Nigeria @ 52: Better days ahead —Jonathan

C M Y K

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61722

**

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

•P. 11 Delta NSE indicts FirstBank, Oando, Commissioner's kidnappers demand others •P. 6

N10m ransom

Boko Haram declares war on govt officials' wives, others •P. 48 ...Says Abu Qaqa still alive

Nigeria @ 52: Better days ahead —Jonathan •Says we are making progress on many fronts •Promises govt's assistance to flood victims •Why celebration was low-keyed —Abati •Protest in Ibadan as Osun shuns celebration

BY BEN AGANDE, SAM EYOBOKA, OLA AJAYI, VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG DAYO JOHNSON & GBENGA OLARINOYE

A

BUJA—AS Nigeria celebrated her 52 years of nationhood, yesterday, without much fanfare, President Goodluck Jonathan declared that in spite of several challenges confronting the country, his administration was making progress on many fronts and assured Nigerians of better days ahead.

Howver, a section of the opposition disagreed

Continues on page 5

The mugging of Sanusi •P.17

Mr & Mrs

52ND ANNIVERSARY CAKE: President Goodluck Jonathan flanked by former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (third left); Senate President, Senator David Mark, former Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme; Vice Prresident Namadi Sambo (second left) and other dignitaries during the cutting of the anniversary cake after the Presidential Change of Guards Parade at the Forecourts of the Presidential Villa, as part of activities marking Nigeria's 52nd Independence anniversary, in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Bakassi: Failure to appeal ICJ's judgment treasonable —Akhigbe

•P.12

2 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012 — 3

C M Y K

4 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUES DAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012—5 TUESDAY,

POCKET CARTOON

We are making progress on many fronts —Jonathan Continues from Page 1 with him, saying there was nothing to celebrate.

Osun State, meantime shunned all activities to mark the independence anniversary while protests took the centre stage in Ibadan with activists calling for good governance.

The Federal Government, however, explained why the celebration of this year’s anniversary was lowkeyed, saying it was preparing for 2014 when Nigeria will celebrate her 100 years of amalgamation as a country.

In a broadcast to mark the country’s 52nd Independence anniversary, Jonathan, who paid glowing tributes to the country’s founding fathers, said the future was greater than the present challenges it was facing.

He x-rayed his administration and noted that much progress had been made in the last two years of his administration.

According to him, despite the differences of the country’s founding fathers, they “resolved to carry the flag of independence for the benefit of future generations. They had their differences, but they placed a greater premium on the need to come together to build a new nation.

“It is that resolve and that glorious moment that we

celebrate today. We remember as always, their contributions to the making of the Nigerian nation, and the efforts of their successors since 1960. We also celebrate the unfailing optimism and resilience of Nigerians who remain proud of our national identity.”

Jonathan argued that despite the challenges the country has faced, it had continued to over come and triumph.

He said: “We weathered the storm of the civil war, we have refused to be broken by sectarian crises; we have remained a strong nation.

I bring to you today, a message of renewed hope and faith in the immense possibilities that lie ahead.

“I have an unshaken belief in the future of our great country. I consider it a priority and sacred duty to continue to strengthen the bond of unity that holds our nation together and to promote and nourish the creative energies of our people. This is a central objective of our administration’s Transformation Agenda.

Nigeria, I assure you, will continue to grow from strength to strength.”

Jonathan noted that his administration’s vision which he said was encapsulated in the Transformation Agenda was being pursued with commitment by his administration.

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Y

OU may succeed if no one believes in you.

But you will never succeed if you don’t believe in yourself.

Take ownership of your dreams! Believe in yourself.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Love does not cost anything. Kind words and deeds do not cost anything. The real beauty of the world is equal for everyone to see. It was given by God equally to all, without restrictions — Carla Masterson

E

VERYONE was given a beautiful vehicle in which to express love to others. Feelings are free to express and give to ourselves and each other through our willingness to give and care.

What is complicated about this? There is no need to make other persons feel they have to climb mountains and swim oceans in order to make a difference.

All we need to underasstand is that human life was given equally to us all, not partially but in totality. The sun was given to all. It does not shine on few. So, just as nature is indifferent to our station or situation, we need to know that we are all equal.

We need to focus on the things that are constant and not place our values on things that can be blown away with the next great wind.

Value life, for we will understand that the only law we were meant to follow, was to love ourselves and each other. Love heals and makes all things beautiful.

We are making progress on many fronts According to the President, “we are working hard and making progress on many fronts. We have cleaned up our electoral process; our elections are now globally acclaimed to be free and fair. Nigeria is now on a higher pedestal regarding elections.

“Over the past five years, the global economy has been going through a weak and uncertain recovery.

During the same period and particularly in the last two years, the Nigerian economy has done appreciably well despite the global financial crisis.

Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has grown by 7.1 per cent on average.

“It is also significant that the GDP growth has been driven largely by the nonoil sector. In pursuance of the main goals of the Transformation Agenda, a number of reforms and initiatives are being pursued in key sectors of the economy with a view to consolidating the gains of the economic growth.”

On power sector On the power sector, the president said the commitment of his administration to an improved power supply is yielding results as "our country’s power supply situation is improving gradually.

“We are successfully implementing a wellintegrated power sector reform programme which includes institutional arrangements to facilitate and strengthen privatesector-led power generation, transmission and distribution.

“We have also put in place a cost-reflective tariff structure that reduces the cost of power for a majority of electricity consumers. I am pleased with the feedback from across the country, of improvements in power supply.”

Petroleum sector In the petroleum sector, the President said: “we are continuing to improve and stabilize on our crude production volumes; our 12month gas supply emergency plan, put in place earlier this year, has produced more than the targeted volumes of gas for power generation. A robust Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) has been placed before the National Assembly. Its passage into law will ensure far-reaching reforms, transparency, accountability, increased government revenue and predictability

for investors in the Oil and Gas sector.

“Several government programmes and projects are creating wealth and millions of job opportunities for our youth and general population.

Such programmes include: YouWin, both for the youth and for the women, Public Works, the Local Content Initiative in the Oil and Gas Sector, and the Agricultural Tr a n s f o r m a t i o n programme.

“We have improved on our investment environment; more corporate bodies are investing in the Nigerian economy. Our Investment Climate Reform Programme has helped to attract over N6.8 trillion local and foreign direct investment commitments.

Nigeria, preferred destination for investment in Africa “Nigeria has become the preferred destination for investment in Africa. It is ranked first in the top five host economies for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Africa, accounting for over 20 per cent of total FDI flows into the continent. We have streamlined bureaucratic activities at the ports to ensure greater efficiency in the handling of ports and port-related businesses. Specifically, we have drastically reduced the goods clearing period in our ports from about six weeks to about one week and under.

We have an ultimate target of 48 hours.

“In the last two years, we have put in place structures for an upgrade of the country’s health sector, to promote in every respect, the individual citizen’s right to quality, affordable and accessible healthcare.

On security challenge On the security challenge in the country, Jonathan said his government had “taken pro-active measures to check the menace. This has included constant consultation and collaboration with our neighbours and other friendly nations on issues relating to internal and cross border security, and the sharing of information on smuggling and illegal dealing in small arms and light weapons.

“Our security agencies are constantly being strengthened and repositioned for greater efficiency. Many Nigerians have acknowledged that there has been a significant decline in the spate of security breaches.”

We are succeeding in fight against

corruption On corruption, the president said the fight against the "scourge of corruption is a top priority of our Administration. We are fighting corruption in all facets of our economy, and we are succeeding. We have put an end to several decades of endemic corruption associated with fertilizer and tractor procurement and distribution. We have exposed decades of scam in the management of pensions and fuel subsidy, and ensured that the culprits are being brought to book.

“In its latest report, Transparency International (TI) noted that Nigeria is the second most improved country in the effort to curb corruption.

“We will sustain the effort in this direction with an even stronger determination to strengthen the institutions that are statutorily entrusted with the task of ending this scourge."

Assistance to flood victims President Jonathan also re-assured victims of flood disaster across the country of Federal Government’s assistance, saying his administration was taking steps to address these incidents, in collaboration with the states and local governments According to him, “in the last few weeks, for example, many of our communities have been ravaged by floods resulting in the loss of lives and property, and the displacement of persons.

“I want to reassure all affected Nigerians that I share in their grief and our administration is taking steps to address these incidents, in collaboration with the states and local governments.

“We have received the interim report of the presidential team that was set up to assess the flooding situation across the country.

“The Federal Government has taken measures to assist the affected states, while considering long term

measures to check future reoccurrence.

“We must continue to work together, confidently and faithfully, to ensure that our country’s potentials are realised to the fullest; that our dreams are translated into reality; and that our goals are achieved.

“Let me reiterate that our administration is committed to the pursuit of fundamental objectives of an open society: the pursuit of freedom, security and prosperity for the Nigerian people, and the rule of law.”

He reiterated that he would lay before the National Assembly in the next few days the 2013 Federal Budget Proposal so that deliberations can commence in earnest on the key policies, programmes and projects that will mark a decisive year for our development and transformation.

“I have no doubt that by the time I address you on our next independence anniversary, many of our reform efforts would have yielded even better results,” he said.

Jonathan assures Nigerians of better days Assuring Nigerians of better days, the president expressed optimism that the nation’s economy would continue to grow from strength to strength for the general progress of the people.

“On this special day, I call on every Nigerian to remain steadfast, because our nation is indeed making progress. I call on every Nigerian to rediscover that special spirit that enables us to triumph over every adversity as a people. I bring to you today, a message of renewed hope and faith in the immense possibilities that lie ahead.

“Fellow citizens, I have an unshaken belief in the future of our great country.

“I consider it a priority and sacred duty to continue to strengthen the bond of

Continues on Page 51

6—Vanguard , TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

2010 bombings: Okah's trial begins in S-Africa

J

OHANNESBURG— THE trial of suspected militant leader accused of masterminding two deadly bombings at Nigeria’s 50th independence celebrations two years ago opened in Johannesburg, yesterday, amid tight security.

Henry Okah is facing trial in South Africa, where he has permanent residence, on charges that he orchestrated the twin car bombings which killed 12 people in Abuja on October 1, 2010.

Okah, the presumed leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, also faces terrorism charges over two explosions in March 2010 in Warri, Delta State.

First to give evidence was Nigeria’s Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, who said Okah was a “key figure in the Niger Delta struggle and the militants had a lot of respect for him.”

Okah had denied involvement in the attacks,

which were claimed by MEND militants, and also denied being the leader of the group, which is fighting for a greater share of the Delta region’s oil wealth.

Okah appeared in court dressed in a casual checkered short-sleeved shirt and a pair of khaki trousers.

Police barricaded an entire block around the South Gauteng High Court in downtown Johannesburg, while dozens of police vans were parked around the court yard. A police helicopter orbited around the bustling city centre.

Several police officers were posted both inside and outside the courtroom.

South Africa is trying Okah as part of its international obligations because Nigerian authorities have not applied for his extradition, according to the prosecution.

The case was last in court in January, when lawyers had asked for more time to prepare their arguments.

US Supreme Court hears Nigeria torture case

T

HE United States Su preme Court began its new session, yesterday, by re-examining a suit against Royal Dutch Shell in Nigeria alleging that the oil giant was complicit in acts of torture.

Fresh from their pivotal decision in June to uphold President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul, Chief Justice John Roberts and eight associate justices were hearing arguments in a case seeking to hold major companies liable under a 200-year-old statute for crimes committed outside US borders.

12 Nigerians, who are petitioners in the case, accused Shell of becoming an accomplice to torture, extrajudicial executions and crimes against humanity in the Niger Delta region.

“ATS clearly covers those violations,” said Carey D’Avino, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys.

Not everyone is so sure, however. The Supreme Court could be “afraid of some kind of backlash, what other nations will think of us,” said constitutional lawyer Lisa Blatt.

During the eight-month term, which runs through June 2013, the Supreme Court will also consider contentious domestic issues such as gay marriage and civil rights.

In Fisher versus the University of Texas, the court will decide whether a white student, Abigail Fisher, was passed over unfairly for admission in 2008 because the school went too far with its affirmative action policy.

Aimed at correcting historic racial imbalances in education by favouring US minorities in public university admissions and other circumstances, affirmative action has come under increasing scrutiny as America’s minority population has soared.

It will be the first time the court has taken up the controversial issue since a 2003 ruling that said racial or ethnic quotas did not violate the US Constitution.

Another hot-button issue in the United States is samesex marriage, and the court has at least eight appeals in line for consideration on this subject.

Infractions: NSE indicts First Bank, Oando, John Holt, others ...imposes N34m fines on defaulting companies

BY MIKE EBOH

T

HE Nigerian Stock Ex change, NSE, has indicted Costain (West Africa) Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, John Holt Plc, Oando Plc, Conoil Plc and over 50 other quoted companies, and imposed N34.09 million fines for various infractions, ranging from publications of their activities without securing the approval of the NSE to late filings of their financial statements.

According to the NSE, in its latest X-Compliance report, 12 companies were fined N8.465 billion for failing to obtain the NSE’s approval before publicizing their activities in the media; 65 companies were slammed with a fine of N6.652 billion, while another 18 were fined N16.8 billion for failing to submit their financial statements for the 2011 and 2012 financial statements as well their quarterly results.

The NSE maintained that its law stipulates that quoted companies provide it with timely information to

enable it efficiently perform its function of maintaining an orderly market.

It said, “In accordance with the provisions of Appendix 111 of the Listing rules, quoted companies are required to obtain prior written approval before publications are made in the media.

“The companies contravened the provision of the Listing Rules and the Exchange applied the sanctions prescribed by the rules and the companies discharged their financial obligations.”

A breakdown of the sanctions shows that Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc and Lafarge WAPCO Plc were fined N1.016 million and N0.7 million respectively by the NSE for publishing their interim results in the media without obtaining prior written approval from it, while First Bank of Nigeria Plc and Unity Bank Plc were fined N2.1 million and N1.544 million for publishing notices of extraordinaryGeneral meeting and divestment from non-banking subsidiaries respectively.

J

OS—THE police in Jos has arrested a middleaged man who allegedly planted an improvised explosive device which went off in the central part of the

statements, due January 31 while John Holt Plc was fined N1.7 million for its failure to submit its 2011 financial statement, due September 2011.

For failure to submit their 2011 financial statements, due December 31, Cornerstone Insurance Plc was fined N1.5 million; Conoil was fined N1.2 million, while UnityKapital Assurance Plc Niger Insurance Plc, Royal Exchange Plc, Union Bank Nigeria Plc and Universal Insurance Plc were slammed a fine of N0.9 million each.

FTN Cocoa Plc was fined N0.2 million, Dangote Flour Mills Plc was fined N0.4 million, Regency Alliance Insurance Plc was fined N0.5 million, Oando Plc was fined N0.5 million, Premier Paints Plc was fined N0.7 million and Scoa Nigeria Plc was punished with a N0.8 million fine.

Several other companies, numbering 31, were fined between N2,857.14 and N0.245 million, totaling about N2.174 million, for failure to submit their full year and quarterly results.

INDEPENDENCE—From right: Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke and wife Obioma Imoke, Deputy Governor, Mr. Efiok Cobham and wife, Glory and the State's PDP Chairman, Ntufam John Okon during a dance pass to mark Nigeria @ 52 in Calabar.

Police arrest suspected bomber in Jos

BY TAYE OBATERU & AKANINYENE EZEKIEL

Guinea Insurance Plc was indicted and fined N0.157 million for publishing its audited account without approval; Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc was fined N0.763 million for publishing changes in its Board without the consent of the NSE and Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals was sanctioned with a fine of N0.181 million for publicizing the appointment of its Acting Chief Executive Officer with notifying the NSE. Wema Bank was fined N0.352 million; Honeywell Flour Mills Plc was fined N0.647 million, Multiverse Plc was fined N0.496 million and Diamond Bank Plc was fined N0.406 million; for not securing approval before publishing the appointment of directors in their various Boards.

The NSE slammed a N2.85 million fine on Costain for late submission of its audited financial statements for the year ended, March 31, 2012; C&I Leasing Plc was fined N1.05 million for delay in the submission of its 2012 financial

state capital yesterday without any casualty.

The Plateau State Police Command said a suspected terrorist attempted to wreak havoc by planting the device at Ajayi junction in Kwararafa area of the state capital.

According to a statement

issued by the command’s Public Relation Officer DSP Abuh Emmanuel, the timely intervention of the police anti-bomb squad led by ASP Abel Mbibi who moved swiftly to the scene of the incident frustrated any further action by the suspect.

The police further said al-

though the planted device exploded before the arrival of the police, the anti-bomb squad successfully recovered, defused and evacuated the devices, adding that there was neither casualty nor damage to property.

Abuh noted that the cooperation of members of the public assisted in the arrest of the suspect in connection

with the incident, adding that the suspect has been handed over to the special task force for questioning.

He urged members of the public to report any suspicious movement to the law enforcement agents for prompt attention.

The explosion caused panic in the area with many people fleeing their homes for fear of another explosion.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012 — 7

Ohanaeze accuses Ohazulike of disintegrating Ndi Igbo

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM AGOS—THE Joint Assembly of Ndi Igbo has indicted Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State, Hyacinth Ohazulike, of using his position to cause division and disharmony among Igbos in the state.

Briefing the press after a joint meeting of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo, the Traditional Council of Ndi Igbo and other title holders in Lagos yesterday, the President of Ohaneze, Chief Oliver Akubueze, said they had decided to disown Ohazulike over his refusal

L

From left: Mr. Dare Adeyeri, Chief Sylva Emeokpere, Area Director Lagos South, Eckankar Nigeria and Mr. Dozie Irechukwu at the free rail transportation programme to mark Nigeria's 52nd Independence in Lagos, yesterday .

Two policemen shot dead in Anambra

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

A

WKA—UNKNOWN gunmen yesterday shot dead two policemen and wounded many others at Abor Akuzor, in Umusiome village, Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

They also destroyed some parts of a hotel under construction over what was seen as a way of expressing anger over the disputed land in the area.

The two policemen killed by the gunmen were said to be attached to Ogidi Police Station and were on patrol in the embattled Abor Akuzor kindred which had been previously invaded by unidentified gunmen.

The killing of the two policemen came on the heels of a similar incident in the area during which a middle aged woman, Mrs Ogechi Okechukwu, was killed on Sunday.

They also destroyed a hotel under construction

belonging to the chairman of Abor Akuzor kindered, C h i e f Okechukwu Nwafoagu, and other buildings in the neighbourhood.

The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ogidi Ploice Station Mr Kanayo Uzoegwu, confirmed the incident.

Also contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr Raphael Uzoigwe who said he was going to Ogidi in connection with the matter said the policemen were on routine township patrol in the area when they were ambushed by uniden-

W

ARRI—THE Warri monarch, His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse 11, weekend, brought to an end the lingering leadership struggle bedeviling the oil-rich Ugborodo community, confirming the Chief Thomas Ereyitomi-led executive as the authentic Trust body of Ugborodo community.

The elders of the community and factional leaders including all stakeholders were invited to the palace of His Majesty where all parties were given the opportunity to state their claim to authority, thereafter the

Akuzor was the third time since May this year, and in all, the hotel which is at the roofing stage was attackerd and propertie like generator, bundles of roofing sheets, water tanks, borehole and building materials were destroyed and set ablaze.

The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Monitoring Unit, Force Headquarters Abuja, had because of crisis in the area, summoned the chairmen of Abor Akuzor and his Oramadike countapert to Abuja, where they were made to write and sign undertaking to the police to maintain peace and order with their subjects.

2013 Budget presentation: Jonathan bows to NASS ...may shift date with one week

BY HENRY UMORU

A

BUJA—STRONG indications emerged yesterday that President Goodluck Jonathan may

Warri monarch resolves Ugborodo leadership tussle

BY EMMAARUBI

tified gunmen.

The PPRO said: “We are still investigating the incident and surely we are going to arrest the hoodlums.

We will however address the press at the appropriate time, but we want to asure that police will not take it lightly with trouble makers in the area."

Abor Akuzor kindred has been embroiled in a protracted land dispute with their neighboring Oramadike village, Ogidi, also in the same council area, leading to loss of lives and destruction of properties, which resulted in the constant police and military patrol in the area.

Yesterday’s attack of Abor

revered monarch surrounded by over 10 palace chief confirmed the Chief Thomas Ereyitomi-led executives elected at OdeUgborodo as the only authentic governing Trust of Ugborodo.

Vice-Chairman of the authentic body, Mr. Isaac Botosan hailed the decision of the monarch and extended the olive branch to the erstwhile antagonists, saying that “ we are all brothers. The right thing has been done today, so everyone should come on board irrespective of their former positions to move the community forward.

have bowed to pressure by members of the National Assembly who declared that they were not ready for the Joint presentation of the 2013 budget.

The President who had last week written to the Senate President for the presentation of the budget this week Thursday, will have to shift it for another week.

President Jonathan in his letter which was read on Tuesday by Senate President David Mark read, ‘’I write to crave your kind indulgence to grant me the slot of 12.00 noon on Thursday, October 4th, 2012 to enable me formally address a joint session of the National Assembly on the 2013 Budget. ‘’While thanking the Distinguished Senators of the Federal Republic for the consistency of their support, please accept, Distinguished Senate President the assurances of my high-

est consideration.”

Answering question from Vanguard yesterday, the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emodi who disclosed that the joint presentation will take place in the next two weeks, explained that the change in the date became imperative because members of the House of Representatives had last week suspended plenary for one week to enable them go on oversight functions.

It will be recalled that members of the House of Representatives had last week Thursday made good its threat not to have anything to do with the 2013 budget until it was fully satisfied with the implementation of the 2012 budget by the executive just as they vowed that they will not grant the president audience to present the 2013 budget.

to implement a 13-point agenda agreed on with others.

He particularly accused the Eze Ndi Igbo of converting the popular New Yam Festival and coronation of kings in Lagos to money making venture.

But Eze Ohazulike, in a swift reaction, dismissed the allegations against him, saying he was not aware of any 13-point agenda.

According to Akubueze,

Ohazulike has not achieved anything useful for Ndi Igbo since his coronation, but has rather used his position to sponsor crises among major Igbo groups in Lagos State.

He added that he has consistently abused the procedure, tradition and culture of coronation of Ezeship in Igbo Land, which to him is one of the product lines of his economic empire.

Nigeria's unity not guaranteed —Obiozor

BY TONY EDIKE NUGU—FORMER Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Professor George Obiozor, has disagreed with those who believe that the unity of the country was not negotiable, saying in spite of efforts by both past and present leaders to maintain her unity, Nigeria’s unity was not guaranteed.

Ambassador Obiozor made the assertion in a lecture delivered at the 70th Birthday celebration of Chief Arthur Nwankwo,

E

former NADECO chieftain and Chancellor of Eastern Mandate Union, EMU, in Enugu last weekend.

He described as ironic recent comments by some Nigerian political leaders that the nation’s unity was not negotiable, stressing that such leaders had forgotten or had failed to learn the lesson of history.

He said: “Nigerian unity is definitely negotiable and must be renegotiated for it to stand or survive the test of time."

PDP 'll field only credible candidates in S-East —Akobundu

BY ANAYO OKOLI MUAHIA—SOUTH East Vice Chairman of ruling Peoples Democracy Party, PDP, Chief Austin Akobundu, has said the party would in 2015 field only credible candidates to contest for various political positions in the zone.

Akobundu said that as part of the repositioning of the party, the party had already set up a machinery to ensure that only credible candidates

U

emerged for elective positions at all levels during the 2015 polls in the zone, which comprises Abia, Ebonyi, Imo, Anambra and Enugu states.

According to Akobundu, who spoke to journalists in Umuahia, the process will not only ensure that the party presents credible persons, but will guarantee quality representation and strengthen internal democracy in the zone.

Nigerians must imbibe spirit of love —Eckankar

L

AGOS—NIGERIANS have been urged to imbibe the spirit of love for one another.

This call was made, yesterday, by the Area Director of Eckankar Lagos South, Chief Sylva Emoekpere.

Speaking at a press conference to mark the 52nd Independence Day anniversary of Nigeria in Lagos, and to flag off the 2nd Annual Free Train Ride organised by Eckankar Lagos, Chief Emoepkere said the Nation can only achieve the much desired progress when the leaders and the citizenry approach their

duties and actions with love, adding that no heart can do evil when it is filled with love.

He also expressed joy that despite all odds, Nigeria has lived as a free nation for 52 years. He maintained, however, that independence can only be meaningful when people realise that their individual actions affect others in many ways.

The Eckankar High Initiate disclosed that essence of the free rail transportation organised by the religious group was to mark the nation’s freedom and to enlighten the public more on its activities.

8—Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

NIGERIA @ 52 CELEBRATIONS ACROSS THE NATION

HOPE: Man'O War lad at the celebration at Police College, Ikeja, Lagos. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

DESPAIR: While Oyo State Government held its independence anniversary celebration at Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Joint Action Front, JAF, held a protest rally in Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTO: Dare Fasube.

From left: Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State; Oba Rilwan Akiolu, Oba of Lagos; Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, and Prince Adesegun Ogunlewe, Head of Service, during the celebration at Police College, Ikeja, Lagos. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

LEADER: President Goodluck Jonathan during the Presidential Change of Guards Parade at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. PHOTO: Abayomi Adeshida.

From left: Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State; his wife, Dame Amina; and Mr. Dogara Mato, Deputy Speaker, Kaduna State House of Assembly, at the special independence prayer at The Cathedral Church of St. Michael, Kaduna. PHOTO: Olu Ajayi.

Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State at the celebration in Port Harcourt.

From 2nd right— Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, Alake of Egbaland; Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland; Mrs. Funso Amosun; Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State; Prince Segun Adesegun, Deputy Governor, Ogun State, and others cutting the anniversary cake at M.K.O Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta. PHOTO: Wumi Akinola.

A cross section of diplomats at the Presidential Change of Guards Parade at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. PHOTO: Abayomi Adeshida.

President Jonathan and the Commander, Guards Brigade, Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Atewe, inspecting a guard of honour at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

PHOTO: Abayomi Adeshida.

C M Y K

Dr. Ademola Aremu, Coordinator, JAF, Oyo State branch, addressing a crowd at Bodija Market, yesterday. PHOTO: Dare Fasube.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012—9

Ondo guber: Fashola visits, endorses Akeredolu G OVERNOR OF Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, yesterday paid a solidarity visit to the flagbearer of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in the October 20 governorship election in Ondo State, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, in Akure.

Fashola during the visit, expressed confidence in Akeredolu’s capacity to deliver on his promises to transform Ondo State if voted in as governor because he is another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, with a

sound mind.

In a statement by the Director Media, Publicity and Strategy of Akeredolu Campaign Organisation, ACO, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, said Fashola whose performance as governor of Lagos State has become a benchmark for development in Nigeria and indeed Africa, asked the good people of Ondo State to vote for Akeredolu as governor on October 20 so that he can replicate the type of developmental projects currently being enjoyed in Lagos.

The organisation also emphasised Akeredolu’s resolve not to disappoint the people of Ondo State assuring that he will create 30,000 jobs in his first 100 days in office.

In his response, during the visit, Akeredolu thanked Governor Fashola and promised to replicate what he is doing in Lagos in Ondo State.

He also promised to continue to uplift the noble profession to which they both belong and commit to the development of the people of Nigeria.

L-R: Dr. Kweku Tandoh,Secretary General, Local Organising Committee of the 18th National Sports Festival, Eko 2012; Sir Omolade Okoya Thomas, Chairman, Sponsorship and Marketing sub-committee and Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, the Managing Director, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC),at the presentation of partnership cheque in Lagos.

FG begins Lagos-Ibadan expressway inspection L

AGOS — A F e d e r a l Government team was yesterday said to have expressed satisfaction with the measures put in place to ensure a speedy completion of the reconstruction of parts of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that BiCourtney Highway Services Ltd, concessionaire of the

106-km expressway, had last week mobilised two firms to start reconstruction works on the road.

Bi-Courtney’s spokesman, Mr. Dipo Kehinde, according to NAN, was quoted as saying that the inspection team expressed satisfaction with the quality of work and visited the Borini Prono Construction Company’s Laboratory

on Sept. 28 in Sagamu, Ogun State.

The Bi-Courtney spokesman identified the two construction companies handling the project as Borini Prono and CCC Construction Nig. Ltd., adding that major reconstruction would start from Km 32.

Mr. Jaiye Adewusi, the Director, Public Private Partnership Unit, who led the Federal Government team after

9 arrested over Lagos bizman’s murder

.As pharmacy denies involvement

BY ALBERT AKPOR AND IFEANYI OKOLIE

L

AGOS — POLICE authorities in Lagos said yesterday, that nine suspects allegedly involved in the kidnap and eventual murder of a United States based Nigerian businessman, Odidi Nweze, have been arrested in their various hide-outs.

This is just as the owner of a pharmacy, Oxpharm Specialties

Limited, Mr. Ike J. Ugwu denied that the deceased ever visited his store neither was he abducted in front of his pharmacy on that fateful day as was reported.

Ugwu stated:“Like numerous other businesses in and around the popular junction where this incident took place, our staff heard sporadic gun shots about 9 p.m. as they were almost closing for the day. They ran out

to see a Sports Utility Van which ran into a ditch in front of the next building which is between our Pharmacy and the Oando filling station.

“Since the incident took place, none of my staff has been called to question and no policeman has invited or asked us any question.

“It is, therefore unthinkable for anybody to associate me with this dastardly act,” he said.

the inspection, told the concessionaire: “You have started well. We hope you will keep it up,” he said.

Mr. Ejike Mgbemena, another member of the inspection team and Federal Ministry of Works Regional Director, South West, said: “The materials are well compacted, and the work is going on fine”.

Kehinde said that BiCourtney intended to bring in more reputable contractors to speed up the reconstruction work.

Daniel brokers peace in Ogun PDP

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

BEOKUTA — indications emerged yesterday that all the factions within the crisis torn Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State may have resolved their differences and ready to unite.

Former governor Gbenga Daniel was reported to be championing the cause of reconciliation as he reportedly held a secret meeting with the leader of one of the factions, Chief Buruji Kashamu where some issues were

reportedly resolved.

The PDP has been polarized into four factions with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, ex- governor Gbenga Daniel; former Minister of Commerce, Senator Jubril Martins Kuye and party financier, Prince Buruji kashamu leading the warring factions.

Daniel, according to reliable sources, met with leaders of other factions apart from Obasanjo’s over the weekend in Lagos and Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State where he brokered the peace.

Robbers invade Vanguard Photo Editor’s home

By Ifeanyi Okolie

A

GANG of armed robbers yesterday, stormed the residence of Vanguard Photo Editor, Mr. Joe Akintola, at Jesus Palace Road, Itoki, Ogun State, around 4a.m. dispossessing him of his mobile phones and other valuables.

According to Mr. Akintola, “They pointed their guns at me, and demanded I give them all the money in my house.

But I told them I don’t have any money.

"Two of them went into my bedroom and ransacked the whole place looking for money, while the rest placed their guns on my head.

They picked my working bag and brought out my camera that I bought for

N250, 000.

"One of them hanged the camera on his neck and was about leaving. I quickly held my hands out and pleaded that he should return the camera to me because it is my working tool and the only thing I feed my family with.

"He pulled it off his neck and gave it back to me.Thereafter, they jumped the fence at the back of the house and escaped."

APOLOGY

Sweetcrude Readers/Customers

D

UE TO technical reasons, the monthly Sweetcrude Magazine will be published next Tuesday.

Accordingly, the Independence anniversary adverts are hereby published, while other adverts will be

published next week.

We regret any inconveniences this may cause our loyal advertisers, and we thank you for your understanding Signed, Management C M Y K

10—Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

LP disowns decampees to PDP, says they were in ACN

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

L-R: Governor Ibikunle Amosun, his Wife, Hajjia Funso Amosun, Rt. Hon. Suraj Adekunbi, Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly; Alh. Oladipupo Adegbite, first son of the deceased and Hon.Tola Banjo, Deputy Speaker, Ogun State, at the 3rd Day Special Fridau Prayer of late Dr. Abdul Lateef Oladimeji Adegbite, Baba Adini and Seriki of Egbaland, also Secretary General, Supreme Council, Islamic Affairs of Nigeria, at Ake Palace Ground, Abeokuta yesterday. Photo:Wumi Akinola

KURE — THE Labour Party in Ondo State yesterday urged members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ondo State to concentrate on their campaign rather than embarking on media stunts to score cheap political points.

This is in reaction to PDP’s claim that the Special Assistant to the

Independence: Protest against FG in Ibadan

BY OLA AJAYI

I

BADAN - AS the country marked her 52nd Independence anniversary yesterday, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, UI chapter, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and several activists were among not fewer than 3,000 people that protested against Nigerian government yesterday in Ibadan.

While ASUU members were taken to the rally

by their Chairman, Dr. Segun Ajiboye, NLC was led by Comrade Bashir Olanrewaju.

Also joined in the protest march were National Socialist Movement and Senior Staff of Nigerian Universities, SSANU. The associations staged the protest in conjunction with the Joint Action Front, JAF. The rally attracted other Nigerians who supported the protesting unions that things were

not done the right way by our leaders.

The protest which also included civil society groups was coordinated by the state co-ordinator of JAF, Dr. Ademola Aremu.

As early as 8a.m., protesters converged at the University of Ibadan and marched towards Samonda, Sango, Elewure, Bodija, Housing Estate, Favours, and Bodija.

During the protest, placards with inscriptions

Osun shuns celebration as youths protest

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

O

SOGBO - OSUN State government yesterday failed to celebrate the 52nd anniversary of Nigeria’s independence in the state.

Although no reason was given by the government for its failure to mark the anniversary, it was gathered that, the decision may not be unconnected with the posture of the present administration in the state against the Federal Government policies.

There was nothing on ground to mark the i n d e p e n d e n c e anniversary in all parts of the state yesterday and Osogbo, the state capital was devoid of activities to mark the celebration as it was the case in the past.

Meantime, a coalition of youths from various tertiary institutions across the state yesterday staged a peaceful protest in

Osogbo, with a call on the Federal Government to move the nation forward through human oriented programmes.

The youths who thronged popular areas in Osogbo, including Olaiya Junction, Okefia, Ogo-Oluwa, Odiolowo and Fagbewesa, among

others, chanted solidarity songs, and demanded for a better society.

Chairman Joint Campus Committee, convener of the protest, Mr. Naheem Olaore called on the Federal Government to gear up activities in education.

such as ‘Nigeria at 52 still crawling like a toddler ’, ‘Stop unemployment and Poverty now’, ‘We say no to fuel hike and privatisation’ and 'No to Casualization’, ‘We need good governance’, were displayed.

While addressing the crowd at intervals, the JAF Co-ordinator, Dr. Aremu accused the government of alleged insensitivity to i n s e c u r i t y , infrastructural decay and unofficial hike in the fuel price.

He explained that artificial scarcity of petrol was unnecessary and uncalled for.

He wondered why NNPC should abandon repair of vandalized pipelines just because of insecurity.

He wondered why the armed forces used to terrorise fuel hike demonstrators in January cannot be used to secure workers and pipelines.

Akeredolu concludes wards tour with vows

T

HE GOVERNORship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria in the October 20 election, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu yesterday concluded his campaign tour of wards with a promise to transform the coastal areas of Ondo State by building a sea port at Ilaje area that would boost the economy of the state.

In a statement by the ACO spokesman, Idowu Ajanaku; “Akeredolu was almost moved to tears in the face of serious degradation and poverty he saw during his visit of Ugbo constituency.

"He decried the parlous state of the people with a promise that they would no longer be neglected in the scheme of things if elected governor on October 20.

“He pleaded that they should not harbour hatred in their hearts to avoid suffering double jeopardy.

"He said they've been cheated and shortchanged by the present Governor Olusegun Mimiko led Labour Party government who have misappropriated the N65 billion OSOPADEC fund meant to improve their welfare.

“He reassured them that under his leadership the area would be completely transformed with the sea port which would attract huge economic activity from other West African countries and would complement the Lagos port.

“The experience of Cotonou in huge revenue generation from car imports would be relived here leading to massive employment and income generation for the people and government of Ondo State.”

governor of Ondo State on Special Interest, Mr. Jerry Akinwunmi, former local government caretaker chairman, Ilaje Local Government Area, Hon. Tola Alabere and the Personal Assistant to the senator representing Ondo South, Senator Boluwaji Kunlere, Hon Oluwanbe Olomu have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. According to the opposition party; “The former Labour Party leaders in Okitipupa area of the state officially joined the PDP at the local government rally of the party held at Okitipupa last weekend.

“They were received by the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP, Chief Olusola Oke." According to them they have discovered that the LP and her leaders do not possess the economic

blueprint that can transform the state.

“They said the LP led government is not in any way interested in the development of the riverine area,” PDP said.

But the LP in disowning the decampees said through the Publicity Director of the Mimiko Campaign Organisation, MCO, Mr. Kolawole Olabisi; “LP has become the benchmark in Ondo State that even if anybody suffers any misfortunes in his day to day running, the LP must be responsible.

“The gentlemen above are no longer members of the LP. They belong to the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. It does, therefore, beats one's imagination that they should now lay claim to a party they left over a year ago."

Mimiko warns Agagu against ‘trip to perdition’

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE - GOV. Olusegun Mimiko through his Campaign Organisation, yesterday chided the former governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, over his attempt to challenge his removal from office, saying he was on an ego trip.

Dr. Agagu, according to news reports, is seeking judicial assistance over his removal from office by the court. He is said to be hinging his redress on a purported fake State Security Services (SSS) report which he said nailed him and gave victory to Mimiko who contested against him in 2007.

But the Mimiko Campaign Organisation, MCO, in a statement by its Director of Publicity and Media Relations, Mr. Kolawole Olabisi, in Akure described Agagu’s antics as comical and infantile in nature, and a trip to perdition, cautioning him against desperation to thwart the work of God. It noted that the current development was the culminations of series of lies which it noted included the false allegation that Mimiko was about probing his activities as governor for the four legal years and

the two illegal years he spent in office.

Olabisi pointed out that Agagu’s problem stemmed from ego which was bruised by his loss to Dr. Olusegun Mimiko in the 2007 governorship election despite all the money, influence and power behind him.

“A man who is obsessed by ego is easily irked when his ego is bruised; so it is with Agagu.

"First, he lost as governor to his former Secretary to State Government (SSG). He also lost in his vaunted ambition to become a Senator of the Federal Republic also to Mimiko and now he is propping up Olusola Oke, a lightweight, to challenge Mimiko again.

He reminded the former governor of the parable of the tortoise who decided to go on obviously senseless journey. It was counselled against the journey, but retorted that he would only return after being disgraced.

The MCO said that nothing but disgrace, gnashing of teeth and regret would follow such a folly for the exgovernor unless he allows submission to the will of God and the people of Ondo State who rejected him.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012—11

Eghagha’s kidnappers demand N10 million ransom

BY EMMA AMAIZE

W

LAUNCHING: From left: Prof. Niyi Okedele, Chief Launcher; Deacon Gamaliel Onosode, Chairman of the occasion and wife, Susan, at a book launch to mark the 70th anniversary of Yaba Baptist Church, in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

Flood kills two, submerges 100 communities in Delta zUduaghan sends SOS to FG, others

BY EMMA AMAIZE & FESTUS AHON

W

ARRI—TWO persons have lost their lives, while no fewer than 100 communities submerged and 300,000 persons rendered homeless by flood in 10 local government areas of Delta State in the last few days.

The state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who confirmed that some of the victims climbed trees to escape the wrath of the flood, said, yesterday, that the magnitude of the flood was beyond what the state could handle.

The state Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, also lamented the devastating effect of the flood on riverine communities , saying that the government had set up a camp in Ashaka, Ndokwa East Local Government Area of the state, for residents of some communities, who were displaced by the recent flood that ravaged the communities.

Speaking when he led the State Special Emergency Committee on Flood Disaster Management to Tuomo, Kpakiama, Bomadi, Okwabge and Ohoro communities, Burutu, Bomadi, Ughelli South, and Ughelli North Local Government Areas respectively, Utuama, said the state gov-

ernment was committed to taking short, medium and long term measures aimed at addressing the problem of flooding in the state.

Governor Uduaghan, has, meantime, sent a Save Our Soul, SOS, to the Federal Government, the private sector, philanthropists and wellmeaning Nigerians to

come to the aid of the state.

Reviewing the damage caused by the flood in Asaba, Uduaghan said the situation on ground was “grave and grim.”

He said: “Within a period of three days, the number of communities affected increased astronomically and for now, the affected communities

are totally flooded.”

Describing the situation as “devastating and a huge challenge,” he noted that most of the rehabilitation camps were already recording about 100,000 displaced persons, adding that mattresses, food items and medical facilities were being arranged for the victims in the interim.

Flood threatens to submerge Niger Bridge ...Elumelu appeals for FG intervention

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

SABA—MEMBER representing Aniocha/Oshimili federal constituency, Mr. Ndudi Elumelu, has called on the Federal Government to urgently save the South-East from being cut off as the ravaging flood from the River Niger was almost submerging the entry point to Niger Bridge.

Speaking, yesterday, when he undertook an assessment of the flooded areas, he said: “What I have just seen on ground is disheartening.

Benin-Asaba highway will soon be submerged, and if the road is submerged, it means that the whole of the SouthEast will be cut-off. So the Federal Government and Ministry of Works

need to take urgent measures to save the situation.

“They should not wait for a repeat of what happened to Lokoja-Abuja Road. The threat is real, when you consider that Immigration office has been submerged. The

workers there can’t even access their offices and communities that are close to this place have been wiped out. I believe that it is high time the Federal Government came to our aid. This is beyond the state government.”

ARRI—ABDUC TORS of Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof.

Hope Eghagha, have demanded N10million ransom.

Eghagha was kidnapped on Sunday, at Abavo, close to Agbor, on his way from Warri for the 52nd independence anniversary thanksgiving in Asaba, the state capital, Meanwhile, former Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, raised alarm, yesterday, that people were relocating from the state to other states in the country because of the wave of kidnappings, but the state government and police faulted his claim.

State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chike Ogeah; Manager, Communications to the state governor, Mr. Paul Odili and Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Charles Muka, said

contrary to Gbagi’s claim, the state was safe for the inhabitants.

Vanguard gathered from a source, that “There is division among the kidnappers on whether to dump the commissioner and run for their lives or negotiate for ransom through a proxy, as the killing of the police officer had made the operation dicey.

“The gunmen are clearly money-making kidnappers, as they chose, despite the odds, to ask for ransom through a surrogate. The proxy contacted some people on phone, saying that he was not one of the kidnappers, but would help secure his release if given N10 million,” the source, who craved anonymity said.

Mr. Charles Muka, state Police Public Relations Officer, when contacted on the development, said: “All I can tell you now is that we have intensified efforts to track down the kidnappers.”

Police, FRSC stop save Bakassi rally in C-River

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

C

ALABAR—CROSS River State Police Command and Sector Command of Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, weekend, stopped members of the National Association of Seadogs, NAS, from their planned advocacy rally over Federal Government’s refusal to appeal against International Court of Justice, ICJ, judgment, that ceded the oil-rich peninsula to Cameroon.

NAS had organised a rally in all states of the federation to compel the Federal Government file an appeal against the

October 2002 judgment as well as proper resettlement of the displaced people of Bakassi, as the window of opportunity to appeal closes October 10.

But Cross River State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Osita Ezechukwu and state Sector Commander of FRSC, Alhaji Yusuf Salami, refused to grant the request for the rally in Calabar, the state capital. Armed policemen were stationed at strategic locations, including governor ’s office, where the association had planned to march to and drop a letter to Governor Liyel Imoke for onward delivery to President Goodluck Jonathan, to stop it.

Flood: ACN wants Delta govt to assuage sufferings of victims

BY FESTUS AHON

D

ELTA State chapter of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has challenged the state government to take practical steps towards alleviating sufferings of Deltans who were recently sacked by flood in the state occasioned by the overflow of River Niger.

Describing the recent flood that cut off no fewer

than 50 communities in the state, including some parts of Asaba, the capital city, as a national disaster, the party said the havoc wreaked by the flood was beyond mere provision of camps and relief materials for the victims.

State party chairman, Chief Adolo Okotie-Eboh, in a statement by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Frank Eghomien, en-

joined the state government to liaise with the Federal Government and relevant agencies in addressing the perennial problem of flooding in the state.

Okotie-Eboh said: “In a spiritless and unsuccessful attempt to reach the hapless communities cut off by recent ravaging flooding in the coastal areas of Delta State, the Deputy Governor report-

edly observed, and rightly too, that the occurrence was a national disaster.

But rather than procrastinate and make untenable promises on radio and on the pages of newspapers, government rhetoric’s should be matched with urgent action. In this regard, Delta State ACN, calls on the government to seriously address and deliver on the plights of the affected communities."

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

EFCC nabs two with N158m at Kano, Lagos airports

BY SONI DANIEL

A

SUMMIT: Mr. Oma Djebah, Senior Adviser on Foreign Relations to Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan (right) and former British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, at the third Nigeria International Investment Summit in New York, USA.

BUJA—TWO men are now helping Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, operatives with information on how they came by a the sum of $986,000 (N157.7 million) found on them at Lagos and Kano International airports.

The duo, Nkem Sebastian and Alhaji Tasiu Ilu Kura, were arrested in separate operations on Saturday and Sunday as they were about to board their flights to Dubai, United Arab Emirate.

Bakassi: Failure to appeal ICJ judgment treasonable —Akhigbe

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—FORMER Chief of General Staff, Admiral Mike Akhigbe, weekend, warned the Federal Government that it would amount to treasonable felony, if it failed to appeal against the International Court of Justice, ICJ, judgment, which ceded Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon.

Admiral Akhigbe told Vanguard in a telephone chat from his base in Germany that it was irresponsible on the part of the then civilian administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo to have ceded the area to Cameroun, without considering the plight of Nigerians who live in the area.

Regretting that the peninsula was ceded to Cameroun after several Nigerians lost their lives in that area, he said: “This is one issue threatening the corporate ex-

istence of our nation.

The Camerouneans don’t live there, only Nigerians live there. All they care for is the oil.

That is why it was irresponsible the manner the issue was handled by the civilian administration in Nigeria.

“We in the Navy, as far back as 1974, insisted that the land belonged to Nigeria and we advised the Federal Government but our advice was not heeded. The only Head of State, who saw the implication of ceding that

place to Cameroun was the late Gen. Sanni Abach and he remained firm until the civilian administration came.

“The current Goodluck Jonathan administration should be warned that no government can succeed in Nigeria, if it can’t defend the corporate existence of this country. Nigerians must prevail on this government to appeal against the judgment because the later generation will never accept the decision.

“And if any govern-

Bakassi: Nigeria's territorial integrity under threat —Imoke

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

C

ALABAR —GOVERNOR Liyel Imoke of Cross River State has called on Nigerians to unite so as to protect the labours of the founding fathers of the coun-

try, saying that the Bakassi Peninsula challenge posed a great threat to the territorial integrity of the country.

Governor Imoke, in his 52nd Independence Day address, said: “On this day every year, we are compelled by pride in our nation and a true

Shell's Bonny trunkline on fire

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

P

ORT HAR COURT—FIRE broke out, Sunday, on the 28 inch Bomu Bonny trunkline belonging to Shell Petroleum Development Corporation.

Confirming the incident, Shell said it had shut the facility, adding that the

ment fails to appeal the judgment, it should be considered as treasonable felony. This issue has made us look very irresponsible in the world. If a government cannot defend its territory, what is the business of such persons being in power?

It is a shame that a country like Cameroun will outwit Nigeria on issues like this. This matter was messed up because the civilian administration did not handle it like late Sanni Abacha. That decision must be appealed against.”

fire was still raging with thick smoke coming from the facility at press time.

Shell, in a statement, said: “Shell operated Joint venture has shut the 28-inch Bomu – Bonny Trunkline after discovering a fire on it early this morning (September 30). A burning vessel, thought to be involved in the theft of

crude oil from the line, was sighted near the incident site, close to Okololunch community in the Eastern Niger Delta. The line conveys crude oil to Bonny Terminal. Some 150,000 barrels of oil per day is deferred.”

It blamed the ugly development on crude oil theft.

sense of citizenship, to celebrate October 1, as arguably the most important day in our national history.

“We commemorate this unique day in the annals of our history with great respect and reverence for the sacrifice and struggles of our founding fathers, which marked the end of colonialism and the commencement of our enlightenment as a people and a nation.

“We celebrate the day of our independence and self-determination, not just with symbolic pageantry and ceremony, but also with great expectation and an even greater desire to ensure that we all contribute to the development of this blessed nation. It is important that this day serves as a constant reminder of this fact."

An EFCC source told Vanguard that Kura, a businessman from Kura Local Government in Kano State, was nabbed with the sum of $700,000 while Sebastian was arrested with $286,000 in Lagos.

The two arrests are coming barely 48 hours after the commission took into custody, one Abubalkar Tijani Sherif with over $7 million at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

The 24-year-old suspected currency smuggler, was arrested by EFCC operatives as he

was about to board a flight to the United Arab Emirates.

The source said that Sebastian had earlier declared that he only had $200,000 on him but additional $86,000 was found on him upon rigorous search by the operatives.

Similarly, Alhaji Tasiu Ilu Kura, a businessman, who carries a valid Niger Republic Passport with number 07PC61816, was arrested at the Aminu Kanu International Airport Kanu on Sunday with $700,000 ( about N112m) and taken into EFCC custody.

Nigeria/Saudi face-off: NAHCON directs Pilgrims Boards to comply

BY EMMA UJAH, Abuja Bureau Chief & JOSEPH ERUNKE

A

BUJA—FOLLOW ING the deportation of Nigerian female pilgrims to this year ’s hajj over their failure to be accompanied by male companions, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, has directed state Muslim Pilgrim Boards to strictly comply with Muharram requirements, according to an earlier circular issued to them.

NAHCON, in a statement by the Head of Media, Alhaji Uba Mana, in Abuja, yesterday, said all state Pilgrim Boards must comply fully with an earlier circular asking that all female pilgrims must be accompanied with their male relatives who must travel with them in the same flight.

It said: “We wish to use this medium to appeal to all state pilgrims welfare boards and agencies to comply with the circulars earlier sent to them regarding the matching of female pilgrims with their appropriate Muharrams and ensure that

they travel together in the same flight.”

Eight flights carrying 3,786 pilgrims have been airlifted to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this year’s hajj, after the resolution of the issue of Muharram, male accompaniment, of female pilgrims.

According to the commission, the operations have been smooth and all pilgrims were allowed entry into the kingdom, except 50 who didn’t have proper documentation.

“The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria is pleased to inform the general public that since the resumption of Hajj flights of Nigerian pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Sunday September 30th, a total of eight flights have been operated conveying 3,786 pilgrims to the holy land.

“This success was recorded largely as a result of the directive given to state pilgrims’ welfare boards/agencies, to ensure that only female pilgrims that have the appropriate Muharram are boarded," the statement added.

FCTA denies dispute between ministers

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

T

HE Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, yesterday denied the alleged dispute between its ministers.

The FCT Administration in a statement

signed by special assistants to the two ministers, Mr Nosike Ogbuenyi and Olayinka Akintunde, in Abuja said that the relationship between the Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed, and Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, was cordial.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012 — 13

C M Y K

14 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard , TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012—15

NIM: From left—Dr. Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, paper presenter; Alhaji Isa Sali, Head of Service of the Federation, and representative of President Goodluck Jonathan; Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole, President of Council, Nigerian Institute of M a n a g e m e n t (Chartered), NIM; and Dr. Nelson Uwaga, Deputy President, at the 2012 Annual National M a n a g e m e n t Conference of NIM in Abuja. PHOTO: Oscar Ochiogu.

Water level rises along Abuja-Lokoja road

BY OKEY NDIRIBE

A

BUJA—THERE are indications that the flood, which submerged a section of the Abuja-Lokoja highway two weeks ago, has risen.

Also, a large number of trucks conveying petroleum products and other goods from different parts of the country have been trapped at the submerged section of the highway.

Some of the truck drivers, who spoke to Vanguard, said they had been trapped at the spot for a week. Trav-

ellers on their way to Abuja were also stranded at the flooded portion of the road.

Investigations carried out

by Vanguard revealed that whereas huge trucks, articulated vehicles and even certain types of sports utility vehicles could drive through the submerged road at the onset of the disaster penultimate week, this was no longer possible yesterday.

Several residents of Lokoja, who spoke to Vanguard, confirmed the development.

ACN warns Nigerians of ‘internal colonialists'

A

CTION Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has urged Nigerians to gird their loins and fight for their independence from those who have assumed the role of ‘internal colonialists,’ thus wiping out the gains of the country’s independence from British colonialists in 1960.

The party said in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on the occasion of the country’s 52nd independence anniversary, Monday that incompetent leadership, bad governance, massive corruption and lack of patriotism by

successive administrations had made Nigerians worse off today than they were shortly after independence.

It said: “A country that offered so much hopes and possibilities for its citizens at independence has today become a land of suffering, insecurity and near hopelessness, no thanks to visionless leaders.

“The leaders have failed to lead a well-endowed nation to harness the talents of its vibrant, energetic and resilient people. The result is what we have today: a country exhibiting all the characteristics of a failed state.”

World Heart Day: Expert tasks Nigerians on health

BY NNAMDI OJIEGO

A

Consultant Endocrinologist/ Diabetologist with Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Dr. Anthonia Ogbera, has called on Nigerians to take responsibility for their own heart health and well-being to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Speaking on Road Map to Achieving Optimal Cardiovascular Health, as part of activities to mark the 2012 World Heart Day, organised

by GlaxoSmithKline Plc., Ogbera said the world’s population was experiencing a surge in non-communicable diseases of which heart diseases top the list.

Ogbera, who is also the Head of Diabetes Centre, Department of Medicine, LASUTH, said: “Heart diseases are well established as a leading contributor to ill-health and death in countries in low-income and middle-income countries, LMIC, like Nigeria.

“Heart disease is a major cause for heart attack (myocardial infarction), heart failure, stroke, sudden cardiac arrest, SCA, and ischemia (reduced blood flow). Heart attacks are not discriminatory and can affect the rich and the poor alike.”

She noted that the good news was that heart diseases were life-style related, which could be effectively managed with a healthy life-style.

Earlier, Mr. Jide Adeosun, GlaxoSmithKline Commercial Development Manager, Africa, said the event, Walk for a Healthy Heart, was organised to raise awareness on the risk of cardiovascular diseases and the need for people to cultivate the habit of a healthy life-style.

The theme for this year ’s World Heart Day is One World, One Home, One Heart and it focuses on increasing awareness of Cardiovascular Disease, CVD, among women and children.

El-Rufai berates Jonathan over independence speech

BY HENRY UMORU

A

BUJA—FORMER Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, yesterday, described President Goodluck Jonathan’s 52nd Independence Anniversary speech as 18 minutes of false claims.

El-Rufai also picked holes with the one year prayer project the President flagged off, stressing that rather than engage Nigerians and spend money on the project, President Jonathan must deliver on dividends of democracy by providing the needed infrastructure for Nigerians to enjoy.

El-Rufai, who noted that the broadcast lacked substance, said: “Is it at all possible to react to nothing?

The speech was 18 minutes of false claims of accomplishments no one can see or feel, and promises that no one believes will be fulfilled.

“That is the tragedy of our nation today. That is why a country which constitution does not recognise any ‘state religion’ has resorted to a year of publiclyfunded prayer project, instead of the harder work of

providing inclusive leadership, honesty and integrity by example.”

Also commenting on the broadcast, Senator Domingo Obende, ACN,

Edo North, noted that speeches might sound good and were semantics.

But stressed that what was required was action.

He urged Jonathan to

wake up to the challenges of governance, while sympathising with him against the backdrop that Nigeria is a complex country with myriad of problems.

Those around him ‘stink' —Reps

BY EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

A

BUJA—MEMBERS of the Federal House of Representatives, yesterday, advised President Goodluck Jonathan to show the willingness and sincerity to fight corruption, insecurity and carry everybody along if he must to succeed.

Apparently reacting to his 52nd anniversary speech, the Reps, who were unanimous in their reactions, stated that the President should purge himself first and listen to constructive criticism to move Nigeria forward.

Chairman House Committee on Media, Zakari Mohammed, said: “We are ready to support him provided there is willingness and sincerity on his side.

“I have said it before

that governance cannot be done in isolation of other arms of government and we have been supporting him in all spheres. All we want is sincerity of purpose.”

In his contribution, Uzo Nkem-Abonta, representing Abia State said: “The President should first and foremost purge himself of all those that are seen to be corrupt.

“There is corruption everywhere, particularly in the civil service. The President may not be corrupt but most people around him stink of corruption.

“Look at the stench from the fuel subsidy probe and the rot in that sector. You will weep for this nation everyday. All we are saying is that the President should exhibit leadership by example.

“EFCC should be given teeth to bite, not to

negotiate for plea bargains or allow corrupt elements in the society the option of fine.”

Abiodun Faleke, representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, said: “Nigerians are becoming impatient everyday. Let Mr. President display exemplary leadership qualities by fighting corruption in the true sense of it.

“The oil sector is enmeshed in corruption and security is in abeyance. Let him lead the way by listening to constructive criticism at all times so that Nigeria can move forward.

“If he (President) wants to write his name in gold, he should tell Nigerians his mind on whether he would stay in office for one term and combat all these maladies headlong to make Nigeria move forward.”

Gombe floats N30bn bond for infratructure, debt

BY EMMA UJAH, Abuja Bureau Chief

G

OMBE State govern ment has gone to the capital market to raise N30 billion to enable it pursue the administration of Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo’s priority infrastructure projects.

The government sealed the deal with Issuing Houses in Abuja, weekend, saying the bond was to enable it restructure the N7 billion it inherited from the

last administration in the state.

The bond has been divided into two tranches of an initial N20 billion and N10 billion, to be raised from the market later.

Governor Dankwambo expects to pay off the debt in seven years, which is an indication that he could achieve that within his two terms, if re-elected in 2015.

The seven-year tenured instrument has a yield of 15.5 per cent for investors.

The Lead Issuing House

for the instrument is Access Bank Plc, which will work with Joint Issuing Houses such as BGL GTB Asset Management, UBACapital, Greenwich Trust Ltd and Finmall Financial Services.

Justifying the deal, Dankwambo, who spoke through the state Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Hassan Muhammadu, said it will provide Gombe State the much needed funds to pursue an aggressive infrastructure development of the young state.

That level of funding for such a development, he said, cannot be achieved through the state’s share of the monthly Federation Allocations and its Internally Generated Revenue, IGR. He said: “What we are doing is financial re-engineering. We are trying to look at our finances from the beginning to the end in totality, very holistically.

“We are taking into cognizance what His Execellency inherited when he took over power.”

C M Y K

16—Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

AWARD: From left— Mr. Nsima Ekere, Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, representing Governor Godswill Akpabio; Sir Jimmy Coker, Lay President of the Church, and Dr. Ola Makinde, Prelate of Methodist Church, at the presentation of Golden Impact Award to the governor during the 170th anniversary of Methodist Church Nigeria in Abuja, weekend.

JTF operative, 4 others killed in Borno

BY NDAHI MARAMA

M

AIDUGURI—FIVE persons, including a member of the Joint Task Force, JTF, operatives in Borno State, were killed in an explosion and gun attack in Maiduguri.

Four other JTF opera-

tives were critically injured after an Improvised Explosives Device, IED, targeted at their patrol vehicle, exploded on Lagos Street in Maiduguri, yesterday.

Vanguard gathered that the JTF men were on routine patrol of the area, when the bomb went off around 8am. The patrol

Nigerians love to remain as one— ACF

A

REWA Consultative Forum, ACF, yesterday, said despite the challenges posed by insecurity and socio-economic situations in Nigeria, most Nigerians were determined to remain together in one united country.

ACF, in a statement by Anthony Sani to mark the nation’s 52 independence celebration, noted that the independence was worth celebrating and that Nigerians would gain more from a united Nigeria.

The statement read in part: “There is no doubt that Nigeria is passing through multifaceted difficulties.

But hard times should in-

spire us to work hard and overcome for the purpose of making the most of our diversity.

“Surely, a united Nigeria with a society that is socially diverse, economically empowered and politically active is not impossible to reincarnate, given purposeful leadership and the best in everyone.

“One way of overcoming the difficulties the nation is passing through is to embark on consciously-directed fight against corruption, which had stolen the opportunities, the empowerment and the future of most Nigerians.”

vehicle caught fire and was badly damaged.

A staff of the state Fire Service, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Vanguard that he saw the body of a soldier lying on the floor, when they were called to put out the fire, adding that others were badly injured.

There was commotion in the area as traders and shop owners abandoned their wares and fled. Fierce-looking security operatives cordoned off the area for hours.

When JTF spokesman, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa was contacted on phone, he said he was not aware of the attack but confirmed that there was an explosion in the area and promised to give details later. However, at press time, nothing was forthcoming from him.

In another development, four people were said to have been shot dead, Sunday night, by some gunmen in Damboa Road area in Maiduguri.

Residents of the area said the people were shot dead by gunmen who stormed their houses behind CBN quarters.

NUPENG makes case for flood disaster victims

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

N

IGERIA Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has called on the Federal Government to do more towards ameliorating the plight of victims of flood disasters currently ravaging the country.

In a statement by its Acting General Secretary, Mr. Isaac Aberare, NUPENG said a state of emergency should be declared in the affected communities, while relief materials and tempoC M Y K

rary abode be made for them.

It demanded that a supplementary budget to assist the flood victims be quickly sent to the National Assembly for approval to provide succour for the affected people and their communities.

The statement said: “The union commiserates with the families of those who have lost their lives in the floods. The union warns that state governments should desist from allocating and

allowing buildings to be erected in flood-prone areas; especially around the river banks.

“The union calls on the Federal and state governments to, as a matter of urgency, dispatch medical teams to the areas to avert epidemic and diseases from ravaging the communities.

“NUPENG re-iterates that the three tiers of government must begin to enlighten the populace on global warming or climate change, which is partly responsible for the upsurge.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012—17

S

First, let me put some vital points in perspective. In a recent notice by the CBN announcing the suspension of the issuance of N5000 note, the Bank said: “Under Section 19(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007, the currency notes and coins issued by the Bank shall be, (a) in such denomination of the Naira or fractions thereof as shall be approved by the President on the recommendation of the Board and, (b) of such forms and designs and bear such devices as shall be approved by the President on the recommendation of the board”. The notice went on: “The CBN hereby informs the general public that the President, on Thursday September 20, 2012, directed that further action on the approved restructuring exercise be stopped”. It is, therefore, clearly wrong to imply that one man just ran off on his own to impose the currency restructuring on the nation without approval from the President. Here the buck

The mugging of Sanusi

•CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

ought to stop on the President’s desk!

It was the suspension of the N5000 note that many celebrated as if it was a personal defeat of Sanusi. In celebrating what they regarded as victory over Sanusi, many lost sight of what the issue is and went physical with Sanusi.

Dele Momodu who cannot be described as an inexperienced journalist crossed the line when he resorted to body punches and even ear biting!

A

s I read him, I kept ask ing myself, what has all the personal abuse got to do with Project CURE? It was obvious that Momodu was venting accumulated anger. For example, he spent seven paragraphs, half of the page, recalling Nigeria’s history of limited attention span and “acute psychological impairment”. I agreed with him. But what has our national failings got to do with Sanusi? If we are “a neurotic society and a vindictive population” is that of Sanusi’s making? Was that

why he tried to issue a N5000 note? I kept asking, where was this pent up fury coming from? Going down the literary brutalization of Sanusi

,

INCE he became the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has ruffled a few feathers. He has attracted controversy the way sugar attracts ants over some of CBN’s policies. The most recent controversy concerns the currency restructuring exercise codenamed “Project CURE”. As far as his critics are concerned, Project CURE is another name for the now suspended proposal to issue a N5000 note.

I wonder how many people whose jaws did not drop in horror as they read the pummelling of Sanusi by Otunba Dele Momodu in his column PENDULUM in Thisday of Saturday, 22 September 2012. I am expressing my horror publicly because we must want justice not just for ourselves but also for even our enemies! A column is a public forum and does not belong to the author per se! Dele Momodu is the publisher of Ovation, an international celebrity magazine and a former presidential candidate in the 2011 election. And when you vie for the highest office in the land, you become a senior citizen, even if you do not believe it. You are not expected to demean the high office you vied for or diminish yourself and your generation.

admitted of the existence of a “cesspool of b a n k i n g mess”! And Nigerians even wanted to blame Prof Soludo for not sanitizing the banks during his consolidation. Such critics even forgot that Soludo rolled out a 13-point restructuring agenda which included the measures Sanusi carried out, although typical of our “acute psychological impairment” we focused only on the N25 billion capitalization!

Because his tenure was not renewed, we are never to know if he would have taken the steps Sanusi took.

Secondly, one could feel Momodu’s outrage for Sanusi having the temerity to join issues with Obasanjo! But I would have preferred Momodu to contradict Sanusi on the fact that Obasanjo introduced higher denominations during his tenure and that the introduction of such denominations did not cause inflation! That is what we should debate!

The reason why I was horrified by Momodu’s uploading the entire Wikipedia to buttress his personal abuse is that he unwittingly gave Sanusi powers he did not have and elevated him to a tin god!

Sanusi is not CBN, no matter how privileged his birth and how charming he is! The CBN

Momodu wasted a whole valuable, expensive and a vantage page on vituperation and abuse of Sanusi at the expense of a cogent debate about the effect of Project CURE on our economy

,

one could only put a finger on Sanusi’s sacking of some bank chief executives and his putting down General Obasanjo as a bad economist as the source of the provocation.

No doubt, Sanusi’s sacking of some bank CEOs a few years ago affected some of our friends and must have annoyed us. In fact, I agree with Momodu that: “In the process, he stepped on too many toes”. But the same Momodu

has a Board that makes recommendations to the President who in turn approves or rejects. Let us recall that as Governor, Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo proposed to re-denominate our currency.

President Umaru Yar ’Adua overruled him and that was the end of the matter. As the Governor, Sanusi has a responsibility to speak for the CBN. That should not make us misinform Nigerians that he is the alpha and omega,

no matter how princely he carries himself. He is just an employee of the Executive and if the President had not reversed himself on the N5000 note, Sanusi on his own could not have done so. And, by the way, what if Sanusi is rumoured to have presidential ambition? Is political ambition a crime?

I

make this intervention for two very important reasons. Momodu did an expert psycho-analysis of Nigerians as fickle minded people. Now my question is, for how long shall those of us privileged to influence opinion continue to tell our fickle-minded people what they want to hear instead of what they need to face up to? We have had too many Pyrrhic victories over the government on critical policies.

Are we helping our people by seducing them to sidetrack what we must do? How do we get to a better tomorrow if we insist on being rooted to now?

I agree with Momodu that Nigerians are a peculiar people. We want an omelet but we become hysterical when an egg is broken. We relish porcupine meat but we are afraid of its quills. We loot our country and flee to other countries built by the sweats of their citizens but would not make the same sacrifice for our own country. We are now frustrated largely because we have sentenced our lives to the insatiability of materialism instead of enduring values.

The more we are confronted by the insatiability, the more we easily lash out!

Secondly, I am worried by the culture of abuse as substitute for debate. As a result, all institutions we used to respect have been trashed and recklessly debased. Nobody and nothing is good in our country anymore. This self immolating cynicism is breeding an insipid nihilism and national self-doubt. Can we restrict ourselves to the facts of a debate without personal insults? Momodu wasted a whole valuable, expensive and a vantage page on vituperation and abuse of Sanusi at the expense of a cogent debate about the effect of Project CURE on our economy. As an opinion leader, he cheated readers like me of the expected elucidation of the effect of Project CURE against the CBN’s reasons for the project. I am not better informed by reading Momodu and that is very unfortunate!

OPINION

BY GLADYS NWAJIOKU

I

WATCHED with utter disbe lief and dismay the recent stage-managed and show of shame called protest by some of our colleagues under the guise of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Aba Branch over the state of roads in the commercial city.

Though it did not come to many of us who were aware of the plot ahead of its execution as a great surprise, because we knew that it was a well-hatched plot by some failed politicians in the state led a former governor of the state who used some of our colleagues to execute it in a bid C M Y K

Between Abia Government and NBA Aba branch to settle political scores with state government.

It could be recall that throughout the administration of Governor Theodore Orji’s predecessor in the state, NBA Aba Branch was almost an appendage of the state government for what the leadership then was selfishly benefitting from the government. This was despite the high level of misgovernance and total neglect of basic infrastructures in the state, especially in Aba. The only thing we witnessed in the city then was the introduction

of the Bakassi Boys as security men by the state government.

The group later transformed to political thugs to deal with perceived political enemies of the state government. The group extra-judicially wasted lives of many innocent citizens in the state and many prominent Abia people were chased out of the State. It took the intervention of the Federal Government to checkmate and disband the group, but none of its members was made to face the wrath of the law.

When Orji assumed office in

2007 as the governor of the State, the NBA Aba Branch leadership was nowhere to be found, even when Governor Orji’s government was clearly hijacked and held hostage by forces engineered by his predecessor and his mother to detriment of of the people of the state. The infrastructures in the state were in shambles.

But since Orji succeeded in liberating himself and the state treasury from his political tormentors, the leadership of NBA Aba branch has become a torn in his flesh and has never

seen anything good in his government. This is despite all his government has done in the judiciary sector by providing basic amenities like houses, offices and other basic things for easy dispensation of justice in the state. The Branch leadership made itself handy as a pawn in the chessboard of Orji’s political enemies, especially his predecessor, to cause confusion in the state. And this could be seen by the recent show of shame called protest by some lawyers in Aba recently.

Continues tomorrow on pg18

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

P

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan knows about renewed hope. “I bring to you today, a message of renewed hope and faith in the immense possibilities that lie ahead,” he told Nigerians in his 52nd independence anniversary broadcast.

He spoke glowingly of the impact of his transformation agenda. It has changed the country; it has planted it on the steady path of progress. The plaudits the President lined up for the successes of his agenda are moderated by reality.

In less than five years, Nigeria moved from the Vision 2020:20 programme of the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua administration to the transformation agenda. Few Nigerians understand the transformation agenda. We hear about it in speeches, but if its impact in the lives of Nigerians is measured by their conditions, it is not working.

Nigerians have learnt to abridge their expectations. They do not expect instant transformation of their country into paradise. They know there are challenges, particularly with leaderships that have fallen into a routine of complaining, like ordinary people they should inspire.

Granted there could have been improve-

Vision aborted, transformation awaited ments in some sectors and the country is going through its worst security situation since the Civil War, the President, has more work to do. Just as power supply is improving and another wave of fuel scarcity begins.

Where should Nigerians place hopes?

The President suggested the 2013 budget would firm up the transformation agenda.

Nigerians know that budgets in the past 13 years have tilted more in favour of recurrent expenditure (salaries, cars, maintenance of offices and official quarters) over capital votes (roads, schools, hospitals, electricity, rails).

The President’s promises leave Nigerians forlorn. They provide little comfort. His si-

lence on review of the Constitution, an exercise Nigerians hope could result in better management of the federation, heightens anxieties over his position on untangling the maze that masks the nation’s future.

A momentous occasion like the 52nd anniversary serves a great platform for the President to connect with Nigerians. He could have used it better. Being dismissal about challenges Nigerians face is not very helpful. Failure to admit governments could do better distances Nigerians from their leaders.

Nigeria cannot live on potentials. No country does. The translation from dreams and hopes to realisation of the ambitions would make all the difference. Our leaders should strive for more openness in their search for peoples and platforms that can enhance the capacities of Nigerians to make their country work better.

More concerns about the humanity of Nigerian leaders — that makes them live above the people and their challenges — result in more fears about Nigeria’s future.

It is the responsibility of leadership to provide hope now and for the future.

OPINION

BY GLADYS NWAJIOKU

Between Abia Government and NBA Aba branch

Continued from pg 17

I

T could be recall that before the recent protest, the leadership of the Branch has dragged the state government to court over the appointment of Chief Judge of the State. This is even when they are in a position to know more than any other person the constitutional provisions for the appointment of both acting and substantive State Chief Judge which Governor Orji has not violated any by his actions so far. Constitutionally, it is not the duty of the leadership of NBA to decide who should be appointed the Chief Judge of the State.

They have no business in the appointment of members of the Bench. Doing so under any guise as being done by the leadership of NBA Aba Branch smack of suspicion and ulterior motives.

What should be of utmost concern to the leadership of the Bar and every other Nigerian should be the speedy and just dispensation of justice and not the appointment of judges. But in Abia State today, the leadership of the NBA in Aba has made itself a stumbling block in the appointment of the State Chief Judge. It is obvious to Nigerians that since Justice Ayo Salami was suspended from office as the President of Court of Appeal, his successor, Justice Dalhatu Adamu has been functioning in acting capacity and nobody, including the C M Y K

leadership of the NBA at the national level has dragged the Federal Government to court over the appointment or non-appointment of a substantive President of Court of Appeal. This is because the action of the government is not unconstitutional. So what does Aba Branch of NBA want from the Abia State government?

At the peak of the kidnapping saga that grounded Aba then, the only contribution and advice by the NBA leadership in the city on how to tackle the menace was the call for Orji to resign for his failure to secure the city. Today, Governor Orji’s government has restored security in the city by wiping off the kidnappers that once grounded the city, and we are all back in the city to continue our practice again.

Before the recent sponsored protest, it was in the open that a former governor of the state has compromised the leadership of the Bar in the city through one Anambra born lawyer based in the city who is also a close friend of a Lagos based senior lawyer from Anambra State. That was why majority of our colleagues who disagreed with leadership stayed away from charade called protest. It is clear that the notoriety and confrontational approach of the leadership of the Bar in the commercial city against the state government has become too much of a shame, embarrass-

ment and suspicion to the noble profession.

Since the state government announced its plan to demolish 18,000 houses built on drainage channels in the city in order to pave way for easy de-flooding, owners of the marked buildings for demolition have been meeting with some opposition politicians in the state and the leadership of the NBA in the city to perfect strategies on how to use frivolous court injunctions to frustrate government’s plan in that direction. Apart from this, they are also working with some acclaimed civil society organisations to thwart government plans.

This is even when the NBA leadership know that government’s move is in the interest of the majority of the people in the city and that most owners of the houses built illegally without government approval.

With this, how can one justify the Bar leadership’s criticisms and opposition against the Abia State government? It has been often insinuated in some quarters that lawyers were the problems of the country’s democracy, especially at this point that every Dick or Harry appears to be a lawyer without sound knowledge of the law.

With the proliferation of universities in the country, law profession just like every other profession, has suffered low quality products. That is why one can see those

who called themselves learned men being paid to protest like members of civil society organisations in order to get their daily bread. This is when their colleagues who are worth their onions are busy in courts arguing cases for their clients. Why didn’t the Bar leadership in the city go to other parts of the state to protest over the state of roads? Is it only in Aba that there are bad roads in Nigeria? Even in Onitsha which the Bar Branch chairman claimed that traders now preferred to Aba in terms of trading, there are so many bad roads there inspite of the fact that the market is the biggest in the West Africa with so much revenue for Anambra State. Onitsha Branch of NBA has not taken to the streets to protest over bad roads in the city knowing full well that Onitsha is not the only city in the state and that the state government has other challenges confronting it.

I have been in Aba for almost two decades now, I know the infrastructural challenges in the city and effort of successive governments in tackling them, I can say with every sense of modest and sincerity that the present government in the state has tried more than any other one before in tackling the problems in the city.

*Mrs Nwajioku (KSJ), practitioner, wrote from Aba

a

legal

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012— 19

, A

colleague of mine who taught in South Africa informed me that President Nelson Mandela had regular meetings with the heads of departments of political science. Mandela’s practice would, therefore, appear as a validation of Colonel Sir William F. Butler’s recollection of the following opinion of Charles Gordon: “It is needless to say that Charles Gordon held a totally different view of the soldier’s proper sphere of action and with him the building part of the soldier’s profession was far more important than the breaking part… The nation that will insist upon drawing a broad line of demarcation between the fighting man and the thinking man is liable to find its fighting done by fools and its thinking by cowards” (Chapter I FM 3- 07 Pp. 1-i) This quote is an effective way of bringing to the table of the Nigerian security discourse: “The US Army Stability Operations Field Manual N0 3-07", the 2009 University of Michigan Press edition.

It is an unrestricted publication

released for dissemination to the constituencies with intellectual interest in how the United States Army is preparing for its international commitments.

In the foreword to the University of Michigan Press edition, Michele Flournoy and Shawn Brimley described as follows in broad terms the three components of the US Army’s international security mission: “Ensuring that the world’s oceans, cyberspace, common airspace, and orbital space remain relatively free and open for travel, commerce, and communication should constitute core missions for America’s military, and those missions are fundamental to the maintenance of US interests. America’s military forces are likely to be utilized for two other core missions directly countering those state or non-state actors who attack US interests at home and abroad: and engaging in pre- or post-conflict stability operation to prevent or redress state failure and the resulting adverse regional and global consequences. Most of these tasks will be cross-cutting and joint by

,

nature, and all agencies of government need to be prepared to act in support of national objectives.

Placed within America’s broader strategic context, stability operations clearly constitute an extremely important pillar of a likely 21st century national security agenda, and ensuring that the US military is able to perform these operations effectively will remain a central task of uniformed and civilian defense leaders”.

T

he above description of US Army’s 21st century security agenda preparation clearly shows that the US Government has evolved a happy balanced team of its fighting and thinking men who together can ensure that security agenda setting remain “a central task of the uniformed and civilian defense leaders”.

A principal aim of my Tuesday Column is to contribute to the development of the capability of Nigerian political leadership to see the importance of building an integrated team of uniformed and civilian leaders whose central task is to set the nation’s security agenda.

Aba renewal and Gov Orji's transformation agenda

BY CHINYEMIKE TORTI

W

HEN professional faultfinders lampoon the Abia administration, with not very choice words, about the state of infrastructure in Aba, little do they realise that the level of degradation that has ravaged Enyimba city for decades does not call for quick fixes or cosmetic remedies which they are wont to proffer. Historically, it is a city that wears several hats from its early beginnings as a colonial administrative centre, World War 2 army rehabilitation centre,railway town, to its present role as a transnational commercial epicentre of the Eastern heartland- home of Ariaria Market famous for shoes, bags and other household items. Aba has one of the best football clubs in Nigeria.

It was a city that was well planned by the British in a structured format that met town planning standards.In the past, before you turned the sod in the soil for a building project, a potential developer had to follow set procedures. This includes obtaining necessary licenses and permits, completing required notifications and inspections and obtaining utility connections. Before the civil war years,a registered town planner analyzed the proposed site of a building and drafted an environmental impact assessment report which listed the potential impact of the project on the environment such as the noise, traffic and increase in human density issues.

After wading through the gamut of due process, the Aba Town Planning Authority issued you with a building permit which was strictly adhered to the letter. Contiguous to the permit was the provision of canals, ducts and drainage channels for flood water control. A labyrinth of culverts, C M Y K

chutes and deep sewers, channellingall waste water into a massive gutter that spouted it into the river. Public and open spaces, including recreational parks, added to the aesthetic value of the city up till the end of the civil war when things went awry.

The masterplanof Aba was obeyed more in the breach as developers and sundry traders built houses and shops on top of drainage and side walks. Motor parks, mechanic garages,workshops, garbage heaps dotted every open space to the extent the city was morphed into an environmental nightmare.Recall that the topography and geography of Enyimba city is susceptible to ravages of nature. It was on account of these that a former state chief executive in the eighties was pejoratively labelled as ‘Weeping Governor’ when he requested for federal assistance over the Ndiegoro, Aba flooding.

The truth of the matter is that when gutters are blocked,the effluent is denied the right of way, it flows into people’s homes and the roads don’t last.Previous administrations tackled the problem in an incremental manner.

It is against this background that Governor T.A. Orji’s transformation agenda that encompasses the urban renewal of Aba has emerged. Presently, 1800 houses, shacks, hovels are sitting on and blocking gutters and sewage system in Aba. Except these unapproved and illegal structures are demolished, all the investments by the administration of Ochendo in road infrastructure will end up in smoke. For the records, Aba has gulped quite some humongous investments.Sampler: Dualization/ reconstruction of Aba Owerri Road, reconstruction/ dualization of phase 1 AbaOwerri road (from Osisioma Express road junction to Umuimo Road Junction)

,

US Army stability operations manual: Govt approach to security planning

How to accomplish this blend of intellect and soldiering in Nigeria is a daunting task given the institutional gulf between government and society

A leaf can be borrowed from the work that has produced this US Army Field Manual N0 3- 07. This manual is only possible because the US Army itself is led by a team of thinking fighting men and fighting thinking men. It is noteworthy how many civilians were brought into their maturity within the ranks of the US Armed Forces, prior to branching out to develop civilian careers. How to accomplish this blend of intellect and soldiering in Nigeria is a daunting task given the institutional gulf between government and society in the first place; and given the consequent differentiation of institutions based on professional specialisation. Thinking and fighting have been assigned as a function of office to office holders, whether so prepared before for the office. The difficulties arising therefore from this bureaucratisation of responsibility should be partially addressed by the educational institutions.

But even this remedial avenue is also constrained by the same phenomenon of bureaucratization.

The education that Nigeria’s fighting and security leaders receive from the universities is when not “text-bookish” often not based on lessons learnt from participant involvement in security operations.

The costs of this bureaucratic formalisation of roles and assignment of tasks in the Nigerian setting are on public display in the present security setting. The Saturday Vanguard July 14, 2012 carries the comment of the Attorney General of the Federation: “The Federal Government, yesterday expressed its concern over the increasing spate of violence across the country, saying it is “working hard to stem the gradual descent into anarchy by dili-

Presently, 1800 houses are blocking gutters in Aba; except these illegal structures are demolished, all the investments in road infrastructure will end up in smoke

,

3.4km; rehabilitation of five selected roads: Ehi Road (2.1km), Ehere Road (0.8), Ogbor-Hill, Azikiwe road, Asa Road. Also noteworthy are the reconstruction/rehabilitation of Ohanku (4.7km), rehabilitation of Osisioma park- Ekeakpara road (4.5km), reconstruction of Asa Road, Aba Owerri Road by Umuiron junction to Aba Motor Park and asphalt overly of Asa Road, Construction of unity Garden/Osisioma Ring Road.Construction/dualization of Aba-Owerri road phase 11 (from Umuimo Road junction to Aba Motor Park) and asphalt overlay complete the picture .

R

econstruction of Port-Harcourt Enu gu Express way from Osisioma Junction and reconstruction of Obohia Road, construction of additional stretch of the Osisioma Ring Road, construction/rehabilitation of Samek Road, construction of Old Express Road cannot also be ignored.

It is strange to note that people block drainage which results in flooding, and turn around to blame the Governor. When the submerged road disintegrates or is eroded, the state government draws unusual flak as if nothing had been done even when the same road was worked on in the last season.

It is heart-warming that the Aba Landlords Association have endorsed the proposed demolition plan of illegal structures.This support signposts the direction and thinking of contemporary pulse

gently prosecuting all those indicted for civil disturbances to serve as deterrence”. The story may be an overly parsimonious summary of what the AGF said. However, what is summarised suggest that the measure to stem this sliding into anarchy is to make the task that of the Nigeria Police. What analysis of the security condition of Nigeria has led to this idea? The F.M 3 - 07 shows such an answer could be derived within the framework of stability operations.

“FM 3 -07 stability operations reflects a long journey by the American Military and a series of hard operational lessons learned by the post-Cold War generation. It underscores recognition that in addition to fighting and winning our national battles, the military will continue to be called on to bring peace and order to societies under stress. As doctrine, FM 3- 07 fills a profound intellectual void by describing the complex 21st century landscape and articulating the military’s unique role in bringing order to chaos” (Ibid Pp. XV).

The issue of who does what effectively is described in the above, especially in the strategic task of “bringing order to chaos". Bringing order to chaos is pre and postconflict peace building task premised on fighting and winning our national battles. The US Army fought and lost the Vietnam War and as a result it was not in a position as part of its post-conflict peace-building to bring “order to chaos in post-war Vietnam”. The Libyan on the tail of the US and NATO aerial bombing of Ghaddafi’s government toppled the Ghaddafi regime. Whether the anti-Libyan Ghaddafi forces can bring order to chaos in Libya is the challenging question!

Continues next week

in development planning which basically is the public upgrades including infrastructure such as streets, roadway improvements, sidewalks, utilities, public spaces, or plazas. These upgrades address declining areas, provide incentives to attract business and housing, build streets, and utilities, enhance traffic flow and public safety and support private investment in Aba.

D

r Orji, the Abia state helmsman, in his service-driven nature, has stood firmly with Aba. He is equally cognizant of the obvious fact that Aba is of high political and social awareness, therefore nobody in his right mind can afford to toy with it.

In truth, he is aware that Aba is laden with hardworking people who have unimaginable vote potentials.

As it appears, Aba gets more than required attention evident in billions spent in construction, maintenance of infrastructure and crime prevention. Do we need to recall the apocalyptic years when Enyimba city, the Japan of Africa, was the fiefdom of muggers, body snatchers and baron robbers. It was Governor Orji who inspired and put into place a crackerjack security template that gulped huge resources in collaboration with the military joint task force that restored tranquillity. Following the assurances, some investors with interest in various fields have sent delegations to the state for feasibility studies, while many others have indicated interest to come into the state to do business. An offshore investor that has shown interest, Alkamali Petroleum, a Dubai based oil and gas company, is keen in to establish a refinery in Ukwa West.Ochendo invites all stakeholders to a treat. As a consummate and thorough bred statesman, he has always extended an olive branch to and welcomes the opposition, including faultfinders, moaners, grumblers for an inclusive and anti-exclusionary ideal government that will move Abia forward.

•Mr. Torti, a public policy analyst, wrote from Lagos.

20 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012 — 21

173.00

-1.30

2,497.00

+15.00

20.42

+0.03

112.17

+0.16

92.07

+0.22

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL SELLING DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC CFA WAUA YEN RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

154.78 250.6353 200.2079 165.3986 0.2848 237.5652 1.9933 24.6264 41.2725 26.8473 238.7017

155.28 251.4449 200.8547 165.9329 0.2948 238.3327 1.9997 24.7064 41.4058 26.934 239.4728

155.78 252.2546 201.5014 1664672 0.3048 239.1001 2.0062 24.7864 41.5391 27.0207 240.2439

CBN Exchange rate as at 28/09/2012

Otunba Segun Runsewe DG, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation, NTDC (2nd left), presenting a certificate to Olumuyiwa Salami, GMD, Divine Travels and Tours at the presentation of certificate to registered tour operators by NTDC in Lagos weekend. Mr. Nkereuwem Onung (middle)NATOP president watches.

OIL SPILL:

Community expresses concern over delayed clean-up

R

ESIDENTS of Ibeno community in Akwa Ibom have expressed concern over the suspension of the clean up of the Atlantic Coastline contaminated by an oil spill on August 13th.

The Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) had reported an oil spill at the Qua Iboe fields to the oil spill agency, claiming that the source of the spill was unknown.

The National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) had directed the company to clean up the coastline within its oil fields.

Although, the firm started the clean-up of the shoreline on Aug. 19, it, however, suspended the exercise after three weeks.

Chief Effiong Archianga, the Paramount Ruler of Ibeno, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the community was apprehensive over the suspension of the clean up exercise.

“I have asked community leaders in the affected places to find out the cause of the delay which has run into weeks now.

“They are yet to brief me; but I can say that the development is causing a lot of anxiety,’’ Archianga said.

He noted that prolonged exposure of the spill deposits was injurious to the health of the people of the community C M Y K

and their fishing vocation.

Also reacting, Chief William Mkpa, a community representative, said that the suspension of the clean up negated the environmental safety laws.

“What Mobil did by

abandoning the exercise, against the directive of the oil industry regulators, is unacceptable to the community.

“We, therefore, urge them (MPN) to resume the clean up and remediation of the impact caused by the spill on this

community.’’

However, Mr. Nigel CookeyGam, the Communications Manager of MPN, said that the clean up would soon resume.

‘Contractors have been engaged, and they will deploy personnel to the area soonest,’’ he said.

ITF commences bread production training

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU

I

N line with its desire of being a one-stop skills training solution for greater productivity and employability, the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has commenced a bread production training programme.

The programme is a two weeks skills development course in bread production that would lead to the acquisition of bread-making skills and the award of the ITF Competency Based Certificate.

Speaking on behalf of the Director General of the Industrial Training Fund, Prof. Longmas Wapmuk, Training Manager of the Model Skills Training Centre of the Industrial Trainng Fund, Mr. Danjuma Abeku, stressed that the training programme is designed for people planning to establish

or start-up a business venture in the production and sales of bread.

“Those in paid-employment and are considering a preretirement plan for a bread production outfit are invited to participate,” he added.

At the end of the two weeks training, participants are expected to be able to identify raw materials used for production/making of varieties of bread brands; weigh/mix raw materials/ ingredients for production of various bread brands; set-up baking equipment/utensils and bake bread rolls to be required for finish product; package products/bread ready for distribution in accordance with specifications; apply appropriate health and safety regulations in bread production; and acquire entrepreneurship skills and maintain accurate accounts records of business

transactions.

He stressed that the training methodology which would include instructions, individual practical, group practical and industrial attachment, is greatly enriched with necessary demonstrations and business skills to enable participants acquire holistic approach for starting and running a successful small business.

The first batch of trainees is expected to commence classes on October 15.

The focus of the Industrial training Fund (ITF) is create an enabling environment for the industries to succeed in the face of threatening economic meltdown.

One of the major principles needed by industrialists and investment gurus to succeed in the current situation is quality training that will equip the employees with new skills, competencies and techniques.

NPA clears five wrecks from Port Harcourt channel — Port Manager

By MAIMUNA MOHAMMED

P

ORT Manager of PortHarcourt port, Mr. L.O. Alabi, has said that Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA, has succeeded in removing five critical wrecks along Port Harcourt and Bonny Water Channels, making it safer for ships calling at the port.

Alabi who disclosed this in a press statement made available to Vanguard, stated that the wrecks has been a major challenge on the water channels which constitute obstruction for easy vessels movement or access to the port area.

The Port Manager noted that “These wrecks on the water channels from Port-Harcourt to Bonny were the ones affecting Berth eight of Port-Harcourt Ports”, while saying that the removal of the wrecks through the commitment of federal government and support of NPA Management has brought big relief to operators and ocean liners.

He also said that since the removal of these wrecks, it has made the berthing safer for vessels to sail to these berths. Although he said that berth eight had not been too strong because of aging, he expressed regrets on the collapsed of berth eight in 2010.

22 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

Stock Market regains N1.6trn under new NSE Council

BY PETER EGWUATU

T

HE Nigerian stock market has regained over N1.6 trillion under the new Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), led by Alhaji Aliko Dangote as President.

The stock market recorded a growth of N1.549 trillion in capitalization and 23 per cent in index since Alhaji Aliko Dangote resumed as the President of the NSE. Dangote was reinstated as the President of the NSE on June 15, 2012 following an Appeal Court ruling in Lagos. Between the time of his reinstatement and last week Tuesday, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index (ASI) has jumped by 23 per cent from 21, 184.58 to 25,947.60. Similarly, the market capitalization of equities soared by N1.549 trillion from N6.713 trillion to N8.262 trillion.

Market operators said the harmony that has existed among the members of the Council and staff mem-

bers of the Exchange has encouraged more investors to patronize the market.

They noted that expectations that Dangote would

bring his wealth of experience to bear in turning around the fortune of the Exchange and international connection to attract foreign investors into the

market have also boosted the performance of the mark e t .

When he was reinstated, Dangote had said his priority

From left: Community Affairs Manager, Coca-cola Nig Ltd, Emeka Mba; Environment Manager Lagos, Guinness Nigeria, Matthew Ojo; CEO, NECCI Limited, Nkechi Ali Balogun and Public Affairs Manager (Lagos and West), Nigerian Bottling Company, Ifeoma Okoye, receiving the award for the ‘Safe Water For Africa Project’ at the 2012 SERA Awards event in Lagos.

NSE records N848bn Foreign Portfolio Investment

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

T

HE volume of Foreign Portfolio Investment, NSE, inflow into the Nigerian stock market in the 2011 financial year rose to N847.87 billion.

The figure, according to data contained in the NSE’s annual report, represents 46.87 per cent increase over compared to the corresponding period of 2010 and also accounted for 67 percent of the total market transactions for the period.

The President of the Exchange, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, in a statement said the total outflows stood at N335.15 billion, while net inflows for 2011 stood at N177.57 billion, a 4.90 per cent dip over the previous year’s net inflows of N186.71 billion.

He said that the nation’s FPI as a percentage of GDP was a mere 0.47 per cent in 2011 against 0.58 per cent recorded in 2010 compared to South Africa’s estimated 3.5 per cent in 2011 and 4.3 per cent in 2010.

Reviewing the market, Dangote said that the NSE remained a predominantly equities-driven market with certain sectors dominating market capitalization. On the Main Board, he said the Financial Services sector led the pack with 30.82 per cent of the C M Y K

board’s total market capitalization; Consumer Goods followed with 30.64 per cent, while Industrial Goods sector accounted for 29.27 percent.

In the Alternative Securities Market (ASeM), Oil & Gas held on to the led with 73.69 percent of the board’s total market capitalization, while Services sector accounted for 13.73.

He noted that the total market capitlisation which closed in 2010 at N10.33 trillion, dropped to N10.28 trillion as at December 30, 2011, while the NSE All Share Index dropped from 24,770.52 points in 2010 to 20,730. 63 points.

In this cur rent year, Dangote said that the NSE will embark on development of its new trading platform and supporting technology infrastructure. He explained that the implementation of the NASDAQ OMX X-stream market management solution will improve operators and investors’ experience, as well as provide the foundation for future market development, including a virtual private network (VPN) for brokers, market data services, and other relevant highquality services for the broker-dealer community and wider ecosystem.

He stated that in an effort to enhance the quality of our

listed companies, the NSE delisted a handful of companies in 2011, bringing the total number of listed companies to 198 at year-end – from 217 in December 2010.

“Notwithstanding erosion of investors’ confidence, tough market conditions played a major role in deterring retail investors from entering the market, and committed long-term retail and

institutional players looked to other investment choices for diversification and liquidity, specifically short and long-term government paper.

As prospective issuers also delayed bringing new instruments to market (i.e., IPOs), investors settled for incentives such as dividends, and bonus and rights issues,” he said.

would be to continue with the reforms started by the present NSE chief executive officer, Mr. Oscar Onyema, improve governance and transparency, and restore confidence in the market.

The NSE President added that he would accord stockbrokers their right place on the C o u n c i l .

Market operators said the support the Council had given to the management has helped the Exchange in the successful implementation of some of the new initiatives.

The latest of the initiative is the take-off of the market making programme, short selling and securities lending.

Stockbrokers had in June described the return of Dangote as a good development for the market because it had removed many inhibitions hitherto affecting investor confidence and development of the m a r k e t .

For instance, a former President of Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Mr. Dipo Aina, said the resolution of the cases has cleared most issues that some people were using to perpetuate illegality in the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

“With the court ruling, the picture is now clearer. The cases have been cleared and this is a good development because the cases have been impeding so many issues that could have helped in the recovery of the market. Now that cases are over, we should learn from our past mistakes,” he said.

Aina, who is the Managing Director of Signet Securities and Investments Limited, added he liked what Dangote said that he would accord stockbrokers their appropriate place on the Council of the Exchange.”

Guinness wins double honours at SERA

G

UINNESS Nigeria Plc, one of the foremost brewing companies and a significant player in the manufacturing sector of the Nigerian economy, has won two awards at the Social Enterprise Report and Awards (SERA). The company won the ‘Best Company in Labour Practice’ award and received a Recognition Award for its Safe Water for Africa project at the event which held at Muson Centre in Lagos recently.

Speaking on the Awards, Nkiruka Ogboruche, Community Investment Manager Guinness Nigeria on behalf of Mr. Sesan Sobowale, Director, Corporate Relations, Guinness Nigeria, said that the company was glad that its efforts in CSR have not gone unnoticed and are being rec-

ognised by critical stakeholders.

“We are especially delighted about the ‘Best Company in Labour Practice’ Award. It makes us proud of what we do at Guinness Nigeria. Being part of the Diageo group, our operations are based on best practices and it is an important part of our operations to ensure the overall welfare of all our employees in every way that we can,” Nkiruka stated.

According to her, “We understand that the reward for recognition is more work and will do what we can to surpass expectations in the future with our various CSR projects.”

The ‘Best Company in Labour Practice’ Award further buttresses the recent ‘Great

Place to Work’ Award the company received earlier in the year when it emerged tops from 250 companies nominated for the Award.

The Recognition Award the company received for its Safe Water for Africa project was also testament to the company’s many efforts in impacting the community for good. The Safe Water for Africa initiative was launched in 2011 to provide sustainable access to safe drinking water in Africa, and is a strategic partnership among The World Economic Forum on Africa (WEF Africa), The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation (TCCAF), Diageo Plc, WaterHealth International (WHI), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012 — 23

Nigeria joins JP Morgan government bond index N

IGERIA joined a key JP Morgan local currency government bond index, yesterday, becoming the second African country after South Africa to be included in a widely followed index.

The country’s entry into the JP Morgan Government Bond Index-Emerging Markets (GBIEM) from October 1 could translate into at least $1.5 billion of inflows to the bond market, the bank estimates.

Analysts at JP Morgan said it will raise the profile of Africa’s most liquid debt market after South Africa and is expected to lead to greater foreign participation, given that Nigerian yields offer a significant premium to established sovereign lenders.

“It’s now seen as a market that can’t be ignored internationally and one of the frontier markets where you need to have a position,” said Samir Gadio, emerging markets strategist at Standard Bank.

The entry of Nigeria into the GBI-EM comes as South Africa joins Citigroup’s World Government Bond Index, although funds tracking the latter are estimated at $2 trillion compared with $180 billion for the JP Morgan index.

At around $25 billion, Nigeria’s sovereign debt market is still dwarfed by South Africa’s $100 billion. Secondary market turnover is also around a fifth of its more developed peer.

However, analysts said Nigeria’s addition to the GBI-EM marks it out as one of the more accessible markets on the continent for foreign investors.

“Nigeria has done a lot of work in recent years in developing its bond market to improve liquidity,” said Leon Myburgh, sub-Saharan Africa strategist at

Citi.

“In most African markets, foreign participation is largely limited to the Treasury bill market, but Nigeria has been able to cross the threshold and see foreign investors enter its bond market as well.”

Nigeria has a weighting of roughly 0.72 percent in the index and three bonds, maturing in 2014, 2019 and 2022, have been included as they are the most liquid.

Yields have fallen around 300 basis points since JP Morgan announced the inclusion on Aug. 14.

The bank estimates that about half the $1.5 billion in

expected inflows may have already come in, largely from hedge funds and niche investors.

“Now I think we’ll see the people that are less familiar with this market coming through - the benchmark investors, the big real money accounts that may have taken some time to internalise this decision to include Nigeria in the index,” said Giulia Pellegrini, JP Morgan strategist for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Nigeria could end up attracting more than $1.5 billion in inflows given that its bonds offer a yield premium of around 700 basis points over

the index, Pellegrini wrote in a note to clients published on Sept. 25.

Strong growth, a low debtto-GDP ratio, rising foreign exchange reserves and a stable currency could spur additional inflows, the note said.

Nigerians also hope the GBIEM entry will also help bolster the case for reforms such as the introduction of securities lending and a deeper repo market.

“We think this will help focus minds and get that moving faster so that the legacy can be a deeper, more diverse market,” said Akin Dawodu, treasurer at Citibank Nigeria

T

HE financial services sector in Africa is playing a critical supportive role in the continent’s development as a result of increased consumer spend, public and private sector investment in infrastructure, advances in technology leading to greater connectivity and increasing demand for natural resources by the developing BRIC bloc of countries.

These were observations made by participants at the seventh KPMG Africa Conversation.

“In Nigeria, for example, regulatory reform led by the Central Bank has led to consolidation in the banking sector,” said Bisi Lamikanra, Head of Management

C M Y K

Enterprise Bank celebrates customer service week

A

S a way of appreciating its customers for their loyal patronage over the period, Enterprise Bank Limited (EBL) will join the rest of the world to mark the annual Customer Service Week themed “Be the One. ” The event, which is celebrated in the first week of October ever y year, is a unique period when service organisations and global agencies extol the patronage and loyalty virtues of their esteemed customers by introducing several unique and special activities to appreciate the customers.

As a way of making this year ’s edition a memorable one for its customers, Enterprise Bank, has lined up a number of activities to celebrate and appreciate them. Some of the activities, which will be implemented during the period, include elaborate decoration of branches, complimentary candies, sweets, chocolates and branded writing pens among others for walk-in-customers during the period.

UK lawmakers charge NGOs on Nigeria’s development

T

From left: Herbert Wigwe, Deputy Group Managing Director, Access Bank and Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo ofGombe State at the Completion Board Meeting for Offer for Subscription of N20 billion Fixed Rate Bond (Series1) 2012/2019 ( Under the N30 billion Debt Issuance Programme) by Gombe State, in Abuja.

Financial services sector, key enabler in African investment

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

B-R-I-E-F-S

Consulting at KPMG Nigeria. “This has led to more focus on retail banking.

Further developments have substantially ‘de-risked’ several factors for local and foreign investors entering African markets,” she added.

Different models are also being developed for different financial services being offered in different regions. Globally, there has been a move from deregulation to greater regulation.

Junior Ngulube, CEO of Munich Re Africa, added that “The South African banking and insurance sectors have been very well-regulated

and we didn’t see any of the turmoil that is still playing out globally. The rest of the continent is also very similar to South Africa in that respect.

In Francophone countries, for example, there is just one [insurance] code and one currency. That makes it easy to transact business.”

Although investors should guard against assuming that all markets on the continent are the same, further risk for investors can be reduced through combined expertise.

Nicholas Young, Africa COO at Citibank, suggested that “Because Africa is an enigma for many investors, a tailored approach should be developed for each market.

Combined global and local

partnerships work well to unpack different markets.”

Such an approach can act as a key differentiator for investors entering Africa.

Increased connectivity, in Citibank’s experience, has illustrated that national Central Bank debates around policy issues have started to converge around common policy concerns across the continent, said Young.

“Foreign investors should invest now in learning how to operate in Africa,” urged Lamikanra. “They also need to recognise the importance of continuing to refine their understanding of how to operate in African markets and the role of financial services in the development of Africa.”

HE British All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) has called on nongovernmental organisations to emulate the Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI), which it commended for its sincere contribution towards the development of Nigeria.

The call is contained in APPG’s just-released 2012 report on Nigeria at the House of Commons in the United Kingdom.

In April, a delegation of APPG visited Nigeria on a fact-finding mission, which it based the latest report. The mission, which took the lawmakers to different parts of the country, focused on youth population, reform agenda, business environment and security situation.

In the report, NLI was recognised as an active supporter of growth and development of the country.

It stated: “Nigeria’s international partners that host large Diaspora groups and are interested in supporting development and reform efforts would greatly benefit from effective engagement of these Diaspora organisations and individuals.

24 — Vanguard, TUESDAY,

OCTOBER 2, 2012

LASAA introduces Skype video tto o strengthen cust omer relations customer Stories by PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

A

FTER trials spanning over four weeks involving its Human Resources, Client Services and Business Development Departments, Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (L ASAA) is set to introduce Skype video as part of the agency’s commitment to excellent customer relations and service delivery.

The Skype video application will among other things ensure that response time to enquiries from LASAA stakeholders is quicker and faster thereby making service delivery more effective and efficient.

The deployment of the Skype application which will come into effect from Tuesday October 2, 2012, is perhaps the first time such interactive platform is deployed by any regulator in the industry, in African continent. The initiative, described as trail– blazing, has also received commendations from a wide spectrum of LASAA stakeholders.

Skype allows users to communicate with individuals by voice, video, and instant messaging over the Internet. The service has almost 700 million registered users across the world. In Nigeria, it is estimated that over one million persons use the service mainly for p e r s o n a l communication, but LASAA says it will adapt it as part of efforts to improve its relations with its stake holders including outdoor practitioners, customers as well as institutions.

Commenting on this new initiative, the Managing Director of L ASAA, Mr George Noah, said Skype video a p p l i c a t i o n demonstrates the agency’s commitment to the provision of valueaddition services, and raise stakeholders’ satisfaction and positive experience of LASAA. ‘‘We are most delighted at the launch of this service because it aligns C M Y K

with our commitment to continuously offer our s t a k e h o l d e r s opportunity to connect with us freely. We are convinced that with Skype, engagement at both ends will be quicker and faster ’’, he said.

Noah testified that the Skype video application had been well received in a pre-test exercise conducted among randomly picked stakeholders. ‘‘The trials of Skype video which we conducted among some customers were successful and we are happy to announce that we intend to commence the deployment of the service from Tuesday October 2, 2012. We shall commence this service from our head office in Ikeja and extend it to our 22 branch offices in different local councils in the state over a period of time.’’ ‘‘As a forward-looking

and innovative organisation, we will continue to employ new innovations that can improve service delivery for all our stakeholders’’, he stressed. Noah added that part of the sustainability plan for LASAA is a proposed outdoor masterplan which would be unveiled soon. ‘’Our next move is to commence work on the Lagos State Outdoor Masterplan’’, he stated.

LASAA has about 400 staff and 22 branch offices in different local councils in the state. The agency recently restructured along product management groups and completed a signage/billboard census where it uncovered over 300 per cent increase in signage not previously on its books and a further 70 per cent increase in billboards not captured on its books. ‘

Handwashing campaign: Unilever targets 2m kids

By PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU & CHIOMA OBINNA

U

NILEVER Nigeria Plc manufacturer of home and personal care products, has said it will save the lives of 2million Nigerian children in this year ’s Lifebuoy H a n d w a s h i n g campaign.

It could be recalled last year, the company created a platform for 37, 809 children to inculcate the habit of washing their hands before and after meals, a feat which earned it a place in the annals of the renowned Guinness Book of World Records.

Annually, over 2.1 million children die of diarrhea and pneumonia before the age of five, especially in Africa and Asia. But the figures can be drastically reduced if they are educated on the benefits of hygiene. The Global HandWashing Day is celebrated on October 15 in over 100 countries worldwide, and aims to put the

global spotlight on handwashing with soap as a lifesaving habit.

Speaking, Thabo Mabe, Managing Director of Unilever Nigeria, at Temple Secondary School, Ilupeju, said the initiative was the strategic intent of Unilever to create a better life for all Nigerians health-wise. “On the 15th of October this year, Global Handwashing will be five years old. As we all know, we are working towards the reduction of diarrhea and pneumonia incidence in children under 5 by promoting the washing of hands at 5 key occasions. As part of our goals this year, Unilever will be celebrating children who reach the age of five around the country. We will continue from our milestones last year with which we plan to achieve over 7 million pledges this year and deploy hand-washing points to the various schools selected.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012—25

C M Y K

26 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012—27

C M Y K

CONFERENCEE: Deputy Editor, Mr Eze Anaba, (centre), flanked by Senator Ewah Henshaw, (right), Chief Barbara James; Mr. Emeka Mamah, and Mr. Ene Tony-Ray. On the left is Mr. Hugo Odiogor, coordinator, Mr. Maurice Ekong and Mr. A. Inyang. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

Bakassi: Resettlement not our concern In this concluding piece participants at the Conference Hall learnt that the Efik people at this stage have decided that they will not accept the treaty no matter the outcome of the application to the ICJ; and that if it does not bring back their territory, they would find ways to take the matter to the USA and to internationalize the issue Continues from last Friday

T

HE Federal Government acceded Bakassi wrongly, they picked people who could not defend our interest effectively at the ICJ, again they accepted the judgment and acceded Bakassi.

,

C M Y

28 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

Our government needs to wake up at the State and Federal level to the fact that this is the time to take care of the problem when it has not gone out of control. There must be a law that allows them to go and present fresh evidence

,

Chief Barbara James: I think what the senator has enumerated is very instructive. In this whole Bakassi issue a lot of people have been making comments but we have ourselves, what is the evidence that is acceptable at the ICJ on which we can fix this view?

That is very separate and we have to very clear about that. The moral issues are separate and I think our campaign at this point, has to be later focus on that technical evidence.

We are looking at preparing that to make the federal government to hear the case.

These are evidences that we have done our legal homework.

This is admissible and this is what they have to take to the ICJ. It is my belief that Imoke has got to raise his voice not in private but publicly.

Request for review Yes he may not want to be antagonistic with the federal government but he has a duty to the people who elected him to protect our right and to say that our right has been violated and that we have a case, a solid legal case with which to re-visit the ICJ judgment. He has to hear us and he has to call on the federal government both privately and publicly to ask them to seek a review. The ICJ may not accept our request of review but it is our duty to seek it, we have to ask and if we are turned down we look for another option.

But for both the state and the federal government to ignore our calls is not just acceptable. We live in a democracy, our right needs to be protected and the people who were elected to protect this right need to act.

Beside the current actors, there are other in the past who were involved in this issue and the own us a duty of information and explanation because we will tell our children what really happen.

The former governor, Donald Duke, the former president, Obasanjo, Chief Tony Ani under Abacha regime, they all have a very pertinent point to add to this discussion and issue. So you the media people have to pursue them to bring out their own point.

Let us hear everything on this Bakassi issue and let it be known in public but I think for now we have to focus on re-visiting the ICJ judgment and like I said, let’s separate out the more issue from the legal technical issue that is admissible under article 61 under the ICJ laws on which Nigeria can and should go for a review.

Tony Ray: A while ago we were talking about people who were to do things that were not done.

My very good brother here mentioned that we have not been resettled, I don’t know about that.

Do you want to see where Bakassi people have actually been resettled?

There has always been this thinking that once you resettle Bakassi people, all this agitation will stop. What exactly do Bakassi people want as the preferred option?

Senator Henshaw: People that you believe that are highly influential/intellectual will make argument that seems to be nonsensible. I have heard people say the ICJ itself actually defined the Maroua agreement as a treaty.

And the issue of the Maroua 1975 declaration was really to support 1913, so 1913 was a call with the foundation of the decision and all the other argument was simply to buttress that decision ok.

But even in the conference that took place in the NIIA, I heard that the Green Tree Agreement is not a treaty. So I wonder that these people are experienced political/legal giant. In one place the ICJ recognizes the Maroua declaration as a treaty and in another place; you will see the Green Tree Agreement is not a treaty and, therefore, does not require National Assembly ratifications.

Political entities Be that as it may, I think the point that we are need to recognize is this; one this issue of re-settlement has been an issue, it is a problem, why? As Senator Ita Giwa has admitted that it has brought two previously political entities and try to merge as one. That has created political issues, it has created cultural issues. There is a traditional ruler in Bakassi, there is traditional ruler in Ikang, now that you have merged two of them who is going to be the superior?

You now have political institutions and you are faced with how to share offices when previous to that Bakassi had it own chairman, its own member of the house. Ikang has its own chairman and member of the house. Now you said you want to bring out these people and resettle them out of Ekpiri town and you have not given one kobo of compensation to the owners of the land you want to take to resettle these people. How will they allow you to take their land?

So for me I want to avoid this image that is being created. I think Senator Florence Ita Giwa had good intentions when she talked about resettlement, but the Nigerian perception is there.

They believe that focusing on resettlement is all about making money. This is why we must avoid that messy trap.

People have been asking questions, the initial money that was given for resettlement where did it go? What did you do with it? Why should we give you more money? It was as a result of my intervention during Yar’Adua time in 2007 by moving a new motion asking that the Green Tree Agreement be presented for ratification that federal government again gave some money. Since that time until now, not a kobo has been given to the people. The N1 billion that was alleged to have been released went into the thin air. The people are left without shelter, health care facility, schools and basic life sustainers.

Speaking in one direction So where is money coming from? Therefore I think it is important for all of us who understand the issues to speak in one direction and that is go back to the ICJ, we have fresh evidence. Let us stop speaking with discordant tune. Bakassi belongs to the Efik people, it doesn’t belong to any individual.

The people there are Efik people who are subject to the Obong of Calabar who in 1884 enter into a treaty of protection. So the Obong of Calabar say “We want our land back, we will not accept this ruling” and I think everybody should respect that voice because it is speaking on behalf of the Efik people.

Barbara James: In asking Imoke to lend his voice is key, it is difficult for an individual to come up and make that kind of statement.

Senator Henshaw: Some people are saying that some people of Calabar have not acted well on this issue, we must accept that responsibility but in accepting that responsibility, we also say that we cannot use that kind of thought to allow the ordinary people in Bakassi to suffer. When it became very difficult to get the attention of the Continues on page 29

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012—29

Continues from page 28

federal government during the Obasanjo era, I organised a committee on defence because I was a member of the committee on defence, we took a tour of the entire peninsula with the military.

We went from Ikang to Abana through the back and back to Achibong town to Ikang Nigerian soldiers suffered as much as the ordinary people in the camp.

People have not often address this issue. Talk to some of the military hierarchy and try to understand those who were involved how pained they are.

Nigerian soldiers were meant to be paid small amount like N200 per day. It was a task force, comprising the army and the navy and they were fishing in some of the islands.

Some of them have lost their lives there like during the time of Abacha which was the reason why Abacha sent soldiers into the peninsula to chase the Cameroonians back and that was the basis a local government was created for Bakassi. They had a very big module about half the size of this table and they showed us that if this agreement is implemented everything up to the shores of the tank will belong to Cameroon.

Territorial waters Because Bakassi has been given away to Cameroon this line has changed so the result is that what use to be Nigeria territorial waters that the navy could patrol and protect is now open to the international maritime and enemy vessel can come all the way up here and the say it is now international waters.

Why has the Federal Government ignored the new boundary which has been drawn because of concession of Bakassi to Camerron will comprise Nigeria’s national

Bakassi’s international boundary in April 1893

Courtesy: Walter Ofonagoro

Bakassi from British 1930 report sent to UN

security?

We need to look at the serious security implications for Nigeria and if anything starts because this people in bakssi are saying that they are not going anywhere.

1996 census they recorded about 300,000 people in bakassi when the judgment came in 2002 particularly after the handing over. The lowering of the flag did not take place in Ikang, it took place in Calabar because the government was aware and afraid with the security situation.

Our government needs to wake up at the State and Federal level to the fact that this is the time to

Attorney general of the federation, Mohammed Adoke, SAN

take care of the problem when it has not gone out of control. There must be that the law allows them to go and present fresh evidence.

We have sent these evidences to London so that people can help us put it in a form that will be acceptable to the ICJ and all that the federal government of Nigeria needs to do is to take it and present it to the ICJ Can you work with the NBA? We are. In fact one of sister was involved in that resolution by the NBA. With the entire organisation of law professionals saying that it is proper and legal to seek a review, one person is saying that if we do that it will amount to reneging of commitment, it amount to giving Nigeria a bad image. The citizens have been raised to behave like civilized people. In our own we try to see that we are cultured people. We behave like the whites. As a matter of fact, following the signing of that Treaty of 1854, Queen Victoria sent a coronation robe to the Obong of Calaber.

In a country where the culture of engagement has become the might is right, government institutions and officials disobey the judiciary and the legislature, has the people of Bakassi not been the main architect of their problem by accepting this diplomacy of docility in a matter of life and death?

The Efik people have a similar

custom from that time. We do our traditional crowing in our traditional way and after that we go for a church coronation where the Obong wears a very big crown with gold embroidery. And that is the origin of that. The Efik people pride themselves as the people of culture and civilization.

For that reason they have not woken up to the fact that the Nigeria of today does not recognize/respect civilized behaviour, that is just the fact.

In Nigeria today you have to be a hooligan to fight for and maintain your right. If you don’t behave like an area boy in Nigeria you may be trampled upon and people will keep going and you are down on the floor.

So today as we speak it is working against us. Since the state has trampled on us, we now tell our people that they have to wake up.

What will be will be. Are we saying let Bakassi go to Cameroon? Like the paramount ruler was saying at the NIIA that before Nigeria and Cameroon there was Bakassi. You cannot just wake up overnight and change the polices The people of Southern Cameroon even voted to leave Nigeria to go back to Cameroon. They said they don’t want to leave Cameroon.

The world is discussing Western Sahara. They are discussing west bank and the other. What is plan B for Bakassi?

We have also given a thought to that. Before I go into that let me also try to explain the position of the Southern Cameroonians. I can tell you that if necessary, we will cooperate with them because we need to continue to fight this matter.

Issue of concern The issue of concern is of two levels. One, what if the Federal Government in spite of our efforts refuses to go? Secondly, what if they go to the ICJ and the World Court turns down the appeal? I try to avoid the word appeal because people hack on it wrongly. It is a review. In fact they call it revision. It is a revision. That is the word used in the ICJ. So there is still possible hurdle.

I think that they should internationalize the matter. The Efik people I think at this stage have decided that they will not accept the treaty no matter the outcome of the application to the ICJ. If it does not bring back their territory, they should try and find ways to take the matter to the USA and to internationalize the issue. And in that respect will be quite preferred to cooperating with the people of Southern Cameroon and anyone else

Concluded

,

Bakassi: Resettlement not our concern

that is willing to work with us and to cooperate with us to foster this matter.

The people of Southern Cameroon their issue is very simple, I have talked on the issue of Southern Cameroon before.

The people of Cameroon has independence and Nigeria also is independent and both of you have a defined territory which came as a result of a plebiscite.

After the plebiscite there should have been a union treaty because as independent nation you have your boundary to guide. If there is no treaty and a fresh constitution that is acceptable to both parties, on what basis has the Republic of Cameroon assumed sovereignty over Southern Cameroon? There is no basis.

Resolution Passed Even the resolution that the Senate passed like the honorable said, they in Bakassi, got the court order which said stop any further ceding until all the issue have been resolved but they were ignored. That is the Federal Government going back today that we cannot go back to revision because it could amount to irresponsibility.

The senate passed a resolution which said “Submit the reached agreement for us to look at, stop any further digging until and on less the national assembly has gratified the treaty but it was ignored. I think the short answer to your question is that the press should pursue the matter even if the revision of the ICJ does not satisfy the Efik people. We will try to find a way to pursue it internationally.

You cannot just wake up overnight and change the policies. The people of Southern Cameroon even voted to leave Nigeria to go back to Cameroon.

They said they don’t want to leave Cameroon

, C M Y K

30—Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

BAKASSI: 1922 - 39 maps had Rio del Rey as eastern end of peninsula

in the late sixties, to start drilling for off-shore oil, in a disputed area ROFESSOR J.C. Anene con in the sea along the Nigerian borfirms in his book, Interna- der. Finally, he stressed that the tional Boundaries of Nigeria, that existing Nigerian border at the this portion of the boundary from sea coast of Rio Del Rey was prothe sea, at Bakassi, to the Cross tected by the OAU Resolution of River “Rapids”, had been settled 1964, respecting the inviolability by 1913, and were not nullified of inherited colonial boundaries. by the 1913 Agreements: “In the Every student of modern Eurofinal settlement, the “rapids” of pean history is familiar with the the provisional boundary became aggressive posture of the German the thalweg of the Cross River at government in foreign affairs at the bend of the river about two the time, which eventually led to and a half miles upstream from the First World War. In 1913, EuObokun. The boundary south- ropean powers were seeking shelwards followed the thalweg of the ter in a frenzy of alliance negotiCross River down to its junction ations, as Germany bullied the with the Akwa River. The thalweg other powers for concessions in of the latter River continued the their colonial possessions. Gerboundary, and thence to a num- many bullied France into surrenber of hill tops, demarcated with dering substantial territory to Gerpillars. From these hill-tops, the man Cameroons as a settlement boundary followed the thalweg of in the Moroccan Question of the Akwa Yafe River down to the 1911 and 1912 when Germany coast. Here, the boundary was co- tried to seize Morocco from incident with the Western Bank France. Britain, likewise was of the Rio Del Rey estuary.” pressured to surrender Bakassi President Shehu Shagari who Peninsula to Germany, but never had served as a Federal Minis- did, and never allowed the muter in Nigeria, since 1954, also tual border from Rio Del Rey to states that the boundary between be moved to the Calabar/Cross Nigeria and Cameroons had long River Estuary even in the March been settled down the Rio del 11, 1913 Agreement.

Rey, and the territorial waters of Great Britain insisted in Article 21 of that Agreement, that the boundary from Thalweg of Akwa Yafe River, “shall lie wholly to the East of the navigable channels of the Cross and Calabar Rivers”, that is, towards the Rio del Rey boundary. All the documents mentioned above, are a matter of public record, and can be found in the following publications: 1. Walter I. OfonPROF WALTER OFONAGORO agoro, Trade and Imperialism in Southern the two countries finally defined Nigeria, 1885-1929. (New York, and settled between the British Nok Publishers, 1979) and the Germans up to the three2. J.C. Anene, Southern Nigeria mile limit since 1913, and demar- in Transition, 1885-1906, cated on a colonial map which (Cambridge, 1966) both Britain and Germany 3. International Boundaries of signed. He further maintained Nigeria (New York, The that it was the discovery of oil in Humanities Press, 1970). large quantities under the sea in 4. Clive Perry, LLD. The the Bakassi region that aggravat- Consolidated Treaty Series, (New ed the problem of maritime inter- York: Oceana Publications, 1978) national boundaries. Cameroon 5. The treaties are also then took advantage of Nigeria’s published in Sir E. Hertslet, the preoccupation with the Civil War Map of Africa by Treaty, Vol. III

Continues from Friday

P

(London: Frank Cass and Co. 1967).

Cameroons and the League of Nations: There is additional information about concealment of material evidence and misinformation that have a bearing on this case. I would like to draw the attention of the reader to papers presented at the Yale University Conference on Imperial and Colonial History, held at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut in Spring, 1965. In that Conference, which paraded the world’s most acclaimed experts in British and German Imperial and Colonial History, papers relevant to Germany’s brief 22 year rule in Cameroons (1884-1916) were presented. Particularly apt is the paper presented by Professor David E. Gardinier of Yale University, entitled “The British in Cameroons, 1919-1939”. He was able to demonstrate that Britain and France invaded German Cameroons at the outbreak of the war in 1914, and by February 18, 1916, the last German outpost at Mora, was routed.

Sharing of German Camerouns Thereafter, the British and French allies set about sharing German Cameroons. Britain already had an Empire in which the sun never set and so, she was not interested in acquiring more colonies. She however took enough territory from defeated German Cameroons to re-unite territories and peoples who had been divided by previous AngloGerman boundary lines. In German Borno in North-West Cameroons, Britain took enough territory to unify the Nigerian Emirate of Borno; and in German Adamawa in Cameroons, she took enough territory to reconstitute the Nigerian Emirate of Adamawa. France also recovered all the territories she had ceded to German Cameroons in the Moroccan Crisis of 1911 and 1912. Both Britain and France set up their respective administrations in their partitioned spheres of Cameroon in March, 1916.

On March 4, 1916, Britain and France agreed to a provisional partition of German Cameroons, and by June 29, 1919, Article 119 of the Treaty of Versailles recognized the renunciation by Germany of all her colonies in favour of the Allies. Who were the Allies?

They were Britain, France, Italy, Russia, and the United States who joined the war in 1917. Before the signing of the League Treaty on June 29, 1919, the Su-

Source: CO/520/7

Eastern portion of Niger coast protectorate in 1895.

preme Council of the League of Nations decided that all German colonies with the exception of Togo and Cameroons should be placed under mandate. France was sure that she was entitled to sovereignty over her portion of the conquered German colonies. Britain just wanted enough territory to fill out the edges of her existing colonies of Nigeria and Ghana.

On May 7, 1919, the two powers were asked to advise the League on what to do with Cameroons and Togo. Eventually, they took their time to consolidate their hold on German Cameroon. They also wrote their own terms of the conditions stated in the League Mandates which they signed on July 20, 1922, three years after the League of Nations had been set up. They had controlled their conquered colonies for four years before the League of Nations was born.

Their mandate allowed them to integrate their colonies with their new conquests, so long as they maintained “law, order and good government” and “improved the moral character” of their charges. These were, after all, “B” Mandates which were, at the time, not deemed capable of selfdetermination. By 1922, Great Britain had already dispensed with the cession of Bakassi to Germany, and quietly re-integrated that peninsula with Nigeria.

The terms of the Mandate Treaty required Britain to send Annual Reports to the League Headquarters in Geneva, on the administration of the Mandates.

I have read those reports sent to London by the British Government of Southern Cameroons, between 1922 and 1939. Most of them have maps and other statistical data. None of those maps show Bakassi as a German Territory. Rather, all the maps that accompanied these Annual Reports on Southern Cameroon, between 1922 and 1939, showed the in-

ternational boundary between southern Cameroon and Southern Nigeria, starting from Cape Bakassi on the Atlantic coast of the Bakassi Peninsula, and moving inland along the Western bank of the Rio del Rey which was the Eastern end of the Bakassi Peninsula. Thence at the headwaters of the Rio del Rey, the boundary turned west along the north shore of Bakassi Peninsula and then north into the Akwa Yafe River thalweg, and thence into the interior. Furthermore, the Annual Reports dealt only with the four administrative Divisions of Southern Cameroons, namely Mamfe, Victoria, Kumba and Bamenda.

Britain never sent any report on Bakassi to the League between 1922 and 1946.

Continues tomorrow

,

Prof Walter Ofonagoro in this segment insists that the international boundary between southern Cameroun and southern Nigeria started from cape Bakassi on the Atlantic coast and moving inland along the western bank of the Rio del Rey river in the 1922-39 reports to the League of Nations

The Annual Reports dealt only with the four administrative Divisions of Southern Cameroons, namely Mamfe, Victoria, Kumba and Bamenda. Britain never sent any report on Bakassi to the League between 1922 and 1946

,

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012—31

Nigeria @ 52: BA floats discount of offfer erss F

Mr Ide Owodiong-Idemeko, President/Capone National Association Of Seadog (Aka Pyrates Confraternity) (middle); Mr Ifeanyi Onochie (left) and Mr Emma Gbahabo, Legal Adviser at a press briefing in Lagos on its stand on the plight of the indigenous people of Bakassi and the International Court of Justice, ICJ, ruling.

EW months after British Airways (BA)rolled out special discounts in its World Traveller (economy) class customers, it has announced yet another discount offer for its World Traveller (economy), World Traveler Plus, and Club World (business) class customers.

Known as ‘The Independence Offer ’ in commemoration of Nigeria’s 52 years of independence, it offer

affords BA Nigerian customers the opportunity to save while traveling on these cabins to London and select United States and Canadian cities. The fares are only valid for between September 29 to October 13.

Explaining the offer, Country Manager, British Airways/Iberia in Nigeria, Mr. Kola Olayinka said the new offer which is valid for flights from Lagos or Abuja means the airline’s customers can now travel from Abuja to London from just US$302 in World Traveler or US$902 in World Traveller Plus, and Club World (business class) from just US$2,052.

For those travelling from Lagos to London, the fare starts from US$352 for World Traveler, US$952 for World Traveler Plus, and US$2,252 for Club

World.

BA customers who want to travel to major cities in the US and Canada can now buy World Traveller tickets from as low as US$502 and US$552 for Abuja and Lagos respectively. For those travelling on the World Traveler plus, the fares start from US$1,402 and US$1,452 for Abuja and Lagos respectively. Club World fares on these routes start from as low as US$3,052 for Abuja and US$3,252 for Lagos.

The US destinations included in the offer, he disclosed, are New York, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Dallas, Tampa Florida, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco. The Canadian destinations include Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver.

Learn African launches new book

L

EARN Africa Plc has launched one of it newest titles; The Cruel Passion. The novel, authored by Dayo Oladele-Ilori was published under Learn Africa’s Echo series.

The launch, themed ‘Blaze the Passion’, took place in Lagos saw Chairman of the occasion, Gbenga Arojo, say that the book was an inspiration to young, aspiring Nigerians as it portrayed the country’s rich culture and taught moral lessons.

Arojo described the book as a fiction which highlights the consequences of unplanned pregnancy, giving in to emotions that run wild, and the consequences of the actions we eventually take as a result.

“This is a book everyone who has ever been in love, everyone who has ever been wronged and everyone who has ever been heartbroken ought to read,” he said.

Also speaking at the event was Gbola Aiyedun, Publishing Director, Learn Africa Plc, who was represented by Sarah Anammah, Senior Editor at Learn Africa Plc, who narrated the tireless efforts the author put

C M Y K

into the realization of the novel.

Aiyedun went further to say that Learn Africa Plc is a company that thrives on impacting people with knowledge.

He enjoined Nigerian authors to use the platform offered by the Learn Africa Echo to showcase the richness of the Nigerian literary and cultural heritage.

One of the book reviewers, Salif Adjokoto, an Editor with Tell magazine, who was also present at the occasion, said “Dayo very well knows how to spin a yarn. With her simple writing language, one readily wants to wine and dine with the colourful and solid characters in Cruel Passion.”

Dayo Oladele-Ilori is a prolific author, a seasoned management consultant and a life coach. Her robust collection of poems includes Ashes, Friendship, The Dance and Disillusioned, amongst others which has graced different magazines and has been published on websites like poetry.com. Her first book You Shall be Fruitful is in high demand and has impacted many lives positively.

32—Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

Parable of unequal fingers and Nigeria’s nationhood T

HE thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger and the little finger sometimes referred to as pinkie) are the ethnic nationalities of the hand.

They are five. Nigeria has about 250 ethnic nationalities. Now, put up your two hands – with the palms facing you. Cause the fingers to twitch in unequal and uneven manner. As you do that, observe the swiftness of the index finger and the middle finger.

Also observe the gentle, subtle and not so co-ordinated movement of the pinkie and the thumb. Put your hands up again because in the process of moving the fingers they had been subconsciously lowered. Cause the fingers to stay straight together and the inequality of the fingers becomes more manifest. However, these same unequal fingers worked together for Hogan Kid Bassey, the former World Boxing Champion of Nigerian extraction. The same unequal fingers were used by Roger Federer, the best tennis player of all times, to win 16 grand slam titles, surpassing Pete Sampras’ 15 – and he’s still playing; the hands are used by pilots to fly planes; used by doctors to carry out life-saving operations; used by teachers to make leaders of men and women.

These five fingers of the hand, unequal as they are in size and shape, work together to lift, carry, swing, punch, slap, scratch and sooth in unison on behalf of either the left hand or the right hand.

Agitators for self determination Fingers are not equal. That is the way some agitators for self-determination in Nigeria have been going about their argument for the actualisation of their agenda. This is not limited to the southern part of the country.

Some ethnic nationalities in the North too, speak the same language of unequal fingers. That argument may be plausible if the context is not stretched beyond the vexed issue of the amalgamation of the Southern and Northern protectorates by Lord Lugard.

To be fair, this was a marriage that was not meant to serve the interest of both the North and the South in the beginning.

But historical facts and fresh records point to

the fact that whereas the civil servants in the Colonial Office frowned at this, Lugard dismissed their objection in a very whimsical manner because his own agenda was for British economic interests.

Whereas BUSINESS, the Ultimate Resource, defines amalgamation as “the process of two or more organisations joining together for mutual benefit either through a merger or consolidation”, Nigeria’s case was not engaged in the pursuit of mutual benefits.

Two years hence, Nigeria would be 100 years, post amalgamation, but talk of unequal fingers persists.

Nigeria, with over 250 ethnic nationalities, is the most populous black nation on earth

,

BY JIDE AJANI

Other developed nations of the world, some even less developed than Nigeria at independence in 1960, have since sped past this vast, blessed land into the realm of the supersonic because they had a consistent regime of good leadership

,

with about 165 million people. Its level of nationhood or development does not in any way reflect the benefit of that massive number largely because some people have come to abuse the term “fingers are not equal”. And this leads us to the issue of management of men and resources!

How do the fingers conduct one another in such a manner that they work together for the good of the hand? It is about the collective.

When the class of Nigerians referred to as elite is involved in a process which translates to personal benefit or aggrandizement, it works together. Not minding their ethno-religious and political background, this class work together like the unequal fingers of the same hand. But when discord sets in, and each has to go his way, they simply recoil into that self-same ethno-religious and political cocoon, deceive the masses and whip up sentiments that are divisive and diabolic. The president, state governors, senators and members of the House of Representatives, as well as ministers and special advisers emerge from this class of Nigerians. Simply put, this group of

Nigerians produces those in leadership positions. This should explain why the single most destructive natural disaster confronting Nigerians today is leadership.

Leadership, in the Nigerian context, is a force; and it is natural. From independence to date, it has been the single most destructive element. It should buoy development. It should give fillip. But here, it is a disaster.

Analogue and digital terms Mind you, other developed nations of the world, some even less developed than Nigeria at independence in 1960, have since sped past this vast, blessed, land into the realm of the supersonic because they have a consistent regime of good leadership. Were development to be categorised in analogue and digital terms, the overwhelming verdict would be that Nigeria still runs on analogue; 52 years after independence and 98 years since amalgamation.

Today, the Jamaatu Ahlil Sunna Lidawati wal Jihad, otherwise known as Boko Haram, is attempting to impose its own version of Islam on Nigeria and is pursuing its agenda with violence – an off-shoot of some interests that believe that fingers are not equal; the Ogonis are talking about self determination; between the Tivs and Junkuns, there is no love lost; within the Niger Delta, some groups seek to dominate the others. This has led some to insist that self determination would merely foist another regime of over lordship in the new enclaves.

The fingers may not be equal, but they work together. Nigeria may have ethnic nationalities with different orientations,idiosyncrasies, characteristics,mentalities, and the likes but working together would make Nigeria great if honesty of purpose and sincerity of intentions are the orders of the day. But Nigerian leaders are quick to exploit the differences for personal gains. When it is convenient, leaders remember that fingers are not equal. God Almighty never intended fingers to be equal, but working together, a nation can achieve greatness.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012—33

F

Sundry health requirements From the foregoing, it is hardly surprising that no past or present government official patronises government health institutions in the country. So frail and unhealthy at many levels is the system, that the era of jetting out to Europe, India and the United States of America has taken root. It is now the rule rather than the exception to fly abroad for sundry health requirements.

A close review of the health statistics from state, local and federal levels shows that Nigerians do not enjoy among the best human development indices on the continent or in the world for that matter.

Since independence, quality of life of the average Nigeria has been on free fall with respect to global standards. At 52, Nigeria has among the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. From maternal mortality to infant mortality, the outlook is grim. A child born in Nigeria today is more likely to die within the first five years of life, than in most other African countries.

Statistics from the United Nations population division, as it pertains to infant mortality and under-five mortality of children in Nigeria tell a grim story.

Equally as discomforting as the nation’s infant mortality rate is the high death rate of children under the age of five years.

C M Y K

*Poor health:When will an average Nigerian live more than 50years?

Healthcare: Lot of motion, little movement

By SOLA OGUNDIPE The nation equally has one of the worst mortality ratios for women on the continent and the world. Nigeria has the ignominy of being one of the worst places on Earth to be a mother.

Worse still, Nigeria is among only a handful of nations in the world still fighting “outdated” disorders such as polio. Other preventable or treatable infectious diseases such as malaria, pneumonia, diarrhea, measles and typhoid still hold sway even in the face of the rising profile of non-communicable disorders. Problems of industrial unrest, poor healthcare financing, challenges of drug safety and distribution, continue to trouble the system as Nigerians are enmeshed in an eternal battle with problems of squalor and underdevelopment. Hence outbreaks of diseases of extreme poverty such as cholera remain rampant while vaccine preventable disorders such as polio continue to hold sway even though one in four of the deaths are preventable through routine immunization.

Routine childhood vaccines Coverage of routine childhood vaccines remains lower than global benchmarks and, in many parts of the country, is among the lowest in the world. It has not been all gloom. There have been successes of sorts in achieving major improvements in immunisation coverage rates of late. Some key strengths include strong support by high-level policy makers and technocrats at the federal level, specifically from the NPHCDA and the Ministry of Health.

Other strengths include a federal budget line for immunisations and a record of success with polio eradication in most states of the federation.

There have been demonstrated efforts of the ability to disseminate pro-immunization messages and increase demand for vaccines.

But, overall, systemic weaknesses remain paramount, structurally and logistically.

Universal drawbacks such as a lack of accountability, weak monitoring and ineffectual

At 52, Nigeria has among the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.

From maternal mortality to infant mortality, the outlook is grim, a child born in Nigeria today is more likely to die within the first five years of life, than in most other African countries

,

ROM one of the richest and most promising 50 countries in the late1960s and early 1970s, Nigeria is today among the 20 countries in the world with the widest gap between the rich and the poor. The nation has gradually declined in fortunes for its people to become among the poorest in the world.

As one of the world’s top 10 crude oil producers, Nigeria currently fares very poorly in all development indices. Average annual percentage growth of GDP from 1990 -2000 was 2.4. The Gross National Income, GNI, per capita is less than US $260; under-five mortality rate per 1,000 live births is 153; average maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births is 545; and life expectancy at birth is 48 years for males and 49 years for females.

Even as a signatory to the United Nations Millennium Declaration to eradicate poverty, promote human dignity and equality and achieve peace, democracy and environmental stability, the Nigerian context and progress remains a real cause for concern.

Year-in, year-out, the pitiable state of the nation’s health care system defies reason.

Fifty two years after independence, exhibitions of poor development, consistent backdrops, especially at the Primary Healthcare level, with inadequate functional surveillance systems in tandem with the modern era are just a few of several flaws that punctuate fortunes of healthcare in the country today.

To say problems encountered by the Nigerian health care system are huge would be an understatement. From wasteful allocation of funds, poor planning and implementation of policies to unreliable documented evidence of how much of the annual federal health care budget actually goes into improving health outcomes and improving quality of patients lives, the list of barriers on the path of progress of healthcare delivery in the nation today is too long to enumerate.

Challenges of leadership, infrastructural advancement, and manpower, to clinical training and standardization, subsist.

Weakened referral system and lack of supportive services for specialist treatment, uncoordinated chronic diseases management and prevention, poor health campaign and awareness drive, and noncommittal knowledge base/research culture are all hallmarks of the ineffective system.

,

evaluation systems, low perception of routine support, especially at the subnational level are hallmarks of the system. A close study of the healthcare system indicates that disbursement of designated funds has been problematic, and fiscal decentralization has resulted in inconsistent funding levels across states and Local Government Areas.

For healthcare delivery, the passage of time has eroded much of the momentum garnered at independence. Over the decades, the nation’s health history has been a one-way traffic - downhill - on a roller coaster imbued with a medley of bottlenecks and failures, challenges and obstacles much more than one of successes and opportunities.

In this regard, numerous efforts aimed at energising commitments and redirecting national agenda towards the ultimate realization of “health for all” cannot be said to have been truly realised.

34 — Vanguard, TUESDAY,

OCTOBER 2, 2012

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012—35

NIGERIA IN THE EYES OF AN INDEPENDENCE YEAR CHILD CHILD::

No force can break Nigeria — Orokpo

,

BY ABUTU AGADA

H

E is in the league of Nigerians like the former CBN governor, Charles Chukwuma Soludo and Nuhu Ribadu who were born the same year Nigeria got her independence. Mr Job Orokpo, a retired police officer, who was born on January 27, 1960, in this interview says in spite of crises here and there, Nigeria would not break up. Excerpts: You were born the same year Nigeria got her independence. How does that make you feel?

I am happy we got our political identity as a nation then and I am proud to be connected to that identity in this way.

However, as someone who has been privileged to watch the trend of things in our national life I see no reason in celebrating our independence. What are we celebrating? Are we celebrating hunger, are we celebrating fear and insecurity, are we celebrating workers’ strike? The present crop of politicians have marred the good job of our past leaders and nationalist that resulted to the achievement of our independence. You can see that today, our nationhood is under serious security threats and lapses. Nigerians are serving God under fear and insecurity. We should pray instead of celebrating.

What do you think of the journey so far?

The country has gone through a lot including a civil war and religious crisis and we have since recovered from the civil war. We have come a long way and we will still go far. Talking about the present state of Nigeria, what I think is that the leadership problems we have been having have been the greatest of our problems.

According to the United Nations, the life expectancy of a male Nigerian citizen is 48 years while a female is 49. You have lived three years above that age. This implies you that you are living on borrowed time. How do you react to that putting in perspective the socio-economic status of the Nigerians?

Yes, you are talking of longevity. Let me tell you something, I have never believed that life expectancy stuff. Our forefathers were living for long and we have people that live above those years set by the world body. It is a matter of an individual’s style of living. If you live a very rough life, drinking, indulging in promiscuous lifestyle, you can hardly live long. I am 52 years old now but I tell you, I feel like 32 or less. Like I said earlier, it all depends on an individual’s lifestyle. I don’t have eyes on women, I don’t abuse alcohol. One can choose to live longer than hundred, it’s a matter of choice too. It is just like a car; somebody buys a car 10 years ago and takes good care of it while another buys his car two years ago, uses it carelessly and does not take care of it. We see that the latter will have a shorter life span as its owner did not take good care of it.

A

s an ex-security operative, could you comment on the Boko Haram insurgency in the country?

When you talk of the Boko Haram, you are talking of a few Nigerians that connive with foreigners to destroy this great nation.

To me, it is a simple matter our security operatives, especially the police, who are vested with the constitutional powers to ensure the internal security of the country, should handle. I think our police are capable of handling these security problems, whatever you call it. But the fact is the police do not have the right

C M Y K

Talking about the present state of Nigeria, what I think is that the leadership problems we have been having have been the greatest of our problems

,

*Orokpo motivation.

You don’t ask a hungry man to provide security for you. The average policeman on the street is underpaid. These are people who have families who they take care of. If this kind of person is not assured that upon his death or injury, his family will be cared for, if he is not well paid, how does he pay the school fees of his children and feed them, how do you expect him to brave bullets from armed robbers, Boko Haram insurgents and so on? That is why we see some of them collecting money illegally from drivers. This is his natural response to survival. The government should ensure these people are well paid, adequate accommodation is provided for them and they get vehicles and good weapons and equipment to work with. This way, you will get the best of the police force.

T

he CIA has predicted that there will be no entity called Nigeria after 2015 Do you envisage any future for this country beyond 2015, especially after the general elections? Our police have gone out several times for international duties and they have given good account of the country. If they can do it out there; why not here?

The Nigerian government should tackle the issue of security via the police by providing good logistics and welfare packages for them. Let me properly address the issue of what we call insecurity.

We don’t have insecurity, we have leadership insecurity. It is true, Nigerians are very law abiding. We always look up to the leadership. It is where the leadership leads that the followers follow. We have problem with the leadership. Our leaders to me don’t mean well for the country, they are not sincere. Sincerity matters a lot in our national life. For any nation to prosper, the leadership has to be sincere. Nigeria possesses the potential to be greater than it is.

I don’t envisage that Nigeria will break after the general elections in 2015. The only problem we have is leadership. I see no force capable of breaking up this country. If she went through these rough 52 years without breaking up, after a civil war and several ethnic and religious problems, I don’t see it breaking in 2015.

You see these people (leaders) cannot pay the average Nigerian the minimum wage of N18,000 and they have their under aged children driving expensive cars on the streets. People are not happy. The moment these fundamental issues of provision of necessary social amenities most of our problems will be solved.

What do you think can be done to salvage the image of the country?

I think so far, Nigeria as a nation has been able to actually have a national identity. The issue of image of this country can only be protected by the leadership. I foresee Nigeria making waves in international politics. Nigeria has made an indelible mark in the provision of international peacekeeping and I think our impact security wise is okay. Our police force is adjudged one of the best in Africa.

C

ould you react suspended plan to restructure the naira and the introduction of N5000 note?

What are we doing with the N5000 note? Permit me to say that this is fraudulent. I don’t think those responsible for the (planned) introduction of the N5000 note mean well for this great country. This is another style of corruption. Our major problem in this country has always being corruption and I think it is a deliberate and calculated attempt to further destroy the already ailing economy. Our economy has being destroyed by the political class. This is a simple way of effortlessly siphoning our money out of the country. People are stealing money every day and looting the treasury with reckless abandon. A single Nigerian will carry a small suitcase, filled with billions of naira, imagine. I think that is what they want to do but I commend the president so far for suspending the move. I think that is a good step in the right direction. Nigerians are happy. For him to heed the call of the people, I take him as a very good leader.

As a retired police officer, what do you think about the clamour for state police?

For state police, speaking as a retired police officer, I don’t think we have need for state police. It will further compound the security lapses we have in this country.

36— Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

Lagos ‘three elders’ back under close watch

BY LEKE ADESERI, South West Regional Editor & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

D

O you remember the statue of the three Lagos white cap chiefs?

Originally, the statue was placed opposite Ojodu Berger bus stop at the point of entry to Lagos from the Ibadan end of the expressway by the administration of Colonel Raji Rasaki in 1991. Even at inception controversy trailed their positioning as many were against it for whatever reason.

Some complained that the white cap chiefs were not

After a while, precisely in 2004, the statues were burnt down at night by some unknown characters

,

welcoming in their posture especially when the inscription under them said; ‘This is Lagos, the state of aquatic splendour.’

There was also a fabrication that the incessant accidents that used to occur at the point were as a result of spiritual attachment to the monument.

After a while, precisely in 2004, the statues were burnt down at night by some unknown characters.

Not daunted, the state government re-fabricated the spectacular work of art but looked for a new home for the ‘elders’ opposite the Michael Otedola Estate.

Through some coincidence or by design incessant accident cases shifted to the area of their new location. Again, the enemies of the elders were looking for an opportunity to destroy them. The chance actually presented itself during the fuel subsidy protests when the statues were again burnt down.

75 per cent damage Lagos State Government speaking to Vanguard about the latest damage to the three wiseman statues popularly called ‘Ere Meta’ put the extent of damage inflicted on the statue by anti-fuel subsidy removal protesters, at 75 percent which C M Y K

government said caused the delay in their return.

Speaking in an interview, Director of the Lagos State Council of Arts and Culture, Mr. Adesina Elegbede, added that the protesters who mistaken the effigies to be a Federal Government property, attacked it burning it beyond recognition.

According to Elegbede, “It took the state government months to get the sculpture to site because we were unable to get the contractor, Dr. Bodun Shodeinde who designed it in 1991. And when we got him, we had to wait for him to evaluate the extent of damage, the cost

,

and the duration of repair.”

It would be recalled that the sculpture was erect during the administration of Colonel Raji Rasaki. It was first rehabilitated on December 17th, 2004.

Although he did not disclose the cost of the rehabilitation, but

said that it took the state government time to allocate the fund for the rehabilitation of the statue; the reason was that the fund was not captured in the 2012 budget.

Speaking further, Shodeinde said that due to the extent of the burns, the work took more days than expected, adding “53 days was earlier scheduled for the full repairs but it took three and half months before we could fix it.”

He said that attack on the statue was arson. And the portions affected by the fire were reduced to ashes.

The Sculptor however, faulted the present location of the sculpture saying “the present location of the 21 feet by 14 feet sculpture placed on a 7 feet pedestal, has affected the purpose of the statue.”

Shodeinde explained that the sculpture was designed to depict the state cultural heritage which distinguishes it from other states, and to usher in visitors and tourist into the state. He however said that the purpose has been defeated with the

Stature

present relocation of the effigies.

On the best location, Shodeinde said, “The best location would have been across that road at the entry point to

Lagos on the Lagos-Ibadan Express road.”

It would be recalled that the sculpture was removed from the express road after it was first damaged and rehabilitated on

Ikoyi-Lekki link bridge ready soon

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

M

OTORISTS along Ikoyi, Lekki-Epe axis will soon heave a sigh of relief as the first ever cable styled bridge of its kind in the sub Saharan West Africa region – Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge, has reached 95 percent stage of completion.

The link bridge project is sponsored by Governor Babatunde Fashola administration in Lagos State and being constructed by the construction giant, Julius Berger Plc. The project was conceived in 2008, as solution to the perennial bottleneck on the Lekki- Epe road being serviced by only one access road.

Therefore, people of the

highbrow choice area and the adjoining Victoria Island will soon witness a tremendous and pleasurable driving experience upon completion of the link bridge which will cause a relief from the daily traffic challenges the residents face trying to connect either Ikoyi or Lekki through Falomo Bridge, Alfred Rewane Road or Lekki-Epe Road.

Femi Hamzat, Lagos State commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, described it as historic, noting: “No doubt it is a testament to the sagacity of an administration determined to build tomorrow’s infrastructure today. It is the hallmark of a commitment to the welfare and socio-economic wellbeing of its people.”

When Vanguard visited the site recently, it was gathered that the level of work had reached over 95 percent and according to Hamzat the target is to commission it before the end of this year, specifically first week in November.

The aesthetic bridge is a standard megacity compliant facility. It is to serve as a strategic bypass along the Falomo Bridge and Alfred Rewane, Independence Bridge and Ahmadu Bello Way. Designed as dual carriageway, the bridge directly connects Lekki Phase I Estate with Alexander in Ikoyi. It is envisaged that on completion it would improve the living standard of the people and enhance social interaction, as it represents a significant content

Lekki-Ikoyi

in the state’s tourism portfolio.

“The infrastructures provided must not only reflect present realities but also envisage future growth trends,”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012—37

New environmental law: Lagosians say its good and bad which we take in, and absorb most of the excess carbon dioxide we have in the environment.

“And with the new law and the fine from Lagos State, I believe it is just to try and encouraged people to add value to a single tree you see, that it serves a lot and with that fine people will be very conscious of not cutting down trees, they wouldn’t see as just ordinary tree.

“And I believe the law is just to make people know there is a value attached to each of the single tree you see, so that they just don’t cut it down anyhow.”

On the contrary, Mrs Rosemary Williams, a banker was of the opinion that before such law is established, there must be an enabling environment.

“Lagosians are really struggling with a lot of things and such hash demand won’t really work well, how many people will they even catch on this? It doesn’t really make sense.

“It is good to beautify the environment, make sure we preserve the ozone layer but at the same time, there is so many things that they still need to work on, the environment especially; there’s a lot to be done.

“Waste management is not on point at all, people are still coping with a lot of dirty environment that it doesn’t really work. Those sanctions won’t work.”

Modern day landscaping

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO with agency reports

S December 17th, 2004.

According to him, “it can be constructed on a purposeful built pedestrian bridge that would serve dual functions of beautification and pedestrian crossing.”

TAKEHOLDERS have expressed divergent views on the new environmental law recently enacted by the Lagos State Government.

The enactment of the law led to the establishment of the new Lagos State Parks and Garden agency, LASPARK..

The law makes it mandatory for Lagos residents to beautify the perimeters of their houses. It also stipulates a fine of

Link Bridge

Hamzat stated, adding that it will also reduce travel time, save man-hour loss by motorists.

Moreover, the link bridge is expected C M Y K

to reduce the traffic on Lekki-Epe Toll Gates, as motorists who do not have any business along the axis would have the option of going through the link bridge,

N250,000 or six months imprisonment or other non-custodian sentences for violators.

Similarly, the law provides a N50,000 fine against felling of trees without permission.

Reacting to the law, Mr Taiwo Adewole, an environmentalist, said the new law would encourage people to add value to the environment.

“The tree planting is very good because it helps a lot in our environment, it gives out the oxygen

either from Ikoyi end to the other or Lekki end to the other, thereby, eliminating the present traffic rush being experienced on daily basis on Lekii Epe Expressway.

Technical details of the bridge obtained from the state Ministry Works and Infrastructure shows as follows: total length of bridge - 1.358km comprising of 722m approach and main bridge 466m; length of cable170m (suspended section). Eight of pylon: 87m from water level; navigational requirement clearance average of 9m above high water level.

Width is 16m across (8m on both sides); walkway – 4m across (2m on both sides); road works- Ikoyi end – 338.

7m while Lekki end is 311.5m.

Other link bridge in focus According to reliable sources, the state is planning another link bridge from Ojodu-Berger to Ikorodu to Isawo with a stop at Ikorodu. “But the construction will be tough, because the alignment is built up and the compensation will be high. So we are looking at various options,” the source said.

Planting of flowers Also speaking, Mr Goodnews Okocha, a security official, said that the idea of planting of flowers and trees was a good one.

He, however, said that it was expensive for average Lagos house owners and urged the state government to consider common masses and reduce the penalty.

“Planting flowers is okay and it makes the environment look more lively and also tress, but if you look the other way round, you have to consider the less privileged ones because it’s not every one that can afford to plant flowers in their homes or even where they work, so at least, you have to consider the penalty there.”

Miss Olayinka Ogunyemi, a graduate and a fashion designer, noted there were more problems to deal with in Lagos than tendering plants.

“There are a lot of problems facing Lagos State and this is the least of our problems.

“Imagine people that are yet to feed themselves and get their lives together, you tell them to start beautifying and taking care of plants and all, they have a lot of thing to deal with and this is the least of their problems.”

Ogunyemi said that such law, with sanctions of imprisonment, could compound the problem of prison congestion.

She, therefore, advised the state government to review the law, especially the aspect on sanctions

38—Vanguard , TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

Nissan supports Eko Sports Festival with 5 vehicles

A

•Mercedes-Benz officials receiving the 2012 Truck of the Year award won by the Actros.

Daimler stars shine at Hanover Commercial Vehicle show

BY THEODORE OPARA

A

S expected, Daimler was the star attraction at the just concluded 2012 International Commercial Vehicle Show (IAA) in Hanover, Germany. Its array of brands comprising Mercedes-Benz, Fuso, Setra, Freightliner (American brand) Kamaz (Russian brand) and Foton (Chinese brand) were the cynosure of all eyes at the show.

Displaying its wide range models, ranging from light, medium and heavy duty commercial vehicles at what could best be described as Daimler Village, Hall 14/15 at the fair ground, Daimler demonstrated why it is ranked number one in the world’s commercial vehicle segment.

On the eve of the kick off of the show, Daimler hosted International Journalists and its customers from across the world at the well lit hall, showcasing its lastest models and products from its new joint ventures like the Foton Auman heavy duty commercial truck, Kamaz trucks, Fuso hybrid trucks, Setra buses and freightliner truck. The razmataz on C M Y K

that night could not be forgotten in a jiffy, especially the parade by the Indian community.

The drivers of the commercial vehicles from different countries and continents like Asia (Japan and China), South America (Brazil and Argentina) and Europe (Germany) commented on why they preferred the different

Daimler Commercial Vehicles and their choices which range from performance to safety and comfort.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Andreas Renschler, member of the Board of Management of Damiler AG responsible for Daimler Trucks and Buses, noted that despite their challenges,

their goal was to deliver the best possible products to the customers.

“Our goal is to utilize our global production network, our increasing number of product platforms and our modular component systems in order to offer customers in every market the best possible products,” he said.

A good example of this, he said is the powertrain of their buses, trucks and vans.

“The powertrain is not only the heart of our vehicles, it also epitomizes what we want to achieve for our customers, even if we do everything possible to ensure that our customers don’t have to Continues on page 39

Abuja Motor Show: We're leaving nothing to chance — BKG boss M

ANAGING Director of BKG Exhibitions organisers of the annual Abuja Motor Fair, Mr. Ifeanyi Agwu has said that his company is leaving no stone unturned in making the 14th edition of the fair a huge success. To this end, Mr. Agwu said arrangements are in top gear to bring all major auto players together using the annual event.

Briefing newsmen in his office, the BKG boss explained that the fair is beginning to approach its maturity stage having survived the last thirteen years. This years edition will hold at the Eagle Square Abuja from October 16 to 24, 2012.

To ensure a hitch-free exhibition, Mr. Agwu disclosed that invitations had been sent out to all the stakeholders in the nation’s automobile sub sector as well as well meaning Nigerians and companies in the country to attend the fair so far, he said the response has been encouraging.

As he put it: “Virtually all the major auto brands in the country are heading for the venue,” he added.

According to him, Toyota Nigeria Limited, Peugeot Automobile Nigeria, Weststar Associates, Leventis Motors, Dana Motors, Hyra Motors, Lanre Shittu Motors, National Trucks Manufacturers, Jack Motors,

and Stallion Motors are some of the auto franchisees and dealerships companies that have booked spaces for the event.

Also, Mobil Oil, Oando Plc, Mansard Insurance are also heading to Eagle Square for the event The importance of this year ’s event, he said, cannot be over-emphasised as the automobile sector remains one of the best means of developing the nation’s economy, adding that the industry occupies a strategic position in the economic development of any nation.

As part of the organiser’s efforts in promoting investment in the auto-

motive sector, in addition to the regular display of automobiles, spare parts, accessories and financials, the 14th edition will feature a Managing Directors of Automobile Companies Forum with heads of governmental ministries, departments and agencies whose activities and functions impact on the industry.

This strictly industry gathering is tagged ‘MD’s Nite.’

Another outstanding feature of this edition is an ‘All Nigerian Transport Summit’ which will host all the major private and public players in road transportation in Nigeria coming together to rub minds to move the sector forward.

LLIANCE Autos Nigeria Limited, distributors of the Nissan and Renault brands in Nigeria has donated five brand new Nissan models to the local Organising Committee of the 18th National Sports Festival, Eko 2012. The vehicles, valued at over N15 million was handed over to the organisers at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos recently. The vehicles include Nissan Teena, Nissan Urvan bus, MP 300 Hardbody Pickup and Sunny saloon models.

Presenting the keys of the vehicles to the officials of the LOC, Regis Tromeur, managing director of Alliance Autos Nigeria Limited, stated that the sponsorship of the 18th National Sports Festival, Eko 2012 by the Nissan dealership is underpinned by our belief that sports has a major social, political and economical significance in contemporary society making the development of sport in Nigeria require the support and involvement of all stakeholders.

“We are all aware of the potential of sports as a tool for reaching personal, community, national and international development objectives. Therefore, our sponsorship as the official automobile support car company of the Eko 2012 games, we are highly delighted to announce our sponsorship of the games with Five Nissan vehicles of different models that include the luxury personified Nissan Teana, the all terrain MP300 Hardbody, the all people carrier commercial passenger bus, the Urvan and the people’s ‘taxi’ the Sunny.

The managing director said that, the move by AANL marks a major milestone towards the successful hosting of the festival that signposts that beginning of good partnership and better days ahead. “I am most delighted about this opportunity as it gives us at CFAO opportunity to showcase Alliance Auto’s commitment to sports development in Nigeria,” he noted.

Vanguard , TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012 —39

SsangYoung returns with a bang K

OREAN leading 4 x 4 maker SsangYong Motors has staged a strong come back to Nigeria through SatllionMotors.

Stallion, leading automobile dealership won the exclusive dealership for SsangYong, Korea’s 4th largest automaker, bringing to nine similar automobile franchises managed by the conglomerate.

According to the new arrangement Stallion Motors will by virtue of this recognition be responsible for marketing, sales and after sales activities of SsangYong brand in Nigeria.

SsangYong adapted Mercedes Benz technology in 1991 after the company brokered skill partnership acquisition with DaimlerBenz to develop SUV using Mercedes-Benz know-how.

SsangYong leveraged on this influence to build its infrastructure while utilizing the existing Mercedes-Benz network to raise the profile of its evolving presence in the competitive SUV market.

Mr. Jatin Nadkarni, Marketing Director, SsangYong Nigeria told automobile media at the

C M Y K

unveiling of SsangYong product line-up in Lagos that Stallion Motors is committed to creating a niche for SsangYong in Nigeria, taking advantage of the worldwide appeal the brand holds.

tomers that purchase SsangYong vehicle from now till December 31, 2012.

The dealership is in addition offering 3 years / 100,000 kms warranty on its models.

rector.

A notable highlight among the models from SsangYong is the Actyon Sports Pick-up 4WD, expected to interest

Stallion Motors has already taken delivery of the entire SsangYong range in preparation for the formal launch that would come up at a later date, possibly at Abuja Motor show laster this month. The models include Rexton, Kyron and Actyon Sports, all of which are available in Stallion Motors branches nationwide. The Korando is expected to be available in Nigeria early next year, assured the marketing di-

variants - 4WD Manual Transmission, MT), 4WD MT with ABS+ABG and 2WD Manual Transmission.

Daimler shine at Hanover show Continues from page 38

He said Stallion Motors is working towards generating consistent demand for SsangYong in Nigeria and that it plans to impel clientele with the powerful technological affiliation SsangYong enjoys with Mercedes Benz. Stallion Motors is to this end offering fresh incentives that include “FREE Maintenance package of two years / 60,000 kms” (whichever comes earlier) to all Cus-

clientele seeking solutions for haulage and other commercial uses.

The new Actyon Sports Pick-up is available in three

personally deal with the engine,” he stated.

According to him, their heavy duty engines are good example of the example of the progress they have made with their global platform strategy as the new engine generation for North America, Japan and Europe has 80 per cent shared components.

He said at the same time, technologies like the exhaust gas treatment systems are precisely tailored to each individual market and the associated emission standards.

Andreas remarked that with their strategy to be globally present and their determination to offer the best and broadest portfolio on the basis of worldwide platforms and

modules, Daimler has set ambitious goals for itself and certainly has a lot of work left to do.

By Daimler’s projection, demand for trucks and vans in North America is expected to increase between 10 to 20 per cent this year and Daimler Trucks has been able to outperform this forecast by achieving a sales increase of 27 per cent in the NAFTA region through August. It also anticipates 20 per cent market growth in Japan due to the ongoing reconstruction efforts. Also in India, the third largest truck market, despite the weak economy Daimler’s market share has been on the increase.

The Russian market however is the one that is giving Daimler much to cheer about.

It is already nearly

twice as big as the market in Germany. The Russian Commercial Vehicle Sector is expected to grow in double digit percentage points in 2012. Daimler market share in this market grew by more than 80 per cent through August compared to the same period in 2011. China, the biggest truck market, according to Daimler has potentials for growth, though sales have slowed down.

Despite the challenging market environment in some regions, Daimler broad and global lineup enabled it to sell 20 per cent more trucks through August 2012 than during the first eight months of the previous year. This, it has attributed to the great performance of the new Mercedes-Benz Actros.

40 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012 — 41

Nigeria at 52:

NMA decries uninspiring health indices

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

P

• Dr. Christopher Elias (left) with Hajara (right), a UNICEF volunteer community mobilizer in Dodo Village, in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area, Kano State and Ward Coordinator for volunteer network, Aisha, (middle) during a recent courtesy visit by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Nigeria can eradicate polio, says Gates Foundation

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

D

R. Christopher Elias is an optimist. If anyone is has convinction that polio will be eradicated from Nigeria in the not-too distant future, it is he. His optimisim is not just because he is President of Global Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, but more because he knows exactly what it would take to end the reign of polio in Nigeria.

An expert in health and medicine, Elias knows the disease, polio, as much as he knows the country, Nigeria.

“Polio is highly preventable and Nigeria has what it takes to eradicate it,” he declared in an interview with Vanguard.

Speaking from New York, Wednesday last week just before the historic “High Level” meeting hosted by the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon to engage a global movement in support of polio eradication, Elias declared that one of the reasons polio would be soon eradicated form Nigeria was because the country was benefitting from what he described as a strong political commitment.

“If you take a look at the map of polio cases this year, you have to be an optimist because the map looks better than before. We see cases really only in the three countries that have not yet interrupted transmission, but there are also important progresses if you look carefully.”

Observing that polio is a vaccine preventable disease, he argued that if the Oral Polio Vaccine can get to the children, the disease would go away.

strong leadership of Dr. Muhammed Ali Pate and his team, the Governors Forum and President Jonathan, we are going to achieve success in Nigeria before very long.”

Weak links in the Nigerian eradication chain, he noted, include a handful of Local Government Areas where immunisation coverage rates are low and children are vulnerable.

rupted transmission of polio.

They are developing a 5-year plan that will be presented to the World Health Organisation soon.

This is a plan that we have had opportunity to have some review, and it gives me great confidence that we will be able to harness the political and financial resources necessary to eradicate polio in the near future.”

“So we need to be focusing on these weak spots and that is the purpose of the emergency action plan put in place by Dr. Pate and other partners. The National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, is up to task of the tracking to get vaccinators to immunise every child.

Progress has increased in this direction. We need to keep up that work.”

Expressing optimism that polio will be eradicated in Nigeria in the not too distant future, Elias said: “We have a Global polio Eradication Initiative in conjunction with the leadership of health officials in Nigeria and other countries that recently inter-

On the complimentary role of the high-level UN meeting to a directive of the World Health Assembly, WHA, he said the 193 member-states of the UN called for an emergency to polio eradication in the world.

“This event hosted by the UN Secretary General with Bill

Focus on weak spots

Emergency of polio eradication

Continues on Page 43

RESIDENT of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele has expressed worry over the country's uninspiring national health indices, saying, it is worrisome that Nigeria's health system is still struggling with those of war-torn and less endowed countries, 52 years after independence.

In his assessment of the country's health sector at 52, Enabulele who regretted the state of the nation’s health system, said many factors and challenges have conspired against the realisation of the laudable objective of Walter-Harkness’ 10-Year Development Plan and the enunciation of the first National Health Development Plan in 1960.

He said Nigeria, before the 21st Century, would have achieved universal health coverage with all her citizens having access to quality healthcare if there were good governance at all levels of government.

Among challenges he identified were poor governance at all levels, policy inconsistency, lack of political commitment,corruption, infrastructural decay, undue politicisation of the health sector coupled with declining professionalism, poor constitutional and legal framework for health and absence of a National Health Act that clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of healthcare professionals, and roles and responsibilities of government in the management of the three levels of healthcare.

Other factors are; weak co-ordination, integration and implementation of health policies, pro-

National Research Fund in the pipeline — Health Minister

P

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

LANS are underway to es tablish a standard National

Research Fund with a view to encouraging more local research in all sectors of the economy.

The Research Fund when estab-

Significant progress

“I think we have seen significant progress in Nigeria. There is a still some way to go, because the immunisation progress is still low, particularly in the most vulnerable LGAs, but I’m optimistic that if we continue to see the

C M Y K

• Dr. Osahon Enebulele grammes, poor funding and inadequate budgetary provisions for health,as well as inadequate numbers, inequitable distribution of the health workforce and weak primary and secondary levels of care with a weak referral system amongst others.

Enabulele who acknowledged improvements in the past few years under the current Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, called for a sincere commitment to electoral reforms and enthronement of good governance, credible, committed, accountable and people-centred leadership at all levels.

For repositioning of the health sector, he recommended political commitment to health by all levels of government, transparent implementation of poverty reduction schemes, expansion of the National Health Insurance Scheme and commitment to Universal Health Coverage by government at all levels.

He also made a case for improved budgetary provision for health of at least 15 percent of the national budget with adequate release and effective utilisation of the funds/health resources among others.

•Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, 2nd left with the Director General of NIMR, Professor Innocent Ujah (2nd right) and others during the Minister’s visit to the Institute

lished would cover all the various research institutes in the country.

The Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu who disclosed this while on a working visit at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, said already, President Goodluck Jonathan has set up a committee charged with the responsibility of setting up a sustainable National Research Fund that would stand the test of time as well as provide both local and international research.

Stating that establishment of such Fund was overdue in the country, Chukwu, further opined that with it in place, there would be defined national priorities in research.

He warned: “It would not be just that anybody is interested in a particular research, then that person must be sponsored with the fund or given grant. We need Continues on Page 43

42—V anguard, TUESD AY, OCTOBER 2, 2012 42—Vanguard, TUESDA

Community pharmacists seek access to safe medicines

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

A

S Nigerian marked 52 years of independence, community pharmacists have called for appropriate channels of drug distribution that would ensure patients have access to safe and efficacious medicines.

Making the call in Lagos, at an event to mark the 2012 World Pharmacists Day with the theme; “Community Pharmacists: The Essential Link to Total Healthcare”, Lagos State Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists, ACPN, Pharm. Aminu Abudulsalam Yinka regretted that 52 years after independence, drug distribution in the country remains chaotic.

According to Yinka, the situation has continued to deny Nigerians the opportunity of having access to safe medicine as a human right.

Yinka who noted that drug distribution was a major part of healthcare system and healthcare cannot be separated from the development of the country said: “So far, Nigeria is yet to make progress in drug distribution. “We would have expected to have developed more than where we are now.”

His words: “As a society, we have been advocating that medicines are special commodities that must be treated as such and that distribution should be channeled appropriately. Unfortunately, it is only in this country that drugs are distributed anyhow.”

“Although the channels of distribution have been stated by the law the implementation has remained the problem. The distribution is still chaotic. If a tenant is not selling medicine, then, the land lord will be selling or the next neighbour. So every member of the community is exposed to irrational use of medicine.”

He stressed the need for Nigeria as one of the giant of Africa to lead the way in having appropriate channel of drug distribution where the end users which

is the patient gets these medicines from appropriate channel so that we will be confident that the patient has gotten the right medicine.

The Lagos ACPN boss maintained that with a situation where medicines are obtained like garri in market places rational use of drugs would not be achieved unless the country goes back to the laws that defined how distribution of drugs should be done and followed.

Yinka further called for the comprehensive involvement of pharmacists in health policies and

Continued from Page 41 Gates, the Nigerian leader and other political leaders, is a sign that we are able to get the attention of many of the world’s high level leaders to say this is an important job we take seriously on what the WHA has charged the global community to do and we must ensure that we get it done.

It will begin the process of securing the leadership financial resources and operational competence of the world in elimination the polio,” he declared.

Why polio must be eradicated

“The world has an unprec-

edented opportunity to finish the job. If we can make the necessary leadership accountable and harness resources to eradicate polio within the next few years, we will be saving the world US$40-50 billion over the next 25 years and eliminate what has been, for several centuries, a devastating problem.

“Right now, we are down to just 200 cases globally, but if we were to stop the eradication efforts for polio, we could be looking at 200, 000 new cases a year. We are close to the finish. What is important to recognise is that particularly in this final stage in Nigeria, we are not just eliminating polio, we are building a system to deliver vaccines for other vaccine preventable diseases that are common causes of morbidity and mortality for children.

“So the polio eradication will leave the world with a better surveillance system to understand the patterns of vaccine preventable disorders and better immunisation and case development systems.

Lessons from India’s success

•Members of Pledge Charity Foundation, with Persons Living With HIV and Staff of Epe General Hospital during a courtesy visit recently.

4,000 in Shasha Community benefit from Paincare Outreach Health Mission

BY CHARITY UGWUANYI

T

HE sleepy community of Shasha, a suburb of Lagos State recently witnessed large turnout of people following a free health mission organised by PainCare Outreach in the area.

The time was 7AM. Although, many of the residents were still fast asleep on that fateful Saturday. But some in their numbers were seen streaming into the Church premises of Peculiar Peoples' Ministry located in the heart

NAFDAC, NYSC take drug abuse campaign to Oshodi Motor Park

W

ORRIED about the dangers inherent in drug abuse, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC and members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC last week took campaign against drug abuse to commercial bus drivers and motorcycle operators in Cappa, Oshodi area of Lagos.

Drug abuse and alcoholism is one of the most prevalent issues the youth is facing currently. Unfortunately, it does not affect individual alone but also everyone around him or her including the society at large. According to experts, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances such as diazepam, bromazepam, cocaine, pethidine, and morphine became drug of abuse when not used for medical purposes.

Statistics have also shown that substances such as codeine containing cough, syrup, rubber solution, gum, alcohol, cannabis, among others are commonly abused in Nigeria.

Addressing the gathering during a sensitisation Campaign against Drug Abuse and Alcoholism for Commercial drivers and Motorcycle riders in Cappa, Oshodi, in Lagos last week, the Director General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii called on corporate bodies and Nigerians to join the war against drug abuse.

Orhii who noted that said NAFDAC was committed to ensuring that the eradication of drug abuse as well as ensuring that the use of

Continues on page 41 C M Y K

implementation.

“Let us take our patients as our target. Medicines are special commodities, medicines do a lot of harm to the body where they have been misused, abused or used without expertise advice.” he added.

Earlier, Past Chairman, Lagos State Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Pharm. Tony Oyawole, who maintained that access to drug was a human right warned that drugs should not be taken irrationally as every drug is a poison including common drugs like paracetamol.”

Nigeria can eradicate polio

of the community.

At least no fewer than 4000 less privileged residents were present at the programme not only to attend to their physical health but received the touch of Christ.

The resident, in addition to, free hypertension, eye and blood sugar screening, among others, also received drugs and foods.

The free health monthly programme was to ensure wellness and win souls into God's kingdom.

Giving the rationale behind the exercise, General Overseer, Peculiar Peoples' Ministry, Pastor Ishola Oriola Taiwo said was to win souls for Christ but first, there is the need to attend to their physical and psychological needs before the spiritual.

Taiwo who stressed that the programme was an extension of God's love and care for the world likened it to the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, where he not only healed the sick but also fed them before attending to their spiritual need, which is the salvation of their souls.

He further counseled political office holders to sit down as citizens of Nigeria and itemised the problems plaguing the country as well as fashion out ways to solving the problems.

On the choice of Shasha, he explained that it was to help safeguard the health of the less privileged in the area.

The General Overseer stated that people are hungry and poor without any hope of survival let alone pay for health care.

In his views, Head, Health Team, Dr. Opeyemi Kuponiyi said the team comprising of 20 medical doctors, pharmacists and other experts attended to diseases such as malaria, diarrhea and fever among others.

"We see more women and children than men. Also, we see respiratory tract infection (RTI) with pneumonia among others. And when we suspect any disease, we also gave them drugs.

She said patients who need referral are asked to go to nearby government health facilities.

Pastor Steve Akindasa of Paincare Outreach said the programme main aim is to win souls. "It is not a jamboree or a philanthropic

India’s success is one of the most important successes for polio eradication. Years ago, many thought India would be the last to eradicate polio, yet India succeeded despite high number of cases, population and other problems. We have been studying the key element of the success in India and we found it has innovation.

Nigeria has benefitted from having 15 of the surveillance medical officers from India, who were in the final eradication process. They came to Nigeria and are working with the NHPCDA in transferring some of those lessons to the operational capability of the Nigerian resource.

“One complete example is that in the last few months, the Nigerian programme has restructured the vaccinator team using smaller teams that visit fewer households and also having more teams. This is a model that worked quite well towards the eradication success in India.

We are very much in support of the transfer the special lessons learned in India into the operational plans of the emergency options in Nigeria.”

•Residents of Shasha area of Lagos waiting to collect free drugs during a free health mission organised by PainCare Outreach recently in Lagos.

Vanguard, TUESD A Y, OCTOBER 2, 2012— 43 TUESDA

Traditional treatment option 2: Chemotherapy

C

HEMOTHERAPY is a form of tra ditional therapy that uses extremely powerful drugs to destroy cancer cells. In some cases, chemotherapy is used on its own, but typically it is used in conjunction with surgery or radiation therapy. Theoretically, chemotherapy is supposed to stop or slow the growth of cancerous cells. While it may in fact do this, the drugs cannot differentiate between cancerous cells and normal cells, so cells that also divide quickly such as cells that initiate hair growth, those that line your intestines and your mouth for example, will also be destroyed. This explains common side effects doctors often tell us about like hair loss, nausea and loss of appetite, diarrhea and a chronic sore mouth often with ulcers. These side effects are actually quite mild when you consider the real cost of chemotherapy.

One study in particular shows that chemotherapy may alter blood fl ow and the metabolism of the brain well after the treatment has ended, in fact for ten years or longer according to this 2006 UCLA study. In particular, the study looked at twenty one women who had surgery to remove breast cancer, including sixteen who were treated using chemotherapy from five to ten years earlier. Researchers used positron emission tomography (PET) scans to look at the brains of these women while they performed short-term memory exercises and also while resting. Results showed a rapid jump in brain activity in the frontal cortexes and cerebellums of the chemotherapy patients while performing the memory tests, ultimately revealing their brains were working harder than the other women to recall the same information.

The study further showed that women

who underwent hormonal therapy alongside chemotherapy experienced marked changes to their basal ganglia, the part of the brain that links thought with action.

Other side effects of chemo drugs typically include heart damage that can in many cases, be permanent, so even if a patient manages to recover from the cancer they will still experience enough damage to the heart muscle that they

Julia Oyefunke Fortune

The Cancer

FIGHTER

juliafortune@hotmail.com

will have to cut back and change their lifestyles for the rest of the lives. I found no information indicating that researchers have found a way to protect the heart against some of these chemotherapy drugs. As well, with many of these

drugs, there is a maximum, lifetime safe dosage, which when surpassed, may increase the risk of dying from this drug before the cancer can be cured.

Continues next week

Proposed National Research Fund in the pipeline Continued from Page 41 to spend the country’s fund on something that can really impact on the country. Others can do that but our funds should be primarily for something that has to do with the country even though other countries may not be interested in it. That is the way to go.

Acknowledging that lack of fund has seriously impacted on effective research, he disclosed that the Federal Government

had reviewed funds for research institutes, particularly, NIMR in the 2013 budget.

“In the 2013 envelope, we want to see if we can give more funds to NIMR. We hope that, it would be sustained through the National Assembly. We are hoping for an improvement. There is need for us to begin to look at our priorities in this country and return our focus to what it used to be.”

Chukwu urged the four groups in the Ministry of Health to work closely in mat-

NAFDAC, NYSC take campaign to Oshodi Continued from Page 41 Narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances are limited to medical and scientific purpose only.

Enjoining members of the NYSC to join the war on drug abuse pointed out that, findings have revealed that the sale and use of cannabis, alcohol and alcohol based herbal mixture is a common occurrence at the nation’s motor park.

He regretted that most commercial bus drivers and okada often smoke cannabis and/or drink alcohol and alcohol based herbal mixtures before embarking on their journey to energise them and also keep

them awake for a long time.

A practice, he said, leads to impaired mental function such that the ability of the user to make accurate judgement, especially when driving vehicles or riding okada is affected.

“This can lead to accidents resulting in serious injury and possibly death,” he stated.

Speaking, representative of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Director, Drug Abuse Prevention, Education, Mrs Stella Ngozi Nwoke who declared that drug abuse problem was already in Nigeria, regretted that substance abuse have become an enormous challenge in the country.

ters of research.

“The Nigeria Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development, newly established Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research and Policy Department of Public Health should form a kind of nest to integrate what they are doing in the country. I think if we get it right, we will be able to present that kind of fronts to attract funding from other sources, I am confident that each one has a role to play. Although, our other parastatals were also involve in the operational research but the real basic research must come through you.”

Presenting the achievements and constraints of the institute, the Director- General of NIMR, Prof. Innocent Ujah who recounted impressive achievements of the institute even with the limited funds maintained that lack of fund has remained a major challenge. Appealing for better funding of the institute, he disclosed that no fewer than 19,462 people living with HIV & AIDS are accessing care at the institute.

Ujah hinted that out of the number, 12,187 are receiving Anti-Retroviral drugs, ARVs, free of charge. He added that cases of discordant couples are being compiled.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

I

HAVE had diabetes for some time now and it has ruined my sex life. My erection is so weak that penetration is impossible. My doctors have tried for me without success. I will appreciate your help as I am still a young man with a young wife. Thank you – Olalekan Lekan hello and sorry for your diabetes. Although some erection supplements are typically not good for diabetic people, there is hope for you. There is a new sexual health supplement called Libigrow. It gives very strong erections, improves stamina and helps with premature ejaculation as well. The good news for you is that Libigrow can be taken by diabetic people so that will help you.

Libigrow is so powerful that one capsule of it works for up to four days. This is the perfect solution for you – Uche Good day sir. My name is Mr. Michael. Please sir each time sperm comes out with urine while I am toileting in the toilet. Could this be a medical problem?

Dear Michael, if you are experiencing a whitish discharge when you are urinating, it is definitely not sperm. You have an infection. Go quickly and see a doctor for proper medical tests and treatment– Uche I had surgery three years ago and since then, I have not been able to get an erection. I have tried all kinds of medication and taken Viagra but nothing has worked.

Can you help? – Moses Dear Moses, I am sorry about this. If Viagra did not work for you, I wouldn’t recommend wasting money on more supplements. I suggest wearing an artificial penis for intercourse instead. It is called a Penile Extension and it comes in sizes of six, eight and ten inches. Penile Extensions are realistic looking, firm like a real erection and will help you fulfil your sexual obligations to your wife. Sorry again and good luck – Uche I just got into a new relationship about seven months ago and things are looking promising. My fiancée and I are interested in proper sex education that will help our future marriage succeed. Thank you – Yemi

That’s great planning Yemi. First of all, you need something that can enable you understand women so that you can give her exactly what she wants. For that I recommend the movie More of What Women Want. And then you need a movie that will teach you variety so that you don’t do the same things over and over again. For that I recommend 32 Ways to Please Your Lover and 101 Sex Positions. And finally, a book that will help both of you in romance and adult sexuality in general, I recommend getting The Best Sex of Your Life. Good luck – Uche Have you ever heard of this vibrator that can be blown up to any size so that one doesn’t have to worry about buying different sizes of dildo? I am interested in it and I also need something to help with arousal and dryness.

Thanks – Esther Esther that is a very rare dildo but we have it. It is called the Inflatable Stud. For your arousal, you can get the new 69 Slick Licks Nipple and Clit arousal gel. It will stop the vaginal dryness and is flavoured so is perfect for oral sex too – Uche I have a penis like a five year old. Is there any kind of enlargement that can help? Samuel Samuel, that will be difficult. If you take the usual supplements, the results will still not be satisfactory because of how small you are. The best thing for you will be to wear a penis sleeve during intercourse. The Mega Stretch Penis Extension Sleeve will make you look bigger and two inches longer. It also helps with premature ejaculation – Uche That’s it for today. The names of the people featured here have been changed for their privacy. Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can call 08191978308 or 08027901621 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com. Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries, send your emails to custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media..

C M Y K

44 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012 — 45

One of the Federal Government's low cost housing estates

52 YEARS OF HOMELESSNESS:

Experts proffer solutions to dearth of affordable housing BYKINGSLEYADEGBOYE

H

ousing is one of the three basic needs of man. After food and clothing, the next basic human need is housing. In civilised climes, provision of housing is seen as a fundamental social responsibility of the government to its citizenry.

However, records show that Nigeria has a housing deficit of about 17million. How far this frightening gap can be closed or how well the authorities have facilitated the citizenry in achieving these basic needs still remains a paradox.

Availability and affordability of houses have therefore remained a thorny challenge.

It is evident that every

Nigerian family wants a comfortable accommodation; at least a roof over its head, potable water with convenient means of disposal of both solid and liquid wastes. This, however, has been a mirage for an average Nigerian family.

Since Nigeria’s independence 52 years ago, pundits believe that the only successful housing policy that attempted to provide a near affordable housing for Nigerians was the Second Republic administration of President Shehu Shagari that came up with the then Shagari Low Cost Houses.

It is interesting to note that there was an ecstatic slogan on the eve of this millennium tagged “Housing for All Before Year 2000”. But the year 2000 flipped past and the slogan, not crafted as a

vision and backed by any concrete plan, came and passed as a mirage. Just like the Federal Government failed in this regard, state governments also have not fared better as no state government has achieved any housing policy in recent history. The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, is most culpable as it has failed to meet the housing demands of the ever increasing influx of people into FCT on daily basis.

Lamenting this sad development, built environment professionals who spoke to Vanguard Homes & Property blamed the government for its insensitivity towards the provision of housing which is a fundamental right of the people. They therefore called on the government to stop paying lip service to the all

important issue of housing and do something concrete without further delay to reduce the huge housing deficit.

Mr. Sola Fatoki, an estate surveyor and valuer and chairman, Lagos State Branch of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, lamented that after 52 years of Nigeria’s independence, “ we are still hearing the report that Nigeria has a housing shortfall of 17 million”.. “This has already confirmed that there is a failure in our housing delivery. So, the government needs to do a lot to reduce this gap. We as estate surveyors and valuers, have been telling the government that there are simply five ways to increase housing stock in Nigeria.

These include one, there must be adequate land policy, where land will be available to the generality of the people. This was the essence of the Land Use Decree. But over the years, you discover that the Land Use Act has not been able to achieve the purpose for which it was enacted. What this means is that the Act is due for review.

And this is what we have been clamouring for, because state governors have turned the Act into a money making venture.

The original intention of the Land Use Act is to make land available for everybody irrespective of where he or she lives in Nigeria. But as it is, to acquire land in Nigeria today, one has to pay through his nose. So, if we have adequate land administration in place which will make land available to the people, if we have effective mortgage system where prospective home owners can take mortgage loans, then people can begin to think that home ownership in Nigeria is realisable. It is only in Nigeria people gather millions of Naira to build houses. In advanced nations, most home owners built their houses with mortgage loans.

So, we need effective mortgage system in the country to make home

Curtain cords can cause strangulation in homes

S

afety hazards lurk around nearly any home. In most cases you can take measures to lower the risk of injury or death. Common household items present more hazards in homes with small children. Be aware of potential dangers to stay safe in the comforts of your home.

For beds: You should avoid placing babies to sleep on adult beds to prevent suffocation from soft mattresses and injuries from falling off the bed or in between the mattress and the frame.

Make sure children use bunk beds responsibly and that the top bed has a safety railing to prevent falls.

Candles Use candles with extreme caution. Young children can move them to unsafe places or unknowingly knock them over. Place burning candles away from pets and objects that can ignite, such as curtains, newspaper, magazines and bedding.

Appliances and furniture: Large appliances and pieces of furniture, such as refrigerators, china cabinets and bookcases, have a danger of falling over onto children or adults if not properly anchored down. A disaster may occur if small children attempt to climb on unstable shelving.

Bathrooms: Wet floors and electrical objects are common hazards lurking in bathrooms. Use rugs and mats to prevent serious injury from slipping, and keep electrical items, such as hair dryers and radios, away from showers, tubs and sinks.

Electrical cords and outlets Replace cracked or frayed cords and electrical wires immediately, and avoid overloading outlets to prevent fire.

Watch cord placement to prevent tripping, and avoid placing cords underneath rugs.

HIGH POINTS •Review the Land Use Act because it is no longer serving the purpose for its enactment •Develop a viable mortgage system to discourage cash and carry practice in housing delivery •Government should lead in the crusade to popularise the use of locally made building materials •The roads infrastructure should be developed so that people can live in satellite towns and come to work in the city centres ownership easy ”, Fatoki stated.

Another factor that can facilitate home ownership in Nigeria, according to the Lagos NIESV chairman is the availability of building materials. While the costs of building materials is generally high, some of them are imported. He called for a price control mechanism to ensure that prices of building materials are affordable, adding that if this is done, home ownership will become easy for prospective home owners in Nigeria.

Fatoki called for the use of locally made building materials churned out after rigorous research work by the various building materials research institutes and bodies in the country. He enjoined the Government to take the lead for others to follow.

“If the government can start to build houses using locally made materials, and people are seeing them, then Nigerians will be encouraged to make use of locally sourced building materials.

The Lagos NIESV boss also stressed the need for infrastructure development in the country. “For instance, cement is very expensive because of high cost of production,” he stated.

According to him, if there is steady power supply for cement manufacturers to produce cement, the cost of the product will not be as high as it is now; and low price of cement will reduce cost of home ownership. Fatoki who decried the poor state of roads infrastructure in the country, observed if the roads are in good shape, people can live in far-flung places and come to work in the city centre without much hassles.

In his own reaction an ExOfficio member of the Nigerian Institute of Building, NIOB, Mr. Adesina Aladeloba said the Government and built environment professionals have a lot of work to do to close the housing shortfall put at 17 million units.

46 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

ENVIRONMENT WATCH

Banire berates FG for poor handling of flooding

BY KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

THE immediate past Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Muiz Banire has berated the Federal Government for not doing enough to check the incidents of flooding currently ravaging the nation. Banire who spoke with journalists at the Nigerian Institute of Building, NIOB Award Night said the government at the centre lacks vision and so could not take proactive measures to check the flood menace.

Banire, a chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN was honoured with a high performance award following his sterling performance as the commissioner for Environment in Lagos.

According to him, the Federal Government had over the years turned deaf ears to all the entreaties to build dams to store excess storm water and dredge the country’s rivers especially Niger and Benue Rivers to create cavity for capacity to hold water.

He posited that accusing Cameroon of inundating the nation with flood water by releasing water from her Lagdo dam is misplaced because Nigeria was to have built her counterpart dam for water

retention in the 1980’s but refused to do so even when Cameroon built hers in 1982.

Banire claimed that the Federal Government is insensitive to the plight of the people and until the government makes the welfare of the people the crux of governance and centre of development; “we will continue to expose the people to avoidable danger and unnecessary hardships”.

He opined that the number of people killed and displaced and the property destroyed will be on the increase unless necessary measures are taken, as the effect of climate change will continue to affect the intensity of rainfall and water will always find its level. He said all mitigative and adaptive measures must be taken to tackle the effects of climate change while emergency management machinery should be oiled and made ready at all times in case of emergencies.

On the vexed issue of building collapse, he stated that it may not necessarilyresultfromtheuseofsubstandard building materials.

According to him, the application of the materials is another issue which requires technical -know how. Headvisedbuilderstoconduct a research into building collapse and

Mr. Chuks Omeife, NIOB President presenting an award to Banire with his wife, Olufunmilayo Banire during an Award Night in Lagos last week. submit their report to the appropriate authorities.

The President of NIOB, Mr. Chuks Omeife commended Banire for his commentsontheplightoftheinstitute and his advice on the way forward.

He noted that his contribution to the built environment especially his exploits in the ministries of transportation and the environment won him the award.

Survey report okays 12 security firms in Nigeria

By KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE THE report of a survey of private security companies operating in Nigeria just released has shown that most of the security firms guarding homes and business places across the country lack the competence to secure lives and property.

The survey conducted by Frank Anderson Consulting however, gave12 security companies a clean bill of health after a tour of the nation in the wake of recent security challenges nationwide.

These companies that were given A+ rating are; ASE Security Ltd, Bemil Nigeria Ltd, Cardinal Security Ltd, Crest Security Ltd, Executive Guards, Halogens Security, Kings Guards, Nigid Security Ltd, Monaco Security, Prudential Guards, Technocrime Security, and Pahek Security Services.

The consulting firm noted that “Our survey and appraisals report of the numerous security companies operating in Nigeria was based on assets, branches, people, technology, refined systems, years of existence, board of directors structure and business focus.” It added that most of the security companies operating in Nigeria currently, shockingly have assets-base of less than N350,000.00 and yet are exposed to billions of Naira projects, pointing out that and in most cases owners of the firms are retired personnel who divert t

income of companies to personal or family use thereby jeopardizing the future of the companies and employees working for them.

According to the survey, some of the security companies are currently operating in shops, plazas, stadia, amusement parks and hotels which have been in business over the years as a family affair, as in most cases, husbands and wives constitute boards of directors of the companies.

“The quality and integrity of people working in most security outfits are questionable. The directors hire staff, mostly not based on competence. The basic communication facilities like radios and scanners are conspicuously absent in over 90 per cent of the companies visited.

Projections and focus of the business are not known by most of the directors we interacted with. Some feel because they are retired and have no other businesses then they just had to own a security company. Most Banks, Oil and Gas companies and Federal Ministries, even Churches and Parastatals give out jobs on the basis of friendship thereby exposing bank deposits, people, and assets to mediocrity and at the end, innocent people suffer. “Some companies that are doing very well in places like Lagos have nothing at all to write home about either in the North, East or West but because of influence, they are given jobs in these regions even as they lack

the actual merit for it. From our survey, it was safer and comfortable for anyone to use the 12 companies we have given a clean bill of health because they met the criteria to operate as security firms 100 per cent.

“The companies, though they are strong, their strengths do not cover all the regions. They gave the strength and spread as; Lagos region has Ase, Bemil, Cardinal, Crest, Halogen, Kings Guard, Prudential, Pahek, Technocrime, and Nigid; FCT has Nigid, Halogens, Kings Guard, Prudential, Munaco and Technocrime; SouthEast: Nigid, Pahek, Ase, prudentials; SouthWest: Kings Guards, prudentials, Bemil, Halogens and Cardinal; North-Central: Nigid, Prudential, Executive; North-West: Nigid, Executive Guards, Kings Guards, and Halogens; North-East: Halogens, Munaco, Kings Guard, and Nigid; South-South: Kings Guard, Halogens, and Bemil.

“Based on age, the two companies with the most impressive results are Cardinal and Nigid. Licensed under Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC, they have performed very well and if not checked they will spring surprises on older companies in this group. Organisations entrusting their property and people to security firms can actually look out for these in the outlined regions to enable them sleep well.”

MATERIALS WATCH Cement Dangote cement per bag of 50kg ---N1,800.00 Burham Cement per bag of 50kg ---N1,800.00 Elephant cement per bag of 50kg ---N1,800.00 Sandcrete Blocks 6 inches vibrated per block---N130 9 inches vibrated per block---N150 6 inches hand mould per block---N80 9 inches hand mould per block---N90 Sand Soft per tipper load ---N13,000 Sharp double tipper load---N23,000 Gravel double tipper load---N25,000 Gravel single tipper load---N18,000 Granite per tipper load----N120,000 Reinforcement 8 mm (153) pieces per ton ---N125,000 10 mm (153) pieces per ton---N136,000 12 mm (93) pieces per ton---N161,000 16 mm (93) pieces per ton---N172,000 20 mm (53) pieces per ton---N122,000 Woods Timber (hard) 1x1x12---N1,000 Timber (hard) 2x2x12---N800 Timber (hard) 2x4x12---N700 Softwood 2x2x12---N260 2x3x12---N300 Plywood 3x3x8---N3,500 2x4x8---N2,400 Roofing Sheets Corrugated iron sheets per bundle---N10,000 Asbestos (Super) 4x8 per piece---N1,600 Asbestos (Solo) 4x6 per piece---N1,500 Wall tiles (ceramic) 6 x 6 per square metre----------N1,200 20 x 20 (China) per square metre----------N1,100 20 x 25 (China) per square metre---....N1,400 Floor tiles (ceramic) 14 x 14 (Spain) per square metre------------N1,800 14 x 14 (Brazil) per square metre------------N1,420 13 x 13 (Spain) per square metre---------N1, 550 45 x 45 (Spain) per square metre------------N1,900 40 x 40 (Marble Spain) per square metre--N3,800 30 x 30 (Marble Spain) per square metre----N2,000 Plumbing Materials Galvanised conduit pipes per length 20 mm diameter -----------------N170 25 mm diameter---------------N170 PVC conduit pipes 20 mm diameter per length -------N120 25 mm diameter per length------N130 Source-----------Cement tiles and building materials market along Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012 — 47

Dokpesi faults hoteliers on foreign TV tion of black man anywhere the promotion of local conchannels tent via indigenous televiin the world.

BY JIMOH BABATUNDE

C

PROMO: From right— Elohoh Olumide-Awe, Assistant Category Manager; Oiza Gyang, Cathegory Manager, Tea & Spread, and Adetoun Ibrahim, Management Trainee, Tea, all of Unilever Nigeria Plc, at a briefing on the Lipton Tea Switch On and Win promo slated for October 2 to December 21 in Lagos, weekend. PHOTO: Biodun Ogunleye.

Akpabio bags award

G

OVERNOR Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State has bagged the Golden Impact Award of the Methodist Church in Nigeria.

The award was bestowed on him by the Prelate of the Methodist Church, Dr. Sunday Makinde, during the 170th anniversary of the

church in Abuja, weekend.

The Prelate, who also revealed the decision of the Church to make Chief Akpabio a Knight of the Methodist Church, said this was in recognition of the sterling performance of the governor in infrastructural development and his support for the work of God.

Customs nab car smugglers in Ogun

BY UDEME CLEMENT

C

USTOMS Area Con troller, CAC, Comptroller Ade Dosumu of Ogun State Command of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, led a night operation, which busted a smuggling ring at Ifoyintedo axis of the Command with the interception of 10 vehicles smuggled into the country.

In a chat with newsmen, Public Relations Officer of the Command, Mr. Chike Ngige said: “The new CAC has sent a signal to smugglers within the border points that it cannot be

business as usual, as he led the officers on a night anti-smuggling operation and recorded huge success.

“The operation meticulously carried out lasted till the wee hours of the following day.”

Dosumu reiterated his earlier resolve that Ogun Command will be too hot for any smuggler who refuses to heed the call to desist from illicit trade and embrace good business that will enhance economic growth and development, instead of sabotaging government’s effort in restructuring the nation’s economy.

MCO debunks allegations

by Mimiko's sacked aides

M

IMIKO Campaign Organisation, MCO, has described as untrue allegations by three sacked aides to Governor Olusegun Mimiko that they were being trailed with the aim of hurting them.

The organisation said the allegations were typical of the level of desperation to which the political party that they had joined had descended in their unbridled ambition to win the October 20 election.

The trio had, immediately after their sack, joined the opposition, Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, a party they were alleged to be C M Y K

openly romancing with while still employed as Special Assistants to the Governor.

MCO‘s Director of Publicity and Media Relations, Mr. Kolawole Olabisi, said: “This is going too far and politics should not be played like this. It is people like these who give politics bad name and prevent the best materials to come out to participate.

“Bare-faced lies, blackmail and assassinations are not part of politics as they are making it out to be in this clime and must be condemned in its totality.”

HAIRMAN, DAAR Communications Group, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, has decried the attitude of showing foreign television channels to the detriment of local television stations in Nigerian hotels.

Speaking while receiving the Director-General of Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation, NTDC, Otunba Segun Runsewe in his office, Dokpesi said he is a believer in the celebra-

He called for collaboration between NTDC and National Broadcasting Commission to make it mandatory for every hotel in the country to have local stations, adding that this was the standard in other countries he had visited, especially in Europe and America.

He described Runsewe as a lone voice in tourism promotion in Nigeria, promising that he will do his bit by working assiduously with NTDC to ensure

sion channels as a way of promoting Nigeria’s rich culture and values.

While presenting a book, Nigeria, a pictorial compendium on the country and other souvenirs to Chief Dokpesi, Runsewe said part of his visit to DAAR Group was to request for DAAR satellite decoders to be distributed to hotels and hospitality as a way of opening a window to enhance tourism promotion by broadcasting programmes with local content value.

Naval officers attacked me with rods, battle axe— Restaurant Operator zShe's lying, says Base Commander

BY GODWIN OGHRE

S

APELE—THE victim of brutality allegedly carried out by Naval officers from Ogorode Sapele Naval Engineering College, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, during a clash in “Mess 20,” a popular local restaurant in Sapele, on August 8, Mrs. Evelyn Wilkie, has send a Save Our Soul,

SOS, to President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Emmanuel Udughan of Delta State to come to her aid.

She asked for their aid to help offset the huge hospital bill she incurred following multiple surgeries she underwent to correct her left knee and ankle, where some Naval Officers allegedly inflicted deep cuts on her with battle axe.

Mrs. Evelyn Wilkie in hospital.

While narrating her ordeal to Vanguard, yesterday, on her hospital bed in Sapele, Mrs. Wilkie said she was attacked with battle axe during the clash between her three restaurant female workers and a senior Naval officer.

She said the officer came to the restaurant with his wife for lunch. She said when the Naval officer got his food, his wife, who made separate requisition, asked why her food was cold and accused the attendants of serving her soured food, an accusation the attendants denied.

Mrs. Willkie noted that all explanation by the attendants to convince the officer’s wife that their food was not sour fell on deaf ears.

Then the Naval officer’s wife slapped one of the attendants.

She said the attendants, whom the naval officer’s

Efut youths protest over monarch's stool

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

C

ALABAR—PROTEST ING youths of Efut nation in Cross River State have appealed to Governor Liyel Imoke to call his Special Adviser on Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. John Eyikwaje and Chairman of Calabar South Local Government Area, Mr. Ekeng Henshaw, to order over crisis in the traditional institution of the area.

The youths, numbering 50 with placards bearing different inscriptions against the purported recent selection of another Muri Munene for Efut, noted that the administra-

tion of Imoke had enthroned peace in the area.

They said for over three years, the Muri Munene of Efut, His Majesty, Effiong Mbukpa mounted the Efut traditional stool, there had been peace in Calabar South.

Speaking on behalf of the Efut youths, the leader, Etubom Esien Asuquo, said: “This peaceful demonstration is to plead with the government to issue certificate of recognition to Muri Munene Effiong Mbukpa.

“We were surprised that few days ago, the Special Adviser to the Governor and the Chairman of Calabar South, conducted

another election, saying that it was Governor Imoke that sent them, which is not true. They are causing a lot of confusion in Calabar South.”

wife slapped protested and cautioned the officer’s wife not to repeat same, adding that the Naval officer and his wife then began to beat the attendant.

She added that the said officer and his wife retreated when the attendants jointly protested, only for them to resurface 30 minutes later with a bus-load of Naval men, who broke the restaurant door, which the attendants had locked against themselves, while they hit and cut one of her sons and herself (Mrs. Wilkie) with battle axe and iron rods.

She also said that the Naval men shot sporadically into the air to scare people away.

When contacted, Base Commander of the Ogorode Sapele Naval College, Commandant J. D. Jaja, absolved his men of culpability and said no sane Naval officer could use battle axe to inflict cuts on a restaurant woman, let alone shooting sporadically on civilians when there was no war.

Commander Jaja also said that the brawl might have been by criminals, who were dressed in Navy uniform.

Idjerhe c'ttee VC resigns

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—FORMER member of Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Anthony Akpomiemie, has resigned his appointment as Vice Chairman of Idjerhe Community Development Committee.

The 21-member committee was recently setup by HRM Erhiekevwe I, the

Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom, Jesse, Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state to liaise with SEPLAT Oil Company on behalf of the community on issues of development.

Akpomiemie, in his resignation letter, said : “Talks and rumours already making the rounds are capable of tarnishing my reputation built over the years.”

48—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

Reps to probe payment of N140bn to AMCON by Otedola

Boko Haram declares war on govt officials' wives, others

A

zSays Abu Qaqa still alive, JTF lied

BUJA—THE House of Representatives said yesterday that it will probe the payment of N140.9billion to Assets Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON by oil magnate, Mr Femi Otedola.

This was revealed in a statement issued by the spokesman of the Green Chamber, Zakari Mohammed.

Mohammed said: “We have observed with interest the payment of N140.9billion, being outstanding debts of a businessman, Mr. Femi Otedola, to AMCON “This payment was credited to AMCON’s Managing Director, Mustafa Chike-Obi. Obi confirmed that AMCON Board met last Thursday and approved the transfer of the businessman’s assets, as well as undisclosed cash to AMCON as full payment and final settlement of Otedola’s liabilities.

“The 7th House of Representatives would, on return from its one week oversight tour, constitute a committee to investigate the amount and the assets so transferred to AMCOM. It is imperative to state that with the state of our economy this transaction was done with “confidentiality and secrecy.”

“It is curious that AMCON, being a government establishment which is under the purview of the National Assembly, could do that without the knowledge of the House. To say the least, the procedure is not acceptable. The National Assembly would be interested in getting full details of the transaction”.

It will be recalled that Mr Otedola was the owner of two major oil marketers that was indicted

by Farouk Lawan-led adhoc Committee on Fuel Monitoring Regime.

T

HE Islamic insurgent group, Jama’atu ahlis sunnah lil daawati wal jihad, popularly known as Boko Haram, has declared war on Northern leaders, governors and government officials.

In an Hausa language video by its leader, Abubakar Shekau, posted on YouTube, the group said it would begin to target the leaders.

“This message is for those in authority (emirs, governors, and government officials). Wallahi you have no resting place again and no resting time again, either we are here or we are not,” the group said.

Shekau did not elaborate on the group’s reason for deciding to target Northern leaders, but said “you (the Northern leaders) have messed up yourselves and you have messed up your own situation.”

The insurgents also con-

demned what they described as the lies of negotiations with government officials. Shekau said his group was not negotiating and had no plans to negotiate with the government.

No negotiation with FG “The claim that we are negotiating with the state is untrue, that is the figment of their imagination.” He said: “We are not in dialogue with anyone, but this seems to feed their taste or their appetite for disinformation.”

While denying peace negotiation, the Boko Haram leader admitted that some of their members had been killed by security operatives.

“All I can confirm is that they are killing us rather than dialoguing with us,” he said.

Female members tortured Shekau also accused the security operatives of targeting female members of the sect. He alleged that the women are tortured after incarceration by security agencies.

“As at Saturday when I made this video, between 7 and 10 of them (women) have been incarcerated,” Shekau said. “We don’t know where they are kept or what they are doing to them.”

The Boko Haram leader said his group would retaliate by focusing its attack on women related to security and state officials.

Mr. Shekau also condemned the video, made by an Israeli –American, which ‘dishonours’ Prophet Muhammed.

“I have words for you (the makers of the video). All these have no impact on the

prophet you know, however you wait and see what the consequences will be for you,” he said.

The Boko Haram leader also claimed that the alleged arrest or killing of the group’s spokesman, Abu Qaqa, and other leaders, was not true. Even though he admitted to the killing of many of its members, Mr. Shekau claimed the group’s leadership is still intact.

“The most bogus of these claims is that the leadership of our group has been decimated or arrested,” Mr. Shekau states while laughing. “It is probably the leadership of the rogue group that they killed which they created in the first place.”

He said Abu Qaqa, the group’s spokesman is alive and that any information to the contrary was false.

“You can go ahead and even declare that this broadcast is fiction,” he said.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2,,2012 — 49

Operation destroy illegal refineries: Fear rules Bayelsa community over JTF invasion

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA,Yenagoa

“

WE thought we were under military siege and some of our people fled their homes when they saw the armada of boats and armed soldiers heading towards our community,” said John Oweikorogha (not real name) an indigene of the oil-rich Igbomotoru community in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

This was the stark reality in the troubled enclave when heavily armed operatives of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta codenamed Operation Pulo Shield were deployed to the area.

The massive movement of the troops, it was learnt, caused serious panic among indigenes of the area who thought their community was under military siege given the quantity of war arsenal being deployed in the area.

The battle-ready troops were on a mission to open a new outpost at Igbomotoru enclave which is noted for its notoriety in illegal bunkering.

Most sea going vessels have been discovered to use the area as hide out where they carry out trans-shipment of illegally siphoned crude oil.

Also, its mangrove swamp is littered with illegal refinery camps.

Vanguard Metro, VM, investigation revealed that the area, though rich in oil, is badly polluted and deeply impoverished with offensive stench being the hallmark of its waterway, with thick poison-

ous smoke taking over the air, making visibility in the snaky creek difficult for maritime operators.

But in a renewed effort to stem the tide, the authorities established a military outpost in the creek which necessitated the massive deployment of troops to the area.

The mandate of the soldiers, VM learnt, was to rid the area of crude oil thieves and illegal refinery operators. It was learnt that the troops led by one Major Augustine Obochi on establishing their presence in the area launched a dawn raid on the identified illegal refinery depots last Saturday, destroying about 30 camps and 29 Cotonou boats used in conveying stolen crude oil and their illegally refined petroleum products to waiting sea going vessels.

The decision to establish permanent military presence in the blighted enclave, it was learnt, was the outcome of a recent security meeting involving the services chiefs held at the instance of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The President, sources told VM, was unhappy with the state affairs in the creek of the Delta and directed the military to dismantle the camps.

Sources from the Igbomotoru creek told VM that they were jolted from their sleep by the booming sound of explosion in the early hours of Saturday.

According to him: “We thought we were under military invasion given the sound of C M Y K

*Identified illegal refineries set ablaze by JTF operatives

explosions coming from the forest”.

Continuing he said: “Some of our fishermen who saw the armada of boats in the waterway heading towards our community were forced to beat a quick retreat for fear that the soldiers were out to attack the commu-

,

We thought we were under military invasion given the sound of explosions coming from the forest; some of our fishermen were forced to beat a retreat

,

nity.”

He, however, declared that their fear was misplaced as the soldiers went about their mandate without harassing anybody.

The troops backed by gunboats, he said, used the smaller watercrafts to access the narrow inlets to reach the camps being used by crude oil thieves and illegal refinery operators to ship their illegally acquired consignment.

When contacted, the Media Coordinator of the Joint Task Force, Lt. Col Oyeama

*Battle-ready JTF operatives searching for illegal refinery operators Nawachuckwu, said the renewed onslaught was part of the on going effort to cripple the activities of crude oil thieves and illegal refinery operators in the region.

He also confirmed the establishment of a military base in the area to effectively secure the creek to prevent the dislodged illegal refinery operators and crude oil thieves from returning to the sacked camps.

His words: “Following the deployment of troops in the area, aggressive raid was conducted and several illegal refinery camps were destroyed.

“Igbomotoru enclave is noted for its notoriety in illegal bunkering because most seagoing vessels have been discovered to use it as hide out

where they do their trans-shipment of illegally siphoned crude oil. The operation continues until we rid Igbomotoru of oil thieves. We will not be stopped by false hue and cry”.

Nigeria is one of the world’s largest oil producers, but the Niger Delta region remains badly polluted and deeply impoverished.

Oil firms blame theft and sabotage for the majority of oil spills in Nigeria, a claim strongly disputed by environmental activists.

A recent trip to the creek of Southern Ijaw was an exposure to the glaring despoliation of the environment by the natives driven by self-interest and profit maximization.

Ironically, the very river most

of these communities depend on for drinking is daily being polluted by the illegal refinery operators, some of whom carry out their illicit trade brazenly pumping the excess of their illegally acquired consignment into the river in broad day.

Sadly, only about 30 per cent of the refined oil is recuperated according to report, while the remaining 70 per cent is discarded into the environment.

The country, according to an oil industry source, is losing about N15.8billion daily to oil thieves operating in the mangrove creeks of the Niger Delta who are not only bleeding the economy but also compounding the woes of the already fragile environment.

50 — V anguard, TUESD AY , OCTOBER 2, 2012 TUESDA Vanguard

Somali troops occupy rebels’ stronghold H UNDREDS of So mali government troops and allied militia fighters deployed throughout the former al Shabaab rebel stronghold of Kismayu on Monday, sending panicked locals scrambling for cover.

Residents said some soldiers took up positions on rooftops and that there was no immediate retaliation from the al Qaedalinked militants who fled the port city on Friday after Kenyan and Somali troops launched an assault by sea, air and land.

“We have now seen troops walking in the town. We are running into houses and shops have closed. We are afraid of explosions,” said resident Ismail Nur. Mohamud Farah, a spokesman for Somali’s army in the southern Juba regions, said 450 government soldiers and fighters from an allied militia were in the city centre to patrol the sandy streets and twisting alleyways.

Another resident, Halima Farah, said Kismayu had turned into a ghosttown. Troops had occupied the police headquarters building and district administration office, she said.

“I can also see through the cracks of windows that some of them are on the rooftops near those posi-

tions,” Farah told Reuters by telephone.

Johnnie Carson, U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs, said the recapture of Kismayu marked “a major step forward” and applauded the military gains made by the African Union’s peacekeeping force in

Somalia.

“We believe this will help to bring about a return to stability in Somalia and will reduce over time the terrorist threat to Somalis and to neighboring states,” Carson told reporters on a conference call.

US renovates Lagos consulate unnecessary delays. It is

T

HE United States Con sul General Jeffery Hawkins has disclosed that the Consulate in Lagos is putting in over 30 million US Dollars in the renovation of its office in order to meet the increasing demands of applicants in the country.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos, Hawkins explained that the Consulate has been experiencing a lot of constraints while trying to ensure that both Nigerians and Americans receive standard consular services which is reason for the urgent need to remodel by putting up additional structures as well as employing the services of more Senior consular officers.

According to him, “I am proud that so many eligible Nigerians want to go to US which is increasing the demand for Visas and at the same time, causing

absolutely vital that we remodel the consulate to provide quality services to Nigerians who are interested in promoting trade, education and business between Nigeria and the United States” Hawkins further stated that “Nigeria as the future of the continent is a very rich and important nation to United States. We therefore have a commitment to make sure that the bi-national relationship between US and Nigeria remains tight and progressive”.

He reiterated the Consulate’s commitment towards helping boost Nigeria’s growth by rendering assistance in the area of education, agriculture, health, trade and youth empowerment, adding that, “We have been touring round all states of the federation to render assistance on internet training and distributing educational materials to schools”.

Chavez endores Obama’s re-election

W

ITH both presidents facing tight re-election fights, Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez gave a surprise endorsement to Barack Obama at the weekend - and said the U.S. leader no doubt felt the same.

“I hope this doesn’t harm Obama, but if I was from the United States, I’d vote for Obama,” the socialist Chavez said of a

•Obama man he first reached out to in 2009 but to whom he

Syria accuses US of supporting terrorists

S

YRIA’S foreign minister Walid alMoualem has accused the United States and its allies of supporting terrorism in his country but said his government remains open to a political settlement of its civil war.

Moualem told the UN General Assembly on Monday that his country has been facing “organised terrorism” for over a year, a reference to the countries that are backing the armed opposition in its fight against the government.

has since generally been insulting.

Chavez is running for a new six-year term against opposition challenger Henrique Capriles, while Obama seeks re-election in November against Republican candidate Mitt Romney. Venezuela’s election is next weekend. “Obama is a good guy ... I think that if Obama was from Barlovento or some Caracas neighborhood, he’d vote for Chavez,” the president told state TV, referring to a poor coastal town known for the African roots of its population.

Chavez is one of the world’s most strident critics of Washington and his 14 years in office have been characterized by diplomatic spats and insults at the White House.

Vanguard, TUES DAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012 — 51 TUESDAY,

We are making progress on many fronts —Jonathan Continues from Page 5 unity that holds our nation together and to promote and nourish the creative energies of our people.

“This is a central objective of our administration’s transformation agenda.

Nigeria, I assure you, will continue to grow from strength to strength.”

Urges Nigerians to remain steadfast Jonathan urged Nigerians to remain steadfast as the nation was making progress in addressing socio-economic challenges facing the country.

He said: “Our vision is encapsulated in the transformation agenda. We are working hard and making progress on many fronts.

“We have cleaned up our electoral process; our elections are now globally acclaimed to be free and fair. Nigeria is now on a higher pedestal regarding elections.”

The president also assured that his administration would continue to strengthen the bond of unity that bound Nigerians together.

He saluted the efforts of the nation’s founding fathers who he said, brought joy and hope to the hearts of Nigerians when they won independence from Britain on Oct.1, 1960.

“Nigeria made a clean break with more than six decades of colonial rule, and emerged as a truly independent nation,” he added.

Why celebration was low-keyed—Abati The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, said the 52nd independence anniversary ceremony was low-keyed because of government’s desire to save cost and adequately prepare for the big event of 2014, when the nation would mark 100 years of existence from the amalgamation of 1914.

Speaking with State House correspondents shortly after President Jonathan consecrated a newly formed 176 Special Force battalion, to join the existing 177 and 7 battalions of the Presidential Guards Brigade, Abati said the insinuation that the event was moved to the Villa for security reasons was not correct.

He said: “The anniversary is also lowkeyed this year taking place

within the precincts of the State House.

“President Jonathan has personally responded to the allegation that the event is being held within the State House by making it clear that in 2014, we will have a big event; the centenary of Nigeria’s celebration, since amalgamation.

“A few years ago, we had the 50th anniversary of Nigeria’s independence and that was a big event.

The President’s take on this is that between that 50 year anniversary and the centenary of Nigeria’s amalgamation, we should have low keyed celebration.

“Those who are looking for celebration on a grand scale should wait till 2014 when we will have the 100 years of Nigeria amalgamation.”

Present at the ceremony were Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President, David Mark his deputy, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha. The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar led other Justices and heads of court to the event.

Also in attendance were, former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, ministers, presidential aides, members of the diplomatic corps, Chief of Defence Staff and service chiefs, the business community, representatives religious leaders and traditional rulers.

Inauguration of the Special Guards Brigade

Osun State government, yesterday, failed to celebrate the 52nd anniversary of Nigeria’s independence in the state.

Although no reason was given by the government for its failure to mark the anniversary, it was gathered that the decision may not be unconnected with the posture of the present administration in the state against Federal Government policies.

There was nothing on ground to mark the independence anniversary in all parts of the state and Osogbo, the state capital was devoid of activities to mark the celebration as it was the case in the past.

It was gathered that none of the civil society groups or even the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that used to mark the anniversary with public lecture held any programme to mark the anniversary for reason not revealed.

Many residents of the state stayed indoors throughout the day as a result of the public holiday declared by the Federal Government.

The inauguration of the Special Guards Brigade, yesterday, as part of the independence annivesary ceremony by Jonathan was done at the fore-court of the Presidential Villa.

The guards brigade is a special unit of the military specifically charged with the responsibility of the security of the president and the seat of power.

Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, told State House correspondents that the newly established 176 battalion was to strengthen the guards brigade and to make it more effective in response to security challenges in and around the FCT. She said the ceremonial presentation of colours to the newly formed battalion was symbolic and could only be done by the President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

The independent celebration was marked with a ceremonial change of guards by the outgoing and incoming quarter and guard brigade.

There were also parades and military display by men of the Nigerian Army Brigade of Guards, inspection of fitness and weapons, a symbolic colourparade as well as band parade in different military tones and melodies.

The President was assisted by the Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs and heads of other para-military agencies to release the pigeons which signified the unfettered peace and harmony of the nation.

Osun boycotts celebration

Protests in Ibadan And in Oyo State, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ibadan chapter; Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and several activists were among 3,000 people that protested in Ibadan, yesterday.

While ASUU members were led to the rally by their Chairman, Dr. Segun Ajiboye, NLC was led by Comrade Bashir Olanrewaju. They were joined in the protest march by the National Socialist

Movement and Senior Staff of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

All the associations staged the protest in conjunction with the Joint Action Front (JAF).

The rally attracted other Nigerians who supported the protesting unions that things were not done the right way by our leaders.

The protest which also included civil society groups was coordinated by the state co-ordinator of JAF, Dr. Ademola Aremu.

As early as 8am, protesters converged on the University of Ibadan and marched towards Samonda, Sango, Elewure, Bodija, Housing Estate, Favours, and Bodija.

During the protest, placards with inscriptions such as ‘Nigeria at 52 still crawling like a toddler’, ‘Stop unemployment and Poverty now’, ‘We say no to fuel hike and privatisation’ and 'No to Casualization’, ‘We need good governance’, were displayed.

While addressing the crowd at intervals, the JAF Co-ordinator, Aremu accused the government of alleged insensitivity to insecurity, infrastructural decay and unofficial hike in the fuel price.

He explained that artificial scarcity of petrol was unnecessary and uncalled for, adding: “We consider these manifestations as intrigues and game-plan by the Nigerian capitalists."

He wondered why NNPC should abandon repair of vandalized pipelines just because of insecurity.

He said: “How can a government that has enough armed forces to unleash terror on peaceful demonstrators protesting the senseless hike in fuel price in January now lack enough armed forces to secure workers and pipeline?

Jonathan should show good example —Afenifere In its reaction to the President’s speech, Afenifere, a socio political group, yesterday, challenged President Jonathan to show good leadership if he wanted Nigerians to join hands with him to build the country.

Secretary of the group, Chief Sehinde Arogbofa said this in Akure while reacting to the President's 52nd anniversary broadcast.

Arogbofa said: “If the

President wants Nigerians to support him in the quest of moving this country forward, he should first show good example.

Nigerians are good followers. Once he shows good example, Nigerians will follow and support him.

"Our problem in this country is bad and famished leadership. We have been having the problem of good leadership. But if the President should lead with good example, I want to assure him that Nigerians will follow him in building the Nigeria of our dream.

“President Jonathan should first take the initiate if he wants Nigerians to support him."

Mark urges Nigerians to emulate founding fathers Senate President David Mark, yesterday, urged Nigerians to reenact the indomitable spirit of the founding fathers who envisaged a united, peaceful and prosperous nation in 1960.

Mark made the appeal at a special church service to mark the 52nd Independence anniversary at St. Mulumba’s Catholic Chaplaincy, Apo, adding that it would cause the nation to make progress.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Paul Mumeh, Mark said the country’s founding fathers craved a nation that would be economically and politically strong and a leading force in the continent.

“What went wrong along the line is akin to a deviation of the set goals because subsequent leaders did not toe the same path.

“It is time for Nigerians, both the leaders and the led to agree to reinvent the wheel and redirect our steps in the right path.”

NLC raises alarm over corruption On its part, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has raised alarm that corruption in government and other high places has reached a disturbing height, warning that “no country will ever develop with economic criminals feasting on the commonwealth of the nation.”

NLC in a statement entitled “Nigeria at 52: We shall out-grow our challenges,” lamented that the prevailing political class and drivers of the nation’s socio-economic and political developments had failed.

The statement by NLC President and Acting General Secretary, Comrades Abdulwaheed Omar and Chris Uyot, declared that Nigerians

were yet to see the promises of democracy since 1999 and, however, praised the resilience, commitment and perseverance of Nigerian workers and working families, who in the face of harsh economic policies, exacerbated by corruption, insecurity, and unprecedented impunity by the ruling class have continued to believe in the efficacy of the Nigerian project.

Let’s leave the past and forge ahead —Kumuyi Also, the General Superintendent of Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor Kumuyi, yesterday, called on Nigerians to put the past behind them and focus on making the nation the great nation that meets the dreams of all Nigerians.

Fielding questions from journalists at the end of a four-day programme in Abuja, entitled “Divine connection for freedom,” he expressed optimism that there was still hope for a better Nigeria if Nigerians of all walks of life put aside their differences aside and work as a people.

His words: “There is room for improvement, if an individual can do what he is expected to do, our nation also can do that. This is where we are now and everybody knows that we are not happy the way we are, but we can stop and think about what we have not done right, and then there is a united focus and courage to move on and I believe that there is still a better future for Nigeria.

Time for National Renaissance —Makinde The Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Sunday Makinde, called for a National Renaissance as the nation celebrates her 52nd.

In his Independence Day goodwill message made available by the Church’s Media and Public Relations Officer, Rev. Oladapo Daramola, the Prelate said it was time for all hands to be on the deck to save the ship of state from sinking.

He said: ”While our Independence Day is a day to thank God and celebrate our freedom and the opportunity to be the captain of our own ship, it is equally a day of stocktaking, a time for us to look back and evaluate our successes and failures. It is equally that time when we look at what our forefathers, who used everything within them to fight and make our Independence possible, bequeathed to us and what we are bequeathing to our children’s children and the generations unborn.”

52 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

Uncommon spor ts transformation in Akwa Ibom

,

LET me put the National Sports Commission on notice, albeit unofficially that Akwa Ibom State is poised to bid to host the 2014 National Sports Festival.

After having the honour of presenting a paper at the Soccerex Seminar in Lagos last week, I had no doubt in mind that this week’s column will be devoted to that laudable event which more than ever before aims at reawakening Nigerians to the virgin lands of sports business which we have chosen to neglect.

Speaker after speaker, the consensus was that sports is such a gold mine, and that until we start to dig deep, we will be perpetually condemned to the over dependence on government for the running of our sports. In the words of the Lagos State FA Chairman “Seyi Akinwunmi, Government has no business running sports, business men do” Then I got a call, to come to Uyo and be part of the 6th Godswill Akpabio International Scrabble Classics. For those of us who remember “beating Gov Akpabio” in the game during his University of Calabar days, we are not surprised that the competition has assumed a dimension where it is now the premier Scrabble tournament in the country with the current edition attracting players from seven countries including the US, Great Britain, Malaysia, Thailand, Kenya, Ghana and Zambia.

President of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation Chief Toke Aka is a proud person. The 15 thousand US Dollars star prize is just part of the 13 million naira total prize money and with such a befitting venue as the five star Le Meridien Ibom Hotel you could not ask for more as over 300 scrabble players jostled for supremacy in the four categories of Classics, Open, Women and Veterans.

Yes Chief Ake is not happy that no one from the National Sports Commission was around to grace what he considered his flagship tournament, yet he believes it is high time the country and states in Nigeria started taking scrabble serious.

The first state to react positively is host Akwa Ibom State. Under the leadership of new chairman Pastor Umoh Bassey plans have been concluded to take Scrabble to schools. Tagged the Godswill Akpabio Scrabble To Schools Initiative, scrabble crazy Umoh Bassey and his team are establishing pilot schools in the state where Scrabble will be taken to.

This competition celebrates our possibilities, it highlights the tremendous leadership values that we have in Akwa Ibom State even as we strive to raise champions like no other...

,

About 20 kilometres away, at the Akwa United Sports Stadium Uyo, a high class coaching clinic for football coaches was going on, with top lecturers from the UK. Hear coach Aniedi Dickson, Director Of Sports Akwa Ibom State who confessed that “in all my years I have yet to come across such a high level instruction on coaching as I have done this past week” Anchored by Mark Ellis, Arsenal Football Youth Coach and Director of Crystal Sports Management in the UK, the Sports and Youth ministry in Akwa Ibom under Pastor Ita Udoh can beat its chest again and again for an innovation that has been lauded by the Coaches Association in the state.

As if that was not enough of a loaded weekend of sports in the state, the sports commissioner was also the special guest of honour as the 4th Reach Out Nigeria ( RON ) National Tennis Open

Taiwo eyes knockout stage

Championship sponsored by the Christ Embassy, Uyo was coming to an end. Christ Embassy? A Church? Yes Church. Hear the President of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation Abdul Wahab Kayode who declared to the applause of all that the competition is “the biggest and best” in the country’s tennis calendar with over 16 states in participation.

The president went on to reveal that his board has decided that the Uyo championship will be used to select players that will represent the country at the Senior Africa Table Tennis Championship in Cairo.

This is the part that delighted the AKS Sports Commissioner who called on other corporate organizations and individuals not to leave sports to government alone.

He lauded the church leadership for the initiative.

The commissioner said he was sad to learn that the boards used for the competition were ferried in from Lagos and promised that by the time the next championship comes round the Akpabio Administration will flood the state and schools with enough boards and to spare.

Have I left the best for last? Perhaps. Chief host Pastor Emeka Nnabuko, senior pastor in charge was to wow all present with his “sermon on the tennis tables”.

The soft spoken but powerful speaker challenged all present to do the most they can to change what they see in Nigeria. Addressing the media, he said with his journalism background, he knows “ bad news is good news, but this is good news.

Report it.

“This competition celebrates our possibilities, it highlights the tremendous leadership values that we have in Akwa Ibom State even as we strive to raise champions like no other whose love for country will be unparalleled ….” He spoke about the table tennis clinic that was held for primary and secondary schools during the championships and called on partnership to take the championship to another level, even next year.

Just wait till Julius Berger completes the state of the art stadium that the Akpabio Administration is bequeathing to the state…..just wait.

See you next week.

Juve respect We must respect FC Cluj S h a k h t a r — Rooney threat ANCHESTER

M

J

UVENTUS matchday boss Massimo Carrera is failing to underestimate Champions League opponents Shakhtar Donetsk.

The Old Lady should be in confident mood after comfortably disposing of Roma at the weekend, but Carrera is taking nothing for granted ahead of today ’s encounter.

“Before talking about our Champions League objectives, we have to win this game,”

D

YNAMO Kiev’s Ni gerian defender Taye Taiwo is known for his very cheerful disposition in the team but he is also known at the same time for his persistence.

As Dynamo prepare for their next Champions League match against Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday, Taiwo believes that their objective is still the same – to qualify from the group and he believes it is achievable though they lost their first match 4-1 away to PSG. “Our objective remains the same – get out of the group stage into the play-offs of the ChampiC M Y K

•Taiwo in action

•Rooney

Barca take perfect record to Benfica

B

ARCELONA aim to take a big step toward the Champions League knockout stages with a second straight win when they visit Benfica today, five days before an always intense match

against Real Madrid.

Barcelona matched its best Spanish league start with a comeback 3-2 win at Sevilla on Saturday, and coach Tito Vilanova wants his team to focus on the Portuguese club and

not be distracted by Madrid’s visit to the Camp Nou on Sunday.

Vilanova says “the game in the Champions League will be more complicated than the game against Madrid."

•Messi

United ace Wayne Rooney says they cannot afford to take Champions League opponents FC Cluj lightly.

United take on Romanian champions Cluj in the Champions League smarting from their first home defeat to Tottenham for 23 years, yet knowing if they can return to England with maximum points, they will have one foot into the knock-out stages. ”The Champions League is completely different to the Premier League,” said Wayne Rooney. ”If you are not at your best you get punished, which is what happened to us last season. ”We have to make sure that won’t happen again this year so this is a big game for us. ”Hopefully we will get a win which will put us in a good position to go through so early on in the group.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012 — 53

54 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

C M Y K

55 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

Flamingoes eye trophy

Wrestling tournament for good governance soon

•say France will fall

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

BY JOHN EGBOKHAN

T

HE Nigerian Wres tling Board of Control, NWB of C, in conjunction with Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Values, has concluded arrangements to host the maiden edition of a world professional wrestling championship in Nigeria.

Philoseth Sports Promotion has been named as the official promoter for the event scheduled to hold in February, 2013 in three different states.

In a statement made available to Sports Vanguard, Secretary-General of NWB of C, Ralph

N

IGERIA’s Flamin goes have set their sights on winning the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan.

The Coach Peter Dedevbo-tinkered side play France in a quarterfinal match on Thursday and believe that they have enough experience and talent to oust the Europeans from the age-grade tournament.

After drawing 1-1 with Canada in their opening Group A match, the Flamingoes combined pace and power throughout and showed their strengths in racking up an 11-0 win over the Azeris, the joint-highest of the group phase, before finishing off Colombia 3-0 in their final group game at the weekend.

Tournament’s leading scorer with six goals, Chinwendu Ihezuo, told fifa.com that the girls were raring to go against the French side at the Baku Stadium.

“We are ready for them and believe that we can beat them if we play as a unit and fight till the end. It is going to be a tough game but our coach has told us what to do against them”, said Ihezuo, who also has four assists in the tournament.

Also speaking, defender Sarah Nnodim, said that they team had

CHECKED: Nigeria's Chidima Edeji is blocked by Ashley Lawrence of Canada in the opening group match of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Azerbaijan. The match ended 1-1 put behind them the heartache of crashing in the quarterfinal stage in Trinidad and Tobago two years back and are ready to go all the way for the

his Kano Pillars teammate, Papa Idris, have yet to recover well enough to be part of the team that will confront Liberia on October 13.

Reuben suffered a groin injury during the finals of the Federations Cup in Lagos, while Idris has been battling a nagging knee injury, which has slowed down the usually pacy central defender.

After Monday morning’s training, Keshi and his crew had a lengthy meeting after which it was decided that the two players should be excused, go-

C M Y K

experience. We’re ready for this tournament, though, and we feel we’re ready to win the trophy and that we’re capable of doing it,” said Nnodim

Winners emerge at SportsDay 4th anniversary

M

R Olorunfemi Tosin Richard has emerged as the winner of the star prize of SportsDay’s 4th Anniversary promo held at the corporate headquarters in Gbemisola

Adokiye calls for task force on sports infrastructure

BY JACOB AJOM

F

ORMER Nigeria in ternational, Adokiye Amiesimaka has identified lack of effective organizational structure and the absence of basic infrastructure as the basic hindrances to the growth of the Nigeria Premier League.

He called for a special Presidential Task Force on infrastructure for the

Eagles Continues from BP

trophy in Azerbaijan “We lost our quarterfinal match in Trinidad and Tobago in 2010 because of a lack of concentration and

ing by the crucial nature of the game at hand.

They have since left camp and would be replaced by Heartland’s Kalu Orji and Stanley Okoronkwo of Sharks FC of Port Harcourt. “It was a painful decision to let the two players go, but we have to look at the future of the players and the fact that we will need the two of them at the South Africa 2013 Nations Cup, that is why we have said we should give them more time to go and get themselves healed.

After the game against Liberia, they should be back in the team”, Head Coach Stephen Keshi explained.

Nigerian Professional league, saying, “the task force should be headed by the Vice President of the country, and must be seen as a matter of urgency because there can never be mass participation in sports without facilitation.”

Speaking at the Soccerex seminar which was concluded in Lagos

last week, Amiesimaka also said the lack of political will by the establishment to free football from its strangle hold has made private sector participation unattractive, a situation he said was a major setback in the quest for a truly professional football league.

The former Nigeria international also chided

Mourinho Continues from BP relationship” with owner Roman Abramovich and that he hates the price of fame which has seen his 12-year-old son abused while playing football.

Asked about succeeding Ferguson, Mourinho told CNN: “No, the perfect scenario when I go there is to coach, because I think football will lose a lot when he stops and there are not young managers and old managers.

“For me, he’s the boss.

I call him the boss because he’s the boss of the coaches and I hope that when I go back to English football he still manages Man United.”

Mourinho refused to contemplate taking over at Manchester City instead.

He added: “I don’t think about that, especially because I have a four-year contract with Real. I signed it and when I signed it I signed it because I wanted to be in Real Madrid in this period of my career and I don’t think in another club.

“I just say openly that for many reasons after this project, the next step will be England for many reasons, but when? I don’t know, I don’t have an idea and I am so happy to be in this moment as manager of the best club in the world.”

Nwafor, said the Chief Executive of Philoseth Sports Promotions, Philo James, would utilize her wealth of experience to bring in professional wrestlers from across the world, including the USA, Austria, Germany, South Africa and Nigeria to ensure the success of the project.

Nwafor stated that the programme was in recognition of good governance in Nigeria, adding that it was aimed at promoting professional wrestling in Nigeria.

He also said the event was to encourage the host state governments to support the growth of the game by establishing a functional arena for the sport in such state.

public figures like governors, ministers and even some NFF officials who openly demonstrate their support for foreign clubs. “To them it is cool to say I am a Man U fan. It is cool to see a governor wearing an Arsenal jersey. What message is he sending to the young ones who see him as role model?”

Adokiye asked. He urged them to moderate their support for foreign clubs and “publicly adopt a club from the home league.”

Street , Ikeja, Lagos on Monday October 1st, 2012 .

The event which witnessed a large turn-out of readers and top shots in Sports Journalism, saw Mr Richard of Musa Adewonkun Street, Ojota, Lagos clinching Lifan Motor Bike as Sholaja Oladele, of No. 8 Fadeyi Street Shomolu, Lagos grabbed the second price of LCD TV 18 inches Flat Screen TV while Adekanmi Adetayo of No. 52 Unity Avenue, Agbado, Lagos took the third prize of a Blackberry Bold 2 Phone.

The occasion which was chaired by Felix Awogu, GM, SuperSport with Bimbo Adeola (Mega Sports), Frank Ilaboya (Sports Ville), Tony Ubani (Vanguard), Kunle Salami (The Punch), Joe Apu (The Sun) supporting in the conduct of the draw.

Henry

Continues from BP starts this term, adding another 12 assists for the Red Bulls.

New York boss Hans Backe said: “Thierry was phenomenal. He set up every goal except his own.

“When he shines like this, you could say he’s

the best player in the league.”

Henry, who set up two for Kenny Cooper and one for Markus Holgersson after Ryan Johnson gave Toronto the lead, said: “If I see a guy in a better position, I’ll try to pass it. It’s that simple.”

Tyson Continues from BP eos” being filmed for Scary Movie 5.

She wrote: “Lots of cameos shooting today on #scarymovie5. Super excited!!!!#thisjobisawesome

(sic)” Details of Mike, Kendra and Audrina’s roles in the movie - which is helmed by Malcolm Lee - are being kept under wraps.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, OCT0BER 2, 2012

Mourinho: I’ll return to England

M

OURINHO has long been touted as a likely successor to Ferguson, but the current Real Madrid manager said that for him the “perfect

scenario” is that the man he calls ‘The Boss’ is still at Old Trafford.

The former Chelsea manager also insists he still maintains a “great

Continues on Page 55

21 Eagles train for Liberia •As 2 are decamped I

T was good and bad news on Monday morning when the national team; Super Eagles resumed training for the October 13 duel against the Lone Star of Liberia in Calabar.

As expected all the players invited except for the Sunshine Stars duo of Izu Azuka and Solomon Kwambe, beat the Sunday evening deadline and were part of the training session at the training pitch of the Abuja National Stadium.

“They have special permission to stay away for now”, declared Head Coach, StephenKeshi of the Sunshine Stars duo, who are preparing to host Egyptian giants, Al Ahly Nationale this weekend in the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League.

The not too good news however is that midfield ace, Gabriel Reuben and

Continues on Page 55 TODAY'S

Tyson lands scary movie 5 cameo C ONTROVERSIAL boxer Mike Tyson is to star in Scary Movie 5.

The 46-year-old former boxer has landed a cameo role in the forthcoming horror spoof movie which stars Charlie Sheen, Ashley Tisdale and Lindsay Lohan.

The Hills beauty Audrina Patridge and former Playboy bunny Kendra Wilkinson have also been offered walk-on parts.

Mike has reportedly already started filming the motion picture in Atlanta, Georgia, with costar Heather Locklear.

•Mourinho

Henry is US best

T

•Tyson The news comes after Ashley took to her twitter account to reveal there were “lots of cam Continues on Page 55

HIERRY HENRY was dubbed “the best player in America” as he turned on another masterclass for New York in their 4-1 thrashing of Toronto.

The former Gunners hitman, 35, scored one and had a hand in THREE other goals.

He set the seal on an imperious display with an outrageous chip and the striker has now scored 14 goals in 21

Continues on Page 55

Today’s Fixtures Group E

ON THE PROWL•••Aminat Yakubu of Nigeria runs with the ball during the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup match against Columbia on September 29 in Baku. Nigeria face France in the quarterfinal this Thursday. (Photo by Getty Images)

PUZZLE

YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

Group F Group G Group H

Nordsjaelland Juventus BATE Borisov Valencia Spartak Moscow Benfica CER Cluj-Napoca Galatasaray

ACROSS 1 Predicament (6) 5 Whip (4) 8 Corner (5) 9 Cover (3) 10 Stud (4) 11 Unfasten (4) 12 Feat (5) 13 Recover (6) 16 Boast (4) 18 Cheese (4) 20 Consumed (3) 22 Epoch (3) 23 Tree (3) 24 Bend (4) 25 Measure (4) 28 Duty (6) 30 Hit (5) 32 Lash (4) 33 Impel (4) 34 Fuss (3) 35 Dazzle (5) 36 Neck-hair (4) 37 Thoroughfare (6)

v v v v v v v v

Chelsea Shakhtar Donetsk Bayern Munich Lille Celtic Barcelona Man Utd Braga

7.45 7.45 7.45 7.45 7.45 7.45 7.45 7.45

p.m. p.n. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m.

DOWN 1 Trifling (6) 2 Point to (8) 3 Uproar (6) 4 Incite (9) 5 Footman (7) 6 Loaned (4) 7 Shine (4) 8 Donkey (3) 14 Early (9) 15 Uncooked (3) 17 Exist (3) 19 Dainty (8) 20 Every (3) 21 Instance (7) 26 Excluding (6) 27 Pious (6) 29 Bathe (4) 30 Symbol (4) 31 Before (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 3, Erase 9, Lounge 10, Prompt 11, Osier 12, Soup 15, Warm 17, Prelude 20, Rap 21, Equal 23, Hump 25, Lean 26, Braid 28, Dry 30, Possess 33, Idea 35, Task 36, Doubt 38, Turgid 39, Litter 40, Melee.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Clasp 2, Queue 3, Ego 4, Reside 5, Sped 6, Err 7, Smear 8, Stump 13, Orchard 14, Plumb 16, Rawness 18, Equip 19, Pal 22, Least 24, Pry 27, Double 28, Ditty 29, Yearn 31, Earth 32, Skirt 34, Code 36, Dim 37, Tie.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470; Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.