2016: There are plots to kill Buhari

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Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016

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Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016—3

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2016: Our expectations of Buhari – Lawmakers, leaders, others •He must reduce cost of governance, create jobs, increase minimum wage – NLC

By Clifford Ndujihe, Victor Ahiuma-Young, Henry Umoru & Emman Ovuakporie

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NSPITE of dwindling economic fortunes of the country occasioned by falling prices of crude oil, some lawmakers, leaders and the Nigeria Labour

Congress, NLC, yesterday, raised high hurdles for President Muhammadu Buhari to scale this year in order to improve on the well being of Nigerians.

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Anietie Okon said President Buhari should work towards keeping the

country united and take charge of governance, if he desired peace for Nigeria.

Buhari must hold Nigeria together – Anietie Okon “He should strive to hold the country together. The challenge posed by insecurity is daunting.

Without substantial mileage on this subject, plans to enhance the economy will be snared. If the President desires peace and cohesion in the country, he should now take charge of direction of governance rather than the cavalier hands of approach, which has nurtured diverse substructures within his government and the APC

engaged in a destructive competition for power and control with its own agenda in a war of attrition.”

“We shall together stand in faith and trust through the good, the tough, the thin and the triumphs.

Together, we shall be triumphant and bask in our God’s glory and blessings through the New Year,” Anietie said.

He must recover our looted funds – Gbagi Former Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, said the major task before President Buhari is recovering the country’s

looted funds, which he said is over N30 trillion.

According to him if half of the funds is recovered the president would not need to borrow money to fund the 2016 N6.08 trillion budget.

Asked what he expect from the government in 2016, Gbagi said: ‘’First and foremost, Buhari told us he knows people of integrity, conclusively bring them together and let Nigerians receive back the loot of this country. If we get 80 per cent of the loot we will get over N33 trillion and won’t need to borrow. Nigerians are getting worried as to the true meaning of change.

Much as I am held to have supported this government, we need to start putting human face when we call a spade a spade. There is so much secrecy in this government.

A government that cannot explain itself to the electorate and the people that put it in power is in trouble. The mere fact that you are not talking is itself corruption. Let the people know what is happening before it is too late. It is urgent that we douse the secrecy by publishing the amount recovered and from whom.. There cannot be any sacred cow. Let us face governance and the rebirth of Nigeria.’’

We expect massive reduction in poverty, insecurity – Lawmakers Members of the House of Representatives who spoke on issue said that they expected a massive reduction in poverty and an improved security network nationwide.

The lawmakers clearly stated that for Nigeria to achieve greater heights of excellence, security and drastic reduction in poverty to its barest minimum should be the fulcrum of the g o v e r n m e n t ’ s programmes.

I expect improved security network – Leo Ogor Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon Leo Ogor, PDP, Isoko Federal Constituency, Delta, said: “My prayer is that the present situation where Nigerians can’t go to their churches, mosques and markets without fear because of insecurity should be a thing of the past this New Year. Drastic reduction in poverty should be the cardinal focus of this administration as the hunger in the country is fast assuming a larger than life shape in the

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SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016—5

2016 PROPHESY: There are plots to kill Buhari – Mbaka •Says Jonathan, Govs, NASS members looted the country dry •Insists Igbo are not marginalized •Buhari’s administration an answered prayer

BY FRANCIS IGATA

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IERY Catholic Priest and Founder, Adoration Ministries Enugu Nigeria, AMEN, Reverend Fr. Ejike Mbaka,yesterday, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to be on his guards, prophesying that alleged beneficiaries of massive corruption perpetrated during ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration would plot to kill him.

Mbaka made the revelations yesterday morning during his New Year Prophetic Message at Adoration Ground, where thousands of faithful converged for supplication.

This is even as the Enugu- based cleric lashed out to ex-President Jonathan, governors and National Assembly members under his administration some of whom were allegedly involved in the squandering of the country’s resources during the oil boom to detriment of critical infrastructure that could have alleviated the sufferings of the masses.

He asked Nigerians to brace up for tougher times this year due to the economic hardship.

However, he urged them to be patient, prayerful and hard-working, adding that things would later improve.

He also called for support for the Buhari administration’s anticorruption fight.

There will be light at the end of the tunnel Mbaka said: “People will by now, begin to question, is this the government we voted for? But the Lord says, it will start hard, but it is going to end well. It is going to end well. I am commanded to ask for patience. The Lord says that multiple crises will befall the system. But later, the country will be filled with the peace of Isaiah 66, peace that will be flowing like a river. And in this peace will be the blessing.

So, I am claiming the peace in the midst of all the looming crisis.

“New crises are going to come up. But at the end,there will be peace.

Peace will be terbanacled at the epicentre of this country,to handle any crisis no matter how benign, malignant, barbaric or even satanic it will appear like.

God says He will be in charge. In 2013, there was

a prophecy that there was going to be an oil doom after the oil boom. And when that message came out from this ground, many started calling me a prophet of doom.

“How can there be a doom? And the oil price continued to climb. And the message said, people and government should begin to gather, as in the days of Joseph, to stop squandering our wealth.

And they never listened.

Throughout the six years of the past administration, God blessed our oil with high prices, $140 per barrel. But the message said there was going to be an oil doom. Do not mind the high prices. It warned our politicians to stop embezzling our wealth.

But they said the money would continue to come.

“Our oil would continue to flow. During this moment of the oil boom, there was excess crude oil money. They did not know what to do with our money.

Our youths were suffering and they are still suffering.

Graduates have no jobs, new industries were not built. Our roads were not reconstructed.

Our hospitals were in shambles and in total collapse. Our educational systems were in shambles and these politicians were building good schools outside Nigeria.

“They were busy building hospitals even in South-Africa and other neighbouring countries.

When any of them is sick, he will be flown outside Nigeria because there is no hospital in Nigeria worth of good medication. You cannot find any hospital in Nigeria that has worthy diagnostic facilities. The entire money voted for hospitals were looted.

Corruption was in quantum to the level that Nigerian Catholic Bishops had to compose a prayer against bribery and corruption.

“The Bishops assured all the Catholics to be praying that prayer everyday after the communion. All the moneys voted for road constructions were swindled. Many of the politicians became millionaires and billionaires in Naira, Dollars, Pounds Sterling, Euro when they have no workshops and business centres. Somebody who has nothing doing, yet he is a billionaire because he

is a politician. The oil money was messed up.

“Now, oil doom has come.

There was no preparation for the doom. The economy of Nigeria is an oil-based economy. My beloved Nigerians,those who led us for the past six years downwards have killed this country. None of them is qualified to stay in this country by now. Both the president, governors, senators, House of Representatives members, council chairmen among others. They are wicked. It does not matter the man of God they worship with.

Before God and man, all of them are wicked.

“They hate this country.

They succeeded in removing the liver, kidneys and cardiovascular system of this country and paralyzed the neurological organs, and handed over to Buhari, shambles and skeleton. A nation that is in comatose. Nigeria right now,economically and security wise is in the Intensive Care Unit, ICU. If the oxygen is removed,Nigeria will go.

People of God prayed from here and there, and God answered our prayers and gave us Buhari.

Buhari is God-sent “I want to tell you today, that Buhari is a prayer answered. Weather you hate or like him, Buhari is a prayer answered. The Catholic Bishops of Nigeria prayed against bribery and corruption and this President came with a war against corruption. All the prayers we have been doing against bribery and corruption, God answered the prayers through a Muslim who decided not to discriminate. There is nothing like racial, ethnic discrimination in this administration.

“He is a man of all. He means good for this country and we owe him unalloyed, consistent, spiritual and otherwise support. If he is not the man at the helm of affairs now or had it being the last regime continued, by now, Nigeria would be for sale.

Who will buy? All the moneys voted for infrastructure, few people stole the money. That is why we are passing through chronic hunger, joblessness. Many have died and are still dying because of this. That is why they want to engineer you people to cause crisis even in this part of Igboland

The Primate of All Nigeria, Anglican Communion, The Most Revered.

Nicholas Okoh blessing some children after presiding over the order of the Holy Eucharist for New Year Day also refered to in the Anglican Communion as the Naming and Circumcision of Jesus Christ at the Cathedral Church of The Advent, Life Camp, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida. under the guise that Igbo are marginalized.

Nobody can marginalise Igbo “Igbo people are unmarginalizable. Nobody can marginalize the Igbo.

The spirit of God wants me to speak good over what has been happening in this administration and that is what I am doing. I am not a sycophant,I do not support anybody for anything because I have the highest thing somebody can have which is God. So, I want to tell you that so far, God is happy with Buhari. And he who God has blessed, may you not try to curse because God will curse you.

The plots to kill Buhari ‘’Many people are planning, as it is revealed , to kill Buhari. There are many plans on how to eliminate his life so that corruption, embezzlement will continue. But the Lord says, God who put you there, will not forsake you.

Be firm, resolute, focused, unbiased and refuse to be intimidated and distracted.

Go ahead and war against evil. Buhari, go ahead and war against corruption.

God and His people are behind you. You are the answer of the prayers of the people.

“Our past looters, embezzlers, thieves on the political terrain have eaten the cake and now everybody is suffering. No ethnic group is marginalized. In the present administration, Igbo people hold the portfolio for Minister of External Affairs, Godffrey

Onyeama; Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu; Industry and Commerce, Osita Enalema; Labour and employment, Chris Ngige.

And the problem of this country now is unemployment. If our youths are well employed, kidnapping will go.

Kidnapping was a child of the past administration.

They delivered that ugly baby, which resembled them. It is my job to put your mind right. When anybody wants to say that Igbo are marginalised, do not believe it. Igbo are doing well everywhere. So,why are we evolving a war that does not exist?

“Those who are engineering this war, have their children abroad! And they want to use our unemployed youths to begin to walk around, ‘Igbo are marginalized,’ ‘our roads are bad.’ By the end of this year, Buhari will expose the names of the people who looted money meant for our roads. What we are suffering now is the resultant effect of the last malignant administration that was intrinsically corrupt. What we are suffering now arose from past administration. But the Lord says there is hope.

Many people are going to suffer. We should all get ready. But after the suffering we will all smile.”

Gen. Danjuma to head committee on North-East rehabilitation

BY JOSEPH ERUNKE

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari disclosed yesterday, that a committee to rehabilitate infrastructure and resettle Internally Displaced Persons,IDPs in the North-East sub-region would soon be formally inaugurated.

The committee,which he said, would be headed by a frontline statesman, Lt.-Gen Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, rtd, will also include Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote,GCON. A press statement, released late yesterday, by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said the

president spoke at the State House, Abuja, in response to a goodwill message delivered to him by a group, Women In Politics Forum, WIPF. President Buhari announced that all forms of assistance and aid in this respect generated locally and from foreign countries as promised by the Group of Seven of Industrialized Countries,G7 will be channeled through the committee when it is inaugurated.

He said that he had compiled a list of damaged infrastructure,including schools and bridges and handed it to the leaders of the G7 and the United States, adding that “I didn’t ask for a Kobo (in cash).

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016

2016: Our expectations of Buhari Continued from page 4 country. We are equally praying and hoping that the three arms of government must be truly independent to enable us crystallise our hard earned democracy in Nigeria.”

We expect a better police in 2016 – Nkem Abonta Also, Hon Uzoma NkemAbonta, PDP, Ukwa East/ West Federal Constituency, Abia, said: “My expectations for the year is that the laws of Appropriations are fully operational and a truly independent judiciary, legislature and executive working relationships come to bear. It is also my wish that better economic policies that could check mate insecurity, poverty, complete eradication of the reign of impunity in our great nation come to the fore.”

We want reduction in cost of governance, jobs, minimum wage review – NLC On its part, the NLC, which said that 2015 was eventful and challenging for Nigerian workers in particular and Nigerians in general, said the government should improve on the fortunes of the citizenry by cutting cost of governance, creating more jobs and increasing minimum wage.

In a statement by its Factional President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, the NLC said “given the massive support Nigerians gave President Buhari as a symbol and icon of change, they expectedly harbour tremendous expectations that his government will deliver on a number of

areas and provide succour that has for decades eluded them. For the NLC as a vanguard organisation of the Nigerian working class, we wish to use the occasion of the New Year to highlight a few of these expectations and indeed also our fears.

“Instead of using our current economic reality as a basis for deep reflection on how to revive and rebuild our economy, our political elite have instead chosen to engage Nigeria workers in battle. This is symbolised in recent threats by the Nigerian Governors Forum to abandon the payment of the N18, 000 national minimum wage which was enacted into law in 2011, or in the alternative sack workers to join the army of the unemployed. Another threat against the poor masses of Nigeria is the vigorous advocacy by several representatives of the ruling class, their business elite collaborators, the World Bank and IMF, is that the Nigerian government should use the opportunity of the low price of crude oil to remove the subsidy on petroleum products. The argument, as we have heard over and over in the last 30-35 years, is that the money so freed from paying subsidy will be used to upgrade our infrastructure, provide educational and healthcare facilities among others.

“For us, the fall in the price of crude oil provides a unique opportunity for our country to go back to the basics; to diversify and make governments at every level to look critically at areas of its comparative advantage and concentrate efforts to make the

difference in...

“In the same vein, our business elite and multinational companies are notorious for evading paying taxes. The federal and states revenue services need to step up identifying those that had not been paying taxes and get them to do so efficiently in the New Year. Government needs to impose property tax on the several hundreds of flashy estates and other structures in Abuja and several state capitals across the country. Some of these structures have laid unoccupied for years, making us to believe that they are properties developed with laundered funds...

“An issue of great concern to the working class in Nigeria today is that of the national minimum wage which is due for an upward review. The National Minimum Wage Act of 2011 established parameters for re-opening negotiations for a new national minimum wage, which is to be reviewed every five years. Such review would take into perspective the purchasing power of the naira and prevailing rate of inflation.

As things are right now, with the sharp devaluation of the naira, the existing N18, 000 minimum wage equally declined in value, thereby worsening the cost of living for workers.

“It is however bothersome that the governors flew a reprehensible kite of minimum wage reduction in 2015. NLC did realise that this was a strategy to get us talking about retaining the paltry sum of N18,000 as minimum wage instead of calling for an

increment. We had responded accordingly and made clear our resolve to fight against any attempt to reduce the minimum wage, which would be illegal, as would be efforts to curtail an upward review, in line with the provisions of the 2011 National Minimum Wage Act. “It was therefore discomfiting that President Muhammadu Buhari appears to have given tacit support to the governors’ gambit, in the course of his maiden presidential media chat on December 30, 2015.

Echoing the claim that states might not have the capacity to (continue to) pay a mere N18, 000 as minimum wage. For us in Congress, the position of the governors supported by the views of the Mr. President cannot be empirically defended.

There is no state of the federation that cannot pay much more than N18, 000 as minimum wage if corruption and extravagance on the part of the public office holders are stamped out. If people are at the centre of states’ policies, which is of the essence for ensuring development, the focus should be on economic empowerment of the working people.

“This is also important for kick-starting the economy from its present comatose state by increasing aggregate effective demand, through their enhanced purchasing power. Further, experience has shown that there is no amount which the employers private entrepreneurs and particularly as government will not initially claim is too much.”

Adhere to six months exclusive breastfeeding, Mrs Ambode tells mothers …Present gifts to first babies of the year

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IFE of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode on Friday urged nursing mothers to ensure they observe the mandatory exclusive breastfeeding period of six months, a feat she said if adhered to, will make their babies healthy and good looking.

Speaking at separate visits to Epe General Hospital, Ibeju Lekki General Hospital and Lagos Island Maternity Hospital where she presented gifts to the first babies born in the early hours of the New Year, she said one of the greatest gifts of God to humanity is the birth of a new baby, just as she reminded that God does not forget or abandon his own.

“The birth of a new baby is no doubt a sign that God does not forget or abandon his own, hence his magnanimity in making people flourish by enabling and allowing new babies come into the earth” she said.

She also congratulated the health family for the reappointment of Dr. Jide Idris as the Commissioner for Health and Dr. Femi Onanuga as Special Adviser on Primary Healthcare, saying the duo are crusaders of change in the health sector.

Mrs. Ambode expressed optimism that their wealth of experience have been brought to bear in the delivery of qualitative healthcare and upgrade of facilities in the general hospitals and healthcare centres in the state.

She also expressed gratitude to corporate organisations and individuals who have continued to support the health family over the years as part of their corporate social responsibility, just as she urged others to emulate the good gesture, which according to her would boost the health care delivery system in the state.

Aisha distributes relief materials to Borno pregnant IDPS

By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri

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HE wife of the Presi dent, Mrs Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday distributed donated relief materials to 1,350 Internally Displaced pregnant women and nursing mothers currently taking refuge at Dalori camp, Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

Flagging off the distribution Friday, Hajiya Fanta Baba-Shehu, the Borno State Commissioner for Women Affairs, who represented Mrs

Aisha said that the gesture was aimed at providing nourishing food materials to the beneficiaries who were in dare need of nutrition and healthcare.

“We are here to flag off the distribution of relief materials to 1,350 pregnant women and nursing mothers at Dalori IDP camp in Maiduguri. The items were provided by Mrs. Aisha Muhammdu Buhari, the wife of the President for onward distribution to these vulnerable IDPs pregnant and nursing mothers here in camp,” said Fanta.

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016—7

B-R-I-E-F-S Anambra judiciary workers end four-month strike

2016: There are better days ahead —Governors •Be ready for more sacrifice—Aregbesola J

By Clifford Ndujihe, Gbenga Olarinoye, Olasunkanmi Akoni, Akpokona Omafuaire & Monsur Olowoopejo IGERIANS, who fear N that 2016 would be too tough a year have been

urged to be optimistic because there are better days ahead.

This was the view of some governors in their new message to their citizens.

Anambra has so much to Look Forward to – Obiano Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, expressed great optimism for the New Year, assuring the people that in spite of the severe economic recession experienced in 2015, there is so much to be hopeful for in 2016.

In a special New Year Message titled: Making the Most of this Turning Point, Governor Obiano described 2015 as a particularly difficult year for Nigeria, recalling that apart from being an election year, it was also a year of severe economic recession with oil prices dropping to an all-time low of $35 per barrel and analysts predicting that it would take years before it returns to $90 per barrel.

The governor, said his administration had foreseen the approaching economic storm of 2015 and made adequate preparations for it, a reason that Anambra paid salaries regularly while others are looking for bailouts and was courageous enough to increase salaries amid economic adversity.

This year, Obiano said his administration would pursue a more aggressive growth in its fundamentals.

“We shall explore new growth prospects and review government policies that are inimical to domestic production. We shall stimulate production in the real sector through a strategic collaboration with select MSMEs. Already, the Anambra Small Business Association (ASBA) is spearheading this quest. In June last year, ASBA disbursed the sum of N1bn in small loans to MSMEs in the state in the first phase of our programme to galvanise that important segment of the economy and boost job creation.”

Be ready for sacrifice, era of unearned revenues over – Aregbesola However, Governor of Osun state, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, said the era of unearned revenues has come to an end and urged Nigerians to be ready to sacrifice for the country to survive the present economic challenges.

By Vincent Ujumadu

UDICIARY workers in Anambra State have called off their strike action which kept courts in the state under lock and key for four months.

A statement signed by the state chairman of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, Comrade Mark Ifezue directed the workers to resume work on Monday, January 4, 2016.

Ifezue told reporters in Awka that the suspension of the strike followed an agreement JUSUN reached with the state government.

Ifezue’s statement read: “Following the resolution of the industrial dispute between the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria and the Anambra State government, as shown in the agreement entered between the parties this 31st day of December , 20015, the industrial action embarked upon by the judiciary workers of Anambra State on the 7th day of September , 2015 is hereby suspended.

PPPRA commences enforcement of new fuel price

By Michael Eboh HE Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency ( PPPRA) , yesterday, commenced the enforcement of R-l: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd right); Senator Ganiyu the N86.50 and N86 per litre fuel price in petrol stations Solomon (r), Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District; Olamilekan across the country.

Assistant General Manager and Head of Operations, Adeola Solomon, Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice; Mr. Adeniji Kazeem and Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu I, during the Grand Finale of the PPPRA, Mr. Victor Shidok, who led the team in Abuja, warned marketers against sharp practices, declaring that One Lagos Fiesta, at the Bar Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos. any fuel station found to be selling above the new regulated The Governor, in a New a ground breaking year for Rivers State Governor, pump price of would face stiff sanctions including withdrawal Year broadcast relayed on the good people of the state. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike of licence or deny them the benefits of the Petroleum Support state television and radio, While acknowledging the assured the people of the Fund Scheme. Shidok, however, expressed satisfaction prayed that the year will be challenges that besieged state that his administration with the level of compliance, while he noted that monitoring peaceful and usher in fresh the last seven months, will use 2016 to build on activities would be extended to satellite towns to ensure full opportunities, goodness, Governor Ambode said his the strong foundation it set prosperity and abundance administration has been in 2015 and ensure compliance by all marketers.

He added that the monitoring exercise which was to all and sundry. able to hit the ground accelerated development simultaneously conducted across the country, was done in Aregbesola, on the running to deliver the across the state. current slump in world oil dividends he promised the In his New Year message, conjunction with the Department of Petroleum Resources prices, said 2015 witnessed people during the Wike stated that he will (DPR) to ensure that Nigerians are not short-changed. dwindling national electioneering campaign. continue to provide economic fortunes, adding “The last seven months purposeful leadership, New Year: Gov. Ortom approves that the pillaging of the have been challenging, but grounded in compassion release of five inmates national treasury that was with your patience, support and consideration for the

By Peter Duru, Makurdi continued by the last regime and positive criticism, we well-being of the people. was compounded by have begun to display a “In 2016, I can assure you S part of the new year celebrations, Governor Samuel continued drop in oil prices. positive outlook on that we will build on the Ortom of Benue state has approved the release of He stated that the effect of innovation and inclusion strong foundation we have five inmates, from the Gboko Prison, who were serving the sharp reduction is that we promised during our laid and accelerate the pace various jail terms. the distributable pool of the campaign”. development of the state Those released were John Anyam, Dickson Ako, Terngu Federation Accounts that hit “Under my adminis- with key investments in Agum, Aondonengen Msughve and Iorfa Mbakighir. a zenith of N1.2 trillion in tration, the year 2016 holds infrastructure to improve In a statement signed by the Commissioner for 2012 dropped to a new low great promise for all the living standards of our Information and Orientation Odeh Ageh, on behalf of of N369 billion in November Lagosians through people. allocations shared in improved security, creation “I charge you to be the Governor, the approval of the release of the inmates followed the recommendation of the Benue State December 2015. of job opportunities and inspired as 2016 begins, Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy.

Aregbesola pointed out greater attention to positive because we are on our way The governor assured the people that the state would that the implication for the infrastructure develop- towards realizing our Nigerian governments at ment...I am aware that 2016 collective destiny: the overcome its current challenges and move to the next the federal, states and local will also bring economic Rivers State of our dreams; level of development in 2016. levels is that revenue challenges due to a roundly developed, derivable from the pressures of dwindling secure and prosperous Govt should help airlines access Federation Accounts, as the revenue from the centre, state as envisioned in our funds using CBN exchange rate basis for running but Lagos has always been development blueprint.’’ government, has been resilient and must Governor Wike said that reduced to little or nothing. consolidate on its self- he will use 2016 to touch —Med-View He said: “The era of reliance to ensure it critical areas of education,

By Lawani Mikairu unearned revenue has survives any inclement agriculture, security, HE Executive Director, Technical Services, Medcome to an end. We are now economic weather”, he economic programmes and View Airline, Engr.

Lookman Animashaun weekend entering into a new and said. rural development for the special period where it is Ambode also assured that empowerment of the called on federal government to assist indigenous airlines to access scarce foreign exchange which the imperative for us to work for his administration will people. our own money before we pursue greater channels to Nigeria will be great airlines need, as their operations are dollar based, through the use of the CBN official exchange rate. can spend it. This period engage the youths in the again — Okowa demands innovation, state in 2016, just as he Delta State Governor, Engr.Animashaun made this known while fielding creativity, productivity, urged Lagosians to work Ifeanyi Okowa, yesterday questions from the media during the airline’s inaugural to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He said the disparity industry and wealth with him to make Lagos expressed the belief that flight between the official exchange rate and the parallel market creation.’’ clean, safe and secured for Nigeria will be great again makes this call necessary as the airlines have been 2016 holds great all. The Governor, who despite her present groaning under the prevailing scarcity of the dollar which promise for Lagosians spoke at the Bar Beach challenges, just as he the airlines need for their daily operations – Ambode while addressing urged Nigerians to play Animashaun who represented the Managing Director, In like manner, Lagos thousands of fun seekers at their individual roles in Alhaji Muneer Bankole at the flag off of the route said State Governor, Mr. the grand finale of the One making the nation a safer the airlines were aware of the current economic situation Akinwunmi Ambode, Lagos Fiesta, a countdown place. and the dwindling foreign reserve of the country. He yesterday assured residents event to usher in the New Okowa gave the however said airline business is riddled with a lot of that his administration Year, said the N25billion assurance during the 70th costs and all of them are dollar based from buying spare would go all out to ensure a Employment Trust Fund, Birthday Thanksgiving parts to other essential services, adding that despite the quantum leap in the areas an initiative of his Service of Hon. Justice skyrocketing exchange rate of the dollar, ticket prices of infrastructural develop- administration, would take Roseline Bozimo, have not increased and airlines are feeling the brunt.

“One of our major problems in the industry is dollar ment, job creation and off this year, expressing Administrator of the improved security. optimism that it would help National Judicial Institute, based, all the spares we procure are done in dollars The Governor, who gave the youths to set up their NJI and former Chief and we bring them in on daily basis and we also have to the assurance in his first businesses.

Judge of Delta State at St. source for dollar to fund these things, it has not been New Year broadcast to Wike assures Rivers Anthony ’s Catholic easy. You can imagine the value for the ticket has not Lagosians, said he was people of accelerated Church, Ugborikoko in increased but the dollar exchange rate has gone optimistic that 2016 will be devt Uvwie Local Government astronomically high,” he said.

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B-R-I-E-F-S

Olu of Warri charges AIPA, EPZ c’ttee on growth of kingdom T

Hon. Justice Roseline Bozimo flanked by her husband, Alaowei Broderick Bozimo and relatives during her 70th Year Birthday Thanksgiving Service at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Ugborikoko, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State. some Itsekiri parents can hardly speak the language and don’t teach their children to imbibe it. He was pleased that we are at his disposal as tools to actualise rebirth of our culture and tradition.” In a related development, the Olu also

charged the Ogidigben Export Processing Zone (EPZ) Interface Committee, to capitalize on the renewed communal peace in Ugborodo to chart a new cohesiveness to support productive takeoff of the controversial project.

Secretary of the committee, Dr. Ayo Ayomike told Vanguard that, “beyond being our monarch, His Majesty also comes from Ugborodo, so it was expedient that we come to seek assistance at moving the project forward.”

Three refineries to begin operations in Akwa Ibom

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OVERNOR Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has disclosed that three private refinery operators have indicated interest to start operations in the state just as he warned marketers against contravening the miscellaneous code which he said, is punishable by law.

The Governor also advocated for the liberalization of the petroleum downstream sector to make room for an inter play of market forces which would regu-

late the cost of Petroleum products for the consuming public. He stated this during the monthly prayer meeting at the Latter House Chapel, Government House, Uyo. Governor Emmanuel was speaking against the backdrop of artificial scarcity of premium motor spirit (PMS) created by the marketers who have closed their stations and in the process deny motorists and the consuming public, access to the product.

“Petroleum marketers are hoarding fuel on the pretext that the just concluded National Economic Council would push for the removal of Petroleum Subsidy. Let me clarify that during our last meeting, even at the Governor’s Forum, subsidy issues were not deliberated. If at all it will be removed, it’s not going to be immediately, so there’s no point hoarding fuel hoping that subsidy will be removed for them to enjoy super abnormal profits. “

“Let’s not take things to the extreme. Yesterday no station was open in the state. I am of the view that if subsidy is removed, the interplay of market forces will bring down the price to where it should be.”

At present, landing cost of crude oil in the current market price is seventy eight naira, with liberalization anybody can come in, refine and sell the product. This way, the product will be cheaper, so I want to see the stations opened.”

Kidnappers of mum of Okowa’s aide demand N35m ransom

By Godwin Oghre, Sapele

A

BDUCTORS of Mrs Queen Eyetan Egbedi, mother of Gover-

nor Ifeanyi Okowa’s Senior Special Assistant on Agriculture and immediate past Chairman of Sapele Local Government Council, Mr Julius Egbedi, yesterday demand a ransom of

N35m to secure her release.

Mrs Egbedi, aged 73 was kidnapped at about 11pm on Sunday 27/12/2015, at her country home in Ituru-

Oil thieves break more pipelines as Navy lauds officers

By Egufe Yafugborhi

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IL thieves continue to break into flow lines in Delta state even as the Nigerian Navy scores its men high in the fight to end oil theft and illegal refineries in the state.

Hours before observing its 2015 Ball and ceremonial Sunset which officially draws the activities of the navy to a close for the year, Flag Officer Commanding

By Festus Ahon, ASABA

W

By Egufe Yafugborhi HE Olu of Warri, His Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli has charged the Association of Itsekiri Performing Artists, AIPA, to deploy their skills in supporting revival of Itsekiri culture and tradition.

The newly crowned 20th Olu of Warri gave the charge at a closed-door interaction with members of AIPA who paid him Yultide homage at the Aghofen Palace, Warri, Delta state during which he also accepted to take over grand patronship of the body from his predecessor who passed on last year.

Alex Eyengho, President, AIPA who led the body’s homage to the monarch revealed after the interaction that, “His Majesty was passionate about revival of Itsekiri culture and tradition during his coronation December 12.

“He is very worried that

Only godly approach ‘II quicken Nigeria’s economic recovery, says Okowa

Central Naval Command, FOC, CNC, Rear Admiral Apochi Suleiman took the press in Warri, Delta state on a tour of fresh points oil thieves have broken into to syphon crude on the TransForcados pipeline.

Suleiman said at the crime points in Oteghele, Warri South local government area, Delta State that the criminals are changing tactics with rapidity in determination to beat the watchful eyes of the navy

and other oil theft fighting agencies.

“They realised that they no longer can deploy Cotonou boats and the illegal refineries with impunity in the creeks and the mother ships are being arrested. You saw two in the Warri base. What they are now doing is to connect to tap points on this export line.

“They then lay the pipes as far as two kilometres offshore and load directly from there.”

Elume, within Sapele Local Government Council, by unknown gunmen, and has since remained in their custody as at the time of filing this news.

An eye witness account said the kidnappers came with a Jetta car while another said they came in an Audi 80 car, parked at a distance of about a hundred yards and walked straight to her door, broke it down and dragged her away into the car and sped off that night. A source close to the 3 Battalion of the Nigeria Army in charge of the area said fiery soldiers have since swung in and currently intensifying the search for the victim, adding that about six suspects have been arrested by the soldiers, just as they are closing on other members of the gang.

ORRIED by the dwindling economy of the coun try, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, yesterday said Nigeria will get speedy economic recovery when the people imbibe godly approach to addressing issues.

Okowa who spoke at the 70th birthday thanksgiving service of the former Chief Judge of the State, Justice Rosaline Bozimo, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Ugborikoko, Uvwie local government area of the state, expressed hope that Nigeria will rise again.

Urging the people to “spend time to pray; everyday of our life, we should truly live godly life because, you cannot love God without loving your neighbour, he said; “We should impact positively on those around us, we should show love to our neighbours.”

He said Justice Bozimo “is a shining star with an infectious personality and we are excited that God is keeping her strong.”

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Brume in a sermon, called for respect for human rights and human dignity in Nigeria, saying “Mary the Mother of Jesus deserves to be honoured because of the roles she played as mother of God because in Christ, God became a human being for us to be saved and if Jesus Christ is God, then, Mary, is the mother of God.” Brume lauded the distinguishing roles Justice Bozimo has played in the society and told Christians to be strong and confident because, their challenges would become a thing of the past if they believe in Jesus Christ.

Gov. Emmanuel advocates private sector intervention in roads rehabilitation

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KWA Ibom State Governor Mr Udom Emmanuel, has appealed to Federal Government to grant concessionary right to foreign investors for participation in the rehabilitation of some roads in the country.

The call, according to the Governor, became necessary due to the severity of dilapidation witnessed on road infrastructure across the country, especially in the South South and South East States.

Governor Emmanuel made the call while exchanging views with members of the Senate Committee on Works who called on him at the Government House, Uyo. The Governor observed that in view of the present global economic recession, Nigeria is confronted with the urgent need to partner the private sector and developed world in roads Construction with the understanding that they get returns on their investment over a period of time.

He described the measure as a dynamic economic approach where countries partner investors to address issues on mutual benefit where the former lack the resources to tackle the problems.

Cultists kill one in Delta, police arrest 12 suspects

By Festus Ahon, ASABA

S

USPECTED cultists have stabbed a middle aged man identified as John Mobor to death in Warri, Delta State.

Meanwhile, the police in Delta State have arrested six suspected cultists for their alleged involvement in the killing of the said Mr John Mobor and six others who went on rampage in Asaba.

The State Police Command in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Celestine Kalu said the Divisional Police Officer of the “‘A’ Division Warri received information that some suspected cultists were engaged in a free for all fight at Igbo market roundabout, Warri.

“Based on the information, patrol teams were quickly despatched to the scene and met the corpse of one Mobor John ‘m’ who was stabbed on the left side of his chest and three vehicles damaged by the miscreants”. Kalu in the statement said; “one Anthony Oborume ‘m’ and five others have been arrested in connection with the crime while the corpse has been deposited at the General Hospital Mortuary, Warri for autopsy,” adding that investigation was in progress to bring all the culprits to book.

In another development, the police swooped on suspected cult members of ‘Eye’ and ‘Aye’ confraternities who were at war at Cable Point, Asaba and arrested six while others fled the scene on sighting the Anti-Crime patrol team from ‘C’ Division Asaba.

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016 — 9

Fir st Bab ear in vvarious arious stat es First Babyy of the YYear states New year eve tragedy: Seven family members die in fire disaster

By Emeka Mamah

T

HE Umu Ojobo Nwonu family in Imufu EnuguEzike, Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, began their new year with the mourning of the death of wife and six children of Dominic Onu Ojobo in a fire disaster last Wednesday.

It was said that the family of eight had gone to sleep at about 10 pm on the fateful night, hoping to wake up early the following morning and travel to their village for the New Year celebrations but later perished in a midnight fire which gutted their house at Mararaba, near Abuja.

The remains of the seven members of the family, including those of the wife, Ifeoma and the first daughter, Mesoma, were buried in three separate graves amid wailings and sobbing by relatives and other sympathisers on the New Year eve at their family land in Imufu.

Ifeoma was said to be

•Family buries corpses amid wailing carrying her last child who was crying at the time they were retiring to bed on her chest when death came calling.

Dominic, head of the family was however, still lying unconscious at an undisclosed hospital in Abuja at the time of filing

Mimiko pardons 14 prisoners in Ondo Dayo Johnson, Akure

G

OVERNOR Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo state has granted pardon to 14 prisoners serving various jail terms in the state.

I n f o r m a t i o n Commissioner, Kayode Akinmade said this in a statement issued and signed in Akure yesterday.

Akinmade said that it was to mark the 2016 new year celebration.

According to him” 14

Corruption: Ogun govt warns new TORAN Excos

By Daud Olatunji, Abeokuta

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HE State Government has reminded members of the newly sworn-in executive of the Tricycles Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria, (TORAN) in the State to make prudence, uprightness and accountability their watchword as they take charge of the day to day administration of the union.

General Manager, Parks and Garages Development Board (PAGADEB), Alhaji Ola-Ayo Ogunsolu gave this advice in Abeokuta at the swearing-in ceremony of the 26-man Executive Committee of the union, charging them to be fair to all. Ogunsolu observed that there were some lacunas in the TORAN constitution; admonishing the new leadership to put in place a review committee that would look into all the loop-holes within the next one month, pointing out that failure to do so would amount to insubordination. ‘’As a matter of fact, one of the very first assignment I want to give you is the amendment of your

C M Y K

this report.

A member of the Umu Ojobo Nwonu family, Damian Ojobo, who confirmed the story, described the death of almost the entire members of the family as not only “unprecedented but calamitous.”

constitution, within the first one month of coming into office, I want you to set up a Constitution Review Committee and turn in your report, a situation where you operate without a valid constitution will not be accepted, failure to obey instruction means you are not capable and you must go and sit down,” the PAGADEB boss said.

prisoners serving different jail terms in Ondo State have been discharged out of prison following pardon granted them by the State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko .

The Governor’s gesture, Akinmade said” is in line with the power conferred on him by section 212 (1) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.

The statement said the 14 who have all served portions of their terms were granted amnesty on the ground of good conduct.

According to the Commissioner the gesture” is in exercise of the Governor’s power to grant prerogative of mercy to convicts as conferred by the Constitution of the country.

The Commissioner said that the Governor is empowered to pardon, free, grant respite or substitute severe punishment with lesser one as form of amnesty for convicts. Akinmade pointed out that the amnesty takes immediate effect.

(R-L): Wife of the Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, car rying the first babies of the year, the Sokeye twins, while chatting with their mother, Mrs. Foluke Sokeye, who gave birth to the twins at exactly 12.01a.m (January 1) at the State Hospital, Ijaiye in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Wife of the Governor of Osun, Mrs Sherifat Aregbesola with the first baby of the year 2016. With her are Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, Dr Temitope Oladele (right); Per manent Secretary, Hospital Management Board, Pharmacist Temitope Ajayi (left) and the mother of the baby, Mrs Rofiyat Tijani, during the wife of Governor's visit to Asubiaro State Hospital, Osogbo yesterday.

Adebule commends Glo, others for success of One Lagos Fiesta

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AGOS State Deputy Governor, Mrs Oluranti Adebule has commended Nigeria’s next generation network, Globacom for supporting the execution of the One Lagos Fiesta, an innovative five-day long end-of-year celebrations in five locations across Lagos State.

She gave the commendation as the One Lagos Fiesta climaxed with a countdown and a spectacular fireworks display simultaneously on the stroke of midnight of the New Year at five centres

across Lagos.

The centres included Bar Beach, which was personally graced by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, Agege, Badagry, Epe, and Ikorodu.

Dr. Adebule expressed appreciation to Globacom and other sponsors for keying into the One Lagos Fiesta project, describing their contributions as instrumental to the success of the massive project.

Globacom’s participation in the fiesta was attended by innovative entertainment and a wide variety of side attractions that made the event a memorable one for Lagos residents.

Globacom’s pavilions in all the five locations were the main attractions to funseeking Lagosians while the fiesta lasted. Present at Globacom stands at the fiesta were facilities for snookers, table soccer, mock on-the-sport kick, and video games.

From left: Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Dr. Jide Idris; wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode with female 1st Baby of the Year in Lagos state, delivered 12:01am 2016 by Mrs Bright at Epe General Hospital and Director, National Population Commission, Lagos state, Mrs. Adenike Ogunlewe yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

From right; Wife of Ondo State Governor, Olukemi Mimiko, carrying the Ondo state first baby of the year, Commissioner for Health, Dr Dayo Adeyanju and Mother of the baby, Omoboyede Adewon, at the State Speecialist Hospital, in Akure, yesterday.

10—SATURDAY Vanguard,

JANUARY 2, 2016

2015: Nigeria’s year of history

BY OGHENE OMONISA

T

he year 2015 is special in the history of Nigeria.

So many important events occurred that are worthy to be remembered and recorded, and which will enhance an objective appreciation of future events in Nigeria. Some were political, others economic, sociological, or cultural.

The elections With the then sitting President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, having secured the presidential ticket of his party, the People’s Democrat Party (PDP) the year before, and his leading opponent, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), also clinching the ticket of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the stage was finally set for the campaigns early in the year. Together with other elections, the presidential election had been the subject of anticipation, and political calculations and machinations for the past four years.

Election campaigns Campaigns for the presidential poll had kicked off on November 16, 2014, following the release of the 2015 general elections timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria’s electoral umpire. But the campaigns picked up steam early 2015.

Certificate controversy As activities toward the election gathered momentum, controversy started trailing Buhari’s qualification. After INEC announced that it did not have his academic credentials, it became a subject that attracted divergent views. His party and supporters insisted that the dust being raised was merely a ploy to unsettle the APC standard-bearer, while others, especially those opposed to him, challenged the former Head of State to come out with clear proof of his qualification.

Buhari had reportedly sworn to an affidavit at the Federal High Court (FCT), Abuja to the effect that all his academic qualifications, documents, as filed in his

presidential form for the election, were with the Secretary of the Military Board. The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Olajide Laleye, had earlier said the army did not keep the original certificates of its personnel, whether serving or retired.

Section 131(d) of the 1999 Constitution stipulates that a person shall be eligible to contest for the Office of President if “he has been educated up to at least school certificate level or its equivalent.”

The subject attracted so much debate that Buhari finally cleared the air on the controversy when he called a press briefing on January 21, and explained that he had assumed all along that all his records were in the custody of the Military Secretary of the Nigerian Army. However, much to his surprise, he learned that although a record of the result was available, there were no copies of the certificates in his personal file.

He had to formally request his old school, the Provincial Secondary School, Katsina (which is presently known as Government College,

Katsina) to make available the school’s copy of the result of the Cambridge/West African School Certificate, which would be made available to the press the moment it was available. He would eventually provide a re-issued certificate, which did not completely quell the controversy, but qualified him to contest the election.

PVC/Card reader controversy Like most things Nigeria, other controversies trailed preparations for the elections, notably the subject of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and card reader. Millions of eligible Nigerians were alleged not to have PVCs, which represented a very significant aspect of the electoral process.

With less than a month to the most crucial in a series of elections, that is the presidential, these Nigerians would definitely be barred from participating, without PVCs. However, while many prospective voters in some regions had difficulties procuring

Continues on page 11

SATURDAY Vanguard,

Election postponement

Continues from page 10 theirs, some politicians in some other regions were alleged to have stockpiled PVCs for their supporters.

Election postponement The postponement of the elections (by three months) was first mooted by then National Security Adviser (NSA) to President Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), at the London thinktank Chatham House during a lecture on January 22, to enable INEC distribute the PVCs, to about 30 million Nigerians who were yet to obtain the cards.

It was a call which initially drew outrage from many, including the opposition APC and INEC. However, it was high drama that eventually led to the election postponement. First the Council of State meeting, on February 5, failed to propose an election shift, and it was thought INEC had been told to proceed with the elections at all costs. Then it emerged that the Council had only told INEC to proceed with its “civic responsibility.” A meeting with civil society organisations and his 37 Resident Electoral Commissioners had revealed that security agencies had written Jega to say they were embarking on an intensive anti-Boko Haram operation and they would not be available to provide security during the elections, and were requesting for at least a postponement of six weeks.

Eventually addressing the press, Jega said INEC had had wideranging consultations to reach the decision, and had decided to take the advice of the security chiefs and adjust the date of the elections.

The presidential and national assembly elections would now hold on March 28; gubernatorial and state house of assembly, April 11.

campaigns as well as the polls could not be said to completely violence-free.

Thugs who converged at the Ibrahim Babangida Square, venue of Jonathan’s campaign in Bauchi, hurled shoes, plastic water bottles and other objects at the canopy where the President and members of his campaign team were delivering their speeches.

Although security operatives intervened to stop the thugs from disrupting the event, several vehicles coming out of the venue, belonging to the PDP presidential campaign team, were stoned while tyres were burnt.

And in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, where Buhari’s wife, Hajia Aisha Buhari and her team were visiting for a two-day Voters’ Education Summit as part of her campaign, she and her convoy were attacked by suspected political thugs while returning from a visit to the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Zulu-Gambari.

Violence-free polls, issue-based campaigns Though Jonathan, Buhari and 12 other presidential candidates had signed an undertaking to ensure free and fair polls as well as run issuebased campaigns during a sensitisation workshop, the

Pre-election theatrics: Danjuma/ ex-militants’ face-off Niger Delta ex-militants threatened to declare war against the country if Jonathan lost. This prompted former Defence Minister, Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd.) to call for the arrest

of Asari Dokubo, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, General Boyloaf and others.

The ex-militants and some other Niger Delta leaders returned fire, with Tompolo accusing Danjuma of sponsoring terrorism in the Northern parts of the country and also calling for his arrest and prosecution, and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark saying that Danjuma should have condemned the attacks on Jonathan in several states in the North instead of calling for the arrest of the ex-militants.

Buhari wins, makes history After the much-awaited presidential poll on Saturday, March 28, Buhari, who received 15,424,921 votes or 53.95 percent of the 28,587,564 total valid votes cast, was declared winner, beating Jonathan, who garnered 12,853,162 (or 44.96 percent) of the votes. Buhari made history by being the first Nigerian to defeat a sitting president or prime minister in the chequered political history of the country.

Buhari won in the six Northern geo-political regions and the South-West, while Jonathan took the South-South and the SouthEast.

JANUARY 2, 2016—11

Jonathan congratulates Buhari At 5:05 pm on Tuesday, March 31, with results from all but one state (Borno) counted and Buhari clearly in unassailable lead, Jonathan telephoned Buhari to concede defeat and congratulate him even before the final results were announced and the winner formally declared by INEC, an action which Buhari himself would acknowledge, doused tension, and which reverberated in other elections, with some legislative and governorship candidates congratulating their opponents when victory was clear.

Orubebe’s last fight Many supporters of the defeated President apparently never expected him to lose. Therefore the election outcome was a shock to them, and not everyone can manage such shock. One of such was Elder Godsday Orubebe, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and the PDP agent for the presidential election.

It happened immediately after the Commission reconvened for a continuation of the release of results by Collation Officers.

Orubebe called for an observation, and when he was recognized, he began by calling for the INEC Chairman to send a committee to investigate the claims of his party that results from some Northern states were manipulated, saying the PDP had lost confidence in what Jega was doing.

Sitting down on the floor, microphone in one and a sheet of paper in the other, the former minister was beamed to the whole world shouting as he accused Jega of being partial and selective, and even of having been compromised.

His agitation was that Jega should set up a committee to go to Kano, Katsina, Jigawa and Kaduna to investigate the PDP objections to the elections there as he did to River State where the APC raised an issue. He even refused to allow the INEC boss to explain, holding onto the microphone.

It was a sight to behold as Jega calmly remained in his seat watching the display. When the opportunity to speak eventually came, he advised Orubebe to always be mindful of his conduct in public, especially as a former minister of the federal republic. A remorseful Orubebe would later apologise to the nation.

“I belong to everybody and belong to nobody” President Muhammadu Buhari’s inaugural speech on May 29 was the stuff of legend, especially with such a title, “I belong to everybody and belong to nobody”, which reflected his perceived image as a no-nonsense independent leader.

However, not many Nigerians have been impressed with his performance seven months after, with corruption not only perceived but perceived to be growing, nonavailability of petroleum products, the continuation of the Boko Haram killings with the Chibok girls yet to be rescued.

No end in sight for Boko Haram The closest to a difference in how Boko Haram was perceived during Jonathan’s government and

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12—SATURDAY Vanguard,

JANUARY 2 , 2016

Continues from page 11 Buhari’s seven months was that Buhari appeared to give hope, with his body language. Aside that, news reports on the activities of the terror group did not change in the last seven months. As the year came to an end, apart from the 57 girls, who escaped on their own, nothing has been heard about the remaining 219 girls. That was not good enough. Buhari should not take the goodwill of the Nigerian people for granted.

Subsidy or not, just fuel, affordable fuel Before his election, Buhari had vehemently stood against fuel subsidy removal, and like most average Nigerians, seen the whole complex scheme as a drainage through which public funds are being siphoned and Nigerians milked through high prices of the product. But it was not “change” that the Nigerian people witnessed towards the end of the year when the product went scarce following his deferment in paying N423.363 billion to oil marketers as subsidy.

The President is expected to take a definite position on fuel subsidy this year. Whether he is removing or retaining it, the average Nigerian is not interested. All he desires is available, affordable fuel and other petroleum products, for a change.

Not searching for the corruption monster The past seven months have witnessed Nigerians who voted for the change for public good and not personal benefits, exchange glances. For all these months, the closest to fighting corruption Nigerians have noticed is the Dasuki arm-deal trial, and the setting up of a Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption, to be headed by prominent professor of law and civil rights activist, Professor Itse Sagay (SAN).

A few days later, Sagay would urge all those who knew their hands were dirty to come forward and confess, assuring that certain lenient terms could be obtained by doing so.

No investigation; corrupt public officials and their accomplices should simply come and surrender.

Some change!

I belong to everybody and belong to nobody Presidential assets declaration It certainly was an uplifting news when President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo made known their assets, with the President declaring less than N30 million and his deputy a cash balance of N94 million and US$900,000 in his bank accounts.

The President also has two houses in Kaduna and one each in Kano, Daura and in Abuja. The two mud houses are in his native Daura. One was inherited from his late elder sister, another from his late father. He reportedly borrowed money from the old Barclays Bank to build two of his homes. Then two undeveloped plots of land, one in Kano and the other in Port Harcourt, with location presently unknown.

The President is also reported to have a number of cars, two of which he bought from his savings and the others supplied to him by the Federal Government in his capacity as a former Head of State.

The rest were donated to him by well-wishers after his SUV was damaged in a Boko Haram bomb attack on his convoy in July 2014.

And Vice President Osinbajo’s assets include a 4-bedroom residence at Victoria Garden City, Lagos; a 3-bedroom flat at 2 Mosley Road, Ikoyi and a 2bedroom flat in the Redemption Camp of the Redeemed Christian Church of God along the LagosIbadan Expressway. He also has a 2-bedroom mortgaged property in Bedford, England.

The Vice-President also has shareholdings in his law firm, SimmonsCooper and in six private companies based in Lagos, including Octogenerium Ltd., Windsor Grant Ltd., Tarapolsa, Vistorion Ltd., Aviva Ltd. and MTN Nigeria.

Biafra, a struggle renewed Not many people knew Nnamdi Kanu and his Indigenous People

of Biafra (IPOB) as well as his pirate station, Radio Biafra, until his arrest on October 18 by the Department of State Services (DSS). That was when the agitation for an independent state of Biafra took a renewed form not known since the Nigerian civil war. Joined by forces of Barrister Ralph Uwazuruike’s Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), the protests for his release became tied to a struggle that symbolises the end of long perceived Igbo marginalization since the civil war, with protests in Delta, Enugu, Rivers, Cross River, Abia, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Anambra and even Lagos.

Eventually all the charges preferred against him were dropped and he was released, but rearrested and new charges brought against him. He will be an issue in the new year and a symbol of the agitators’ crave for re-integration or an end to their being part of the Nigerian nation.

Senate, House of Reps leadership tussle The events leading to the emergence of senators and House members who would lead the legislative arm in 2015 contributed immensely to make the year stand out, demystifying the assumption that the end of the PDP hegemony would lead to the supremacy of the APC in the 8th Senate and House of Reps. The party took over majority in both chambers, from the PDP after winning more legislators.

Senator Bukola Saraki of the APC was returned unopposed as Senate President as the game of intrigues caught the APC leadership on the wrong side. His emergence was facilitated by the solid backing of the 49-member strong PDP caucus with unalloyed support from APC senators from Zamfara, Sokoto, Adamawa, Kogi and Kwara states.

As part of the quid pro quo from the PDP, the Saraki elements backed the return of Senator Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP as Deputy President of the Senate, the first time a bipartisan leadership was enthroned in the Senate.

The emergence of Saraki and Ekweremadu bounced off negatively for the official APC candidate in the

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SATURDAY Vanguard,

JANUARY 2, 2016—13

states they control. The party which decried the situation had complained why the tribunals were relocated to Abuja just as the petitioners complained of the security of the tribunal if they were to sit in the states. While the PDP would go further to the Supreme Court in the case of governorship elections, they alongside other parties braced up for elections into federal legislative position which were cancelled.

Dasukigate and anti-corruption war The prosecution of Col. Dasuki on corruption charges, also came with its political dimension. Revelations showed that some of the funds were given to some PDP chieftains for the last general polls.

Moreover, the PDP has decried what it says is the lopsidedness in the fight against corruption, saying members of the APC should also be made to account for their stewardship while in office.

Subsidy or not, just fuel, affordable fuel Continues from page 12 for the official APC candidate in the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who, though he eventually lost, was also widely reported to be strongly backed by the party leader and former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Buhari’s ministerial list While the National Assembly boiled, Nigerians awaited the unveiling of Buhari’s team. However, when he started appointing members of his “inner cycle”, hues and cries emanated from some geopolitical zones, especially the South-East over what was termed lopsided appointments.

Speaking with BBC Hausa Service, he pointed out that the Constitution allowed him full control over the choice of his closest officials, explaining that, “If I select people whom I know quite well in my political party, whom we came all the way right from the APP, CPC and APC, and have remained together in good or bad situation, the people I have confidence in and I can trust with any post, will that amount to anything wrong?”

At this time however there was immense lobbying for ministerial positions amidst speculations and name dropping. With complaints of delay over cabinet rising, the President, in a bid to fulfill his pledge to appoint ministers by September, submitted a list of his ministerial nominees to the Senate President, on the last day of that month.

The ministerial list was however an anti-climax of sorts, as many felt that the persons that made up the list were not worth the wait. The names included those of long-time associates of the President, politicians as well as technocrats with no known political affiliations.

However, the nomination of the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi was opposed by senators from his state as petition was submitted in that regard. Senate’s Public Petitions Committee was mandated to investigate petitions written against Amaechi and others. Intrigues surrounding Amaechi’s nomination continued as PDP senators staged a walk-out having unsuccessfully tried to convince their APC counterparts to heed the recommendations of the C M Y K

Committee by not confirming Amaechi as minister. With Ameachi confirmed alongside his counterparts, President Muhammadu Buhari assigned portfolios to them and the much anticipated Federal Executive Council (FEC) was inaugurated by the President after about five months into his government.

Inconclusive elections and Audu’s demise As Jega’s tenure as INEC Chairman came to an end, Prof.

Mahmoud Yakubu was appointed to replace him. Before then, Mrs. Amina Zakari had held sway albeit in acting capacity. The PDP, raising the alarm that she was somewhat related to Buhari, had vowed not to participate in any election conducted by her. Yakubu was however appointed barely a month to the Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections. He was thrown into two keenly contested elections which ended inconclusive on first ballot.

In Kogi State, as APC coasted to victory at the November 21 polls, the sad news of the demise of the APC governorship candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu, created a whole new dimension not just to the polls but to constitutional issues with regards to electoral matters.

He was already leading with over 41,353 votes when the election was declared inconclusive

by INEC. The Returning Officer, Prof. Emmanuel Kucha declared the election inconclusive because the margin of votes with which Audu defeated his closest rival, Governor Idris Wada, was less than the 49,953 number of cancelled votes.

The permission to APC by INEC to replace Audu with Alhaji Yahaya Bello (first runnerup at the party’s primary) was greeted with resent and legal objection by Wada and even Audu’s running mate, Hon. James Faleke. Wada disagreed with transfer of votes, while Hon. Faleke believed he was the rightful one to continue with the mandate. By December 5, the supplementary polls in Kogi governorship election was concluded.

On same day however, Bayelsa governorship election was held but it was also declared inconclusive by INEC following the violence that was recorded in Southern Ijaw LGA believed to be a swing local government.

INEC has however fixed January 9 for supplementary polls.

Cancelled governorship polls The election tribunals and Appeal Courts cancelled elections in Akwa Ibom, Taraba, and Rivers states, a situation the PDP claimed was targeted at

Okonji-Iweala/ Oshiomhole faceoff 2015 was also a year former Finance Minister and Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy, Prof. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala will not forget in hurry. After responding to former CBN Governor, Chukwuma Soludo’s criticsm of the Jonathan government in January, Soludo returned fire in a lengthy over-6,000-word article rejecting her claims that he performed poorly as Governor of the Central Bank. Then he accused her of forging national economics statistics during her tenure.

However, it was the tirades from Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole that really put the former minister on the defence. It almost turned out to be a past-time as he regularly reeled out figures in billions of dollars that either disappeared under her or were not properly accounted for, chief of which was his allegation in June, that about $2.1bn had been withdrawn from the $4.1bn left in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) in November 2014 “without authorization.”

The former Minister was also implicated in the Dasukigate over her authorization of withdrawals made from the Abacha loot.

Bank Verification Number (BVN) palaver The news of the October 31, 2015 deadline for the Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrollment exercise was greeted with much controversy from bank customers, particularly those whose accounts where frozen for non-compliance to the BVN directives instituted by the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria’s apex bank, before the deadline.

Reports said no fewer than five million Deposit Money Bank (DMB) customers were unable to withdraw cash and transfer funds through Automated Teller Machines(ATM), internet banking platforms and overthe-counter in the banking halls.

Dangote remains Africa’s richest, one of the most influential in the world The news from Forbes in November that President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, retained his number one spot in 2015, as the richest man in Africa was soul-lifting. He was said to be worth $16.7 billion, beating the number two man, South Africa’s diamond merchant, Nicky Oppenheimer, with over $10 billion.

Oppenheimer was reportedly worth $6.6 billion.

Continues on page 14

14—SATURDAY Vanguard,

JANUARY 2 , 2016

Continues from page 13 Football glory year The failure of the Super Eagles to defend their title which they won in 2013 at the 2015 edition of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) hosted by Equatorial Guinea still lingers in the hearts of most of the nation’s football lovers. Coach Stephen Keshi-led Eagles failed to pick up the precious ticket after a 2-2 draw with South Africa’s Bafana Bafana at the Akwa Ibom International Stadium.

Correspondingly, the former African champions who rose to 5th in April 1994, ended 2015 in lowly 66th on FIFA’s current standings.

However, the women senior national team, Super Falcons and the male U-20 side, Flying Eagles, gave the country a lot to cheer about on the continent, winning their African championships held in Namibia and Senegal, respectively.

However, against all expectations, both sides failed to shine on the world stage. While the Falcons exited the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada in the group stage, the Flying Eagles were knocked out of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand after losing 1-0 to Germany in the round of 16. Both teams went to the World Cup as African champions, but they could not deliver when it mattered the most. The national Under-17 men team, the Golden Eaglets, made history in Chile when they successfully defended the 2013 title they won in UAE, making it a record fifth time they have won the title. The Golden Eaglets produced the best player of the tournament, Kelechi Nwakali, who succeeded Manchester City’s wiz-kid, Kelechi Iheanacho.

The team also made history by producing the second best player in Victor Osimhen, who won the Golden Boot award after scoring 10 goals to set a tournament record for most goals scored by a player in a single event. It was also the first time Nigeria would win the Under-17 world title outside Asia, having previously won in China, Japan, Korea and the UAE. The nation’s national U-23 male team, ‘Dream Team VI’, led by Coach Samson Siasia, overcame all odds to win the CAF AFCON U-23 tournament in Senegal, after starting on a not-too-convincing display, with a shaky 3-2 victory over Mali and a nervy draw with Egypt.

The U-23 Eagles went on to win the competition after a 2-1 victory over Algeria in the final.

Medal hauling at All Africa Games Team Nigeria’s contingent to the 2015 All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville, emerged the second best team behind Egypt, the overall winners at the end of the competition. Team Nigeria, against all expectations, raked in 47 gold, 55 silver and 42 bronze medals to place second after Egypt that had an unassailable lead – 85 gold, 41 silver and 40 bronze medals. Special sports athletes won 12 gold medals, eight from powerlifting and four in paraathletics, while track and field hauled in nine gold, wrestling nine gold while weight-lifting had eight and boxing four. Judo hauled in five gold, while cycling, table tennis and taekwondo had a gold medal each.

Okagbare shines Though the performance of the nation’s athletes at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China, left a lot to be fixed, Nigerian C M Y K

Football glory year

track queen, Blessing Okagbare, found her way into the Guinness Book of Records for her fantastic run in the Diamond League as the only sprinter with the highest appearances in 2015. She beat world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt.

Keshi out, Oliseh in Stephen Keshi was given the marching order for the second time in eight months on July 4, 2015. After about three years in the Super Eagles’ hot seat, the African Nations Cup-winning coach was, again, sacked by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) after he was earlier dismissed and called back in October 2014.

Oliseh signed a five-year deal to replace Keshi on the Eagles’ hot-seat which will see him earn N60m a year, thanks to his high intellectual capacity in coaching and recommendations by FIFA. Chimamanda shines again, Arimah too Award-winning writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is known world-wide for many things, and by her first, an indication of how much she is loved by all like a daughter, sister and friend. Whenever recognition for her exceptional talents pours in, not a few

Nigerians share in her joy. Such was the case in the past year, when she was listed among the ‘100 Most Influential People’ byTime Magazine, ‘100 Dynamic Women’ by Arise Magazine, shortlisted for the International Impac Dublin Award, for her book, Americanah and nominated for the 2015 Forbes Africa Person of the Year Awards. It appears to be the year of the woman as Lesley Nneka Arimah also won the Africa region of the 2015 edition of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize.

Milestones 2015 was also the year some prominent Nigerian passed on, and many marked unique birthdays.

Nollywood star, Muna Obiekwe passed on in Lagos, January 18, of kidney disease at 35. So also was the Emir of Gusau, Alhaji Mohammed Kabir Dan Baba, on March 5, in Abuja after a protracted illness. He was 91. Special Adviser to former President Jonathan, Dr. Oronto Douglas, in Abuja, of cancer-related complications, on April 9, at 49. Hausa griot, Dan Maraya Jos, June 20, in Jos, at 69 after a brief illness. Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, in London, July 28, at 85, after a brief illness.

Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II, on September 5, in Lagos, of undisclosed illness. Celebrated wife of former Premier of old Western

Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief HID Awolowo, September 19, at 99, in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State, after a brief illness.

Boardroom guru, Dr. Gamaliel Onosode, in Lagos, September 29, after a protracted illness, at 82. Former Governor of Bayelsa State, DSP Alamieyeseigha, October 10, in Port Hacourt from complications from a kidneyrelated ailment. He was aged 63.

Former Governor of Kogi State, Abubakar Audu, in Lokoja, November 22, of a heart attack, at 68.

It was also a year of unique birthdays. Perhaps the year of the octogenarians. January 21 was when celebrated media icon, Mr. Peter ‘Pan’ Enahoro turned 80. As with his style, it was low-keyed celebration as a group of friends led by Mr. Ben Asante hosted events to mark the landmark event.

June 13 was the turn of media icon and Publisher of Vanguard Newspaper Mr. Sam Amuka.

Leading media professionals and industry chiefs gathered to celebrate and honour him with a book launch and lecture on the future of journalism held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos, July, 30. The book was titled “Voices from Within: Essays on Nigerian Journalism in Honour of Sam Amuka-Pemu.”

It was the turn of playwright and lawyer, Fred Agbeyegbe who also turned 80, July 22. The special birthday was well celebrated with a carnival tagged “The Theatre Game-Changer Fred Agbeyegbe @ 80 Carnival’’ at the MUSON Centre, Lagos, which featured a conference, presentation of his plays and a host of other activities.

Many distinguished Nigerian were present to celebrate him.

And it was the year music star, 2face Idibia began his life, like the saying goes, turning 40, September 18. A concert tagged ‘Fortyfied’ was held at the Eko Hotel Convention Center, Lagos, September 20. Other music stars and celebrities were present to honour him as he began his life.

The year just just gone by 2015 will be remembered for many reasons, but mostly as the year a sitting president was defeated, especially in an election that is accepted by most as free and fair.

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016—15

OBA LAOYE:

HON (BARR) FEMI KEHINDE

TIMI OF EDE

BY FEMI KEHINDE

T

his is Nigeria Broadcasting Service – (B’olu badan ba’ku ta ni o joye (who is the next king, if Olubadan passes on) ojogede dudu inun takun (he eats an unripe plantain and suffers stomach discomfort) ko so ni gbese ni bi lo si le keji (there is no debtor here, go to the next house) Eko je Ibadan lowo 130 ( Lagos owes Ibadan 130 thousand pounds)” was the famed signature tune of the Nigeria Broadcasting Service, the precursor of today’s Radio Nigeria. It was the drumming creativity in 1956, of the drummer-King, Oba John Adetoyese Laoye 1, Timi of Ede ( December 1946- May 16, 1975).

Radio had been popularised in Western Nigeria by the government of Obafemi Awolowo in 1955, when he brought rediffusion boxes, for the listening pleasure, of the people of the Western Region. The service helped to bring news, commentaries and general entertainment programmes, for a partly sum of 5 shillings at the end of every month, to every subscriber.

Oba Laoye was an expert who could use the talking drum, to communicate with people. He was a dancer, drummer, musicologist, teacher, poet, storyteller, communicator, pianist, Yoruba cultural icon and trained pharmacist. It is doubtful to talk of the talking drum in African culture, without mentioning the name of Timi Adetoyese Laoye, whose dual status as a king and a drummer, brought him instant fame and applause all over the world.

Oba John Adetoyese Laoye was born on the 21st of February 1899, the great-great grandson of Timi Bamigbaye Ajeniju, who was the second Timi to reign in present Ede. Ede is one of the older towns in Yoruba land and traditionally said to have been founded by Timi Agbale around 1500. Agbale was a hunter and a war lord, sent by the Alaafin of Old Oyo empire to establish a settlement, to protect the Oyo caravan routes to Benin and the coast.

Oba Adetoyese was also a descendant of a family of drummers in Ede, from where he inherited and honed his skill in the art of drumming, through his maternal uncle. He was born to Muslim parents - Oyebisi Omolaoye and Madam Moware Odefunke.

Oyebisi was a scion of the Ajeniju royal family and a Togo based prosperous trader. “

FROM TOGO WITH LOVE In Togo, Oyebisi had courted the friendship of Dr Greene, a Christian Baptist Missionary, who later returned with him and his wife to Ede. At birth, their son was named Yusuf Adetoyese Omolaoye but during his baptism, Adetoyese was christened John. Mainly because Doctor Greene, could not pronounce the name Omolaoye C M Y K

The drummer king and dancer

properly, he shortened it to ‘Laoye’ a name which stuck. In 1909, Adetoyese enrolled in All Saints Primary School Oshogbo, and later attended the Baptist Day Primary School, Ogbomosho, from where he proceeded to King’s College, Lagos in 1916. He left school in 1919 and was admitted to the Creek Hospital in Lagos as a dispenser in training and qualified as a chemist and druggist in 1924. He started his career in the Ministry of Health and worked as a Government Pharmacist in many places such as Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Benin City, Warri, Forcados, Akure, Jos and Ibadan between 1924 and 1946.

HIS CORONATION, SACK BY COURT AND FINAL VICTORY On January 24, 1946, the stool of the Timi of Ede became vacant, as a result of the passage of Timi Sanusi Oyebamiji Akangbe. The stool was fiercely contested, by Prince Memudu Lagunju, who had previously contested the stool with Timi Sanusi Akangbe in 1933. Adetoyese and thirty two other contestants vied for the vacant stool for about 11 months, and he was eventually crowned the Timi on the 9th of December 1946. Despite Adetoyese’s victory, his arch rival, Memudu Lagunju, continued the fight for the crown in the courts. Lagunju won at the Lower Court, and Adetoyese was on the 8th of January 1948, asked to abdicate the throne, but later came back to the throne in 1952, when the West African Court of

the substantive Principal, Mr Cross, who also in January 1964, handed over the mantle of leadership to Mr E.O. Dare, who assumed office as the first Nigerian principal. The school produced eminent Nigerians, such as Dr Deji Adeleke, Proprietor of Adeleke University Ede, His Royal Majesty Oba Dokun Abolarin, the Orangun of Oke-Ila, Mudashiru Oyewunmi- a Pharmacist in the United States of America, Barrister Tolu Dare, Professor Kayode Makinde- immediate past Vice Chancellor of Babcock University and Professor Ademola Tayopresent Vice Chancellor of Babcock University.

Appeal (WACA),dismissed Memudu Lagunju’s case and recorded its verdict, in John Adetoyese Laoye’s favour, a verdict, which was later upheld by the Privy Council, England.

EMBRACING EDUCATION AND CHAMPIONING ITS SPREAD With a settled verdict, Adetoyese came back to the throne as the first literate Timi of Ede and immediately began his modernist policies, for the rapid development of Ede. He encouraged the Catholic, the Baptist and the Seventh Day Adventist, to establish institutions in Ede. St. Kizito Minor Seminary and Baptist Teacher Training College, Ede were among the schools established.

The Baptist Teacher Training College was to be later converted to the Federal Polytechnic Ede, courtesy of President Ibrahim Babangida, who decreed it by presidential fiat during a state visit to Oyo State, in honour of the Ede born Mrs. Ramota Adisa, wife of the then governor of Oyo StateGeneral Abdulkareem Adisa. The Camp Young Seminary was established in 1960 and the Seventh Day Adventist Grammar School, Ede came into being and opened on February 29, 1960, with Pastor E.G Ellstron, as principal, pending the arrival of

There were other schools, like Timi Agbale Grammar school, established

by Chief Gabriel Ojo Falegan- an indigene of Ado-Ekiti, who named the school after Timi Agbale Olofaina, Baptist Grammar School Ede, Ede Muslim Grammar School and several others.

In January 24 1946, the stool of the Timi of Ede became vacant,as a result of the passage of Timi Sanusi Oyebamiji Akangbe

HONOURS QUEEN ELIZABETH What may have counted as the most potent educational milestone during Adetoyese’s reign as Timi, was the establishment of the famous Queen’s School, Ede in 1952, in honour of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation as Queen of England with founding teachers as - Mrs E. Hobson, K.S Gordon, Ms I.V Hodgson, Princess Tejumade Aderemi (later known as Mrs Tejumade Alakija) and Adetoyese’s Olori - Ebun Laoye, later joined as a music teacher. It is, however, a sad irony, that due to staff shortages and some other problems, the

Continues on page 16

16—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016

Continues from page 15 school was relocated to Ibadan in December 1967, as Queen’s School, Apata, Ibadan.

It is also on record, that the Erinle Dam a big and expansive project was conceptualised and completed Oba Laoye’s reign. The project started in 1952 and was completed in 1956. The dam still serves the people of Osun State till date. He became a foundation member, of the Western House of Chiefs in 1952 and was also the president of the Nigerian Arts Council, Western Region from 1955-1964.

FIRST AIR FIELD In the early years of Adetoyese as Timi, there was a city airport in IdoOsun-Ede, said to be the first air field in the West African sub-region, commissioned in 1935, by Sir Bernard Bourdillon, the 5th Governor General of Nigeria, to serve the political objectives of the colonial masters, as well as their interest in commerce, trade, economy and bureaucracy. The aerodrome was said to have airlifted Africans, who were conscripted into the British Army, to fight in the Second World War, between 1939 and 1944. It has recently served as a Nigerian Air Force base. The vestiges of the IdoOsun-Ede Airport Terminal, control tower, run-way, loading apron, taxiway, etc, are still visible almost a century after.

YORUBA DRUMS Oba Adetoyese as a cultural icon, drummer, dancer, traditionalist, teacher, and musicologist was highly resourceful, versatile, erudite and prolific. In 1950, he wrote the book “Yoruba Drums”, published in the culture and history journal- “Odu”. In this book, he provided images of the drum families, hand drawn, for illustrations and recounted their names, individually and as groups.

DRUMMING FOR THE QUEEN It is interesting to note, that during the Queen’s visit to Nigeria in 1956, Oba Adetoyese Laoye entertained Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II by demonstrating the richness and elegance of the Yoruba talking drum. In 1962, Timi Laoye travelled to West Germany on a cultural exchange visit during which he opened an exhibition of Yoruba arts including carvings. In the same year, he was also in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), as a participant in the seminar on African culture, where he gave lectures on Yoruba traditional music and was given a loud applause.

THE CULTURAL ICON VISITS BRITAIN, USA In 1965, Adetoyese Laoye also travelled to Great Britain, to attend the Commonwealth Festival of Arts with his cultural troupe and also delivered a paper on Yoruba music.

Adetoyese was not only a drummerking and dancer; he was a teacher in the art and science of drumming.

In the same year, he also travelled to the United States of America on a cultural exchange visit, during which he was commissioned, a Kentucky Colonel, with all the rights and privileges pertaining to it. During this visit, the Western Michigan University, also, conferred on him an Honorary Alumnus of the West Michigan University, Kalamazoo. He had now become Nigeria’s cultural icon and ambassador.

The cultural icon visists britain, USA ASSOCIATION WITH ULLI BEIER Adetoyese, with his dexterity, in exhibiting different acrobatic skills in graceful dances, dedicated to Sango (the god of thunder), became a regular, famous and sought after guest at many functions, including media functions, academic fora locally and internationally. Perhaps, his greatest enhancements, in the academic environment, was his early association with the German Jewish writer and scholar, Professor Ulli Beier, the German Professor of extra-mural studies, at the University of Ibadan, who, he met in 1950. Beier had married the Austrian artist - Susanne Wenger and moved to Nigeria with her in 1950. The Beier’s family later moved to Ede to live with Adetoyese Laoye, before relocating to Ilobu and Oshogbo between 1950 and 1952.

Ulli Beier as a Professor of Arts had a pioneering role in developing literature, drama and poetry in Nigeria. With the active support of Adetoyese Laoye, he co-founded “Mbari Mbayo” Club, with Chinua Achebe, Christopher Okigbo, Wole Soyinka, Duro Ladipo, Kola Ogunmola and many others. Ulli Beier was, in fact, a black man in white skin, who propagated Osun festivals, to international acclaim.

His wife - Susanne Wenger (whom he later divorced) became a chief proponent and devotee of Osun worship and festival. Susanne Wenger was inspired by her relationship with Timi Adetoyese Laoye and the people of Ede. She later settled in Oshogbo, where she lived and contributed immensely, towards the preservation of Osun-Oshogbo festival, until her death in 2009 at the age of 83.

HONOURS In recognition of Adetoyese’s contribution to the society, he was awarded Honorary Doctorate of Law in 1972, by the University of Ife, (now Obafemi Awolowo University), with other recipients like- the late Professor Fela Sowande- a distinguished musicologist, Late Sir Usman Nagogothe then Emir of Katsina, Late Dr Sir Leopold Sedar Senghor- the then President of Senegal, the Late

Professor Oladele Ajose- first Vice Chancellor of the University of Ife and the then Head of State- General Yakubu Gowon.

It is also to his credit that he laid the foundation of a new palace in 1972 which was at a very advanced stage of completion at the time of his death, on the 16th of May 1975. His successor, Timi Tijani Oladokun Oyewusi (Agboran II) completed the project which was formally declared open on the 30th of January, 1978. Oladokun had lived his early life in Ile-Ife, with his maternal Uncle- Shittu Agape, who was Ooni Aderemi’s tailor. He became close to the family of Ooni Aderemi and was treated almost as a member of the family. This early closeness prepared him for royalty. Till date, there is Agbo-Ile-Timi in Ile-Ife. During Oba Laoye’s reign, Ede and its people prospered.

Saka Layonu became the first Ede indigene to become a Minister in 1961, as Minister of Community and Cooperative development. It was during Saka’s period as Minister that he brought Government General Hospital to Ede. The Ladoke Akintola Government, in the Western Region, earmarked 80,000 pounds, for the construction of the hospital. Other political gladiators then were; Idris Adegboyega Oyewale, Chief Sule Akangbe- a Minister of the first republic. Chief Isaac Abiola Adejare and Alimi Oniyere, were members of the House of Representatives in the First Republic. Other distinguished Ede elites, during his time were,- Adetoro Lawal, Ayoola Adeleke,- who later became a Second Republic Senator and father of the First Executive Governor of Osun State- Senator Isiaka Adelekeand now Senator representing Osun West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Chief Aliu Alape, Barrister Omotosho, Barrister Adejare, S.O.B Babalola-son of Raji Babalola, Adebayo Ayoku of Face to Face Pools, Wahab Ayanfe of Lever brothers, Fatai Lagunju- alias Fatai Rolling Dollars, and Adetoyese’s son- Colonel David

Adetoyese will forever be remembered as a great exponent of our cultural glory and revival”.

Alhaji Maitama Sule- the then chairman of National Council of Arts and Culture described Adetoyese Laoye as “the king who made music

Bankole Laoye (retired)- who in 1975, was Acting Governor of Western States, when the incumbent Governor, David Jemibewon, was on vacation.

During Col. Laoye’s short period as acting governor, he approved Plate No. OY-B for Ede. There were also Brigadier Larinde Laoye (retired), Prince Lere Laoye, Prince Dayo Laoye, Alhaji Yisa Yagboyaju, Amusa Lawal, Agboola Ewegbemi, etc.

John Adetoyese Laoye, after a distinguished stewardship of 30 years, to the Ede community and to the Yoruba nation in general, passed away on the 16th of May, 1975 and was buried in his Palace amidst pomp and pageantry on the 1st of June 1975.

He was described upon his passage by the then Nigerian Head of State-General Yakubu Gowon as “torch bearer of Nigerian cultural heritage, one of the nation’s greatest patriots of our arts and culture” and Brigadier Oluwole Rotimi- the then Military Governor of Western states, in his eulogy said, “Adetoyese will forever be remembered as a great exponent of our cultural glory and revival”.

Alhaji Maitama Sule- the then chairman of National Council of Arts and Culture described Adetoyese Laoye as “the king who made music”.

It is now a clarion call on the current 16th Timi of Ede- Oba Muniru Adesola Lawal Laminisa I and other Ede indigenes and Yorubas in general, to continually celebrate the cause, ideas and ideals, for which Timi Laoye lived his worthy life, for purposes of reawakening Yorubas cultural identity, its folklores, music, dances, traditions, norms and mores.

Hon (Barr) Femi Kehinde Former Member, House of Representatives National Assembly Abuja, Representing Ayedire/Iwo/OlaOluwa Federal Constituency of Osun State, (1999-2003) & Principal Partner Femi Kehinde& Co (Solicitors) 84, Iwo Road, Ibadan

SATURDAY

Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016—17

Enugu in 2015: Splashes that changed the political tide

BY FRANCIS IGATA

2

015 in Enugu State could best be described as one,where men of goodwill converged for the enthronement of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who political pundits allude to as, the most popular politician judging from the blistering campaign mounted by all shades of organsiations,groups and individuals in the days leading to the general elections.

Jan-april(campiagns/the lion takes over lion building) Governor Ugwuanyi’s emergence as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP,which was a product of his overwhelming acceptance among power brokers from Enugu-North senatorial district where the party zoned its ticket to,triggered an unprecedented campaign in the build- up to the general election held April 11,2015 Although some who sought the party’s ticket with Ugwuanyi quickly ran to the courts to seek judicial therapy to snatch the ticket,the political firmament in the state brimmed with tension in days leading to the general elections. The electorate who were endeared to Ugwuanyi winced at every adjourned date while the litigation lasted. At last,none of the illconceived legal fireworks barred Ugwuanyi from contesting the election which he won landslide to assume office at the Lion Building(Enugu seat of power),as governor of Enugu State,on May 29,2015 Saturday Vanguard checks revealed that the governor weathered the storm devoid of any hair off his skin following his resounding repository of experience garnered during numerous battles at various political front-lines.

May(enugu house’s bid to impeach chime) The Enugu State House of Assembly had at the twilight of its tenure last May,initiated moves to impeach ex-governor Sullivan Chime over alleged misappropriation of the 2012 supplementary budget and gross official misconduct. Although the impeachment was dead on arrival because the move was coming barely two weeks to end of the administration,Chime flew a kite, purporting to have, with the aid of the factionalized members of the House, impeached Eugene Odoh,as Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly. The faction loyal to Chime trumped up Hon. Chinedu Nwamba, representing Nsukka-East constituency as the new speaker.

However,Saturday Vanguard’s checks at the Enugu House of Assembly gallery where pictures of past Speakers of the House hung,showed that Nwamba’s picture is conspicuously missing,an indication that he was merely a wiling tool in the transient political warfare that haemorrhaged the state. While the stand-off between Odo and Chime lasted,Nwamba had all the paraphernalia of a speaker at his disposal.

May 29(first female dep gov emerges) Widow to late Chief Malachy Ezeilo,Cecilia emerged the first C M Y K

•Governor Ugwuanyi with deputy governor, Cecilia Ezeilo in prayers Change,PDC, loss at the Appeal female deputy governor in the Court which validated the victory of annals of Enugu State. Her Gil Nnaji of the Peoples Democratic emergence since the creation of the Party,PDP, for Enugu-East state in 1991, repositioned women senatorial district for enviable positions in sent shocking chills down the governance. spines of most political observers Saturday Vanguard and supporters. investigations revealed that women A deafening silence enveloped in Enugu State have picked up the the Coal City State as Justice A.H. gauntlet to compete favorably with Yahaya led other three justices in a their male folk in all areas of unanimous judgment to set aside human endeavors as a result of the the verdict of the lower court. renewed impetus emanating from The National Assembly Election her position as deputy governor.

Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu had canceled the March 28,2015 June(fiery lawyer drags ex-gov national assembly election that chime to efcc) produced Nnaji and ordered a Enugu-Based Lawyer and former fresh election over alleged wide National Auditor,PDP,Ray Nnaji’s spread irregularities. But Nnaji petition to the Economic Financial appealed the Tribunal judgment Crime Commission,EFCC,alleging and had his victory validated. widespread misappropriation of public funds,alteration of the 2012 DECEMBER – Chicken supplementary budget, Impeachment parcellation of land at the An Enugu State High Court abandoned Enugu International presided over by Justice R. O. Conference Centre,ICC,to friends Odugu,nullified the purported and cronies,gross official impeachment of the former Deputy misconduct among others elicited Governor of Enugu State, Mr. jubilation among the people with a Sunday Onyebuchi and ordered hope that the judiciary will tighten the noose on Chime for the peoples the restoration of all his rights and benefits from the time of his patrimony to be returned. removal up to the period his tenure The matter comes up January elapsed. The court quashed what 16,2016 was popularly dubbed, “Enugu Chicken Impeachment” that June(ekweremadu emerges generated public outrage last year. deputy senate president) Onyebuchi was impeached on Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s August 26, last year by the retention of his seat as the Deputy immediate past State House of Senate President of the 8th Senate Assembly following the having served in the same capacity recommendation of the seven-man in the 7th senate,defied all known impeachment panel set up by the political permutations in an All state Chief Judge, Justice Innocent Progressives Umezulike, which investigated Congress,APC,controlled senate. allegations of gross misconduct Ekweremadu’s retention of the leveled against him by then seat sent hilarious waves down the Governor Sullivan Chime. spins of most Enugu people.

His impeachment from office led Saturday Vanguard’s investigation to the appointment of Mr. Ifeanyi showed that his election opened Nwoye, who served as deputy the political space for politicians in governor from August last year to Enugu State who could have May 29, this year. encumbered the state government The former Deputy Governor had for the usual peaks and perquisites approached the court to challenge to ventilate their scheming prowess his impeachment from office based in the senate corridors especially on allegation of gross misconduct, now state governments are urging the court to restore him to gnashing their teeth over the office as well as order payment of meager resources from the Federal his benefit if the matter was not Government. concluded before the end of his tenure in office.

November(ex-gov chimaroke Justice Odugu therefore declared loses senate bid) the state assembly violated their Former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani of the Peoples Democratic constitutional duties by embarking

on the removal or impeachment of the deputy governor when there was no basis for it, saying the purported nomination of Rev. Nwoye to replace Onyebuchi was illegal and unconstitutional.

Setting aside the notice of impeachment and nomination of Nwoye, Justice Odugu ordered the reinstatement to office of the Sunday Onyebuchi from 27th August, 2014 to May 28, 2015.

December (ugwuanyi presents n85.1b budget prpoposal) Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State presented a budget proposal of N85.1 billion for the 2016 fiscal year before the Enugu State House of Assembly with a vow to tackle unemployment through aggressive investment in the Agricultural sector.

Tagged,”Budget of Stability and Consolidation” Ugwuanyi had while presenting the budget, elucidated the achievements of his administration in the past six months in the area of roads reconstruction to include;Construction of AbakpaNike Road and Nike Lake Road in Enugu East Local Government Area, Dualisation of Opi – Nsukka Road in Nsukka Local Government Area, Ø Construction of Amankwo – Amaeke – Amah Brewery Junction By-Pass Road in Udi Local Government Area,Construction of 9th Mile By-Pass Road,Construction of OhomOrba Junction – ImilikeAni – EzimoUnu – EzimoAgu – ImilikeAgu – Ogbodu Aba – ObolloEtiti – Amalla – ObolloAfor Road (Udenu Ring Road) in Udenu Local government Area, Construction of Enugu Road (Nsukka) Junction – Umuezeobi – Nru Junction – University Gate in Nsukka Local government Area,Construction of Post Office Roundabout – Odenigbo Roundabout – Ogurugu Road – Ikenga Hotels Junction in Nsukka Local government area,Construction of Obechara Road Junction – Umuakashi – Mechanic Village – Ikenga Hotels Junction Road in Nsukka Local Government Area,assuring that government has recommitted to employment generation, enhanced social services and good governance, rural development and indeed, security and justice as evidenced in the 2016 budget.

Hear the amiable Governor,”the main thrust of the 2016 budget is in line with my pledge in my inaugural speech on 29th May this year where I recommitted myself to employment generation, enhanced social services and good governance, rural development and indeed, security and justice.

“We will deploy government services to create fair and equal opportunity for every willing citizen to make a living and create wealth, educate our children, and enjoy life in a peaceful and secure environment. We will drive with full force, the investment promotion, agricultural sector renewal, provision of critical infrastructure, human capital development and skill acquisition.”

December(payment of dec salaries before xmas) A leading socio-political pressure group,Anyi Ejebe Nsukka Campaign Volunteers,AENV,eulogized Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State over the payment of December salaries to workers in the state before Christmas, not minding the harsh economic fortunes in the country occasioned

by Crude Oil glut in the global market.

18—SA TURD AY 18—SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016

If you go to Bama today, you’ll think that you’re in Saudi Arabia, Algeria orTunisia Lai Muhammed on the efforts of the Buhari govt on security and the economy

•Alhaji Lai Muhammed

BY ISHOLA BALOGUN

T

he Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed is going round the newsrooms to interact with the media. On Tuesday, he was our guest at Canal Road, Apapa, Lagos where he spoke extensively on a number of issues. Excerps: The President’s deadline to the Military on Boko Haram This has been largely misunderstood by the people. I think that we have met the deadline. This is because the understanding of our December deadline was that by the end of December 31, we would have reclaimed from Boko Haram the areas that were in their control, and we would have decimated their capacities and that they will not have a unified force. I want to say that, to a large extent, we have met that deadline. I have also said that meeting the deadline will not be the same as that there will no longer be any attack on the soft targets, or it will mean the end of suicide bombing or any surprise attack from the insurgents. The nature of insurgency, the world over is that it is not a conventional war. It is an asymmetrical war in which there are no rules of engagement. But we will continue to mop-up and increase our surveillance and intelligence gathering, so also with the attack on soft targets. There is no where in the world where anyone can secure soft targets like markets, mosques, churches, cinema houses, restaurants. Again, what is

C M Y K

missing in this fight is civilian complements. For a very long time, many of us saw Boko Haram as an alien war. For some people, it was a war that concerned only the Northern part of the country and to others, it was a war between the military and the insurgents. We have never treated it the same way we treated the civil war. As a child in those days, we were thought how to detect saboteurs, how we should not lurk around after darkness, we came to know about the curfew among other things.

Then, every Nigerian had a role to play. For us as kids, it was a war that must be won by Nigeria.

Contrastingly, for more than five years, the Boko Haram was politicised to the extent that whether it was APC or PDP, we saw it more as the race for 2015 and because of that we never saw it as a war that concerned all of us.

We as civilians must own it now.

We have started the security awareness campaign. We also need a lot of de-radicalisation.

Islam which has been used as a vehicle to perpetrate this evil has been bastardized. Islam does not stand for violence. Anybody who reads the Holy Quran knows that if you kill one person unjustly, it is as though you have killed a whole nation. Again, nobody will get away with unjust killing in Islam.

Unfortunately, what has been lacking is that there is no counter narrative. We have allowed the radical ones to have the upper hand. We have not even sufficiently protected the moderate clerics. At the beginning of the Boko Haram, there were attempts

by the moderate clerics to actually tell people that it was not about Islam, but again, a couple of them were assassinated. They were not protected and others just went underground. Unfortunately, many of the young boys and girls being used do not know what they are fighting for. Many of them used for suicide bombing did not know they were carrying bombs. They would simply tell them to go and deliver a parcel which is usually detonated remotely far away from where they are. The modus operandi is that they are always three in number. There is the guard who will take the innocent boy or girl through the route and will tell him or her: ‘tomorrow you are going to this market’ they will take him or her through that road, two or three times in order to be familiar with the route. The guard will be in front, he will follow and there is a third person behind who makes sure the bomber does not develop a cold feet. This is the kind of thing we are trying to highlight in our awareness campaign. The truth is that the army has met the deadline. Yes, there were some deadly attacks in Borno a few days ago, and in line with our warnings, the insurgents will spike up their attacks on soft targets just to prove a point that they are still relevant or that the Nigeria Military has not met the deadline. We have met the deadline because they are so decimated that they can not, as a force, attack a village or a town and sack the whole place like they did before. What we cannot rule out now are some of these attacks on soft targets. . I was in Bama, Kauri, Konduga some weeks ago, and I can tell you that the entire 89 kilometers between Maiduguri and Bama is secured. Before now, Boko Haram controlled 20 out of 27 local governments in Borno

Unfortunately, many of the young boys and girls being used do not know what they are fighting for.

Many of them used for suicide bombing did not know they were carrying bombs

State, six local governments in Yobe and four in Adamawa. Today, I believe they are lurking in just one or two local governments which border around Sambisa. So, the army has really met the deadline.

For anybody who understands Sambisa Forest, it is not a football field. It has a stretch of over 300 kilometers of road from Gombe through Bauchi, Adamawa, Taraba up to Cameroun Republic. It is not a district, that is why it is a bit difficult to completely take over Sambisa forest. Even when we were there we saw them still bombarding the place.

We believe the Chibok girls are still there. We can’t take the approach some of our neighbours are taking because, the collateral damage could be more. One of our neighbours has started setting fire along that area but if we do that, the collateral damage will be more than what we want to achieve. These are some of the constrains the Military is facing.

But apart from that, we must start thinking about reconstruction, rehabilitation and settlement of the people. In Bama, there were about 6000 houses, but none is standing today. That means we need a lot of resources to plough in the area. If you go to Bama today, you will not believe you are in Nigeria. Every signboard and notice is in Arabic, you will think you are in Saudi Arabia, Algeria or Tunisia. There is no single notice in English left.

There, we have Morrocans, Tunisians, Malians living there and they turned that place into an Arabic town. That convinces me more that this is not just a local war. Just some months ago, Boko Haram was using Bama as headquarters of their caliphate, appointing emirs from there, and collecting taxes. They had their own government. It is from this perspective I want you to appreciate

Continues on page 19

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016—19

statistics of what they say we consume daily. If we had not been working round the clock, it would have been worse than this.

Continues from page 18 what this government has achieved.

What do you think of the position of Femi Fani Kayode and Aribisala who have taken you on, alleging that you have misled this government?

I read them, they are shallow.

Whatever they are saying, is from their arm-chairs. I have been to Bama, Kauri, Konduga, I have held meetings with the chief of Defence staff, I have held meetings with the commander of war front. With all sense of modesty, I am better equipped to understand Boko Haram than they are. Now, how have I misled the country? I have said that the Army has largely met the deadline. And I talk with facts and figures. I said, this time last year, 20 out of 27 local governments were in the hands of Boko Haram and today as we are speaking only one or two are in their control; and you say I am misleading the country.

I asked the question when we got to Bama that when was this place liberated and they told me only four months ago. The world is watching what is happening. If I said this has happened, the US and others have their own teams. Whatever that is happening today, is not only being covered by Nigerian media, other world bodies are also there. It is not true that only a few local governments were left when Jonathan handed over government.

Bama itself was still in the hands of Boko Haram.

I am not here to say this is what Jonathan did wrong, we have passed that stage. Everything I have said on Boko Haram is either what I have seen first hand, what I have been briefed by the Military or what is actually going on. They can sit in Lagos or Abuja and write their columns.

The government is planning to pay N5000 to poor and vulnerable Nigerians as indicated in the budget presentation, how do you intend to sustain this unproductive programme?

What we want to achieve by our social intervention is to move out millions of Nigerians from poverty.

Part of what we intend to do with the half a trillion naira is to train market women, artisans and unemployed graduates in the art of management and also give them loans to start their own businesses.

Part of our social intervention also includes this conditional transfer of N5,000 to the most vulnerable people. And we are being partnered in this by the World Bank and other multilateral organisations. It has been done in many countries before and we believe that it can be done here. Many people have written ridiculously about the N5,000 and claimed that it is not up to what they spend on recharge cards. And we said yes, those who are writing such things are not the average Nigerians we are seeking to help.

If you look at the lady who is selling water melon or pawpaw, she does not have up to N5,000 capital.

People don’t know that N5,000 can be meaningful for many Nigerians because they are too comfortable in their corners. They do not know that N5,000 can make the difference between life and death for 50 million Nigerians. Many people have died because they could not afford transportation to the health centres.

We are grappling with the reality on ground and we know that this conditional cash transfer is working in some states and it is being piloted

by DIFID. In Jigawa, Yobe, and Kano, a British group is trying the conditional N5,000 transfer on a pilot scheme. When we say conditional transfer, it means that you must show evidence that you have enrolled your children in school and immunised them. It is not just that we are giving C M Y K

This is a non-oil budget and you have said there is going to be a lot of borrowing, what is the implication of that for inflation?

There is no implication for inflation whatsoever. During planning, many options were examined, we invited experts to air their views. But essentially about N90billion will be sourced locally through bonds while the other will come from international bodies. Our budget has encouraged most of international bodies for the fact that we are not borrowing for recurrent but mostly for capital expenditure.

N90billion will be sour ced sourced locally thr ough bonds through while the other will come fr om int ernational bodies from international

I am not here to say this is what Jonathan did wrong, we have passed that stage.

Everything I have said on Boko Haram is either what I have seen first hand, what I have been briefed by the Military or what is actually going on

you money free, you must also show evidence that you have complied with some obligations.

We know it works because it has increased school enrollment, led to a drop in mortality rate and decline in stunted growth.

As to where we want to get the money from, I was involved in the planning of the budget and we came to the conclusion that apart from blockages and savings, there are many government institutions today, who ought to be returning certain money to the treasury but they are not doing so. We know that some organisations made over N20 billion profit last year but returned less than N100 million to the treasury.

This is why the idea of the Treasury Single Account is so important to us. We are going back to the basics. We believe that the money for this project will come from savings, budget and prudent management. Also, we are going to have support from multilateral organisations, especially in the area of cash transfer. Again some of these projects are not just recurrent, they are also capital in a way. You can imagine what is going to happen if we start by just giving one egg a day to every primary school student. You need an extra one million eggs a day. That will boost poultry farming. But we are not too ambitious in our plans but we are very focused.

There is a report that Chibok local government is still under the control of the insurgents, why didn’t you go to Chibok?

No, it is not true. There is a lot of ignorance about Chibok. If you are talking about Chibok town or local government, it is not under the control of the insurgents.

The feeling by some people is

that this government has not done enough since it assumed power, how will you react to this?

With all sense of modesty, if we have not been doing something today, this country would have gone down. There is no way you meet the kind of rot we met and think you can turn things around overnight.

We had petrol shortage a few weeks ago, we went to National Assembly to ask for supplementary budget of N674billion. N522billion out of it was for back payment of subsidy.

Marketers stopped importing fuel since September because they said we were owing a backlog of N522billion and they would not bring fuel. We did not say we are not going to pay, and the refineries are not working. We have 445,000 barrel of crude dedicated to local refineries but we could not refine 1000. I say if we have not been doing anything, there would be no single fuel in Nigeria today. What did we do?

Before, the marketers used to import about 70 percent of the refined product, today we have 5,120kilometers of pipelines, we have 24 depots and 21 pump stations. With these alone, the amount of refined product in the country should not create scarcity.

But because the pipelines have been vandalised, the Atlas CoveMosinmi pipeline which is responsible for depots in Satellite Mosinmi, Ibadan, Ore and Ilorin have been vandalised. So the trucks which ought to stay in those areas are here in Apapa. Now, we have worked assiduously with Army Corps of Engineers to secure that line and that is why we have some improvement.

Again, it is bad time for us because it is winter period and most refineries in Europe are not refining PMS, they are refining FPFO even with the unreliable

What are the challenges this government is facing in the area of security, power generation and socioeconomic development?

On the economy, yes we have challenges and it is a worldwide thing. There is global decline in the cost of commodity and as long as you rely on one product, there will be problem. When you have a monoeconomy like ours and you do not add value to it, when there is volatility like it happened, you are going to suffer.

That is the bane of our problem today.

While we use $53 as a benchmark for 2015 budget, we used $63 for 2014 and sold at $114 for part of the year.

Today, we are using $38 as benchmark and we will be lucky if we can have it between $40 - $45 for the next two years. What that means is that if you are making $100 and hour before, now you are making $38 and cost of production remains the same, that remains a challenge to us. So, our economy is one we have not diversified; we have suffered from the crash in crude prices; thirdly,our buyers have now become our competitors. US can now sell its oil, Iran has now been re-admitted and we have to diversify which is what the budget seeks to do - focus on infrastructure, stimulate the economy and encourage diversification.

I have spent time to explain the challenges on security. It is also a global thing. Insecurity and terrorism are not local. But what the government had done was to relocate the command and control to Maiduguri, there were regional meetings and of course we have really improved on the morale of the Army.

What have we gained from these regional meetings in terms of hardware, intelligence gathering?

We have gained a lot. For the visits, Buhari is held in high regards today.

This has translated to the way Nigeria is being held in the comity of nations.

We have not been getting any support from any country. We were reduced to buying arms from roads in South Africa and others. Some of these achievements are so subtle but we would not have been where we are today. So, in concrete terms, those visits have really paid off. If we had remained a pariah nation, it would have degenerated more than where we are today.

Have we deregulated, have we removed subsidy and what is the basis of saying fuel will sell at N86 per liter?

NNPC is exchanging the 445,000 barrels of crude meant for local consumption for refined products at no fuel exchange cost. But whether we have removed subsidy or not is a tricky question. Tricky in the sense that with the price of crude today, there is no subsidy element at all.

Actually, the landing cost even by PPRA template is N81. So, with all the bridging cost, Petroleum Equalisation Fund and others, we can still afford to sell petroleum at N87 or less. That is what informed the Minister to say by January, he would have cleaned up the template further and sell fuel at N85 or N86.

20—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016

President Jonathan at the door step of shame?

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enevolent spirits may have cracked his palm kernels but President Jonathan must have nudged them, by being effortlessly self effacing and disarmingly unambitious.

The mien and disposition of a lamb amongst wolves alone may leave one with the inconsequentiality, the inconspicuousness, needed to progress untracked by envy but in Nigeria where the humble and hesitant are choked out by the nakedness of ambition and its riotousness , Jonathan was particularly fortunate . Some say he is a Shagari with a Phd, without the arrogance southerners say they sniff in northern public officers. His village boy humility is made legendary by the ubiquity of insufferable political peacocks , those whose pomposity cannot be gathered together, cannot be explained, who had more wretched beginnings. It is a miracle he remained largely himself . Fate’s catapult and the dizzying trajectory it subjected him to could have left many a head swollen or bust.

Too laid back for controversies , too diffident to restrain aides from picking fights for him, gentle Jonathan lacked spine, lacked the firmness to herd even a flock of sheep. Easy going but often lacking in social ease, tolerant Jonathan always left a bit of awkwardness on everything, including speeches and gesticulations. He will gather the poor to tell them how he created many “nyoung , nyoung” billionaires. Gaucheness. Many who think his regime was corrupt do not consider him, personally corrupt. Or that corrupt. He is not given to avarice and not to an inflated sense of self importance that have left many with the delusion that they are gods . A delusion which necessitates great accumulations to service omnipotence, without which gods are nothing .

Many think not being exceptionally corrupt is a good score here. If he has any confessions to make it must include that he allowed certain ugly things happen because of the complexity of the situation he found himself. A complexity too arduous for his simplicity. A tradition of indiscretions, if you like euphemisms, that services vested interests and ‘national unity’ to the detriment of the poor majority. But while Jonathan may have been a genial president many considered him manifestly incompetent, too incompetent to be effectively caring. A sheep called upon to rule the wild , to restore order to chaos. That leadership deficit in an honest , C M Y K

unpretentious man was read by the public as cluelessness.

What he lacked in political stature and insight he made up for with his notion of collective leadership. A certain lack of confidence that invites too many hands to help with the broth. Too many people had to be trusted and loyalties , in the absence of any real political clout, had to be hired or bought. Excesses proliferated , too many hands come with too many crooked minds, poor man. Poor country !

He may have hated corruption but he lacked the moral muscle to uproot anything entrenched let alone that Iroko.

When the speculations became rife that the elections would not hold because the incumbency couldn’t sniff victory, many doubted that Jonathan’s ambition had the requisite inordinateness and vulgarity to trample on the people and the constitution. In any case none believed Jonathan had the stomach for the trouble that would precipitate. When he conceded and reclaimed some moral high ground , he showed that in the end , despite all , he remained essentially peace craving. A retirement into quiet statesmanship must be the priority of the one who still thinks nothing of either himself or the heights he attained. So when it mattered most , Jonathan listened to himself. Jonathan lacked the rebelliousness to be very useful or to do significant evil.

But Jonathan ought to be a troubled man now. He knows the pedigree of his successor and warned about selectivity of probes. Jonathan’s notion of objectivity is the extension of probes , if probes are considered imperative, to activities and administrations he had closed his eyes to . That hint is technically a guilty plea. Jonathan sought to suggest that financial atrocities are too commonplace in our political culture. Handpicking a

few skeletons from the nearest cupboards would cast the wrong picture , would make the mundane scandalous. The system we run , he meant without saying, is too dirty for such open probes. “All past governments, are all guilty” must be the right reading of Jonathan.

The investigations have started and the steady stream of filth has become an unending spectacle .

Jonathan’s response has been anything but comprehensible.

Jonathan may not have committed gross human rights atrocities but the weight of egregious financial evils being levied against his close aides, if proven, would squash Jonathan’s reputation irredeemably . Armed robbers must feel some righteousness when they read allegations of suitcases of dollars being carted from the vaults of central bank to the private homes of individuals by the authority of a few words on a single piece of paper. And someone in the middle of that abomination found the moral scruple to leave a reminder about the need for accountability. God have mercy. The sort of hypocrisy our technocrats, with names too big for their characters wear as cloaks, to pretend to cleanliness after a mud bath in public treasury is breath-taking. Why these saints never resign in moral disgust is baffling.

Everyone whose name is mentioned becomes sick. And Jonathan on whose table the buck stopped and whom some of the officials have fingered as the final approving authority has remained in health and with a seemingly unperturbed conscience. Jonathan is innocent . The idea that he was ignorant of the atrocities these allegations point to would make him such an irresponsible leader. We know that when he found his voice against corruption he mewed, didn’t bark. He couldn’t roar. But the sort of irresponsibility in question here is ‘criminal’

Too laid back for controversies , too diffident to restrain aides from picking fights for him, gentle Jonathan lacked spine, lacked the firmness to herd even a flock of sheep

But while Jonathan may have been a genial president many considered him manifestly incompetent, too incompetent to be effectively caring

because of the scale and severity of its consequences, because it destroyed so many lives.

Jonathan is yet innocent but he must discard “It wasn’t me” and embrace “I take responsibility” .

There is a reason why men like to die with some dignity, why strong leaders die for their men.

The investigators are digging deeper and the ramifications are widening . Soon anyone and everyone who had deep contact with that government will have a niche in the hall of shame.

Jonathan should step up and step into the mess .

But it is easy to see that if the probes continue all that will be remembered of him will be widespread filth and deep seated rot . Since at some point that veil of apparent immunity through which he peeps at the travails of his aides may be torn in anger or frustration by the government or lifted by some of his aides moved by vengeance or contrition, Jonathan must make that move now. This informal immunity, which he appears to possess, may be short-lived There is , however, a sense in which most of the allegations levied against his men despite their gravity are unexceptional.

And because they are essentially cultural, personal moral burdens are unlikely to be as heavy as they should be. The procedures that have been disregarded , the quality and quantity of embezzlement that have been reported, may have happened with all past governments to varying degrees. Now , that is neither an excuse nor a justification for looting of the national treasury. No one can insist on our apprehending all thieves before prosecuting nabbed ones. It’s a bad legal and moral argument. But when those being prosecuted feel no shame but blame their luck; attribute their ordeal to malice or misfortune, because they were singled out and others left, then justice is not well served. The fact that corruption has been banal and impunity entrenched takes away some exceptionality from these cases and generalizes the evil in a way that doesn’t mark the alleged offenders as demons.

So Jonathan has some room.

Many say Jonathan’s concession was messianic.

Buhari has repeated that

Jonathan could have dug in and thrown the country into chaos. I don’t believe that if you refrain from being stupid then you are automatically a hero. But since Jonathan resisted that which has eclipsed millions of African lives we can let his supporters exaggerate his heroism. This messiah then has some political credit to expend. He should take general responsibility.

The PDP has suggested a truth commission. That is an implied admission of guilt because it is another “all have sinned” confession. However, since most of the identified suspects belong to that party, the party has no moral ground to suggest a deviation from standard criminal justice protocol without appearing self serving. But Jonathan can. If Jonathan steps forward and accepts responsibility for the sins of his aides the legal equations may remain unchanged but moral burdens will shift significantly.

And since the atrocities are so widespread and since perhaps thousands of people are involved and since the criminal justice system cannot cope with such a weight, a truth commission will be a good option. If Jonathan sets the ball rolling , his beleaguered aides will find the respite needed for sober reflection, contrition and restitution The truth commission would entail confessions of guilt and total restitution. Where stolen monies cannot be restituted , affected persons must be stripped bare of all assets and barred from holding public offices and participation in all political processes. The truth commission may reduce retribution by deemphasizing custodial penalties but cannot compromise deterrence. Those who fail either to confess all material infractions or fail to declare assets correctly will face criminal prosecutions and stiff custodial penalties on conviction. If the truth commission is not to be a jamboree, a lee way for thieves to evade the law , then refusal to confess and attempts to obstruct or circumvent the justice of the truth commission should attract life terms. A truth commission will relieve the over burdened criminal justice system without making light the gravity of atrocities committed.

A truth commission will nudge even those who aren’t being investigated to come forward, confess and restitute. Much more will be recovered than with regular prosecutions because our criminal justice processes are vulnerable, can be undermined by ‘big money’. Recoveries are easier when restitution is, in part, voluntary. The truth commission will enhance objectivity and impartiality and will erase significantly negative notions of selectivity and witch hunting. If criminal justice aims at rehabilitation of offenders then a truth commission is the best facility to handle any such widespread evil. Offenders will be barred from holding political offices, will be stripped of all assets, so truth commission isn’t totally lacking in retribution.

To provoke confessions, whistle blowing should attract some y incentives. 10% of recovered sums as rewards will trigger massive “wikkileaking”.

The benevolent spirits may yet intervene again, but Jonathan, this time, may have to invite them. An apology would be a good starting point.

SATURDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, JANUARY 2, 2016—21

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can’t claim to know the late Torch Taire very well. But he was very close to my Oga, Mr Sam Amuka in many ways including proximity. They lived within a walking distance of each other, and they were, like the cliché, of identical plumage and therefore tended to flock together. My knowledge of him is therefore, largely vicarious since I visit Uncle Sam’s place fairly often. Anybody who knows Uncle Sam knows he is a completely detribalised person. So was Torch Taire. In fact, it was said at a time that his closest friend was the late Pius Okigbo, the poet. Uncle Torch as I called him, had an intellectual bent and my few conversations with him were on my articles and the state of the Nation.

In one of the tributes to him, a reference was made which reflected his character of not being afraid to go against the grain if it was his conviction. The point which was attributed to him in the tribute is relevant to my article today.

He had, according to the tribute, attended the book launch of Joe Igbokwe. As to be expected, the hall was largely populated by Ndigbo.

One after the other, the speakers and launchers spoke about the marginalisation of Ndigbo and how they had not been integrated into mainstream Nigeria since the war.

When Mr Taire was called out to speak, it was alleged that he said he found that line of thinking strange because less than ten years after the war ended, and in the very first democratic dispensation, the South-East which was supposed to have lost the war, had the Vice President, the Senate President and the Speaker; that is numbers two, three and four top positions in any democratic setting were cornered by the South-East while his region, the Mid-West, which bore the brunt of the war and which it was supposed to have jointly won, was left in the lurch. So palpable was the silence

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The marginalisation debate that followed that you could, it was said, have heard a pin drop.

This line of thinking still persists and like Uncle Torch, I find it strange. Less than a year ago, the South-East relinquished its hold on the country and its economy which it had run for the better part of eight years. And I mean ‘run’ in every sense of the word because they sometimes did it in an ‘in your face’ manner. Most of the key and strategic departments were at one time or the other controlled by them.

The South-West which was supposed

these feats as much to their sense of industry as to the friendliness and accommodation of their host communities.

Ndigbo boast that their people are in every nook and corner of the country. It is true. It is also true that they do as well if not better than some of the natives in those communities. That does not sound like marginalisation to me. Yet the song goes on jarring the ears of the rest of us.

This refrain came up again two weeks ago when eminent Igbo leaders gathered in Lagos—where else—to collectively declare that the Igbos are being marginalised and they find it totally to be part of the unacceptable. Some of mainstream that ‘won’ the those leaders I know from war and therefore didn’t afar; a few I am on talking need ‘integration’ could terms with; many of them I hardly get a look in. Yet we I expect our elders respect. Almost all of them did not have this level of made their fame and marginalisation tension, who know when the fortune outside Igboland. this siege mentality in the rain started beating Isn’t it time for them to country. And the last time think of integration? The I checked, Ndigbo us to put an end to call two weeks ago was one dominated the retail ethnic posturing of the calls that exacerbate economy in over threethe fault lines in the quarters of the country and strive to build a countr y. For genuine including my native State one Nigeria progress to be made, we of Ekiti and my adopted need elders who will make State of Osun. They also control the an office holder accountable to his oath real estate in major cities in the of office irrespective of where he country like Lagos, Abuja and Port comes from. Nigeria should be his Harcourt. So where is the constituency and not his home state marginalisation? They also more than or home town. We need elders who will hold their own in Industry, Education make President Buhari and his and the other professions. Yet all we economic team sit up and fulfil their hear these days is that they are being electoral promises to the rank and file grossly marginalised. It should be not those who will be looking for pointed out that they owe much of

wo days ago, 2015 breathed its last and yielded its place to 2016. Definitely, many people have made or are making New Year resolutions. This is good, especially if the resolutions are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time defined). They should also flow from your personal mission and vision.

But while making our New Year resolutions, how about looking back and counting our blessings, especially in the last one year? To start with we are alive and that is a miracle. We are no better or holier than those who are dead; it is the grace of God that has kept us so far, especially in an age when death is never far away. Between God. If you have a family of six and Christmas day and today, many lost one member during the year, have died, including my former thank God, it could have been worse. colleague, Gideon Epidi.

There was an Iranian who lost his wife Many of us take being alive for and eight children in an air crash in granted. You appreciate life better those days. In 1980 or thereabout, if you have had a close shave with there was a Nigerian, Olumide, who death or lost a loved one. There are lost his five daughters in a fire at his no words to describe the residence in the United Kingdom. hopelessness and the helplessness Every now and then we read about you feel. Somebody you once fatal accidents claiming the lives of shared a part of your life with lays more than one family member. motionless, stone dead and there is absolutely nothing you can do to re you lamenting that you had bring him/her back to life; no no money to buy your family amount of money or medical New Year rice and chicken or new wizardry. It is at such times the truth clothes? Know that there are other hits you hard: God level is far from families who are not in the mood for our own. Good luck to those who all these because they are bereaved do not believe in, or the existence or battling with other monumental of, God. challenges. About three weeks ago, the It was a difficult year for many of late Chris Adube, a politician in Rivers us, but we thank God for seeing us State, was interred. through 2015. It is wonderful to be Adube, along with his three children alive; the beauty of being alive is and his driver, were murdered on April that we have hope. That is 3, 2015, in the political violence that something the dead do not have engulfed Rivers State during the 2015 (literally speaking) and it is very elections. His two children who significant; our fortunes can change survived the attack are carrying tomorrow. devastating scars of that nightmarish At the family level, count your Friday night: 17-year-old Paul is blessings. If your family went confined to a wheelchair with a bullet through the year unscathed, thank lodged in his spinal cord. His sister,

Count your blessings

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Ruth, has a pipe fixed on one of her legs due to the assailants’ bullet. They both need financial assistance for further treatment, not money to buy new clothes or rice and chicken.

Anybody who passed through Professor Sylvanus Ekwelie of Mass Communication Department, University of Nigeria, is always wary of using these words: “most,” “never ” and “majority.”

He always cautioned that we should stay away from them unless we have facts to back up our claim. For instance, he advised us to use “some” instead of “most.” This has been my guide in the last 30 years, but today I am deviating by proclaiming that MOST married people, including me, do not count their blessings. It looks like it is in the nature of man and woman to look at negatives rather than positives: “My husband is caring and provides for the family. He is a faithful husband and a good father to our children, but he is a bit of a bore. He is not enchanting like my ex. Recently, I ran into my ex.

He is now married, but I am tempted to…” Mumu, you better count your blessings and stop playing with fire that will consume you, your family and your marriage. Work with your husband to get his best out of him.

strategic advantages for their kin. We have had enough of ‘he is our son let him do it’. It hasn’t gotten us anywhere.

Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi gave a brilliant speech a few days ago at the maiden edition of Engr Ikpong Ikpong Etteh’s annual distinguished lecture held in Lagos about the same time that the Igbo elders were gathered. The title was: ‘The new country we need’. He took a nostalgic trip to the past when people schooled and worked together without any ethnic bias, when Prof Tekena Tamuna, an Ijaw and Prof Kenneth Dike, an Igbo could be Vice Chancellors of the University of Ibadan and lamented the loss of a country that was once based on merit and brotherhood. He identified the source of the problem to the two coups and the civil war after which, things were never the same again. In his words, ‘the descent of politics into ethnic quagmire was followed by a bureaucratic descent into ethnic quagmire and the descent in all spheres of human endeavour into ethnic quagmire.’

I expect our elders who know when the rain started beating us to put an end to ethnic posturing and strive to build a one Nigeria where peace and justice will reign. Many of our youths are so poisoned by ethnic toxins that they are unable to see any good in people outside their tribes. How can you work with, let alone sacrifice for someone you don’t trust?

If some of our elders cannot come together to set up pan Nigerian standards based on oneness, equity, justice, social and economic integration, then they should bow out.

Until I hear a superior argument, I find this cry of marginalisation to be manipulative.

P.S Chuka Momah, my friend and brother told me a fortnight ago that I sound too angry in some of my articles.

My apologies to him if this falls into that category. You get the feeling that Nigeria is being deliberately destroyed for selfish reasons by those who should know better.

You are jobless and your wife picks the bills. Yet you expect her to come back from work and sort out the home front after you have lazed around all day. If she comes back late, you suffocate her with suspicion of infidelity. Meanwhile, you have no facts; you are just consumed by insecurity. No problem put her in purdah and go out there to fend for the family! My friend, just count yourself lucky. There are many wives out there who will throw out a jobless husband or pack their belongings and move on.

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e have many cases where spouses are “good husbands” or “good wives” except that “he/she snores,” “he leaves dirty socks on the bed,” or “he/she throws his/her shoes all over the place.” There are many minor shortcomings married people focus on to the detriment of their spouses’ many great attributes. While it would be wonderful if our spouses smoothed their rough edges, we should learn to count our blessings.

Focusing on shortcomings rather than counting our blessings can easily lead to resentment and discontentment, the forerunners of physical and mental abuse, separations and divorces.

While growing up, mama always advised me that in life, you look in both directions. If you look in only one direction, your neck will become stiff.

There are people, some of them contemporaries, ahead of us who should inspire us to attain greater heights and those behind us to remind us of the grace of God. So while looking at what is not, what could have been and while making your New Year resolutions count your blessings, name them one by one; it will surprise you what the Lord has done. Happy New Year.

22—SA TURD AY Vanguard , JANU ARY 2, 2016 22—SATURD TURDA JANUARY appy New Year. So, here we are in the year 2016.

Glory be to God. It is a year that many people have waited for, or even longed for, as if much of the disappointment of the former years would be instantly wiped clean from their memory. It is almost like that at the beginning of each year, which comes in both with the strangeness of an alien, or with “the glory and freshness of a dream”.

In the next several weeks, we would still be writing the old year on our cheques and other datelines with persistent absent-mindedness, while looking forward to a happy new year. The thrills of success or angst of the setbacks of the past year somehow cling to our sub-conscious and intrude disgust of some of his into our actions, followers. Another foresaw unwittingly. A merited the imminent demise of promotion at work, a an aged politician, the happy business deal, a fiery T.O.S.Benson, within successful wedding or a the year of his prophecy. welcome addition to the But TOS was not buying family naturally swings that. He told the prophet our thinking back along it was not going to pleasant memory tracks, happen. It did not. while a rough passage in That was one the the office, health issues or prophet was fairly sure of. marital upheavals would Benson was then in his push regretful blocks into early nineties, or the way of an otherwise thereabouts, so how could calm period of the day. the prophet miss? But To add to these normal miss he did to the chagrin anxieties of an active day of his large followership. would be the predictions It was a favourite ploy of already compounded by the modern-day Daniel, or “experts” in business and Isaiah, or Elisha, or about one’s normal whatever, to stay on the existence, and who insist side of long shots that are on letting you know what obvious to call. Some the future holds in store cleverly leave out precise for you. Those who would descriptions of the tell you about your personality or localities business fortunes at least involved in their prophecy claim to have the support but quickly claim the of empirical evidence— prediction to be true if and sometime really do. events turn out to be They have studied the closely related to their trend of the market over a uttering period and are able to Of course, there have forecast the progression been cases where the that could be reasonably prophecies were right on expected. They are in the the knob with uncanny same street with weather accuracy. Looking at the forecasters among whom, prophecies for this year, by way, I began my especially with regard to working life. the state of the nation, one can only hope that he weatherman has only the good ones turn physical support of out to be true. But where calculations from are they? Those who observations gathered ought to know open each with precise instruments page to a grim period However, the seers—who ahead. In the areas that include the fortunegive us much concern, the tellers, the soothsayers, picture is as gloomy as the clairvoyants, the ever. When we say, oracles, the psychics and “Economy” most people others – are hardly more immediately have ears, than one shade ahead of and hearts, tuned to our local babalawo, and “petroleum products”, So you would be surprised much have we tied our how right he could fortunes and our future to sometimes turn out to be. this commodity that we The fact that most of our seem to have forgotten natural rulers are still about other natural selected on their say-so blessings. We know they clearly shows how reliable exist but who or what will we still hold them to be. ever turn our minds to The worrisome thinking about their value prophecies are those to the prosperity of our which come from the “man nation? We know about of God”, without whom agriculture and solid hardly any of the minerals and what-havePentecostal churches you, but oil is what brings would dare open its gates in the goodies – or has these days. One of them been bringing in the missed the mark with the goodies, It is so sweet and victor in an American so neat: at the end of each presidential election month, we all are on the several years ago in the cue, cap in hand, at Abuja loud way in which they to partake of the “national usually announce their cake”. But the cake is no prophecies, to the embarrassment and

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*Happy New Year

•Dr Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu Minister of State for Petroleum and GMD,NNPC should not, or does not exist. Even those who talk glibly about the “upstream” and “downstream” aspects of the trade sometimes leave us “midstream”, in utter confusion.

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By the way, crude oil has made us very crude…”

longer baking in the volume it used to, and we are beginning to whine about it.

In any case, how much of it is open to all of us? The great issue – the “big deal” – subsidy, is still much of a mystery to some of us, including those who actually devote themselves to working on it. Some of the most knowledgeable stakeholders are still not very sure what we mean by it – they, in fact, say it

f on the other hand, one mentions, “Security”, one hardly knows whether the reference is to policemen who get drunk and shoot down siblings and others, or those who demand and obtain bail fees that are not prescribed by law. Of course, the “mother” of them all still flares like a bushfire in the night in the North-east of our country in a confrontation we have technically won, bar the return of our Chibok girls back home. Anyway, perhaps we would now stop demanding further information about the whereabouts of these poor girls, since President Buhari has admitted that little is known about their exact situation so far. The future in that direction is dim. It has now got to a point where one would have wished that, like the Americans when faced with the intransigent problem of the Vietnam War, they simply said, “Okay, let’s just declare that we have won the war – and go home!” We have no way of turning our back

on this war and walking away. We are home.

Indeed, Boko Haram has created a huge problem of its own for our future. A rabble-rouser starts a movement in a manner that is profanely treasonable, but the law is cautioned about “civil rights” in the handling of what is a patent crime against the state. A sect sets up itself in the midst of a state and, armed to the teeth, becomes almost a law unto itself, and those who value human rights above human lives are miffed at the prompt action of the law.

And all because those who are refined about the philosophy of humanism continue to caution the authorities about performing their duties.

Of course, there are more than two ways of looking at the picture, Here is another way from the perspective of Michael (08033593310): “I believe that virtually all our problems arise from our abysmal lack of regard for the fellow human being. This I see as the psychological consequence of rituals with human body parts. Then the matter of overpopulation which also cheapens life the same way oversupply of a product in the market brings down its price.

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y the way, crude oil has made us very crude…”.

Well, as they say at the prayer meetings, I receive that. There can be nothing remotely dignified in intelligent and decent elements of our communities lining up for their quota in Abuja every month. But one thing we can observe with the passing of 2015 is that the campaign is over. The APC won, and the PDP lost. It is not the end of the world. In fact, it is the beginning of another life. Whether we like it or not, we shall have to face it together – subsidy or no subsidy; we shall have to face it together, security or no security. We shall have to pay outstanding salaries and pensions. We shall have to regulate our educational development with universities mushrooming like elementary schools.

Happy new year

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016—23

BY AGAJU MADUGBA

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OR Kaduna state, 2015 started on a bloody note in January and ended with an orgy of violence on December 12, in Zaria, where soldiers in the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, clashed with members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, popularly called Shi’ites. The group was reported to be in a procession, carrying out its annual “changing of flags,” ceremony to usher in the Islamic month of Maulud, birth month Prophet Mohammed.

At the end of the fracas, the Army said that seven members of the group were killed but the Shi’ites sect claimed a figure of well over 1000 persons including those who were killed the next day when soldiers demolished the residence of Ibrahim ElZakzaky, the group’s leader who was consequently arrested. The incident has since become a subject of national controversy even as the Army said that the group made an attempt to assassinate Buratai. “The sect, numbering hundreds and carrying dangerous weapons, barricaded the roads with bonfires, heavy stones and tyres.

They refused all entreaties to disperse and they started firing and pelting the convoy with dangerous objects, according to Army Spokesman, Sani Usman.

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2015: Year of violence, bloodshed in Kaduna The rest may become history but earlier on January 2, unidentified gunmen attacked and killed Yohanna David Shinkut, the District Head of Zangang Atakar Chiefdom of Kaura local government area of the state. Reports said that Shinkut was returning home from Manchok when the gunmen ambushed him. Barely three weeks later on January 27, unidentified gunmen had also attacked a funeral ceremony in another southern community in Kamanton Chiefdom of Kafanchan local government, killing seven persons.

Violence equally trailed the startoff of the 2015 electioneering campaigns in Kaduna in February following the death of at least one person at Rigasa in Kaduna metropolis. The campaign train of former Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero was passing though the area when some of the PDP supporters reportedly clashed with the then opposition APC. Apart from the dead, no fewer than 33 persons were said to

have sustained varying degrees of injuries aside the vandalization of about 33 campaign vehicles.

The spate of violence that characterized the campaigns perhaps came to a head in April when days after his emergence as the Governor-elect, Malam Nasir ElRufa’i’s campaign coordinator, Markus Ishaku, was murdered in cold blood at his Atuku Kasa village in Jema’a local government area.

Reports said that gunmen stormed his residence, shot the politician several times and disappeared into the thin air.

El-Rufa’i’s inauguration, the change initiative After several years of the PDP rule, the APC “change” slogan also came to roost in Kaduna as in some other states, with the inauguration of ElRufa’i as Governor on May 29. But violence nearly marred the programme at the Murtala Square as unidentified persons started hauling missiles at the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, who was seated at the VIP stand, along with some other dignitaries. “Bring down the Emir so that we’ll kill him,” a

The sect, numbering hundreds and carrying dangerous weapons, barricaded the roads with bonfires, heavy stones and tyres

cross section of the protesters demanded and dared security personnel present to stop them.

Security men eventually smuggled the Emir and the new governor out of the venue.

The inauguration saw El-Rufa’i announcing his intention to introduce certain reforms to correct what he considered several years of misrule and to return the area to the path of sanity. “As soon as we have all the facts in the coming weeks, we shall lay bare to you just how deep a hole we have dug ourselves in the past several years,” El-Rufa’i had said, noting further that, “but this much we already know: our finances are in shamble. Kaduna is the second most indebted state in our country. Our state is staggering under the weight of billions of naira in debt and other liabilities.

The state of our state is abysmal.

Too many of our children are hungry and in rags and on the street. Our society is divided along religious and ethnic lines. Worse still, our state cannot stand on its

Continues on page 32

24—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016

AT LAST, UCHE IWUJI OPENS UP ON HER CRASHED MARRIAGE

Says, “No other man is good enough for me”

BY ADERONKE ADEYERI

No, it does not put me in any form of trouble. It only made people know who I was.

Then, I was single so it is allowed. I am now a mother, things must change.

Y •Uche Iwuji

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ome people have described marriage as an

entrapment and for many showbiz stars it hasn’t particularly been something they would write a prose about. We have seen many divas walked in through the door in a morning and get thrown out of the window by the night. It is that bad, because, marriage and showbiz is like Cain and Abel.

For popular Nollywood star, Uche Iwuji, marriage started like a dream and she climbed onto the rooftops to tell the world what a terrific time she was having – then the bubble bust. Soon after she disappeared from the scene, not to be heard from. Many reasons surfaced on the Internet for the breakup but no one has been able to get it straight from the horse’s mouth, Uche or her husband, Juwon Lawal, until now.

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ou have not been in public scenes for a while, what happened?

This is simply because my life has changed. I got married, separated, and has a child. I am re branding myself and that is why I have left the public scene. That doesn’t really mean I have left showbiz but only took some time out for my family. I am fully back but not as the former Uche Iwuji, I am a new Uche Iwuji.

Your experience as a single mother?

It is not easy; I must confess.

I have to be there for my son who will be three this year. I have my businesses that has been footing our bills. I hang out with single mothers like myself. I thank God that every one is showing me love.

However, a man settles your bill when you are married but that has changed because I fend for myself and my child.

Nobody is asking for my account now (laughs).

Is it true that men take advantage of single mothers?

No, I don’t think it is true because that has not happened to me.

What ‘s the difference between old and new Uche Iwuji?

I have always been involved in one scandal or the other.

That will change because Uche is now a mother who wants the best for her son.

What are those things you really want to change?

I used to go out a lot, I was always every where.

So, you mean that has always landed you in trouble?

Acting means a lot to me. I prefer roles of a mother, madam and the rest.

This is because of my shape and size

What has been married and single taught you?

I have learnt to be strong for myself. Separating from my husband was not a good thing at all. Though, an eye opener.

As far as I am concerned, being single again is fun. I am free to do whatever I like.

I have been able to get over the break up when I look at my son. He is a bundle of joy.

What type of scripts would you consider now?

Acting means a lot to me. I prefer roles of a mother, madam and the rest. This is because of my shape and size.

I used to be the slim type but now I am a kind of bigger and more matured.

Do you think sex sells ?

I don’t believe in that. You don’t have to do sex before your film sells. There are lots of other things that can sell a film apart from sex.

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016—25

other well and shun third party.

Do you think your marriage affected your career?

Yes, in a positive way.

People now see me as a matured woman. Some still address me as a Mrs. It only boosted my career.

Why do celebrity marriages fail because it seems to be a trend?

Not only celebrity marriages fail, it happens everywhere. It is somehow natural because people don’t really wish us well.

They just say the marriage will soon crash and it will.

This is because many people have made the prophecy.

I still respect and love my ex husband till date.

In fact, I still pray for him

Do you think this will affect your child?

I thank God for my child.

Sometimes, when I even

Do you have any plan to remarry?

No way. I will marry my ex husband a million times again.

No other man is good for me. I believe he will come back when he is ready.

How do you intend to manage sex in his absence?

I am sex starved for now but I don’t really long for it. I have been without sex for a while now.

How do you perceive the industry after 15 years?

Nollywood has come to stay.

Our films enjoy a huge audience at the cinemas. I know that in the next 10 years Nollywood must have become a very big industry and I am proud to be part of it. I will even be producing my own movies new year which will likely go to the cinemas.

Apart from producing, should we expect other things next year?

Nothing really, I want to be cool. I don’t want to be seen everywhere.

What was your background like?

I was born and grew up in the church. I started acting and singing in the church. The church was my training ground.

My dad was a lawyer (he died two years ago) with two wives.

My mum is the second wife and I am the first of my mum’s children. I was born in Surulere,Lagos, so I understand Yoruba well. Growing up for me was wonderful, I went to one of the best schools, attended parties a lot etc. I had a swell time as a child.

•Uche Iwuji •Uche Iwuji Ex Husband

Says, “No other man is good enough for me” What do you think you do better these days? (smiles) Motherhood.

How did you meet your husband?

No way. I don’t want to talk about that.

What went wrong in your marriage?

The marriage failed because we didn’t understand each other well.

Your courtship was for three months, do you think that could be another factor?

Not really, I still respect and love my ex husband till date.

In fact, I still pray for him.

Does that mean you will accept him if he comes back?

Yes, I will a million times.

He is the best gift I have ever gotten.

Who do you have to blame for your break up; The media, choice of career or your family members?

I blame it on the society.

People were always saying rubbish about me. However, I advise intending celebrity couples to understand each

talk about his father, he just says “mummy don’ t talk about him”. They communicate on phone. He also calls me because I have a child with him.

Is it true you are unlucky with men as purported online?

Yes , I’ m not that lucky with men but I think I was lucky at a point. To have been married to my ex husband means luck was smiling at me. We only didn’t understand each other well.

Have you ever recorded a song?

No, I am not a musician or done any musical production. In fact, I have stopped singing in the church for a long time. You should understand how we operate.

Many celebrities these days now have tattoo!

Yes , I also have it but it’s not just too obvious.

Sweet and bitter moments of your career?

When I started it was bitter.

Then, I wasn’t getting the roles I wanted. But things got better. I now get befitting roles and that is sweet. I don’t hope to have more scandals in the future.

How do you rate a successful film: is it the money you get,the award or what?

It is the award and its impact on the people.

What do you dislike about being in the limelight?

Our lives is not ours anymore,it is not private. You even have to smile even when things are not fine, but I think I am coping well.

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26 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016

By KEHINDE AJOSE 08054680266

15 artistes who failed to pull their weight in 2015

By TOFARATI IGE

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015 was a year full of many activities in Nigeria’s highly competitive music industry. While some entertainers shone like million stars, some were missing in action. Even though some of those in the latter group made moves and released songs in the year which has just ended, it just wasn’t enough to keep them in the front burner.

Considering the fact that at the end of 2014, many of these artistes were

predicted to ‘rule’ last year, it was indeed a let down. We hereby present, in no particular order, the list of 15 top artistes who didn’t live up to our expectations in 2016. Enjoy...

Omawumi

It is without an iota of doubt that Omawumi Megbele-Yusuf is incredibly talented. However, last year, she didn’t occupy the prime position of one of the top divas in this country like we expected of her.

She got married and delivered her second child as well, but in terms of music, we didn’t hear much from her. The only thing worthy of note that came from Omawumi’s music stable in 2015 was the cover she recorded to Adele’s hit-song, ‘Hello.’

Victoh YBNL

When acclaimed rapper, Olamide (Baddo) unveiled two of his new proteges, Lil Kesh and Viktoh in 2014, we thought the music industry was about to see something it had never witnessed before; but we were quite wrong.

Even though Lil Kesh has dominated the

•Omawumi

Jesse Jagz

It has been said in some quarters that Jesse Jagz is one of the greatest rappers in Nigeria. But in 2015, that greatness wasn’t evident. He reunited with his erstwhile label, Chocolate City, last year, but he was conspicuously missing from the charts.

Ice Prince

Suave, handsome, talented and charming, Ice Prince has all it takes to be a boss in the music industry.

And indeed, he is not a push-over.

However, even though he released songs such as ‘Boss’ last year, it wasn’t enough to please fans and top the charts.

Tonto Dikeh

Poko Queen, Tonto Dikeh, is as controversial as it gets, but even her controversies didn’t do much to help her music career last year. Practically nothing was heard about the actress turned singer musically in 2015. She got married to her hearthrob, so maybe, just maybe, she just might get her groove back in 2016.

•Darey

Eva Alordiah

Rapper, makeup artiste, blogger, writer, Eva Alordiah has a lot on her plate. Perhaps, she is swamped with all these activities; that’s why she didn’t release any song worthy of the charts last year.

However, in a recent chat with Showtime, she stated that she’s working on her album, so 2016 may be a better year?

Darey

•Ice Prince

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charts with hits such as ‘Shoki’ ‘Efejoku’ among others, the same cannot be said of Viktoh who has remained as silent as a church rat during Sunday service. In fact, it’s safe to say that till date, he has no single hit to his name.

It is not an exaggeration to call Darey one of the kings of RnB in Nigeria. But he seemed to abdicate his throne in 2015. It goes without saying that nothing much was heard from him last year; anyway, here’s wishing him a better 2016!

•Tonto Dikeh

•Eva Alordiah

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016 — 27

By TOFARATI IGE 08068792241

•9ice

•Mo’cheddah

•D’banj

•Emma Nyra

•Wande Coal

15 artistes who failed to pull their weight in 2015 D’banj

Koko Master and one of Africa’s most vibrant entertainers, D’banj is really trying a lot to climb back to the top of the charts. Since the release of his global hit ‘Oliver Twist’ and his fall-out with his former partner, Don Jazzy, and record label, Mo’hits, D’banj hasn’t really hit anything close to a bulls-eye. He released songs such as ‘Salute’ ‘Knocking on my Door ’ among others this year, but sadly, they didn’t get the necessary attention. Try harder BangaLee; we still believe in you!

But with the release of all the visuals to his latest EP ‘An Epic Journey’ in December of last year, he may just have a front-row seat reserved for him on the musical drive through 2016.

Mo’cheddah

‘Has Mo’cheddah given up on her music career?’ many have C M Y K

asked. After a long silence, she released some songs in 2014, and we were expecting her to follow up on them this year, but we were disappointed. Last year, she was seen more with her fiance, Bukunyi OlateruOlagbegi.

Wande Coal

It is very surprising that Wande Coal made this list. The Black Diamond as he favours to be called, is indeed a precious stone as far as Nigeria’s music industry is concerned.

He released his widelyanticipated album last year, and even though the excitement it generated almost crashed the internet, it has gotten more negative reviews than positive ones.

Many believe that he could have done better, as he is nowhere near maximising his full potentials.

Slyde

Slyde practically came from nowhere to have one of the hottest tracks of 2014, ‘Banana’. As a result of this, many expected him to be even more prominent in 2015, but that was not to be. It’s like he has since gone into musical hibernation.

Shina Rambo

This dude is signed to Davido’s HKN Music, and that’s his only claim to fame.

He has never had a respectable hit to his name, but pundits thought 2015 would be a different year for him; apparently, they were wrong.

B-Red

Just like his label mate, Shina Rambo, B-Red hasn’t done enough to show that he’s a man of his own. He featured popstar, Akon, in his new

track, ‘Cucumber’ but it still didn’t top the charts.

9ice

We can’t really lay a finger on what went wrong with Alapomeji boss, 9ice, but it seems to be a marriage of bad choices and mismanagement. 9ice released some tracks such as ‘Sugar’ ‘Aiye Familete’ ‘Ogara’ among others, but none of them got the kind of buzz worthy of someone of his status.

Emma Nyra

Formerly signed to MMMG, the music industry had high hopes for this Yankee-returnee, but she hasn’t been able to secure a vantage position in the industry.

She ‘broke-up’ with her former lover and MMMG boss, Ubi Franklin earlier last year. Since then, nothing has been heard from her. Well, 2016 presents another opportunity for her to start afresh.

28—SA TURD AY 28—SATURD TURDA

Vanguard , JANU ARY 2, 2016 JANUARY

BY IFEANYI OKOLIE

F

our suspects who were alleged to be members of a gang of robbers who recently broke into a branch of an old generation bank in Ilututu area of Ondo State, have said they were disappointed not finding a dime in the bank’s vault.

The suspects, who were rounded up last weekend, by operatives of the Inspector General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team, SIRT, in Ondo State, were said to have broken into the bank with the aid of a security guard, who had worked with bank.

Vanguard gathered that the guard, who was fired last year over a yet to be known reason, was said to have approached a member of the gang, Michael Mipera, a native of Ajapa in Eseodo Local Government Area of Ondo State, with the idea of robbing the bank, as there was less security around the bank at night.

Sources disclosed that, Mipera, after conducting his own survey around the bank, invited two of his friends, Thankgod Sugha and Ebibo Winoh, from his home town to Ilututu and rented an apartment for them. He was also said to have invited six militants based at a camp in IjegemoIsheri Oshun, Lagos State, headed by one TK, a notorious pipeline vandal and bank robber.

The hoodlums from Lagos, who were led by one Bright, were said to have supplied the gang with two Ak 47 rifles and additional expertise on how to break into bank. They were also said to have struck the bank on December 24, 2015, a day before Christmas, but ended up finding no money in the banks vault.

Vanguard was reliably informed that the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, had received an intelligence report on the gang’s activities and he deployed operatives of the SIRT, headed by CSP Abba Kyari to Ondo State, to track and apprehend the suspects.

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We didn’t find a dime when we broke a bank’s vault

— Robbery Suspects •Pipeline Vandal recalls the killing of DSS men and 370 vandals Sources informed Vanguard that a motorcycle operator who runs errand for one of the suspects was first apprehended and he led the operatives in arresting four of suspects including one of the militants from Lagos.

The suspects who were identified as Ebibo Winoh 23, Michael Mipera 22, Thankgod Sugha 24, and Idowu Sobijoh 23, narrated their separate roles in the operation and how they joined the gang. Winoh and Sugha confessed that Mipera invited them for the job, but Sobijoh disclosed that the recent disruption of their operations in Ijegemo by some soldiers made him venture into armed robbery.

According to him, “ I have never gotten myself involved into any bank robbery before. This was my first attempt and it wasn’t completely my intention. It was the soldiers who stopped our operation at Ijegemo that forced me into it.

The soldiers were demanding we pay them the sum of N5million before we could resume operation.

We offered them N3million but they refused. While we were broke, Bright got a call from Mipera about the Ilututu bank operation and he

mobilized six of us to go for the operation. I didn’t get to Ilututu on time because I was very broke but when I got to Ondo State, I was informed that the operation went successful but they didn’t get any money from the bank. Unfortunately, I was arrested on my way back to my village in Ajapa. “ He narrated.

On how he became a militant, Sobijoh said one of his relatives introduced him to pipeline vandalism when he was looking for money to marry. He said “ after I impregnated my woman, her family insisted I must marry her before I could take her away as wife. Then I was very broke, one of brothers who was into pipeline vandalism at Arepo in Ikorodu asked me to join him and stop being lazy. I followed him to Lagos and when we arrived Ikorodu, I joined the Fatola Camp and I was introduced to the Commander, known Ossy and I was given a gun to carry but I declined and told them that I have never used a gun before and they asked me to leave the camp. I left, and I was staying in Ishawo, but at Night my brother would call me, we would move into the creek with our jerry cans to siphon fuel from the pipeline.

After working for two weeks I raised enough money for the bride price and

I took the money home and I performed her marriage rite. When I returned back to camp, I discovered that my brother had bought an additional 100 jerry cans and at night he woke me up to follow him to the line where we siphon the fuel but I refused. Sincerely I was tired and I told him to leave me alone to have some rest. Around 2 am that I heard a large blast, when I looked out I saw massive fire at the spot where they were siphoning the products. We couldn’t go close to the place until the NNPC came and put out the fire . We counted 370 dead bodies when we got in and we buried them in three large graves. I also saw my brother’s corpse because he wasn’t burnt completely.

He and many others trying to scape were trapped in the mud. That incident was so tragic and I contemplated quitting the job, but I couldn’t because I had no other job.

Few weeks after that, I witnessed how they killed nine officials of DSS. I actually didn’t know the why they were killed but it was one Igbala who opened fire on all of them. After that killing, I knew there would be trouble so I parked my things and left for Ijegemo where I teammed up with Bright who is a boy to TK, the Commander.” He stated.

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard , JANU ARY 2, 2016 —29 JANUARY 2016—29

NNPC depot CSO hired us — Pipeline vandals allege

. Police recover guns in CSO’s office

•Suspected Vandals

BY EVELYN USMAN

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hree suspected pipeline vandals arrested in Ilashe area of Ogun state last month by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police AntiPipeline Vandalism Unit have confessed that they were hired by a Chief Security Officer at a depot in Mosimi area of Ogun state.

The suspects ; Balogun Taiwo(37), Lukemon Adedigba (45) and Dayo Olanipekun (40) were alleged to have been returning from the creeks through Ilashe link , in two vehicles loaded with siphoned petroleum products belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation pipelines.

However, on sighting the operatives, said to have acted on tip off, the vandals scampered in different directions, abandoning the vehicles and containers loaded with petroleum product. It was gathered that while the operatives were towing the vehicles to their base , they were attacked by some armed vandals who opened fire .

A reinforcement from the Special Anti Robbery Sqaud, SARS Ogijo, reportedly saved the situation from resulting into the apparent kidnap or killing of some of the policemen. At the end of the shoot -out , three suspects were arrested, with a double barrel riffle while the rest escaped. .

During interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed that they were allegedly hired by a CSO at the

Mosimi depot (names withheld) .

Police sources hinted that in order to ascertain their claim, a letter was written to the NNPC to release the said CSO for interrogation .

Thereafter , a warrant of arrest was reportedly obtained from the court to effect the arrest of the CSO. Mild drama However, a mild drama unfolded when the operatives arrived MOSIMI depot to effect the arrest of the CSO, following alleged stiff resistance by some staff.

Sources at the IGP Anti-Pipeline Vandalism Unit hinted that “ We went with the warrant of arrest and a search warrant to Mosimi depot.

When a search was conducted at the CSO’s office, three locally made guns were recovered. When we tried to arrest him, one of the staff raised a fire alarm and all the workers assembled and barricaded all the roads, insisting that we would not take him away.

One of the officers who tried to make the exit with the three recovered riffles was held hostage and dispossessed of the guns. The workers threatened to shut the station if he was taken away. To douse the situation, we allowed him to go. Till this moment, the Corporation is yet to release the CSO for investigation”.

CSO’s appeal text to Police

While the wait for the CSO lasted, he was said to have sent an appeal text message to one of the operatives of the Unit.

Part of the text read “ Please, I beg you in the name of God ,to kindly tamper justice with mercy.

I made a mistake . That will never happen again. Kindly help to bail me out of this. I am very sorry.

God will grant you favour in all your endeavours...”.

We were hired by CSO However during an interview with Crime Guard the suspects denied indulging in pipeline vandalisation. Rather , they claimed to have been hired by the CSO to carry out surveillance of the area which is used as an exit route through Arepo creeks by vandals. One of them, Balogun Taiwo , who hails from Sango Otta, Ogun State told Crime Guard that “ On November 22, 2015, I was sleeping in my apartment in Shagamu, when my phone rang. The caller was a friend named Semiu. He informed that the CSO Mosimi said we ( Lukemon, Dayo and I )should come over, that vandals were operating around the area.

He said he needed us to arrest them . I woke up immediately and mounted my motorbike. I rode to a place where Dayo and Lukemon were waiting. We met

We are not vandals. I have never been to the creeks before. This is the second time I am joining them for such surveillance. It was Semiu that invited me the first time

Semiu at the entrance of the NNPC gate . The guards at the gate demanded to know what we were doing at that odd hour (1.

40am ) . As we were about to explain to them that the CSO sent for us, he (CSO) appeared and directed them to give Semiu keys to their patrol vehicle. We entered the vehicle and zoomed off , leaving my motorbike in the premises. On reaching Ilara road, we saw two vehicles and two okadas (motorcycles ) approaching from the opposite direction . Suspecting they were vandals, Semiu intercepted the vehicles, shooting sporadically.

This made the occupants to flee, abandoning the vehicles. We took the vehicles and okada. Semiu then called the CSO on the phone to inform him of the development.

He asked us to remain there till dawn. While we were there , we saw another vehicle moving out of the bush . We gave them a hot pursuit which caused its occupants to flee. We discovered they had loaded their abandoned vehicles with jerricans filled with petroleum products.

Altercation At about 4am, we saw another vanagon bus leaving the bush , we chased it and the occupants fled as well. As we were about calling the CSO, Anti pipeline policemen arrived the scene. They identified us as those who opened fire on them earlier. They followed us with the recovered vehicles and exhibits to the depot. When the CSO came to meet us at the gate, he directed that the recovered vehicles and petroleum products be kept in the premises. But the Police said it should be taken to the station . This led to an altercation , in the process of which the police towed two of the vehicles away and arrested us.

“We are not vandals. I have never been to the creeks before.

This is the second time I am joining them for such surveillance.

It was Semiu that invited me the first time. Semiu works for the CSO. He only contracted us to work for him . He has not even paid us . It was only Semiu that was armed. The rest of us were just with torch-lights”.

Lukemon and Dayo corroborated Taiwo’s claim, adding however that they were only given N1000 each before they embarked on the ill fated trip. Effort to reach Head, Public Affairs, Petroleum Product Marketing Company, PPMC Nasir Imodagbe , on the alleged indictment of the CSO failed as he requested this reporter to send him a text. But he never replied the text as at time of writing this report . Meanwhile, when contacted, the head, IGP Anti Pipeline Vandalism Unit, Mr Valentine Olumese, a Chief Superintendent of Police , told Vanguard that the CSO was still being expected to clear himself of the allegation.

30—SA TURD AY 30—SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, JANU ARY 2, 2016 JANUARY

(Text Only)

Your Yoga guide for the year

•The Butterfly

•Triangle Pose and the variant below

•Shoulder-Stand

•The Bow

•The Lotus

•The Boat C M Y K

•The Spinal-Twist

•The Forward-Bend

•The Spread Eagle

•The Head-Stand

SATURDAY

Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016—31

Vanguard, SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 2015 —41

Healthy diet resolutions for 2016 Eat more fruits and vegetables Eat at least one vegetable or fruit at every meal. Keep cutup raw veggies in the front of the fridge and fruit on the counter where you’ll see it.

Have healthy dips on hand, like hummus, peanut butter, and low-fat yogurt. Load extra veggies into your sandwiches, pizzas, salads, soups, and omelets. Pureed veggies like butternut squash can thicken soup and other dishes and add nutrients to them. Mix cauliflower puree in with mashed potatoes Reduce fast-food temptations Keep fruit or nuts with you to tide you over until you get home or to work. If you can’t resist, choose lower-calorie options like grilled chicken or low-fat chili. And look for fruit or veggie options like a salad (watch the dressing) or plain baked potato as a side. Order regular or small sizes, and avoid value meals. Sip water or diet soda instead of sugary soda.want to snack healthier.

Eat a healthy snack a day Instead of reaching for

•Eat healthy ... cookies or chips, enjoy a small handful of nuts or low-fat yogurt (watch for added sugar). Take advantage of fresh fruit in season. Oranges and grapes are especially good because they take time to peel and eat. Snack only when you’re really hungry — not just bored or stressed — and only eat one serving.

Avoid mindless eating Eat only when you’re actually hungry. When you

feel satisfied, before you feel full, stop eating, even if there’s still food on your plate. Don’t sit in front of the TV or computer when you eat.

Multitasking leads to overeating. Pay attention to your food.

Snack less at work Get unhealthy snacks out of your office — or at least out of plain sight. You’ll eat less if you don’t have food within easy reach. If you tend to

graze mindlessly at work, don’t keep food at your desk. Keep it far away from where you sit. The distance makes you think each time you grab a bite.

Take time for a real lunch break, away from your desk.

Eat smart at restaurants Just like eating at home, planning can help you make smarter choices in restaurants.

Find one that serves a children’s menu or smaller portion sizes.

Don’t let yourself get so hungry that you overeat. Have a healthy snack beforehand. Or start with a clear (not creamy) soup or salad. Cut your meal in half and take one half home. Or split an entrée with a friend. Ask the waiter not to bring any bread or tortilla chips to your table.

Eat less sugar Give up one soft drink a day.

Cutting just one can of regular cola means losing more than 30 grams of sugar or about eight teaspoons from your diet.

F

orget about yesterday. The future is too bright. The pains, shame, sufferings and humiliations that you may have gone through in the past is nothing compared to the glory that is ahead of you. The glory of the latter house shall be greater than the former. The kind of joy that cannot be hidden will be tasted by you this year. You will be among those that people will congratulate shortly. What is pulling others down will be for your lifting in Jesus name. You are nothing now compared to what God has planned and prepared for you. Eyes have not seen, ears have not heard neither has it entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for you. This year you will be greatly rewarded.

No matter what you may have achieved in life, know that there are still more to be attained. The fact that you experienced some results yesterday is proof of the fact that there are still more ahead to attain. Apostle Paul said “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus “(2 Phil. 3:1314).

Don’t be deceived, your future is not in the past. Greatness, victory and better testimonies are ahead of you. I decree over your life that the long awaited testimony will be given to you this year. The truth of it is that those that were against you will join to tell of the goodness of God in your life this year. The God that turns around captivity and make dreams to be a reality that births fear upon the heart of the heathen will show Himself too faithful in all that concerns you.

Powers that have been contending with your destiny will be disgraced

by God almighty. God will make

A greater dawn your life praise shortly. He has kept His silence but no more.

Those against you will know that you serve a God that cannot be defeated. He is the Man of War that will never lose any battle and the Lord is His name. Your season of victory has come. Rejoice and give Him praise and glory in advance of the manifestation.

1 Cor. 2:9 says “But it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him”. Listen no man or devil knows what you will become. God who is your creator is the only one that knows. Therefore no man can conclude on your outcome. The conclusion of any man or devil on your life is nothing compared to what God has prepared. I was privileged to be seated at the altar at the Redemption Camp of

RCCG, when I heard Daddy Adeboye said, that God said to him that the Redemption Camp is not the Redemption City that God promised him. If you have ever been to the Redemption Camp, you would say that Daddy Adeboye has done well. But then the God who called him has said that the camp is too small compared to what He has planned for Him. Beloved get ready for a NEW GREATER DAWN that God has prepared for you. Believe the Lord. He cannot lie. Don’t look down on yourself, family, business and ministries. There is so much available to you. You are entering a new season in your life. God said, behold I will do a new thing (Isa. 43:19). God will manifest new things in your life. You will succeed beyond your imagination. Whoever God will

remove for you to reach your goal will be removed. Queen Vashti was removed for Esther to become queen. This same God will do it for you this year.

What has never happened before in your life, family, business and ministry that is greater will happened to you. You will experience new level of greatness.

Your enemies will congratulate you.

You will encounter uncommon promotion. Favours never imagined will be your portion henceforth. The devil will not succeed in destroying your destiny. God will take you to a new level of glory and power never experienced before. The things God will do in your life will be fearful. God will make you the signpost of His glory.

It is time to walk in the new day. Get ready

For more details, contact us at Christ Reality Church, beside Gossard Hotel, opposite First Bank Sports Ground, Community Road, Satellite Town or P.O.Box, 3196, Yaba Lagos. Tel: 08023062635, 08168955932; 08033378769. Email: johnson_crm@yahoo.com. Website: www.christrealityministries.org.

Our account details are Pastor Johnson Omomadia, Guaranty Trust Bank, A/C Nos. 0005171407; Christ Reality Ministries, Zenith Bank A/C 1011711622.

Worship with us on Sundays, 1st Service: 7.45 am – 9:15am; 2nd service 9:15 – 11:30am. Wednesday World Revelation 6pm. Counseling days Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. 11Am – 5pm daily or by appointment. Showers of blessing every 2nd - 4th Sat. of each month 6 a.m – 7.15am.

Replace sugary drinks with diet soda, water or unsweetened tea. Other ways to cut sugar include taking fresh fruit or fruit canned in water. Choose unsweetened cereals.

Eat breakfast every day If you’re too rushed in the morning to make breakfast, take it with you to eat at school or work. Portable breakfast items can include breakfast bars, containers of yogurt, instant oatmeal packets, or pieces of fresh fruit. Even if you don’t like typical breakfast foods, it’s important to eat something in the morning to fuel your body.

Don’t overeat Think small. Trade your large plates and silverware for small ones. Research proves that people eat less on a smaller plate. Use a tablespoon, not a serving spoon, to dish out portions.

Think about what you put on your plate to make sure you really want it. Serve from the pot on the stove instead of the table, so second helpings aren’t right in front of you. Eat slowly so your body has time to tell your brain you’re full.

Happy new year! to go to a new level of living, prosperity, provision and wholeness. Get ready for the blessings of God like you have never seen. You may have had glimpses before now but this is a new dawn. There’s divine flow.

Get ready for this is your hour to see the promises of God like never before fulfilled. By the mercies of God, you will encounter GOD’s GREAT REWARD this year.

Have you given your life to Jesus? If not, please pray this prayer. Father, I come to you as I am. I invite Jesus into my life to be my personal Lord and Saviour. Wash me cleanse with the blood of Jesus and empower me with the power of your Holy Spirit. Thank you, Father for saving my soul and making me your child.

Your prayer request and praise reports will be welcomed. Our contact details are below. You can also partner with us by supporting us financially. Please see details below.

32—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016

Government probes community killings

shooting. One of the suspects got married to his wife who is from Bauchi eight days ago and brought her to Kaduna. Two of the wives were taken away by the soldiers.”

Continues from page 23 own feet. We have become a state of beggars, a condition of dependency that is an affront to our dignity and our humanity.”

Government probes community killings Some two weeks after his inauguration, gunmen struck again, perhaps to notify El-Rufa’i that it would be business as usual, at least in the area of the killings and unprovoked attacks on Kaduna communities. On June 17, gunmen suspected to be herdsmen attacked the Katsak village of Jema’a local government area killing nine persons with a similar incident occurring the same night at the Ungwan Danborno community of Birnin Gwari local government area where unidentified bandits also murdered five other persons while a total of about 15 persons were said to have sustained injuries during the two incidents.

Following the killings , the Governor raised a committee to probe the spate of killings especially in remote communities. He named a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd), as head of the

committee. El-Rufa’i explained that the move was part of government’s multi-dimensional approach in finding lasting solution to the killings in the area, dating as far back as 2011. The committee was charged with the responsibility of identifying sociopolitical and economic factors that promote existing conflicts in Southern Kaduna and advice on measures to be taken by government to address them as well as explore ways of finding mutual solutions that engender reconciliation amongst and between communities in Southern Kaduna and to advice on how the villages and communities of Southern Kaduna would be free from attacks bedevilling it.

Boko Haram attacks Zaria In July, some members of the Boko Haram insurgent group sneaked into the ancient city of Zaria and launched a most devastating attack in which government confirmed the killing of about 25 persons, most of them civil servants. The victims along with several others injured were at the Sabon-Gari local government

secretariat in Zaria, scene of the attack, which served as one of the centres for the biometric verification exercise of workers.

Reports said that some minutes before 9 am on that fateful Tuesday, a female suicide bomber blew up herself and in the process also injured about 32 persons apart from the dead.

El-Rufa’i who visited the scene later described the attack as a “terrible act of infamy,” Earlier on June 7, two suspected members of the Boko Haram group were said to have escaped arrest during a gun battle with a team of joint security operatives at Ungwan Keke-B village of Chikun local government area. One of the security operatives was reported killed during the incident.

According to a resident of the area, “we never knew that they are Boko Haram people. We just sighted a team of military personnel cordon the house, and then gun shots filled the air at about 11:56 p.m. which led to their escape and the killing of one soldier after several hours of

Some two weeks after his inauguration, gunmen struck again, perhaps to notify ElRufa’i that it would be business as usual, at least in the area of the killings and unprovoked attacks on Kaduna communities

NAF jet crashes in Kaduna Seven persons were feared killed on August 29 when a Nigerian Air Force) chopper, a Dornier jet 228, crashed at the Ribadu Cantonment located at the old site of the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna at about 6.30 am.

Reports indicated that an unspecified number of residents sustained varying degrees of injuries when the aircraft crashed near two buildings at the cantonment. The ill-fated aircraft was said to be on its way to Abuja from the Kaduna Air Force Base.

Kaduna APC suspends Shehu Sani On December 27, the Tudun Wada ward of the APC announced the suspension of the Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial zone, Shehu Sani. The party explained in a letter to Sani that his suspension from party activities for 11 months was due to an alleged violation of the rules of engagement of the party, factionalizing the party and engaging in anti-party activities by criticizing the policies of Governor Nasir El-Rufai.”

SATURDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 2, 2016 — 33

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his is a rundown of the top six players you need to watch in 2016, based on their compelling storylines in 2015.

7. Jamie Vardy, Leicester The narrative surrounding Jamie Vardy’s record-breaking exploits earlier in the season has well and truly dissipated, but now in 2016, there are still two major question marks.

Firstly, will he make the Euro 2016 England squad? Roy Hodgson likes him, and with Daniel Sturridge’s persistent injury troubles, in addition to Danny Welbeck’s long-term absence, he’s in with a great shout if his form continues.

Second, will he get a big move? B/R’s Dean Jones detailed in December how Vardy is in line for a big new deal at the King Power Stadium, but with a new line of limited edition crisps already under his belt, could his head be turned?

6. Romelu Lukaku, Everton Romelu Lukaku’s dramatic upturn in form in 2015-16 has not gone unnoticed.

Everton have placed a £45 million price tag on his head, per the Daily Mail, in the face of interest from Paris Saint-Germain, and both Manchester United and Juventus have taken a look at him, per the Express.

He’s already past the 10goal mark in Premier League play this season, emerging as a reliable goal-scoring figure once again after a genuine down year in 2014-15. He’s feasibly looking at a 20-25-goal campaign, and is there well worth the money.

Whether Lukaku breaches the famous goal mark, and where he plays his football from summer onward, are intriguing storylines to monitor.

5. Riyad Mahrez, Leicester Riyad Mahrez’s performance over the first half of the season has been utterly phenomenal; the level at which he is playing has prompted serious questions about where he might find himself playing football as soon as January.

Any top club in need of a dynamic, attacking wing talent should pay serious attention to his rise, and the way with which he schooled Cesar Azpilicueta during Leicester City’s 2-1 win over Chelsea

C M Y K

proved he can do it against the very best. Will he go off the boil, his star fading, or will he secure a huge move?

4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, PSG Throughout his long career at the top level, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has always been worth a watch due to the remarkable things he’s able to do on a football pitch.

But golazos and flicks aside, the Swede enters 2016 with his future undetermined— could he make one last big move, could MLS land him, or will he retire at Paris SaintGermain?—and the European Championships will probably be his last major international tournament. We’re running out of time to savour Zlatan’s heroics. Savour these moments while you can.

3. Karim Benzema, Real Madrid Karim Benzema’s name has been populating tabloid headlines for all the wrong

reasons of late, with his sex tape scandal involving Mathieu Valbuena casting a shadow over France’s Euro 2016 preparations. Will the Real Madrid man be part of Didier Deschamps squad? Will the situation be resolved in time for the tournament? Per the Independent, he’s been suspended while the investigation continues, and the FFF president has sided with Valbuena.

It’s difficult to see France lifting the trophy on home soil without the presence of their only elite striker.

2. Paul Pogba, Juventus Despite Juventus’ marked improvement over the past few months, battling back from a shocking start in Serie A, it should seem fairly obvious to Paul Pogba that they’ve hit a glass ceiling in world football.

Contesting with Barcelona in the Champions League final last season was a remarkable feat, but that won’t happen on a

consistent basis.

It opens up the distinct possibility of a big move this coming summer, with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich likely all in for his services should the Italians name an affordable price.

There’s every chance he’ll break the world record transfer fee mark set by Gareth Bale in 2014. Why wouldn’t you want to keep tabs on that storyline?

1. Neymar, Barcelona Neymar has a genuine chance of breaking the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo Ballon d’Or duopoly in 2016, be it by winning the award in January, or excelling across the year and landing the 2017 edition in 12 months time.

His performances over the past year or so have been absolutely brilliant, and his excellent, in conjunction with Luis Suarez’s goal-scoring knack, is the chief reason Barcelona barely skipped a beat during Messi’s injury in late 2015. No one other than Messi or Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or since its inception in 2010, but that could be about to change. That makes him our most pertinent storyline and No. 1 to watch in 2016.

Top 7 players to watch in 2016’s

•Neymar

1

•Lukaku

6

•Marhez

5

•Ibra

4 .Vardy

3

•Benzema

7

2 •Pogba

34 — SATURDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 2, 2016

•Oliseh

By John Egbokhan

2 •Ikeme

015 was a bonfire of celebrations for Nigerian football following Eaglets victory at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile and the Under23’s triumph at the AFCON U-23 Championship in Senegal but 2016 will present daunting challenges to the Super Eagles, who have a mountain to climb to qualify for the 2017 AFCON in Gabon and FIFA 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The year that just finished witnessed a medley of victories for the Eaglets, who won an unprecedented fifth world title in Chile and the U-23 nicking of a Rio 2016 ticket as well as claiming the African title, at the expense of Algeria.

Besides, the country’s home-based Eagles also qualified for the CHAN tournament, holding this month in Rwanda while on the home front, the Nigerian league witnessed a big boom and clear departure from the inglorious past, with Enyimba winning a record seventh title, ending Kano Pillars’ three-year unfettered reign as Nigerian champions.

In retrospect, 2015 was a very good year for the Nigeria Football Federation, given the scorecards of the junior sides in continental and global scenes. For the Amaju Pinnick-led Executive Committee, the year that just finished yesterday was a successful one by any stretch of the imagination. It called for celebrations, with the clinking of glasses after the popping of the champagne.

Eagles

C M Y K

face daunting challenges in 2016

SATURDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 2, 2016 — 35 But before another sip of the expensive wine, 2016 has come and with it the seeming daunting challenges that the Super Eagles will have to navigate in their bid to qualify for the African Cup of Nations in 2017 and the FIFA World Cup in 2018.

If truth be told, the NFF will be judged by the results and performances of the Eagles, not the giant strides made by the junior teams. Previous NFF boards were ousted based on the failure of the Eagles or the perceived politicking inherent in the team. It is with this in mind that the NFF must know that whatever successes the junior sides achieved in 2015 would count for nothing to Nigerians, if the Eagles fail to fly in the AFCON and World Cup qualifying campaigns.

Gabon will host Africa’s flagship tournament next January and the battle for qualifying places will hot up in March when the matches resume.

Only the first-placed team in each group get to qualify for the tournament and the case is peculiarly tricky for the Eagles, who are locked in a two-horse race with record title holders, Egypt for the lone qualifying ticket to Gabon 2017.

Egypt currently top the group with six points from two games, two points more than Nigeria. The Group G pacesetters also have a massive five- goal advantage over Eagles, who have it all to do if they must upstage the Pharaohs from the summit of the table. A picture of which direction the ticket will head to will be clearer on March 23 when the Eagles host the Pharaohs in Nigeria.

Coach Sunday Oliseh will not have a better opportunity to secure pole position when Egypt come visiting. An Eagles win would catapult them to the top, albeit momentarily until the reverse fixture holds four days later in Egypt. If the results over the two legs go in Nigeria’s favour, then Eagles can start counting their chicks until they are hatched by mother hen.

But the road to Congo 2017 is not paved with gold stones as Eagles still have to travel to face Chad on June 3, where only an away win will keep their qualification hopes alive. But they must watch it against the Chadians, who will be bidding to spoil the fun of the travelling Nigerians.

If Eagles survive the scare in Chad and return with a victory, then they may as well secure their passage to Gabon 2017 if they defeat Tanzania in the final match of the group on September 3 in Nigeria.

has been shopping for top grade friendly matches for the team to enhance the rebuilding process of Oliseh and shore up the Eagles low ranking on the FIFA rankings.

According to the President of the NFF, Amaju Pinnick, all efforts will be geared towards helping the team to succeed.

•Musa

•Moses

But should the Eagles buckle under the weight of these seeming daunting challenges and fail to qualify to a second successive AFCON finals next year, then Oliseh and the NFF may as well start preparing to face the wrath of an impatient and expectant home fans, who will demand a Russia 2018 World Cup ticket as the atonement for the failed AFCON bid. And Eagles chances of progressing to the Mundial are by no means easier as they may likely face tougher teams when CAF makes the draw for the final round of qualifying.

This came to the fore last year when after Eagles scaled the hurdle of Swaziland over two legs. The Coach Sunday Olisehtrained side could well draw bitter rivals Ghana and Cameroon in the group phase should the FIFA rankings be used by CAF to seed teams.

As things stand, Nigeria are 59th ranked team in the world and on this count, they will fall in pot 3 of seeds along with

Egypt (57), Mali (63), Uganda (68) and Zambia (71).

Pot 1 will have the continent’s top teams Cote d’Ivoire (22), Algeria (26), Ghana (30), Cape Verde (32) and Senegal (39). Pot 2 will comprise Tunisia (41), Cameroon (51), Congo Brazzaville (52), Guinea (53) and DR Congo (55).

The last pot of 20 qualifiers could then be Gabon (73), South Africa (75), Morocco (79), Burkina Faso (93) and Libya (113). A team from each pot will be picked out to form a qualifying group of five teams with the overall winners advancing to the World Cup in Russia.

And in an attempt to avert the looming dangers, the Nigeria Football Federation

He said the Super Eagles brand are the biggest property of the body and it was incumbent on the body to ensure they success. ‘’We understand the coaching crew is working hard in the rebuilding process as well as getting the desired results but we must help them by complementing their efforts with top grade friendlies like what we had against Cameroon and DR Congo,” said the NFF supremo.

In reality, Eagles have found it difficult to grind out results when playing away from home, a situation that worries Nigerians.

The team played a barren away draw against Tanzania in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on September 5 and repeated another goalless draw in Swaziland in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

Another board member who spoke on condition of anonymity said “with our critical situation in the AFCON qualifiers, we must not lose our two remaining away games to Egypt and Chad because we have been struggling to win away. We must secure victories in away games to enhance our chances of qualifying for these two tournaments.”

He was however hopeful that the team would be stronger and in better shape before the next set of AFCON qualifiers in March.

“Our double header against Egypt in March will be very crucial to the Eagles. Also, the group stage qualifiers of the World Cup would be tougher considering the fact that the best 20 teams in Africa would be participating, so we must brace up for tougher challenges,” he said.

36—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016

08 1 1 6759 759 081 6759759

Russian contortionist showcases

her incredible flexibility

A

contortionist who recently split from her husband says she hopes her new calendar featuring a series of eye-watering photographs will help heal her broken heart.

Russian-born former gymnast Zlata, 29, posed in leather and lingerie to adopt a series of poses that seem to defy every law of biology. Zlata, real name Julia Guenthel, is 5ft 8ins and used every opportunity in the 12 images to demonstrate her incredible flexibility in the pictures which she hopes ‘emphasise her charms’. She said: ‘After this year ’s separation from my

husband, I wanted to emphasise my charms in the new calendar.

‘That was the idea for my new calendar.’ Zlata, who now lives in Germany, is able to create astounding shapes with her body and is so flexible she can cram herself into a 50cm square box. One of her favourite acts is to bend backwards at a 90 degree angle, so the back half of her hands touch her feet and she can also peer through her own legs from behind. The calendar demonstrates the positions she can perform, she is seen with both legs behind her head and is able to perform

the splits vertically in the air.

In another image she squats down just inches from the ground, with one leg on the floor and the other wrapped around the back of her neck.

Zlata’s gift of flexibility was discovered when she was four years old and by six she was training as a contortionist at a

Fired

circus school. She has a rare condition which makes all her tendons extremely pliable, which helps in her profession.

The former gymnast now spends most of her day working out and training for shows around the world. In 2011 she set the Guinness World Record for the most beer bottles

Man’s pants fall down while receiving peace award from his country’s president

I

Albanian TV presenter who was hired after auditioning with her blouse undone is FIRED for posing in Playboy...

A

n Albanian TV news reader who landed her job after auditioning with her blouse open has been fired after posing for Playboy and replaced with another scantily clad presenter. Enki Bracaj, 21, was the host of an international news programme and her cleavage revealing outfits proved a hit with viewers as ratings increased. But her employers at Fire TV decided she had gone too far when she agreed to pose for Playboy and she was sacked from her post.

Nudity and even topless bathing are still taboo in conservative Albania, where some 60 per cent of the population are Muslim. But her replacement has been announced, and she too has C M Y K

agreed to read the news wearing a series of revealing outfits. Greta Hoxha, from the Albanian capital Tirana, has begun her new job and has donned the skimpiest of waistcoats without wearing anything underneath.

She even chose to wear a traditional Albanian waistcoat as she read the news during the country’s recent Liberation Day celebrations, which commemorate the the end of the Nazi occupation in 1944.

Miss Hoxha said: ‘It underlines why I love working in the media. ‘We are doing something here which is original. If the truth be told, I am not surprised that we get a lot of attention.

‘I want to send the message that when people tune into my show they will get the

‘naked’ truth, nothing slanted left or right’ TV station boss Ismet Drishti declined to comment on the row with Miss Bracaj and preferred instead to praise his new newsreader for her professionalism.

The 21-year-old, who studies public relations at the local university, said she was getting so many friend requests and messages on her Facebook page that she could not even read them all. Defending the decision to present almost-topless news, she said at the time she took the job: ‘I am not expecting to get famous overnight, and it’s not easy to get into the television business. ‘I’m a journalist that’s just at the beginning of her career and at the start you have to take some risks.’

opened in a minute using only your feet.

Four years earlier she had set the Guinness World Record for the fastest time to burst three balloons using only your back which Zlata achieved in 12 seconds. The title of her 2016 calendar is ‘Beauty Embodied in Flexibility.’

van Zvonimir Cicak reached out to take the certificate from Croatian president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic hen he lost control of his lower garments A human rights activist was left red faced after his trousers fell down just as he was receiving an important award from the country’s president.

Ivan Zvonimir Cicak reached out to take the certificate from Croatian president Kolinda GrabarKitarovic hen he lost control of his lower garments. The head of the Croatian Helsinki Committee for Human

Rights was photographed looking shamefaced as his slacks slumped around his ankles, before defiantly picking them up again and carrying on. Luckily, Cicak’s dignity was saved by the fact Grabar-Kitarovic was holding the largee award in her hands, preventing anyone getting a glimpse of his underwear. She did not appear to react and remained calm despite a brief glance downwards and a smile as he stooped to pull them back up. The award was presented to Cicak and the committee in Zagreb for their work ahead of international Human Rights Day which is marked on December 10.

SA TURD AY Vanguard, JANU ARY 2, 2016—37 SATURD TURDA JANUARY

Olufunke Oladimeji weds Adeola Oyero in style It would be a Christmas and a Boxing Day to remember for the families of Mr Funsho Oladimeji, notable estate surveyor and his wife, Mrs Grace Oladimeji, a permanent Secretary with Lagos State as their daughter, Olufunke, wedded her heart-throb, Adeola Oyero, son of Pastor and Deaconess John and Grace Oyero. th While the engagement took place on December 25 at the Chapel of Christ The Light, Alausa, Ikeja, the white wedding held at the same venue the following day, Dember 26, 2015. It was a roll call of who’s who in the Lagos State civil service, led by the First Lady of the state. Photos by Diran Oshe

L- R:Groom's parents; Pastor John Oyero and Deconess Grace Oyero.

The couple, Mr & Mrs Adeola Oyero.

L- R: Parents of the bride, Mr Funsho Oladimeji, and Mrs Grace Oladimeji.

Ogudu R otar w Ro taryy Club’s sho show of love ROTARY Club of Ogudu G.R.A ended the year on humanitarian note as they visited the Little Saints Orphanage to donate some food items.

L- R: Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, former Commissioner for Education, Lagos State, Dr ( Mrs) Modele Osunkiyesi, Perm-Sec, Ministry of Health, Lagos State, Mr Michael Ola Dawodu, Perm-Sec, Deputy Gov. Office, Lagos State and Chief (Mrs) Kemi Nelson

L- R: Dr Akintola Oke, Commisioner for Establishiment, Training and Pensions ,Lagos State, the couple and First Lady of Lagos state, Mrs Bolanle Ambode.

The couple, Mr and Mrs Adeola Oyero and their families.

Sir and Lady Dr. Innocent Okafor. Dr & Mrs, Olubunmi Ajibade, Dept. of Mass Communications Unilag.

At Annual Carol of Lessons Festiv al of Songs in Asaba estival

L-R: Dr (Mrs) Valerie Azinge, wife of Prof.

Epiphany Azinge, Chief Epiphany Azinge (SAN) Okilolo Ahaba and Chief Ikechukwu Aduba, former Delta State Police Commissioner

Roll of Honours

L-R: The matron, Mrs. Akintilo Aramide, President Fidel Ogwuazor, Secretary, Adenmosun, Past President, Fikayo Tunde-Ojo and Asst Governor Bala Yesufu

THE people of Issele-Mkpitime town in Aniocha Local Government of Delta State resident in Lagos, last Sunday held an end-of-year party where they honoured some illustrious sons and daughters who have contributed to the development of the town.

At Ogwashi-Ukwu Carnival

Chief Paul Ngbanwa, biz man in Lagos; Mrs. Osundu Jemade,Engr. Remmy Mgbanwa; Rtd Superintendent of Police, Mr. Paul Okafor, President of Issele-Mkpitime Development Union, Lagos; Mr. Amaechi Nwaoshai who represented Engr Emmanuel Nwaoshai, CEO of Power Systems Ltd, Lagos; and Onyinye Nwaulune, who represented Mr. Martins Izuogbe, Fidelity Bank.

R-L: Mrs Anthonia Aguah, founder, Ogwashi-Uku carnival, Sir Emma Okafor, President-General, Ogwashi-Uku, Development Union, Mr.Gabriel Ogbechie,MD, Rainoil & wife, Mrs Ogbechie

38—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016

How Nigeria’s military killed my 4 children in one night —ABU lecturer •Dr Waziri Isa Gwantu

BY BEN AGANDE

F

or Dr Waziri Isa Gwantu, December 13, 2015 will ever remain a dark day for the remaining days of his life.

That was the day he lost four of his children— three boys and a girl; all university undergraduates during the tragic encounter between members of the Nigerian Army and the Shiites Islamic sect in Zaria. According to Nigerian security sources, while on his way to pay a courtesy visit to the Emir of Zaria, the convoy of the Chief of Army staff ran into a road block mounted by members of the Shiite sect along Sokoto road. All entreaties made to members of the sect to allow the army chief pass fell on deaf ears.

One thing led to the other and at the end of the encounter, over many members of the sect were reportedly killed. The army claimed that they were first attacked by members of the sect, a claim disputed by the sect who alleged that the

act was premeditated by government to decimate members of the sect in the country. The kaduna state government has since set up a committee to investigate the matter.

But for Dr Waziri, no matter the outcome of the panel set up by government, the ultimate verdict on what happened and who is culpable would be determined by God on the day of judgment. When Saturday Vanguard traced him to Zaria and eventually Nassarawa state when he had gone after the ugly incidence, we found a man who was utterly devastated by the loss of four children in one fell swoop. At a point during the interview, he almost gave in to his emotions but found solace in his religion which preaches that nothing can happen to any man except it is sanctioned by God. Narrating the events that led to the black Saturday, Dr Waziri said there was no

Jesus Christ was killed according to the biblical narration. How did his mother take it? She left things to God. Prophets of God were killed in the past.

All the children of Prophet Mohammed were killed.

They referred everything to divine justice. We have overcome it. We have left everything to God

premonition that something ominous was lurking in the corner when he drove his children to the Shiite headquarters along Sokoto road to perform the Malud ceremony on the First day of the month of the birth of prophet Muhammad.

According to him, “it was the first day of the month which our prophet, Mohammed was born so we usually organize Maulud Programme on the first day of the month. On that very day, I took my children in my car to the venue Of the Programme.

But on getting to a certain point, I heard gun shots and the roads were blocked. I asked and was told that there was a misunderstanding

between the military and the Shiites. I wasn’t surprised hearing this because six months before then, our sheikh had informed us that he got security reports that the military was trying to perfect a scenario where they would tell the world that the military was attacked by the Shiites and then use that as an excuse to descend on every member of the movement.

Bearing that in mind, I decided to take the children to the Sheikh’s house thinking that would be a safe place to stay until the crisis subsided after which we would then go back for the Programme. I dropped them and went back to the house at about 5pm leaving an

Continues on page 39

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016—39

go to help them. I called Reverend Father Matthew Kukah to appeal to government to stop the killing in Zaria. I also called Reverend Hayap in Kaduna and reported to him what was going on” he lamented.

Reacting to the allegations that the Shiites provoked the military by first attacking them which drew the ire of the military, Dr Waziri said the allegation was meant to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it. According to him,the Shiites do not believe in violence as it is against the dictate of Islam. He wondered why people who accused the Shiites of keeping weapons were not able to produce one single victim among the security forces that were said to have been attacked.

“We don’t believe in weapons. We don’t believe in killing. We are not ISIS or Boko Haram who call themselves Sunnis” he fumed.

H

•The four children killed

God will avenge the death of my children Continues from page 38 instruction that when the Sheikh is ready for the Programme, they should call me”.

But when the call eventually came from one of his sons at about 10pm, it was not to report that the sheikh, (El Zakzaky) was ready for the programme but that one of his sons had been shot by the army at the residence of the leader of the Shiite in Nigeria.

The first instinct as a father was to rush to where his son was shot but he was told by the son that all the roads leading to the sheikh’s residence had been

blocked by the army. While still weighing his options, another of his son called to informed him that the army were pointing their guns at him.

“One hour later, he called me to say he had been shot in the leg. I could hear gun shots in the back ground. At about 1 am, l got another call but this time from my daughter to inform me that she was shot on her belly. She was crying and I couldn’t go to help them because the roads leading to the residence was blocked.

“On the following day, my

eldest son called to tell me that there were corpses everywhere and he was among the few surviving souls in the place. I encouraged him to keep praying and as we were talking, he informed me that they were approaching him with guns and that he isn’t sure his father will get to speak with him again .

Shortly after, the line went off.

He was also killed.

“The one that first called me on Saturday night told me that he was dying because of the loss of so much blood. I was devastated because I could not

e said what was most painful was the fact that as the only graduate in his family, he believed that he would train his children to become useful citizens that would contribute to the development of the country. He did not only lose them but he also did not have the dignity of praying for and giving them a befitting burial as they were all allegedly burnt and given mass burial by the army.

“What is even more painful is that after killing these children, they denied us access to their corpses so that we could pray for them and bury them appropriately. They were buried in mass graves. What offense have we committed to deserve this kind of oppression? Even Boko Haram that are known to be the worst killers in the world are not treated this way” he cried.

Though devastated by the death of his four children, Dr Waziri said he and his wife have taken solace in the fact that even prophets were killed for what they believed in.

“Jesus Christ was killed according to the biblical narration. How did his mother take it? She left things to God. Prophets of God were killed in the past. All the children of Prophet Mohammed were killed. They referred everything to divine justice. We have overcome it. We have left everything to God” And for the government and the security services, Dr Waziri have a defiant message for them: “I have fourteen children so the government still has ten more to kill. If they think that killing will kill an ideology, they are in for surprise” he said.

40—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016

Nigerians are getting worried over the true meaning of change —Gbagi •Don’t borrow to fund budget, recover looted funds, he urges Buhari

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

F

ORMER Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, in this interview speaks on his expectations of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, the 2016 Federal Budget and why President Buhari should recover looted funds instead of borrowing to fund the budget.

His take on Buhari’s N6.08 trillion budget and whether it is going to boost the economy With regards to the N6 trillion budget, we are yet to be told the basis. From the way it sounds, we are going to borrow that money. My worry therefore is how does that take us? Once you borrow you are now at the mercy of your lender. It was what almost finished the American economy when they were borrowing to eat their breakfast from China. China got to the extent that you go into the White House, inscriptions and directions were written in Chineese. But that is a country with all the systems in place.

In our own case, I don’t see how they want to rouse the economy with a polity where we now have oil at $20 per barrel, where irresponsibly, not this government and not even the Jonathan government, successive governments left all our other sources of generating revenue for oil alone. A nation that is highy endowed with rubber, palm oil, gold, diamond, fish, etc, with all these gifts of God, we toyed with them, we refused to nurture and develop them and today we are crying over the issue of oil. This ought not to be. Today, oil would have been one of the components.

Rather than spend more money (N32 billion) looking for oil (in Lake Chad basin) that we don’t have and that would not be of much use to us anymore, what are we doing as a nation to urgently go back to the drawing board and articulate the way forward? There are many nations without oil that are doing well through tourism.

How much do we have to get from tourism? Have we been able to put our house in order

C M Y K

for foreigners to see it as tourist destination to visit? With insecurity what are we doing?

A lot more needs to be done.

If we borrow N2trillion in 2016 for a N6trillion budget, in 2017, we will borrow N8 trillion of a N12 trillion budget and in 2018, we will borrowN15 trillion of a N20 trillion budget.

We are heading for a doom. I pray and will like to see a reverse of the situation. I will expect that economists should be consulted.

The solution, in my opinion, is not borrowing. First and foremost where is all our moneys? We have moneys. No credible and strong international body will lend us money because they are lent our own money back to us but the money was stolen. So, why not first, reach an understanding where we say: in the last 16 years how much have we received as a country?

How much went to Kano, where is the money? How much went to Delta, where is the money? How much went to Lagos, where is the money?

How much went to Akwa Ibom, where is the money? How much went to Sokoto, where is the money?

It is easy to find out where these moneys are and reach a judicial decision that these are moneys belonging to Nigeria but are now in the pockets of private individuals that all these moneys be brought back first. Thereafter, we take a decision on whether it is necessary to borrow.

Have the members of the National Assembly consulted the people, who elected them on whether or not we want to borrow? Who bought NEPA for instance and all its associated properties and how much did they pay? Most of those who claim to have bought NEPA have injected no penny into it.

Where did they warehouse the money with which they bought it? So, Buhari has a lot in his pie to save this country by just agreeing that a man that God has given health at that age and time has no other duty or obligation than to get it right.

NEPA is just one. You

•Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi privatised all the banks. Who made them to be failed banks?

Buhari is almost one year on the job. If we are just going to glide through as a way of life we may just as well forget Nigeria as a nation because there is a lot to be done. The N2 trillion he wants to borrow, I can say we have much more money than that. Where is the money we have recovered so far and from who? There should be no secrecy. List for Nigerians how much we have recovered and from who. What use economically are we putting this money into? We must be careful, Nigeria of 30 to 40 years ago is not the same as Nigeria of today.

It is too soon for a government that is largely not on its feet, that is not cohesive to think of plunging the country into that indebtedness when in fact we have over N20 trillion, which I think given my expectation of the President, we should have recovered 60 per cent of the stolen wealth of this nation by now. So, we want to know what has been recovered to dispel the rumour that is making the rounds and which is weakening the strengthen, zest and the myth of the Buhari government.

What is the rumour making the rounds?

If you say you have recovered money from Mr A and we don’t

know the amount and the person, we are going back to the same old system, which is not expected of a great Muslim leader like Buhari, a leader with so much age, a man who pledged the kernel of his administration on the destruction of corruption.

What do you expect from the government in 2016?

First and foremost, Buhari told us he knows people of integrity, conclusively bring them together and let Nigerians receive back the loot of this country. If we get 80 per cent of the loot we will get over N33 trillion and won’t need to borrow. Nigerians are getting worried as to the true meaning of change. Much as I am held to have supported this government, we need to start putting human face when we call a spade a spade. There is so much secrecy in this government. A government that cannot explain itself to the electorate and the people that put it in power is in trouble. The mere fact that you are not talking is itself corruption. Let the people know what is happening before it is too late. It is urgent that we douse the secrecy by publishing the amount recovered and from whom.. There cannot be any sacred cow. Let us face governance and the rebirth of Nigeria.

SATURDAY

Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016—41

Shehu Sani: The travails of a talakawa exponent T

BY AGAJU MADUGBA

HESE may not be the best of times for Shehu Sani, the civil rights activistturned politician who represents Kaduna Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

After several years of robust human rights activism using his Kaduna-based Civil Rights Congress, Sani contested the 2015 general elections, defeating his closest rival, Senator Mukhtar Aruwa, of the People’s Democratic Party. Sani has since his inauguration launched several programmes which he says are aimed at uplifting the welfare of members of his constituency.

Sani has consistently based his ideology on what he describes as talakawa-centred, a Hausa expression for, the masses as represented in the poor and the less-privileged.

Although he reportedly worked for the success of the APC gubernatorial victory at the polls, his relationship with Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i may have gone sour somewhere along the line as later developments within the state show the two party chieftains threading parallel lines.

Confusion trails suspension order The cold war between the two apparently came to a climax last Sunday when the Tudun Wada

ward of his party slammed an 11month suspension order on the Senator, alleging anti-party activities. A letter to Sani dated December 27, also banned him from engaging in the party’s activities in the state during the duration of the sanction. “Hardly a week passes by that his group will not be on air, criticizing and challenging the enduring legacies of Malam Nasir ElRufa’i,” the letter said, adding that, “his statements on national issues are not in conformity with those of the government of Kaduna State.”

The APC Tudun Wada Ward Secretary, Ahmed Abdulhamid, purportedly signed the suspension notice along with the Public Relations Officer, Auwal Mai Anguwa, and an Ex-Officio member, Aminu Alilan. The Kaduna State APC affirmed the Sani’s suspension on Tuesday.

“We hereby uphold the suspension of Comrade (Senator) Shehu Sani as a member of the party for the period of 11 months,” the state secretariat said in a statement by the party’s Public Relations Officer, Tanko-Wusono, said and noted further that, “by this suspension, he is to desist from all party activities until when the suspension is lifted. The party calls on all its members to be law abiding as we move forward to fulfil our campaign promises.”

According to the statement, the party had watched the activities of the Senator with disdain and accused him of, “undue criticisms of policies and

•Shehu Sani

programmes of government at both the federal and state levels as well as heaping insults and abuses on party leaders through various media platforms.” The statement argued further that all efforts to make Sani appear before the party’s leadership to clarify certain issues failed.

Moreover, according to the party, Sani also went out of his way to blame the Nigerian Army over the recent killing of some members of the Muslim Shi’ite sect in Zaria.

Reacting to the suspension, one of Sani’s aides, Sani, Suleiman Ahmed, described the writers of the letter as “ignorant” of the laws guiding the APC. “They are toeing the line of the state secretariat of the party,” Ahmed said.

But there are indications that the last may have not been heard of the suspension order as reports say that the signatories to the letter claim that their signatures were forged.

The three people were said to have signed the suspension letter have been reported as saying that, “the whole letter is forged and none of the ward executive appended his signature or is even aware of the suspension until it was made public.”

Moreover, according to the Ward Chairman Abbas Mohammed, “the party shall investigate the sources of this statement because the three executives mentioned to have signed the statement have denied knowledge of it.”

Why I oppose El-Rufa’i Whatever the circumstances, Sani has never hidden his objection to El-Rufa’i’s leadership style. The Governor had on assumption of office on May 29, embarked on sweeping reforms which among other things saw to the evacuation of beggars from the streets of metropolitan Kaduna, stopped government sponsorship of religious pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem, stopped

government’s distribution of grains during religious festive periods, reduced the number of ministries and sacked a number of civil servants, among other steps.

Reviewing some of these policies in a recent interview with Saturday Vanguard, Sani described El-Rufa’i as spreading poverty in Kaduna and embarking on programmes that do not benefit the masses.

Moreover, according to Sani, “we have ideological differences.

He is from the political right and I am from the political left. He is a core conservative capitalist who believes in capitalism and I believe in the progressive, welfarist, leftist and idealistic system. So, that is where we differ. Again, after we had won the election and it came to sharing positions, he sidelined me and gave the power to the man I defeated in the election, who was his preferred choice. By so doing, he has clearly appointed someone who he is grooming to fight me. He wants to do away with beggars and destitute and plant flowers and build amusement parks in Kaduna and that is not the way to solve problem. The governor wants to give a false image of good life and sanity in Kaduna to make it appear that everybody is rich and living comfortably because there are no beggars and hawkers on the streets when in reality they have only been pushed out to go and suffer somewhere else.”

News Analysis Nnamdi Kanu: Threading the path of extremist radicalism

BY AGAJU MADUGBA iolence and street demonstrations in parts of V the south-east of the country have

continued to trail the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu by operatives of the DSS in a Lagos hotel, on October 14.

Kanu is leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a separatist movement canvassing the creation of an independent state of Biafra from the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is also the Director of the United Kingdom-based Radio Biafra.

Kanu’s arrest and consequent prosecution may not be unconnected with what the Federal Government considers sensational and provocative comments, bordering on treasonable felony, broadcast over Radio Biafra.

Currently standing trial along with some other persons at a Federal High Court, Kanu has been formally charged with offences including maintaining an unlawful society and illegal possession of items, among other allegations, all said to be punishable under sections 41 (c) and 63 of the Criminal Code Act and Section 47 (2) (a) of the Customs and Excise Management Act. But the DSS, acting on behalf of the Federal Government, had on December 16 withdrawn all the criminal conspiracy charges against Kanu following which an Abuja Magistrate Court ordered his release. It turned out however to be a momentary relief as security operatives later rearrested Kanu, based on an order of a Federal High Court.

Celebrating extremist radicalism Days before his arrest in Nigeria,

•Nnamdi Kanu Kanu had in a broadcast over his medium described President Muhammadu Buhari as a “Gestapo President” and suggested that the Nigerian leader is one of the three sponsors of activities of the Boko Haram insurgent group. He claimed that former President Ibrahim Babangida and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar are also part of the Boko Haram benefactors.

Apart from various other aspersions and derogatory descriptions of the President, the IPOB leader equally labelled Buhari as “evil, a paedophile and a terrorist.” In the broadcast, an apparent phone-in programme transmitted on YouTube and monitored by Saturday Vanguard, Kanu said that he was returning to Nigeria (in October) to execute his Biafra project as he stressed that, “as I am travelling back I need men with me, very serious men, to assist

me crush the Zoo country which must fall.

“They are counting on what happened in 1967 to happen again. They are counting on the British to work for them and counting on the lies of the BBC to sustain them. Those are the things the Hausa are counting on. But in the end we are going to win and prevail. The zoo must fall.” And, in answer to a question from one Chukwuemeka Onyebuchi who said he calledin from Malaysia and wanted Kanu to give an order for the killing of all northerners resident in the south-east, Kanu responded that, “we will hunt them down and we will kill them.

You can be rest assured of that.

But how we are going to do that is not something I should discuss on air. They came to kill us and we must retaliate. They will fall.

We have what they don’t have.

“Three people funded Boko Haram, President Buhari, exPresident Ibrahim Babangida and former Vice president Atiku Abubakar. They consciously went out to fund Boko Haram. They said it openly after Jonathan won the 2011 presidential election, that they will make the country ungovernable. They said it openly.”

My comments rude, insolent In the past few days, the media have been awash with a reported statement credited to Kanu in which he was said to have renounced his earlier proclamation and tendered what he described as an unreserved apology to the President. The apology was said to be part of his statement to DSS. A cross section of members of IPOB and the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) have since described the statement as

untrue explaining that it was the handiwork of the DSS to discredit Kanu. His father, Eze Israel Kanu was also said to have denied that his son apologised for his comments.

However, according to Kanu in the statement, “reference to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a terrorist, evil, and Paedophile is regrettable and uncalled for and for that I unreservedly apologize and will be doing so in a private letter to the President.

“Before President Muhammadu Buhari, there was the administration of Goodluck Jonathan (and) I also said some uncomplimentary things about him and Igbo elders as well which I now recognize should not have happened because it is un-African to be rude or insolent to elders. “I can confirm that I, Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra worldwide, is a legally registered and duly recognized body at the United Nations pursuing the rights of a specific indigenous people, in this case Biafra, to seek self-determination.

“Opportunities no longer existed for the majority of the people, and especially young graduates to find meaningful employment in the job market, general hardship, brutal repression of civil and human rights coupled with system that shuns inward investment contributed to the thinking behind the formation of IPOB.” Biafra initiative, an armed struggle Contrary to his radio programme which Kanu insinuated that IPOB is not an armed movement, the latest DSS report which gave a comprehensive detail of how the radio Biafra chief was

arrested described leaders of the IPOB as having a stock pile of arms and ammunition in their custody. According to the document, arms and ammunition were recovered at the Ubulusiuzor, Ihiala local government area of Anambra State home of one of Kanu’s associates. The report explained that a DSS operative, Mohammed Ahmed, who led the search of the house, recovered “two pump-action guns loaded with ammunition, one Emerald pump-action gun with serial number: TS870-113-0046 and one Delta Magnum pump-action gun with serial number 501.”

However in his apology statement, he also recanted the proclamation, as, according to him, “there is no armed conflict (in the agitation for Biafra). Any reference to such is purely designed to stop the Nigerian Armed Forces, ostensibly the police from coming out and killing innocent people.

“IPOB volunteers are modelled on exactly the same tenet as the world renowned Salvation Army Front.“Its ambitions are army (military inclined) but it does not carry any weapons. The same thing applies to the volunteers of IPOB. There is no arms training involved.”

Also reacting last Wednesday during a nation-wide radio and television programme, Buhari said that, “the one you called Kanu, do you know he has two passports? One Nigerian, one British and he came to this country without using any passport? Do you know that he brought sophisticated equipment into this country and started broadcasting for Radio Biafra?

There is a treasonable charge against him and I hope the court will listen to the case.”

juliecoker100@yahoo.com

Whenever I talk to my dad, I end up frustrated Dear Aunty Julie,

M

y dad and I always have issues in our father/son relationship. Whenever I talk to him, I usually end up frustrated. And I don’t know how to stop getting so worked up over it. It’s usually him telling me something, like in a way, giving me advice or telling me his opinion on something that I’m doing, or telling me something about what someone else has done and just trying to teach me something. I usually describe it as a lecture. One that I didn’t sign up for.

There are times that I actually decide to listen, and it’s these times that I get so worked up.

When I told him about how I get frustrated when I talk to him , one of the things he said was along the lines of, “ you don’t need to get so frustrated”.

I know I don’t like my dad because I get so prickly over anything he says plus I kind of try to avoid him, limit any time we can talk to each other which can make me feel kind of guilty because I know he means well.

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Aunty Julie, y guy gets into trouble a lot M and has been in trouble a couple of times with the police but

only arrested once and received a reprimand.

I started speaking to him in November last year after my ex and I split up after a particularly rough break-up and things progressed from there. He asked me out a few times but I said that I couldn’t.

I wanted to but I knew I wasn’t ready

But, this doesn’t stop the fact that he gets on my nerves and how I don’t like talking to him.

It’s great when I don’t care and I’m not listening and just want him to finish talking. But, I don’t think I’m always going to be like that. Randomly, I’d decide that I want to actually hear him out but I get so worked up afterward that it’s difficult for me to concentrate on other things. That’s annoying!

Now, what I want to understand is, does dislike naturally go away? Is it entirely up to me to stop myself from getting frustrated?

How do I stop myself from getting so bothered?

Bidemi, Lagos

Hello, Bidemi,

I think it’s great you’re taking the time to consider your reactions to your dad and what might be causing them. It’s probably a lot more than just the words he says and it’s likely your frustrations happen almost instantly, as if on ‘alert’ for any lecturing.

Firstly, it’s very normal for a young person to be frustrated, embarrassed or angry by what

My family doesn’t like him to trust anyone again after just coming out of a relationship.

We stopped speaking after last Christmas as he got a new phone and I didn’t ask for his number but then began talking again via Facebook. My elder brother whom I’m living with does not allow Facebook and so, I was using a friends’ account. Some of our conversations weren’t exactly dirty or anything but he’s told me he loves me around 5 or 6 times now .

Later, my mum found out I’d been

C O C K - T A L E S Tips for marriage

* Two times a week we go to a nice restaurant for good food and companionship. She goes on Tuesdays. I go on Fridays. * We sleep in separate beds. Hers is in Lagos and mine is in Abuja. * I take my wife everywhere, but she keeps finding her way back. * I asked my wife where she wanted to go for our anniversary.

“Somewhere I haven’t been in a long time,” she said. So I suggested the kitchen. * When we go to the shopping mall, we always hold hands. If I let go, she shops. * My wife told me the car wasn’t running well because she thought there was water in the carburetor. I asked where the car was. She said, “In the lake.” * Before you take the leap into matrimony, remember this: Marriage is the number one cause of divorce. * In fact, statistically 100 percent of all divorces start with marriage. * As for myself, I married Miss Right. I just didn’t know her first name was Always. * I haven’t spoken to my wife in almost a year. I don’t like to interrupt her. * I’ll admit the last fuss we had was my fault. My wife asked, “What’s on the TV?” I answered, “Dust!”

C M Y K

their parents say. After all, parents seem so out of touch!

You might feel he doesn’t understand you, isn’t supportive of you, or doesn’t give you the independence you need. The important thing to remember is that your dad is probably trying to do these things, but in a different way to what you want.

Have you tried to tell him how you feel? Imagine in your head the way you would like him to talk to you and then tell him your suggestions. If your dad does mean well, as you say, he will listen to you.

We can love people and be annoyed or dislike them at the same time. When you find these negative feelings to take over, remind yourself of positive memories with your dad and your relationship with him. This could be as small as him driving you somewhere or saying goodnight before you go to bed.

Think of something you would like to do with your dad and let him know. Spending positive time with him may also help decrease your feelings of dislike.

When we are angry or frustrated, we often react rather than respond. This means we do and say things without thinking and often end up regretting it or feeling guilty. When we respond, we have had time to not let our emotions take over. It might help to try to respond to your dad rather than react. So when you are recognising yourself getting worked up, stop, take a deep breath and either tell yourself some calming words in your head or take some time out by yourself.

Lastly, sometimes it’s just best to let it all out! Call a friend, talk to another family member and express your feelings. This lets out the frustrations and helps us calm down.

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42—SATURDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 2, 2016

messaging him on facebook and ringing him at 3 o’clock in the morning when she visited my brother and took my blackberry. She read all the conversations between me and him, saw all the call history and saw a particularly embarrassing text from me to him and raised an alarm .

He smokes but has tried quitting on several occasions. He isn’t exactly the brightest spark but does quite well in his business. My family, particularly my mother doesn’t want me anywhere near him and called me all manner of names after reading the messages between us.

I really like him and I know he’s decent but my brother and my mum just don’t seem to see it. They think if I am in a relationship with him, my life will go down the plughole.

I know he’ll treat me right because I’ve known him a while and he’s always been amazing and he’s told me never to make the same mistakes he made. He had a bit of a traumatic experience when he was young and the only way he distracts himself is by messing about with his friends which results in him getting into trouble.

I don’t know what to do with him.

What do I do?

Pedro, Abuja

Dear Pedro,

It sounds like you do really like this guy and behind his actions can see that he’s decent. While you are clashing in your views with your family, it sounds like they are doing what they need to do as parents trying to protect you. As unfair as it

Am I too old for her ?

Aunty Julie,

F

or the past six months, I have been texting and speaking over Facebook with a babe and met up a few times.

During these meet ups, we held hands, hugged and kissed. We admitted to liking each other, but there is the problem and I think it is ridiculous. Her friends think I am too old for her. Fair enough, I’m almost 36, but she is almost 17 and my religion permits a sexual relationship with a girl that age.

I need some advice on this issue because even though I have known this girl for sometime now, I’ve a great attraction for her and it’s a pain having to get over someone before moving on to someone else, and I don’t want to move on. I want to fight for what will make me happy because I know she’s worth it.

Idris, Edo Dear Idris, You are right up to a point but she is also a minor, which means that her parents are her legal guardians and responsible for her care and well being. So although you consider it okay for her to have a sexual relationship, her parents do have the right to have their views on who she dates and if she is old enough to be with you. It’s common for parents to have worries and concerns when their daughters start dating, regardless of age differences! If you think this girl is worth the time and effort, offer to hang out with her at her house. Get to know her parents and let them to get to know you. It’s important to be respectful of their boundaries and show them you are willing to follow their rules. It may take some time, but it’ll be worth it to earn their trust and they may become more relaxed. It also shows the girl that you are willing to make the effort and she will appreciate it. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

can seem at times, they are responsible for your safety and want to make sure you don’t get hurt. Calling you names doesn’t help and can be very hurtful, but it seems like your mum wants to make sure that you are safe by having lots of rules and boundaries in place.

Family aside, there are a few things you wrote about that I want to mention: his friends, sex, and the reasons behind him getting into trouble. They might not seem like big things to you, but it might help you to make some decisions.

Firstly, friends can tell you a lot about a person. People often believe that you hang around others who are similar to you. It’s a worry that you are scared of his friends and don’t want to talk to them.

While this guy might be nice to you over the phone and online, do you think he’ll be the same in front of his friends? A person’s friends can tell you a lot about a person, and it’s good to get on well with their friends.

Secondly, deciding when to have sex is a big decision. There’s no rush to decide, especially before being in a relationship with someone and getting to know them better.

You said this guy had a traumatic experience and now tries to forget about it by doing stuff that gets him in trouble; it’s common for young people (and even adults) to use ways to distract themselves from traumatic experiences. But distractions don’t help the problem, and can often make it worse. I’m guessing that his smoking might also be a way to cope with the experience. His behaviour shows he might not be over the experience and needs some help.

If he has any criminal charges, it will definitely affect your family’s approval of him.

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, JANU ARY 2 JANUARY 2,, 2016—43

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

I refuse to let our son turn family home into a love nest !

J

ULIE has just finished her stint at the private hospital where she was a matron.

Her husband is a partner and a consultant at the same hospital. His hours were less erratic than hers and as she rummaged in her kitchen in the dead of the night for something to eat, she noticed the silence seemed a bit errie. Usually, when she came in late, Fred, her eldest son, who’d just been back from his Youth Service, would have soft music wafting from his room. He had a steady girl friend then; a sort of relief after his wild spree with various girlfriends—and Julie even liked this one. As a rule, she never got involved with Fred’s girls but Tolu, his latest, wormed her way into Juliets life and she was already regarding her as a prospective daughterin-law. That was until Tolu came to the hospital a couple of weeks ago, her eyes red from crying and her heart in pieces.

Fred was no longer interested in the relationship, she wailed, and she still loved him.

Julie’s heart dropped. She promised to see what she could do to jump-start the romance.... “So that night when I came home late and everything seemed peaceful, I gave a sigh.

Maybe this break-up was for the best. At least now, Fred would start reshaping his life,” Julie continued. ‘I was about to turn in for the night when I heard ecstatic moans escaping from Fred’s room. My heart gave a lurch; surely he couldn’t be making love to another girl so soon after his romance broke up? I was really curious. I marched up to my room which is next to his and the moans were even more distinctive. I felt really disgusted at his indifference.

“I had this sense of deja vu. You can never imagine the number of hours I’d lain awake, torturing myself imagining that randy son of mine assaulting yet another innocent girl in the name of love. The boy is not even 24 yet. How permissive should a parent get in a home where there are other younger children, including

abided by the rules of the house or leave.

He thanked me politely and left.

“Two weeks after our so-called ‘talk’ he told me he had decided to save me from further embarrassment. He’s found accommodation, a Boy’s Quarters, a friend said he could move into Ikoyi and he was moving out immediately. I was mildly shocked. But he wasn’t a little boy any more. What’s more, I was convinced that a few weeks away from the comfort of home would soon whip him into shape.

He hasn’t looked back since and he’s a more responsible man for it!” teenage girls?

“Before I woke up the next day, his ‘contraband’ had conveniently disappeared. Obviously, he thought I didn’t know anything about it and his sisters were looking as if they’d successfully pulled the wool over my eyes. That did it! As soon as they finished their breakfast, I asked Fred to wait behind, that I wanted to talk to him. He gave me his ‘here we-go-again’ look and shrugged. His sisters looked sorry they were going to miss the anti-climax! In my mother-knows-best voice, I told him I was quite fed up with his appetite for the flesh.

He should put self in my place, I said, Here was I, laying the law down for his sisters, ordering them not to stay out longer than10pm, and there he was bringing girls of his sister’s age to the family home to stay the night! How would he feel if his sisters were to stay out all night locked in the arms of some men? His bored look infuriated me and I gave him an ultimatum: either he

I

His bored look infuriated me and I gave him an ultimatum: either he abided by the rules of the house or leave

Are you too strict with your children?

t’s sad when you see a parent take their child’s discipline to an extreme.

Gbuyi had always suspected his wife of not having that maternal feeling that makes a mother appreciate her child. “Our first and only daughter together was three when I noticed she didn’t always like being around her mother ”, he said sadly.

“She was either playing happily with the maid or coming over to me with her chatter. Her mother always looked disapprovingly at her and was always barking orders. The last straw was when I came home early to find my poor daughter howling hysterically. She’d been naughty, the mother said, and to punish her, she’d been made to stand in a comer with her hands raised above her head!

“I was livid to say the least. Tor goodness’ sake, the poor girl is only three. I shouted at her, scooping my daughter into my arms and pacifying her. How could a mother be so cruel?

I also discovered she had this little cane she beat her on the legs with whenever she thought she was misbehaving. She needs to know what’s right before it is too late; my darling wife

immediately, but it is almost never the best way to stop a child from doing something wrong again, “Punishing children in this way is unhelpful,” says a parenting expert. “It teaches them how to avoid getting caught. It also completely fails to teach them how to change their behaviour, to understand why it might be in their There’s no doubt that kids interest to change it, or to can be little devils, but do you give them any good reason know how far to go when you for wanting to change it. want to discipline them? Some Instead of smacking form of punishment is children, consider sending necessary now and again for them to their room or a one of three key reasons most ‘cooling off place’ to think children psychologists agree about these actions. on: It teaches kids about cause “You could take away and effect. They learn that their some of your child’s actions can have negative privileges by grounding consequences for themselves and other people. It makes kids them, for example, or not allowing them to stay up take responsibility for being late at weekends. You could naughty. If children decide to do something wrong, they must ban a favourite activity for a s£)rt time - such as be prepared to take the blame and watching TV, playing on the computer or riding a accept the penalty. It reinforces the lines we draw between right bike, or removing a toy for and wrong - between acceptable a little while. Another sanction might be to stop and unacceptable behavior. It the pocket money for a shows them that parents mean suitable period. Whatever business. you choose, stick to what So when you do need to Hartley Brewer, the punish your children, what is parenting expert calls the the best way? Thank goodness ‘punishment contract’. This smacking your child is not means adhering to the illegal as it is in most Western following: countries. However, they Be Clear: Give a warning shouldn’t be smacked so hard by of what the punishment is parents that they leave a marie. likely to be.

Smacking may stop a child used to say. The older she got, the more she avoided her mother’s company. So when my wife wanted another child, I refiised. I told her I was no longer interested in the marriage -1 wanted a home with happy children. So I sent her packing and kept my daughter with me. She’s a happier girl now.”

44—SATURDAY

Vanguard , JANUARY 2, 2016 YETUNDE AREBI Yetty5050@yahoo.co.uk tweeterhandle@yetundearebi 08054700825

2016: our year of divine help

E

very Wednesday is Shilo service at the Cherubim and Seraphim church in Ebute Metta area of Lagos. Shilo is held at the land of mercy, (ileaanu), where you have the symbolic flowing river, synonymous with the church rituals. Shilo is where prayers are believed to be answered by God, no matter the nature of the problem. By faith, no one returns from Shilo with empty hand. It is open to both members and the general public and on Shilo days, you are sure to meet all the designated priests and prophets, sometimes including those who go into spiritual trance, bringing messages from the spiritual realms.

There, if you are lucky, your whole life and problems can be summarised in 10 minutes through a vision!

Thus, for believers, Shilo is a must attend, more important than Sunday services in some instances.

After Shilo service, those with special requests and prayers step forward to meet with the prophets and special prayers are conducted with them with the elders of the church, prophets and congregation as the spirit might direct. My friend, Joko, never misses the Shilo service. She was born into the Celestial Church and is now married to the son of an Aladura Mother-in-Israel. It is convenient for her since she runs her own business and thus have flexible schedules. It was with bewilderment as well as laughter that she shared an incident that took place at one of the prayer sessions when she came visiting recently.

According to her, everyone at the service was taken by surprise a couple of weeks back when a young lady in her early 20s stepped forward to announce her special request. “The prophets should help her pray for a man who will take care of her”! The congregation fell silent instantly. What sort of prayer is that? In the house of God? Is she not already married? Even if she were not officially married, she had a baby on her back and someone must have fathered the child, abi? So, why was she searching for someone who would take care of her? As the worshipers were trying to process what could have informed such a prayer request, a couple of female elders stepped forward and drew her aside for

C M Y K

questioning, or is it counselling.

But on a second look at her appearance, Joko said it became apparent to her that the girl ought to have a special request. In fact, one would be surprised if she did not. Her Ankara fabric dress was a size or two bigger for her slim frame and though no one

problems are inevitable for man. They are part of the challenges of life and living.

Every human will go through some kind of problems at one time or the other in their lives, it is part of God’s promises to His people

wears shoes inside the church premises because it is designated as holy land, her feet looked conspicuously unkempt and could not have achieved that status by just being barefoot in the church that morning. On her back was strapped a little baby with another piece of faded Ankara fabric. The baby was obviously in a worse condition than its mother . Her tiny lips were dry and cracked while her nostrils also had yellowish dry mucus stuck around them.

Her gaping mouth indicated she was not breathing

properly, obviously as a result of the blocked nose.

Even as the service continued, a lot of people were still interested in what prompted the young lady to make such a request in public.

While this lady’s action might appear not to be the conventional thing to do, it is important to note that pushed into a corner, one is likely to become irrational in one’s thinking and actions. Desperate times sometimes call for desperate measures, they say. A man of her own who will take care of her and her infant baby was all she could think of as solution to her problems. While the elders were interested in the father of her child, and the need to make him take care of her, it was obvious that she had foreclosed on that as a viable option and was shopping for a more responsible husband and father for her child, and what better place to come other than the church. Had he been meeting his responsibilities towards them, I doubt if the thought of such an action would have ever crossed her mind. Also, if there was a possibility of intervention from family members, she would have taken it rather than open herself up for public ridicule.

Contrary to Joko’s views, I think this young lady took the right decision. Like everyone she has a right to come before God, her maker to seek help. Sometimes, it is not enough to just pray and walk out hoping that solution would come out of the blues. It might work for some but not for others. There is a saying that if you keep silent on your problems, then the problem stays with you. Her childish understanding of her situation may have caused her to request for a man who will support her, but with counselling and assistance from older and more spiritually mature people, she is more likely to get a better deal.

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roblems are inevitable for man. They are part of the challenges of life and living. Every human will go through some kind of problems at one time or the other in their lives, it is part of God’s promises to His people. But He has also promised us that with hardship comes ease, everything has a season and a reason and all things will pass away at some point as no condition is permanent. It is what we do when faced with life’s challenges that defines us. Nigeria, our dear nation of multi faceted problems is a challenge on its own to her poor citizens. As 2016 is uploading, so is a new social and economic challenge. Even many of those who thought they had crossed the Rubicon of the Nigerian system are no longer sure of themselves and their survival. How much less ordinary poor citizens like me. Yet, survive and thrive we must.

Many are lucky to have family and friends who can support and assist, easing our burdens as quickly as they come, others might not be, forcing us to make decisions that might not lead to desired objectives at the long run. In our quest for shoulders to lean on, the heart might not be too smart, and so we find ourselves seeking help in all the wrong places and from the wrong people. Only a few will assist others without demanding something in return. Many help seekers often have to make compromises one way or another in exchange for that which they seek. Just as many benefactors love to play god over the fate and happiness of those who look up to them or rely on them for assistance, making all sorts of unwholesome and evil demands of them. Some earthly helpers demand for unflinching loyalty that they cannot give to their creator, not to mention their fellow men. Many forget that as humans, we are all beggars at some point in life, and it is by the benevolence of another that we are who we are, no man is an island. While it might be true that our hard work and struggles might not yield much successes if we lack support and a helping hand to lift us up, we must also remember that it is only God Almighty that gives without adding pain or sorrow to it.

By last Sunday, the young lady and her little child have received divine help from God. She has been offered a job and a place to stay in the church premises.

Her job is to clean the toilets and sweep the newly consecrated church compound. She is also on a salary, no matter how little it might be. As we step into the new year, those whom God has positioned in our lives to bless us will not be our undoing. Our contact with them will not bring about their downfall too. We will not seek help in the wrong places and from the wrong people. As the zeal, hope and chants of the Change merchants, activists and recruits dim, and the realities of Nigeria’s situation confront and confound us, may 2016 be a year of divine help from the creator. Happy New Year and do have a wonderful weekend.

SATURDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 2, 2016—45

2016: SMEs need Buhari’s blueprint T

he fact that Small and Medium Enterprises have not made the desired impact on the Nigerian economy in spite of all the efforts and support of the succeeding administrations and government calls for concern. SMEs in Nigeria need a new chapter in 2016 from Buhari’s administration to operate optimally and also boot economic growth because its role in the development of any economy cannot be over emphasized.

Evidence has shown that SMEs play pivotal roles in developed nations like Asian countries which have lifted millions of people out of poverty and at the same time, created millions of new middle-class consumers. SMEs are responsible for driving innovation and competition in many economies.

President Buhari should consider a new chapter for SMEs in Nigeria in the on-going wind of CHANGE and reforms in the Nigerian economy.

The N220 billion development fund and subsequent ones made available by government to boost SMEs operations in the country could not achieve desired results because of other militating factors apart from fund. In fact, some of them can source for funds to operate but they needed favourable government policies that would promote smooth running of their operations. For instance, majority of the operators complained lack of access to those funds government provided but till date I’m not sure if anything was done to address those difficulties.

Therefore, the procedure for payment must be transparent and accountable and if possible let beneficiaries be published so that efforts of the government will not be in vain, so that funds released through government agencies will not develop wings, thereby defeating the

purpose.

More importantly, releasing more billions for the operation may still not achieve any result until the present administration is ready to address the issue of multiple taxation which is ripping off SMEs pfrofits.

Past administrations didn’t look into this area and that was why the credit scheme did not do much on SMEs operation. Those who had access of the credit spent bulk of it on multiple taxation.

Power supply: Every sector of the Nigerian economy is looking up to President Buhari’s regime for improved power supply.

Years of epileptic power supply have forced many SMEs operation into extinction while others that provided employment to Nigerian youths roaming around the streets today had left our business environment for neighbouring African countries like Ghana, South Africa etc. because there was no enough power supply to run business.

Business operators spend millions of Naira to provide power for their operation and still pay millions monthly on NEPA Bills. So, cost of production/operation in Nigeria is so high that many operators have down-sized labour force to remain in business.

Unfortunately, this is increasing the fear of

insecurity in the land with thousands of graduates turning out of our higher institutions seeking employment.

Developed countries where SMEs are thriving never joked with power supply because it is the livee wire of industries that boost economic development. Can the Minister of Power, Babatunde Fashola change the bad omen that has existed in Nigeria’s electricity system? It’s time to CHANGE and emulate countries that are succeeding.

Infrastructure: Infrastructural development aids SMEs to grow in any country. Where there are no infrastructure on ground or they are obsolete and business operators have to provide it for themselves, it is difficult to make it. For instance, SMEs provide themselves pipe borne water in most cases.

In addition, there are no good road network system in the country that promotes economic activities. Roads linking to the country’s major Sea Port, Apapa, Lagos is a nightmare, even roads to some of our international airports are not different. What about obtaining

credits from banks is difficult for SMEs because of the stringent conditions surrounding it in many banks.

Education: For SMEs to compete favourably, there is need for educational empowerment which could help industry operators to read budgets, research and forecast when necessary to avoid shooting themselves on the foot business-wise. Education is a key factor to industrialisation, the earlier we go for it, the better for SMEs in Nigeria.

However, if our efforts toward economic growth and development will not be in vain, we must consider the vital, salutary role and contribution which Small and Medium Enterprises play in developed and developing countries in line with the on-going reforms by the present government of Nigeria, which primarily aimed at creating wealth, reducing poverty, generating employment, re-orientating values, and stimulating real economic growth.

Our par tner ship with MTN Foundation pr holar ship ffor or the blind—Basharu partner tnership proovides sc scholar holarship

B

arrister Danlami Basharu, CEO of Anglo Nigerian Welfare Association for the Blind (ANWAB). In this interview with Saturday Vanguard, he narrated how his ordeal in life brought him fame, and how MTN Foundation partnership with ANWAB has brought scholarship for many blind people. Hear him, “I was born in the 1960s. At a point, my siblings and I were infected with measles. Unfortunately, I was the only one left with a major effect, my blindness. Somehow, I had to find a way to cope. After earlier scepticism, my parents eventually allowed me to travel down South to seek better opportunities that would support and enhance my life. Allowing your child go down south in the early 1960s was very difficult because Nigeria just got its independence and we do not fully understand our different cultures, so people were sceptical mingling with one another, let alone allowing your child go far away from you. It was scary to leave me as a blind child to come all alone from the north.

However, I had confidence and was determined that whatever the situation, it would be wise to be educated. I thank God I did because it paid off.

I finished at the Pacelli School for the Blind having studied between 1963 to 1970. I sat for the Common Entrance and gained admission into Kings College, Lagos where I concluded my ordinary level and advanced level in education in 1977 before I moved to Edinburg in the United Kingdom.

I was fortunate to have scholarships from both government and private organisations and individuals. I also had a guardian who supported my degree courses in Business Administration and Law at the Cambridge University. Eventually, I also got scholarship from the Cambridge University. My work experience officially started from the Nigerian Television Authority in the mid 80s up to

L-R: Representative of the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Yetunde Odejayi; Director, MTN Foundation, Mrs Aishat Sadauki; MTNF Scheme for the blind Scholarship Beneficiary, Mr. Ishola Damilare and MTNF Executive Secretary Ms. Nonny Ugboma at the Award Ceremony of the MTN Scholarship Scheme and Scheme for the Blind 2015.

1990s but I had to resign to set up Anglo-Nigerian Welfare Association for the Blind.

ANWAB partnership with MTN Foundation Scheme for the blind Earlier, the MTN Foundation had started a scholarship scheme for science and technology students in public tertiary institutions in Nigeria. At a time, the Anglo-Nigerian Welfare Association for the Blind (ANWAB) felt that the scholarship did not cover blind students because most of them do not offer science subjects. Thus, the Association approached the MTN Foundation with a proposal.

After due process, the Board of the MTN Foundation approved our proposal as partners in administering the MTN Foundation’s scholarship for the blind. The Nigeria Association of the Blind

gave a positive recommendation about ANWAB to MTN and for four years, we have collaborated with the Foundation.

The journey so far It has really being wonderful. It is a new experience for us and we are happy that we can reach out to more blind students who

are desperately in need of education. Getting education is always at a cost and we are happy that the MTN Foundation, for four years has being augmenting this cost, choosing us as a partner on the scheme.

Challenges of blind people in Nigeria In fact, the scholarship scheme for blind students provided by MTN Foundation is highly appreciated and it is a welcome development. I am not sure of any other organisation reaching out to the needy, particularly the blind, same way the MTN Foundation has done. You will agree with me that the blind are a set of disabled people who are most impoverished and neglected.

So, for MTN to take up this challenge as a

major part of its corporate social responsibilities cum investment, the company must be commended. Some of our blind students can now access scholarships to study and become successful in their chosen field of study. It is indeed happy times for a lot of our beneficiaries. The journey has been quite good although there were challenges at the beginning. Administering the scheme involves travelling around the country, visiting places we have never been to before. It is indeed an interesting learning experience.

Over the years, the number of students receiving the scholarship keeps increasing.

Now, there is healthy rivalry among our blind students, to ensure they qualify and probably win a slot in the scholarship scheme. At the last award ceremony, we had about 175 students compared to last year when we had 169; so the number keeps increasing. The students are determined to do well while others are also encouraged to come on board. Not minding the challenges, we are determined to provide scholarships to our blind beneficiaries.

Skills gathered by blind students on the scheme One laudable aspect of the scheme is the employability training workshop where our students are trained and enabled by MTN to take up the challenge of unemployment in Nigeria. They are trained in the use of computers and telephones particularly the smart phones, to enable them live independently as much as possible and cope with whatever job they find themselves doing. So, these are basics of the workshop aside the guidance and counselling sessions they are offered.

46 — SATURDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 2, 2016

NFF: Sports minister can do more for total peace

By Fred Edoreh

O

minous are the signals from a group of stakeholders in Nigerian football to usher in the new year. After the disorder that trailed the elections into the executive committee of the Nigeria Football Federation in 2014 and the resolution of the disputes through the courts and arbitration, the group led by Mr. Chris Giwa, proprietor of Giwa FC of Jos, has been issuing drumbeats of war with threat as conveyed in their several statements to crash in and seize the secretariat of the NFF, ostensibly to recover an nonexistent or, at best, moribund mandate.

Observers are worried that this orchestration of a needless disruption of the peace and an unjustified distraction of the the flow with which the NFF has achieved commendable progress in the past one year.

Like a bolt from the blues, they are coming after 14 months of the conclusive resolution of the disputes that trailed the elections into the executive board of the NFF in 2014 to present a claim on the NFF to the new minister of sports. Thereafter, they said they held a meeting in the name of board of the NFF. Curiously, a statement was issued falsely in the name of the minister

of sports demanding that the existing board of the NFF should vacate the secretariat for them, ostensibly in respect for an unknown court order affirming their mandate, Though the minister dissociated his office from the statement, and has further cautioned the Giwa group against any attempt to disrupt the peace, the public is still left with the impression that the group is taking inordinate advantage of the minister being from same Plateau State as Mr. Giwa.

A connect is provided in the recall of similar scheming under the former minister, Tammy Danagogo, who seemed in 2014 to support the same end apparently in deference to Felix Obuah, the chairman of Rivers PDP, and other of his kinsmen who also teamed up with Giwa.

Questions have been raised as to why the new minister could really declare in his statements that there is a “lingering crisis” and “warring factions” in the NFF where in every sense there are none. Curious still is the audacity with which a statement as weighty as calling for a substitution of the board of the NFF could be issued falsely in the name of the minister of sports when the Honourable Minister never authorized such. More troubling is even the phrases employed by the minister in his denial suggesting that

The very words of the ruling is as follows:

•Solomon Dalung a dispute exists and also without interrogating and sanctioning those persons who impersonated and attempted to desecrate his office.

The minister ought to have done more than disassociating him,self from those who impersonated him for such was not only dirty and dangerous but also capable of smearing his image.

It needs to be restated for the benefit of the public that the Giwa matter was conclusively resolved at both the Federal High Court in Jos and at the Court of Arbitration in Sports.

In the first instance, the Giwa

Market share control and OPEC relevance W

ith the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) meeting last week in its Vienna headquarters, members emerged with decision put in escrow for cartel leaders to tidy up agreements on production caps. It means every member (rich or poor) is producing as they can pump into the market to sustain their teetering economies.

Most OPEC members seem roiled with incongruous market share control mechanisms espoused, with the rift between high cost producers whose economies are being devastated by low crude oil prices and prosperous producers that stand for market share.

Discussions on putting pressure on competing non-members like Russia and Mexico have crippled hopes of achieving crude oil market stability.

Experts believe that based on tradition it is too early for the Saudis to react excepting co-leading producer and oil convenient soul mate, Russia is in the production cut deal. A cut now may not have significant impact on prices since the level of oil in storage is high.

Again, Iran through her oil minister, Bijan Zangeneh, refused to entertain a production cap deal until she gets a clean health bill from nuclear sanctions C M Y K

group represented by Yahaya Adama and Obinna Ogba filed their case at the Federal High Court, Jos in October 2014 and got an interim order from the court purporting to nullify the NFF election of Warri held 30th September, pending the hearing of the substantive case. The order was given in the absence of NFF in court.

FIFA duly frowned at this and asked Nigeria to ensure they withdrew the case or be automatically banned by November 2014. Former President Goodluck Jonathan intervened to urge them to withdraw the suit and seek redress for whatever grouse through institutionalised football procedures.

They duly went to court to file a notice of withdrawal/ discontinuation and the Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa duly ruled on October 30, 2014 by striking out the matter and giving an order quashing all previous orders arising from the case including the purported dissolution of the NFF elected board in Warri.

of the west. Iran, trying to reclaim lost ground, has a sales deal with China’s Sinopec for 505,000 barrels of crude per day, and intends to ramp up supplies for up to 1 million barrels per day.

These scenarios associated with gluts may continue to lower oil prices, reduce revenues and occasion tighter budgets for liquid fossil fuels dependent economies. It therefore calls to question the relevance of OPEC, a cartel that cannot influence market share and price stability for members.

Had hit Venezuela through her Oil Minister, Eulogio del Pino, had last November 22 said that oil prices may drop to as low as the mid-$20 per barrel if nothing was done by OPEC to stabilize the market. Venezuela and Algeria are among the countries that are being devastated and had suggested cuts in output to curb the slump.

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, HE Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu who presided over the 168th meeting last week in an optimistic laden address, predicted a world oil demand growth of 1.3 million barrel per day next year to average 94.1 million barrels per day.

Kachikwu who completed the tenure of Nigeria’s immediate past Petroleum

“Upon this suit coming up today for ruling, H. S. Adizard of counsel to the Plaintiffs with S. D. Ekara informed the court that they want to withdraw the matter in the national interest. To that effect, they have filed a notice of discontinuance dated the 30th day of October, 2014...

“It is hereby ruled as follows: 1.

That pursuant to order 50 rules 2 of the Federal High Court Rule 2009, the Plaintiff having withdrawn this suit. All orders made previously including the dissolution of the executive committee/board of the Nigerian Football Federation vide the order of this honourable Court dated 23rd day of October 2014 seizes to have life and this matter stands struck out...”

In the second instance, the Giwa group claiming to the board of the NFF had first approached the CAS

Resources Minister; Diezani AlisonMadueke’s (elected OPEC president in 2014) presidency anticipated a more balanced market in 2016, with demand for OPEC crude expected to rise by 1.2million barrel per day, averaging 30.8 million barrels per day for the year.

He had told members that non-OPEC members will continue to witness a significant contraction in oil supply considering the drop in the number of newly drilled wells and the reduction by half of active drilling wells. The downward trend stems from investment cutbacks and the drop in US tight oil output which has been declining since May. But with OPEC reference basket continuous slide from a monthly average of $60 in June to about $42 last week, the growth in world oil demand may not translate to real development in members economic projections. Again Kachikwu’s optimism may have been truncated with Saudi Arabia the world’s

Most OPEC members seem roiled with incongruous market share control mechanisms espoused, with the rift between high cost producers whose economies are being devastated by low crude oil prices and prosperous producers that stand for market share largest crude exporter of crude oil, cut prices for January sale to the US before the OPEC meeting.

This, Bob Yawger of Mizuho Securities in a Bloomberg report,

in 2014 seeking an injunction to stop FIFA from banning Nigeria in reaction to their suit in Jos and their forceful seizure of the NFF secretariat, and substantively to upturn FIFA’s decision disqualifying their purported election and letter endorsing the Amaju Pinnick election.

Having withdrawn their case and vacated the NFF secretariat, the CAS saw no need to grant the injunction. The substantive case was ruled upon on May 18, 2015 with Mr. Giwa personally present in court.

The very words of the CAS ruling as delivered by Massimo Coccia are as follows: “1. The appeal filed by the Nigeria Football Federation against FIFA decision of 29 August 2014 (not to recognize the purported Giwa election of August 26, 2014) is dismissed.

2. The appeal filed by the Nigeria Football Federation against the FIFA letter of 1 October 2014 (endorsing the election of the Amaju Pinnick board held on September 30, 2014) is dismissed.

3. The cost of the present arbitration shall be borne entirely by the Nigeria Football Federation 4. The Nigeria Football Federation shall contribute CHF 8,000 towards FIFA’s legal fees and expenses incurred in connection with these proceedings 5. All other or further requests or motions by the parties are dismissed.”

With the foregoing, it is clear that the dispute was sufficiently and conclusively thrashed in both the regular courts and and the judicial institutions of sports. The question is ‘what again?’ and the advice to let peace reign and let no persons drag and distract the concentration of the Honourable Minister from more noble pursuits.

Fred Edoreh is Editor, Sports Talk Africa and Chairman, Lagos SWAN

considered the Saudis offer of crude oil at a lower price to two most important markets, the US and Asia, two days before the 168th meeting a slap in the face of OPEC. Saudis in a statement lowered its official selling price for all crude grades to the United States.

Leading global consumers have continued to enjoy the confusion of OPEC indecision on production cuts.

The defense of market share has reduced feedstock prices and increased refining margins for Asian processors who have continued to receive cheap fuel from the Middle East, Russia, Mexico and Nigeria.

China, India, Japan and South Korea which are becoming biggest users of oil are all benefitting from low crude oil prices. Spokesperson Kim Woo Kyung for SK Innovation Company, South Korea’s largest refiner, was last week quoted as saying that it was the best time they have ever had as a buyer enjoying an overflow of oil.

China and India build their reserves buying crude in the market to fill up huge tank facilities. The IEA estimates that China has already stockpiled 200 million barrels and will add nearly 20 million more this year. Beijing plans to increase the size of its reserve to 500 million barrels by 2020.

Germany, Japan, South Korea, France, Spain, Italy and other big importers also have their own strategic oil reserves and with Iran coming on board buying crude at discounted rates is a sure way to shore up stock including strategic reserves in significant proportions.

Despite current uncertainties, desired stability in the oil market is a prerequisite for the continuity of adequate investments. High level diplomatic descants are on to bring feuding parties to terms in 2016. President Muhammadu Buhari and Angola’s Edwardo dos Santos met at the South Africa hosted ChinaAfrica Forum, to reach out to other producers to find solutions to crude oil price instability.

SATURDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 2, 2016 — 47

Wenger bac ks Ar senal ttoo backs Arsenal beat N ewcas tle ttoo sstt ay ttop op Newcas ewcastle

Pellegrini wary of Ighalo’s Watford

M •Ighalo

Arsene Wenger is adamant his Arsenal players have the required characteristics to remain top of the Barclays Premier League table and claim the title. He has backed his side to beat Newcastle today, to stay top of the table “I believe that we are mature enough and that we have the requested quality to fight and compete. The most important thing is to feel, at the end of the season, that we have given absolutely everything to be successful.

“After that, if somebody has been better than us, we will accept it, but we want to fight to show that we have a chance.

“I will remind you that only one team won the league without losing a game. That is Arsenal Football Club.

It is not the date (new year’s day) that is decided you win the league. It shows you that we have a good chance as the statistics show you that eight of the past 11 years the team who was top on new year’s day won it.”

anuel Pellegrini is the latest opposition boss to say he is not surprised by Watford’s success so far this season and is expecting “a difficult game” when Manchester City visit Vicarage Road today. The former Premier League champions head to the home of the Hornets third in the table, three points behind leaders Arsenal but looking to address a poor run of away form in the top flight.

In comments reported by City’s Twitter site, Pellegrini said of the Hornets: “I’m not surprised Watford are doing so well. They have a very good coach and a good squad. It will be a difficult game.”

Pellegrini has given his squad permission to enjoy their New Year celebrations - but warned them not to stay up too late.

Meanwhile, Manager Quique Sanchez Flores believes Watford have achieved the impossible during the first half of their Premier League campaign but says he and his players “are ambitious and want more”.

“At the start of the season we thought it would be impossible to be in our position after 19 matches.

We have a lot of reasons to be completely happy. It shows the work the players are doing every day. I am happy.

Everyone is saying that Watford are doing well.

That is our job. We will take things match by match and will try to grow. We are ambitious and we want more. We have to transmit that to •Sturridge the fans.”

Gaal

seeks Swansea’s fall T

Sturridge could fac e West Ham—Klopp L

iverpool man have a chanceager Jurgen Klopp has reve aled Daniel S of being involv West Ham turr ed in today’s Pr emier Leagueidge could Klopp said: “I United. match at we try? Joe All ’m not sure who will com e en ba is ck il .

Daniel could m l, yesterday af vomiting and ternoo aybe, w Asked what hee had to send him home.” n the doc told me he was if th ou ght of his first football, Klopp expe Sor ry, maybe added: “Up to know I thinrience of Christmas to k it’s go o of te n I’ve spoken about this befo about this but od. re bu t it ’s I knew di middle of the fferent when yo fi u’re in the “For all teamsxtures. be prepared to it’s a real challenge, you’ for the next se solve problems within ho ve always got to urs and be read ason.” y

C M Y K

Van

•Wenger

•Gaal

he draw with Chelsea eased the pressure slightly for manager Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford but it will be back on again if Manchester United fail to beat Swansea in today’s Premier League match.

Anything but a win against a Swansea side, who are flirting with losing their Premier League status and have only won once away in the league this season against whipping boys Aston Villa, would see the heat turned up again.

United’s board may want to stick with their choice but you can only tolerate so much and a ninth match without a win is inconceivable. So a home game against a managerless relegation struggler couldn’t have been hand-picked better by the 64-year-old Dutchman. Or could it?

Swansea have been a thorn in Van Gaal’s side since day one. No side has bruised him more than the Swans. Having returned from a successful preseason tour of America in 2014 following is appointment Van Gaal had a heroes welcome to kick off his Premier League career.

But 90 minutes later Swansea had won their first match at Old Trafford in the league since 1931 with a Wayne Rooney goal from the newly-installed captain sandwiched between efforts from Ki Sung-yueng and Gylfi Sigurdsson.

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 2, 2016

Eagles face daunting challenges in 2016 >>34-35

Top 7 players to watch in 2016 >>33

Today’s Fixture s EPL West H Arsena am v Liverp Leices l v Newcastool 1:45pm le Man Uter v Bournem 4 pm Norwic td v Swans outh 4pm e h a v S Sunde outham 4pm West B rland v Aston pton 4pm r o V m illa 4 v Watfor pm d v MaStoke nchest er City4pm 6:30pm

NFF: Sports minister can do more for total peace >> 46 CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1)Deputy InspectorGeneral of Police, Mr. Abiola-(7) 4)Zamfara State Capital (5) 7)Ocean (3) 8)Wikki Tourists Skipper, Edoka – (7) 9)Tunisia “Carthage Eagles” Striker, Saber – (7) 10)L.G.A in Delta State (6) 13)Against (4) 15)Egyptian President, Mr. Abdelfatah – (2,4) 18)African Textile (6) 21)Strategy (4) 2 3 ) C a m e r o u n Ïndomitable Lions”FullBack, Sassou – (7) 25)Country in Africa (7) 26)Former Minister of State for Information, Mr. Salisu Dasuki – (7) 27)Organ of Hearing (3) 28)Go in (5) 29)L.G.A in Rivers State (7)

DOWN 1)Israeli Currency Unit (5) 2)Kenyan Capital City (7) 3)L.G.A in Osun State (6) 4)First Man to reach the Moon, Yuri – (7) 5)Spanish “La Liga”Club-Side (7) 6)Abia State Capital (7) 11)Nothing (3) 12)Precipitation (4) 14)Container (4) 15)Falconets (U-19) Striker, Rasheedat – (7) 16)Colour (7) 17)Workshop Tool (6) 19)Senegal “Terenga L i o n s ” M i d f i e l d e r, Cheikhou – (7) 20)Greek Alphabet (3) 22)L.G.A in Enugu State (6) 24)Former Super Eagles Defender, Ifeanyi - (5)

Solution on page 31

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