JONATHAN RESUMES PEACE MEETING....Standoff, as PDP factions hold grounds

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61960

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N150

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

22 senators back Baraje

Why and how I set Critical assets up FCMB — under threat, Subomi Balogun

says Jonathan JONATHAN RESUMES PEACE MEETING....

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Standoff, as PDP factions hold grounds

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH; ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH, HENRY UMORU & BEN AGANDE

•Baraje faction in court to stop Tukur •Obasanjo summons elders'meeting for Thursday •Why Atiku, governors formed own faction

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BUJA— P R E S I DENT Goodluck Jonathan and senior party officials are today, set to resume their peace talks with the breakaway governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The move for peace nonetheless, the two

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COLUMNISTS:

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Mr & Mrs

SECURITY MEETING—From left, Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Dele Ezeoba; Director-General, Department of State Services, Mr. Ita Ekpeyong; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Bade, Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ibrahim Ola Sa'ad; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Azubike Ihejirika and Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, discussing after a security meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Taraba Assembly empowers Acting Gov C M Y K

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2— Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

C M Y K

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C M Y K

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POCKET CARTOON

VISIT—Works Minister, Mike Onolememen in a handshake with Brother Anthony Onuh, leader of the delegation of the Board of the Knights of St Mulumba, who paid the minister a courtesy visit, yesterday, in Abuja.

Standoff, as PDP factions hold grounds Continues from Page 1

tions in the party also sustained judicial and extra-judicial moves to get the advantage over one another. The Kawu Baraje-led faction, yesterday, moved to assert its influence in the lead-

ership of the party when it filed an action before a Lagos High Court in Ikeja, Lagos to restrain the factional executive led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur from parading itself as the authentic executive of the party.

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Start saying what God says about your life. Your words decide divine events in your life. Say the right things and believe.

TAKE HEART

T

BY ELLA RANDLE

HE world’s wisdom traditions all point in ward, stating that there is a level of the mind that serves as the source of happiness. When a person locates this core self, there is peace and silence. One feels safe and cared for. Love and bliss are available as normal aspects of life, not as intermittent experiences that arrive randomly — Deepak Chopra Happiness is life’s most cherished goal. On every continent, in every country and in every culture, when people are asked, “What do you want?” the most popular answer is “happiness.” When parents are asked, “What do you most want for your children?” the answer is “happiness.” Happiness is the goal that makes other life goals—like success, prosperity and relationships —feel meaningful and enjoyable.

With all the current research uncovering what makes people happy, you’d think we’d be happier.

So, why aren’t we? Deepak Chopra reveals why choice is the biggest predictor of overall well-being and what you can do to find lasting happiness.

The need for a new kind of happiness grows every day. The world’s supply of material goods grows slimmer; yet billions more people the world over want them. As traditional society crumbles, the rise of materialism fills in the vacuum, making it more likely rampant consumerism will keep spreading.

But consumerism, although it provides little fixes of pleasure, is one of the worse ways to achieve lasting happiness.

Today’s meeting notwithstanding, national chairman of the breakaway faction of the PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje stuck to his guns, insisting that the rebellion against the Bamanga Tukur-led leadership will go its length till justice and fairness were restored to the party.

There was also concern in the Presidency and party circles, yesterday, that the crisis could worsen with fresh revelations of irregularities in the election of new officers by the Tukur-led executive last Saturday.

There was particular mention of some nondelegates including a very prominent presidency official from Edo State voting in the convention despite not being an accredited delegate to the convention.

Today’s meeting follows the first talks between the president and the governors in the Presidential Villa on Sunday night which ran till 2.30 am yesterday.

That meeting took a break for the two factions to assess options laid before them at the preliminary talks during which the governors reportedly tabled conditions for peace. In the meantime a number of peace missions initiated by concerned party men and associates of the

President were afoot at press time yesterday.

Among the peacemakers was a prominent Ijaw leader who it was learnt met with Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, one of the rebel seven. Besides, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has summoned a meeting of party elders for Thursday. Former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu was also among those who have intervened in the crisis with pleas for settlement.

The meeting with Jonathan The Sunday night meeting between the governors and Tukur, Vanguard learnt, was held under a sincere atmosphere as the governors reportedly poured out their grievances against the party leadership and the Presidency.

Among grievances allegedly tabled by the governors at the meeting were that Tukur should be removed as National Chairman; that the President should give up on his second term agenda; the re-run of congresses in some of the states, the reverse of the suspension of Governor Amaechi from the party among others. The governors were also reported to have com-

plained about the witchhunt against perceived enemies of the administration by anti-corruption agencies, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Two of the governors were alleged to have pointedly told the president to get the EFCC off the backs of the governors.

Speaking at the end of the meeting which ended around 2.30 a.m. yesterday, Chief Anthony Anenih, Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, BoT said: “Mr. President, the leadership of the party and the PDP Governors met today, September 1, 2013, to discuss the incident that occurred during the PDP special convention of August 31, 2013, whereby some state delegations broke out of the convention ground to announce a faction of the PDP. “The meeting was encouraging and smooth and the discussions will continue on Tuesday (today) with all the aggrieved governors in attendance,” Anenih said.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, it emerged yesterday, had spread the peace deal across the country towards major stakeholders who he has invited for a peace parley on Thursday.

Among those invited, Vanguard learnt yesterday, are former military president, Ibrahim Babangida; former Vice President, Alex Ekwueme; former national chairmen like Chief Solomon Lar, Senator Barnabas Gemade, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, former National Security Adviser, Aliyu Gusau; among others.

Baraje to unveil faction's officers tomorrow Meanwhile, parallel chairman of PDP, Abubakar Kawu Baraje failed to open a secretariat for the parallel PDP and also failed to name the other members of the National Working Committee of the parallel faction as had been promised last Saturday.

But speaking yesterday, Baraje who reiterated that he is the authentic chairman of the PDP said the other officers of the party will be unveiled tomorrow. He gave no reason for the delay. In a separate statement, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, National Secretary of the Baraje-led faction of the PDP welcomed the solidarity from stakeholders and notes of concern from party elders.

He, nevertheless, pledged that the New PDP will not drop the ideals of justice and fairness that led to the break away last Saturday as he disclosed that leaders and members of the party have continued to pay solidarity visits to the party leaders.

Oyinlola who noted that the group will not relent in its mission of rescuing the party, said: “Alhaji Baraje and other leaders of the party appreciate the overwhelming outpouring of support and encouragement from genuine members and leaders of the party across the country. We assure them that we will not disappoint them in the mission to make the PDP work again in the interest of Nigeria and its people.

“We also appreciate the efforts of leaders of the party, particularly President Goodluck Jonathan and former President Olusegun Obasanjo \ Continues on Page 5

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013—5

DONATION—From left: Deputy Governor, Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Michael Ikpoki; Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State; Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Ms. Nonny Ugboma and Executive Secretary, Lagos State Security Trust Fund, Mr. Fola Athur-Worrey at the presentation of security vehicles by MTN to Lagos State Government, yesterday. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

Standoff, as PDP factions hold grounds Continues from Page 4

facwho, we note, have scheduled a meeting of the party elders for this week. We respect the elders and will be guided by them even as we stress that we will not abandon the ideals of justice and fairness that gave birth to the new party leadership under Alhaji Baraje.

“We equally call on all party members across the country to remain peaceful and law abiding as the PDP rescue process is being pursued with vigour. We owe the coming generation of Nigerians a duty of ensuring that impunity and dictatorship do not take any root in our democracy and, indeed, in our nation.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC was quiet on the development yesterday, saying that the commission’s monitors at the convention were yet to submit their observations at the convention.

Baraje goes to court Meanwhile, the Baraje-led faction, yesterday, moved to assert its influence on the activities of the party, by asking a Lagos High Court not to recognize Tukur and three new officers

elected at the Special Convention of the party last Saturday.

The three officers, who emerged from the convention, which was boycotted by six states from the North, were Prince Uche Secondus, Kema Chikwe and Mr. Olisa Metuh.

While Secondus was elected as Deputy National Chairman, Chikwe clinched the post of National Women Leader and Metuh, National Publicity Secretary of the Tukur faction.

But the trio of Abubakar Baraje, Sam Sam Jaja and Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who were named the leaders of the parallel PDP last Saturday in Abuja, approached a Lagos High Court, yesterday, praying it to restrain Tukur and the other officers from parading themselves as members of the NEC of the PDP. They also sought a motion ex-parte asking for leave to serve the defendants outside Lagos jurisdiction.

In his ruling, Justice Safari granted the plaintiffs leave to serve the defendants in their various locations, but adjourned the matter till next Monday to take a decision on who should be regarded as authentic office holders of the PDP. The court held that

there was no urgency to warrant the granting of the prayer sought by the plaintiffs and ordered the maintenance of the status quo pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

Meanwhile, the National Working Committee, NWC at the end of its first meeting after the Saturday election where some of the former members were elected and new ones brought in, said that consultations were on going at the highest level of the party as part of moves to nip in the bud, the latest crisis in the party.

The new National Publicity Secretary of the Tukur-led faction of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh spoke as the new Deputy National Chairman of the same faction, Prince Uche Secondus; National Organising Secretary, Abubakar Mustapha; National Women Leader, Mrs. Kema Chikwe, and National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwon; among others respectively held the first meeting with Tukur and assumed office.

Metuh said: “Consultations is going on at the highest level of this party, the President, national chairman of our party, chairman, board of trustees, PDP governors are meeting on this and their discussions so far have been very encour-

aging, at the appropriate time, we will communicate to the media the decisions they arrange, the meeting is continuing on Tuesday (today) and once the meeting is over, whatever the outcome is, we will communicate immediately to the press and we will inform you the reasons behind the decisions, but for now consultations are going on at the highest level of the party.”

Crack in PDP will not affect its existence —Gulak Meanwhile, Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak has said that contrary to expectations of the opposition, the split of last Saturday would not bring an end to the PDP. Speaking with State House Correspondents yesterday, Gulak carpeted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for instigating the rebellion in the party, saying that as one who is heavily indebted to the party, the only way to pay back is to protect it.

“I was surprised because Atiku is supposed to know more than another person that there is no party like PDP. He left PDP and went to ACN and he came back to PDP, because he discovered

that outside PDP there is no party, so he had to come back and he was even given the waiver to contest the primaries election in 2011. Atiku should be grateful to PDP. Atiku is indebted to PDP and the best way to continue to pay the debt is to protect PDP” he said.

He said despite the challenge of the present crisis in the party, the PDP will emerge stronger and all grievances would be resolved.

“It is all politics and politics is about interests, and we are harmonising, we are talking, we are dialoguing, because the PDP as a family will not allow any of its members to go away, and even the members that want to go away, we will make bold to tell them that out there, there is no party as good as PDP. So it is a matter of dialogue, it is a matter of discussion and God willing these problems will be surmounted.

“It can never be the end of PDP. PDP has been there from 1998, it is only the PDP that has still maintained its name and identity. The other people you are talking about, started as AD, transformed to AC, transformed to ACN, you know they have lost their identity. It is only PDP that has consistently maintained its identity and its name so there is no party that can beat PDP”.

Spokesman of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Mallam Garba Shehu in a sharp response to issues raised against Atiku said: “I just spoke with the former Vice President and his response is that he has heard Mr Gulak and he does not dispute the fact that he is indebted to the PDP but that the best way to continue to pay that debt is to protect PDP. He says “that is exactly what I am doing: Protecting the PDP”

Why Atiku, others broke away

Plausible reasons why former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and seven governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, broke out and formed a parallel faction of the party, have begun to emerge.

Competent sources told Vanguard on Monday that Atiku and the ‘ rebel’ governors took the decision to stall the

re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

A source close to the Atiku camp, said that the former Vice President and many northern governors elected on the platform of the party, were convinced that powerful forces led by Chief Anthony Anenih were set to field Jonathan as presidential candidate of the PDP in the next election, against an earlier agreement to run for just a term of four years.

There has been unease in the PDP since Niger State Governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, challenged President Jonathan last March not to contemplate running for a second term since he had a gentleman agreement with them in 2010 not to go for a second term if elected in the 2011 election.

Although the letter has not been made public, thereby fuelling speculation that it remains a conceptual variable, many Presidential aides have challenged the antiJonathan forces to produce the so-called agreement as a proof or shut up forever.

According to findings, Atiku, is ready to join forces with others in the party to ensure that Jonathan abides by the ‘deal’ he entered into with Northern leaders and governors to run for only a term.

It was learnt that the former VP, who is alleged to have had a hand in the newly-registered Peoples Democratic Movement, PDM, was ready to challenge the forces bent on imposing Jonathan on the party not minding how long it would take.

The source noted that the move against Jonathan’s re-election was a popular decision being backed by many northern governors and political leaders in the PDP and that many other governors might jump on the band wagon in the coming months.

The move, it was gathered, is aimed at weakening the PDP to a point that whoever emerges as its presidential candidate would not stand a chance of winning the next election.

The source said that although the PDM was registered to provide a fallback position to be thrown out of the PDP as a result of the rebellion, most of the actors would want to remain in the PDP until it crumbles.

6—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

Six killed in another attack in Plateau

BY TAYE OBATERU

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OS — THE Plateau State Government has condemned Sunday night’s killing of six members of two families in their homes at Kungte village, Jos South Local Government Area of the state.

State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Yiljap Abraham, said in a statement, yesterday, that the attack on innocent people, mostly women and children, at a time peace had virtually returned to the state was a cowardly act.

Unknown persons attacked the village at 8 p.m, Sunday, gunning down six people in two compounds.

The gunmen said to have been armed with sophisticated weapons, reportedly shot sporadically into the compounds.

The statement by the commissioner read: “The Plateau State Government has received report of attacks on some communities in the state with great indignation.

“The unprovoked killing of six members of two families in their home in Kungte village, Kanadap (near Marraraban Jama’a) in Kuru District of Jos South Local Government Area by gunmen on Sunday, September 1, 2013, is an evil and wicked act that should be condemned by all members of the society.

“It is also a display of cowardice by the perpetrators who, under the cover of darkness, deliberately chose to visit violence on vulnerable members of society— women and children— to achieve clearly devilish designs.

“Such an attack, coming at a time when the state has been mostly peaceful for quite sometime, appears a desperate attempt to reverse the gains of our hardearned efforts in breaking down the barriers of ethnic and religious intolerance and thereby, rebuilding the bridges of communal consensus.”

It noted that security had been beefed up in the affected areas to check further breach of the peace.

Last week, six people, including a pregnant woman, were ambushed and killed at Bisichi while returning to their villages from Bukuru.

Widows of slain soldiers receive N12m compensation zDon't deprive widows of their benefits, GOC warns relatives

By EVELYN USMAN

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AGOS — EMOTIONS ran high, yesterday, at the 81 Division Headquarters of the Nigerian Army, Victoria Island, Lagos, as widows of military personnel killed by members of the Boko Haram sect last month in Maiduguiri, Borno State were presented a cheque of N1 million each.

The widows, numbering 12, majority of whom were between 20 and 30 years, including their children, broke down in uncontrollable tears, Presenting the cheques, General Officer Commanding, GOC, 81 Division, Major General Abel Umahi, said the compensation was from the Borno State governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, as part of succor to cushion the effect of the loss on their next-ofkin.

Describing the moment as a solemn one, he said the deceased soldiers from the 174 Battalion died in active service so that majority of Nigerians could live in peace.

He said aside the N1 million compensation by the Borno State governor, the Nigerian Army had undertaken a number of things such as payment of benefits accrued to the deceased as well as taking responsibility of the deceased’s children academic pur-

suit, particularly those below 18 years.

He assured that the Nigerian Army would continue to do all within its powers to comfort the bereaved families.

GOC warns extended families

Advising the widows to use the money given to them wisely, Umahi, however, cautioned extended families not to arm-twist the widows of their benefits.

“Widows and children of the fallen soldiers are targets of this

gesture. It is meant for wives and children, not for extended family members. The money should be used to carter for the need of the wives and children of the deceased. It is not for burial because the Nigerian Army had taken care of all the burial responsibilities.”

He also warned that the beneficiaries should not be stampeded out of their respective barracks accommodation.

The slain soldiers are Captain A. I. Oshoga, N/13977 of 174 Battalion; Sergeant Sadiq Ominisi with Force number 95NA/40/

4750 of 174 Battalion; Corporal Olafimihan Akeem, 92 NA/33/ 1698 of 9 Brigade; Corporal Sabo Mijinwaya of 9 Brigade; Corporal Moses Sylvester 97NA/44/ 3971 of 9 Brigade; Lance Corporal Umar is a 97NA/45/7655 of 9 Brigade; Lance Corporal Michael Ike of 9 Brigade; Lance Corporal Nwabunwane Monday of 81 Division.

Others are Lance Corporal Kabiru Mairiga of 81 Division Garrison; Lance Corporal Job of 81 Division Garrison; Private Ephraim Ebimine and Private Ndah Mohammed.

Widow of Captain E. I. Oshoga and son receieving a cheque from Major-General Umahi.

Navy arrests two Beninoise, three others over pipeline vandalism

By EVELYN USMAN

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AGOS — TWO Benin Repub lic nationals and three others have been arrested by operatives of Beecroft of the Nigerian Navy over alleged vandalism in Lagos.

They were alleged to have vandalised pipeline in Makoko area of the state.

Recovered from the suspects were 270 jerricans filled with siphoned petroleum products.

The Benin Republic nationals, however, told Vanguard that they were fishermen, who fished in Nigeria’s waters in company of some Nigerians.

Parading the suspects before newsmen, yesterday, the Base Operations Officer, Commander Tanko Lengaya, explained that the suspects were arrested in the early hours of Saturday following a tip-off.

He said: “Patrol boats were immediately deployed from Atlas Cove in the process of which the suspects were intercepted at Makoko area in two canoes loaded with 270 50-litre jerricans filled with the siphoned products and 49 empty jerricans.”

Preliminary investigation, according to him, revealed that the suspects were working with vandals who, after siphoning the product, would hand them over to the arrested suspects for onward sales to ready buyers.

He said the suspects and the exhibits would be handed over either to the police or officials of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

But on their parts, the suspects claimed they were fishermen who were compelled by some vandals to take the products to the shore.

According to a 27-year-old

The suspects

Joten Seigi from Cotonou, Benin Republic, “I came from Cotonou to fish in Nigeria. On that fateful day, I was in the company of two of my friends, Segun and Victor, when we saw some people on the sea.

"We had not even caught any fish on that day. The people told us to help them take the filled jerricans to the shore, saying they would pay us N5,000. We were tempted by the amount since we had not made any money. Barely had we loaded the boat and were on our way to the shore that we were rounded up by some Na-

val personnel.

“My regret is that my parents back home are not aware of my whereabouts. I did not even get the money promised at the end of the day. The worste part is that those who gave us the products are nowhere to be found, thereby leaving us to our fate.”

My arrest caused by greed

On his part, Bambou Oritshebinone from Ondo State, said he would not have been arrested but for greed.

He said: “I own the engine while Victor owns the boat. I usually rent my engine out for N2,000. But when Victor told me he would pay N5,000, I thought he had a lucrative business he wanted to do. So, I told him I must join him in the deal, even though he resisted initially.

"I thought I could get more than the amount he promised to pay if I joined him. When we got to the sea and started loading the filled jerricans into my boat, I decided to increase the price to N7,000 which they agreed, only to be arrested mid way. Had I known, I would have remained in my house.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013—7

Boy, 11, abandoned in Igbobi Orthopaedic Hospital

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

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AGOS — AN 11-year-old boy, Master Valentine Chukwu, has been reportedly abandoned by his parents at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Igbobi, Lagos.

Available information from the hospital management showed that the boy was 10 years when he was taken to the hospital for pyomysitisis with residual ulcer on his left leg on December 27,

Police arrest 2, recover 2 locally made guns in Enugu

BY TONY EDIKE

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NUGU — THE police in Enugu have arrested two young men, who were in possession of two locally-made double-barrel guns concealed in a bag while travelling from Enugu to Port Harcourt, Rivers State in a mass transit bus, Sunday.

A fake official of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Prince Gabriel Obasi, from Oduma in Aninri Local Government Area of the state has also been apprehended by the police for impersonation and extortion.

The two suspects now being detained for illegal possession of firearms, were arrested by operatives of 3, Squadron Police Mobile Force, Awkunanaw Enugu on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway during a stop-and-search on the bus conveying them from Enugu to Rivers State.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the arrests, yesterday, said the two men identified as Ernest Nwodo and Ugochukwu Ifeanyi, boarded the bus at Garki, Enugu and when the policemen on stop-and-search close to the Enugu and Abia State boundary conducted a search on the vehicle with number plate BH 948 ENU, they found the two guns hidden in a Bagco sack.

2012, but was admitted on December 31, 2012 at the Children’s Ward of the hospital.

A statement on behalf of the Medical Director by the Protocol Officer of the hospital, Mr. Adewumni Adetoba, said the child, who claimed to have attended Afad Primary School, Ojota, Lagos was brought to the hospital by his mother, Mrs. Jessica Chukwu, who was pregnant then.

Further investigation by the hospital revealed that Mrs. Chukwu had since given birth to a baby girl named Blessing but refused to come for her son.

Adetoba claimed that efforts by the hospital management to get

to Mrs. Chukwu proved abortive as all the telephone numbers she left had been contacted without any response.

According to the boy, her mother stays somewhere in Apapa while he (Valentine) stays with his uncle by name Mr. Uche at 16, Irorun Street, Alapere with his children, Junior, Chidimma and Emmanuel.

His uncle has since relocated to an unknown place.

The boy had been discharged from the hospital since June 18, 2013 with all payments made by philanthropists.

The hospital is calling on the general public and relations of Valentine, who hails from

Ebonyi State to contact the public relations unit of the hospital for necessary action.

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Valentine Chukwu

Pastor detained for allegedly raping woman in church during ‘spiritual bath’

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA— A 46-year-old Pastor, Olamide Sobowale, of Glory Church of Christ Aladura, Oke-Itoku, Abeokuta, Ogun State, has been ordered to be remanded in prison for allegedly raping a woman while bathing in his church backyard.

Pastor Sobowale, who was arraigned before a Magistrate Court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, yesterday, was accused of raping one Dupe Makinde, 30, who lives in Isaje, Abeokuta, while taking a spiritual bath allegedly recommended by the pastor.

The prosecuting counsel, Paul Etusi, told the court that the accused grabbed the complainant while she was in a bathroom within the church premises and raped her.

Etusi said the complainant had already put the soap on her face as she began bathing when the pastor suddenly entered the bathroom, grabbed and raped her with soap on her face.

According to Etusi, the accused had told Mrs. Makinde that he had a vision about the her and asked her to come for deliverance in his church.

He said: “He asked the woman to come to the church to take a

spiritual bath for her deliverance, but, while the complainant was taking her bath, the accused barged into the bathroom, grabbed the woman and raped her.

“The accused has committed an offence contrary to section 357 and punishable under section 358

of criminal code of law of Ogun State, Nigeria, 2006.”

Magistrate A. Araba after listening to the prosecuting counsel, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison till he gets advice from the Director of Public Prosecution and adjourned the case till September 16,2013.

Rape of two sisters: Ebonyi police arrest alleged mastermind

BY PETER OKUTU

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BAKALIKI— THE alleged mastermind behind the rape of the two daughters (names withheld) of the Councillor for Ndiagu Echara Ward I in Ikwo Local Lovernment Area of Ebonyi State, Mrs Margret Elom, was, yesterday, arrested by the operatives of state police command in Abakaliki.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr Sylvester Igbo, who confirmed the arrest of the suspect, Mr Sunday Otah, the Vice Chairman Ikwo council, said that he (suspect) was arrested based on the confessional statements by another suspect, Sunday Nwaokponkwu, allegedly involved in the rape saga.

It would be recalled that the

suspects, who came at night when their victims were already asleep, allegedly raped them in turns at gun point after allegedly stealing N50,000, nine different handset and a Carter motorcycle from them.

According to Igbo, police investigation would determine whether Otah was involved in the rape incident or not.

“The Police today (yesterday) arrested the alleged mastermind of the rape incident that took place in Ikwo council of the state.

When we interrogated him, he denied involving in the incident, saying it was political motivated.

"If our investigation proves that he is guilty, he will be charged to court but meanwhile, we are still investigating the matter.”

Fake NAFDAC official

Amaraizu said Prince Obasi was apprehended by the eagle eyed policemen on August 30, 2013 following a report by a victim at Awgu in Enugu State that the suspect visited his shop at Orie Awgu Market, where he presented himself as an official of NAFDAC and demanded his liquor licence.

He was said to have demanded and collected N10,000 from the complainant for selling local gin popularly, called kaikai without authorisation.

Nigerian girl stabbed to death in Abidjan

Kore village in Zaki Local Government Area of Bauchi State, flooded after a downpour, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN.

BIDJAN— THE death of a Nigerian girl, Queen Ebimaho, has left some Nigerians in Abidjan, living with fear of insecurity, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Ebimaho, was on August 24, found dead in the pool of her blood inside her room in a brothel in Ajame, Abidjan.

Eyewitnesses told NAN that the corpse of the girl who only arrived Abidjan about two months ago had a series of punctures.

She was said to have been brought into the country by a Nigerian lady identified as Joy Larry.

Many Nigerian girls who are regularly trafficked into the country take to prostitution as a means of survival.

Though no case of death had occurred in the past six months, many of the girls face undue harassment and intimidation from men who patronise them.

Meanwhile, some Nigerians residing in Ajame accused the Consular Officer in the Nigerian Embassy, Mr Obinna Ogbonna of treating issues concerning Ebimaho’s death with levity.

They accused the Consular Officer of failing to make official report to the relevant authorities in the host country to ensure adequate investigations into the cause of the death.

According to them, the embassy also refused to play any role in the burial of the dead Nigerian despite repeated calls on the consular officer.

Contacted, Ogbonna confirmed the death of the Nigerian, saying: “She died from injuries that looked like stabs from a yet to be identified person.

“We took the matter officially to the Ivorian police and we were told that she was stabbed.

“But the girl in question has no consular card, our investigations show that she was just about two months old in the country.”

He said the corpse was taken for burial by a Nigerian identified as Osas, who also resides in Ajame without any official information to the embassy.

8—Vanguard , TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

AMCON seeks buyers for Mainstreet Bank

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HE Asset Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON, said it was seeking prospective investors to buy 100 percent of its share-holding in Enterprise Bank, the first of Nigeria’s three nationalised lenders to be put up for sale.

“Bad bank” AMCON, which holds non-performing assets of troubled banks, in July appointed Citigroup and Africa-focused investment bank, Vetiva Capital to manage the divestment.

AMCON said in a public notice that prospective buyers will be required to submit their bids by September 20, and show evidence of financing capacity.

The Central Bank of Nigeria rescued nine lenders in a $4 billion bailout in 2009, after reckless lending and lax governance left them under-capitalised.

The regulator told them to find new investors before a deadline or face nationalisation. Only six of them met the deadline.

The others, Afribank, Spring Bank and Bank PHB, were nationalised in 2011.

AMCON then recapitalised them and changed their names to Mainstreet Bank, Enterprise Bank and Keystone Bank, respectively.

Based on Enterprise Bank’s 2012 audited accounts, the bank had seven subsidiaries, 150 branches with total assets of N263.5 billion ($1.6 billion) and total equity of 31.9 billion naira ($195.3 million), AMCON said in the notice.

FOR GANI: A cross section of Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organisation, GAFAMORG, members during the 4th year memorial rally for late Chief Fawehinmi at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Square, Ojota, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

Gunmen kill 7, injure 4 in Kano

BY LUKA BINNIYAT

K

ADUNA—NO fewer than seven persons have been reportedly killed in an attack on Adu village in Atakad Chiefdom, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State by about 20 gunmen, yesterday.

The Atakad people suffered similar fate last May, which led to the killing of no fewer than 30 members of the communities and the displacement of about 10,000 others, who live on the Atakad hills in the council, about 240km south of Kaduna city, the state capital.

However, six Fulani men were later arrested by youths in Zankan village, about 10km from the scene of the incident, after they were seen removing blood stained clothes and wearing new ones to board a

waiting vehicle. Police later confirmed the incident.

A resident, who does not want his name mentioned, said: “About 20 men came to Adu village through Zankang forest, shooting and moving from one house to another slaughtering people.

“One person was killed on top of the hills, while some others were slaughtered at Adu village.”

Council boss speaks

Chairman of Kaura Local Government, Kumai Bodu, told Vanguard: “I was woken up this morning around 5am and told that Fulani gunmen had killed seven people and injured some.

“I don’t know what is going on here. If it is the Fulani, then I want to say

Ngige picks Anambra APC guber ticket

BY ENYIM ENYIM

O

NITSHA—SENATOR Chris Ngige, yesterday, picked the ticket of the All Progressive Congress, APC, to contest the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State.

Announcing the result of the party governorship primaries, chairman of APC the election committee for Anambra,

FG begins records digitisation

Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, said that Ngige polled 63,255 votes as against 9,564 votes got by his opponent, Chief Godwin Ezeemo.

He said: “Having satisfied the provisions of the party guidelines and the electoral Act, I have the pleasure of returning Dr. Chris Ngige as the winner of this governorship primary election in Anambra State.”

In his acceptance speech, Ngige said APC had made history in the state by the primaries that was done peacefully, free and fair.

He said: “We have just begun our journey to the Awka Government House. We are going to march forward.

“In today’s contest there is no loser and there is no winner and I call on all APC members to join hands.”

that there is no basis for trust again.

“We have had all kinds of meeting with them here and they all assured us that no such attacks will ever occur again. We are still studying the situation.”

Arrested

An eyewitness said some gunmen were seen moving to a bus parked by a road side at about 6am by the youths of the area, who immediately alerted the security agencies.

The source said: “When we rounded them up as they were about entering the bus, we called the security agencies and they came and picked them to Manchok Police Station before some military men took them to Kafanchan.”

When contacted, Kaduna State Police Spokesman Aminu Lawan, confirmed that six people have been arrested in connection with the attack.

He said: “There was an attack in Adu village and people were killed. The security men were able to arrest six people. I cannot tell the number of casualties for now.

“However, I know that four were injured and are receiving treatment now. As soon as we get the exact figure, we will make it available to you.

T

HE process of digitising all records has commenced in the Federal Civil Service with the implementation of an Electronic Document Management System, EMDS, in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

Head of the Civil of the Federation, Alh. Bukar Aji, disclosed this when he led a team comprising permanent secretaries, development partners and directors in his office to the National Records Centre, Karu, FCT, to inspect the ongoing rehabilitation of the centre.

The Head of Service said records digitisation is expected to lead to increased productivity through faster document exchange between offices and integration to a workflow system that reduces business processes.

Alhaji Goni Aji expressed regret that National Records Centre had suffered so much neglect in the past and that with the ongoing rehabilitation efforts, a more strategic and modernised one will emerge.

He said: “The centre is very critical to our national history and development.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013 — 9

Critical assets under threat, says Jonathan

BY VICTORIA OJEME

N

IGERIA’s substantial in vestments and critical infrastructure are under threat of the actions of terrorists, vandals and saboteurs, President Goodluck Jonathan has said.

Jonathan expressed the concern, yesterday, in Abuja while declaring open a twoday stakeholders’ forum on the protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure, CNAI. The President, who was represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo, ordered the nation’s security agencies to review existing strategies for effective intelligence sharing towards ensuring greater protection of such national assets and critical infrastructure.

He said the stakeholders’ forum was necessary to ensure synergy in the activities of the security agencies.

The President said: “The substantial investments we have made in maintaining existing infrastructure and establishing new ones are under threat by the actions of terrorists, vandals and saboteurs.

“These groups and individuals deliberately and mindlessly, target our infrastructure for their own economic, political, or sadistic gains.

“In recent times, piracy, sabotage of oil and gas pipelines, maritime robbery in our coastal waters and Exclusive Economic Zones, EEZ, have become

major threats to our economy and environment.”

Jonathan said that with the increase use of advanced weapons, technologies and methods by these criminals, the security agencies must continue to review their strategies, to decrease response times, and increase deterrent and combative capacity.

Advocates cooperation among security agencies

He stressed the need for greater cooperation between the security agencies, adding that such cooperation would ensure timely identification of risks and potential threats to critical infrastructure and better coordination in the deployment of allied action.

He said: “The primary responsibility for the protection of our critical national assets rests on the shoulders of our security agencies.

“It is their task to take all necessary measures to secure our vital facilities by minimising their vulnerabilities and degrading the capability of terrorists, vandals and saboteurs.

“I am happy to note that our security agencies have continued to discharge this responsibility creditably and have covered much ground against hitherto unfamiliar challenges, in so short a time.

“I commend their professionalism and commitment and enjoin them to keep up the good work.“ According to him, the development of national infrastructure remains a core element of the

Federal Government’s Transformation Agenda.

Penalties for offenders

He also called for stiffer penalties for those found culpable in the destruction or vandalism of public utilities.

He said: “There is need for heightened cooperation of other stakeholders, with the security agencies, to protect, more effectively, our critical national assets and infrastructure.

“For instance, there is need for quicker resolution of court cases and the imposition of stiffer penalties on offenders.

“We must send a clear message that, henceforth, there is a huge price to pay for the theft of resources and the destruction of critical infrastructure.“ The President called on the private sector and other stakeholders to update their internal security policies and systems and urged them to collaborate with security agencies to ensure the security of critical infrastructure under their management.

David, Tambuwal speak

VISIT: From left— Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; Governor Rauf Aragbesola of Osun State; Mrs Toyin Akomolafe, daughter of the first female Head of Service, Old Western Region, late Mrs Tejumade Alakija; and Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, during a condolence visit to the family in Ibadan, Oyo State.

UBA restructures, makes mgt appointment

BY OMOH GABRIEL

U

NITED Bank for Africa, UBA, Plc, yesterday, announced a major restructuring that will enable it actualise its corporate vision of a true PanAfrican bank.

The bank said it had launched Project Alpha, the group’s next stage, which focus is strategic transformation.

To drive the dream, the bank has made some very senior appointments into its management team.

A statement from the Bank said: “A series of senior executive hires underlines the Group’s commitment to Project Alpha.

“Mr. Apollos Ikpobe has been appointed as Deputy Managing Director, Domestic Bank and Ms. Obi Ibekwe as Executive Direc-

tor, Human Resources and Customer Service.

“Both appointments have been approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. “Other key appointments also announced include Mr. Rasheed Adegoke, General Manager in charge of Group Information Technology.”

Other senior level appointments in bank include Mrs. Amie Sow, Managing Director, UBA Senegal; Mr. Demola Ogunfeyimi, Managing Director, UBA Tanzania; Mr. Mamadou Sanon, Managing Director, UBA Gabon; and Mr. Martin Che, Managing Director,

UBA Congo Brazzaville.

Others are Mr. Marcel Bitang, Managing Director, UBA DRC; Mr. Stanley Ugwueze, Managing Director, UBA Zambia; Mrs. Abiola Bawuah, Deputy Managing Director, UBA Ghana; Mr. Benedict Nklama, Executive Director, UBA Kenya; Mr. Wilbrod Owor, Executive Direc-

tor, UBA Uganda and Mr. Chinedu Obeta, Executive Director, UBA Sierra Leone.

“UBA is able to recruit the cream of African banking talent and we are proud to be able to provide a dynamic platform for these Africans to contribute to our continent’s transformation,” Mr. Phillips Oduoza, said UBA's GMD/CEO.

Senate President, David Mark, who was represented

by Chairman, Senate Committee on Intelligence, Muhammed Maigoro, said those saddled with the responsibility of safeguarding the nation must be held accountable for how far they have discharged their mandate.

He said those in government must first ensure the safety of all Nigerians before contributing troops to other international peace-keeping ventures.

Mark said: “We must be able to strengthen our internal security and be accountable for our roles before ensuring the security of other people outside the country.”

Also, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, announced that the House had been advised to move for a legislation that will fully empower the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, as the only security agency backed by law to protect national assets.

10—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

PENGASSAN laments lingering ASUU strike

LUTH interns protest non-payment of 7 months salaries

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

P

ETROLEUM and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, has expressed concern over the lingering industrial action by Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, which has crippled public university education since July 1, 2013.

PENGASSAN, in a statement by Seyi Gambo, its National Public Relations Officer, PRO, said: “Considering the enormous toll incessant strikes have had on the nation’s university education system, which, to say the least, has made the country’s best University today to rank only amongst the lowly rated 6,000 in the world while most of our graduates are simply ‘unemployable’, the nation’s scarce resources are routinely frittered away through unabated sleaze and in the face of endemic corruption at all levels of governance.

“PENGASSAN joins millions of concerned Nigerians and groups to appeal to the Suswamled committee to sheath its sword by embracing dialogue as a means of finding a lasting solution to the recurring problem of underfunding of the nation’s education. This is so as education remains a major plank for sustainable development and veritable means of rediscovering the dream of the founding fathers of the nation.

“More worrisome for the majority of the talented youths whose sponsores cannot afford a private or foreign school, and have rested all hope in the public schools, now imagine the kind of future generation they are bound to build as they are turned out half-baked as a result of irregular and sandwiched sessions and curriculum. PENGASSAN cannot but frown at the degenerating government habit of reneging on agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) freely entered into.”

L

AGOS — INTERNS at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi-Araba, Lagos, yesterday, protested non-payment of seven months salaries, disrupting healthcare services.

The protesting professionals comprising doctors, pharmacists and others, vowed that they would not return to work until arrears of salaries were paid in full.

However, LUTH management attributed the development to implementation of the newly introduced centralised Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System, IPPIS. The aggrieved interns lamented that some of them had not received any salary since they began their internship in January, this year.

Most of the protesters who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, said though they had lodged several complaints through their association, they were yet to get any response from the hospital’s management and the Federal Government on when their salaries would be paid.

One of them, a pharmacist, told Vanguard that many of them were yet to be captured by the IPPIS which the Federal Government introduced for payment of its staff ’s salaries last year.

Their spokesperson said: “We will not go back to work until every one of us has been paid to the last kobo. We work day and night in this hospital without complain, but the only thing government knows is strike. We work like slaves, yet we are still struggling to feed.

“We cannot pay our rents.

Those living outside the premises cannot afford the transport fares to work. We are struggling to feed and they expect us to keep quiet because we are interns, we will not. This is not the first time this is happening, but it will stop with us.”

Speaking with Vanguard, the Chief Medical Director of

LUTH, Professor Akin Osibogun, blamed the situation to the newly introduced IPPIS. According to him, the un – paid salaries would be paid by the Federal Government.

He denied involvement of the hospital management in the

problem, saying “they are to be paid through Federal Government’s IPPIS recently introduced by the government.

The programme has been introduced in six Teaching Hospitals out of the 55 Federal government-owned facilities

VISIT: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN (right), welcoming the former Minister for Administrative Development in Egypt, Dr Ahmed Darwish Bio, while the Director, Emerging Regions Public Sector, Middle East & Africa Headquarters of Microsoft, Mr. Yasser Elabd and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, Mrs. Nike Animashuan watch during a courtesy call on the Governor and EXCO members at the Lagos House, Ikeja.

Author arraigned for taking photos of policemen arresting okada operators

BY IJEOMANATHANIEL

L

AGOS—THE Police, yes terday, arraigned an author, Abraham Oshoko, before a Lagos Magistrate’s court, sitting in Ikeja, for allegedly taking photographs of some police officers while arresting commercial motorcycle operators, known as Okada riders, at a round about in Dopemu area of Lagos.

Oshoko, 33, was arraigned before Magistrate E. A. Fabamwo on a two-count charge of

“provoking breach of the peace and unlawful act by trying to tarnish the image of the Police and LASTMA by taking photographs of them while performing their lawful duties.”

When the charges were read to him, Oshoko pleaded not guilty.

The Police Prosecutor, Barth Nwaokenye, told the court that Oshoko committed the offence on August 31, 2013, at Dopemu round about, Agege, Lagos.

He said that the suspect, “who is an author for children’s liter-

Mimiko, Amosun eulogise Peter Obe

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE—GOVERNORS Olusegun Mimiko and Ibikunle Amosun, of Ondo and Ogun States, respectively, have described the death of ace photographer, Peter Obe, as a big blow to photo journalism.

In separate condolence messages, the two governors said Peter Obe’s death was a great loss to the media industry in Nigeria.

Governor Mimiko, in his message by the Commissioner for

and will be extended to others later. I believe it is a teething problem that will be resolved very soon. It is a new programme and government will pay them all their entitlements in full. The salaries will come from Abuja and not the hospital.”

Information, Mr Kayode Akinmade, said Obe’s death at this time when journalism was undergoing a unique transformation with the emergence of social media was a big blow to photo journalism in particular and journalism as a whole.

He said: “No doubt, Obe was a force in the lens profession and one way or the other, he would have enhanced the photography aspect of the Social media because he was a pathfinder

and a visionary who brought dynamism and core professionalism to the photo aspect journalism.”

On his part, Amosun, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs Funmi Wakama, said: “He was the quintessential photo journalist, a thoroughbred professional. His works have been a source of knowledge and inspiration to many in the profession right from his eventful days in the Daily Times as chief cameraman.”

ature books, on the aforementioned date, time and place, without being lawfully authorised to do that, took pictures of Police officers and LASTMA officers while they were performing their duties.”

According to Nwaokenye, the defendant’s intention was to tarnish the image of the Nigeria Police and LASMA through pictorial representation of these organizations.

The prosecutor added that the offences were contrary to and punishable under section 57 (4) and 166 (d) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

While asking for his bail, the defendant’s lawyer told the court that the offence was bailable in law and that the only reason for taking the pictures by his client was for a graphic representation in one of his books as an author and had no ulterior motive.

Magistrate Fabamwo granted him bail in the sum of N25, 000.00 with two sureties in like sum.

She subsequently adjourned the case to October 16, 2013 for hearing.

Vanguard TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013 — 11

PDP crisis: Osun chapter disowns Oyinlola

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

O

SOGBO—OSUN state’s chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday declared that the factional national secretary of the party, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, was on his own, stressing that his position did not represent that of the party in the state.

Prince Oyinlola, former governor of the state, was last Saturday, appointed secretary of former vice president Atiku

Abubakar-led faction of PDP, in Abuja.

But the party in the state, after an emergency meeting attended by stakeholders of the party, said it was opposed to any form of factionalisation of the party in whatever guise.

In the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting by the chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa, the party insisted that it has implicit confidence in the leadership of the party at the national level.

Similarly, the communiqué also passed a vote of confidence on president Good luck Jonathan and the newly elected working committee led by Alhaji Bamangar Tukur and other newly elected working committee members.

The party promised that come 2014 gubernatorial election in Osun State, PDP was assured of victory and will also deliver the state for President Goodluck Jonathan come 2015 presidential election.

According to the communiqué: “The party in Osun is ever formidable and as such will not support factionalisation while urging any member that has any issue with the party to follow the path of consultation rather than confrontation.”

The meeting, accord-

VISIT: From left; Chairman, Ondo State Council of Obas and Deji of Akure, Oba Adebiyi Adesida, Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, Oba Victor Kiladejo, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Bamiduro Dada and the Olowo of Owo, Oba Folagbade Olateru-Olagbegi, during a congratulatory visit by Ondo State traditional rulers to the governor, over his victory at the Supreme Court, in Akure, yesterday.

Group to stand surety for stowaway kid

D

E RAUFS’ Volunteer Group, yesterday, formally applied to stand as surety for 13year-old Daniel Oikhena, who was arrested after emerging miraculously from the wheel compartment of an Arik Air flight from Benin Airport to Lagos on August 24.

Master Oikhena, who had since been kept in custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, had outrun the security personnel at the Benin Airport to board the flight to Lagos.

De Raufs’, a group extolling the leadership qualities of Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, had offered Master Oikhena scholarship up to university level to help him realise his dream of traveling by air legitimately.

Director General of the group, Amitolu Shittu,

who confirmed the development yesterday, disclosed that a team of lawyers of the group led by Yinka Muyiwa and Nafiu Adeniyi were at the Shangisha office of SSS to apply for administrative bail for Master Oikhena.

He said: “As you are aware, we have offered the boy scholarship up to university level and we want to follow that up first with his release from custody. The boy has been kept in custody beyond the constitutionally approved period and we are keen to secure his release so that we can fully concentrate on his education,” Shittu explained.

When asked what transpired at the SSS office, Shittu said: “Yes, the SSS officials told our lawyers that the boy was not detained but merely delayed for security reasons

and we want to believe them. They are asking that the mother of the boy should come for him and that he would be released Monday.

“On our part, the Lagos State Coordinator of De Raufs’ has been asked to make necessary accommodation arrangements for the boy and his mother, but should they fail to release him as promised, we will be compelled to proceed to court to seek his immediate release,” Shittu threatened.

ing to the communiqué, was attended by Alhaji Shuaibu Oyedokun, a member of BOT, Erelu Olusola Obada, Minister of Defence, Dr Olu Alabi, Engr Jide Adeniji, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Chief Abiola Ogundokun and Chief Francis Fadahunsi, among others.

Ondo G-13 hails Mimiko’s S’Court victory

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE—FORMER commissioners in Ondo State under aegis of G-13, have called on the opposition parties in the state to sheath their swords and join hands with Governor Olusegun Mimiko, in moving the state forward.

They argued that now that the final verdict had been given by the Supreme Court they, should agree that Mimiko’s victory was the will of God.

Another stowaway attempt uncovered at Benin Airport

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN CITY-BARE LY two weeks after a teenage boy, who stowaway from Benin to Lagos in an Arik flight, was arrested, security operatives at the Benin Airport in Edo State, yesterday, apprehended a 27-yearold man, who allegedly stowed in to the airport runway with the intent to illegally board an Abujabound Arik flight.

The 27yrs old suspect, whose identity could not be ascertained at press time, was said to have been arrested lying with his belly close to the run way while waiting for an Arik aircraft to land and sneak into it to Abuja.

Confirming the incident, the Chief Security Officer of the airport, Mr. Adeboye, said that the suspect had confessed to the crime. During interrogation, the suspect was said to have told security agents that he was a psychiatric patient and was tired of life, hence, decided to travel to Abuja.

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

Police declare Gov Amaechi’s ADC deserter

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

P

ORT HARCOURT — Rivers State Police Command, has declared the ADC to the state governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, ASP Seimeikumo Debewari as a deserter.

The police also removed Debewari as the ADC to Governor Amaechi.

The state Police Commissioner, Mr. Joseph Mbu, in a statement, said that Debewari had refused to honour an invitation extended to him by the state Police Commissioner and the Inspector General of Police.

It will be recalled that Debewari was invited by the Police over issues relating to the recent fracas on the floor of the state House of Assembly.

The statement by the Assistant Commissioner of Police Admin, Mr. Austine Sanomi, said that the whereabouts of Debewari had remained unknown to the Police after the incident on the floor of the House of Assembly on July 10 this year.

“Rivers State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that acting ASP Debewari, who had ignored all lawful directives to see the Commissioner of Police and the Inspector General has

not been neither seen in Rivers State Command nor at the Police Force headquarters, Abuja since July 10, 2013.

“His whereabouts is currently unknown to the Nigerian Police Force, consequently he ceases to be the ADC to the Rivers State governor.

“As the CP Rivers State Command and by the powers conferred on me by section 398(1) of the Police Act and regulation cap 359 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990, the officer is hereby, declared a deserter from the Nigeria Police Force subject to the approval of the IG,” he said.

Group moves to resolve division in Rivers PDP

P

ORT HARCOURT — AS the crisis in Rivers State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, persists, a non-partisan political pressure group in the state, Ekere Ikwerre, has offered to mediate in the crisis.

National President of the group, Engr. Dacoster Orlu-Akwu in a statement, yesterday, said that it was regrettable that despite the peace initiatives by the Ekere Ikwerre, Council of Bishops in Niger Delta and other well meaning individuals, some individuals and groups within the party had continued to make inflammatory utterances and carry out acts that would jeopardise the peace process and heighten tension in the state.

According to him, Rivers State was pre-domi-

nantly a PDP state, which was why the goings-on in the party were directly impacting on the state.

Engr. Orlu-Akuw, a former Commissioner for Works and Transport in the state, urged the factions to be open to reconciliatory efforts by individuals and groups and appealed to them to sheathe their swords in

...factions congratulate national officers

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

P

O R T HARCOURT— THE two factions of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State have issued separate statements, congratulating their new factional executives at the na-

Senate by-election: Vote vibrant lawyer — UGI

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—NATIONAL Coordinator of Urhobo Grassroots Initiative, UGI, Mr. Gabriel Akpude, has stressed the need for the Urhobos to elect a young, courageous and vibrant lawyer, who can represent the interest of the Urhobo people in the Senate to replace late Senator Pius Ewherido.

Akpude in a statement said; “Urhobo young

the interest of the generality of the people of the state.

“PDP is a big party in Rivers State. The party should be more concerned about its political fortune rather than engage in needless battles that create room for exodus of its members and teeming supporters.”

politicians should be careful with their political future and stop playing politics of pot of pottage. The Urhobo Progress Union, UPU is not a political party. To this end, the leadership of UPU should stay away from partisan politics. “ I advise all Urhobo youth leaders to be focused and stop playing with their political future as politics is one of the biggest industries in the world.”

tional level.

Public Relations Officer of the Godspower Ake led faction of the party, Mr. George Nwogba in his congratulatory message on behalf of the state chapter of the party, said that the emergence of Abubakar Baraje as National Chairman of the party, Dr. Sam Jaja and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, National Deputy Chairman and Secretary respectively was timely because the party needed political characters like them to advance its course in the country.

On its part, the Felix Obuah faction of the party also lauded the election of Prince Uche Secondus as the new Deputy National Chairman of the party.

Obuah added that Secondus’ election was as a result of hard work and commitment to the growth of the party.

Vanguar TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013—13

Toby praises Abe’s functions at Senate

F

FLEET REVIEW: Nigerian Navy ship, Thunder, on arrival at Port Louis, in Mauritius, weekend, on her outbound voyage to Sydney to participate in the Royal Australian Navy’s International Fleet Review, scheduled for October 3 – 11, 2013. Nigerian Navy is the only African participant in the international review.

Owie urges DSS to release stowaway boy zLawyer petitions Arik

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM & GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

B

ENIN CITY — FORMER Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Rowland Owie, yesterday, called on the Department of State Services, DSS, to release the stowaway teenage boy, Daniel Oikhena,

saying that keeping the boy in their custody does not augur well for the country.

This came as Mr. Afolabi Olayiwola, counsel to Mrs. Evelyn Oikhena, mother of the boy, also called for the immediate release of the youngster , insisting that he is a juvenile in the eye of the law.

Olayiwola in a petition ad-

dressed to the Station Manager, Arik Airline, Benin, Edo State, said that since the arrest of the boy at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos by security agents, Mrs. Oikhena has not been told of the whereabouts of her son, adding that this has caused her serious psychological trauma.

CRUDE THEFT: JTF impounds 2 oil laden barges, nabs 11 suspects

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA — THE Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, code-named Operation Pulo Shield, has impounded two barges laden with illegally sourced crude oil on the Kasabobo creek in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Also, 11 suspected crude oil thieves were nabbed in Rivers an Delta states in the renewed offensive against illegal bunkering and crude oil theft in the region by the special security forces.

Media Coordinator of the JTF, Lt. Col. Onyema

Nwachukwu, yesterday, in Yenagoa said that the two barges christened, CWTC 16 and TIKORO 2 were intercepted by troops while trying to sail into the international waters through Forupa channels during a week-long intensive anti-oil theft patrol of the creek.

He said “troops of 5 Battalion of the Joint Task Force deployed in the Sector 2 area of responsibility of the JTF in the Niger Delta have impounded two barges laden with illegally sourced crude oil on the Kasabobo Creek during a weeklong intensive anti-oil-theft patrol targeted at

sanitising the creeks and water ways of Southern Ijaw Council of Bayelsa State.

“The troops were ordered by the Commander Sector 2 Brigadier General Osasogie Uzamere to embark on the operation following reports of recalcitrance of oil thieves in the area despite regular clamp down by the JTF. “The Barges christened CWTC 16 and TIKORO 2 with eight compartments each, filled with stolen crude were intercepted by the troops while trying to make its way into the international waters through Forupa channels.”

Afolabi noted that Rauf Aregbosola Foundation had offered scholarship to the said Daniel Oikhena to study any course of his choice up to university level, lamenting that his continued detention through the instrumentality of officials of Arik Airline was hindering the formalisation of the scholarship documents.

“We just want to remind you of what Mr. Yakubu Datti, General Manager, Corporate Communications, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, said in respect to this matter and we quote him, “Arik is liable for the circumstances leading to the stowaway of a teenage boy on its aircraft at the Benin Airport.”

Owie on his part, said rather than keep Daniel away from his family, the DSS should think of how to assist the boy to make a good future, just as he urged the agency to hold authorities of the airport accountable for the security breach.

He pointed out that though the boy might have flouted the law, “he is still a teenager that does not even know the magnitude of what he did.”

“I wish to advise DSS to release Daniel because keeping him in custody at this age will not help us as a nation or even the DSS.”

Delta govt commends LGs on SURE-P package, 5,000 empowered

BY EMMAARUBI

A

SABA — DELTA State Government has said that it was satisfied with the transparent manner various local government areas in the state managed the N1.6 billion released to them for the Subsidy Reinvestment and C M Y K

Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, at the grassroots.

Already, over 5,000 Deltans have so far benefited from the programme, including physically-challenged persons empowered in the area of capacity training, provision of starter packs and provision of buses, among others.

Speaking to our reporter in

Asaba, yesterday, the state Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Mr. Newworld Safugha, said he was particularly impressed with the level of commitment exhibited by the council chairmen in the pursuit of the ideals of the programme.

“We are impressed with the

performance of the councils on the implementation of the programme, so far, so good.

“They have fared well and I tell you that the state government will continue to play its part to ensure strict compliance with what the programme is meant to achieve.”

ORMER RIVERS State Deputy Governor, Sir Gabriel Toby, has said that the people of Rivers South-East appreciate the quality of representation Senator Magnus Abe has provided them in the National Assembly.

Speaking while decorating Senator Abe as honorary member of the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt, he said “It is my honour to decorate a very distinguished man,” noting that Senator Abe had distinguished himself in many ways.

“We are proud of you and wish we had many more like you.”

Responding, Senator Abe commended Rotary International over what it has achieved across the world and lauded the club for finding him worthy to be honoured.

The Senate Committee Chairman on Petroleum (Downstream), said “we will indeed be honorary in our conduct and in association with this club.

We will support the club, not just today, but as long as we are called upon to do so.”

Itsekiri communities petition Uduaghan

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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ARRI — TWELVE Itsekiri communities in Delta State on the Jorojoro creek from Molume to Ogheye have called on the state government, the Olu of Warri and the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to order immediate stoppage of the dredging of their community coastline through an Ondo State dredging project.

In a petition by Mr. Victor Neburagho, Emmanuel Kunu, Dan Anomuogharan and Jaiye Madamedon, the communities said that the dredging contract was awarded

by NDDC to Ondo State Government without input by the Delta State Government, neither were the Itsekiri communities contacted before commencement of the dredging.

14 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

6 Anambra LGs get N1.2bn for MDG projects

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—SIX local government areas in Anambra State were yesterday handed cheques totaling N1.2 billion for the execution of projects under the Millennium Development Goal, MDG, programmes.

The benefitting local governments are Anaocha, Ihiala, Idemili North, Ekwusigo, Ogbaru and Oyi and under the programme, each local government would receive N200 million.

Seven local governments

C M Y K

had earlier benefitted from the programme and, according to the state Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Professor Chinyere Okunna, the remaining eight local government areas will also benefit from the programme before the end of the tenure of the present administration in the state.

Local governments that had earlier benefited from the programme were Orumba South, Awka North, Anambra West, Ayamelum, Anambra East,

Nnewi South and Dunukofia.

The projects are in the areas of health care development, renovation of schools, sinking of boreholes, among others.

Okunna said contracts for the jobs would be executed by the indigenes of the benefiting communities for easy monitoring by the stakeholders in the areas such as traditional rulers, presidents general and women leaders.

At the flag off of the programme in Awka, Governor Peter Obi urged

the benefitting communities to take ownership of the projects sited in their areas to avoid situations of failure.

Obi said: “The aim of asking the communities to take ownership of the projects is to bring governance closer to the people. MDG is our vision and we want to use it to make Anambra a reference for good things for other states to emulate.”

He, however, said government would continue to supervise and monitor the projects to ensure they met the required specifications.

Erosion halts oil exploration in Enugu community

BY CHINENYEH OZOR

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S U K K A — DEVASTATING erosion, which wreaked havoc at Eha-Ndiagu in Nsukka local government area of Enugu State, has halted exploration of oil discovered in the area Vanguard gathered that exploration of oil in the area

by Geokenitic Oil and Gas Company, could not continue as gully erosion has rendered the 28 kilometre road to the community impassable.

When Vanguard visited the erosion site, it discovered that the only means of transportation was motor cycle, which fare goes for as much as N1,000 per person from the community to Nsukka town, with the erosion creating a tunnel of about five feet deep.

The community, which felt relieved when the exploration company arrived for the exploration of the oil well lamented that the company could not go further due to lack of assess road from Nsukka to the oil well site.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013—15

FG, UK intensify fight against terrorism zAs Nigeria condemns use of chemical weapons in Syria

Govt urges Nigerians to vacate flood plains

BY FUNMI OLASUPO

BY VICTORIA OJEME & FAITH GORA

A

C M Y K

BUJA—Governments of Nigeria and the United Kingdom are in talks over a new phase in the fight against Boko Haram, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Andrew Pocock has said.

This came as the Federal Government condemned the use of chemical weapons against Syrians, noting that such weapons were prohibited by subsisting international laws and conventions.

Pocock in a chat with Vanguard in Abuja, said much of what his government was discussing with Nigerian authorities are classified.

He, however, stated that part of the new area of co-operation between UK and the Nigerian government was how to make the Nigerian military more citizens friendly in the fight against terrorists in the North.

Pocock said: “We regard the Nigerian victory against terrorism as very important for international and continental stability. So we are working very hard to contribute to that. Now there are certain things that we are discussing with the Nigerian government about how that campaign might be conducted.

“How the Nigerian Armed Forces can best be seen as protectors of their citizens, but that is the debate about methodology.”

He said his government had worked for some years with its Nigerian counterpart in combating terrorism, adding that it was not something one could speak of freely.

According to him, the UK government sees terrorism as an international problem.

He added: “We regard the stability of Nigeria as very important for the whole West African sub-region of the continent .

“The objective of helping Nigeria secure stability internally and regionally and banish terrorism and extremism from the country is something we are very committed to.”

He also said his government was working closely with the Nigerian government to combat illicit drug trafficking, as well as other forms of trafficking.

He said: “We have a number of programmes on trying to stop smuggling and illicit migration and drugs and all sorts of programmes.

“As I said some of them are things that we don’t really want to discuss in public because they are sensitive but there are

programmes going on and it is a mutual benefit to the bilateral relationship.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has condemned the use of chemical weapons against the people of Syria, noting that such weapons were prohibited by subsisting international laws and conventions.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement signed by its spokeperson, Mr Amedu Ode, stated: “The government of the

Federal Republic of Nigeria has followed with keen interest the ongoing crisis in Syria and in particular, the recent reported use of chemical weapons which has led to the death of many civilians, including innocent women and children.

“It is yet to be established which group may have used the prohibited weapons. It nonetheless, welcomes the action by the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-

Moon, in despatching the UN Weapons Inspectors to verify the use of such weapons.

“Nigeria reiterates its call on all parties in the Syrian crisis to exercise maximum restraint and seek negotiated political solution to the protracted crisis, including through the instrumentality of the UN. “Nigeria further calls for unfettered humanitarian access for relief supplies to victims of the conflict.”

INAUGURATION—From left: Wazirin Katsina, Dr. Muhammed Sani-Lugga; Secretary to Gombe State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Bage, who represented Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State and others, during the inauguration of Jama'atu Nasril Islam's first aid group in Gombe, yesterday.

Momah to Jonathan: Sacrifice 2015 and become a statesman

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU, JOSEPH ERUNKE

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BUJA— FORMER Minister of Science and Technology, Major General Sam Momah (rtd), yesterday advised President Goodluck Jonathan to sacrifice his ambition of standing for election in 2015 for the common good of the nation.

General Momah, who gave the advice in an interview with Vanguard in Abuja, also said the 2015 elections will be a watershed in the annals of the country as it will determine the future of Nigeria in the next 100 years.

He said: “The 2015 presidential election is very crucial because in a presidential system of government the president is very symbolic and connotes what you are, and so we must try and get the best for our country come 2015, because it will be a clean slate after

Lugard gave us the first slate in 1914 and now we are going to give ourselves another clean slate in 2015.

“We must decide how to make up Nigeria, and everybody must be ready and give the best, anybody that does wrong should be told — putting sentiments apart — and we have the power to do that, and not for somebody to come and do that for us, if not 170 million Nigerians will perish.

“I am saying that we must get a leader that understands this and let us put sentiments apart, a leader that has that vision and passion to deliver and take us to the next level.

“Anybody that does not understand that will never give us what we want. We the followers must also vote for the right man and be there to defend our votes, and before we vote anybody we must tell him

what he must achieve based on the mandate you are giving him or her.

“Some people want to express their freedom of association, and they are free and it is purely their own choice. What I am saying is that if it is their choice they should not take advantage over Nigerians, and be sure that they really come to serve and sacrifice and not for themselves.

“I had always said that President Goodluck Jonathan has the right to seek re-election, he should exercise his constitutional right to seek reelection, but I am of the view that he should now get above that political level.

“In essence, I am saying he should move a bit higher above being a politician and become a statesman. By that I mean being a statesman, you can at times sacrifice your own right for the common good."

A

BUJA — FOLLOWING the alert received from the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, on the potential threats of flooding of Kainji and Jebba dams during this year’s raining season, the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, has warned those living on flood plains to vacate.

Ochekpe made the call at an interactive session with stakeholders drawn from Federal Ministries of Power and Environment, Kwara, Kogi and Niger states as well as National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET. She said: “We have in 2012, experienced unprecedented flood which magnitude exceeded other floods in the recorded history of Nigeria and which resulted in loss of lives and property nationwide. The flooding was caused by the unusual high rainfall.”

Mark calls on Boko Haram to embrace peace

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

A

B U J A — S E N AT E President, David Mark, yesterday, re-echoed his appeal to Boko Haram to give peace a chance in the country.

Mark, whose appeal came in the wake of latest killings of over 30 persons suspected to be members of a vigilante group, otherwise known as Civilian JTF, in Borno State, begged the perpetrators of violence and needless killings in Nigeria to make what he simply referred to as “a u – turn”.

According to him, the development is not only strange but absurd to the sacred tradition and culture of the Nigeria society.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, Mark reminded the harbingers of the unabated killings that nothing good could come out of evil deeds, insisting that “our culture and tradition respect the sanctity of human life”.

16—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

RTEAN plans 100,000 houses for members

A

BUJA—THE Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, has kick started a housing project to provide 100,000 houses for its members.

The 100,000 houses is the first phase of the project and the association said the objective is part of its own efforts to bridge the national housing deficit put at over 16 million houses.

President of RTEAN, Comrade Musa Isewele who spoke on the development in Abuja during the National Executive, NEC, meeting of the association added that the union was also making plans to build a befitting national secretariat.

He said the architects and partners in the project from Canada had already presented the categories of houses and arrangement had been concluded for a final Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, to be signed.

NYCN lauds Jonathan on Youth Devt Minister

BY EMMA ELEBEKE

A

BUJA—THE newly elected executive members of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, have commended President Goodluck Jonathan for upholding mandate of his election by sacking Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir as Minister of Youth Development.

President of NYCN, Comrade Abdullahi Abdulmajeed, spoke at the official presentation of the new leadership of NYCN in Abuja.

He said: “The entire Nigerian youths can never thank President Goodluck Jonathan enough for upholding the trust and mandate that was given to him by the Nigerian youths through the ballot box. The President has demonstrated clear-headed leadership by sacking the former minister for Youth Development after finding out the truth that surrounded the NYCN crisis.”

It will be recalled that Alhaji Abdulkadir was sacked by the President for allegedly influencing the election of the National YouthCouncilofNigeria,NYCN, in Makurdi, Benue State, in his favour.

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Niger gov cautions politicians against heating up polity

BY WOLE MOSADOMI

M

INNA—GOVERNOR Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, has cautioned the political class in the country to exercise caution and high sense of responsibility and not to overheat the polity, which has the potential to cause crisis in the country.

Speaking against the backdrop of the crisis that accompanied the release of Presidential election results in April 2011, Governor Aliyu said: “Let me take this opportunity to call on the political class in this country to exercise utmost caution and high sense of responsibility in all our actions and utterances before, during and after elections.”

Aliyu who spoke at the presentation of cheques to victims of the April 2011 post election violence declared that “democracy goes beyond periodic elections and survival of our nation should be paramount in all that we do.”

The Governor who was represented by his Deputy, Ahmed Ibeto, noted that “ we must always put the interest of our nation before any personal interests and before any primordial

sentiments, noting that “ we must remember that great nations are built by patriotic citizens and we must therefore, rededicate ourselves to the survival and development of our nation.”

He advised beneficiaries to use the money to replace some of the personal effects that were lost during the violence and recalled that the state Government had earlier supported the victims immediately

after the incident “to assist the victims to recover from the shock of the unpleasant incidents as part of our administration’s emergency response initiative.”

DEDICATION: From left: Pastor James Alalade of Zaria Area Superintendent; Pastor Gbadebo Fakunle, Administrative Secretary and Pastor Jude Ekele, at the official opening and dedication of the Apostolic Church Area Temple in Kaduna. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

Breakaway PDP can’t thrive in Kwara, says Gov Ahmed

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

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LORIN—GOVERNOR Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara yesterday said the breakaway Peoples Democratic Party, PDP would not thrive in the state.

Governor Ahmed who spoke with journalists at Ilorin international airport on his arrival from Abuja said the PDP-controlled government had election-winning machinery.

The governor said: “A few dissidents think that this time is an opportunity for them to begin to create disharmony in the PDP system in Kwara State.

“They should know clearly as crystal that we have electionwinning machinery and that machinery has been used and is available. Those dissidents should know that they cannot come and start running parallel structure here. They will just be wasting their time, because we are a formidable force.

“In Kwara State, ours is not really a political party, we follow our leader. Election winning machinery is what we have. We have shown it before when we took it from ANPP to PDP and God is still with us.”

Governor Ahmed, who said he and some other PDP governors

were in the Presidency on the invitation of President Jonathan, explained that the visit was a mark of respect for the President and to deliberate on issues that the governors had highlighted.

The governor said consultations were still on and that another round of consultation was being arranged where he

hoped the issues raised would be trashed out, saying “We believe it is those that work that should reap and not those that did not work but want to reap from Abuja. We will not allow that.

We voted and our votes were part of those that brought President Jonathan to power.

We know the voters and those in Abuja will not tell us those who voted here. They should ensure we make our people get due benefits of their struggle. Our leaders should be invited to ensure things go well. We can’t struggle to get things in place for some other people.”

Taraba political logjam ridicules Nigeria’s democracy—Tsav

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BY PETER DURU

AKURDI—FORMER Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, has described the ongoing political logjam in Taraba State as a sad development and a ridicule of the Nigeria’s democracy.

Tsav who spoke yesterday with Vanguard said the development was a clear indication that the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, was on the part of disintegration because “it is a house divided against it.”

He said: “The ongoing

drama in Taraba state is a sad development and a mockery of our democracy . It is visibly clear that Governor Danbaba Suntai is mentally sick from brain damage. Anyone with such medical condition can hardly perform duties requiring brain work; the functions of a governor requires brain and concentration. Suntai looks physically and mentally unstable to perform the duties requiring thinking and concentration. ”Instead of allowing him to properly recover from illness, a group led by his wife is anxious that he resumes his duty as

governor. They do not care if he is fit or not, they even seem to be introducing religious bigotry into the drama. ”Unfortunately, the PDP is silent over the drama. The party has problems with arithmetic like in the case of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum election where 16 is said to be higher than 19 and also the Rivers State anti Amaechi legislators.

“The PDP seems to be asleep.

Perhaps they will wake up to declare that 16 of the 24 Taraba State legislators are wrong, it is sad and a mockery of our democracy.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013—17

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New dawn Time was when wealthy Nigerians built something, developed something, or made something. At that time, the rich were truly captains of industry. Alhaji Sanusi Dantata made his fortune in the era of the groundnut pyramids in the North; buying and shipping them for export.

Sir Odumegwu Ojukwu had Nigeria’s largest fleet of inter-city “mammywagons.” He also imported “panla” (dried fish) on a large scale. Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony had a tanker fleet and a pioneering charter airline.

Emmanuel Akwiwu, hauled oil-rigs and supplies for British Petroleum.

Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola produced bicycle tires for the growing army of Nigerian bike-riders.

But thanks to oil, much of Nigerian wealth is no longer the product of such ventures. Yes, we have billionaires like Ibrahim Dasuki and Mike Adenuga who can still be rightfully described as highly enterprising. But even more significantly, we have tycoons who came into wealth through “ wuruwuru” and “mago-mago.” These men are hardly Nigeria’s Bill Gates. On the contrary, they don’t have a clue what to do with their dubious wealth, and they are ignorant about wealthcreation. As such, they add little of value to the Nigerian project. Their praises may be sung today by their horde of parasitical hangers-on, but they will not be remembered for good when they are gone. As mysteriously as their wealth materialised, so will it vanish.

These men became rich through some of the following tried and tested methods, which can be relied upon to lead to one’s inclusion in the Nigerian Book of Irrelevant Rich Men. If you want to get rich quick, here is the Nigerian blueprint. But please, don’t tell anyone I “ wiki-leaked” this highlyclassified national secret to you.

Rob a bank This strategy has gone through some transition. Bank-robbers used to be men of the underworld who held banks hostage at gunpoint and then made off with the cash. However, it was soon recognised that this approach has distinct disadvantages. You might get arrested and jailed. Even worse, you might get shot. It also became apparent that banks carry limited amounts of cash.

Therefore, a C M Y K

Ho w tto o become an o How ovvernight billionaire in Nigeria successful bank robbery of this violent kind might only land you perhaps 50 million naira tops, which is not even enough to buy or build a house in Banana Island. There is a better way to rob a bank with far limited risk.

Simply establish a bank.

W

hen you establish a bank, you can rob the bank every day without a gun. When people deposit money in your bank, they don’t know that they are handing over their lifesavings to a thief. You then rob the bank you establish in a number of

,

ITH only some 50 years of independent national existence, Nigeria is a country reeking with “new money.” The overwhelming proportion of the millionaires and billionaires in the country are “nouveau-riche;” they became rich literally “overnight.” We are talking of people whose wealth does not go beyond a generation.

Indeed, the fantastic wealth of Nigerian billionaires like Femi Otedola scarcely goes beyond ten/fifteen years.

Not only does Nigeria’s wealthy few have a short history, they often have a short future as well. The money comes “miraculously ” and goes just as “miraculously.”

In my youth, S.B. Bakare was the celebrated Nigerian tycoon. Highlife stars and juju musicians eulogised him in their records. But ask a young Nigerian today who S.B. Bakare is, and I can bet my bottom dollar he has never heard of him. S.B. has fallen off the radar and so has his wealth. It is not identifiable by any major industry or enterprise. His descendants may still be in litigation over the dregs of his estate, but undoubtedly it is nothing to write home about again. Certainly, nobody is singing about S.B. Bakare today. There are now new pretenders to his throne.

are not getting enough attention in the party, make a lot of noise. Abuse Tinubu on the pages of the newspapers and call Buhari an idiot.

Insist that Goodluck Jonathan should not only run for re-election unopposed in 2015, there should be a constitutional amendment to make him a life-president. This is a tell-tale sign that you are hungry; and the powersthat-be will soon invite you to “come and chop.”

As a distinguished member of this great party, the opportunities open for you to set yourself up for life are

If you want to get rich quick, here is the Nigerian blueprint. But please, don’t tell anyone I "wiki-leaked”this highly-classified national secret to you

,

imaginative ways. For example, you can lend money to your bank and then charge it a very high interest-rate.

Better still, you can borrow billions from your bank and simply forget to pay it back. Or, you can use the money deposited in your bank to buy houses

considerable. For example, you can start collecting billions for petroleum subsidy and simply not import any petrol whatsoever. You can get the government to change all car licenseplates nationwide; and then become the sole supplier of the new licenseplates. You can ask the president to make you the sole importer and distributor of diesel for the entire country. Of course, this might also entail that you become the chairman of his re-election campaign, to which you duly make a handsome contribution. Alternatively, you can ask to be chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

Nobody will bat an eyelid when, within a matter of months, you have a fleet of cars, have two or three houses in Asokoro, and own four hotels in Dubai. *Nigeria: A nation of emergency millionares You may even kick out and then rent them out as branches to your bank at exorbitant prices.

This approach is guaranteed to make you a few billion naira until the EFCC policemen come calling. When they do, you can quickly fall sick, spend a few months in Deluxe Hospital Hotel and then relocate to your village to enjoy your wealth, never to be heard of again.

Join the PDP. This one is a sure banker. As a member of the greatest party in the history of Africa, you will be given a credit-card to spend Nigeria’s oil wealth. If you

your wife and marry a fourteen-yearold “Suzie” befitting your new status.

You have arrived as one of Nigeria’s celebrated rich men. But keep your eyes on the ball. Don’t get distracted or carried away. The enemies of Mr. President must always remain your enemies.

Start a mega-church This one is pure genius. Peradventure you lose your job or fall on hard times.

Don’t go into depression. Just start a church. Make it a purpose-built church. Think of something that men need.

Tell them you have the

anointing to provide it. Tell them whoever wants to be a billionaire should come to your church. Start a few of your messages with “Thus says the Lord.”

Then teach your congregation the everlasting principles of sowing and reaping.

Make sure they understand that if they really want God to bless them financially, they first have to give you as much money as possible. Create a special prayer group for millionaires and billionaires. That way, if they get any new government contract they will attribute it to the efficacy of your prayers and credit something big into your bank account. Tell everybody to give you their “first-fruits.” That is a code word for their entire January salaries.

Then come up with imaginative offerings to collect, such as “prophet’s offering,” (you, of course, being the prophet); “Father, Son and Holy Ghost offerings;” “Jesus will do it offering.”

Very soon, you will be flying your own private jet to preach your gospel in Ilesha; you will be wearing white Armani suits and jerry-curling your hair; you will be collecting gate-fees for new years’ eve services; billionaire thieves and robbers will be queuing up to see your private-secretary on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. In short, you will be living large. For good measure, you will also be slapping demons out of poor bewitched damsels with impunity.

Become a mule

T

here is high demand for this job.

There are many politicians and men of timber and caliber looking for mules; men who can keep stolen money for them, or smuggle it to safe havens abroad. This is a highly lucrative job because for every ten billion naira you smuggle, you can pocket one billion. Don’t get greedy and come to the conclusion that you can make off with the entire loot. That is a sure way to have assassins on your tail. Before they kill you, they will first break your legs. If you are caught while smuggling money abroad, you can easily escape and come back home dressed as a woman. Then you can get a national merit award.

If you are a mule for a president or a governor, you are set up for life. You will get 24 hours military protection so that no petty thief can come near you.

You will get to travel all over the world.

You will get free medical check-ups, so that you don’t just fall down one day and die. That would be disastrous, especially if your sponsor does not know exactly where you kept his loot, or if he does not have the password to the secret account you opened for it in the Bahamas in the name of Ali Baba.

Obituary I remember the story of a former Nigerian Head of State who allegedly kept a billion dollars with a mule.

Then the mule had a stroke. Every effort was made to get him to say just a few words, namely the number of the account where the loot was stashed; but to no avail. After a few months, the man died. This “national” calamity has prompted the review of the conditions of service of mules. There are now two new, strictly prohibited, clauses. Mules must not have strokes, and under no circumstances should a mule presume to die. If he does, his generations yet unborn will suffer for it.

(P.S./N.B. If you have perfected other Nigerian approaches to quick wealth than these, don’t hesitate to let me know. I promise to keep the matter strictly confidential.)

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013 Everyman has the right to decide his own destiny, and in this judgement there is no partiality.

– Bob Marley, from lyrics of Zimbabwe, a song, and an album dedicated to Zimbabwe at independence in April 1980 THE crowd of over 100,000 that packed the Rufaro Stadium, Harare, on 18 April 1980, was full of expectations for the new country. When Bob Marley hit the song, Zimbabwe, tears rolled, the drums pelted to new rhythms, the guitars strummed, and the crowd went into frenzy. The lyrics could have been lost on everyone.

President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari donated $15 million to Zimbabwe. Part of the money was used in training Zimbabwean students in Nigerian universities, their government workers in the Administrative Staff College Of Nigeria in Badagry, and their soldiers in the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna.

The expectations evaporated quickly. Edgar Zivanai ‘Two Boy’ Tekere, the ZANU-PF Secretary General, largely seen as a major challenger to President Robert Mugabe, invited Bob Marley to that performance. Marley’s music inspired the guerrilla fighters during the battles

BY TOCHUKWU EZUKANMA

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N his article: "The bitter truth about the Igbo", Femi Fani-Kayode spectacularly exhibited his ignorance, narrowmindedness, xenophobia and a penchant for lying. The three part article is a shameless convulsion of Nigerian history, brazenly, skewed against the Igbo. It is tendentious rubbish, just a piece of trash that should be consigned to the dustbin.

The first part of his article, a rambling outburst on who owns Lagos, is some nonsensical rhapsody. He wrote, “Lagos and the South-West are the land and the patrimony of the Yoruba and we will not allow anyone, no matter how fond of them we may be, to take it away from us or share it with us in the name of being nice, patriotism, one Nigeria or anything else.”

At some other point, he wrote, “One Nigeria, yes, but no one should spit in our faces or covet our land, our treasure, our success, our history, our virtues, our being and our heritage and attempt to claim those for themselves simply because we took them in on a rainy day.”

These are emotional hyperboles that make no sense. Who wants to take Lagos and the South-West from the Yoruba? Who is spitting in the Yoruba face and poised to dispossess them of their “treasure, success, history, virtues, being and heritage?” Secondly, if the Yoruba can live, work and invest in other parts of Nigeria, that is, “share” other parts of Nigeria with their indigenous owners, why would Nigerians from other ethnic groups not be able to live, work and invest in Lagos and South-West.

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Zimbabwe Decides Its Destiny to liberate Zimbabwe. Tekere, a founding member of ZANU PF, was a colleague of Mugabe’s in the guerrilla war that they organised from Mozambique.

His disagreement with Mugabe was early and he lost his position as Minister. Another Mugabe ally Lt-Gen Lookout Masuku, commander of the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army, died mysteriously in 1986, four years after he was accused of planning to overthrow Mugabe.

“Who is Mugabe to declare Tekere a hero? Noone in the current party’s (ruling) politburo qualifies to deliberate on the heroism of the late,

great nationalist Tekere,” Enos Nkala, a coZANU founder, asked at Tekere’s funeral which Mugabe did not attend.

Other modern fathers of Zimbabwe like Joshua Nkomo, Bishop Abel Tendekayi Muzorewa, Ndabaningi Sithole, Canaan Banana have long fallen out with Mugabe.

Zimbabwe’s 13 million people wallow in the scourge of Mugabe, who at 89 has won a seventh tenure. Age may be the only thing that would stop him from beating the 42-year record of Gabon’s Albert Omar Bongo, who only death, at 71, separated from power.

About 85 per cent of its population, 11.05 million, is under 64 years old. Mugabe is the only president that more than 90 per cent of the population knows.

Zimbabweans would be under worse pressure to find leaders when Mugabe expires. Cote d’Ivoire is still in turmoil, 21 years after Felix Houphouët-Boigny, its first president who ruled for 33 years. Mugabe is running Zimbabwe into a futile future that would unveil when he is gone.

It is up to Zimbabweans to decide their destiny, just as Bob Marley sang 33 years ago, and everyone danced in exhilaration.

OPINION Rebutting Fani-Kayode's anti-Igbo slander He falsely stated that the Igbo introduced tribalism into Southern Nigerian politics with the speeches made by Charles Onyeama in 1945 and by Nnamdi Azikiwe in 1948 to the Igbo State Union in which they said that with time, “the Igbo will dominate Nigeria and lead Africa”. He also lied that it was the Igbo “We own everything”, “We must have everything” and “We must control everything” that led to the alienation of “the Yoruba from them and the establishment of the Action Group (AG) in April 1951.

Ethnic blustering in pre-independent Nigeria was not limited to Igbo politicians.

Ahmadu Bello and Obafemi Awolowo were known to have blurted some ethnic and religious bluffs. Interestingly, these periodic ethnic bombasts did not deepen or widen the tribal fault lines. And Nigerians, at least, Southern Nigerians remained politically indifferent to tribe, as they mostly revered and admired Nnamdi Azikiwe, the great Zik of Africa and the leader of the National Council for Nigeria & Cameroons (NCNC).

Not surprisingly, in the election to the Western Region House of Assembly in December 1951, the Yoruba voted overwhelming for the NCNC. The NCNC, an Igbo dominated political party, defeated the Awolowo led political party, Action Group, in the Yoruba region. Was that not a powerful proof that politics in Southern Nigeria, and even, Nigerian, as of then, was detribalised and that the Yoruba were not estranged from the Igbo?

With that electoral victory, Nnamdi Azikiwe was to be the Premier of the Western Region.

To forestall the emergence of a democratically elected Igbo as the Premier of the Yoruba region, Obafemi Awolowo, in a monumental act of tribalism, engineered a cross carpet and stole the premiership of the Western Region from Azikiwe. It was that Awolowo’s tribalmotivated political sleight of the hand that introduced tribalism in Nigerian politics. Up till that point, the dream of the Nigerian founding fathers that any Nigerian, irrespective of his ethnicity, can contest political office, win elections and serve in any part of the country was still alive. It was Obafemi Awolowo who killed that dream.

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emi Fani-Kayode rightly stated that the Yoruba “were producing lawyers, doctors, accountants and university graduates, at least three generations, before the Igbo”. According to him, the Yoruba produced their first university graduate in1875 and the Igbo produced their first in 1935. But it is barefaced falsehood to write that “and they (the Igbo) have been trying to catch up with us (Yoruba) ever since” Less than twenty years after the Igbo produced their first graduates, they caught up with the Yoruba and overtook them in business and the professions, and the Yoruba joined some other ethnic groups of Nigeria in whining and whimpering over “Igbo domination”. Essentially, by 1966, the Igbo held sway over Nigeria with their disproportionate representation in all the

key areas of the Nigerian public and social life.

An Igbo dominated group of army majors (four Igbo and one Yoruba) carried out the first coup in Nigeria. But the coup was not in any way a tribal coup. The majors were actuated by an idealistic, but somewhat warped, vision for Nigeria and driven by their ill-disgested dosage of socialist doctrines. Fascinatingly, and also, attesting to the non- tribal character of the coup, the coup plotters were ideologically sympathetic to Obafemi Awolowo, who was, then, after being convicted of treasonable felony, wasting away in jail. According to some apocryphal sources, their plans included releasing Awolowo from jail and installing him as the prime minister of Nigeria.

That, as the dust settled, three of the most important Hausa/Fulani leaders laid dead and no Igbo leader was killed, sowed the seed of distrust among the different ethnic groups and further aggravated the problems of Nigeria. However, only an impulsive lair could have written, as Femi Fani-Kayode did, that, in addition to killing these leaders, they (the coup plotters), “in some cases, mocked, tortured and maimed them before doing so, took pictures of their dead and mutilated bodies and killed their wives and children as well”. There was no wanton, indiscriminate or vengeful killing in the January 15, 1966 coup. *Mr. Ezukanma, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013— 19

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Right from the beginning, the structure of the polity was hostile to republicanism in Nigeria; this is why the civilians have been easy victims of coup d’etats and this is why good civilian government cannot be the antidote to military rule

Will President Jonathan address the challenge of legitimacy in Africa? (2) Continues from last week ENERAL T. Y. Danjuma’s observation that there is yet to be a government in Nigeria that the people can defend is the thesis addressed in that Presidential Address. We propose that President Goodluck Jonathan make as his agenda for the present and the future the laying of the foundation on which can be instituted "The Government That Can Be Defended By The People of NigeriaA Democratic Republican Government".

The following quote from the 1988 address serves an executive summary of the seven and halfpage address.

“If we are to truthfully confront the history of our existence as an independent national society, we cannot escape the implications of the fact that under the present conjunction of forces and interests that a planning of alternate futures for Nigeria

must begin with an acknowledgement of the place of the Nigerian Military in our political process. This is all the more important because we have presented ourselves to the world and its comity of nations as a Republic. The preponderance of the Military in our politics therefore brings to the fore its relationship to the Republic. We often forget that the opposite of the Military in any Republic is not the civilians or politicians; that military rule in a republic is not the opposite of civilian rule by politicians. The dominance of the military in a republic implies the collapse and or underdevelopment of republican institutions.

The inter-play of military and civilian forces in this sense describes the collapse or underdevelopment of republicanism in Nigeria.

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It is, therefore, not surprising where our political history and discourse have been structured and articulated in terms of military-civilian incumbency of government, that we have been unable to build solidly the foundation of republicanism in Nigeria and to comprehend fully the character of Nigerian government itself.

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he result has been an unfortunate, if not tragic dichotomy, of Government versus The People. Government has been severed from its base and exists on presumptions. This is why General Danjuma arrived by a wrong path of reasoning to a correct conclusion.

Yes, General Danjuma is correct

The bitterness of Femi Aribisala

BY AKIN AJOSE ADEOGUN

A

GREEK proverb warns: "don't hear one and judge two". This sensible aphorism would appear to have been ignored by Mr. Femi Aribisala in his article of August 21, 2013, in which he bitterly assailed the contribution, character and person of the late Chief R.A. Fani-Kayode in the following terms : "....Like father, like son: That was 48 years ago. Today, Femi Fani-Kayode, the 53year-old son of 'Fani-Power,' continues in the mischievous tradition of his father: throwing dangerous missiles at the innocent.' " Furthermore, the said Mr. Aribisala also made what I thought were wildly inaccurate and dangerous statements about the true nature of Nigeria's federalism.

I first had the opportunity of meeting the late Chief R.A. Fani-Kayode when I joined the law firm of Fani-Kayode and Sowemimo sometime in 1990. I found him to be a man of elegance and great charm.

Though, he was in semi-retirement and hardly ventured out to the law courts at the time I got to know him, it was, nevertheless, obvious that he possessed an acute analytical mind, a profound knowledge of the law and was very meticulousness in his approach to solving a legal issue. This was, without doubt, the consequence of an extremely fine intellect which had been refined by a first-rate legal education. I thought, however, that this superlative approach was undermined somewhat by the belligerence and biting sarcasm of his forensic style. In the discharge of his professional duties to his clients, he displayed a high degree of commitment, determination and discipline, which he also expected from his juniors, to who he made himself very accessible.

A legal scholar of Downing College, Cambridge University (like his illustrious father before him), he took his M.A. in 1945 C M Y K

- barely missing a first, he was third on the list in the law tripos - and the LL.B. (which was a masters degree in law at Cambridge), in 1946. A prizeman of the Middle Temple, he was called to the English Bar in 1947. He rapidly rose to become one of the great commanding figures at the Nigerian Bar by 1960. Sir Olumuyiwa Jibowu, desiring to take him out of politics, had offered him an appointment to the High Court Bench in 1957. In recognition of his abilities, Chief Fani-Kayode was conferred with the rank of Queen's Counsel in August 1960, making him the third Nigerian to be so honoured Chiefs H.O. Davies and F.R.A. Williams had earlier taken silk in 1958.

While the late Chief R.A. Fani-Kayode's legal attainments are generally regarded as incontrovertible, his political career has been the subject of some controversy. His political career can be divided into two phases: First, the period between 1954, when he first entered Parliament, and 1959, when he, as official A.G. candidate for Ife, lost his seat to the late Chief Michael Omisade, who, though he ran as an independent, had the support of the then Ooni of Ife, the late Sir Adesoji Aderemi, who, ironically, was an inveterate A.G. supporter. Sir Adesoji was at this time involved in a bitter feud with the late Chief Fani-Kayode who was also the Chairman of the Ife District Council. The quarrel arose as a result of differences over the running of the affairs in the District. Till his death, Chief Fani-Kayode believed that Chief Awolowo betrayed him and covertly worked to ensure that he lost to Omisade.

Prior to this, there had been what was primarily a personality clash between both men. From this clash arose Chief FaniKayode's bitter resentment of Chief Awolowo and the A.G. This explained his political conduct from 1960.

Whilst he was in the AG Chief FaniKayode contributed immensely to the

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when he opines that we may never enjoy democracy in our life time.

Yes, he is correct that we are yet to have a civilian government we can defend. He is correct because no civilian government can be defended by the people because civilians, even where elections are not sheer exercise in fraudulent practices, operate an anti-republican government.

He is correct beyond his own calculation. Government so long as it is anti-republican, whether it is good military government or excellent civilian government cannot be defended by the people.

The reasons for this is because Government, as it is instituted, is animated by the spirit of colonial rule and authority! Government as it is instituted in Nigeria is Colonial and not Republican.

This is the true contrast. The contrast of military versus civilians, good military versus bad civilian governments are false contrast with real implications.

What was papered over through the euphoria of independence was the takeover of the powers of the colonial government; the state, economy and society as instituted under colonialism were not changed. What changed was the administration and administrators of these structures.

Thus, whether the First Republic civilians had been more or less democratically selected, whether or not they and their successor had been more patriotic than they were judged to be, so long as independence was administered as change of incumbents of a colonial structure of economy and

In the discharge of his professional duties to his clients, he displayed a high degree of commitment, determination and discipline, which he also expected from his juniors

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organisation and expansion of that party into other regions, and the forging of its political alliances, particularly in the then Benue and Plateau provinces of the Northern Region. His work, and that of others, assisted in transforming the A.G. into a powerful nationalist movement which played a central role in the struggle for independence.

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t this material period, he was idealistic, a nationalist and a progressive who emphasised militant Black racial pride (which culminated in the publication of his book Blackism in 1960), which pre-dated the Black Power Movement of the 1960s in the U.S.A.. During this period, he also nurtured the Youth Wing of the A.G., which he also moulded into a militant organisation. He was arrested at least once and arraigned before Magistrate F.O. Lucas on account of the violent activities of some members of this organisation who took direct action against British businesses. He was also the Assistant Federal Secretary of the A.G., and in that respect played a pivotal role, with the Federal Secretary, the late Chief Ayo Rosiji, in the organisation and administration of the A.G. He, along with Chiefs Awolowo, S.O. Ighodaro, E.O. Eyo, Adeyemi Lawson and S.G. Ikoku, represented the A.G. at the 1957 London Constitutional Conference.

governance, in time the spirit of colonial autocracy would destroy the emerging spirit of republican democracy.

Right from the beginning, the structure of the polity was hostile to republicanism in Nigeria. This is why the civilians have been easy victims of coup d’etats and this is why good civilian government cannot be the antidote to military rule; indeed this is why section 2 of the 1979 Constitution was a piteous and normative affirmation of Nigerian republicanism”.

The agenda of laying the foundation of republican democracy in Nigeria would create a new political progressive constituency-the present so called progressives, Awoists, Aminu Kano followership, Labour, ASUU, pro-democracy civil society will be uncomfortable together under any other one umbrella; such an agenda identifies what the military are and what must be changed to transform them into republican democratic Armed Forces of Nigeria.

It provides the new INEC their mission statement and strategic objective. Right now all they have as an aim is to deliver a fair and free election under the present structure of government, economy, society and the state.

Stability and security will remain problematic as long as we ignore the fact that since slavery and colonialism all hierarchical arrangements with attached class privileges are intrinsically non-traditional and are therefore products of improvisation of problemfraught legitimacy.

Concluded

Chief Fani-Kayode also represented the A.G. as its counsel at the proceedings of the Minorities Commission, headed by Sir Henry Willink, between 1957 and 1958. He, along with Chief F.R.A. Williams, Mr. Justice Fatayi Williams and Chief T.A.B. Oki, representing the government of Western Nigeria, employed their considerable legal abilities at the various sittings of the Commission around the country, as they vainly sought - in the face of narrow-minded and selfish opposition by the N.P.C. and N.C.N.C., which was abetted by the hostility of the British colonial authorities - to argue the government of Western Nigeria and the Action Group's brief, which advocated the creation of more regions, in order to grant the right of self-determination to the Minority ethnic nationalities; to protect Minority rights and preserve the integrity of the ethnic nationalities; and to achieve the creation of an authentic federation where one of the regions (i.e. the Northern Region) would not be larger in area and population than the others put together, in a cynical attempt to ensure that that region could thereby bend the Federal Government to its will and thus dominate the entire country in perpetuity.

This enlightened brief which sought to ensure an equitable and suitable form of political association for a Nigeria of mutually distrustful and antagonistic ethnic nationalities with often divergent aspirations and interests, would, without doubt, have secured for us a finer quality of national life and prevented the past and present tragedies which continues to afflict this nation on account of the deliberate failure to address the "ethnic nationalities question." The valiant attempt by Chief FaniKayode and his colleagues pre-dated the present struggle - by the Resource Control Movement and those clamouring for the creation of an authentic federation - to renegotiate the terms of our association by about 42 years.

Continues tomorrow on pg 18 *Mr. Ajose-Adeogun, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

20— Vanguard ,

TUESDAY TUESDAY,, SEPTEMBER 3 , 2013

channels and gutters to allow free passage of water. But for this preemptive action, the downpour would have been more devastating. Affected by the resultant flood were areas such as Wunti-dada, Gombe road, Bayara, Railway,Kofan-rame,federal locust, Bakin Kura, among others.

Addressing residents during his visit to the affected communities, Gov Yuguda who was accompanied by the Commissioner of Health, Dr. Sani Malami and the Commisioner of Works and Special Duties, Alhaji Bappa Azare, enjoined them on the need to keep a healthy environment in order prevent flooding. He also ordered the State Tipper’s Association and the youths in the state to clear-up all the drainage channels and gutters to avoid blockage of water passage.

Later in the day, Yuguda addressed a press conference at the Government House, Bauchi where he warned residents of state living along river basins to relocate in order to avoid further loss of lives and properties.

*Community sacked by flood in Bauchi. INSET: Motorcycles and tricycles wading through a flooded road

Rage of residents over ravaging flood

Recurring flood disaster

•As state government embarks on remedial intervention

B

AUCHI State, it would appear, is still battling to come to terms with the lives lost and property destroyed during recent flood incidents in the state.

Many residents of the state, especially those living in the rural areas were forced to abandon their homes to seek refuge elsewhere, even in unpleasant places.

Precisely on August 15, 2013, there was a heavy downpour that lasted for several hours in the state. The resultant flood affected several households as many buildings collapsed and properties were destroyed.

The talking point for now is the confirmation by the State Management Agency, SEMA, that the flood resulting from the heavy downpour early this month claimed the lives of a nine-yearold girl and three women. SEMA Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Inuwa Bello, who visited the affected areas in the state said farmlands and houses worth N76 million were destroyed and the worst affected in Bauchi are Alkaleri,Zaki and Bogoro local government areas.

One of the residents of Bauchi metropolis, Hajiya Aishatu Mohammed Shekal, said flood has continued to ravage the area

C M Y K

for more than two decades. According to her: “We have drainage, but it is too small; so government must come and expand it, even if it will affect some houses, we don’t mind. Whenever the flood comes, we cannot sleep because the water can reach up to the chest of a man. It has destroyed properties worth millions of naira”.

Another resident, Garba Abdullahi, lamented that the constant flood in the area has led to poor harvest of crops as well as collapse of his house. According to him: “I have suffered extreme loss of my properties and farmland each time there is flood in this area. The flood here has made my crops to die, so I have to plant two times in a year, sometimes three times. It has also made me to lose valuable properties”.

Destruction of houses In another development, over 60 houses and properties estimated to be worth more than N2 million were destroyed at Gurmo village in Itas-Gadau Local Government Area of the State. The rain, according to residents, lasted till the following morning, causing damages and destruction on many houses in the village.

Although the state government has disbursed over N400 million to victims of flood disaster across the state to cushion for their predicaments, many of the victims are still counting their losses which they said no amount of money can ever compensate them. The problem of flood in the state which has lasted for years remains a constant

concern to the state government against the backdrop of the resulting severe erosion and outbreaks of epidemics.

It would be recalled that the 2012 flood disaster that hit many parts of the state left many residents homeless and also deprived them of their sources of livelihood. The situation was worse for those who also lost their dear ones. It was an experience that has continued to haunt them. Going by last year’s weather prediction of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Bauchi State was among the states listed as being vulnerable to flooding this year. To this end, the state government was advised to put measures in place to forestall the occurrence of flood disaster.

But the State Governor, Isa Yuguda, had on several occasions reiterated the commitment of his administration to ensure the protection of lives and properties, especially from the devastating effects of flood. Hear Yuguda: “When I was re-elected as Governor of the State, I swore an oath that I will ensure the security of lives and properties. If I fall short of this responsibility, when I die, God will ask me of the souls that were lost in my administration without due process of the law.”

As if to back his words with action, Gov Yuguda only recently visited several communities in the state that were ravaged by flood.

Before the commencement of the Sallah celebrations, government had through the state sanitation emergency agency, mobilized residents of the state to clear-up drainage

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BY SUZAN EDEH, BAUCHI

He lamented over the recurring flood disaster over the years in the country with unwarranted toll in human lives apart from those rendered homeless and deprived of their sources of livelihood.

According to Gov Yuguda: “The devastating effects of flood in the state last year can only be imagined. That is why we are warning people to avoid constructing fences along the water pathways because the water gets trapped without any passage and can lead to collapse of buildings. People should also ensure that the clear-up their gutters and drainage so that water can have an easy passage. We should use the resources at our disposal to secure our lives and properties, instead waiting for disaster to strike”.

A visibly emotional Yuguda who expressed sympathy for those who lost their lives and properties during the heavy downpour, urged the Federal Ministry of Works to urgently embark on the construction of the Kafin-zaki dam to advert more flood disasters in the state.

Whenever the flood comes, we cannot sleep because the water can reach up to the chest of a man; it has destroyed properties worth millions of naira

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Lamenting the paucity of fund to address sectors in dire need of attention, he disclosed that his administration had nevertheless budgeted the sum of N25 million for the construction of drainage.

He advised that people should imbibe the policy of self-help in order to avoid depending entirely on the state government, saying: “The population of Nigeria is growing at the rate of ten percent annually and unfortunately, the resources and services we have are overstretched because we have not expanded our revenue resources”.

The state government further intensified the sanitation of the state by declaring a two-day work free for civil servants in the state to participate in clearing drainage and water channels.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013 — 21

Money laundering: FG begins assessment of financial sector

By MICHAEL EBOH

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HE Federal Government has commenced an assessment of the financial sector to determine the threats and vulnerabilities of the country to money laundering and terrorism financing.

Speaking at a regional training programme for financial and regulatory institutions on the revised Financial Action Task Force recommendations, organized by the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa, GIABA, Ms. Juliet Ibekaku, Director, NFIU and GIABA National Correspondent of Nigeria, said on its conclusion, the National Risk Assessment, NRA, on money laundering and terrorism financing threats and vulnerabilities, will ensure that weaknesses in Nigeria’s AML/CFT regime are brought to light and effective policies and measures taken to address such deficiencies.

Ibebaku, who was represented by Mr. Daniel Iseye, an official of the NFIU, the assessment is done through the collaborative efforts of the NFIU and other stakeholder institutions, and in compliance with Recommendation 1 of the revised standards.

She lamented the recent

VISIT: From left: Former President, Chartered Institute of Stockbroker ((CIS), Mr. Michael Itegboje; Registrar, New York Institute of Finance (NYIF), Currie Marcia; Executive Director, Market Operations and Technology, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Ade Bajomo; MD/CEO, NYIF, Mr. Patrick Fitzgerald and President, Chartered Institute of Stockbroker ((CIS), Mr. Arinyo Olusekun, during a courtesy visit to the NSE. sanctions meted out to an international subsidiary of a Nigerian bank, saying such penal actions by a foreign country on a Nigeria bank do not bode well for the image and rating of Nigeria.

According to her, this becomes particularly troubling considering the

forthcoming FATF Regional Review Group on-site visit to Nigeria.

She said, “The laws and regulations have placed very important obligations on reporting entities which include reporting requirements under Sections 6 &10 of the Money

Laundering Prohibition Act, MLPA 2011. Under Section 9 of the MLPA 2011 as amended, reporting entities must train employees, and build strong Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) infrastructure in their systems.”

FG, private sector partner to revitalise oil palm industry T

HE Federal Government has promised to work with stakeholders in the oil palm value chain to grow the sub-sector in line with its Industrial Revolution Plan. Mr Olusegun Aganga, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, made the promise at a meeting with the Plantation Owners Forum of Nigeria in Abuja.

Others associations at the meeting were the National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria and Vegetable and Edible Oil Processors Association of Nigeria. Aganga said that the ministry would partner all the stakeholders in the industry to develop holistic and integrated policy that would fast-track the

growth of the sector.

“No nation has developed from being a poor to a rich nation by relying heavily on producing and exporting its raw materials without a vibrant and robust industrial base and services sector. Our country is blessed with abundant human and natural resources to become a great nation especially given the ongoing transformation and reforms being carried out by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

“In order to diversify and grow our economy through industrialisation we have already developed and begun the implementation of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan”.

Aganga said the plan had

identified strategic areas where Nigeria had comparative advantage such as agri-business. He said that that the NIRP placed high premium in converting raw materials into finished products through value addition.

The minister said the ministry was partnering the manufacturing sector to remove barriers to increased productivity in order to increase the capacity utilisation of the real sector for job and wealth creation.

“We are committed to providing a conducive environment to support the growth and development of the industrial sector.

The meeting with the coalition of stakeholders in the oil palm industry value chain afforded us the opportunity to

appraise the problems militating against achieving the full potential of the sector. We are ready to partner all the stakeholders to resolve the issues raised,” he assured.

Mr Fatai Afolabi, the Executive Secretary, Plantation Owners Forum of Nigeria, had earlier solicited for the assistance of the ministry in industrialising the sector.

Afolabi said that stakeholders in the industry were ready to key into the Industrial Revolution Plan of the Federal Government in order to move the sector forward.

“For the past 20 years, this is the first time for us to get the opportunity of meeting a sitting minister in charge of industry despite all our efforts.

“Customer due diligence is very vital for an effective AML/CFT regime in the country, accordingly, Section 3 of the MLPA as amended has expanded the requirements on the implementation of customer due diligence policies by reporting entities.

“Juxtaposing all of these obligations are provisions on protection for reporting in good faith, requirement for confidentiality and a plethora of penalties for failure to act in the interest of public good. These penalties range from monetary fines, terms of imprisonment or even revocation of licenses.

“The implication of not having a strict CDD programme is huge as we saw recently in the monetary sanction handed down on GTbank UK a subsidiary of GTbank Nigeria.”

Continuing, she said, “We are glad to note that all sector regulators are reviewing their AML/CFT regulations in line with the recent amendments in the MLPA 2011 and TPA 2011 and it is hoped that these updated regulations would be of immense value to reporting entities.”

22 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER

3, 2013

Matters arising from investors’ complaints

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

S

INCE it debuted February this year, Investors Forum has been receiving complaints from investors on a weekly basis. The subjects of these complaints are very revealing in terms of the plight of investors, in the Nigerian capital market, especially the retail investors.

While these complaints reveal that there is huge interest to invest in the capital market among retail investors, they are however usually the victims of fraudulent operators, and weak regulation in the market. It is easy to attribute their plight to the problem of ignorance, it is also obvious that these investors wish to know and learn, but the market seems not interested in educating or enlightening them. Why? The focus is on the wholesale and institutional investors. Why spend time and commit resources to educate people with shallow pockets when you can make all your money by clinching the patronage of one or two institutional investors. That is why retail investors are treated with contempt, not only by operators but also by regulators. This attitude is however due to the ignorance

MEETING:

From left: President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), Alhaji Garba Ibrahim Gusau; Group Head, SME, Heritage Banking Company Limited, Bayo Ogunusi and Member, Board of Trustees, Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, Ubadigbo Okonkwo, at the NASME General Meeting, in Lagos. of the fact that it is these retail investors that provide stability to the market. Unlike the big investors, they are usually long term investors; they are not traders but investors. They don’t pull out of the market at every sign of crisis. They stay because they are there for the long haul.

It is quite understandable if stockbrokers, registrars ignore and treat retail investors with contempt. Stockbrokers make money from buying and selling hence they are more interested in trader investors.

Those who want to buy today and sell tomorrow, which is what the wholesale and institutional investors do. The regulators however are supposed to protect investors, especially the small ones. To make sure that operators don’t take advantage of their ignorance, and vulnerability to defraud them. The regulators of the Nigerian capital market would claim they are doing this, but the several complaints received

by Investors Forum reveal the opposite.

For example, it is so glaring that 70 per cent of retail investors don’t even know about the regulators in the market, or any of the institutional framework where they can get redress. Be it the Securities and Exchange Commission (the apex regulatory body), the Nigeria Stock Exchange, or the Institute of Capital Market Registrars (ICMR), very few retail investors know about them. This is so because the regulators are making little or no efforts to enlighten these

investors about their existence, and the help they render to them.

The regulators may argue that it is not so, but that is the reality on the ground. Compare this to what is happening in the banking industry. Some time ago, the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), the organisation established to protect depositors’ money in banks, realised that there is low public awareness about it, and its role. This was because depositors of liquidated banks were not coming to collect their money. To address this, the corporation among other things, introduce a week long, annual awareness programme. It was tagged, Deposit Protection Awareness Week, which involves visitation to major markets across the country, traditional rulers, press conference, fliers/sticker and billboard advertisements. All just to make sure that bank customers know that there is an organisation protecting their bank deposit. This kind of effort is glaring lacking and urgently required from capital market regulators. But that is if and only if, they are indeed sensitive to the plight of investors.

(To be continued next week)

Top 10 performing stocks

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

O

n the top ten performing stocks last week were Jos International Breweries Plc, JIB, A.G Leventis Plc, Prestige Assurance Plc, Vono Products plc, UBA Capital Plc, Eterna Plc and DN Meyer Plc. The rest are University Press Plc, Livestocks Feeds Plc and PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc.

Jos Int Breweries, which led the pack of other gainers in the week, gained 60.11 percent or N1.10, rsing from N1.83 at the beginning of the

inactivity since 2009.

However, it is undergoing restructuring exercise to commence full operation. As part of the on-going restructuring exercise, the Plateau State government recently assisted in paying off N700 million debts it owed one of the local banks. The 2009 financial statement, the last so far, showed 61.07 percent decline in revenue from N524 million to N204 million. It recorded loss before tax of N431million and loss after tax of N432 million, while working capital was in negative position of N1.3 billion as at the time.

A.G Leventis’ stock price

week to N2.93 per share. The stock has emerged top on the gainers chart for three consecutive weeks. The company has not made any financial statement public in the last four years following

rose by 20.57 percent or N0.29 from N1.41 to N1.70. It is one of the oldest surviving listed entities on the NSE. The

company has large business interests spanning foods and beverages, automobile, general trade, power, appliances and merchandise.

With several decades of operations, several subsidiaries, foreign ownership and control and hundreds of thousands of shareholders, AG Leventis has become a household name in Nigeria. The 2012 financial statement, however, showed a declining trend as the gross profit dropped by about 11 percent in 2012 as against an increase of 36 percent in 2011, while profit before tax declined by about 21 percent in 2012 compared with increase of about 30 percent in 2011

Prestige

Assurance

gained 20 percent or N0.11 from N0.55 it started the week at to N0.66 at the end of the week.

After s u c c e s s f u l

recapitalisation in 2007, Prestige Assurance currently operates as a subsidiary company of the New India Assurance Company Limited, Mumbai, with the later holding 51 percent equity stake in Prestige Assurance.

It has 59 years history of successful operations in general property, oil and gas and aviation in Nigeria and is also a key player in the general insurance industry.

shares of Vono Nigeria.

The acquisition was a long-term strategic investment meant to decide the future of the ailing Vono Nigeria. The nine months financial statement for the period ended September, 2012 showed that revenue stood at N525.88 million, while it recorded loss after tax of N4.80 million within the period.

Vono Products, listed

UBA

among stocks performing below the NSE’s post-listing rules for its failure to render its six months financial statement for March, 2013, advanced by 19.75 percent or N0.16 capital appreciation from N0.81 to N0.97. Vitafoam Plc had in 2010 acquired 21.44 percent equity stake in the company through purchase of 64.32 million ordinary shares out of the 300 million total outstanding

Capital

appreciated by 13.01 percent or N0.16 to close at N1.39 from N1.23; DN Meyer advanced by 10 percent or N0.13 from N1.30 to N1.43; University Press went up by 9.76 percent or N0.40 from N4.10 to N4.50; Livestock Feeds rose by 9.46 percent or N0.37 from N3.91 to N4.28, while PZ Cussons recorded eight percent or N2.80 gains to close at N37.80 from N35.00 per share.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013 — 23

INVESTORS SPEAK

Telcos, others require more incentives to list on NSE

BY WILLIAM JIMOH AND EDIRI EJOH

B

oniface Okezie: I think beyond calling on companies to be listed on the exchange, both the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) should be able to create an enabling environment for oil companies to list. It is not only about mere pronouncement for them to come and list, and not only about the listing fees that will be paid.

They must also take time to find out the challenges the already listed companies are passing through. We have a lot of oil companies like Oando that are listed today, what is their stake in doing business, their shares are declining on daily basis. We have the Total of this world, Mobil, Conoil, Eterna Oil and others; I think they must be assisted by the regulatory authority to have an environment that is conducive for doing business.

The regulator needs to define the criteria for listing the foreign companies properly. The companies would want to know if listing on the Exchange will not impact them negatively will their equity continue to go up or the reverse will be the case?

You must also declare terms on when they should come and when they can leave. We want them to come and list including the MTN, Etisalat, and Globacom which is an indigenous conglomerate operating in both oil and telecommunication. What

I think is stopping those companies from coming to list on the exchange is the fact that the environment is not favorable enough for them. The regulator therefore should join the minority shareholders in our plead to the government to provide a conducive environment both for the already listed companies and for those that are yet to be listed on the exchange most especially those that are doing business in the country.

As stated earlier, those companies will also want to look at what is happening to their competitors that are already listed on the exchange and see whether they are doing well or not.

By listening, at the end of the process, you want the fees to be paid, so there must also be level playing ground, they should be able to see that one particular set of companies are not to be favored at the expense of others operating in the same market.

There must also be total transparency, and honesty in the operation of the market, and these are things they should be saying and urged to come into the market. (Mr. Boniface Okezie, President of the Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria)

Pastor Williams Adebayo

P

astor Williams Adebayo: That

is one issue I think now than before, should be given priority in the market, if possible, legislation should be put in place to mandate all the big companies doing business in the

Boniface Okezie

country which are not listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

If our legislators can do this for us, we as minority shareholders will be very happy. And beyond our satisfaction with such a step, the presence of this market will also boost the growth we are experiencing in the market today as well as contribute to the growth of the Nigeria economy, thereby making the country a destination for higher attraction to foreign investors to invest.

Like we all know the telecommunication sector is the fastest growing business in the country today, thus if the service providers are listed, it will certainly better the market and the ordinary man can buy their shares and make some profits.

Aside the telecoms, there are some big oil companies among others doing business in the country that are not listed, consideration should also be given to these areas too because they are all areas of potentials that need to be exploit.

A company like Promasidor that is making good strife in the Nigerian market, whose products are virtually in every part of the country should have no excuse for not listing. And when this happen, they will be able to compete well with other companies in the health care division where Nestle is currently dominating. And if the competition (Pastor Williams Adebayo is the President Greenwich Shareholders Association of Nigeria)

COMPLAINTS AND INVESTIGATIONS No dividend from Access Bank I want to complain of the stock I bought at Access Bank. Till today I have not receive any dividend. Please how do I go about it? (Titilope Odupaye) Investors Forum Please contact the registrar of Access Bank. The company is United Securities. The contact is United Securities Limited 10, Ojikutu Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. Telephone: 012714566 or 01-2714567) I want to sell part of my shares and GTBank. But I don’t have a CSCS account, and neither I am able to determine the total bonus. Please how can you help?

(Akinola J.A) Investors Forum This implies that you still have the shares certificates. You will need to first dematerialise the certificates, meaning put them in electronic form, and deposited in a CSCS account. This may take some time but without doing so, it would be almost impossible to sell the shares. To achieve this you need the services of a stockbroker.

Visit the website of Nigeria Stock Exchange (www.nse.com. ng) for list of registered stockbrokers.

I am yet to get the money invested in Trade Bank IPO I told you how I bought Trade Bank Shares and it closed down in 2005.

Money was refunded to some investors, but mine was not. Please help me.

Investors Forum Please send a complaint to

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or and copy vanguardinvestorsforum@gmail.com.

If there is no response from SEC after three weeks. Send a reminder to us, and we would take up the matter. The address of SECOND is: SEC TOWERS, Plot 272, Samuel Adesujo Ademulegun Street, Central Business District P.M.B:315 Garki Abuja Email: sec@sec.gov.ng No dividend from AP & Benue Cement I am a shareholder of African Petroleum and Benue Cement co.

Please how can I receive my dividend through my bank accout. For some years now I have not get any dividend.

(Aterezi O. Isaac) Investors Forum Visit the registrars of the companies, and tell them you want to register for electronic dividend. African Petroleum is now Forte Oil and its registrar is Zenith Registrars Limited. The contact is Plot 89 Ajose Adeogun Street.

Victoria Island Extension, Lagos. Tel: 234-1-2708930-4.

E-mail: enquiry@zenithregistrars.com. Also Benue Cement has been acquired by Dangote Cenment. The registrar of the company is Afribank Registrars Limited. The contact is 2A Gbagada Expressway, Anthony Village, Lagos.

P.M.B.12021 Lagos. Phone: +234 1 2691867, 2692094, 7735963; Fax: +234 1 2692019 Complaint against Stock Investment Limited I gave my share certificate to my stock brokers called Stock Investment Limited for dematerialisation since

2008. He gave me CSCS statement in respect of some of the shares but could not give me in respect of my Guiness Nig Ltd, Nigeria breweries, First Bank and Oando. He pays me dividends from his office in respect of these shares. My problem now is that I want CSCS statements in respect of these shares. He trades on these shares without giving me anything. Please advise me. (Bar G A Ukpebor)

Crown Caps?

Who are the registrars of Avon Crown Caps & Containers (Nig) plc? (Barr.

Eboh Patrick)

Investors Forum We could not find any stockbroking firm called Stock Investment Limited.

But there is one called Century Stock Investment Limited. We hope that is the name of the stockbroking firm otherwise, you might have been relating with a fake stockbroking firm.

However, we advise you to visit the Central Securities Clearing System, and search for the account created for you. This is to ascertain that the broker is even telling the truth. If the search produces negative result, send a formal complaint to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). If there is no response from SEC after three weeks, send a reminded and copy vanguardinvestorsforum@gmailcom.

The contact of SEC is SEC TOWERS, Plot 272, Samuel Adesujo Ademulegun Street, Central Business District P.M.B:315 Garki Abuja Email: sec@sec.gov.ng. The contact of CSCS is Central Securities Clearing System Plc, 1st floor Stock Exchnage House 2/4 Customs street Lagos or info@cscsnigeriaplc.com or 07025768449

Is First Bank delisted from the stock exchange?

Please is First Bank shares delisted from stock exchange? Since 2010 I placed order requesting my broker to purchase First Bank shares for me ,and she gave reasons that they have not resume trading and my money is still hanging. I need advice

Who are the registrars of Avon

Investors Forum The registrar is BOI Investment and Trust Company Limited. The contact is 23, Marina PMB 12855 Lagos Tel 01-2715215 Email: info@boitc.com

COMPLAINTS AND INVESTIGATIONS Do you have any challenge with your investment in the stock market or with any company (stockbroker, Registrar Company etc), write to vanguardinvestorsforum @gmail.com OR send text to 07043855187. We will INVESTIGATE AND REPLY

24—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

Tax: NASME, NASSI urge govts to exempt petty traders

Unilever produces first millionaire in Lux promo

T

W

WO associations in the organised private sector in Lagos have appealed to state governments to exempt or reduce the taxes being paid by petty traders.

The appeal was made by the Lagos Branch of National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) and the Lagos Branch of the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI).

They made the appeal in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.

Mr Eze Ubiji, Chairman of NASME, said that petty traders could no longer pay taxes since their businesses had been weakened by poor infrastructure. According to him, payment of tax is a civic responsibility, but most businesses, especially the small ones, are groaning under unfavourable working environment.

“Tax payment is adversely affecting the businesses. We need to wait until there is a visible improvement in basic infrastructure and the ease of doing business before petty traders can pay tax,” he said.

Mr Segun Kuti-George, Chairman of NASSI, told NAN that it was a challenge for petty

traders to pay tax as many of them did not even have shops.

“The hiccups faced by small scale enterprises have been worsened because most of them are yet to get the intervention funds promised by the

government.

“Capturing them for tax payment will only deplete the impact we want to see in the empowerment of the poor through the SMEs. It is the responsibility of every citizen to pay tax, but the Federal

Government should urgently upgrade the country’s infrastructure,” he said. He urged the federal and state inland revenue services to implement more of their plans to improve the business environment.

From left: Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State; Deputy Governor, Mrs Titi Laoye Tomori and Managing Director, Omoluabi, Sam & Sara Garment Industry, Abere, Osun State, Mrs Folake Oyemade during the commissioning of Sam & Sara factory in Abere, Osun State powered by Bank of Industry.

Russia’s Global Ports buys container terminal firm, NCC

L

ONDON-listed Russian ports operator Global Ports has bought domestic rival National Container Company (NCC) in a deal worth almost $1.6 billion, becoming one of the world’s top 20 container operators.

Global Ports said the deal to buy NCC would enable it to streamline its business and capitalize on Russia’s robust container market, which grew 7 percent between January and July, one of the fastest rates globally.

“The result of this transaction will be a bigger, stronger, more profitable company with a very comfortable level of leverage, continuing to pay very tangible dividends,” CEO Alexander Nazarchuk told Reuters in a telephone interview.

Under the deal, Global Ports agreed to pay $291 million in cash, as well as new shares amounting to around 18 percent of its own enlarged share capital, worth around $360 million as of Friday’s close.

Together with the assumed net debt of NCC, which owns container terminals and a dry port in the St Petersburg area, the total value of the deal is worth about $1.56 billion.

The takeover had been in the works for some months.

The deal was backed by Global Ports’ main shareholder, APM Terminals, the ports arm of Danish shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk, which bought a 37.5 percent stake in Global Ports a year ago from holding company N-Trans.

“Russia is a very important strategic market with long-term natural growth due to strong fundamentals, natural resources, a growing middle-class and the increased containerization ratio we expect to see,” Kim Fejfer, chief executive of APM,

said on the same call.

The containerization level - a ratio of the number of containers per capita - is low in Russia at 41, compared to 93 for Turkey, a level of 132 for the United States and 168 for the European Union.

Verizon agrees to $130bn Vodafone deal

V

ERIZON Communica tions Incorporated agreed to acquire Vodafone Group Plc (VOD)’s 45 percent stake in Verizon Wireless in a $130 billion transaction that gives it full control of the most profitable U.S. mobile-phone carrier.

The deal has been approved by both companies’ boards and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2014, according to a statement today.

Verizon will pay Vodafone $58.9 billion in cash, financed with credit from JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bank of America Corp., Barclays Plc and Morgan Stanley. The company also will issue $60.2 billion in stock to Vodafone shareholders.

The acquisition ends a 14year partnership and will let Verizon collect all the future

profits from the wireless unit while allowing Vodafone to exit a business whose dividends and operations it didn’t control. If completed at $130 billion, almost Verizon’s entire market value, the deal would be the biggest since Vodafone’s acquisition of Mannesmann AG in 2000.

“It’s the best-run wireless operator in the U.S., and by some measures maybe the best-run wireless operator in the world,” , an analyst at Moffett Research LLC, said on Bloomberg Television before the agreement was announced.

For Vodafone Chief Executive Officer Vittorio Colao, 51, the deal helps shore up the company ’s finances as he tries to revive European businesses hurt by the region’s

debt crisis. As part of the transaction, New York-based Verizon will sell its 23 percent stake in Vodafone’s Italian unit back to Vodafone for $3.5 billion.

The agreement brings to a close years of attempts by Verizon and Vodafone to resolve their relationship. In March, reported the companies had discussed options ranging from a buyout of the venture

by Verizon to a full merger of the two carriers.

Verizon, which currently owns 55 percent of Verizon Wireless, hasn’t paid out consistent dividends to the venture’s partners. That has meant Newbury, Englandbased Vodafone couldn’t determine the amount or timing of an important source of its cash.

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

ITH 1.5 billion con sumers globally, Unilever Nigeria Plc’s Lux gold search consumer promotion tagged: Gold Search, has produced the first N1million winner as the promo enters its second month.

Speaking at the prize presentation in Lagos, Vice –President, Operations, Unilever Nigeria, Mr. Anil Gopalan, while describing the promo mechanics, said, gold coins have been inserted in limited quantities of the Lux beauty soap.

“As regards this promotion, customers are expected to go out and buy Lux and stand a chance to find the gold coin to win instant prizes of N1million for 5 winners; $1,000 for 30 winners; Blackberry Q10 for 20 winners; 10 washing machines; dinner tickets and other consolation prizes”. The promotion runs throughout Nigeria and winning entries have been planted strategically in each region of the country to ensure winners emerge from each region,” he said.

“Since the launch of Lux in 1925,” He said. “It has been the choice of over 1.5billion users per day; our course is to make our consumers superstars; that’s the reason behind the usage of super stars like Genevieve Nnaji, Munachi Abe as celebrity endorsements.

Spronks optimistic of market growth

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

O

RGANISERS of the Ni geria International Wine & Spirits Fair, NIWSF, Spronks Creations Limited, said it is optimistic that the Wine and spirit market will grow in value and volume in the next few years.

The Managing Director of Spronks, Mrs. Aderonke Sobodu said this while addressing newsmen prelude to the 3rd edition of the fair that will hold in November 2013 with more than 30 exhibitors from over 14 countries expected from Spain, South Africa, United State of America, Argentina, Chile, Italy and France.

The fair with the theme: Toast to Life, will feature a wide variety of wine, spirits and other alcoholic beverages, along with wine accessories, equipment and related services and training including other luxury products. There will be daily Wine Tastings, Wine Master Class Training, Mixology Room, VIP Cocktail Lounge and Valet Parking arrangement with live jazz music, outdoor games and other side attractions.

Vanguard , TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013—25

By Theodore Opara

••The Explorer SUV

Our commitment to Nigeria stronger than ever — Ford •Announces 33% sales increase

F

ORD Motor Company has declared that its commitment to the Nigerian auto market is stronger than ever, just as it announced a 33 per cent sales increase in Nigeria, last week. Eugene Prinsloo, Ford Motors Senior Manager, Sub-Sahara Africa, (SSA), who led other senior Ford management team to Nigeria, said at a press parley at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos that Nigeria is a very significant market in Ford’s sub-Sahara Africa region and accounts for a solid chunk of its regional sales.

According to him, sales in Nigeria grew more than 40% from 2010 to 2011 and 8 percent from 2011 to 2012 despite overall challenges in the Nigerian auto industry.

Continuing he said, “So far, we have recorded continued growth in our performance with a 33 percent increase in sales.

Sales are up by 44 percent through July compared with the same month in the previous year’s total sales through July were 2,156 units compare to1,617 units sold during the same period in 2012.”

C M Y K

Prinsloo further explained that remarkable growth in sales was led by the high demand for the Ford Ranger pickup, Explorer SUV, Edge Crossover, Focus and Fusion sedans.

“These vehicles sales account for 78 percent of overall sales” he said, adding that their continued growth and stability in sales can be attributed to their strong dealers’ network.

Promising that they will con-

tinue to strengthen their dealers’ parts and service department, Mr. Prinsloo said that they were still seeing great results from the full line of vehicle choices available in their new product lineup.

According to him, part of their efforts to give customers the best service in Nigeria was when in 2012, Ford launched its extended warranty programme tagged the ‘Extended

Service Programme, ESP’. The first of its kind, the ESP is offering customers free aftersales service of up to four years or 120,000km, whichever comes first through both of Ford’s dealer. He disclosed that currently, Ford operates 30 outlets including showrooms and service centres throughout Nigeria through its dealers, BriscoeFord Motors and Coscharis Motors.”

According to him, “In the near future, Ford would be launching and establishing the EcoSport as a new, credible

small urban SUV focusing on design, smart technologies and affordability. The EcoSport is a nameplate that exemplifies the DNA of Ford’s global vehicles and is a step forward in our One Ford strategy of producing best-in-class vehicles that take the lead in quality, technology, safety, fuel efficiency and design.” Our vision is to establish EcoSport as the most desirable small SUV in its segment.” “We expect to see continued growth in the market as we move forward with plans to launch new products in key market segments, increase customer satisfaction with increased service outlets and parts availability, strengthen our connections and communications with consumers, increase our community involvement and overall presence in the market.”

BKG plans big for 15th Abuja motor show T HE organiser of Abuja annual mo tor show, BKG Exhibitions has said that it is planning big for this year’s Abuja Motor Show, slated to hold from October 22 to 30, 2013, at the Eagle Square.

Mr. Ifeanyi Agwu, Managing Director of the BKG Exhibitions hinted that this year event is the 15th edition and a landmark in the history of the show.

“If we remember how we started and where we are today, you will agree with me that we have come a very long way in making the show big event that has become a household name in Nigeria.

He recalled how only few brands

showed up at the first edition but noted that could not deter them from carrying on with subsequent edition this until Landmark edition.

According to him, part of the highlights of this year ’s event include a Transport Summit to discuss how to move the transportation industry forward, an award night for participants and players who have distinguished themselves in the industry and a fashion show and cultural events to liven the event.

The Managing Director also noted that they were looking forward to having the Vice President of Nigeria, Na-

madi Sambo to declare open the fair, given the fact that the fair has come to stay and has become recgonised internationally. For business too, we are not leaving anything to chance. We have started making contacts with both the private the corporate visitors to ensure a large turnout during the fair.

The BKG boss further stated that the company will soon announce some changes about the fair.

“We will soon announce a total strategy for the event. We want it to become a major event in Africa whereby the auto companies will come and support their representatives in Nigeria,” he said.

26—Vanguard , TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

By Theodore Opara

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, van with luxury car characteristics S

•Sprinter

PRINTER, this name ordinarily should have been given to a fast road going car but Mercedes-Benz has chosen to give it to a van. Certainly, Mercedes Benz must have its reason for the name.

The Sprinter comes in different configurations including passenger bus, pick-up, and panel vans etc. The new Sprinter which Weststar Associates, Mercedes-Benz representatives in Nigeria recently launched into the market, offers a wide range of models and with over 600 items of optional equipment, the largest number of variants in its class, meets the most diverse and

\The Cockpit of Sprinter specific requirements.

According to the German auto maker, the Sprinter is a van that handles like a passenger car.

With the optional 7GTRONIC 7-speed automatic transmission, the new Sprinter is the first and only van in its class to offer the smooth running characteristics and ride comfort of a passenger car.

The innovative 7GTRONIC PLUS technology increases the shifting efficiency of the transmission and so contributes to its low fuel consumption.

This must have informed why the van has remained a market leader since its launch in the international market.

More than 2.2 million units are on the road currently and its outstanding position has been confirmed by the numerous awards it has garnered since its first introduction in 2005.

The Sprinter is more than a vehicle and can always be relied on. It is known above all for its outstanding operational reliability which gives users the freedom to concentrate fully on business activities. It offers the best in terms of reliability, quality, safety, flexibility, economy, sustainability and service. In Nigeria, the Sprinter ’s outstanding qualities are backed up with a two-year warranty for commercial vehicles.

For all new models ex factory of the Sprinter, there is twelve-year rust-

though warranty as well as a comprehensive twoyear commercial vehicle warranty. This two-year warranty holds good for mileage of up to 200,000 km and is also granted for commercial use.

With fuel consumption of 7.0 litre 100km, the 7GTRONIC 7-Speed automatic transmission, a wide range of equipment options as well as new safety packages and BLUE EFFICIENCY package, the new Sprinter is no doubt ahead of its time.

The new Sprinter with its numerous attributes, has become the yardstick for measuring a good van as it can be adapted into many applications.

Spacious and ergonomic, innovative and superior, Sprinters interior design meets th most exacting standards of functionality, quality and comfort.

The new generation telematics, the optional multi function steering wheel with chrome inserts, the new design shift/ slector lever and new ‘Tunja’ standard upholstery are complemented by many other interior appointments and equipment items which increase driving comfort and enhance the overall efficiency of your working environment.

The Sprinter is available in diesel and petrol engine versions. The petrol engines include the M271E 18ML which churns out 115kw (156hp) and M272 E35 which delivers 190kw (258hp).

•Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Panel Van C M Y K

Vanguard , TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013—27

By Theodore Opara

Hyundai Nigeria illuminates Miss West Africa beauty pageant H YUNDAI Motors Ni geria again re-enacted her corporate responsibility culture when it donated a brand new 2013 Hyundai Accent car to winner of the 2013 Miss West Africa Nigeria – Queen Globe beauty contest that took place at the Grand Hotel Asaba Delta State.

Mr. Jatin Nadkarni, head, sales and marketing, Hyundai Motors Nigeria Limited who presented the car keys to Miss Olumiluwa Yemi, winner, Miss Globe 2013 contest said: “Hyundai

was inspired by the standard of the contest which drew contestants from different parts of the country.”

He described Hyundai as a uniquely designed brand for the young-atheart and with exclusive adroitness, poise, elegance and boldness archetypal with world class beauty pageants.

“We are indeed excited to be part of this contest – not because we are keen on selling our cars but because of the passion and commitment of our youths towards improv-

ing the society they live in.” Also in his remarks, Prince Vincent Odinigwe, CEO, Real Point West

African Limited, Hyundai authorised dealership in Warri – Delta State said “We are proud to be

associated with the youths particularly because of their potential as leaders of tomorrow. Hyundai

feels honoured whenever it sees a pageant of international repute drives in Hyundai car.”

British govt hails Lagos rail project

T

HE British Govern ment has commended the Lagos State Government for the implementation of the Blue Line (OkokomaikoMarina) rail project with a promise to bring to the attention of British investors opportunities available in Lagos especially in the transport

sector.

British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Peter Carter, stated this during a visit to the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) and a tour of the rail project under construction.

Expressing delight on the pace of work done so

far, the British envoy said “one of the things I’ve learnt from this visit is that there are lot of opportunities for British companies to get involved here. This is the message I will take away with the aim of encouraging British companies to look seriously at this project and the opportu-

nities more widely in the city of Lagos.”

He expressed delight at the pace of work on the light rail describing it as an impressive project.

Mr. Carter commended “the engineering behind it (rail project), the strategic plan which underpins it and the expectation that this is going to help Lagosians move around the city more easily and perhaps crucially take traffic off the road.”

The Deputy High Commissioner promised that the British Government would continue to support developmental projects which would positively impact citizens of developing countries to make them more productive for the benefit of their economy.

He disclosed that the British Government had been making contributions behind the scene to the rail project.

“In terms of British involvement, we are already involved through the Department for International Development (DfID). We make significant contributions behind the scene through the financing of the provision of technical expertise,” he stated.

The Director of Public Transport, LAMATA, Engr. Gbenga Dairo who conducted Mr. Carter round the project said the rail project which would be constructed in phases was designed to significantly reduce congestion along the LagosBadagry corridor, improve public transport provision and use and stimulate development along that axis He said the state government was already considering extending the construction from the National Theatre to Marina to bring total length constructed during the current phase to about 11 kilometres. The Blue Line rail project spans a distance of 27 kilometres all together.

It is one of the seven rail projects planned for the city of Lagos and is one of the rail lines that constitute the spine of the city rail network.

28—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

*Lekki-Epe Toll gate

Mixed feelings trail termination of Lekki-Epe road deal * It will scare away potential investors —Experts * Govt gets plaudits from road users

By JUDE NJOKU

“

Good afternoon; thanks for your enquiry. LCC has no comment at this time. Should we consider it necessary, we will issue a public statement in due course. Regards”.

That was how Mr. Charles Imevbore, who heads the Communications and Commercial department of Lekki Concession Company, LCC, responded through a text message, to our enquiry on why the 30-year concession the company had with the Lagos State Government to upgrade, expand and maintain the the 49.63 kilometer EtiOsa-Lekki-Epe Expressway, was terminated.

Indications that something had gone wrong with the concession emerged in January this year when the Lagos State Government stopped LCC’s planned commencement of tolling at Conservation Toll Plaza, located after the Chevron Roundabout on the everbusy expressway.

The death knell finally sound last week, when amidst a flurry of complaints of high tolls and long queues at the Admiralty Toll Plaza, the Lagos State Government announced the termination of the concession agreement. The termination came seven years after the commencement of the 30-year agreement between the state government and LCC, for the upgrade, expansion and maintenance of the road estimated to gulp N50 billion.

Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Ayo Gbeleyi who was one of the brains behind the concession during his tenure as Special Adviser to the Government, said the termination became necessary to protect the C M Y K

common road users who were paying exorbitant fares.

His words: “As provided for in the concession agreement between the parties, the concessionaire, LCC, can increase the toll tariff based on the inflation rate in the country, among other things every quarter. The risk is that when an agreement was reached between two parties to negotiate on a contract, whatever the year, one cannot envisage the entire challenge that will arise later. The dynamics of the Lekki project did not envisage that there would be devaluation of the country’s currency, between 2008 and 2013 from N118 to N160. This impacted on their cost which they will attempt to pass to the common man on the street, because of the inflation adjustment.

“For instance, if the state government had not come up with this plan last July, the concessionaire would have

increased the toll fee for cars from N120 to N144 while drivers of SUVs will have to part with N180 as against the N150 cost they are still enjoying. This is because the concessionaire would have added 20 percent. The government felt that this would be difficult to push to the residents at this time. And of course, at every anniversary, it was meant to go up by the inflation rate plus five percent. And we should not forget that this is the first Public Private Partnership, PPP, agreement reached by the state government.”

While the termination has received plaudits from aggrieved road users, built environment experts who spoke to Vanguard Homes & Property weekend, posit that the termination would send a scary signal to foreign and local investors, that investments in Nigeria are not safe.

A Lagos-based Civil Engineer, Mr. Afolabi Adedeji explained that the revocation, coming on the heels of the revocation of the concession granted to Bi-courtney to construct the Lagos Ibadan, would send a dangerous signal to investors that Nigeria is not a place to invest in.

“If the LCC people have been 'dropped’ at this time, so closely on the heels of what the Bi-courtney Consortium is experiencing with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, (apart from the Lagos -Ibadan Expressway), it will send obvious scaring signal to investors. We have lost yet another opportunity to test how a model of public private partnership, PPP, will work in our favour in Nigeria,” he said.

Recalling the hiccups encountered in nd getting private investors for the 2 Niger Bridge at Onitsha, Adedeji warned: “We should be very careful; these terminations are getting too frequent. If we are not careful, we will make Nigeria a no-go area who foreign and local investors who would have borrowed money from banks with the aim of making some profits.”

Recalling a statement credited to the Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola when he was the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in Lagos State that the state requires N40 billion annually to maintain its roads network, Adedeji insisted that “there is no free launch any where” hence people should be prepared to pay for driving on good roads.

Adedeji who claimed that Lekki residents are not poor, however pointed out that they (residents) are asking for social justice and a system that makes payment of tolls less cumbersome.

The new Chairman of the Lagos State branch of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, Pastor Steven Jagun, aligned with the sentiments expressed by Engr. Adedeji.

He called for transparency in the handling of government business.

According to Jagun, if transparency was maintained from onset, there would be no reason to terminate contracts/ concessions when they have been signed. He posited that the termination of the concession on the Eti-Osa- LekkiEpe expressway, could “make investors to be wary.”

FG spends N1.63trn on 223 highway projects

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU & ALICE FESTUS

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HE Federal Government has committed a staggering N1.63 trillion on 223 on-going highway projects spread across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

Similarly a total of 333.71km of roads have been rehabilitated in the first half of this year while 172.64km new roads have been constructed between January and June this year.

The Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Works, Dr. Abukakar Muhammad made the

disclosures during the visit of the Peer Review Team led by the Head of the Service of the Federation, Alhaji Bukar Goni-Aji. The team was made up of eight Permanent Secretaries in tandem with decisions reached by the Body of Permanent Secretaries to constantly review the performance of the MDAs in the country.

Alhaji Mohammed told the team that out of the Ministry ’s 2013 capital budget of N141.48billion, it received the sum of N42.088billion as at the end of the second quarter of this year.

He further added that out of the total sum released to the Ministry, it had

expended N41.5billion representing 96.54 per cent utilisation.

“While 25 highway projects are currently undergoing procurement process under the 2013 budget, two projects along Enugu- Port- Harcourt Expressway are awaiting the approval of the Federal Executive Council,” he said.

He assured the team and Nigerians of government’s determination to change the face of the country’s road sector. According to him, “priority attentions were now being placed on some arterial roads across the six geopolitical zones of the country.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013—29

NIS tasks new fellows on integrity, entrepreneurial skills

By KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

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—Works Minister

By KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

M

INVESTITURE: From left: Dr. Abdullahhi Umar, Deputy Governor of Kano State who represented the state governor, Musa Kwankwaso and President of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, Mr.. Bode Adeaga, during the 2013 Investiture of Fellows of the institution in Abeokuta, Ogun State. workshop organised by the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria recently, adding that lessons learnt would be taken down the hierarchy of leadership through courses to be organised for current and future leaders.

NIS boss further enjoined the new fellows to increase their entrepreneurial skills in the

,

RESIDENT of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, NIS Mr. Bode Adeaga, has challenged the newly inducted fellows of the institution be worthy and exemplary leaders in all ramifications such that the profession, their communities and the country at large would continue to benefit from their services.

Adeaga who gave the challenge last week in Abeokuta, Ogun State, at the investiture of the new fellows of the professional body, also enjoined them to be more careful in whatever they do.

24 practiticing surveyors who have distinguished themselves in the practice of the profession across the country were elevated into the body of fellows in an elaborate ceremony Justifying the admission of new members into the Board of Fellows of the institution, he said the exercise was to inject fresh minds, bodies and ideas into its fold, pointing out that the 24 new fellows were made up of brilliant and accomplished lady and gentlemen who have been found worthy after going through the rigorous screening exercise instituted by the institution.

Adeaga, maintained that the institution would continue to reach out to members of the public in the drive to create positive relevance and partnership in the development of the nation. As a strategy to improve leadership, he explained that the institution had participated in a leadership development and strategic change management

giant strides he has made in promoting surveying profession in Kano State.

Also, past presidents of the institution and fellows were honoured for their sustained contributions, while encouraging them to continue their selfless service for the growth of the profession.

Elated by the honour, one of the inductees, who is the

The NIS boss enjoined the new fellows to increase their entrepreneurial skills in the society for the growth of the profession

society for the growth of the profession.

One of the highlights of the event was the Award of Honorary Fellow of the institution bestowed on Governor of Kano State, Rabi Musa Kwankwaso for the

,

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in Ogun State, Mrs. Aderonke Adeyokunnu, said, “ I feel humbled to be one of those inducted into the cadre of fellows of the institution. As

you can see, I am the only female, so this gives me honour and I am grateful to God.” She enjoined the upcoming professionals to be more dedicated and diligent, saying if they are committed, they will be identified in the midst of crowd.

The new fell ows of include: Mr. Akintola Olufemi, Innocent Egbuh, George Osifeso, Kehinde Isijola, Oba Adetunji Osho, Yashi Usman, Olufemi Ojo, Ranti Osoko, Adebayo Ogungbe, Joe Anosikeh, Igo Assembly Goin, Bassey Akpna and Chief Rasheed Obayanju.

Others are Mrs Aderonke Adeyokunnu, Mr. Pius Chukuemeka, Professor Francis Okeke, Badamasi Tahir, Abiodun Agbeyo, Akinyemi Olatunde, Sunday Eka, Idiku Uche, Chimezie Lawrence, Kayode Odedare and E. B. Awudu.

Kogi, UN-Habitat sign MoU on development of selected cities

BY JUDE NJOKU(WITH AGENCY REPORTS)

K

OGI State has signed a memorandum of understanding MoU, with the United Nations Human Settlement Programme, UN-Habitat for the development of a city structure plane for selected cities and towns in Kogi state.

The agreement which was signed in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi by the Kogi State Deputy Governor Mr. Yomi Awoniyi and UN-Habitat Deputy Executive Director, Dr. Aisa Kcyira, will see a to better integrate physical, spatial and social aspects of the state.

The MoU, will also seek to C M Y K

Firms should contribute 5% pre-tax income to infrastructure sector

improve the quality of water and sanitation in major cities of the state as well as developing waste management for the state.

The agreement is aimed at improving the understanding of urban law and norms and their relationship to institutional structures leading to empowered local authorities able to efficiently guide and manage urban development.

Vanguard Homes & Property learnt that the MoU will further aim at developing safe cities to address social inclusion, improved integration, mobility and connectivity and better service delivery.

It will also seek to develop

an urban observatory programme to address the state-wide base of urban knowledge to support the government, local authorities, non-governmental organisations and civil society in applying policy-oriented urban indicators, statistics and other urban information.

Meanwhile, the UN agency has kicked off the search for this year’s winner of the world’s most prestigious human settlements award. UNHabitat’s Executive Director Dr. Joan Clos announced the call for entries for the award, winners of which are expected to be announced on World Habitat Day on 7 October 2013. The award

presentation ceremony will be held during the closing of the 7th session of the World Urban Forum, to be held in Medellin, Colombia, on 11 April 2014.

“Individuals,organisations, initiatives and projects are eligible to be nominated for their achievements and best practices in innovation, impact and sustainability in the following areas: urban legislation, land and governance; urban planning and design; urban economy; urban basic services, housing and slum upgrading; risk reduction and rehabilitation; and urban research and capacity development,” Dr. Clos said in his statement.

inister of Works, Mike Onolememen has called for the amendment of the Company and Allied Matters Act to allow companies to contribute 3–5 per cent of their pre-tax income into an Infrastructure Development Fund, IDF. Onolememen spoke during the 2013 International All Africa Youth Reunion/Camp which held in Abuja over the weekend where he delivered a goodwill message.

He noted that, Nigeria like many other African countries has a huge infrastructure deficit.

According to him; “The infrastructure deficit is large and exists in almost every sector. For the road sector alone, we have estimated that in order to adequately support economic growth at current rate and meet vision 20:20:20; we need to be investing on the construction of at least 14,000 kilometres of new roads annually for the next 7 years. These will require the average annual expenditure on roads to increase sevenfold to nearly 750 billion.”

Arc Onolememen while listing oil-for-infrastructure scheme as one strategy of financing infrastructure development (currently being adopted in Angola), he called for collaboration between the executive and legislature arms of government so as to take Nigeria to the next level.

The Minister of Works also buttressed the relevance of Public Private Partnership in pushing infrastructure development in the road sector as he disclosed that; “studies have shown that the level of traffic on many roads in Nigeria can provide adequate returns to investors.”

“User pays principle will inevitably see its way into the infrastructure sector if we are to attract private investments in the development of infrastructure. Evidence has shown that Nigerians are prepared to pay for good service. We must continue to innovate and build sustainability in our quest to bridging the huge infrastructure gap in our country and continent.”

30—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

We’re surmounting LASU’s infrastructure decadence —VC

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

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ITH the number of completed and ongoing infrastructural projects aimed at giving the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, a new face amongst the comity of universities in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa, one would conclude that the crisis-ridden university is heading towards its best of times.

This assertion is premised on the commitment of the Vice Chancellor, Prof.

John Obafunwa to transform the 29 year old institution into a citadel

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of first choice.

On assumption of office in November 2011, some skeptics doubted if Obafunwa had the administrative-know-how and magic-wand to transform the university which was adjudged a glorified Secondary School into an ivory tower where high standards would be set in terms of academic and infrastructural uplift.

In less than two years, many are beginning to sing a new song given a recent stock-taking exercise and tour of facilities by newsmen. They were conducted

round by the Vice Chancellor and other principal officers of the university. The visible projects include: the new School of Transport Building; the seven-storey Senate Building; fourstorey Central Library; a twin Lecture Theatre at the Faculty of Law; new Faculty of Sciences Complex; the three-in-one Lecture Theatre in the Faculty of Education and LASU Radio Building.

Other ongoing projects in the

LASU academic building under construction university are the ultra modern Students’ Union Arcade building; new Faculty of Sciences Complex; Teslim Elias Law Library and a deep drainage system. Expressing optimism over the commitment of his administration to ensure all

ongoing projects and others to be earmarked later are not abandoned, Obafunwa said: “Our team has continued to work assiduously to set high standards in qualitative education, through effective teaching, research, administrative competence and technology, as well as provision of infrastructures and teaching facilities in order to add value to the image and dignity of our prestigious university. In the last one year and eight months, some of the achievements of the University in terms of provision of infrastructures and learning facilities are an ongoing seven-storey Senate building, whose phase one is about 50 per cent complete a month ago; an ongoing four-storey New Central Library, which will be completed 18 months from now, according to the site Engineer; new Faculty of Science Complex, which is almost completed with mechanical and electrical installations ongoing.”

Obafunwa who was twotime Provost of the University’s College of Medicine, LASUCOM, Ikeja said his administration completed the Teslim Elias Law Library Building, already in use and which was commended by the accreditation team of National Universities Commission, NUC, when they visited in December 2012. “With our persistent efforts, LASU-Law, which was de-accredited in September 2010 along with 16 others, were reaccredited in March this year. Our School of Transport Building is completed, with its connection to the National grid remaining; there is an ongoing twin Lecture Theatre in Law Faculty; an ultra modern Students’ Union Arcade Building, almost completed; LASU Radio, which currently enjoys National Broadcasting Commission, NBC licence will be completed six months from now and we also have an ongoing construction of drainage system around the university to combat the menace of flooding,” he revealed.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013—31

MOKOLA FLYOVER:

Ajimobi’s spin doctors exposed •The N3bn Mokola flyover at Ibadan...during its commissioning

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HE much trampled people of Oyo State woke up on a certain morning to the saddening report that some disgruntled members of the opposition in the state had connived the night before to destroy the precious and (in) famous Mokola flyover. Naturally, for a city that has been a political capital of the most sophisticated south west of Nigeria for close to a century now, but which was only provided such an architectural feat a few months ago, there was a sense of outrage.

Unfortunately as usual, the government of Alhaji Abiola Ajimobi, once again, seized the opportunity of an unfortunate incident to score cheap political point as well as cover up a shame that will accompany top hierarchy of the regime long after they would have been ignobly kicked out of office. On that innocent morning, Special Assistant to Governor Ajimobii on Media, Festus Adedayo, through a press statement entitled: “Ibadan Flyover barrier demolished” accused the opposition of having made real, an earlier threat to pull down the barrier. He added that government was in receipt of security report that some political thugs were being commissioned by the opposition to demolish the flyover.

Coming on the heels of frantic demands by some patriotic citizens of the state for the administration to come clean on the apparently over bloated amount being bandied as cost of the flyover, it was easy to decipher where the insinuations were directed at. Of course, for an administration desperately seeking sympathy as a diversionary strategy for its frivolity, lack of accountability a n d flagrant LANRE OGUNDIPE disregard for due process and value for money, it was an opportunity to heap the blame for a badly executed job on some phantom opposition members. Since it would be a shame to admit that something slightly bigger than a tricycle (a Tata minibus) was responsible for the shattering of a project that cost a whooping N3 billion, the Alaparutu Peoples’ Convergence (APC) must see the absent finger of its opponents in the destruction, otherwise, tax payers would be outraged.

Well, Adedayo, quoting a certain C M Y K

Kayode Adepoju, Special Adviser on Infrastructure had told the world that the administration was in procession of some security reports, which blamed the opposition for damaging the barrier on the flyover before the minibus hit it. The question to ask these spin doctors is: who prepared the security reports?

Spokesperson of the state command of the Nigeria Police, DSP Bisi Ilobanafor, shortly after, issued a comprehensive report on the damage. According to her, “the barrier over the Mokola, Ibadan Flyover Bridge has been pulled down by a Mini-Tata vehicle which hit the barrier today (Tuesday). A tricycle

his team. However, the electorate should remain the masters and deserve to be treated with dignity and decorum. It is most unfair for operatives of the government to act as if the citizenry is daft and unable to differentiate between wrong and right. Before Ajimobi emerged as governor of the state, he never spared his predecessor. At the national level, the APC has been quite strident in its criticism of President Goodluck Jonathan.

So, it should normally be expected that such a party will be tolerant of critical appraisal of its activities. Incidentally, this is not the case as the administration is completely paranoid of criticism and intolerant of opposition.

Responding to issues raised by the anchor of Splash FM personality Why did the 470 metres Mokola interview programme, former Governor Rasidi Flyover cost N3 billion while 1,056 Ladoja, had deployed his metre Flyover in Abeokuta in addition acumen as an engineer to point at perceived to another 2.4 kilometre road cost irregularities in the only N1.5 billion? contracting details of the purported N3 billion branded with NESCAFE advert forced flyover. A responsible, responsive and its way while entering the bridge from transparent administration should have Adamasingba area but on its way out become sobered by the fact that it was caught heading towards Sango area, the height in the act and not embark on a propaganda of the barrier was too low, so the driver trip to try to evade the real issues. immediately turned and headed back A simple question begging answer that forcing its way out when the barricade will forever put agitations over the N3 billion fell on the highway.” flyover contract sum is: why did the 470 Ilobanafor continued that the Mini-Tata metres Mokola Flyover cost N3 billion while vehicle driver, Olakunle Akanji, had 1,056 metre Flyover in Abeokuta in addition been arrested and detained at Mokola to another 2.4 kilometre road cost only N1.5 Police Station while further investigation billion? Why did it become so burdensome was ongoing. And to prevent other for a democratic government to explain the vehicles from being trapped as a result of the damage, the mini-Tata vehicle had been used to barricade the other end of the bridge so that, oncoming vehicle will not collide with the barricade and that the construction firm had also been contacted to ensure that the barricade was immediately replaced.

Continues from yesterday’s edition S a policy tendency, the idea of civic Diametrically entitlement, that citizens are opposed information entitled as a matter of right to certain minimum guarantees of well being and Since the police have a diametrically due process is now under threat in our opposing information on the incident to country. This must be resisted by all who that of the state government, it will be of wish Nigeria well. great interest to discerning members of Difficult as it may seem, there are many the public if operatives of the government ways to fight back. Leadership is would disclose the source of their important. We must offer support and “security reports”. These spin doctors that incentives for aspiring leaders who are pretended to be the people’s saviour genuinely committed to promoting when they were canvassing for votes in transcendental and non-discriminatory 2007 but have now been exposed for values and find ways to exact political what they are, had insinuated that the penalty for those that fail to do so. barrier was damaged the previous night The law has a role to play. We must only for the mini-Tata truck to complete review our laws and remove from them the knocking down in broad day light. provisions that penalize poverty or being As the man at the saddle, Governor different. It also time to think about Abiola Ajimobi has the responsibility to criminalizing hate speech and related steer the ship of the state together with

,

By ‘LANRE OGUNDIPE

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rationale behind the award of any contract?

The State commissioner for Information, Pastor Taiwo Otegbeye, was also a guest of Splash FM where he said compensation was paid to those whose houses were demolished to pave way for the flyover.

Well, the construction was only a recent development and it is also known that no single house was demolished save for the wall fence of the WEMA Bank. In Abeokuta, houses, shops/stalls were pulled down and the cost of compensation was still embedded in the stated contract sum with victims duly relocated. How much did the Oyo State Government pay to WEMA Bank for the fence that will justify this astronomical difference in the two scenarios?

The confusion of Oyo citizens being made hapless by their decision to vote APC was further compounded few weeks after the interview when , Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Survey, Bimbo Kolade declared that compensation was yet to be paid to any displaced person as those affected refused to present their claims. So, how do one now reconcile all the conflicting statements emanating from operatives of the same government?

As law abiding, legitimate and bona fide citizens of Oyo State, we challenge Oyo state government to come out with comprehensive list of those compensated because their properties were destroyed in the process of constructing the Mokola Flyover.

•‘Lanre OGUNDIPE is former National

Time to end open season on those who are not like us

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crimes of purveying hate.

Related to this, proprietors and promoters of electronic communities must begin to assume greater responsibility for traffic on their platforms. Agreeing a voluntary code of good practice could be a good beginning. The National Human Rights Commission can mediate this.

Pejoratives, like “beggars”, must be discouraged in our public communications.

Every person has a name and group pejoratives of this sort are themselves violations of dignity and the inherent worth of every person.

As a menu of options, this is only a beginning. There are lots more that we could do. We can at least resolve around one goal: It is time to end the open season on those who look different from us.

•ODINKALU is the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission

32—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

070 336 319 95 080 332 084 09

PIPELINE VANDALISATION... pipeline vandalisation site along LASU-Isheri Road, Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area, LCDA.

Oil pipeline vandalisation, one too many in Lagos •As Lagos condemns arrest of residents

By OLASUNKANMI AKONI & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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HERE have been several cases of oil spillages across Lagos State with attendant loss of property and lives some times.

The recent case was the incident at Arepo, in Ogun-Lagos border where oil pipeline of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, was damaged by vandals, with several lives lost in the process.

According to Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency

($10,039,065) was lost on a daily basis. According to the report, Cumulative pipeline losses due to pipeline vandalism and crude oil thefts are N134,126,921,724( $894,179,478). The report also said NNPC spent over $600 million on security during the reporting period, even though insecurity remains a major challenge to oil sector operations and is on the increase.

However, last week, residents of Aminatu Ilo Street, Ejigbo, Lagos, where oil spillage oc-

,

Oil is our national asset and we must all protect it. Nigerians should take it as a challenge for all. We all owe this country a duty to protect our national asset

Initiative NEITI, crude oil theft and sabotage are some of the many challenges facing Nigeria’s oil sector. This was highlighted in the recent NEITI audit report (2009-2011). According to NEITI estimates, federation and oil companies lost a total of N1.737trillion ($10,992,776,474) during the three years under review. The Nigerian government lost $7,518,050,277 during the period, it said N578.990 billion ($3,664,258,825) lost on annual basis, while N1.586billion C M Y K

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curred had abandoned their apartments for fear of being arrested by security agents.

When Vanguard visited the street at the weekend, it was deserted as men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, cordoned off the building where the oil was found.

Earlier, Adedeji Ogunba, the landlord of the building where the spillage was discovered in a well, his wife, a pregnant woman and other occupants were arrested by officials of NSCDC.

They were detained on the suspicion that the landlord might have dug his borehole to the level of NNPC’s pipelines which run through a section of Ejigbo community.

Similar cases of oil spillages: The recent oil spill is not the first in the area, as Baruwa Community in Alimosho Local Government Area also experienced a similar occurrence in May 2012.

Though unconfirmed report had it that there were more than 300 boreholes and wells dug in Baruwa in the past decade, the water found in those boreholes and wells are said to be contaminated with petroleum products from oil leaks Also, on July 22, and 25, 2013, consecutively, what could have been another fire explosion in Lagos, as one of the oil pipelines, with Premium Motor spirit PMS, belonging to NNPC, located at Isheri-Olofin area of EgbeIdimu, Local Council Development Area LCDA, suddenly burst and spread fast to adjourning areas.

According to an eyewitness, the pipeline ruptured at about 1pm around Iyana-Odo Bus Stop, along LASU-Isheri Road, when traders in the area sudden-

ly noticed a liquid substance gushing out of the ground that quickly spread around the entire area.

The traders saved the situation from degenerating into an inferno as they quickly cordoned-off the area to prevent any possible outbreak.

The ruptured pipeline is located around residential areas, including five estates, comprising Diamond, Iroko, Good

Homes, Unity and Home Foundation Estates.

The first day the incident happened, hired labourers were seen re-fixing the burst pipeline and scooping out the spilled PMS into a wide dug pit.

Two days after the first incident, there was panic again in the area as the repaired pipeline leaked again.

However, when Vanguard visited the site of the damaged pipe-

The underground well polluted with fuel at Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, LCDA.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

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070 336 319 95 080 332 084 09

line, the entire area was deserted. Upon inquiry, Megacityspotlight found that most of the traders had relocated, as residents slept with one eye opened.Mama Tawa, a petty trader in the area, lamented her fate, she said “We can no longer do our business here anymore due to the burst pipeline. I eke out living from selling pepper and vegetable to passers-by and residents of the estate around here. Since the incident occurred, I have been finding it difficult to meet my financial family obligations. I am a widow.”

Densely populated area One of the residents, who simply identified himself as Peter, wondered how a pipeline could have been allowed to run through a densely populated area like that.

“I think this pipeline should not be in this area. This s not a forest, this is a residential area. The government got it all wrong by allowing this to happen. Why should they approved this (pointing around) as a residential area when they knew there is a pipeline around. Government will be held responsible in the event of loss of lives and property,” he said.

Reacting to the development, spokesperson of Petroleum Product Marketing Company PPMC 2, Mr. Nasiru Imodagbe, attributed the Idimu leakage to the activities of vandals in the area.

He said; “Though, we have repaired the damaged pipeline, its pertinent for the community to take it upon themselves to also protect the pipeline, which is public asset. We have also placed taskforce on ground to police the area and bring any suspect caught to book.

“Oil is our national asset and we must all protect it.

Nigerians should take it as a challenge for all. We all owe this country a duty to protect our national asset. ”It is so unfortunate that the public fund that supposed to be channelled into other meaningful venture is being expended on repairs and provision of taskforce.”

On the allegation that the pipelines were laid in a residential area, Imodagbe said “at the time the pipelines were laid there were no buildings along the area because they were on right of way.

The pipeline was established on right of way.”

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Motorists, residents, worry over distressed bridges in Lagos

By OLASUNKANMI AKONI

•As Dopemu Bridge cries for urgent intervention

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S Lagos State Government inten sify efforts in identifying and demolishing distressed buildings across the state, there are the growing concerns over the poor state of most of the bridges in the state, which have been left for so long without any consideration for rehabilitation and maintenance.

Recently, Lagos State Transport Management Authority LASTMA, alerted both the Federal and state governments on the need to effect immediate rehabilitation on Liverpool Bridge in Apapa which had been identified to be distressed, to avert disaster. Also, residents and motorists along Ketu, Iyana-Oworo axis, have called the attention of the state government to the Alapere-Ogudu Link Bridge which requires repairs at the distressed expansion joint on the bridge.

Though both distressed bridges-Alapere-Ogudu and Liverpool- had since been fixed, many more bridges have been identified for immediate rehabilitation.

Also, two weeks ago, an alarm was raised over the distressed expansion joints on Eko Bridge, which is still awaiting intervention from Federal government..

However, last week, the cheering news broke on the first move to prevent the “catastrophe waiting to happen on Third Mainland Bridge”, when Minister of Information, Labaran Maku announced the approval of N290.745 million by President Goodluck Jonathan for a compre-

The dilapidated portion on the Dopemu-Akowonjo link Bridge. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi hensive underwater inspection of the bridge. Maku said the bridge’s integrity test, which would be conducted and com-

pleted within two months, was aimed at detecting areas on the bridge that needed maintenance.

Dopemu-Akowonjo Link Bridge alert

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OR residents, it is not yet “Uhuru” on repairs of bridges as fresh concern has been raised over DopemuAkowonjo Link Bridge along Lagos-Abeokuta expressway, Lagos, following precarious state of some sections of the bridge. There is a fast disjointed expansion joint on the right side of the bridge when coming from Akowonjo to Dopemu, along Swipha Company which is

capable of collapsing.

The side railings which could act as a stopper on both side had either been damaged by accident vehicles or removed by vandals.

The failed section vibrates whenever vehicle moves on it. “It is proper to say the bridge is unsafe.” Mr. Adeolu Alabi, a regular motorist along the axis said.

Lagos rail project receives UK boost

By OLASUNKANMI AKONI •Construction of the light rail project in progress at Orile-Iganmu axis of the state.

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F the promise of the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Peter Carter, is anything to go by, British investors will soon key into the multibillion naira Lagos Blue Line (Okokomaiko-Marina) Rail Project. This is in addition to the support of the British Government via the Department for International Development (DFID).

Lagos Blue Line is one of the seven rail projects planned for the city and it is one of the lines that will constitute the spine of the city rail network. It is being implemented on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model with the public sector leading the provision of infrastructure while the private sector, under a concession agreement, will be responsible for operations and maintenance. On completion, it is expected to move more than 400,000 passengers daily.

The rail project which is being constructed in phases was designed to significantly reduce congestion along the LagosBadagry corridor, improve public transport provision and use and stimulate development along the axis.

Carter gave the assurance during a visit to the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority LAMATA and a tour of the rail project under construction. Commending the state government on the project, the envoy promised to bring to the attention of British investors opportunities available in Lagos, especially in the transport sector.

His words: “One of the things I have

learnt from this visit is that there are a lot of opportunities for British companies to get involved here. This is the message I will take away with the aim of encouraging British companies to look seriously at this project and the opportunities more widely in the city of Lagos.”

He expressed delight at the pace of work on the light rail describing it as an impressive project “the engineering behind it, the strategic plan, which underpins it and the expectation that this is going to help residents move around the city more easily and perhaps crucially take traffic off the road.”

Carter also promised that the British Government would continue to support developmental projects which would positively impact on citizens of developing countries to make them more productive for the benefit of their economy.

He disclosed that the British Government had been making contributions behind the scene to the rail project. “In terms of British involvement, we are already involved through the Department for International Development. We make significant contributions behind the scene through the financing of the provision of technical expertise,” he stated.

34—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

Dating a married man

BY ONOZURE DANIA

If only I knew! i!

Often time, when in a state of confusion and helplessness, we may take some rash decisions.

Depending on our state of mind at the time, the decision may not be in our best interest or suitable for the situation or problem at hand. Eventually, the consequences of these decisions may turn out to be our nemesis and we find ourselves wishing we could turn back the hands of the clock.

The story you are about to read happened about 15 years ago to a young lady named Susan who I ran into a few weeks ago. Susan is the typical fun-loving, happy, working class girl from a middle-class family who fell in love with a guy who loved the skirts more.

Unfortunately, her nice, neat world was turned upside down when her man finally bit more than he could chew.

A quick, spiral of events after and 15 years later, Susan says she wished she’d handled the situation differently. Susan shares her story. Happy reading!

“I met Dave through one of his friends at a party. Dave’s friend was going out with one of my cousins. It was a stormy affair right from the beginning. We were both compatible in every possible way except that he had an eye for the girls.

He was one of those fast, smooth operators, very popular among his peers. He was also good looking and had a bright career and potentials to compliment his personae. He quickly won my heart.

As I said, we were compatible in many ways because I was no small girl too as I was not exactly a saint. Though, I have given all that up as I am now older and more aware and respectful of life and living.

As an Air-hostess and high ranking one for that matter at the time, I can confidently say that I was already leading a successful career and life too.

However, whenever I think about the various events that led to Dave’s wedding, I cannot but ask myself over and over again, why I had taken the decision I took at the time. Perhaps, a little patience would have sorted the problem in my favour.

The relationship with the woman would have ended one way or another, had I not given up and just walked out

of the relationship without a fight. Now, Dave has been married for over 15 years while I am yet to find a suitable partner or even a child to call my own.

When I met Dave, I knew he had a string of girlfriends. I met quite a number of them in the course of my visits to his place. He would always have one excuse or another as reasons for them calling at his place.

Some of them were good looking and well mannered but once in a while, I would meet a few that gave me cause to wonder how he chose the women he took to bed. I sometime wondered if there was something wrong with him if he could degenerate to the level of dating such low level girls.

It was not that they were ugly, it was just that they looked like typical local girls.

Some looked like low life Lagos Island girls with bleached skin and bad manners. You know, those type that are ready to fight and tear your clothes over flimsy excuses, just to embarrass or scare you that they are in charge.

I remember one particular occasion when we were in his flat and someone had come knocking. It was a girl and rather than let her in, Dave insisted we kept quiet and pretend not to be at home, so the girl would leave. He refused to tell me who she

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seriousness of my situation, I was too devastated to think straight.

Due to the nature of my job at the time, I was often out of town or the country for two or three nights at times. This provided him the opportunity to engage in various activities which I could only imagine. I made no attempt to hide the pregnancy from my parents since Dave and I had agreed we were getting married. When I informed my mother, she was very happy insisted that we hasten up plans for the wedding before the pregnancy became too conspicuous or even due.

Arrangements were already in top gear and the first formal introduction had already been done when I discovered that I was not the only girl carrying Dave’s child. Another girl was also pregnant for Dave.

She came from one of those popular Lagos Island families, had been born and raised on the Island too. I was at his place one Saturday morning when the girl came bouncing in. It was as if she had actually come there to look for trouble.

When I saw her, I knew she must be his girlfriend because she looked like the typical omo eko he often dated. She eyed me mischievously from head to toe, hissing loudly as I walked into the bedroom to leave them alone. Soon, I

Arrangements were already in top gear and the first formal introduction had already been done when I discovered that, I was not the only girl carrying Dave’s child, another girl was also pregnant for Dave

was though my intuition told me who she was as usual.

There were times I had gotten annoyed to the point of calling off the relationship, but we would always make up again.

Incidentally, my cousin who was dating his friend had similar problems with him too despite the fact that they had been dating for over three years by the time Dave and I met. She would always encourage me to stay put and that most guys are like that. I thank God that they made a success of their own relationship and have remained married till date.

I got pregnant twice and terminated them before finally deciding to have the baby when it happened a third time.

This was after much argument and persuasion.

Unfortunately, that was when my real problem began. By the time I realised the

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began hearing them shouting at the top of their voices.

The girl’s name I discovered was Shola. She kept on calling him all sorts of abusive names, insisting that she is pregnant and he was responsible and would not get rid of it. She said she was prepared for any eventuality and he should prepare himself for the possibility of marrying two women. She said she is convinced that two wives would be the solution to his insatiable desire for sex.

She announced that her mother was making plans to come and visit him soon after which, she will also go to Dave’s mother. More abuses followed and all I could hear Dave saying was “get out of my house. I say get out of my house. I will never marry you.”

After some time, everything went quiet but I couldn’t dare

F all the relationships you can get into as a girl, dating a married man is one of the worst kinds.

At times, without really wanting to, you may end up having a relationship with a married man.

When you enter into a relationship with a married man, inevitably you step into a world that can reveal a lot of joy, and yet, tear all the happiness away instantly.

And this cycle of happiness and pain repeats itself until you can’t take it anymore.

But why do women fall into this trap in the first place? Indulging in a relationship with a married man is confusing, but almost all the experiences that come with it feel the same. And it always starts with the same feelings of confusion, hesitation and attraction.

Women, by nature are completely helpless in such circumstances. When a married man fancies you, you are elated. But when he looks towards you for emotional support and love, the same things his wife, apparently, is not providing him, you end up falling in love, more with his emotional side rather than anything else.

That one conversation in the office cubicle takes you all the way to the restaurant, and the movie hall. Both of you end up talking about it over the phone and at some point, there’s a total block of his family turmoil.

All you start talking about is the good times both of you share every day. And then, one fine day, just before hanging up he says, “Sweetheart, if only I venture outside as I was not sure she had left. I was also scared that after all the heated emotions, she was capable of anything. She might now dare to take on Dave physically but I was easy prey for her.

Finally, he came to meet me in the room and tried to explain what had happened. I was not impressed at all. He told me he had met the girl in Lagos while visiting his mother at her shop in Gutter area, Balogun Market. The lady, Shola also owned a shop where she sells fabrics and frequently patronised his mother for retail goods. They had been dating only for a few months when she told him she was pregnant.

wasn’t married, I would be so in love with you. And frankly, I already am.”

The real dark story unveils here. The little innocence in you, in most cases, braves itself up and walks curiously ahead.

You are flattered to know he loves you, no man who’s so sweet has ever told you something like that. You realise you love him too. But then, what’s the ending of the story?

He’s a married man and you know you don’t want to fall, but he’s such an emotional wreck, and the most striking part of it all is, he’s totally in love with you.

Apparently! Now, you warm up to him to shower him with happiness and the next thing you know, you’re snogging him in hallways and bouncing off walls in your apartment, all in the purpose of making him a happier man and unknown to you, you are preparing yourself for the inevitable. You are entering into a relationship with a married man!

And before you know it, you are way past knee deep, you are almost choking with the bottled affections you have for this man.

Beyond this point, there’s no looking back. You don’t care about his family or his wife.

You just want this man, all for yourself.

The worst part of all this is that you never really wanted to be in this place, but somehow, you find yourself here, lost, angry, annoyed and on the dark side.

All of a sudden, you are not just another nice girl. You’re the “other woman” who’s dating a married man.

Though he constantly reminds you that he loves you a lot more than he loves his wife, he may love you physically, but his emotions still stay with his real family and this can piss off just about anyone, especially when they are so madly in love.

You are the loser!

He said he had immediately told her to get rid of it as they never agreed on marrying each other, besides, he had his own girl whom he was going to marry and could not marry the two wives. He said it was as soon as he said that that the whole problem began.

To be continued Dear readers; comments, opinions and views on this story are very much welcome. Please send contributions to: The Human Angle, Vanguard Media Limited, P.M.B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos. Email Address: thehumanangle93@yahoo.com hoping to read from you soon.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013— 35

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36—Vanguard , TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

Urhobo Forum faults FG's constitution of agencies' board

Edo eviction victims institute N300m suit

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

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ENIN—VICTIMS of the recent eviction in Evbovbioba, Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State, have instituted a N300 million suit against one Lucky Enbabor, for forcing them out of their homes.

The victims, Mrs. Patience Ikponmwen and others are contending that they were forced out of their homes by the said Enbabor, Mr. Osakpamwan Eriyo, a.k.a. No Moless, and Mr. Edward Okunzuwa, who are respondents in the suit.

The plaintiffs, in the suit before an Edo State High Court, are claiming N200 million as damages against the respondents jointly and severally for the emotional distress and psychological trauma as well as losses they suffered on account of the violent invasion of the community by the respondents.

Counsel to the plaintiffs, Dr. Osagie Obayuwa, is demanding from the respondents, an additional N100 million as exemplary damages.

The plaintiffs want the court to declare that their forceful expulsion by the respondents

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HE Urhukpe R’Urhobo Forum, a socio-political pressure group in Delta State, has described the constitution of the boards of Federal Government's parastatals and agencies as “gross disservice and injustice to the Urhobo nation.”

A statement by the National Coordinators of the group, Mr. Tony Ejoh and Chief Abel Idigu, said that with the appointment of only Sir E m m a n u e l Aguariavwodo from Delta Central as Chairman of “a most nondescript and irrelevant board is a political assault on the collective psyche of the Urhobo people.

“Are Urhobo lacking competent and qualified persons that can contribute to the good governance of this country?”

from their village, Evbovbioba on August 7, 2013 with the aid of thugs acting on their behest, was unlawful and a violation of their rights of residence in their village as guaranteed under Article 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples

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GHELLI—A socio-political pressure group, Global Urhobos for Emerhor, has endorsed Olorogun O’tega Emerhor as the next Senator to represent Delta Central, following the death of Senator Pius Ewherido.

Addressing newsmen after a meeting of the group in Ekakpamre, Ughelli South Local Government Area of the

group, Mr. Ochuko Omorere, said Emerho was the best candidate for the job.

Saying that the decision of the group to endorse Emerho was after a careful examination of all the aspirants that were in the race, Omorere appealed to the people of the senatorial district to support the candidature of Emerho for the Senate.

He said: “Looking at the impressive report card of the late Senator Ewherido in the Upper House, it is only a vibrant, prag-

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X-MILITANT leaders, who are beneficiaries of the Federal Government amnesty programme, have expressed worries over the non-inclusion of their boys in the programme, saying that their lives were being threatened by the non-benefiting ex-militants.

The former militant leaders noted that the phase two and three beneficiaries had been attacked on several occasion by the non-included ex-militants, as they appealed to the Federal Government to consider their plea for the documentation of the boys, who fought with the camp leaders during the crisis in the Niger Delta.

The Delta State Chairman of the ex-militants, ‘General’ Kingsley Agas, who spoke to journalists, reiterated the need for the Federal Government to

ant such as Emerhor that can replace him.

“We are prepared to resist any form of imposition. There is need to allow a level playing ground for the aspirants to get the best in the interest of the Urhobo nation.

“We, therefore, call on well meaning Urhobos both at home and in diaspora to mobilise support for Emerhor, so that Urhobo can have somebody like Senator Ewherido again in the Senate.”

listen to their cries as the boys were still on their necks, “because our lives are in danger from the fury of the boys, who were brought out of the water without any compensation.”

He called on the Special Adviser to the President on Amnesty, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, to treat the issue with the seriousness it deserves.

He fappealed to the Federal Government to document ex-

militant leaders in Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Ondo states, whose names were yet to enter the register of the amnesty office without further delay.

He warned that should the Federal Government fail to heed their call by the end of the first week of September, “we shall all troop to Abuja to meet the Federal Government to enjoy life or get killed.”

Warri North commended on SURE-P projects

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OKO—THE Chairman of Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State, Evangelist David Edun, has been commended for his judicious use of the council’s allocation from the Federal Government Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P. Delta State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Newworld Safugha, made the commendation in Koko, administrative headquarters of Warri North council, while flagging off the council’s SURE-P scheme.

He thanked the Federal and state governments for sustaining the SURE-P scheme, which he said had greatly helped to transform the lives of people across the length and breadth of the country.

He also called for its suste-

nance.

Congratulating the beneficiaries of the programme, the commissioner, however, warned them not to misuse the tools and materials received, enjoining them to start up small scale businesses to help support themselves and their families.

Materials distributed include 20 sewing machines, 60 hair driers, 20 banana boats, each fitted with a 15-horse power outboard engine along with fishing nets, 50 hair clippers, 20 giant size welding machines with accessories.

Also given out were tool boxes, drilling machines, saw files and cash sum of N100,000 each to over 100 persons.

Beneficiaries, which cut across the 20 wards of the council include widows, physically challenged, unemployed youths and retirees.

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

pulsion by the respondents accompanied by over 200 armed thugs was unlawful and a violation of their freedom from degrading and inhuman treatment as guaranteed by Section 34 (1) (a) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

Ex-militant leaders make case for followers

... as Urhobo group endorses Emerhor for Delta Central state, Co-coordinator of the matic and well connected aspirBY FESTUS AHON

Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap A. 9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (2004) and Section 41 (1) of the Nigerian Constitution, as amended.

They also want the court to declare that their forceful ex-

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

On boy found on airplane's wheel well

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HE various levels of government in Nigeria need to live up to our expectations. The Ministry of Information and the National Orientation Agency have a very big role to play in enlightening Nigerians about the realities of life. It is not all bed of roses abroad.— Miss Joy Amos, Student.

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HIS boy is brave and intelligent. Not many teenagers can do that. But the reason behind this stunt is unknown for now. You will be surprised that an airport staff collected money from this boy to help send him to Europe.— Mr. Austin Akaninyene, Businessman.

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T is an act of God to alert us about the level of insecurity. Imagine if the poor boy was a suicide bomber. It would be a job perfectly executed. Let our government stop playing politics with our lives and be alive to their responsibilities.— Mr. Bayo Jon-Ajumobi, Businessman.

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E need to learn to value our lives. Turning desperado may not always be the way. Many died crossing the desert and the Mediterranean Sea. The few that managed to get across face the realisation that it was not worth it after all.— Miss Becky Okoka, Student.

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E is a confirmed Nigerian. Please let no one touch that boy or I will get angry. Thank God for his life. This is pure stunt. The boy should be settled with millions. Which of our Nigerian actors can do that without collecting millions?— Mr. Isaac DeBeaver, Businessman.

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E can be a special agent for critical assignments if given the training. The young man has got more talent and courage than our Department of State Security and Military personnel. If left unmonitored, he may turn a hardened criminal.— Miss Maame Lucina, Student.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013—37

IYC crisis, an embarrassment to Ijaw nation — Activist

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM ENIN CITY—FORMER National Secretary of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, and Niger Delta activist, Mr Paul Bebenimibo, yesterday, described the crisis rocking IYC as an embarrassment to the Ijaw nation and called for the setting up of a Caretaker Committee to run the affairs of the council until an election was conducted.

He said that the call for a caretaker committee was based on the fact that the tenure of Miabiye Koromieya’sled executive expired on June 2013, therefore, it would be unconstitutional and illegal for the executive to continue to run the affairs of the council.

Bebenimibo stressed the need to provide a conducive atmosphere for a free and fair election to be conducted, warning that stakeholders in the Ijaw nation would not allow any group and person, to destabilise IYC. “The three years reign of the out-gone executive was bedeviled with one crisis or the other, hence has no moral stand to continue to stay in power."

Rep begs Ozekhome abductors

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Group hails Akpabio over appointment of SSG

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group, Akpabio Mutual Alliance, AMA, has commended Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State over the appointment of Mr. Udom Emmanuel, as Secretary to the State Government, SSG. Addressing newsmen in Lagos, President of the group, Dr Ani Idiong, said “We believe in his wealth of experience and success in the private sector as a seasoned banker and good administrator. He will add value to the uncommon transformation of the state. We pray for God’s wisdom and guidance as he performs his daily activities for the upliftment of Akwa Ibom State.”

The group also lauded the leadership qualities of the Governor Akpabio in steering the affairsofthestate,noting:“Wewant to stress that our governor is a rare gem and complete detribalisedperson,contrarytowhathas been peddled by some people.”

He listed some of Akpabio’s achievementstoinclude“hisfree education policy which does not discriminate against any tribe and is available to all who are residents in the state irrespective of the origin of the beneficiaries.

We, hereby, pass a vote of confidence on the governor as the pioneer father of the new Akwa Ibomproject."

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From left: Mr. Dennis Okoro, Director, MTN Foundation; Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Assistant Director, Human Capital, Nigerian Communications Commission and Ms. Nonny Ugboma, Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation presenting a certificate in welding to Mr. Yilu Adegoke at the graduation of the MTNF/FOTD Skills Acquisition Project for persons with disabilities at City Hall, Lagos Island. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

We 've no hand in death of Sapele boat driver — ARMY

BY GODWIN OGHRE

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APELE— THE 19 Battalion, Nigeria Army, Koko Barracks, Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State, has denied allegation by the family of a 32year-old boat driver in Sapele, Babatie Gbaminidop, whose corps was found afloat River Ethiope, Sapele, a week ago, that the deceased was shot by soldiers of the battalion during a raid on Obotie water side front to rid the area of illegal petroleum dealers.

The army said that its men had no hands in the death of the boatman.

Commanding Officer of the Barracks, Lt Col. Frank Etim, who spoke to Vanguard, said though the soldiers have been responsible for ridding Delta water fronts of illegal petroleum dealers in recent times, they have been performing the task “without any collateral damage to human lives and property.”

He said: “We are not aware of the death of one Babatie Gbaminidop, whose corps was allegedly found floating on the River Ethiope three days after we carried out a raid in the area.

During the raid, no soldier fired a single gunshot. The raid was not carried out on the water but

on adjourning ground were petroleum products were illegally refined and sold. We wonder why a corps found to be floating on the middle of River Ethiope can be linked to a raid that was carried out on solid ground.

“The exact day quoted by the said family as the day a corps was purportedly found floating on the River Ethiope was the day before we carried out the raid. How can a corps found to be decaying and afloat on the centre of the river a day before we carried out a raid on land be attributed to gunshot of a soldier?”

Ethiope East LG leaders drum support for Emerhor

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OTABLE leaders in Abraka, Oviore, Ovu and Eku in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, have thrown their weight behind Olorogun O’tega Emerhor for the Delta Central senatorial bye-election.

The leaders in separate visits said Emerhor remains the best candidate for the senatorial position.

Chief Julius Ogboru, Chief Ukwueku and Chief Philip Eyagomare described Olorogun Emerhor as a great personality all Urhobos should be proud of, noting that Emerhor had financed the election of Chief Great Ogboru several times and now, it was time for Urhobos in Delta Central and beyond to support someone who has the pains of his people at heart.

They noted that in the struggle to emancipate the Urhobos in 2006 and 2007, Olorogun Emerhor made a lot of personal sacrifices, describing him as a man of wisdom, adding that they were convinced

that he would pick the All Progressive Congress, APC, senatorial ticket and win the election.

They added that it was now time for Olorogun Emerhor, who

has worked for the progress of Urhobo to be worked for, pledging to mobilise 100 percent support for him during the forthcoming Delta Central senatorial bye-election.

FG to unfold youth empowerment scheme

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—DELTA State Coordinator of Integrated Empowerment Programme, IYEP, Mr. Edmond Guanah, weekend, said that the Federal Government would soon unfold its empowerment programmes for youths in the country.

He said that negotiations were on between the Nigeria government and foreign multinationals on the empowerment

of Nigerian youths.

Speaking during a meeting of IYEP in Otu-Jeremi, Ughelli South Local Government Area, Guanah, said that the empowerment would go down to the grassroots, adding “that is why the Integrated Empowerment Programme is spreading to the local government areas and the wards to ensure that real empowerment gets to the grassroots.”

BUJA—FORMER Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Education, Mr. Farouk Lawan, has appealed to the abductors of activist lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, to free him unconditionally.

Lawan who spoke with newsmen said that the human rights lawyer should be freed without any ransom.

The lawmaker pleaded that” Ozekhome who is also my lawyer has been fighting the cause of the less privileged and for this singular reason, I beg them to free him without conditionalities."

He explained that “ we all know what he has done for Nigerians who could not afford to pay legal fees and he rescued them on different occasions. I fervently wish his abductors could consider his past deeds and grant him an immediate freedom."

Lawan also advised the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to go back to negotiating table with the Federal Government to resolve the current crisis in the country ’s tertiary institutions.

Commissioner to investigate non-execution of project in Ellu

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG OMMISSIONER for Special Duties in-charge of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Mr. Timi Tonye, has vowed to investigate circumstances surrounding the nonexecution of Osa Street project in Ellu, Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State for which money had been paid.

The shocking discovery was made during an inspection of projects executed by DESOPADEC in the oil producing communities of the state.

The commissioner has, however, invited the contractor handling the project to a meeting.

It was gathered that the commissioner was worried because the document presented before him showed a completely tarred street, but contrary to what was contained in the document, he saw an earth road with no sign of construction work on it.

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38—Vanguard , TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

FETHA advises job seekers against fraudsters

BY PETER OKUTU

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BAKALIKI—MAN AGEMENT of the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, FETHA, weekend, advised prospective employees of the hospital to desist from transacting business with any individual who was not a staff of the institution.

Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, CMAC, of the hospital, Dr. Chinedu Nwigwe, gave the advice while briefing newsmen in his office.

He revealed that the hospital last month got reports of some individuals posing as top management staff of the institution and were busy defrauding unsuspecting members of the public of huge sums of money Nwigwe, who alleged that the syndicate was led by one Peter Ukana claiming to be a director of administration in the institution, stressed that the fraudster and his cohorts had an account number with one of the new generation banks where most unsuspecting Nigerians in need of employment had lost their money.

VC lauds NDDC on infrastructural devt

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MUDIKE—VICE CHANCELLOR of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike in Abia State, Professor Hillary Edeoga, has commended the efforts of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, in providing basic infrastructure for universities and polytechnics in the Niger Delta region.

The Vice Chancellor spoke on Wednesday, when the acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr. Christy Atako and her delegation paid him a courtesy visit in his office before proceeding to inspect the hostel being built by the commission for the university.

He urged other development agencies to emulate the NDDC and join in the collective effort to upgrade facilities in the tertiary institutions in the country.

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We’ve not legalised abortion in zOkorocha to address House Imo —Govt O

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

WERRI—IMO State gov ernment was yesterday engaged in double-speak, saying abortion had not been legalised in the state.

Governor Rochas Okorocha’s signing into law last week of the Abortion Bill passed by the State House of Assembly had drawn condemnations from Christians in the state, especially Catholics.

However, Deputy Chief of Staff to the governor, Mr. Chindu Offor, told Vanguard yesterday that the state had not legalised abortion, disclosing that Governor Okorocha would address members of the State House of Assembly on the contentious issue today.

“The government of Imo State has not legalised abortion in the state. Governor Okorocha will speak on Rescue Mission Projects and the purported state law on abortion, among other issues,” Offor said.

He disclosed that church leaders from the Catholic, Anglican and Pentecostal families were also expected at the event.

“Also invited to this event are our revered Catholic, Anglican and Pentecostal bishops,” Mr. Offor said.

While Offor was not prepared to be drawn into further discussion on the controversial abor-

tion law, most critics of the administration were insistent that the governor carefully and secretly signed the obnoxious document.

Already, the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, Dr. Anthony J. V. Obinna, had dur-

ing a press conference in Owerri last week, called for the immediate abrogation of what he called “the anti-life law”.

Apart from the Archbishop’s demand, priests serving in the province have equally held a meeting in Owerri to

strategize on how to battle the abortion law.

At the time of going to press, it was not clear if Archbishop Obinna and his priests would attend the proposed event, where Okorocha was expected to explain his stand on the law.

BRIEFING: From left: Rt. Rev Chibuzo Opoko, Secretary of Conference, Methodist Church of Nigeria; His Eminence, Dr. Ola Makinde, outgoing Prelate; Most Rev Samuel Uche, Prelate elect, Methodist Church of Nigeria; Sir Jimmy Coker, KJW, Lay President of Conference and Rt. Rev Jacob Adeyemi, Bishop of Lagos Central, during a briefing to announce the election of Most Rev Samuel Uche as the Prelate-elect of the church. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

Court arraigns Ebonyi PDP councillorship candidate for alleged forgery

BY PETER OKUTU BAKALIKI—THE police has arraigned a councillorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the September 28 local government election in Ebonyi State, Mr Odeh Mmaduabuchi, before an Abakaliki magistrate court for certificate forgery and impersonation.

It will be recalled that the police who arrested the accused last week, had gone to the West Africa Examination Council, WAEC, Regional office, Enugu State, where the suspect allegedly obtained copies of WAEC original statement of result, and confirmed the accusation of forgery against Mr Odah.

He was arrested by the Police in the state, following two separate petitions by another aspirant, Mr. Kingsley Onu, to Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, CP Maigari Dikko and EBSIEC respectively, accusing Odah of conspiracy, certificate forgery and impersonation.

However, the accused is facing a two-count charge for allegedly forging WAEC May/June 2008

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certificate with exam number 412010154 belonging to his sister, Ogochukwu Odeh.

It was also learnt that the accused allegedly presented the forged certificate to his party as well as Ebonyi State Independent National Electoral Commis-

sion, EBSIEC, during their last s c r e e n i n g exercises.

When the matter came up, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges, while his counsel made oral application for his

bail.

The trial magistrate, Ruth Okey granted bail to the accused with the sum of N50, 000 and a surety. She adjourned the matter to October 23rd for hearing.

Enugu community protests alleged hijack of land by monarch Ugwuafor community for us-

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BY TONY EDIKE

NUGU—HUNDREDS of placard carrying natives of Ogonogo Eji Ndiagu and Ndiuno Akpugo Autonomous Community last weekend stormed Government House, Enugu, protesting the forceful take over of their lands by a traditional ruler in the area.

The villagers, who had earlier marched to the Ministries of Land and Chieftaincy Matters, called on the state government to call the royal father to order to avoid breakdown of law and order in the community.

The traditional ruler, Igwe John Ideyi Nwodo, who

quickly reacted to the protest, however, dismissed his subjects’ claims, insisting that the land belonged to his immediate Ugwuafor community which he said had agreed to use it for an estate.

Briefing newsmen during the protest, spokesman of the comminity, Chief Felix Okafor, noted that the land in question was a family land owned

by Umueji Igwe Onyi family of Ogonogo Eji Ndiagu and Ndiuno but currently located in Ugwuafor, following the carving out of that autonomous community.

Said he: “We are protesting against the traditional ruler of

ing government apparatus to take our land without our consent. ”He went to the Ministry of Lands and obtained plans for the estate which he named Ugwuafor Unity estate and there is an on-going survey of the area in question. ”Akpugo as a clan has no community land what we have are family lands and we inherited this from our fore fathers; its about 3000 acres. ”We are asking government to stop him to avoid any clash and possible blood bath because the youths are not happy with the development.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013—39

PRESENTATION: From left, Chairman, Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs, Ekiti State, Chief Aderemi Ajayi; Alara of Aramoko Kingdom, Oba Adegoke Adeyemi; and Governor Kayode Fayemi, during the presentation of staff of office to the Alara, in Aramoko-Ekiti, weekend.

DISTRIBUTION: From left, Osun State Commissioner for Cooperatives, Commerce and Empowerment, Mr. Ismail Alagbaja; Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori; Governor Rauf Aregbesola and Iyaloja of Osun State, Chief Awawu Asindémade, during thé distribution of buses to market women in all thé local government areas by thé state government, in Osogbo.

PROGRAMME: From left, Dealer Operations Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa (E &G) Ford, David Lawrence; General Manager, Cutler Ogilvy PR, Laura Oloyede; Regional Manager, FCSD SSA Sub-Saharan Africa (E &G) Ford, Rob Johnston; Marketing & Communications Manager, SSA Sub-Saharan Africa (E &G) Ford, Farzana John and Senior Marketing Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa, Ford; Eugene Prinsloo, during Ford's media drive programme, at the Federal Palace Hotel, in Lagos.

CEREMONY: From left, Executive Director, Women's Technology and Empowerment Centre (W.TEC), Ms Oreoluwa Somolu; Public Relations & Marketing Manager, Intel West Africa, Mr. Adim Isiakpona; Ms Oyinloluwa Adepiti and her mother, receiving the Character Award, during the closing ceremony of The W.TEC Girls Technology Camp, at Laureates College, Mafoluku, Oshodi Isolo, Lagos, weekend.

LAUNCH: From left, Barrister Newworld Safugha, Delta Commisioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; Chairman of Warri North Local Government, Evang. David Edun, presenting a cheque sum of N100,000 to a widow, Mrs. Florence Lelekumor, during the launch of SURE-P, in Koko, Warri North Local Government. At the background is Mr. John Okorolokor, Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the local government, amongst others.

AWARD: From left, Mr. Dharmarajan Eashwaran, Managing Director, Euro Global Foods and Distilleries Ltd; Mr. Chukwuemeka Ozoigboamabu, Managing Director, Golden Pillar Store (receving Trailer Key as Best Customer of year); Mr. Arjan Nirchandani, Chairman; Mr. Felix Aighobah, Sales Director, both of Euro Global Foods and Distilleries Ltd, and Mr. Ajay Nussaddi, Director of Indurstry, during the 2013 Customers Award night by Euro Global Foods and Distilleries Ltd, at Bezer Hall, Lagos -Abeokuta Expressway, Sango, Ogun State.

Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi C M Y K

WORKSHOP: From left, Dr. Uju Ogubunka, FCIB, Registrar/CEO, CIBN; Mr. Graeme Skelly, Global Association of Risk Professionals, GARP, Uk/Guest Speaker; Mr. Yinka Odutola, FCIB, Director-General, Association of Enterprise Risk Management Professionals and Mr. Bayo Olugbemi, FCIB, MD/CEO, First Registrar Nigeria Ltd, during the Risk Certification Programme, RCP, Level 1 & Train-the-Trainer Workshop organised by GARP/CIBN at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos

VISIT: From left, Nkechi Onuigbo, member; Joe Anatune, chairman, organising committee; Peter Eze, member; Dr. Ikem Odumodu, Director-General, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON; Chike Nwegbe, president; and Stella Ozojiofor, vice chairman, during the courtesy visit to Dr. Odumodu to invite him as a discussant in the forth coming Anambra 2013 Sustainable Good Governance and Values summit.

VISIT: Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (middle), discussing with two elderly women, during his visit to Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government of the state.

40—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

OFFA LG POLLS: APC members take to streets

FG, Shippers Council to reduce cost of shipping in Africa — Umar

A

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

I

LORIN—PROTEST ING members of All Progressive Congress, APC, yesterday stormed the streets of Offa and Ilorin demanding for their mandate allegedly stolen by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. It would be recalled that Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission, KWASIEC, declared candidate of the PDP, Abdulwaheed Olanipekune winner of the office of the chairman with all the councilors in the last Saturday local government election rerun in Offa.

The protesters who poured to the major streets of Offa, demanded for the alleged official results of the election.

Speaking with reporters, Interim Chairman of APC in the state, Comrade Sola Iji, said the protesters had come to the KWSIEC headquarters to register their rejection of the results.

Flood: Adamawa communities defy relocation order

Y

OLA—MR Kobis Thimnu, the Chairman of Adamawa Quick Response Committee on Flood, yesterday said four communities living in flood prone areas had refused to relocate in spite of provision of alternative land to them.

Thimnu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola that the affected communities were Loko in Song, Boronji and Limawa in Yola North and Ngbalang in Numan local government areas.

According to him, government has provided the communities with alternative land but the residents are still reluctant to move.

C M Y K

FORUM—From left: Minister of Communication Technology, Omobola Johonson; Minister of Power, Chinedu Nebo; Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada; Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro and Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo; durng a two-day stakeholders forum on the protection of critical national assets and infrasfucture in Abuja, yesterday.

TARABA: Imoke urges adherence to constitutional provisions C

BY DAYO BENSON

ALABAR—AMIDST un certainty in the political situation in Taraba State, Cross River State, Governor Liyel Imoke, has called for caution, saying the provisions of constitution should be followed in handling the issue.

This came as the Nigerian Bar Association, tasked the nation’s leadership to develop new visions and strategies.

Both Imoke and Wali spoke separately in Calabar. While Imoke expressed the view during an interactive session with journalists, the NBA’s position was contained in the communiqué of the NBA Annual General Conference.

According to Governor Imoke, “it is for the medical board to certify his capacity and this is to be set up by the cabinet.

There are provisions of the con-

stitution to be followed. We cannot say that he is incapacitated and that he cannot continue to rule the state.

If the executive council had been dissolved there is another provision of the constitution to be followed. It is a very sensitive issue so we need to be careful.”

NBA in a 57- paragraph communiqué, called on the leadership of the country to develop new visions and strategies as well as higher level of political will, identifying corruption as the root cause of worsening insecurity in the country.

According to the communiqué, “our leaders must develop new visions and new strategies; must summon new forms of determination and political will;

demonstrate higher levels of patriotism, hard work, selflessness, integrity and responsiveness to the yearnings of the people, in order to deal with challenges facing them.

"The bar identified corruption and unemployment as the factors leading to the degenerating security situation in the country and calls on governments at all levels to design workable policies to tackle the problems.

“The leadership in Nigeria must demonstrate clearly, such qualities as Justice, Fairness and Equity - which are cardinal to the nation. As Nigerians, we must demonstrate our collective sense of patience, accommodation and tolerance despite the fact that people operate under stress."

BUJA—THE Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, has said that the Federal Government would partner with the Union of Africa Shippers Council to reduce the cost of shipping in the African subregion.

Umar who made this known while receiving in audience, a 12-man delegation from the Union of African Shipper ’s Council (UASC) who paid him a courtesy visit, weekend, in Abuja, said that such partnership would not only make shipping easier and cheaper in Africa but would also ensure an adequate protection of shipping interest in the maritime trade of the sub-region.

He said: “From the point of view of Nigerian Government, we are committed to the Nigerian Shippers Council; Union of African Shippers Council and Global Shippers Forum.”

Senator Idris who described the visit as timely said the Federal Government has taken a number of steps to re-position the Nigerian ports in line with the International practice and also for shipping services to be and cheaper for Nigerians and stakeholders outside the country.

He assured them of the government’s support for the Nigeria Shipper’s Council so as to make its statutory obligations to the regional body, noting that the Nigerian shippers council is manned by the most experienced, committed and efficient personnel in Nigeria.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Serigne Thiam Diouf told the minister that the team was in the country to brief the minister about its organisation’s forthcoming General Elections and also to solicit increased support and cooperation of the Federal Government.

PDM not sponsored by PDP —Coordinators B

BY SUZAN EDEH

AUCHI—THE newly reg istered Peoples Democratic Movement, PDM, has refuted insinuations that the party was sponsored by the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to block the chances of the oppositions who merged into one platform to produce the next president come 2015.

Speaking to Journalists, yester-

day at the end of their meeting and commissioning of its new secretariat in Bauchi, state coordinator, Abdullahi Jibo, said PDM which started as a political association had been seeking to be a legally registered party for the past 20 years before the inception of the PDP, but was sabotaged un-

til the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] recently accepted the proposal.

The meeting was attended by coordinators from the North East which include Adamu Yahaya, Gombe State; Ajiya Idris, Yobe State; Mallam Aminu Gwandu Borno State,and Shettima

Shehu, Adamawa State.

He said: “All the allegations that the party was sponsored by the All Progressive Congress [APC] or registered by PDP governors or the former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar are all baseless.

"All the governors or the vicepresident are free to join the People’s Democratic Movement if they so wish."

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013—41

Otunba Michael Subomi Balogun, FCMB founder....had a dream

Why and how I set up FCMB — Otunba Sumbumi Balogun ON Friday, August 30, 2013 Otunba Michael Subomi Balogun had a media chat with select journalists in his porch house at 1, Milverton Road, Ikoyi. The chat was centered on “FCMB at 30: a reflection from the founder.” Otunba Subomi, in a very relaxed form said “I am not a pharisee of real life experience, my journey to what you now see had been divinely guided.

And if you care to know, I’m happy and thankful. If any of you go to PrimroseTower, the headquarters of the organisation, this block prim-rose-tower is dedicated to the glory of God as an

By OMOH GABRIEL, Business Editor

H

OW the journey stared I had a dream, I had a vision. I was cheated, I was an employee in another institution created by Nigerians and Americans, as well an expertise I would say, but I was the brain behind the whole thing. I went on a course in the US and I came back with ideas with

embodiment of a young man’s faith in the unfailing support of the Almighty God and in his own destiny, in spite of the seemingly insurmountable obstacles. It is also a monument of a young Nigerian’s determination to succeed and prove that given the opportunity, Nigerians have the capacity to attain a commanding height in the management of financial institutions.

Lastly, it serves as a lesson to all and mankind that in all things, men may have their say but in the final analysis, the Almighty God will have His way”.

Excerpts

which we should set up a merchant bank. The whole of the company was aware that I was behind it. But when it came to selecting the Chief Executive, I was told that in spite of all entreaties, that I could not be the Chief Executive because I happened to have a basic training in law. I was 42 and they brought a young man with little or no experience, from America, at 32, to come and

replace me.

One of the gifts God gave me is courage and tenacity of purpose. I decided to pray to my God in addition to my decision to fight it out, so that was what happened to the dream and the vision which was clear. By nature God gave me what we call courage, tenacity of purpose, discipline, I knew where I was going but the vista was as misty and

unbelievable. I was surprised that one Nigerian would say that if he didn’t get the position in a bank; he would go out to set up a bank. I wasn’t interested just in money but as this encapsulated, I was trying to prove that given the opportunity and with the support of the Almighty God, I had a meteor to attain the commanding heights in the management of the financial institution.

I was trying to prove a point, that I wasn’t arrogant or envious, but with the support I had and with the grace of the Almighty God so when I felt cheated by not being allowed to head an institution created by foreign institutions and then former employers. I had a courage to desire and without anything in my pocket except my God, I decided to start a on a journey of self actualization.

It wasn’t a proud journey, it was a journey of faith, a journey on the handbill of my God. My confidence in myself and my trust in the Lord God our Savior. All these I started with

and they are up till today. In the course of the whole journey, it has been turbulent and for many people to see me still I am after about 40 years of doing what no other Nigerian had done, I wish they learnt something from what happened to me. I had a focus, I had courage, I had an unstated faith that the good Lord will carry me through, come rain come sunshine, that mortals may have their say, but in the final analysis, the Almighty God will have His way.

By the time I started my journey, the whole thing had been punctuated by my faith in my God. Maybe that was one of the reasons why I was made the Asiwaju of the Ijebu Christian association, but that faith was very strong.

So 35 years ago without thinking of what to do, I threw in my letter of resignation. One of the things we have come to learn in this country, is that in the first process of having a vision or a dream, only an individual does dream, other people would join later on.

And in this country in those days, it was an anathema for an individual to set up an institution; one man show; one man show, as if when you’re dreaming, more than one man can dream.

Looking at the Nigerian environment 35 years ago, and what we have today, would you say 35 years ago had offered more opportunities to Nigerians than what we have today?

To a large extent am happy you said opportunities.

Definitely, the opportunities are growing by lips and mouth. But whether the opportunities have been taken advantage of, I will not want to comment.

Tapping the opportunities Listen to me, there are opportunities but people have not tapped those opportunities enough.

What you had in mind, I mean your dreams and vision was a merchant bank but now the environment has changed all of that. Would you say you are comfortable with what you have in the First City Monument Bank (FCMB)?

I thank my God for what we have but my mind is stretched because of the environment, to something much bigger than what we have now. That was why I led FCMB to be quoted on the market, that was why I left FCMB to become a universal bank and taking the proceeds, that was why I disabuse the minds of people who thought those beautiful buildings I built was only meant for a lips, some people will say, that bank is only for Continues on page 42

42—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3,

2013

Why and how I set up FCMB — Otunba Sumbumi Balogun Continues frompage 41 rich people but go into FCMB we are very much involved in retail banking because in those days, it was ACB, from this corner, you will find it from that corner, you will find It. That is why FCMB has grown from five branches to nearly three hundred and we are still growing.

So its more or less a function of the environment that were going the way we are going.

We are just about half way where we are going, and I thank God that I am associated with the present chief executive, his dreams are much wider than what I ever thought.

He took it from me its just about one hundred and something branches its about three hundred and we are still growing whether organically or anything of that such.

So the environment have prompted us, it means that FCMB is a dynamic institution, FCMB has not become complacent, we have not reached the halfway of our journey. The chief executive says within a particular time, he wants to make us among the first five, I pray for him and am in full support of him as long as the good Lord gives me the breath and order definitely environment and management

the sort of energy require for growth. Growth is something that is continually and so I had it in mind so I was making arrangement for the succession but about the age of sixty seven, sixty eight, there was a rumor and people thought oh! It’s high time you got rid of this man but God said no.

Human imagination So about the age of 70 before I left, it was God, it wasn’t human imagination some one even said he has stayed too long why shouldn’t he go. But my God said no. When even will propose somebody to be the Managing Director, they said no hah hah hah, he wants to perpetrate himself So many people right now especially young professionals are looking up to you as a role model they want to take up the attribute that you engaged in but it looks like the environment is really harsh what would be your words of advice for this people, so that they can still take up what we call corporate government and others?

They should not despair; they should rather persevere and be saying that through the guidance of the almighty God all will be well. They should not

,

Success without a successor is not success. so at a point, I was already thinking at what stage I would I retire and I actually said to myself the age of 70

is the key.

Sir, can you be specific, at what point in time when your mind was so high that you think or you said you have to go and achieve what becomes an industry bench mark?

Let me tell you, I myself have set a stage that at a particular time, I must allow the old order to change. Yielding place to new.

Success without successor Success without a successor is not success. so at a point, I was already thinking at what stage would I retire and I actually said to myself the age of 70, but between 60, 65 and 68, hell was let lose. People wanted to fight me though I knew confidentially I hadn’t done anything but my God was with me so it was on the eve of my seventy that I retire.

I’ve always had it in mind that like any human being, I would get to a stage where I could no longer cope with the zeal, with

,

give way to the symbol of doubting Thomases, they should be saying I cannot fail; I cannot fail because of Jesus, because of Allah. I cannot fail.

So they should be determined, focused. If you read through my autobiography, and the other book, the financial monument billed by God, there was a time in this country that some one said, that man is finished.

When I showed up at a party in my flowing white agbada, they say this man? laughs who knows? But let me tell you I am a human being even if I was worried that people were fighting with me, I dint show it. I have courage I put my chest forward, I have faith, I have confidence in what God has done for me.

Having express confidence in the present management of the group and having observe equally too that if you have gone just half way and haven seen the hand of God in your life, where would you want to see the group in the net decay?

Otunba Michael Subomi Balogun, ...success without a successor is not success

Not because Lade is my son and I’ve said something which is embarrassing to him even my family.

He is my third son but God choose him and his brothers don’t envy him rather they are very supportive. He has two elder brothers and one younger brother, the sky is the limit and I want him to continue to exploit very soon, the London branch would be expanded his uprising is being widened but in Nigeria, there is a prime need to bring back banking facility to your computer, to your mobile telephone. For you to stay in your bedroom and say transfer a hundred thousand to the anonymous account and it would happen cashless, you see, the best of the state of the act practices in the banking.

I want FCMB to be bigger. I want FCMB to be among the first five banks. But its not just in sight, but in service, in the ordinary person regarding FCMB as a bank, the ordinary person, accepting the FCMB slogan “My Bank and I” that when they consider banking, FCMB will be their first port of call to do that, you need the best use of sophistication to do that, not just electronics state of act services.

Mobile telephone Like I said, if for instance you take FCMB card either credit or debit as soon as you sling it into the machine, I bet you in two minutes you hear khan! in your mobile telephone they will say the sum of two hundred thousand has just been taken from your account if you don’t agree please let us know. In London, I did something, I did it deliberately to be proud. I went into a shop bought something and

they wanted me to pay. I said you shouldn’t mind, let me give you a card, my credit card. They saw my picture there at least that shows that I am the owner of the card they said how much.

He did not ask me to give him my number he just looked at me and ask me to sign?

No regrets?

Yes, no regrets at all in fact, when I look back I smile and raise up my hands and say thank God! A few weeks ago, my classmate in the secondary school, we gather there we were celebrating our 61 years of leaving school (1952), and we look round everybody was saying this and that I said God I thank you that is what am doing.

What could be the good advice that you will give to young CEOs of banks who people view as flashy in their conduct what would be your advice to them?

OK, professionalism, being ethical a culture of excellence, a faith in your God and anchoring everything you are doing on the Supreme Being you should notice that I’ve been emphasizing God that much as what has happen to me has been God dream. There has been a lot of turbulence but I said they should be professional. People talk of corporate governance the broader thing is to be professional in what you are doing.

I have learnt considerable lessons in life, and I have gone through the cruishable of the chastising experience with the support of providence I have renewed my strength like an eagle and I am now in a position to soar to whatever level my God will take me.

I will testify that I have

discovered by God the almighty, the only one who can make and unmake,the only wise God although I was thoroughly shaking I was not uprooted and my head about but not crushed in -spite of all these, the almighty God gave us the grace to reorganize the book in order to forge ahead. I thank my God that neither my health nor my personal composure within the system and the public, suffered any devices.

Personal composure My boss my managing director says he will want to take up within the first five in the years not just the size not just in profitability but in acknowledgment that all of you that you will leave here and go and take the form to become customer.

If you are made the CBN governor, what will you do to contribute to the system?

I am an old man and I am 80.

I don’t involve myself in controversies if anything I pray for I never get in controversy How big is FCMB, can it finance multinational OIL companies and businesses?

We are already doing that in a big way not only finance, but even facilitating other people joining to finance one of the big project. FCMB may not for now be medium size bank and it has to do with the way we started we started as a merchant bank.

If we have started as a checking bank, maybe by now we would blotted but gradual by gradual but the way we were doing to finance the largest of businesses and if we cannot do it alone we have an investment banking now to bring others to move.

Vanguard, TUESNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013 — 43

Imoke commissions S-South entrepenuership centre

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ALABAR—Gover nor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State has urged unemployed youths in the South-South region to take full advantage of the South-South Entrepreneurship Development Centre, EDC, Calabar to empower themselves.

Speaking while commissioning EDC, which is a collaboration between Central Bank of Nigeria and Cross River State Government, Imoke said the centre will enable them acquire capacities to engage as active agents in the economic growth and integration of the region.

The governor said: “In Nigeria today, there are millions of young people who are economically dislocated either through unemployment or a lack of engagement with any meaningful economic activities.

“In effect, 24 per cent of our economic agents are disaffected and disenfranchised through unemployment and that figure rises to almost 70 per cent when we consider those between the ages of 18 and 30.”

Ekiti LG workers to get wage arrears

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DO-EKITI—EKITI State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has assured local government workers that Government would soon commence the payment of arrears of the minimum wage.

The governor gave the assurance on Monday while receiving the new leadership of the state chapter of the National Union of Local Government Employee, NULGE, led by its President, Comrade Bunmi Ajimoko, who were in the his office on a courtesy visit.

The arrears resulted from the delay apparently caused by the modalities for the payment of the wage to the council workers a few months after their counterparts in the state had completed their biometrics registration which the state government uses in the payment of salary to the workforce.

C M Y K

Taraba Assembly adopts resolution empowering Ag Gov zAsks Suntai to seek further medical attention zSuntai warns Tukur to stay out of Taraba politics

BY SONI DANIEL & JOHN

MKOM

J

ALINGO—CONVINCED that the ailing governor of the state, Danbaba Suntai, cannot give his best given his current medical state, members of the Taraba House of Assembly yesterday mandated the Deputy Governor, Garba Umar, who has been acting in the past ten months, to continue.

The seven members, who met briefly on the floor of the House, were led by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr. Tanko Maikerfi, and adopted the position earlier canvassed by both the leadership of the House and representatives of Taraba State in the National Assembly.

At the plenary, the members reasoned that Suntai was too feeble to be saddled with the onerous task of leading the state and pleaded with him to return to the United State for further medical attention while his deputy continues to hold fort for him.

The members noted that Garba’s acting would continue until Suntai was strong enough to take over the mantle of leadership.

of the Assembly, Haruna Tsokwa believe that the Acting Governor should continue with his work while the governor should go back and seek further medical attention because of his feeble health.

But Suntai’s supporters are against any suggestion of their boss leaving the scene for the deputy and insist that he hands over the reins of power with immediate effect to them.

With more two thirds of the lawmakers backing the acting governor, many feared last night the stage was set for Suntai’s impeachment, if his loyalists insisted on his takeover of the administration.

Suntai warns

Suntai at the weekend, warned the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, to be neu-

tral or stay out of the political crisis in the state.

Suntai, who spoke through the former Information Commissioner in the State, Mr. Emma Bello, accused Tukur of taking side in the unfolding crisis in Taraba instead of offering fatherly advice in a bid to end the rancour arising from the bid by Suntai to return to his office.

Tukur apparently incurred the wrath of the ailing governor, when he told the media in Abuja on Friday that the party would resist the bid by Suntai to run the state by proxy.

Tukur also announced that he would personally visit Taraba to find an answer to the crisis, which he noted hinged on politics and intrigues.

But the governor warned that the chairman must at all times learn to be guided by the laws of Nigeria and stop playing to the

gallery just to score cheap points.

He threatened to resist any attempt by the National chairman of the PDP to take side with a faction in the state crisis.

Tukur faulted

He rejected the claim that he was running a government by proxy, pointing out that it was his deputy, Umar Garba, who was doing so. Suntai noted that it was wrong for Umar to resist his sack of the Exco and asked Tukur to call him to order.

“Tukur should enforce the provisions of the constitution as it relates to Taraba debacle but if he takes side in the ongoing imbroglio we shall vehemently resist him.

“Rather, the deputy governor, Umar Garba, is the one attempting to run a parallel government. Suntai sacked his cabinet.

The deputy governor is questioning that. He is wrong,” the governor said.

Mark Useni kicks

But the member representing Takum 2 in the House of Assembly, Mark Useni, kicked against the decision of the seven members, which he said was not up to the quorum stipulated by the law and described their decision as illegal and of no consequence.

Useni noted that the Taraba House of Assembly Calendar ended last Wednesday and there was no reason why a clandestine meeting should have been held for the sole purpose of giving a tacit endorsement for Garba to continue to act when the governor was on the ground.

Useni said: “What these few members did was nothing but a town hall meeting and not a meeting of the House, which had proceeded on vacation.

“For that reason, all the actions the few members purportedly took amounted to illegality, which cannot stand.

“As far as the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is concerned, Governor Danbaba Suntai remains the governor of the state and should continue to rule the state and its people. That is the position of the law.”

Division in Assembly

The Taraba Assembly is divided over the leadership of Suntai and Umar with the majority backing the latter.

The majority led by the Speaker

BRIEFING: From left: Mr. Ben Amodu, Director, Ben Amodu Pharmaceauticals Plc; Dr. Paul Orhii, DG, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC and Chief Thomas Omon, President, National Association of Nigeria Traditionl Medices, at the briefing to mark African Traditional Medicine Day in Lagos. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

More reactions trail Ozekhome’s kidnap

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA &

GBENGA OKE

U

MUAHIA—ANGRY re actions have continued to trail the recent brutal murder of the security aides and eventual abduction of the human right lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, at Ehor, Edo State Reacting to the ugly incident in Owerri, the President, Youths Enhancement Organisation, YEO, Mr. Obinna Egbuka, wondered why anybody or group of persons would willingly toy with a man that laid his life for the good of the Nigerian masses, during the military interregnum.

“Chief Ozekhome is a human

right activist, who has been actively involved in championing issues and matters that benefits Nigeria and its citizens”, Mr. Egbuka said.

Continuing, Mr. Egbuka lamented that Ozekhome’s kidnap is a strong indication that Nigeria’s leaders should urgently address the economic and security lapses prevalent in the country.

“Ozekhome’s kidnap is a strong call for the nation’s leaders to urgently address the economic and security situation in Nigeria to forestall the reoccurrence of these ugly events in this land”, Egbuka added.

Meanwhile, Association of Edo Professionals has also condemned the kidnap of Chief Mike Ozekhome,

SAN, just as they appealed to the kidnappers for his immediate release.

In a statement by a member of the Board of Trustees of the group, Mr. Victor Osarenren, he said it is high time government provide gainful and respectable jobs for the youths.

His words: “The issue of kidnapping has assumed very frightening and disturbing dimensions in Edo State and Nigeria and this brings to the fore issues of glaring moral deficit in our society.

It is time we come together to find ways and means of redirecting the innate potentials of our youths towards productive ventures and concerted efforts should be made to address the evergrowinggapbetweentherichand the poor in our society”.

44— Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

APC:Ezemo battles Ngige to the end

BY OKEY NDIRIBE

U

P till the last minute of the APC convention yesterday, Senator Chris Ngige was still arms in battle with the only remaining contender for the party ’s ticket, Mr. Godwin Ezeemo.

Despite persuasions from senior party officials, Ezeemo had refused to back down. Not even the decision of the more politically astute Senator Annie Okonkwo to step down for Ngige was enough to persuade him to step down for Ngige who was the favoured aspirant of the party for the ticket.

Addressing news men in Abuja shortly after he was cleared by the Screening Appeal Committee of the party in Abuja last weekend,Ezemo said: “APC does not stand for stepping down. I have gone

•Ezemo

•Ngige

beyond that stage. I decided to join this race for the purpose of showing Nigerians how a political contest should be conducted.”

“This process would make the party stronger and

everybody would benefit from it. Even the masses would come to realise that somebody they voted for has a responsibility to cater for them. They would also realise that if somebody is imposed

on them, such a person would not have any commitment to the people. He would only look after the master who imposed him on the masses.

However, if the person emerges through a popular

We are also involved, fringe party candidates cry out STORIES BY VINCENT UJUMADU

W

HILE most Anambarians have continued to focus on the mainstream party candidates, Tony Nwoye of the PDP, Chris Ngige of the APC and Willie Obiano of APGA, candidates of other largely unknown parties are not ashamed to ask for the limelight.

Mr. Udo Udeogaranya took the unusual step of hitting cyberspace with mails to known and unknown friends to

•Udeogaranya announce his adoption as the candidate of the African

Peoples Party, APA In an email to friends, he said: Dear Friends, Finally, I was nominated and voted in unopposed by the party delegates from all the wards on Saturday being 31st August 2013, at the party special congress conducted in Awka, Anambra State by the party national office, led by the national Secretary of the party in the person of Alh. Samaila Mohammed Tanko, monitored by three INEC officials from INEC office in Abuja.

••Iwoba for PPN

C

HIEF Basil Iwoba, also at the weekend picked the ticket of the Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN. He was the only aspirant of the party and as such was endorsed by all the delegates present.

Accepting the nomination,

Iwoba reeled out his programmes for Anambra State if elected the next governor of the state.

He said that with his emergence, there are three people from Omambala area that have picked their parties’ flags for the governorship

election, adding that he has the brightest chance of winning the election.

He urged the party members to protect their votes during the election to ensure the party was not rigged out by other political parties sponsored by money bags.

Idigo transfers his structure to Obiano

P

RINCE Chinedu Idigo, who was until his disqualification by the APGA screening committee regarded as the most powerful aspirant in the party from Anambra North has officially handed over his campaign structure to the candidate of the party, Chief Willy Obiano.

Both Idigo and Obiano hail from the ancient town of Aguleri in Anambra East local government area of the state and before Obiano’s late entry into the governorship race, Idigo was the rallying point

C M Y K

•Obiano in the area and in the entire Omambala section of

Anambra North senatorial zone.

Idigo also promised to assist Obiano in the campaigns, saying that the important thing is that the next governor would come from the area.

It was gathered weekend that other APGA aspirants who failed to pick the ticket have also been collapsing their structures into that of Obiano who has been very visible in many parts of the state since his nomination as the flag bearer of the party.

With this, I stand as the official gubernatorial candidate of the African Peoples Alliance (APA) for the November 16th election in Anambra State.”

Besides him, Prince Leonard Uchendu was at the weekend picked as the governorship ticket of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, at the party ’s primaries held in Awka.

The exercise, which was monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,

process, he would be committed to the people.”

The Screening Committee had earlier disqualified him on the ground that he has dual citizenship, but he convinced the Committee that the Constitution stipulates that any Nigerian born in the country was qualified to run for any office. “ I can confirm that there is internal democracy within APC” he said.

It would be recalled that some of the party’s bigwigs including the governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and Chairman of APC merger Committee Chief Tom Ikimi had at the last National Executive Committee meeting of the party in Abuja, openly endorsed Dr. Ngige as the candidate of the party for the November 16 governorship election.

attracted delegates from the 21 local government areas of the state.

National secretary of the party, Major Gilbert Abu (rtd.) said seven persons picked the nomination forms, but only Uchendu returned his form.

The four-man electoral committee for the conduct of the primary was headed by Prince Okey Obi who announced the result of the exercise where Uchendu polled 95 votes.

Certificate of return was presented to the governorship candidate yesterday in Abuja by the national leadership of the party.

Nwoye settles down

F

OLLOWING his public defiance of the once powerful Uba brothers at the national convention last weekend, and the acceptance got from the party leadership in Abuja, Comrade Tony Nwoye is beginning to settle down into his role as the flag bearer of the PDP. Following the national convention he went on a circuit in Abuja of power brokers from and outside Anambra State explaining himself and agenda.

Even though a former party chairman, Nwoye has also taken the opportunity of the Abuja convention, to familiarise himself with the new leaders of the party.

Sources in the Nwoye camp say that the candidate is expecting to attend the burial ceremony in Abia of electoral officers from that state who died on their return journey last

•Nwoye week after supervising the PDP governorship primaries.

He is expecting to start full blown campaigning after the burial ceremonies.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013 —45

Govs should leave Jonathan and focus on their jobs — Sen Ukpabi SENATOR Chris Ukpabi was the only senator elected on the platform of the National Party of Nigeria, NPN in the Second Republic from the Southeast. He was subsequently chairman of the National Republic Convention, NRC in the Third Republic and is presently a chieftain of the PDP in Abia State. in this interview he assess the performance of President Jonathan and challenges against him ahead of the 2015 presidential election.

Excerpts:

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

L

OOKING at the situation in PDP, with your over 35 years in politics, what would you say is the cause of the crisis we see everyday?

I wouldn’t call it crisis. It is a question of somebody wanting to occupy a position and another wanting to occupy same. And that is life.

Somebody can’t tell you I want to be president or governor and you just allow him, no that is not democracy. The very moment you say you want a position then there would be disagreement naturally.

So, what are the things that

mess him up.

They use languages that are not very complimentary to the president of a country but he has not reacted. This is a man who has all the powers. If he says kill it happens and if he says spare it happens. But he decides to follow the path of peace and love for every human being that comes around him. That is very unique.

But his critics see this as weakness.

It does not show any sign of weakness. You don’t go and take revenge, leave God to do the rest for you. And anybody who says that that is weakness may not know the will of God. In your assessment what

,

Governors forum is a mess. I don’t recognize it. Let them go and do their job as governors. They just gang up to whittle down the powers of the president

you see in the president that you want Nigerians to appreciate?

He is humane and then he looks at matters very dispassionately. He gets along with people. He has come to show Nigerians that politics is not a do- or - die affair and if you kill somebody you want to take charge of, who will you take charge of then? And because of his Christian nature, knowing that he has reached the peak he now decides to take everybody as himself, believing that it is better to make people realize their mistakes than to force them.

Take for instance, a number of times people have tried to

,

are the things the President has done?

I want to first say that there is no president, governor, chairman of local government that can handle all the problems around him. They come in, do their bit, and move on.

That is the background around which I will lay out some things he has done.

Look at the railway system that has been moribund for so many years.

Many people from my own place who speak Hausa today do so because they are offsprings of those who worked in Railway Corporation.

And that has helped in binding the country together. Now from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri, it is only a small place in Abia, that is left, it would have been completed.

Look at the Lagos to Kano •Ukpabi route, people can now use it. And the more you use these rails the more our roads last longer.

It makes me remember those days when we used to go to secondary schools. We will just jump into the train, sometimes we don’t pay. We get to the next station we stop.

Look at electricity; he has taken it to a whole new level.

I was reading one of the reports and it stated that from 1999 till when Jonathan came into office we were still using only 2000 megawatts.

But only two years in office we now have 4500 mega watts and he has promised and put in motion, things that would be done to make Nigerians within a short time enjoy uninterrupted power supply.

What can be better than that?

Go to agriculture. We are almost 60 percent self sufficient in the production of rice, but not only that, look at the job it has brought. It is something to be glad about.

If you know the amount of money we used in importing rice in the past, you will know that he has done so well.

Last year, as someone from the South East, we were afraid how we would get to our villages. The roads were so bad, but he set up a team,

incidentally the chairman of that team is my friend and they had to do the roads.

Now I can drive from Abuja to my place in the East without any problem of bad road. Look at the Second Niger Bridge, our people were jubilating and praising God when Julius Berger mobilized to the site to start work.

Travelling through airports Most of these things have been left all along and this young man is doing them, why don’t we appreciate him for once.

I am sure people can travel through our airports in recent times and you would be proud to say you are a Nigerian.

Before now it was an eyesore but today it is very beautiful.

These are things Jonathan would be remembered for within such a short time, just two years.

I was reading somewhere where somebody was scoring him low, unfortunately, for those writing, they were hooking the failures of the past administrations on him.

How can you? If you are

looking at past administrations then blame those responsible for that and praise him for what he has done within such a short period.

So you are supporting him to go for a second term?

Yes, why shouldn’t I? If I as a PDP member refuse to allow the man go for a second term, the entire PDP should get out of the stage and allow the opposition because we will be shooting ourselves in the leg.

What about the alleged gentleman agreement he signed with the governors?

To begin with governors’ forum is a mess. I don’t recognize it. Let them go and do their job as governors.

They just gang up to whittle down the powers of the president.

The question is what is it they are adding to the polity?

And why must there be governors’ forum? Are they the owners of this country?

I was in this game when most of them were in secondary schools. They can’t just come and tell us they have governors’ forum, just to dictate to us.

46—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

Crises is the beauty of democracy — Wike MINISTER of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, in this brief encounter with Vanguard, speaks on the mini-convention of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and the crisis rocking Rivers State.

Excerpts:

W

HAT is your take on the convention?

Well, it has been conducted well inspite of the prediction by some people that it will not hold. The special mini convention has taken place despite all odds and prediction by people who do not want the progress of the PDP. Will it be right to say you are in charge of the delegates at the convention?

I am not in charge but rather, I am part of the people that had to attend the convention.

The former governor, Dr Peter Odili, the former deputy Speaker, a former minister and some lawmakers were all in attendance.

Politicians in Rivers State who say they boycotted were not delegates because you have to be a delegate before

you can boycott.

They were not delegates, so what are they boycotting? It is only those that were suspended that were not at the convention. You do not expect to have one hundred per cent but at least we have 70 per cent of the delegates in attendance. So, I will not say I am in charge.

You have taken over the party structure in Rivers state...

(Cuts in) I am not taking over anything but rather, the people, who are major contributors to the party, are now back to the party.

Before now, so many people were ostracized from the party and when this new chairman came, one of the things he was able to do, was to bring everybody back and participate in the party they built. It shows that all of us are working together in the

,

BY HENRY UMORU & DAPO AKINREFON

In any dispensation, when you are moving forward, you see all these things happening but sooner or later, it dies down.

That is the position of what is going on in Rivers state

,

party. So there is nothing like anybody taking over the party structure. It is just that the mandate of the people has been given back, that is why you see those who were in former ACN, are now back. So we are all back.

How soon will the crises in your state be resolved?

You say crisis, but in politics,

•Wike: Crisis is good the beauty of democracy is internal wrangling.

So, I do not see anything peculiar. In any dispensation, when you are moving forward, you see all these things happening but sooner or later, it dies down. That is

the position of what is going on in Rivers state.

You heard what is going on in Anambra and Adamawa states, they are all politics. At the end of the day, everybody will come together.

Abia 2015: Charter of equity must prevail— Wokocha CHIEF Marshal Wokocha is a PDP chieftain in Abia state and a political stakeholder in Ukwa/Ngwa land. In an interview with Vanguard he spoke on the simmering tension among the Ukwa/Ngwa people over the 2015 governorship.

BY ANAYO OKOLI

G

OVERNOR Theodore Orji’s promise to facilitate power shift to Ukwa/Ngwa has been followed with internal dissension among the people Ukwa/Ngwa in Abia South and Central. What is your reaction?

No, our Governor never said anything like ceding power to Abia South of Ukwa/Ukwa Ngwa or Abia Central of Ukwa/Ngwa but promised to cede power to Ukwa/Ngwa (Old Aba) block in line with the Abia Charter of Equity. It is just the mischief of some political aspirants probably from the southern part of Ukwa/

the military era.

People have been trying to stoke certain mischief either because of their ill-preparedness or their inability to present themselves to a larger spectrum of the political contest within the Ukwa/Ngwa extraction of Abia state or Old Aba Division.

People who are canvassing for the exclusion of three principal local government areas in Old Aba Division, namely Isisala Ngwa North, Isiala Ngwa South and Osisioma Ngwa are not prepared to avail themselves of this contest. These are people I may say are trying to limit the

The governor has maintained that power would go to Ukwa/Ngwa extraction of Abia State, he maintains that power should rotate between Old Bende and Old Aba divisions

,

Ngwa. The governor has maintained that power would go to Ukwa/Ngwa extraction of Abia State, he maintains that power should rotate between Old Bende and Old Aba divisions, that has been our governor’s stand and that also reflects the Abia Charter of Equity which was canvassed and agreed upon even during

,

governorship contest to their local government areas, where they believe they can be one-eyed man in the land of the blind.

Otherwise, why would somebody try to exclude his kins, his brothers and sisters from the three local government areas?

Isiala Ngwa North is where all the Ngwas come from.

•Wokocha Any division among Ukwa/ Ngwa people will be to our disadvantage. So we must work as a bloc, the Ukwa/Ngwa bloc, Old Aba division.

When the former deputy governor, now Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe had problem with his boss then, Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, the whole Ngwa people rose in his support because they felt that he was being maltreated, and they fought Orji Uzor Kalu to a standstill. We never had any division, we never had any problem, we fought it together and collectively, so why now? So I

believe that those who are ill-prepared are trying to create division and sow seeds of disunity among Ukwa/Ngwa people but they will fail.

We have capable sons and daughters in the Abia Central extraction of Old Aba zone, Ukwa/Ngwa area, who are interested in the contest. Of course there is the Accountant-General of the state, Gabriel Onyedilefu, there is our son in the House of Representatives, Uzo Azubuike, there is Senator Nkechi Nwogu a very formidable politician, very capable, and I guess she is the only reason people want to exclude these three local government areas and we think that it is unfair. Whether it is Gabriel Onyedilfu, Uzo Azubuike or Senator Nkechi Nwogu is qualified.

Don’t you think that politicians from the Old Bende divide may be stoking this division among your people so that they could capitalize on that to their advantage?

That is actually what we are talking about. It is just the ploy of our brothers from the other divide to break us in order to present their own candidate.

It seems this division is more pronounced among Ngwa people themselves the Ukwas are not making noise about it.

How are you reaching out to them in this project?

They started their own by proclaiming themselves as Ngwa Nation, we told them no, it is wrong; you only have two local government areas. They were rallying around the former Senate President [Adolf Wabara] and we told the man, look you are a father, you don’t need to do this. We all see you as a father who was the number three man in the nation and when you lost the election, the Ngwa people persuaded their son, Chidi Imo who won the election to allow you because the then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo appealed to us because he promised to make you the Senate President.

We appealed to our son that we stood to gain and he allowed you.

Since then the idea was dropped.

So what we are preaching and I am sure that God will touch our brother, is to see reasons so that we should work as one.

Vanguard, TUESD AY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013— 47 TUESDA

Linda, 25, breast cancer patient cries for help

• Seeks N500,000 for treatment every three weeks for a year

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

W

HEN 25-year-old Linda Godwin, a primary school teacher residing at 11, Odofin Street, Olodi Apapa in Lagos, discovered a tiny lump (seed) in her right breast sometime in January 2012, she had no premonition she was on the threshold of a long and tortuous journey into the agonizing world of cancer.

Today Linda, who hails from Isi Umuozu, Nwangele LGA of Imo State, and is mother of a two and a half-year-old boy, is fighting the battle of her life against late-stage breast cancer.

In the hope to win the battle and survive, she is currently undergoing expensive chemotherapy at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi Araba, Lagos.

Linda who described her ordeal as the worst imaginable, is passionately appealing to all well meaning Nigerians for financial assistance to complete the therapy and to go abroad for further treatment.

Writhing and groaning in pains, she told a moving tale of anguish, regret and lamentation of the genesis of her ordeal.

"I discovered the lump in my breast by accident and called my husband's attention to it.

Together, we went to a diagnostic centre in Pako, Ajegunle area of Lagos State where a scan was prescribed. The result indicated that the lump was benign. We were told it was actually a cyst and not a malignant tumour as we initially feared."

Linda said was prescribed Augmentin tablets and some

other antibiotics and the couple was made to believe that the drugs would melt off the lump.

She didn't know it then, but the decision to follow the prescribed treatment turned out to be her undoing.

became hard as stone and eventually covered my entire breast.

“It was at this point in time I was referred to LUTH where a medical consultant revealed that it was the antibiotics that triggered the abnormal growth of the tumour and worsened my condition. He said I ought to have removed the seed

while it was still tender. He advised that the best option was to cut off the breast, but fear gripped me instantly at the thought of cutting off my breast at such a young age. I told my husband about the doctor's advice and he did not buy the idea either.”

Linda went back home, but as time went by, the breast began rottening and falling off bit by bit until it fell off entirely on its own.

“People thought I was going to

• Prof. Ajekigbe “To my surprise, the seed started growing even faster. The growth was so fast it covered almost half of the breast in no time. I became alarmed and on advice of concerned persons, decided to try out herbal medicine which I took orally and applied superficially on the breast. But there was no improvement.”

Linda has since been running from pillar to post in her quest for a cure. Her search for relief took her to various native doctors, traditional healers and Churches within and outside Lagos. But it was to no avail.

“I came back to Lagos hopeless. I went the NTA for help but unfortunately, they did not attend to us. My condition went from bad to worse. The lump

Accident and emergency

• Linda Godwin.

Depression, epilepsy, psychosis for treatment at PHCs in Lagos

P

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

ATIENTS suffering from depression, epilepsy and psychosis will soon have access to treatment at the primary healthcare, PHC, level in Lagos, if a new project initiated by Mental Health in Primary Care (MeHPriC),through grants from Grand Challenges Canada (GCC) is anything to go by.

The new project which is the first of its kind in Nigeria is aimed at closing the gap in mental health management created by shortage of psychiatrists in the country.

It is also to shift the task of treatment to doctors and other health workers at PHC level to ensure only more chronic conditions are referred to tertiary facilities.

In chat in Lagos, Principal Investigator,

die and I had no option than to go back to the hospital. With the little money we could gather, we went to LUTH again. The doctor chided me for not listening to his advice earlier.”

A Medical report from LUTH indicated Linda is being managed for invasive ductal carcinoma, SBR Grade III, synchronous bilateral breast cancer.

“This is a late stage cancer,” noted Consultant Oncologist and Head of the Department of Radiation/Oncology, LUTH, Professor A.T. Ajekigbe, while confirming Linda was registered at the surgical outpatient department of the health institution on April 26, 2013.

Ajekigbe recalled the patient had earlier reported at the Accident & Emergency on 20th March, 2013 and was diagnosed with right breast ulcer.

Lamenting that most cancer patients present late at the hospital,when only palliative care can be provided, he urged that the earlier the presentation, the better the mangement. “Let this be a warning to others. Examine your body and if you find anything wrong, give a shout and people will come to your assistance.

Mental Health in Primary Care, MeHPriC, Dr. Abiodun Adewuya, explained that the programme is being funded by the Grand Challenges Canada,GCC, while the Lagos State University College of Medicine, LASUCOM, will manage the grant. The Lagos State Ministry of Health and Lagos State Primary Health Care Board,LSPHCB, are involved while the Centre for Mental Health Research and Initiative, CEMHRI, and the Institute of Psychiatrics, London are the other partners.

Adewuya said a research was conducted to implement and evaluate intervention for depression, epilepsy and psychosis tagged DEP in primary care in five divisions in Lagos called IBILE. "The programme will ensure that each

division under IBILE, which is an acronym for Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island and Epe, covers five million persons living with Depression, Epilepsy and Psychosis, DEP. Lamenting that Nigeria has less than 300 psychiatrists he said, just 32 currently worked in Lagos State.

Adewuya, who is also the Head of Department of Psychiatry, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, said doctors, nurses and other health care workers at the PHC, will be trained to identify and treat DEP so that there would be increased access to evidenced-based intervention and improved health outcome in clients with DEP receiving the treatment.

Continues on page 48

“When she got to the Accident & Emergency, her case was bad.

She had history of difficulty of moving the right hand. Also had some oedema, then she was referred. When she was first seen it was at a late stage. She had the disease at least 15 months earlier before presenting. She had difficulty breathing for about one week before presenting,” he observed.

Further, Ajekigbe said what Linda has on the right arm is known as Lymphodema. “It is different from oedema. In lymphoedema, the lymphatic system is involved as a result of which the swelling does not easily go down. What we do is to manage it to reduce the complications.

Further, the Consultant Oncologist explained: “The axilla is the armpit and the breast they are related. I call them first cousins. what ever happens to the breast most of the time will stretch to the armpit near it, and what happens to the breast may come from the armpit, they are so related. It is called the lymphatic drainage system. The upper part of the breast drains into the system. if a doctor examines your breast for whatever reason, the doctor must also look into the armpit to see if there is anything there. he must check the lymph nodes.

“Occasionally when breast cancer spreads to the axilla, it Continues on page 48

48— Vanguard,

TUESD AY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013 TUESDA

FG, LASG task states on global health commitments

BY CHIOMA OBINNA & MONSUR OLOWOPEJO

S

TATE governments across the Federation have been tasked to demonstrate unrelenting commitment towards achieving national and global targets in the health sector.

Towards this end, Federal and the State governments are aiming to contribute $100 million to tackle the HIV/ AIDS in the state, even as the importance of health insurance has been highlighted as holding the magic answer to some challenges in the helth sector.

Speaking at the 56th National Council On Health Meeting NCH, which opened last week at the Civic Center, Lagos, themed ‘Health Sector Now and Beyond 2015’, Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu said “states needed to strengthen healthcare right from the grassroots, as this would ensure quick realisation of the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs.” His words: “The MDGs continue to be the benchmark for our progress in the health sector. We should explore ways of accelerating the attainment of these goals and make efforts to strengthen the health care system even after 2015.”

“We (Federal and state governments) need to make sustained efforts and evaluate our actions in the health sector with a focus on global and national commitments that will translate into better health care delivery in the country.”

Chukwu said the Federal Government had in the past few years recorded great strides in the health sector through President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda.

“We have made progress in diseases control and our other goals in the health sector. For example, Lassa Fever has reduced from about 1,100 cases in 2011 to slightly less than a 1000 cases in 2012.Even meningitis has reduced from about 1,000 cases in 2012 to less than 700 cases in 2013.

“Guinea worm that was still prevalent in the country four years ago has been totally eradicated from the country and cases of cholera have been drastically reduced, he said.

Further, he disclosed that the essence of the plan to inject $100m into HIV/ AIDS management was to identify

priority attention and increase domestic resources.We have also made considerable progress against malaria.

Since 2010 we have distributed almost 60 million insecticide treated nets in all states of Federation.

Chukwu said government was strengthening health facilities across the country and enunciating policies aimed at improving healthcare delivery.

Declaring the meeting open, Fashola said the nation’s healthcare sector needs immediate rejuvenation.

“Every state is making intervention in the area of healthcare, in terms of primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities, training and retraining of healthcare personnel and so on, the story is the same. It is the intensity of activity that is perhaps a little

different.

Fashola who observed that people cannot afford health services because they are expected to pay on cash-andcarry basis, said the only way to efficient healthcare is to address inequalities between public and private healthcare.

On the way forward, he asked: “Can we design an insurance system that provides access that will be the responsibility that you and I and all of us can think through and find a way for our people?

“As we think that through, let me share with you the fact that we are already running pilot schemes of health insurance in Lagos, we are in three local governments now and what we see is that the poor can pay, if it is reasonably and sensibly drafted,” Fashola asserted.

• Arega Zeru Melaku of the Ethiopian Health & Nutrition Research Institute receiving his certificate from the DG NIMR Prof Innocent Ujah after the M&E capacity building training in Lagos. Looking on is the Director of the M&E training programme, Prof. Oni Idigbe.

Continued from Page 47 Co-investigator, Prof Martins Prince said DEP under the project can be treated by building the capacity of doctors, nurses and other workers at the PHC level to identify their signs and symptoms.

Prince, a professor of psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College, London, identified major problems of mental health as under-diagnosis and under-treatment.

"We call the problem treatment gap. This is why the World Health Organisation programme is called MHgap. It is a global action plan. Mental health gap is about closing that treatment gap. The treatment gap is big actually in high income country such as the United Kingdom, probably about half of the people with depression in the UK go without treatment. But the treatment gap in low and middle income countries such as Nigeria are absolutely huge.

"In rural area of Africa, 90 per cent of people with psychosis never had treatment or care. Two-thirds of people living with epilepsy which is associated with stigma never had any treatment to their condition. We think four out of five people, which is 80 per cent in Nigeria, have serious episode of depression and do not have treatment. There is little awareness and people don't seek help and even if they do, it is through the traditional healers not from the biomedical system," Prince said.

He noted that one of the biggest barriers was dearth of specialists. “There is lack of adequate psychiatrists, psychologists, community mental health nurses, which is why there was no specialist to take on this disease burden directly. So what we need to do is to mobilise the forces of public health in particular primary health care to be providing much of the treatment to the priority mental and Continues on page 49

NIMR builds capacity on M&E

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

T

O boost outcomes of health research in Nigeria and other African countries, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, has trained 20 researchers from Nigeria and six African countries.

The training which took place in

Lagos was aimed at building capacity of researchers to be able to monitor their programmes as they are doing it as well as evaluate the outcome of their programmes at the end.

Director – General, NIMR, Professor Innocent Ujah who acknowledged the importance of the training particularly for health researchers lamented that

Linda, 25, breast cancer patient cries for help Continued from Page 47 blocks the lymphatic drainage system. The fluid comes down quite right, but cannot go back because of the blockage, hence the swollem arm. We advise patients to alleviate that part as often as possible.

“Often, we use crepe bandage to push the fluid back. We may also apply fortified cream through massage to push the fluid back. We can also use what is known as Flowtron to push back the fluid to provide relief.”

At this point in time, the tumour has spread to Linda’s right arm and hand. She has been placed on an eight-course chemotherapy at three-week intervals. She has currently completed four courses and has four to go. Each treatment course costs approximately N300,000, but when drugs and other essentials are factored in, in addition to requirement of care and

DEP for treatment at PHCs in Lagos

support, rehabilitation, radiotherapy, plastic surgery, etc., the cost runs even higher. To effectively manage the condition, Linda currently requires approximately N500,000 every three weeks over the next one year.

In a passionate appeal, Linda is calling for assistance. “I am on my knees imploring kind-hearted Nigerians at home and abroad to have compassion and come to my aid. I need urgent financial assistance to continue managing this disorder and eventually go abroad for better treatment.

Please help save my life.

Linda’s husband, Godwin, a native of Oron in Akwa Ibom State and a stylist by profession was overcome with emotion as he spoke about his wife’s predicament.

He lamented how he was compelled to sell off his shop at a point to raise money for his wife’s treatment. "I have visited

many places, spiritualists, herbalists, and even specialists and I have spent all I have on the treatment of this illness.

"I cannot even afford my son's school fees, and even feeding for my family has been a very big problem. My landlord has however been merciful to me as a result of my wife's condition as I owe him rent for over a year.

“All I can now offer to my wife is only moral support and encouragement. I appeal to Nigerians who can help to please assist me and my family as we hope to fly Linda abroad for further treatment.We shall be ever grateful and God will bless you as you respond."

If you wish to assist Linda, kindly send donations to Linda Godwin, Diamond Bank 0035014567, or call 08171334776 and 08038247106 for more details.

Monitoring and Evaluation had been relegated in Nigeria.

“Monitoring and Evaluation is the barometer to know if what researchers are doing is working and to plan for improvement. No nation that has relegated M& E has ever succeeded and that is why many developing countries like Nigeria are yet to be developed. It is like a compass that directs us. In science, we believe that is the best way to go.”

Also speaking, Director of the Programme, Professor Oni Idigbe hinted that the training was supported by a grant from EDCTP, West African Network of TB/AIDS and Malaria, WANETAM, USAID, IANPHI and Measure Evaluation.

“The essence of M&E is to be able to set a target that would enable you achieve the set objectives. It also gives you opportunity to know if the project is progressing or not and gives you opportunity to see what is wrong and correct it. At the end, you now evaluate yourself, Idigbe stated.”

Seven of the participants were drawn from Darkar, Uganda, Ethopia, Gambia, Malawi and Ghana; nine from NIMR and four from other states of the Federation. Bamidele Samson from Measure Evaluation, noted that M&E was an emerging science and is relevant to health research

Vanguard, TUESD AY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013— 49 TUESDA

Hadassah Healing Foundation empowers 500 indigent women

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

N

O less than 500 women in Lagos have acquired vocational and other life empowerment skills free of charge, courtesy of a community outreach programme put together by the Hadassah Healing Foundation.

Disclosing this to Good Health Weekly, the Founder, Hadassah Healing Foundation, and Co-Pastor, Maker ’s Church, Pastor Adenike Lamai, said the beneficiaries were taught skils through which to be self-sustaining by starting small-scale businesses with as little as N10,000.

“Women are taught to appreciate that with just N10,000 - N20,000, they could start somethnig small. We taught them that if they could learn something, they could become self-dependent and responsible adults.

“They started by learning empowering skills with which they would begin their various vocations.

They were taught arts ranging from basket weaving and tailoring, to soap making and baking

•Pastor Adenike Lamai of pastries,” she noted.

Lamai explained that no less than six persons were identified for sponsorship. “We are calling them the 2013

Hadassah Ambassadors.

The idea was to demonstrate that they can make a living.

“Once they learn this, we will follow them up, monitior them and ensure they are established and we know we have given back to society. It is to ensure these women make a living from what they have been able to establish.

“Once they run through the training we will establish them and buy them all the implements they need.

She explained that funding for the initiative

came from kind-hearted Nigerian women and partners who want to empower other women.

The event kicked off August 10, 2013 at the Shogunle Community Town Hall, moved on to the Palace of Oba Rauf Adeniyi, Anifiowoshe, Ikeja; Government Senior Model College, Ikorodu and Akute Primary School, Akute.

It is part of the Hadassah Healing Conference 2013 which peaks in Lagos on September 14 at the Haven Events Centre, Ikeja, with the theme ‘New Wine’.

Mosquitoes can ‘smell’ humans at night — STUDY

A

TEAM of researchers have published in Naturethat the major malaria vector in Africa, the Anopheles gambiae mosquito, is able to smell major human host odorants better at night.

The study reports an integrative approach to examine the mosquito's ability to smell across the 24hour day and involved sensory physiological, and behavioral techniques. The researchers examined the role for a major chemosensory family of mosquito proteins, odorant-binding proteins in the daily regulation of olfactory sensitivities in the malarial mosquito.

It is thought that OBPs in the insect antennae and mouth parts function to concentrate odorant molecules and assist in their transport to the actual olfactory receptors, thereby allowing for odorant detection. The team revealed daily rhythmic protein abundance of OBPs, having higher concentrations in the mosquito's sensory organs at night than during the day. This discovery could change the way we look at protecting ourselves from the disease-carrying insectss.

DEP for treatment at PHCs

• L-R:Nutrition Research Fellow, Dr Bartholomew Brai; Consultant Cardiologist, Dr. Akinsanya Olusegun-Joseph and Dr. Kemi Odukoya apublic HealthPhysician, LUTH, all members, Ignite Scientific Committee, at the Nutrition lecture organised in conjunction with ARD, LASUTH branch, in Lagos recently.

Continues from page 48 neurological disorders which currently they don't do, they are not trained for it and no expectation that they should do it nor see it as part of their job. But there is no reason why they shouldn't be engaged in this way.

This will reduce the barriers and cut the cost of treatment and make treatment more accessible and reduce stigma. "Fundamentally what we are doing is that we are engaging in task sharing, we are using the specialist to advise, train and to supervise the nonspecialist who are much greater in number to actually learn to be providing much of the combine treatment.

Depression affects one in seven in a PHC while psychosis affects about one per cent of the population.

They are very chronic, disabling and serious condition where treatment can make a big difference to the outcome.

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50—Vanguard, TUESD AY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013 TUESDA

Good pharma care eliminates misuse of medicines — ACPN

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

W

ITH alarming incidences of misuse and drug abuse in the country, patients suffering from one or more conditions will now be sure of better drug management as experts in the management of medicines have resolved that good pharmaceutical care is inevitable in the nation’s healthcare system.

Giving this submission in Lagos last week in Lagos, unanimously agreed that pharmaceutical care was the only panacea to the elimination of misuse and drug abuse among Nigerians.

In his submission, the Lagos State Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, Abdulsamin AbdulsalamYinka said: Pharmaceutical care will ensure that the pharmacist takes responsibility of providing drug-related needs for patients and accountable for not only the needs but ensure that patients benefit in terms of quality of life since the practice is outcome oriented.

According to Abdulsalam – Yinka, “In pharmaceutical care, a lot of things are considered because although medicines are beneficial in the sense that they can impact positively to improve our health, they are however equally dangerous if abused and used otherwise.”

Continuing, he explained that the situation of the country’s healthcare delivery system currently makes pharmaceutical care inevitable as wonderful attributes of medicines can be maximized only when a pharmacist is involved in medications.

“Many of our people are managing chronic ailments and are on multiple medications and the environment has been over time being bedeviled n by chaotic drug distribution, irrational prescription and use of medicines and proliferation of fake and counterfeit medicines.

“With pharmaceutical care from the pharmacists, one will know how to use these drugs.

Also, medicines tend to interact and the outcome of this interaction can produce negative effects in the sense that it can make the other medicine

not to work well, or it may also increase the effort of the other medicine that can make it become dangerous to health and to reach toxic level.”

The Chairman who spoke during the 2013 ACPN Day themed; “Access to Safe Pharmaceutical Care: Role of Community Pharmacists” as part of activities to Pharmacy Week in Lagos, posited that the practice of pharmaceutical care

by Community Pharmacists provides solution to most of the medicine related problems.

He however acknowledged that medicines occupy a unique

position in healthcare system as they make healthcare credible because they can cure, diseases, relieve symptoms and alleviate sufferings, “hence the psychological satisfaction produced by the medicines creates favourable environment on which the preventive and educational elements of healthcare can be built with consequent further improvement in health Listing some of the benefits of drugs” On his part, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Olumide Akintayo, noted that

OSAOLA partners MediaCon on child sexual violence

BY KOSISO UDEMBA & MODINAT AMUSAT

O

•L-R: Nwankwo Kanu, UNICEF Ambassador and Founder KHF; Mr. Peter Igho, Former DG National Lottery Commission; Kayode Adejumo of Kia Motors, and Pastor Onyebuchi Abia Coordinator KHF, during the media launch of the “HEAL-a-HEART Lottery in Abuja recently.

NAFDAC, others raise stake on sheanut/butter, sesame seeds

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

T

RADERS and exporters of sheanut/butter and sesame seeds from Nigeria last week began training on modern skills of handling them and advanced processing methods to increase the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, that accrue from them to the nation .

At the opening ceremony of the training organised by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, in collaboration with partners, they called on Federal and state governments and other relevant agencies to intensify efforts at improving both quality and processing of products in line with international standards to boost their economic yield.

The training was organised in collaboration with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), World

pharmaceutical care in Nigeria was still at its infancy because the stakeholders are yet to be convinced on the benefits that is accruable when such concept see the light of the day.

For Akintayo, progress is however, been going on, especially at the level of the public sector where there have been a few reform that have today been adopted by the government. “In the last few years, PSN has promoted this new concept, as dispensary software which is geared towards ensuring the appropriate labeling of products.”

•Dr. Paul Orhii.

Trade Organisation (WTO), among others.

The Director General NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii and Mrs. Omowunmi Osibo, former Project Coordinator, Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF), said the training was aimed at expanding Nigeria's export on sesame seeds and shea nut/butter through

improved Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Capacity Building for private and public sectors.

Highlighting the potentials of shea butter in terms of generating income towards the GDP, Osibo who was a former staff of the NEPC, said, "Shea butter is not generating as much as what it ought to because Nigeria produces over 326,000 metric tons of shea nuts annually.

She noted that quite a good number of the 326,000 metric tons of shea nuts produced in the country is smuggled out of the nation into the neigbouring states for processing. "This is what this project sets out to address -to improve the quality, the processing and increase more job generation," she said.

On what will accrue to the country from the product, Osibo puts it at over $500 million dollars yearly. She said the market for shear butter is expanding because of the

market from the north.

In his speech, Orhii said with the advent of globalisation and the need to expand the non-oil agric based trade, it is of paramount importance that the benefits of international collaboration and cooperation are harnessed.

According to him, the central theme of the training, Robust Systems for Safer Products and Exports of Sesame Seeds and Shea Butter aims to inform participants on the trade and regulatory requirement of the production, exportation, sale and use of the products.

"The training is a segment of the WTO/STDF Project 172 in collaboration with Nigeria to improve SPS capacity for private and public sector," said Orhii, adding that the WTO/ STDF Project 172 generally seeks to improve the quality and expand the export of Nigerian Sesame seeds and Shea nut/ butter.

LD Students Association of Our Lady of Apostles, OSAOLA, Ijebu-Ode, has thrown its weight behind the Media Concern Initiative-For Women and Children, MediaCon, in their fight against sexual violence against women and children.

At an event held in honour of MediaCon last week, representatives of OSAOLA noted that the occasion marked the beginning of a desirable partnership between the two organizations towards ending the menace of sexual violence against women and children, as well as other vulnerable groups in society.

While presenting gift items at the event, President of the Association, Mrs Onabanjo stated: "We want to help in our own way to support and we look forward to a more effective partnership with you. Sexual abuse is a major setback in a person's life, especially for the girl-child, and particularly one that is not rehabilitated on time.

This necessitates the need for society at large to join hands in the fight against it. This is why we have decided to partner with MediaCon." On her part, Senior Programme Officer, MediaCon, Adeola Abiola, noted that before now, the issue of sexual abuse has been a subject of no discussion in the Nigerian society whereas it happens almost everyday. "Sexual abuse actually takes place almost everyday.

“We receive a minimum of four to five reports of cases of children who have been sexually abused in one week.

We have even received reports of children of 18 months being raped. So we urge the government and the society at large to stand up against this anomaly."

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013 — 51

France tto o giv e ‘clear e vidence’ on Assad's culpability give evidence’

F

RANCE has announced that it is set to provide what it called clear evidence that the Syrian regime was behind a devastating chemical attack, as Western leaders bid to overcome widespread scepticism to military action.

With US President Barack Obama also lobbying Congress to back strikes, the Syrian regime said it remained on alert for a possible attack, urging the United Nations to “prevent any aggression” against it.

NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said he was personally convinced the chemical attack had taken place and that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime was responsible.

He called for a response that would “send a very clear message” against the use of chem-

said lawmakers would be given “evidence of different kinds that will allow the regime to be clearly identified as responsible for the August

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad (C) meets Alaeddin Boroujerdi (L), head of the Iranian parliamentary committee for national security and foreign policy, in Damascus . ical weapons, but said any military action should be “very short, sharp (and) tailored”.

French government sources said evidence proving the regime’s involvement in the attack would be provided to top lawmakers at a meeting with Prime Minister

Jean-Marc Ayrault at 1500 GMT. “We are going to give parliamentarians everything that we have — classified until now — so that each of them can take into account the reality of this unacceptable attack,” Ayrault said.

A government source

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has warned France of the dangers on military strike, even as he scorned allegations that his forces were behind the chemical attack in Damascus last month and warned that any French military action against his government would lead to “negative repercussions”.

President Francois Hollande, along with U.S. President Barack Obama, has said Assad should be punished for the August 21 attack in which Washington says

who committed this, so all the inspectors will say is that chemical weapons have been used”.

His comments came a day after the League stopped short of calling for military intervention in Syria, instead asking the UN and the international community to take “deterrent” measures under international law.

Elaraby added that he considered that only the UN, “as the official representative of the international community ” could “take action to stop those who committed this crime”.

Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council and an ally of Assad, has said there

many of them children, were killed. The Syrian government says it was carried out by rebels who it often refers to as

T

HE Brazilian Navy yes terday in Lagos, pledged its resolve to cooperate with its Nigerian counterpart in the area of fighting acts of criminality in the sea,with a view to boosting economies of both countries.

Captain of OPV ALAVARI, a Brazillian ship on port visit to Lagos, Lieutenant Commander Robledo Lemos Costa E’sa made the pledge during a courtesy visit on the Flag Officer Commanding the Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas.

Es’a who said the need for such cooperation be-

Assad said it would have made no sense to use chemical weapons in an area where his troops were also fighting.

Putin to send Russian lawmakers to U.S.

P

RESIDENT Vladimir Putin proposed on Monday to send a delegation of Russian lawmakers to the United States to discuss the situation in Syria with members of Congress.

Two top Russian legislators suggested that to Putin, saying polls have shown little support among Americans for armed intervention in Syria to punish its regime for an alleged chemical weapons attack.

Russian television showed Putin meeting on Monday with Valentina Matvienko, the speaker of the upper house, and Sergei Naryshkin, the lower house speaker, at his resi-

Putin dence outside Moscow.

The lawmakers said maybe U.S. legislators can be persuaded to take a “balanced stance” on the issue. Putin supported the initiative, which would require formal approval by the Foreign Ministry.

Libya imports fuel to keep the power on

L

Nabil Elaraby is no evidence that the chemical attack was launched by the Assad regime.

NATO statement Meanwhile, the secretary general of Nato, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said the international community could

not ignore the attack.

“We believe that these unspeakable actions which claimed the lives of hundreds of men, women and children cannot be ignored,” Rasmussen told a news conference.

IBYA has begun im porting diesel and fuel oil to keep power plants operating after protests closed most of the gas fields in its eastern region which usually supply them, an industry executive said on Monday.

No end is in sight to the worst disruption to Libya’s oil industry since the civil war in 2011 as armed

Brazilian Navy offers to cooperate with Nigeria to fight piracy

BY EVELYN USMAN

ple have been killed in violence since an uprising against the regime began in March 2011.

Assad warns France against military strike more than 1,400 people, “terrorists”.

Arab League says only UN can stop Syria's crimes T HE head of the Arab League has said military intervention in Syria was not an option , a further blow to United States’ efforts to act over a chemical weapons attack in Damascus last month.

Following emergency meetings in Cairo yesterday, secretary general, Nabil Elaraby, said the League held the Syrian regime of Bashar alAssad responsible for the August 21 attack, but a “military option is out of the question”.

He said that the United Nations inspectors who had investigated the attack site “do not have the powers to say

21 chemical attack”.

The French parliament is to hold a debate Wednesday on taking action on Syria, where more than 110,000 peo-

tween both navies could never be overemphasized, opined that the only solution to the danger posed by piracy was cooperation between both countries. He therefore, ,expressed optimism that the relationship between both navies would achieve some positive objectives in the desired direction.

Responding, the FOC said since the Brazilian focus was more on the South Atlantic , the strategic importance of global maritime trade had to be secured by both countries maritime ties.

On the preparedness of the Nigerian Navy to improve maritime security , Ette-Ibas disclosed that the

service had concluded plans to acquire Offshore Patrol vessels,O PV .

To ensure that piracy was fought to standstill, he said the first international OPV conference geared towards securing the maritime environment was concluded last week in Nigeria..

groups, security guards and oil workers with tribal loyalties shut down pipelines and oil ports across the country.

A National Oil Company senior official said Libya had imported at “least three times the quantities of liquid fuel” than usual in order to keep power plants operating.

“All the gas in the eastern part has stopped,” said the official, who requested anonymity.

The official said that a vessel that had loaded 600,000 tonnes of crude from Brega port, which shipping sources said was the Eagle Trenton, had been asked by NOC to go to Zawiya port in the west because it was needed to supply its 120,000 bpd refinery the biggest near the capital Tripoli.

52 — Vanguard Vanguard,,

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

YOUR LUCK TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 TAURUS: Opposition between the Moon and Pluto may induce personality clashes you don’t need at lest for now. What can help you now is love and your being persuasive. Think of the future.

GEMINI: Positive events that started yesterday will continue today. Rely more on your ability to be as bold as necessary so that you can get things done your own way at work.

CANCER: Good luck will smile at you. Romantic interlude that started last yesterday may become excitingly louder and melodious to the satisfaction of your soul.

LEO: If you allow domestic pressure to affect your working pattern, your senior colleagues may not understand and make things a bit more difficult. IF you’re stable, you will have more to gain financially.

VIRGO: After snappy aggressive approach exhibited by you yesterday ,you are back at your being pleasant self to the admiration of others. This is the wrong time to take law and it’s agents for granted. Youngs-at-heart are favoured so also commercial activities.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

I

AM sure if you ask ten of the people in leadership positions in our politics today why they are vying for such position, not less than eight, if they want to be honest, will tell you, they are gunning for the position for what they can gain

Nigeria: Spare a thought — 4 and not in the interest of the people. Everybody wants to share the national cake and no one wants to first bake it. Pity! Where on earth is a country developed that way? And

this is why corruption has become a national etho today.

We all want to grab everything for ourselves alone. Yet, the holy writ tells us such wealth acquired dubi-

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye”

ously will dwindle away. For example, we all know panadol or paracetamol cures headache but why is it that it does not cure that of the rich in Nigeria except they go abroad for treatment?

Think about it!

By Lanre Kehinde

LIBRA: Some of you will wake up from slumber and realise mistakes about your finances early enough and make amendment but those who are reckless will commit more blunder. Beware of joint venture.

SCORPIO: Although erratic people from unexpected quarters may oppose you openly, your being self assertive will earn you both victory and financial success.

Then tomorrow will prove more successful.

SAGITTARIUS: The more ambitious you are the better for you. Then you will need to ignore those with queer characteristics within your working arena.

CAPRICORN: Mixed trends are indicated. If you take good advice from your cool headed friends, you will benefit more than you imagine, but if you take to unpredictable attitude, you will today start fire that will burn with great intensity tomorrow.

AQUARIUS: If you take the veterans within your base for granted, they will fail you painfully. Yet here is a lucky day for you when your being secretive and self reliant will earn you success. Be more ambitious.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic”

By Andy Akman

PISCES: Some of the people around you may get on your nerve via careless remarks, you must not allow them to disorganise your plans. The closer you are to the influential people the better for you.

ARIES: “Money is the root of all evils” says an adage.

And if care is not taken, money may set you and some other people fiercely against each other to the detriment of your cause. Be cautious.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

What is my luck?

Dear Joshua,

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

I am deeply interested in Astrology: and the way you analyse people is great, keep it up.

Kindly tell me whatever you think I should know about my life together with my luck, social life and my lucky number.

Gbenga, Abuja.

Dear Gbenga, Thank you for your words of encouragement. Too many things are important but I think what both your immediate and far future have for you must be revealed to you so that you will be prepared.

Mars in Aquarius together with Uranus are pointers to an active social life. The more influential social circle you belong to, the better for you. You’re the cool-headed type beloved by many but once your anger manages to fly off, it can be very difficult if not dangerous; it’s because of your natal Pluto. Yet they keep coming your way.

Saturn can not help forcing challenges on your way, luckily for you however, you have what it takes to live up to the challenges. And as Saturn will never deny it’s worthy native the deserved success, it also gives recognition.

Saturn or no Saturn, good relationship bet Mars and lucky Jupiter when you were born, are green tumb for WEALTH; you will be wealthier more than having liquid cash; nobody can stop your becoming wealthy.

Best colours for you include YELLOW, golden, black but not coconut white. Your sleeping posture should be on East/West axis with your head to the West.

5 is your destiny number, 9 is your ambition, 8 is your expression, your other numbers are 1, 6, 7 & 11. Thus, they are as superior as listed.

Between now and your 42th year on earth (three and half years) women, money, youngster will greatly feature in your life and a few publicity cum commercial success equally indicated for you.

HOME & ABROAD

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2013 — 53

Milan fans mob Kaka

O

A

C Milan have reached an agreement to re-sign Brazil forward Kaka from Real Madrid.

The 31-year-old last week revealed he wanted to leave the Bernabeu after four years - having joined from Milan for a reported 70million euros (£56million) in 2009 and Rossoneri vice-president Adriano Galliani moved quickly to persuade the 2007 Ballon d’Or winner to return to Serie A. A statement published on Milan’s official website on Monday morning confirmed a two-year contract was in place for Kaka.

In a surprise move given the hefty fee paid for his services in 2009, it is understood the Spanish capital club have allowed the forward to leave on a free transfer, after talks between Galliani, Real president Florentino Perez and the player lasted until the early hours of Monday morning.

Deadline day: Prem done deals

Kaka with fans yesterday.

Ozil seals 47m euro move to Arsenal

T

•Ozil

Messi ´excited´ for Celtic Park return

L

•Messi

IONEL Messi can not wait to play in the “very special” atmosphere created by Celtic fans in this season’s UEFA Champions League.

“The atmosphere their fans create make it a very special European night of football.

“I’m very excited to play at Celtic again in the group stages. Of course the last time we played in Scotland it was not a good result for us, but next time we will be looking to win'"

HE Gunners have smashed their transfer record to land Metsuit Ozil, who underwent the second part of his medical in Munich on Monday after agreeing personal terms with the club.

Goal has learned that Ozil has signed a deal worth around 150,000euro a-week that will run until 2018 after Real Madrid gave the green light to his departure.

He will comfortably become Arsenal’s highest-paid player as well as the club’s record signing, after Arsene Wenger sanctioned the first 23m euro-plus transfer in their history.

N the final day of the summer transfer win dow, find out a round-up of done deals completed by Premier League clubs.

Alvaro Vazquez - Getafe to Swansea (loan) Emiliano Viviano - Palermo to Arsenal (loan) Libor Kozak - Lazio to Aston Villa (undisclosed) Stephen Ireland - Aston Villa to Stoke (loan) Adrian Mariappa - Reading to Crystal Palace (undisclosed) Victor Moses - Chelsea to Liverpool (loan) Lee Camp - West Brom (free) Mamadou Sakho - Paris Saint-Germain to Liverpool (undisclosed) Morgan Amalfitano - Marseille to West Brom (loan) Tiago Ilori - Sporting Lisbon to Liverpool (undisclosed) Marko Arnautovic - Werder Bremen to Stoke (undisclosed) Jack Hunt - Huddersfield to Crystal Palace (undisclosed) Emmanuel Mayuka - Southampton to Sochaux (loan) Abdul Razak - Manchester City to Anzhi Makhachkala (loan) Francisco Junior - Everton to Vitesse Arnhem (loan) Sam Hutchinson - Chelsea to Vitesse Arnhem (loan)

Stoke sign Ireland

•Ireland

Villa capture Kozak S

Sakho joins Liverpool L

IVERPOOL have confirmed the signings of France defender Mamadou Sakho from Paris St Germain.

Sakho’s arrival on deadline day follows the earlier arrival of Tiago Ilori They take the total number of players brought in by Reds boss Brendan Rodgers this C M Y K

summer to seven, following Kolo Toure, Iago Aspas, Luis Alberto, Simon Mignolet and Aly Cissokho.

Sakho played 201 games for PSG, securing the Ligue 1 title with the capital club last season to add to winners’ medals for the 2010 Coupe de France and the 2008 Coupe de la

Ligue.

But now the 23-yearold, who can operate in central defence or at left-back and has won 14 caps for Les Bleus, cannot wait to get started for his new team.

“I’m delighted to be here,” he told Liverpool’s website. “I’d like to thank everyone for the welcome."

•Kozak

A

STON Villa have made a deadlineday move for Czech Republic international striker Libor Kozak.

The 24-year-old, who stole the show in last season’s Europa League with a top-scoring 10 goals, has

signed a four-year contract.

With his age and background, Kozak fits the profile of player Villa manager Paul Lambert likes to buy, with the Scot admitting to having tracked him for some time.

TOKE have con firmed the signing of Stephen Ireland on a season-long loan from Aston Villa.

Ireland, 27, follows Austrian international forward Marko Arnautovic to the Britannia Stadium after he completed his move from Werder Bremen. Stoke boss Mark Hughes managed Ireland at Manchester City and the club’s chief executive Tony Scholes hopes the midfielder can recapture the form he showed then.

Scholes said: “Stephen is a player that Mark knows really well and when the opportunity arose he was keen to add him to his midfield and attacking options.

“Arguably the most successful period of Stephen’s career to date was when he played for Mark at Manchester City and we hope that he can rediscover that form.”

54 —

Vanguard, TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

Hooliganism: Wolves to take case to FIFA

NIGERIA VS MALAWI

S

OCCER hooligan ism reared its ugly head in Ilorin at the weekend.

An Assistant Referee in the Kwara United/Warri Wolves league match, CID Duruna was so battered that he ended up in the hospital and would be a guest of the medics for more days if not weeks.

At the close of the first half which ended goalless home fans descended on the assistant referee and pumelled badly.

He was accused of bad calls and he got the beating of his life.

Minister of Youth and Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi who was visiting his home state was at the stadium to watch the game.

He had initiated the reformation going on now in the Nigerian league and his aides say he watches league matches any time it is possible for him to do so. What happened was, therefore, a huge disappointment to him.

We gathered that his presence at the stadium in Ilorin, however, saved the life of Duruna. The minister intervened and was said to have rescued the referee from further ordeal. Alex Chukwuemeka, the Secretary of the Club Owners Association was also said to have as-

Cardiff Continued from BP dergoing a medical and has now put pen to paper on a three-year con-

Moses Continued from BP to Chelsea, and has opted for time away at Anfield.

“Really excited to be joining Liverpool this season and can’t wait to make my debut now,” the Nigeria forward tweeted along with a photo of him holding up his new club’s jersey.

Moses will spend a year in Liverpool without the option of a permanent deal, an indication that he might still have a future at Stamford Bridge.

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sisted in rescuing the referee who was wounded in the head, lip and a tooth smashed. “He may not be able to eat meet for a long time,” a league official joked.

The centre referee was said to have taken to his heels and refused to start the second half when he saw what was happening to his assistant referee.

And Duruna was already in the hospital.

“We must join hands to put a stop to soccer hooliganism in Nigeria,” Delta State FA Chairman, Amaju Pinnick said, adding “Kwara defeated Lobi, Sharks and Heartland all in away matches and hell was not let loose. This is a minus to what the minister has been doing on the league.”

Julius Ogunro, the Personal Assistant to the minister tersely said that “the minister is not happy about what happened in Ilorin.”

“We want the League Management Company to take action. They will be encouraging hooliganism if they don’t take drastic measures against the incident,” Etu Moses, the spokesman of Warri Wolves said.

Surprisingly, Wolves were asked yesterday to report to Ilorin to replay

tract.

Cardiff beat Swansea City and Stoke City to the 32-year-old’s signature, with Michael Laudrup instead opting to bring in Alvaro Vazquez on loan from Getafe.

Cardiff’s latest signing can play up front or out wide and boasts a superb record of one goal in every three matches for West Brom.

Odemwingie hit the headlines in January after famously driving to QPR’s Loftus Road ground on deadline day to close the deal.

The Nigerian becomes Mackay’s eighth summer signing following the captures of Gary Medel, Steven Caulker, Andrea Cornelius, John Brayford, Simon Moore, Kevin Theophile-Catherine and Uruguay youngster Maximiliano Amondarain.

the match. Amaju reacted this way: ‘’The rules must be applied to the letter.

We will not replay that match. We are ready to take this case to CAF and FIFA. If that will be our contributition to the development of our league it will feel good. This cannot happen in decent climes and football countries. We should be awarded the match. Our football cannot develop this way. It is not about Warri Wolves. It is about Nigerian football. And it is on this basis that we are ready to go to any length for justice to reign.’’

Adenuga is Special Guest of HonourNFF

T

BATTERED... Durunna

NNPC/Chevron Clinic ends, 15 children join tennis project

T

HE 15th edition of the NNPC/Chevron Tennis Clinic ended at the weekend with the organizers picking the best players out of the 100 participants to form the new tennis academy bankrolled by the joint venture company.

The three-week clinic held at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan, and managed by multi-talented former Nigerian international, Chris Enahoro, attracted children drawn from schools across Lagos State.

During the clinic, the children were taken on the rudiments of tennis with a view to choosing those with the brightest prospect of becoming good players in the future

Flames Continued from BP have since already arrived in Nigeria to do the ground work for the Group F qualifier.

“They have arrived safely in Nigeria. It is important for us to prepare for the team’s arrival and secure training pitches and the like. We do not want the coaches to have an excuse,” FAM media officer Casper Jangale told supersport.com.

The Flames are in Botswana for a friendly match on Tuesday before proceeding to Calabar.

The build up to the

when given the right tutelage.

Speaking at the end of the clinic, Chevron’s General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Deji Haastrup, reaffirmed the company’s commitment in the training of future tennis stars for the country, adding that the company is determined to ensure that tennis gets the prominence enjoyed by other sports in Nigeria.

In his speech read by Chevron’s Corporate Responsibility Manager, Brikinn Esimaje, Haastrup disclosed, “The100 kids in this year’s Tennis Clinic, which is the 15th Edition of the programme, were given intensive training and coaching by veterans and

match has been characterized by a verbal war with the Flames coach Tom Saintfiet and FAM expressing security fears in Calabar.

In reaction, Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi hit back at Saintfiet in particular, allegedly making racist remarks against the Belgian who has since, through FAM, reported the matter to Fifa.

Trailing the Super Eagles by two points, Malawi needs a win while a draw will do for Nigeria to advance to the final two-legged qualifying round.

experienced trainers, some of whom are past national champions. It would also interest you to note that close to 1,000 children have benefited from this programme since its inception.

“In line with the thrust of our Social Investment Plan, Chevron has consistently supported the development of sports in Nigeria because we recognize the important roles of sports in improving the physical and social wellbeing of the individual and the community.

Bale Continued from BP and he was a factor for me in deciding to come here,’ Bale said.

‘I don’t think I need to help Cristiano to be the best player in the world because he already is.

‘Cristiano is the boss here - he is the best player in the world. I want to learn from him.’

And the Welshman revealed frustration at the time it took to seal a move to the Spanish capital.

Madrid had been keen all summer long but it took until the last possible day to rubber stamp the biggest transfer in history.

‘Regarding my transfer,

HE management of the Nigeria Football Federation has named the Chairman Globacom Nigeria Limited Otunba (Dr.) Mike Adenuga (Jnr) (GCON) as the Special Guest of Honour for the Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifier between Nigeria and Malawi at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar, Cross River State on September 7.

In a letter sent to Otunba Adenuga with warm compliments of the Executive Committee members, management and Staff of the Nigeria Football Federation, it state that: “ The Nigeria Football Federation after taking note of your immense support towards its course as it relates to the development and advancement of football in Nigeria. We acknowledge with deep sense of responsibility your commitment towards supporting the porgrammes of the Nigeria Football Federation through your numerous support as exemplified by the renewed partnership between the Nigeria Football Federation and Globacom Unlimited.

“In view of the above, we wish to graciously invite you as our Special Guest of Honour to the 2014 FIFA World Cup brazil- African preliminary competition, Nigeria vs Malawi on Saturday 7th September, 2013 at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Cross River State.

I wanted to come here even if it was for a penny. Daniel Levy is a hard business man but I thank him for reaching an agreement with Real Madrid,’ Bale continued.

‘I want to win the 10th European Cup for Real Madrid and their fans.

‘I’m very happy and excited to be here. I’m speechless. I can’t wait to start playing for the team.

‘It hasn’t been easy not to have a full preseason but when I knew Real Madrid were interested, I wanted to come here.’

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013—15

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V anguard, TUESD AY, SEPTEMBER 3 , 2013 TUESDA

Moses ‘excited’ at Liverpool move

Million Dollar Man

Bale bows to Ronaldo D

ESPITE being the world’s most expensive player, Gareth Bale realises that Cristiano Ronaldo is ‘the boss’ at Real Madrid.

The 24-year-old was unveiled at the Bernabeu on Monday morning as the record £86million deal from Tottenham was finally completed.

But even though Bale has cost such an astronomical fee, he was gracious during his first outing as a galactico.

‘Cristiano for me is the best player in the world

•Moses

V

ICTOR Moses com pleted his seasonlong loan deal to Liverpool on Monday, and immediately said he is excited at the temporary

Cardiff rescue West Brom outcast Osaze

C Turnout: Thousands of Madrid supporters watched Bale’s unveiling

Continues on Page 54

Flames send spies to Nigeria

T

HE Flames of Malawi have sent an advance party to Nigeria ahead of Saturday’s World Cup quali-

fier against the Super Eagles in Calabar.

This follows Malawi government assurance that it will release extra

funding for the Flames who have a short-fall.

The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) general secretary Suzgo

Sudoku TODAY'S

switch.

Moses, 23, has been left in the fringes since Jose Mourinho’s return Continues on Page 54

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

Nyirenda and accountant Christopher Mdolo

Continues on Page 54

ARDIFF City have signed Nigeria striker Osaze Odemwingie on a three-year deal after he became an outcast at West Brom.

Osaze has completed a medical to become Malky Mackay’s latest signing.

Promoted Cardiff City paid £2.5m West Brom for the Nigeria forward, WalesOnline reported.

Odemwingie was in Cardiff on Monday un

Continues on Page 54

•Osaze

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Thing (6) 5 Sailor (6) 8 Gather (8) 9 Detail (4) 10 Tree (3) 12 Memorise (5) 15 Frenzied (3) 17 Individual (3) 18 Epoch (3) 19 Bird (3) 20 Copse (5) 21 Equipment (3) 22 Ocean (3) 23 Owing (3) 24 Fasten (3) 26 Tall (5) 29 Free (3) 33 Free (3) 33 Lot (4) 34 Tormented (8) 35 Improve (6) 36 Botch (6)

DOWN 2 Foundations (5) 3 Flat (4) 4 List (5) 5 Guide (5) 6 Parched (4) 7 Stadium (5) 10 Representative (5) 11 Dwelling (5) 12 Lawful (5) 13 Distant (5) 14 Penniless (5) 15 Manufacturer (5) 16 Old-fashioned (5) 25 Likeness (5) 27 Exterior (5) 28 Pulsate (5) 30 Perfect (5) 31 Trial (4) 32 Rotate (4)

FRIDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Damp 4, Ail 6, Loud 8, Cohere 9, Untidy 10, Rat 12, Mania 14, Inure 15, Close 18, Gifted 20, Action 24, Error 26, Rival 28, Wafer 30, Sty 32, Kitsch 33, Estate 34, Clan 35, Eel 36, Rule.

How to Play Sudoku

DOWN: 2, Aroma 3, Predict 4, Aver 5, Lout 6, Latin 7, Undergo 11, Ass 12, Mug 13, Ale 16, Ode 17, Ear 19, Initial 21, Cow 22, Tractor 23, Nor 25, Rut 27, Arson 29, Extol 30, Shoe 31, Yell.

TWO WEEKS TO LIVE

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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