2019 Election: We'll take advantage of Buhari's failings - PDP by Vanguard Media Limited

2—VANGUARD, SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 2016

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4—VANGUARD, SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 2016

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Fuel crisis unites Enugu people against Buhari *Say they will vote him out in 2019 By Francis Igata

NUGU was one of the states that have remained strong hold of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. And they showed it in the last general election eventually won by the APC. And come the 2019 elections, the people may remain in PDP or any new party that may emerge to challenge the APC led government. Their reason appear to be solely on grounds of the failure of the Mohammadu Buhari administration to alleviate the problems of the country especially the biting fuel scarcity that has engendered other severe conditions. Residents of Enugu and indigenes of the state have said that they would rather remain with PDP than suffer under APC that has not brought the positive changes they based their campaign on. And whatever damage the PDP did to Nigeria’s economy no longer mattered to them. They maintain that what matters to them is how effective government is in currently handling problems. Ahead of the 2019 general elections therefore, most residents of Enugu State are girding their loins to ensure that President Muhammad Buhari,of the All Progressives Congress, APC, led Government does not return to power. They say that if their votes would only matter, the present government will face change. The intractable hike in Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, price which sold at N220 per liter during and after the Easter celebration is not acceptable to them. The residents who wore long faces as they spoke to Vanguard at some filing stations in the metropolis said,”a corrupt Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, government did not cause us the hardship we are facing now under APC Government”. They recalled that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources,Dr. Ibe Kachikwu had assured the nation of adequate supply of products during the celebration. It never happened and people spent the Easter on queues to buy fuel the same thing that happened to them at Christmas. PMS,otherwise known as Fuel sold at N160 before the Easter celebration in Enugu State against the approved pump price of N86.50K. Saurday Vanguard checks revealed that most residents marked the Easter in a gloomy mood as prices of staple food items

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sky-rocketed. Mrs. Ebere Agu,a widow with three children told Vanguard that she has never experienced the level of hardship subsisting in the country now,for the past 53 years she was born. According to Mrs. Agu,”I have never seen a thing like this since I was born. The only thing that is moving in this country is the increasing number of prisoners in our various prisons across the country. The government will have to devote more resources in building prisons as the tough conditions may force some weak minds into crime. Look at all economic indices, they are all flagged red. We will go naked to resist a return of this government”. Another respondent, Uche Ibe, an unemployed undergraduate said that the APC-led government was a fraud that preached welfare of the unemployed only for the party to toss them out of window on assumption office. “APC campaigned on N5,000 stipend for all unemployed graduates to woo the electorates in the days leading to the general elections. They have suddenly realized that it is not feasible to implement. A man knows his friends in times of adversity, certainly,APC, has lost it” the unemployed graduate

Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State Governor; Arc. Kester Ifeadi, President, Organisation For the Advancement of Anioma Culture (OFAAC) and Barr. Ernest Ogwezzy, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Delta State at the 13th Anioma Cultural Festival held at the Arcade Ground, Asaba. lamented. The Chairman/founder of the United Progressives Party,UPP,Chief Chewas Okorie who also was the party’s presidential candidate at the last general election told Saturday Vanguard over the phone that,”if the fuel crisis persists,it will spell disaster for the APC in 2019.

Although there appears to be parameters by the Federal Government to ease the hardship,if it doesn’t subside within 30 days,that will mean doom for APC. Another respondent, Okey Agbo,an Enugu State indigene but residing in Ebonyi State regretted that the level of hard-

ship induced by the fuel crisis has forced businesses to close shops even as cost of all goods and services has sky-rocketed following the unending situation. In few filling stations where fuel sold at the approved pump price of N86.50K, motorists had to spend days to purchase

regulated volumes while black marketers had a field day in connivance with operators to sell at suffocating prices of N500 per liter especially to night crawling motorist who ran out of fuel. The fuel scarcity is nationwide even as some Enugu people insist the problem could be a factor in the 2019 elections.

Radio Biafra back on air without Kanu R

ADIO Biafra which has been off the air for some time, is currently streaming live across the Nigerian airwaves without Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Checks by an online medium, TheCable revealed that the station is live on Tune In, an Internet radio airing across the world. According to the TheCable, “the radio station has hit the airwaves pushing the same message of “freedom of Biafraland” while condemning the happenings in Nigeria, regarded as a Zoo. Radio Biafra is airing from “30 Sandlings Close, Pilkington Road, London, SE11 3SY England, United Kingdom”. When TheCable tuned in, the anchor, who was referred to as the new deputy director of the station, was complaining about the state of power and energy resources in the country. After receiving a call from Nigeria to complain that the radio was not being aired via FM in some parts of south east Nigeria, the anchor responded by saying the problem would be resolved. “There is no problem with our general platform, we would look into it tomorrow. We are not forgetting our

leader, Kanu. Lord God almighty, grant our leader protection. Continue to set confusion in the midst of our enemies, grant us total freedom”, he said. Security agents had earlier arrested suspected masterminds of Radio Biafra, and charging its leader to court for treasonable felony. The signals were also re-

portedly jammed after initial failed attempts, but the station is still broadcasting on the world wide web, after months off air. After it was jammed in 2015, it announced that it had launched another station and promised to launch 50 others. Both Radio Biafra and Biafra 24 radio were live on-

line as at Friday afternoon, while residents of Port Harcourt, Rivers state, were said to be having difficulties accessing the station via local transmission. IPOB released a statement earlier in the week to say: “Right now, we are back on shortwave after Nigerian government spent millions of dollars taxpayers money try-

ing to stop Radio Biafra. “All Biafrans and friends of Biafra can now go to 11600 kHz at 25-meter band to cherish the gospel of truth, Broadcasting time is 8pm London time, 9pm Biafra land time. We are unstoppable because Chukwuka Okike Abiama, Almighty God, is on our side.”

Boko Haram releases new video, says “No negotiations, no surrender” benefits from the partner-

OKO Haram released a new video yesterday denying any suggestion it might surrender, just over a week after its leader Abubakar Shekau appeared in a rare message looking dejected and frail. Shekau, unseen on camera for more than a year, released an unverified video late last month saying his time in charge of the Nigerian jihadist group may be coming to an end. In the video, Shekau delivered his message without his trademark fiery rhetoric which prompted speculation from the army that the Islamist group was on the verge of collapse in

the face of a sustained military counter-insurgency. However, in yesterday’s message, Boko Haram maintained it was a potent fighting force, with men holding AK-47s posing in front of Toyota Hilux pickup trucks and a lorry mounted with a military cannon. “You should know that there is no truce, there is no negotiation, there is no surrender. This war between us will not stop.”” an unidentified masked man in camouflage said in a prepared script in Hausa, in the video posted on YouTube. The video, of markedly better quality than Shekau’s and including

Arabic subtitles, featured nine masked Boko Haram fighters standing on sandy ground in an undisclosed desert location. It is unclear if the masked people in the video include the Boko Haram leader. Shekau was still the head of the “West African wing”, said the masked speaker, likening Boko Haram to the Islamist insurgencies in Iraq, Libya and Syria. In March 2015, Boko Haram pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, another deadly terror organisation. But there were few signs that Boko Haram — now styled as Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) — has drawn

ship. Since then Nigeria’s army has won back swathes of territory from the militants, liberating thousands of people who had been living under Boko Haram control. The video appears to confirm collaboration between Boko Haram and the Islamic State group, Africa security specialist Ryan Cummings told AFP. According to Cummings, “the production quality bears the hallmarks of the Islamic State’s media wing, and it is expected that Shekau shun the limelight. A hallmark of the group and its affiliates is that you very seldom see leaders”.

6 —SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016

BRIEFS

Recruitment of 10,000 policemen will address youth unemployment —Buhari P

RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari said the recruitment of 10,000 policemen would address the challenge of youth unemployment in the country. The president made the disclosure at a ceremonial parade to mark the 2016 Police Week in Abuja on Friday. Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau said the initiative would also address the manpower gap in the police. He advised the management of the police force to put national interest in mind in the recruitment in line with the reform agenda of the ministry of interior. “In carrying out this exercise, I expect the

Nigeria Police to put national interest in the foremost,“ he said. Buhari said that community policing had become more imperative considering the current security challenges in the country. He said that it was in view of this that his administration had rested the internal security of the country on enhanced budget, addressing social factors among others. The president said that government had funded the procurement of over 1,000 patrol vehicles and other logistics to strengthen operational capacity of the police. He said that in order to address the challenge of highly organised crime, government had stren-

gthened the technical intelligence capacity of the police. “No nation thrives without security, and neither can a nation lay claim to security without an effi-

cient policing service. “This administration shall continue to support initiatives that will guarantee the reform and modernisation of the Nigeria Police.

Power rises to 3,128,50MW By Ediri Ejoh

ENERATION capacity, made a positive rebound of 3, 128.50MegaWatt on Friday, after all the Discos received zero MW allocation from the system operator, Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN on Thursday. According to the country’s operational report, as at March 31, the peak power generation of March 30, stood at 3, 766.7megawatt, while its lowest generation was 3,029.3megawatt. The data from the Nigerian Systems Operations,

NSO, Department of the TCN, website, www.nsong. org, indicated that power generation peaked at 3, 128.50MW as at 09:17 AM:00 on Friday. The 3, 128.50MW which was distributed across the 11 electricity Distribution Companies. DISCOs are as follows: Ikeja – 469.28MW; Abuja – 359.78MW; Eko – 344.14MW; Benin – 281.57MW; Enugu – 281.57MW; Ibadan – 406.71MW; Jos – 172.07MW; Kano – 250.28MW; Kaduna – 250.28MW; Port Harcourt – 203.35MW and Yola – 109.50MW.

N/East: FG procures 1,000 President Muhammadu patrol vans Buhari who was repre- Iara Oshiomhole prepares ground By Kingsley Omonobi

HE Federal Government said yesterday that it has funded the procurement of over 1,000 Patrol Vehicles and other logistics to strengthen the operational capacity of the Safer Highway Patrol Scheme and support the deployment of police personnel towards security stabilization and restoration of civil authority in the North East. Making the disclosure at the ceremonial parade to mark the Grand finale of the 2016 Police Week,

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sented by Interior Minister, Lt. General Abdulraman Dambazau (rtd), noted that the Federal Government has also initiated actions aimed at giving effect to the concept of citizens’-led policing and strengthening the technical intelligence capacity of the service as a strategic national approach towards addressing the challenge of highly organized crime on a sustainable basis. “No nation thrives without security, and neither can a nation lay claim to security without an efficient policing service.”

for flagging-off of IDPs training N a bid to prepare the I ground for the flagging off of the training of the

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Uhogua, Edo State, the wife of Edo State Governor, Iara Oshiomhole on Friday introduced the facilitators to the Director, Pastor Solomon Folorunsho and the students/trainees. Mrs. Iara Oshiomhole, the initiator of “We Care Trust’s Project Focus”, who arrived the venue of the event with sewing machines, laptops, cooking machines, among other

training facilities said the programme was specially designed for the children in the camp to acquire some skills during the holiday period. A statement from the office of the Executive Director, Media and Public Affairs, Governor ’s Office said, “in this first phase of training, about 160 students would be involved, and 20 laptop computers, 20 sewing machines, and 20 cooking machines would be deployed for the training and subsequently managed by the Camp Director.

Seplat, Vitol, seven others bid for new oil refineries By Sebastine Obasi, with agency report

ITOL SA and Seplat Petroleum Development Company Limited are among nine companies that submitted bids to construct new oil refineries in Nigeria as Africa’s top crude producer seeks to boost output of refined fuel and end its dependence on imports, an official said. The successful companies are expected to build near existing state-owned plants and add at least 250,000 barrels per day of refining capacity to the current 445,000 barrels, Garba Deen Muhammad, Group General Manager, Public Affairs, of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, said. The government’s refineries are located in the northern city of Kaduna and the southern cities of Warri and Port Harcourt. “The aim is to leverage on the existing facilities to fast-track the take-off of the refineries as soon as possible,” Anibo Kragha, the NNPC’s chief operating officer in charge of refineries, said. Gasoline shortages are common in Africa’s largest economy, which imports about 70 percent of its refined-fuel needs, straining the nation’s finances and foreigncurrency reserves. Decades of poor maintenance and mismanagement left Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries working at a fraction of their capacity.

Philanthropist donates uniforms, libraries to Delta Pry schools By Julius Oweh, Asaba

UPILS of two primary schools in Ezionum in Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State were recently provided with school uniforms with a promise to deliver well stocked libraries. The donation was made by a Lagos-based businessman, Mr. Sunday Olise Omolu. Presenting the uniforms to the headmasters of Ezhie Primary School and Olotom Primary School, Omolu said the donation was made not out of showing that he was wealthy but to encourage the pupils to attend schools describing them as the future of Ezionum Community. He promised to build and deliver well stocked libraries for all the primary schools in the area to enhance the educational fortunes of the pupils. Responding on behalf of the people of Ezionum, HRH Dr. R. C. Osawuta Ezhie I of Ezionum Kingdom thanked the donor for the kind gesture and called on other sons and daughters of the kingdom not to forget their roots and do things that would advance the progress of their community. The royal father charged the pupils to put God first in whatever they do and be serious with their studies.

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B-R-I-E-F-S

FG to replace N5,000 monthly stipend for unemployed youths —Ngige S

EN. Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, says the Federal Government has initiated empowerment programmes to engage unemployed youths against the proposed N5,000 monthly stipend. Ngige disclosed this at the Special Day of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) at the ongoing 27th Enugu International Trade Fair on Friday. He said that there were ample opportunities for unemployed graduates in the country in the 2016 Budget. “Instead of paying youths N5,000 monthly for doing nothing, the government has initiated plans to engage hundreds of thousands of youths in the country with over 10 empower-

ment programmes. “Some of the intervention programmes will be spearheaded by the NDE including Teach Nigeria, skill acquisition and community services,” Ngige said. The minister said that some of the youths would be employed at the end of the programme, while others would be assisted to start their own businesses. “When you enter the programme, the person would be earning far

more than N5, 000 depending on his or her input,” he said. Ngige said that the Federal Government had started taking stocks of all the skill acquisition centers in the country and would soon roll out training programmes for them. He said that he appreciated the support of the private sector in the provision of jobs, stressing that creation of sustainable employment in the

country was basically a challenge for the private sector. The minister said that there was need for economic diversification from oil to other areas such as agriculture and pledged government’s commitment to tackle poverty in the country. Earlier, the Acting Director General of NDE, Mr Kunle Obayan, also expressed the commitment of the directorate at reducing unemployment rate in the country to minimal level.

ORT Harcourt, The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Friday that it did not disqualify, Mr Tonye Alalibo, PDP candidate for AkukuToru Constituency 11, from participating in rerun election in Rivers. The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mr Aniedi Ikoiwak, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt that judgment of election tribunal and Court of Appeal excluded the party and its candidate from participating in the election. It will be recalled that the All Progressives Congress candidate, Mr Fredrick Anabraba, won the election for the constituency with 2,970 votes. Ikoiwak explained that two days to the re-run, the commission wrote to the state chapter of PDP informing it that the party and its candidate had been excluded in the election. “The decision was taken by the commission in compliance with the judgment of the tribunal and that of the Court of Appeal,” he said.

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By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa

OVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has submitted the name of former militant leader, Joshua Maciver and seven other to the Bayelsa State House of Assembly as chairmen, caretaker committee for the eight local government areas in the state The other nominees are the former Special Assistant to the Governor on Marine Security, Hon. Bello Bina for Brass LGA, former Commissioner for Special Duties, Chief Walter Kuroghofa Odogu for Nembe LGA, a former Youth Leader, Tolu Amatu for Ekeremor LGA; Mr. Oforji Oboku for Yenagoa LGA; Ebianga Ogai for Ogbia LGA, Hon. Michael Magbisa for Sagbama and Wisdom Fafi for Kolokuma/ Opokuma LGA. The ex militant leader, Joshua Maciver is to head Southern Ijaw LGA caretaker committee. The nominees are expected to appear before the State House of Assembly next week for screening.

Mining roadmap major milestone for sector —Fayemi By Gabriel Ewepu

Rivers Re-run: INEC did not disqualify PDP candidate —REC

Ex-militant leader, 7 others make Local Govt Caretaker list in Bayelsa

*Some of the 76 Awgu farmers granted bail Friday by Umuahia Magistrate courts.

Clash with Fulani herdsmen: 76 Enugu indigenes granted bail By Anayo Okoli. Umuhia

HE 76 Ugwuleshi people in Awgu Community, Enugu State, detained at the Umuahia Prisons, were yesterday granted bailed by the Magistrate Courts, Umuahia, Abia State. They were arrested by soldiers for protesting the alleged abduction of two of their women by Fulani herdsmen and hurriedly charged with arson and illegal possession of arms and clamped into the prison for two weeks. Following public outcry and condemnation, they were arraigned in Court yesterday in two Magistrate Courts on a five count charge bordering on arson and illegal possession of dangerous weapons, and burning down 90 houses at Obinwanne Fulani Communi-

ty Settlement in Umunneochi. When the charges were read to them, they pleaded not guilty. The presiding Magistrate granted them bail in the sum of N200,000 each with five sureties who must be resident in Umuahia or Umunneochi. Alternatively, the traditional ruler of he community would sign with two other prominent persons who are resident in Umuahia or Umunneochi. Their bail conditions were perfected at about 4.47pm, prompting them

to erupt in jubilation in the court premises for breathing air of freedom after two weeks of imprisonment. The matter was adjourned to April 29, 2016 for trial. Reacting to the development, the traditional ruler of the Community, Igwe Godwin Nwobi expressed happiness that his people have been granted bail, saying “at least I can now sleep”. The monarch has been in Umuahia for three days, trying to effect the release of the people.

Will Obienu forget football as he celebrates life today?

ORMALLY, Rich ard Nwabufo Obienu, the former Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association, would be commenting on Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the next Nations Cup and prof erring solution to the Eagles’ failure. Nobody can vouch if he could abstain from football matters for few hours. Today is Saturday but he may not be at any stadium. It’s been long he visited football arena. Obienu will be at the All Saints Church in GRA Enugu from 11.30 this morning. He miracu-

lously survived two brain surgeries in Atlanta, USA and would be in the church for a thanks-giving service. His friends and family members will be there to celebrate God’s mercy with him. His special guest is Dr. Paul King, the American who performed the surgeries on him. Obienu was so moved that that he invited the man who, through the mercy of God, saved his life. It is doubtful if Obienu would concentrate only on his mission today and not talk football especially when he meets his folks in the football circle.

HE Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has said that the mining and metals roadmap presented by the Ministerial Committee on Roadmap for the Development of the Solid Minerals Sector will serve as a major milestone for the sector. Fayemi who was elated by the prompt submission of the roadmap by the 14 man committee co-chaired by Professors Ibrahim Garba and Siyan Malomo, at the Ministry’s conference room in Abuja expressed optimism that the roadmap will fast-track growth and development of the sector. According to him the roadmap will be made available to the public after the review process has been concluded. He said: “Today marks a significant milestone in the development of the Nigerian minerals and metals sector, with the submission of the Mining and Metals roadmap by the Roadmap Committee which we set up about four weeks ago.

Ngige reiterates FG ban on importation of certain goods By Francis Igata

INISTER of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, yesterday restated the federal government’s ban on importation of certain goods into the country. Ngige, who stated this on the occasion of the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, special day at the 27th Enugu International Trade Fair, assured that “government will not compromise its resolve to enforce existing laws banning the importation of certain goods that the country has a comparative advantage on”. He stressed that the policy would stimulate increased and improved agricultural production, as well as value addition to agricultural produce that would lead to job creation and national food security. The minister, while emphasizing federal government’s present efforts aimed at increased job creation, stressed that “the creation of sustainable employment lies basically with the private sector, especially the small and medium scale enterprises.”

NIMASA partners Interpol to rescue abducted sailors

By Godwin Oritse & Godfrey Bivbere

HE Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) has said that it will collaborate with International Police, Interpol to rescue the five abducted sailors taken hostage last week in Escravos in Delta State, Nigeria. Disclosing to newsmen in Lagos weekend, Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside said that the hijacked vessel ‘M T Sampatiki’ has been located off Cotonou in Togo with a few crew members on board her.Peterside also disclosed that the Togolese authorities have commenced interrogation of the remaining crew members on board the vessel. It will be recalled that M.T. Sampatiki arrived Port Harcourt port on the 21st of March 2016, loaded with Gas oil.The Vessel was detained by NIMASA’s surveyors due to deficiencies before being allowed to sail on the 24th .The government, according to Peterside, got information of its hijack on the 26th of March 2016 and immediately, the Minister of Transport Mr. Rotimi Amaechi directed the agency to investigate the incidence and rescue both the vessel and her crew.

8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016

Fresh boost for improved power supply

Focus on non-oil resources, IMF tells FG By Omoh Gabriel, Business Editor

HE International Mon etary Fund (IMF) has stressed the critical need for Nigeria to raise non oil revenues to ensure fiscal sustainability while maintaining infrastructure and social spending. This is contained in a statement released yesterday by the Board of the multilateral institution on its assessment in its Article IV Consultation with Nigeria on March 30. The IMF Executive Board in a statement said it welcomed the renewed effort of the federal government to adopt legislation to spur investment in the oil and gas sector, and promote policies to strengthen governance of the sector. The Fund noted that the Nigerian economy was facing substantial challenges because it had been hit hard by the decline in oil prices, with the resultant slowed growth and macroeconomic imbalances. The IMF said “The Nigerian economy is facing substantial challenges. While the non-oil sector accounts for 90 percent of GDP, the oil sector plays a central role in the economy. Lower oil prices have significantly affected the fiscal and external accounts, decimating government revenues to just 7.8 per cent of GDP and resulting in the doubling of the general government deficit to about 3.7 per cent of GDP

Fire Outbreak at Ramona Company, along Apapa/Oshodi Express road by Iyana- Isolo Bus stop, yesterday. Photo: Joe Akintola in 2015. Exports dropped about 40 per cent in 2015, pushing the current account from a surplus of 0.2 per cent of GDP to a deficit projected at 2.4 per cent of GDP. “With foreign portfolio inflows slowing significantly, reserves fell to $28.3 billion at end-2015. Exchange restrictions introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to protect reserves have impacted significantly segments of the private sector that depend on an adequate supply of foreign currencies. Coupled with fuel shortages in the first half of the year and lower investor confidence, growth slowed sharply from 6.3 percent in 2014 to an estimated 2.7 percent in 2015, weakening corporate balance sheets, lowering the resil-

ience of the banking system, and likely reversing progress in reducing unemployment and poverty. Inflation increased to 9.6 percent in January (up from 7.9 percent in December, 2014), above the CBN’s mediumterm target range of 6–9 percent. “The recovery in economic activity is likely to be modest over the medium term, but with significant downside risks. Growth in 2016 is expected to decline further to 2.3 percent, with non-oil sector growth projected to slow from 3.6 percent in 2015 to 3.1 percent in 2016 before recovering to 3.5 percent in

2017, based on the results of policies under implementation—particularly in the oil sector—as well as an improvement in the terms of trade. The general government deficit is projected to widen somewhat in 2016 before improving in 2017, while the external current account deficit is likely to worsen further. Key risks to the outlook include lower oil prices, shortfalls in non-oil revenues, a further deterioration in finances of state and local Governments, deepening disruptions in private sector activity due to constraints on access to foreign exchange, and resurgence in security concerns.

HE Minister of Power, Works and Housing Mr. Baba tunde Fashola SAN on Thursday presided at the historic signing of agreements between the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and Aba Power Limited to end a three - year dispute that had stalled the completion of a 141 MW Power Project for the area. Speaking after witnessing the signing of the agreements between Aba Power Limited and Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc and Interstate Electricity Limited on the other, Fashola expressed confidence that the temporary energy crisis facing the country will be overcome and the target of 10,000MW set by President Muhammadu Buhari met. While making an appeal that everybody must contribute to solve the problem rather than being a part of the problem, the Minister said with such Landmark resolution of a three year old dispute that had stalled the completion of a critical power project in the South East and the recovery of four turbines that were hitherto down in Jebba, he was certain that the country’s power challenges can be overcome. Speaking on the resolution of the three – year old dispute, Fashola said “ a very momentous milestone”, had just been witnessed adding that the venue of the event was crowded because it was also being used for a meeting on the Energy Mix being developed for the country. Commenting on the calibre of people involved in brokering the truce on both sides, the Minister declared: “ I think it is important to see that two people who have served this country as Minister are on different sides of the fence, Prince Tokunbo Kayode SAN and Professor Barth Nnaji and it’s also interesting that the Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN to whom l must show appreciation for not only initiating this process but for trusting our Ministry with the responsibility to see it through, our gratitude to him is deep and profound”. Fashola noted that though courts may be the right place to resolve disputes ,common sense will make more meaning to the people of Aba and to the traders in Ariaria, who would benefit immensely from the resolution of the dispute. Noting that the development would also be a major boost for “Made in Nigeria “ goods for which the markets in the area had been famous, Fashola said that it also made common sense to realise that the electricity market was beginning to evolve with the private entrepreneurship phase being just two years and a few months old.

Gov Abubakar to build 1,330 Fix the economy, don’t devalue Naira, houses for Jigawa people Dafinone tells Buhari By Oghene Omonisa

OVERNOR Muhammad Badaru Abubakar has rolled out his plan to build 1,330 houses across Jigawa State. He said that under the programme, each local government would have 40 houses while the five emirate headquarters would get additional 50 houses each. Abubakar made the disclosure when he received the Managing Director of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Alhaji Gima Yau Kumo, who visited him in his office. The Governor said the houses would be built to

bridge the huge shelter gap in Jigawa and assist civil servants to own houses in their towns. According to him, while each of the five emirate headquarters would have 90 houses built, Dutse would get higher number, considering the high concentration of the beneficiaries in the state capital. He therefore charged the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) to collaborate with Jigawa State Housing Corporation to come up with a design for houses whose cost would not exceed one million naira so that the civil servants could afford them.

Wade into Degree/HND dichotomy, Bida Poly Rector tells FG By Wole Mosadomi

HE Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Dr. Abubakar Abdul Dzukogi has called on the Federal government to immediately intervene in the dichotomy between Degrees and Higher National Diploma (HND) certificates in order to move the country forward technologically. He said instead of laying

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•Fashola brokers truce in 3-yr-old Geometric Power, Enugu Disco feud

emphasis on acquisition of Certificate alone, more attention should be paid on skills which are the veritable tools to develop any country technologically. According to him, laying more emphasis on Certificate acquisition is not supposed to be so in the first instance because it is not the Certificate that will make the turn around but the skills acquired by individuals.

By Akpokona Omafuaire

ENOWNED Chartered Accountant, and chieftain of Delta State All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Ede Dafinone has warned the federal government not to devalue the Naira but to fix the economy and every thing will fall into shape. Dafinone gave the charge weekend at Ovu in Ethiope East Council Area during installation ceremony of Dr. T. E. Salubi as Osuivie of Ovu. Dafinone pointed out that the current exchange rate is just a symptom of the problem as Nigeria is going through recession. He argued that in a recession period what government needs to do is to restructure its organ and reinvigorate more investment from abroad. According to Dafinone, “The exchange rate is only a symptom of the problem. We don’t fix our economic problems by devaluing the Naira. The exchange rate will reach the right place when the economy is fixed.

PHED partners foundation on world autism awareness day walk By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa

HE Port-Harcourt Electricity Distribution Com pany has announced its decision to support the World Autism Awareness Day which holds today (Saturday), by sponsoring and participating in a safety walk organised by Pleasant Places Child Care Foundation. The foundation is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation which seeks to educate, advocate, empower and support children with physical, learning, developmental and other challenges especially among the poor and vulnerable in the society. The World Autism Awareness Day is a day set aside by the United Nations annually, on 2nd April to increase awareness on Autism Spectrum Disorders.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016 — 9

FG directs all public hospitals to save lives first in emergency ...Blames poor performance of health system on chronic under funding ...Only 20% of 30,000 PHCs functional ... Nigeria needs 140 radiotherapy machines to tackle cancer By Sola Ogundipe & Chioma Obinna

HE Federal Government yesterday directed all public hospitals across the country to save patients’ lives first during emergencies before demanding money even as it blamed poor performance of the country’s health system on chronic under funding. Giving the directive during his first official visit to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole lamented that out of 30,000 Primary HealthCare Centres, PHCs, across the country only 20 percent (6,000) are functional. Adewole, who said government hospitals cannot continue to turn poor patients away, however affirmed that lives of

Nigerians mean more than money. “Accidents, among other emergency cases can occur at anytime, so patients should not be refrained from accessing treatment. The poverty indicator shows that 60 to 70 percent of Nigerians are poor. This means about 100 million people are poor in Nigeria. So, we will provide basic care through the PHC system for Nigerians.” Adewole who directed the Management of LUTH not to allow patients stay beyond 24 hours at the Accident and Emergency ward to enable room for other new patients on emergency, decried the situation he met on ground. “What I saw this morning is congestion. When the A & E unit is congested, that facility cannot absorb new cases. When

Abducted Enugu girl saga: Gov Ugwuanyi promises her rehabilitation By Victory Bassey

OVERNOR Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has promised to assist in rehabilitating the Enugu born 14 yearold SS-2 student of Government Secondary School, Apo Resettlement, Abuja, Miss Ifesinachi Ani, who was abducted about six months ago and converted to Islam. The girl who is the daughter of one Mr. Sunday Ani from Ani-Chime family, Umunachi Ngene, Amaechi Awkunanaw, Enugu South Local Government Area, Enugu State, was reported to have been taken to the Central Police Station, Uwani, Enugu by the abductors, after several alarm was raised in

the media over the abduction. The development prompted the Enugu State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to dispatch a delegation of top government functionaries, led by the state Commissioner for Gender Affairs and Social Development, Princess Peace Nnaji in company of her counterpart in the ministry of Health, Dr. Sam Ngwu, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Gender Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Mrs. Felicia Ikpeama, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr. Louis Amoke, among others, to pay a solidarity visit to the family on the reported abduction of their daughter, Ifesinachi.

Lekki Garden residents kick against integrity test by govt By Princewill Ekwujuru

ARELY two weeks after Lagos State Government ordered integrity test on other Lekki Gardens’ houses, some affected occupants of the houses have expressed displeasure over the proposed exercise. One of the residents, Dr. Samuel Dachi, said the integrity test proposed by the government on the occupied houses is surprising, giving the fact that you cannot carry out such an exercise on an already built and occuC M Y K

pied houses. Dachi felt government should have carried out such test on houses built by the company, which have not been completed. “Much as we appreciate the response of government and its determination to protect the residents of the Lekki Gardens, we find the idea of integrity test on occupied houses strange. It is sad that an uncompleted building collapsed few weeks ago but that should not be used as an intent to condemn other houses.”

emergency happens, facilities must be able to respond adequately and promptly. “This reminded me of a situation whereby if you have an accident, LUTH will not be able to respond, and that was why I gave the directive that they should operate a system that would evacuate patients within 24

hours. Noting that the A & E is the face of any hospital, he said once patients are treated, they should be moved to the ward or be discharge if they are stable, in order to create space for new cases. On indigent patients, the minister urged the LUTH management to ensure that the poor receive treatment by absolving the cost of their treatment and called for operations of a social sys-

tem to enable it know those that are genuinely poor. Revealing that plans are underway to rebuild 10,000 PHCs within the next three years, he noted: “We have the strong determination to implement the under one roof PHCs which has been part of the health project since 2010. By mid 2017 we will ensure that not less than 110 PHCs are functional.” On radiotherapy ma-

chines, the minister for Health said Nigeria needs at least 140 radiotherapy machines to face the challenges of cancer in the country. Adewole who urged Nigerians to improve on their lifestyle said 40per cent of cancer cases can be prevented while 40 per cent are also curable if detected early, lamented over-stretching of the few machines for the treatments of two million cancer patients.

Obasanjo tasks governors on performance E

NUGU, Former Pres ident Olusegun Obasanjo has urged state governors to raise the bar of their performance in order to give new lease of life to the people. Obasanjo made the call on Friday in Enugu, when he called on Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, after attending the burial of Ebonyi governor ’s mother. The former president said that good governance would boost the economic growth of the nation. He, however, commended Ugwuanyi on his good works in the state and urged him to do more as posterity would judge him. “From the reports I get, you are doing well. If out of the 36 states of the country, you can get one

that is doing well, it will be encouraging to continue to work on others to do well. “By the time you can get up to 50 per cent of the states doing well, it means the country will be

better. So, keep it up,” Obasanjo said. Responding, Ugwuanyi thanked the former president for his visit and promised to tap from his wealth of experience. “We

are, indeed, very grateful. We will continue to benefit from your wealth of experience so that we can continue to serve our people better,” Ugwuanyi said.

End to fuel crisis in sight —DPR By Michael Eboh & Samuel Chia

HE Department of Petroleum Resources, yesterday, said it was working round the clock to bring the fuel scarcity currently witnessed across the country is brought to an end, especially as the supply of the product is expected to improve in the next couple of days. This was even as some

petrol dealers and marketers disclosed that the major problem confronting them at the moment was not in getting the product, but in managing and controlling the large crowd of motorists at the stations. Speaking during a tour of petrol stations in Abuja, Director, Petroleum Resources, Mr. Mordecai Ladan, stated that already, Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, have start-

ed arriving the country’s ports, while lifting had commenced. He said the Federal Government has ordered a large quantity of the products that would exceed the demand of Nigerians. He said, “We are appealing to the public not to panic; these products are already arriving. The liftings are going on from the coastal depot into the hinterland.

FACES AT THE FUNERAL SERVICE OF LATE PRINCESS TOMORI AKPATA

*L-R: Mr. Henry Sey; Mrs. Elizabeth Sey; Mrs Dada Akpata; Prophet Oluwadamilade Akpata, son and Mother in Israel Oluwatobilolba Akpata during the funeral service for Late Princess Elizabeth Aba Akpata at Divine Ewulomi Evang Church of Christ at Arowojobe, Mende, Lagos. Photos: Lamidi Bamidele

L-r: Sister Lola Akin Akindeko; Lady Kehinde Akintola and Mrs Rita Amuka during the funeral service.

*L-r: Mr Harry Willie, Publisher, BrandPower Magazine; and Mr Ademola Osinubi, Managing Director/Editor-in-chief, Punch Nigeria Ltd during the funeral service.

10—SATURDAY

Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016

My boss, Sheriff will destroy PDP — Gov Shettima —The unknown role of Ndigbo in Buhari’s presidential victory

BY OCHEREOME NNANA AND EMMANUEL AZIKEN

gricultural economist, turned banker and now politician, Gov. Kasshim Shettima of Borno State has soldiered against hope in the face of some of the most extraneous circumstances in the land. The governor has bravely countered the instruments of fear as mounted by the Boko Haram insurgency on one hand and the political conspiracy weaved from the highest areas echelons of the former administration. Ahead of his investiture as Vanguard’s Governor of the Year, 2015, Governor Shettima in two separate interview sessions in Maiduguri and Lagos spoke on his political development among other things excerpts: Given the circumstances and intrigues that shadowed politics in Borno State in 2007 what stimulated you to join the fray? Edwin Burke said the only thing necessary for evil to triumph over good is for good men to do nothing. We cannot continue to keep pontificating by the sidelines, condemning the leadership, proffering solutions at workshops, seminars and the media without really getting involved in the fray to make our own contributions in bringing about the desired change we advocate at the top of our lungs. I was honestly motivated by the urge to serve the people of Borno, to add value to the living conditions of our people, because there is no better politics than the contentment of the masses. I believe that we are on the threshold of making unique contributions to humanity, Borno State and the Nigerian nation. Basically, that was the real motivating factor that made me join politics. I was very, very reluctant earlier on, but finally when I made up my mind, I said, let’s go on. You took over from Ali Modu Sheriff in 2011, how would you compare what you met on ground and what has changed under you? The political landscape has changed dramatically. Ali Sheriff was my boss and each time I talk about him as much as possible, I try as much as possible to refrain from making negative comments on his person. But when I assumed the mantle of leadership, I made one

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•Gov. Kasshim Shettima pledge to myself and to my God, ‘I will jealously guard and protect his interest without jeopardising the collective patrimony of the people of Borno.’ I will respect him, I will cherish him without being subservient or slavish.

Ali Sheriff was my boss and each time I talk about him as much as possible, I try as much as possible to refrain from making negative comments on his person

But you had some problems, what happened? Every human has something unique that God blesses him or her with. It depends on whether one is able to identify that unique skill or not. One of the gifts God didn’t bless me with is the ability to confront head on. I am not a fighter by nature but God gave me the skill to survive confrontation and the skill to make and sustain peace, I am a peacemaker. I always wished that I have the skills to fight when I see some people doing everything to hit me. So, my boss didn’t recognize the fact that God had made me a Governor, he had zero regard for me but all that didn’t really matter. I bent over backwards to accommodate him, but when somebody said he is a little god or he can make and unmake, that he would replace me in 2015 like he replaces his cap, I said I had to choose between worshipping him and worshipping God. I am not obsessed with power but given that the Boko Haram insurgency did not allow us to do what we wanted to do, I felt we needed another four years. Believe me, from the bottom of my heart, I am not obsessed with power but I felt compelled on value addition to what we have on ground. He said he was a demi-god, so I insisted on exercising my right as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the rest is now history. He crossed over to the PDP, he is the

National chairman and believe me I celebrated him when he got that position after all he is a Borno man, I will always support a Borno man as reasonably as possible when it comes to struggling for position of authority so long as the aspiration doesn’t negate the principle of fair representation of our diversity as a nation. I wish him well. What did it take for you to get the famous victory over your former godfather? I said earlier that once you are with the people, believe me, the people will stand by you. What actually happened was that the people did appreciate the modest efforts we made to impact on their lives. Secondly, and most importantly we were with them through thick and thin through the locust years, we could have run away. I was spending more time in Maiduguri than anywhere and that endeared us to the people. Thirdly, the Buhari factor I must admit, tremendously helped us. Buhari has an emotional followership in the North and people bought into that. There was also the accusation of Sheriff by some people as having links with Boko Haram, do you think he has a hand? Yes, that was a factor during the electioneering period, people were

•Buhari accusing him of having a hand in the Boko Haram madness. Though to the best of knowledge, I have to be very fair to him and we all worship the same God, I do not think that the Ali Sheriff I know has any direct affiliation with Boko Haram, he doesn’t have the guts to lead such a vicious armed group, I know what he can do and what he can’t. As a Governor of Borno, he might have made some wrong decisions in managing the Boko Haram crisis when it started in 2009 or even in failing to stimulate the economy in a way that the insurgents wouldn’t have had a fertile ground to recruit people that joined them based on economic considerations. He was a powerful Governor, the economy was booming from 2003 when he came in, he was close to the Presidency and to all the business moguls in Nigeria, if he wanted he could have established one hundred industries to create jobs, he had no

Continues on page 11

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Continues from page 10 Boko Haram to stop him but whether he did what is right or not is left for the people of Borno to judge. Believe me, if he had invested in education and agriculture this kind of madness our people would have been sufficiently informed and empowered enough not to collect as little as N5,000 to work for insurgents. In terms of land mass, Borno is the second largest state in the Nigerian federation after Niger State. We are 14 times the size of Abia State, we are 20 times the size of Lagos, we are three times the size of Kano, Borno State is three times the size of the Southeast fused into one, and land is an important asset if well harnessed can provide jobs for millions of people, but unfortunately, the past leadership did not understand the dynamics and that really created the fertile ground for Boko Haram to thrive. In Northern Nigeria as a whole, there is a direct correlation between the ethnoreligious strive and the closure of the textile mills; between the closure of the tin mines in Jos and the ethno-religious conflicts on the plateau. Even this cattle rustling now has a direct correlation with the economic realities on the ground and the sooner we wake up to those challenges, the better for all of us. We would like to know, how the Boko Haram phenomenon really started? Boko Haram became what it is today largely because of two or three factors. One has to do with the failure of leadership, secondly is the mismanagement of the crisis, management process. Boko Haram is a phenomenon born out of endemic poverty, of our youths growing up without any sense of hope for tomorrow. The current system of koranic education does not provide the students with the skills to earn a normal livelihood. Most of those students who graduate from the system are not equipped with the skills to adjust into the modern way of life and this has further compounded our problems. Basically, a hungry, angry man is a dangerous animal. It started in the year, 2002 when some young men, including some from affluent background, congregated in Kanamma, a border village in Yobe State and nicknamed their territory Kandahar and you know Kandahar is a place in Afghanistan. The group members were trying to distance themselves from the evils of modern life as they saw it, they secluded themselves in one community and they were then fondly referred to as the Nigerian Taliban and this was before they launched their first attacks on police stations in Damaturu, Gwoza and Bama. That was the beginning of the crisis. If at that point in time it was managed and monitored properly as it should have been, the crisis would have been averted. When it blossomed into this bigger crisis was when the first founder of the movement was killed in Damboa. The first founder was Mohammed Ali. Not Mohammed Yusuf? No, not Mohammed Yusuf. Mohammed Yusuf took the remnants of the movement. Indeed, most of the first generation of Boko Haram were even western educated. They were dissatisfied with the fact that with their certificates they were without jobs, but the next generation were the street urchins and such sorts in the neighbourhood that Mohammed Yusuf took over, groomed them into that violent sect and set up his own mosque. To be fair to the young man, he had a sweet tongue and was drawing people to himself, but a famous Islamic scholar who was a frequent visiting preacher in Maiduguri, Sheikh Jaafar Adams was constantly reprimanding him over that ideology. Jaafar was killed in Kano, right inside the mosque preparatory to the 2007 election. Initially people were insinuating that politicians killed him but it was later that the jigsaw puzzle started getting

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extremely strategic role in the emergence of President Buhari. You may not believe it, but the statistics are there. In 2011, the Ibo nation gave Jonathan about 8 million votes, so when people start accusing Ogbonnanya Onu or Chris Ngige of not doing their own part of the job, people are not being fair to them. In 2015 Jonathan got 300,000 votes in Ebonyi, go and juxtapose the quantum of votes he got in 2011 in the Ibo heartland with what he got in 2015! If the Ibos had produced the quantum of votes they gave him in 2011 in 2015, the story would have been different.

•Gov. Kasshim Shettima

The unknown role of Ndigbo in Buhari’s presidential victory into shape and people started saying that even Sheikh Adams might have been most likely killed by the Boko Haram. The final spark was in 2009 when the military killed some of their men going on a funeral procession because they were not wearing helmets and that was when Mohammed Yusuf was captured and killed and the rest is history. Even at that time if it was handled well it would not have turned into what it is now because Mohammed Yusuf had a great deal of influence over his followers and compared to most members of his inner team, he was a much more moderate person than even Abubakar Shekau. So it was a big mistake killing him? Killing him was a monumental error of judgment by the security agencies, it was a huge mistake. It has been alleged that your predecessor had a hand in the killing given the alleged relationship with the sect through a commissioner, Buji Foi who was also a member of the sect? I cannot claim ignorance that I have not heard those accusations. But it is such a great accusation especially taking into cognisance my strained relationship with my predecessor. I would rather refrain from making comments on that. But to be fair to Ali Sheriff, anybody accusing him of being a Boko Haram founder should adduce evidence to buttress the assertion. Buji Foi was a politician in his own right. He won election as local government chairman in his own right, so his affiliation with Ali Sheriff was more of a marriage of convenience for him to advance his political interest and for Ali Sheriff to get what he wants. It is the Mohammed Yusuf angle that I am not fit to speak on or have little to comment on. However, in a nutshell, the killing of Mohammed Yusuf was a huge mistake. When three school girls were abducted in Lagos we saw security

Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016—11 —11

agencies collaborating with the state administration to effect a quick rescue. However, one would like to know if you had such collaboration in Borno when the Chibok girls were abducted? There was never a collaboration towards rescuing the Chibok girls. The Chibok girls could have been rescued in the first 48 hours of their abduction but unfortunately, even two weeks after the abduction, the presidency did not admit it, it was claimed as a conspiracy conceived by his enemies to embarrass his person and that the girls were kept in the Government House in Maiduguri. The whole scenarios in Lagos and Maiduguri were different. My heart was touched because when I heard of the incident in Lagos it immediately brought back memories of the Chibok saga. The Chibok girls for the first 48 hours were kept at the bank of a river before they (Boko Haram) got directives from their leaders or whosoever on where to move them to. Some 56 of them were able to run away. Some of them jumped off the vehicle, you know the lights were off and they were going through a forested region and some were jumping off the vehicle and some even ran away from the bank of the river and were rescued by Fulani herdsmen and were brought back to the village. Most of them are now attending some private schools in Jos and about 13 of them who are of Muslim background are attending one Islamic school in Katsina. By and large they are picking up the pieces of their lives, but it is very sad. In what way are you mobilising the forum members to consolidate the stability of the country? We are one people. As an attempt to reach out to our brothers across the Niger we are going to attend the burial in Ebonyi of the mother of the governor. One thing people fail to appreciate is that the Ibo nation played a silent but

Was it not because of card reader? Not only because of the card reader, but of the vigilance of the APC politicians. There was card reader in Akwa Ibom and in Delta when PDP scored the votes they got. I think the Ibo nation deserves special commendation and respect for the efforts they made. What was the difference between Buhari and Jonathan? It was about 2.5 million votes. What is your reaction to the emergence of your predecessor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the national chairman of the PDP and his vow to kick out the APC from power in 2019? His Excellency, Senator Ali Sheriff is my boss and is someone that I am eternally indebted to. I always tend to shy away from commenting on issues directly involving him. He is a very consummate politician who is presiding over a dead horse, and I am absolutely certain that he will see to the total annihilation of the PDP. The PDP is an idea whose time has elapsed. The mind disturbing revelations about how funds meant to acquire weapons to prevent Boko Haram insurgents from their scales of murder, were siphoned is enough to erase the PDP from the minds of the party’s founding fathers, those who drafted it’s constitution and those who designed the party’s if they have conscience. I don’t see majority of good Nigerians ever accepting the PDP again except perhaps, a different political affiliation but certainly not PDP as it is known. Given his antecedents, do you expect to politically engage him in the immediate future? My boss is a very consummate politician, he can survive in any political terrain. He will certainly find his way and will successfully destroy the PDP to the better glory of the APC. Are you satisfied with the direction the present administration is handling the economic situation in the country? Well, given the circumstances we have found ourselves in this nation, I think Buhari deserves special kudos for the way he has managed the economy so far. You might be amazed, but those of us managing states can attest to the fact that in 2014 when oil was going for $114 per barrel we were getting N4.5 billion per month as statutory allocation. Now even after oil has plummeted to less than $40, last month we got N2.8 billion. So, if you look at the way oil plummeted you would expect a corresponding decline in the inflows by that magnitude but believe me because of his integrity, states are still managing to pay salaries. I know he is getting his acts right and very soon, he will come out with some very large pronouncement on how to move the nation forward.

12—VANGUARD, SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 2016

•Ali Modu Sheriff By Ben Agande

ince the defeat by the All Progressive Congress in last year’s general election, members of the Peoples Democratic Party have been forced to an unfamiliar position of being a party in opposition after sixteen years of calling the shots at the federal level. Gradually but steadily, members of the party, especially its leadership have come to accept that the years of dictating the pace of activities in the country are over; at least in the next three years when there would be another elections and the parties will seek the people’s mandate again. But rather than wallow in self pity, the PDP appears to have be bracing up especially as euphoria that greeted President Buhari’s victory is waning following the harsh conditions Nigerians are now facing. First, after some months of seemingly rudderless leadership, governors elected on the platform of the party came together and tossed the former chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ANPP, Ali Modu Sheriff to chair the party and reposition it for the challenges ahead. However, the decision did not sit down well with some organs of the party but a combination of deft political moves and compromises has been able to provide some level of respite as most members of the party now have come to accept, even if grudgingly that the leadership of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff at this time was the most practical thing to accept. And as if providence has conspired with fate to play a crude joke on the All Progressive Congress led federal government, things appear to be playing in Favour of the PDP in the last couple of months. The price of crude oil in the international market has been on a downward spiral since the APC took over. The exchange rate between Naira and most of the world’s currencies has been the worst in recent years and the seemingly opaque economic policies of the government have engendered hard times. Grudgingly but steadily, many

•President Buhari

PDP: Taking advantage of APC’s failings Nigerians are losing faith in the Buhari administration. On the political front, the inability of the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct any conclusive election under the present administration has further added to the sense of frustration of many Nigerians. The recent election in Rivers state which was characterized by unprecedented violence further provided the PDP with the Arsenal to portray the APC led government as being incapable or unwilling to bequeath a better legacy to the Nigerian people. Conscious of the dwindling fortune of its electoral value as a result of a combination of several of the above factors, the leadership of ruling party has has resorted to several methods to shore up its waning acceptability. From blaming the last administration for the multifarious woes of the country, to cajoling Nigerians to show greater understanding with government, the APC last week took to warming Nigerians there was no Vacancy in Aso Rock in 2019, ostensibly to send a message to the rival PDP that it should not imagine that the challenge being faced by government was not enough reason for the PDP to begin to nurse an ambition of a possible comeback. But that was the message that the National Vice chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Cairo Ojuogboh needed to remind the

APC that it was just but a temporary tenant in Aso Rock Presidential Villa, as the seat of government traditionally belongs to the PDP and it would take it back from the All Progressive Congress in 2019. According to Dr Ojuogboh, not minding the mistakes that the PDP made in the run up to the elections which deprived it of the mandate of Nigerians, both the APC and President Buhari have demonstrated that they were not prepared to rule because they had nothing to offer. According to the PDP chieftain, “We want to caution that statements of impunity such as there is no vacancy in Aso Rock in 2019 is not only fallacious but also should be completely discarded because there is vacancy in Aso Rock in 2019 and the PDP will take back our property in 2019. We are the owners of Aso Rock and we are going back there in 2019. I say so because it is very obvious that Buhari and APC are not prepared to rule. They are wallowing in serious darkness trying to find its feet but we in the PDP are ready and appealing to Nigerians that come 2019, they should give us a second chance to correct our negligence that made us lose election in 2015. We are working assiduously to take over in 2019” he said. And to drive home his point that

•Chief John Odigie Oyegun the APC was not prepared to lead a complex country like Nigeria, the PDP chieftain pointed to the recently conducted elections in Rivers state, accusing the APC of introducing violence in order to cover up for its lack of acceptability in the state. He said “ all Nigerians and the international community would have been surprised if PDP had lost because Rivers is a PDP stronghold. 95% of Rivers people are PDP. There was an attempt by the APC to arm twist the PDP and take away the glory but the people stood firm for PDP. The issues are very simple and straightforward in Rivers state. Governor Wike is on the ground. The leaders of the franchise called APC in Rivers state wanted to prove to their masters in Abuja that they could have an edge in Rivers state so they mobilized the security agencies to intimidate the people. “It is the APC people that gave military uniforms to their teeming folks to harass and intimidate the PDP. I call on the independent National Electoral commission to complete the announcement of results that have been collated at the polling units. The PDP south-south is calling on INEC to release the results so that state house of assembly members can get to work and continue to give dividends of democracy to the people of Rivers state” he said. He noted that while the PDP has accepted its fate as a party in opposition, it was ready to draw attention to anything being done by the APC government that would shortchanged the Nigerian people. “We accept our fate as party in opposition but opposition is an essential part of democracy and any attempt to muzzle the opposition will not augur well for democracy. While we are ready to contribute our quota to the development of democracy, anything that we see as being capable of denying Nigerians their rights and livelihood, we will oppose it” he noted. There is no doubt that Nigerians were frustrated and disappointed by the seeming failure of sixteen years of the PDP. But if the APC fail to provide workable solutions to the problems created by the PDP rule, it may unwittingly be giving Nigerians reasons to think that PDP deserves a second chance.

SATURDAY Vanguard,

APRIL 2, 2016—13

Tension in rural Kaduna after murder of colonel

•Kiddnapper ampage ttoo oo •Kiddnapperss on rrampage

•Buhari Danjuma while alife •Ibrahim Musa, IMN Spokesman

•Kidnapped in Kahugu

BY LUKA BINNIYAT

he sense of insecurity in Kaduna metropolis especially among the relatively well-offs, has pervaded into far rural areas of the state. It would seem that kidnapping in exchange for ransom is going on a wide scale, with most of the victims being the rich, and most of the cases going unreported out of fear of the repercussion. The matter got worse with the curious abduction and murder of a serving army colonel, Samaila Yunusa, 44, an indigene of Kano State last weekend. As the army and police are working hard to unravel the motive behind the murder and possibly make arrest, Saturday Vanguard made extensive investigations on how Yunusa was killed.

How Col. Yunusa was killed According to sources within and outside the family of the slain onetime Aide De Camp (ADC) to Vice President of Sierra Leone in 1997 (when Yunusa served in Liberia as a captain), the murder of the colonel was avoidable if the occupant of the car he was driving in were observant about a certain grey SUV van that had been trailing them, from Dalet Barracks, Kakuri, Kaduna where he lived with his family. Said a source: “Yunusa had entered his Benz with his wife, Grace, another male adult (name withheld) and their two kids, 8 and 6 years respectively. “It was around 7:30pm that Saturday evening, and it was not long after we had talked”, the source continued. “As he started the car, and made to drive out, he suddenly stopped and jumped out of the car, pleading to the rest of the occupants that he forgot a document in the house which he needed to pick. “He told the wife to take over the steering since the document could be in any of piles of files he had at home and he would take time to fish out the particular document. “As the wife was driving, he was at the back with his two kids sorting for the document from the files he had taken

It was around 7:30pm that Saturday evening, and it was not long after we had talked”, the source continued

out of the house. The said document was a guarantor form he had signed for a candidate seeking to join the army as an army recruit. “This is where the problem started: It was said that there was a grey SUV van that had parked not far from the house; that as soon as the wife drove out, the SUV was following as Yunusa was busy sieving the document. “When they reached Alkali Road, the SUV overtook them and drove on. When they reached Tafawa Balewa Way, they did not notice the SUV parked by the side of the road. As they drove, the van followed but took a different route after a junction. “As they reached the new Yakowa Bridge, on Ibrahim Yakowa Way, they saw the SUV, parked. All this while, the colonel was still going through piles of documents from the files. “Sadly, no one in the car called the attention of the soldier to the happening”, said the source. Soon, they reached Kamazo, and veered into a tight narrow road that leads to the home of the in-laws of Yunusa. The source said that the van was right behind them when they reached the gate of the house. “The gate man came and opened half of the gate, ready to open the other half when three men emerged from the SUV and approached the car. Two of them had pistols and one was carrying an AK47 Rival. They were said to be very young men and were not wearing masks. “They asked the wife who she was. And the colonel replied that she was his wife and asked them what they wanted. “They now told the wife, the two kids and the other male to leave the car and enter the house. With guns pointing at Yunusa, they drove off with him, the SUV behind them”, said an impeccable source, who asked for anonymity. In no time, as more sources revealed, the Nigeria Army swung into action, setting barricades and storming areas, including villages known for dubious issues around Kaduna. The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, One-Mechanized Division, Kaduna, Col. Usman Abdul confirmed the incident and issued the

following numbers should the kidnaper want to make contact: The numbers are still relevant and open for information even now, Saturday Vangaurd confirmed from army authority. They are: 08033865572; 08030489203; 08023445961; 07038025282 and 08058130703. It followed with the pledge of N500,000 to anyone with useful information on the whereabouts of the soldier. The amount was upped to one million the next day. The next day, Yunusa was found dead about 5 kilometrs away from where he was forcefully taken away. His corpse was found on the lonely Kaduna Eastern Bypass which is still under contraction about 17 years after the issuance of the 32km road project contract. “He was a nice, generous, good gentleman. He never smoked, never drank and was not even the party-going type,” observed a close friend of the deceased. “It is hard to comprehend how this kind of man could have enemies”, he lamented. The army and the police are not only rattled by this development, but are also worried about the import of such daring murder to the general populace of Kaduna State, which is already overwhelmed by daily incidences of kidnapping and ransom deals. Shiite denies involvement As if on cue, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, also known as the Nigerian Shiite, issued a statement the next day claiming that there was a ploy to implicate them in the murder. A statement from the Spokesman of the IMN, Ibrahim Musa made available to newsmen in Kaduna read: “Our attention has been drawn to a false, unsubstantiated and mischievous claim, that looks more like a planned operation aimed at painting the IMN black, of some “intelligence” report that the IMN may plan kidnap of military officers for ransom for the

Yusuf Bala, husband of kidnapped Gloria release of our revered leader, His Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky. “Typically, this was followed by the alleged kidnap of an army officer in Kaduna with the Nigerian Army issuing statement calling on the public to give information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators. Soon, some media outlets were quick to quote these malicious sources linking the IMN with the alleged kidnap. “We wish to categorically state here that the Islamic Movement in Nigeria under the leadership of His Eminence, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky has never and will never engage in any form of crime to meet any of its objectives. Crime and criminal activities are fundamentally sinful and are not in our character.“The Islamic Movement knows that due to official administrative ineptitude and official negligence of constituted authority, a lot of crimes including kidnapping are prevalent in the country. As a religious body, the IMN condemns and preaches against all forms of crime. Therefore, it is virtually illogical and unreasonable for anyone to presume that the IMN would turn around to engage in such acts of immorality.” Kaduna villages now “ATM” for kidnappers Scores of communities in Lere Local Government Area, LGA, of Kaduna State, especially those in Kahugu District said that they have been under intensive raids by strange Fulani men who kill their young men and abduct women in exchange for millions in ransom. Kahugu District is about 4 hours drive to Kaduna metropolis, Kaduna State capital. Findings yesterday by Saturday Vanguard which visited Kahugu District – one of the most affected– showed that the initial victims were resident Fulani Continues on page 14

14—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016

Kidnapping, cattle rustling have overwhelmed us — Miyetti Allah

Kahugu Chiefdom. His words: “The DPO there briefed me now. He said that there was only one of such incidents. He said that the hoodlums had kidnapped two women and that when the police was contacted, they came and gave the criminals a hot pursuit; that the thieves had no choice than to abandon the woman and flee. He said that they have deployed adequate police to the area, including plainclothes men. So, there is no problem there”, he said, contrary to the sad reality in Kahugu Chiefdom.

Continues from page 13 herdsmen who were extorted between N500,000 and N2 million per family in exchanged for their lives and cattle. But, in recent times, the bandits have extended their crimes to the native Kahugu who are mainly subsistent farmers. In Kaduru, an isolated village of about 200 homesteads, sited on a flat plain bounded by low woody hills, a group of mourners had gathered under the canopy of mango trees in the compound of Pa Danjuma, whose son, Buhari Danjuma, 29 was shot point-blank on the head by the assailants, before kidnapping an 8month pregnant mother of four, two days earlier. “They wrote this village a letter last week that we must keep N3 million for them”, Ester Duniya (not real name) told our reporter amidst sobs, “but we have been giving them money before”, she said of the alleged Fulani invaders.“Our men have been meeting over this problem when they came in the night around 12 midnight. They shot Buhari in the head, shot another woman in the leg, and went to another house and kidnapped one woman (Gloria Bala) who is 8 months pregnant”, she said.“They have been calling the husband to bring N1.5 million, or they will kill the wife”, she said. Saturday Vanguard found the husband of the abducted woman, Yusuf Bala, 32, under a tree surrounded by folks as he awaited to receive communication from the outlaws. He refused to speak to our

reporter. “He has neither eaten nor slept for the third day today”, an unkempt looking fellow in farm clothes told reporters. “His four children have been crying to him for their mother and he does not know how to raise that kind of money”, he observed, “so please leave him alone and go and tell government to come and save us from this hell”, he said with a wave of his hands. Speaking on grounds of anonymity for their personal security, it was revealed that local Fulani residents are fleeing Kahugu villages after paying so much ransom to secure the release of their abducted women, and to stay from being attacked. They said that they thought the problem was a Fulani versus Fulani affair, until the criminality started hitting the natives early this year. They insisted that the robbers were Fulani, but strange to the area. The villagers said that it was rampant issue all over the

Political Editor

PC keeps pushing the evil day The confessions of President Muhammadu Buhari during penultimate Thursday’s National Executive Committee, NEC meeting of the All Progressives Congress, APC about the failed elections under his watch should ordinarily elicit much interest. The president in his speech appeared to be appealing to the grassroots of the party for understanding in the face of the difficult challenges the country has been passing through under a government that promised much change. However, unbeknown to many, the president’s emotional appeal also helped to suppress many pressing issues still challenging the leadership of the party. Before that NEC meeting, an unusual security cordon was mounted around the APC secretariat in Wuse 2 suggestive of the kind of violence that attended the secretariat at the peak of the crisis over the party’s candidate in Kogi State. The security cordon, it was gathered, may not have been unconnected to an alleged plan by the rank of deputies in the NEC

to protest the refusal to allow Timi Frank to take over the position of National Publicity Secretary following the departure of Lai Mohammed. The deputies it was learnt, wanted to protest in the course of the closed door NEC meeting with President Buhari in attendance. In any event, the plan derailed apparently after the deputies caught cold feet. Even more, the NEC decided to reconstitute the BoT. That proposal many suspect, is part of the decoy to soothe the tension arising from the contentions over the chairmanship of the BoT. There is no secret about the fact that party elders have been challenged over the election of a chairman of the board given the capacities of the men alleged to have shown interest in the office. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is favoured by some while Atiku Abubakar has also been favoured by many others. However, Atiku’s supporters have lately said that their man will not contest for the position, and will accept it only if offered on a platter. NEC’s decision to reconstitute the membership of the BoT is inevitably seen as one way of postponing the evil day!

place, as the bandits seemed to have turned the villages into some kind of Automated Teller Machines, ATM. It was estimated that the brigands usually number between 8 and 12 and all had Ak 47 riffles each, pairing themselves on motor bikes. At times, according to the natives, they set up roadblocks in broad daylight and robbed, leaving death casualties behind in some cases. There is imminent fear and frustration in the community visited, as they complained that the police and government had done nothing to protect them since the violence and extortion started around November last year. Reacting on the issue, Kaduna State Police Spokesman, DSP Zubairu Abubakar, said that he had been briefed by the police in Lere LGA on the matter, saying there was only one of such incidents in

Unending mutterings in Edo APC The leadership of the APC in Edo State came under pressure penultimate week after four of the aspirants jointly came out to indict the state chairman, Anslem Ojezua of bias. The campaigns of the deputy governor, Pius Odubu, Kenneth Imansuagbon, famously known as the Rice Man, Chris Ogiemwonyi and Barrister Omo Irabor in a joint statement put aside their differences to accuse Ojezua of transforming himself into the campaign director of another aspirant supposedly said to be the favourite of the political leadership of the state. Before now, Imansuagbon had walked an independent path indifferent to the feeling of the political leadership of the state, apparently believing that his works would help him out. Odubu and Ogiemwonyi, on the other hand, had at different points sought accommodation within the mainstream but given the apparent determination to forge ahead with the supposedly favoured candidate, the two men have now come out to fight. The capacity of the two to fight, however, remains an issue among stakeholders. Even more remarkable is the fact that no sane person has questioned the right of the comrade governor to anoint or even vote for a successor. The fear of his supporters is that he should not overreach himself! Meanwhile, the situation in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP

Kidnapping, cattle rustling have overwhelmed us – Miyetti Allah The Chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Herders Association, North West Zone, Ardo Ahamadu Suleiman last Tuesday complained to Senator Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central), that the spade of abduction of elderly Fulani men and young women had reached an overwhelming level not only in Kajuru LGA, where he was on a visit to the herdsmen, but in the entire state. Sani who had driven deep into the bush to a village, Rafin Roro, Kasuwan Magani Chiefdom of Kajuru LGA, met a throng of herdsmen, who said that live was getting unbearable. Said Suleiman: “There is no day that an elderly man and young woman are not kidnapped. It is not only in this local government, but all over the state. We have paid so much ransom that we don’t know what to do. Some families have sold all their cattle, including sheep and chicken to meet the demand. “Right now they are holding an old man from among us here. They are asking for two million naira. Despite that, they still come over and raid our cows. As if that is not enough, we cannot move our animals freely without farmers accusing us of trespassing. So, we are asking for government to find a place that we can carry out modern ranching. We are tired of wondering around”, he said.

became clearer when Senator Ehigie Uzamere withdrew his membership of the party. Uzamere had kept the PDP guessing as to his intentions, before his resignation from the party. But few doubt if he would cross over to the APC after first moving over to the APC and using the platform for an unprecedented second term and then pulling back to the PDP! A first in Rivers! The violence that marked penultimate weekend’s federal and state legislative rerun elections in Rivers State may have shocked many, but not all. It is, however, not seriously contested that the rerun elections were apparently the first time that attempt was made to conduct genuine elections in the state since the 1999 general elections. Following the 1999 elections, the state was known to have slipped into one a one-party state in which the PDP held overall dominance. Squabbles were, for the most part, restricted to within the party with losers going into internal exile within the state or relocating to Abuja. Indeed, Sergeant Awuse, popularly known as the Bulldozer was the first to be so subjugated after Peter Odili won the party ticket in 1998 with the help of Marshall Harry. Harry, the godfather, himself soon came under as Odili became the prominent political leader of the state. Odili was followed by the short-lived regime of Celestine Omehia before Rotimi Amaechi arrived and made Rivers State hell for both criminals and even political rivals. However, no one bargained for Amaechi’s exit out of the PDP and hence the emergence of a rival party structure in the state. That inevitably is the major reason for the rift in Port-Harcourt; to wit, that for the first time a major political party has challenged the grip of the PDP over Rivers State.

SATURDAY

BY TONY ELUEMUNOR

uddenly, things seem to be turning around for Chief James Onanefe Ibori. There is a frenzy of writings in FACEBOOK about his release date; some of the postings actually say he has already been released and will be in Nigeria as soon as he could possibly get a seat on a flight. To those who post such, I have little to say. So, this article is not addressed to them, but to those who are doing their malicious best to destroy whatever ray of positive light, from the Ibori point of view, that has been trained recently on this case. One such person approached me a few weeks ago to ask where Ibori got the money with which he bought a private jet. When I told him that Ibori never bought a private jet, he began to stutter. From there he asked if it was not true that Ibori got some oil majors to launder money for him. When I reminded him that Ibori never faced such a charge, and that such nonsense only appeared in an unconscionable newspaper allegation that Mr. Nuhu Ribadu made, and that such a question has given his revisionist source away, he left after promising to call me for further questioning. This man who came all the way from the US and who claimed he was researching a book has yet to call me again. Yet, why such revisionist efforts? Suddenly, the hunters are becoming the hunted as the British Police investigators and the Prosecution officials that were arrayed against Ibori have been so deeply indicted that they have all been dropped from the case. And the recent court sessions on the case came at Chief Ibori’s behest. Now, Ibori’s legal team may actually ask that Ibori’s conviction be quashed – as a lawyer, Mr. Stephen Kimlish advised openly on Londonbased Ben TV interview as was rebroadcast by AIT. He said: “Well, the fact is that most times, people plead guilty for the wrong reasons. It does happen. In my career I have seen people plead guilty because of wrong advice or when the evidence seem too strong or when they have lost hope and sometimes they don’t have the will-power to stand long trial or their Barrister might say you will get a much lower sentence if you plead guilty, so I can’t say in particular why James Ibori pleaded guilty and whether he is guilty or not guilty but what I can say is that when there is corruption on this scale and in the background of the case, I’m involved in this case, the British law says that even if you pleaded guilty or not, your guilty plea can be quashed because the British public can’t discountenance such major corruption in a common investigation, therefore, whether you plead guilty or you plead not guilty, your conviction can be quashed. So C M Y K

•Chief James Onanefe Ibori

Curious facts of the Ibori London case in this case that is what we are currently aiming for. As for Bhadresh Gohil, I am going for quashing”! One of the devilish media bashings Ibori suffered from is this example from Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, implying in a newspaper article of September 20, 2012 that Ibori had no other source of income while he was Delta State Governor. Relying on the 44-page paper filed by the London Metropolitan Police, against Ibori in court, I’ll prove that Adeniyi and others erred terribly. It bore a simple title: “R versus James Ibori. Opening Note For Sentence”. It proclaimed in line one that the Defendant, James Ibori, was the Governor of Delta State, one of the richest oil producing states in Nigeria….Second item; “He deliberately and systematically defrauded the people whose interests he had been elected to represent”. Third item: “The total sum that Mr. Ibori has stolen remains unquantified. However, the sums that formed the subject of the two indictments to which Ibori has pleaded guilty amount to approximately Fifty Million Pounds”. Yet, most news organizations said Ibori had pleaded guilty to stealing 350 million Pounds. The Guardian of London, which reported the 50 Pounds sum, added that Ibori “amassed a portfolio of six properties outside Nigeria worth £6.9m at a time he

was being paid £4,000 a year as state governor of the Delta region. “The properties in London included a flat in St John’s Wood, a house in Hampstead, and one in Regent’s Park. He also had a £3m mansion in South Africa and properties in Texas and in Dorset, near to where his children attended private school. “Ibori also bought a fleet of luxury cars, and in three years ran up £920,000 on his American Express Centurion card – a card only available to the super-rich, Was told the court. In 2005, Ibori instructed a London solicitor to buy a private jet costing $20m”. Now, on whether Ibori had other sources of income, may we jump to page 14 of that same document, item 81, and dealing with MER Engineering? “MER was a company that was incorporated in Nigeria in 1990. It built houseboats, which were rented out to oil workers in the Delta. It was Ibori who was able to influence the contracts with Chevron and Shell and the NNPC” Item 83: “It was MER money that paid for the Ibori property in Hampstead, Westover Hill: Count 5. Item 84, “It was MER money that paid for the house Ibori bought in Houston Texas. Item 85, “it was MER money that paid for the deposit for the $20 million Challenger Jet airplane that Mr. Ibori was in the process of buying when his monies were restrained by the UK courts”. Weeks before Ibori was sentenced, EFCC arrested and questioned one Dr. Babalakin on the charge that he helped Ibori launder money, using the account of Babalakin’s company.

Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016 — 15

EFCC said Ibori never tried to buy a Challenger jet but was only helped to launder money by pretending he was buying a jet. I replied that the EFCC was lying because it had known for years that Ibori actually invested some money in a registered air-charter company for a jet that would be used commercially, but the world has been deceived that Ibori had bought, or was in the process of buying, a private jet. The aircraft investment made with MER Engineering funds appeared in the Guardian of London and other papers, thus: “in 2005, Ibori instructed a London solicitor to buy a private jet costing $20m”. Now, which private jet was London MET Police talking about? Or did the EFCC not arrest Babalakin on the allegation that he helped Ibori launder money in the guise of buying a private jet? And didn’t the same London Met Police state in court that Ibori had invested only $4million on that aircraft – money from MER Engineering? Adding the $4 million for the jet to the $6 million for the properties, sums that came from MER Engineering, brings the entire sum to $10 million. If you make allowance for police exaggeration of property costs, you would have a sum that is below $8 million. It is a huge amount but it is nowhere near 50 or 250 million Pounds. And the monies came from MER Engineering accounts. Also, I don’t want to go into the amount of the travel and overnight allowances that Ibori was paid during his eight-year tenure as Governor. In fact I once reminded Olusegun Adeniyi, that he collected allowances for trips with the late President Yar’Adua and especially for that 2010 South African World Cup jamboree which he, among a “lean” retinue of 500 officials costing Nigeria N314, 473,438. 22, attended. Was the allowance for that trip part of his annual salary? Sometimes I am tempted to disbelieve my eyes. On item 175 of the same court document: “By the time he was into his second term of office as Governor of Delta State, James Ibori had defrauded Delta State of such large sums of money that he was planning to buy himself a private jet aeroplane costing $20 million.” Is this not the same plane for which Mr. Babalakin was arrested, and EFCC said he was laundering money for Ibori in the guise of buying a plane? Item 183: “MER had an account at Barclays bank in Knightsbridge. The Money went from the oil companies straight out of Nigeria and into MER account in Barclays”. And that too is a crime? Item 29: “Mr. Ibori used money defrauded from the people of Nigeria to buy a property in Houston in Texas … “only to see in Item 84, “It was MER money that paid for the house Ibori bought in Houston Texas’. Ibori’s many sins for which he was convicted included this terribly grave crime: Item 34: “In addition to his millionaire life style, Ibori called himself “HIS EXCELLENCY”, a title not recognized by the constitution”. Also, Nuhu Ribadu accused the oil majors of helping Ibori launder money over the same MER Engineering contracts, claiming that MER Engineering had no contracts at all with those oil companies. And such nonsense even found its way into the Financial Times of London in September 2007 and the Saharareporters even published a story; “How Ibori Bought A Private Jet”. Really, truth has been terribly eclipsed in the Ibori media-lynching bid.

Tony Eluemunor is Chief James Ibori’s Media Assistant.

16—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016

147, 000 houses. The house of a serving Rear Admiral, Vanguard gathered, was among the houses destroyed in the attack that sacked the entire community. It was learnt that efforts by the displaced Aluaja indigenes to return home, have not been successful over alleged statement by the Police that their security could not be guaranteed. Buttressing that, Akoji said they had written the Police three times on their desire to return home, adding that the response of the state Police command was that the Deputy Governor is interested in the matter. “We wrote the Police the third time informing them that we want to go back to our village but the Commissioner and the SSS replied this morning that we should not go. They said the Deputy Governor is interested in it, Before now, we had written to the former state governor, the commissioner of Police, Inspector General and state Director of DSS but nothing concrete has been done, ” he added.

I.N.C.R.E.D.I.B.L.E:

How Kogi community was sacked by communal crises • Indigenes now IDPs across the country • Govt to set up peace committee BY CHARLES KUMOLU

LONG the plains and tributaries of the River Niger in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State, is Iyano community largely known for its commercial agricultural prowess. This agrarian town that is made up of the villages of Aluaja, Iru and Itale is specifically distinguished by its cultivation of yam in commercial quantities and fishing. Bordering Edo State on the West and Delta State in the South, the three villages had coexisted peacefully for centuries, resulting in intermarriages and other forms of communal relations. However, the continuous bonding of these villages, which are part of the Igala ethnic group in the state, has been dealt a mortal blow leaving fatal damages on the bond of brotherhood among the hitherto peaceful villages. Its commercial flora and fauna were not also left out in the destruction that left it desolate. Today, Aluaja is a ghost of its former self as the beautiful structures that had existed in the prosperous village have now been replaced by remains of razed houses, while its sons and daughters are now domiciled across the state as Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs. That this community, which is the ancestral home of eminent Nigerians home and abroad, has been deserted and in ruins since last year, is an issue that troubles both indigenes and others outside the state. Fishing lake, land chieftaincy matters Vanguard gathered that controversies over fishing lake, land and chieftaincy matters seem responsible for the series of attack on Aluaja from 2013 to 2015 leading to its eventual destruction in 2015. Giving insight into the crisis which resulted in the killing of Iyano indigenes and displacement of the entire Alauja populace, the Onu of Alauja Iyano, His Royal Highness, Benjamin Akoji said: ‘’Iyano community is made up of three villages, namely: Alauja, Iru and Itale. Echule Abujaga is a neighbouring village whose inhabitants came to settle with the Aluaja people on Aluaja land in the late 18

C M Y K

century. ‘’There has been dispute over land and fish ponds between Aluaja the host village and Echule Abujaga settlers since 1958. This dispute was taken to various courts including High Court in Idah where judgment was delivered in favour of Aluaja in 1983.” The agreement reached on the matter, he said was that the three major fish ponds in Oshimili, Itaminyo and Ofe should be jointly used by the Aluaja and Echule Abujaga villages. But there was a caveat attached to the usage to the effect that none of the ponds should be sold even as usage by a third part was prohibited. In spite of this, he noted that the fish ponds were sold by Iru, Itale and Echule Abujaga in contravention of the High Court judgement of 1983. Consequent upon that, the traditional ruler said: ’The case was reported to the Area Commander in Idah who prosecuted the kings of the two villages of Iru and Echule Abujaga at the Magistrate Court Idah. ‘’ Controversy over kingship Speaking on the kingship aspect of the controversy, he said: ‘’The issue of kingship which had been a major problem between Aluaja and Iru village was finally settled by the then Atta of Igala, the late Dr. Aliu Obaje in 1996 and was subsequently published in the Graphic Newspaper of July 10 and 16 1986.” The Atta of Igala, he added, ‘’ordered that the kingship should be rotated among the villages in Iyano. This order by the late Atta was equally pronounced by the present Atta of Igala, His Royal Majesty, Idakwo Michael Ameh Oboni. This settlement angered the Iru village because they feel they are superior to the two other villages in Iyano community.” This agreement for rotational kingship, he said, was defied by the Iru village through the installation of Mr. Simon Egwuda as the king of Iyano otherwise known as Onu Iyano. Irked by this, he said his people were left with the option of disassociating themselves from the action and consequently appointed their own king to rule over them. ‘’This group of Iru people felt that the

appointment of a king by the Alauja people was a rebellion against their superiority and started organising three other villages to wage war against Aluaja people and possibly exterminate them,” he stated. Attack on Aluaja village The combination of these points of disagreement, VF was told, resulted in the attack on Aluaja village by the people of Echule Abujaga. Allegedly leading the attack, the traditional ruler said, was Mr. Clement Omachonu, whose troops, he added, entered Alauja through Iru. ‘’On December 23, 2013, the people of Echule Abujaga led by Mr. Clement Omachonu entered Alauja through Iru and started shooting at the villagers. Scores of people were injured because it was a surprised attack. This was promptly reported to the Divisional Police Officer of Ibaji Local Government but no action was taken, ‘’ he noted. Continuing, he said, ‘’On April 17, 2014 the combined forces of Iru, Itale and Echule Abujaga came to attack Aluaja village with sophisticated weapons killing one Emmanuel Ameh. This again was reported to the DPO and his men came to Aluaja and took the corpse to the General Hospital mortuary in Idah.” Lives and property Apart from these, it was learnt that similar incidents which resulted in the destruction of lives and property happened in succession on different dates. ‘’On May 22, 2015, the corpse of the late Mr. Gabriel Ejima who was killed on April 3, 2015 was moved from the mortuary to the village for burial. But before we knew it, the three villages had gathered in their war regalia and started shooting right at the centre of Aluaja,” he added. The crisis, he said however peaked on May 24, 2015 with the attack on Aluaja by the Itale, Iru and Abujaga resulting in the destruction of over

Background issues However, when Vanguard contacted some indigenes of the communities alleged to have waged the intercommunal war on Aluaja, they dismissed the claims of the displaced community. Mr. Alex Atah of Itale community said it was not true that other communities conspired against Aluaja, noting that they have all lived peacefully together for over 300 years. “My concerned is that they used the word conspired. These communities have lived together for over 300 years as brothers. It shows that those making the allegation are not integrated. There are background issues on this matter. They have a problem with Abujaga community. They went to court and the matter is still in court. The background issues are the struggle for the ownership of a particular land, agitation over ownership of fishing lake among others. They resorted to violence and were overpowered by the other community. Efforts have been made to settle the matter but they refused to listen to voice of wisdom” he added. Notwithstanding, Atah noted that they are interested in settling the issue to ensure that peace returns. ‘’The entire Abaji wants this matter to be settled. Some of us are working on peace efforts so as to resolve the matter. Whatever some of us are doing, the displaced people need rehabilitation, the government has a role to play by bringing people knowledgeable in conflict resolution in order to provide solution,” he added. High-powered committee Responding to Vanguard’s questions on why nothing seems to have been done to resolve the crisis, the Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Mr. Kngsley Fanwo said a committee would soon be constituted on the matter. ‘’The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello had met with leaders of Ibaji community to sue for peace and harmony among the people. He harped on the need to ensure every Kogite is well secured. As an advocate of peace, Governor Yahaya Bello is committed protecting every inch of Kogi territory and make the people live together without acrimony, ‘’ he stated. In addition, he said: ‘’The Governor has shown the zeal to resolve the Ibaji crisis. Thankfully enough, the Deputy Governor of the state is an Ibaji elder who is quite familiar with the events that blew up the situation. It is unacceptable to indict the Deputy Governor. The Deputy Governor is not in any way using his position to impede justice in the area. The Kogi State Government will not want to ambush the rule of law since the matter had been tried in the law court. The Governor will soon set up a highpowered committee to throw up measures that will ensure peace returns to the community. We have confidence that the crisis will soon be over.”

SATURDAY

Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016 — 17

By Esther Onyegbula & Faith Ake

t sounds incredible but it really happened. A family went to the home of their in-laws to accord their daughter a befitting burial only for them to lose two other members of their family in the most brutal manner. The ugly incident allegedly took place at UmuezeAnam in Anambra state in January 23, 2016. Spokesman for the bereaved family, Christopher David,40, who narrated how the incident happened alleged that youths in the area unleashed terror on them and ended up killing two of his brothers, Obinna David,24, and Chuks David,17, in cold blood during the burial of their only daughter, Gloria who was married to a man from the area. Death of our daughter His story: “Before her death, 31year-old Gloria, was married to Fidelis Ofozor for eight years without a child. She was a full time housewife. On the 21st of December, 2015, our in-laws called us to say that Gloria was very sick and that she was admitted in a hospital in Port Harcourt where they still reside. Two days later, they called to inform us that she had passed on. It was really a sad news for all of us, especially our mother as she was the only daughter of the family and worst still, she didn’t have a child of her own before her premature death. But, we put everything in the hand of God who sees all things. Burial plans “Her husband’s family notified us after they fixed the date for her burial for January 23rd, 2016 in their home town, UmuezeAnam in Anambra state as custom demands because she was married traditionally. Without an inkling that our in-laws had other plans in stock for us, family members and friends from our home town in Ohuhun, Ubaha village in Umuahia, Abia state and Port Harcourt where some of my brothers are based, followed us to Umueze-Anam in Anambra state.” Why we were attacked Recounting all that happened on the day of the burial the elder brother of the deceased, Christian Okorie, who was physically present during the attack told Crime Guard: “During the course of the burial, our mother was in tears and while weeping, she lamented by saying;”My daughter, oh you died a premature death, whosoever that is involved in your death would not know peace.” The statement angered our in-laws and they became enraged and started shouting, asking why she uttered that statement. Immediately after the prayers, our daughter was taken to the burial ground where she was committed to mother earth while we returned to the burial venue. Suddenly, some youths in their village wearing black T shirts began to attack us with cutlasses, broken bottles and sticks. They used machetes to cut us, they broke my ankle with sticks. Everyone that accompanied us from the village to the town had to scamper for safety as we were all under attack. Along with some family members, we ran towards the commercial motorcyclist park in the village so that we can escape, but the cyclists chased us back and dragged us to the burial site. How our brothers disappeared C M Y K

•Chuks David

•Christian Okorie David

•Obinna David

•Seth David

S-H-O-C-K-I-N-G

Anambra villagers kill two brothers while burying their sister •Family alleges police complicity, Cries to IGP “When we got there, I found out that they had beaten my brothers and some of our relatives to a pulp. Some of them were already bleeding heavily. Later, four hefty men came and dragged Chuks and Obinna out. We kept pleading with one of our in-laws to intervene. He said we should not disturb him; that there was nothing he could do. Before I knew what was happening, another group of youths, five in number, started dragging me to the riverside. They said they would drown me. As they were dragging me, a woman who saw what was happening started shouting, and saying “he is a camera man, what has he done? You people should leave him.” As the woman was shouting, the people who were dragging me did not bulge. Neither did the elderly men who were seated at the burial site intervene. Instead, they kept shouting, take him to the riverside. As they were dragging me towards the riverside, that same woman kept shouting and crying, “you cannot kill this man.” All of a sudden, two of them withdrew. The other three kept dragging me down. The woman was still busy following us. Later, the other two withdrew remaining one. That was when I heard a voice which said they should bring that man here. When they took me there, the man inside the compound said the blood gushing out from my body

was too much; they should take me to the clinic that I was dying. Rescue at last “That was how he rescued me and I was rushed to the clinic. When I got there, I saw one of my brothers who was also rescued. It was then I also knew that the man that was shouting before was a policeman. He revealed that they came to rescue us in the morning but regretted that they were threatened not to come out no matter what happened, that they own the land. They had to seek more men from Otuocha because they were only two policemen. The reinforcement came to the hospital later in the evening. From there, they took us to a hospital in Awka. We were there in Otuocha hospital from Saturday till Monday morning in the evening when they came to attack us again in the hospital. Police intervene “At about 1am when policemen went back to the site to rescue my brother’s wife, both my uncle, my mother and some other people that came with us had sustained injuries. The Divisional Police Officer from Awka led some policemen to the burial site where they met with the Community Chairman, Youth Chairman, Council Chairman asking them to produce Chuks and Obinna who at that time were missing. The villagers told them that we killed their

youths but when the police asked them to show their bodies, they said they deposited them in the mortuary. He asked them how can they take a corpse to the mortuary with out police report and autopsy. The DPO asked us to go get adequate medical attention and come back. It was later we realized that Obinna and Chuks had been murdered by the village youths led by the commercial motorcyclist chairman. Extortion by the police “Before they were murdered, 24year-old Obinna David was a three hundred level Business Administration student of Abia State university while Chuks David, was a secondary school student. Up till date, the police haven’t done any arrest. At Awka, the policemen collected N60,000 from us. When nothing was forth coming, we wrote a petition to Zone 9 in Umuahia. They demanded money from us to start investigation. Later, they invited one of us, Fidelis Ofozor and his Uncle who were later detained and released. Our plea “We are calling on wellmeaning Nigerians, Human Rights activists and the Inspector -General of Police, to intervene in the investigation and bring the culprits to book. Imagine how they killed two people in cold blood including our sister who died under mysterious circumstances because they think they have influence and money and connection in Abuja.”

18—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016

now.

After six years, police arrest killer of 9-year-old girl BY IFEANYI OKOLIE Six years after 9-year-old Aminat Lateef, was gruesomely murdered by a gang of hoodlums, at Tiaminu Street, off Ereko, in Idi-Oro area of Mushin, Lagos State, succour seems to have come the way of the family, as operatives at the D9 Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, during the week, apprehended a leader of the gang, Wasiu Akinade, a.k.a. Oloriesho. The suspect was arrested last Tuesday, when the SCID operatives trailed him to his hideout at Tollgate area of Mushin. It was gathered that a shootout ensued between the operatives and some hoodlums who attempted to prevent the police from arresting the suspect. Police sources disclosed that Oloriesho has been on the police wanted list for a long time following several gang-related killings and other violent crimes around Mushin and its environ for a long time. A source at the SCID, who spoke with Saturday Vanguard on the condition of anonymity, stated that since 2009, Oloriesho has it signatures in almost all gang-related killings within Mushin, Fadeyi, Shomolu, Bariga and Ilupeju areas of Lagos State. The source explained that Oloriesho and his gang were recruited in 2009 by a faction of National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, who were locked in a battle of supremacy to wage a bloody war against their opponents. The police source highlighted that Oloriesho and his gang carried out several killings around Tollgate, Idi-Oro, New Balogun, Ogunjobi and Railway areas of Mushin before his arrest. The source added that five members of his gang were arrested by the SCID operatives in January 2016 and an AK47 belonging to the police which was snatched from a policeman murdered at Daleko area of Isolo, Lagos, was recovered from the suspects and the suspects provided intelligence that aided the police in apprehending Oloriesho. According to the source, Oloriesho and his gang were

•Oloriesho •Late Aminat Lateef

alleged to have taken part in the killing of the nephew of former Inspector General of Police, Sunday Ehindero, Niyi, in 2012. It was alleged that Oloriesho and his boys attacked some residents of Bada Street, who weren’t loyal to them and they had a clash with some soldiers who were responding to a distress call within the area. “Oloriesho has been on our file for a long time and we have been working very hard to arrest him but we made our first breakthrough last January when we apprehended five members of his gang and they gave us information on how to apprehend him and since we made that arrest, Mushin has been relatively peaceful. There have been no news of violent clashes or killings within that area and to make sure we achieve a lasting result, we went all out for Oloriesho because he is the leader of the gang. Before his arrest, we had got several information about him, detailing how he led his gang to carry out several killings against persons that are believed to be his opponents. They have also killed innocent people in the process.

“One of such killings was in 2011, a few months after they killed 9-year-old Aminat. They also attacked and killed one Akeem Adeleye, alias Chiroke. He was attacked close to his house in Idi-Oro and killed. One year after, while his friends were observing his remembrance, Oloriesho and his boys stormed the place, opened fire into the crowd and had a shootout with some soldiers who were around that area. At the end, they killed one Niyi Ehidero, who is a nephew to the former IGP. In 2013, we had report that he killed one Morufu Bakare at Olosha Bus stop in Mushin. He was reported to have shot Bakare on the face. “In 2014, we received reports that he carried out two killings; one in January, while the other in December. In January 2014, we learnt that he led his boys and they shot one Segun Oladunjoye to death around Toll gate area Mushin. We were informed that Segun was formerly part of his gang and he switched camp after he was released from prison. We were told that Oloriesho killed him because he felt Segun betrayed him. In December 2014, he was also alleged to have killed one Lekan Akinshola at Oyegbola Street, Ilupeju, Lagos. Based on these reports, we went after him and members of his gang and the result is what you are seeing

Jubilation in Mushin over arrest Last Wednesday when Crime Guard visited Mushin following news of Oloriesho’s arrest, residents were seen in different areas celebrating his arrest. A resident, James Balogun, told Crime Guard that with Oloriesho’s arrest, Mushin will be peaceful. He said Oloriesho had been enjoying protection from some influential politicians for a long time. “He also worked for politicians and they had been the ones shading him from arrest”, Balogun Stated. “Last January, he was arrested by the police and taken to the Area D Command, Musihn, but less than four hours after his arrest, an influential politician came and bailed him. We learnt that the police at the area command took N500,000 bribe and they released him, but we are grateful that policemen from the SCID has moved in and arrested him.” When Crime Guard visited Tiaminu Street, where Aminat was killed, her father, Saheed Lateef, who was filled with joy when he spoke with Crime Guard, said he had waited for six years for justice, and was grateful to God that the police had gone after the killers of his daughter. “I have waited for six years for this day and I am grateful to God that I am alive to see my daughter ’s killers pay for their crimes. I thought there was no law in this country because this people who killed my daughter were walking the streets of Mushin as free men and each time I saw them, I wept and begged God to give justice to my poor child whose life was cut short prematurely. I can’t fight them because they are usually armed.” Narrating how his child was murdered, Saheed said, “Aminat was a Primary 3 pupil of Ola Emma Nursery and Primary school, Mushin; she was shot dead at about 7.35 p.m on Tuesday, December 9, 2010, which was the eve of her birthday. I had sent her to buy food when these hoodlums saw and sprayed bullets on her. I was told by people who witnessed it that Aminat on sighting the hoodlums, who were on a revenge mission, hid behind a car, but the car could not protect her and the hoodlums sprayed the car with bullets and killed her instantly.” Saheed who described the late Aminat as his precious first daughter said: “She was very humble and respectful. All I am asking from the government is to allow justice to prevail in this matter. I want the killers of my precious daughter to be brought to book.”

arrest — Suspected cultist SATURDAY

BY JOSEPHINE AGBONKHESE As he left his Port Harcourt, Rivers State home penultimate Wednesday, Barr. Wole Akindutire, bade his lovely wife and four children goodbye with a promise to see them later that day. Thereafter, he entered his car and zoomed off to wor , obviously without any inkling that danger loomed ahead. The first sign of problem was his failure to return home until 11pm, an act described as unusual. The endless wait for the arrival of the 46year-old Ondo State-born legal practitioner set in apprehension. Then, the picture became clearer with news that his car was found abandoned in Ada-George/ Elioparawon in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, without any dent that indicated it could have been bashed. Last phone call Crime Guard learnt that Akindutire had his last telephone chat with his younger brother, Tope at about 9:55pm before leaving the office. On his way home, he was said to have stopped over at a club house to watch an ongoing Champion’s League match before his car was found abandoned. Eyewitnesses said his car was intercepted by unknown gunmen who, thereafter, dragged him out of his car and took him away in their own car. It has been over two weeks since the mysterious disappearance of the father of four. Yet, there had been no telephone contact to members of his family to suggest that he could have been abducted. Sister, ex-classmates raise alarm Worried by this unpalatable development, younger sister to the missing man, Barrister (Mrs.) Tolu Kayode, who spoke in tears at a press briefing organized by Akintudire’s exclassmates of 93/94 Faculty of Law class, Obafemi Awolowo University, By Esther

Onyegbula

The National Agency For The Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, has denied allegation of neglecting a 17-year-old Roda Timothy who was reportedly raped by her Lebanese boss, Hussein Ali and being accommodated at the agency. Roda was who was employed as a maid was said to have been sacked after all efforts by her boss to abort the pregnancy failed while a report was lodged at NAPTIP which promised to carry our an investigation as well as accommodate the lady until she delivers. Roda’s brother, who facilitated her employment with the Lebanese, has however reportedly accused the agency of neglecting his pregnant sister by demanding that she should be taken away from the agency as she was due for delivery. NAPTIP in its response however, denied neglecting the maid saying that at no time did the agency ask the brother to come and take away his sister.

Mysterious disappearance of lawyer raises dust in Rivers

•Family amily,, friends call •F amily on IGP to wade in OAU, at the Women Advocates Research & Documentation Centre, WARDC, in Lagos, stated that the disappearance was formally reported at the Elioparawon Police Division. She, however, lamented that since then, no information had been received concerning it. Calls on IGP According to her, “The police also believe it is a case of kidnap and asked us to linger a while to be contacted by the abductors, from where they can take up the case. The initial instruction from them was that we keep quiet, as no one could be trusted. They believed the kidnappers would contact us within a couple of days. But, nothing of such has happened since then. That is why we are calling on the Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, to wade into the matter and help us find our brother,”

•Missing Barrister Wole Akindutire she said. Pillar of support Describing her brother as a devout member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, as well as a pillar of support and hope to both his immediate and extended family since the demise of their father, Barrister Kayode said in tears: “He even sponsored my education. We are passionately pleading for the release of a man who has touched so many lives, unharmed.” Meanwhile, in a telephone interview, Akindutire’s younger brother and co-worker, Tope, told Crime Guard that his missing brother was neither involved in any electoral nor political issue in the state. “He had also received no threat of any kind. The only sensitive case he was involved in as a defense counsel was that of

Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016—19

kidnap and murder that concerned a community.” Calls for concerted action He, therefore, called on security operatives in Rivers State to take every necessary positive action towards the release of Akindutire from the believed kidnapers’ den. On its part, the 93/ 94 OAU Law Faculty Alumni, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Secretary and Public Relations Officer, Barr. Abiola Ajayi, Barr.Olusola Young and Barr. Abdul Kehinde respectively, said: “We are very worried that his (Akintudire’s) life might be in danger if he does not get the desired quick response. We enjoin friends, family and other wellmeaning Nigerians to demand for his immediate release. “We urge the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to do all that is necessary to secure his release. We believe that the state has a responsibility to ensure the safety and security of every person, and as citizens of Nigeria, the state owes all of us that obligation to keep everyone safe and well protected. “We are also very worried about the spate of kidnapping in Nigeria. We see this as a failure of the state to guarantee the lives of innocent citizens and we, therefore, call on the Inspector General of Police to take steps to tighten security across the country and also to protect innocent citizens from further kidnap and any attack of this nature.”

NAPTIP denies neglecting maid allegedly raped by Lebanese •Lagos govt commences investigation

The Zonal Commander of NAPTIP, Joesph Alani Famakin, in his reaction, told Crime Guard; “Roda is a girl who was brought to us by Nigerian immigration Service accompanied by a journalist. It was the journalist that reported the case to the Nigerian Immigration and both the victim and the suspect were brought to

this place. And in line with our usual practice, we accepted the case even though we could have rejected it because this is a case that is being reported to us five months after it happened and should have gone to the Police. “She was employed by the Lebanese but along the line, the Lebanese boss had an affair with her which resulted to

pregnancy. The Lebanese denied responsibility of the pregnancy because the lady had other friends. But, he admitted that he did it with her. However, she left the house of the Lebanese after a disagreement and she got a new job where she worked for over three months. It was while working in the new place that the people noticed she was pregnant and they said she could no longer work for them because of her pregnancy. “When she was brought to us the first step we took was to ensure her safety and that of the baby. I directed that she should be taken to our shelter for counseling and that she should be taken proper care of and this was done. Our nurses and caregivers took care of her while we were investigating. Our place is a shelter, a

shelter is a temporary place of abode. At no time did we, in the course of our investigation, indicate that the victim was going to stay in our shelter till she delivers. We don’t keep people in the shelter because it is not a home. And in all the meetings we had, the brother was always present. “The Lebanese agreed that he would take care of the girl until after delivery. When the baby is born, we will then know who did it. If the baby is black , then they will have to go for a DNA for him to accept responsibility and the brother was here when we agreed on this. “At no point in time did we ask the brother to come and take her out of our shelter. The Lebanese has agreed to get accommodation for her. One thing that is certain is that in the course of our investigation, a case of human trafficking was not established.”

20 — SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016

Amaechi vs Wike:

Politics by barbarians

amuel Okonta is dead. His death sparked no public anger. Youth corper, on national duty, chased down and murdered. Amaechi, Wike, Dakuku, Asari Dokubo, Patience Jonathan, Ateke Tom, Egberipapa et al are all alive. Living with their families in secure comfort. Glory be to God. They have poured in their condolences and tears but left their rhetoric erect and dangerous. When opponents become cockroaches, murder becomes mere pest control. When demon possess elephants in a fight even trees are not spared. Soldiers have also been mowed down. Port Harcourt is now the garden of bloodletting. Depths that ISIS is yet to contemplate are being plumbed. In this abattoir, vultures take away skulls for keeps. Avaricious lords displaying the contempt typical of colonial masters. The people aren’t only dispossessed; the angry benighted poor must be pitted against themselves . The fight between Amaechi and Wike is not that between two rapacious motor park touts in rent seeking rivalry. That is the bait the masses have swallowed. It’s either the fight of liberation from the Hausa Fulani or the fight of good and justice against pirates and buccaneers in brothers’ robes. Shekau, the demon, kills . He is deranged. Those responsible for the imbecilic killings in Rivers are possessed of infantile rivalry. They claim sanity. Rivers is unfortunate. One day they will resume their suspended friendship if Port harcourt C M Y K

doesn’t become Mogadishu. Cheers and clinging of glasses will trumpet their reconciliation as heroism. The dead would have decayed. Bereaved families would have reconciled themselves to their helplessness and moved on. It’s a cruel fate, the life of ordinary people in Nigeria. When Jonathan fell out with Amaechi, and went halfheartedly into a fight picked for him by his aides,

The fight between Amaechi and Wike is not that between two rapacious motor park touts in rent seeking rivalry

chaos was foretold. When he was forced by desperation to let Nyesom Wike run for Rivers governorship, he closed his eyes to the inevitability of the return of violence to Rivers. Before then, his incensed wife who had had enough of Amaechi’s intransigence , had contemplated taking off her gloves. Bare knuckles for a renegade son. She never fumes for long, a woman of action, Mama Peace. Her loyalists engineered a failed truncation of Amaechi’s tenure. She , Evans Bipi’s jesus. The River’s house of assembly convulsed and collapsed. The majority leader Chidi Llyod , a Wike kind of character, had showed he would have been a wonderful cricketer or base ball player. That whack with the mace staggered even those who watched the video. Amaechi arrived in time before Bipi who was already hanging around the speaker’s seat could recover from what hit Michael Chinda. Amaechi’s paranoia and Wike’s meddlesomeness left Rivers without a functional assembly. Amaechi then put the state’s judiciary to technical sleep. The governor had become a prey and governance was reduced to self preservation. Mbu had left his own marks of partisanship. Rivers was thoroughly besieged. Booming guns denied the APC entry into Dame Patience’s Okrika land for campaigns, twice. The police scampered away with the helpless. Jonathan was commander in chief, he didn’t give a damn. All ex militants had resurrected. The

environment had been poisoned with hate speeches and incitements. Amaechi was labeled a traitor and APC an evil, ‘boko haram’, party. The last time treachery tag was used in Rivers, Ogoni land wept bitterly. International observers were unequivocalelections in Rivers were marred by widespread violence. The Supreme court differed from the general consensus. The seeds of violence sown, have sprouted. Roles have reversed. Siege is still on. Samuel Okonta is dead. The political dispute in Rivers is wretched. It is not issues based. But that isn’t atypical. Mud has been traded. Amaechi has accused Wike of embezzling billions of naira given him to build a road. The ex governor awarded a contract to his chief of staff to build a road and paid billions in advance? And he has the temerity to make that public and with an abundance of righteous indignation? These politicians are not to blame. Little wonder some say the only difference between the duo is the ability of one to fake righteousness. Wike in return alleged that Amaechi embezzled state funds, funded Buhari from the coffers of Rivers state. And he has published so much filth. He set up a commission of inquiry that was supposed to have indicted Amaechi and make him unfit to be a minister. He is yet to initiate measures to prosecute him. Pot and kettle? If their narratives have any credibility, they are now unfit to hold public office. Amaechi hops around, radiates like one who cannot lose a battle. His ease and simplicity are striking. But something about him speaks of cockiness rather than modesty. He is not helped by the fact that the political milieu is filled with mediocre minds. His renowned stubbornness is neither a virtuous insistence on principles nor an unclothed service of an oversized ego. It’s a mongrel. Amaechi is intriguing. He is witty and opinionated. But a few think he is shallow and delusional. And they find what they perceive as arrogance despite his humble beginnings insufferable. Is the lion of Ubima a Judas? Or is he a rebel with a cause? When Wike speaks, he hums. He leaves the impression that he is a belligerent bulldozer, formidable and indefatigable. More of a brute than a philosopher. A dependable ally, a capable gladiator. But one extremely capable of uncritical loyalty, the type Adedibu would cherish. The type that Amaechi cherished on his return from exile. One who fights heart , soul and kitchen sink. A Sergeant Awuse character. Gov Wike is a learned man. The choice between Jonathan and Amaechi was forced on him. The gods set themselves on a collision path and polytheism ceased to be an option. Rather than opportunism, it could be the demand of exclusivity in loyalty that made him Amaechi’s enemy. When the trumpet sounded the choice before him was easy. The alliance between Wike and Dame Jonathan can be fittingly described as a war machine. Angry tribalism was deployed to liquidate the credibility of Amaechi and his men. When desperation steps

in, politics in Nigeria becomes an appeal to basal instincts. Ex militants whom Amaechi had quietly and effectively demobilized to give Rivers tranquility were primed to defend the state against hallucinations of Hausa Fulani imperialism. The seeds of violence were sowed long ago. Wike , however, is an eloquent argument against Amaechi’s claim to integrity. Amaechi’s reputation must overcome the challenge Wike poses. Not just the allegations of monumental corruption Wike has thrown up. But the allegations of cronyism, prebendalism, promotion of mediocrity that Wike perhaps represents. A supposedly principled Amaechi ,overwhelmed by providence, resolved to deliver excellence to his people. He looked all around him and picked an “illiterate but educated”, pugnacious, former local government chairman for a chief of staff. After four years of intimate political intercourse he found him worthy of an elevation. He left many cultured minds in Rivers and nominated his “unqualified” crony for a ministerial appointment. What a disservice to the nation. Without a consideration for its self destructive implications , Amaechi wants us to realize that Wike is actually an “educated illiterate man”, a merchant of violence. If Wike is what Amaechi now believes, then Amaechi is firmly indicted. I may agree that Wike actually brandishes anti intellectual qualities. He lacks mystery. He is cast in the mold of the typical Nigerian politician. Wike has little to prove. Perhaps he only needs to show he isn’t lily-livered. But he can’t afford to ruin Rivers. But is Wike truly a violent man? It’s good to resettle ex militants. But a cursory look at Wike’s appointments and alliances would show a certain acute battle readiness. If Jackals are appointed to oversee local governments, then perpetual fear and violence have been ordained. If Wike’s idea of countering an insurgent federal might is the resuscitation of militancy then soon he would realize that he is on the back of a hungry tiger. Wike is well acquainted with the omnipotence of the federal government. He must lie low and not tempt a state of emergency. He is now a cow without a tail, he must rely on God to swat away federal flies for him. He has a constitutional responsibility to keep violence out of Rivers. Rascality should be beneath a real governor. It is blasphemous for a governor to ask opponents to write their wills. The federal government must rid Rivers state of all appearances of violence. Evil is contagious. The combatants are digging in and arming themselves. What happens in Rivers doesn’t stay in Rivers. The last time kidnapping took roots there it was the southeast states that bore the brunt for many years. If peace doesn’t return there, no meaningful democratic and economic development will happen. And if violence decides electoral victories then Somalia beckons.

SATURDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, APRIL 2, 2016—21

petrol station is not the place to spend Easter. But that was what happened to millions of Nigerians last week. For many, the entire Easter weekend was devoted to the search of the elusive liquid gold. So it was at Christmas. So it was at New Year. It is beginning to look like the leadership is determined to deny the rest of us the simple pleasures of the festive seasons having taken most other pleasures and conveniences from us. In the midst of all this, the man whose duty it is to ensure we have sufficient fuel for our needs said most undiplomatically that he was not a magician and that our woes would continue a while longer. We had adequate fuel most of last year and the year before. Were his predecessors practicing sorcery or magic? But it could very well mean that the man is facing problems from his constituency unknown to the rest of us. It could mean he is being actively sabotaged by the very people who should be helping out. It could mean the powerful oil and gas barons are putting cogs in the wheel of progress. It could mean the enemies within are the government and party officials who expect the largess of being at the centre and feel short changed. Whatever the cause, Kachikwu’s frustrations and exasperations came out in that statement. It also exposed him to the wolves who would be only too glad to devour him. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu led the pack with his scathing statement. I don’t know whether it was written in his personal capacity or as the leader of the party though the contents suggest the latter. Many people question the medium. Yes, there are “

titbits2012@yahoo.com

Should Kachikwu be made to resign? indeed many ways Tinubu could have Kachikwu had at some point, stepped on made his feelings known privately the powerful toes of Tinubu who has now including sending for the Minister. But seized the moment like all astute people I have no quarrel with the medium if do. I believe Kachikwu should learn one it is not the first time because or two things from the letter. His public sometimes you have to make things comments and body language sometimes public for effect and an erring relative make him seem aloof which is strange could be better corrected if scolded in because he is ordinarily a good public. I however believe that the first communicator. He should also learn to be reprimand should always be made in patient when dealing with the press and private. Another positive thing about the public. While I do not really question the the letter is that it tried to protect the party by letting us know that it is not medium and the message in the public insensitive to the plight of letter, I question the tone the people while assuaging of it. It is almost as out of the feelings of the populace. line as the Minister ’s However, a public comment Most people comment that drew the ire. exposes you almost as much It is not only dripping with as it exposes the person you celebrated Easter are writing to in that public in darkness and a ill-will, it is condescending and lacking in respect. Dr analysts are likely to dissect Ibe Kachikwu is, until he is both the content and the million houses a removed, the Honourable intent of the comment. They year is at the Minister of the Federal are going to wonder if there moment, nothing Republic and deserves are under lying currents some respect especially in behind the public display. but a slogan public. Berating him like a Already, there are insinuations that someone from Lagos school boy is not right. Or to use the State was appointed by Kachikwu words of the writer, out of line. without the approval of Tinubu. Or that Asiwaju Tinubu barely stopped short OANDO which is mainly owned and of asking for his removal. He did allude run by a Tinubu is being gradually to it though when he said ‘he would squeezed out. Or that the main target have been reprimanded or worse’ if he is to attack the employer of Kachikwu. was in the private sector. This was While these may or may not be the probably the impetus needed by the reasons, it is almost certain that chorus boys to step forward and ask for

arriage may alleviate the problem of loneliness, but it presents the challenge of getting along with another person. It teaches you that you can’t always avoid conflict, but you can make it work for you. The truth is, unless there are two winners in a marriage, there are none at all.” Excerpt from a man on his 50th wedding anniversary. One of the biggest challenges married people face is that only one spouse cannot make a marriage work. Just as it takes two to become husband and wife and the two to beget children, so also it takes two to make the marriage work. This makes it imperative to come up with and they rub minds and come up with a working formula. One of such a common ground (synthesis). formulae is the win/win paradigm. Synthesis is the “better way ” and Let me state ab initio that I got this “higher way” that Covey is talking formula for managing interpersonal about (Pardon me for referring to Covey relationships from Stephen Covey’s in present tense. He might be late, but book, Seven Habits of Highly his works are very much alive). Effective People. All we are doing But one common challenge with win/ here is to apply it specifically to win is that sometimes either one or both marriage. spouses do not have the capacity to To paraphrase Covey, win/win is come up with good theses and a total philosophy of human antitheses from where well thought out interaction, a frame of mind and syntheses flow. This takes us back to heart that constantly seeks mutual what Covey said earlier in the book: benefits in all human interaction, “self-mastery and self-discipline are this case marriage. Life is the foundation of good relationships cooperative in win/win, not with others.” In other words, building competitive. Win/win is based on good interpersonal relationships start the mindset that there is plenty for with a well-balanced and confident everybody and each person’s self, that in turn make you independent success is not achieved at the and “interdependence is a choice only expense or exclusion of the other. independent people can make.” So the Win/win is also a belief in the problem in some marriages is not third alternative. “It’s not your way irreconcilable differences, but lack of or my way; it’s better way, a higher capacity from one or both spouses. That way.” This is very crucial in is why mutual capacity building is very husband/wife and adult children/ important in marriages. One party parents relationships during should not be building capacity while conflict situations. About 30 years the other is stagnant; it can create ago in our political science class, disconnect which will make spouses we were taught this concept of grow apart and operate on different thesis, antithesis and synthesis. wavelengths. This hurts the marriage. Applying this to marriage, the Covey talks about other paradigms husband comes up with a of interpersonal relationships like lose/ suggestion (thesis), the wife brings win, win/lose, win, Lose/lose and win/ a counter suggestion (antithesis) win or no deal. Some spouses prefer

The win/win formula

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to keep the peace by giving in or giving up on germane issues rather than discussing them and “disturbing” the marriage. This is lose/win situation. Such spouses can build-up resentment over time and the situation can easily boil over and destroy the marriage they kept quiet to protect. Lose/win easily ends up being a lose/lose situation. Long ago, after a conflict, I told my wife that “two things will happen if I stopped talking: Either the marriage will die or I will die (of frustration), so just allow me talk even when you want to have your way. I promise you, however, that I will continue learning how to talk until what I say stops hurting or annoying you.”Sweeping issues under the carpet or keeping quiet over what hurts, solves no problem on the long run. Unfortunately, some of what we say that hurt or annoy our spouses is the bitter truth. The challenge now is how to sweeten the truth to make it palatable, as pharmacists did with bitter malaria drugs, without tampering with its potency. Truth is very important because it builds trust and helps to create healthier marriages on the long run, and marriage is a marathon, not a sprint. I would rather quarrel because of the truth than have “peace” in falsehood. We learn everyday and I have learnt that unless you ignore some truths in marriage, you will never have peace of mind. The challenge here how do you

Kachikwu’s resignation. A call that led to an unnecessary division in the party structure. I do not wish to dabble into the internal politics of the APC party except to say that should Kachikwu be made to resign on account of incompetence as it is being implied, then over seventy per cent of those in the cabinet should go. He is by far, the most active of the Ministers. He has since assuming office tried to grapple with the hydra-headed monster that is NNPC. He has pushed once again, the PIB into the front burner. If a newspaper named him the best Minister in December, it was probably because many of the others have been anonymous. So if he should be asked to go on the grounds of incompetence, what reasons should be used to keep the others? Most people celebrated Easter in darkness and a million houses a year is at the moment, nothing but a slogan. The education ministry is wobbling and fumbling. The Transport Minister is more enmeshed in local politics than facing the challenges of his ministry. Lassa fever is still killing people months after it first broke out and health workers’ strike are more the rule than the exception. Many of the other Ministers are yet to raise their hands and be counted. Kachikwu is doing a difficult job in difficult circumstances. He should be corrected when he makes careless and un-useful remarks. But his party should not be the first to send him to the gallows to be hung unless he turns out to be a common thief. And the calls for his resignation are premature. One thing that is emerging is that APC is not in sync with itself. It got to power on the promises of change but many of its members are averse to any fundamental change. Many are still concerned with position and selfaggrandisement. For how long can the centre hold? determine the truth to ignore? I suggest your core values should guide you. I have also learned “that being kind is more important than being right.” The challenge is how to wear a coat of kindness over truth before delivery. Truth might be ignored or sweetened, but it should not be swept under the carpet. Competitive sports strives on win/lose paradigm; thankfully, marriage is not a competitive sport. It is a cooperative sport and one spouse’s triumph should not be to the detriment of his/her spouse. We need to pause here and ask ourselves how our successes were achieved. Where they achieved at the expense or exclusion of our spouses? Where our spouses part of the success? Where our spouses part of it, but we undermined or denied their contributions? When marriages become competitive, it is not just competition but local derbies, for example: Arsenal/ Tottenham (North London) and Milan/ Inter Milan (Milan). These football rivalries have survived over time because they follow the systems and processes of competitive sports. Marriage is cooperative and not wired that way. It cannot survive the ensuing acrimony, bitterness and agony of competitive sports over time. The end product of win/lose is lose/lose because “ when two determined, stubborn, ego-invested individuals interact, the result will be lose/lose.” The win paradigm, on the other hand, is self-centred and should not apply to marriage. Some of these other paradigms might work in other kinds of relationships, but not marriage, except occasionally. Marriage is a tag-team and both spouses are either winners or losers; scarcely do you have a middle ground.

— SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016

he good people of Ekiti State are supposed to have elected Ayo Fayose as their state governor. They must have done so in all innocence and with the expectation of his keeping to the proper behaviour of an occupant of the high office. He has often departed from the norms of a composed demeanour and respectful address associated with his position. He retains the coarse attitude of a motor park tout which marked his routine through the campaign period. But the campaign is over, though Fayose does not appear to notice the fact. His pre-occupation with running down the Federal Government in every way possible, by trashing the efforts of the government at all points has only highlighted, rather than mask, the abject paucity of his contribution to the governance of the State, which is his primary role in office. He takes exceeding delight in maligning his predecessor in office both by innuendo and even directly by name. He has indeed chosen a curious way of representing the respectable people of Ekiti who are well known for their industry, as well as their modesty. Someone should talk to him, someone in his political party which he continues to misrepresent by mistaking a governor’s position as that of a political thug. The press will hardly do that as a body, since he is considered as a “good copy”, as long as he can provoke some readership, especially among the class of uncommitted citizenry, or the politically naïve. He is at the point where his approval of some personalities is no longer accepted, or openly acknowledged. His commendation is becoming an embarrassment to some of those he would like to be identified with him as his peers. It is sad, but it could get worse. It is reported that some Ekiti •Late Dr Tunji Braithwaite State legislators went into hiding recently, while giving out that they efforts which indicated were “missing”. They have now very “alive” areas of that this was a joined the human race, declaring the island. He was progressive step that their sojourn under cover was quite involved up with forward. And since he to avoid their being arrested by the the street was present at the police. Other legislators in the confrontations of the meeting, or “retreat”, it state were last heard of in Ibadan, day, like every active would be instructive to Oyo State, where they had fled to young man, until he know what contributions avoid, according to them, police was admitted to the he made to the arrest. Well, is the arm of the police CMS Grammar School discussions. Patently, so short that it cannot reach out to in 1946. This was in the none. A more negative grab a miscreant across the days when Rotimi reaction to a situation country? which concerns anyone in a position of ll the same, there was at A responsibility, nay least one arrest followed by authority, could hardly the detention of an Ekiti legislator, be expected—except not by the police, but by the from a reactionary like Directorate of State Services which the Ondo State governor. seems to have a reason for its That is what separates action. In any case, we operate as a an activist from a nation under a law that guarantees reactionary. One is the freedom of every citizen to live forward-looking, the unmolested and secure. Any arrest other is backwardby any law-enforcement agency is looking; one is for open to the jurisdiction of the law The legal progress, the other is for courts. retreat; one is on the side Fayose knows this, and yet profession of advancement, the removes the albeit tattered had an other is aligned to recoil. umbrella of his political party, and I wonder if all that is the dignity attached to his office to overwhelming connected with what be withdrawn from the well-being appeal to gave Tunji Braithwaite of his legislators— that is if the the idea of naming the allegations of harassment have any most of us political party he foundation in reality. He occupies and founded, the National himself in irresponsible statements Advance Party. claimed a unbecoming of the elevated position of a state governor. number of His most recent tirade was Tunji was sure he would become a the boys against the recent National lawyer. The environment Economic Council Retreat which he in the of his upbringing attended. In truth, the “retreat” school of suggested and could have been better constituted supported that notion. to include more experts, but that the 40s He grew up in Lagos on could be accounted for in Tokunboh Street at the subsequent fora of the divide between the implementing committees. Brazilian Quarters and However, to declare that nothing the Epetedo area of the was achieved is to belittle all the Island, which were two

*the reactionary and the activist

Williams, an old boy of the school and others were becoming the leading lights of the bar. He was also certainly helped in becoming focused by the nature and tradition of the CMSGS, “where mighty undertaking” was being processed in the lives of the young boys through a firm adherence to the principals of Christianity. The principals were usually clergymen who did not know how to “spare the rod”. In fact, one of them, L.J.Lewis, a former seaman, for his rod used a cricket bat , which he did not spare either. The school was also very close to the parents of many of the pupils because the school had the tradition of admitting children from the same families. So you had Asekun Senior and Asekun Junior; Adefope Senior and Adefope Junior; Phillips Senior and Junior; Subair Senior and Junior; Bishi, Senior and Junior; Lawrence Senior and Junior—tha’ts me, by the way. And then, of course you had the

threefold entities like the Solankes—three of them; Oyeshikus, also three; the Kaitels; and the Braithwaites also three brothers, all in different classes, of course. Tunji was the youngest, and he could not afford to be other than calm is such a sober surrounding. The legal profession had an overwhelming appeal to most of us and claimed a number of the boys in the school of the 40s. For Tunji, it was almost a religion. He became a lawyer, and he let you know that he was a lawyer. By the time he was called to the bar, he was ready to fly. His cases had a flavour to them. He romped in the suits which involved his schoolmates whom he defended mostly without payment. But he also appeared in several celebrated cases of the period including the Obafemi Awolowo treason and others. When he took to politics, he also created a costume of a Nigerian design which several of his followers also began to wear, but with less enthusiasm than could have been expected. His project to clean out “rats, cockroaches…” was not limited to such mundane projects but included the eradication of poverty, ignorance and disease. He advocated free education up to university level, and was convinced that Nigeria could afford it if corruption and dishonesty were eradicated, especially among political office holders. Tunji Braithwaite also spared some time for Christian worship as his background, being the descendant of Christian missionaries had instilled in him. He was bold in his professional and political enterprises with a faith in God that was transparent to those who knew him. I also like to think of him as a visionary in his proposal that Nigeria would attain her full potentials only as a confederation. A lot is being heard about that these days from highly respectable sources and it is clear that a lot would still be heard later. Tunji Braithwaite lived a commendable life. Like several notable Nigerians, his memory is today wreathed in garlands of laudatory tributes by a nation which held back even the lowest national honour from him. All the same, I have not the slightest doubt in my mind that the spirit of this activist rests in peace. Time out.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016—23

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24 — SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016 Edited by Ayo Onikoyi 08052201215

“Day my mot hearing I ha “There were times I cou

I would die before morn Obi Madubuogwu opens inferiority complex as someone who had just come from Onitsha but she made me relaxed when she said she had also seen me in other films and hugged me.

By FRED IWENJORA

he name Obi Madubuogwu is not strange to teeming Nollywood viewers because he is a real pioneer of the industry. Madubuogwu has no doubt seen it all, having been first an actor, then a producer, and then an executive producer and sponsor of his own productions from the early beginnings of Nollywood. The highest point in his career was being cast to play King Musanga in Battle of Musanga, an epic film still considered as the most expensive production with the largest cast and crew in the industry produced by Gabosky & Chezkay films. He no doubt ate up the role and still being applauded till date. At that time, Madubuogwu was almost tipping at 300kg in weight However tides soon turned for him health wise that all seemed to fall apart like a pack of cards. Movie business took a nose dive as he had to stay alive first. He had lost extreme weight in a whiff of time and was stigmatized, traumatized and treated like a leper by even some of his friends and colleagues who wouldn’t shake hands with him. Rumours even told of how he had been dumped in his village to die. Even a notable news magazine had published in a banner headline that he was stricken with AIDS. All these physical and emotional deterioration went on until he discovered that what was ravaging him was indeed diabetes, an ailment he has been managing for many years now. He has therefore resolved to invest his entire life in the education of the world and especially members of his entertainment constituency as to the gravity of the ailment as well as its management. In this chat, he tells of the sad days when he did not know what exactly was wrong with him and how the people felt it was HIV /AIDS that made him fall from being hefty to a mere feather weight. He also talks about the challenges of

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Local Champion It was after True Confession that I became a local champion in Onitsha. I grew too fast that I had outgrown my first film or drama Power of love which was later dumped. However, I will say that it was Forbidden that gave me my main identity and it featured Ngozi Ezeonu while Battle of Musanga popularized that identity.

•Obi Madubuogwu running Saving Lives African Diabetes Foundation and his experiences so far Entry into the movie industry Entering into the movie industry for me came quite early in the years. I started by watching Okpulu Anyanwu and Mike Orihe Dimma, popular Igbo sitcom on television in Onitsha in those good old days. I became a critic of the production until I joined a theatre group and shot our film POWER OF LOVE. I had taken the movie to the most popular marketer of that era, JBM to market because he said he loved it. At that time, he was casting for Evil Passion but later I missed it as he used Tobechukwu Anadi who became an instant success thereafter. I still took the Power of Love to Alex Ezeamaku of Zelex who also gave me a role in his own production Hidden Truth. The relationship blossomed that we became friends, mentor and brought down Major stars down to Onitsha from Lagos to do Akadilke. It was Zelex that later brought me to Lagos and always believed that I could produce a movie but I told him to wait till I have learnt some more about production. So we employed Zeb Ejiro to direct Faces which featured Sidney Diala and a host of others. It was after

understudying Zeb that I decided to produce Agony which was directed by Ndubuisi Okoh. That film, to the best of my knowledge, became the first film Genevieve did in Nollywood. After then, I produced Captives for IG Best which was also the first film for Clem Ohameze. I also was involved in True Confession which was another early film of the era produced by NEK. I featured in it with the delectable Liz Benson. It was in True Confession that I met her for the first time after having seen her act in other films. I must confess that I was gripped by

It was not long before the news started spreading that I had been down with AIDS

Battle of Musanga I had been close to top movie and electronics marketer Andy Best during those years. He had told me about a movie role which fits me. He said he had recommended me to Gabosky, one of the producers who eventually invited me to the audition held at a venue in Agboju area of Lagos. While at the audition, I gathered that the role was not originally for me but meant for Super Armstrong. But they also told me to rehearse and read some lines. I did it well. I strongly believe that my stage training helped me in playing the role of the cannibal king Musanga of Musanga kingdom who intimidated everyone and all his subjects. Musanga still remains the biggest epic production in the history of Nollywood. I think it would be very difficult for any Nigerian film producer to invest the amount of money and time to produce that kind of movie. The cast was massive; the crew super, the location was indescribable. I continue to commend Gabosky and Chez Kay for a big job well done. However it was after Musanga that Tony Jickson contacted me to do Karashika followed by Conspiracy. I would say that my eyes opened up in production when I did Agunmba which I sold to Somaco. I must say that coming to stay in Lagos as made possible by Zelex that made me learn the ropes and started my success run You seemed to enjoy a very cordial relationship with movie marketers when your colleagues antagonize them..How come? I think my relationship with video marketers is endearing because I started early with them before they even encouraged me to produce for them. It is a long standing relationship which many other producers do not have. Again, acting from the early stages of Nollywood also gave me commercial value to

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016 — 25

ther fainted on ad died of AIDS” uld not sleep thinking

•Obi Madubuogwu

ning” s up on his battle with diabetes produce movies. I was sincere with the marketers and was always seen as a part of them. That was why when we formed Film Cooperative of Nigeria FCON, I always told them it was complimentary and not antagonistic Trouble in the air When I did Musanga, I was three times the size I am now. It was in 1998 at the peak of this rising profile that I started coming down with different kinds of symptoms that could be related to HIV/AIDS including extreme weight loss and what have you. I was reducing in size daily and was scared with my image in the mirror. It was not long before the news started spreading that I had been down with AIDS. Even a particular entertainment journalist published the banner headline that I was HIV positive. It pained me about the insensitivity of the world to people’s plight. I have forgiven him and he has apologized to me. I became scared of myself. I became worried and did not know what to do. I wondered what happened to my cherished life and plans to excel in the movie industry With my popularity both in person and name, I knew I was in deep trouble. I couldn’t go for HIV test because I was scared of the result. On the part of Zelex, whom I considered brother from another mother, he continued to push me to take a test and he also had several issues with his wife concerning our continued friendship and closeness. She was worried that my continued friend ship would make her family contact whatever I was suffering from. She was right. I summoned up courage and took a test which to my relieve was negative to HIV/AIDS. My relief came because the stigma did not fit me after all. It was not what people thought but I still did not know what was happening to me. The big stigmatization It would be very difficult for me to describe what it felt to be stigmatized, rejected and abandoned. I felt it all. Aside from the journalist who published the story that I was HIV positive, what about the several clusters of people who gathered to talk about me only to stop when I come around? What about the close friends who won’t shake my hands or even have any physical closeness with me? They would throw their greetings as if they were being forced to say hello to me. I also recall a pastor who told me point blank that I had HIV. It was about this time that I stopped featuring in films.

My image had gone so down. In Conspiracy 1, I was very big as usual but in part 2, I was lean. We decided to make me train and gym regularly in the film as if I was checking my weight. The audience did not know what I was passing through and believed the film story. In Cassandra, I had trimmed much more down and the story was everywhere that I was going to die any time from then. Some said I had died of full blown AIDS. What story did I not hear about myself? A cousin of mine had gone to the bank for transaction and was told by some one that I had died. Even in my hometown, people were already counting days for me. I even heard from someone that I had been dumped in one room in the village to die. A childhood friend who heard the story had traced me to the village to ask why my mum and family would keep my illness from him to the extent that I had been dumped in one room to die in the village. But I was in Lagos. My mum had fainted on hearing that story. She had been managing Diabetes herself for years. I believe that my health issue must have contributed to her death at 89 years. The great revelation The revelation as to what was worrying me came to light as we were shooting Ulaga for Andy Best in Enugu. I was with Andy Chukwu and a couple of close friends who did not stigmatise me through out the period. I had gone to urinate and Andy Chukwu had gone after me. He came back to where we were seated and told me that he saw ants trailing my urine. He said he related it

It would be very difficult for me to describe what it felt to be stigmatized, rejected and abandoned

with what his uncle was suffering from and convinced me to take a diabetes test. I became excited that I was close to what may have been wrong with me. When I went for this test, the doctor was shocked and insisted that I do not leave the hospital that day because it was extremely dangerous for me to do so. He asked me how I came to the hospital and I told him I drove myself and he was shocked. He told me my sugar level was above 500. Even though he said it was dangerous, I felt a big relief when they said it was not AIDS or HIV. So I went for the diabetes medication and immediately started getting my groove back. My brother had visited Lagos to see me and I was not what they had told him. Saving Lives African Diabetes Foundation My experiences had told me many things about life and death because I was on death throes for years without knowing what was wrong with me. Lack of information and knowledge about the disease inspired me to form Saving Lives African Diabetes Foundation in 2009 because I benefited from knowledge about Diabetes and its management. I had heard that people had taken their lives due to the kind of stigmatization that I had. I now know that Diabetes is not a death sentence. I will love to separate our foundation from the ones many have used to extort money from people. We started the foundation so as to prevent many people from passing through what I passed through before knowing what is wrong and how to manage it. And even now they know, medication and management are all that are required. I have seen several of my colleagues who are also managing their own conditions and we share knowledge. Symptoms Symptoms include frequent urination, dryness of the throat, blurred vision, general weakness and regular water intake and then weight loss. Aside from my mother managing diabetes for years, I also lived a life that was filled with sugar intake. I was addicted to Coca Cola. I would rush a bottle before a meal and then wash the food down with another bottle. Boy, it was God that saved me oo. There was a time I was afraid of sleeping because of the fear that I would die from there. Challenges of managing the foundation

The cost of running this kind of NGO is enormous but by God’s grace we have been managing it and meeting with the challenges so far. It is not a family business and the signatories in the account are not Obi Madubuogwu and his wife and family. SLADF is a legacy I wish to leave for posterity. We provide info through films, seminars and discussions. I make use of my popularity to reach out to people and we have been building up confidence that we have volunteer members. We print handbooks and magazines to spread information about Diabetes and have been sharing this information. It is very wrong for people to think that Diabetes is for old people. I have seen a seven year old who had diabetes. We have a volunteer medical team to counsel and advise and consult. I am very happy that more and more companies are beginning to understand what we do and we have been building confidence. We have organised events like Celebrities Unite against Diabetes and later Nollywood Health Convention and Awards because we have lost several colleagues to the disease which is one of the fastest killers in the world today that takes people unaware. We partnered Actors Guild of Nigeria, Lagos in our first award ceremonies but the last one which held at Golden Tulip Festac, Lagos held without that partnership. We are grateful to all who had supported us. I am sorry to say that Nigeria as a country has not given Diabetes the same kind of interest they have given to HIV/AIDS. Sugar Boy Aside from seminars and workshops and more, we also make films to direct the world interest to the disease and continue the advocacy against diabetes. Sugar Boy is the story of a little boy who has diabetes. In his story we treat the issue of type 1 and 2 diabetes. Type 1 affects people from 1 to 35 years while type 2 goes for people above 40 years. How to stay alive Immediately take care of any health challenge that presents itself as headache, depression and diabetes. Seek information on how to take care of basic situations. If you find yourself as diabetic, the first thing to do is to accept the situation. People die out of the confusion they notice. Without delay, go to proper doctors and specialists with experience and not just anyone. Several doctors have killed patients because they did not do proper diagnoses.

26 — SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016

By KEHINDE AJOSE 08054680266

The weirdest thing that inspires me —Yemi Alade

emi Alade is one of the numerous female artistes whose consistency and creativity is top notch. The sexy singer who is now fondly called Mama Africa recently unveiled her new album with the same title. Artistes draw inspiration from various things and places, but Yemi Alade sometimes draw her inspiration from hunger. “Hunger sometimes inspires me. You know the pain of hunger.”

Yemi Alade has metamorphosed from being just a Nigerian artiste to a diva who has her eyes on conquering Africa. “My focus is not only Nigeria. The focus is indeed the world. We are all sent to this world to do something and I believe it’s my calling to inspire young girls all over the world no matter what their skin colour may be, or where they may come from. My focus is more of the world than where I come from.”

Why I called my song Ozumba Mbadiwe —Ms Jaie

eautiful Ms Jaie is not your usual kind of artiste; the former Storm Records singer loves to explore new paths for her music. After taking a break from music, the sexy songstress returns with two new songs Ozumba Mbadiwe and Jaiye. She talks about the inspiration behind the song. “Being

in Lagos taught me to have fun no matter what. Life will never be picture perfect, but the fact that I have good friends and loved ones makes me know that I have to make the best out of life. Ozumba Mbadiwe is a very popular road in Lagos. I want all the millions of people like myself around the world that never considered coming home, to come and take a look. There is nowhere like home, no matter what you are being told in the western world”

I do things sometimes just to be talked about, Kcee declares F

ivestar Music act, Kcee is one flamboyant entertainer who is very active on social media. The Limpopo sensation who recently released a song called Bureau de changer tells Showtime that sometimes he intentionally does some things just to hear what people will say. “As an entertainer, if you are not being talked about then you need to go and do

something to make people talk about you. Most times, I do things intentionally for people to talk about me. Honestly, I do a lot of it. Good news doesn’t go far, when it’s bad everyone jumps at it. If I call you now and tell you that an eighty years old man just died, all you will say his “May his soul rest in peace”. On the flipside, if I tell you that an eighty years old man gets married to a twenty year-old girl, you would say it’s a lie. You would become

interested in the story. Most times on my Instagram, I just put a picture out there and you would see like 50 comments almost immediately. If I make a spelling error, you might get as much as one million comments. It’s easier to sell myself like that, so I would keep it up. Most of my mistakes are intentional.”

he Eko Atlantic, Victoria Island glowed last Saturday when fun lovers gathered to be thrilled at the third edition of Gidifest. The event lived up to expectations as the best entertainers and music makers gave the audience something to cheer. Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Phyno, Dbanj and others gave electrifying performances that serenaded the audience. Media personalities, Sensei Uche and South Africa’s Nomuzi were the hosts for the night. The duo blended well, delivering brilliant and seamless conversations that kept the audience in high

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spirits throughout the show. Queens of the night Tiwa Savage, Mavin Records songstress gave an energetic performance that night. She was dressed in an African print outfit performing songs like My Darling, Kelekele love and African Waist. The high point of her performance was when she added Shoki to her Girlieo performance. The excitement was palpable. Another act that lit up the show was Yemi Alade. It is no news that Yemi Alade has become a master in live performances. She bonded with her fans, frollicked with the band and obviously enjoying her own performance. She has

—Soblinkx

Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade Dbanj, others light up GidiFest 2016 By Kehinde Ajose

How Fela inspired my song

crafted a way of flowing effortlessly with her dancers, instrumentalists and still connecting with the crowd. The Johnny sensation performed songs like Tangerine, Johhny and lot’s more. It was evident she was in charge, getting the crowd to eat from her palms Dbanj showed the Koko The kokomaster, Dbanj ended the show in grand style. His performance that night was one of the best in recent year. He drove his fans wild and showed us he still has music in him.

D’banj performed songs like Oliver Twist, Suddenly, Olorun maje and also connected with the audience. The highpoint of his performance was when he performed Give it to me. A female fan mounted the stage and started rocking Dbanj and dancing with him in a seductive manner .There were yells from the female fans in the crowd as they wished they were the one being rocked on stage. Phyno, Adekunle Gold, Timaya, Mr2kay, Small Doctor and others also performed at the event.

ontemporary Nigerian music owes its success and acceptance to Afrobeat. These days it is almost impossible to listen to any Afropop song without feeling Fela’s rhythm in it. Soblinkx, a talented Afropop artiste experiments with Afrobeat in her new song titled Pako. Just like Fela, who is known to use his music to condemn social ills, Soblinkz treads the same line with this song. “I was in the studio when the inspiration for the song came. When I heard the beat, Fela came to my mind first. I decided to talk about guys who fake the life they live. The response has been good so far. I just released it and it has been getting massive air-plays. I don’t know much about Fela, but the little I have read shows that he is a truthful and authentic human . I also like his pictures.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016—27

Ibinabo's loyalist versus Emeka Ike •You are not elected AGN president—Yakubu •We are moving into the Guild Secretariat soon —Emeka

he battle line has been drawn again between the Ibinabo Fiberesima-led Actors Guild of Nigeria,AGN, and actor Emeka Ike's faction of the Guild, following last week's striking out of Ibinabo’s suit challenging the earlier nullification of her election as the president of the guild and the legitimacy of Emeka Ike's presidency by the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos. After the court verdict, National Secretary of the Emeka Ike-led AGN, Femi Durojaiye issued a statement, urging Ibinabo who is currently incarcerated to obey a court order by relinquishing her position as president to the actor, Emeke Ike. According to Femi Durojaiye, the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Wednesday, March 23, ruled that Emeka Ike should take over from Fiberesima as the new president. “The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, this morning 23/3/2016 at the application and argument of Counsel to Actors Guild of Nigeria, Barrister Peter Andor Oboyi, struck out Ibinabo’s and

BOT suit challenging the nullification of her election to the presidency of AGN and also challenging the legitimacy of the presidency of Emeka Ike and his Exco.” “The implication of this judgement is that Emeka Ike led Exco remains the only authentic and lawful leadership of Actors Guild of Nigeria.” But reacting to the statement, the Ibinabo-led AGN, Secretariat General, Mr. Abubakar Yakubu refuted the claim, describing it as "a misinterpretation of justice capable of causing chaos in our noble Guild." While admitting that the court has dismissed Ibinabo's application for stay of execution in the judgment of a case between St. Maradona and the Guild which was delivered last year, Yakubu advised AGN members

to remain calm, adding that "the process is still ongoing." He said, the ruling has nothing to do with Emeka Ike and his executive. “It's a complete misinformation and distortion of facts, borne out of desperation to cause confusion in the Guild. There is an appeal on the same judgement pending at the appeal

Onyeabo's controversial film, Tribe gear s up ffor or cinema run gears

fter five years of painstaking work, Tribe, the highly anticipated film directed by multiple-award winning film maker, Ifeanyichukwu Onyeabo, is ready to hit the screen. The film coming on the stable of Igbosteve Pictures will start showing in the cinemas in Africa and the Diaspora in the coming weeks. Described as one of the most audacious film projects in Nollywood ever, Tribe, which commenced recording in 2010 in Ghana, employed the services of actors and crew members from eight African countries and Jamaica after a 3-nation tour for auditions. The classic African story was set in Africa about five centuries ago, employing the basic tenets of African culture, attitude, and temperaments to achieve what the African film industry has been yearning for. According to the producers, the film highlighted values and vices that make the African continent an effervescent hub of activities, especially in the years of yore. “From greed, to betrayal, to bravery, to love, Tribe is a film that has a good dosage of such emotions in a manner the cinema lovers would be glued to their seats. After all the years put into the work, nobody would expect anything less than a classic from us. We went out of our way to get the C M Y K

•A scene from the Tribe characters that will interpret the roles the way we wanted. That took us to three African countries: Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. After the casting, we also embarked on another mission of training the cast to fit into the roles. The film has very impressive martial arts skills on display as was typical of the African society then, so we brought in experts in this field to train majority of the actors.” The action-packed film parades notable actors including late Peter Bunor (Nigeria), Fred Amugi (Ghana), Peachman Akputa (Nigeria), Amanda Ebeye (Nigeria), Kofi Djabi (Jamaica), Ekow Blankson (Ghana), Kafui Danku-Charles-Dean (Liberia) and Williemena Pinky Appleton (Liberia) alongside over two hundred actors who traversed the luscious locations where the film was shot.

court, we equally have up to 30days to file another motion for the stay of execution as granted by the Federal high court. Our application was not dismissed for lack of merit but as a result of some mistakes in judicial process," Yakubu explained. Meanwhile, Emeka Ike, during the week, met with his new AGN

executive somewhere in Surulere, where they took certain decisions geared towards kick-start a new Actors Guild of Nigeria. Although the outcome of the meeting was yet to be disclosed, Emeka Ike, however, confided in HVP that the new leadership of the guild is planning to build a befitting film city for the industry among other laudable projects in the offing. He also hinted that they would soon take over the guild's National Secretariat as directed by the court. "Then we will call our congress to kick-start the new day." Emeka Ike and Ibinabo had been embroiled in legal tussle over who should occupy the position of the president of the AGN for several years now.

Van Vicker gives back to his alma mater

his r, last week gave back to hanaian actor, Van Vicke Senior High School, Cape alma mater, Mfantsipimd his Van Vicker Foundation nche Coast, Ghana as he lauy actor, while in a chat with HVP at bo y pla he C.T VF s, AMVCA, Club,V Viewers Choice Award this year's AfricaMagic planning to give back to his alma hinted that he was mater. Van According to him, the is a ub Cl n tio da un Fo r ke Vic ent Non-Governm at ed aim n tio za ni ga Or the g rin we po em d inspiring an ledge, youth of today with know lieves be n Va lls. talent and ski ght. “I that leadership can be tau ment. ve mo FC VV believe in the e and The movement is to inspirto be uth yo the r empowe o fu tu re lea de rs wh he " ce, len cel ex it exhib added. “I want to prepare them for the world. VVFC will give scholarship to the less-privileged My stu de nt s. dream is to move the foundation from school to school to inspire students in the coming months.

28—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016

By Iyabo Aina

Rihanna Kicks Off ‘ANTI World Tour’ R

ihanna’s “ANTI World Tour” which was postponed due to production delays, finally arrived on Saturday and RiRi did not disappoint, according to show reviews and fans’ videos. The Saturday spectacular show at Jacksonville Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. featured a curtain that dropped “10-foot chunks of foam,” a “flying bridge” that the singer walked across, and “slick” choreography. The Billboard’s chart queen had no shortage of hits, as she opened the show with “Stay,” followed by other favourites like “Work,” “Pour It Up,” “Bitch Better Have My Money,” “Umbrella,” among other hit songs to her smash-filled event. Additionally, she performed other ANTI cuts including “Woo,” “Pose,” “Desperado,” and “Same Ol’ Mistakes” for the first time live.

Elton John sued!

Lil W sal Music Gr oup Waayne sues Univer Universal Group

fter suing Cash Money Records for $51 million last year, Lil Wayne has filed a new lawsuit against Cash Money ’s parent company Universal Music Group. In it, Weezy claims he’s owed money for discovering and guiding acts like Nicki Minaj, Drake, and Tyga. Wayne is now seeking $40 million in damages and profits owed from UMG, according to Billboard. He claims the money he’s owed was used to help Cash Money get out of debt. “With Universal’s knowledge of Lil Wayne’s rights to partial ownership and profits from those artists, Universal and Cash Money entered into a series of agreements which, among other things, diverted Lil Wayne’s substantial profits to repay

debts of Cash Money,” Wayne’s complaint reads. “As a result, 100% of the profits that should have been paid to Lil Wayne as a result of his ownership of Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Tyga records have been seized by Universal to repay debts that were neither incurred by nor were the obligations of Lil Wayne.” The Young Money boss’ lawyer, Howard E. King, also released a statement about the suit: “Universal should be grateful and respectful to Lil Wayne for the millions of dollars in distribution fees and profits they have earned on the artists he brought to the company, instead of seizing all of his profits on those artists in a desperate attempt to recoup the tens of millions of dollars they are owed

by Cash Money Records.” After the lawsuit was filed, a UMG spokesperson discredited Wayne’s case. “These claims are entirely without merit,” the spokesperson said. “It should be no surprise that we learned of the lawyer’s complaint through the news media. We don’t intend to dignify this with further public comment except to say that we will vigorously contest it and that the merits of our case will carry the day.”

Kehlani hospitalized after suicide attempt

exy music act, Kehlani has been hospitalized following an attempt to commit suicide. The heartbreaking news follows a firestorm of criticism for the Grammy-nominated songstress. Recall that earlier in the day, PARTYNEXTDOOR star posted a photo of what appeared to be him and Kehlani together in bed amidst rumors of her breakup with Kyrie Irving. Also, Kehlani had been dating the NBA star following her split with PND last year. “After all the shenanigans, still got the R&B singer back in my bed,” the OVO crooner captioned the photo. But Kehlani was ripped apart on social media, with many accusing her of cheating on Irving with her ex-boyfriend.

All the criticism clearly took a toll on the “Did I” singer and possibly even led to her suicide attempt. In a since-deleted Instagram post, Kehlani refuted rumors of infidelity and revealed that she tried to end her life. Read below: “Today I wanted to leave this earth,” she wrote. “Being completely selfish for once. Never thought I’d get to such a low point. But don’t believe the blogs you read. No one was cheated on and I’m not a bad person. Everyone is hurt and everyone is in a place of misunderstanding.. But as of today, I had no single wish to see tomorrow.. But God saved me for a reason, and for that… I must be grateful because I’m not in heaven right now for a reason. On that note.. Bye Instagram.”

ne of Elton John’s personal security guards Jeffrey Wenninger, is suing the musician, alleging battery, sexual battery and sexual harassment. John, who was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight, denies the charges, and his lawyer called the suit “baseless.” Jeffrey Wenninger says that John touched him in an “unwelcome” manner over the course of several years after he started working for the singer in 2002 as an off-duty security guard. According to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Wenninger, who was a sergeant with the Los Angeles Police Department at the time, said the incidents increased in “frequency and intensity after 2010.” The lawsuit cites three specific incidents in March and April of 2014, all while John was on his way to or from the airport. Wenninger attempted to resist the unwanted advances, both verbally and physically, but his actions “had no permanent effect” on John’s behaviour, the suit claims. Orin Snyder, an attorney for John, said in a statement that Wenninger is “a disgruntled former security officer seeking to extract an undeserved payment.” “These claims are patently untrue and contradicted by numerous previous statements made by this plaintiff,” Snyder said. “We will not give into his latest abuse of the legal system.” Wenninger is seeking unspecified damages for, among other things, “physical, mental, and emotional injuries,” lost wages and medical costs.

SATURDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 2, 2016—29

Rotimi Agbana 08137741609

Eva Alordiah survives ghastly auto crash, quits music

igerian rap artiste, Eva Alordiah, recently survived a ghastly auto crash. The sexy diva, who is also a dexterous make-up artist, broke the news on her Instagram page, after uploading a video of the accident scene with a story to accompany it. The accident occurred at about 1pm on Easter Monday. It is not the first time a Nigerian music artiste will be involved in an auto crash and survive it, but this one is different because Eva recently announced she is set to retire as a musical artiste, so it would have been a sad twist of fate if anything had happened to one of Nigeria’s most beautiful and talented female rappers. She revealed on her social media page, ‘It’s tomorrow! My last show as a music artiste! I’m ending another chapter in my life and ready for the next.’ A show titled ‘One Nite: Live and Unplugged with Eva Alordiah,’ at The Lounge Lagos. The pretty rapper has still not revealed what we should expect in the next chapter she talked about; hopefully she will do that soon.

Adokiye Kyrian, Agoha, El-Levite, MC Coded, MC Pato set to thrill at ‘Christians Got Talent’ show G

lory crooner and Virgin singer, Adokiye Kyrian, Jehova sensation, Agoha, and the trio of El-Levite, MC Coded, and MC Pato have been unveiled as major headliners for the ‘Christians Got Talent’ talent hunt show which comes up tomorrow at the Flaming Sword Ministry, Lafiaji, Lagos. The artistes are expected to perform and mentor the participants at the event. For Adokiye and Agoha who just released videos of their popular songs some weeks ago; Glory and Jehova respectively, it is their own way of adding value to the society because the show affords them the opportunity to raise the next generation of Christian entertainers. The show is open to Christians of all ages who have special talents in entertainment.

•Eva Alordiah

Bounce music unveils new ar tis artis tistte, gidikid

•Adokiye

Nomoreloss for burial April 7, 8 T

By Tofarati Ige

•Gidikid

fine face and a velvety voice, Michael Oladimeji Idumu, aka Gidikid, has definitely got what the ladies like. And that’s not all, the Lagos-based dude is also multi-talented. He’s a singer, sound engineer, and music producer as well. Newly signed to the Dr. Gee-owned Bounce Music, Gidikid has a lot to offer. His newest single, ‘Super Story’ produced by Maxxy Jay, mixed and mastered by Marqui Mix, is set to be released in a couple of days, and his fans and social media followers are already giddy with excitement and expectation.

Toyin Aimakhu’s career is ffinished, inished, cries embittered ex-lover By Anozie Egole

t is no longer news that the love affair between actress Toyin Aimakhu and top Yoruba movie producer, Seun Egbegbe, has gone sour. What may seem fresh is the fact that the two ex-lover birds are not letting go of each other for all

•Seun Egbegbe

the wrong reasons. To show that Egbegbe is still bitter over the relationship, he has reached out to all other producers, telling them to desist from working with the actress. In a recent chat, he said, “I am saying this for the first time: it’s over between Toyin Aimakhu and I, and I mean it. I am also using this medium to warn all movie producers to stay away from her. Anybody that deals with her, the person is on his or her own. And I will a c t appropriately. T o y i n Aimakhu’s

career is finished as far as Yoruba movie sector is concerned, unless she corrects the erroneous impression she has given the public about my person. How can a person I call my girlfriend accuse me of kidnapping her? What does she want to gain from that? And she said her Personal Assistant typed the message. If that’s true, where was she? And when she noticed it, why didn’t she withdraw it immediately before the whole thing went viral? So, I believe she has something to hide. I am repeating it: no producer must deal with her again. Any producer that doesn’t heed the warning will find him or herself to blame. It’s not a threat, it’s a promise.”

•Nomoreloss

he burial arrangement for late Nigerian singer, ‘Nomoreloss’, born Muyiwa Adeyemi Oshinuga who passed away on the 21st of March, 2016 has been made public. While the service of songs and tributes hold on Thursday 7th April, 2016 by 4pm at Koga Studios, Alausa Ikeja, the funeral service will take place on Friday 8th April, 2016, by 10am at Four Square Church, Norman Williams Street, off Keffi Street Ikoyi. His remains will be laid to rest at the Ikoyi Cemetery. Nomoreloss passed away after a brief illness later diagnosed as chest infection pneumonia. He is survived by his beautiful daughter, Motunrayo Oshinuga.

Banky W takes break from music to marr aise kids marryy and rraise

.M.E boss, Bankole Welington, popularly known as ‘BankyW’ has announced that he would be taking a break from doing music to enable him work on a sustainable relationship, marry and raise kids. In a recent interview, he revealed ‘Living an artiste’s life does not lend itself to working on a relationship. It’s tough. It’s something that I actively want to do, so I want to take some time off, after I’m done releasing this music and touring, I want to take some time off. Like I want to have kids you know, get married. Get married first and then have some kids.’ Apart from doing music, the talented artiste is known to be part of the grooms men at popular celebrity weddings. Hopefully, this would bring an end to it.

•BankyW

30 — SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016

Lagos Premier P alace Club dedicat es hall tto o FFashola ashola Palace dedicates

he Premier Palace Club, Epetedo, Lagos has dedicated a hall within their new club house complex to former Gov Raji Fashola of Lagos. The dedication took place during the club’s t h r e e - i n - o n e celebration which involved opening of the new club house, special Islamic/Christian prayer and induction of new members. The occasion held last Sunday, Easter Sunday at Epetedo, Lagos Island. High profile dignitaries graced the regal event. Photos by Lamidi Bamidele

Omamogho bags Ovu title It was celebration galore for the Owereh family of Ovu in Ethiope East LGA of Delta State on Saturday 26th March 2016, when the Osuvie of Ovu, Chief (Dr) T.E.A Salubi conferred the chieftaincy title of Olorogun and Erhuvwu R’ Ovu on Olorogun Ken Omamogho, a UK-based businessman and respected son of Ovu. Olorogun Ken Omamogho was found worthy of the title as a result of his great contributions to the development of Ovu community.

L-R: Alhaji Moroof Adisa Oshodi, President, Premier Palace Club, Epetedo, Lagos; Oba of Lagos' royal staff carrier; Suenu of Lagos, representing the Oba of Lagos, HRM, Oba Rilwan Akiolu; Mrs Omolara Fashola and Prince Shamusideen Ope, former President, Eko Club. Osuvie of Ovu, Chief (Dr) T.E.A Salubi con Chief Ken Omamogho

L-R: Otunba Femi Pedro, Alhaji Lateef Jakande and Chief Moroofdeen Oshodi, President, Premier Palace Club.

L-R: Hon Abayomi Daramola, Otunba Femi Pedro and Hon Lanre Ope.

L-R: Chief Taju Mogaji; Chief Satar Momoh and Alhaji Ibraheem Giwa.

L-R: Prince Tajudeen Lawal; Hon Gbolahan Lawal, Hon Commissioner for Housing, Lagos State and Prince Wale Lawal

Olorogun Ken Omamogho as Olorogun and Erhuvwu R' Ovu

Lat e Princess Bandele Gbenoba laid tto o rest Late

amily, relations and well-wishers gathered in Boji Boji, Agbor, Delta State for the final burial of Late Princess Bandele Obi Gbenoba recently. The occasion was described as celebration of life because, according to the children, the deceased lived a fulfilled life. Photos by Nath Onajake

R-L: Rev. Aniema Etukudo, Rev. Bello Silo, Pastor Etomi Edwin and Pastor Emmanuel Ayantuga

R-L: Mrs Eno Omokaro (daughter in-law) Mrs Nabena Aisha Okubotin (daughter in-law) and Pastor (Mrs) Folakemi Omokaro (daughter inlaw)

L-R: Pastor Dominic Amen Omokaro (son), Pastor Patrick Olatunde Omokaro (son) Roy Okubotin Nabena (1st grand son) and Pastor Agholor Agboegbulem“

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016—31

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'I was the hot girl, now I'm the poop girl':

WOMAN has gone viral after sharing a cautionary tale when it comes to taking a POO at a romantic partner's house. Makela, from Toronto, live tweeted the gripping story to her Twitter account, causing hordes of social media users to tune and hear what happened next. The ‘pooping’ incident happened on Monday night after Makela had agreed to go on a date with a guy she’d met in a grocery store just few days before. Makela’s 18 tweets about her regretful endeavour to take a number two have now been shared thousands of times.

father has bravely put aside his pride to dress as a flower girl to raise money for his son's cancer treatment. Dong Dajun has been spotted wearing a wig and a dress while selling flowers to strangers near an underground station in Beijing, China, reported People's Daily Online. His son, Hui Hui, who is just 5years-old, suffers from nonHodgkin's lymphoma, a rare form of cancer, which requires very expensive treatments in China.The

She started her nerve-shredding tale with the line: “I have a story to tell. It is about my poop”, which instantly hooked many into hearing more. Makela went on to tweet: “So, yesterday I went on a date with a man who asked me out in the grocery store the other day. All was going well. I went back to his place.” She continued: “I am a confident, calm and self-assured woman...so I felt comfortable popping in his bathroom. This was a mistake. His toilet did not flush.” At this point, things started to take a turn for the worse. Makela added: “Properly. So, of course, like any calm, confident,

self-assured woman. I panicked. And flushed it a million times, making everything worse.” “By this point, I was really frantic because I had been in there for too long. There was only one single piece of poop. So in that moment.” 'What did she do?' we hear you cry. She continued: “Something came over me. And I knew exactly what I had to do. I got toilet paper and removed the one poop from the toilet. Once that was done “I realised I didn't have a plan. What do I do with it now? I can't f***** leave it there. By this point I was REALLY freaking out because

“I'd DEFINITELY been in there too long. So, again, making another horrible decision. I did the only thing I could think to do. I wrapped it “In multiple layers of toilet paper, and put it in my purse.”However, Makela could not get the idea of the ‘poop in purse’ out of her head and things soon started to get more heated with her new beau. Her next tweet is enough to make anyone cringe: “Alright, so now what? We are sitting there on his couch and kissing and all I can think of is the piece of poop in my purse. “Him: you're so beautiful. The

World's greatest dad? cancer was discovered in September last year when a growth appeared on the right side of Hui Hui's neck according to Chinese news site Sohu. At first, it was the size of a goose's egg at first and didn't throw up any symptoms. However, his son soon started having difficulty breathing and was unable to walk properly. The bad news was confirmed when the family arrived in Beijing

in October to seek help from doctors.Dong, from Shandong, north-east China, had to quit his factory job so he could take his son to the hospital for treatment. His wife, who was a farmer, also had to stop tending to the land. So far, the couple have spent 210,000 Yuan (£21,000) on just three rounds of chemotherapy at Beijing Children's Hospital. They had to borrow 140,000 Yuan (£14,000) of that sum from family

Good job he's going to Iceland!

British holidaymaker went to extreme lengths to avoid paying for extra baggage on a holiday flight - by wearing all of his clothes. Matt Botten from Cardiff, was so aghast at the prospect of paying £45 to check-in an extra bag for his EasyJet flight to Reykjavik in Iceland, that he began emptying its contents. After layering the clothing on himself at Gatwick Airport, Botten proceeded towards security with his girlfriend.

The 32-year-old was decked out in multiple t-shirts, jumpers, trousers and even had a pair of shoes poking out of his pockets. Following his choice of clothing, Botten had to answer extended questions from security staff as he sweltered in his extra padding. Proud of the achievement, Matt, who was travelling with girlfriend Abigail White, 31, from Surrey, wrote on Facebook: 'We're going to

and friends and there's still another eight rounds of treatments to go. With few other options, Dong decided he needed to take drastic action. He started selling flowers from a make-shift stall to supplement their income. On the first day, he sold nothing and no one paid any attention to him. In a bid to attract more people to his flower stand, Dong put on a wig Iceland baby! 'And how to do it in a financially frugal manner, without having to stump up forty five bloody quid for a hold bag? Simply by wearing everything I own.' Last year MailOnline reported on an incident which saw a member of a boyband, who wanted to avoid an excess luggage fee, pass out on board an EasyJet flight after donning all his clothes so he didn't have to pay a £45 sub-charge. James McElvar, a singer with Scottish five-piece Rewind, thought he was having a heart attack when he lost consciousness at 37,000 feet flying from London to Glasgow. Little did he know he'd passed out from heat exhaustion - having dressed himself in six t-shirts, four jumpers, three pairs of jeans, two pairs of jogging bottoms, a pair of jackets and two hats.

moment you smiled at me, u had me Me: that's really sweet Me in my head: I have a piece of my poo in my purse.” Unsure of what to do next, Makela decided to text her sister, Tina, for advice – but this didn’t prove too helpful. However, a few hours later Makela saw a chance to get herself out of the situation: ?o, after a few hours he used the washroom and I heard it flush. I figured he fixed it. Maybe not, but I have to take the chance. I have to ?ry to flush the poop. So I brought my purse up to the washroom. Unwrapped the poop, prayed to every god I know, put it in and flushed ?y the grace of God, it worked. The poo flushed. I was free. I was in the clear. Everything was going to be okay. I survived. I am a survivor." What a rollercoaster of emotions that was. She continued: “So that's my story. A man, sat there telling me I'm the most amazing woman he's ever met, not knowing, 10 feet away in my purse, was my poop “That I'd fished out of his toilet... This is embarrassing for me. But seriously: don’t drink coffee before a date, it’s better to be sleepy than to have to hide poop in ur purse.”

and a dress. His plan worked. On his best day, he managed to sell 300 flowers. Dong said: 'I'm not embarrassed. Some friends have even told me I'm pretty. I'm very proud to do this for my son.' There is more good news as the family were told earlier this week that Hui Hui is already seeing improvements. Hui Hui's mother told reporters with tears in her eyes: 'This news is better than celebrating the new year.'

32—SATURDAY

Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016

Beware of the silent thief of sight R

ecently, during a free screening exercise carried out at the Guinness Eye Centre at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, in commemoration of the 2016 World Glaucoma Week, themed: “B-I-G – Beat Invisible Glaucoma’’ , almost 100 new cases of glaucoma were diagnosed. The activity, organised by the Ophthalmology Society of Nigeria in collaboration with Pfizer Nigeria, was aimed toward helping to raise awareness on the debilitating disorder. Glaucoma, a complicated eye disease which, after damaging the optic nerve, leads to a progressive and irreversible vision loss, is the world’s 2nd leading cause of blindness. You can’t feel high eye pressure, just like you can’t feel high blood pressure. Glaucoma is not just a disease your grandmother has, it can happen to anyone — Dr. Adeola Onakoya, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology/Head Glaucoma Services, Dept of Ophthalmology, CMUL/LUTH Glaucoma has no cure and many people have no idea that they have it. It is only when they undergo free eye screening exercises like this that they often discover they have glaucoma. Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, and Head Glaucoma Services, Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine/Lagos University Teaching Hospital, CMUL, Dr. Adeola Onakoya, describes glaucoma aptly. She said glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve with almost eight million cases worldwide. “The optic nerve is responsible for transmitting images from the retina which is the specialized light sensing tissue to the brain. “When this nerve is diseased it becomes glaucoma. It is often associated with the build up of pressure inside the eye and/or decreased blood flow of the optic nerve, although high eye pressure also referred to as intraocular pressure or ocular hypertension sometimes leads to glaucoma. Glaucoma is referred to as “the silent thief of sight”. This is because it slowly damages the eye and causes irreversible loss of vision to the sufferer. Factors Factors such as advancing age, a family history of glaucoma, being black, high pressure in the eye, migraine, high blood pressure, etc are relevant. Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma. The drainage of the eye can become blocked leading to gradual increased eye pressure. Open-angle glaucoma accounts for 95 percent of the glaucoma cases in the country. It is painless and does not have acute attacks, patients with this form of glaucoma are not aware that they have glaucoma until the

•Dr. Adeola Onakoya optic nerve is already damaged. Onakoya said glaucoma does not occur with readily noticeable symptoms that cause the irreversible optic nerve damage. However, basic symptoms like difficulty focusing on near or distant objects, double vision, excess teary or watery eyes, seeing spots, or ghost-like images , blurred vision, sudden loss of vision in one eye, squinting or blinking are common. Treatment and prevention Treatment for glaucoma depends on the nature and severity. Glaucoma is not curable but is controllable to prevent blindness. Check your eyes regularly at least once in two years. She laments that glaucoma as a noncommunicable disease and is not properly addressed compared to communicable diseases. “Creating awareness is necessary to enable people know about the signs and symptoms as well as the complications of glaucoma. If there are signs, the patient can see an ophthalmologist so that appropriate treatment can be adopted in good time.” Our involvement in the business of sight – Mrs. Margaret Olele, Corporate Affairs/Health and Value Director, Pfizer Specialities Pfizer is known worldwide to be very much into treatment of two diseases that impact sight, and these are glaucoma

and trachoma. Pfizer is known across Africa to have donated a lot of medications, antibiotics for treatment of blinding trachoma and now we are working closely from the outset with the Association to ensure they have a platform where their voices will be heard and where the right information and awareness will be created around glaucoma which a

Glaucoma, is the world’s 2nd leading cause of blindness

lot of people do not know about because it comes like a thief in the night. It is also to empower them and look at the opportunities where people can support for better access to good quality medicines. Early prevention One of the things we looked is that screening is a critical aspect of early prevention. If people are not checked, they would not know and by the time they get to know it may be too late. So screening is a critical

•Mrs Margaret Olele area and we are into prevention in this different forms and this is one of such preventive measures against blindness, The family Glaucoma impacts a whole family if a member of one family goes blind, you know what that means. The public lecture, this year focused on the family, because sometimes when one person has glaucoma in the family there may be likelihood that someone else would have it as well. The lecture was to create awareness about what is happening and when to go see the doctor and also to let people know that the Association exists. When people work together as a team, they get to know how they can resolve their issues, For instance, the patients may get their medicines cheaper if they pool resources together, so this collaboration strengthens the platform and it is critical for the glaucoma patient because they get better information and access to treatment. Partnerships People should begin to look at the more sustainable private partnerships. Now we should be talking about the public-private and public-public initiatives that can help sustain action across Nigeria. What government should begin to look at is how we can pool a team of partners that can help resolve this challenge. Policy Issues around policy are the direction we should be looking at. Because when there is a policy, it creates a

framework that would guide the implementation and all. So part of the strengthening of the process by strengthening an association like this is to mobilise advocacy. And drive discussion around policy because policy doesn’t just come like that. It comes from people talking about it and having the commitment that it happens getting government to hear the voice of the people. Policy is critical and a way this can be ensured is to strengthen the association so that there will be a strong voice to get attention of government. Screening When you screen you have to look at risk factors. You want to look at who are the people who may have these risk factors and when you may begin to dovetail into who may be at risk in the family. When you do these screenings you tend to pick some people and tend to save the family. When we are doing screenings my concern is what happens afterwards? The best thing is to create a model that would ensure that these people are continually able to get the medication as opposed to that one off. Because the reality is how many people would get it free and for how long? So why not work out a model that would ensure people have access to this good quality medicine at a price they can afford and make their voices sheard that people that would consider this as a sustainable corporate enterprise.

SATURDAY

Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016—33

(Text Only)

Headstand,panacea for all human ailments

he Headstand, one of the most potent postures, is often referred to as the “King of the Asanas” because of its manifold mental and physical benefits. Many rightly see it as a panacea for all human ailments. If you have only a short time for practice, and want to maximize the benefits, do the Headstand. In this inverted position, at least 90 per cent of the body weight should rest on the elbow. Hardly any pressure should be taken by the head or neck.

Headstand

Yoga Classes STARTED @ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos. 10.00am — 11.00am on Saturdays

Technique: To perform the headstand, get on your knees, interlacing the fingers, place the hands on the floor in front of you. Lean forward and place the head on the floor and supporting its back with the interlaced fingers. With the help of the feet raise the hips up in the air. Now, raise the feet and bend the knees

SEXUAL ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS

en don’t need a brain to ejaculate (because the order comes from the spinal cord). Which makes sense because most guys seem to be missing a lot of brain functions. Do you know that you can “break” a penis by twisting it violently while it’s erect? The male orgasm lasts about six seconds, whereas the female orgasm lasts about twenty-three seconds and the penis can actually shrink if it isn’t used enough. Hello Viewden, I got the Superhard from you last week and even though I’m hypertensive and diabetic, it didn’t give me any side effects whatsoever, no increased palpitations or increased heartbeat rate and I performed so well than I have done in the last twenty years. One of my friends whom we share the same health conditions said he got Manup and African Superman from you and that it did worked wonders. Can I also try out new products like that to see which one works best and suits my body perfectly well? Bada Well, all the other herbal aphrodisiac you have mentioned do work the same way in giving instant erection without giving any side effects even to men with health challenges and just like Superhard worked liked magic, so also will African Superman,

C M Y K

•Headstand variations

until stillness is obtained standing on the head. Straighten the legs rather slowly until the whole body is in a straight vertical line. Benefits: •Gives the heart a well de-

served rest, as gravity helps to return venous blood to the heart. • Regular practice helps to strengthen the respiratory system and the circulation, keeping them flexible and slowing down the rate of

TRUE FACTS ABOUT THE PENIS V

Manup, and Boss Rhino gold work in giving hard erection on demand and you can try them out at different times. I’m about finishing the first pack of Prosolution pills and I’m supposed to use three packs in correcting early ejaculation and I can boldly say that I started noticing that I now last for about 20 mins in the 3rd week of usage, though I want to last for more than 30 to 40 minutes before ejaculation. I’d called several times but I was told Prosolution is out of stock and I’m having just 8 pills left. Please when will it be available? cos I was told to use the three packs back to back without leaving out a day to totally correct. – Ifeanyi Prosolution pills helps to correct early ejaculation and weak erection, but it has to be used for about 2 to 3 months without break and yes Prosolution is now available though in limited quantity and you can place your order anytime while the stock last. I read one of your articles some years back about Kayanmata, a herbal range of products that help women to enjoy sex and hold the man down and the ones that also tightens the vagina and some for breast firming. I also inquired at the time and I was told it’s around six thousand five hundred Naira for each one. Are the products still

available and the price the same? Yemi Yes, Kayanmata is known and commonly produced in the northern part of Nigeria to help women enjoy sex better, but there are several imported ones that perform the same function. There are variety of them, some called Sex sweetener –to make a woman very enjoyable to a man and make him come for more, some are for tightening of vagina, some for breast firming etc. they come in cream, tablet forms, oils and even in soap forms , but they all do the same work. And yes the prices are still the same. I heard Extenze plus can enlarge the penis and at the same time help correct erectile dysfunction. Does it work like Vigrx plus, cos I have a friend who used Vigrx plus and got a good result in terms of enlargement of the penis. Can I give it a trial? Bayo There are numerous penis enlargement products in the market. It’s very important to note that the penis is an organ and cannot grow overnight or in two weeks. In most cases, result starts showing from the 7 to 9 the week of usage depending on the body type. Either Extenze plus or Vigrx plus is effective in enhancing this increment of the penis and also handle erectile dysfunction in men. If your original size after erection is about 3 to 4 inches, you might need to use a penis pump alongside these supplements for a faster result. You can settle for either Extenze plus or Vigrx plus or even the two depending on your budget. These are all we can take for today. Adults who needs any of these aphrodisiacs can call us on 08034666358, 07059294782 between 8am to 6pm (weekdays) and 10am to 3pm on Saturdays or place your orders at www.viewden.com. For further enquiries, send us an email at vieweden@yahoo.com, viewden@ymail.com Kemi Fawole (MD)

breathing and the heartbeat when at rest, • The body is generally enhanced by the deep breathing and the brain, spine, and entire nervous system receive a rich supply of nutrients. This refreshes and rejuvenates the entire body.

34—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

When it’s magnanimous to forgive and forget!

also

AMILIARITY not only breeds contempt, it

breeds a hotbed of opportunities for unfaithfulness. The more close-knit a crop of friends are, the wider the chances of swopping partners, albeit discreetly. Tope’s recent experience, however, took the cake when it comes to how far you can go in forgiving a friend who ‘snatched’ the partner you believed you could have married. A few of us were in a ‘noparty-this-weekend’ drinking and gossiping session when Tope suddenly invited me to one of her friends’ housewarming party a few days away. I’d never heard her mention this particular friend and no wonder because when I asked her who she was days later on the way to this friend’s place, Tope actually looked a bit pensive. “I’ll tell you all about her on the way but I need you to come with me for much needed support.” We’ve never stood for ceremonies when going out on the spur of the moment. As we nestled in the back seat of the car, Tope told me this friend, Cecilia, was once a close friend in their undergraduate days. “We did virtually everything together,” she reminisced, “and went to social outings as a foursome with our boyfriends. When I met David, she was the first person I told because she had a knack of assessing people. We were room-mates then and I was glad David had a lot in common with her boyfriend. He was a freshly employed banker with a very promising future. Whenever either of our men visited, we had this unwritten rule of leaving the coast clear. Cecilia did this regularly even when she fell out with her boyfriend. She was so miserably unhappy that I insisted she came with us on a few outings to take her mind off her grief, David used to grumble about three being a crowd, but I put my foot down. Cecilia was pathetically grateful to have a semblance of a social life and I was glad to be of help. After all, what were friends for? When she said she was pregnant a few weeks to our final exams, I was shocked. She had no serious boyfriend to speak of and I asked who the father of her unborn child was; she said she met

struggle to keep the family of three kids together. When the landlord started grabbing them him when he recently by the throat, they hurried the came to Nigeria on a brief completion of the bungalow visit and had gone back. they started building ages ago She was likely to join him on the outskirt of Lagos. after we graduated. I felt “Cecilia shuttled between happy for her but was Nigeria and Britain from time concerned she could jump to time and sent in money from her career job into a relationship so through the Western Union so quickly after her botched the house could be habitable. I one. Was she on the didn’t know all this until I ran rebound? into her at a friend’s house. A couple of months after She looked so contrite and we graduated, I called on despondent that being hostile her, hoping to cheer her to her would amount to kicking up and discuss the new her when she was down. job I had just landed. I “Haltingly, we got talking and was intrigued to find she was her friendly self. The David’s car parked in looked shocked. Was I sure chemistry between us returned front of her parents’ David was my fiance? She and there was nothing to hate house. What was he doing obviously was in the dark about her. She’d put on a lot of there? Her mum let me in weight and was a far cry from as to my relationship with and I went straight to her the sophisticated room-mate him. She said David was room. I was curious that I’d known. Her marriage the father of Cecilia’s David wasn’t anywhere to wasn’t all that happy either, unborn child, that they be found. I cautiously and when she asked for my were getting married in Whenever either pushed Cecilia’s bedroom address and phone number, I three weeks. Silently, she door open and the sight gladly gave them to her, of our men handed over a copy of the convinced she would not have that greeted me made my invitation card, still visited, we had the nerve to call. world spin! David was on looking confused. It was “I was mildly surprised when the bed with my best this unwritten rule she then I knew what betrayal called at the house about a friend, naked...his really was. I was week later, and was glad I lived of leaving the trousers around his knees. inconsolable, and my in such a posh neighbourhood. They were obviously parents were concerned coast clear It was then she invited me to having a quickie! about me. Most of our the house-warming. I don’t “Cecilia, who was lying friends that I called told think I’ve ever visited this neck beneath him in spite of think we can get over me they knew about the of the woods but I didn’t want her rounded tommy saw this?’ wedding but didn’t know to give the impression of a me, her mouth, a shocked “I couldn’t believe she snob, so I agreed to come. The how to tell me. ‘O’! of surprise. “You would have the nerve to driver knows the area, thank “For weeks I couldn’t bitch!” I yelled at her in ask for my blessing after goodness.” After veering off a make the terrible image of frustrated anger. David she’d flattened the life tarred road and bumping what I saw that day go turned at the sound of my I’d dreamt of having. dangerously through the very away. I thought the whole voice and quickly ‘Tell her I would go to rough stretch of lane that leads world was laughing at me. scrambled to his feet the grave hating her!’ I to Cecilia’s bungalow, I really David didn’t bother to when he saw me, pulling told the friend she sent. felt sorry for the poor woman. contact me and neither did up his trousers as my best Cecilia. I nearly had a Talk about stabbing you The place still needed to be friend struggled to get in the chest and turning painted and neighbourhood break-down when I saw buildings weren’t impressive. into her clothes. the knife! pictures of their wedding “I rushed blindly out of That was over 20 years Yet it was home to in newspapers. A few her family and as we went in, the room and ran ago. I met my husband months after the wedding, we were ushered in like VIPs. smacked into Cecilia’s Cecilia sent a note through shortly after and couldn’t Cecilia was obviously happy to mum. She’d heard the have asked for a more one of our friends. She’d see us. Decked in a very commotion and came to had a baby girl. She wrote: successful and expensive lace material that I’d find out what was going understanding man. ‘I’m awfully sorry for once seen on Tope, I knew David was retrenched by on. ‘I just caught Cecilia hurting you the way I did; right away that Tope must have the bank he worked for having sex with my it’s happened and you’re given it to her. “What else and Cecilia now has to fiance!’ I spat at her. She still my best friend. Do you could I do?” she asked on our way back home. “I had so much and she had precious little. You should see how year, after which mismatches in libido are excited and grateful she was ORGET the seven-year itch. It takes when I gave her a few of my exposed, with women more likely to lose only 12 months for a relationship to clothes that I didn’t really interest. The study, published in the start to lose its sizzle, research suggests. need. And did you see David? journal Archives of Sexual Behaviour, Almost 3,000 men and women aged I’m glad that I had this between 25 and 41—from those in the first found arguments and lack of lovemaking opportunity to see both of them also had an influence. Relationship flush of love to others who had been and finally lay the ghost that expert and agony aunt, Dr. Pam Spurr together for up to 24 years— were asked had hunted me for years. It warned that waning passions could lead how satisfied they were with their sex was like revisiting the scene of some couples to have affairs. She said the crime! David’s shabby look lives. Their answers revealed that made me wonder what I ever satisfaction rises early in a relationship and many ‘develop a deeper emotional saw in him. intimacy that bridges the passion of the peaks at around 12 months. After that, it “Thanks to their supposed early days to a more mature approach to starts to gradually decline. betrayal, I found a better man sex’. But she added that‘couples who The German researchers at Ludwig and providence had more than don’t manage to negotiate that transition Maximillan University in Munich compensated my loss. I intend have many difficulties— some partners suggested it might be because couples to do whatever I can to make get to know each other ’s desires in the first seek sexual release in affairs.’ life easier for her.”

Passion could start to fade just after one year of marriage!

SATURDAY

Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016—35

YETUNDE AREBI Yetty5050@yahoo.co.uk tweeterhandle@yetundearebi 08054700825

Sexless marriages on the increase! ow do you advise a couple who have not had sex H together for close to two years? This was one of the interventions I had over the week. Both are under

50 years of age and have been married for less than 20 years. They are both committed to the welfare of their three lovely children, the church and care of their extended families. There is no dispute of any sort between them and they are not separated by distance either, as they live together and see each other every day. It was not a complaint by either of them. I chanced upon it during a conversation on another issue totally unrelated to their sex life with the wife. She did not seem disturbed by my concern that it was not a normal situation and there was need to do something about it. According to this sister, there were too many important issues and events in her life and sex was not one of them. Besides, she would not allow any man to use her body to satisfy his sexual urges such that in her old age, her body will not work for her! I was surprised. So, how does her husband feel about this? Well, he has no choice but to accept her wishes. She says she is not worried that he might walk away as they have both agreed that whatever happens, there will be no divorce. As I write, she has not agreed that I speak to her husband about it. Sexless marriages or relationships are becoming rather common these days. Before now, it was normal to hear stories of married couples abstaining from sexual intimacy for three, four months at a stretch for no serious reason or damage to their relationship. But these days, it appears the situation is taking more grievous twists and turns and for not so important reasons too. And now you can actually hear people say they have not had sex with their partners for several years and the two are still in a relationship. As what, if I may ask? Mother and father? Sister and brother? It is normal that when you are married or are in a long term relationship, the tendency that things will fall into a routine is very high. Because it is assumed or silently accepted that the partners are stuck together either by law, mutual respect for each other or some undeclared considerations, couples tend to take each other for granted and do not make enough effort at pleasing, pleasuring each other, investing in or improving on their sex life. Many assume sex is a foregone issue that must be performed between them, any which way. The hustle and bustle of life, work and family can also become overwhelming, taking fun to the back burner, same with caring for the children, cooking and housekeeping, making and managing family finances. All of these and more can affect the love life, sex and intimacy of couples who have been in a relationship for some time, such as my dear friend. However, the situation can be remedied or better managed if couples are willing and determined to improve on their relationships, rather than carry on with such attitude as she is. I think this should be the C M Y K

Sexless marriages or relationships are becoming rather common these days. Before now, it was normal to hear stories of married couples abstaining from sexual intimacy for three, four months at a stretch for no serious reason or damage to their relationship goal of any loving couple who wish to remain in their union, especially in these time of uncertainties. Those lucky to have someone to hold on to and share their lives with ought to do so with utmost care and devotion as life in these climes has become rather short and unpredictable. One of the first steps to be taken is to improve on your communication skills. Children are perhaps the best source of information if you want to investigate how a couple live together. There have been reports of stories from children who’d innocently called their parents abusive names simply because that is what they have heard them call each other. Or of children describing what their parents do when they are home as daddy sleeping or reading newspapers while mummy does all the work in addition to also going to work. Couples must learn to be intimate with each other. Intimacy is not just sex or making out; it is the general attitude when they are together. It includes talking, assisting each other, playing together, including reading the same things if reading is what your partner loves to do. That way you can have something to talk about later and share your views on the issues. There are so many things a couple can do together to bring them closer besides sex that will improve their sex life. You must create or maintain a bond. It is not the children that will bond you together, neither is it the property or investments and responsibilities you share together. For this lady, she is assuming that the church or Christianity is their bond forever. Most relationships that hang on these assumptions are usually not fun to be in. It sounds more like two business partners living together and there is a high chance that the partners would cheat. And when this happens, even to the knowledge of the other partner, usually the wife, she either looks the other way or eventually lose out. No matter how difficult or busy you both are, please try to make out time for intimacy. Most people don’t have to go to work weekends, yet you find out that

many partners tend to do their own things or make their own plans, excluding their other half. For many, going out means they are attending a social function or even family meeting. I have heard guys say they cannot follow their wives to the market! I think that is ridiculous and it will not make a man less macho if he does. Depending on status and environment, there are many places that you can visit together or shop together, such as the mall, the shops, the barbershop or the salon or spa. If the children are still young, get someone older and responsible enough to take care of them, or take them to your parents or family members that you trust. Where they are old enough to take care of themselves for a few days, take a trip. And it does not have to be expensive too. Unfortunately, the concept of travels and trips in Nigeria connotes that you have some money to spend or waste, depending on the observer. So, for many, travelling means you are going on a spending or shopping spree. But you don’t have to be discouraged; do only that which you think is appropriate and you can afford to. Try as much as possible not to alienate each other from family and friends. The concept of “me and my husband or wife” may have its advantages but it has limitations too. No man is an Island, after all. However, on a more serious note, this is one concept that causes a lot of frictions in families. Perhaps, because of our own insecurities and fears, many partners try to isolate the other from his or her family and friends for one reason or another, whether real or unfounded. The truth of life is that at one point, we will need family and friends around us, and this does not necessarily have anything to do with financial assistance. The great music maestro, Chief Ebenezer Obey in one of his evergreen songs, stated that the roles of partners are clear and different from that of parents. While love relationships can come to an end at anytime, according to him, the relationship between a child and its parents will last their lifetimes. And when things turn sour, it is to your family that you turn to for support, especially emotional support. If you are in a relationship where your partner constantly says or does things that will not foster a good relationship between you and your parents and family members, then there is a problem. Besides, love me, love my dog, they say. Many people are guilty of this, so, try as much as possible to make amends. It is good for your relationship in the long run and brings you closer to each other. From my mail box Re: Of airlines and delayed flights In response to my article on frustrating services of aviation operators in Nigeria, especially on domestic routes, with particular reference to my experience with Dana and Medview airlines, I got a response from Mr. Godsblessing Orhokpokpo, PRO, Aero Contractors. I had mentioned that Aero used to be my choice airline but I switched to Arik for reasons I cannot to remember now. Only Aero has responded and tried to explain some of the challenges airline operators are faced with. I thought I should publish my chat with readers with the hope that it might help other passengers who have suffered similar experiences understand their limitations too. Godsblessing: Yetunde, barring other allegations about your experiences with local airlines, I want to explain the reasons for vacant seats. The pilots put the weight of the passengers and their luggage into consideration for safety purpose. Once the maximum weight approved for the safety of the flight is reached, the aircraft would not be allowed to ferry more passengers or goods. (Just in case you board a flight with empty seats and there are scores of stranded passengers begging to be boarded.) Me: Thanks for the information, sir. That makes a lot of sense really. As you might have also read, I indicated there might be a reason for that in aviation operations. As I also mentioned, I used to fly Aero Contractors before I switched to Arik. Now I can’t recollect why. Please what’s the solution to this endless delay problem? It’s so frustrating. Thanks so much and do have a pleasant evening, sir.

Godsblessing: Not all delays or flight cancellations are due to the airline’s inadequacies. They are out to do business and the competition is stiff so they have no reason to unnecessarily punish a customer. I sympathize with you on the insensitivity you observed in the attitude of the staff and management of those airlines though. That is unacceptable. BUT to be frank, flight delay or outright cancellation are largely for safety. They are occasioned by technical faults, bad weather in city where the flight destination is, scarcity of jet A1, among other reasons they may not reveal to you. Once an aircraft is airborne, you cannot park and check for a fault, so better be late than never. (My take on this? No solution. So, travel only first flights for the day if you can help it.) Do have a wonderful weekend!

36—SATURDAY

Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016

Nuclear technology to serve Nigeria electricity soon

—Prof. Lawrence Dim, NNRA DG

•Speaks of safety valves put in place by agency regarding radioactive material use rofessor Lawrence Anikwe Dim, a renowned Nuclear Physicist and Engineer, is the Director General of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory P Authority, NNRA, which regulates and monitors the use of nuclear materials in Nigeria. Until his appointment, Dim was a Professor at the Center for Energy Research and Training (CERT), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. In this interview, the NNRA DG speaks of the effort of the agency to make Nigeria a safer place through proactive measures and the place of nuclear potentials in electricity generation in the country.

•Lawrence Anikwe Dim

By Soni Daniel and Ben Agande

hat is the difference between other safety Agencies in Nigeria and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority? The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) is charged with the mandate to regulate the possession and application of ionizing radiation and nuclear materials in all its ramifications in Nigeria. It means that wherever any premises or programme uses anything that is emitting ionizing radiation or contain nuclear material, we must get to that facility or premises to know what they are doing. By our mandate, we regulate and monitor the use of radioactive materials, activities of employers and employees in the health, petroleum, manufacturing and mining industries as well as educational and research institutions, agricultural and water resources and nuclear installations across Nigeria. So, the NNRA has a strategic duty to ensure safety, security and safeguard of nuclear materials so as to protect the lives and environment in Nigeria. How different is the work of the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) from that of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA)? The Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission is charged with the emplacement of nuclear installations and activities in its ramification in Nigeria. Recently the federal government asked them to develop nuclear power programme in Nigeria with the aim of affording Nigerians with the opportunity of having nuclear electricity or to add this nuclear electricity in our energy mix. Government set NNRA up because of the application of nuclear technology and nuclear science in

We developed this document with the assistance of the paramilitary, the police, the army, the intelligence community and so on

Nigeria. The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority would not have come into existence if Nigeria had not realized the importance of nuclear science and technology. You would recall that during his first coming, former President Olusegun Obasanjo realised the importance of nuclear science and technology and its applications and quickly introduced it into our educational and technological curricula. To be able to do all of these, the International Atomic Energy Agency or the international community requires you to have a regulatory agency such as NNRA. In other words, the NNRA must necessarily be created before the international community recognises Nigeria’s application for any nuclear activity to be conducted in the country. If you don’t have it there is no recognition for you and you won’t be allowed to practise nuclear-related activities in any form. So, the NNRA is a specialised agency that has been created for regulating the possession and application of nuclear science and technology in Nigeria. In terms of nuclear power programme, NAEC is the operator whereas NNRA is the regulator. Given the enormity of the task and the fact that your organisation needs to enforce the laws dealing with very serious matter, how do you ensure enforcement and compliance by users of nuclear materials? The NNRA recognises that Nigeria is a very large country and we have therefore established our offices in the six geo-political zones of this country to be able to carry out our task with ease. As time goes on and with better funding, we will be able to set up offices in every state of the federation in order to fulfill our mandate. As you rightly noted, one of our assignments is that of enforcement, which is the last thing we want to do anyway; but we do enforcement and we have memoranda of understanding, MoU, with Nigerian security agencies and paramilitary organisations to be able to handle that task effectively. As a matter of fact, we work with a national committee comprising these agencies because one of our core mandates is ensuring safety and security. If we have an enforcement problem it is very easy for us to arrange with the relevant agencies of government to get it sorted out

immediately. But let me say that we do not carry out enforcement action often. We do so only after we have given enough warning. We work with the police, police bomb squad, intelligence agencies and a host of other paramilitary agencies. There is a mechanism that we developed to determine whether any threat exists in the Country. It is called Design Basis threat (DBT) which is incorporated in our licensing process so that people will comply with this in building the system for the facility. We developed this document with the assistance of the paramilitary, the police, the army, the intelligence community and so on. So, we are working effectively with the relevant bodies/ stakeholders in Nigeria to ensure safety, security and safeguard of nuclear materials and radioactive materials and premises. This raises another issue. Does it mean that you know all the individuals and organisations that make use of radioactive materials in Nigeria so that if you were to be asked you will have a comprehensive record of those people? Yes, we have a database and we are still compiling. That is why we created zonal offices and still trying to reach out to more organisations/ premises. As a matter of fact, if the law establishing the NNRA had not been put in place, nuclear materials would have been entering the country illegally because these materials are still being used in the oil industry and other private sector projects. Even up till now we still have a search and secure programme to be able to identify the places and people who are making use of nuclear-related materials so as to monitor them for compliance with the law. You know that Nigeria is a very big country and you can hardly cover the whole place in a very short time. So we are still looking for radioactive materials and sources; this search and research programme is actually that of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, and we have to tap into it. We did it this year and whenever we get more money we will send people out to search round Nigeria. Hospitals also use radiation materials in their quest to save lives but this can also lead to abuse. So what do your men look for when they go to the hospitals? What

would constitute an abuse of ionised and radioactive materials in the hospitals? Radioactive materials are used in almost all industries in Nigeria including the hospitals. That we have oil today is because there is this material used to detect oil where it is. In the hospitals you must have heard about X-ray machines and all that. X-ray is not nuclear radiation but it is an ionizing radiation. The hospitals also make use of radio isotopes and radiation emitting devices. Some of these radiations are used to kill tumors. This also should not affect the healthy tissue or organ. This is like a “point-and- kill” process which does not require radiation to affect the healthy skin and other human tissues/organs. This practice is on and it is the specialists in that area that clearly understand the operation. So, this has to be effectively monitored by our team to save lives. NNRA ensures that this practice is done securely and safely. You have to be sure that the person doing this practice while trying to kill cancer doesn’t go and kill a healthy organ. So this is the work we do there and this is what we try to ensure in the hospitals. We make sure that their machines are well calibrated and that the people who are using those machines are certified and qualified. Is the certification done by your organisation? We do some of the certification. We employ the services of consultants too. Again, if an organisation making use of these materials does not have the competence, we help them in suggesting the right personnel so as to save lives. Given the porous nature of the Nigerian borders, what do you do to ensure that unauthorized people don’t come into the Country with nuclear materials? We have put certain measures in place to ensure that illegal materials do not enter this country although some persons would still want to try to do so. But the point is that under our template, no user of radioactive material can be given any approval to import any nuclear or radioactive material into Nigeria if our license is not seen. Of course, people using these sources know this, if the NNRA license is not attached to what you want to bring into this Country, they would not sell it to you. And to prevent the possible abuse, the NNRA has made it a law that only one airport in Nigeria is approved for the importation and transportation of radioactive materials into and out of the country. In Nigeria that can only be done at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport. We need to replicate this in some other international airports like Port Harcourt airport, Enugu airport, Kano and even Abuja so that you can bring them through these other airports. There was a time that some of the users of these facilities complained bitterly that they were short-changed because of the high fees they are asked to pay to be able to obtain licenses to operate in Nigeria. Has that been resolved? Actually there is a little fee we charge to enable us carry out our inspection assignment as approved by government and in accordance with the law. The little amount we

Continues on page 37

SATURDAY

Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016—37

Nuclear technology to serve Nigeria electricity soon Continues from page 36 charge is approved by government. But you know that whenever some people have access to the media they can say anything just to make their own side of the story better. But the truth is that nobody is being short-changed in any form because everything we do is with the consent of all our stakeholders. Since I came in as the DG we have been discussing with the stakeholders before action is taken. I realise that we need to work together so that we can achieve much more. We cannot do it alone because some of these materials are being used by the hospitals to save lives while some are being deployed for teaching and research purposes and the fees charged for these categories cannot be at par with those that are meant for commercial and profit-making purposes. Prof, as things are in Nigeria today, can we say with certainty that Nigeria is safe regarding the use of radioactive and nuclear materials? Yes, we can say so. But the point being made is that we have put the necessary processes and personnel in place as required and we believe that the system we are running is in tandem with international best practices. So, given our structures on the ground and our personnel in the field doing the work, we are satisfied that the basic things are in place to secure our nation against possible abuse. What punishment is there for those who abuse the use of nuclear materials in Nigeria?

There are very serious punishments awaiting those who abuse the law. Most of the punishments are prescribed by international statutes which Nigeria is a signatory to. There are a lot of international sanctions. We have tough resolutions regarding sanctions. They include but not limited to Resolutions 1540. Among others, these resolutions cover any abuse and use of nuclear material to harm people and can lead to the arrest and extradition of offenders by the International Police Organisation, Interpol. In Nigeria what are the laws? Nigeria is a signatory to these laws and anybody who breaks them is liable to face the dire consequences imposed. These are international laws and we only need to domesticate them in our law. Now we are reviewing our law to accommodate these issues as well as general issues of nuclear power programme which were not covered in the old law. What would you say you have been able to achieve since you took over as the DG? When I came here I had a lot of issues on my desk but one of the things I have started is what we call strategic plan and monitoring of the organisation. We have started work and it is ongoing. This I think is a major achievement. Once we get this done I think we are in the right track and that will be a major achievement for the organization. How far has it gone?

The plan has been done completely but you know when you do a strategic plan there is a part of it that isn’t published; which is the detailed timelines for all the activities. We are developing it and it is almost completed. So what are your challenges? One of the major challenges for us is to have enough competent individuals because there is a lot of work before us. We are developing a nuclear power programme so that nuclear electricity is added into the country’s energy mix. We haven’t done this before. It is a new type of work. The development of nuclear power is basically to enable us put nuclear electricity in our energy mix so that Nigerians will get electricity from nuclear energy. The project is ongoing and it isn’t a project that can be completed at once. It may take up to 25 years to put this to use. Already, the International Atomic Energy Agency has outlined the 19 infrastructural elements that must be undertaken before nuclear energy can become a reality. It takes a minimum of 10 years but once this technology is in place, it will run for another 100 years. So we need to build the capacity for the different phases of the project. This is a challenge because the technology is foreign as well as the knowhow. We have experience in regulating the radioisotope in the industries; the hospitals, the oil and gas and industrial applications but the new challenge is in the placement of nuclear power programmme for

electricity generation. So we need to train our people to be able to develop regulations for siting, for design and construction and even for the commissioning of the power plants. This is what we have now and there is need for us to have human development in all these areas that I have mentioned. As the head of a nuclear watchdog Agency in Nigeria, what message do you have for Nigerians? The strong message I have for Nigerians is that they should know that NNRA is their friend, and that they should trust the agency for its ability to work and safeguard them at all times. NNRA cares for the Nigerian people because that is our mandate. Nigerians should abide by what we ask them to do because we are saying it from the position of knowledge and expertise meant to protect and defend them from harmful effects of ionizing radiation. This is how it is everywhere. What we say and do is derived from the mandate given us by the government for the overall interest of the country and its people. We are set up to protect Nigerians, to protect life, to protect the environment and the health of the people. What message will you give to those who would want to try to do the opposite? The message I will give them is that they should think twice because NNRA is on the watch and will not spare any offender. We like to assure them that although nobody ever sees radiation, the NNRA has the means and the eyes to detect it and take steps to stop anything harmful to the people.

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s military Head of Statefrom 1984 to 1985, President Muhammadu Buhari A came to power at a time the economy was in

tatters even as some second republic politicians alleged Nigerians were yet to eat from the refuse bins.He introduced the War against Indiscipline (WAI) to force Nigerians exhibit correctethical conduct. WAI gained popularity especially the queue culture that took root in Nigerians even after his ouster from office by his comrades-in- arms. His administration then was criticisedfor human rights abuses regarding freedom, justice and equality. The President during sideline meetings with groups in the course of 2015 presidential campaign explained why some politicians were presumed guilty until proven innocentin his 20-monthmilitary regime. Last year President Buhari came to power in the circumstances similar to 1984. There was the Boko Haram insurgency, oil glut, looting of public funds, crude oil thefts, subsidy scams, and pipeline vandalism and lingering fuel crises.These implosions are results of poor management over the years and financial insolvency that 27 states of the federation could not pay salaries. The effects on the Nigerian economy occupied my subconscious on Easter Monday morning while at the AIT studio ante-room waiting for a scheduled Kakaaki live interview on the lingering fuel crises. While waitingRev. Father George Ehusani, a catholic priest, and the Director of the Lux Terra Leadership Foundationwas on set explaining Jesus Christ’s passion, death, resurrection, and Christianity.I picked his use of economic insurgents in response to a question. Indeed I saw Buhari’sWAI of 30 years ago replicated in the current war against insurgency in Nigeria. An insurgent is someone who rebels against authority or leadership especially somebody who belongs to a group that is involved in an uprising. One equates economic insurgents who have mismanaged Nigeria’s energy infrastructures with Boko Haram insurgents in the northeast. Infrastructures are large scale public systems, services and facilities of a country that are necessary for economic activity.Energy infrastructure is the link between energy production and energy

Buhari’s war against insurgencyand wai consumption.Since 1956 when Shell d’Arcy struck oil in the sleepy hamlet of Oloibiri in the present day Bayelsa State, Nigeria has acquired considerable, relevant and strategic energy infrastructures in the Niger Delta and across the country. With about 159 oilfields and 1481 oil wells in operation in Nigeria we have onshore and offshore oil platforms and rigs, pipelines, refineries, and other process plants, storage facilities, tankers, super tankersand ancillaries.These infrastructures made it possible for Nigeria to generate export revenue to the tune of about 95 percent since

We hope the President could have planned development programmes for communities hosting critical energy infrastructures, Oloibiri for instance is still like a settlement existing as a museum for oil relics

the early 1970s. Nigeria benefitted immensely from the energy infrastructures but have they been used to the greatest benefit for the greatest number?This is where the issue of economic insurgents’and theirpredatory activitieshascalamitous effect on Nigerians. Niger Delta agitatorsalso took advantage of them to unleash terror through kidnapping of oil company workers, pirate activities on our coastal waters and attacks on petroleum pipelines which are critical infrastructures. They employed covert operations against the state via vandalism of oil pipeline and illegal bunkering. It got to a head that oil production dropped to about 700,000 barrels down from about 2.5 million barrels per day in 2008. Theannual revenue accruing to government dropped to about $42.2 billionby 2009.Presidential amnesty was granted agitators that took up arms against the state to boost Nigeria’s revenue base. This piece is not to encourage rebellion of any sort that is condemnable an acceptable norm. It is to underscore the point that economic insurgents equate criminal elements in whatever guise who have taken up arms against the state. This clientage of aristocrats or economic insurgents hasput the country in a cliffhanger. This dull and characterless group arrogated the commonwealth to them; mismanagedand embezzled funds and made the illegal actsof converting public funds into private use

appear legal. Chatham House in the UK revealed that Nigeria loses about $8 billion yearly from Oil theft. But to what extent can President Buhari go in his war against economic insurgents who have stashed about $150 billion in world financial hubs of London, New York, Singapore, as well as Cayman Islands, Cairo and Dubai?Repatriating stolen crude oil money stashed away in these hubs could be the fulcrum for Nigeria’s social-economic development. Cardinally he made insecurity, corruption and employment his campaign tools to battle.Our irrepressible President is encouraged to use the WAI against economic insurgents to enable him provide good governance.It is learnt that some highly placed former government officials that have been investigated for financial crimes could not access their accounts using their credit cards in the Middle East. We hope the President could have planned development programmes for communities hosting critical energy infrastructures. Oloibiri for instance is still like a settlement existing as a museum for oil relics. Oil communities hosting energy infrastructures live in abject poverty and squalor alongside opulent and affluent oil companies’ settlements. Ad-hoc development strategies that do not really trickle to the down trodden should be avoided.He should meet the yearnings and aspirations of these peoplewho for about six decades cried against injustice meted by companies that ravaged their natural habitat. As we are on the verge of dislodging Boko Haram, as well as exploring and producing petroleum from the Lake Chad Basin let us not make the mistake of the Niger Delta where upsurge in unauthorized quasi-military groups using weapons, arms and ammunitions are giving our defence forces and security services extra duty in the creeks. We are happy the recent shuttles to the Middle East North Africa (MENA) countries have started yielding results. The recent visit of the President to Equatorial Guinea is a step in the right direction to stem the tide of criminalities in the Gulf of Guinea. These would reduce if not eliminate economic insurgency.

38—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016

UNORTHODOX GOVERNMENT POLICIES:

Nigerians groan, Dangote speaks By Agaju Madugba

everal months after Nigerians went to the polls in April last year to effect a change of leadership of the country, reports

show that government may have done little or nothing to meet the expectations of the masses. Three months into the new year, there is no budget for the implementation of fiscal policies of government. In an apparent bid to curb corruption and what has been described as leakages, government at the inception of this administration introduced a policy of Treasury Single Account, among several other measures including its decision to ensure that government officials who are found to have abused their positions during the immediate past administration are brought to book. The anti-corruption drive has attracted so much publicity to the extent that a cross section of the people appear to ignore the plight and general welfare of the masses. Reports also indicate a number of civil servants from across the states have not received their salaries for several months due to certain staff verification exercises along with claimed cash crunch. Electricity power supply has virtually become non-existent in several parts of the country and there appears to be no fuel and other petroleum products at while fuel and other petroleum products are not available at the filling stations.

Unorthodox policies

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) took over the reins of leadership of the country on May 29, 2015. Riding on its slogan of “Change,” the APC defeated the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which had earlier ruled the country for about 15 years and left Nigeria in bad shape. But a cross section of Nigerians have continued to groan under certain economic policies of the current government as well as dwindling revenue from oil, the country’s major source of revenue. Months after President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office, the nation’s economy plunged into

C M Y K

crisis apparently aided by the sudden fall in the price of crude oil in the international market. According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS), year-on-year growth from October 2015 reduced to 2.11 per cent from 2.84 per cent earlier recorded during the third quarter of the year. A NUPENG official, Tokunbo Korodo, notes that the one-day strike action by oil workers cannot be said to be responsible for the crippling scarcity of petroleum products nationwide as he argues that the problem may persist except the Federal Government addresses the foreign exchange issue. Nigeria’s currency currently trades at about 300 to the dollar at the black market. This is far above the official rate of between N197 and N199 to the dollar. As Korodo put it, “there had been fuel scarcity before the strike but it is important for the government to address the exchange rate problem.” Apart from this, Nigerians have also continued to witness electricity blackout as reports indicate that residents in parts of the country receive as low as between two to three hours of electricity per day. This also comes on the heels of the recent hike in tariff where Nigerians are forced to pay for services not rendered. The impact of this on the economy is as devastating as the non availability of fuel. Cost of production of goods have since skyrocketed which may explain the increase in the cost of goods. Figures from the Transmission Company of Nigeria indicate that electricity power distributed to the various distribution companies has dropped significantly, which is also traceable to inconsistent availability of petroleum products as well as the dwindling fortunes of the naira against other foreign currencies. As the Managing Director of Jos Electricity Distribution Company, Alhaji Mohammed Modibbo, explains, the new investors in the power sector inherited dilapidated infrastructure which must be replaced to enhance efficiency. According to him, “some transformers more than 50 years old and certainly could not cope with even basic distribution. So, the little upward review will help to mitigate negative cash flow that has bedevilled the sector. The distribution companies also get the heat because without adequate funds, they cannot procure meters,

extend distribution networks and provide improved customer service options of automated vending, online billing payment and setting up of customers’ centres.” As at January, reports showed that Nigerian stocks fell to a three year low in reaction to the continued fall in oil prices which dropped to below $30 a barrel. For a country whose monetary policies are tagged “unorthodox,” the Central Bank of Nigeria imposed certain restrictions which at the end of the day, analysts say, may have indeed aided the naira to slide.

It’s a state of anarchy

For a frontline politician and former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Balarabe Musa, the nation’s socio-economic system faces an imminent collapse except government takes immediate measures to correct what he calls the anarchy in the land. Musa told Saturday Vanguard that, “there is so much suffering in the land, there is anarchy everywhere. Something has to be done, otherwise there is going to be a complete collapse of the system. Government has to find ways of tackling the unacceptable level of poverty and also intensify the antcorruption drive. And government too has to, in all its undertakings, consider what is of public interest first before personal interest.

Managing crisis

However, Africa’s richest man and President, Dangote Industries, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, believes that there is actually no cause for alarm even in the face of the obvious socio-economic hardship in the country as he canvasses the diversification of the economy. “If we don’t diversify the economy now, then we would never do it,” Dangote says, adding that, “I think people are under estimating the economy of Nigeria. They

just go and look at foreign exchange

•Dangote

and concluded that, because price of oil has gone down, it means that everything has gone out of the window. That is not correct, in some areas, yes, depending on your business. Sometimes, crisis is also an opportunity, so you use it very well so that the crisis should not happen to you. “I think the one quick policy, which is what we have been talking about is diversification of the economy. This is the right

moment. I know in Nigeria, once the oil price goes up to $80, nobody will diversify, we would go back to our misbehaviour. Government should be very specific and come out with clear policy that we would support. And the implementation has to be monitored. If we don’t do it now, we would never do it. Nigerian firms should learn to export Nigerian goods that can be very competitive. We don’t have to export goods from here to East Africa. We have 15 countries in the ECOWAS region, which are duty-free. At the moment, most of the companies are not geared up for export which I think is a big mistake because when you have more volume, you can make more money and become more competitive. The scenario of export is that if I meet up with my domestic market, I can actually take the excess and dump it in another country. It will give me much more profit. The issue is about capacity. If you have it fine.”

SATURDAY Vanguard,

APRIL 2, 2016—39

Victims of Mile 12 market fracas abandoned in misery BY CHARLES ADINGUPU & OGHENE OMONISA

he violence which Terupted at the popular Mile 12

Market in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos seems to be over but the dust it generated is yet to settle. Agility, a suburb in the area was the battlefield of the hostility. When Saturday Vanguard visited the community at the weekend, scars of the fracas were still visible. Charred remains of burnt vehicles, broken bottles, smashed window panes, burnt buildings among others, still littered every nook and cranny. Today, Agility has become a sanctuary of uncertainty, fear and despair as residents in the community who are innocent victims of the tragedy have been abandoned on the wing of misery.

Victims count losses A young man who gave his name simply as Abayomi, told Saturday Vanguard that “Arewa (Northern) boys in a reprisal attack invaded Agility because they were of the strong opinion that virtually all the houses in the community were owned and built by Yoruba. “Hence, you find fallen buildings and damaged properties more visible at Agility. It’s indeed sad that the government has abandoned us in spite of the colossal losses and waste of human lives.” Abayomi who disclosed that his teenage brother was knocked down by the invaders’ bullets while trying to make an escape, lamented that the Lagos State Governor, Akinwumi Ambode visited the area just once and they never heard from him again. “The Lagos State Governor came four days after the crisis. But ironically, he never alighted from his official vehicle, and that was all”, he said. In a similar vein, John Abba who lived in a block of six flats located at No. 18 Aina Road just at the mouth of Ibrahim Bus stop, the hotspot of the crisis, disclosed to the Saturday Vanguard that he was yet to recover from the damage of his wife’s hairdressing salon by a tipper driver only for his house to be burnt. “It was barely two weeks when a tipper driver, chased by some policemen from Owode, veered off the road and into my wife’s hair dressing saloon, while trying to escape. And all my properties were destroyed when the Arewa boys set the compound ablaze,” he said. Abba who is a businessman and into paramedics said he lost ultra scan machines, including other computerized equipment and two heavy duty powergenerating sets. Apart from his personal effects and those of his family members, Abba estimated his loss at about six million naira (N6 million). Also, Christian Duru, co-tenant of Abba who lived in the front flat, told Saturday Vanguard that his family members were more concerned with their lives than to savage any of their properties. “They burnt everything I had laboured for all my life. You can see the split airconditioner but you can’t see any other thing apart from these debris”, he lamented, referring to his burnt properties. For him, it was difficult to place monetary value on his properties because, according to him, they were much, including those of his five children and his wife, but added that five million naira (N5 million) would help to

•John Abba

•Christian Duru

•Madam Omawumi Adeoye cushion the effects of their hardship. For 75-year-old grandmother, Madam Omawumi Adeoye her provision shop built at the front of No. 20 Aina Road was levelled to the ground, perhaps, with the items in the shop removed first by the hoodlums. “Please tell Governor Ambode to look into our plight”, she agonized. “That was the only means of my livelihood given to me by my children. Now, where do I begin from? I lost all the items in the shop: bags of garri, rice, beans, large quantity of cooking condiments and provisions as well.” The landlord of Glorious Destiny Nursery and Primary School, close to the popular Ibrahim Bus stop, Pa Oduwole said that apart from the roofs of his buildings which were burnt, the store housing his rental business equipment was destroyed and all the items set ablaze. Oduwole said that he would required nothing less than seven million naira (N7 million) to effect repairs on his damaged properties. A commercial bus driver, Ekene Okonkwo who said that his vehicle was set ablaze also disclosed that not less than 15 keke Marwa (commercial tricycles) and okada (motorcycles) were burnt and destroyed during the fracas. “For must of us, that was the only means of our survival. I wonder what next. Perhaps, we should now resume as touts in the different parks in Lagos”, he said. The structure of a white garment church otherwise known as Cherubim and Seraphim was pulled down by the

•Pa Oduwole ravaging mob that would stop at nothing to wreck havoc on the entire community. Escape by whisker Christian Duru still continues counting his blessings as his family members would have been wiped away from the surface of the earth. “I was away when the crisis started but my six children and their mother locked up themselves in the house. When the mob sensed there were people in the house, they used burnt tyres to pull down the gate to my flat but my family escaped unhurt through the back door”, he said. But for Madam Adeoye, who abandoned her shop during the crisis, it took four hefty men to lift her over the high wall to the other street to make for her escape. For Pa Oduwole, while the rioters were trying to pull down the gate of the school compound, the teachers in their wisdom, brought ladder which aided the escape of the pupils of Glorious Destiny Nursery and Primary School. Governor Ambode’s joker The large presence of armed police and army personnel shows that uneasy calm still envelops the community. But the people are disturbed by the quick turnaround decision of Governor Ambode to reopen the market when residents who lost their loved ones and properties have not been compensated. According to Abayomi, “We thought the Lagos State Governor would close the market for a reasonable period of

time or relocate it, but we were surprised that not less than two weeks later, he, Ambode announced the reopening of the market. “The Logos State Government was scared that Ogun State would take over the market as Governor Amosun has prepared a place for the traders. Barely a day afterwards, Governor Ambode reopened the market”, said he. Okonkwo, the commercial bus driver noted that the attitude of the state government had shown that Lagos was only interested in the huge sum of money generated on daily bases from the market and not in the well-being of the innocent victims of the crisis. “It is a shame. We are citizens of this country. We should be rehabilitated and compensated as well because we are tax payers”, he lamented. Duru disclosed that after Governor Ambode’s visit to the crisis-ridden community, a group of men claimed that they were sent by the Logos State Government to compile names of victims and properties destroyed, obviously for onward transmission to the Lagos State Government for compensation. However, Pa Oduwole who said that he wrote his name with Duru on the government list, lamented that almost two weeks after that exercise, nothing had happened. “We have not heard from either the state or the local government. It is becoming clearer on each passing day that the exercise was a fluke, another government gimmick,” he said. Abayomi said that the arrangement might have been hatched by some clever politicians to tamper with government funds in the guise of paying compensation to victims of Mile 12 Market crisis. “You may be surprised to know that some elements might have laid claim to the money budgeted for compensation, while the real victims were left in hopeless despair. But one day the truth will emerged,” he said. Bleak Easter celebration Since the crisis, family members have been forcefully divided as they sought for shelter at churches and public places. For Christian Duru, his six children and wife are currently living in their church located in the community, pending when succour will come their way. “The condition under which my family is currently living, one could hardly think of comfort talkless of celebrating Easter”, he said. Abba also disclosed that his family members are seeking refuge in his church in the community, adding that they survive on gestures by public-spirited individuals. He added that other tenants who could not find refuge anywhere in the community have relocated to places where they can at least have peace. “Here in Agility, we sleep with one eyes closed, even if security personnel are scattered everywhere. It is not a guaranty that we are safe”, he said. Abba expressed fear that compensations meant for genuine innocent victims of the crisis may be diverted by some unscrupulous individuals whose stock in trade is to see the poor man suffers to death. He urged the Lagos State Government not to abandon them in their miseries because they are Nigerians. Abayomi, who called for the relocation of the market, enjoined the Lagos State Governor to ignore monetary benefits of the market but concentrate on the physical and social well-being of her citizens.

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40 — Vanguard, SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 2016

US TREATY ROOM:

Nigeria, US to build stronger diplomatic ties

t the Treaty Room, US State Department,

Washington, D.C., both US Secretary of State, John Kerry and Nigerian Foreign Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, deliberated on ways US and Nigeria would enjoy broader, healthier and stronger diplomatic ties, which also included security issues, issues related to economic development and governance. Following President Buhari’s July 20 -22 visit to the US, where both President Buhari and Secretary Kerry underscored the need to strengthen and revitalise the BNC to advance the overall relationship and spur joint action on key issues, the high level deliberation which turned out a full day’s meeting on how to reinvigorate the BNC, also identified Nigeria as a country that is vital to all of Africa, to all interests in so many different ways. The forum identified Security Cooperation, Economic Growth and Development, Govern-

•Geoffrey Onyeama, Foreign Minister

ance and Democracy as three areas of focus, and then set out proposed joint goals for each agreed area of focus. Both sides however, jointly determined to further take

•John Kerry, US Secretary of State

actions to advance US-Nigeria security cooperation to promote peace and security in Nigeria, especially in the northeastern Nigeria and

the broader Lake Chad region. While pointing out that Nigeria has huge potential, a very rich culture, and like the United States, a diverse country with a very large and assertive civil society, Secretary Kerry said, the US government want Nigeria to succeed, and not saying that with any element of patronizing or arrogant or any kind

of view other than the fact that they know there are challenges. According to him, “We are all aware that the world right now is facing many different challenges in terms of governance in various parts of the world and for various reasons, such as absence of capital, absence of structure, having to build capacity. And some people sometimes are very revisionist in America about our own history, but we have gone through some very difficult periods and very difficult issues and how can you avoid mistakes that we have made in the course of our own development in ways that can embrace the hopes and the aspirations of millions upon millions of people.” To this light, the BNC noted the continued threat to peace and security posed by Boko Haram, which is now an affiliate of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the US government, reaffirmed its support for Nigeria and its neighbors in countering the threat. Nigeria economy, Boko Haram, education Kerry said that the US government is very encouraged by President Buhari’s commitment to an economy that is more diversified, less dependent on a single commodity for export earnings, stressing that “It means we need to develop sustainability, and sustainable growth depends on a climate that is welcoming to investment and respectful of the environment and of workers’ rights. You can develop in ways that protect the environment and also are competitive and provide

jobs for people.” Although, Nigeria’s future is in Nigerians’ hands, Kerry continued, but the United States is here to help to meet those needs, to listen carefully, to understand what it is that Nigeria believe is necessary. He also pointed out measure to counter violent extremism and encourage defections from Boko Haram and eliminate sources of terrorist financing. His words, “The US government is working together with the Nigerian government to try to fight illiteracy, especially in the country’s north, where the lack of opportunity has been holding people back, and where the terrorist organization, Boko Haram, has murdered thousands and disrupted the lives of millions. The situation was noted as an outrage that any group anywhere would brainwash young people, including little girls, to strap explosives to their bodies and walk into an open marketplace with the intent of murdering their own families, neighbors, and themselves, “That is what Boko Haram does. And that is why these terrorists have to be stopped and why the United States of America and President Obama are deeply committed to help Nigeria in this struggle.” Kerry continued, “Under President Buhari, Nigeria has been taking the fight to Boko Haram and it has reduced Boko Haram’s capacity to launch full-scale attacks. However, the group still remains a threat, a serious threat to the entire region.

Muslim kills another Muslim for spreading peace message at Easter

newsagent murdered A after posting an Easter greeting online was allegedly

killed by a fellow Muslim who travelled from 200 miles away. Asad Shah, 40, was stabbed to death in his shop in what is feared to have been a sectarian attack against the peace-loving branch of Islam he followed. Hours before his murder, he had written on Facebook: ‘Good Friday and very Happy Easter, especially to my beloved Christian nation.’ The bearded killer is understood to have travelled from his home in Bradford to Mr Shah’s store in Glasgow. The newsagent was stabbed up to 30 times with a kitchen knife and his head was stamped on in the brutal attack on Thursday. Police suspect the incident was ‘religiously prejudiced’. It is claimed Mr Shah was set upon because he belonged to the Ahmadi community, which promotes peace and tolerance but has been persecuted by members of orthodox Islamic sects in Pakistan. His murder is believed to be the first major antiAhmadi incident in the UK, and has sparked fears Islamic sectarianism has spread to Britain. Police have arrested a 32year-old Muslim man belonging to the rival Sunni

C M Y K

•Asad Shah

sect over the murder. Detectives are investigating the theory that the attacker became enraged over faithrelated messages that the newsagent posted on his Facebook page. Mr Shah’s family say they now live in fear of retribution in the wake of the attack. Speaking on the condition that his name was not published, one of the shopkeeper’s three brothers said: ‘We have to be careful now about our own security. We are scared for our lives. ‘The police have told us to be careful about what we say.’ Mr Shah’s widow fought back tears as she described her husband as a ‘kind man who was always smiling’. Another of the victim’s brothers, who now lives in the US, said the Pakistani family moved to Glasgow in the late 1990s and opened the shop in the Shawlands area. ‘The people of Glasgow

and Shawlands were so welcoming and we became part of the community,’ he said.’[Asad] knew all his customers by name and sometimes they would just come in for a chat. ‘’He was a calm and patient man and did not mind where people were from or what religion they were. ‘He liked everyone. He would give people cards for Christmas and for Easter as he knew it was important to them.’’ Last night, another Ahmadi Muslim in Glasgow said: ‘The last I’ve heard of people experiencing sectarianism like we do was in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. ‘Orthodox Muslims consider us to be blasphemers.’ Family friend Mohammad Faisal said a bearded Muslim man wearing a long religious garment spoke angrily to Mr Shah in his native language before stabbing him up to 30 times in the head. Mr Faisal added: ‘It was just a clear-cut revenge attack. For posting messages about peace, messages about greeting fellow Christians and Jews – other people from different beliefs.’ Police in Scotland yesterday confirmed that the suspect will appear in court tomorrow.

Culled from The Mail, London

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2 , 2016—41

B-R-I-E-F-S

Lagos cautions wor workker erss on deep well digging

$1.65bn Lekki Seaport for completion in 2019 — Ambode Stories by Olasunkanmi Akoni

AGOS State Governor, Mr. Akin wunmi Ambode on Thursday reeled out the numerous investment opportunities that abound in the state to wouldbe investors in critical sectors such as Power, Agriculture, Transportation, Health, Tourism, Housing, ICT and Manufacturing, just as he assured that the state is open more than ever before for greater business. Governor Ambode, who spoke in Lagos at the formal unveiling of the Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment, otherwise known as Lagos Global, said in anticipation of the increased socioeconomic activities, his administration has resolved to prioritize the achievement of the four pillars of the Lagos State Development Plan (2012-2015) which included economic development, infrastructural development, social development and security, and sustainable environment. The Lagos Global, which is an initiative of the Ambode administration, is a one-stop shop designed to encourage ease of doing business and help to turn Lagos into Africa’s model megacity and global economic and financial hub that is safe, secure, functional and productive. Governor Ambode, who was represented at the unveiling by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, said that the efforts put in place so far have ensured that the state remained the desired business having attracting massive Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) such as the $1.65 billion Lekki Deep Seaport. He assured that the seaport would be completed in 2019 and upon completion will be the deepest seaport in SubSaharan Africa, adding that the Badagry Creek Industrial Park, a $1.3billion investment meant for completion in 2018 and the $12 billion Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Park were among other investments coming to the State. The Governor recalled his inaugural speech on May 29, 2015, where he stated the commitment of his administration to make Lagos an investment destination of choice by creating a favourable environment for local and Foreign Direct Investment. He said: “As the world continues to acknowledge Lagos as a regional financial hub, we as government have demonstrated the commitment to strengthen this position through deliberate policies aimed at improving the business climate in our state. “In this regard, we have successfully placed Lagos on investors’ radar by putting in place effective legal and regulatory frameworks such as the Land Reform Act, Double Taxation treaties, Limited Liability Reviews and the development of Free Trade Zones. Likewise, the on-going judicial reform is aimed at strengthening our laws for the protection of enterprise. “Similarly, the conscious efforts of our administration at public infrastructure development and maintenance as indicated by an efficient Bus Rapid Transit(BRT), transporting over 200,000 passengers daily, functional Integrated Power Projects, enhanced security and access roads to sea and airports among others, have underscored our determination to make Lagos a functional megacity,” Governor Ambode said. Earlier in his welcome address, SpeC M Y K

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (3rd right), presenting a birthday card to National Leader, All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (3rd left) during a reception in honour of Asiwaju’s 64th birthday in Abuja, recently. (R-L) With them are Commissioner for Women Affairs & Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Lola Akande; Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem; Commissioner for Tourism, Arts & Culture, Mr. Folorunsho Folarin Coker and Special Adviser, Food Security, Mr. Ganiu Okanlomo Sanni.

cial Adviser to the Governor on Overseas Affairs and Investment, Professor Ademola Abass said the office was created by the current administration to

act as one-stop shop with the mandate of promoting foreign investment into the state and managing export our of the state.

Commuters stranded as LAGBUS drivers withdraw buses from road LAGBUS,LAMATA intervene

HOUSANDS of Lagos commuters were yesterday, stranded at various bus stops following, withdrawal of Red buses of the LAGBUS drivers over presumed government policy. The commuters woke up to a great shock to discover that the Red Buses of the Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, had been withdrawn from the road. The major reason for the strike by one of the staff at Berger area of Lagos who did not identify himself, told Saturday Vanguard that the state government had barred the red LAGBUS operators from using the dedicated BRT lane from Mile12 to CMS. Irked by the policy statement credited to the state government, the drivers down tools, in what they called a warning protest.

The development left many commuters who patronises red buses stranded for several hours. However, later in the day normalcy returned as the bus drivers resumed work after the management intervened. It was gathered the the said government policy was found to be “untrue and a total misinformation.” Reacting to the development, Mrs. Yemi Adesoye, LAGBUS Public Affairs Officer, said the issue had been resolved. According to her, “Everything had been resolved as I speak to you. Actually, there was specylation tgat LAGBUS had been restricted from using BRT lane but the managements of both LAGBUS and Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authourity, LAMATA met this afternoon and have resolved it. “The drivers have resumed normal business on all the routes. One of the regular passengers of the red bus, Mr. Dele Ayoade, described the development as “harrowig and frustrating”

Illegal dredging: Riverine residents cr cryy out to Ambode over threat to life, livelihood

esidents of Riverine Otodo-gbame Community, in Eti-Osa Local Government Area Wednesday, stormed the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja protesting over the activities of dredgers which they claimed threatens their way of life and environment. Nigerian slum/informal settlement Federation has also expressed its solidarity with the community. “We are deeply concerned about the plight of our brothers and sisters in the face of the massive dredging and sandflling project on going in the neighbouring lagoon.” The protesters, numbering hundreds, therefore, appealed to Lagos State Government, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and relevant organs of government for immediate intervention to stop the ongoing dredging in the community which has caused environmental degradation of the area. It will be recalled that community was recently, plagued with outbreak of a disease known as febrile rash illnesses, which killed several children. Also, the state government had ordered stop-work to all dredgers in the state following their illegal activities and

degradation of the environment. The protesters displayed placards with various inscriptions such as: Stand up for Otodo-gbame, no illegal dredging, no sandfilling, Otodogbame people are endangered, save our community, Lagos State government implement Abuja habitat III declaration, among others.” The group, who was led by the Chief Baale of the community, Hunkpe Dansu, called for immediate intervention of the governor and agencies before they were wiped out. In a letter sent to the governor was titled; “Urgent Appeal for immediate stop to ongoing dredging and sand-filling threatening Otodo-gbame Community and surroundings,” Dansu said, “We the Otodo-gbame Community, an ancestral fishing village are urgently appealing to your Excellency, and relevant authorities, including the state Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure for an immediate stop to the on-going dredging and sand-filling of Otodo-gbame Lagoon by one f the dredging companies in the area in the employ of Lekki Gardens.

agos State Government has urged residents, especially, L artisans to strictly adhere to basic

safety tips guiding the digging, rehabilitation and working inside a deep well or confined space. Lagos State Fire Service Director, Mr. Rasak Fadipe who gave the advice, lamented that over 26 rescue emergency calls were received between last year till date on domestic well drowning or confined space trapping which he described as “alarming”. While calling on the general public particularly, those whose activities revolve round working inside deep well or confined space to take necessary safety precautions, Fadipe pledged the agency’s readiness to partner and support well diggers towards the provision of protectors such as helmet, breathing apparatus, among others. He said the call became necessary following incessant incidents and the recent one at Ojodu Berger area of Lagos State where two men were trapped inside an underground tank of a petrol station during a rehabilitation exercise. “Bearing in mind constant occurrence of people been trapped in either confined space or inside deep well, it calls for concern and must be tackled professionally in order to prevent future occurrences.” He recalled further, a case of a woman who was recovered inside the deep well after being declared missing for four days at Ijegun, outskirt of Lagos.

Housing deficits: Govt launches new home schemes for residents he Lagos State Governor, Mr. T Akinwunmi Ambode, has approved the creation of three new

residential schemes for allocation to residents in the state as part of efforts to meet the housing needs of residents. Permanent Secretary, Lands Bureau, Mr. Bode Agoro, who disclosed this, reiterated the commitment of the present administration to alleviate the hardship faced by the citizens in securing comfortable accommodation at an affordable price in the state. The schemes are: Safe Court Gardens in Ijanikin, Treasure Park in Badagry and Prince Court in Sangotedo, Lekki. According to Agoro, they were carefully designed to ensure that allottees live in comfortable homes in a safe, clean and peaceful environment. He noted that the schemes will be unique, well managed and constructed with quality infrastructure to show government determination and willingness to provide sustainable property investment. While urging potential buyers to take advantage of the initiative, Agoro stated that the government adopted the Off-Plan Sales method for allocation of the schemes as against the previous conventional method of allocation in the state. He explained that the concept is to buy a property Off-Plan at current price and when infrastructural development is completed in a year or so later, the capital appreciation would have made it worth much more. “This is the first time in the history of Lands Bureau that such method of allocation is being adopted”, he said.

42—SATURDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 2, 2016

‘T ricy cle aut onom ould ‘Tricy ricycle autonom onomyy w would actualise standardized operation of the sect or’ sector’

or more empowerment of Nigerians, for security and also to keep actualising the purpose of the Federal Government on NAPEP project in the country, former chairman, Board of NAPEP and then coordinator of some of the intervention programmes of the Federal Government 2011, Otunba Dotun Adegbola, said the only way sanity, accountability, transparency could reign in the transport system is to create more autonomy that would affiliate to either NLC or TUC to push the industry for further development. Now Chairman of Elders Council, Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN), Adegbola in the spirit of one Nigeria urged other existing unions that made their choice of affiliation to NLC to allow newly formed one to make its choice of affiliation, and also allow TOAN which is registered under the provisions of the Trade Unions Act CAP T.14 of 2004 as amended by the Trade Unions Act 2005, with the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette to operate peacefully. According to Adegbola, the philosophy of NAPEP was to eradicate poverty and part of the intervention programme was Keke that was introduced to the scheme. I got to meet all of them through the programme because I was in charge. So, because it was meant to reduce unemployment we had reduced the cost by 50% and to make it further comfortable we told them to pay N10,000.00 per month after initial deposit of N80,000 so that N120,000 will balance to make N200,000. But it’s difficult to collect the money without getting them into a kind of association. That was the beginning of this association we registered. We also registered a cooperative where they started paying regularly and all that. Then the purpose for which Federal Government started this programme has been fulfilled with millions of families surviving on this project. But today, buying one unit close to N500,000.00, as the same amount a Tukunbo car is costing, it should not be. “In India, China it’s the cheapest item of transportation and in all the countries that are using it. For Keke it should not be so. Considering this development, even though I had left they called me back to come

and be a member of the board of trustees and over time we’ve tried all our best to really get the association into one indivisible unit and it has been very tough and rough. However he said, if you go round the country today, you will hear so many associations of Keke and different names because it has not been properly coordinated for the purpose of registering them into a unified system. But somehow in the last five years these young men started pursuing that noble objective of making it a union, otherwise they were just merely working in affiliation with either National Union especially in Lagos or Road Transport Workers Union. Ideally we don’t have the same jurisdiction. The three wheeler is an intra city thing, but the National and the Road are inter states, even intercontinental. “Before now, I have always had the vision that the only way I can impact on all these people who keep calling me is to join them and register a union, and with the registration of TOAN now affiliated to Trade Union Congress (TUC), for the purpose of organisation, I look forward in the future where we can assemble all these things in Nigeria. “TOAN is peace embracing union and we are not here to fight anybody but for the peace and protection of our members. In addition, Deputy President of Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria, Comrade Babatunde Ayenogun, (aka) Holy Michael, said

we had a convention in Abuja, 2012 there it was settled that there must be a unified body of tricycle operators in Nigeria and today it has been achieved well gazetted, and this January

government awarded u s Certificate of Trade Union Congress. “Our m a j o r challenge now is that our members are driven out of parks and garages in Lagos and t h o s e parks and garage belongs to l o c a l governments and not t h e unions. National matron of t h e Association, …......... said, we would ensure t h a t training, insurance packages, education on how to operate safely and abide by rules of regulation o f government guiding t h e tricycle system.

CUMMINS expands for power solutions aking a look at today’s challenging business in mind; by bringing the business closer to them. We are also T environment, a wide range of power offering a wider variety of products.” companies are constantly striving to enhance “Power is key to any organization and we want to make reliability, profitability and efficiency, while trying to improve overall environmental performance and compliance. Cummins leads the line in the Nigerian power generation ecosystem with their range of products tailored towards the needs of several business groups. The importance of power as a sub sector of the energy industry of a country can never be overemphasized, as power is significant to the development of different aspects of the economy. As a matter of fact, infrastructural advancements form the crux of both technological and human capital development; all of which translates into the roots, stem and leaf system that help to grow the economy of a country. It is the realization of these facts that Cummins West Africa Limited is proffering power solutions to tackle one of the major challenges faced by many African countries today. The company recently commissioned a showroom at Akin Adesola, Victoria Island the metropolitan heart of Lagos. Power generation products and filtration will be available at the showroom and in addition 24/7 aftermarket service will be provided. According to the Managing Director Cummins West Africa Limited, Kwame GyanTawiah. “at Cummins, we are always implementing ways to satisfy our customers and enabling them have easy access to us. We decided to open the new outlet here at Akin Adesola, Victoria Island with our customers and prospects

ourselves readily available to provide this solution hence our expansion. We are also working towards opening more showrooms in the nearest future to meet the needs of our customers in various locations.” Also speaking about the state of the art showroom; Marketing Manager, Cummins West Africa, Mrs. Foluso Adeyemi threw light on other services and products that Cummins provide. According to her, “we offer a complete range of products including engines, alternators and control panels all of which form our ‘The Power Of One’ product; which includes generator drives, engines, electronic controls, turbo chargers, filtration systems, fuel systems, exhaust handling systems, alternators and optional control systems. We provide necessary support before and after the delivery of equipment. “Cummins gen sets are more fuel efficient and results in substantial savings in terms of operation costs. We offer exclusive 12 months unlimited hours warranty on all our products and have efficient and effective aftermarket support nationwide as well as Bank Financing with convenient repayment tenors up until 24 months with Stanbic IBTC and Diamond Bank. Also available is 24 months warranty option for 24 months, or 4,000 hours. Its state-of-art in-house canopy fabrication facility produces high quality products as per Cummins Power Generation standards and engineered to meet the rugged Nigerian environmental conditions. Their product passes through stringent quality checks for defects, design, manufacturing conformity and optimum quality. CWAL is part of Cummins Diesel Distribution Business in Nigeria. They offer complete factory assembled package and all major components are manufactured by Cummins.

(L-R) Chief Operating Officer, Weco Systems International Limited. Nnamdi Onyebuchi; Territory Business Manager Sales, Cisco Systems, Eberechi Nkoro; Telecom / Network Officer, Diamond Bank, Charles Ifinedo and Solutions Manager, Mobility and MPLS Omotunde Ogunbiyi, of Weco Systems during Weco/Cisco Enterprise Mobility Workshop in Lagos. .

SMEs, entrepreneurs need skills for devt

onsidering the role of SMEs and entrepreneurship in economic growth and development, and the rising need to develop young C Nigerians after leaving school for self empowerment, Founder, Avantaj

Skills Development Centre, Bunmi Aino, while delivering a paper on how to register and groom business in Nigeria, said, we empower people in soft tone and capacity development because we realised that government can’t provide employment for everybody. So, we are trying to impact knowledge to our teeming youths on how to help themselves set up businesses and manage it in the absence of white collar job. According Aino, in the course of this skill development programme, we have discovered that so many people are in business but they don’t even know why they are in business; whether to make money, name or charity. But through skill development, they will be able to know their purpose and remain focused. “Unfortunately, majority of SMEs don’t keep proper records and this is one of the areas we want to expose to know – how to keep proper business records. This also has been one of the reasons why most of them when they approach banks for loans they found it difficult because banks would like to know your business book keeping up to date. Again, beyond that, business in Nigeria needs infrastructure, good roads and power among others to survive. However, our mission is give advantage to school leavers who are out of school and they don’t know the next thing to do, since the white collar job is no longer there and you want to start something. We want to let them know they can start from where ever they are and with what they have.

FGS Alumni inaugurates to promote community empowerment eeing the need and also a way to contribute to economic development of the country through community empowerment, S job creation and others, as part of its vision, Festac Grammar School

Class of 98 Alumni Association, at inauguration is ready to give back to the school and its environs empowerments that would change lives, especially its members and to advance lifelong love of learning, responsible citizenship, and personal integrity. As part of its mission also, the Association is to provide young Nigerian boys and girls (secondary school students), an opportunity to participate in a comprehensive educational, scholarship, community service, leadership training, social and spiritual experience that prepare them for leadership and service in our society. According to the coordinator, Dagogo Gerald, the general purpose of this Association is to promote the general welfare and effectiveness of Festac Grammar School, strengthening the ties between former students and the School. In addition, Kwunji Aderunke, a member said, the essence of this gathering and group is to empower the unemployed among us, raise capital for some that want to venture into small business enterprises as we can. In the same vein, Henry Ekpe, another member said, we are setting up the foundation and that is why we have set up a committee that would organise for election of the association and set up Board of Trustees and that would make it a total and a complete association. He said,the essence of the association is to give back to the society. “We want to empower the school and the community at large”.

Diamond Bank rewards 300 loyal customers with N20,000 cash-back

iamond Bank customers are in for a great time as the Bank is offering N20, 000 cash-back reward to users of its Visa debit D card for transactions on POS or online stores during the Easter period.

The offer started from March 23 to April 8, 2016, and extends to only debit card transactions on POS and online stores within Nigeria. Seventy five winners will emerge every week with a total of 300 winners expected to emerge at the end of the promotion. To qualify for the bumper reward, a debit card user would have to carry out at least five transactions in a week with a cumulative minimum sum of N30,000. Debit card holders who carry out POS/ WEB transactions for the first time within the period of the promotion will be given priority. According to management source, winners will be credited with a cash-back of the maximum amount they spent on a single transaction within the week with the maximum amount pegged at N20,000. Diamond Bank has carved a niche as a technology driven bank. The Diamond Debit Card is accepted for payment at millions of merchant locations worldwide with up to 35 percent discount at partner merchant outlets. It also provides added protection and security on customers’ online transactions.

SATURDAY Vanguard,

Why II showcase showcase African women, woman, lend voice voice to to the the voiceless

BY ISHOLA BALOGUN

gaga Favour, a top media personality, TV presenter, writer, radio host and media consultant is known for reporting human angle stories and issues about young women on both radio and TV shows. Her column also endears her to people who see her as unrelenting and a die-hard activist for the cause of women. Recently, she spoke passionately on why she remains focused on the cause of women. According to her, her main objective was to support the African Woman, showcase her achievements, lend a voice to the voiceless woman, while encouraging her to develop herself. Favour is poised to also bring to expose, through her programmes, every injustice perpetuated on the woman. “I am very passionate about issues affecting the African Woman, the challenges, struggles and injustice she faces. I know what it means to be a victim of injustice. It is my hope to see the average African Woman treated with respect, love and care. I am willing to go to any length for the voiceless woman on the streets. It is my desire that all women succeed in all spheres of life. “This is why I write and blog about woman, my radio show is

— Ogaga Favour

• I’m willing to go any length for women

•Ogaga Favour

about woman and also the TV show which I co-anchor, (Voice of Eve) is also about the woman. It is all about women empowerment, enlightenment, reorientation and absolute belief in herself that she can go places if only she chooses to.” “My goal is to go beyond borders and reach out to women all over Africa through the media eyes, proffering support where needed to the woman out there,who is presently going through difficult times,with the help of well meaning Organizations, Government and Individuals who are willing to champion

this cause.” Ogaga plans to set up a foundation soon where young ladies can be trained and groomed to believe in themselves,work hard and be totally committed to whatever they set their minds to do, so that they can be established in good time. This tenacious lady, with zero tolerance for indolence, says she is totally committed to whatever she sets her mind to do. According to her, she rather invest in books than clothes. Yet, she is a lady with a fantastic dress sense, style and class, as she is fondly called “Fashionista” by friends and

APRIL 2, 2016—43

“Always looking good” by colleagues. Ogaga can easily be identified for her elegant walk, carriage and poise. On some of her media works that have impacted in the lives of people, Ogaga says: “In June 2014, I did a story on indiscriminate disposal of waste in Warri and its Environs including Asaba, the State capital. This led to a massive cleaning movement by the state government tagged “Operation keep Warri clean”. By extension, it also led to a major demolition exercise and also the evacuation of caravans and other items that made the community untidy. I also did another report on illegally occupied structure which was originally meant for the Internally Displaced Persons (Flood Victims). I noticed that after the IDPs returned to their location, some hoodlums took over the property located on Okpanam road, Asaba beside The Cenotaph. I considered this very unfair and I took it upon myself and did a report which led the State Government to take a swift action, demolishing the structure and ridding the place off hoodlums who had made it their hide-out. Favour Ogaga was trained as a presenter at the Television Training Academy, Pinewood studios,UK s: “I love God and I genuinely believe that without God, one cannot attain anything in life. My philosophy is looking into Jesus alone and enjoying life to the fullest.

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Edo 2016: APC guber aspirants accusing Oshiomhole want PDP members as delegates – Idahosa •Insists Obaseki’s hard work will earn him victory at APC primary By Simon Ebegbulem, Benin City

hief Charles Idahosa is the Political Adviser to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, and in this interview with Saturday Vanguard, Charles T, as he is popularly known, berates those alleging that his boss intends to rig the forthcoming governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Excerpts: The alleged backing of Mr. Godwin Obaseki by your boss, Governor Oshiomhole is creating tension in the party. Are you not worried? It is so strange that many of the aspirants are talking the way they are talking because many of them are old in this business of politics. And they know how this thing is done. There is no way a governor of a state will not have an interest in who succeeds him, particularly when you talk about Edo State that was dead when Oshiomhole came in. Today we know how Edo State looks like. Oshiomhole has worked very hard; whether anybody likes his face or not, there is nothing anybody can do about that. He has worked very hard and he must be very concerned about who takes over from him. They are also alleging plans to change the delegate list by the Governor; how true is that? I can tell you that Obaseki has worked harder than any of the aspirants; he has covered the state ward by ward. Obaseki has met the twelve delegates in each ward in Edo South, Central and North, one on one in their domain. These people are not working; they sit down here and boast how they will frustrate the Governor, which will not work. Nobody is changing any list. What is happening is that, for instance, let me start with Uhumnwonde, my own local government. When we changed to APC, one of the governorship aspirants of the PDP, Solomon Edebiri who came in

•Charles Idahosa from ANPP, out of respect, we allowed him to choose the executives from his ward. He is from Isi, the same place with our leader, Senator Owie. But when he decamped, the executive left with him, but their names are still the names in Abuja, while they are now PDP members. Ize-Iyamu who was in the APC then was virtually the sole administrator in the party in most local governments in Edo South. So what do we now do? Do we now allow PDP members to become delegates in APC election? Some are dead, some have moved to PDP, some travelled. So these are the areas we are looking at and we told the national leadership to check and make the

necessary amendments. We cannot allow Edebiri or Ize-Iyamu’s delegates who are now in PDP to come and vote in APC governorship primary. Yet you see some people who declared for APC yesterday, saying we will use 2014 delegate list when a lot of things have happened since then. So, it’s funny when they go to town accusing the Governor of trying to change the delegate list. I was convinced about what the Governor said about Obaseki and I believed him because Oshiomhole is very passionate about Edo project. Where these people who are making noise today got it wrong is that their calculation is that radical Charles Idahosa will oppose the Governor. This time around, I said I will not be used to destroy the progress of this state. Are you not worried by this rumour that the Binis may not want an Obaseki as governor? Let me tell you, Godwin Obaseki’s father was not even born when this matter happened. There is none of the people saying it now that witnessed what happened. Let me tell you, Agho Obaseki was the man they accused. It was the Oba that nominated Agho Obaseki as representative of the Benis to the white man. He was the one negotiating between us and the white

people. When Oba Ovonranwe died in Calabar, it was the same Agho Obaseki that advised that the son of the Oba should be crowned and Oba Eweka became king. Let’s even forget that. I am Idahosa; my great grandfather was one of those people they took with Ovonranwe to Calabar; he spent 14 years there before they released him. That was how we ended up in Ehor. Our area in Ehor is called Ologbosere’s Camp; we are from the line of General Ologbosere who killed those white people. That was why we ran from Benin to live there. It took them five years to come and capture him there. As we speak, we have seven to eight Obaseki’s who are chiefs today in the palace of the Oba. The grandson of Agho Obaseki became the Iyase of Benin, the number one Chieftaincy title. The Agho Obaseki they are calling a traitor was Iyase of Benin and Omo N’Oba Erediauwa has now turned Obaseki title to a hereditary title. So, does that in any way tell you that the palace hates the Obasekis? You see, because of political reasons, some lazy politicians want to re-write history. Can the Oba make his enemies chiefs in his palace? This is just a weak way of running somebody down. How optimistic are you that the APC primary will be free and fair? We are going to conduct a free and fair primary; our strategy is to canvass for votes from the delegates and that is what the Governor will do; not to impose anybody. People are already crying wolf because they know they cannot win; so they want to create this impression so that if they lose, they will say the Governor rigged the primary. Nobody is going to rig the primary. We are going to have a free and fair primary. But I hope they should accept defeat after the primary and work for the party because I accepted defeat after Oshiomhole defeated me in the general election and today I am his Political Adviser. That is true loyalty.

44—SATURDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 2, 2016

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 45

Mikel steps out against Villa Two sides that will have hoped for dramatically better campaigns back in August meet at Villa Park in today's lunchtime kickoff. Managerless Villa's days as a Premier League club appear

to be numbered, while Chelsea have produced one of the meekest defences of a title in recent memory. After yet another flashpoint - this time away at Everton in the FA Cup - Chelsea's main marksman Diego Costa finds himself suspended for this encounter. Loic Remy failed to make the most of his opportunity versus West Ham, so Hiddink may turn to youngsterBertrand Traore to lead the attack. A long-standing hip complaint is expected to keep Eden Hazard sidelined, but w i n g e r Pedro could come back into contention. As for Villa, Micah Richards and Jack Grealish may return to the squad following recent injury layoffs, while Armand Traore is also pushing for inclusion following his recovery from a foot problem.

NATIONS CUP DISASTER:

Lawal lashes out at Eagles By Tony Ubani

Former international, Garba Lawal has hit hard on Super Eagles players blaming them for their lack of quality that has seen Nigeria fail to qualify for Africa's football showpiece, the African Cup of Nations back to back. Lawal was dismayed more with their lack of bite in their last game against the Pharaohs of Egypt in Alexandria that made him cringe in shame to think it was the once dreaded Super Eagles of Nigeria. ''Its a shame to know that Nigeria will not be playing in the African Cup of Nations in Gabon next year but the basic truth is that the players we have aren't good enough. Look back at the match. They did not play like people who were hungry for the maximum points. The truth is that we are deluding ourselves that we have a team. We don't. There are no special players who can lift a team unlike what we had in Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, Keshi'', Lawal whose goal at France '98 retired Spanish goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta after Nigeria beat Spain 3-2 said. Lawal, however, fumed at calls by some Nigerians that FA President, Melvin Pinnick Amaju should throw in the towel for not qualifying Nigeria for the Nations Cup back to back. ''People are blaming Pinnick and calling for his resignation. Pinnick should be commended and not condemned. He provided the best enabling environment for the players but they could not go beyond their capacity. Others blame Pinnick for

taking the first leg match against Egypt to Kaduna. Is Kaduna not part of Nigeria? If I talk, they'll say this Mallam has started. We should stop making inflammatory statements and focus on the way forward. And the way forward is to start early and

focus on the World Cup qualifiers. We have some young players in the team that can still carry the flag of Nigeria high. Let's stop crying over split milk and move forward to build a stronger national team'', Lawal emphasised.

From left, Joseph Olofinsola, Chairman, Magodo Residents Association; Charles Egbudo, Ogbeche Pelumi, table tennis champ and Tunde Eludire. Photo Lamidi Bamidele

Magodo residents hold sports day By Lamidi Bamidele The South East zone of Magodo Residents Association held its second edition of

Arsenal vs Watford: Ighalo dares Iwobi Arsenal will host Watford at the Emirates Stadium in their first match back after the international break, with plenty of ground to make up in the home straight. Revenge may be on the minds of the Gunners too after they were dumped out of the FA Cup by the very same opposition just three weeks ago. Arsene Wenger is sweating over the fitness of goalkeeper Petr Cech, who is rated at 5050 to return having missed the last five games with a calf injury. He has returned to full training, however, alongside Jack Wi l s h e r e a n d Tomas Rosicky, although Saturday's match will come too early for those long-term absentees. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Santi Cazorla are also still a few weeks from returning, while fellow midfielders Mathieu Flamini and Aaron Ramsey will miss this weekend's game as well. Mikel Arteta could return to the bench, where he may be alongside the like s o f Per Mertesacker, Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud after the

trio were all left out against Everton. Watford have a number of question marks going into the match, with Sebastian Prodl and Valon Behramiboth suffering from illness. Joel Ekstrand will face a late fitness test over a hamstring strain, but Rene G i l m a r t i n a n d To m m i e

Ighalo

Iwobi

Hobanremain sidelined. This is a must-win game for Arsenal if they are to stand any chance of catching the teams above them in the table, and with Watford in poor form when it comes to the Premier League, it looks like a home banker. The recent FA Cup game does raise a question mark, but we think that Arsenal should run out relatively comfortable winners.

community sports and fun day amidst pomp and pageantry The event held at the Supreme Education Foundation Schools, Magodo provided opportunities for families of residents to feature in various sporting activities According to its Chairman, Joseph Olofinsola, ''the essence of of this event is to bring families together in a conducive atmosphere to wine, have fun and bond together. Our monthly meetings do not provide us this as only adult residents attend such forumsâ&#x20AC;?. He expressed gratitude to sponsors like Bet9ja, GSK, Eternal water and other donors for their donations towards the success of the event. Some of the sporting activities of the day were football, 100m race and table tennis.

46—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016

•Oliseh

AFCON 2017 Failure:

Where NFF got it wrong

By John Egbokhan

or the second time in the space of 16 months, Nigeria will not be featuring at the biggest soccer tournament in Africa, the Cup of Nations, billed to hold from January 2017 in Gabon. Nigeria’s failure this time comes at a time it appears there are good signals of a resurgence of the Eagles. And more poignantly too, this is the second time in about 16 months that the Eagles will be eliminated in the qualification series for the AFCON under the leadership of the former Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, Amaju Pinnick. Nigerians would not forget in hurry that fateful day of Nov 20, 2014 when the Eagles, needing a win to guarantee their place at AFCON 2015 in Equatorial Guinea, had to force Bafana Bafana to a 2-2 draw at the Akwa Ibom International Stadium in Uyo. The draw allowed Congo to qualify alongside the already qualified South African side, who ran to a 2-0 lead before a fightback by Eagles rescued them a point but not enough to guarantee them a spot in the AFCON finals. This came shortly barely two months after Amaju Pinnick and his fellow board members were elected into the top-ranking Executive Committee of the NFF and at the height of intense fighting for the soul of Nigerian football by various factions and the spill-over effect of the acrimonious feud between then Eagles coach Stephen Keshi and the immediate past President of the NFF, Aminu Maigari, who had lost confidence and trust in Keshi to continue tinkering the Eagles, after poor management of the Eagles in the last World Cup. For a country with no short supply of a pool of exciting talents to choose from at home and overseas, Eagles had no business missing out on a place at Equatorial Guinea 2015. Even before the match against South Africa, it was clear that Keshi had lost the plot and was heading downhill in his coaching depth, a good reason for Pinnick and his fellow members to do away with him. With pressure coming from unseen hands within the Presidency, the board attempted to paper the already-

•Eagles

•Siasia inflamed cracks, and the result was that the reigning African champions failed to qualify for the AFCON party in Equatorial Guinea. And 16 months on from the infamous and ugly incident which turned over 170 million Nigerians into mere spectators of AFCON 2015, the same mistake on recruitment of coaches has left a bitter taste on the tongues of fans at home. The role of the NFF in Nigeria’s two-time failed AFCON bids cannot be overemphasised. It was Pinnick that allowed Keshi to handle

the final game against South Africa, after first sacking him, and replaced with Shuaibu Amodu, before doing a volte face by reinstating the former after reported pressure from a top-ranking government official. Even as hard as they tried to paint the picture, the pussyfooting did not help Nigeria, leaving many to call to question the integrity and professionalism of those calling the shots at the Glass House. A former Chairman of the NFA, Kojo Williams could not have been far from the truth when he said in a past interview that Pinnick’s board was not prompt in taking crucial decisions no matter whose ox is gored And it seems Williams must be a clairvoyant as events after 16 months have shown, with another Nations Cup qualification capitulation, orchestrated by NFF, with its unwise appointment of Sunday Oliseh as Eagles coach on July15, 2015, Before the Eagles job, Oliseh’s other coaching stint

was at Royal Cercle Sportif Verviétois, a third division Belgian side, which he managed in the 2008-2009 season, with no recorded feat. Were he that good, Oliseh would have climbed the coaching ladder in Belgium or elsewhere in Europe. Despite his often-touted possession of an Euro Pro A License, the highest coaching qualification in the world, Oliseh has not been able to translate paper qualifications to practical performance. It was the NFF that made him the super-star in the eyes of Nigerians, touting him as the Pep Guardiola of Africa, according to the words of Pinnick during Oliseh’s unveiling in Abuja. But the experiment with the supposed Pep Guardiola of Africa did not take long to turn sour as Eagles laboured to beat Chad 2-0 and drew goalless against Tanzania as the qualification series for AFCON 2016 started. Sensing that he was not going to get results against Egypt, who topped the table, Oliseh stepped into a

twitter rant, calling it quit, less than a month to the games against the seven-time African champions. Like a house on fire, NFF pressed the panic mode, drafting in Samson Siasia, who from the two games against Egypt did a fairly job but fell short of the target of securing AFCON qualification ticket for Nigeria. The blame for Nigeria’s double AFCON failure rests squarely on the shoulders of the NFF, who may be doing well in marketing the game but doing less on technical matters concerning the Super Eagles. Forget the successes recorded by the Eaglets and CHAN Eagles, the real deal are the Super Eagles, who despite having what seems a rich pool of exciting talents like Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon, Odion Ighalo, Carl Ikeme, Oghenekaro Etebo and Victor Moses to select from,have strangely been inhibited by poor coaching that saw them fail to beat Tanzania and Tuesday paid the price.

Kojo nails NFF for Eagles failure

By John Egbokhan

former chairman of the Nigeria Football Association, Anthony Kojo-Williams has nailed the current board of the football-ruling body as the main culprits in Eagles failure to qualify for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, Gabon 2017. For the second time in about 16 months, Eagles failed to reach

the 16-nation continental soccer fiesta, a big dent to the ego to Africa’s most populous country, whose people pride in their soccer ability. A little over three years after winning their third AFCON title in South Africa, this latest setback that comes with one match yet to play in the qualification campaign has left fans in despondent mood, with some calling for the head of the NFF board headed by Amaju Pinnick, under whose watch the Eagles have failed to qualify for two AFCON tournaments in succession. And jumping into the fray last night, Kojo has berated the NFF board for the

drift of the Eagles, despite an abundance of talents at their disposal. Speaking in an interview with Saturday Vanguard Sports, Kojo said it was the NFF’s fault that Eagles did not qualify for Gabon 2017 because of their failure to develop a football philosophy to guide the national teams and their coaches. “The biggest problem of our football is the lack of a football philosophy by the NFF for the national teams. There is no technical roadmap guiding the Eagles and that is why we are where we are. Those guys in the NFF don’t have a clue as to where they want to take the Eagles, not to talk of how to achieve that target. “All they do is just talk and talk themselves out, rather than work their socks out. Top-level football administration goes beyond talking. It entails having a vision

and knowing how to put their vision into reality, by ensuring that the coaches and teams have an identical system of playing, with a mindset of dominating, not the whimper teams that we have now”, added Kojo. Recalling how he warned Nigerians that the NFF was going to bungle Eagles AFCON 2017 dream last year, Kojo said that results have since proven him right, noting further that the hiring of Sunday Oliseh to coach the team by the board last year was a wrong move. ‘’Oliseh was not ideal for the job in the first place. I still maintain that no Nigerian coach is suitable to coach the Eagles. We must look beyond Nigeria but they did not listen to me and look at the deeper mess and disgrace they have brought to us”, added Kojo.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016—47

Okpekpe prize money excites runners Daire Esun said ‘ what we T are hearing is that the athletes

he prize money of the Okpekpe 10km Road Race is tickling the prospective runners that will line out for the 2016 edition, organisers have said.

The winner in each gender category will go home with US$15,000 while the second and third placers will each receive US$10,000 and

Barca, Madrid in El Clasico showdown T

•Messi

he 231st El Clasico will take place at Camp Nou tonight when Barcelona welcome Real Madridin La Liga. The home side, who are closing on another league crown, will enter the match 10 points clear of third-place Real Madrid and on the back of a 39-game unbeaten run in all competitions. Real Madrid have also not won a league match at Camp Nou since April 2012 and Los Blancos will have revenge on their mind having taken a 4-0 thumping in the reverse clash at the Bernabeu earlier this season. Barcelona defender Jeremy Mathieu could miss the remainder of the season after suffering a serious knee injury while on international duty with France, but Gerard Pique a n d Javier

US$7,000 respectively

who have registered for the race are excited with the prize money on offer ’.

Mascherano are both fit to feature. Enrique will have to assess the fitness of Suarez, Neymar and Messi, who will travel back from South America following international duty, while Dani Alves was also in action for Brazil during the recent break. Andres Iniesta was not called into the latest Spain squad after suffering with a slight muscular problem, but the midfielder is expected to start alongside Sergio Busquetsand Ivan Rakitic in Enrique’s strongest XI this weekend. As for Real Madrid, Zidane’s main call is expected to come in midfield, where Brazilian Casemiro is favourite to start ahead of Isco and James Rodriguez, who have struggled to impress under the Frenchman.

•Ronaldo

Marcelo moves to crack Camp Nou jinx E

•Marcelo

ight games, six losses and two draws. This is Marcelo’s record at the Camp Nou. Surprising as it may seem, the flying full-back has never managed to beat Barcelona in their own backyard. He did get on the scoresheet in a Champions League clash there, but that strike only clinched a draw, which was not good enough to dump out the ‘Azulgranas’ The idea of a curse gains weight when we consider that Real Madrid have won at the Camp Nou three times since Marcelo joined the club and he missed out on each occasion. The first was in 2007-08, when Júlio Baptista scored the only goal of the game, with Gabriel Heinze - a centre-back by trade lining up on the left side of defence. The other two both came under José Mourinho. In the 2011-12

season, Sami Khedira and Cristiano Ronaldo netted to silence the ‘Culés’ faithful and virtually wrap up the league title, with Fábio Coentrão getting the nod from his compatriot. That was the case again the following campaign in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg, a game ‘Los Blancos’ won 3-1 with the Portuguese defender starting and the Brazilian - to paraphrase the famous joke playing left-back on the bench. Despite being the most eyecatching example because of how long he has been at Real Madrid, Marcelo is far from the only player at the club yet to win at the Camp Nou. In fact, only six squad members know what it feels like to do so: Álvaro Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Raphaël Varane, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo. All of the rest - headed by Marcelo - have another opportunity to get a historic victory under their belts today.

Lewandowski leads Bayern’s assault on Frankfurt T

he outcome of today’s fixture between league leaders FC Bayern München and struggling Eintracht Frankfurt could have a significant bearing at both ends of the table. Bayern produced a workmanlike display in defeating Cologne on Matchday 27 to maintain their fivepoint advantage over second-placed Borussia Dortmund. The Bavarians have so far won 12 of their 13 home matches in the league this season and will be keen to extend that impressive record as they head towards an unprecedented fourth consecutive title. Frankfurt, meanwhile, cannot afford to drop any more points as they seek to avoid relegation. New coach - and former Bayern player - Niko Kovac earned his first win against Hannover 96 last time out, which kept Frankfurt within touching distance of a handful of other sides scrapping for survival. Bayern have not conceded against Frankfurt in their last seven meetings. No team in Bundesliga history has ever gone eight straight games without conceding against the same opponent. Robert Lewandowski is the first non-German player to score 25 Bundesliga goals in a single season for Bayern.

•Lewandowski

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 2, 2016

AFCON 2017 Failure:

Where NFF got it wrong

>>46

Barca, Madrid in El Clasico showdown >>47

Okpekpe prize money excites runners CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Rwandan Prime Minister, Mr. Anastase – (8) 5 Kogi United Coach, Fatai – (4) 7 African Waterbuck – (3) 8 Ethnic Group in Nigeria – (4) 9 Companion – (4) 10 Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon – (5) 12 Pakistani Capital City – (9) 16 Drainage – (5) 18 Enyimba FC Skipper, Chinedu – (5) 19 Ethnic Group in Uganda – (5) 21 President, Zimbabwean Football Association, Phillip – (9) 24 Former Zambia “Chipolpopolos” Coach, Brian – (5) 27 Ghana “Black Stars” Midfielder, Christian – (4) 28 L.G.A in Abia State – (4) 29 Adult Male Sheep – (3) 30 Former Kano State Governor, Abubakar – (4 31 Country in Africa – (8)

>>47

DOWN 1 Super Eagles Skipper, Ahmed – (4) 2 Italian “Serie A” ClubSide – (4) 3 Former President, African Development Bank (AfDB), Mr. Donald – (9) 4 Lagos state Capital – (5) 5 Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru – (5) 6 Former Abia Warriors Coach, Ifeanyi – (8) 11 Cereal – (3) 13 Singapore Prime Minister, Mr. Lee Hsien – (5) 14 L.G.A in Jigawa State – (9) 15 Switzerland Capital City – (4) 16 Former Super Eagles Coach, Monday – (8) 17 Former Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Aminu – (4) 20 Female Rabbit – (3) 22 L.G.A in Kebbi State – (5) 23 Senate Majority Leader, Mohammed Ali – (5) 25 Lantern – (4) 26 Hausa Word for “Water”? – (4)

Lawal lashes out at Eagles >>45 Kojo nails NFF for Eagles disaster >>46 TODAY’S FIXTURES

EPL Aston Villa Arsenal Bournemouth Norwich Stoke Sunderland West Ham Liverpool

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SERIE A Carpi Juventus

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LA LIGA Atletico Madrid Las Palmas Barcelona Celta Vigo

Chelsea 1:45pm Watford 4pm Manchester City 4pm Newcastle 4pm Swansea 4pm West Brom 4pm Crystal Palace 4pm Tottenham 6:30pm

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Real Betis Valencia Real Madrid Deportivo

4pm 6:15pm 8:30pm 10:05p

BUNDESLIGA Bayern Munich v Frankfurt FC Ingolstadt 04 v Schalke Hannover 96 v Hamburg Mainz v FC Augsburg SV Darmstadt 98 v Stuttgart Dortmund v Werder Bremen LIGUE I Paris St Germain v Nice Gazelec Ajaccio v St Etienne Guingamp v Montpellier Rennes v Reims Toulouse v Caen Troyes v Angers

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EREDIVISIE De Graafschap Heracles Almelo AZ Alkmaar Feyenoord Willem II

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C Leeuwarden FC Utrecht PSV Excelsior FC Twente

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