigeria today it will be ten over ten who have tasted one form of drug or the other because the type of drugs that are available today is common; prescription drugs, illicit drugs marijuana, cocaine, heroin, the alcohol is the most common and because it is socially acceptable people think it is normal when the drunkard begins to mess up. Normally, you shouldn’t be buying these prescriptions off the counter but in Nigeria reverse is the case. There is one that is even called ‘gegemu’ which is usually planted in the compound to drive away snakes. In one of the universities we visited the students told us that they sometimes cook these ‘gegemu’ leaves such as native herbs and drink or dry the leaves and mix it with drinks.”

For Adedeji, the awareness about drug abuse should not be left in the hands of government agencies or a few NGO alone, but the awareness should be the whole society. Parents must be involved, the larger societies, religious organization, and anywhere where there are a lot of people because it is becoming extremely scary the way it is going.

The identified factors according to Adedeji is peer pressure asw some of these students go to the university mentally unprepared. “You send a 14 or 15 years old to the university where she/he doesn’t know why he is there in the first instance.

Family dysfunction as both parents leave home in the morning seeking for ‘daily bread’ while their wards are left in the care of nanny, domestic staff, drivers. The rate of employment is high as too many young people are doing nothing and as the popular saying that ‘an idle hand is the workshop for the devil.’ For each candidate we see and interview they all have the same reason of how they get into drugs.”

In spite of several measures being made by government to nib this scourge in the bud, Adedeji is of the opinion that the war

is far from being over. “In 2013 Nigeria used to be a transit nation so we thought until we found later that Nigeria is a user nation. What the agencies and international bodies have done is they gave all empowerment in terms of mechanism, infrastructure to NDLEA to arrest people at the airport. So the drug that don’t get out are resident here and still get used.

Sometimes they claim that they destroy them but the ashes still find itself back into the system due to corruption. The NDLEA is a good agency but not empowered enough to handle this. I think the agency has six divisions now Drug Demand Reduction (DDR). It should be enabled because the current reality must change the dynamics of our war against drug.

“NDLEA has become like a government parastatals. There must be an inter-ministerial collaboration; that is the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Employment, Sports and people that share the same relationship to understand the dynamics and fundamental of drugs and what is doing to the society so they can collaborate and work together. There must always be an inter-sectorial collaboration.

Does NDLEA work with NAFDAC? Does it work with Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria? Why it is necessary? Some of these drugs are bought across the counter and overdose of it can lead to addiction and too much addiction or overdose can lead to acute heart attack which can kill within a twinkle of an eye. That is why on Monday June 26 which is declared by United Nations as Drugs Day, CADAM is going to have a short walk from MITV to Ikeja Shoprite down to Lateef Jakande, Cadbury and ACME Road to RCCG in Ikeja starting from 8am in the morning to increase awareness about this looming epidemic.”

Sustaining the ministry to pay the staff and take care of the welfare of its in-house students is by the grace of God. But Adedeji gives kudos to the wife of the General Overseer of The Redeemed

I tell you if they take ten young people in Nigeria today it will be ten over ten who have tasted one form of drug or the other because the type of drugs that are available today is common; prescription drugs, illicit drugs marijuana, cocaine, heroin, the alcohol is the most common and because it is socially acceptable people think it is normal when the drunkard begins to mess up. Normally, you shouldn’t be buying these prescriptions off the counter but in Nigeria reverse is the case Christian Church of God, Pastor (Mrs.) Folu Adeboye who has committed her huge resources both in cash and kind to the ministry. “She is being extremely supportive. Her husband, Pastor Enoch Adeboye gave us the land and his wife Mrs. Adeboye is currently building our permanent rehabilitation center in Araga, Epe with about eight structures so that our students can be a bit comfortable. She is also instrumental to the parent church giving us money every quarter to pay staff, feed the people, cloth them. For instance, we are trying to build a gym center. A friend of mine promised to build a sports center with basketball and volley ball courts. We are trying to get international affiliation and help from kind hearted Nigeria so we can increase our capacity building.”

Does Adedeji find fulfilment in all of this? “This is what has kept me going.

My chairman at Cadbury asked the same question in 2002 when I won an International Cadbury Award, a programme instituted for Cadbury staff across the world called ‘employees’ involvement in community development.’ It gives me absolute satisfaction in the sense that when you see people who have lived under the Ikeja Bridge and turn around and become a good person. When you see them in their offices as lawyers, accountants, doctors. Some of them that are working in CADAM today are graduates of this ministry. These are people that have been writing off and somehow you are part of their stories. It is overwhelming. The most important thing in life is not about money or one’s position but the ability to touch humanity,” he said.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 24, 2017

WRITERS’ WORLD

Differences of Crime, Mystery and Thriller Novels

BISI DANIELS bisi.daniels@thisdaylive.com Blog: www.bisidaniels.com, 08050220700

Many people jumble these genres and their sub-genres up. In this piece for Writers Digest, David Corbetts, the award-winning author of five novels, draws the lines clearly for both writers and readers.

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rebel—therogueindividualparexcellence—evenifhe commandsacrewororganization.

Setting:Thisgenregravitatestowardurbanlocales, butsuburban,ruralandevenwildernesssettingshave allbeenusedtogreateffect.Letthesettinggroundthe moraltheme.

Reversals:Justasthemysterygenre,byfocusing onthesearchfortruth,obligesnumerousreveals,the crimegenre,byfocusingonbattle,obligesnumerous reversals—withtheheroandthevillaintrading knockoutblowsandsufferingserioussetbackstotheir respectiveplans.

hesuspensegenresin particular haveanumberofseemingly hard andfastrulesthat a writerdefiesat hisperil.And yet themost satisfying mysteries, thrillersand crimestories findaway to createa newtakeon thoserulesto fashion something fresh,interesting, original. Here’sa maptohelpyounavigate subgenresubtleties.

Mystery Novels

Bydefinition,amysteryissimply something thatdefiesourusualunderstanding oftheworld.

Inamysterynovel,acrime iscommitted—almost alwaysamurder—andthe action ofthestory is thesolutionofthatcrime:determining who did it andwhy,andobtainingsomeformofjustice. The bestmysterystoriesoftenexploreman’sunique capacityfordeceit—especially self-deceit—and demonstrateahumblerespect forthelimitsofhuman understanding.Thisisusually considered themost cerebral(andleastviolent)ofthesuspensegenres.

Thematicemphasis:Howcan wecometo know thetruth?

Structuraldistinctions:Thebasicplot elementsof themysteryformare: • Thebafflingcrime •Thesingularlymotivated investigator •Thehiddenkiller •Thecover-up(oftenmore important than the crimeitself,asthecover-up iswhat concealsthekiller) •Discoveryandelimination of suspects (in which creatingfalsesuspectsisoften part ofthekiller’splan) •Evaluationofclues(sifting the true from the untrue) •Identificationandapprehension of the killer.

Thriller

Wheremysterystoriesrepresentthemostcerebral ofthethreemajorsuspensegenres,andcrimestories themostdramatic,thrillersaretypicallythemost emotional,focusingonthefear,doubtanddreadof theheroasshefacessomeformofwhatDeanKoontz hasdeemed“terribletrouble.”Thisgenreisahybridof mysteryandhorror.However,thethrilleralsoshares aliterarylineagewiththeepicandmyth.Monsters, terrorandperilprevail.

Thematicemphasis:Thedangerousworldwelive in,thevulnerabilityoftheaverageperson,andthe inherentthreatoftheunknown.

Structuraldistinctions:Theplotoftenproceeds alongtheselines: Adevastatingcrimeisabouttobecommitted,orhas beencommittedwiththethreatofanevenworseone inthewings.

Theperpetratorisknown,buthisguiltisnot absolutelycertain—ortheherowishesnottoaccept thetruthofhisguilt.(Theuncertaintyenhancesthe suspense.)

Theheroisunderconstantattackasshetriesto definitivelyprovetheperpetrator’sguiltand/orstop thenextatrocity.

AdditionalReaderExpectations: TheHero:Giventherelentlessattackthevillain inflicts,andtheemphasisonterroranddread,the thrillerheromustbevulnerable—notjustphysically butpsychologically.

TheVillain:Inthebestthrillers,thevillaineither targetstheherospecificallyfromtheoutsetorlearns throughthecourseofthestorywhathisparticular weaknessesandwantsare,andtargetsthemfor ruthlessattack.

Setting:Whetherassmallasacottageinthewoods oraslargeastheplanet,theworldtheheroseeksto protectrepresentseverythingshevalues.Thestakes areultimate.

Additional Reader Expectations:

TheHero:Whetheracop, a privateeye, a reporter oranamateursleuth,the hero must possessa strong willto seejustice served,often embodied in a code (forexample,HarryBosch’s “Everyone matters or no onematters”inthepopularMichael Connelly series).

Healsooftenpossessesnot just a great mind but great empathy—afascinationnot with crime, perse, but withhumannature.

TheVillain:The crime may bea haplessaccident oranelaboratelystagedritual; it’sthecover-up that unifiesallvillainsinthe actofdeceit. Theattempt to escape justice,therefore,often best personifiesthe killer’smalevolence.The mystery villain isoften a greatdeceiver,ortrickster,and succeedsbecauseshe knowshowtogetothersto believethat what’sfalseis true.

Setting:Althoughmysteriescan takeplace anywhere,theyoftenthematically work well in tranquilsettings—withthe crimepeeling back the maskofcivilitytorevealthe moretroubling reality beneaththe surface.

Reveals:Givenitsemphasison determining the truefromtheuntrue,themystery genrehasmore revealsthananyother—themoreshocking and unexpected,the better.

Mystery Subgenres

• Cozy: Oneofthe ironicstrengthsofthissubgenre isthefactthat,bycreatinga world in which violenceis rare,abloodyactresonatesfarmoreviscerally than it wouldinamore urbanordisordered setting.

ReaderExpectations:Aunique and engaging protagonist.Thecrimeshould beclever, requiring ingenuityorevenbrillianceon thehero’spart to solve.

Secondarycharacterscanbecoarse, but neverthe hero—orthe author.Justicetriumphsin theend, and theworldreturnstoitsoriginal tranquility.

• Hard-boiled: Thehero isa cop orPI, tough and capable.The moralviewisoften that ofhard-won experienceinthe service ofinnocenceordecency. The herotendstobemore world-weary than bitter—but thaticecangetslippery.

ReaderExpectations:Astrong hero who can “walk themeanstreetsbutwhois not himselfmean,” as RaymondChandleronceput it. Thestyleisoften brisk andsimple,reflectingthe unpretentiousnatureofthe hero,whoisintelligentbutnot necessarily learned.

• Police Procedural: Acousin to thehard-boiled

Thriller Subgenres

subgenre, with the unitor precincttakingover for the lonecop.

Reader Expectations: Much like the hard-boiled detective story, butwith a larger castandspecialfocus on police tactics, squad-room psychology, stationhousepolitics, andthe tensions between the police and politicians, the media andthe citizenry.

• Medical, Scientific or Forensic Mystery: Arefinementof the police procedural in which theprotagonists—doctors, medicalexaminers, forensicpathologists or other technical experts—use intelligence andexpertise, notguns, as their weapons.

Reader Expectations: Similar to the police procedural, with extra emphasis on the physical details ofanalyzingunusualevidence.

• Legal or Courtroom Drama: The crime is seen through the eyes of the lawyers prosecutingor defendingthe case.

Reader Expectations:Ameticulous renderingof criminal courtprocedure andpolitics, alongwith how policeandprosecutors worktogether (or don’t).

Crime

In this genre the focus is on the contestof wills betweenthe lawman hero andthe outlaw opponent, and their differingviews of moralityandthe aspects of society theyrepresent. The greatestcrime stories deal with a moralaccountingon the partof the hero for his entirelife, or provide some new perspective on the tension between societyandthe individual.

Thematic emphasis: Whatisajustsociety?The storyworldof the novel is outofbalance,somewhere between a state of nature (wherechaosprevailsand those with moneyand/or gunswieldpower)and a police state (where paranoia prevailsandthestate monopolizes power). The herohopesinsomewayto rectifythatimbalance.

Other moralthemes can includethechallenge of decency, honor andintegrityinacorruptworld; individual freedom versus lawandorder;andthe tension between ambition andobligationstoothers.

Structural distinctions: Thereisseldomany “mystery” as to who the criminalis.Typicallythe storystarts with a brilliantor daringcrime,andthena cat-and-mouse game of wits andwillensues,withthe tension createdbythe increasingintensityofthebattle between the opponents. The underlyingquestionis: Will the cops prevail before theopponentstageshis nextcrime?

Given the similarityto war andactionstories,the prose often tends towardthe naturalistic.

AdditionalReader Expectations: The Hero: Usuallya tough andcapablecop(or vigilante) who believes in the societyshedefends despite its flaws, the crime fictionheroisoftenseen as an outcastbutis revealedto bethemostmorally engagedcharacter in the story.

The Villain: Routinelya toughandbrilliantcriminal who considers the system riggedandthesociety inherentlyflawed, he is often akindofLuciferian

EpicThriller:Thisusuallyconcernsthethreatof somecatastropheaffectingwholecommunities,cities, countries,eventheplanet.Thethreatneednotbe totaldevastation—theassassinationofaleaderwill do—buttheeffectoftheactionmustbeprofound.

Thevillaincanbeaterrorist,adiabolicalgenius,or anordinarypersonwithanoversizedgrudgeanda uniquecapacityfordamage.

Giventhescopeofthethreat,theprotagonistmust possesstheskillstodefeatthevillain,andthusisoftena soldier,aspy,atrainedassassin,acop,oracivilianwith aspecialskillset.Theactionisbrisk,evennonstop,and theclimaxneedstobeboththoroughlyforeshadowed (weneedtoknowthebasicparametersofthethreat allalong,andthemeasuresbeingtakentostopit)and unexpected(plottwistsarenotoptional—they’re required).Thisisapull-out-all-the-stopsgenre.

•PsychologicalThriller/Suspense:Herethe threatisstilldiabolicalbutmorecontained,even intimate—usuallytargetingtheprotagonistand/orhis family—andtheheroisoftenarelatively“ordinary” man,womanorchild.Thepacingisabitmore deliberate,toreflecttheordinaryperson’sdifficulty understandingtheexactnatureofthethreat—andthe enemy—andthenstrugglingtorespond.Thethirdact, however,movesbriskly.

•SupernaturalThriller:Thissubgenreis somethingofahybrid,inthatthenemesispresentsan overwhelmingthreat—hemightbeSatanhimself— andyetthatthreatisoftenfocusedonasinglesoulor amerefew,ratherthanthewholeofmankind,atleast withinthestory.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •JUNE 24, 2017

FAIRGROUND

Nigerian Creative Community at US Consul General’s Residence

with

AZUKA OGUJIUBA

azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

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t is no longer news that the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, W. Stuart Symington and Consul General F. John Bray met with key stakeholders in Nigeria’s entertainment industry, recently. The event was put together by a talent agency known as Temple Management Company (TMC) at the residence of the US ConsulGeneral residence in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Some of the activities of the evening included a spectacular performance by ex-MTN Project Fame winner, Jeff Akoh, who was accompanied by an acoustic band. Some creative minds in attendance, who mingled with US officials included actress Joke Silva, Eddie Lawani, musician Ade Bantu, BBN runner-up Bisola, actor OC Ukejie, rappers Falz and Phyno, actresses Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Rukky Sanda and Yinka Davis. Others were: playwright (Heartbeat) and screenwriter (The Wedding Party) Tosin Otudeko, singers Iyanya, Darey Art-Alade, Jeff Akoh and Sound Sultan, Comedian Bovi; beauty entrepreneur, Lola OJ, screen darlings Mimi Onalaja and Bolanle Olukanni and several from the visual arts community, Logor and, Tennis sensation, MaryLove Edwards was also in attendance.

Speaking at the event, the US Ambassador urged the creative sector to tell stories that put Africa in a positive light. He pointed out that intellectual property, not oil, not gas was the true strength of our people. “I have travelled the length and breadth of this great counTemple Management Company and Ayo Durodola of Public Affairs, US consulate General try, from Maiduguri to Lagos, from Kebbi to Calabar, and there are fantastic stories to tell,” Ambassador Symington said. “You are all in a unique position to carry the torch for this continent.”

Temple Management CEO, Idris Olorunnimbe, gave a vote of thanks in which he acknowledged the US Consul General’s foresight in recognising the increasingly influential role of the burgeoning creative sector. “This has been a fruitful evening,” Olorunnimbe said. “Many of the Ambassador’s words foreshadowed the reasons why Temple was set up in the first place. We simply have to tell our own stories.” Young artist, Fola David, renowned for his speed painting skill, created an illustration of the famed Lagos statue of the “Three Wise Men,” popularly referred to as ‘Ere Meta.’

Attendant guests were transfixed on the canvas as the artist crafted his latest piece – upside down! The Temple Management Company later presented the portrait to the US Ambassador on behalf of the creative community.

These were the faces at the event.

Bolanle Olukanmi and Bovi Darey and Bisola

Tboss and Omotola

Yemi Blaq, Zizi Cardow and a friend

Falz and TBoss

Tee-Y Mix

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •JUNE 24, 2017

The Lagos Leather Fair

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he Nigerian leather industry has steadily contributed an estimated N85 billion annually to Nigeria’s GDP since 2009. Besides the formal exports to the European market, the sector is expected to contribute an estimated N12 billion in informal exports to West Africa annually.

Nigeria has a thriving export market; the skin of Nigeria’s red Sokoto goat commands a premium in the international market, especially in Italy. With a large domestic and regional animal population, all of the resources for tanning and producing leather are available locally.

The strategic utilisation of these resources could see Nigeria greatly increase its market share of the global leather and leather goods market worth $72 billion.

The Lagos Leather Fair is a purely private initiative dreamed up a few years ago in a bid to address the persistent and considerable challenges which continue to affect the Nigerian leather industry.

The time had come to find out why Nigeria’s leather industry with so much potential to become the second major

foreign exchange earner after the oil and gas industry was lagging behind.

“On paper, it was obvious that to ensure a secure future for the leather goods industry, the fundamentals of a large raw material supply chain, skilled labour and appropriate machinery had to be put in place.”

Beyond that there is an urgent need to operate more efficiently and be more innovative and technologically savvy.

It has become absolutely essential to put in place the appropriate structures along the entire value chain, from raw material, to retail in order to become more productive and competitive. We knew for sure that we certainly could not continue to lag behind in the areas of research and development, product finishing, innovation, logistics, marketing and branding.

“This is why I founded The Lagos Leather fair, to bring together major players and stakeholders in the leather value chain in order to start a necessary conversation to move the sector forward and to act,” said Femi Olayebi, Founder of Femo Handbags & the Lagos Leather Fair.

FAIRGROUND

L-R: Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal FRSC, Hon Rotimi Amaechi and Chris Kehinde Nwandu

Chibuike Amaechi Delivers 1st CKN News Annual Lectures

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he Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi delivered the 1st CKN News annual lecture in Lagos with the theme ‘The Role of Social Media in the SocioEconomic and Political Development of Nigeria.’

According to the organisers, the objectives of the lecture were: to provide a platform for intellectual discuss on issues of national importance; to create an avenue for cross fertilisation of ideas on topical issues as it affects blogging and online media practice; to act as a forum to set agenda on topical socio-economic and political issues to create an avenue for online practitioners/bloggers to meet and exchange notes on how to improve their practice.

The CKN News Annual

Lecture, which held last week at Renaissance, Ikeja Hotel, also had in attendance Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC as the Special Guest of honor. The Keynote Speaker was Prof. Umar Danbatta, the EVC Nigerian Communications Commission, who was represented

by Mr. Tony Ojobo, the Director, Public Affairs of NCC. The event also featured a paper delivered by the Editor –in-Chief of The Oracle Newspaper, Mr. Ikeddy Isiguzo. The Editorin Chief of CKN News, Chris Kehinde Nwandu (CKN) said his online platform organised the lecture in order to address critical issues relating to blogging and online publication in Nigeria and in Africa as a whole. He confirmed that Yemisi Oladapo (Founder Siod Leather), Segun Awolowo (Executive Director CEO, NEPC), Muni Shonibare (Founder of IO Furniture), the event would be held Femi Olayebi (Founder, Femi Handbags & The Lagos Leather Fair) and Folake Coker (Founder, Tif annually.

Faith Women Fellowship Ministry Celebrates 31Years Anniversary

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aith Women Fellowship Ministry Int’l Inc., ‘FWF’ celebrated its 31years anniversary tagged ‘31 years of Uncommon Favour’, recently at her National Headquarters Auditorium No.1BAlhassan Idoko Avenue Old GRA, Makurdi, Benue State. Dignitaries and guests ranging from Ministers of the gospel, and women across all social status and ethnic groups all gathered under the auspices of Faith Women Fellowship Ministry to honour and appreciate the Almighty God for sustaining the vision and keeping alive the President and Founder of the Ministry.

The President, Evangelist Lydia Idoko JP in her address, welcomed all the guests and members of the Fellowship. She also thanked God for the sustenance of the Ministry and for keeping her alive despite all odds.

Speaking on the ministry’s humble beginning, Evangelist Lydia Idoko JP stated that “By divine inspiration and leading of the Holy Spirit, I was given a divine mandate to serve God through Faith Women Fellowship with a divine instruc-

tion which is to “Teach Women their Spiritual Duties in the Home, Church and in the Society thereby promoting Godly Love, Peace and Unity”. I received this mandate precisely on 29th May 1986 in Makurdi, Benue State where the Ministry’s National Headquarter is located.

“Our aims and objectives are to preach the undiluted word of God, to teach to promote Godly love peace and unity in homes, churches and in the society and to encourage members to live practical Godly and peaceable life among others.”

On expansion, she said “By the special grace of God the Ministry as the first indigenous Christian Women Ministry in Nigeria has branches in some states of the federation and its members cut across all social status and Church Denomination.”

On her experience, the President of the Ministry highlighted various colourful experiences which she likened to be that of Joseph’s coat of many colours. But in all these experiences God Almighty delivered her and the ministry from all agents of the evil one and from all the malignant ways of the wicked. “God has been

our succor,” she concluded. She emphasised that Almighty God had been their succour all these years showing them uncommon favour and by His unspeakable grace, will continue to increase the tentacles of the ministry, protect and preserve her and her family, the ministry and her congregation. She said she was grateful to God, her family, family friends and members who believed in her and in the Ministry. She appreciated them for standing by her and for their moral and financial support all these fateful years and especially since 31st March 1999 when God’s sovereignty prevailed in her home.

Guests at the event include ProfessorArmstrong Matiu Adejo, who spoke on ‘BuildingYour Faith For Exploits’.

He commended the President of the Ministry for her resilience and total allegiance to her call to serve humanity through the noble ministry all these years with enthusiasm and devotedness. The second Speaker, Dr. Mrs. Ene Ada Nwaforji admonished on ‘Living a Evangelist Lydia Idoko Healthy life Spiritual and Physical.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • June 24, 2017

June 24, 2017 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •June 24, 2017

ENCOUNTER Igbo

Insurance Broking Sector is Now Sanitised Patronage of the Nigerian insurance industry is adjudged to be of low. In this interview with Kasie Abone, the Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Insurance Brokers Ltd, Anselem Igbo, provides insight into insurance and brokerage in Nigeria

I

mprovement in the marketing communications strategies by insurance industry operators has been attributed to be responsible for the sanity that exists in the industry today. According to the Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic IBTC Insurance Brokers, Mr. Anselem Igbo, stakeholders in the last 10 years have improved on the marketing and communication strategy to positively position the insurance industry for better penetration. He however added that more still needs to be done in terms of communication, public enlightenment and marketing strategy.

Speaking further on the importance of communication in the industry Igbo told ThisDay, “Considering the cost intensive nature for effective communication, I believe we will get more result if public education on the importance of insurance and the communication strategy is done collectively as an industry agenda rather than individual companies doing it on their own. The industry both brokers and insurers should have a strategic communication plan in letting the insuring public know their contribution to the economy. An average Nigerian still has the impression that insurance companies do not pay claim put in reality this is not the case considering the number of insurance claims paid by the industry.”

He maintained that continuous enlightenment of the public and a strategic communication plan would encourage insurance patronage. In addition he suggested “Also insurance should be included at a very early stage of school curriculum even at the primary school level. The major sector of the industry that is affected by this is the life arm of the industry for most African community talking about death is a taboo but the truth of the matter is that death is a necessary end which must come when it will come. We need to use the traditional means of communication together with the modern means of communication to correct the perception concerning insurance. Also we need to concentrate more on the retail segment of the market, in a situation where most insurers and brokers have their offices in the major cities with no presence in the local areas the insurance penetration will continue to be low. We need to learn from the development in the telecommunication industry and the revolution that took place in the banking industry.”

To a casual observer, the Nigerian insurance market appears saturated yet his company entered the market. Igbo explained on what informed his company’s action. “The holding company Stanbic IBTC Holdings prides itself as an end-to-end financial service provider, before Stanbic IBTC Insurance Brokers the holding company had presence in banking, asset management, pension, trustees, stockbroking and bureaux de change. The coming of insurance brokerage company completed the chain in our drive to be the leading end-to-end financial services provider in Nigeria. The above notwithstanding, we observed a major gap in the insurance

Igbo

value chain mostly on lack of trust and the low insurance penetration. Stanbic IBTC Insurance Brokers therefore came into being to correct some of the existing negative perception concerning insurance, restore public confidence and reassure the insuring public that insurance has huge benefits and pays.”

In entering the market Igbo said his company was committed to setting a standard that would redefine insurance business in Nigeria and drive penetration. “It is important that we distinguish our role as an insurance broker from that of an underwriting house. We are into distribution of insurance products and the only way we can distinguish our service is by partnering with only reputable insurance companies that have the ability to pay claim. In as much as we will not bend the rules our vision is that within three years of operation we will win the confidence of the insuring public to see us as a reliable partner that they can trust in placing their insurable interest with insurance companies.”

He further stated that “One of our strategic intent is to become the market leader within the next five years. From our impressive outing within our first year of operation and the market acceptability we have received I have no doubt that we will emerge a market leader in the insurance broking segment in less than ten years. We have a strong brand to build on and within a small space of time it is very clear to the insurance industry what we stand for.

We will follow the leadership pattern of other members of Stanbic IBTC Holdings.”

Explaining the range of services offered by Stanbic IBTC Insurance Brokers he added “we are licensed by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) to act as insurance broker in General and life business. With this licence we are allowed to deal with both short term and long term insurance products which include motor insurance, marine insurance, group personal accident, group life, all classes of individual life, property insurance aviation insurance, goods in transit and so on.”

Stanbic IBTC Insurance Brokers, he explained, is well positioned to offer these services to its insurance consuming public because of its strong footing as a member of the Standard Bank Group. According to Igbo “Being the youngest member of the Standard Bank Group has gone a long way to enhancing our acceptability in the insurance industry, February this year was our first year anniversary since we obtained our operational license from NAICOM but Stanbic IBTC insurance Brokers is now a household name in the Nigeria insurance market we are being looked up to for leadership in the market.

All this were made possible because of the international exposure we have by being a member of Standard Bank Group. On regular basis members of the team have the opportunity of being exposed to international best practises

through various avenues like trainings, sharing knowledge and experience from more advanced clime with better insurance penetration within Standard Bank Group operations.”

Asked to appraise the insurance industry in an environment like Nigerian grappling with multiple challenges of economic recession and development, Igbo offered that insurance business thrives during recession and out of recession as those claims which were ordinarily neglected were made during recession. In his words “The insurance industry is functional in both ways, in the period of prosperity there is more disposable income as a result there will be extra resources to buy insurance.

Also during recession as we are in now people see insurance as the last resort.

From available statistics more claims are paid during recession as most claims that were overlooked in a buoyant economy are now reported to the insurance companies. There is no doubt that insurance thrives more when the standard of living is high but insurance is also more desired when thing are not looking up.”

On the industry’s reform, Igbo was asked whether he had noticed any gaps that require further reforms to enable the industry operate more effectively.

He had this to say “We have a dynamic regulator who is already thinking ahead by positioning to implement a risk based underwriting firm and also allow mergers and acquisition to naturally take place without regulatory inducement. Also the insurance broking sector is now sanitised in the sense that is no longer business as usual most broking firms now take their regulatory reporting more seriously and remitting the premium collected from the insuring public as stipulated by the insurance Act. Having said that there is still more room for improvement but we have to bear in mind that the sector is still at a very fragile stage.”

Asked whether he would subscribe to the emplacement of insurance policies that make certain categories of products mandatory so as to enhance local content and manpower development, Igbo who threw his weight on local content policy was quick to add that insurance business was an international business. He averred that “In as much as I support the local content policy to develop the local market, insurance generally is an international business from marine insurance to aviation insurance and more importantly the reinsurance market. However in most cases we don’t have the capacity.

NAICOM is very strict on ensuring that all risk are exhausted at the local market before placing abroad the truth of the matter is that because of the low entry point of N3billion most insurance companies take a limited proportion on aviation and oil and gas business.

The re-insurance treaty may also not be robust enough to enable them take a higher percentage of the risk. In terms of manpower you will be amazed that we have some of the finest insurance practitioners in Nigeria but you still find greater percentage of the special risk been placed in UK market.

JUNE 24, 2017 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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FASHION FILE

RetroReligion Collection – the Unisex Retroholic Series with “Reliving the 90s

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FASHION FILE

RetroReligion Collection

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ast season, fast fashion label - Retro Religion debuted its premium line called Gold by Retro Religion( @goldbyretroreligion )with their nostalgic collection that celebrated one of 90’s fashion’s most iconic trend that has outlived the concept of season and fashion recycling:The Prints!

The luxe ready-to-wear label has flagged its most recent range with a simple yet precise campaign fueled by the emotions stitched to the hems of 90’s pop culture movement.

According to the label’s creative head Folakemi Awobotu - “Gold

by Retro Religion celebrates the unforgettable glorious days of the 90’s in more luxe textures and visually engaging designs” From Nostalgia to Reliving the 90’s on a more hipster note, our collections are transitional, embodying the mood of our philosophy as a brand. From loose fit shirts to easy comfy tunics, Gold by Retro Religion plays with the emotions of the 90’s and affords the wearer the accessibility to give its own style translation.

Campaign Credit Creative Director: Folakemi Awobotu @fiolakemi_ Photography Tope Adenola @tope_horpload Art direction/Styling Merlot & Cole (@merlot.cole) Models Niran Jeje (@snoozig), Teminikan (@teminikan_), Chinedu Johnson (@chichilz) Makeup/hair Adewale (@beautybyade)

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 24, 2017

By Azuka Ogujiuba azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • june 24, 2017

MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fashogbon... 08033621009

A cross section of LG Electronics staff led by the Managing Director LG Electronics West Africa operations Mr. Taeick Son, and other top management staff of the company after a clean-up exercise to mark the world environment day at Hermitage beach resort in Lagos recently.

Director of Co-Curricular Science and Technology, Education District IV,Lagos, Mrs Abimbola M.O ; Chairperson of Live Abundantly Empowermemt Initiative, Prince Gbenga Oguntayo; Chairman, Lagos State Civil Service Commission, Mrs Adeyinka Oyemade; Founder, Live Abundantly Empowerment Initiative, Dr Ama Onyerinma and Permanent Secretary, Lagos Education District IV,Mrs Lola Are-Adegbite during the 11th Annual Merit Award Ceremony organised by Lagos Education District IV in Lagos...recently

‘The Unofficial Christmas Party’ Ready to Fete Nigerian Workers Organisers of the biggest corporate party in Nigeria, The Unofficial Christmas Party, TUCP, has rolled out programme for the 2017 end-of-theyear outing billed for December 15.

According to the facilitator of the annual event, the initiative was borne out of the need to motivate employees and clients to remain committed to an organisation needed for its growth and development.

It is a shared end-of-year celebration for corporates and offers business owners a convenient platform to reward their staff with a high-production-value Christmas party, saving them the stress and hassle of arranging such in-house.

Speaking at a breakfast meeting to

IPI Solutions Bags International Award Information Technology Company and Microsoft Cloud solutions provider, IPI Solutions Nigeria Limited, has added another award to its collection as it bagged an international recognition at the 31st International Quality Convention held in New York, USA. Organised by Business Initiative Directions, BID, the award ceremony was designed to appreciate organisations and business moguls that gives value to quality.

Amidst other awardees in different categories, IPI Solutions bagged the “Gold Category in Business Prestige and Business Excellence” for its commitment to quality management and leadership style.

According to the President and Chief Executive Officer of BID, Jose F. Prieto, the initiative focused on spreading quality culture through the quality mix plan and the International BID Award for quality in several countries across the world.

“BID’s QC100 Total Quality Management (TQM) standard is a quality management model captured in the BID 100 points of quality program that gives a detailed approach to permanent supervision of company efforts focused on achieving excellence. The goal is to create total company awareness in which each and every person is able to do it better. In order to achieve this goal, they must accept the commitment to fulfil the guidelines set by the BID 100 points’ quality.

“The BID QC100 focuses on the management of the communication structure between companies and their clients, organisations and their end-users, as well as suppliers and workers, which enable managers to effectively implement their lines of business,” he said.

While congratulating the award winners, Prieto stated that lPI solutions was subjected to rigorous evaluation and analysis carried out through quality management leaders, leading entrepreneurs and experts in quality as directed by BID.

announce preparations for the 4th edition of the bash which will hold at the Landmark Centre, Lagos, Lead producer, TUCP, Funmi Victor Okigbo assured that this year’s event would be more rewarding and glamorous.

“The whole idea is to meet the demands of small and medium scale businesses, which cannot afford to host their workers on an expensive end of the year party. This year promises to get bigger; go global and would be on the corporate calendars of every business.

“Our past events proved really beneficial for those who attended, giving them an opportunity to network and share knowledge and experiences

with peers. We’ve already had lots of excellent feedback on our plans for 2017 and are looking forward to producing the biggest corporate party of the year,” she stated.

While addressing Chief Executive Officers, corporate executives and entrepreneurs at the meeting, Okigbo unveiled the theme of this year’s programme as “Party En Blanc” (All White party).

In his words, Chief Executive Officer of HC Bonum, Mr. Lanre Onasanya emphasised the importance of client and team recognition in achieving corporate objectives.

“All organisations are making the stringent measurement and effective

Indomie Mulls National Spelling Bee Competition, Revels Lagos Champion Lead sponsor of the Spelling Bee competition in Lagos State, Dufil Prima Foods, makers of Indomie noodles, has lauded the winner of the 2017 Lagos State spelling bee competition, Miss Zoffun Bukola, for the exceptional brilliance displayed during the competition just as it urged authorities to make the event national.

According to the company, the contest would be more interesting and gain more attention if efforts are directed towards accommodating the entire 36 states of the country, such that there is Nigerian Spelling Bee competition, where winners could be selected on national basis.

Bukola, 13, beat other 112 finalists from the six educational districts in Lagos State to emerge the 17th winner of the competition which has fetched her a life time scholarship in her educational pursuits.

In addition to the scholarship prize, the 13-year old winner who is a student of Awodiora Senior Secondary School, also went away with N250,000 cash prize, a trophy, an all-expense paid trip to Finland and the 2017 one day Governor in Lagos State.

The Group Managing Director of Dufil Prima Foods Plc., Mr. Deepak Singhal commended Lagos State government for the sustainability of the initiative as well as the 2017 champion whose success he said was enviable and worth celebrating.

He said, “Her ability to win the competition showed that anything is achievable and we believe that her

story would motivate and inspire other young people especially those limited by their background or other factors. Bukola’s sterling performance should tell our children and indeed all of us that our success lies on our strong determination and not by our background.

Also speaking, Group Public Relations and Events Manager of Indomie, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, stated that the company was proud to have associated with such an educational initiative which was believed to be the bedrock of development in the country.

“In addition to the prize from the state, we will also be hosting the one day governor who has automatically become Indomie brand ambassador in our office soonest, while the last six contestants will enjoy our product supply for a period of one year”, he stated.

Asiwaju also pledged that the company would continue to support the initiative as long as it was sustained and other educational projects that would stir development in the country.

Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Mr. Lanre Ogunyemi, explained that the challenge aimed to develop the innate skills of pupils and students, adding that it had been able to fulfil the ultimate goal of creating healthy rivalry among students as well as drawing out their intellectual capabilities.

use of recognition as a way to boost employee engagement at the end of the year.

TUCP has become a great platform for this, providing an environment where you can network with fellow professionals, treat clients to a unique experience and most importantly, bond with employees in a relaxed environment to help drive growth and positive outcomes for both employees and organisations alike.

Last year, over 50 organisations stormed the event which had scintillating performances from A-list stars including: Bez, Adekunle Gold, Sir Shina Peter and Brenda among others.

Partner Mobile Storms Market with PS 3 As part of activities to mark its first year in the Nigerian market, Partner Mobile, has launched a new smart device, PS 3.

The latest device is coming to the market to consolidate on the innovative ingenuity of the brand following the success of PS1, PS2 and PS Power.

Partner Mobile’s PS3, an android OS 7.1 mobile phone flaunts a whooping deca-core 2.6GHz processor and 5.5inch FHD IPS LCD. The device comes with an innovative dual 13MP back camera and an 8MP front camera.

It has a 3350Mah battery and comes with a RAM of 4GB and a ROM of 64GB. Speaking on the firm’s achievement in the past one year, its Chief Operating Officer, Simon Klepper said the brand had been successful despite the economic challenges in the Nigerian environment.

Klepper attributed the success of the brand to true commitment and perseverance shown by the company. He added that company in the coming years would deeply penetrate the Nigerian market and also establish itself as a reputable company in the country.

“Partner Mobile’s first year in the Nigerian market has got to be viewed as a success.

The last year has been a challenging one for the whole of Nigeria with the current dwindling economy, the decreasing value of the Naira and political change.

“For any company to launch itself under such conditions it has to show true commitment and perseverance; Partner Mobile has displayed these qualities,” Klepper said.

On the quantity of devices already released into the Nigerian market, Klepper said, “We released three android phones at the launch last year and quickly followed them up with a straight forward feature phone. The PF1 proved so popular that over the last three months we have released similar models of increasing specifications, the PF2, PF3, PF4 and a heavy duty PF-P1 with the capability of a power bank.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •JUNE 24, 2017

44

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Tosin Clegg

07062816737 e-mail: tosinclegg@hotmail.com

ATTITUDE

I Grew Up Surrounded By Music

Attitude, whose real name is Destiny Eghomwanre, he grew up listening to various genres of music andbeganaprofessionalmusicalcareerat15,signedontoTimaya’sDemMamaRecords.Hereleased a single titled A ‘ zonto,’an instant hit. In this interview with Tosin Clegg, he talks about his music Growing up and educational background y real name is Destiny Eghomwnare. I’m from Benin City, Edo State.

I am the last child in a family of four. I went to primary and secondary schools in Benin City and then moved to Lagos. I grew up surrounded by music; my older ones played a lot of music and I fell in love with the different sounds.

I started writing and recording songs at 11 Professionally, I would say when I got signed on by Timaya at age 15. I am inspired by different music genres and sounds, so I can make music in different genres. If I had to choose a genre, it would be Afro-pop, because my music is a fusion of hip-hop, afrobeat and pop

M

The name ‘Attitude’ It has nothing to do with my character. Just before I got signed, my friends and I randomly selected the name out of many that we had come up with when I was trying to choose what my stage name would be.

Working with Timaya The experience was a major blessing. Timaya was the beginning of my career as a musician.

He put out my first ever single titled, ‘Azonto’ and featured me on the remix of “All the way.” I am forever grateful for that. He still gives me a listening ear and teaches me new stuffs every time I go to him.

My Inspiration I don’t believe that any two persons have the same life’s experiences. I also try to create sounds that are very original, and straight from my heart.

What I’m Working On I can’t wait for everyone to hear it. My musical influences and mentors are P Square, 2baba, Wizkid and Don Jazzy. I’m currently signed to Achievas Entertainment and it’s been great working with them.

My Collaborations I have worked with quite a number of talented artistes and producers; Reekado Banks, Falz, DJ Consequence, Ycee, Egarboi, Mayorkun, Kris Beats and more.

It’s been a blessing and I am thankful.

Challenges and Successes

Attitude

The major challenge I had then was to get a record deal but all thanks to God now I have that and my journey is just getting started.

The Nigerians music industry We are growing every day.

Nigerians music is evolving. The

whole world is listening to us now. A few years from now, we will definitely be doing better than we are doing right now.

Our hustle and our sound will push our music out I can say that even American artistes are tapping into Afrobeats

now because they know we are the future and the future is now.

My Future In five years, by the special grace of God, I will be selling out stadia and arenas, with great endorsements. Basically, I will be living my dreams.

45

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •JUNE 24, 2017

SHOWBIZFLAIR

MY STORY OLAMIDE ADENUGA GETS TRAIL BLAZER AWARD Olamide Adenuga was recently honoured with the “Trail Blazer award” by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Diaspora, Benin Chapter. The award organisers said it was in recognition of the many good things Adenuga is doing like his contribution to the development of society, particularly in the area of youth development through his conferences and seminars on leadership development, human capital development and entrepreneurship development.

“He inspires people to see the good in themselves, to make the best of their lives, and to get in touch with the greatness within them.”

Adenuga is a Nigerian who believes that the right mentality can power anyone to success; a man who is out to transform people and places he comes in contact with. He also speaks at university campuses and secondary schools. He is a writer, T.V Host and Blogger who has addressed youth groups across the country and is

EVA MARIAM BANJO

I Am Flexible

Eva Mariam Banjo, an ex-model, who broke into limelight in 2012. In this chat with Tosin Clegg, talks about modeling, her career and more

be a Personal Effectiveness columnist in Ovation International Magazine, and the Publisher of Plush Magazine. He is a Television host with his motivational

blessed with the ability to effectively multitask.

Lamide has featured on radio and television shows severally. He used to

LAGOS CELEBRATES WORLD MUSIC DAY WITH KSA, OMAWUMI, OTHERS Showgear Limited and its partners had the city of Lagos join the world on 21 June 2017 to celebrate Make Music Day (World Music Day). For the 2017 edition, the Make Music Lagos team rose the bar by adding more venues bringing the total number of concert venues to 10 with over 200 performances. And in keeping with the spirit of Make Music Day, all events were Free and open to the public to attend. In addition to concerts, the 2017 edition included the following events: Mass Appeal which brought together musicians to make music in large, single instrument groups on the 18th of June 2017 at the Ikeja City Mall.

There was also Street Studios which brought DJs and producers out of their studios into select MML venues on the 21st of June 2017 to interact with the public who stopped by to sing, play an instrument, record audio, and become part of a spontaneous and collaborative

production of original music. This year’s event was in partnership with Rotimikeys Learn to Play which offered free music lessons for beginners, lapsed players or old pros looking to learn new tricks. Headline acts were King Sunny Ade, Omawumi, Bez, Johnny Drille, Ric Hassani and Wole Oni. Partnering with Showgear in producing Make Music Lagos 2017 were Reveal Audio & Acoustics, Darliza Makeovers, IPC Events, Live & Studio, The Bayo Omisore, The Audio Age Company, Alien Nation & Vivace Records.

Host partners were Domino’s Pizza, Cold Stone Creamery,

GOSPEL ARTISTE KICK OFF HALLELUJAH CHALLENGE

Ikeja City Mall, Federal Palace Hotel (Balmoral), Ozone Cinemas, Freedom Park & Bogobiri; while the media partners were African Movie Channel (AMC), Bella Naija, Cool FM,Wazobia FM, Pulse.ng, RED TV.

RED UMBRELLA CHARITY WALK

W

ho is Mariam Banjo?

I am a native of Ogun State but based in Lagos. I am a flexible person and a good thinker. My interests are cooking, music and reading. I also love adventure, travelling and meeting people.

When did your career start?

I started modelling when I was about 18 years old. I was introduced to modelling by a friend and it was quite fun and a bit stressful, I must say. I’ve modelled for MTN and some other fashion brands in the past and I was the second runner up of Miss Ekimogun cultural beauty pageant in 2012.

What are you doing now?

At the moment, I am an entrepreneur, the CEO of Eva’s Shawarma & Grill. We make shawarma, grilled chicken, smoothies, cocktails, sandwiches, etc. Eva’s Shawarma & Grill is an establishment with a whole new dimension to catering.

The last two weeks have been evolving on social media as renowned gospel artiste, Nathienel Bassey kicked off his One-Hour Hallelujah Challenge and started a trend on ‘Olowogboboro’. It’s been buzz-worthy and impacting. The Gospel Act has been able to prove the power and positive energy that can be gotten from singing in unity.

Nigeria once again joined the rest of the world to commemorate the 2017 World Sickle Cell Day – June 19 – as designated by the United Nations to draw attention and create necessary awareness to the problems posed by sickle cell disorder. The Coalition of Sickle Cell NGOs in Lagos State, comprising Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria, Sickle Cell Advocacy and

Management Initiaitve (SAMI), Dabma Foundation, Genotype Foundation, Tony May Foundation, Sickle Cell Aid Foundation (SCAF), Couple and Kids Initiative, Marvel Sickle Cell Foundation,Crimsonbow Sickle Cell Initiative, Noah’s Ark Foundation, Soulage Foundation, Nirvana Initiative and KALFoundation, organized a charity walk with the theme “SCD:

Who are your role models?

My role model is Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija. She is hardworking and inspires me a whole lot and I love her philanthropic nature. My mentor is my mother, Mrs. Peace Banjo. I would say she carved me into who I am today. I cannot thank her enough.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I’m really passionate and committed to what I do and five years down the road I see myself being a big player in the hospitality business.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •JUNE 24, 2017

46

NEWSXTRA

In Brief

'Lack of Equity, Justice Breed Agitations'

The President of Evangelical ChurchWinning All (ECWA) Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Gadohasblamedtherisingcallsforsecessionbysomesectionsofthecountry onthelackofequityindistributionofnationalwealth,politicalappointments as well as lopsided employment by the federal government. Gado stated the position of the church in a press statement in Jos yesterday.The cleric, who noted that the church would not support any move to dismembered thecountry,expressedconfidencethatNigerianswillbebettertogether.He urgedthefederalgovernmenttomovefasttoarresttheprevailingagitations for self-rule and keep the country one. According to the statement, "The attentionofECWAhasbeendrawntoarecentthreatandnoticeofeviction toallIgbosresidinginthenorthofNigeriaissuedbyagroupofArewaYouth who we believe are doing the bidding of some northern elders seeking to foment trouble.

Na'Abba, Uduaghan for Asthma Confab

DEVELOPMENT MINDED...

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (middle) with the state's Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Mr Solomon Onah (right), the Chief Executive Officer of FIT-Consult Ltd, the firm in charge of the development of HELIU Estate, Enugu in partnership with the State Government, Chief Loretta Aniagolu (left), other officials of the company during an inspection tour of the site, yesterday

We Intervened in Etisalat, Banks' Saga to Save Jobs, Asset Obinna Chima The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday revealed that it aligned with the position of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) on the crisis between Etisalat and a consortium of 13 Nigerian Banks over a syndicated loan of about US$1.2 billion granted the company by the banks, In order to prevent job losses and asset stripping.

Confirming the intervention of the two regulators in the loan dispute, the CBN Spokesman, Isaac Okorafor said although it should ordinarily not be the role of a regulator to decide how individual bad loans were resolved, the CBN believed that Etisalat was a systemically important telecom-

munications company with over 20 million subscribers that if not well handled, may have domino effects on the banking system itself.

He further explained that the CBN and NCC, sensing that banks may go ahead in the usual way and downsize the company's over 4,000 staff, reached an agreement to intervene and implore the consortium of banks to re-assess its position in dealing with Etisalat.

Okorafor, in a statement, explained that the collaborative move by the regulators was aimed at foreclosing the outcome of job loss and asset stripping and to ensure that Etisalat remained in business and able to pay back the loans.

According to him, the CBN and the NCC, in the coming days, would

meet with the syndicate of banks and the IHS, the tower managers and the equipment suppliers, in order to achieve what he termed “a win-win outcome” for all stakeholders.

Just like the NCC, THISDAY exclusively reported Thursday that the leadership of the Central Bank of Nigeria would resist the move by a consortium of banks to takeover Etisalat’s operating licence without its approval.

A reliable central bank source who spoke with THISDAY, had said the Board of the CBN would not support any hostile takeover of the telecom company, due to its indebtedness to the banks. According to the source, the attempt by the banks to takeover Etisalat clearly jeorpardised the federal

government's effort to attract foreign direct investments (FDI) into Nigeria's ailing economy.

A consortium of 13 Nigerian lenders led by Access Bank Plc had moved to make good an earlier threat to take over Etisalat following its inability to meet the payment terms on a $1.2 billion loan that it took in 2013 for network upgrade and expansion.

The banks, comprising Access Bank, Zenith Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, First Bank Limited, Fidelity Bank Plc, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Stanbic IBTC, EcoBank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, among others, said they would take over Etisalat’s operations through its legal representative, United Capital Trustees.

Ambode: Enemies Within Nigeria to Become Third Behind Kidnapping in Lagos World Largest Economy by 2050, Says EU Ambassador of Africa's model smart city.

Gboyega Akinsanmi Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday disclosed that enemies within the state “are behind some cases of kidnapping that occurred in the recent time,” apparently to undermine his administration.

Although he was enraged by what he described as the activities of the saboteurs and enemies within, Ambode assured that the state government would soon rescue five pupils and two staff members kidnapped at the Lagos State Model College, Igbonla-Epe late last month.

He disclosed this at a meeting with Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs at the State House, Alausa, though refused to provide details about what had been doing in the last one month to secure the release of the pupils and staff members kidnapped at the model college.

The monarchs, who were led by the Chairman of the Council and Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, pledged Ambode sustained partnership and strategic support to realise his vision

But at the meeting, yesterday, Ambode said he would not divulge details about the effort the state government had made so far “to end kidnapping and other crimes in the state. The efforts would yield positive results.

“Like I said somewhere, I do not like running government on the pages of newspapers. Sometimes when we do it, it will jeopardise what we are doing on security which is why we have been very tactical about going to the media.”

He, however, gave insight into what he had been doing to arrest the wave kidnapping in the state, saying he always “feels very bad each time I hear about this. But life and safety first, thereafter, we will deal with other things.”

Specifically, Ambode disclosed that some of the kidnapping issues “are actually from enemies within. But I just pray that when the children come back, we will be able to talk about those things. So, I just ask people to give us some time as we gather intelligence.”

Femi Ogbonnikan

If going by the forecast, Nigeria market is billed to become the third largest world economy after China by 2050, said the European Ambassador to ECOWAS, Mr. Michel Arrion.

Speaking during his working visit to the Nigerian Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) National Secretariat, Oba Akinjobi, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, on Friday, Arrion who was accompanied on the visit by Mr. Filipo Amato, EU Head, Trade & Economic Section, said that Nigeria remained one of the biggest markets in the world with potentials market for exportation.

According to the Ambassador, "Nigeria is paradoxical and it is one of the richest markets in the world.

Because private sector contributes a bulk to income generation and distribution Nigeria will be the third largest world economy in 2050. The country has the potentials to attract foreign investment. The private sector provides the job.

"We are here in Nigeria for joint actions in various domains, like advocacy in form of partnership agreement and coordination in policy engagement and integration.

We are also here in Nigeria to work on regional integration process, both political and economy. Nigeria is the diplomatic hub of Africa. So, if Nigeria is committed ECOWAS will succeed," said Arrion.

However, the Ambassador noted that his visit and his team to the NACCIMA Secretariat was informed of the need to engage in business partnership.

According to him, European Union is a block which has 20 member states of the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), who are represented in Nigeria with 20 bilateral ambassadors to formulate common policies and positions.

In her own welcome address, the National President of NACCIMA, Iyalode Alaba Lawson, commended the efforts of the European Union for putting into the promotion regional integration among the private sector.

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ghali Umar Na’Abba,andformergovernorofDeltaState,EmmanuelUduaghan,arepart of dignitaries expected in Enugu for the first Amaka Chiwuike-Uba annual Asthma Conference scheduled for next month.This is coming as research shows that no fewer than 15 million Nigerians are already suffering from asthmawithabout5-10%ofchildreninanygivencommunitysufferingfrom thedisease.Itisfearedthatunlessurgentstepsaretaken,thediseasethough non-communicablemaybeontheincreasewithmortalityrateequallyhigh.

The Enugu Asthma conference, organised by the Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Foundation, is aimed at creating awareness on asthma, educate and train thepubliconvariouswaystomanageasthmapatientstoreducemorbidity andmortality.ChairmanBoardofTrusteesoftheFoundation,Mr.Chiwuike Uba, who briefed newsmen ahead of the event, noted that the conference wouldalsoserveasaplatformtobrainstorm,shareinformation,reviewand evaluateprogressandchallengesinthediagnosisandmanagementofasthma.

Tension in Suleja over Relocation

There is uneasy calm in the Rafinsanyin area of Suleja town following the decisionoftheNigerStategovernmenttoenforceitsrelocationorderinthe old barracks. Government officials accompanied by heavily armed mobile policemennumberingwellover70stormedtheareaonFridaytoforcefully relocatethepeoplefromtheareaonFriday Abulldozerwasalsodeployed to commence the pulling down of what government described as "illegal structures".Howeverthegovernmentofficialsandsecurityoperativesfaced stiff resistance from the community resulting in the police embarking on a tactical retreat. It was learnt that the mobile policemen shot into the air to scare the huge crowd who were however not intimidated. An unconfirmed source said a student was hit by a stray bullet while three others were allegedly killed.Two policemen were also said to have been injured while the bulldozerdeployedtodemolishtheillegalstructureswassetablaze.Police PublicRelationsOfficerDSPBala Elkanadeniedthatanyonewaskilledbut confirmedtheinjurytotwopolicemenandtheburningofthebulldozer."The policehadtowithdrawtogivepeaceachance"Elkanadeclaredbeforesaying the leaders of those behind the incident had been identified.

Rivers Information Commissioner Resigns

Barely 24 hours after Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, sacked his Commissioner for Works, Mr. Bathuel Ifeanyichukwu Harrison, the State CommissionerforInformationandCommunication,Dr.AustinTam-George, yesterdayresignedhisappointmentTam-George,inaletterdatedJune23,2017 andaddressedtotheGovernor,saidhehadofficiallyhandedovertoDirector ofAdministrationintheMinistryoftheInformationandCommunication.The terse letter titled “Resignation”, reads, "I wish to resign my appointment as CommissionerforInformationandCommunicationwitheffectfromtoday, 23rd,June,2017. IhavehandedoverofficiallytotheDirectorofAdministration of the Ministry.Thank you for the opportunity to serve the state."Wike had onThursdayrelievedtheCommissionerforWorks,Mr.BathuelHarrison,of his appointment. In a statement issued in Port Harcourt by his media aide, SimeonNwakaudu,thegovernordirectedthesackedcommissionertohand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry.

Niger PDP Chairman Gets Bail

Justice Aliyu Maiyaki of a Minna high court on Friday released on bail the NigerstatechairmanofthePeoplesDemocraticPartyPDPAlhajiTankoBeji.

Beji had been in prison custody since last Monday where he was sent to by the court after being in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC Abuja for nine days. Beji had been arraigned before the court along with the former governor of Niger state Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyuandex-chiefofstafftotheformergovernorAlhajiUmarMohammed Nasko. Ruling on the application for bail filed on behalf ofTanko Beji by his counselMr.OlajideAyodeleSANlastMonday,justiceAliyuMaiyakireleased theaccusedpersoninthesumofN150mandtwosuretiesinlikesum.Maiyaki also said that the two sureties should be resident within the jurisdiction of thecourtandmustpossesslandedpropertyworthN200m.Inadditionthe judge directed that the certificate of Occupancy of the landed should be deposited with the registrar of the court for the duration of the case.

Maiden Kaduna Book, Art Festival Holds

TheinauguraleditionofKadunaBookandArtFestival(KABAFEST)willholdin Julythisyear,theorganisershavesaid.ThefestivalwhichholdsfromJuly5-8, at the Gusau Institute, Kaduna State, will feature famous Sudanese writer, LeilaAboulela,whowillbejoinedbyestablishedandfastrisingculturalstars suchasZainabAlkali,JerryBuhari,KaltumeB.Gana,AbubakarAdamIbrahim, AishaUmarandToniKan,amongstothers.Otherstofeatureattheeventare Titilope Sonuga, Edify Yakusak, Efe Paul Azino, Aminu Alan Waka, Hafsat AhmadAbdulwaheed,AndrewWalker,CarmenMcCain,IbrahimBello-Kano, amongstothers.Organisingtheworldclassevent,KadunaState,inlinewith its restoration programme and commitment to the promotion of literacy, partneredwiththeBookBuzzFoundationandtheGusauInstitute,andfive booklogues with nine authors, nine panel discussions, two film screenings, oneartexhibitionwithfourNorthernNigerianartists,Foodtasting,andone magicalpoetryperformancewillbefeaturedinthecourseoftheprogramme.

The programme also offers school children the opportunity to take part in poetry declamation contest for secondary schools.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •JUNE 24, 2017

NEWSXTRA

Osinbajo Raises the Alarm, Says Internet Constitutes Great Threat to Nigeria's Survival Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday described cyberspace as one of the greatest threats to Nigeria's existence and challenged the military to concentrate a serious attention on this 'theatre of war.'

Osinbajo who made this submission while delivering a speech at graduation ceremony of the senior course 39 of the Armed Forces, Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna, described the cyberspace as battle ground against Nigeria's unity, reasoning that the internet had become the harbour for hate, provocative and inciting speeches capable of destabilising the nation.

The acting president who further described the cyberspace as currently designed as a theatre of war in the 21st century, added that it had become the platform for articulation of terrorist activities as well as offensive expressions and tasked the military to see the cyberspace as a conventional battle field to which it must deploy forces.

Arguing that the cyberspace had equally become the training school for the production and use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), Osinbajo further described it as the avenue for promotion of secession and quit ultimatum by some South-easterners and Northerners in recent times.

"Another lesson is that in the 21st century the theatre of war is increasingly shifting to cyberspace.

Terrorist organisations, purveyors of hate speech, all of these and many more who seek to destabilise the world are busy staking out territory on the internet, and scoring significant victories and conquests for themselves.

KITCHEN CABINET...

L-R: Special Adviser on Political and Community Matters, Chief Osaro Idah; Chairman, Strategic Planning Team, Governor’s office, Professor Julius Ihonvbere ; Special Adviser, Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie ; Governor Godwin Obaseki; Special Adviser, Agriculture and Food Security Programme , Prince Joe Okojie; Special Adviser on Economic and Development Planning, Mr Joseph Eboigbe; Special Adviser on Special duties, Hon Gowon Yakubu; and Special Adviser on Basic Education Dr Joan Oviawe "As members of the Armed Forces, with a mandate to protect Nigeria from all forms of internal and external aggression, you will increasingly be judged as much on the basis of your success online as on your successes

on the conventional battlefield.

"The internet has altered or disrupted every industry we know of: politics and elections, business and commerce, governance; and is changing the very nature of warfare.

Websites teaching on how to make and use IEDs and other explosives are numerous.

"Today a great deal of the threats facing Nigeria are being nurtured and cultivated in the vast spaces of the

internet. The rumblings of secession, the dangerous quit ultimatums to ethnic groups, the radio stations and blogs that spew divisive speech and exploit our fault lines; all of these are now to be found online.

"This means that the military and its officers and men must itself devote resources and talent to these new battlefields, where mindless verdicts on the continued unity and existence of Nigeria are daily being delivered.

$40m Contract: EFCC’s Trial of Jonathan’s Cousin Adjourned to July

Minister, NDDC, Others to Meet over Failing Portions of East-West Road

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

The trial of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin, Azibaola Robert, wife, Stella and company, Oneplus, has been adjourned to July 7, 2017 for continuation of trial and cross examination.

The 10th prosecution witness, David Nkpe was led in evidence

by Mr. Sylvanus Tahir after which the Defence could not go ahead with the cross examination as Tahir had stood down another case before Justice Okon Abang and had to leave to attend to the case.

Though the defence counsel was ready to proceed with the cross

examination, Tahir again pleaded with Justice Dingbat, just as he did on Wednesday, to grant him permission to ‘attend to another matter’ in another court.

“My Lord, I am in a difficult situation again just as I was on Wednesday and I need your authorization to leave this matter and attend to another one in another court,” Tahir pleaded with the judge.

But trouble had started for the prosecution when it tried to introduce some documents which were not listed in the proof of evidence and served on the defendants as required by the court, the defendants objected to the move.

The development forced the judge to stand down the matter for one hour to enable the prosecution to furnish the defendants with the ‘fresh evidence’.

Upon resumption, the EFCC counsel suddenly rose up and asked the judge for permission to attend to another matter in a different court.

The EFCC operative, who was the tenth witness called by the prosecution, is the only one who claimed to have investigated Robert and his company, Oneplus and discovered that the $40 million paid to them by the ONSA was for a ‘Safe House’ but could not explain to the judge what a safe house is.

Worried by the deplorable state of the 15-kilometre Eleme--Onne Port Junction section of the East-West Road, the Minister of Niger Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani is billed to convene a tripartite meeting for a quick remedial measure.

The tripartite meeting is between the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) Nigeria Limited.

Usani, who appealed to the management of RCC for a quick

intervention to fix the bad parts of the road, said the call was necessitated by the reports he was getting on the deplorable condition of the road, adding that the intervention was to cushion the suffering of road users.

“I was in Rivers State last week and the people were anxious about the condition of the road. The Managing Director of NDDC has promised a quick intervention on the said road,” the minister said.

A statement issued by the Director (Press), Mr. Marshal Gundu stated that the minister also stated that he was working in collaboration with the Minister of Budget and National

Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma to ensure more budgetary allocation for the East-West Road project.

Usani stated this at a meeting with the Managing Director RCC), Mr. Moussa Nakhla in Abuja.

Usani sought to know what RCC would be able to do as a matter of urgency on the failed portion of the road, noting that that section of the East-West road had been receiving public outcry for some time now.

Nakhla expressed the willingness of his company to start work on that part of the road if it was captured in the 2017 Budget of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

INC: Dickson Inaugurates 20-member Edo to Register Northern Settlers The governor also urged the for herdsmen to feed their cattle with Edo State Government has Committee to Resolve Crisis disclosed that it would compile community to embrace the diversity payment of economic fees for services Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, on Friday in Yenagoa assembled leaders of thought in the Ijaw nation to request their assistance and support to help in resolving the issues affecting the Ijaw ethnic nationality, especially the Ijaw National Congress (INC).

The governor, while inaugurating a 20 member Ijaw National Reconciliation Committee (INRC), said "all is not well" as the conflicts and disagreements arising from individual interests had led to the polarisation of the Ijaw Nation.

Dickson stated that, a house divided against itself cannot stand and insisted the time had come to fashion out ways

to holistically address all the challenges, particularly those that were internal.

He said, "A number of things are not right about ourselves, about our zone and also the contradiction in our nation. And, in all of these our people must develop a coherent approach as to how we can resolve these issues and move forward.

"Interestingly you all are not new to these challenges. All of you have been saddled in one form or the other and always to protect the Ijaw national interest".

Dickson admitted that, disagreements were normal within a family or organisation, but the end point must

be to arrive at an acceptable place and position that would satisfy the yearnings of all parties.

For the INC, he lamented the lingering leadership crisis, which he said had weakened the agitation of the Ijaw Nation, using that platform and charged the committee to work with six terms of reference to chart a way forward.

He described the INC as a pride organisation with so much hope and promise, which some of the leaders had laboured hard to sustain and wondered why drastic steps should not be taking to make it bounce back to national reckoning.

a database of Northern settlers in the state to tackle cases of suspected Fulani herdsmen attack on farmers.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. John Mayaki, revealed this in a statement adding that the initiative would allow for identification of strange characters within the domain.

According to the statement, Governor Obaseki made this known to members of Arewa Community in the state, led by its President General, Alhaji Sahabi Umar after breaking the Ramadan fast with them at the Government House in Benin, on Thursday night.

inherent in Nigeria’s ethnic make-up and forge a united bond, asserting that no true Fulani herdsman would abandon his cattle and take to killing of innocent farmers; but noting that the recent cases of rape and murder were by divisive foreign elements.

He said, “To checkmate the ugly trend, a committee will be set up to carry out community by community delineation of northern settlers across the state and identify new comers and their aims.”

On the issue of grazing, Governor Obaseki noted that fenced grazing areas with watering facilities would be clearly defined by the government

rendered.

The governor assured them of fair treatment regardless of religious differences, acknowledging that intermarriage has made them stakeholders in Edo. Meanwhile, President of Arewa community in Edo, Alhaji Umar appreciated the governor for breaking the fast with them and stated that Arewa community was unhappy with recent attacks as it was giving them a bad name.

He pledged to support the government in identifying and dealing with the bad elements amongst the Fulani, who were causing unrest in the state.

THISDAY, THe SATurDAY NewSpAper •JUNE 24, 2017

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NEWSXTRA

Dino Melaye Sues INEC to Stop Recall Davidson Iriekpen The embattled senator representing Kogi West senatorial district, Dino Melaye, has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before a Federal High Court in Abuja to stop his recall which the electoral umpire has fixed July 3 for its commencement.

In the suit filed on his behalf by Chief Michael Ozekhome (SAN), Melaye said the process for his recall was illegal and as such, wants the court to declare it as totally unlawful and unconstitutional.

The embattled senator is among other reasons, asking the court to determine whether by the provisions of sections 68 and 69 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), if he was not entitled to right of fair hearing before the process for his recall could be triggered.

In the suit which was accompanied by an affidavit of urgency, Melaye stated that because the process

for his recall was initiated by top politicians in Kogi State who wield enormous powers over his senatorial constituents, whether the petition presented to INEC was in compliance with the constitution since it was tainted with political malice, bad motive, personal vendetta and bad faith.

He is equally asking the court to determine whether by the provisions of sections 68 and 69 of the Constitution, he could be validly recalled when the petition presented to electoral umpire was signed by fictitious and non-existing persons and persons who did not belong to his senatorial constituency in accordance with the constitution.

The senator further asked the court to determine whether the process of recall as provided for in section 69 of the constitution could be initiated against him when the number of registered and qualified voters in his constituency who signed the petition was grossly less than

the number required by the section.

INEC had on Thursday written to Melaye saying it had formally acknowledged the receipt of the petition from the people of Kogi West senatorial district for his recall.

In a statement signed by the National Commissioner and member, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mallam Mohammed Haruna, the commission said having received the petition and the signatures of the electorate, the next step was to verify that the petitioners were registered voters in the senatorial district.

The statement read: "INEC held its regular weekly meeting today and considered the petition submitted by some registered voters from Kogi West senatorial district to kickstart the process of recalling Melaye.

"In accordance with the INEC guidelines for the recall of members of the National Assembly, the commission has formally acknowledged the receipt of the petition to the

petitioners’ representatives and has conveyed a letter notifying Melaye of our receipt of the petition.

"The next step is to verify that the petitioners are registered voters in the Kogi West senatorial district.

"INEC will, on July 3, 2017 issue a public notice stating the day(s), time, location and other details for the verification exercise".

Before the commission received the petition, on Wednesday, the people from the Kogi West senatorial district had stormed the INEC headquarters to submit their petition against Melaye.

Addressing journalists after their meeting with INEC chairman, Olowo Cornelius told journalists that they were able gather 52.3 per cent more than the constitutionally required 50.1 per cent signatories.

Explaining the procedure taken to arrive at the signatories, Cornelius said polling centres were setup where electorates came with voters cards to indicate their interest.

Hydrographers Want FG to Chart Nigerian Waters Chiemelie Ezeobi

To boost maritime safety and defence of the nation's territorial waterways, hydrographers under the auspices of the Hydrography Society of Nigeria, yesterday called on the Federal Government to survey and map the length and breadth of its marine routes.

The call was made at the 2017 World Hydrographic Day Celebration themed 'Mapping our seas, oceans and waterways, more important than ever', held in Lagos.

According to the hydrographers, surveying and mapping the waterways will most importantly boost safety and defence of the maritime domain from illegalities that thrive in hidden creeks and sea bodies.

In his address, the Hydrographer General of Nigeria, who also doubles as the Hydrographer of the Nigerian Navy, Commodore Emeka Okafor, emphasised the importance of mapping the waterways on national security and defence.

While noting that hydrography has contributed directly to the efficiency of maritime transportation, he said it also supports maritime defence and security.

If the entire span of the nation's waterways are mapped and surveyed he said, “This allows voyages to be shortened if new routes are surveyed and modern

application to survey operations is employed.

“It also supports maritime defence and security by allowing freedom of manoeuvre for search and rescue and naval operations.

"Hydrography is the key to well managed oceans, seas and waterways and with all these benefits and more, viz a viz the extent of Nigeria’s water yet to be surveyed, you will agree with me that it is time Nigeria wakes up to its responsibilities by giving hydrography it’s desired attention.’’

Also, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok EtteIbas, who was the special guest of honour, said given the importance of hydrography to the nation, the navy was seeking for funding to boost efficiency.

Ibas who was represented by the Chief of Training and Operations, Rear Admiral Adeniyi Osinowo, also sought for an upgrade for the Hydrographic Department to become the National Hydrographic Office (NHO) under the presidency with the direct supervision of the vice president.

He said, “The proposed NHO will be composed of mainly civilians from the hydrographic community and a handful of navy personnel with the following organs; NHO, the survey fleet and National Hydrographic School.

Dickson: Oil Multinationals Must Respect Laws in N'Delta Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

ROYAL VISIT...

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, with Onise of Iseland, Oba Ganiyu Adebowale Adegbesan and Oloja of Epeland, Oba Kamorudeen Ishola Animashaun during the courtesy visit to the Governor at the Lagos House, Ikeja, on Friday

Senior Lawyer Beluolisa Ebonyi State, BOI Agree on Nwofor Loses SAN Rank N2bn Matching Fund for SMEs Tobi Soniyi

The Legal Practitioners' Privileges Committee (LPPC), has withdrawn the rank of Senior of Advocate of Nigeria from Beluolisa E. Nwofor for allegedly conducting himself in a manner, unbecoming of the holder of the esteemed rank.

The statement withdrawing the rank was signed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary of the LPPC, Mr. Ahmed Gamo Saleh.

Saleh said the decision to withdraw the rank from Nwofor was taken at the committee's 126th general meeting held on yesterday, the 22nd June, 2017 acting on a petition filed against the senior lawyer by the Court of Appeal.

The committee however, did not give details of the alleged misconduct for which Nwofor was punished.

It said that it took the decision after considering "extensively the

complaint filed by the Court of Appeal against Nwofor, with his response to same and all material facts."

However, the petition against Nwofor may not be unconnected with the cases involving the two factions of the Peoples Democratic Party over who should be the governorship candidate of the party for last year governorship election in the state between Eyitayo Jegede of the Ahmed Makarfi's faction and Jimoh Ibrahim of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction.

Nwofor was one of the lawyers who represented parties loyal to Sheriff. He represented Biyi Poroye and others. Nwofor had protested the decision of the court to hear the appeal filed by Jegede after brushing aside delay tactics being employed by the Sheriff's group to stall the trial. At a point, Nwofor told the justices that it would amount to judicial rascality if they went ahead with the hearing.

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The government of Ebonyi State and Bank of Industry (BOI) have agreed to a N2 billion matching fund aimed at youth empowerment and job creation through support for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) as well as exploration of solid minerals.

This was the highlight of the meeting yesterday between the Governor of Ebonyi State, Mr. David Umahi and Managing Director of BOI, Mr. Olukayode Pitan at the organisation's headquarters in Abuja.

Umahi noted that the money of which the state will bring a counterpart fund of N1 billion to match with the BOI's N1 billion equivalent, was to help the youth and civil servants in the state own and engage in a decent income generating projects.

He said: "We are going to match it up with N1 billion which has been made available and BOI will match

it up with N1 billion, which would be utulised in areas like poultry farming through cooperatives.

"This N2bn matching fund is to empower our people. You know there are a lot of our people in Lagos and other major cities hawking. So we want to bring them back and train them. We already have about 1000 of them... our attention is now geared towards training and empowering our people... " The governor also asked the Bank to assist the state to explore its vast solid mineral resources and see how it can be maximised for the benefit the state, its people and the country at large.

Umahi noted that studies are needed in the area of solid minerals, saying that Ebonyi has untapped "a very karge deposit of solid minerals".

"We have the largest salt deposit in Nigeria and West Africa. We have the largest deposit of lead and zinc and we can supply the whole country all the needed limestones".

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State yesterday flayed oil companies operating in the Niger Delta , insisting that they must make a commitment to obeying environmental laws in the region.

Dickson who spoke when he met with the management of the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) led by the Managing Director, Insula Massimo, in Yenagoa, noted that the multinationals had not done enough for the region.

Specifically the governor charged them to respect environment laws, pay their fair share of taxes and show a higher commitment to their Corporate Socio-Responsibility.

He urged them to turn a new leaf and improve on building confidence in the areas they operate.

"The government and the people of the state do not believe that you and your company (Agip) have been very good partners. You have not been.

“But we believe that with the new engagement, working together in sincerity and in commitment to our shared mutual values even the sky is not our limit.

"Bayelsa is interested in you and all our partners to ensure you have a smooth operation. We want you to operate smoothly, to operate without any hindrance in the state.

“We want you to maximize your activities because it is when you are profitable and successful that our state can have increased revenue", the governor said.

He asked the company to contribute its quota to the local economy by having a respectable presence in the state capital, saying his government was willing to provide a land to enable them build a befitting corporate office and residential area. " I know you have a functional office in Brass that is contributing to the local economy there, but what we want also is for you to erect a

structure here in Yenagoa and we are going to provide you with a land for that. You are not requesting, we are offering you", he added.

On the issue of Modular Refineries, Dickson tasked the company to show interest in locating one in the state which will help create more jobs, discourage local refining of crude oil and illegal oil exploration by youths.

While lauding the team for the visit, the governor said the company had shown interest in the Eco-Industrial Park the government is embarking on, noting that their technical support will help the project come to fruition.

He assured NAOC that its planned Zabazaba project in Bayelsa will receive the support of the government so it can be completed in a record time .

In his comments, Mr. Massimo noted that the company was having a seamless operation in all their flow stations across the state, an indication that the security measures of the government were yielding positive results.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as ASHIRU SANI,ASHIRU MUHAMMAD SANI TAJU, ASHIRU M SANI now wish to be known and addressed as ASHIRU SANI TAJU. All former documents remain valid. The general Public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OKWUOKIE ADIEU TINA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS BLESSING U. PETER. All former documents remain valid. The general Public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OLUWATOMILOLA TEMITOPE FASIDI now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OLUWATOMILOLA TEMITOPE OMOTAYO. All former documents remain valid. The general Public take note.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • junue 24, 2017

MARITIME BITS with john Iwori.... 08057763164

R-L: The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Eastern Marine Command (EMC), Comptroller Ajiya M. Masaya receiving handover notes from his predecessor, Comptroller Usman K. Bello at EMC Headquarters, Port Harcourt, Rivers State…recently

The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Oyo/Osun Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Udo-Aka flanked by his officers and men displaying some of the contrabands seized by the command in Ibadan, Oyo State…recently

Where is the Port Master Plan?

That is the one million naira question on the lips of stakeholders in the maritime industry. It is also the big question in the shipping sector of the economy. It is vital question that requires an appropriate answer that will unravel most of the knotty issues that have truncated the sustainable development of the maritime industry over the years. It is the one million naira question for the Minister of Transportation, Right. Hon Rotimi Amaechi. Amaechi is not alone. It is also the one million naira question for the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman. In fact the buck stops at Usman’s table. This is not unconnected with the fact that the port master plan was prepared by the NPA. It was meant to serve as a guide in the execution of policies, programmes, projects and infrastructural

Maritime Transport Policy Underway A transport Maritime Policy (MTP) is underway, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside has said.

He stated that Nigeria is in dire need of a MTP which will complement the existing national transport policy and advance the country’s global maritime trade.

Peterside who stated this at the opening of the national workshop on MTP organised by NIMASA in collaboration with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) noted that the programme is a new phase in the nation’s journey towards effectively maximising the maritime opportunities that abound the sector, especially in line with the Agency’s mandate of promoting and facilitating maritime trade.

His words: “You will agree with me that 60 percent of the cargo headed to West Africa will likely end up in Nigeria; we have not only a long coast but also one of the longest inland waterways; in addition of six active port complexes. All these, coupled with our population, make us the biggest economy in Africa. Therefore, we need a sustainable maritime policy that would guide the coordination of maritime activities as we strive to advance Nigeria’s global maritime goal”.

He also said that as part of the revolution going on in the transport sector, the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration is advancing the intermodal transport system by linking all the port complexes to the hinterland via the railway to further facilitate ease of doing business.

The NIMASA helmsman however opined that NIMASA cannot achieve this goal alone, hence the need to seek supports of the IMO and other relevant stakeholders in order to come up with a model to develop a maritime transport policy that will serve Nigeria’s interest and stand the test of time.

“A workable maritime transport policy of any nation should be stakeholders driven.

Therefore all associated stakeholders and professionals in the sector are needed to participate in the articulation and formulation of this policy”, he said.

facilities that make Nigerian ports a hub in the West and Central Africa Sub Regions nay the entire African continent. The idea was to have a holistic road map on the sustainable development of the nation’s seaport.

If it was not indicated in the handover note given to Usman, she should demand for it.

She should not stop asking questions until she gets the desired answer on the whereabouts of the port master plan. Finding the port master plan does not mean an end to all the challenges facing Nigerian ports. No! It will only help in ending the present blindness in Nigeria’s developmental efforts in the maritime industry. For long, the maritime industry have been characterized by the dearth of adequate planning on the way forward. Even where there is an existing plan as the case with the

port master plan, they are hardly implemented by those having the responsibility of doing so. It remains mere plans. This is one of the reasons why the key actors, especially the helmsmen of the parasatals in the Ministry of Transportation often use a greater part of their tenure to inundate the public with what they intend to achieve instead of hitting the ground running on the execution of the content of the port master plan. These helmsmen who are political appointees of any government in power at the centre never fail to use every avenue to tell stakeholders of their fresh intentions as if prior to their appointment nothing was done by their predecessors. Most often, they make it look as if they are reinventing the wheel. This is why there are many abandoned projects, policies and programmes across the country.

No one cares to continue from where his or her predecessor stops no matter how laudable the initiative is. They are not interested in the Nigerian project. Whether the Nigeria project succeeds or fails is of no interest to them.

What is paramount to them is how they make money for themselves, families and cronies.

In public places, they say the right words but deep down inside them, it is a different ball game entirely. Except for a very few instances, that has been the lot of Nigeria, nay Nigerians over the years. Their personal interest and ego will not allow them to do the needful. It should not be so if actually Nigeria, Nigerians want to make a headway in the harnessing of the vast potentials in the maritime industry which have remained largely untapped over the years.

Customs Intercepts 15 Contrabandsladen Vehicles, Seizures

NCS Seizes, Destroys 4,118 Cartons of Frozen Poultry

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Oyo/ Osun Command has paraded 15 contrabands laden vehicles arrested within its area of jurisdiction.

The contraband has a duty paid value (DPV) of N28.9 million, according a statement signed by the command Public Relations Officer (PRO), ASC II Ifeoma Ojekwu Onuigbo said the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Emmanuel Udo-Aka disclosed this in the command headquarter, Ibadan.

She quoted Udo-Aka saying that the seizures were made along Saki axis in synergy with the Headquarters Compliance Team and Customs Intelligence Unit of the Oyo axis based on tip off from the information network led by DSC Alajogun Joseph.

In addition, another MAN diesel truck with registration number LSD 445 XU concealing 172 pieces of used tyres and 272 pieces of vehicle wheels was intercepted along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on June 9th 2017.

Udo-Aka revealed that the vehicle wheels have a DPV of N1.5 million, just as he pointed out that the smugglers used the vehicles to conceal the prohibited items which include second hand clothing, foreign rice and other contraband goods.

According to the Customs Chief, the command was keeping faith with its resolve to rid the axis of recalcitrant and unpatriotic Nigerians who engage in nefarious smuggling activities. This had led the command to initiate new anti-smuggling strategies which led to remarkable exploits as evidenced in the latest arrests.

Continuing, he said: “No suspect was arrested based on their smartness as they took to their heels and eloped into bush as soon as they sighted the eagleeyed Customs officers” The contraband laden vehicles include one Peugeot 406 2008 model with DPV

No fewer than 4,118 cartons of frozen poultry products have been seized by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Federal Operations Unit Zone C, Owerri, Imo State.

The seizure which has a duty paid value (DPV) of N83. 3 million was seized from a tip off.

The Customs Area Controller (CAC), NCS, FOU, Zone C, Owerri, Comptroller Bukar Amajam who disclosed this in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the unit, ASCI Chioma Onuoha said the poultry products were transported in a 1X40ft container.

According to Amajam, this was achieved through a tip off from an informant to operatives of the NCS, FOU, Zone C, Owerri. The unit with the aid of partner security agencies including the National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Nigeria Police Force, was able to secure the container and its contents and destroy it in line with government directives.

Comptroller Amajam who stressed that frozen poultry products were illegal since it was contained in the import prohibition lists (IPL).

He called on the public not to patronise such products which he said are harmful to human health.

The CAC also called on intending frozen poultry importers to desist from doing so since officers and men of the unit would not relent in its anti-smuggling campaign.

He enjoined them to channel their resources to legal imports that will be of benefit to the nation and the citizenry.

Amajam reiterated the commitment of the NCS to work tirelessly to protect the economy as well as the local agriculture industry from unhealthy competition from unwholesome goods produced overseas.

According to the statement, representatives of other government agencies including the Nigeria Police Force, NAFDAC, the Department of State Security (DSS), and the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were on ground to witness the public destruction of the prohibited items asd directed by NCS Headquarters, Abuja.

of N1, 158,780; one Mitsubishi Lancer model with a DPV of N1,158,780; one Golf 1999 model with DPV of N1,158,780; three Toyota Corolla 2005 model with a DPV of N3,476,340; one Toyota Corolla 2005 model with DPV of N2,027,856; and one Toyota Corolla 2009 model with DPV of N3,331,493.

Others are one Honda Civic 2000 model with DPV of N1, 158, 780; one Peugeot 2008 model with DPV of DPV of N1, 158, 780; one Volkswagen Sharon 1999 model with DPV of N1, 158, 780; one Toyota Camry 2001 model with DPV of N1, 158, 780; one Toyota Venza 2009 model with DPV of N2, 452, 408; one Lexus RX 350 Jeep 2007 model with DPV of 2,076,291; and one Nissan Pathfinder 2002 model with DPV of N1,861,291.

While appealing for continued support for the NCS from members of the public, Udo-Aka noted with concern that it is worrisome that some unpatriotic Nigerians still remained unrepentant despite the stern warning against smuggling and even as they continue to lose.

He also stated that it is disheartening to discover that some members of the public especially the elders do come to plead for the release of impounded contraband goods.

His words: “While we will not tolerate smuggling either from the public or from the officers who might want to connive with the smugglers, I want to make it crystal clear to the entire public that the period of 30 days of grace that was given for the public to pay duties for vehicles that were smuggled has expired. The grace period ended on the 19th of May 2017. We also want to inform the public that anybody whose goods have been impounded by the Customs should come forth with the genuine documents and claim ownership within 30 days after which goods are liable for seizure”.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • June 24, 2017

CRIME&PUNISHMENT

Chukwudumeje Onwuamadike with THISDAY journalists

There’s More to Success than Money The first question I asked Chukwudumeje Onwuamadike, the million dollar kidnapper kingpin, better known as Evans, during a specially arranged interview was what success meant to him and here were his answers: “I had always believed that once you have money, you are a successful person. That was my own definition of success. It is the same with most of the people I grew up with. For me the source of the money is not an issue, just get the money anyhow and you are a happy man. In fact all these while, I had counted myself as a successful man because I had good money. I invested in landed property and I built houses in different parts of Nigeria.” And truly so while it lasted Evans lived it out as a “successful person”, doling out cash to the less privileged, and in some cases gave scholarships to orphans. In the last one week or so, the office of the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja has become a tourist centre of some sort, as people stream there to catch a glimpse of the million Dollar kidnapper. But as is always the case, Evans has since discovered the truth as stated in The Message translation of a popular Bible passage: “Like a cowbird that cheats by laying its eggs in another bird’s nest is the person who gets rich by cheating. When the eggs hatch, the deceit is exposed. What a fool he’ll look like then!” How did Evans, who had originally set out to be a big time importer, successfully hide his identity from his parents; his wife, his pastor, church members, his friends, his landlord and estate friends? In this specially arranged interview by Ayo Arowolo and Ezeobi Chiemelie, Evans shared some lessons that should be food for thought for all. Enjoy

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JUNE 24, 2017 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

CRIME&PUNISHMENT

I

Crime does not pay will advise anybody that is into crime to stop. Crime does not pay. I have seen it all. I have been involved in different criminal acts, including drug business, armed robbery and, of course, kidnapping. I went into crime because I wanted to make money; I wanted to be counted among the wealthy in the society. To be honest with you, I made good money.

And I was even seeing myself as a successful person. I never believed that I will be arrested and be in the position I find myself today.

But here I am. That is why I am now advising those out there who are still into crime to stop, go into genuine business, you can do anything so long as it is legitimate, you are not hiding from the police or any other security agency, it is better than crime. You can run for many years, but you cannot hide forever. So, I advise them to change, go to any nearby church or even a police station and do their confession there, even if you are arrested by the police because of that confession, it will not be as serious as when you are arrested committing the crime. I repeat crime does not pay.

Know the person you are living with My parents were not fully aware of the fact that I am into kidnapping, I only told them that I was into drugs business. Even my wife is also not aware of my kind of business because at home, I am like any other husband. I go out and come back between 8pm and 9pm. The day I will be delayed I will call her and tell her that there is traffic. I don’t sleep outside. The reason why I did not tell her what I do is that she might leave the children for me and I will not be able to take care of them. I know her family background, if I had told her, she would have told her mother whom I know will not allow her daughter to continue staying with me if she gets to know what I am doing.

But my advice is that parents and wives should get to know what their children or husbands are doing. They should ask questions, if possible use other people to investigate and find out exactly what their children are doing. You cannot be living with somebody for many years, you have never visited his business area or his office or your child just comes back bringing you gifts and large sums of money and you just collect

and thank God. It is important to pay closer attention to what those around us are doing so that we can advise them.

There’s more to success than money I had always believed that once you have money, you are a successful person. For me the source of the money is not an issue, just get the money anyhow and you are a happy man. In fact, all these while, I have counted myself as a successful man because I have good money. I invested in landed property and I built houses in different parts of Nigeria. I thought I was a happy man. But then, I was always hiding, I was not really free. But my mind didn’t go to the fact that what I had was false happiness. However, with what has happened to me I can now see that it is not all about having money, especially when such money is coming through crime, it doesn’t pay, there are other things that make up a successful life. One of that, I believe, is a good name. As I speak with you now, I am still wondering how my children will look at me, what they will say about their father. What I have done in the name of trying to make money has stained them permanently and that is going to affect them in the future. There are other things that make up a successful life A broken home affects the children I am not close to my father because when we were small, he was not giving us attention. He was not providing for us, he was not paying our school fees or even feeding us, in fact he neglected us, but I have forgiven him.

My mother did not even help matters, she left my father and us for about 10 years when we were still small. She was not there for us because she had issues with my father, the lessons we would have learnt, the pieces of advice that we would have had, we did not have. We didn’t get the loving care of a happy home. It was my grandmother that trained me. There were six of us from my own mother’s side, four boys and two girls, I am the eldest. The result of that broken home was that each of us was left to fend for himself at early age and we all wanted to make money anyhow. There was no body to counsel us or show us the right thing to do.

So, I advise parents to do everything to protect their home. It is a sacrifice they have

to make for the sake of their children.

Don’t just give your house to anyone It is true that somebody like me, you can’t suspect me for anything because I am a very gentle and easy going person. I am also very friendly with those in my neighbourhood, so it is difficult to suspect that I could have any criminal intents, but it is very important that if somebody comes to rent your house, after the person has filled the form with the agent and given information about himself, it is important that you go behind and investigate to make sure the information he gave you is correct. You can go to where he said he is working and cross-check, check the people he is using as guarantors, get as much information on the person as possible before giving out your house to the person. Even after you have given the house to the person, you should visit the house every two months to know what is happening there.

Be good to people I don’t donate money to the church; I don’t give money like that. I have many widows and orphans who do not have anybody supporting them; they are the people I give money to. I pay their school fees, their house rent, medical bills. I have people on my scholarship; I have about 10 or more from different families that I pay their school fees.

It is not only in Magodo area where I live but also in the east.

I am not a worker in the church because that is not the only way to serve God, you can serve God anywhere. Now you said some people are calling for my release, I don’t even know the people, I didn’t give them anything, I am sure many of them don’t even know me. Who knows, it could be because of those I am helping or they were just moved by the way my children were crying. I don’t know them. Well, God bless them. I also believe what has protected me all these while has been my goodness to people.

My joy is that I don’t like shedding blood, among all the people that we kidnapped, we didn’t kill any.

Take responsibility for your action I am not aware that some people are asking that I should be released. I don’t think anybody should make such request, it is not possible now. I committed crime, I

I had always believed that once you have money, you are a successful person.

For me the source of the money is not an issue, just get the money anyhow and you are a happy man.

In fact, all these while, I have counted myself as a successful man because I have good money.

I invested in landed property and I built houses in different parts of Nigeria. I thought I was a happy man. But then, I was always hiding, I was not really free. But my mind didn’t go to the fact that what I had was false happiness. However, with what has happened to me I can now see that it is not all about having money, especially when such money is coming through crime, it doesn’t pay, there are other things that make up a successful life have to face the charges, and I have to pay for the crime I committed. But I know there is something like pardon. I can’t imagine somebody asking that I should be released.

But if there is, God will bless such people and for those who are saying I should be killed, God will bless them too. I won’t blame anyone because I have offended many Nigerian citizens. I only hope and pray that I should get a second chance so that I can correct the mistakes I made.

I also want my brothers and sisters to pray for me that I should be given a second chance to correct my mistakes. I know that if I am allowed to go, I will be a changed person.

It doesn’t really matter what my plans are, God is the one that will determine what I can do. Yes, I want to be a spare parts dealer God may have a different plan for me. I can be a danfo driver tomorrow and make it from there. As far as I am concerned, I am ready to start life all over again.

Regrets My greatest regret is that I have put my family to shame. I wonder how my children will take it. I have been having sleepless nights because of what this will do to them and how it will affect them in the future. I have very young children; the oldest is 11 while the youngest is two.

If I have opportunity to talk to them I would ask for their forgiveness and that they should take heart. This is not the way I planned it. That if I do not love them, I would have left the country first and they would be the ones to be arrested, but I let them travel first while I waited behind.

The lesson I want them to learn from my experience is that they should not even try this kind of life. I have said it before that crime does not pay. It doesn’t matter what you are doing as long as it has nothing to do with crime, it is better and it gives you rest of mind and you can move freely. I want my children not to follow my footsteps because it is not a right step. I had actually thought I will one day return to genuine business but everything has scattered now.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • june 24, 2017

POLITY

Supreme Court Sacks Senator Abubakar, Hembe Orders duo to refund two years salaries and allowances within 90 Days Tambuwal’s election affirmed

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he Supreme Court yesterday ordered the Senator representing Taraba North, Alhaji Sani Danladi and a member of the House of Representatives, Herman Hembe to vacate their seats at the National Assembly with immediate effect.

The apex court ordered them to refund all salaries and allowances they so far received since they were inaugurated into the 8th National Assembly within 90 days.

The court also ordered that Shuaibu Isa Lau, be sworn in as the Senator representing Taraba North and Mrs Dorathy Mato as the member House of Representatives from Vandeikya/ Konshisha Federal Constituency.

In the lead judgement was delivered by Justice Aminu Adàmu Augie on the appeal filed by Shuaibu Isa Lau challenging the decision of the court of appeal that had upturned his victory at the primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2014 that he was wrongfully substituted.

Justice Augie stated that Lau who contested the party primary and won was wrongfully

substituted.

Other four members of the panel headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Walter Onneghen unanimously agreed thus: “The appellant has the right to participate just like any other candidate in the primary and if he feels his right was infringed upon, he has the right to approach the court.

“From the totality of the appeal before this court, all the issues are resolved in favour of the appellant. His substitution at the primary election is null and void since the appellant scored the highest number of votes, the only option is to declare the appellant as the winner of primary.

“This court hereby orders that the appellant be issued with the certificate of return and the respondent should immediately vacate the seat. He should return to the National Assembly all salaries and allowances received as a Senator within 90 days.”

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division’s judgment which was yesterday set aside, had dismissed the appeal filed by Lau on the account that nomination, sponsorship and

substitution of candidate for election was a domestic affairs of a political party and it is outside the jurisdiction of any court as a court cannot impose candidate on a party.

The five man panel of the Supreme Court held that the appellant who contested the primary in 2014 has the legal right to challenge the decision of the PDP particularly as Danladi did not participate in the primary.

Similarly, in the second judgement prepared by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen and read by Justice Augie, the Supreme Court upheld the appeal filed by Mrs Mato against the decision of Court of Appeal Makurdi division.

The Apex court held that Mato was the winner of the general election of 28 March 2015 with respect to Vandeikya/Konshisha federal constituency.

The apex court ordered that Hembe be replaced immediately with Dorothy Mato, the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Hembe who was re-elected into the House in 2015, was also ordered to return all salaries

and benefits collected while in office within 90 days.

The Apex court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Danladi and Hember and issue certificates of return to Lau and Mato.

Also yesterday, a Federal High Court in Abuja affirmed the election of Aminu Tambuwal as the duly elected governor of Sokoto State.

The court in affirming the election dismissed a suit seeking the cancellation of the 2015 governorship election in Sokoto State on the grounds that the All Progressive Congress’s primary that produced Tambuwal as the party’s flag bearer was fraught with irregularities.

The court held that the suit filed by Umaru Dahiru challenging the nomination of Tambuwal as APC candidate lacked merit.

Trial Judge, Justice Gabriel kolawole, who dismissed the suit, saying that the plaintiff was unable to prove the alleged irregularities in the APC primaries.

Sterling Bank Sponsors ‘Sexually Confident Woman’ Programme

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igeria’s most prestigious banking proposition for women, One Woman by Sterling Bank, is powering the Sexually Confident Woman programme holding in Lagos this month. The One Woman proposition was introduced by the bank to inspire and empower women to achieve their potential.

The theme and sub-theme of the Sexually Confident Woman programme are “Self-love” and “I’m in love with the shape of you” respectively. It addresses

the issue of low self-esteem among women, especially those who are conscious of their weight and are living in self-doubt.

Speaking on the programme, Henry Bassey, Chief Marketing Officer, Sterling Bank said: “We are committed to creating new platforms for the Nigerian woman that addresses real issues she most overcome to enjoy a thriving social life that enables her fulfill her dreams. This explains our support for the Sexually Confident Woman programme which seeks to break the invisible barriers preventing the

Nigerian woman from developing to her highest potential.”

On her part, Omolara Akinfolarin, Head of MSME, Sterling Bank said: “We are supporting the Sexually Confident Woman programme team led by Tope Mark-Odigie, because of its visionary nature and alignment with the One Woman proposition. As a caring brand that encourages women to be bold for change, we remain committed to programmes designed to inspire women to embrace their inner beauty. If there is one thing the Nigerian woman could use

a lot more of, it is being continuously inspired by other women to not be so critical and hard on herself.”

She added, “under the One-Woman proposition, Sterling Bank has developed unique value propositions tailored specifically for women. The value proposition comprises of an array of different value-add offerings to meet financial, business and personal needs of women in Nigeria which includes providing platforms for women to support other women.”

Photo news

L-R: First Deputy Vice President, Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN), Nnamdi Okwuadigbo; Vice President, Rasak Jaiyeola; President Isma’ila Muhammadu Zakari; and past President/special guest of honour, Kabir Mohammed, at the 46th Association of Accountant Technicians West Africa (AATWA) induction ceremony for new members in Lagos...recently PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN

Regional Director, South-East/South-south of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mr. Okey Ezeala and the Vice Chancellor, University of Benin, Professor Osasere Orumwense, during the opening ceremony of the FCMB Flexx Hub (a mini branch) at the University in Benin City, Edo State...recently

L-R: Brand Manager, Imperial Leather, PZ Cussons Consumer, Abiodun Buari; Brand Manager, Beauty, Deedi Modey; Marketing Director, Christos Giouras; and Managing Director, Alex Goma, during the launch of Imperial Leather deodorant body spray, in Lagos...recently PHOTO: KOLA OLASUPO

From Second Right: Bishop John Praise, 4th right Arch Bishop of Abuja Dioces John Onaiyekan, Nollyhood Actor Kenneth Okonkwo, wife of Kogi State Governor, Mrs. Amina Bello, SSA Media to President Buhari, Femi Adesina, second to the last former Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Education Mr. Macjohn Nwaobiala at the 2017 Ufuk Dialogue foundation Annual conference/Dinner at the Nile University of Nigeria Abuja...recently

june 24, 2017 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

53

TRIBUTE/POLITY OBANURE

The Passing Away of a Christ’s Ambassador Sufuyan Ojeifo

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t was through Pastor Idris Umar’s poetic ventilation of his deep-seated, innermost emotion on the sudden passing away of one-time Provincial Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Abuja and, at the time of his death, Assistant General Overseer (Establishment), Pastor David Olu Obanure, in one of the social media platforms, that I confirmed what I initially considered to be a piece of rumour doing the rounds in early May, this year.

Obanure, 63, passed away on May 2, 2017 in Lagos at the wedding engagement of the daughter of a colleague of his, another Assistant General Overseer. He was, according to a report made available to me, actually billed to chair the wedding reception the following day.

In his highly fecund elegy, Umar described and/or dramatised how it happened: sudden, short and sharp like an Angel’s visit.

Umar scorned “the vanity of life”; showered plaudits on the late Obanure for touching many lives for good through his apostolic zeal; created a mental picture of how the lover of God went down while dancing and smiling on the occasion; harped on the necessity of preparedness for eternity; and offered a prayer unto God to bless the soul of the departed.

Read Umar in part: “…The sudden disappearance of Pastor Obanure is a proof one more time that we control nothing! Pastor David Olu Obanure; he was a man that touched many lives for good. He had a heart large enough to accommodate everybody - weak or strong, big or small, rich or poor, learned or unlettered.

“Pastor Obanure; you could not escape his smiles. But like a mango fruit, Obanure was plucked on Tuesday, May 2nd, 2017, by death… It was sudden! I was there. In one brief moment I sighted him at a distance, dancing and beaming with his characteristic smile.

And the next moment, he was down, helpless.

It was like a dream….”

After reading Umar’s elegy, it dawned on me that a Christ’s ambassador, had ended his luminous voyage here, having fought, like Paul said of himself, the good fight, having finished his course and kept the faith. Whereas eternity with God is the desire of the believer in Christ; given the human nature, eternal departure from here creates a deep sense of physical loss that we have found painfully difficult to reconcile or relate with.

Not even the fluid and placatory tone of the elegiac rendition by Umar, one of the pastors

Obanure who served under Obanure in Abuja, could, therefore, mitigate the utmost sense of loss that I felt and continue to feel with his (Obanure’s) death. I feel physically diminished, despite the blessed assurance that he has gone home to be with the Lord and to relish eternity with his creator whom he served with uncommon love and great diligence.

Obanure was a father, indeed, to all of us who had the privilege of being shepherded by him in the Christian journey. The master’s degree holder in Communication Arts from the University of Ibadan preached the undiluted word, deploying to use his characteristic refined grammar and unparalleled communicative skill. He would, in his soft voice, without caring whose ox was gored, dish out the word of God raw-raw because he believed in God and in his word.

He was a preacher of holiness. He was certainly instructed by Hebrew 12:14: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” Indeed, Onabure paid little or no attention to physical prosperity; otherwise, as the pioneer pastor who planted the RCCG in Abuja, he would

have used his position to solicit for and get material and financial benefits from many in positions of authority who would gladly take steps to attend to his physical desires or needs.

One thing that I noticed about Obanure was that he was always reluctant to talk of money or financial contributions by members on the pulpit. If there was any such church need, he would not be the one to make the announcement.

In 1995, the RCCG was still meeting in the auditorium of the Women Development Centre. Under his humble, purposeful and inspiring leadership, the church moved to its permanent structure in Wuse 2 and was aptly christened the Central Parish, which, like a mustard seed, was instrumental to the birth of many other parishes and the spread of the church in Region 10 and beyond.

All through his stay at the headship of the church in Abuja, Obanure was never conceited. He was an incredible personification of humility. I remember, when in 1997 or thereabouts, shortly after the launch of Lekki 1999 by Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, held at Nicon Noga Hilton Hotel, now Transcorp

Hilton Hotel, Abuja, on March 20, 1997, he suggested to the Information and Publicity department to which I belonged that we should begin the publication of a monthly magazine to be called the Strong Tower Digest (STD) to complement the weekly Central Parish bulletin.

And by the time the department, under the headship of Pastor Yinka Oduwole (Ph.D), decided to roll out the maiden edition with an Obanure interview as the proposed cover story, I was saddled with the responsibility of conducting it. I had thought I was going to have a tough time tracking him down because of his busy schedules. But when I told him about my assignment, surprisingly, he simplified it for me. Luckily for me, it was during one of the night programmes. He held me by the hand and pulled me to a convenient spot, which was a stone’s throw to the church such that the praise and worship would not affect the quality of my tape recording and he told me he was ready for the interview. I could not believe it. It was so easy, thanks to his simplicity.

If Obanure met you once, rest assured that the next time, no matter how long, he saw you, he would call you by your first name. And, once he perceived that you wanted to see him, he would beckon to you to come to him; and because, he had height, he would even bend down so he could hear you out. That was Obanure for you. He actually belonged to everybody.

When I introduced my fiancée to him, he, together with his assistant then, Pastor Ezekiel Afolayan, took special interest in us; he handed us over to Pastor Afolayan, who took us through some sessions of marriage counseling. He also followed up on the wedding preparations. When I told him how God surprised us in terms of provisions during the wedding, he was full of praises to Jehovah Jireh. When we were blessed with a baby boy, I had the privilege of having him in my house to christen him.

Even after many years of leaving Abuja, he would always send greetings to me and my wife through anyone who claimed to know us. Our hearts- my wife’s and mine- go to mommy Obanure, their children and the entire RCCG on the passing away of a great man of God who performed great exploits in the Lord’s vineyard while here. As his bodies are interred on Friday, June 30, 2017, I pray for eternal bliss with the Lord for Pastor David Olu Obanure.

–Mr Ojeifo contributed this piece from Abuja via ojwonderngr@yahoo.com

Nimbus Launches Nigeria’s First Shopping Mall Guide

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imbus Media Limited has recorded a significant first in the history of Nigeria’s retail industry with the launch of the country’s first full-fledged shopping mall guide – the Nigeria Shopping Mall Guide.

The quarterly digital publication, primed to be the authoritative guide into Nigeria’s blooming retail landscape will offer shoppers, brands, tourists, investors, media managers and retailers, rich and useful insights on trends, happenings and attractions in shopping malls and retail spaces all across the country, as well as comprehensive information on opportunities and developments in the retail sector.

Nimbus Managing Director and Cofounder, Olawale Adegoke said, “The growth of Nigeria’s retail industry in the last decade and the continued emergence of mega and mid-sized shopping malls across the retail landscape, has necessitated a journal that tracks, analyses, documents and reports this exciting developments. ‘’The Nigeria Shopping Mall Guide bridges an obvious information gap by placing valuable shopping mall information at the fingertips of shoppers while also providing critical consumer insights for retailers, marketers and media planners in a highly competitive, data-driven marketplace.”

Nimbus’s Board Chairman, Prince Adesegun Ajibola (SAN), called the Nigeria Shopping Mall Guide “a result of intellectual and professional excellence” and

L-R: Mr Olawale Adegoke, Managing Director Nimbus Media Limited, Mr Babs Fagade, Managing Director, Oceans Outdoo and Mr Tayo Osikoya, Deputy Managing Director, Nimbus Media Limited at the launch of the Nigeria Shopping Mall Guide...recently

“the product of a painstaking collection and curation of vital data and insights relevant for all stakeholders across the retail value chain in Nigeria and the rest of the world.”

The maiden edition of the digital guide which can be downloaded at shoppingmallguide.com.ng, features an exclusive interview with Eniola Ositelu, the Marketing Manager of Nigeria’s busiest mall, the Ikeja City Mall, as it commemorates its fifth year of operations. Printed versions of the guide

are also on display in stores at selected malls across the country. The periodical boasts a rich editorial menu comprising industry news and analyses, global retail industry trends, and a comprehensive list of all the major malls in Nigeria.

Mojisola Fagade, Editor of the guide said the Nigeria Shopping Mall Guide was poised to be a Shopper’s Companion.

She said: ‘’It is envisioned to be a rich resource with a tremendous breadth of subject

matter that includes interviews with industry experts, exhaustive analysis and data on footfall traffic at shopping malls, profiles of brands and retail stores at these malls, trends from both the local and global retail industries, upcoming events and attractions, and much more. It’s magnetic; it leaves you glued and longing for more.”

“Nimbus has always pushed the boundary in digital out-of-home advertising, establishing itself as Nigeria’s foremost in-store digital advertising solution providers. The Nigeria Shopping Mall Guide represents yet another trailblazing feat that positions them as a warehouse for first-hand data on all the shopping malls we have in Nigeria and their potentials in terms of the footfall and traffic achievable in these malls, thus providing useful insights for consumers, retailers and the media,” said Yinka Adetayo, Deputy Manager, MediaReach OMD. Temitayo Osikoya, Nimbus Deputy Managing Director and Co-founder noted that the yearnings of industry professionals and advertising brands for well-curated and accurate data on Nigeria’s shopping malls can now be satisfied with the guide’s well-researched and assiduously compiled content.

“Beyond updating shoppers with latest developments in retail, the Nigeria Shopping Mall Guide will furnish retailers and advertisers at the other end of the spectrum with credible insights on consumer traffic, thought patterns and attitudes, purchasing power, buying patterns and a range of useful consumer information,” Osikoya noted.

54

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • June 24, 2017

FEATURES

Some of the birds in the farm

Ohaz Group Builds Biggest Poultry Farm in South-East

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Adedayo Adejobi

t a time the Federal Government is seriously pursuing diversification of the economy, with agriculture as the major focus, the South-East may soon become the highest supplier of chicken and eggs in the country, with the massive investment in this line of business of late.

At Umueze village, in Ihiala, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, the multi-million naira investment has lightened up the community, making the influx of people and heavy duty vehicles conveying equipment and materials therein a daily occurrence.

At the centre of this, is Mohaz Integrated Farms, which goes into full scale production in a couple of weeks. A visit to the site, which has a land mass of about 125 hectares, would keep the visitor dumbfounded due to the enormity of the work going on and the vision of the Director, a son of Umueze, Ogbuehi Michael Obi Ohazulike.

Already, the multi-million investment has started skeletal production with just a section of the poultry farm, where it is presently producing about 950 crates of eggs daily.

Ohazulike, an unassuming and simple man may not come across as the boss if you were not told, due to his humility. He is building six poultry production houses now.

He said: “Here, we have about 15 hectares of land, and also when you move down there, we have about 110 hectares where we plan on cultivating corn, that is maize as well as soya beans, somewhere around the river there.

“We intend to produce egg in large numbers, maybe about 4, 000, 5, 000 crates everyday here. At the moment, we produce about 900 crates; over there we have two big houses of about 60 metres by 15 metres each, where we house about close to 10, 000 birds each. From each house, we produce about 300 crates of eggs every day; so looking at those two houses over there, we can get about 600 crates of egg every day and from the other side of the farm, the breeder house, we have about 350 crates of egg every day. In total, we are looking at about 950 crates of egg currently under production here every day.”

Coming with new innovations, the company has ensured that it imported virtually everything needed to put the automated farm rolling from the floor to the roof. When fully operational, the farm would be the first in Nigeria to have commercial turkey production, it is also expected to produce tomatoes in the house without soil.

Speaking on the new structures and the

integrated project, Ohazulike said: “It is an integrated project; we are doing poultry, and eventually we will also do diary, that’s meat production and, of course, horticulture, tomatoes production. We intend to build green houses. By green houses, I mean you produce tomatoes in the house without soil. It is an innovation.

“Basically, this is a fully automated building. Here we are planning on producing about 60,000 birds here. They are going to live here inside one building; so 60,000 layers from a day old to production.

“It is going to be in a fourth tier system, by fourth tier I mean one, two, three, four; that is four rolls; so we could have about 5, 000 birds in each tier. In one session of the tier, in one roll, we are having about 15, 000, 16, 000, maximum 20,000; so in the house total of four rolls we are going to have approximately 60, 000 minimum of birds in one house. So we plan on controlling the environment; you can see the openings on this structure; we are going to run a pad cooling system; we are going to stabilise the temperature here to ensure that the birds do not get distressed from the heat. Basically, it is a thermo controllable building; by this I mean, we can control the temperature inside here.

“These are insulated roof, insulated sandwich panels. For instance, if you look in between the panels, you are going to see sandwich foam; it acts like heat repellant.

Of course, it absolves the heat and makes sure the temperature inside the building remains how you want it. With the birds, you don’t want to go beyond 32 degree Celsius, otherwise your birds will be gone; so any thing below 32 that’s what you want.

“It is fully automated system, just put on your power, plug in your wires, set up your computers and you go to sleep; it functions on itself. Everything, from the fixed system, from the drinking, from the egg control, everything automated.”

Ohazulike is not just investing in agriculture because it is where the money is now; he has acquired enormous skill through training in many countries of the world, including Israel, Germany, US, Italy, Holland and France and has the technology on his palms.

On where his inspiration came from, he said: “Basically, I will say that it has been like a hobby to me. From childhood I enjoyed raising birds and eventually I travelled out of the country to Holland, where I trained in agriculture, particularly, poultry production at the PAS Reform Academy in Zeddam Holland and eventually I came back here in 2006, got married in 2007 and decided to invest in the production of poultry. There have been

some challenges here, but we bless God; we try to survive. It has been a challenging task but we improve everyday, we want to contribute our quota to the production of protein, that’s birds for meat in my state and eventually in the nation in general.

“Well, 50 per cent of what I am doing here I learnt from PAS Reform Academy in Zeddam Holland and then 50 per cent I got from the practical knowledge I acquired during those practical trainings over the years around the world, in Israel, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, US, Canada, just to mention but a few.’

However, not withstanding the government’s constant call on people to invest in agriculture as alternative to the oil and promises of free duty for agricultural equipment, Mohaz had difficulties in bringing in equipment for its farm and had to pay exorbitant fees as duty with the Customs.

Speaking on the challenges being faced, Ohazulike said: “I will say power supply is our greatest challenge, stable power supply.

We don’t want to mention payment of duties because it has been very challenging with the Nigeria Customs. Well, they are doing their job, we know, but sometimes the government needs to come into this because we need to get some incentives. With these structures, we don’t want to pay 20 per cent on the duty, these are agricultural equipment, we want to go for zero per cent; may be maximum five per cent on the duty, but the Customs billed us 20 per cent as the duty payment. I mean it discourages every potential investor in the industry and if government starts doing something for us, by means of giving us incentives, giving us rebate in the importation duty, I think the industry will grow; otherwise they are crippling the industry by charging 20 per cent duty on a poultry building structure like this one.”

The Ihiala community has already started benefiting from the building of the farm. The project has created employment. The has also cause a boom in the economy, as those selling food, providing accommodation are already smiling to the bank.

Speaking about the benefits to his people, the Mohaz boss said: “We have about 37 workers now who are paid. We are planning on hiring more, on the completion of the project. I think this is a direct contribution to the immediate community’s economy. We are giving them employment, putting food on the table of the people.

“When we start production, many of the villagers will buy from us and sell. Those on transport business will have field day. So we are providing direct and indirect employment.”

Speaking about same farms in the country and why Mohaz farm is different, Ohazulike said: “I believe you have a couple of this kind of structure in the country. There is this one at Igboariam and I know there is also one in Enugu, Finoma, maybe not as large as this. I know there are a few others in Ibadan, Zatech, Agrited and CHI. “However, it is a different concept here and by this I mean, ours is an innovation.

Other farms don’t have a special rearing house; we have that here. We will rear in cages and transfer over there and produce in cages, because there is a difference when you rear on floor and introduce them in cages; they will perform but not optimally. When you rear them in cages, they are adapted to the cage system; when you transfer them for production from week 12, they know they have been in cages and is not a new thing laying in cages. They feel save, they feel confortable. It is better rearing in cages and producing in cages.”

Ohazulike, who noted that the business was not an easy one, however, advised those in it and those wanting to join to be focused, determined and not to chicken out at slightest push.

According to him, “with training, focus and dedication, you will excel. In the industry, you need to have focus; you need to be dedicated and you need to have passion for the business, otherwise it will go down.”

Commenting on the Mohaz Integrated Farm, a community leader, Ogbuehi Sabestine Oraeme said: “We came here, saw the huge project he is embarking upon and we have been encouraging him.

“You can see that he is already bringing employment to the community and with that you can see a lot of increase in activities around here, houses and everything. The community is bound to benefit. The local government and by extension the state will benefit; so it is a great thing that we have him and we encourage many of our other sons and daughters who are doing well to also think home and invest like he is doing.”

A 200 level Zoology student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Miss Ogechukwu Obidinna, who is on Industrial Training in the farm, describe her experience as beautiful, stressing that the farm had changed her perception of poultry farms.

She said: “I have been here for two weeks, but the experience has been wonderful and vast. What I have seen here is not what I used to hear about poultry because this is more than poultry. Here the environment for the chicks is conducive and the treatment given to them is excellent and their production is great.”

55

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 24, 2017

INSIGHT

The ‘Kaduna Declaration’: Of Ultimatums and Counter-ultimatums -A Word of Caution Abdullahi Usman

“In times like these, it’s helpful to remember that there have always been times like these.”

- Paul Harvey Aurandt

O

ver the course of the greater part of the last seven years or thereabouts, I have always struggled against the persistent urge to break my privately imposed self-restraint about dabbling in, and joining the fray to discuss what I personally consider as political or politics related matters affecting the country. This voluntary restraint, which has sometimes been very difficult for me to abide by, began exactly one month shy of seven years ago today, precisely on July 12, 2010, following my conscious decision to take up an appointment requiring that I maintain a completely apolitical disposition at all times, as much as humanly possible.

Certain strange happenings around the country within the last few weeks or so, have thrown up a lot of questions, leaving one wondering what exactly is going on, or wrong with us all. In the immortal words of Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel, however, “sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.” While on the surface of it, these seemingly innocuous and separate, but closely related series of events might appear to be predominantly ethnic or tribal in nature, the underlying factor behind them may not be unconnected with the fallouts of the 2015 general elections, as well as the ever looming politics around the 2019 general elections, which is now just under two years away.

Almost two years to the day since leaving that particular appointment on June 30, 2015, one somehow still finds oneself beholden to that vow, which one has successfully managed to keep thus far, with very few exceptions; those exceptions being the handful of times I felt inexorably compelled to utilise particular information at my disposal to attempt to dispel certain misconceptions being conveyed to the general public regarding specific events around the job I was a part of. Other than that, all my previous interventions during the intervening period have had something to do with specific issues involving the African continent or matters affecting the larger world as a whole.

In view of the grievous implications surrounding the all too familiar clear and present danger associated with these unfolding events within the country over the last few weeks, however, I feel highly obligated to break this vow, once again, in order to appeal for the utmost of caution on all sides, especially from the proponents of such needless exchanges that are increasingly threatening to heat up the entire polity, with expectedly very dire consequences on us all, if proper care is not exercised by all the parties concerned.

While many people may rightly or wrongly regard it as a direct response to the May 30, 2017 shut down of major towns across the South East by the Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), in commemoration of the golden jubilee of the Civil War, and in pursuit of their growing agitation for the actualisation of their self-declared Republic of Biafra, the so-called “Kaduna Declaration” of Tuesday, June 6, 2017 by a coalition of some self-styled aggrieved Northern youth organisations under the aegis of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), giving citizens from that particular part of the country a three months ultimatum to pack their bags and leave the North by October 1, 2017, has predictably sent massive shock waves across the entire length and breadth of the nation. The full details of that hasty ‘declaration’ made for, and on behalf of the entire population - comprising the young and old - occupying the geographical space called the North, which was immediately followed, two days later, by another joint press statement of Thursday, June 8, 2017 “on the fallouts of the Kaduna Declaration”, are already in the public domain.

In their own response dated Saturday, June 10, 2017, another group tagged the ‘Youths of the Oduduwa Republic’ came up with their own warning in form of an unsigned “Lagos Declaration”, stating that as from the 7th of June 2017, any mention of the term Biafra again on what they consider as ‘their soil’, “will automatically, without recourse to any other warning, earn the Igbos an eviction notice from Oduduwa Republic,” comprising the six states of the South West of the country. In between, the self-styled Region of Niger Delta, aka Rondel, emerged with their own version of threats and ultimatums, following what it described as a well attended meeting held at a secret location in Rivers State, by way of ‘The Rondel Covenant’ tagged “A Demand for the Independence of Rondel in 2018”, in which it also, amongst others, gave “all northern oil block owners three months notice from October 1, 2017 for them to leave the Niger Delta Region or face unpredictable adverse consequences”, and citing the immediate arrest, prosecution and conviction of all those behind the ‘Kaduna Declaration’ as their minimum demand for negotiation.

On its part, the Middle Belt Forum, led by its President, completely dissociated itself from the ‘Kaduna Declaration’ a day after it was made, declaring that it was ready to accommodate the South Easterners, in the event that they were forced out of the core North, even as the Urohobo Nation, in a statement signed by the Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, as well as another group calling itself the Ufedo Foundation, representing the Igala Kingdom in the Eastern part of Kogi State, categorically rejected their respective purported unilateral inclusion in the flag or map of Biafra by agitators from a section of the South East geo-political zone, which they proceeded to describe as “conquest mentality,” and “fraud and grave insult,” respectively.

The thin line connecting the above seemingly choreographed, fast

Northern governor leaders meeting on Kaduna declaration and furious, back to back ultimatums, counter ultimatums, dissociations and rejections would appear to be that they were all made by the self-acclaimed youth groups in each of the increasingly disparate sections of the country, claiming to be tired of what they perceive as a forced union that incidentally came into being long before any of their respective members was ever conceived, leaving one to wonder what exactly is the place of the elders, women and children, who will invariably suffer the most from any resulting conflict, in the whole affair; or, whether, indeed, they were even consulted at all, in the first instance.

This is especially so, when one takes full cognizance of the fact that the vast majority of the people behind these dangerous statements did not get to experience the horrors of the Nigerian civil war fought between 1967 and 1970, and are, therefore, not in any position to comprehend the full implications of what they are perilously toying with. In their respective analyses of the ‘Kaduna Declaration’ from their most preferred perspectives, a group of people from a particular section of the country likened it to what they described as a similar pogrom that led to the civil war all those decades ago, while a different group from another part went back a little further to trace the genesis of the crisis to an earlier event that occurred on January 15, 1966.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson wisely admonishes, “before you open your mouth to speak, please make sure it’s an improvement upon the silence”.

Mercifully enough, other than the initial veiled attempts at taking full advantage of the situation to stoke up the fire by the now predictable lone wolf in the person of a one time Minister of Aviation, the equally anticipated charge by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council on their members resident in the North to defend themselves, as well as the perhaps not-so-unexpected call by the leadership of Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) for the Igbos to leave the North, a welcome sense of calm and reason is prevailing at last, beginning first with an early welcome statement issued by the Kaduna State government strongly condemning the quit notice, and calling for the prompt arrest of all those behind it. Since then, the Federal Government; the Northern Governors Forum; the South East Governors Forum; the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF)-effectively countering an earlier show of support to the AYCF stance by one of its leading lights; the Ijaw Youth Council; Afenifere, and a host of other well meaning individuals and groups have also lent their strong voice against the threat.

While one may not also have personally witnessed war first hand, having been born during the course of the civil war, one is aware of its horrors fairly well enough to caution that we must all be very careful about what we may be wishing upon ourselves; and a cursory look at the social media comments by many of our increasingly restless youth leaves one particularly sad about the whole unfortunate turn of events. This is because part of the job I did in the past required that I participate in election observation missions to other countries and other similar external engagements, and I can vividly recall the chilling experiences I had while on a number of such missions to some of the post conflict societies in West Africa and other parts of the world.

During one such visit to observe the 2012 elections Sierra Leone, I came across a middle-aged amputee begging for alms in front of a major supermarket adjacent to the Nigerian High Commission office in Freetown, who was said to be doing fairly well before their unfortunate eleven-year brutal civil war between 1991 and 2002, which left an estimated 50,000 to 300,000 people dead and another 2.5million internally and externally displaced. While I was not in a position to independently verify the claim, a staff at the Nigerian High Commission told us he was reliably informed that the man was the very first person to be amputated by the deadly Revolutionary United Front (RUF) forces, as part of their utterly repulsive campaign to discourage people from voting in elections by severing different sections of their hands, which they disdainfully categorised as either short sleeve or long sleeve, depending on what area they would eventually chop off. In a chilling CNN footage I watched a few months afterwards on life after the war, a brave young man informed the reporter he now lives on the same street with the same person that severed his two hands from the elbow, whom he encounters everyday, but had simply chosen to accept his fate, so as not to reopen fresh wounds, which may eventually result into another conflict.

On another visit to Liberia a year earlier to observe their own general elections, a very likeable person I met, who turned out to be a Magistrate Court Judge, offered to take us out on the eve of their elections. Our outing was going on fairly well under the glittering Monrovia night sky, until I mistakenly brought up the issue of their country’s equally brutal civil war, when his mood suddenly changed without any prior notice. After what appeared to be an eternity of silence, he was almost close to tears when he pleaded that I drop the topic; his reason being that he had personally witnessed the merciless butchering of his own family members and very close friends during theunfortunate conflict. He went on to state that because of the horrors he had experienced, he could no longer afford to watch a movie where a single gunshot was being fired. That completely innocent and very unintentional indiscretion on my part, totally unsettled me, and has turned out to be one of my biggest ever regrets in life to date.

During yet another discussion with the Rwandan Ambassador to the US on the sidelines of the Chinua Achebe Colloquium at Brown University, Providence, Rhodes Island, in February of 2011, he calmly disclosed how easily I could have fallen victim on account of my tall and slim physical frame and facial features, which closely resemble those of members of one of the sides to the conflict, if I happened to be visiting that country during the period of the genocide that engulfed the East African nation in 1994, with very little or no effort made to verify my true identity. This terrifying exchange immediately comes to mind whenever I happen to come across anyone listening to the audio or viewing the video clips in which the IPOB leader describes the country as a zoo, and its inhabitants as animals; an eerie reminder of that infamous Rwandan local radio broadcast inciting the Hutus to violence in a “final war” against the Tutsis, who were frequently derogatively referred to as cockroaches.

A close review of the fallouts of that infamous ‘Kaduna Declaration’, which elicited the deluge of responses by the different groups across the country, by way of social media commentaries and direct personal discussions with some individuals in the North, reveals two broad categories of reactions. On the one hand are those who tend to wholeheartedly support the ultimatum contained in the statement in its entirety, on account of what they perceive to be the endless barrage of insults being ceaselessly directed at them by the targets of that unfortunate eviction order; this set of people somehow appear to be completely unaware of the legendary Mahatma Gandhi’s admonition that “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind”.

On the one hand, are others who are totally against it, and are calling for greater restraint; this second group would seem to subscribe to the British economist, Ernst Friedrich “Fritz” Schumacher’s school of thought that states, “any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction”.

In between the two, lies a third group that would appear to be in the majority: people who view it as nothing more than a timely warning to those they regard as very pompous, and who believe that the world revolves strictly around them; those who think - rightly or wrongly - that without them, others cannot survive, and that they should, therefore, be treated with the utmost of respect that they do not accord others; a group of people they accuse of taking over and dominating commercial activities in virtually all markets - big and small - across the land, while finding it difficult to grant access to the tiniest of stalls for others to trade in any of the markets they own and control within their own land.

Whether the underlying motive behind these latest round of tensions and the resulting growing craze and agitations to go it alone may happen to be commercial or political in nature, the most important issue for consideration right now is that we must all have to be very careful with the way we go about handling it, as the prognosis of an all out confrontation by all sides is very grim, going by the ugly outcome of similar conflicts witnessed in far smaller nations on the African continent recently. One remains cautiously optimistic, however, that, depending on how delicately we are able to successfully navigate our way through this latest phase in the series of the perennial disagreements amongst our component parts, we shall, hopefully, be able to settle our differences and march collectively forward towards our manifest destiny together as a single unit, once again, as we have always done; and this, too, like all others before it, shall pass.

––Abdullahi Usman (usmanabd@gmail.com)

TR

Saturday, June 24, 2017

UT H

& RE A S O

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Price: N250

MISSILE Ohanaeze to Osinbajo

“That some individuals are pushing for self-determination in the SouthEast does not mean that the Igbo want to secede. The real situation is a protest against marginalization.”

– Deputy Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Chuks Ibegbu reacting to the letter written to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo by ‘Arewa youths,’ calling for Igbo to be allowed to have Biafra Republic.

PENDULUM Dele Momodu

dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

Hear The Voices of Reason and Wisdom

F

ellow Nigerians, I’m sure you’ll agree with me that this is a season of acute paranoia and schizophrenia in our dear beloved country. But we must not give up. We have more to gain in an atmosphere of peace and unity and more to lose in a condition of war and lawlessness.

The past few weeks have brought out the bitterness and abject bigotry in some of us. I once read somewhere that “anger beclouds reasoning.” Seriously, nothing could be truer.

I’m happy that a few bold and courageous Nigerians have risen up to the occasion in an effort to avert the cataclysmic fall and demise of the great country called Nigeria. Some great writings have since emerged from Nigerians and friends of Nigeria in other African countries. Before I go on, I must pause to salute a great leader, visionary and lover of dialogue and peace.

I am talking of none other than Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who has tirelessly engaged Nigerians from all walks of life. Professor Osinbajo just seems to grow in his role as acting President of Nigeria. He exudes the confidence and bearing that has recently been lacking in our leaders.

He demosnstrates both in his gait and in his words and action the quiet self-assurance of a man who knows his onions and understands his abilities and his weaknesses. No price is too much to pay for peace, unity and stability and, clearly, the Acting President knows this and is determined that Nigeria must achieve this. The dogged determination in which he has pursued the drive to keep us one nation can only be richly commended and resoundingly applauded. We are seeing a true statesman and leader at work.

In a democracy, a good leader must exhaust all peaceful means. Kill and go methods can never work effectively and eventually in cases such as this. It is to his credit that Professor Osinbajo appreciates this and is working to find a solution that will not lead to any bloodshed or even tears or recriminations. We must all rise to support him.

Now, I will share a few insightful pieces with you on this page today. I’m happy that the Arewa youths have suppressed some of their anger.

Their new strategy is more potent and effective because of the use of powerful satire.

On June 19, 2017, the Northern Youths wrote a mail to Acting President Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

I reproduce extracts of this letter as follows: “(W)e begin this letter by commending your efforts towards finding a lasting solution to the lingering Igbo-induced crisis that is undoubtedly overheating the polity.

We sincerely believe Your Excellency’s good intentions as shown by your prompt and genuine actions towards ensuring peace and stability in holding talks with leaders of the North and the South-East.

PAST EXPERIENCES 1. The Igbo of Eastern Nigeria manifested their hatred for Nigeria’s unity barely five years after we gained our independence from the British when on January 15, 1966, their army officers carried out the first-ever mutiny that marked the beginning of a series of crisis which has profoundly altered the course of Nigeria’s history.

2. ……

3. In line with the Igbo plan, General Aguiyi-Ironsi took advantage of the vacuum and ….. appropriated the coup and attempted to consolidate it for his people.

4. Army officers of the Northern Region were eventually compelled to execute a counter coup on July 29, 1966 ….. This unfortunately resulted in mob action …… (and) the death of many Igbos.

5. And when Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon, from the North took over….. the Igbo through Lt. Col. Ojukwu, characteristically refused to recognize Gowon.

6. Ojukwu declared the secession of the Igbo people

Osinbajo from Nigeria and the formation of the Republic of Biafra on May 30, 1967 resulting in a civil war that led to the tragic deaths of more than 2 million Nigerians.

7. ……The Igbo eventually capitulated and conceded defeat in an unconditional surrender, not an armistice, on January 15, 1970.

BIAFRA REINCARNATED 1. ……(O)ut of the blues, the Igbo have over the last 2 years regrouped and fiercely and openly started discussing Biafra again under Ralph Uwazuruike of the ….. MASSOB. 2. This was given greater impetus by a more furious Igbo rogue group called the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB under Nnamdi Kanu, …. spreading hate and war messages across the nation ....

3. ....

4. KANU and IPOB ….. continue to preach hatred and war virtually every day, and not for once did any Igbo leader call them to order. Instead, many of the leaders, including the deputy senate president, pay Kanu courtesy calls to prove that he is speaking for the entire Igbo. ……

5. .....

6. ……

GROUNDS FOR SUSPICION …. (W)e strongly believe that the gruesome picture that the Biafran agitation represents is beyond a few people showcasing to Your Excellency that the Igbo will eventually heed the call for peace and desist from their dangerous campaign against Nigeria.

We base our concerns on the following grounds.

1. Despite the fact that the Igbo have been the most accommodated and tolerated of all the ethnic groups of Nigeria, the renewed …. vile threats and insults on Northern leaders and their people, culture and religions ….. can hardly be addressed through a series of two hours dialogues.

2. As if to prove this, barely hours after Your Excellency’s meeting with the South-East leaders, the Biafran Igbo openly disowned the leaders and dissociated themselves from the meeting. …….

3. More disturbingly, Kanu has openly claimed that the Biafran agitators have amassed arms in readiness for a war of secession …

4. ….

5. ………..

OUR CONCERNS 1. …..

2. ……. (W)e are strongly concerned that nothing short of granting their Biafran dream will suffice.

3. …. (I)n their domain in the South East, Northerners and Westerners are as much as possible disenfranchised from owning any businesses whereas in Kano alone, they own not less than 100,000 shops across all the business districts.

4. That since the younger generation of Nigerians makes up for more than 60 percent of the nation’s population, it is our hope that they inherit this country in better shape so that they can build a much better future for themselves and their offsprings ……

5. …… (W)hat they say against us is what they truly mean and intend - “Kill everyone in the Zoo” (North). Your Excellency, we cannot afford to discard this as mere mischief as the utterances that caused the terrible Rwandan genocide still resonates in our minds.

6. ……

OUR STAND We therefore demand that the only enduring solution to this scourge that is being visited on the nation is complete separation of the states presently agitating for Biafra from the Federal Republic of Nigeria through a peaceful political process by: 1. Taking steps to facilitate the actualization of the Biafran nation in line with the principle of selfdetermination as an integral part of contemporary customary international law.

2. ……

3. ….

4. ….. State parties to these international documents are obliged to uphold the primacy and realization of this right ….

5. ……

PRAYERS: 1. Aware that the right of self-determination in international law is the legal right for a “people” that allows them to attain a certain degree of autonomy from a sovereign state through a legitimate political process, we strongly demand for a referendum to take place in a politically sane atmosphere where all parties will have a democratic voice over their future and the future of the nation.

2. …..

3. ….

4. ….

CONCLUSION Your Excellency, we want to reiterate our high respect for your office and acknowledge the efforts you are making to lower tensions. ……. … (W)e do not see this clamour for Biafra as an issue over which a single drop of blood should be shed, we … insist that the Igbo be allowed to have their Biafra and for them to vacate our land peacefully so that our dear country Nigeria could finally enjoy lasting peace and stability.

SIGNED: In response to this sometimes satirical letter from the Arewa Youths, which I fear some people took too seriously, one Igbo commentator appositely stated as follows: The storm is gathering just like it did before the 1966 progrom started ….

1. From my limited knowledge of Northerners, especially Muslims, if you taunt Islam in any manner they react promptly but if you offend them politically they bid their time. …. Igbos on the other hand have no political culture.

2. …. As soon as Buhari came on stream MASSOB, IPOB, BIM etc suddenly woke up from their slumber. …. To worsen matters radio Biafra was established in London, not to mobilize the Igbos into political consciousness (which they lack) but to seek secession, insult other tribes that have been accommodating igbos and constantly attack the person of the elected President of Nigeria. …. Why are ‘humans’ complaining that they were asked to vacate the zoo to go and inhabit their palaces? Great contradiction.

3. Suddenly, IPOB is the only group and Nnamdi Kanu is d only person that loves the igbos. All those that contributed in many ways to rebuild igboland after the civil war have become enemies. …. It’s only in igboland that young men with no track record of achievement seek relevance by rubbishing d persons and achievements of their leaders. …. These maligned leaders were the same people that ensured that Kanu was not left to rot in jail. Or does he think his release was facilitated by d noise of Emma Powerful?

4. ……

5. IPOB/MASSOB cannot save igbos bcoz you can’t give what you don’t have. The only things they have are propaganda, empty boasts, threats, insults and territorial and political ambition. They lack political foresight, political retrospect, political and economic blue print for igbos ….. His family (Nnamdi Kanu) is safe in London so he can afford to ask others to leave their businesses and return home to nothing.

6. Nnamdi Kanu …. now perceives himself as a demigod and wants to test d will of d federal government.

He should be prepared for a very long spell in jail.

7. It is pertinent at this point to remind Kanu/ IPOB that at a time Ibrahim Shekarau had Igbos as Special Advisers/Assistants in Kano, Fashola had an Igboman as Commissioner in Lagos, his state, Abia was hounding other igbos out of the Abia state civil service bcoz they were non indigenes what did Kanu do as an Igbo Champion?

Conclusion: ….The different leadership groups in the east, …. already know our stand …. which is regional autonomy/true federalism. …. let’s have stable political character by standing and defending that position like other southern groups. Therein lies our respect as a people and that is our position of strength and safety.

Igbos cannot be deceived by groups of Okada riders, Barrow pushers, bus conductors etc demonstrating and shouting Biafra, Biafra.

Signed I feel that the above letter by this Igbo commentator would serve as a sobering riposte to those warriors in society, who hardly know better and are attracted to the hate campaign of the Nnamdi Kanus of this nation. It is clear that the mainstream Igbos know that their lot is better served in a big unified Nigeria than in a fractional, fratricidal and fractious Igboland, by whatever name it may be called.

The next piece and my final pick encapsulates the real issues so succinctly: “The Ibos want Biafra The North wants Ibo’s exit The Yorubas want Ibo’s exit The Ibos are saying “we have investments in your areas and cannot leave them” And the fight is being cooked.

Governors are sharing bailout funds Workers salaries are not paid Ministers and senators are looting The poor Hausa man sleeps under the bridge as Alamajiri The poor Yoruba man sleeps under the bridge as Alaye The poor Ibo man sleeps under the bridge as agbero Do not allow the agitation of an Ibo man who lives in UK or USA for Biafra cause the killing of the Ibo man in Adamawa. The rich hate us that much.

The problem in the country is not the agitation of any ethnic group but the unity of the elite and the disunity of the masses.

Sad to note; All the Governors love themselves All the past Presidents love themselves All the senators love themselves All the top government officials love themselves All the looters love themselves Why can’t you and I love ourselves?

Why cant we combine efforts and fight them?

Why do we fight ourselves?

Why do we allow them the freedom we don’t have?

Remember; a good Nigeria is better than a good Arewa, Oduduwa or Biafra...”

I have reproduced salient extracts from these letters to show that the majority of well-meaning Nigerians love this country and its unified whole.

Only those who wish to profit for their own selfish ends are beating the drums of war. They will not succeed. The will of the majority always prevails.

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