Explosions rock Maiduguri as APC govs meet

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 61829

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

— Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI •Pgs.50 & 51

I can't prosecute Oyerinde's murder suspects —Adoke

•P .1 3

I'll obey my successor

Explosions rock Maiduguri as APC govs meet

BY NDAHI MARAMA & WOLE MOSEDOMI

M

AIDUGURI — SIX persons were, yesterday, feared dead as four major explosions rocked Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

This came as nine governors in the All Progressive Congress, APC, gathered in the troubled city to push the merger plans of the

Six persons feared dead Govs vow to rescue Nigeria As IBB backs merger of political parties BENEDICT'S FINAL HOURS AS POPE:

Continues on page 5

COLUMNISTS:

07059197616

Growth of democracy and multi-party system —P.57

DONU KOGBARA: •P. 17

Mr & Mrs

Pope Benedict XVI addressing faifthful for the last time upon arrival in Castel Gandolfo, yesterday before his departure to papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, a sumptuous villa outside Rome with ornamental gardens, breathtaking views and its own farm. PHOTO: AFP.

FG bows to NASS, •P.8 sacks Maina ...As Olabisi Jaji takes over C M Y K

Reps probe EFCC over seized assets •P.9

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POCKET CARTOON

Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State (right), receiving award plaque from the GOC 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Major General Ahmed Jibrin (middle) and Brigade Commander of the 32 Artillery, Akure, Brigadier General Muhammed Dan-Alli, during a visit to the Governor, in Akure, yesterday.

Explosions rock Maiduguri as APC govs meet Continues from page 1 country’s leading opposition political parties.

Several others were injured in the explosions and are receiving treatment.

The governors in a communiqué vowed that they would rescue Nigeria from what they described as a visionless leadership.

The explosions occurred simultaneously on Baga road, Customs and Gamboru areas at about 3p.m, while a fourth exploded at London Ciki at about 6p.m.

A top security source

regretted the incident, claiming that the state administration may have triggered the incident through the invitation of the APC governors to the state as he said intelligence reports had advised against the meeting.

Six feared dead An unconfirmed report from a hospital source said six dead bodies including security operatives and civilians were brought to the mortuary of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, while those who sustained

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Better begets better. Follow those whom you help develop, so you may learn how to help become better human beings and in the process you become a better person too.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

I

T should be a privilege to be able to say “I love you” to someone. It shouldn’t be something people say just because they feel like it. A privilege that is earned. They say you have to earn the right to be loved; no, love is unconditional, if you love someone, they don’t have to earn it. But. The right to tell someone that you love them? That has to be earned. You have to earn the right to be believed —Joy Bell C. This moment is a beautiful realisation to see more clearly through life experiences and to sharpen my perception of how much there is to enjoy even in ordinary things and happenings. So, you may want to pause and ask yourself this question. How many ways have you shown love to another today?

For most people, the ways and means to share and demonstrate love are uncountable but being able to say I love you to another being is profound, and to give back in some ways, and mostly silently rekindles a burning flame of love that is endlessly replenished in abundance.

To be loved, you have to love first and knowing that the higher thought means living a more spiritual life. For the infinite intelligence from whence everything beautiful emanate resides within, you only have be a conduit for this beautiful energy of life! This moment! Do something for love, for someone ...for love only!

injuries were admitted for treatment.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Yuguda Abdullahi, however, claimed knowledge of only one blast, saying he personally visited that site.

He declined comment on the number of casualties.

Spokesman of the Joint Task Force, JTF Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa could not be reached for comments.

The governors were, nevertheless, undeterred in pledging their solidarity with the people of Borno State and together donated N200 million to Borno and Yobe States, the two opposition party held states that are at the centre of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Jonathan to visit Borno Meantime, the bond of solidarity from the APC governors is coming ahead of the expected visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to the troubled city. The president who has not visited Borno State since the insurgency got to troubling levels is expected to visit the state within the next two weeks.

Eight governors and one deputy governor from the four parties forming the APC were present at yesterday ’s strategic meeting that lasted about four hours. It was reportedly focussed on how to properly position the emerging party in the polity.

Roll call Present at the meeting were Governors Rochas Okorocha (APGA Imo), Kayode Fayemi (ACN Ekiti), Babatunde Fashola (ACN Lagos), Umaru Tanko Al-Makura (CPC

Nasarawa), Ibikunle Amosun (ACN Ogun).

Also present were Governor Rauf Aregbesola (ACN Osun), Deputy Governor of Yobe, Abubakar Aliyu (ANPP), and the host,Governor Kashim Shettima.

Governors Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo and Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara were among the opposition party governors absent at the meeting. They, however, sent messages of solidarity.

...donate N200m to Borno, Yobe Reading a communiqué to newsmen after the meeting, Governor Aregbesola said the APC governors had collectively donated N200 million to Borno and Yobe State governments for emergency relief and support in the light of the Boko Haram insurgency affecting the two states.

Despite the explosions of yesterday, the APC governors also noted the relative lull in the insurgency in Maiduguri and, therefore, offered solidarity to the governments and people of Borno and Yobe states.

The communiqué "The Forum reiterated our irrevocable commitment to the emergence of the new party, All Progressive Congress (APC).

"In solidarity with the government and people of Borno and Yobe states, we are pleased to witness an upsurge of tranquility and happy that the situation has calmed down considerably in Maiduguri, contrary to the image of rampant violence that has been painted to the whole world. We have

discovered the people are going about their businesses without hindrance. We wish to commend the efforts of our brother-governors in the two states and the security agencies for the restoration of peace and stability.

"We also sympathize with the families of those who lost their lives and property and wish to donate N200 million to Borno and Yobe governments for emergency relief and support.

"We wish to commend the Central Merger Committee of the APC on the progress so far made in the establishment of the new party, particularly the recent inauguration of three major committees on constitution, manifesto and legal/INEC compliance.

"Finally, we wish to inform Nigerians that we shall soon embark on a national outreach and sensitization activities and we call on Nigerians to support our effort to rescue the country from a visionless leadership."

IBB backs merger of political parties Meanwhile, former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) has said that the merger of some political parties was a welcome development in our political system as it would serve as a strong opposition to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Answering questions from newsmen at his hill top mansion, Minna, Niger State, the former military president said as a strong advocate of two political parties for the country, the emerging scenario would surely vindicate him on his stand for two political party system which he said was the only way out for the country politically.

Two-party system best for the country He said: “I have been a very good advocate of two party system for the country since I was the president. When I said we

need only two parties some years back, they said I am a soldier and I should shut up but now, many are seeing relevance in my agitation.

“I am happy with the merger talk that is going on. It is a welcome political development in our political experience and if it succeeds, it will surely vindicate me and move the country on politically.”

The former military president who took a swipe at the nation's political leadership so far said most politicians in the country were concerned about the votes they garnered from the electorate during elections but have failed to serve them more appropriately after wining the elections. ...berates political

leadership

He noted: “It is unfortunate that the political elite have failed to enlighten the ordinary man and carry them along. Nobody is talking about educating the ordinary man because they are only interested in their votes and soon forget them after getting to power.

“The only thing we are busy doing is wasting our energy in fighting over who becomes the chairman of this or that and until we carry the people along and serve them diligently, we will have a long way to go in this country.”

On whether he was comfortable with the comments of former American president, Bill Clinton, accusing the Federal Government of mismanaging the country’s resources, the former president said it was what the foreigners read from the homebased journalists that they rely and comment on.

“You don’t need a foreigner to tell you this.

You write it yourself and they read it and so, what is the problem with the comment. I am comfortable with the comment,” Babangida said.

6—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

Gunmen kill 5, raze palace, 9 houses in Delta

BY EMMAAMAIZE

U

ZERE, DELTA—SUSPECTED militants have killed five persons, razed no fewer than 10 houses, including the palace of the Ovie of Uzere kingdom, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, His Royal Majesty, Odhebeodhiwu Udogri 1, in renewed community violence.

Earlier report indicated that two persons lost their lives, but HRM Udogri I, who spoke to newsmen in Warri, said the death toll had escalated, just as he fingered a retired army general for the carnage.

Giving the genesis of the crisis, he said: “Prior to the 2011 general elections, the former Chief of Defence Staff sent emissaries to my palace with a view to luring me to support his candidate, who was contesting election into the Delta State House of Assembly on the platform of the Labour Party, LP.” Three villagers massacred in 2011, the traditional ruler’s palace razed in an ensuing riot, and confrontation with security agents, after demonstrators from the community, angling for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, laid siege to the Shell Petroleum Production Company, SPDC facility in Uzere.

Udogri I, however, asserted that the disturbance in the community had nothing to do with oil as alleged by some persons, stating, “my refusal to yield to their request on account of my position as a father to all may have angered the general”.

His words, “I strongly believe that the negative utterances and attitude of the general towards my palace thereafter are tied to my refusal to endorse his candidate.

“There were other candidates that came to me for endorsement and it was the same position I took on the issue,” he added.

According to him, “I am sure that was when he launched a war against the palace. Since then, we have not known peace in Uzere community. Several lives have been lost while properties worth millions of naira have been wasted in the land.”

Kidnappers abduct 5 Lagos bound passengers along Benin-Sagamu road

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

B

ENIN—ABDUCTION of persons by suspected kidnappers has taken a new worrisome dimension in Edo State following the kidnapping on Wednesday morning of five Lagos-bound passengers by gunmen on the Lagos-Benin road near Ogbemudia farms.

Vanguard gathered that the passengers were among occupants of a Greener Line space wagon Siena bus travelling from Warri, Delta State to Lagos when they ran into a barricade along the Benin-Ore- Sagamu-Lagos road.

The suspected kidnappers were said to have blocked the highway with a truck, and the bus driver on sighting the barricade, slowed down.

Soon after, some gun-totting men were said to have emerged from the bush and took the passengers hostage after allowing the driver and one passenger to go and give information about the incident.

It was further learnt that one of

the victims who lives in Lagos, was said to be returning to the state after a naming ceremony of his new-born baby in Warri when he was abducted along with other passengers.

The father of the victim, a re-

tired army colonel, told Vanguard that the kidnappers had made contact and demanded N3 million ransom to set his son free, even as he pleaded with them to release his son unhurt, saying that it was difficult for the family

to raise the amount they demanded.

When contacted, Edo State Police Command Acting Public Relations Officer, Awhara Ejiroro, said he was yet to be briefed on the incident.

Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar (sitting 3rd-left), deputy inspectors-general of police and newly promoted assistant inspectors-general of police after their decoration in Abuja, yesterday.

Floating corpses: Chime assures on assistance of Enugu govt

BY TONY EDIKE

E

NUGU—GOVERNOR Sullivan Chime of Enugu State said yesterday that the government and people of the state were ready to assist in the ongoing investigation into the discovery of floating corpses at the Ezu River with a view to fishing out those responsible for the act.

The governor applauded the decision of the Federal Government to institute a committee to investigate the incident, saying the need to get to the root of the matter had become very imperative to unmask the perpetrators.

Chime made this known through the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Amechi Okolo when the committee paid him a visit at the Government House, Enugu. He noted that the corpses are Nigerians, adding that government and the people should not fold their hands over such ugly actions.

In his words “whatever is our obligations will be done to ensure that the perpetrators are exposed.” The governor called for an exclusive interactive between the committee members and relevant agencies in the state with a view to finding out the root cause of the incident.

Earlier in their separate speeches, the chairmen Senate Committee on Police Affairs and

National Security and Intelligence which made up the committee, Senator Paulinus Igwe Nwagu and Mohammed Mogoro, called on the govern-

ment and people of Enugu State to assist the committee in finding out the root cause of the ugly incident.

They noted that the Senate con-

stituted the committee to find out the root cause of the floating corpses at the river with a view to forestalling future occurrences.

Police arrest 30-yr-old man who raped 4-yr-old girl to death ...kill notorious kidnapper in Owerri

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

O

WERRI—THE Imo State Po-lice Command has arrested a 30-year old man, Onyebuchi Ejimkonye, for allegedly raping a four-year-old girl, Chinasa Dickson, to death.

The little girl was on her way to school when she was ambushed by Ejimkonye, who mercilessly subjected her to a marathon sex in a nearby bush and she died on the spot.

The police also rescued a 15year-old-girl, Miss Odinaka Chukwu, who was abducted by suspected ritualist and taken to a shrine a forth-night ago.

Parading Ejimkonye yesterday, the State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Katsina, however, said that although the ritualist was now on the run, his identity had been known and the police promised to arrest him soon.

On the death of little Chinasa, the Commissioner of Police explained that some villagers, who were passing close to the scene of the crime sensed that something fishy was going on and sought to find out what it was.

“Ejimkonye, who hails from one of the communities in Oru East Local Council Area of Imo State, was on the verge of burying the little girl in a shallow grave when he was nabbed by the villagers,” he added.

According to him, the villagers quickly alerted his men, who arrested the suspect on the spot.

“The lifeless body of the child has been recovered but post-mortem examination was yet to be conducted”.

Answering questions from newsmen, Ejimkonye gave a graphic account of how he committed the heinous crime but blamed the entire incident on

“devil’s work.”

In a similar development, Katsina said that a gang of kidnappers, led by one Alaribe Martin Uche, from Ngor Okpala Local Government Area, has been smashed.

The Commissioner of Police said: “Our operative, while on a tip-off, stormed their hideout. On seeing the police, the hoodlums engaged our men in a gun duel.

This led to the killing of Alaribe and recovery of their operational vehicle,” adding that, "a 75-yeaold man from Aniocha, Delta State, who was kidnapped in Ohaji/Egbema local council area, was rescued after exchange of gunfire with the hoodlums.

“One of them, who fled in the process but later resurfaced, has been arrested. His confessional statement took the police to Rivers State, where his colleagues in crime were arrested”.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013—7

Four burnt to death in auto crash

BY PETER DURU

M

AKURDI—FOUR persons were yesterday burnt to death following an auto crash in Makurdi. The J-5 bus in which the deceased were travelling collided with a trailer along the popular Bank Road and burst into a ball of flame. Vanguard gathered from an eyewitness that the occupants of the J-5 bus were believed to be traders, from Aba, Abia State. They were reportedly heading to one of the northern states when the driver dosed off on the wheels before running into a stationary trailer.

The witness who gave his name as John Ugwu, said, “this J-5 bus overtook my car before the Makurdi mechanic village and the way the driver drove recklessly, I just had a premonition that something unfortunate could happen.

"I was driving behind him, (the J-5 driver) when I noticed that the bus was occasionally swerving off the road and this could have been as a result of sleep because it was

as if they drove all night from the East.

"Unfortunately, we saw the bus ram into the parked trailer. It was just like a movie, and the bus immediately burst into flames.”

The eyewitness stressed that nobody could go near the burning bus to rescue its four occupants because of the intensity of the fire.

The police could not be reached

but when Vanguard visited the scene of the incident, officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, were seen removing the burnt corpses from the crash site

Members of Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit, protest victimisation of secondary school students using Hijab by principals at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

IG donates N9.8m to families of deceased, injured policemen in Bauchi

B

BY SUZAN EDEH

AUCHI—THE Inspector General of Police, IGP, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar yesterday donated N9.8 million to families of policemen who lost their lives while in active service, as well as those who sustained various degrees of injury while fighting Boko Haram in Borno and Yobe States.

Distributing the cheques to the next-of-kins of the deceased and injured policemen, the IGP who was represented by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, in-charge of Zone 12, Ibrahim Abdu condoled the families of the deceased and advised them to make the best use of the token given to them by the police be-

fore government paid their entitlements.

He said, "we should not forget our deceased ones because they lived a fulfilled life defending thier father land. We pray to God to give them eternal rest and heal the wound of the injured policemen. We also pray that God will give the deceased families the for-

titude to bear the irreparable loss.

The Police authorities decided to pay this token to ease burden of the affected families going to Abuja to collect their cheques.”

The families of the deceased policemen expressed appreciation to the IGP for the gesture and pledged to make the best use of the amount received.

Alleged murder of police inspector: Yoruba group demands justice, wants IG to intervene

A

BY DAYO JOHNSON

KURE—A group, the Defence for Yoruba People’s Rights, in Ondo State yesterday asked the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Abubakar to intervene in the investigation of the murder of a police Inspector, Adelakun Lawal in Ondo town by an Assistant Superintendent of Police.

Adelakun, a father of six, was allegedly murdered by his seniour colleague at a relaxation centre in Ondo town following a misunderstanding between them.

Until his death, he was attached to the Yaba Divisional Police Station in Ondo town Addressing newsmen on the delay in the prosecution of the suspect, the president of DYPR, Chief Muyideen Olamoyegun, said the group decided to seek justice by drawing the attention of the IGP .

Olamoyegun said, “the slow

pace of investigation and inability of the police to bring the per-

petrator of the heinous crime to book several weeks after he was

alleged to have committed the murder is worrisome.

400 level LASU student shot dead by suspected cultists

BY EVELYN USMAN

A

400 level student of the La gos State University Ojo, was yesterday killed during a fight between suspected members of rival cults around the school’s vicinity.

Identity of the deceased was given as Damilola Damino Damoshe, popularly known as Obotse.

Although the cause of the fight could not be immediately ascertained. But report said the deceased was shot dead close to the institution’s gate. His colleagues were said to have rushed him to

the institution’s health centre where unfortunately, he was confirmed dead.

His death, reportedly sent fear into students living outside the campus as most of them reportedly left for their respective family homes for fear of being caught up in the web of a possible reprisal attack..

It was gathered that the late Damoshe’s corpse was later removed.

The late Damilola, a student of Management Science as gathered, was a popular song artist .

Efforts to get the reaction of the Lagos State Police Public Rela-

tions Officer, Ngozi Braide failed as her phone rang without response.

Damilola

Ekiti task force arrests 19 children for hawking during school hours

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

A

DO-EKITI—NINETEEN children of schoolage found hawking snacks, fruits and other consumables during school hours have been arrested and taken to the State Children Correctional Centre by the Ekiti State Task Force on Child’s Right, SCRIC. The children were arrested at Itawure, Ita-Ido and Aramoko-Ekiti during a monitoring exercise of the task force in Ekiti Central Senatorial District of the state.

The state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment, Mrs. Fola RichieAdewusi explained that parents and guardians of the children in custody would be prosecuted at the state Family Court.

The Commissioner stressed that the provisions of the Child’s Rights Law make it an offence to engage children in hawking during school hours.

According to her, it was the responsibility of parents to ensure that their children go to school.

Richie-Adewusi emphasised that parents who denied their children right to education were actually infringing on such children’s fundamental human rights.

2 estate agents convicted for threat to life

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

A

N Igbosere Magistrate Court in Lagos yesterday sentenced two estate agents to two months imprisonment at the Ikoyi prison, over malicious damage and threat to life.

Magistrate, Mrs A.A. Famobiwo, found the convicts, Oladeinde Provost, 44 and Adeshokan Akin, 37, guilty of the two-count charge preferred against them, saying “I hereby sentence the two defendants to two months imprisonment, which will run concurrently, without an option of fine.”

According to the prosecutor, Corporal Emmanuel Ajayi, “the duo and four others now at large had committed the offence on May 31, 2010 at No. 31, Ira Nla village, Aja, Lagos.They were convicted for threatening the life of one Mrs Abiola Abdul and also maliciously damaging her shop.”

8—Vanguard , FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

NCC slams N22m fine on telecom firms

BY EMEKA AGINAM

T

ELECOMMUNICATIONS regulatory agency, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, yesterday, slammed a N22 million fine on the four major GSM operators in the country for contravening the ban on promotions and lotteries on their respective networks.

The operators are MTN, Globacom Limited, Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Ltd (Etisalat) and Airtel.

The ban covered proposed and approved promotions and lotteries after the Commission was inundated with several complaints from consumers and stakeholders against various promotions in the various networks.

Accordingly, MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd, is to pay N10,000,000 on account of five promotions at N2,000,000 for each promotion, while Etisalat is to pay N6,000,000 for three promotions on its network.

Similarly, Airtel is to pay N4,000,000 for running two promotions against the ban, while Globacom will pay N2,000,000 for one promotion.

The notice of the sanctions, signed by the Commission’s Director of Legal and Regulatory Services, Ms. Josephine Amuwa, said: “In the event of further non-compliance with the ban, and or refusal to pay the sanction amount within the stipulated time, the Commission shall have no other option than to impose stiffer penalties in accordance with the powers of the Commission, including but not limited to payment of N1,000,000 for each day that the contravention persists.”

Empowerment

M

AGNUS Film Academy has designed a youth empowerment programme that will hold at Ikeja Youth Centre between March and April in collaboration with Lagos State Ministry of Youths Sports and Social Development.

ECOWAS: President Goodluck Jonathan (right) and President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, signing the Community Acts and Decisions at the closing ceremony of the 42nd Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS in Yamoussoukro, Cote D'Ivoire, yesterday.

Pension scam: FG replaces Maina

BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

A

BUJA—FEDERAL Government has bowed to pressure from the National Assembly to sack the controversial chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, from the public service of Nigeria following his refusal to appear before the lawmakers after several invitations.

Findings by Vanguard reveal that the Federal Government may have quietly dismissed Maina from service shortly after it dissolved PRTT, so as not to be seen as bowing to the dictates of the National Assembly.

Both chambers of the legislature had unanimously voted for the dismissal of Maina, an Assistant Director in the Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pensions Office, CIPPO, who was appointed to run the PRT T for 30 months only to be overwhelmed by scandals involving pensions funds management running into billions of Naira.

Replacements

Although the Head of Service, Bello Sali, had said the PRTT had been dissolved and pensions funds management transferred to his office, a new Director, Olabisi Jaji, was appointed by the HoS to take over from Maina with immediate effect.

Jaji, a level 17 officer, was

moved from the Ministry of Environment to take over Maina’s seat at CIPPO. She is to be supported by a deputy Director, Elizabeth Zenetini, a level 16 officer deployed by the HoS from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to CIPPO. A letter from the office of the HoS, which was sighted

by Vanguard, directed the two officers to take over from Maina on or before March 6.

The HoS letter was, however, silent on Maina and what disciplinary actions had been taken against him

for absconding from his duty post without approval.

‘He sacked himself’

A senior civil servant, who is familiar with the matter, said Maina had unwittingly shoved himself from the public service by running away from his job without any explanation.

The officer, who did not want to be named, said by absconding, the man had sacked himself from the service and that the government had taken the right steps by filling the vacancy created

by his exit from the service.

Maina went underground following an arrest warrant issued by the Senate President, David Mark early in February. They are insisting that Maina be arrested and prosecuted for tampering with pension funds amounting to over N290 billion.

Maina has, however, approached a Federal High Court in Abuja to stop the police from arresting him based on the Senate’s bench warrant, which he describes as a violation of his fundamental human rights.

AfDB approves N47bn loan for Nigeria

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

A

FRICA Development Bank, AfDB, yesterday approved N47 billion loan for Nigeria to finance the transport sector and governance reform programme.

In a statement issued yesterday, AfDB said: “The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group approved, Wednesday in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, a loan of US $300 million to finance the transport sector and economic governance reform programme and the Nigeria Country Strategy Paper, CSP, for the period 2013-2017.

“The loan aims to support

the Nigerian government to accelerate reform implementation in the areas of transport sector governance and public expenditure management.

Reform measures include the establishment of a Federal Road Authority, National Road Maintenance Fund, RoadTolling Policy, and Axel Load Control Policy.

“In the areas of public financial management reform, the programme involves the adoption of International Public Sector Accounting Standards, IPSAS; Internal Audit Mode-rnisation Plan, Treasuring Single Account, TSA; Government Integrated Public Financial Management, GIFMIS, and Transparency and

Compliance in Procurement and Audit Practices.

“The programme will also create fiscal space for increased investment in road infrastructure development.

It is an integral part of a broader set of interventions of the bank, designed to support Nigeria’s transformation agenda with emphasis to economic governance and infrastructure development.

“The Country Strategy Paper outlines the bank’s engagement and assistance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It will focus on two strategic pillars.

“First is supporting the development of a sound policy environment and the second is investing in critical infrastructure.

Vanguard , FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013—9

We'll take over Abia in 2015 —PPA State Chairman

BY ANAYO OKOLI

U

MUAHIA—THE Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, in Abia State, has said it was working very hard to take the state in 2015.

The party said, it would offer Abia people better governance than what the ruling Peoples Democratic Party PDP had done.

The party ’s state Chairman, Prince Emeka Okafor, spoke while addressing stakeholders of the party in Ohafia, Abia North Senatorial zone.

According to Okafor, the state was blessed with a lot of resources which a PPA government would use to make the state greater, saying the state had the capacity to be one of the nation’s economic giants.

He urged party faithful to go to all the nooks and crannies of the state to tell the people that the party had come back in a big way, saying, “tell them that 2015 elections would not be like what happened in the last elections, but would be free and fair.”

In his remarks, a leader of the party in Ohafia, Chief Ndukwe Iko, said the party had been re-positioned to field candidates in all positions, pointing out that the era of rigging election results in the state was over.

He advised stakeholders to remain steadfast.

Senate blames economic woes on Finance Ministry

BY HENRY UMORU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

A

BUJA—SENATE has begun moves to cripple what it described as the overbearing powers of the Ministry of Finance in the budgeting process, just as it wants to be involved fully and not only wait for information from the executive arm of the government.

The upper chamber accused the Ministry of Finance of being responsible for the nation’s economic woes and the dwindling growth because of what the Senators described as the Ministry’s poor budgeting system, adding that over the years the country had not improved employment or dividends of democracy to Nigerians as expected by the citizens.

The Senators also vowed to sanction those they have accused of hijacking the jobs

and responsibilities of other agencies and Commissions of government, even as they also plan to ban the long-introduced envelop system by Federal Government where all Ministries, Department and Agencies of government can embark on projects not really tied down to budget.

Following discussions by the lawmakers on a motion yesterday by Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, ACN, Ekiti North, and 46 others, entitled Call for Review of National Planning and Budgeting Process, the Senate also resolved to empower the National Assembly in determining the pegging of budgets.

The resolution of the Senate is coming barely 48 hours after President Goodluck signed the 2013 Appropriation Bill into law after intrigues between the National Assembly and the executive months after the budget was

passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Senate President

Meanwhile, Senate President David Mark, who described the motion as “one of the most important motions we have seen on the floor of the Senate,” noted that it was time for the National Assembly to sit up and take over its constitutional responsibilities, which he said had been snatched from it by the executive.

Senator Mark said: “People have failed to do what they are supposed to do. Some others have become too powerful and hijacked other people’s work and refused to allow those who have been charged with specific responsibility to do what they are supposed to do.”

Mark, who noted that the duty of planning the national budget rested squarely with the National Planning Commission, wondered why the

Ministry of Finance had hijacked such duty from the commission.

He stressed that there must be a return to status quo against the backdrop that the Ministry was carrying out a responsibility outside its schedules.

Earlier in his motion, Senator Adetunmbi said: “Senate notes the subsumed role of the national planning function in the Nigerian budget process.

“It further notes that despite its declining influence in western economies, national development planning continues to be a dominant policy instrument in many low-income and emerging market economies.

“Observes that the traditional five-year development plans have been replaced by a Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, and believes that linking multi-year development plans to the national budget is fundamental to economic growth.”

MEETING: From left— Mrs. Olusola Moore, Director Solicitors, Federal Ministry of Justice; Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, Minister of National Planning Commission; Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Finance, and Vice President Namadi Sambo, at a meeting of the National Council on Privatisation at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday.

Reps probe EFCC over seized property

BY OKEY NDIRIBE & EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

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BUJA—HOUSE of Representatives, yesterday mandated its committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes to carry out an indepth investigation into all seized and sold assets by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, since its inception.

The House made this resolution to institute the inquiry following a motion sponsored

by Mr. Toby Okechukwu, representing Aninri/Oji River

Federal Constituency in Enugu State and 15 other lawmakers.

The legislators stated that EFCC had in the past confiscated over 200 mansions through forfeiture court orders but that there had not been a clear account of what happened to these assets, thereafter.

Okechukwu, who led the debate, argued that EFCC had within its mandate at many times confiscated, through court orders, assets from accused and convicted persons, including prominent

Nigerians and corporate organizations.

He said the Assets Forfeiture Unit of the anti-graft agency was set up in 2008 with the mandate of ensuring that all assets forfeited to the Federal Government through EFCC were identified and verifiable.

He revealed that these forfeited assets, estimated at over N2 trillion, comprised landed property and business concerns, bank accounts, shares in blue chip companies, exotic vehicles, fuel stations, hotels, warehouses,

shopping malls, schools, bakeries, housing estates and radio stations in and outside Nigeria.

Okechukwu expressed concern that there have been reports of vandalism, abandonment and wastage of some of these assets after they were seized by the anti-graft agency.

He also expressed dismay that there had been lack of clarity as to the utilisation of these assets, while litigation on the substantive corruption cases were on in the courts.

He said there had also

been reported breach of the seal off EFCC and attempts at unlawful and forceful repossession by those whose property had been confiscated.

He revealed that the House has a challenge to look at the reported rot of over four hundred cars seized from some prominent Nigerians.

The lawmakers applauded EFCC for its diligence in the process of obtaining forfeiture order through the courts but insisted that there was need for proper management of these assets.

10 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

4 million children for immunisation in Lagos

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

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AGOS—NO fewer than 4,3945,651 children below the age of five will be immunized during the National Immunization Plus Days, NIPDs, in Lagos State, beginning tomorrow through March 5th, 2013.

Already the State government has sourced about five million doses of oral polio vaccine through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, for second round of the National Immunisation Plus Days campaign.

The four-day immunisation exercise targeted at children at homes, markets, churches, mosques, major car parks and social event venues, will be implemented by 2,254 house to house teams, 1714 transit teams as well as 778 fixed post teams.

Announcing the commencement of the exercise at a briefing in Lagos yesterday, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who assured of adequate security for the exercise, called on parents and guardians to bring out their children and wards for vaccination.

Baba Aladura Akinde dies at 86 THE Supreme Head of the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim & Seraphim, His Most Eminence Baba Aladura Amos Akinsanya Akinde is dead. He was aged 83 years.

Baba Aladura Akinde died in the early morning of Saturday February 23, in his residence at Dalemo, Alakuko, Lagos State.

The General Secretary of the Holy Order, Senior Superintendent Apostle Kola Odunsi, who announced the passing on of the revered clergyman, said his burial arrangement would be announced later. Baba Aladura Akinde was ordained the head of the church on June 4, 2005.

Late Amos Akinde

Ex-Interior Minister, Iheanacho, sues NIMASA over arrest Demands N90bn damages L

BY INNOCENT ANABA

AGOS—FORMER Minis ter of Interior, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, has filed a N90billion suit against Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA and itsDirector General, Mr Zikade Akpobolokemi, before a Lagos High Court sitting in Lagos.

Iheanacho is asking for the money as damages for the alleged assault on him and his false imprisonment.

Integrated Oil and Gas Limited owned by Iheanacho is co-claimants in the suit, while other defendants are NIMASA’s Executive Director in charge of Maritime, Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr Callistus Obi and the agency’s Head of Public Relations, Hajia Tumaka.

Iheanacho, former Vice President of the Indigeneous Ship Owners’ Asscociation, is contending in the suit that as a result of the invasion of his farm tank in Ibafon, Lagos between August 29 and September 28, 2012 by 30 policemen under the command of NIMASA on the allegation that stolen oil products was being stored in his premises, he was arrest and detained at NIMASA’s Search/Rescue/Resource Centre in Kirikiri, Lagos and later at Department of Security Services, DSS, office at Shangisha Lagos, in violation of his fundamental human rights.

On the allegation against him, he contended that “MT Grace” which discharged the 3000.349 meyric tonnes of diesel oil in his farm tank on the request of PDR Ventures Limited had the written permissions of all relevant authorities to do so, including NIMASA, Commanding Officer of the Naval Base, Beecroft Dock-

yard, Lagos, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR and Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA. He is also contending in the suit that despite all these permissions and the presence of the representatives of these government agencies, when the products were discharged, NINAMA’s agents came 13 days after to seal off the farm tanks and arrested and detained five employees of Inte-

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ETEGHE

AGOS—GOVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has said the All Progressives Congress, APC, remained the only credible alternative to move the country out of its present doldrums.

The governor, who spoke shortly on return from his trip to the United States in Lagos, also said the state government was ready to take advantage of the trip to transform its agriculturural sector.

Aregbesola, who solicited Nigerians’ support for the new party, said the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had shown that it had nothing to offer Nigerians.

He said: “What is clear is that Nigerian people are telling us

NIMASA and its agents, was a targeted malice, praying the court to compel the defendants to pay him N90 billion as damages and N349 millin plus interest at 25 per cent per annum for misfeasance in public office, malicious falsehood, conspiracy to injure economic interests, trespass to land, defamation, assault and false imprisonment.

PROTEST: Members of Integrity Parliament of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, during a meeting to protest against the swearing in of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate as the Caretaker Chairman of Lagelu Local Government Area, Oyo State, yesterday. Photo: Dare Fasube

Lagos commences Saturday work in key ministries tomorrow

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BY INNOCENT ANABA

AGOS—AS Lagos State government commences skeletal services in some key ministries and parastatals on Saturdays, beginning tomorrow, members of the public

Aregbesola solicits support that the efforts of the PDP has for APC been disastrous. I am hopeful

BY EHIGIATOR & DANIEL

grated Oil and Gas Limited.

According to him, the media report of the incidence, made him and his company to suffer “considerable loss and damage” including drop in revenues and damage to his reputation, as it was now difficult for him and Intergrated Oil and Gas Limited to obtain credit from banks and other lending institutions.

He argued that the action by

that the APC will open a new vista that will guarantee for our people, security, employment , freedom , liberty and good life, to that extent, I have no doubt that APC will over bad leadership.”

He explained that the trip also afforded him the opportunity to explain to Africans in Diaspora the model of development in the state, and steps that could be taken to address issues bordering on overall development as it affects tourism and other sectors.

The governor said part of his trip to the United States was a brief stop at the prestigious Harvard University, where he addressed the African academic community of developments in the country and the challenges of leadership in Nigeria.

have been advised not to deal with unauthorized officials or touts in carrying out any business transaction during weekend operations in their own interest.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lateef Ibirogba and the Head of Service, Adesegun Ogunlewe gave the warning yesterday, at a joint media briefing on the breakdown of the weekend services to the public, at Alausa, Ikeja.

Key ministries involved in the pilot phase are; Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Ministry of Transportation and Land Bureau.

According to Ibirogba, designated government officials would be at their duty posts at their various ministries to attend to enquiries, complaints, site inspection and other related services, saying the development was geared towards enhancing government’s service to the people.

He said: “We have adequate staff on ground to attend to members of the public who wants to do genuine business in their own inter-

est.”

Ibirogba said the latest development was aimed at meeting the needs of some citizens during weekends, noting that the state had worked out adequate allowances for the workers for the extra hours of service.

Speaking on the arrangements to compensate the affected workers, Ibirogba said government had put in place all the necessary arrangement to cater for the welfare of the affected workers, saying “We will not have come here, if we had not done our home work well. We want to make sure that those people who may want to come here on Saturday are given needed attention. Officials of the banks where certain payment will be made will also be on ground to render their service.”

Earlier Ogunlewe, said:” To demonstrate our commitment in this regard and deliver on this mandate, the state government has resolved to render skeletal services on Saturdays starting from Saturday 2nd March, 2013 between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 2.00p.m.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013 —11

Ogun lawmakers, Speaker on war path over award of contracts A

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

BEOKUTA—THERE was tension at the Ogun State House of Assembly, yesterday, as 11 members threatened a showdown with the Speaker of the Assembly, Suraj Adekumbi, over alleged fraudulent award of contracts.

The Assembly comprising 26 members also was thrown into commotion during the plenary session over alleged attempt by the Speaker to manipulate the process of the constitution of a committee to probe the alleged fraud.

Vanguard learnt that tender Board was recommended by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences, ICPC, which recently insisted that due process, must be followed in the award of contracts by the House.

The Speaker had been quizzed few months ago by the ICPC which invited him to its headquarters, following series of petitions on inflations of prices of cars for the lawmakers and principal officers.

However, Vanguard at the chamber of the house, observed that the attempts by the

Speaker to force his loyalist as head of the committee, met with stiff resistance from the 11 opposition members.

The lawmakers while objecting to the nomination of Deputy Speaker, Tola Banjo, as Chairman of the committee, complained about the modus op-

erandi of the process of electing members of the committee.

Trouble started when a report of the House’s Select Committee on the selection of the Tender ’s Board was read to the lawmakers for approval.

The report had indicated that Banjo was allegedly im-

posed as the Chairman of the Board by the Speaker who is the chairman of the Select Committee.

The development drew the anger of other members who vowed to resist the choice of Banjo, described as a stooge of the Speaker.

PARTNERSHIP: From left: Mr. Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Group; Mr. Sandro Rosell, President of FC Barcelona; Eissa Al Suwaidi, Chairman, Etisalat Group, and Mr. Steven Evans, Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, at the Etisalat-FC Barcelona partnership renewal ceremony, at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain.

MSSN protest paralyses activities at Alausa Over alleged victimisation of students for wearing Hijab

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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AGOS—HUNDREDS of hijab (Muslim veil for women) wearing school pupils under the aegis of the Muslim Student Society of Nigeria, MSSN, yesterday, paralysed activities at the Alausa Secretariat, office of Governor of Lagos Babatunde Fashola over alleged flogging and victimization of two pupils by their principals for wearing Hijab, within and outside the school premises.

While Miss. Aisha Alabi, a 16year-old pupil of Kadara Junior Grammar School, Ebutte-Metta, Lagos, was allegedly given many strokes of the cane by her principal, Mrs. E.C. Ukpaka, on February 5, 2013, Miss. Barirat Tajudeen of Mafoluku Senior Grammar school, was allegedly victimised by her principal, Mrs.

STOLEN CAR A Toyota Highlander Jeep belonging to Mr. Taiye Mukoro with Registration No. KPE 323 AA, Chassis No. JTEHF21A120042535 & Engine No. 4512176IMZ. Colour: Tan-Gold.

Anyone with useful information should call 0 7 0 3 8 8 0 3 3 7 7 , 07030956002 or report to the nearest police station.

Elizabeth Omidele, on February 20, 2013 for using the scarf outside the school premises.

The protesters who stormed the office of the Governor at about 10:00 a.m. barricaded the entire entrance to the Governor’s Office, obstructing free flow of traffic in the state seat of power saying, “we will not leave the entrance of the Governor’s office until we see the Governor, whom we voted for at the last general election.”

They displayed several placards with inscriptions like “Hijab is my identity; don’t take it away from me. Our Hijab is our freedom, Hijab should be part of our uniforms, Dressing without Hijab is incomplete, Hijab is a symbol of pride and honour, among others.”

“All we want is that Hijab should be legalised as part of the school uniforms for Muslim students in the entire public school in the

state. And the government should also recall Barirat, who was suspended, back to school with immediate effect.”

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Assistance General-Secretary, Mr. Zikrulahi Sulaimon, said” “Enough of this maltreatment from our teachers and lecturers, this is not the first corporal punishment meted to school pupils. And we haven’t received any reasonable assurance from the state government that such act wouldn’t happen in the state again.”

At about 4:00p.m., the protesters yielded to the plea of government representatives led by the Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Mr. Oyinlomo Danmole, for a closed door meeting with 8-man delegation from them.

At the end of the meeting which lasted for over an hour, Danmole, assured the protesters that the government understood their plight and was already taking appropriate steps to ensure that such act did occur again in the state.

Global Fund launches new funding model  Earmarks N313bn for 2013, 2014

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

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AGOS—THE Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, yesterday, launched a new funding model with about $1.9 billion (N313.5 billion) available for the new funding model’s transition period of 2013 and 2014.

The new funding model is designed to allow it to invest more strategically, achieve greater impact, and engage implementers and partners more effectively.

The new funding model according to the organisation provides countries that implement grants with more flexibility around when they apply for funds, as well as more predictability on the level of funding available, while still encouraging countries to clearly express how much funding they need to effectively treat and prevent HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria.

The full implementation of the new funding model will begin in early 2014 and will grant money in the 2014-2016 periods.

Commenting on the new funding model, the Executive Director of the Global Fund, Mark Dybul, said: “Our new funding model means more effective investments, with greater impact.”

“It will definitely help us leverage investment in a way that allows our partners to reach more people facing these diseases. Our gains will be lost if we do not move forward to defeat these diseases. We can’t stop now.”

Power supply: Nigerians generate over 6,000mw, FG 5,482mw, says UNILAG VC

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BY MICHAEL EBOH

AGOS—NIGERIANS are currently generating over 6,000 Mega Watts of electricity through the use of generators in their homes, corporate offices and industrial places, far more than what the Federal Government is producing through the power stations across the country, Professor Rahaman Bello, Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, UNILAG, has said.

“An estimated 6000 MW is generated via individual and corporate outfits to meet their

minimum demands for electricity,” Bello disclosed yesterday, at the Nigerian Institute of Management, NIM, inaugural ‘Nigeria: Arise and Shine’ annual lecture.

He further stated that Nigeria was far behind in its 2013 target of 16,000 MW of power generation, blaming it on over-reliance on oil, gas and hydro resources in power generation, at the detriment of other useful resources such as coal, new and renewable energy sources among others.

According to him, in year

2000, Nigeria’s power generating capacity was as low as 1,500MW and this was due mainly to lack of investment in maintenance and expansion programs on existing power plants.

He said: “With efforts on increasing power generating capacity, there has been reasonable sectoral improvement as generation capacity increased to 5,482 MW in 2010.

While actual daily generation fluctuated between 2,000 MW – 3,700 MW due to inadequate gas supply.”

12—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

Edo LG polls: Okpamen urges support for ACN candidates

BY SIMON ADEWALE

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ORMER Senior Spe cial Assistant to Governor Adams Oshiomhole on Public Affairs, and an Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, stalwart in Esan North-East, Edo State, Mr. Henry Okpamen, has urged support for ACN candidates in the state in the forthcoming April 20, 2013 local government elections.

He advised Edo people to come out enmass and vote all ACN chairmanship and councilorship candidates in all the councils for continuity.

He said the developmental effort of Governor Oshiomhole should be complemented at the local government level, noting that the only way to achieve that would be to elect ACN candidates.

He said that Oshiomhole’s earnest desire was for the people to key in and adopt the blueprint being used in Edo State at the various local government areas.

Siting of flow station tears neighbouring Delta communities apart

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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SABA—TWO neighbouring communities in Delta North senatorial district are currently at loggerheads over the proposed location of a flow station by an oil company which found oil in the area.

The situation had raised security challenges in the state, as youths from Abavo Kingdom had gone ahead to barricade the road, thus inhibiting the oil company, Pan Ocean, from doing business there.

It was gathered that trouble started when the people of Abavo Kingdom in Ika South Local Government Area of the state, noticed that there was an attempt by the company to locate its flow station at Owa Alidinma, in Ika North-East Local Government Area and not Obiayima, which, they (Abavo) considered as appropriate because of the quantum of oil found on their land.

As a result of the protest by the Abavo people and subsequent blockage of the

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HE leadership of National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Zone B, has commended the acting principal and chief executive of Petroleum Training Institute, PTI, Mrs. Clara Dennar, and management of the Institute for running a students’ welfare-oriented administration.

NANS Zone B coordinator, Mr Chinonso Obasi, in a statement said that the commendation was based on the management’s visit to students who were hospitalised in Warri Central Hospital, where the management prayed for their quick recovery.

men in Asaba, spokesman of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, representing Delta North, Mr. Eugene Azuka, said it was not true that he was trying to influence the proposed location of the flow station at Owa

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM ENIN—A CHIEFTAIN of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Edo State, Mr. Odaro Ize-Omoregie, has urged members of the party in the state not to allow the just conducted chairmen and councilors primaries of the party, ahead the April 20, local government elections, to cause disaffection within the party.

He said that though “the consensus approach, which was adopted by the leader-

ship of the party can be considered undemocratic, it was the best the party could get, so as to avoid serious crisis that could engulf the party if normal primaries were conducted.”

Commending the state governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, for what he described as the maturity he exhibited in settling the problems that arose from the exercise, he said: “The governor had shown that he is not only a leader but a father to all. There were fears that the local government primaries were going to tear the party apart, but the gov-

ernor ensured that every aggrieved member was given the opportunity to bare his mind and at the end of the day, he applied wisdom.

“Partisan politics in Nigeria is still on a long walk to freedom, so the conduct of party primaries is vested on few leaders of the parties, until partisan politics are sound and played by those who respect their political parties, the issue of absolutely free and fair primaries will continue to elude us.”

Securiity: DESOPADEC to assist police, vigilante in Delta

BY FESTUS AHON

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G H E L L I — D E LT A State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, has promised to assist the police and vigilante groups to ensure adequate protection of people of the state and their property.

Chief Ominimini Obiuwevbi, representing Ethiope East and Ughelli North Local Government Areas on the board of the commission, during his tour of the divisional police headquarters in the councils

Alidinma as against Obiayima.

He said: “The allegation was politically motivated and we demand an apology because at no time did the lawmaker approach the company with such a request.”

ECONOMIC ADVISORY MEETING: Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State (left); Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, Chairman, Thisday Newspaper and Mr Kenneth Okpara, Commissioner for Economic Planning, Delta State, during the Economic Advisory meeting in Lagos.

‘Why Edo ACN opted for consensus candidates in LG primaries'

B NANS lauds PTI management on students’ welfare

road, the Department of State Security, DSS, invited the warring communities to a peace meeting two days ago. Details of the meeting were, however, not made public at press time.

Meantime, addressing news-

and Area Commands, said the commission was determined complement the peace and security agenda of the state government.

He explained that the tour was aimed at ascertaining the number of accredited vigilante groups in the councils with a view to keeping the commission abreast of their challenges and providing necessary assistance to help them carry out their security duties.

He said: “We want to know the security challenges faced by the vigilante groups, so that we can provide for them in the 2013 budget. DESOPADEC is an interventionist agency and as such, it

is responsible for developing oil producing communities in the state. But it is obvious that no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of insecurity.

“Peace itself is part of development and that is why the Nigeria Police and the vigilante groups are very important to us. We have deemed it fit that in 2013, we must, as part of our community relations, make provisions for the vigilante groups and this can only be achieved by proper identification, interaction and official recognition, so that in the process, we can articulate their challenges and plan for them appropriately."

A-Ibom 2015: Oron youths urged to resist financial inducement

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BY TONY NYONG

YO—AHEAD of the 2015 general elections in Akwa Ibom State, a former governorship aspirant in the state, Mr. Okpo Onofiok, has insisted that Oron youths, and the entire Oron nation, should not gamble with their destiny, but should resist any attempt by other clans to deprive them of their turn to produce the governor of the state.

He said: “If you, as youths, don’t take the bull by the horns and resist being deceived, and being bought with money, and you allow the opportunity of producing the state governor elude you, you will have to wait for the next 20 years.”

Okpo, who spoke at Oron Civic Centre during the Oron National Youth Summit, said: “I am only saying this to remind those going about with bags of money to confuse and deceive the people of Akwa Ibom State, that some of those, who felt they could use the money belonging to the Nigerian state for their personal benefits are today seeking ways to obtaining the citizenship of other nations.”

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013 — 13

NSE fines three stockbroking firms N21m

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BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

HE Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, yesterday, slammed N21 million fines on three stockbroking firms for alleged involvement in various market infractions of price manipulation on their clients’ shares.

The three firms, according to a notice on the NSE’s website, are Apel Asset & Trust Limited, (Apel) EDC Securities Limited (EDC) and Calyx Securities Limited (Calyx).

Apel was directed to pay N15 million for infraction of market manipulation on its trading activities, as well as public censure through public announcement of the infractions and sanctions.

The firm was also suspended from engaging in any capital market related transaction for a period of one week.

I can’t prosecute Oyerinde’s murder suspects —Adoke ...says it’s state affair

BY EMMA UJAH, Abuja Bureau Chief

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HE Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, SAN, said, yesterday, that he was not responsible for the prosecution of those suspected to have murdered Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde, former Principal Private Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State.

Mr. Adoke’s position, which had introduced a new twist to the unresolved highprofile murder, in which Oshiomhole had alleged complicity at the highest level, was contained in a letter by the minister to the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Petitions, which reopened the matter on Wednesday, in Abuja.

Mr. Adoke aligned with the police on who has the powers to investigate murder between the police and Department of State Security, DSS, which came out with conflicting investigation re-

ports on the murder suspects.

The AGF, in the letter, said: “My attention had been drawn to the representations made by Mr. O.T. Olaitigbe, Deputy Director, Public Prosecutions of the Federation, on behalf of my office and the Federal Ministry of Justice at the Public Hearing organised by your Committee on February 27, 2013 on the alleged complicity and improper investigation in the murder of Oyerinde Olaitan, an aide to the Edo State Governor.

“It has been widely reported in the electronic and print media that Mr. Olaitigbe while making his presentation to the Committee, stated among other things, that the Ministry of Justice was confused as a result of the investigation reports it had received from the Nigeria Police Force and DSS, which appeared to have indicted different sets of suspects for the alleged murder of Oyerinde and that the Ministry could not proceed further with the prosecution of the suspects because of the need to harmonise the two reports.

“I wish to completely disassociate myself from the com-

ments purportedly made on my behalf by Mr. Olaitigbe, as the comments were at best, a figment of his imagination and very far from the truth.

"Mr. Olaitigbe was under firm instructions to inform the Committee that: (a) the Federal Ministry of Justice had examined the powers of DSS as provided by Section 3 of the National Security Act, Cap. N.74 LFN, 2004 and the powers of the Nigeria Police Force as provided by section 4 of the Police Act Cap. P.19 LFN, 2004 and had come to the reasoned conclusion that the power to investigate crimes of the nature under consideration (murder) re-

sides with the Nigeria Police Force while the power to gather intelligence lies with DSS, and “(b) murder, the offence allegedly committed by the suspects is exclusively within the jurisdiction of the states in the federation. The Criminal Procedure Act, Cap., C. 38 LFN, 2004 is very clear on this matter. The Federal Ministry of Justice therefore, has no power to prosecute murder cases as murder is a state offence committed against state law and that the matter was already being handled by appropriate authorities in Edo State."

UNIPORT killings: Court discharges 7 suspects

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HARCOURT—A PORT HARCOURT Chief Magistrate, Mr. Emma Woke, Rivers State, has discharged seven out of the 18 suspects, arrested in connection with the killing of four students of the University of Port Harcourt on October 5, last year at OmuokiriAluu, Rivers State.

Magistrate Woke, who discharged them after reading an advice from the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, yesterday, said the seven suspects were arrested by the police on grounds of mere suspicion. According to the DPP, no case of murder was established against them.

The court said the seven were released based on the advice of the DPP. He read out the advice before discharging the seven. According to the advice, the seven suspects were charged to court based on mere suspicion.

The seven are Cynthia Chinwo, George Nwadei, Ekpe Daniel, Gabriel Ochie, Endurance Edet, Lucky Agwurum and Finebone Jeffrey, aka Soso The DPP, in the advice, said: “It is a trite law that suspicion, no matter how strong, cannot take the place of legal proof without concrete evidence to substantiate it, and as such, they were victims of circumstance and, therefore, charging and prosecuting them will be an exercise in futility.”

The DPP also advised

that charges against seven others, who were not charged to court but arrested by the Police, be dropped because no charge of murder was established against them, adding that the police should arrest five others on the run.

The advice further read: “The charge against them should equally be dropped and they should be released forthwith from custody.”

Meantime, the Paramount Ruler of Omuokiri-Aluu community, Alhaji Hassan Walewa and 10 others, are to face a fresh charge for failing to prevent a felony. According to the DPP, no charge of murder was established against them.

“Your original case file will be retained to enable us file information with proof of evidence for the avoidance of doubt, against Lawal Segun, ex-Sergeant Lucky Orji, Ikechukwu Louis Amadi, aka Kapoon, David Chinasa Ogbada, Abiodun Yusuf, Joshua Ekpe, Abang Cyril, Alhaji Hassan Welewa, Okoghiroh Endurance, Ozioma Abajuo and Chigozie Evans Samuel in the state High Court.”

It will be recalled that four students of University of Port Harcourt, Tekena Elkanah, Lloyd Toku Mike, Chiadika Biringa and Ugonna Obuzor, were mobbed to death on October 5, last year before a cheering crowd at Omuokiri-Aluu.

C M Y K

14—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

We 're not part of APGA —NNPP

BY DAPO AKINREFON

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HE NEW Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, has distanced itself from the political alliance purportedly reached by some 20 political parties with All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, ahead of 2015 general elections.

It would be recalled that 20 political parties adopted APGA as a uniformed platform ahead of 2015 election.

At a briefing in Lagos, national chairman of NNPP, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, said his party was never involved in alliance with other parties or adopted APGA as a common platform to present a joint presidential candidate in 2015.

Security agencies tasked on demolition of Ojukwu library

Abia govt demolishes kidnap and robbery kingpin's property

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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MUAHIA—ABIA State Government, yesterday, demolished some property belonging to a suspected kidnap and armed robbery kingpin, Olisagbo Ifedke, alias Ofeakwu.

The Government demolished

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Also demolished was a twin bungalow in Agbama Housing Estate in the city which also belonged to the suspected criminal.

The demolishing team was led by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Task Force and Allied Matters, Capt.

Awa Udonsi Agwu (rtd)

Mr. Sullivan Chime, Enugu State Governor (left), and Mr. Tonye Ebitubituwa, State Commissioner of Police, decorating Mr. Arthur Amobi, Governor’s Aide-De-Camp, ADC, recently promoted to the rank of a Deputy Superintendent of Police.

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

BUJA —THE interim National Working committee, NWC, of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has called on security agents to fish out those behind the demolition of Ojukwu Memorial Library project in Owerri, Imo State, with a view to bringing them to book The library erected by the leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazurike, to immortalise the Ikemba Nnewi and Eze Igbo Gburugburu, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, was to be commissioned next month.

Interim National Chairman of APGA, Maxi Okwu in a statement, yesterday, described the act as outrageous, unjust and detestable.

According to him, “It is a sacrilege in Igboland for any person or group to conspire and destroy a befitting monument in honour of the People’s General."

Akoto Bar and Resort Ltd, a relaxation centre allegedly owned by the suspect who was arrested last year in Anambra State.

The demolished relaxation centre was located at No. 2, Afaraukwu Road, beside Holy Ghost Catholic Church, Umuahia.

According to Agwu, the demolished buildings, after investigations, were discovered to be property of the suspected kidnapper hence the decision to destroy them.

It will be recalled the Anambra State Government last year, also demolished some property belonging to the suspect in the state.

Explaining to newsmen why the property were destroyed, Agwu said after thorough investigation, his task force received a letter from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the Governor, directing it to demolish the buildings found out to belong to the suspected kidnapper.

He explained that the wife of the suspect had earlier removed all the valuables in the property, but said that police had recovered some of them.

Agwu added that an empty plot of land belonging to the suspect situated close to the Akoto Resort had equally been discovered, saying, “I will report back to the governor on the new development and he will give us the directive on the next line of action.”

Nigerians urged to put God first N

IGERIANS, irre spective of their political, religious or tribal leanings have been charged to dutifully follow God for Him to positively and gainfully reposition the fortunes of Nigeria.

Pastor Samuel Baba-tunde Ogunfowokan, London-based General Overseer, Christ Healing Evangelical Church, made the charge at the church’s biennial national convention

tagged Emmanuel 2013, at the Camp Ground, along LagosIbadan Expressway.

He told the faithful: “Since you are the salt of life, you must then strive at all cost and at all times to live in holiness with God and be very good shining examples to others in the world.”

In their respective contributions at the event, Pastor Adegboyega Talabi, Europe

Politics of settlement over — Orji

G

O V E R N O R THEODORE Orji of Abia State, has said the era of politics of settlement was no longer in existence, stressing that his administration could not afford to waste the state's scarce resources on frivolities.

The governor said due to the huge infrastructure neglect by the past administrations, the government was embarking on projects based on their economic exigencies.

The governor in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr. Ben Onyechere, said: “The era of politics of settlement is over and has gone for good in Abia, because we can no longer afford inordinate and frivolous

castles in the air.

“The act of governance is not for people who through the device of a defensive mechanism of ill-conceived sharing of Abia revenue, had committed the future of the state to huge debts leaving the state economy prostrate, strained, and fallow."

“My promise to Abia people is that we will fulfil all of my electioneering promises hinged on verifiable truth.

"Our major concern apart from rebuilding the roads is to create jobs directly for the youths and women which is the reason the government will continue to sponsor youth and women empowerment programmes.”

National Coordinator of the Church; Pastor Yomi Junaid, Pastor Adetomiwa Fesobi, Pastor Olaniyi Karim, Pastor Esther Olutosoye and Lady Evangelist Beatrice Ajoke Bamidele, while extolling the sterling virtues of the founding fathers of the church, also congratulated the continued zeal of Christians.

They reiterated the need to march on positively in their respective crusades and to also remain the worthy ambassadors of Christ, especially with the positive expansion of the ministry.

The five-day events, which started on Wednesday, February 13, and concluded on Sunday, 17 with a thanksgiving service, also witnessed the ordination of ministers.

We have challenges in Owerri refuse collection, disposal —Okorocha

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

O

WERRI — GOVERNOR Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, yesterday, acknowledged serious challenges in the collection and disposal of refuse in Owerri municipality.

Chief Okorocha while reacting to the growing heaps of refuse scattered in all parts of Owerri, said: “We have some serious challenges in the collection and disposal of refuse in Owerri.

Government is discussing with a foreign firm to collect and recycle the refuse in the

municipality.”, The Governor did not, however, say if his administration would terminate the contract of the firm currently charged with the responsibility of disposing refuse in the major cities of Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe.

Meanwhile, answering a question on the wobbling fortunes of Imo Newspapers Limited, publishers of The Statesman, the Governor said he had not ceased to wonder why the newspaper house could not fend for itself without subventions.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013 —15

$60m vessel: Reps move to probe NNPC over purchase

BY OKEY NDIRIBE AND EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

A

BUJA—THE House of Representatives, yesterday, ordered an investigation into the alleged wastage of the sum of $60million by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation,NNPC, on an oil

vessel named MT Tuma.

The said vessel which is owned by the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the NNPC, was purchased for the haulage of petroleum products.

The House mandated its Committee on Petroleum Re-

sources, Downstream, to investigate the rationale behind the prolonged stay of the ship in Brazil and ascertain those individuals or organisations responsible for its delay.

This resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Hon.

Mudashiru Kamil Akinlabi, representing Afijo/Atiba/ Oyo West/Oyo East Federal Constituency.

Akinlabi said that MT Tuma left the shores of Nigeria in 2007 for a routine dry docking exercise (maintenance) which was expected to last three

N2.2bn fraud: Ogbulafor begs court to dismiss charge against him .Says I’ve no case to answer

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA—ERSTWHILE chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, yesterday, begged Justice Ishaq Bello of an Abuja High Court in Abuja to dismiss the 17-count amended criminal charge that was preferred against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC. Ogbulafor was on June 21, 2010, arraigned before the high court on allegation that he conspired with two others, Mr. Emeka Ebilah and Mr. Jude

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Nwokoro, and defrauded the Federal Government to the tune of N2.2billion in 2001.

The former PDP boss was said to have used his position as the head of National Economic Intelligence Committee, NEIC, set-up to verify debts owed local contractors, to okay as genuine, several forged documents, which were relied upon to certify that three bogus companies, executed jobs worth over N2.2billion.

The three fake companies they allegedly floated in 2001 to siphon N82.6m, N11.5m and N6.2m respectively, were listed by the anti-graft agency

in its charge sheet as, Henrichiko Nig Ltd, DHL Consultants and Chekwas Industries.

Besides, ICPC told the trial court that its investigations revealed that Ogbulafor collected kickbacks of N2m and N28m from the second and third accused persons Messrs.

Ebulah and Chris Nwoke, respectively to facilitate the release of the funds.

At the resumed hearing on the matter, yesterday, Ogbulafor, who was billed to open his defence vis-a-vis the charge, through his counsel Chief J.K Gadzama, SAN, en-

tered a no-case-submission, insisting that the totality of the proof of evidence tendered before the court, failed to establish a prima-facie criminal case against him.

Meantime, admitting that he actually collected N2million from the second accused person, Ogbulafor, maintained that the fund was given to him to support his campaign for the PDP national chairmanship position, adding that he had already left office by then.

After listening to the parties, yesterday, Justice Bello adjourned the case till March 26 for ruling.

months. He, however, alleged that the ship left Nigeria without a proper scope of the work to be done on it.

According to him, the ship had gone on a similar voyage before then and was abandoned in Brazil for almost six years, costing the nation about $5million.

He alleged that MT Tuma found her way into the shores of Nigeria in May last year without the maintenance job done.

In spite of the shoddy job, Akinlabi said, the ship incurred a cost of about $60million arising from demurrage and other port charges in Brazil.

“We are conscious of the fact that several contracts were awarded for the maintenance of the said vessel and money paid out to various companies without any work done.

“MT Tuma is now lying idle on the high sea and not in good shape to perform any economical function even after having spent at least $60m of tax payers’ money,” he said.

Akinlabi also alleged that he learnt that the NNPC was considering a total disposal of the ship, adding that, that would amount to the nation losing about $70million.

16— Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH1, 2013 — 17

L

AST week, I told you that my ex-husband and I want Oliver, our teenage son, to go to a British university for financial, familial and cultural reasons and that Oliver is saying that he doesn’t like the UK much and that if we aren’t willing or able to send him to university in America, he will not go to university at all and will apply for a job when he leaves secondary school later on this year.

I went on to say that I wasn’t distraught when my son adopted this stance because many graduates are complete failures while many nongraduates have done very well in life, so I’ve never regarded university education as crucial.

Most of the Vanguard readers who contacted me to react to this article sternly informed me that they opposed my relaxed attitude and felt that I was being irresponsible and should find a way of persuading Oliver to change his position.

This aspect of the reaction

Graduating students of a university

Feedback sympathising with me and his Dad!...and instructed us to do whatever it takes to get him to an American university.

I must say that it shocks me that so many of you think that kids who aren’t even old enough to vote in elections should be permitted - encouraged, even! - to dictate agendas and become powerful decision-makers within a family context.

But I’ve already annoyed my

,

I do wonder what happened to the traditional African values that once firmly elevated the preferences of seniors above the preferences of juniors! And, for the record, American universities are much more expensive than British universities

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from readers was no surprise.

Nigerians are famously obsessed with self-advancement; and most Nigerians view degree certificates with reverence and regard them as passports to success.

But, much to my amazement, most of the Vanguard readers who e-mailed or text me went beyond expressing a generalised respect for tertiary education and firmly sided with Oliver instead of

,

beloved offspring - who understandably craves privacy by discussing his matter in public. So I won’t say much more. But I do wonder what happened to the traditional African values that once firmly elevated the preferences of seniors above the preferences of juniors! And, for the record, American universities are much more expensive than British universities.

Furthermore, Oliver’s father

is English and is, therefore, entitled to want his only child to develop a more positive attitude towards his own country. Enough said, by me at least.

Here is a small handful of readers’ comments on this issue:

My dear Donu, please do whatever it takes to get Oliver into a university even if it entails borrowing to get him his preferred American one.

From: Ifeka Okonkwo <ifekaokonkwo@yahoo.com> Your son Oliver is being pigheaded by refusing to go to university in Britain…

Contrasts

+2347037212475 J Onokpasa It most certainly can’t be the son of the consummately intellectual Donu Kogbara that won’t go to university. Enough of the nonsense please. +2348052333185 Anonymous For Oliver’s sake, make him toe the line. If he has his way at all times what happens when he gets employed? It is my humble submission that you cajole him into going to university. You have given him the best within your reach. Abandoning him now to his whimsical tendencies surely will spell doom. +2347037421476 Rodsimeon Idaewor Re: Does university education matter?

From: Peter Udosen <fazclean_ventures@yahoo.com> University education is a

LORD Rennard, an influential UK politician, has just been exposed as a serial sexual harasser who takes delight in inflicting unwanted passes on female subordinates.

Rennard has been thoroughly disgraced by his accusers, despite desperate attempts on the part of his sleazy political cronies – the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, for example – to silence his victims and critics.

Rennard’s reputation has been severely undermined by this scandal and Clegg will surely pay a heavy price for trying to stand by such a philandering bully.

There are many Rennards and Cleggs in Nigeria. But because our society is tiresomely under-developed and unjustly skewed in favour of unscrupulous men, there is no hope, currently, of justice for the many female victims of

veritable tool of life. It may not, in all cases, guarantee material wealth; but it does add value. However, taking a job at age 17 is not a crime. He can come out the better for it.

Besides, taking a job does not foreclose academic pursuit/development.

Nigerian sexual predators who get away with abusing their powers.

I pray that such Nigerian males will get their come uppances one day. If not now, by the time our daughters or granddaughters come of age.

There are women who specialise in seducing male bosses who can be useful to them. But there are also many women who have no interest in sleeping with the men they work for. And I am speaking for them.

Responses to: donzol2002@yahoo.co.uk or to 0802 747 6458 (texts only). PLEASE KINDLY NOTE THAT UNLESS YOU SPECIFICALLY REQUEST ANONYMITY, YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE PUBLISHED IN VANGUARD, WITH YOUR NAMES AND NUMBERS OR EMAIL ADDRESSES ATTACHED.

18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013 AFRO musician Fela sang “water e no get enemy”, eulogising the importance of water, but accessing water can produce enemies, and its availability cannot be taken for granted.

The death of four students of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, NSUK, while protesting scarcity of water and epileptic power supply is significant and equally symbolic in these regards. Water is admittedly important, yet governments do the minimal about providing it, even as it is accepted that safe drinking water would reduce diseases tremendously.

What are the dimensions of the incident in Keffi? While many are interested in who killed the students, which is very important, a wider search would include developing modern institutions like universities without provisions of the basic infrastructure – electricity and water – to support their existence.

Universities are supposed to be centres of modernity, leading communities within the larger society, with facilities to enhance learning and provide knowledge for the advancement of living. None of our universities meets these expectations and the authorities are busy setting up “new”

Wat er Kills, Ev en ater Even Var sity S tudents arsity Students universities that are not modern.

Last May, the University of Ibadan shut down to improve its electricity and water supply. The 65-year-old university found its facilities inadequate for its burgeoning population. Can one say the same of the 11year-old NSUK, whose ambitious vision is, “To be a world class centre of excellence for the development of the individual and the society”? If the authorities were sincere, would a world class centre of excellence not have basic infrastructure 11 years into its existence?

Collapse of infrastructure in universities exposes in bolder prints Nigeria’s negligence of the basic strands of modern living. Our centres of learning are distracted

with issues that are too basic to be contemplated. Water, ordinary water, and electricity that one needs to connect to opportunities, local as well as global, are addressed with excuses.

After the shooting in NSUK, slight, if momentary, improvements in its facilities, the blame games, the unflinching condemnations of the incident by civil society groups, all would be forgotten.

Governments and their institutions remain under the illusion that water and electricity are luxuries for the consumption of a privileged few. If providing facilities for small communities like university is such a challenge, what happens to the entire country? Water and electricity are among essentials for sustainable engagement with modern living.

The way governments work, they could set out to improve facilities in schools, forgetting that their graduates would soon join a larger society without infrastructure.

It would be futile if we make electricity and water the preserve of university communities to forestall students’ protests.

Governments keep failing to care about Nigerians, NSUK is merely another proof.

OPINION

BY THEO EGUH

PSALM 48:14 : For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.

G

IDEON Emoro Efetie, affectionately known as “Daddy” was born March 11, 1925. He was the firstborn male of 10 children. His parents were Daniel Nokiojare and Rebecca Eboh Efetie. His parents and Samson Efetie preceded him in death. Chief Efetie began his distinguished educational career at St John’s Anglican Primary school in Agbor. He later passed his certificate exams on merit to gain admission to Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha where he completed his secondary education. Dennis Memorial Grammar School was the only other prestigious boys school in Nigeria at par with King’s College, Lagos during that era.

His excellency, Chief S.J Mariere, his adopted uncle and Mrs Mariere were a great help to him as they played a major role during this period of his secondary education. He was greatly indebted to them and appreciative for all they did.

He later left the shores of Nigeria with the United States as his destination. But a combination of sea sickness which made his journey a difficult one and the

For Ambassador Gideon Efetie, a tribute Benin with a large banquet and a head

written down".

Even in retirement, Ambassador Efetie did not fail to keep abreast of national issues but used every opportunity to express his feeling or opinion on matters bordering on governance. In fact, he was a regular contributor to the opinion pages of the Vanguard newspapers. And in his last published article of June 22, 2012 titled: "Some Topical National issues", he advocated thus: "A government is expected to be firm and will not lose its power and prestige if it will sometimes bend a little and go back once in a while on its decision, where it is an unpopular one. It will bring about a cordial relationship between the government and the people".

He was also a businessman and owned Menada Nig. Ltd which manufactures perfumes, soap, silver and gold polish, glass cleaners under franchise from a company in Germany.

Never a time wasted. He was a hard worker. His best legacy to all his children was education. He sacrificed to see that they got the best. He was a disciplinarian and a deep-loving father. He was gentle and good natured.

May his gentle soul rest in peace.

sculpture. Daddy taught briefly the students of the Lower and Higher School Certificate classes at the Government College, Ughelli, Delta State, Nigeria from 1956 to 1962.

In the next stage of his career, he had the choice of joining the Army or the diplomatic corps. He joined the Diplomatic Service where he rose to the rank of Ambassador. His major postings included Moscow, capital of the defunct U.S.S.R, and later Banjul(then Bathurst), Gambia where he was High Commissioner. He was the ConsulGeneral of Nigeria in Hamburg, Germany from 1972-1974. Other postings included Beijing, China, Dakar(Senegal), Khartoum in Sudan and the United Nations in New York and Washington DC, U.SA. His interest in educational and national matters remained aglow after retiring in 1981 from the Foreign Service with his publications. He is the author of Thrilling African Folktales. He used to say in his latter days: "Our African e was well celebrated as the first Cultural Heritage must be preserved.

Isoko man to study abroad and They will disappear or die with those was honoured by Oba Ovonramwen of who know them so well if they are not *Mr. Eguh, a relative ,wrote from Lagos.

advice of a fellow Nigerian who had travelled with him on the same ship, compelled him to stay in the United Kingdom. Through a combination of circumstances that could only be described as miraculous, he gained admission into the Oxford University, in the United Kingdom. Among these miracles was his being offered a scholarship by the Government of the then Western Region of Nigeria.

He also appreciated the contributions of the Reverend Canon Shepherd of Oxford, Mr and Mrs Marriot and their daughter Elizabeth as well as his best friend and colleague, Peter Marriot. And while he lived, he remained indebted to them because they were all to him like ministering angels during his stay in England. He studied and graduated with a degree in Natural Science. He also had a Master of Arts degree and a P.G.C.E from the Oxford University. He stayed at the St. Edmunds Hall during his time of study at Oxford.

H

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013 — 19

H

IS Holiness, Pope Benedict stunned the Roman Catholic Church when he announced he would stand down - the first pope to do so in almost 700 years saying he no longer had the mental and physical strength to carry on.

In an announcement read to cardinals in Latin, the universal language of the Church, the 85year-old said: “Well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of St. Peter ...

“As from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours (1900 GMT) the See of Rome, the See of St. Peter will be vacant and a conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.”

His last day as pope, February 28, coincidentally is the feast day of a revered fifth century pope, Saint Hilarius.

Reacting to the development, the United States President, Barack Obama said he had “appreciated our work together over these last four years”, with the pope.

“The Church plays a critical role in the United States and the world, and I wish the best to those who will soon gather to choose His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI’s successor,” he added.

German Chancellor, Angela Merkel believes “the Pope’s decision must be respected if he

feels he is too weak to carry out his duties”.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said: “He will be missed as a spiritual leader to millions”.

Our own President Goodluck Jonathan lauded the Pope’s “exemplary wisdom and courage” for voluntarily relinquishing power.

The Archbishop of Canterbury and leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion said he had learned of the Pope’s decision with a “heavy heart but complete understanding”.

The Catholic Archbishop of Ibadan Archdiocese, Felix Alaba Job, and former President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, said although it is “very sad” news, the decision by the Pope to step aside was a reality the Church must contend with.

The Anglican Bishop of Enugu, Emmanuel Chukwuma “praised the courage of the Pope to step down”, as he applauded his dedication to promoting Ecumenical relations between the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church during his papacy, saying this had made it possible for followers of both faiths to relate well through the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, ARCIC. Just as the case of Pope Benedict, the Code of Canon Law states that a resignation must be made freely and properly manifested and that the Pope resigning must be of sound mind.

He will be remembered for his unblemished leadership, selfless service, frankness, tolerance, humility and large heart that endeared him to many faithful

,

Other popes known to have resigned include Pope Celestine V, who only reluctantly accepted his election in 1294 and fled the Vatican after just three months to ‘wander in the mountains’.

The bishop who became his successor, Boniface VIII, was intent on ensuring that Celestine V did not become an example for future popes, and ordered him seized and imprisoned as he was about to sail to Greece. He eventually died in custody in 1296 at the age of 81, and was declared a saint in 1313.

T

he last Pope to resign was Pope Gregory XII in 1415.

He stepped down to end the “Great Western Schism”, during which there were rival claims to the papacy.

Of what could be the fate of the Church after such resignations, it is widely believed that modern popes felt that resignation is unacceptable as it could encourage factions within the Church (Schism) to pressure

Pope, monarch, leadership and Nigeria

BY MAGNUS ONYIBE

F

OLLOWING the sudden resignation notice served by the head of the Catholic faith,Pope Benedict XVI ,Catholics now have to fathom how to manage a retiree Pope before Easter which is a few days after February 28 when the Papal Lord promised to go into retirement.

In a surprise statement on February 11, the Pope announced: "After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God,l have come to the certainty that my strengths,due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom,l declare that l renounce the ministry of the bishop of Rome...".

Undoubtedly, this must have been one of the most difficult speeches written by the Pontiff and most critical decision he ever made which might turn out to be one that would extend his life on earth by a few more years.

At this juncture, let me crave your indulgence to skip details about the turmoil which the holy father's resignation has caused in the Catholic world and ask to be excused for not joining in the debate on chances of the tiara resting on the heads of Cardinals John Onaiyekan of Nigeria or Peter Turkson of Ghana -the Black African front runners because l'm anxious to dwell on the sheer will power and uncommon leadership quality which Pope Benedict XVI exhibited in making a decision to give up such enormous power without external pressure.

As the leader of Catholics across the world which is estimated to be in excess of one billion people, the Pope's responsibility as a leader can be equated to that of the Chinese

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Premier which along with India's prime minister are the only two heads of countries managing population in excess of one billion.In addition, the Pope,as the head of the Vatican which has the status of a nation state and one of the richest in the world,wields financial power comparable to that of the president of some of the wealthiest countries in the world.

The illustration above is to highlight the incredulous power,authority and affluence which Pope Benefit XVI voluntarily renounced which is a rare and inspiring act of leadership.

Although the position of a "person requiring homage" is alluring,the Pope was also bearing the burden of office comparable to that of the president of an average sized country in Europe in terms of wealth and population,China which probably informed his decision that his strength is no longer able to sustain the burden that the Papacy could be exacting on his frail body at an octogenarian age of about 85.

While still trying to recover from the thrill and awesomeness of a mere mortal suffering from arthritis, giving up the glorious throne which he is entitled to retain until he gives up the ghost,it suddenly dawned on me that we are talking about the Pope,God's representative on earth.

By now,as a leadership scholar,it should be clear that my perspective on the Pope's decision to renounce the seat rather than being religious or spiritual is obviously from the prism of leadership.

Writing on the topic,"ln Search of a Global Leader"in Harvard Business ReviewLeadership in a changed world,Fred Hassan,Chairman/ CEO of SheringPlough,noted that: "The CEO/leader has to see himself as the chief developer of talent,no matter how large the company/

,

BY ADEWALE KUPOLUYI

,

Pope Benedict's resignation

pontiffs to step down.

Therefore, several popes in the past, including Benedict’s predecessor John Paul, have refrained from stepping down over their health, because of the division that could arise therefrom by having an “ex-Pope” and of course, a reigning Pope alive altogether.

Despite that, Pope Benedict has decided to do the ‘right thing’ by stepping down when he knew he will not be capable of effectively administering the Church.

No doubt, he will be remembered for his unblemished leadership, selfless service, frankness, tolerance, humility and large heart that endeared him to many faithful, as well as people of other faiths and religions.

At a time, he confronted his own country’s past when he visited the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz.

Calling himself “a son of Germany”, he prayed and asked why God was silent when 1.5 million victims, most of them Jews, were massacred.

The pontiff, who always maintained that he never wanted to be Pope, was an uncompromising conservative on social and theological issues, fighting what he regarded as the increasing secularization of society, which theologians believe contributed immensely to the moral decadence bedeviling us today.

In a rare show of sincerity, he has repeatedly apologised for the Church’s failure to root out child abuse by some priests, but critics said he did too little as such efforts failed to stop a rapid decline in Church attendance in the West, especially in his native Europe.

On the other hand, like every mortal he battled with, the child

The last time a Pope abdicated from office was due to external pressure to avoid a breakup of the Church , but Pope Benedict is doing so voluntarily-a leadership quality which is rare

,

organisation". The Pope can be said to have wittingly or unwittingly applied that leadership principle when he embarked on the recruitment of new cardinals from strategic regions of the Catholic world a few months before he announced his stunning decision to excuse himself from the Petrine ministry.For instance,Cardinal John Onaiyekan's recent elevation by the outgoing Pope underscores the fact that the pontiff might have been giving Africanswith the third largest population of Catholics in the world, a good chance to have a shot at the revered position of the Pope which cardinal Arinze narrowly missed out about eight years ago.

A

lso noteworthy is the fact that the last time a Pope abdicated from office over six centuries ago was due to external pressure to avoid a breakup of the Church due to internal conflicts, but Pope Benedict is doing so voluntarily-a leadership quality which is rare particularly in this part of the world.

The only other living Legend in my view to have made such a noble leadership decision is Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa.

Unarguably,Mandela owes his apparent extra time on earth to the decision not to run for a second term as the president of

abuse scandals hounded most of his eight-year-old papacy.

At a time, he allegedly ordered an official inquiry into abuse in Ireland, which led to the resignation of several bishops.

During a scandal over the Church’s business dealings, his butler was accused of leaking his private papers. The pontiff’s butler - responsible for dressing him and bringing him meals - was found to be the source of leaked documents alleging corruption in the Vatican’s business dealings.

Despite his firm opposition to tolerance of homosexual acts, his reign saw gay marriage accepted in many countries. He has staunchly resisted allowing women to be ordained as priests, and opposed embryonic stem cell research, although he is said to have retreated slightly from the hardline stance that condoms could never be used to fight AIDS. The Pope was criticised to have ordered attacks by the Vatican on the American nuns who have committed their lives to working with and for the poor - not only in direct service but in advocating public policy- the Vatican has condemned them (nuns) for not doing enough in criminalizing abortion and opposing contraception.

Now that the world eagerly awaits what comes up the next few days, by virtue of the Church’s law, the conclave is expected to begin in the Sistine Chapel.

On that morning, the cardinals will celebrate the Votive Mass, “Pro Eligendo Papa” and in the afternoon, the prince of the church will begin the election process. *Mr. Kupoluyi wrote from the Federal University of Agric., Abeokuta, Ogun State.

South Africa by humbly passing the mantle over to much younger ,Thambo Mbeki.

Had he not possessed the strength of character to resist the allure of power and affluence even when it was within his constitutional power to run for a second term ,perhaps we would be talking about Mandela in past tense like the late President Umaru Yar'Adua of Nigeria who,due to underlying health challenges,died in office apparently as a result of the pressure of his presidential duties.

Incidentally, some of the political books currently floating around in Nigeria's literary firmament suggests that the late President Yar'Adua actually discussed with one of the prominent emirs in the North his thoughts about stepping aside on account of his deteriorating health but unfortunately he was unable to make the decision before the debilitating illness incapacitated him.

Other presidents in Africa who died in office due to pre-existing poor health conditions worsened by pressure of work are President John Atta Mills of Ghana and President Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia.

Who knows, if these leaders of blessed memories, realising they had life threatening illnesses, made that difficult leadership decision to reduce the burden on their failing health by stepping down or opting not to run for a second term in office like Mandela and renouncing the papacy like Pope Benedict XVI,perhaps they would have lived long enough to savour the pleasure of the company and warmth of their children and grand children which is currently Mandela's favorite past time.

Back home in Nigeria,the astute leadership qualities exhibited by Mandela and the Pope in stepping aside rather than die in office is instructive for the likes of Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State who until mid-February was away in a London hospital for 140 days or over a quarter of a year for cancer treatment.

Continues on Monday on pg 17 *Mr. Onyibe, wrote from Asaba, Delta State.

20 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013 — 21

FG urged to boost infrastructural development in LPG sub-sector

BY KUNLE KALEJAYE

T

O encourage private investment in storage, terminal, jetties’s refilling plant and local manufacturing of Liquefied Petroleum Gas cylinders, and accessories, the Federal Government has been urged to boost infrastructural development in the LPG sub-sector.

Experts believed that this can be achieved by means of active collaboration with experienced and competent indigenous oil and gas companies in the distribution of government subsided gas stove to the lower income group.

This call was made by the Managing Director of Techno Oil Ltd, Mr. Tony Onyeama, at the unveiling ceremony of the innovative Techno Oil Gas Stoves. Manufactured by the company, the gas stoves according to Mr. Onyeama is in a bid to encourage the use of cooking gas among low income earners in the country.

He also urged the Federal Government to collaborate with oil and gas companies in Nigeria to fashion out ways to reduce the cost of gas stove

which is a major hindrance to usage of cooking gas.

Mr. Oyeama stressed that the collaboration would bring numerous benefits to the country to curb the danger associated with the use of kerosene, while promoting a healthier and neater

environment.

“Our government should put a program in place to ease the acquisition cost of cooking gas to enable low-income household to switch to gas by acquiring gas stoves and cylinders at affordable cost.

“We want the Federal

Government to borrow a leaf from other countries like Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia and India that have achieved success in cooking gas utilisation,” he said.

He lamented that most middle and upper-class families in the country were still

Council Member, Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, Alhaji Shehu Shittu (left), presenting a gift to the Director, Research, Policy and International Relation, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC, Dr Jacob Afolabi, during NDIC day at the 34th Kaduna International Trade Fair in Kaduna.

depending on kerosene for their cooking needs, noting that the development has had adverse implication for the economy.

Shifting to cooking gas, according to Oyeama, would, however, help to save scarce foreign exchange; hitherto, expended on kerosene importation and that collaborating with local energy companies to promote the usage of cooking gas would boost local content initiative of the Federal Government.

Also, in its bid to support the Federal Government’s Gas Master Plan, flagged off

by President Jonathan on March 24, 2011, Oyeama said Techno Oil had launched a “Going Green Revolution” that will enhance a shift from kerosene to cooking gas among Nigerians.

“Techno Oil has over the years upgraded its bottling plants, logistics infrastructure and cylinder injection to stimulate domestic consumption of LPG. We have distributed well over 20,000 units of 3kg, 5kg, 6kg, and 12.5kg discounted gas cylinders to Nigerian families at affordable prices.

“This project has received high commendation from consumers and veterans in the petroleum industry. We believe this will go a long way in increasing the consumption rate of cooking gas in Nigeria and help government to save resources spent in importing kerosene,” he said.

ICT growth is continuous in Nigeria — Lenovo

BY PROVIDENCE OBUH

L

ENOVO delegation has said that the ICT sector in Nigeria is continuously developing, just as it met with representatives from government and private organizations, as well as business partners, to reinforce Lenovo’ s commitment to Nigeria and outline the company’s business and PC+ strategy in the country. “ The delegation was led by Executive Director/General Manager, Lenovo Middle East and Africa (MEA) Mr. Oliver Ebel.

Meanwhile, the company launched a new product called, Partner Network program, designed to skill-up channel partners and strengthen relations across MEA. The introduction of the program in Nigeria will help existing and new partners with in-depth knowledge and tools to enhance their relationship with Lenovo, including access to a free online resource and a loyalty reward scheme.

Speaking at the media brief heralding the product, Ebel said, “Nigeria is one

of Lenovo Africa key growth markets and we are here today to affirm our commitment to customers and partners in the country, the ICT sector is continuously developing in Nigeria and technology plays a key role in the development and economic growth of countries; that is why, it is important for Lenovo to bring innovative devices to Nigeria to empower businesses and consumers. This further complements our mission to become the leader in PC+, by addressing the increasing demand to stay connected on different devices.”

He pointed out that products launched in Nigeria are designed to cater to the varied consumer, small to medium Business (SMB) and enterprise markets ranging from desktops and All-in-One devices all the way to the latest family of portables; even as he explained that the company’s business partners in Nigeria include Coscharis, ICT Brokers and Tri-Continental.

Commenting on the launch, Africa

general manager, Graham Braum said: “Our channel partners are fundamental to the success of our business as we strive towards ‘becoming the number one PC manufacturer globally. The channel is our primary route to both the enterprise and consumer market and it is important our partners understand our products and capabilities. Our relationship with our partners is the crux of our success globally and in Africa; we invest heavily in this relationship and ensure our product portfolio and program is designed to enable our partners’ success.”

Lenovo, with $US30 billion capitalization in personal technology company is the second largest PC Company in the world, serving customers in more than 160 countries and dedicated to building exceptionally engineered PCs and mobile internet devices with business built on product innovation and a highly efficient global supply chain and strong strategic execution.

142.75

-0.15

2,141.00 -3.00 17.85

0.06

111.91 -0.80 92.74 CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYA KRONA SDR

154.75 234.1058 202.8308 166.2727 1.6879 0.2949 234.1857 24.8486 41.2623 27.1858 234.1058

155.25 234.8622 203.4862 166.8099 1.6934 0.3049 234.9423 24.9293 41.3956 27.2737 234.8622

+0.11 SELLING 155.75 235.6186 204.1415 167.3472 1.6988 0.3149 235.699 25.01 41.5289 27.3615 235.6186

CBN Exchange rate as at 28/02/2013

22 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

A

frican Development Bank has approved $400 million facility for Standard Charted Bank and Ecobank Transnational to boost trade in vital economic sectors such as agribusiness and manufacturing.

In statements issued on Tuesday, AfDB said that $200 million was approved for Standard Chartered and it was an unfunded US $200million Risk Participation Agreement (RPA) designed to help address critical market demand for trade finance in Africa by providing support for trade in vital economic sectors such as agribusiness and manufacturing.

“The RPA between the two banks will allow them to share the default risk on a portfolio of qualifying trade transactions originated by issuing banks in Africa and confirmed

by SCB. As a 50/50 risk sharing arrangement, SCB will match AfDB’s undertaking in every transaction, thereby creating a maximum portfolio of up to US $400 million. The Risk Participation Agreement will be for a period of three years”, said AfDB. The $200 million approved for ETI comprise an unfunded risksharing facility and a trade facilitation loan, to support its trade finance activities in Africa. “The AfDB’s support will enable Ecobank to enhance its trade finance confirmation capabilities, avail mediumterm liquidity support to ETI’s subsidiaries to provide appropriate trade finance to African small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and local corporates, and demonstrate appetite for Africa risk.

“The first facility is a threeyear unfunded Risk Participation Agreement (RPA) of US $100 million where the AfDB will share with Ecobank, through its subsidiary EBI S.A based in Paris, France, the default risk on a portfolio of qualifying trade transactions originated by issuing banks in Africa and confirmed

by EBI S.A. As a 50/50 risksharing arrangement, ETI will match AfDB’s undertaking in every transaction, thereby creating a maximum portfolio of up to US $200 million.

The second facility is a 3.5year trade facilitation loan of US $100 million, which will be used by ETI subsidiaries to provide trade finance support to local corporates and SMEs in Africa.”

According to AfDB, “The majority of African banks have small capital bases which constrain their ability to obtain adequate trade limits from international confirming banks and to undertake sizeable transactions that have significant development impact.

The project will help address critical market demand for trade finance in Africa by providing support for trade in vital economic sectors such as agribusiness and manufactur-

C M Y K

AfDB, Ecobank, Stanchart boost African trade with $400m ing. It will foster financial-sector development and regional integration, and contribute to government revenue generation. It will also result in the provision of significant support to financial institutions and

SMEs in Africa. Counting rollovers, the project will facilitate approximately US $1.8 billion of trade in intermediate and finished goods, raw materials and equipment to support economic growth.

This facility is in line with AfDB’s Regional Member Countries’ priorities to promote trade and in accordance with the African political objectives as reaffirmed during the 18th African Union Ordinary

Session held in January 2012.

It also aligns with the Bank’s Regional Integration Strategy, which seeks to consolidate the Bank’s engagement in trade finance in Africa.”

Left; Mr Chrysanthus Okereke, Country Commercial Manager DHL International Nigeria Ltd, Mr Cristian Vera, – Head of Sales, SSA, Mr Chizzy Nnamchi, Country Manager DHL Global Forwarding Nigeria, Mr Randy Buday – Managing Director, Nigeria DHL, during closing ceremony of Oil and Gas summit in Abuja.

Investor protection: IOSCO introduces new approaches on investors’ education NKIRUKA NNOROM

I

n a bid to protect retail in vestors from risk associated with uninformed investment, the International Organization of Securities Commissions, IOSCO, has come out with various approaches adopted by regulators of securities market in educating investors on financial products offered by intermediaries.

According to a report titled, ‘Investor Education: Initiatives Relating to Investment Services’ by IOSCO, the subject of investor education is particularly important in the context of current legislative initiatives in some jurisdictions to amend the conduct of business regulations to address potential regulatory gaps that emerged during the financial crisis.

The report stated that several jurisdictions consider investor education to play an essential role in achieving investor protection, saying while some of these jurisdictions have established independent investor education bodies, others have units or

departments within the supervisory authority that are charged with investor education.

“However, some supervisory authorities limit their own investor education initiatives largely to the issuance of investor alerts,” it added.

In Nigerian capital market for instance, lack of knowledge of financial products available in the market has been pointed as part of loopholes that led to massive loses during the meltdown.

As it is, the authorities of the Nigeria Stock Exchange, NSE, and the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, have mapped various steps in enlightening investors on their investment services.

One of such programmes is the investors’ education adopted by the NSE where retail investors will have the opportunity of sitting with staff of the NSE who will provide answers to their complaints and concerns.

Also, efforts were made by the SEC to conduct investor education in various locations across the country in 2012.

The NSE as well has up-

graded its website to provide up-to-date information on quoted companies, products and various actions being undertaken to protect investors.

The report further stated, “Many supervisory authorities provide information for investors on their website homepages about investment services and specific financial instruments. Some authorities complement online information about specific complex instruments with case studies that illustrate, based on specific examples, how investors might lose their investments, thereby translating otherwise theoretical risks into realistic scenarios.”

Continuing, it said, “Some authorities also make use of online tests and quizzes for investors on subjects such as scam potential or on general information about investments and securities. Such tests are found to be popular with investors as they offer a more informal approach to financial matters.

A widely followed approach to investor education is to divide the population into target groups, each with a dif-

ferent risk profile and varying levels of financial knowledge.

This approach helps to target investor education measures and make them more effective.

For example, measures that target schools or university students, retirees or middleincome groups have frequently been used. In jurisdictions with emerging markets and rapidly rising middle-classes, a focus on the middle-income group is found to be especially effective.

In addition to targeting particularly vulnerable groups, some authorities also address more advanced investors and convey specialized information to them via website and other means.

In addition to using conventional tools in their investor education initiatives, such as written information, conferences and websites, some authorities employ more innovative tools such as TV campaigns or social marketing.

One authority uses a known celebrity to host these shows, giving these measures enormous publicity.”

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013—23

By PETER EGWUATU

Fidelity Bank finances 1.2bn production capacity aluminum can factory

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

T

F

IDELITY Bank Plc said it is financing the multimillion naira aluminum can project in Aba, South East Nigeria. The factory which will be ready in a couple of month’s time will take off with an initial production capacity of 1.2 billion cans per annum. This clearly surpasses the Agbara Can Manufacturing Factory that took off with an initial production capacity of 600 million cans per year, thus making the new plant the largest aluminum can factory in Africa.

Managing Director/CEO, Fidelity Bank Pic, Reginald Ihejiahi who made the disclosure explained that the financing options adopted by the bank were largely driven by its commitment and faith in the development of the Nigerian economy. “We are a bank operating in an emerging market and we believe that the industrial sector remains the heart of banking in such markets.”

Ihejiahi, whose bank also financed the Agbara Can Manufacturing factory that was constructed by GZ Industries further explained that as an institution in business purely for commercial reasons, the bank is mandated to report to its shareholders.

This implies that the bank should have steady streams of income at the end of the year, and therefore, should carefully select the projects it would sponsor at any given time as part of its commitment to the development of the economy.

He added that Fidelity Bank was achieving this by putting together capital, business advisory and personnel to drive the process.

“When we opened Agbara Can manufacturing factory constructed by GZ Industries and which was commissioned

by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2010, it started with 600million cans per annum, but the second phase of its development took its production to 900million cans and later to 1.2billion.

However, the Aba Can manufacturing company which is nearing completion will take off from the first day with 1.2billion production capacity and we believe that with this pace Nigeria will soon be selfsufficient in aluminum can production.”

Ihejiahi said that the facility offers enormous opportunity for job creation and other economic benefits to the

AfDB commits $57.66m to food security programme in Africa

L-R: Head, Credit Department, Rosabon Financial Services, Mr. Isikwe Anikwue; winner, Mr. Emmanuel Obadofin; and Head, Lease Department, RFS, Mr. Isaac Agenyi, during the presentation of cheque at the Rosabon Win-Big Monthly Investment Note, held in Lagos. citizens of the country.

“The Aba Can factory is expected to service the breweries and beverage

companies in the South East and South South parts of the country, and by extension other parts of Nigeria. We are also not

ruling out export opportunities to West African and other African countries because of the size of the factory.”

GTBANK encourages savings, rewards customers with gifts

By PETER EGWUATU

I

N its bid to encourage savings amongst the youth, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBANK) Pic has rewarded its customers holding trendy, card based interest bearing undergraduate account called GTCreS e-savers Account.

Five persons emerged as winners in the first draw that took place on Wednesday in Lagos through an electronic process and in a transparent manner that gave equal opportunity to all those who qualified for the draw.

Commenting on the campaign, the Managing Director and CEO of GTBANK Pic, Mr. Segun Agbaje said that the Bank designed the product to suit the online and electronically driven lifestyle of Nigerian post secondary students. He further stated that the gesture is in line with the Bank’s support for education, financial discipline and the continuous use of innovation to drive enriching customer experience.

Guaranty Trust Bank has created platform for an ongoing conversation for its esavers with the creation of a microsite www.gtbank.com/ gtcrea8. The Bank also has a

versatile social media presence, to continuously appeal to this burgeoning section of its market on facebook, www.facebook.com/ gtbank.Twitter. @gtbank and its upcoming social banking project.

Speaking at the draw, Oyinade Adegite, Communication and External Affairs, GTBANK, said, “ We commenced the loyalty reward scheme in January and will run for six months. The essence of the promo is to promote both a savings culture and an increased adoption of the use of alternate banking channels amongst Nigerian students.”

The Bank rewards account holders with cool gifts such as Blackberry phones, ipods, laptops, Samsung Galaxy tab, EED TV and mini fridges in its monthly zonal draws. The Bank is also organizing several ongoing events on campuses across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria where students will have the opportunity of winning Nokia phones instantly over a six month period. The star prize of a brand new mini cooper convertible car will be won by one of the e-savers at the grand finale of the raffle draw in September 2013.

Commenting further on the

draw, Adegite said, “All that is required to participate and benefit from this bonanza is for the students in tertiary institutions to open a GTCreaS e-savers account. In addition, they are required to conduct a minimum of three transactions per month on alternate banking channels such as ATM, POS and Internet Banking to qualify for the monthly draws and maintain a minimum account balance of N5, 000.00 for six consecutive months to qualify for the grand finale.”

A significant share of the bank's earnings has been used to support education over the years because of our conviction that quality education is important for any individual or societal advancement. This conviction influenced the initiation of the Adopt-a-School programme in 2004 when the Bank adopted St. Georges Boys and Girls primary schools, Falomo, Lagos.

The Adopt-a-School programme is a Guaranty Trust Bank initiative aimed at improving child education across the country. The thrust of the project involves identifying, adopting, renovating and rehabilitating dilapidated public schools nationwide.

HE African Development Bank has signed a US $57.66-million loan agreement for the multinational Drought Resilience and Sustainable Livelihoods Program (DRSLP) in the Horn of Africa (Ho A) with the Government of Kenya, bringing to US $3.04 billion the Bank’s commitment in the country ’s various sectors.

The programme will be carried out in phases, with the first phase beginning in 2013 in Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya. It will focus on about four million beneficiaries in the first five years, Speaking at the signing ceremony, AfDB Regional Director for the East Africa Resource Centre (EARC) Gabriel Negatu explained that the entire programme would cover eight countries in the Horn of Africa over the next 15 years, including Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda, in addition to the three countries in the current phase.

“It is necessary to have all the countries in the programme because if one country has better water, pasture and livestock services, the pastoralist will move there and this could lead to overgrazing, transmission of trans-boundary animal diseases and conflicts. The next phase is expected to start as soon as funds are available for the remaining countries.

This could be as early as end of 2013,” Negatu said.

Phase one will look at improving management of natural resources, livestock market infrastructure and agro-pastoralists’ livelihoods.

It will also include the enhancement of animal health system and regional cooperation for the management of transboundary natural resources.

Recently the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) approved a Trade Finance package of US $200 million comprising an unfunded risksharing facility and a trade facilitation loan, to support Ecobank Transnational Incorporated’s (ETI) trade finance activities in Africa.

The AfDB’s support will enable Ecobank to enhance its trade finance confirmation capabilities, avail mediumterm liquidity support to ETI’s subsidiaries to provide appropriate trade finance to African small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and local corporates, and demonstrate appetite for Africa risk.

24—VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

Adesina seeks funding support to agro-businesses from Afreximbank

By JIMOH BABATUNDE with agency reports

D

r Akinwumi Adesina, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, has approached the African ExportImport Bank (Afreximbank) for funding support to agricultural businesses in Nigeria.

A statement issued by the bank during the week said that Adeisna made the request when he met with the executives of the bank in Cairo, Egypt.

He said that Afreximbank should boost Nigerian exports and make African products more competitive in the global market. The minister said that Nigeria was interested in the ongoing partnership with the bank toward a governmentenabled private sector-led development of agricultural business in Nigeria.

Adesina stressed that Nigeria was seeking financing for the country’s cassava chips exports.

According to the minister, a network of 15 to 20 Nigerian cassava chip firms intends to

export their produce to China in 2013. “The firms will require up to 40 million dollars (more than N6.2 billion) in financing.

“Nigeria is implementing an agricultural transformation agenda and want Afreximbank to come in and participate across the value chain,” he said. He identified some of the areas where opportunities existed to include the cassava export sector, the cocoa sector and the rice sector, among others.

Adesina said that the government was establishing

staple crop processing zones across the country to drive concentrated investments from the private sector.

The minister said that an initial 14 sites for anchor zones had been identified along with five value chains, including rice, cassava, fisheries, horticulture and sorghum.

Afreximbank President JeanLouis Ekra said that the bank would cooperate with Nigeria to move forward on some projects being implemented by the government to change the face of agriculture in Nigeria.

Ekra said that the bank would also look at the broader areas of the agricultural business, such as infrastructure, cold chain, product processing, among others.

He said that Afreximbank already had a programme in place under which it was supporting increased processing of cocoa beans in Africa prior to their export.

Ekra said that through that programme, known as the African Cocoa Initiative, the bank was enabling Africans benefit more from the 80 per cent of world cocoa.

He lauded African countries for carrying out more local processing of their agricultural products before export, adding that the processing add more value and created jobs at home.

Institute strives to reduce postharvest farm loss

T

HE Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) has developed storage facilities to reduce post-harvest farm loses, the Executive Director of the institute, Dr Oluropo Williams, has said.

Williams who made this known in Abuja said that storage was a challenge in Nigerian agriculture and that the institute was working hard to address this.

He said that the institute had produced affordable storage facilities and drying equipment that could work with solar, air or kerosene. According to him, the institute is doing this to encourage youths to go into farming so as to reduce the level of unemployment.

Williams said that the institute was also doing this to increase Nigerian agricultural postharvest level.

He said, “We found out that storage and transportation are the major challenges our farmers are facing and we have developed a number of facilities to address these. “We have developed ventilated lorry, solar tent, multipurpose dryer, hybrid dryer, inert atmosphere storage structure, diffuse-light structure, smoking Kiln, and plastic crates.”

Williams explained that the hybrid dryer worked with solar and kerosene stoves.

Afreximbank President Jean-Louis Ekra (right), stresses a point to Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nigeria, at the Bank’s Cairo Headquarters.

(Photo: Afreximbank).

FG grants N60bn loan to farmers

By OLA AJAYI, Ibadan

I

N order to boost agricultural production, Federal Government has provided N60 billion loan for agro-dealers at 9 per cent interest rate across the country.

FG made the loan available through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Central Bank of Nigeria. The loan was granted under the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending(NIRSAL) initiative.

This was disclosed yesterday in Ibadan by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Ibukun Olusote at a Stakeholders meeting of Southern States on the commencement of the implementation of Growth Enhancement Support (GES) Scheme held at Wallan Hotels, Ibadan.

According to her, the loan will

allow small scale input retailers to have access to finance to stock up on seeds and fertilizers all across the country.

The meeting was wellattended by stakeholders in Agriculture industry especially Commissioners for Agriculture in Osun, Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Imo and other states from the North, South and East.

She also noted that President Goodluck Jonathan had given approval of N15 billion to recapitalize the Bank of Agriculture at less than 10 per cent interest rate for farmers. ”As you are all aware indirect targeting of farmers made it easy to divert funds because subsidised seeds, fertilizers and other equipment are diverted to open market and illegally sold at huge profits. As a result, tens of billions of naira were spent every year to reach farmers with agricultural inputs but the level of utilisation of improved seed and fertilizers remained very low”, she said.

”To ensure that only genuine farmers got the subsidised seeds and fertilizers, we put in place the first ever database of farmers in the history of Nigeria. In 2012, we started with the registration of 4.2 million farmers and will increase this year with 5 million farmers” Olusote promised.

The Oyo State Commissioner of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Peter Odetomi who read welcome address said, “the impact made by the distribution of seeds, fertilisers and other inputs to the small holder farmers in the country via electronic platform and scratch cards, which started in 2012 cannot be overemphasized.

Rolling out the achievements of Growth Enhancement Support in the state in 2012, he said it was tremendous adding that 76,082 farmers were validated out of 78,000 farmers that registered for the GES scheme.

Agric Ministry commissions one-stop shop

T

HE official commissioning of the one-stop-shop input centrss across the country continues this week with the commissioning of another centre at Iseyin, Oyo State, by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote.

The first of the 80 such centres was commissioned at Wushishi December last year by the Minister of State for Agrivulture and Rural Development, Alhaji Bukar Tijani.

The federal government, under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) established the network of one-stop-shop agro-input centers to ensure availability, accessibility and affordability of agricultural inputs, as well as serve as singular access point for inputs and market for small scale farmers.

The initiative is meant to ensure access to agricultural inputs such as fertiliser, agrochemical, quality seeds, livestock feeds, veterinary drugs, tractor hire and extension services.

According to Dr. Olukayode Oyeleye, the Special Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, the commissioning is in fulfillment of the recommendation of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) that at least five of such agro-input centres be constructed in each state to facilitate adequate food production and food security in 2012.

Association warns rice farmers against fertiliser diversion

T

HE Jigawa chapter of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) has warned its members against diverting fertilisers and other inputs allocated to the state by the Federal Government.

The Secretary of the association, Alhaji Auwalu Garba, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Dutse.

Garba said the association would sanction erring members and those found culpable in the illicit activities.

He said the association had set up committees in each of the 27 local government areas to monitor the distribution exercise to forestal further diversion of the commodity.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013—25

7 diet tips from the experts

BY CHARLYNE IKPE & RACHAEL OLAYIWOLA

I

T’S a challenge to eat healthfully in today’s junkfood world. But dietitians from all over the world encourage us to eat well despite life's challenges. Here, they share some of their favourite diet tips.

Make smart choices This is one of the best tips on how to live in the real world as a dietitian still aim for healthy eating most of the time. Enjoy fast food, but in moderation and smart choices.

By having it once a week, you learn how to make healthier fast-food choices.

Drink just one bottle of soft drink daily You find sugary drinks everywhere and some people limit sugary beverages but allow themselves boundless diet soft drinks.

Rather than replacing sugary drinks best keep intake of diet soda and artificial sweeteners to about one drink per day. It leaves more room for hydrating water and healthy green teas!

Eat breakfast cereals loaded with fibre A nutrition therapist and food coach says it pays to make sure all the breakfast ce-

reals in your pantry have more than 3 grams of fibre per serving.

Pump up the protein Spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, makes a point of eating protein at every meal and snack. She suggests trying whey, soy, or egg white protein for meal replacement smoothies.

Keep score of fruits and vegetables There is one clinical dietitian that keeps count of her fruit and vegetable servings during the day.

She tries to include a vegetable and fruit at every mealand also tries to add vegetables to meals and snacks every chance she gets.

Have alcohol only on weekends If you enjoy alcohol, be aware that the calories add up quickly -- and one way to control it is to limit consumption to the weekend. So try limiting your liquor to Friday and Saturday nights -- and keep it to a drink or two Have an after-dinner drink Following dinner with a nice, hot cup of tea or a decaf latte can help satisfy your dessert cravings and keep your hand out of the cookie jar.

• Baby Onyinyechi (centre) flamked by Onyedikachukwu and Onyebuchi.

Help! 7 months Onyinye needs N2.5m to live

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

U

NDOUBTEDLY, many homes in Nigeria today have been brought to lime light not only because of their achievements but for the mere fact that they were blessed with multiple births.

Many of these children have been celebrated while some are delivered quietly without news about their births.

One of such multiple births that were never celebrated is the triplets of Mr. Jude and Mrs. Chika Umennadi.

Unfortunately, situation beyond the control of the Umennadi is in a way forcing the family to announce them to the world. This time is not the best of times for the family as one out of their seven months old triplets is down with a congenital served as Chairman of disease heart disease. control bodies such as Yellow The babies, Fever, Avian influenza, Lassa Onynyechi, Fever (in which area he had done Onyedikachukwu seminal scientific investigations), a n d polio among others.

Onyebuchi A 2002 recipient of the Nigeria were delivered National Order of Merit, Tomori at the Nigerian also received the maiden African N a v y Society for Laboratory Medicine Reference (ASLM) Lifetime Achievement Hospital, Navy Honours in recognition of his exTown,Ojo in ceptional contribution to labora2 0 1 2 . tory science.

Unfortunately,

Tomori elected NAS President

F

OREMOST virologist, and ViceChancellor Redeemer’s University, Ogun State, Professor Oyewale Tomori, is the new President of the Nigerian Academy of Science, NAS. Tomori was elected during the Academy’s 37th Annual General Meeting last January, 2013. He takes over from Professor Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe. Tomori was Regional Virologist and Laboratory Coordinator, World Health Organization, (Africa Region), and has wide ranging experience in virology, disease prevention and control, national capacity building and development in Africa. He has

fate played a hard one on Baby Onyinyechi.

Onyinye as fondly called ordeal began when in November, 2012 came down with boil and the parents took her to the Navy Hospital. It was in the course of examining her that the doctor, Dr. Ademoluti discovered she has a heart defect.

The doctors handling her case said Onyinyechi needs N2.5 million for a life - saving surgery in India.

Unfortunately, the family cannot afford the cost of surgery as already the care of the triplets has already eaten deep into the family’s income.

Narrating her story, the father, Mr. Jude Umennadi said: “In November 2012, she had a boil.

So, we took her and the other two to the Navy Hospital, Ojo, where they were born for treatment. As the paediatrician was examining her, she said that something was wrong with her. Then she took a closer look at her and told us that her breathing was abnormal. That it’s too fast”.

Continuing, Jude disclosed that Dr. Ademoluti’s discovery was corroborated by the visiting Consultant, Dr. Izuonu of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH. “So, we were directed to take the baby for medical examination at Me Cure, Oshodi. The test results also confirmed that my baby has a hole in the heart. And the baby was then referred to Abbro Hospital in India.

“But we will not be going to that hospital because the cost there is high. But, we were able to get another hospital, Fortish Hospital, also in India where the cost of the operation is bearable. That’s where my baby

will undergo the open heart surgery”.

The couple who hails from Ezinifite, in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State is crying out for assistance from all and sundry to enable them take their baby to India for treatment.

He appealed to Nigerians to come to his aid. “I appeal to Nigerians to help save my daughter. since their birth, I have single-handedly been carrying the load. We expect that the government should assist parents with multiple births. It is not easy to take care of multiple births and this is why many men run away when their wives have multiple births.

“The baby’s poor health has drastically affected our ability to take care of the other children. My wife and I are calling on all Nigerians to come to our aid.

Onyinyichukwu needs N2, 000,500.00 (two million, five hundred naira) to undergo the treatment. This includes the travelling expenses”.

A medical report from Me Cure dated 19/12/12 and signed by Consultant paediatrician and Cardiologist, Dr. Chinyere Uzodimma and Consultant Cardiologist, Dr. Lassie G. T. corroborates the findings at the Navy Hospital.

The letter indicates large malaligned VSD, right ventricular hypertrophy, right ventricular outflow obstruction, showing Tetralogy of fallout. If you are touched by Onyinyechi’s story, reach out to Miss Onyinye through Julinks Auto Tech Equip or send your donations to Zenith Bank, Acct number: 101 161 5304. You can also call the parents on 07081716002.

26—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

Prof GEO Ogum bows out of Nnamdi Azikiwe University TRIBUTE

Corruption: Progressing backwards?

The former Judge of the World Court, HE Judge Bola Ajibola delivered this paper at Metropolitan Club, Lagos recently

BY PRINCE BOLA AJIBOLA (SAN)

C

ORRUPTION is a global phenomenon. It is not an exclusive problem of any nation or society; neither has it just surfaced in Nigeria. What bugs my mind is the sheer magnitude which corruption has assumed in present day Nigeria, and appallingly so under our democratic dispensation, a situation which calls for more drastic actions than rhetorics.

Indeed, as some people are wont to say, “corruption has been democratised in Nigeria.”

That corruption has permeated all levels of our national life is an understatement. One is sad to see us carrying on as a nation that is bereft of any sense of shame.

Indeed, what we are currently experiencing is corruption in absolute terms, and by that I mean the glaring deficit in enviable national character and general moral rectitude. It is a problem that runs through our social strata and most unfortunately, our youths have caught the bug. This is the more reason why the problem is putting the future of the country at stake.

One thing that should be of immediate concern is the negative reckoning this has put us in development ratings among the nations of the world. For years on end, we remain a net importer of petroleum products despite huge deposits of crude oil, of which we are incapable of

Specifically placed in number 156 in a serial ranking of 187 countries, Nigeria is ways behind Libya, Mauritius and Tunisia which are ranked 64, 77 and 94 respectively and are among the High H u m a n Development countries; we are behind Algeria, Egypt, Botswana, South Africa, Morocco, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea and Congo, which are all placed in that order among the Medium Human Development countries; and even among the Low Human Development countries where our country is placed, we are still behind Kenya, Sao Tome and Principe, Angola, Cameroon, Madagascar and Senegal!

Material endowments

Those are just the African countries. You cannot imagine how many nations of lesser human and material endowments across the continents of the world are ranked ahead of Nigeria, and who by implication are running the affairs of their countries in much better ways than ours. Such is the level of degradation we have thrown ourselves as a people.

Never mind that there is always a paid official of the government whose job it is to dismiss such statistics as mere rubbish.

The common belief today is that security challenges pose the greatest threat to our existence as a nation. Of course armed insurgency and threats to national peace

by Boko Haram, militants in the Niger Delta and kidnappers are fallouts of a festering tradition of greed, galloping corruption with reckless impunity in high places.

As Socrates stated, “the unexamined life is not worth living”, it is high time we PRINCE BOLA AJIBOLA (SAN) began as a people to excoriate and excommunicate people found guilty of corruption, producing what is barely required particularly in our professional for local consumption. The result of the turn-around-maintenance and social gatherings, if any in our refineries and the huge serious and meaningful progress financial votes which will be made in tackling the accompanied them remain a scourge.

Permit me to say that the brand pathetic mystery. Today, despite our huge reserves of oil and gas, of corruption in Nigeria today despite our huge deposits of tin transcends the stealing of public and bauxite, iron and gold, and funds, the stashing away of which a plethora of other solid minerals, has earned us the seventh place our nation is still ranked among in the world, according to a recent the countries with Low Human survey. It is also embalmed in the Development in the world, hence kinds of wages our leaders allot my allusion to the word to themselves, thus appropriating as we were once told by one who backwardness.

Map of Nigeria

should know, and that is the Governor of the Central Bank, that some 25 per cent of budgeted recurrent expenditure goes to the political class and their appendages. Of course they would retort that that is what the law says they should earn, but who made those laws? It beats my imagination to think that this is the same country where I served as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice for more than six years without taking any salary and even employed two Legal Practitioners to work for the Government in my office as Minister and paid them from my pocket.

The story of political office holders, whether in the executive or legislature is a sorry departure from the glorious order of old.

Today, you are confronted with an exhaustive list of advisers and special advisers; assistants, special assistants and senior special assistants alike. We have surely created ingenious ways and outlets of draining resources out of our petro-dollar dependent and monolithic economy. Our pains as a nation are without doubt, self-inflicted.

Bastion of hope The story is not radically different in the judicial arm, which unfortunately is relied upon as the bastion of hope.

Beginning with a period of horrendous “plea bargaining”, it needed no soothsayer to realise that those acts practically open a Pandora’s Box in terms of the massive public funds pilfering that followed. Some members of judiciary condoned through technicalities with the sole aim of truncating justice, and that in essence bolstered a high degree of criminality, particularly in public service. The most recent evidence of judicial malfeasance was exhibited in the case of John Yakubu, who was alleged to have stolen N32 billion of police pension funds. According to reports, he claimed that the prosecutors lied; all that he stole was N20 billion. He was found guilty and sentenced to a disgusting two years in prison.

Continues on page 27

By ANAYO NKAMNEBE

W

ILLIAM Shakespeare in the Twelfth Night captured three distinct routes to greatness. According to him, “some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them”. Professor Godwin Enwelum Onyemaeke Ogum was not born great; rather he achieved greatness through unwavering belief in integrity and industry. Greatness in the case of Professor Ogum is not measured merely by what he achieved for himself, but, most importantly, by what he quietly achieved through making others better.

This perhaps provides the justification and joy to celebrate Prof. Ogum as a distinguished Nigerian and Professor of Statistics & Demography as he retires from the ivory tower. Without doubt, the countless number of people Prof. Ogum touched their lives directly and indirectly will remain indebted to him.

Part of the unique contributions of Prof. Ogum is the unmatched passion to advocate

fessor B.O. Ukeje who had unquantifiable influence on him as a mathematician and academic disciplinarian of rare breed.

Immediately after his doctorate at Johns Hopkins University, he did not wait for the ceremony of graduation; neither did he give a second thought to the opportunities which United States offers, Prof. Ogum dashed home to contribute in nation building, which was urgent then. He was employed as a Lecturer II in the Department of Statistics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, his alma mata.

He was having very rewarding career and enormous opportunities at the University when true to his character he chose to transfer to the newly created Anambra State College of Education, Awka to assist in training younger generation of Nigerian teachers.

This singular show of patriotism helped in no small way to produce mathematics teachers at the young college who carried on the task of promoting mathematics education at primary and secondary schools in Nigeria. When the College was restructured, he again left it to join hand in building a newly created Anambra State University of Technology that later renamed Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

Steady advance

Prof. Godwin Ogum and in some cases provide material and other supports for people and communities to deploy the powers of education for self and community development. He lives his entire life educating people and emphasizing the paramount role of integrity in men affair. Most importantly, he is a man of integrity!

By background and by training, Prof. Ogum was born in Unubi, Anambra State in the days when greatness is measured by the number of flocks, barns of yam, and even wives one has; western education was not that popular.

Indeed, Prof. Ogum belongs to the first generation of Unubi that acquired university education.

Yet, he grew up to be a man of astute dematerialized character who put “excellence of mind and spirit above material considerations”. He attended New Bethel College Onitsha where he met Late Pro-

He advanced steadily in his career and rose to the rank of a Professor. He held a number of positions as Head of Department, Dean of Faculty, Member of Senate and Council, and finally emerged the first Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University. Indeed, his colleagues and students describe him as the best ViceChancellor Nnamdi Azikiwe University never had. At professional level, his contributions and services were felt heavily in the area of population management for development. Among others, he was a consultant for the United Nations Population Funds.

He played various invited role in other universities, research institutes, government agencies and international institutions. He is prolific in writing; he authored and co-authored several books for primary, secondary and university level mathematics/statistics texts. His many scholarly articles appeared in learned journals and he is a novelist and regular contributor to newspapers and newsmagazines.

Despite Prof. Ogum’s high profile achievements, he never detached himself from his rural connections. He deployed his educational accomplishments to the emancipation of rural people from ignorance and poverty. His effort Continues on page 27

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013—27

Corruption: Progressing backwards?

Continues from page 26

•Visa applicants at the VFS centre

VFS not responsible for verification of documents’ authenticity—Vijayakumar Years before VFS Global was instituted to partner/collaborate with some foreign embassies in Nigeria in respect to visa application processing for Nigeria visa seekers, applicants were subjected to all sorts of inhuman conditions in order to procure visa to visit countries of choice. Surprisingly, however, some Nigerians have expressed dissatisfaction with the services of VFS Global which tended towards allegations that the company is yet to bring succour to Nigeria visa applicants.s.

A visit by Vanguard Consular Advisory to VFS Global office in Lekki, revealed that these applicants may have reacted under misconception. Chief Operating Officer, Africa and Middle East, VFS Global, Mr Paul Vijayakumar, spoke to Vanguard Consular Advisory team. Excerpts:

BY VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU AND PRISCA SAM-DURU

I

S VFS a Nigerian incorporation?

Are you in partnership or just an enterprise?

VFS Global, based in London, UK, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Kuoni Group, a public-listed company headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. Business practices followed by the company are in line with the highest business ethics standards and in line with Kuoni Group’s Code of Conduct. For its operations in Nigeria, VFS Global is incorporated as VF Global Services Nigeria limited, as an independent organisation operating without any partnership with any local organisation or body.

What are the aims and objectives of VFS? VFS Global is the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for diplomatic missions and governments worldwide. The company manages visa and passport issuancerelated administrative and non-judgemental tasks for its client governments.

With 802 Visa Application Centres (VACs) and operations in 88 countries across five continents, VFS Global serves the interests of the diplomatic missions of 42 sovereign governments. The company has successfully processed over 55.66 million applications since its inception in 2001.

The company’s highly differentiated solutions portfolio includes dedicated visa and passport application centres, information services (call centres), web based modules (for appointment scheduling and online payment collection), biometrics (data capture and transfer), verification/legalisation/ attestation, translation, overseas citi-

zenship, logistics solutions, programmeandprojectmanagement,database management, security solutions, financial solutions, etc. This broad scope enables missions to focus entirely on the primary task of assessment and interviews.

To meet the demands of the clients, VFS Global has embedded best practices in its operations across all its dedicated visa application centres globally. From the distribution of visa application forms to returning processed applications, and related services, VFS Global follows a series of highly advanced, precise and streamlined processes to ensure its clients’ and applicants’ absolute security and confidentiality. VFS Global’s offices and operations across the world are certified with ISO 9001:2008 for Quality Management System and ISO 27001:2005 forInformationSecurityManagement System by TUV SUD, one of the world’s leading external and independent certification bodies.

We know you represent more than four embassies. Can we know the embassies you process visa applications for?

In Nigeria, VFS Global is the trusted partner to the diplomatic missions of 10 governments, i.e. Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, Spain, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States of America (as a sub-contractor to Stanley Associates Inc. – the prime contractor for US Government operations).

Do you operate with the mind-set that most documents presented by visaapplicantsarefraudulentuntilthe contrary is proven?

For acceptance of visa applications and attached documents, VFS Global strictly follows the procedures mandated by the respective diplomatic mis-

sion/ government. Our staff is meticulously trained in application acceptance methods based on these guidelines.

However, VFS Global is not responsible for verifying the authenticity of the documents submitted, as the same is done by the concerned diplomatic mission/ government during their assessment and decision making process – and hence we do not even consider/ evaluate the authenticity of documents submitted by visa applicants.

What challenges do you face in dealing with Nigeria visa applicants?

The visa application process, generally, is very simple and straightforward one. Applicants are encouraged to visit the designated website or visa application centre or enquire at the call centres managed by VFS Global for a thorough understanding of the requirements and procedures.

Convenience of applications For the benefit and convenience of applications, notices and guidelines are always displayed at VFS Global’s VACs. Applicants are requested to refer to the information published by VFS Global, which are regularly updated for relevance, in order to stay updated on the most accurate information, and safeguard their interests and not be misguided.

Do you also experience issue of touts?

At the VFS Global managed facilities, we ensure that only genuine applicants are allowed inside the VAC premises. We have also installed CCTV cameras and deployed security guards for constant vigilance at all public frequented areas at our premises, for round-the-clock monitoring of all activities inside the premises, and to ensure that the rocess integrity is upheld at all times. At VFS Global, security of visa applicants, the premises and integrity of process has always been our endeavour in the best interest of the visa applicants as well as the diplomatic missions we partner with. VFS Global’s VACs are one-stop-shop facilities which allowtheapplicantstocompletethevisa application process/ formalities and leave the premises at one go.

Confusion worse confounded, he was given an option of fine - to pay a paltry sum of N750,000.

That was the height of making a mockery of not only the Criminal Procedure in our courts, it also cast a serious aspersion on the judicial system as a whole. As Jean Rousseau observed, “it is not the criminal things which are hardest to confess, but the ridiculous and shameful”.

I am still seriously perturbed about how one can rationalise this one case of John Yakubu. How many people have died in this country without having received a penny of their pensions after many years of waiting? How many have collapsed and died while waiting on long and endless queues to collect peanuts as pensions?

I should like to conclude now by appealing to the government to take bold steps towards bringing corruption to its barest minimum in this country. It was John Locke who said that “the freedom of men under government is to have a standing rule to live by; common to everyone in that society... and not to be subject to inconstant, unknown, arbitrary will of another man”. That aptly applies to our current

condition and what we are required to do. Government should provide for all and be fair to all. Our educational system ought to be made more functional and guided to address our national needs and aspirations. Government must necessarily diversify the economy to widen its revenue base. And all accruing revenues must be judiciously spent and meticulously accounted for.

We should be done with impunity and governmental arrogance.

No section of the populace should be made to enjoy undue advantage over the others; no part of the federation, no part of any state or local governments should enjoy excessive patronage to the detriment of others. There should be no double standard. The nation must entrench the rule of law. It is extremely imperative. As our late elder statesman, Chief Obafemi Awolowo once stated, “the government is like the sun, it must shine on everybody”.

However, in conclusion, permit me to end with the euphemistic statement once made by Winston Churchill when Britain was facing the adverse effect of Second World War that: “gentlemen, we are progressing backwards”.

Prof GEO Ogum bows out Continues from page 26

in promoting mathematics education at rural schools is unprecedented and ordinary people that would never have had the privilege of western education succeeded in doing so through his mentorship.

He played many roles as community leader, which culminated to his role as President-General of Unubi Development Union and after that became the Regent of the community. It was through this period that he promoted the Ohazurume philosophy as a veritable tool for community governance that requires every hand to be on deck in driving unity and development.

Your name Professor GEO Ogum impacted profoundly in my life from 2001 when I was appointed the pioneer VC of the eventually renamed Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) Awka. I had just taken up appointment when admission into the Faculty of Medicine developed a glitch that needed a person of proven integrity to sought out. You were recommended to me as such as person and you certainly addressed the problem so admirably and competently...We worked so

cordially and positively that I can state unequivocally that NAU is today, and for immediate foreseeable future, the product of its early sound origin by wholly dedicated, unselfish and indefatigable pioneer staff as you and others represented...You could not be faulted for proven sincerity, discipline, self-expression and excellence...

Always kind, calm and cool headed, you could, and did, face burning issues both academic and administrative, with remarkable exemplary equanimity” Above testimony about Prof. Ogum is echoed by others who worked very close with him. For instance, Sir Ngozi Anyakora, the pioneer Registrar of Anambra State College of Education Awka and Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka have these impressions about Prof. Ogum: “I found a treasure in him...

What endured Prof. Ogum to me and all those who have had the privilege of experiencing him, is his integrity, the monarch of all virtues. With that virtue he carved a niche for himself in men’s minds, and thus made himself generally acceptable as a popular choice for positions that require honesty and truth.”

28 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

Travel Tips:

Family Vacation Ideas Making your next family tour a memorable one Planning family tour sometimes looks simple, but in most cases they are not as simple as many people believe. President and founder of family travel agency, Sally Black, said planning a family tour is exactly like planning a family and one needs to plan ahead.

Many travel planners say planning ahead will not only make family trip both stressfree and enjoyable, but afford one the opportunity of getting the best pick of airline seats, hotels and available room categories.

Here are some tips to make your next family trip both stress-free and enjoyable.

Determine what the family needs After determining the family needs in terms of destination as Sally Black said “There is no such thing as the ‘best’ family resort.”

He said whatever destination the family chooses as best depends on the age of the kids and the interests of every member of the family. “Start your planning by jotting down your family’s needs and desires.”

Strike a balance once you know what your family needs, search for a vacation spot that has a little of something for everyone. “A lot of time parents think they have to sacrifice their 2 weeks vacation a year and give totally to the kids,” says Black. Not so. Plenty of resorts offer amenities for big kids as well as little ones.

Look for destinations with many options as fabulous as the giant slide might be, your kids might get bored going to the same pool every day. And Mom and Dad might get sick of eating the same fare every night. Consider destinations that offer a variety of options for everyone in the group.

Take advantage of off-peak times If you have preschool-aged children, traveling while older kids are in school can yield lower prices and less crowded vacation destinations. “You can save upward of 50 percent or more,” says Black.

Avoid peak family travel times Ticket booking In booking the tickets, the age of the kids come into play. You need to know the different between and infant and a child.

Infants are babies in the age brackets of 0 - 23 months, they don’t need a seat on board and children are between ages 2 11 years.

If you’re travelling with an infant who reaches the age of two during their journey, your child will need their own seat for any flights on and after their 2nd birthday.

SUKUR UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

Chancellor Mer kel tto o Merk open 20 13 ITB Berlin 201 … Nigeria promises good outing

T

he German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel will next week perform the opening ceremonies of the world’s leading travel trade show (ITB) in Berlin for the first time in history.

She will be leading figures from politics and tourism to declare open the four day event where the whole variety of travelling is present.

The fair attracts more than 170,000 visitors, among these 113,000 trade visitors, and 11,000 represented companies from 180 countries.

Nigeria will be represented at the annual event by the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) at the fair provides unique opportunities to benefit from the leading think tank of the global tourism industry.

At ITB Berlin, all levels of the value added tourism chain, like Tour operators, booking engines, destinations, airlines, and hotels right through to car rental companies, will be present:.

If you are looking for a real adventure in a very challenging but natural setting in Nigeria, bet you have one that will indulge and challenge your sense of adventure. The Sukur Cultural Landscape with its palace, terraced fields with ritual features and villages whose unchanged settings have survived for many centuries, will engaged your strong leisure spirit in the northern Mandara Mountains in Adamawa State.

From the Hidi’s Palace (ruined house complex of the chief), natural paved walkways, domesticated landscape with extensive terraces (for agricultural use and spiritual significance) and domestic architecture in the villages (granite and drystone), you will go beyond sightseeing, relishing in the freshness of nature around, to burning unnecessary calories.

Sure, the sight of the traditional cemeteries in the hills will make you desire to be buried in its serenity and exclusivity. Water from the wells will quench your thirst after walking through the vast stretch of the plain.

The iron-smelting furnaces and ceramics that have elements of traditional and contemporary looks tell more of the technology that long existed in Africa, and should be developed further and preserved for advancement and posterity.

The shrines are not awful, but depict the African people’s traditional belief and culture.

White sands hotel opens for business

By Kingsley Adegboye

P

rivate and corporate organisations in the Ibafo axis of Ogun state may not have to go far any more in search of hospitality services, as an ultra modern hotel known as White Sands Hotel has been opened in the area. The 18room hotel which comprises standard, deluxe and supersleeper rooms, was formally opened for business last week.

The hotel according to its proprietor, Mr. Paul Ogum, is a follow-up investment to the White Sands Resort (Club and Lounge).

Mr. Ogum, a property magnate and interior-exterior décor expert, during the grand opening of the hotel, said that even

though the cost of standard accommodation in the area has risen drastically due to rising cost of investment, White Sands Hotel would give affordable prices to its clientèle.

He explained that he was motivated to launch into the hotel business as a response to the yawning need for standard hospitality services in the Warewa, Arepo, Ibafo and Magboro axis, and for those who want to escape the hectic life of Lagos.

“In recent times, several corporate organisations have moved their offices, factories and warehouses out of the hustle and bustle of Lagos, to the relative peace and serenity that the Magboro axis provides.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013 — 29

Cashew production can generate employment for Nigeria — Kogi govt STORIES BY DANIEL GUMM, who was in Lokoja A NEW dawn seems to have impacted on the development and sustenance of cashew production and marketing going by delegates, from not less than 19 states of the federation, who gathered in Lokoja, Kogi State to discuss cashew potentials.

The delegates, who cut across top government officials, cashew farmers, processors, marketers,

C M Y K

bankers and exporters were unanimous in one thing — cashew can generate enormous employment opportunities for Nigeria’s if properly harnessed.

Governor Idris Ichalla Wada, while declaring open the annual national cashew season flag-off in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital had told the delegates that his government considers griculture as a business rather than a development programme; thus

it has keyed into the Federal Government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

Kogi State, according to the governor, is employing a combination of appropriate agricultural technologies, policies, and institutional arrangements that would lead to better access to raw materials for agrobased industries.

Wada, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Professor Olug-

bemiro Jegede, told his audience that Kogi was the largest producer of cashew in the country; it produeces over 40 per cent of of the total annual 120,000 metric tons coutry production of the commodity, insisting that there was the need to change unorganised bush farming with its attendant wastages.

Gov. Wada, explained that his administration was interested in boosting the production of cashew, be-

cause the crop thrived very well within the state, adding that most of the cashew produced in the state were wasted due to non value addition.

Earlier in his opening remarks, National President, National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), Mr. Tola Faseru said that the annual cashew season flag-off was begining of new era of cashew in Kogi State, adding the NCAN was working on the Kogi Cashew Corridor to export value-added cashew products because the product is agreat generation of jobs.

Faseru infomed delegates, who gathered in Lokoja for the annual national cashew season flagoff that Nigeria had won the hosting right for the 2013 World Cashew Expo and that the Federal Government had approved cashew as a national transformational crop.

Listing his achievement after one year in office, Mr. Faseru said his administration has been able to have a budget allocation for cashew for 2013, among other things.

He explained that on taking over the mantle of leadership last year, he noticed that so much had gone wrong and unattended to in Nigeria’s cashew sector that had resulted in continuous poverty for cashew farmers, and other operators across the value chain, and nearly all the problems could be traced to just one thing —equality.

He said the NCAN worked differently to stop the use of polypropylene bags; encouraged proper drying of cashew nuts and encouraged use of jute bags.

He said all the stakeholders in the Nigerian cashew industry “complied and the cooperation brought about the success we achieved during this period.”

National Public Rel;ations Officer, NCAN, Mr. Sontonye Anga promised that some of the field trips during the 2013 World Cashew Expo would be taken to Kogi State, because the most obvious thing from the programme is that Kogi State is ready and the governor is committed to cashew as crop.

He said the governor's action on cashew gave Kogi State the impetus to a stronger consideration to handle very strong aspect of world cashew world expo and “that is going to confer on the state a lot of benefit in terms od agric tourism and boosting economic growth and development.”

What Nigeria will benefit from World cashew fiesta, expo — NCAN

A

S the world converge on Nigeria for the hosting of the World Cashew Fiesta, Expo, first for the time from September 16-19, 2013, the country stands to benefit immensely from the event, according to the National Public Relations Officer of the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), Mr. Sotonye Anga.

The 2013 World Cashew Festival and Expo will be the biggest cashew event ever held as it will bring together 1,500 delegates and 70 exhibitors from 40 countries to Nigeria. It will feature exhibition, networking, conference, field trips and expert training. This global cashew event will bring together all major stakeholders, decision makers and cashew industry leaders globally to Nigeria.

Anga said the event will attract investors into Nigeria and create international spotlight on the Nigerian cashew industry as well as stimulate demand for the country’s cashew. It will improve the image of Nigerian cashew — Nigerian cashew has been most discounted by as much as between $200 $600/ton due to the negative image of Nigerian cashew.

AfDB approves $200m facility for Ecobank's trade finance

T

HE Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a Trade Finance package of US$200 million comprising an unfunded risk-sharing facility and a trade facilitation loan, to support Ecobank Transnational Incorporated's (ETI) trade finance activities in Africa.

The AfDB's support will enable Ecobank to enhance its trade finance confirmation capabilities, avail medium-term liquidity support to ETI's subsidiaries to provide appropriate trade finance to African small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and local corporates, and demonstrate appetite for Africa risk.

30 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1 , 2013 — 31 ifychimexs@yahoo.com

Vol 01

No. 14

FEBRUARY, 2013

www.vanguardngr.com

NCS goes tough with hackers, traces account of culprits WHILE taking stock of revenue generation during the year ended December, 2012, the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi Inde told Customs Watch in this interview that goods coming into the country through the borders were now under serious scrutiny. He said he was in partnership with the Comptroller or Director-General of Customs of Benin Republic and the Director-General of Niger Republic Customs.

On the recent hacking of Customs site to offer employment to people for a fee , he said that hackers will no longer have a field day as he has placed Canada trained forensic experts to look into activities of official hackers. Excerpts:

•CGC, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi

I

T appears that last year’s revenue was not met.

What are the factors that contributed to that?

No, I disagree with you. We met our target. What really happened was that we had several holidays and towards the end of the year, we had so many shifts, but actually, they fall within this year. If you look at January we collected huge amount of money that we have never collected before, so it is the balance of December that came in January. So in anyway, we are not losing any revenue.

How much is the revenue for this year, and what are the plans you have put on ground to attain it?

Well, this year is a trillion naira and some fractions. We are ready and have started looking towards goods coming through the borders.

I have discussed and held a meeting with the Comptroller or Director-General of Customs of Benin Republic and the Director-General of Niger Republic.

We have informed them of what is not allowed into our country and they should C M Y K

,

Stories by Ifeyinwa Obi

I know that when officers are motivated, they will keep away from bribery and corruption.

They will also keep away from asking for things that do not belong to them

respect our fiscal policy, whereby goods that are rarely high duty under import provision list be allowed to pass through their countries.

We also told them to follow the normal international transit procedure, whereby any cargo coming into Nigeria, the Benin Republic Customs should escort it and hand it over to the Nigerian Customs for the purpose of duty collection.

So anything short of that is a violation of the international transit procedure and which we said as the Chairman of Western-Central Africa, the Chairman of Africa Customs and the Chairman of West African Directors-General of Customs. I told them that Nigeria will not fold its arms, while things are happening and it is being caused by our neighbours, so we are actually going to take action.

,

You are ver y good at welfare and capacity building. This year are you going to rest on your oars in that area or do more on it?

Well, as a father and head of this organization, it’s a formula I used and it worked for me. The welfare really motivated my officers and the

major part of the success is due to that. So I will still go out and beg for more welfare to motivate my officers, because I believe that from 2010 to date, we have seen that most of the redundancies we are witnessing which bring about rumour, and corruption are being resolved.

I believe that officers are contented with the new salaries we introduced, with three free pairs of uniforms and now procuring buses to take them to and fro their places of living.

Actually, I will rather improve. If I have my way to increase their salaries by 100 per cent again, I will do that,

because I know that when officers are motivated, they will keep away from bribery and corruption, the more they will keep away from asking for things that do not belong to them.

On the capacity building, it is taking a new chance. May be we take you up to see the ruling centre what we have so far introduced.

Now, what we are looking at is that we will go into the core function of the Nigerian Customs Service. I will like a situation that when you meet a Nigerian Customs officer on the road and you ask him/her why are you wearing this uniform;fact when he starts Continues on pg 32

Customs records 6019 seizures, 308 arrests last year

T

he Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) recorded a total of 6,019 seizures with a duty paid value of N4.3 billion in 2012, according to the service. According to a report on the activities of the service in 2012, 308 arrests were made in connection with the seizures, while the number of general goods seized was 3,996.

A breakdown of other seizures recorded by the service in 2012 includes 1,970 cars, 52 motorcycles, five boats and 52 containers.

In comparative terms, the seizures

recorded in 2012 were higher than the 5,784 recorded in 2011.

However, the duty paid value in 2011 was N8.4 billion, compared with the N4.3 billion in 2012. Also there was a decline in the number of arrests in 2012 compared with the 476 arrests recorded by the service in 2011.

Meanwhile, official figures show that in 2012 the service generated a revenue of N850.8 billion below Federal Government’s target of N872.2 billion.

32 —Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1 , 2013

NCS goes tough with hackers, traces account of culprits talking, you will know that this person is indeed knowledgeable. Now we have the real training of officers.

You know at any given time, we are looking at attaining the way other developed countries are really improving and doing their day-to-day business activities.

That’s why we travel and request to see a country that is versed in clearing and IT system. So when we travel out, we do not go there to fold our arms and think that we are coming back home to rest. We go out with a view that we will on return,put our house in order. You can’t believe that now the Nigerian Customs Service has forensic experts, whom were sent recently to Canada to train for almost six months.

From Canada, a complaint was made that some people were using my picture on facebook to give employment to people for a certain amount of money. So each structure uses its experience as a case study. And all the people involved have been arrested and will be paraded here so that all Nigerians will see them.

This is the work of the officers currently undergoing training in Canada. We call them hackers. They are official hackers. So, if anyone is doing something contrary to the laws of the land, through the cyber or internet crime, we now have people who can apprehend them. Don’t forget, I personally went for this course for one week just to acquaint myself with what will be the success of the officers when they finish the training. And the first result we got is that we have traced the account they are operating, even the person hosting them on his own web, has been apprehended. They are here in the cell.

So, actually this is another aspect which nobody knows.

And we have attained that and I’m assuring that in terms of capacity building, this is a new place entirely. We have finished the elementary training and re-training; now we are really going into serious propulsion of the Nigerian Customs, as seen all over the world.

There is a big eyebrow on Jibia border on smuggling as widely reported in the media.

I want to know if the Comptroller-General is aware of this?

C M Y K

Well, I don’t know if the media houses have internet cameras to see what is actually going on there. But I know that when I took over, the revenue in Jibia border was N1billion, but today, Jibia generates N5 billion. I’m not there to say it, but I actually appointed a comptroller who is in charge of that place. But times without number when I hear this kind of story, I call him and he gives me what is really happening there.

Recently, when we got information of movement of small arms through that place, I sent almost two hundred detachments of professionals who are trained. We train them on that aspect. So Jibia border is now cordoned and sealed. I know if there is any smuggling it won’t happen now.

Don’t forget recently, we have arrested, with the assistance of Mogaji, the Police Commissioner, Kaduna who I really hold of high esteem. He helped us in apprehending a notorious smuggler of Tramour (hard drugs).

You can see how interagency collaboration works.

So I really commend and really appreciate the efforts of the Commissioner of Police for arresting this man. So you can see, we are working hand-inhand with the Police, the DSS is giving us information, the Military is giving us back-up in case of any eventuality or attack. So I can assure you to the best of my knowledge these agencies are assisting us, so what I can tell you is that we might not really eradicate it, but can bring it to the barest minimum.

There was a recent arrest of hoodlums at the Tincan. What informed that movement from the Nigerian Customs Service?

You see, the Tincan Island Ports has become a nightmare to the Nigerian Customs Service. We have people who perpetually are criminals; people who are faking our documents outside in order to carry goods that do not belong to them.

We have people who believe that they can’t be controlled and can’t conduct themselves the ways other people are doing. So, even that aspect, I wrote to the InspectorGeneral (IG) of Police, and he came to our rescue, directing the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) to assist us in raiding and prosecuting them.

So the Tincan Island was

•CGC, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi

,

Continues from page 31

I don’t know whether the media houses have internet cameras to see what is actually going on there. But I know that when I took over, the revenue in Jibia border was N1billion, but today, Jibia generates N5 billion

,

raided and those who could not show their identities were spotted by the Police and the Nigerian Customs; those people who have nothing to show of what they are doing.

The Police is prosecuting them for laundering, unlawful assembly and obstruction of Port duties. So those are the charges. If you don’t have anything to do, what are you doing in the Ports?

So is it because people feel they are wild, even I learnt that some people are carrying guns that if you don’t do what they like, they will pull out a pistol, intending to shoot you.

So why should you allow a state of anarchy whereas we have law and order and we have people who will collaborate with us to support us like the Nigerian Police Force, they did and I really owe the IG gratitude for always coming to our rescue whenever we call on them.

Let us look at the scanning section. How convincing is the readiness of the Service to take over the Scanning

process ?

First of all, let me just correct the impression of this issue of scanning or scan. The people who installed these scanners don’t know how to operate them. They learnt it. Now some of the scanners were installed four years ago. So does it mean that the Nigerian Customs Service is so dull and daft that they can’t learn elements of what the scanner entails. We didn’t stop at what these people are giving us.

In France, we and the current CG in 2010 attended the World Customs Organizations conference in June. And these people approached me and told me what exactly I should do in terms of taking over the scanning operation from the service providers. They told me that they will not teach us. So actually I have depended solely on these people, I had spent huge amount of money to train my officers, not even informing the service providers.

So our people are there. We will say, we are currently

training some people in the same field for service detection. The manufacturers of the scanners are people who are training the Customs.

We came back from Japan; it is the Customs that were operating it. I think we should do away with the local politics and allow Customs to practice their professionalism.

That is what is obtainable all over the world.

Let us look at Trade Facilitation. Stakeholders hammer on trade facilitation.

Do you think trade facilitation is really fairing well ?

Well if you are going to equity, you must go with clean hands. First of all, have they done the right thing, if no, tell me what are they facilitating (laughs). Anybody who is doubting what we are doing is pretending.

Let the person come and claim that we are not facilitating. The question on our side is integrity, while on the side of the stakeholders is compliance. If everybody complies, they have nothing to regret or suffer.

Why are you talking of trade facilitation when you have not complied? You see that is why people form associations in order to get their way in this country. Trade facilitation, we agree but only when they comply. How can people talk about trade facilitation when they bring in 1,000 units and declare 100 and you want me to release it for you? You can imagine somebody bringing in Rols Royce and said it’s Volkswagen beetle, is that trade facilitation?

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1 , 2013 — 33

Customs arrests don with $1m T

he Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Muritala Muhammed Airport Command intercepted a Nigerian professor carrying $1 million on his way to Kenya.

The Customs Area Comptroller at the airport,

Charles Edike, disclosed that the professor had been handed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigations.

He said that although the professor declared the money to customs officers at the

Customs generates N45m from Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara in January

T

HE Nigeria Customs Service, Sokoto/ Kebbi/ Zamfara Command, revealed that it has so far generated over N45million in January alone.

Making the revelation recently in Sokoto at the

Minna Customs Area Command generates N451.7m revenue

T

HE Niger/Kwara/ Kogi Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service generated N451.7million revenue last year, the Area Controller, Aminu Dangaladima, has said.

Dangaladima said that the amount was about 25 per cent higher than the command’s set target of N360 million. He attributed the feat to the support and cooperation of motor dealers in the states during a stakeholders meeting held in Minna.

The controller urged the dealers to impress on their customers to pay the correct customs duty for their imported vehicles before plying the roads to avoid embarrassment.

He said the command had been adjudged as the most improved command by the customs high command and was given an award for their achievement last year on its revenue collection efforts and enforcement.

C M Y K

inaugural conference on Building a Sustainable Relationship with Stakeholders, the Custom Area Controller Alhaji Bamidele Akande said they did not make much revenue from general goods as they did from motor vehicles.

According to the CAC, the forum was aimed at educating stakeholders on how best to collectively protect government revenue, interact with stakeholders on service operations and foster existing relationship between the command, stakeholders and the public.

The forum was also to sensitize stakeholders and trading public on the various reforms in the Customs Service as well as ensure compliance.

The CAC also debunked allegation that Nigeria Customs officials enriched themselves with impounded goods saying, the Court auctions some of those goods after due process.

He said: “Sometimes, importers of vehicles run away from impounded goods to escape prison.

Sometimes to investigate a case needs time, energy and finance and, as risk managers, sometimes we accept certain risks of not even going after those offenders, but where offending goods are abandoned and due process is followed in court, there is a provision for auctioning of those seizures that are condemned by the court.”

Speaking at the forum, the chairman, Motor Dealers’ Association of Nigeria, Kebbi State Chapter, Alhaji Mohammed Bala, argued that 90 per cent of the people plying the Nigerian roads would be indoors if Customs really worked according to the constitution.

airport, “the source of the money was not clear.

Edike said: “He claimed to be the director of a company, AZ Petroleum and that he was carrying the money to Kenya to settle a dispute with a community over oil blocks.

“We were not comfortable with what he said, we have handed him over to the EFCC.” He did not give the name of the professor.

He also said that the command intercepted $12 million from 14 persons in

Seizures

2012, adding that “all the 14 persons have been handed to the EFCC for prosecution.”

Mr. Edike said the command generated N35 billion in 2012 as against N34 billion in 2011.

“Although we had more cargos in 2011, we generated more revenue in 2012,” he said, adding: “This was based on our insistence that every waybill must be accounted for.”

34 —Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1 , 2013

Nigeria exports hit N129.9b in 2012 T

he Apapa Area 1 command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said that 116, 525 metric tonnes of some commodities valued at N129.9 billion were exported through the Lagos Port complex in 2012.

Its Area Comptroller, Mohammed Umar explained that the commodities were exported between January and December.

He listed the commodities as including: palm kernel cake, cocoa beans and wheat bran pallets , cashew nuts, sesame seeds, ginger, hibiscus flower, gum Arabic, processed rubber, shrimps, and lead ingot.

Others are 4, 625,837 square feet of processed leather, 74,547 cases of dettol, maggi crayfish, 29,062 cartons of biscuits 97,100 bags of assorted bathroom slippers and 1,655,320 litres of ethyl alcohol.

Umar stressed that total revenue collected by the command at the port was N283.9billion.

He declared that the command’s post clearance audit unit had attracted 119 companies.

The comptroller added: “A monthly average of 1,177 containers left the ports under the scheme. A total of 14,128 containers were exited through the post clearance audit scheme.”

He noted that the command seized 20 containers of contraband laden with batteries, used engines, deodorants, car parts, textiles, electronics

Customs launch single-window e-services to facilitate trade C

OMMITTED towards modernizing its operations, the Nigerian Customs Service, (NCS) has launched the single-window e-services with a view to accelerating higher efficiency aimed at trade facilitation.

The Deputy Public Relations Officer, Nigerian Customs, Abuja Bello Abdulkareem in a statement said that numerous benefits abound to a single-window system for both the government and the private actors.

Abdulkareem said: “For the government, the employment of a single-window system means there will be more effective and efficient allocation of resources as well as higher revenue generation. The singlewindow will also lead to an increase in trader compliance, enhanced national security, integrity and transparency of the systems.

“For the private sector, the single-window will lead to a faster clearance and release of goods and services which in turn leads to a decrease in costs of importation by reducing delays. It will also create a better business environment by yielding a predictable application and explanation of rules.”

The practical goal of singlewindow is to expedite and simplify the flow of C M Y K

information between traders and government. It enables the relevant authorities and agencies to have access to all information for their purposes.

According to him, the single-window phenomenon as introduced by the Nigerian Customs Service is to genuinely create a “one-stopshop” for Nigerians doing international trade and business.

The success of this unique project, he said lies not only with the Nigerian Customs Service as a lead agency but with the government and other stake holders in international trade and business.

“There must be absolute commitment to the tenets of the single-window project as practiced in other climes of the world. That is the only way to nurture, sustain and justify

the existence of this noble project” he explained.

By definition, the World Customs Organization (WCO), World Trade Organization (WTO) and various governmental and international organizations devoted to trade facilitation in a consensus opinion defined single-window as “a crossborder intelligence facility that allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge

standardized information and documents with a single entry point to fulfill all import, export and transit related regulatory requirements”.

Historically, the concept of a single-window was developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and countries in other jurisdictions.

COWA empowers member through skill acquisition

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HE National President of Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA) Hajiya Sa’ adiya Abdullahi Dikko has restated the group commitment to empower members and the general public in social and economic uplifting through skill acquisition.

Within three years of its existence, COWA, she said, has established its branches in all zonal and area commands of the Customs Service with impeccable records of achievements.

“Top most priority to COWA is empowerment through skill acquisition.

To make this dream a reality, COWA in collaboration with National Directorate of Employment (N.D.E), have trained women in areas such as tailoring, soap making, bead making, computer application,fashion designing, interior decoration, event management among others.

In addition to skill acquisition and training workshops on health programmes such as Women Health and

Economic Empowerment was organized between March 24–25, 2012”. she explained.

As part of her corporate social responsibilities, COWA in 2011, according to her donated various food and household items to the people of Kundu village in Abuja.

In the same vein, COWA officers at both Zonal and area command levels , she further said have donated relief materials to the less privileged, orphanage homes, hospitals and distressed communities.

In the years ahead, COWA is strategically positioned to deliver more welfare packages to her members and general public.

With the continuous support of the Nigeria Customs Management and other public spirited individuals, she informed that COWA will in no distant future become an epicentre of welfare, empowerment and economic liberation for the less privileged.

•Sa'Adiya Abdullahi Dikko

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013—35

By AYO ONIKOYI

B

EAUTIFUL Nubia isn’t ever going to be a cut and dry personality. Not by a long shot. The Artiste, whose real name is Segun Akinlolu, begins to romance one’s imagination even from his stage name ‘Beautiful Nubia’ and his brand of music is

something that has attracted many characterisations from different quarters without any one nearing the mark, at least, so say the poet, songwriter and producer.

The veterinary doctor turned musician walked into the corporate office of Vanguard recently in the company of highlife legend, Pa. Chris Ajilo and as usual he was a live-wire of interest to behold.

What has Beautiful Nubia been doing lately?

Another thing we have been doing is producing albums for other people. EniObanke, started

out producing my own work. Now, we are producing for other artistes. Even the talents we discovered during the talent show, their albums will be produced under EniObanke’s label.

Now, we have several people on that label we are producing and one of the people we can be proud of is Pa. Ajilo, who has produced a new album after over 50 years he’s been off the stage.

What informed your coming up with the concept of an annual Music Festival?

I think there is a need to have a platform to showcase original African music. Music that actually reflects our basic philosophies and values. Music being played today, either played using our traditional dialects or not, are not deeply rooted in our tradition-

al songs and I have found out that there are people like me who sing songs rooted in our traditions. The idea of the festival is to showcase our traditional values. We have veteran musicians like Pa. Chris

Ajilo, Funmi Davies, Jimi Solanke, Orlando Julius Ekemode and so many others on the bill.

And you think this generation of hip-hop music lovers will love your kind of music?

You will be shocked and embarrassed by the number of young people who turn out for this music Festival, dancing, screaming and singing hardcore traditional music. This perception you have is the same you hear everywhere but the situation out there is quite different.

The human brain is not wired to like just one kind of music. The media as a whole deceives people by promoting one kind of music, creating the mindset that people do not like other kinds of music. The average normal human being does not like just one kind of music, he likes a wide range of music.

You have produced 9 albums till date. Which of them would you say has been most rewarding financially?

I will say it’s ‘Jangbalajugbu’, released in 2002. But before then, there was a song ‘Baba Eledumare’ which got me a KORA nomination back in 2000. I was the only Nigerian artiste nominated.

In essence, I will say it was ‘Baba Eledumare’ that set me up to be known and ‘Jangbalajugbu’ came two years after to create the explosion. In 2002-2003, if you check the bags of most women in Lagos, you will find ‘Jangbalajugbu’. We sold millions and millions of that album. After that, the rest was easy.

Where do you really stay?

I don’t really stay anywhere. I am always on the road. I don’t like staying in one place for too long and I go wherever I’m called.

Continues on page 36

I N S I D E: Tony Payne moves on without 9ice C M Y K

JUSTUS ESIRI: Sudden depar ture departure of Nollywood 10 ways you can make best use of your iPad3 patriarch

36—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

I am not an entertainer Continues from page 35 So, does that mean you don’t have a family?

I am married to music on one big hand and on the other hand, I do have a family. But my family is smart enough to know they can’t compete with the music. The usual problem an artiste has is that there is always a man or a woman who wants to compete with the music. As long as the other part understands this is a very important part of your life and they let you be the artiste you want to be, there won’t be any problem. And on my own part, I have to respect that arrangement and make available to them everything they need to make them comfortable. That’s why most artistes find it very difficult to maintain a family because they can’t find the delicate balance between the family and their music.

Now, you studied veterinary

medicine. Why would an ‘arts’ person study medicine when you could have chosen the arts or even music?

It was my teachers who conspired against me. Because I was the best student in all the subjects; sciences, arts and commercial, they thought it would be a waste of my intelligence to study any other thing other than medicine.

They convinced me I could be a poet, songwriter and a doctor at the same time.

Even my mother was part of the conspiracy. She felt the only thing I could be was to be a doctor. And the other thing they made me understand is that, it is good to have a trade that you can always fall back on when music is not doing so well.

W

hat drives Beautiful Nubia?

For me, music is not an end, it is a means to an end.

Probably, if I wasn’t born in a

place like Nigeria, I would just be a vet and play music in my part time. On the other hand, I thank God I’m a Nigerian. I am not an entertainer, I don’t play music for people to dance.

What drives me is the need to see changes in this environment. We live in one of the most beautifully endowed part of the world and it is a shame to see that the simplest things are our problems. World Bank and all the experts make it look like a complex problem but it is very simple; stop being greedy and selfish. Everything will change.

People need to start spiritual change from the individual level to have a change at the societal level. That is what drives me, to contribute in bringing about that change. They need to start giving young people hope, that, it is indeed a blessing to be born in this country.

When they say you play folklore music, it sounds confusing trying to categorise it. So, what kind of music do you really play, what’s your genre?

That is what I have been hearing. I don’t know what folklore music is, I just play music, natural music, derived from our traditional rhythm. We can take this traditional rhythm and reflect it in our modern experiences and it comes out in a particular way.

You can call it jazz, rock, reggae, R&B or whatever you want to call it but all this music have their roots in traditional African rhythm. When you talk of music genre, I find it very artificial, depending on who is listening. For those who sell music, I can understand their classification to organise their market.

Justus Esiri: Sudden departure of Nollywood patriarch

By OKOH AIHE

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e hadn’t seen for years.

But news of Mr Justus Esiri recuperating in a London hospital troubled me to no end.

For, we had a relationship – Justus Esiri, Gaby Okoye (Gabosky), Charles Igwe, Amaka Igwe,Mahmood Ali-Balogun and my humble self- all of them movie makers, with me working from the outside as a journalist.

The tiny group, very informal in nature, had one major goal: to make the country’s movie industry, later christened Nollywood to our protestation, self-sufficient and be able to pay practitioners like the real stars they are. With all the glamour, we knew Nollywood was hollow inside and we expended time trying to add some depth to the industry by giving it a character and direction that could attract the global community. We had to protect the industry from being perishable!

There was no gainsaying the fact that the industry could be bankable on the long run. After all, Kenneth Nnebue had shown the way with Living In Bondage. And you couldn’t attend film and television programmes market across the world, attend various trade shows and wind up at the NAB in Las Vegas without knowing that there was big money to be made from the movie industry.

The challenge however was that the industry was too informal and the practitioners

Iroko set to thrill music lovers the African way L

OVERS of Afro-folk songs are bound to have a swell time come Sunday, March 3, as Iroko musical group led by Ola Balogun takes the centre stage at Hall One of the City Mall Shopping Centre, Onikan Lagos.

Apart from Balogun’s Iroko band, the show will also feature the evergreen highlife maestro, Fatai Rolling Dollar as well as a leading Congolese band, the Mukando All Stars of Kinshasa, led by Tino Mukando, a well known and highly appreciated saxophonist and vocalist.

According to a statement from the band leader, the show tagged “Africana : A feast of music and love”, is designed to promote and propagate authentic contemporary African music as well as provide music lovers with an opportunity for relaxation, dance and enjoyment.

To complement the musical C M Y K

performances, a dynamic and popular Lagos-based dance troupe known as the Rainbow dancers will be on hand to thrill the audience with a combination of traditional Nigeri-

an dances and free style contemporary African dance.

The show, according to the organisers, promises to be ‘an experience of a life time’ with so much to eat, drink and take

Ola Balogun

Member, Iroko musical group

away.

Attendance at the show, the organisers say has been moderately priced to be within the reach of most music lovers, with gate fees fixed at N3,000 for singles and N5,000 for couples. The Africana show has also been conceived by Ola Balogun as a family-friendly affair, with fans being encouraged to bring along their children to join in the fun.

“In keeping with the objective of promoting authentic contemporary African music, part of the African music show will be broadcast live on Metro FM for the benefit of all Lagos based music enthusiasts, while the totality of the concert will be specially recorded on high definition vdeo by the Nigerian Television Authority for subsequent broadcast in Nigeria and Africa, as well as in several overseas countries,” says Balogun.

were not tempered enough to look at the real business in this unfolding entertainment genre.

B

ut Esiri was there trying to introduce some seriousness into the business.

Among us, we hosted some

•Mr Justus Esiri meetings in turn and those meetings were like little parties, some kind of fun amid fashioning out very serious business that would later become one of the country’s biggest exports.

Sometimes, pioneers can be like little paper towels that mean very little in the course of a great meal.

People know Esiri for his role in The Village Headmaster and several other roles in the movies and may not be conversant with this small story as a real patriarch of the movie industry. He was one of the few elderly ones who absorbed needle insults for Nollywood to stand.

Back to the tiny group working for the growth of Nollywood; little strands of progress soon began to create little waves of confusion. Members of the group who had made very difficult financial sacrifices and expended unrewarded time were beginning to look at the end and not the journey to the end. Naturally, distrust crept in like the biblical thief of the night and attacked the seams of a relationship like the bunch of broom sticks that together could not be broken.

I didn’t see Esiri for years.

And Mahmood Ali-Balogun too. So when Mahmood told me he had lodged together with Esiri at the Hilton in Abuja, it was God provided opportunity to meet him and do some little flicks down memory lane.

There he was in his suite with the driver he had contracted to take him for two days while in the capital territory. The embrace was tight like that of the wrestlers in Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, and I was overjoyed because of the strength I could feel through him after all I had read in the papers.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013—37

Tony Payne moves on without 9ice

By OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI

By DOTUN IBIWOYE

H

W

HOEVER says Tony Payne hasn’t put her crashed marriage with pop singer, 9ice behind her might be disappointed to hear that she has moved on with her life, despite the odds.

Last week, she was spotted at the Love Jones edition of Str8 Up Hip Hop, a show organized by Now Musik.

Adorned in an extremely mini gown, ex Mrs 9ice, shows up looking radiant and full of smiles.

And guess what? She didn’t come alone. The mother of one who made herself taller on a six inches heels, was led into the hall by a smashing young man who obviously accompanied her to the event.

Tony strolled into the event venue minutes after the show had rolled by, and heads couldn’t help but turned to

Global warming songs have no rivals — Mr Sanitation

•9ice-and-Tony-Payne admire the woman who once held 9ice spell bound.

Obviously not minding what 9ice does with his life as she also has hers to live, she was ushered into the V.I.P corner, a platform just above the

cheering crowd.

Tony who says she hopes to remarry soon, looked ravishing while the event lasted, as she was even called up to anchor some items on the programme.

IK, Vimbai to host AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice awards

AVING carved a niche for himself for over fifteen years as a musician whose songs are mainly about global warming and climate change, Sunday Oseghele a.k.a Mr. Sanitation, will definitely have few rivals in the country and Africa.

The environmental advocate cum musician, had become a household name since the ocean surge became an issue along the Lekki -Eleko beach and environs.

His music has been affiliated to the environmental enforcement agencies on several fora in several states of the federation due to his grassroot rhythms.

According to Mr. Sanitation, the drive to enlighten the populace about climate change can only come through music which cuts across ethnicity and religion.

His hit song, Jah Don’t Sleep, depicts how nature has control of the environment. His song has been played on several radio stations across the country.

The song which is being celebrated across the several West African counties due to its message and rhythm, has left audiences spell-bound several times.

‘I need to enlighten Nigerians and Africans about the environment on global warming and the necessity of a clean environment. A lot of people do not know that the environment is a major factor of our existence and music is the only medium of this enlightenment”,he said.

Whitney Houston’s ex-hubby, Bobby Brown jailed!

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ITH the highly-antici pated AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) holding two weeks away from now(March 9), organizers are leaving no stone unturned in their bid to create a brilliant night of African film and TV glamour to celebrate the sensational talents of the continent’s rising and established stars.

Being organised by MultiChoice and sponsored by Amstel Malta, it has now been confirmed that three times Big Brother Africa host, IK Osakioduwa and gorgeous StarGist presenter, Lady Vimbai Mutinhiri will host the first ever AMVCAs! The two entertainers, according to the organisers, are chosen based on their individual experience and passion for the African entertainment industry.

They will bring their skills and stagecraft to bear at the event holding at the EKO Exhibition Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

“IK’s cool, calm, professionalism combined with his effortless charm is clearly a benefit during busy live broadcasts while the always optimistic and stylish Vimbai’s enthusiasm for lifestyle programming makes her the ideal co-host for what we are confident will be a glittering, glamourous night for African stars, industry insiders and audiences watching at home.”

Speaking on her role at the AMVCAs, Vimbai says that she is honoured and excited to be

L

lady Vimbai Mutinhiri part of the biggest initiative in the African film and television industry. “I feel there is no better way to pay homage to the outstanding stars we have on this continent than to be a part of the grand occasion to honour each one of them. I am sincerely humbled.”

Zimbabwean Vimbai, who first shot to fame as a housemate on Big Brother Amplified and is now a co-host of hot celeb and showbiz program StarGist goes on to say, “I am expecting to see and hear Africa’s finest putting their best foot forward on March 9. The AMVCAs promises to be a night of glamour and excitement so, I can’t wait to see the finest couture on the continent. I’m also looking forward to some hot entertainment. It’s going to be bigger and better than anything we’ve ever seen or experienced…I know this for sure.”

Meanwhile, popular Nigerian personality IK is equally

IK Osakioduwa proud and pleased with his AMVCA role as well. “It’s a really big deal when you think about it. It’s the first time AfricaMagic is doing anything like this. This is going to grow really huge over the years. So to be selected to be a part of the very first one is just amazing.”

ate Whitney Houston’s ex-husband, Bobby Brown has been sentenced to 55 days in a Los Angeles jail after being convicted for his third drink driving offence last year.

City attorney’s spokesman, Frank Mateljan (mah-tell-JIN’) says Brown was sentenced last Tuesday after pleading no contest to charges he was under the influence and driving on a suspended license when he was arrested in October.

The 44-year-old New Edition singer was arrested on October 24, at around 1am when police officers are said to have caught him driving erratically in Tarzana, Los Angeles.

Bobby denied the DUI charge and pleaded not guilty to being under the influence of alcohol but on Tuesday, a judge found him guilty and has ordered him to serve 55 days in jail.

Papa Ajasco & Company returns with live performances

O

LD and new fans of Papa Ajasco & Company are in for a treat as Wale Adenuga Productions has announced that the much loved characters are once again available for bookings to perform live at events across the country.

The group recently concluded the recording of material for the next season of the popular TV Show.

According to Wale Adenuga Jnr., the Managing Director of Wale Adenuga Productions and wapTV, “Whatever type of occasion it is, be it a wedding,

product launch, birthday party, etc, you can be sure that with the inclusion of the Papa Ajasco & Company Troupe, Nigeria’s Number One Comedy Group, you and your guests are sure to have a unique, unforgettable, laughter-filled experience!”

The group, which includes Papa Ajasco, Pa James, Boy Alinco and Miss Pepeiye, has performed professionally in several corporate and family events all over the country for over 10 years, with exciting storylines laced with clever satire which make celebrants, guests and other attendees of all ages and social classes laugh and learn at the same time.

38—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013 with LAJU ARENYEKA

What Kim Kardashian’s N80m could have been used for…

I

t’s a Nigerian thing. As soon as you hear a figure in foreign currency, you quickly go for your calculator-imaginary or otherwise-and convert it into dwindling-in-value-naira.

It doesn’t matter whether the money is yours or someone else’s but as soon as a $ 100 is mentioned, visions of about N16, 000 float around your head.

That’s easy. But when it comes to the amount of money R&B musician Darey Art Alade allegedly paid famous-forbeing-famous, reality star Kim Kardashian to come to Nigeria and help host his show two weeks ago, you’ll need a calculator, pen and paper…as well as a healthy heart! Rumours are that Kim K was paid about $500,000, roughly N80 mn. Nothing to worry about, it’s just enough to buy about 40 plots of land, 10,000 bags of rice or sink about 160 boreholes. Not so much, except that it can sponsor about 157 students through the univer-

sity for four years, build a 10 blocks of four classrooms each, and buy 228 Keke Maruwa vehicles. Well, it’s not like it’s our money, so no need to mention that with an additional $25,000, Kim’s pay could sponsor two individuals in need of kidney transplants.

It’s not like Nigeria is facing a water crisis or has thousands of homeless people.

Isn’t our education sector in top shape and our transport system spotless? Surely unemployment is not an issue for us and everyone is healthy here. All we needed was a 45 minute dose of Kim Kardashian!

PS: A convoy of Nigerian students left for Dubai this week to compete in the second stage of President Bill Clinton’s Hult Prize; a million dollar start-up accelerator for social entrepreneurship.

These youths are out to solve world hunger. If they win it, Darey must fisi for them!

Adokiye signs with GHP Records G

old Heart Production (GHP) Records, recently signed a contract worth millions of Naira, with upcoming singer Adokiye. The songstress said that she is very pleased with the deal and that she is also happy to be a part of GHP records family.Her new single, “body to body” has just been released and was produced by the Kukure beat maker, D’ tunes whose production quality saw to the three massive hit singles of Iyanya last year.

An accent to write home about

‘Something to write home about’ is a term used to describe something that one can be proud of. But you would agree that it could be quite hilarious to assume it in the literal sense. For example, “Dear Mum and Dad, this is your son Nigeria. I appeared on CNN today again. Don’t worry it BENJAMIN NJOKU was not about Boko njokujamin@yahoo.com Haram insurgence and Amanpour did AYO ONIKOYI not have the guts to ask me about power.

She was too enamOPEOLUWANI ored by my accent.

OGUNJIMI

THE TEAM

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013 —39

40— Vanguard, FRIDAY , MRACH 1, 2013

Preserve Your Skin - or make it better Your skin has its own unique needs and you know them better than anybody else. If it is prone to acne , look for benzoyl peroxide in your products. If you suffer from dull flaky skin, look for salicylic acid, for its cell renewing properties. If in doubt, consult an expert and cleanse twice a day.

The world of beauty keeps coming up with different solutions for the preservation of your skin but the one thing that does not change is a

woman’s quest for glowing skin. Tips will always be relevant.

Choose a cleanser that is appropriate for your skin type.

Gently scrub Beyond cleansing scrubbing in a necessity for smooth glowing skin. Look for one with fine granules or enzymes.

Two moisturizers A good moisturizer will protect your skin and keep it

from getting dry, sallow and lacklustre.

Your first moisturizer should have a sunscreen SPF at least 15, while the night one should be SPF free and treat you’re your skin concern while you sleep_ acne, ageing, uneven skin tone, etc.

Besides safeguarding your skin against cancer, sunscreen can prevent hyperpigmentation.

Don’t sleep on you face Sleeping on your face exaggerates fine lines and encourage irritation from hair product and soap residues on your pillowcase.

Have a facial every month Yes, every month. A good professional will address any concerns and advise you on latest treatments for specific conditions Do not smoke Smoking releases some 1000 toxins into your skin, constricts blood vessels and deprives skin of the oxygen it needs to stay radiant and healthy.

Don’t yo-yo diet Gaining or losing a good deal of weight puts unnecessary pressure on the skin’s elasticity and over time, the skin will not just spring back in shape anymore.

The Age of Rebellion?

• Ogun State governor Ibikunle Amosun Nigerian Governors break the code of silence. Is this a sign of things to come? he average Nigerian, whether of civil society or of government, does not know what to think of the present debacle between Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomole and the Nigerian police over the latter ’s investigations on the gory assassination of an aide to the Governor, Olaitan Oyerinde, in what appeared to be a hatchet job which might have seen many more aides killed but for good luck and inefficiency on the part of the perpetrators.

Unsolved murders involving members of the political class in elective positions have become no more the preserve of military juntas but may have come to stay in the advent of civilian rule. The list is endless: Chief Bola Ige, former Oyo State governor and erstwhile Minister for Power before the fatal violent attack on his person in his bedroom in Oyo State, was to be the first on a rather long list

T

• Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi

of unsolved political murders. This was of course before the Boko Haram sect obliterated class divides and unleashed their terror on all.

Oshiomole had sunk his teeth into the assassination affair in a manner only comparable to the gusto with which the late Gani had sunk his into the Dele Giwa letter bomb assassination, except with somewhat more success: Gani had been sued for defamation by the government officials he had accused of being perpetrators, and asked to pay 6million naira to the latter. Oshiomole is blessed, in this case, with more (circumstantial) ‘evidence’, an angrier, poorer set of Nigerians and a Federal Government pretending to be democratic.

And as the governor does, so does his followers, particularly those that had been fingered and punished for the assassinations. David Ugolor, executive director, African Network for and social justice has publicly pronounded: “those who kill will be consumed by their weapon”, following Oshiomole himself ’s declaration at a police event:

• Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomole

“The police lied; the murder of Olaitan Oyerinde investigation is being covered by the police” It is no surprise that the election of the Edo state governor was upheld by the election tribunal earlier in the year.

O

shiomole is not the only governor that is no longer being nice, and not necessarily because of a background in activism.

Ogun State governor Ibikunle Amosun, an accountant? Who had spend two terms in the senate under the ruling People Democratic Party before defecting to the Action Congress Nigeria and eventually becoming governor under that umbrella; is uncharacteristically vocal. Following the outbreak of fire explosions in Arepo, a Lagos suburb which is in reality located in Ogun state under direct ‘jurisdiction’ of the governor.

For those eager to find one, Arepo presents a favourable metaphor for the

battleground of the absurd that the country has become. It is the living proof that corruption will never make a truly prosperous man of its perpetrator, and that this fact is very unlikely to deter him. Literally hundreds have lost their lives and limbs to fire outbreaks involving burst pipelines. Yet, thousands more jostle to have a piece of the refined black gold running through the endangered The biggest surprise by far of the good-boy-turned bad school has been Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi who dares to suggest that Olusegun Obasanjo, considered generally by friends and foes alike to be the most influential Nigerian of the political and military class, is somehow losing a great deal of his power. This is in no way helped by the persistent rumour that the blue eyed boy Mr. president is himself turning belligerent in his old age, and defying his good godfather.

• Continues on page 41

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013 — 41

NGO changes concept on virgins

F

OR a better public image and acceptance, an NGOThe Nigerian Virgin Girls (NVG) has changed from its former concept of “Celebrating Virgins” to what it now calls “Encouraging Virgins”.

The CEO and founder of the group in Nigeria , Princess Adediran Adunni made this known at the weekend during the wedding of her daughter-Barista Mojirayo Ogunlana with Mr Peter Nkanga at the Frankids Centre in FESTAC area of Lagos State .

According to Princess Adediran, under the new concept, the process of conducting virginity tests on the female virgins which were usually the practice in the past will not be done any longer.

She said issues that have to do with virgins attract so much curiosity and therefore should be handled with utmost seriousness and carefulness too. “You see, we have decided to change the concept so that it will be more appealing to the people of Nigeria . Besides, some people are out to criticise any step and even to engage in character assassination.

That is why we have decided to change the approach”, Princess Adediran pointed out.

Under the new focus, the leader of the NGO said the

annual Miss Virginity Beauty Pageant will be continued while seminars, workshops and counselling programmes will equally be organised for the virgins at intervals within a year. This, she said will help the young virgins to be properly educated on how to live responsible and productive life in the society.

On how to detect the female virgins genuinely since there will no longer be the usual virginity test, she said “we will handle that; this time we will assess them through close talks and sometimes through interviews”.

She criticised the recent story reported in some national dailies concerning a fourteenyear-old pupil who was one of the victims of the virginity test that was allegedly conducted on pupils of Ajuwon Senior High School , Ajuwon, Ogun State by their principal. According to her, any virginity test must be done by a qualified and competent gynaecologist which has been the usual practice of her NGO in the past.

Since 2007, Princess Adunni Adediran initiated the Miss Virginity pageant through her NGO; very few Nigerians believed the initiative will see the light of the day. Six years later, the pageant has gradually turned into a household name in the

Nigerian entertainment industry and other social circles. It all started when the idea developed into medical confirmation of the virgins, presentation of gifts to the virgins and conduct of pageantry at the maiden edition.

For four consecutive times, The Nigerian Virgin Girls, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) has held their Miss Virginity Pageant.

The pageant is usually preceded by a virginity test conducted at a hospital in Surulere, Lagos before the day

of the pageant proper.

Though, the novel pageant has since inception became a source of controversy amongst parents, teachers and even the religious bodies, the acceptance however has been quite encouraging.

The A ge of R ebellion?

Age Rebellion?

• Continued from page 40 It is a rather different situation from the early days, when former governor of Lagos State Bola Ahmed Tinubu was the lone recalcitrant of the pack. The governorship school had been then a rather docile one, which had looked in as two of the least popular in the pack were chosen to be presidential and vice presidential candidates respectively over other-and some would argue, more qualified- contenders Head of the Governors’ Forum, Rivers State’s Rotimi Ameachi shocked even his hosts at the graduation ceremony Abdulsalami Abubakar Institute for Peace and Sustainable Development (AAIPSDS) in Minna. He later said he had warned his hosts of the tendency for him to go the way he had with regard to his being more than usually forward with his speech. Yet former head of state Abdusalami was clearly cringing in embarrassment as he unabashedly kicks the whole idea of creating more states. He was not very diplomatic, either, about his opinion of the nation’s (political) elite of which, hypothetically, he is part; accusing it of being responsible for “being responsible for the imbalances in the system for their selfish

interest”.

Their attitude, he posits, “has created a lot of conflicts and crisis due to the series of demands they make on the nation, leading to imbalances in the system”.

“A shift of dominance of the elite in governance will correct the imbalance because the imbalance has created problems and crisis for this nation.”

Also at the same forum, notorious businessman and philanthropist Rochas Okorocha argued openly that rotation of leadership positions in the country should be between the rich and the poor. Rochas said rotation of power between or among regions or ethnic groups is an exploitative strategy of the rich to continue to dominate the poor and enrich themselves.

The Imo State Governor said that while there is apparent disunity in the country, the nation is actually united, which he said translates to the fact that the reasons for internal crisis in the country are turbulence of the stomach occasioned by poverty. He therefore called on the leaders of the nation at all levels to address what he called crisis of the stomach.

42—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

With

Prince Osuagwu princeosuagwu@gmail.com 08050498513

10 ways you can make best use of your iPad3 I

T’s possible you may have used your new iPad, popularly known as the iPad3 for almost one year now. But the truth is that there are still many possibilities you can turn on using some of the great features available.

Most of these features are so prominent that you glance over them on daily basis but the irony is that most of the tasks you desperately needed to carry out but could not, are dependent on them without your knowing it.

Now, take the advantage: Conserve your battery The priority desire of almost every iPad user is to conserve the battery. This is mostly because the device is mainly used on the go. Although the new iPad has pretty impressive battery life: 10 hours between charges, if you are on a very long-haul flight, however, or you need to conserve battery for some other reason, there are a few things you can do.

Turning down the brightness (found in the Settings menu) will help, as will switching off 3G, or even going to Airplane mode completely when you don’t need any connectivity.

You can also conserve battery energy by closing opened applications

application on the New iPad is the Siri app. This is Apple’s intelligent voice assistant, which comes to the iPad with the latest software update, iOS 6. Siri can do all kinds of things, including opening apps, retrieving sports results and taking dictation. To use it, simply turn it on in the Settings, General menu and then hold down the Home button for two seconds to activate. Then, talk to Siri about your appointment and ask it to remind you. At the exact time, Siri will turn itself on to remind you of the appointment It needs an internet connection to work, though.

Get reminded of appointments with Siri Another very innovative

How to make use of Find My iPad app Apple’s Find My iPad works

for all iCloud users. Access the Settings, go to the iCloud, enter your Apple ID and then turn Find My iPad on near the bottom of the screen. Now if you lose your iPad, you can go to icloud.com or use Find My iPhone on another device to locate the iPad.

H

ow to get your data wiped if device is stolen If you’ have sensitive data on your iPad and is afraid that when it gets lost some of those date may get into wrong hands, there is just about one sure way to put your mind at rest- enable a feature that will erase all the data on the device if someone inputs the incorrect passcode 10 times.

To do that, navigate to Settings, click on General,

locate Passcode Lock and turn Erase Data on.

Screen shots.

Taking a screenshot is quick and easy. Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button on the top corner of the iPad and then push the Home button. A screenshot will be added to your camera roll, ready to be emailed, tweeted or just saved for posterity.

M u l t i - t a s k i n g Ordinarily, the iPad is designed in such a way that most of the gestures are easily picked up within a few minutes of using the gadget.

Swiping, tapping and pinching are all easily discovered after a little trial and error. There are a few controls that most people miss,

Best ways to advertise self, products on Facebook

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

T

HERE are so many advantages of having lots of friends and contacts on a social media website such as Facebook. It gives you the opportunity to sell your ideas, interact and publicize your brand.

What’s more, it’s mostly free! So it has got to be quite disappointing when your friend requests go unanswered and your status is starved for likes, when no one seems to care about your carefully carved comments or your award winning pictures and everyone ignores your banners and posters.

If Facebook is just a place to catch up with a few old friends and family, then this piece is not for you. So whether you’re advertising yourself or your brand, here are some ways to put your best foot forward when going about it: The Profile picture phenomenon: A picture is worth a thousand words, so you can imagine what the person on the other end might be reading when you scan a low quality picture taken back in the 1980s. You’re also

unlikely to attract friends and customers when you have no profile picture at all. Using the picture of a celebrity also makes you look unreal and uninteresting. Use a profile picture taken with a good camera and give it your best smile. If possible, upload the soft copy directly instead of scanning. Get a good designer to produce posters and banners for you. It will cost less since you’ll bypass printing.

As you do unto others: Ding Dong! If you hardly ever like people’s comments, very few people are going to like yours. Same goes for those of you who are very selective about the friend requests you accept. If you’re only interested in being friends on facebook with your friends on real life then stick to your phone book. Accept all friend requests but only keep casual personal information on your page. Also be genuinely interested in the conversations of others and invest profitable feedback.

Consistency: Whether it’s on your personal page or fan page, go online

as often as possible. Update your status regularly, and if you have the time, chat with a few friends. Keep your page as lively as possible.

Let your words describe your personality: Facebook is in some ways like real life-You’d be judged by your words, so even if you don’t always make much sense in real life, double check what you say online. If you’re lost, go for sensible quotes of great men that you can identify with. So work on yourself. Communicate, spell right, and be friendly.

however, but which can be useful. Turn on Multi-Tasking Gestures in Settings, General and then try the following: •Swipe upwards with four fingers to reveal the multitasking bar; swipe down again to close.

- Swipe left or right with four fingers to switch to the previous or next app.

- Pinch four fingers together to close the current app.

Easy typing shortcuts Typing on the iPad’s glass screen can be frustrating for long periods but you can use shortcuts to make it easier. Try the following: •Tap and hold the exclamation mark for a shortcut to the apostrophe; do the same with the question mark to quickly enter speech marks.

•Place two fingers near the centre of the keyboard and drag them apart to split the keyboard into two. This can make typing easier on the larger screen of an iPad. - Turn on Caps Lock in Settings, General, Keyboard and from then on a doubletap on the Shift key will apply Caps Lock.

C

opy and Paste To copy and paste text, first highlight it by tapping and holding your finger on the word you want to copy. If you want to copy more than one word, then wait for the word to highlight and drag the bars at each end so that everything you want to copy is highlighted. Then tap copy. Go to the place you want to paste to then tap and hold and choose paste.

Find text On a computer CTRL+F is a handy way to find a word or phrase in a document. You can do the same thing on an iPad. Type the word or phrase you are looking for into the search box in the top and if it appears on the page then you will see an ‘On This Page’ section in the search results.

Tap that to see the word highlighted on the page.

Parental Controls If your iPad is going to be used by the younger members of your family then you should enable Parental Controls. It’s useful not only for preventing unexpected bills when the little ones figure out how to purchase apps but also for restricting access to unsuitable content.

Go to Settings, General, Restrictions to turn Restrictions on and choose which of the iPad’s features to limit. From then on, Restrictions will be accessible only to those who know the PIN.

Vanguard Vanguard,, YOUR LUCK TODAY

LIBRA; Many people may be disappointed because of broken promises, therefore you will need to prepare your mind accordingly and refuse to take others for granted SCORPIO; . You can make it a good day as both career advancement and financial success are closer to you. Secret lovers are in for an exciting day.

SAGITTARIUS; Although there will be challenges here is a day when things will eventually go according to your plans. Don’t take friends for granted.

CAPRICORN; From now until next few days you will need to be as practical as possible along your career line; this is the wrong time to experiment with new ideas.

—43

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

VIRGO; You will be in better position to consolidate on progress made recently. And it is wrong to take people for granted today……

FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2012

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

I

am sure we all know what the word “invest” means.

To put, to spend on something, somebody etc. The mistake most of us make is that we think it is only business we could invest in. This

Investing in people is not correct. You could invest in people by spending your time, effort and money on them.

Cast your mind back, have you ever invested in someone?

Have you spent your

time to nurture someone? Have you ever put your money at someones service in order for that person to become somebody?

Invest in people.

Just because some

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye”

people have not been fair to you is not enough reason for you to hold back. Remember, when you plant seeds you never know the one that will germinate.

Think about it!

By Lanre Kehinde

AQUARIUS; You may not be in total control of your mind till around 5.36pm. That is to say you will need practical approach in all you do today. Be more cooperative.

PISCES; Continue to be more careful about proposals having to do with joint ventures. Yet that is not to say you can not take good advice. Prepare to work harder.

ARIES; You stand good chance to extend recent favourable events both at work and on matters-of-theheart. Watch what you sign before 5.36pm.

TAURUS; Young-at-heart will be willing to give priority attention to sentimental related issues probably because of your recent success.

GEMINI; Refuse to become mentally arrogant or else you would be working against your own interest. Your love life will continue to enjoy favourable aspects.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

CANCER; Financial success is within your reach, especially if you back your old plans early in the day.

The more family minded you are the better for you.

LEO; It is important you don’t allow others to mislead you in the name of giving you good advice before 5.36pm. Those travelling or moving around in search of love may be in for both an exciting and pleasurable day.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

What’s my immediate future?

Dear Joshua, I am into business; sometimes I am alone but the other time I just have to do with some partners.

Kindly tell me what my immediate future does have for me, especially between now late March 2013.

Anonymous-Jos. Dear Anonymous, For your own goodness I appeal to you to take what you will find here-under very seriously so that you will avert very serious business trouble coming through partnership very soon. I wish you the best.

Here is a period that will reverse most of the difficult situation you have experienced in your immediate past period. You are therefore advised to take good opportunities the period will bring. However it is imperative you have it at the back of your mind that next few weeks will bring another round of similar challenges thus you will need to take business you will be able to conclude on or before March 25th when the whole thing favours you, especially as it concern partnership related issues.

The said favourable period will bring you co operation, money, love and emotional satisfaction.

Savour your good time.

Planetary placement and aspects are calling for carefulness on how you manage your relationships with others as some of them may be forced to betray and or disappoint you over MONEY and other important business transactions, consciously or unconsciously. Either a junior female worker or a lowly rated member of your opposite sex may be willing to tempt you during this period, who you just have to resist whichever way the person comes with antics.

Your health looks fragile. And you are accident prone. Although the whole of the period calls for carefulness last four weeks can be a little bit sensitive. Please take note that nothing fatalistic is predicted here, you only need to take care so that you will avoid the pitfalls of the period.

VIRGINIA

Commen3

dadadekola@yahoo.com

by Lawrence Akapa

44—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

Enugu govt urged to support farmers

E

NUGU— THE proprietor of Agbo Farms, Amansiodo in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Chief Francis Ezechi, has called on the state government to come to the aid of the farmers in the state.

While conducting journalists round the farm during an inspection tour, at Amansiodo, yesterday, Ezechi, whose farm was adjudged the largest in the local government area, said it had become necessary for government at all levels to come to the aid of farmers to ameliorate the effects of global economic meltdown.

Ezechi noted that with government’s intervention, his farm which currently employs more than 300 staff would be in a position to employ more people, thereby harvesting more produce.

This, according to him, will go a long way in reducing the rate of unemployment in the state and in the country at large.

The farm which is located very close to Afor Oghe, covers large hectares of cashew, palm trees, and others.

He stressed that the best solution to the present economic problems in the country lies in the massive development of the agricultural sector.

Group expresses worry over infrastructural decay

L

BY DONALD AJIR

AGOS — SURULERE Youths for Good Governance, SYGG, has expressed concern over perceived increasing infrastructural decay in Surelere Local Government Area, calling on the Chairman, Mr. Tajudeen Ajide, to wake up to his responsibility.

The group also regretted that the area had been deprived of dividends of democracy in the present dispensation.

Disclosing this at a Town Hall meeting at the council secretariat, the Chairman of SYGG, Mr. Adewale Baruwa, accused the leadership of the council of high-handedness and non performance.

According to him, "we are worried about the situation; this wasnotwhatwebargainedforwhen we elected the present chairman.

Surulere is a prominent local government in Lagos and it deserves the best. Unfortunately infrastructural development at the grassroots, has been neglected by the current chairman. ’’ C M Y K

Ebonyi shuts state-owned varsity over students’ protest

BY PETER OKUTU

A

BAKALIKI — EBONYI State Government, yesterday, shut down its state university, EBSU, Abakaliki over protracted students protests that engulfed the university since the commencement of this year’s academic session.

The students are demanding a reduction in their tuition fees.

The latest protest that led to the

closure of the institutions was after the protesting students brought commercial and social activities to a halt in the state capital as they allegedly engaged the anti-riot policemen in a bloody face-off. this came barely two weeks after similar protest. The students were said to have come under heavy teargas attack from Police.

It was alleged that during the

protest, a bus belonging to the Students Union Government, SUG, of the institution was burnt down by the angry students.

Vice Chancellor of EBSU, Professor Francis Idike, who announced the closure, said it became necessary considering the tension the protesting students had created in the state.

He argued that if the institution

From left: Senator Uche Chukwumerije; former Super Eagles Captain, Mr Kanu Nwankwo and Senate President, Senator David Mark during the Kanu Heart Foundation courtesy visit to the Senate President, in Abuja, Wednesday. Photo: NAN.

MPPP expels scribe over alleged misconduct

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

L

AGOS — FOLLOWING investigation into alleged fraudulent practices and disrespect to party hierarchy, the Mega Peoples Progressive Party, MPPP, has expelled its earlier suspended National Secretary, Hamisu San Turaki.

It would be recalled that MPPP had two weeks ago announced the indefinite suspension of Turaki for alleged gross misconduct, impersonation and other antiparty activities.

A resolution after a two-day National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the party in Lagos, through its National Chairman, Chief Rasheed Shitta-

PDP sets up 5-man c'ttee to probe Anambra political crisis

A

BY HENRY UMORU

BUJA — NATIONAL leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has set up a five-member fact-finding committee to look into the lingering political crisis in the Anambra State Chapter of the party, with a view to finding lasting solution.

The committee chaired by the National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha, has the National Financial Secretary, Elder Bolaji Anani; National Treasurer, Bala Bawa Kaoje and National Vice Chairman, SouthEast, Col. Austin Akobundu, as members with the National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwon, as Secretary.

A statement by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief

Olisa Metuh read: ‘’The National Working Committee meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was held February 27, 2013.

The meeting reviewed national and party matters and among others, resolved thus: "That as a first step to engendering lasting peace in the Anambra State chapter of the party, a five-man fact-finding committee has been set up. The committee will be chaired by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha while the National Legal Adviser, Mr. Victor Kwon who will serve as Secretary.

Other members of the Committee include National Financial Secretary, Elder Bolaji Anani;National Treasurer, Bala Bawa Kaoje and National Vice Chairman, South-East, Col. Austin Akobundu.”

Bay, said its decision was based on critical observations and complaints from members of the party, consequent upon which a disciplinary and arbitration committee was set-up.

The chairman of the 10-member disciplinary and arbitration committee of the party, Professor Chinedu Adiele, announced the expulsion in Lagos.

Adiele said the suspended secretary had been given the opportunity to defend himself twice but failed to do so.

According to Adiele, the suspended former national scribe was alleged to have collected millions of Naira and car gifts from some states in the SouthEastern part of the country, notably Imo, Delta and Bayelsa states without any official record.

Adiele said: "All the gifts purportedly collected, including the monetary gifts, were not remitted into the account of the party nor the car gifts handed over to the party leadership.

"When the allegations were mention to his hearing, the suspended secretary failed to put up any defence to the allegation.”

Adiele also claimed that Turaki usurped the position and responsibilities of the chairman at various fora and was, therefore, guilty as highlighted in article 20 and 21 of the party constitution.

was not closed immediately it might lead to a new wave of insecurity in the state.

However, it was gathered that Governor Martin Elechi directed immediate closure of the institution .

He was said to have told the management that the institution would be shut as long as necessary to allow peace to reign in the state.

Elechi who spoke during a town hall meeting with his commissioners, local government chairmen and other stakeholders at Women Development Centre, Abakaliki alleged that the violent acts exhibited by the students could have been influenced by yet-to-be determined factors and persons in the state.

The Governor explained that education was neither free nor cheap anywhere and that the university authority, as the manager of the institution, was in the best position to determine what fees should be paid by students of the institution.

2015: Group makes case for credible PDP aspirant from Delta North

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SABA — THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Local Government Secretaries Forum in Delta North Senatorial District, has called on members of PDP in Delta State and Deltans in general to support any credible governorship aspirant of the party from Delta North for the 2015 gubernatorial election in the state.

Chairman of the forum, John Aleh, made the call after a meeting of members at Boji-Boji Owa in Ika North-East Local Government area of the state.

Aleh explained that the call became necessary as it was the turn of the people of Delta North to produce the governor of the state in 2015, stressing that the people of Delta North should be united in their collective aspiration to produce the next governor.

According to him, any governorship candidate of the party from Delta North produced through direct or indirect primary or by consensus arrangement should be given an overwhelming support to guarantee the victory of the party at the polls.

He added that members of the forum would visit leaders of the party in the state to sensitize them on the need to massively support whoever that would emerge as the governorship candidate of party from Delta North in the 2015 gubernatorial election.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013—45

Delta lawmaker lauds Uduaghan's devt strides

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—A MEMBER of Delta State House of Assembly, Olorogun Teleb Tebite, yesterday, commended the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, over the rapid infrastructural development of the state.

Tebite, in a chat with Vanguard, said the state had continued to witness great development “since Governor Uduaghan came on board in 2007. He had continued to build and improve on what former Governor James Ibori left behind.

“Uduaghan had proved himself as a Deltan, who was committed to the overall development of all parts of the state. He has virtually touched all aspects of human needs.

The building of modern schools across the state with modern facilities had further improved on the standard of education in the state."

DPP chieftain calls for LG autonomy

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CHIEF TAIN of Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr. Samuel Okeboh, has said that unless the local government system was autonomous, it will be difficult to develop the grassroots.

Okeboh, who spoke to newsmen at Sokebolou community, in Burutu council, yesterday, said many factors were responsible for the slow pace of development at the grassroots, calling for the full autonomy of the local government system.

He maintained that because local governments lacked the required autonomy to operate, state and Federal Governments had taken over the running of the system, noting that by the composition of the local government, it was supposed to handle development programmes at the grassroots, but regretted that it had not been the case.

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Ex-militant commanders warn kidnappers in Niger Delta

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HARCOURT— EX-MILITANT commanders in the Niger Delta region have warned hoodlums to desist from further acts of kidnapping in the region.

In a statement under the aegis of Leadership Forum for Peace, the former militant commanders, who spoke through ‘General' Reuben Wilson, said they would not tolerate further acts of kidnapping for ransom in the region.

Wilson said the ex-militant commanders had to locate, secure and release of six foreigners who were recently taken hostage in Bayelsa State.

Those rescued by the exmilitant commanders in Bayelsa were two Indians, one Russian and three Ukrainians.

He said they were worried over the damage the rising cases of kidnapping were causing the region, stressing that they were set to rid the region of kidnappers.

According to them, the Federal Government had shown appreciable degree of

concern over the challenges of underdevelopment in the area, so there was need to create a conducive environment for government to achieve its development goals in the region.

He noted that there was no justification for continued kidnapping in the region with the Federal Government's amnesty

programme on course.

He said: “We took the pains to go into the creeks that we left some years back to look for and rescue all the abducted foreign workers because it was shameful and degrading that some disgruntled elements are still thinking of kidnapping people in times like

TOWN HALL MEETING: Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State at a Town Hall meeting with people of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, in Omoku.

Warri Industrial Business Park'll create 50,000 jobs —Rewane

BY EMMA AMAIZE

L

AGOS—CHAIRMAN of Delta State Economic Advisory Team, Mr. Bismark Rewane, has said that the Warri Industrial Business Park, WIBP, will create 50,000 jobs for Deltans within five years.

Rewane, who briefed reporters in Lagos after a meeting of the team, said the go-getting project initiated

by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who attended the briefing, had not been abandoned, as the ground break-

ing ceremony to signal the commencement of will would take place in the second quarter of the year.

He said: “WIBP, which has the potential to create 50,000 jobs within five years, is a massive investment that involves a significant commitment from the government and the private sector.”

He said the location of the park was such that many economic activities will take place in the area in line with the Delta beyond Oil policy of Governor Uduaghan’s administration.

Rewane noted that with two

and a half years to the end of the Uduaghan administration, all hands should be on deck to ensure that the governor's vision of positioning the state for prosperous years beyond oil was achieved.

Rewane, flanked by the Commissioner for Information, Mr Chike Ogeah and his Economic Planning counterpart, Mr. Kenneth Okpara, threw more to light on the outcome of the meeting, saying, “the meeting was very constructive. We evaluated where we stand and are satisfied that the team is working hard to achieve our goals.”

I'm on oath to protect lives, property—Amaechi

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IVERS State Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, has assured of security in the state, saying he was on oath to secure lives and property of people of the state.

Governor Amaechi spoke during a Town Hall Meeting with the people of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state.

He said: “The only responsibility in the 1999 constitution a governor has is the responsibility he swore on

these, when the amnesty programme has been on course.

“Rather than engage in activities that will drive the name of the Niger Delta in the mud, we should all join hands in supporting the developmental initiatives of the government. Kidnapping does not pay."

oath that ‘I will secure lives and property.’ That is my responsibility to you. I promise you as I stand, that I will continue to do so, to protect lives and property. We will continue to give all the necessary support to security agencies to restore law and order in the state.

“You know, there are two angles to this. One, I will give my necessary support but the police must also be ready to do their work. We believe that the new Police Commissioner is

equipped like the former one to deal with the situation. In fact, it is the Federal Government’s responsibility to secure us but we as governors must work with our Commissioners of Police to ensure that you are secure. Give us just one month to address the situation.”

Amaechi said his administration had completed five primary health centres in the council with the sixth one under construction at Akabuka.

Why I was impeached, by Delta House ex-Speaker

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

SABA—FORMER Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Dr. Olisa Imegwu, who was impeached in 2008, yesterday, said the move against him then was punitive, because he stepped on big toes and refused to apologise, an act which, he said, would have amounted to mortgaging his conscience.

Speaking to Vanguard, in Asaba, Imegwu, said: “What led to my impeachment, was a report indicting my deputy. A report was done and I was told not to deal with it. I said no, I couldn’t help it, that if they wanted, they should lobby my people. They lobbied the legislators but I refused and I was removed.

Then, when I criticised government for not developing my place, they called me upstairs and told me I should apologise that if I did so, I would not be suspended, that I was behind what my people were saying. They gave me three months suspension and I served it."

46 — VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013â&#x20AC;&#x201D;47

Mr. Mahesh Sachdev, Indian High Commissioner with Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, during an investment and development meeting with the Governor, in Lagos.

From left: Mr. Ayodele Adegboye, Head, B2b Division, Samsung Eletronics, West Africa; Mr. Broro Kim, MD, Samsung Eletronics, West Africa; Mrs. Olayiwola Koiki, Director, Greensprings School, Lagos; Prof. George Aickman, Director of Education, Greensprings School, Lagos and Mr. Donald Etim, Head, Corporate Communications, Samsung Eletronics, West Africa, during the launch of Samsungs Smart School Solution, at Greensprings School, in Lagos. Photo: Shola Oyelese

From left: Mr. Chrysanthus Okereke, Country Commercial Manager, DHL International Nigeria Ltd; Mr. Cristian Vera, Head of Sales, SSA; Mr. Chizzy Nnamchi, Country Manager, DHL Global Forwarding Nigeria; Mr. Randy Buday,Managing Director, Nigeria DHL, during closing ceremony of Oil and Gas Conference.

From left: Shekh Sikiru Banire, Hon. Deji Labib Jakande, member, House of Representatives; Alhaji I. A. Yusuf, during the presentation of food items to Modupe Cole Memorial Child Care Primary School Special, Akoka and National Orthopaedic Special School, Igbobi, Lagos.

Evangelist David E. Edun, Warri North Local Government Transition Chairman (left) receiving an award by Niger Delta Youth for Good Governance, from Comrade Stanley Ejisi, Secretary General, in Koko, Delta State.

From left: Mr. Akinyomi Olugbenga, Pre-Sales Engineer, Alpha 5; Mr. Vikram Kumar Jha, Academic Head, Aptech, Lagos; Mr. Oluseye Soyode-Johnson, Head, Alpha 5, West Africa; Mr. Ajay Tripathi, IT Manager, Aptech, Lagos and Mr. Walter Oluwole, Chief Technical Officer, Alpha 5, USA, during the Alpha 5 Software Solutions IT short courses by Petrodata Management Services, at Aptech, Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele C M Y K

From left: Mr. Sven Beckmann, General Manager, South and Sub-Saharan Africa, Intel Corporation; Mr. Gregg Pearson, Vice President, Sales and Marketing and Mr. Bunmi Ekundare, Country Manager, during the unveiling of the new Intel Corporation head office, in Lagos. Photo:Lamidi Bamidele.

From left: Prof. Fola Lasisi, former Vice Chancellor, University of Uyo; Prof. Rahmon Adisa Bello, Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos; Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole, President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered) and Olusegun Ogunlewe, Head of Service, Lagos State and representative of Lagos State Governor, during the NIM 'Nigeria Arise and Shine' annual lecture, at the Management House, Victoria Island, Lagos. Photo: Oscar Ochiogu.

From left: Oba Bashiru Oloruntoyin Saliu, Elebo of Oworonsoki Kingdom, Royal Host; Otunba Gani Adams, Chief Promoter, Olokun Festival Foundation; Mr. Akin Bello, Guest Speaker and Alhaji Tajudeen Ashiru, Chairman Ashy-deen Petroleum Nigeria Ltd, during the 2013 Grandmothers Festival organised by Olokun Festival Foundation, at Oworonsoki Youth Recreational Centre, Kosofe Local Government, Lagos. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi

48—Vanguard, FRIDAY FRIDAY,, MARCH 1, 2013

UNILORIN ASUU chair restates commitment to members’ welfare

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

I

LORIN—CHAIRMAN, Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities, ASUU, University of Ilorin branch,Professor Wahab Egbewole, has reiterated his commitment towards the wellbeing of the members of the union.

Egbewole who spoke in an interview with Vanguard, pointed out that the present executive was not disturbed by the judgement of the National Industrial Court.

He said: ”We held a well attended congress where the issues were well discussed and resolutions were made.

“More than ever before, we are committed towards improving the welfare of our members.

The present executive is not distracted at all and our members have been giving us the needed support.”

The union had, yesterday, passed a vote of confidence on its chairman Professor Egbewole and other executive officers, as contained in a statement issued after its emergency congress held at the institution.

Kano to move against desert encroachment

K

ANO—THE Kano State Government has said it will rehabilitate 35 out of the existing 198 kilometres of shelter belt in the state this year.

Acting Coordinator, Kano State Afforestation Project, Alhaji Musa Shu’aibu, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Kano that government earmarked certain amount of money in this year’s budget for the project.

He said the rehabilitation of the shelter belt was part of efforts being made by the government to control desert encroachment.

He said: “A similar project was carried out last year in which the government expended N15 million on the rehabilitation of 50 kilometres of shelter belt in four local government areas of the state.”

Bauchi Emir blames poor attitude to polio immunisation on ignorance

BY SUZAN EDEH AUCHI—THE Emir of Ningi in Bauchi State, Alhaji Yunusa Danyaya, has attributed the refusal of polio immunization for children in some parts of the north by some parents to ignorance which is linked to spiritual beliefs.

He then advocated intensive sensitization campaign on polio so that people, particularly in the rural areas would accept the immunization.

The Emir spoke yesterday, at a sensitization workshop for traditional and religious leaders ‘’on promoting routine immunization, maternal and child health services’’ in Bauchi State.

He said: “It is so disheartening that in this modern generation, people still do not know the importance of polio immunization. Uptill now, there are still some misconceptions regarding this polio immunization. Some believe that it is contaminated with harmful substances that poses threat to the health of children and that is why people are still figthing some health workers who go to vaccinate children. It is only adequate enligthment that can eradicate all these misconceptions.”

Danyaya also spoke about the importance of prevention of diseases in children, saying that since their immune

B

system was vulnerable, they ought to be adequately cared for on time. “ If people can maintain and improve personal hygiene it will take care and prevent many sicknesses that is affecting us today. So many parents are very careless about the health of their children that they wait till the condition worsens before they seek medical attention. Many childhood killer diseases like polio,malaria and measles can be prevented if only it is at-

tended to on time,”the Emir said.

The Emir further explained that the religious and traditional leaders in the state were in full support of the polio immunization exercise and urged parents in all the wards to ensure that their children were properly immunized.

Speaking, the Executive Chairman of state Primary Health Care Development Agencies, Dr. Nisser Umar, described the non-compliance by people over immunization ex-

ercises as unfortunate, saying that the develoment had ‘’given rise to some new cases of polio in some local governement areas of the state. ’’The vaccines and other logistics provided by the government are being wasted as some of our people do not take their children for immunization.

There is need for intensive enligthment campaign so that people can know the importance of immunization and other health services.”

From left: Emir of Azare, Dr. Kabir Ibrahim; Bishop Sunday Onuoha, and Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, during a visit by members of Nigeria Inter-faith Action Association to the Governor in Dutse, Wednesday.

Plateau CP assures journalists of cooperation

BY TAYE OBATERU

J

OS—THE Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Olakpe, has assured journalists in the state of cooperation in the discharge of their duties, saying he would operate an open door policy with them.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Plateau State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, he described journalists as partners in progress especially in the task of restoring peace to the state.

The CP said: “The citizens place so much hope on the police in the state to achieve total peace. In the same vein we the police are also placing our hope on citizens of the state to help us achieve total peace.

“As police, we need stakeholders in the state especially the media to partner in this peace restoration project.

Because we know the power of the media, we are relying on the media to help preach peace to citizens and to desist from sensational stories that could

frustrate the peace building efforts.

“I am therefore using this visit to call on all journalists in the state to be partners in progress in this peace efforts. Without your cooperation the police cannot succeed. So let us use collabora-

tive efforts to restore Plateau to its past glory of home of peace and tourism.”

The state NUJ Chairman, Mr. Katdapba Gobum, commended the state police command for their various efforts to restore peace and pledged the commitment of

journalists to the process.

He sympathized with the command over the loss of some of its officers in the conflict and assured that journalists would continue to discharge their duties professionally towards the promotion of peace.

Okere-Urhobo PDP Faithful dissociates self from alleged marginalisation of Urhobos in Warri

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ARRI—A POLITICAL pressure group in Warri, Okere–Urhobo PDP Faithful, has dissociated itself from comments credited “to some political misfit on claims of being marginalised” in the present political equation in Warri, describing the actions of those behind the comment as laughable, provocative and capable of disrupting the peace being enjoyed in Warri.

The group in an open letter addressed to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan declared that the allegation is “baseless with no sustainable

truth,”adding that it was a show of “ignorance of the working of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which they do not belong.”

The statement dated February 25, 2013 and signed by 15 stalwarts in the area, including Okumagba Ward 1 Chairman, Femi Okumagba, immediate past Leader of Warri South Legislative Arm, Mr. Sunday Aguweye, some former councillors and current members of Warri South Local Government Transition Committee as well as Chairman of Okere-Urhobo Community

Development Committee, Mr. Emmanuel Eminokanju implored members of the public to ignore the alleged marginalization claim.

They sought to know how Urhobos in Warri were being marginalised when Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan appointed Chief Bernard Okumagba, Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Matthew Poko Opuoru as Special Assistant on Special Duties and four people from Okere-Urhobo as Transition Committee members” in Warri South local government among others.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH1, 2013 — 49

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50—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

POPE EMERITUS:

I’ll be obedient to my successor —Pope Benedict •Put Christ at the centre of your lives, he preaches •His last moments at the Vatican

BY HUGO ODIOGOR, CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, UDUMA KALU with agency reports

A

T exactly 5.07 p.m., yes terday, Pope Benedict XVI now pope emeritus, amid cheers from thousands of Catholic faithful, left the palace of the Papacy for the last time as pontiff. He headed for the helipad at the top of the hill in the Vatican gardens and flew for 15 minutes before riding in a motorcade to the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo South of Rome in a 30-minute journey to begin his retirement. He had led 1.2 billion Catholics for seven years, 10 months and nine days, which is close to the average length of the 264 popes before him.

The 85-year old Benedict, who became the first Pope in 598 years to step down as head of the Cath-

The Swiss Guards closed the doors of Castel Gandolfo and quit their posts at exactly 7 pm as Benedict’s eight-year papacy formally ended at 8pm, when the Swiss Guards who protected the pontiff marched away from the doors of the 17th century palazzo, leaving the task to the Vatican Gendarmerie.

His last tweet: At 4 pm, the Pope tweeted for the final time at the @pontifex account, writing: “Thank you for your love and support. May you always experience the joy that comes from putting Christ at the centre of your lives.”

Promise unconditional reverence and obedience to successor: In a poignant and powerful farewell delivered hours before his departure, Pope Benedict, yesterday, assured cardinals of his “unconditional reverence and obedience” to his successor.

Benedict’s decision to live at the Vatican in retirement, be called ‘emeritus pope’ and ‘Your Holiness’ and to wear the white cassock associated with the papacy has deepened concerns about the shadow he might cast over the next papacy

,

,

olic Church left the Vatican after greeting his staff for the final time.

The ancient bell of the Senatorial Palace of the Capitol - Rome city hall - rang out as he left the papacy.

First assignment at Castel Gandolfo: Shortly after arriving at Castel Gandolfo, Benedict came out onto the balcony and waved feebly, saying ‘thank you, thank you’ to bid goodbye to rapturous and flag-waving local townspeople before retreating from the public eye.

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In an unexpected speech inside the Vatican’s frescoed Clementine Hall, the pontiff appeared to be trying to defuse concerns about possible conflicts arising from the peculiar situation of having both a reigning pope and a retired one.

He also gave a final set of instructions to the “princes” of the church who will elect his successor, urging them to be united as they congregate to choose the 266th leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics.

Pope Benedict XVI (backing camera) delivering a speech to cardinals in the Vatican's ornate Clementine Hall at the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI vowed "unconditional obedience" to his successor on his historic final day as leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, when he will become the first pontiff to resign since the Middle Ages. AFP Photo

“May the College of Cardinals work like an orchestra, where diversity - an expression of the universal church - always works toward a higher and harmonious agreement,” he urged.

It was seen as a clear reference to the deep internal divisions that have come to the fore in recent months following the leaks of sensitive Vatican documents that exposed power struggles and allegations of corruption inside the Vatican.

The moment was as unique as Benedict’s decision to quit about two weeks ago, with the 85-yearold pope, wearing his crimson velvet cape and using a cane, bidding farewell to his closest advisers and the cardinals themselves bowing to kiss his fisherman’s ring for the last time.

Some seemed to choke up at that moment, but the scene seemed otherwise almost normal, with cardinals chatting on the sidelines waiting their turn to say goodbye. Benedict said he would pray for the cardinals in coming days as they discuss the issues facing the church, the qualities needed in a new pope and prepare to enter into the secret conclave to elect him.

“Among you is also the future pope, whom I today promise my unconditional reverence and obedience,” Benedict said in his final audience. Benedict’s decision to live at the Vatican in retirement, be called “emeritus pope” and “Your Holiness” and to wear the white cassock associated with the papacy has deepened concerns about the shadow he might cast over the next papacy.

But Benedict has tried to address those worries over the past two weeks, saying that once retired he would be “hidden from the world” and living a life of prayer. In his final speech in St.

Peter’s Square on Wednesday, he said he wasn’t returning to private life exactly, but rather to a new form of service to the church through prayer. And on Monday, the cardinals are expected to begin meeting to set the date for the conclave.

Some statistics on Benedict’s papacy: During his pontificate, Benedict made 30 trips throughout Italy and 24 trips abroad, three to his native Germany, for a total of more than 160,000 km travelled He wrote three encyclicals: Deus Caritas Est (God is Love) in 2006, Spe Salvi (In hope we were saved) in 2007 and Caritas in Veritate (Love in Truth) in 2009.

Three volume study He authored a three-volume study “Jesus of Nazareth”, which he published under both his title Pope Benedict and his given name Joseph Ratzinger. The first volume subtitled “From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration” was published in 2008, the second “Holy Week: from the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection” came out in 2011 and final volume “The Infancy Narratives” in 2012 He gave a book-length interview to German journalist Peter Seewald published in 2010 under the title Light of the World. It was his third interview-book with Seewald. He proclaimed 44 saints in 10 canonization ceremonies and confirmed the sainthood of the 12th century German mystic, Hildegard of Bingen.

He created 90 cardinals in four consistories (meetings of the College of Cardinals), 61 of whom are still under 80 years old and eligible to enter the conclave next

month to elect his successor. Of that total, 83 are still alive.

He convoked four extraordinary consistories for cardinals to discuss issues as varied as dealing with ultra-traditionalists and liturgical reform (2006), dialogue with other Christians and with Muslims (2007), the Church’s re-

Life and times P

OPE Benedict XVI was born in Germany and grew up under war reparations from World War I and as the Nazi regime was gaining power. He was briefly a member of the Hitler Youth in his early teens, after membership became mandatory in 1941. He turned to theological studies after the war, helping found the influential journal Communio. He was elevated to the papacy in 2005.

Early Life: Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger was born in Marktlam Inn, Bavaria, Germany. His father, a civil servant, worked for the Bavarian state police force.

Ratzinger was the youngest of three children. The young boy’s religious ambitions revealed themselves early. Aged five, he was excited by a visit by the Archbishop of Munich and announced that he wished to become a Cardinal. His father was a policeman and his mother a hotel cook (before she married).

As a defence against the Nazi regime, Ratzinger threw himself into the Roman Catholic Church, “a citadel of truth and righteousness against the realm of atheism and deceit,” he wrote. Ratzinger entered preparatory seminary in 1939. But he could not avoid the realities of the day.

Ratzinger was briefly a member of the Hitler Youth in his early

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013—51

Qualities for next Pope — Cardinals

sponse to the sexual abuse scandal (2010) and the campaign to revitalize the Church’s missionary character (2011) He called five assemblies of the Synod of Bishops to discuss the Eucharist (2005), the Church in Africa (2009), the Word of God in the Church’s mission (2008), the Church in the Middle East (2010) and the New Evangelization (2012).

ITH Joseph Raifzenger out of the Vatican as the Head of the Catholic Church, the focus is now on who becomes the next Pope and the qualities he should possess.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Archdiocese of GalvestonHouston Chancery in Houston Cardinal Daniel DiNardo is among the 117 electors who will choose the new pope. According to him, “the first requirement for a new pope is that he fulfills the Office of Peter in the church, which is to be the visible sign of unity in the church, and, second, he’s got to be the rock. Jesus said to Peter in Matthew’s Gospel, “Peter, you are a rock, and on this rock I will build my church.” Therefore he should be a great source of teaching and that stable leadership that we expect from the See of Peter. That’s the overarching thing. To my mind in the 21st century, one of the things all the popes have emphasized in the last 30 years is that the church just doesn’t have a mission; the church is mission. You would want the pope to have this vision of mission that we spread throughout the world.

Of course, if you’re going to

of Pope Benedict teens, after membership became mandatory in 1941.

Military Service: In 1943, he and fellow seminarians were drafted into the anti-aircraft corps.

He had said his unit was attacked

by Allied Forces that year, but he did not take part in that battle because a finger infection had kept him from learning to shoot. After about a year in the anti-aircraft unit, Ratzinger was drafted into the regular military. He told Time magazine in 1993 that while stationed near Hungary, he saw Hungarian Jews being sent to death camps.

Professor of dogmatic theology Ratzinger became a professor at the University of Bonn in 1959.

Later, he moved to the University of Muenster (1963-1966) and took a chair in dogmatic theology at the University of Tübingen.

Alienated by the student protests at Tübingen, he returned to Bavaria, to the University of Regensburg.

Promotion within the Church: At the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), Ratzinger served as chief theological expert to Cardinal Joseph Frings of Cologne, Germany. He was viewed as a reformer during this time. In 1972, Ratzinger helped found the theo-

logical journal Communio, which became one of the most important journals of Catholic thought.

In March 1977, he was named archbishop of Munich and Freising and, three months later, was named a Cardinal by Pope Paul VI. In 1981, Pope John Paul II named Cardinal Ratzinger the head of the Vatican office that enforces church theology and rules - the powerful Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In 1998, he became Vice Dean of the College of Cardinals and was elected Dean in 2002.

Ratzinger defended and reaffirmed Catholic doctrine, including teaching on topics such as birth control.

Papacy: On April 19, 2005, Cardinal Ratzinger then 78 years old was chosen by his fellow cardinals as pope upon the death of Pope John Paul II. He celebrated his Papal Inauguration Mass five days later. Known for his rigid views on Catholicism, he sought a more inclusive image as pope.

He was the first German pope in nearly a thousand years. And he was only the second non-Italian elected pope in more than 500 years.

Resignation: On February 11, 2013, at age 85, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he would be resigning on February 28, 2013 becoming the first pope in 598 years to step down from his post.

spread the message you have to be in good shape.

Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney says New Pope should ‘pull it together’ Australia’s most senior Catholic criticised Pope Benedict XVI, saying his retirement sets a worrying precedent. In his first interview since the Pope announced he would step down, Cardinal George Pell voiced concerns about the decision. “People who, for example, might disagree with a future pope will mount a campaign to get him to resign,” he told the Seven Network on Wednesday.

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former archbishop of Santiago.

The 80-year-old cardinal, who has taken part in previous conclaves, arrived yesterday in Rome to participate in the general meetings of the College of Cardinals. Although his age prohibits him from voting, he will meet with other cardinals to discuss possible papal candidates and to determine the exact date of the conclave.

“There is a huge difference between a conclave and choosing a country’s prime minister or a president. There are always electoral pacts, parties and candidates involved, but not in this process.”

He has to be a man who knows the Lord because he’s governing in his name. But it doesn’t mean he’s going to be a great saint

He described Pope Benedict as a “brilliant teacher”, but noted that “government wasn’t his strongest point”. “He’s got to know his theology, but I think I prefer somebody who can lead the church and pull it together a bit,” he said. Cardinal Pell, 71, travelled to the Vatican late last week to join the 116 other cardinals, aged under 80, who will form the conclave at the Sistine Chapel.

Oceania region

,

Cardinal Cormac MurphyO’Connor: Next pope ‘ll fearless Cardinal Cormac MurphyO’Connor, leader of the Catholic church in England and Wales.

“As you know, there have been troubles in recent years and scandals, and these have to be addressed,” he said. “The pope’s own house has to be put in order.” “There is no doubt in my mind that there has to be reform and that these issues have to be addressed at the highest level, not only by the pope but by the bishops and I think that will be one of the main things the cardinals will be discussing,” he said.

“I think the Pope will be as every other Pope has, particularly Pope Benedict, understanding that the fundamental teaching on sexuality is concentrated on marriage, on family life.

“I think that the Church would be wise actually to focus on that in her teaching, rather than say-

ing ‘we condemn this, we condemn that, or the other’. No focus on what’s good and what’s true.” The cardinal also said the new pope would need to be a strong and fearless leader.

“When a new pope is elected he will know very well what the cardinals have discussed because he will have been part of the discussions,” he said. “I think the new pope will go with a very clear message and I’m sure the new pope will also be appointed with a view to a man who’s capable of government … capable of the kind of reform and renewal that’s needed in the church at the present time.”

He added: “There have been difficulties, there have been scandals and they’ve got to be addressed because otherwise there’s no doubt – and it’s something that saddens me deeply – that not just the image of the church but the effectiveness of the church … is also affected.”

Chicago Cardinal Francis George says he wants an insider “You’re talking about governance here. People say sanctity. Well, sanctity is nice, but there have been popes who have governed fairly well who have not been holy... What’s important here is governance.

Can the man govern the church as a pastor? He has to be a man who knows the Lord because he’s governing in his name.

But it doesn’t mean he’s going to be a great saint.”

The comment about sainthood is curious, suggesting Cardinal George may favour an insider, or someone who is at least familiar with the inner workings of the Vatican.

George also said he would consider how much time and experience a cardinal has at the Vatican as another criteria for preference. He mentioned the relationships that cardinals form while working as integral to effective governance.

He will be the only cardinal from the Oceania region to vote at the conclave and he is one of just 50 attending the vote who also helped select Benedict XVI during the 2005 conclave. He told Seven he was “highly unlikely” to be in line for a promotion, although he did not rule it out. “It could happen I’m Catholic, I’m a bishop, I’m a cardinal,” he said.

Cardinal Francisco Ossa, former Archbishop of Santiago says Next Pope likely to be young A cardinal from Chile who will be participating in the general meetings leading up to the conclave said that the next Pope will most likely be relatively young. “One of the external characteristics that the Church needs is for a person not very advanced in age to be chosen and this is very probable,” said CarPope Benedict XVI addressing faifthful for the last time upon arrival in dinal Francisco Jav- Castel Gandolfo on February 28, 2013 ier Errázuriz Ossa,

C M Y K

52 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1 , 2013

Next Pope can still be ‘Pontifex’ on Twitter T

HE Vatican has dispelled claims that Pope Benedict XVI’s “Pontifex” Twitter account will be shut down permanently, clarifying that it “will be available for use by the next Pope as he may wish.”

Monsignor Paul Tighe, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, said Feb. 23 the Twitter account was created for the Pope’s “exclusive use.”

In a statement published by Vatican Radio, he said the account will be inactive during the interim “sede vacante” period between the Feb. 28 resignation of Pope Benedict and the election of a new Pope.

Many media outlets misinterpreted an earlier account from Vatican Radio and reported that the Vatican would be

C M Y K

tweets in nine languages, including Latin. He has sent out messages of Christian reflection and encouragement while not exceeding Twitter’s 140character limit,

He sent a special message of solidarity to those attending pro-life marches in the U.S. The Pope’s most recent Tweet of Feb. 24 alluded to his upcoming

resignation and the selection of his successor.

“In these momentous days, I ask you to pray for me and for the Church, trusting as always in divine Providence,” he said.

Italy’s polls result weakens next govt

I •Pope Benedict shutting down its tenweek-old effort on the social media site.

Since the Pope launched his first Twitter accounts in early December, he has accumulated hundreds of thousands of Twitter followers. His Englishlanguage account alone has nearly 1.6 million followers.

Father Paolo Padrini, a collaborator of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, told CNA last month that the Pope’s presence on social media is a form of evangelizing.

“It’s a great joy to see the Pope’s words being disseminated, a joy that is held by all believers.”

The Pope has sent out

TALY’s electoral earthquake seems to have condemned the country to the thing it needs least , a short-term government and new elections in as little as six months or a year.

A huge protest vote in the Feb 24-25 election produced the worst possible result for Italy’s stagnant and recessionhit economy - a parliament in which no single group has a workable majority and populist leader Beppe Grillo has the whip

hand.

Global markets plunged immediately after the election before calming on Wednesday. But there are deep concerns that sustained instability in the euro zone’s third largest economy could reignite Europe’s debt crisis.

Italy has a long history through decades of instability of finding a way out of apparently intractable political stalemate but there appear to be only two options this time and neither of them looks very easy.

The first is a government led by center-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani, who has a majority in the lower house but not the Senate, and backed by Grillo’s 5Star Movement.

The second is an alliance between Bersani and those on the opposite side of the political spectrum, the center-right of Silvio Berlusconi, who staged an astonishing fight back to recover from scandal and humiliation and come within a whisker of beating the center-left in the election.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013—53

of the mistakes made and readily admitted such, but the legislators, Vanguard learnt were unmoving on the president’s demands on the removal of the clause on SEC and the reduction of the benchmark.

It was thus inevitable that a stalemate ensured. By some accounts, it was only the repeated troubleshooting missions by Senator Emodi, that stopped an explosion of emotion by the legislators who believed that the administration was pouring contempt on them despite their good gestures.

As the standoff continued, it was inevitable that some people started counting the days from the date the budget was transmitted to the president, which was on January 14.

Many were now expecting the National Assembly to mobilize the votes to override what was being seen in some circles as a presidential veto on the budget.

30 working days deadline

*Tambuwal, Emodi: Talking at the peak of the budget crisis

BUDGET BLUES:

*Jonathan: I will not be trapped

Return from the cliff

PRESIDENT Jonathan’s assent to the 2013 budget may have averted an unprecedented constitutional crisis, but the dangers in implementation still abound.

I

T was a landmark that was expected to repair the soured relationship between the presidency and the legislative arms of government.

The quick passage of the 2013 budget of the Federal Government, however, turned into another sore that effectively put relations between the two arms of government on the wrong foot from the beginning of the year. Remarkably, the passage last December, of the 2013 budget was the earliest time that the National Assembly had passed a Federal Government budget for the following year.

Past budgets of the Federal Government were almost always passed at the twilight of the first quarter and signed into law in the second quarter of the implementing year.

However, President Goodluck Jonathan and the new leadership of the National Assembly had sought to change that pattern with a promise to improve the fiscal credentials of the government through more adherence to budget implementation. In that direction President Goodluck Jonathan laid down the 2013 budget proposals of the Federal Government before the National

Assembly on October 9, 2012, itself the earliest time that a budget of the Federal Government was presented to the National Assembly in the fourth republic.

The proposals laid down by the president was a total of N4.92 trillion. On December 20, 2012 just before proceeding on the yuletide holidays, the two chambers of the National Assembly passed a budget of N4.98 trillion of the Federal Government for 2013.

The speed with which the budget was passed was hailed in nearly all quarters. Besides the seeming good gestures of the president was his deployment of his senior aides led by Senator Joy Emodi, in pushing through the budget.

Immense goodwill Emodi was especially handy for the job, given the immense goodwill she garnered in the course of her own time in the National Assembly between 2005 and 2010.

Working with her aides she was able to sooth the sometimes combustible temper of the legislators, especially members of the House of Representatives, building bridges and linkages

between the two arms of government. Her efforts nonetheless, the fiends that had until now sought to truncate seamless implementation of the Federal Government budget would not give way. Expectations that the president would sign the budget into law before the beginning of the new year faded as administration officials expressed misgivings over the details of the budget.

The misgivings were centered on the review of some fundamentals of the budget, notably the increase in the benchmark for oil revenue which was raised from the $75 per barrel fixed by the president to $79 per barrel. The president allegedly egged on by finance minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was said to have told the National Assembly leadership that the oil benchmark was too optimistic.

The administration was also peeved by the clause in the budget which barred the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC from utilizing its funds for any expenditure without the prior approval of the National Assembly.

That particular clause, generally seen as a grudge clause, was put to project the misgiving of the House of Representatives on the refusal of

the president to pay heed to the resolution of the House demanding the sack of Ms Arumah Oteh as the director general of SEC based on what the House said was her lack of qualification for the job.

The presidency was also said to have complained seriously of

,

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

As the count progressed, some opined that the number of days required for the president to assent was 30 working days and not 30 straight days. Willy-nilly as the 30 working days deadline approached last Wednesday presidential aides and some legislators were getting apprehensive.

Indeed, on the final day on Wednesday, the House of Representatives in a closed door session resolved to take action and mandated its leadership to consult with the senate leadership on possible actions to be taken. But before the meeting could take place, the president played a fast one on everybody when he signed the budget document, albeit, without ceremony perhaps reflective of

The speed with which the budget was passed was hailed in nearly all quarters. Besides the seeming good gestures of the president was his deployment of his senior aides led by Senator Joy Emodi, in pushing through the budget

distortions in the budget. The distortions, according to inside sources was observed in the movement of funds from overhead and personnel sides to capital, a development the administration feared would have left the Federal Government unable to pay salaries in the fiscal year. Besides, the details perhaps because of the speed used in working on them also contained mistakes and sometimes forgivable typographical mistakes which the president was, nevertheless, apprehensive of.

National Assembly officials Vanguard learnt were conscious

,

his unwillingness. What document he signed still remains an issue. Was it the altered document or the one approved by the National Assembly?

Presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati in a press statement disclosing the president’s action, did not leave anyone in doubt of the president’s unwillingness.

“As part of the understanding reached with its leadership, the observations of the executive arm of government about the Appropriation Bill as passed by Continues on page 55

54—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

Why my brother should be governor — Anosike EMMA Anosike represented Anambra North in the senate between 2003 and 2005 and before then, was a member of the House of Representatives. In the 2003 governorship election he was running mate to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate, Prof. Charles Soludo. In this interview, Anosike, who is one of the governorship aspirants in the PDP asserts that though many people have indicated interest in the race, the election will not be a do or die affair so long as a brother of his from Anambra North emerges governor. Excerpts.

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

D

O you share in the clamour for the next governor of the state to come from Anambra North?

I am not saying that it must be Anambra North or never.

Anybody has the right to contest, but what I am emphasizing is that my party, PDP, is operating on the principle of equity andjustice.

Our party was formed on the principle of zoning. By the time Governor Obi finishes his tenure, Anambra Central would have done 11 years.

In Anambra South, they have done about six years. North has not got any. When you talk about the population and the voting pattern in Anambra State, it is Anambra North that determines the winner. During the last presidential election, Anambra North had 610, 000 votes, and of course the total vote for Mr. President was 1.3 million.

Therefore Anambra North contributed about half of it.

What we are saying is that it is our turn.

So, what would be your role in achieving this?

I will contest for governorship by the grace of God, but I need to make up my mind to decide on what to tell my people.

Definitely when the time comes, I will make up my mind to know where am going to. But what is important to me now is that somebody from Anambra North should become the next governor.

Candidate from Anambra north I am not taking the election as a do or die thing. If I get to a stage where my people will say Senator Anosike you need to step down for someone else, of course I will support. So what is important to me is that support.

What is important to me is to have my brother from Anambra North to become the next governor.

With your party, the PDP in disarray do you think you the party can make a headway in the coming election?

Our party is very much alive. You know very well that for one to emerge the candidate, it is the National Chairman and National Secretary that will send your name to INEC. The state

executive is like a custodian that makes the party to move. We don’t have a problem with the national leadership of the party and whatever the party wants to do in Anambra State, of course it will do.

Therefore, that we have some problems with our state executive does not mean that the party is dead. When we get to the level of primaries, all these issues will be sorted out and it is being sorted out now as I speak to you.

Don’t you think this will give other political parties an advantage over your party?

Which political party in Nigeria does not have a problem? Is it APGA? Is it ACN that is now APC? With the merger, there is nothing like APGA again. There is another faction of APGA that said it is not part of the merger. So it is not only PDP that has problem.

Whether it is Amoured Personnel Carrier or APC tablet, they are the same thing. They cannot move a big machine like PDP. As far as I am concerned, it will not threaten PDP. So we are not scared of the merger. Going by our past history of political groupings, do you think this merger will work? I know that when they get to the point of choosing candidates and

*Anosike: It's the turn of Anambra North so on, the thing will scatter. In that APC, they have people that think they own it. Our political party is not owned by anybody, but the so called APC is owned by some people and that is the kind of problem we will see.

So how do you react to the emergence of aspirants from the South and Central Senatorial Zones?

I have said that my own political party PDP was formed on the principle of equity and justice and we also emphasize the issue of zoning in PDP. If there was no

issue of zoning in PDP why should Igbos be talking about the presidency? One zone will just hold president and keep it there.

If there is no zoning, why do we have to talk about a Bayelsa man, a man from minority area being President?

Within Anambra North, we have several blocks also contending. How would you resolve the contention among the blocks?

What we have in Anambra North are two blocks namely, Omambala and Onitsha/Ogbaru,

We don’t have any problem supporting Onitsha man, but we may have problem of winning.

Non-indigenes from other parts of the country are usually scared of our brothers from Onitsha and Ogbaru because they fear that when an indigene becomes the governor or a local government chairman, they may lose their stores.

That is why it has been very difficult for indigenes of Onitsha or Ogbaru to produce a local government chairman apart from appointment. If we go for election, we may end up losing to the non-indigenes.

Therefore, we are working very hard to convince these our brothers that are from other parts of the country and other parts of the state not to habour this fear.

Come to Anambra North we don’t have that kind of threat.

We are mainly farmers and so on and we have the population.

That is why the non-indigenes in Ogbaru and non-indigenes in Onitsha feel more comfortable supporting anybody from Omabala. They also send such signals during contests for the office of the Senate.

Any time we come for election for the Senate, you will see that majority of our votes come from Okpoko and Onitsha South and about 65 per cent also come from Onitsha North.

Is that not against the equity we are talking about?

I want to assure our people that if an Omambala man becomes the governor, we must sit down and discuss with our brothers in Onitsha and Ogbaru so that they will also make their own presentation, in whatever they are doing.

Towards a just and equitable Akwa Ibom State in 2015

BY UNYIME ESSIEN & SAMUEL ETUK

T

HE Eket Interest Group have watched with keen interest the unfolding drama orchestrated by some power thirsty individuals who are desperately bent on misleading the general public, especially in Akwa Ibom State to believe that the office of the governor of the state come 2015 is a free for all geographical zones party. We as a group make bold to say that come 2015, it will and should be the turn of Eket Senatorial District to produce the next governor of our dear state; this is not only just, but very equitable as all other component geographical zones in the state will have completed their tenures.

It’s unfortunate that barely 20 months into the second term of Chief Godswill Akpabio as governor of Akwa Ibom State,

certain individuals through their acolytes, protégées and lackeys have consistently charged the polity in a selfish attempt to truncate the equitable distribution of elective offices in the state, perpetuate themselves in office and jettison the zoning arrangement which has effectively bound all the senatorial districts in the state and promoted peace and unity amongst the various groups that make up the geographical entity known as Akwa Ibom State. These groups have through intensive media blitz, propaganda, blackmail and outright falsehood claimed albeit in futility that there has never been a principle of zoning in the state.

The principle of zoning as a democratic culture that promotes fairness, equity and social justice among the clusters that make up a political entity has always been a part of the Akwa Ibom political

clime. This dates back even to the Second Republic which saw Eket Senatorial District producing an ONNA man as the then governor of the old Cross River State in person of the late renowned economist and former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Clement Isong in 1979.

Military intervention In 1983, Chief Donald Etiebet from present day Oruk Anam local government area in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District succeeded Dr. Isong as governor.

Though the administration of Etiebet was short-lived as a result of the military intervention, when Babangida came up with his two party system, Obong Akpan Isemin of Uyo Senatorial District was elected governor of Akwa Ibom state; unfortunately his

tenure was also short-lived.

With the dawn of yet another democratic dispensation in 1999, the political class came together and agreed that Uyo Senatorial District made up of the Ibibio ethnic group, should produce the governor of the state. This led to the emergence of Obong (Arc.) Victor Attah from Uyo senatorial district as the second civilian governor of Akwa Ibom state.

Being a man who stands by the existing political arrangement of zoning, Obong Attah in 2006, at the twilight of his second term in office affirmed that after his tenure the governorship seat should shift to Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District and this arrangement heralded the emergence of Governor Godswill Akpabio, the incumbent governor of the state, who became the beneficiary of the arrangement of zoning.

Continues on page 57

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013—55

*Wada: The captain is back

The confluence captain is back AFTER two months recuperation in Abuja following a fatal accident that claimed the life of his aide-de-camp, Governor Idris Wada returned to Kogi State last Tuesday.

BY BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO

A

FTER a lengthy absence from the state arising from a fatal accident that killed two close aides, Governor Idris Wada of Kogi returned home The accident that happened along Lokoja-Ayangba road on December 28, 2012 left the governor’s Aide-de-Camp dead with the governor and the driver receiving major fractures. How the governor escaped was nothing but miraculous.

It was an absence that as is normal in Kogi State,

beat of discord remarkably, was the Centre for Human Rights and Conflicts Resolution (CHRCR), which cautioned the governor to handover power to his deputy pending his recovery.

Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Alhaji Hardy Ametuo on his part said the governor’s absence also slowed the running of government as he noted that some cabinet members whom literally went to sleep in the absence of the governor.

But the absence was one that many would not have noticed

,

Holding a crutch by his left hand side, the governor said he was back to continue with his transformational agenda expressing that he regularly thought of the state all the while he was away

reverberated with political insinuations. While some in the opposition ranks flayed the long absence of the governor, the mainstream of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the deputy governor, Arc. Yomi Awoniyi displayed an unwavering commitment to the Wada agenda that would have shocked many power mongers.

One of those that drummed the

governor would announce changes in the staffing of the administration following reservations from some associates over the conduct of some of the appointees.

Those who held this opinion hinged their belief on the fact that most of the appointees where chosen by his godfather, the immediate past governor of the State, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris.

Given the general impression that the Ibro boys as they are known were not exceptional in the delivery of democracy dividends, there were suggestions that after nine years that they should be changed.

Wada returns: It was indeed a significant outpouring of emotion

last Tuesday when the governor returned with dances and cheers from his major associates.

The governor entered the state around 4:30pm into the jubilant hands of the Deputy Governor, top government functionaries, organised labour, party stalwarts, friends and well wishers and teeming supporters. He later addressed the crowd at the Government House.

Holding a crutch by his left hand side, the governor said he was back to continue with his transformational agenda expressing that he regularly thought of the state all the while he was away.

While away: Before the accident, Governor Wada had

presented the 2013 budget to the state House of Assembly who passed it in his absence but now that he’s back, the lawmakers may quickly present it to him to append his signature as the citizens of the states are eager for the implementation of the budget. Another notable action of the House while the governor was away was the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill.

The Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Strategy, Jacob Edi said that the return of his boss would indeed hasten the execution of the year’s budget.

While stressing that the state should expect a ‘faster pace of work on the transformational agenda’ he emphasised that the accident has not hindered governance in the state.

“The Deputy Governor, Mr. Yomi Awoniyi and the SSG, Prof.

Olugbemiro Jegede took the right steps in the governance of the State. Don’t forget that Wada was also working from Abuja since there is capacity to do that from the Liaison offices outside the State.

Also, workers’ salaries were paid as at when due, so the noise that governance is absent in the state is a mal-statement. The only thing is that, his return to the State will bring a faster execution of his first budget,” Edi said.

Besides giving his assent to the pending bills, many stakeholders are equally anxious that Captain Wada should quickly complete many of the uncompleted projects still on ground. Many of the projects initiated from the Idris regime are begging for completion and pointers to that, would indeed be the real significance of the Captain’s return.

It would only add to the positive laurel won by the governor who deviated from the custom of normal public officers who on the slightest medical excuse go abroad for treatment.

By obtaining his treatment in Nigeria, the governor has truly demonstrated an unusual patriotism that many in government should emulate.

Budget blues: Return from the cliff

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given the media savvy of the deputy governor and his aides.

Mr. Awoniyi’s aides in their press statements repeatedly kept on bringing up the name and spirit of the governor during his absence and would normally declare that Awoniyi was representing Wada at one occasion or the other.

Cabinet Reshuffle: While away, there were rumours that the

Continues from page 53 the National Assembly will be further considered by the National Assembly through legislative action, to ensure effective and smooth implementation of the 2013 Appropriation Act in all aspects,” Abati said as he relayed the president’s directive to ministries and agencies to implement the budget.

Had the president failed to sign the budget at the end of the 30 working days deadline, he would have been expected to represent it or another proposal to

the National Assembly in line with section 59 (4) of the constitution.

A constitutional lawyer in the National Assembly pointed to what he claimed was the ignorance of presidency officials who were mistaking the constitutional provisions on appropriation with that pertaining to other bills.

Whereas section 58 of the constitution pertaining to ordinary bills allows the president to wield a veto on a bill passed by the National Assembly and allow the National Assembly to override the veto, the president

is, however, bound by the provisions of section 59 (4) which applies to money bills to represent the budget where he applies the veto.

The provision states thus: (4) Where the President, within thirty days after the presentation of the bill to him, fails to signify his assent or where he withholds assent, then the bill shall again be presented to the National Assembly sitting at a joint meeting, and if passed by twothirds majority of members of both houses at such joint meeting, the bill shall become law and the assent of the President shall not be required.

56— Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

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Standard Alliance, Life Assurance Ltd. and general public please take note.

ABUGU —I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Abugu Arioture Juliana, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Juliana Edhebru Abugu. All former documents remain valid. College of Physical Education, Mosogar and general public please take note.

E D WA R D — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Edward Nwamaka Lydia, now wish to be known and addressea as Mrs. Lydia Amaka Terry-Ikpuri.

All former documents remain valid. Local Govt.

Service Commission (Asaba) and general public please take note.

EMEYERAKPO —I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Marther Obukowho Emeyerakpo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Odumosu Marther Obukowho.

All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

JEHWE—I, formerly known and addresses as Miss Jehwe Ogheneuchivwome, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Arisabor Ogheneuchivwome.

All former documents remained valid.

General public please take note.

ETUKUDOH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Augustina Bassey Etukudoh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Augustina Bassey Ekeiwu. All former documents remain valid. Eco Bank Plc and general public please take note.

NGOZI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Blessing Okpokiri or Mrs. Ngozi Eugenia Edward Tamunoh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Blessing Edward. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

LEKWA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Obiageli Mercy Lekwa, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Obiageli Lekwa Davies. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NKPERE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Zorbari Henrrientta Nkpere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Zorbari Henrrientta D. Augustine. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EZE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Eze Ijeoma Vivian, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Onunkwo Ijeoma Vivian. All former documents remain valid. Enugu State University of Science and Technology, NYSC and general public take note.

EKE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Eke Blessing Chinwendu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Anumaka Chinwendu Blessing. All former documents remain valid. Imo State University, Owerri; NYSC and general public take note.

MBADIWE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Mbadiwe Chinenye Grace, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Micah Chinenye Grace. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

N D U K W U — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Ndukwu Oluchi Adaku, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ewelike Oluchi Adaku. All former documents remain valid. First Bank, Imo State University, ICAN and general public take note.

OYIRI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oyiri Abosede Abigael, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Muraina Abosede Abigael. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

BELLO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ayodeji Zainab Bello, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ayodeji Zainab Owoyele. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013—57

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F we accept the simplistic description of democracy as a government of the people by the people for the people, then, there should be room for a multi-party arrangement. We should accept Thomas Hodgkin’s definition of political parties as, “all organizations which regard themselves as parties and which are so generally regarded.” In Nigeria, political parties which can contest elections for political posts are those registered by the electoral regulatory body (INEC).

Since the return of democracy in 1999, the People‘s Democratic Party (PDP) has been the dominant political party in Nigeria, and also, the ruling party at the Federal level. The main Opposition as of today is made up of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), APGA, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Labour Party (LP) and some other smaller ones. In fact, the present Nigerian political scenario reflects democracy in practice.

If the latest move by some political parties (ACN, ANPP, CPC, and a faction of APGA) to merge to become a virile opposition party to the ruling party, it is nothing new in an attempt to deepen the concept of democracy. There should be no objection to the idea of a democratic single party formed by voluntary merger of all other parties and behaving like an ideal democratic party. In some cases, such a merger could lead to a strong ruling party and thus, turn the country into one party state.

The fear of Nigeria becoming a one-party state is perhaps, the main reason why the proposed merging of some political parties into a formidable opposition party is welcomed by many political analysts.

Though many people do doubt the success of such a merger, based on the antecedents of the parties

07059197616

Growth of democracy and multi-par ty syst em multi-party system involved, it is the intention that should be carefully examined. If, as some have argued that the aim of the opposition is mainly to unseat the ruling power (PDP) at the centre, then it could be logically argued that the first thing before an opposition gets to power is to democratically remove the incumbent through better organization and provision of alternative better policies. Those who are criticizing the merger proposals of some parties or wishing early death of such a merger are themselves, enemies of democracy.

There should always be a choice before any voter of how the country should be ruled.

The ruling party should by its activities convince Nigerians why its mandate should be renewed while the Opposition party or parties should, at the same time, present to Nigerians better ways of running the country.

I think the problem of the new opposition party should not be how long it will last, but how long will its impact be on the political and economic development of the country. Nigerians and especially members of the ruling party, should allow the opposition to grow and stay

Towards a just and equitable Akwa Ibom State in 2015 Continues from page 54

It is on the above premise that all men and women of good conscience will expect that at the end of Chief Akpabio’s tenure in 2015, equity and social justice will be allowed to prevail by producing a credible candidate from Eket Senatorial District in 2015.

This is not only as of necessity, but it is in tandem with the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is the dominant and ruling party in Akwa Ibom state. This is what Obong Attah upheld as governor and ensured that Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District produced his successor, and it is the belief of every rational Akwa Ibom person that Akpabio will not only promote, but will be seen to promote the continuity of this policy and protect same from foragers that are cycling round him like hungry wolves.

In their attempt to erase the immutable truth, anti

zoning elements brandish the tales that there is no treaty, charter or documented agreement in respect of zoning of political power in Akwa Ibom. This is not true as there has always been in existence a gentleman agreement amongst the political class even before the policy of rotation and zoning was included in the PDP constitution. In other words, rotation and zoning of political offices has been a part of political arrangements in the state as long as democracy strived. This has been the case in the state, local government and ward levels. A look at all the elective and political offices in the state today will reveal that a good majority of the occupants are beneficiaries of the zoning principle. This pact evolved as a gentleman’s agreement that was never documented nor codified, but has been religiously adhered to and usedand in *Barr. Unyime Essien building bond Samuel a strong Akpadiagha Etuk wrotethe from Uyo, Akwa among political Ibom State. of the state. components

strong in order to allow the country, at any moment of time, to make a choice in any election. In a stable polity, the government in the Opposition should co-exist and work peacefully towards the attainment of national security, political stability and economic development.

It is expected that both the ruling party and the Opposition would by practice and promises educate the people about their d i f f e r e n t approaches to questions of national interest.

However, if there are no observable differences on important policies and issues by the government and the opposition, it would be preferable for single parties to merge into a coalition rather than forming a confrontational opposition.

This may be

difficult because of the fear that merged parties may become one large single party with dictatorial tendencies. An observable advantage of the merger of opposition parties into a single party is the emergence of the twoparty system which is always good for the growth of democracy.

In the 1930s and 1940s, the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) of Herbert Macaulay and the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) were the two recognized political parties in Lagos and were always contesting for seats in the Lagos City Council and the Nigerian Legislative Council. At the Federal elections in 1954, the people of Western Region voted in favour of the NCNC and thus, that party represented Western Region in the Federal Council of Ministers in Lagos. The difference between the AG and NCNC in those days was the picture of AG as a party of rich people and that of the NCNC, as a party for the commoners.

It could be recalled that during the military era, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida came with the idea of two parties – that of the Right and another of the Left.

The two parties, the National Republican Convention (NRC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), were the two main registered parties before the annulled Presidential Elections of 1993. The subsequent Abacha coup and the further years of military rules destroyed completely the two party system of the Babangida era.

The present political horizon featuring a single large party, strong and well organized, but always in turmoil and a weak and divided opposition is not ideal for a country well endowed like Nigeria. However, the question is, how do you remove peacefully a ruling party that is performing below average in a plural society?

It is observed that democracy is easy to achieve and security is easy to maintain in a society which is not sharply divided. In Nigeria, tribalism has been enthroned and religious acrimony, a vogue.

Every criticism, however constructive, is viewed through the dark glass of ethnicism and religion. In my honest opinion, in as much as a strong opposition is desirable in a democracy and a two-party system is admirable, the new merging party All Progressive Congress (APC) will have to convince many patriotic Nigerians that it is not a party being set up to actualize the wish of certain people that power should return to the North, or a soft landing arena for a certain politician. The party should be for Nigeria‘s interest only.

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013 — 59

Ochei heads sports body as Delta inaugurates associations T

HE indoor sports hall of the Asaba Township Stadium yesterday witnessed a gathering of titans and c o n s u m m a t e personalities during the inauguration of 32 sporting associations in Delta State.

Driven by passion, Delta State has continued to champion a revolution in sports development in Nigeria, a process that climaxed in the convocation of a summit in October last year.

The Chairmen and members of the inaugurated sports associations are expected to identify talents with programmes put in place for their development, raise funds from the private sector to organize adequate competitions and carry out sensitization on fair and drug-free regime by athletes, among others.

Inaugurating the sports associations, the Executive Chairman of the Delta state Sports Commission, Mr. Amaju

Melvin Pinnick, spoke glowingly about the rich pedigree, strong corporate character and passion which informed the appointment of the Chairmen and members of the sports associations.

Mr. Pinnick admonished them to take sports to the next level in order to consolidate Delta

State leadership position in Nigeria, especially in the National Sports Festival. He further posited that through sports, the State can do well without oil.

Responding on behalf of the Chairmen of the sports association, Dr. Festus Okubor, Chairman of Badminton

Association, thanked the State Government for finding them worthy of the appointment.

Dr. Okubor, who is the Chief of Staff, Delta State Government House, promised on behalf of his colleagues, to join hands with all stakeholders to achieve the Government agenda of human capital development.

T

HE much-awaited Police Games 2013; Dickens Sanomi Golf Championship, gets underway in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday, March 4th, 2013. The tournament ends on Thursday, March 8th. The first two days are strictly for the Police Athletes while the last two days would see invited guests and VIPs joining up with the former.

The venue of the entire event is Port Harcourt Club Golf section, on Forces Avenue, Old G.R.A Port Harcourt, River State. This year ‘s event is named after veteran and highly

respected police officer, late AIG Dickens Sanomi, whose immeasurable contributions to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) were described as timeless and deserving of even greater honour. A keen sportsman in his younger days, the late Sanomi played soccer for his alma mater, Urhobo College and was so skillful that he was invited to the Junior National Camp.

In the same year, he earned a place in the National Athletics Team in Triple jump. He won several athletics competitions within and outside the police force.

7,000 secondary schools for Milo Basketball

BY SOLOMON NWOKE

T

•Aerial view of world's largest jersey

Eagles largest jersey hits Guinness World records N

IGERIA has once again recorded another victory as the leading brewer, Guinness Nigeria Plc, was recently awarded the certificate for the world’s largest football jersey.

The largest football jersey exploit, was part of Guinness’ Fly with the Eagles campaign in support of reigning African champions- the Super Eagles as they took on the rest of the continent at the just concluded AFCON 2013 tournament in South Africa.

The largest jersey was unveiled at the Teslim Balogun Stadium Surulere Lagos and the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt in a bid to galvanize the support of millions of fans for the Super Eagles in their quest for victory at the city of Madiba.

The jersey which measures an amazing record size of 241ft 3in in width and 294ft 2in in length to set a new world record as the largest football jersey in history , beating the last record held at a size of 234ft 1

Police Games 2013: Dickens Sanomi Golf championship begins

in by 259ft 8in. created and displayed in Sukru, San Istanbul Turkey in 2009.

According to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Seni Adetu, it is a case for double joy for the

nation.

“We are elated as a company to have greatly contributed to these successes, putting Nigeria on the world map once again with this feat. Initially, there were doubts as to whether we had broken the world

record when we started out. However, today, I am proud to present to you the Guinness World Record Certificate for the largest football shirt in the world proving that we actually did break the world record” Adetu announced.

HE state preliminaries of this year ’s Milo Secondary Schools Basketball Championship dunk off on Monday through 18th March with about 7,000 schools from across the six geopolitical zones in the country.

Speaking yesterday at a media briefing heralding the championship, the Managing Director/ Chief Executive of Nestle Nigeria Plc, Martin Woolnough reaffirmed

CBN Junior Tennis tourney serves off March 4

T

HE 2013 Central Bank of Nigeria

Lagos Int’l Polo Tournament: Ericsson outclasses Hustlers in 11-goal thriller

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UMUMI Musa opened and closed scoring for Lagos Ericsson on Thursday to record a 6-5 win over Lagos Ironclad Hustlers as action intensifies in the 2013 Lagos Polo I n t e r n a t i o n a l Tournament.

The Dansa Cup match seems to be turning a one-way affair as Ericsson raced to a 4-1 lead in the first chukka but Salisu and Amodu Umar spearheaded a great comeback for the Hustlers who justified their name by forcing the match into sudden death as the scores were tied at 5-5 after the fourth and last chukka.

With the goal widened by an additional 50%, Musa calmly converted a golden goal penalty to win the tie for Ericsson who are one of the favourites to win the title.

In the day ’s second match, T-Raiders proved that they are not to be underrated as they took HST to the cleaners with a resounding 7 ½ -2 win over their higher rated opponents in another Dansa Cup encounter.

Rotimi Makanjuola scored in quick successions to give the Raiders a 4½ - 0 lead before Mohammed Mdheli pulled a goal back for HST at the close

•Action recorded at the Lagos Polo tournament yesterday. of the first chukka.

Raiders’ hitman Bashir Musa amended for his 60-yard penalty miss as he scored for a 5½ - 1 lead and by the end of the third chukka, the lead

their commitment to the development of the game of Basketball in Nigeria.

Woolnough said that the number of participating schools in this year’s edition was an improvement on the last edition’s that featured only 5000 schools. He said the theme of this year’s championship is, “Champions!

It’s dunking time” “Our commitment is solid and we will continue to support Basketball for a long time to come."

had been extended substantially to 7½ - 1.

Funsho George scored the only goal of the fourth chukka and the game was brought to an end in a comical way.

Junior Tennis tournament has been slated to for between March 4 and 9 at the prestigious Lagos Tennis Club, Race Course Lagos.

Organisers of the weeklong event, The International Tennis Academy said the tournament, which is the 7th in the series is open to participants between ages 10 and 18.

CBN Head of External Communications, Ugo Okoroafor who represented the Director C o r p o r a t e Communications told the media in Lagos yesterday that the tournament had an history of producing credible junior champions that have successfully challenged the seniors in the open category.

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

Eagles •Continued from BP mand for results by most fans, the former Burundi coach said it is the case everywhere.

“This is a problem not only in Kenya, but also in the continent. Don’t believe and rely always on what people say, when you don’t work with passion you cannot achieve results,” he offered.

On Wednesday, Amrouche named a provisional squad of 30 locally based players who are expected to start training next week.

Among those on the squad is Sofapaka captain James Situma, who missed the recent friendly away in Libya.

GOAL-BOUND...... Victor Moses of Chelsea scores a goal during the FA Cup match against Middlesbrough at Riverside Stadium on February 27. Chelsea won 2-0. Photo: Getty Images

Oboabona gets house, cash G

ODFREY Oboabo na has been rewarded by Ondo State with a house and a cash gift of a million Naira for

his AFCON exploits.

Executive Governor of Ondo State Olusegun Mimiko made the announcement when he or-

Nigeria league waits on $1.3m bail out

Golden Eaglets pound Academy 6-1

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OUBTS surround the March 9 start of the Nigeria league as it has yet to receive a N200 million(about $1.3m) government bail out.

A top official said: “We are yet to receive the grant government promised us to get the league off the ground and as a result we may not start the league on the day advertised.”

The league needs cash to pay for referees’ indemnities and other logistical considerations.

Chariman of an interim committee to run the league, Nduka Irabor, announced earlier this month that they have been promised a grant by government to get the new season going as sponsorship wranglings have persisted despite assurances these have been resolved.

The 2011/2012 season ended in September, while the kick-off for the new season has been shifted severally.

T

HE National Under-17 team, the Golden Eaglets, have started the year on a winning note with a 6-1 score line against Bob Osim Academy in their first practice match after resuming their third-phase closed camping in Calabar ahead of the 2013 Af-

ganised a reception for the Sunshine Stars skipper at the Government House in Akure on Wednesday.

rican Under-17 Championship to be hosted by Morocco in April.

The match was an opportunity for coach Manu Garba (MFR) to ascertain the readiness of all the 30 players in camp as he kept his regulars on the bench for the start of the game at Saint Patrick College.

Champions League •Continued from BP round, first leg clash in Kano a fortnight ago.

The Nigerian champions are not taking for granted the return match on Sunday and have chartered an IRS flight to take a 58-strong party to Bagui to ensure they reach the next stage of the competition.

Pillars coach Mohammed Babaganaru told MTNFootball.com they have put behind them the big home win. ”We are at advantage to progress with the widemargin victory we had in the first leg, but we are not thinking about that,

our mind set is now to beat them in Bangui. We are not going to take it easy,” Babaganaru said.

In same vein, the team’s striker Kabiru Umar told MTNFootball.com that there won’t be a hiding place for Olympique even in front of their home fans.

The former Heartland star said,”The game is important to us, and we are taking it serious as if we lost the first leg, so we plan for total victory. I will do my best to see that we win and getting goals will be great for me.”

However, Super Eagles midfielder Gabriel Re-

Governor Mimiko praised Oboabona for being a good ambassador of Ondo State after he made the state and the club proud at the African football showpiece event and rewarded him with a cash gift of a million naira and a bungalow.

Oboabona was one of the revelations at the justconcluded AFCON in South Africa as he played every minute as the Super Eagles went all the way to win a third Nations Cup crown.

The central defender is now on the wanted list of several top clubs in Germany, England and Ukraine and looks set to join Nigeria’s growing legion of players in Europe. uben will not travel with Kano Pillars to Bangui.

MTNFootball.com gathered that Reuben did not resume with Kano team in time on his return from the 2013 AFCON. Other Pillars absentees are former Nigeria youth international Mohammed Shagari, who is bereaved and has been granted compassionate leave, while Shehu Abdullahi is away with the Nigeria U20s in Tunisia.

Striker Manir Ubale has regained full fitness after a thigh injury and big central defender Ado Ali formerly of Sunshine Stars has made the squad to Bangui.

The Full Squad: Goalkeepers:Duncan Ochieng, Boniface Oluoch, Fredrick Onyango Defenders: Edwin Wafula, James Situma, Abdalla Juma, Collins Kisuya, Abdulatif Omar, David Owino, David Ochieng, Eugene Asike, James Mulinge, Crispin Odula Midfielders: Anthony Akumu, Anthony Kimani (Sofapaka), Peter Opiyo, Daniel Onyango, Kevin Omondi, Bob Mugalia, Francis Kahata, Paul Were Strikers: Jesse Were, Rama Salim, Paul Mungai, Michael Olunga, Allan Wanga, Mohamed Hassan

Benitez's future •Continued from BP support the team instead of wasting time making banners.

“The fans do not create a good atmosphere at Stamford Bridge. They have to realise they are making a big mistake.

“They are putting pressure on the players.

“They could be playing Europa League again next season and not the Champions League.”

Benitez added: “I am a professional and I will do my job. “The manager is the manager, one month, seven months, it does not matter. You are the man-

Moses

•Continued from BP 2-0 win over Middlesbrough which sealed the Blues’ place in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, Moses underlined the importance of lifting the trophy. “[The FA Cup] will be important for us, we’ve already lost a few competitions this season, so this one would be massive for the club,” he told the club’s official website.

The 21-year-old went on to praise his team-mates for their performance during a potentially tricky away tie at the Riverside Stadium.

“It was a great win for us,” he added.. “Right from the start we wanted to get the game out of the way.

“They were a good side, they had a few chances as well, but we managed to capitalise on the ones we had and win

ager.

“The people who run the club will know I am trying to do my best.

“I have been in charge of football for 26 years. I have won the Champions League, the FA Cup, the Italian Super Cup, the Spanish League twice.

“Nine trophies, all the trophies you can win at club level.”

However, it appears Benitez’s job is safe for now as a Chelsea spokesperson yesterday said “It’s business as usual”.

The fact that the outburst came following a win for Chelsea made it all the more baffling. the game.

“In the first half both sides had chances. We had our own but weren’t able to take them and we knew in the second half that if the chances came we’d have to take them.

“It wasn’t an easy game and we’re delighted to come away with the victory.

“It was great work from Hazard and Oscar [to setup Moses’ goal]. They’re both great players as we all know, it was a nice one-two to slip me in and it just needed a little touch from me to put the ball in the back of the net.

“Hazard’s a quality player, we see week-in, week-out what he can do, and playing alongside him can only help me.”

The west London outfit will meet Manchester United in the last eight but must keep up their challenge for a top-four finish against West Brom at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH1, 2013 — 61

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VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

Moses: FA Cup glory will be ‘massive’ for Chelsea

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World Cup Qualifier:

HELSEA attacker Victor Moses has suggested that winning the FA Cup would mark a successful season for the club.

The Blues are 19 points short of Manchester United at the top of the

Premier League and have endured disappointing exits from both the Champions League and Capital One Cup this season.

But, after scoring in a

•Continues on Page 60

•Victor Moses

Eagles don't scare us — Kenya ….name provisional squad for Nigeria

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EWLY appointed Kenya coach Adel Amrouche has said he was not afraid to face AFCON champions Nigeria in a 2014 World Cup qualifier on March 23.

Kenya are bottom of Group F with one point, three points behind tabletopping Nigeria.

But Amrouche has insisted playing Nigeria is like playing any other country and that against the likes of Nigeria, the motivation is normally there whether it’s a qualification game or not. ”As I coach I don’t fear Nigeria although I know they are a good team. As a team we must have belief in ourselves and work hard on winning matches without getting worried of the opposition,” he said Speaking about the de

•Continues on Page 60

•Coach says he’s quitting, •Club insist he’s staying

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AFA BENITEZ snapped Wednesday night and launched a blistering attack on Chelsea and their fans.

The Spaniard has endured ceaseless abuse since taking over in November.

But Chelsea have insisted it is “business as usual” at Stamford Bridge and that Rafa Benitez was still Blues interim manager.

After guiding the Blues to the FA Cup quarter-finals, Benitez said: “They gave me the title of interim manager which is a massive mistake.

“I will leave at the end of the season. The fans are not helping us. They are damaging the image of the club. They have to

•Ideye

•Continues on Page 60

PUZZLE

•Benitez

Champions League: Pillars eye win in Bangui

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ANO Pillars have said they hope to again beat hosts Olympique Real de Bangui in a CAF Champions League clash this week-

end.

Pillars overran the Central African champions 51 in the preliminary

•Continues on Page 60

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

Confusion over Benitez's future

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

DOWN ACROSS 2 Ceremony (4) 1 Grasp (4) 3 Plot (4) 4 Headgear (3) 4 Limited (8) 6 Pant (3) 5 Divide (4) 9 Edge (3) 6 Serious (5) 10 Filter (8) 7 Sicken (3) 11 Unfortunately (4)8 Little (5) 14 Lubricate (3) 12 Feeble (5) 16 Response (5) 13 Beneath (5) 19 Famed (8) 14 Bird (3) 21 Bar (5) 15 Flat (5) 17 Conceit (5) 23 Protector (8) 18 Long (5) 24 Huge (5) 20 Precise (8) 27 Cover (3) 22 Colour (3) 31 Chaste (4) 25Entertain (5) 33 Crucial (8) 26 Avarice (5) 34 Prosecute (3) 28 Resound (4) 35 Rush (4) 29 Discover (4) 36 Poem (3) 30 Facts (4) 37 Trade (4) 32 Regret (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Statute 5, Advice 8, Reminderd 9, Send 10, Bet 12, Brawl 15, Set 17, Ill 18, Eat 19, Eft 20, Aroma 21, Eke 22, Aim 23, See 24, Din 26, Event 29, Rat 33, Zero 34, Redeemer 35, Please 36, Enmity

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 2, Theme 3, Trip 4, Elder 5, Arrow 6, Vase 7, Canoe 10, Blend 11, Titan 12, Blame 13, Alone 14, Least 15, Steer 16, Treat 25, Ideal 27, Verse 28, Nudge 20, Alert 31, Rota 32, Term

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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