Millions in the South may not vote by Vanguard Media Limited

C M Y K

PAGE 2 — SUNDAY, Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015

C M Y K

SUNDAY, Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE — 3

C M Y K

PAGE 4 — SUNDAY, Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015 — PAGE 5

Report on NNPC audit ready later this month By Lekan Bilesanmi

of corruption, saying it kept two sets of accounts. Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole also alleged that $30 billion was missing from the Excess Crude Account. The allegations came on the heels of the claim by a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Mallam Lamido Sanusi Lamido, that $20 billion was missing from the Federation Account. NNPC Management raised strong objection to the allegation by Buhari describing it as “political mischief”. The corporation stated that coming from a former Minister of Petroleum, under whose watch a similar allegation of $2.8

HE full report of the forensic audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) initiated in the wake of the allegation of missing funds belonging to the Federation Account in the NNPC custody may be ready later this month. Sunday Vanguard learnt, at the weekend, that the interim report of the audit was already with the Auditor-General of the Federation. The APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, had, in his acceptance to run in the February 14 election, accused the NNPC

billion fraud was made in 1978, the APC presidential candidate’s statement amounted to political mischief as he was expected to have known better than to peddle beer palour gossip as facts. The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs.Diezani Alison-Madueke, had, in early 2013, engaged PriceWaterHouseCoopers (PWC) for the forensic audit of the NNPC, well ahead of the Okonjo-Iweala inspired audit report on the national oil corporation. The report of that initial forensic assignment informed a lot of the management changes in the corporation.

•President Goodluck Jonathan (2nd right), his wife, Patience (right); Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, (left) and his wife, Rachael (2nd left), with the foster daughter of the President, former Miss Inebai Paul (3rd right) and her husband, Dr. Simeon Onyemaechi (3rd left), during their traditional marriage ceremony at Otuoke in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

2015: Adeboye urges Redeemed members to collect voter cards By Olayinka Latona

Ohanaeze, IYM fail to endorse Jonathan T gwe, has expired. Mbazuruike,a first republic Minister of Aviation, had set-up a 19-man transitional caretaker committee to steer the leadership of the body on January 7, 2014 following the expiration of the incumbent administration. South-East Publicity Secretary of the main opposition party, All Progressives Congress, APC,Mr. Osita Okechukwu, queried Ohanaeze’s leadership on the achievements of Jonathan in the South-East that should prompt the endorsement of Jonathan. Jonathan’s endorsement, put forward by Chief Em-

By Clifford Ndujihe & Francis Igata

HE apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo,yesterday, failed to endo rse President

Goodluck Jonathan as the candidate of the SouthEast, South-South in the February 14 presidential election. This came as the Amb. Mabazuruike Amaechiled Elders Council of the group insisted that the tenure of the present administration, led by the President General, Chief Enwo Igari-

THOUGHT FOR TODAY THE WORLD AND THE WORD-3 By Richard Eromonsele

“The enticement of the world can only lead to destruction, so if any man says you can become somebody through him by being of the world, he is a liar. Man on its own cannot and will not help a fellow man except he is compelled by forces within and without to do so. Therefore, what we call life in the world is in the real sense ‘death’. For exampleThe girl (student) who engages in fornication, got pregnant and dropped out of school, is she enjoying life? There are too many distractions in life, too many fallacies and so many lies. But the word of God is sure and certain. Search the scripture. Leave the world and live the word. THINK ABOUT IT. T

T E

C O

O O

D A

A O

E N

H A

S U

L E

H E

E G

A S

O V

E N

manuel Iwuanyawu, was not seconded prompting the adjournment of the meeting. Contrary to impressions that the South-East and Igbo votes will go to President Goodluck Jonathan in the February14 presidential polls, Founder of the Igbo Youth Movement (IYM) and Deputy Secretary of the Igbo Leaders of Thought (ILT), Evangelist Elliot Uko, said the Igbo may vote for Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Reason: President Jonathan and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appear to be taking Ndigbo for granted while the APC and Buhari are making in-roads.

HE General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Friday night, reiterated his call on members to ensure that they get their permanent voter cards, PVCs, to enable them exercise their civic responsibility during next month’s general elections. Speaking on the theme, ‘The Burden Bearer ’, during the church monthly Holy Ghost Service held at the Redemption Camp, Adeboye said the voter card is the only power the people have during election. Clad in white French suit, the man of God, popularly called Daddy G.O. reminded the con-

gregation that everyone was expected to collect and bring his/her card to the church on the first Sunday of January, saying that parish pastors will request for it. He, therefore, advised members who have not collected their PVC to go to the nearest INEC collection centre for it. Stressing the importance of the PVC, the cleric admonished those who were unable to find their own to re-register for it, noting that it is very crucial. “You must get it even if it means spending the whole day at the local government because without the card, you cannot vote,” Adeboye said. “On the first Sunday of the year, come to church with your voter card as your pastors will ask for it. “Take thanksgiving

service seriously this year. Do not take it as what the little ones should do. How old are you in the presence of Almighty God?”, the G.O. said. Enumerating three types of burden to include physical burden, material burden and marital burden, Adeboye described burden as a heavy load that attaches itself to one and such load goes with the person wherever he or she goes, saying God, the Burden Bearer, is one that comes along and help one to carry a burden. On the conditions to meet the Burden Bearer and what is expected when such burden is lifted, he said, one must admit he has a burden, willing to be helped and cry to the Bearer for help.

Olukoya says Nigeria won’t disintegrate •Anglican bishop canvasses serious prayers •GKS warns wicked leaders By Sam Eyoboka, Dayo Johnson & Olayinka Latona

ENERAL Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya, has assured that Nigeria will not disintegrate this year, arguing that God has an agenda for the country. Despite such assurances, the Archbishop of Ondo Province of Anglican Diocese, Bishop Latunji Lasebikan, has called for fervent prayers for the country, just as the God’s Kingdom Society warned that the end of wicked people on earth and the evil reputation they now have should serve as warnings to those living today about the certainty of the judgment of God. The Anglican clergyman expressed fears about the continued existence of the country after

the 2015 general elections, but Olukoya, in his 2015 predictions at the church’s Prayer City, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, said: “Nobody can destroy Nigeria, because it is a country of destiny. No matter what happens, one way or the other, the prophetic agenda and prayers will bail it (Nigeria) out of whatever quagmire it gets into.” “The Lord will not mind to kill or maim anyone who may want to destroy Nigeria,” he said, noting that Nigeria is strategically located in the continent and its shape in the continent is like the trigger of a gun, meaning the country is the most dangerous or most volatile part of Africa, which must not be toyed with. Describing the year as one of ‘Multiple Restoration and Unparalleled Favour’ as well as a year of ‘Vigorous Evangelism’

for MFM members, the church’s general overseer also gave 15 Ds to stand against in the year, as follows: deceit, delay, defilement, despair, disobedience, disbelief and distraction. Other Ds are dishonesty, disappointment, discouragement, discord, doubt, double mindedness, deadness and dullness, as he also gave 41 prayer points he described as “machine gun prayers” to help believers across the world survive in the new year. Addressing newsmen in Ilara-Mokin after the conferment of Church of Nigeria benevolent award on Chief Michael AdeOjo by the Primate of the church, Nicholas Okoh, Bishop Lasebikan said: “Nigeria needs God in order to escape the impending doom.” Asked to expatiate on the uncertainty in the polity, the clergyman said: “It is not about

painting gloomy pictures, but it is looking around and seeing gloomy pictures. Politics is not played in Nigeria alone, it is played in different parts of the world. But when it takes along indiscipline, anarchy, discourteous attitude, then we know there is problem. “In some states they are not following the constitution and government is going on, that is anarchy. On the way forward the clergyman said “Our leaders must learn righteousness, doing correct things, that is why the constitution is there and people flout the constitution to do what they like.” Addressing worshippers at the Last and Great Day convocation of the Christian Feast of Tabernacles of the GKS, Brother Godwin Ifeacho outlined the atrocities of wicked men in history and asserted that the wicked would be punished not only in this present world but in the world to come.

PAGE 6 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015

Edo police arrest 15 suspected cultists By Simon Ebegbulem

Deputy Speaker of the House of Reps and Imo State PDP gubernatorial candiate in the 2015 general elections, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, carrying his traditional kola during the 2015 'Oji' Mbaise cultural festival held at Udo, Ezinihitte Mbaise Imo State, at the weekend.

Insecurity: Kano streets get surveillance cameras By Emman Ovuakporie

HE Deputy Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdulahi Ganduje, says the state government is applying scientific approach to combat insecurity by installing surveillance cameras in strategic areas of the state. Ganduje told journalists at the weekend: “We are also constructing gates as you enter Kano metropolis that will be fitted with cameras”. “At least this will be better than the long queues of lorries you see security people checking without tangible results”, he

stated. “But, most importantly, it is the responsibility of the Federal Government to ensure that insurgency is checked. “Apart from this, we also provide logistics when the need arises to combat insecurity in the state”. Ganduje, who is also aspiring to take over from his boss, Governor Rabiu Kwankwanso, this year, vowed to continue all the developmental projects embarked upon by Kwankwanso if voted into office. He said he had worked with his boss for almost

16 years to understudy him and build on his legacies as he leaves office this year. On whether he would support state police, Ganduje said: “Yes. I will vote for state police because we don’t have enough policemen to man everywhere. “ The policemen we have now, especially those not from their respective states, are not used to the culture, custom and nooks and crannies of the states and, therefore, would find it difficult to cope with the insecurity situation on our hands now.”

HE police in Edo State, yesterday, arrested 27 suspected cultists alleged to be involved in the killing of about 15 persons across the state in the past two months in rival cult war. Sunday Vanguard learnt that the suspects were arrested around Upper Mission area of Benin-City at about 11am by detectives. The rival war between the Eiye and Aye confraternities in the Edo State capital has claimed not less than 15 lives in the past two months. Consequently, it was learnt that the state Police Commissioner, Mr Foluso Adebanjo, detailed detectives across the state with a view to bursting the suspected cultists. The detectives were said to have stormed the house where the alleged cultists were holding a meeting yesterday at Upper Mission and arrested them with cache of arms and other dangerous weapons. A reliable source at the Edo police headquarters confirmed their arrest, saying however: “We don’t want to react yet because we are still rounding them up. Many will still be arrested”.

Bankole loses step-mother on daughter’s wedding day Daud Olatunji, Abeokuta

HE step-mother of a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, Chief (Mrs) Adunni Bankole, is dead. She reportedly died of a heart-related illness five days after she fell into a coma. She died exactly 85 days to her 56th birthday (March 29). Sunday Vanguard gathered that she had been ill for over a month, and was under medical attention. Adunni, who was the Iyalode of Gbagura, was said to have been expected to give her second daughter, Mopelola, out in marriage on the day she died. A source told our correspondent that the woman only witnessed the introduction ceremony. The

wedding ceremony, however, held. The source said that the news of her demise was not made known to the two families and guests who had gathered to witness the ceremony. Adunni, a socialite and a businesswoman, operated a household care products store, Sublime Group, at Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos, before relocating to Ogba Retail Market. Efforts to make the husband of the deceased, Chief Alani Bankole, and former Speaker, Dimeji, comment on her death proved abortive. Dimeji also did not acknowledge the text message sent to his telephone and refused to pick his calls. Alani Bankole merely said: “I don’t want to make any comment” when contacted on telephone.

Silverbird lauded over Uduaghan

HE Commissioner representing Ndokwa on the Board of DESOPADEC, Sir Ken Okolugbo, has commended the Silverbird Group over its Man of the year award to Governor Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, of Delta State. “The governor should be most appreciated for his mantra which has now become a reality nationwide on the Delta Beyond Oil initiative already being implemented,” he said . He commended Uduaghan on his three- point agen-

da which has given rise to the development of the rural areas, peace and human capital in the state. “ The contributions of the governor to the process of nation building can never be overestimated. We thank God for Delta State & the peace we presently enjoy. The likes of those who have won the award gives credence to the quality of the award. They include Prof. Dora Akunyili, Aliko Dangote, Adams Oshiomole, Godswill Akpabio, Nuhu Ribadu.”

Delta 2015: Okowa, Otuaro ticket perfect — Aginighan

former acting Man aging Director of Niger Delta Development Commission and founding secretary,Ijaw National Congress, Pastor Power Ziakede Aginighan, has commended the sportsmanship exhibited by all the PDP gubernatorial aspirants in Delta State even as he congratulated the winner of the party’s primary, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, on his victory. “I salute all aspirants who accepted the result as true sports men and women. I urge them to rally round Senator Okowa to ensure

victory for the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in the 2015 polls”, Aginighan said in a statement at the weekend. He also commended the party on the choice of running mate to Okowa. “I commend Okowa on his choice of a running mate in the person of Mr Kingsley Otuaro among other equally competent contenders from Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri ethnic nationalities. I have known Otuaro as one of the most focused, brilliant and hardworking gentlemen the Ijaw nation can boast of.

OAS Helicopters partners Regourd Aviation for fixed wing charter services By Lawani Mikairu

AS Helicopters has entered into joint venture operations with a French company, Regourd Aviation, to offer fixed-wing airplane charter services in Nigeria. The first aircraft under the joint venture, an Embraer 135 jet, landed at Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos at the weekend and, according to the Chairman

and CEO of OAS, Captain Evarest Nnaji, the company from inception had designed its growth to encompass helicopters and fixedwing aircraft services. “Our parent company ‘Odengene Air Shuttle Services Ltd had from inception subdivided its airline services to cater for helicopters and airplanes. The helicopters’ was named OAS Helicopters, while the fixed-wing is to be simply known as Odengene Air,”Nnaji said.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 7

Enugu West town unions endorse Ekweremadu T

From right: Wife of Ondo State Governor, Olukemi Mimiko, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, Vice Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Prof Femi Mimiko, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council of the University, Ambassador Oladele Akadiri, and the University Registrar, Bamidele Olotu (left), at the inauguration of the AAUA Senate Building, in Akungba-Akoko at the weekend.

OWN unions in Enugu West Senatorial District have endorsed the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, as their sole senatorial candiate for the 2015 general elections. This came as Ekweremadu canvassed closer partnership between government and town unions to speed up rural transformation. The decision of the unions was conveyed by the Coordinator of the Town Union PresidentsGeneral of Enugu West, Chief David Chukwumba,

EDO OPPOSITION PARTY, GOVT CLASH

Oshiomhole regime spent N142m to host Buhari, Tinubu, others — PDP •Orbih parading forged documents — Information Commissioner By Gabriel Enogholase

HE Peoples Demo cratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has accused Governor Adams Oshiomhole of spending N142million to commission some projects executed by his administration by the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), and Sen. Bola Tinubu, the National Leader of the party. State chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, made allegation at Igboubazuwa, headquarters of Ovia South West Local Government Area, during a rally organized to welcome defectors from the APC to the PDP, The rally was attended by PDP leaders including Senator Roland Owie, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and Solomon Edebiri. He displayed two Edo State Government vouchers with number EXT/ GOV/GHSP/2441/14 and EXT/GOV/GHSP/2477/14, which, he said, were used to sign out the sum of N76 and N66 million respectively for the commissioning of projects on November 28 and 29, 2014. He said, “Governor Oshiomhole sat in his office and signed two vouchers to commission projects on 28th and 29th November. In those vouchers, it was written, ‘voucher to commission projects in Edo State by two eminent Nigerians, Retired General Muhammadu Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’. In those vouchers, the sum of N76 and N66 million were signed away simply to cut tapes for projects that had earlier been commissioned. “How can a government sign away N142 million just for Buhari and Tinubu to come to cut tape? Never before in the history of this state had we witnessed this level of misappropriation

of public fund. However, Special Adviser to Governor Adams Oshiomhole on Media Affairs, Prince Kassim Afegbua, described Orbih’s allegation as spurious, saying, “Do we run Edo State Government in PDP secretariat? Anybody can cook up memos but I am not aware that our memos are missing”. The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Louis Odion, in another reaction, described the vouchers paraded by the PDP Chairman as forged. Odion, in a statement, yesterday, said: “With Comrade Adams Oshiomhole commissioning worldclass projects all over Edo State in the last two months, we knew PDP would be gnashing their deformed teeth in envy. But we least expected malice would push them into forging vouchers to back up a shameless lie in their evil desperation to tarnish Oshiomhole’s golden records. “But Edo people are not deceived. They know their

governor is a very prudent man. That is why even today, whereas PDP-led Federal Government is owing workers arrears of salaries despite cornering whopping 52 percent of federation account, Edo is not owing workers. “The joke is on Edo PDP. With less than six weeks to the general elections, it is laughable that PDP, rather than show remorse by first apologising to Edo people for under-developing the state for 10 years, has re-

sorted to peddling fake vouchers for a transaction that exists only in their crooked imagination. It is very cheap indeed.” Commenting on the 2015 presidential election, Orbih said that it was the responsibility of all sons and daughters of the South-South, irrespective of their political affiliation, to rally round President Goodluck Jonathan so that he would bring more development to the zone and the country at large.

New year tragedy: One dies in Rivers beach party BY DAVIES IHEAMNACHOR

duoha in Emohua local government area of Rivers State witnessed a dark moment, yesterday, as a young man drowned in beach during a party. A source, who attended

the beach party, said the ceremony was on when people noticed that the man, who jumped into the water, was being carried away. The source said the victim could not be identified as he was not from the community but from a neighbouring state.

Rivers 2015: Peterside promises to focus on youth development By Jimitota Onoyume

OVERNORSHIP candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Rivers State, Dr Dakuku Peterside, has assured that he would focus on youth development if elected as governor of the state. Peterside, who spoke yesterday when he unveiled the office of Generation of Pe a c e , G O P, i n Po r t Harcourt, said he would create jobs and initiate programs that would build capacity

among youths in the state. He enjoined youths to remain focused and shun acts of violence. E a r l i e r, the Coordinator of the group, Commander Collins Ehimieghe, rtd, s a i d Pe t e r s i d e w a s adopted as their choice for governor because of the sterling qualities in him. “ To d a y we have picked up the gauntlet as generational shift campaigners to not only work and deliver the governorship seat of Rivers state to a man we see as a

torchbearer, a friend and for some of is a m e n t o r, Hon Dr Dakuku Adolphus Peterside. We therefore believe without any tinge of equivocation that our aspirations to have one of our own steer the ship of state has already materialized”, he said. “Friends we make bold to say that we believe a thousand times that the candidature of Dr Dakuku Adolphus Peterside stands to be of utmost benefit to the generality of Rivers people”.

during a meeting of members of the body and the Deputy President of the Senate in Mpu, Aninri LGA. Chukwumba said their decision was informed by Ekweremadu’s “highly r e w a r d i n g representation”, noting that “his presence in the Senate had brought about numerous development projects, scholarships, bursary awards, employment, and adult literacy programme, among others”. Ekweremadu, who applauded the various development strides recorded by town unions in the South-East, recalled that apart from community-funded scholarships, so many educational institutions,

medical facilities, bridges, and other infrastrutural development in various communities were to the credit of the unions. Describing town unions as agents of development, the Deputy President of the Senate reminded the body of Presidents-General that their roles were to organise and provide leadership for their communities as well as serve as a link between communities and government. “On my part, the essence of your sending me to the Senate is not just to make good laws, but also to take your problems to Abuja and look for solutions; and this I will continue to do”, he added.

2015: Deltans will vote for Emerhor, says APC chieftain

prominent member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State, Chief Isaac Emetitiri, has assured that the people of the state would cast their votes for Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, the governorship candidate of the party in the state. Emetitiri, who gave the assurance, yesterday, at Eku, in Ethiope East local government area, also described Emrehor as God-sent to liberate the state and enhance the fortunes of the people. “Emerhor has a unique vision and determined to laying a solid foundation for the future of our children and unborn children. I sincerely

encourage our youths who are the leaders of tomorrow to ensure that the February 2015 governorship election was not rigged”, he stated. The APC chieftain explained further that Emerhor was qualified for the office of governor than any other candidate in Delta. “I know for sure that Emerhor would create massive employment for our youths, revamp our ailing industries including the Delta Steel Company, Warri Port and also build new industries in order to completely eradicate restiveness, crime and social vices in Delta State”.

Alaafin warns that MDGs may not be achieved By Bashir Adefaka

HE Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, has warned that efforts of government functionaries at all levels towards accomplishing the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, would be nowhere near a success unless they designed statutory means for them to be actively involved in governance rather than dealing with the traditional rulers in accordance with the dictate of their whims and caprices. He handed down the warning in his palace, while presenting cheques totalling N5 million to traditional rulers from Oyo and OkeOgun communities. The paramount ruler said the gesture was in cognizance of the dwindling federation account allocations to the three-tiers of government, especially the local government which oversees the affairs of traditional rulers in the

country. The Iku Baba Yeye said it was also in appreciation and sustenance of the legacies of the late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji AbdulAzeez Arisekola-Alao, whose respect, love and generosity for traditional rulers remained unparalleled and should not be allowed to vanish. According to him, “putting into consideration the vital roles of traditional rulers in nation-building and maintenance of peace and tranquillity, they deserve to be supported in order to make them happy and have sense of belonging. They have families and other responsibilities to cater for. “During the lifetime of the late Aare Musulumi, he cared for the obas and accorded them their status. After his painful death, no other person had thought it wise to follow suit. This necessitated my decision to provide succour for the Oyo and Oke-Ogun Obas,” he explained.

PAGE 8—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015

JOS BEHEADING: Blood traced to suspect’s house By Marie-Therese Nanlong

OLLOWING the breach of peace in Mangu local government area in the last one week with the beheading of one Longji Mikyes by suspected Fulani, youths in the community reportedly traced the blood dropping to a house of one Alhaji in the area. Serial attacks in Maitumbi, JwakMaitumbi, Kyampus, Mai-Rana. Sarbot, Kantoma villages and environs started on December 26, 2014 when one Yoila Micah of JwakMaitumbi was shot by suspected herdsmen. Speaking on the situation at the NUJ Press Centre, Jos, yesterday, the Chairman of Mangu local government area, Caleb Mutfwang, lamented that the attacks had left behind hundreds of internally displaced persons as many houses had been burnt. “Just at the point we were almost rejoicing for a peaceful celebration of the yuletide, the enemies struck in the night. As the community was recovering from that shock, another sad incident happened on Tuesday December 30, 2014,”Mutfwang said.. “This precipitated the violence witnessed in the

villages. Credible witnesses confirmed that two young men riding on motor-cycle were ambushed and shot on their way while one escaped with bullet wounds, the other by name Longji Mikyes was murdered and beheaded. “The attention of the Sector 8 of the Special Task Force and police was drawn to the development which responded, and pleaded for calm with a promise to commence investigation. “At dawn of Wednesday, December 31, 2014, some unarmed youths, frustrated by the delay in the arrival of the security personnel as promised, decided to trace the blood droppings from the scene where the victim was beheaded which terminated at the house of one Alhaji, a Fulani man

in the community. “Upon request to search the house, someone came out with a gun and shot randomly at the youths. So far, no arrest has been made with regard to this particular incident. “Angered by this, the youths went on rampage and burnt some Fulani houses. The Fulani mobilized at night and attacked the aforementioned communities with sporadic gunshots from all directions resulting in the death of four people and burning of several houses and displacement of people.” Efforts to restore sanity were underway as the authorities organized a security meeting with major stakeholders including security chiefs, CAN, JNI, youths groups among others took place.

L-R: Mrs. Kemi Osinbajo; Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate's running-mate; Prince Dapo Abiodun, APC senatorial candidate (Ogun East); and the paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona; during the visit of Osinbajo to traditional rulers of Ijebuland in Ijebu Ode, at the weekend.

2015: APC equips polling agents with over 2260 handsets in Ogun

LL Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Ogun East, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has disclosed

APGA okays Maku as Nasarawa guber candidate By Abel Daniel

HE All Progressive Grand Alliance, APG A, yesterday, in Lafia, endorsed immediate past Minister of Information, Chief Labaran Maku, as its governorship candidate for 2015 in Nasarawa State. Maku, who was beaten in the PDP governorship

primary by Alhaji Yusuf Agabi, refused to accept the result of the election and dumped PDP for APGA. Declaring his endorsement, the state chairman of APGA, Chief John Amako, said the party was happy to announce Maku as its governorship candidate and his running mate, Alhaji Ibrahim Abu, for

the 2015 election. “The former Minister of Information, Maku, and his running mate have been accepted by the party to run the governorship race under APGA Nasarawa State. Their endorsement is the decision of both the state and the national offices of the party ”, Amago stated.

2015 is year of continuity, devt, says Olejeme By Abel Kolawole

chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State, Dr. Ngozi Olejeme, has lauded the leadership qualities of President Goodluck Jonathan and his commitment to the unity of Nigeria; affirming that his second term will bring further progress and development in Nigeria. ‘Happiness of citizens is the foremost objective of the current administration. The country is taking giant

steps forward in every sphere of life”, she said. Recalling Jonathan’s achievements, particularly revamping our institutions, putting in place economic reform agenda that reduced the role of the state in the economy while strengthening the place and role of private investors and moving Nigeria toward uninterrupted power supply as well as leading by building consensus on all issues, Olejeme said 2015 would be a year of continuity, further

development, hope and great expectations. In her new year message to Nigerians at home and abroad, Olejeme said the country would be stronger, more united, more prosperous and more powerful in 2015. The former gubernatorial aspirant commended Nigerians for their commitment to democracy and their desire for positive change in the country while urging the people to participate actively in all stages of the political

process so as to reap the benefits that accrue there from. She also appealed to Nigerians to give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) maximum cooperation.

NDO State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has bagged the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Icon Award. The governor was presented with the award at the weekend as part of the activities marking the commissioning of the Adekunle Ajasin University Senate Building. The award was at the instance of NANS Zone D, South West Nigeria. At the commissioning cum award presentation, Dr Mimiko promised that his administration will not relent in moving Ondo to the next level of sustainable

development in all sectors, stressing that the provision of quality education for the citizenry assumes a matter of great concern for the administration within the context of the socioeconomic environment. According to him, the construction of the four winged, five storey Senate Building located on 12 hectares of land commenced on March 7 2012, and wholly funded by the Ondo State Government. The governor identified infrastructural decay as a major challenge confronting tertiary and

other institutions across the country, noting that his administration has continued to tackle this challenge in all the stateowned institutions. He expressed delight that the huge investment of his administration in tertiary education has continued to yield result and attracted recognition from within and outside the country as the United States Transparency International Standards (USTIS) recently declared the Adekunle Ajasin University, the best stateowned university in Nigeria and Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, adjudged the best state polytechnic in Nigeria.

telephone numbers that would be given to the party agents and coordinators through which they would communicate with the team in charge of monitoring and collation of election results. “We are going to equip our party agents in all the 1130 polling booths in Ogun East Senatorial District as well as all party coordinators to be able to communicate with the leadership of the party and the party team that would be monitoring and collating the election results,”the candidate said. “The agents would call some special numbers which would be given to them before the election day. “It is not election results alone that they would relay to the monitoring and results collating team, they would also give situation reports in the individual polling booths so that if necessary, security agencies would be contacted on their emergency lines to check any electoral malpractices”.

Group wants economic experts to support agric sector transformation BY UDEME CLEMENT

Ondo varsity, poly rated the best — Mimiko •Bags NANS Icon Award

that all party agents in all the 1,130 polling stations in the senatorial district as well as party coordinators would be equipped with telephone handsets during the coming general elections. He disclosed this at a meeting with the leadership of the party at Ode in Ikenne local government area of the state. The senatorial candidate explained that the communication facilities would assist the agents to monitor the elections at their respective polling booths and inform the party secretariat about the happenings on the spot. According to Abiodun, this is part of strategies being put in place to check any form of electoral fraud that any party or individuals may plan to perpetrate during the polls, adding that the measure would also enhance the party’s efforts to collate its result at each polling booth to checkmate any attempt to falsify or doctor the actual results. He revealed that there would be certain special

President Goodluck Jonathan

IGERIANS under the umbrella of UK Vanguard, in the United Kingdom have called on economic experts and all Nigerians to support the on-going transformation of the agricultural sector in order to boost productivity in non-oil sectors of the economy. The national vice coor-

dinator of the group, Oghene-ovoh Amurun, said this in a chat with Sunday Vanguard, stressing that policy continuity in agriculture is very important for the sector to build on the existing structures put in place to stimulate growth. He said, “The current transformation in agriculture must be sustained for the economy to pick up and create jobs, especially with the declining oil revenue. Though the economy experienced some challenges in 2014, the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan, in agriculture and his efforts to resuscitate the power sector, shows that he has good plans for the nation’s economy. We need continuity in economic policies

not only in agriculture but in all sectors of our economy like what obtains in advanced countries. This would pave the way for government to diversity the economy for greater prosperity.” He added, “As a group, we have confidence that members of the current economic team of Jonathan, have what it takes and are putting measures in place to shore up the economy for increased productivity. This is the time for all stakeholders in the economy and|Nigerians to support the policies and programmes of government for our economy to stabilise. We must also support the effort of government in trying to maintain a peaceful economic environment for industries to thrive”.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015,

Page 9

All letters bearing writers' names and full addresses should be typed and forwarded to: The Editor, Sunday Vanguard, Kirikiri Canal, P. M. B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos. E-mail: sunvanguardmail@yahoo.com

The mind of the law on defection Dear Sir,

hat is the mind of the law on defection? Section 68 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution affirms unambiguously the repercussion awaiting a member of the legislature who was elected on a platform of a given party and defects to another.The section reads: “A member of the Senate or of the House of Representatives shall vacate his seat in the House of which he is a member if being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected.” The defection of Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to the All Progressive Congress and his continued retention of his seat as a member representing Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency and by extension the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives have put this section of the law to test.The nation is at this cross road because politicians and their parties have sacrificed the virtue of the law on the altar of selfish political interests and intentionally desecrated the law with regards to defection.She will remain in this state of quandary in as much as her citizens especially those in position of authority continue to flagrantly disobey and treat the laws of the land with utmost disdain.Except, the sanctity and the supremacy of the law is upheld, the issue of defection will continue to be a recurring decimal in our political lexicon. At any time a legislator decamps to another party, the benefitting party rolls out drums in celebration of the deserter.Tambuwal’s case was not the first and will not be the last.So much energy, time and possibly money are expended on this one because it has to do with the exalted position of the Speaker. Interestingly, this will indeed go down in the annals of the country as a legal case study and a hard one to crack.

It was Harold Laski who affirmed that “ without freedom of mind and of association, a man has no means to selfprotection in our social order.” Therefore, the inalienable right of Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the speaker of the House of Representatives to associate with any human or political party is guaranteed under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution. The provision stated inter-alia,”every person shall be entitled to assembly freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interest.” However, the position of the law under this circumstance is explicitly clear.It is now left for the Speaker and

other parliamentarians who contravened section 68 (1) (g) to either choose to overheat the polity in their quest to remain politically relevant or toe the line of honour in obedience to the law. The polity will be peaceful and tranquil at such a time when the letters of Section 68 (1) (g) is urgently applied across board on all defecting elected politicians in accordance with the 1999 Constitution. The court should also prove that sentiments have no place in law, save facts and evidences.If this happens under this circumstance and justifiably too, an interminable precedent and political implications of defection would have been established.Surprisingly, the full weight of the law has not been applied as it relates to defection giving the

elected representatives whose major preoccupation is to make good laws, the impetus to equally damn and dare the same laws. It should be noted that the provision for declaring the seat of a defected legislator vacant was to discourage political animosity and foreclose political nomadism. Nigeria is gradually edging close to a political precipice.We will continue to have this confusion and convulsion except if the system addresses the magnitude of injustices and inequality inherent in the society.Moreover, the nation cancome out of this crisis stronger and better if and, only if our leaders are willing to think Nigeria first.The Speaker’s defection is politically weighty: thus shouldsignpost our collective resolve to tackling the issue of defectiononce and for all. Sunday Onyemaechi Eze Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, Samaru Business Unit, Z a r i a , Kaduna,(sunnyeze02@yahoo.com

What type of intelligence quotient do our politicians have? Dear Sir,

am greatly disappointed that both the Federal and State budgets being churned out, still have recurrent expenditures higher than capital expenditures, instead of the reverse being the case, to ensure the economic survival of our country, in view of the rapidly falling price of crude oil! Our politicians being so selfish and greedy, will not allow a cut in their outrageous salaries and allowances that are the highest in the world. That is why every Tom, Dick and Harry, is rushing into politics, as it is the most lucrative venture in our country, the quickest avenue to instant wealth and a lifetime of comfort without sweat and that is why it has since turned into a do–or-die affair!

Will they not borrow a leaf from the president of Venezuela that has cut his salary and those of politicians to cushion the effect of the fall of crude oil on the country’s economy and the general well being of his people! Is it not about time our politicians start thinking about how to diversify our economy so that our country will no longer be in dire economic quagmire, due to the unpredictability of crude oil price? Are they so daft that they are yet to realize that the era of profligacy is over and that they should now put on their thinking caps on how to cut cost of governance to save our country from turning into a failed state when governments at all levels will no longer fulfill their financial obligations or carry out social services to the populace?

I want to tell our over pampered politicians categorically, that there will be cataclysm on their hands, by the spontaneous and massive uprising of the entire work force against them, when they fail to pay workers and pensioners their entitlements that could not be compared with their own obscene and unmerited entitlements! It is quite unprecedented and disheartening that it was a bleak Christmas for civil servants and pensioners in Anambra State, because they are yet to be paid their salaries and pensions respectively!

Ifeka Okonkwo Plot 44, Ahocol Housing Estate, Phase II G.R.A. Awka.

PAGE 10—SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015

Jonathan’s Ph.D Versus Buhari’s “semi-illiteracy” (1)

Buhari or Bust... The mail bag “The ultimate aim of government is not to rule, or restrain by fear, nor to exact obedience, but to free every man from fear that he may live in all possible security... In fact the true aim of government is liberty.” ¯ Baruch Spinoza t seems that there is so much polarisation when it comes to the two presidential candidates. I was not expecting the deluge of responses from far and wide. It does not take a genius to know that there is great expectations and anxiety come February 2015. Either way, people seem to have pitched their camp already. We should put sentiments aside and the priority should be for the good of all Nigerians and Nigeria. I am not that naïve and I know in Nigeria, nothing is that simple. There are deeply ingrained resentments and mistrust from one tribe against another tribe, state against state, religion against religion and these divides have cynically been capitalised on, by those who do not seek the progress and unity of our people and nation. These people value their gilded positions more than the

honour of our country, they betrayed everyone and will invariably bite the hands that fed them for a price. There is so much that needs to be done as these feelings run deep and it takes a small friction and the wound is reopened, the threats and vitriol erupts once more and the gulf gets wider than before. We need to have a meaningful conversation with reduced recrimination and find a common ground. A reconciliation when the dust settles as no one will win this unless there is a common ground. That common ground is Nigeria. Yes, we are very much opinionated Nigerians quite to the point of obnoxiousness but, mainly we usually scratch our face to spite our nose. We have not got it right for a long time. So here we are at the crossroads, we have a choice . We must get it right this time for the sake of our country and our children’s’ future. Exactly a year ago, I wrote in the Vanguard: “We have got so embroiled in our daily greed, survival and hustle mode that we can’t see the woods for the trees. There is no easy way out, we will all suffer from

doctorate in Zoology. To begin with few, if any applicants for admission to university apply for Botany or Zoology. Their first preferences are often Medicine or Pharmacy. It is when their cut-off marks fall below the requirements for those two highly exalted professions that they are offered Zoology or Botany as a condition for admission to university. It would be interesting to know if Jonathan, ab initio,

Nigerians had the worst Christmas since I was born. There was no money. Even Federal Government staff were not paid. There was even black out for several hours on the 25th

opted for Zoology or was shunted into that course. More to the point, my questions are: what had he done with it? In what way had the Nigerian society benefited from his work as a Zoologist? How many

more than a million Jonathans and Oladipos who have nothing comparative to their credit but their certificates.

this wanton neglect as Nigeria languishes in the doldrums and our young people are denied a useful and sustainable future. How can we complain of a country overran by murderers, vacuous individuals, rent-a-mob hoodlums, thieves and halfbaked scammers? That’s what the country gets when we, as a people, fail to educate our young.” As we go into a new year, we have to make a choice, not for ourselves but for the good of our country and all. Unless we do, we will be very much serving up more disasters and crises far worse than we can only dread to imagine. Change has to come to Nigeria and it cannot be soon enough. Wishing you all a very promising and brighter Nigeria. DenreleAnimasaun

world. In case the Professor doesn’t know, Buhari graduated as a military officer (Lieutenant) in Royal Military Academy, Aldeshot, UK. He attended the Defense College India. Col. Buhari attended the US Army War College, Carlisle in Pennsylvania from 1979 -1980 and earned his command as a Brigadier General. The respected General Collin Powell attended the same school in 1976 to become Brigadier General. Some of Buhari’s classmates include General Beltson, General Thomas P

Rejoinder to Semi Illiterate Professor Wale Oladipo, PDP Secretary on General Muhammadu Buhari’s Educational Qualifications. I was shocked to read a press statement from Wadata Plaza issued by a so-called Professor Wale Oladipo, secretary of the PDP, saying that General Muhammadu Buhari is a semi illiterate jackboot. It is no wonder that our education system has fallen so low, else how can one explain a Professor making such a statement? The professor doesn’t seem to understand the basic rudiments of learning and what it means for one to be literate or not. Buhari attended the best military schools in the

CONTINUITY – FROM THOSE WHO MADE

was living and studying, in the USA, in the late 1960s when Gardener rendered this piece of good advice to graduating students at Harvard University. His aim was to warn the students not to think that their degrees made them superior to others who might not have university education but who were contributing greatly to society. I also worked at Polaroid Corporation, founded by Dr(Honorary) Edwin Land, the university drop-out who started the revolution in photography by inventing the first instant

camera – which all professors of Physics said could not be done. Dr Land eventually employed nothing less than 345 Ph.D holders in various departments of Polaroid Corporation. Some of those who came in with B.Sc received doctorate degrees based on experience and research they conducted at Polaroid. This is important because Professor Wale Oladipo, National Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party had been wasting everybody ’s time comparing Jonathan, a Ph.D holder with Buhari – who he described as a semiilliterate. Oladipo, naturally, failed to define semi-illiteracy in his bid to score cheap political points. That is standard practice for Nigerian professors once they enter the murky waters of politics – they invariably fail the minimum test of scholarship which calls for the definition of terms used in their presentations. But, let me now take Oladipo up on his own terms by acknowledging that Jonathan holds a

“An excellent plumber is infinitely more admirable than an incompetent philosopher [PHD holder]. A society which scorns excellence in plumbing, because it is humble activity, and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy, because it is an exalted activity, will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy. Neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water.” John Gardener, US Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare.

papers had he got published in reputable academic journals of Zoology? In what ways had he advanced knowledge in Zoology? Those are the minimum requirements for excellence in academic work and not just the mere possession of a degree – which is a personal thing. There are millions of people all over the world with doctorate degrees who do nothing with them; they are just contented to hold the certificates. Meanwhile, there are technicians who have invented millions of useful equipment, household items, medical and diagnostic materials without the benefit of doctorate degrees. Professor Oladipo will surely agree with me, if he is not too far gone for redemption, that a Bill Gates or Edwin Land, both without Ph.Ds, had benefited the world far

YOUR CHRISTMAS MISERABLE “Continuity” Jonathan’s adverts lining Abuja Airport. Nigerians had the worst Christmas since I was born. There was no money. Even Federal Government staff were not paid. There was even black out for several hours on the 25th. Lean pickings at dinning tables and thread-bare clothes rounded up the dreary occasion. Still PDP wants continuity. Among other horrors and atrocities implied in that request, consider these -- continuity of bleak Yuletides; continuity of excuses for not generating more than 4000MW of electricity in 16 years; continuity of frequent ASUU strikes; continuity of mass failure in WASC and, now, Law School; continuity of Ministers purchasing bullet-proof cars and spending billions chartering jets; continuity of Ministry of Interior and other services collecting money from young job applicants and killing some of them and nobody got punished for it; continuity of pensioners dying on queues; continuity of missing Chibok Girls and kidnapped women; continuity of 400,000 barrels of crude stolen everyday in the Niger Delta; continuity of an unelected woman going about disrupting the lives of people everywhere she goes; continuity of NNPC not accounting fully for revenue generated; continuity of depleting

General who served his country so well and has not claimed any scholarship. The curriculum at the U.S. Army War College earns one a Master ’s Degree in Strategic Studies and that is what Buhari has. For somebody to claim that a graduate of such a prestigious school is semi illiterate, means something is very wrong. By all academic and military standards, Buhari’s education is superb and the best any general can get in the world. Therefore, for Wale Oladipo to claim

As we go into a new year, we have to make a choice, not for ourselves but for the good of our country and all. Unless we do, we will be very much serving up more disasters and crises far worse than we can only dread to imagine Carney, General Bill Matz, General David E.K. Cooper etc. all of them are alive and can be reached and they will give glowing tributes of the Man Buhari they know as their classmate. Anyone interested in verifying Buhari’s academic credentials can write the school instead of reading jargons from a Wadata Plaza Professor of Politics of Destruction Party. I have checked Google scholar hoping that Prof. Wale Oladipo’s name and publications will show up and nothing is showing up, that says a lot about him as a Professor than Buhari as a retired decorated

Buhari is semi-illiterate speaks volume about his understanding of what education is even all about. The professor thinks education is about earning paper degrees only, and even if it was the case, Buhari has them from the most respected military institutions in the world. General Muhammadu Buhari has the kind of military strategic education and experience to deal a decisive blow on Boko Haram and ends the insecurity challenges facing Nigeria. Buhari is the only army officer with the opportunity to command 3 out of 4

External Reserves; continuity of depleted Excess Crude Oil….Need I continue? In short CONTINUITY at your own peril. You will have a choice in February – to decide if that is what you want. POWER SECTOR VERSUS NIGERIANS: WAR DECLARED. “A man [or group] cannot be too careful in its choice of enemies.” Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900 I spent the whole of last year persuading people in my community that Power Distributors were slow in providing metres because they didn’t have the funds. I pleaded they be given more time. After that stupid N500m donation, I will lead the attack on DISCOS from now on. THANKS FOR STAYING WITH US IN 2014. I received more Yuletide greetings than I could possibly acknowledge one by one. As usual, I thank everyone – those who agreed, and especially, those who disagreed with me, even Aribisala, on anything written last year. Have a pleasant 2015. Those who disagree and live, live to disagree another day. We shall all live. Amen. V i s i t : www.delesobowale.com or Visit: www.facebook.com/ biolasobowale or follow on Twitter @DrDeleSobowale

Nigeria’s army divisions as a GOC. In 1983, when rebel from Chad took over our land with more than 19 villages like what the Boko Haram is doing now, he then Major General Buhari led a successful operation as the GOC to push back the Chad rebels and reclaim our territory. In 1984, when the Maitatsine sect decided to declare war on Nigeria like what the Boko Haram is doing now, Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari wasted no time in crushing them. Boko Haram is a descendant of Maitatsine with the same extremist ideology and anti-western education philosophy. It is surely President Buhari that will be able to handle them: eliminating these terrorists when he comes to power like he did before. Muhammadu Buhari as a Captain fought in the Congo Civil War and won the Congo Medal. He was there during our civil war to bring peace and keep Nigeria one. That is true patriot: a man that gave his life to another country not only his fatherland. Since the man in Wadata Plaza have started the literacy debate, It is very appropriate to ask them that they produce Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s PhD thesis and publications in renowned journals. In conclusion, it is obvious to all Nigerians that PDP government and its Professor are only interested in playing dirty politics with lives and properties of Nigerians. -’Dr. MK Hassan writes in from Washington DC.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 11 system where the winner takes all, should expect that in such a struggle for power, candidates will resort to winning by whatever method and weaponry? Professor Bolaji Akinyemi’s imagination that holding the 2 Presidential candidates accountable for the actions of their followers could stop election violence is not feasible. His suggestion cannot even reduce violence let alone to stop it. Akinyemi may have meant well but the disposition of some followers which may never be known to the leaders could be overwhelming as those who hope to get appointments if a particular party wins often become ‘holier than the Pope’ notwithstanding party plans and decisions. Under the circumstance, to apply vicarious liability to criminal law as Akinyemi prescribes is not only unlawful but unworkable in a developing society where politics is the major national occupation.

hand, has been restricted to virtually one zone. Accordingly, what happens there hardly pricks our national conscience. While many Nigerians in some parts were enjoying crossover religious services and other forms of celebrations on New Year’s Eve, 7 people

were killed when a bus exploded in a village close to Potiskum, the commercial nerve of Yobe state. The bus according to reports went up in flames from multiple bomb blasts that killed all its occupants. On the same day, a female suicide bomber was killed as she tried to enter a military barracks in a place called Bolari in Gombe State. On New Year’s Day proper, another suicide bomber blew himself up outside the ECWA church injuring several people. Although the incidents are not as grave as previous ones which claimed hundreds of lives, they serve to remind us of the unending grief in parts of our country which we appear to have grown to accept as normal Painfully, those who are mandated to protect our people do not seem to see the task as fundamental. Instead, their disposition suggests that a more important assignment is how to win another election supposedly for the purpose of protecting the ordinary man. Rather than urging governments to live-up to their mandate, our elite class is more bothered about the possibility of election violence in 2015. Interestingly, we all know from history and from emerging political threats that violence in 2015 will happen. As my people say those who want to prevent war must first of all arrest disagreements. Otherwise, those who have said nothing about the zero-sum nature of our political

gospels concerning the life of Jesus. Yet there are more, for the discrepancies between the gospels go beyond the issue of ancestry and genealogy. According to Luke's gospel, Jesus' family were resident in Nazareth, from where they moved - because of a census, which may be fictitious - to Bethlehem where Jesus was born in a manger. Matthew's account says something different: it states that the family of Jesus had been reasonably well-to-do residents of

they do matter, because logically speaking contradictions are toxic to truth. Hence, it is impossible to reconcile the narratives as accurate historical accounts. No matter how we look at it, they constitute an exclusive disjunction: one or both stories concerning Jesus' origins, family background and birth is false. The only reasonable alternative is to accept the possibility that the gospels are not definitive unimpugnable word of God or that they

the king of the Jews." John's gospel adds something new; it says that Pilate wrote the title "Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews," and put it on the cross. In addition, there is disagreement about Jesus' final statement before he died. Matthew and Mark report it to be the anguished cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" In Luke's gospel it was, "Father unto thy hands I commend my spirit." According to the gospel of John, Jesus simply uttered "It is finished," bowed his head and gave up the ghost. I am convinced that time is ripe for Christians in Nigeria, and indeed Christians worldwide, to begin a critical reassessment of the fundamentals of their belief. This is because, given the frightening expansion of evangelical Christianity, with millions of people claiming to belong to one Christian denomination or another, the church has become a social force that can impact the society either for good or bad - these days usually the latter. They should be aware that serious scientific investigations into the life and times of Jesus, if he actually existed at all, have turned up information that are not consonant with church orthodoxy. As Biagent and his coresearchers observe, established Christian teachings, as they have been passed down through the centuries, represent only a highly selective compilation of fragments, subjected to stringent editorial work and revision. Thus the New

2014: Nigeria’s year of deceit and self-denial deaths of their compatriots. Those who blame government for not tackling Boko Haram early enough may have a point but a stronger point is its failure to rally the people against insurgency. As soon as avoidable deaths began to happen, government should have led the entire nation in doing nothing else other than stopping the trend. Being experts in blame game, we were unable to

Rather than urging governments to live-up to their mandate, our elite class is more bothered about the possibility of election violence in 2015

galvanize our people and totally mobilize them against the subject. Unfortunately, because ours is a nation where no one comes forward to bell the cat, each of us rallies round what touches only him. That is the fate of our North East Zone that has

PhD, Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos,

Facts, fiction and Christmas (2) IN The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail, Michael Biagent et al comment that it is on the strength of Mark's account that the notion of Jesus' humble family background originated. That said, it is clear that the two genealogies are so strikingly dissimilar that they might well be referring to two different individuals. Now, no one knows what Jesus actually looked like his height, figure, colour of his hairs, eyes and general complexion. Of course, there is no description of him in The Holy Bible, probably because writers of the gospels who never saw Jesus face-to-face were totally in the dark about his physical features. It could also be that the story of Jesus is a fiction invented to fit in with the ideas of Pauline Christian churches, whose scribes wrote the gospels to justify their religious practices. Thus, if there was no historical Jesus, there can be no accurate description of a non-existent person. But what of the images, paintings, and statues purporting to represent the Christ? Alfred Reynolds, in Jesus versus Christianity, provides a very interesting answer. According to Reynolds, "the custom of painting a fine-looking tall

been under fire for some time now. While the affected are languishing in pain and grief, the rest of us still spend ample time on parties and merriments. The point becomes clearer when we compare our reaction to insurgency with our national reaction to Ebola. The latter was swift because we all saw that each of us was facing imminent danger Insurgency on the other

man with long flowing hair and a golden beard, with blue eyes and fair complexion, is pure fantasy introduced by European painters who represented him in the likeness of their most attractive models." Certainly, there has always been a tendency by the church to depict Jesus as a very handsome man - after all, good looks have great aesthetic propaganda advantages. An ugly Jesus would very likely be inimical to the faith of women and spoil the ornaments of the church as well as of the theatre. Moreover, if there had been Jesus and he were handsome, that fact would have become part of oral tradition that crystallised into the gospels. The truth, Reynolds conjectures, is that, aside from the circle of Jesus' disciples deeply impressed by their teacher and a number of active opponents, nobody paid attention to the itinerant preacher - neither his contemporaries nor historians of the time. It was only when his memory had faded and merged into the image of the God Christ, the risen saviour, that the world took notice of his name. We have already identified some of the contradictions in the

NLY 3 days ago, Nigerians crossed over to a new year from one that was characterized by lies, deceit and self-denial. Historians would no doubt remember the year as one where fake patriots denied, all year through, the obvious vanishing life of their nation. It was a year in which virtually everyone could see and feel the pains of the nation; yet majority of the people chose to deny the obvious by pretending that all was well or would soon be fine. In reality however, neither the idea of a nation-state nor the essence of a government was discernible. Although our bastardized constitution provides that the welfare and security of the citizenry shall be the primary purpose of government, the subject is not in any way our official priority. Unlike what happens in viable nations where government is organized to put the sanctity of life above every other thing, Nigerians always rationalize the daily

On a general note, information in the gospels about the origins of Jesus is specific and perfectly plausible. Nevertheless, the details are contradictory

Bethlehem all along and that Jesus himself was born in a house. Further, Matthew claims that Herod's persecution of the innocent compelled Jesus' family to travel to Egypt; it was only upon their return that they began living in Nazareth. On a general note, information in the gospels about the origins of Jesus is specific and perfectly plausible. Nevertheless, the details are contradictory. Christian apologists try to gloss over or explain away the glaring contradictions by claiming that what matters is the fact that the different accounts agree that Jesus was born to Jewish parents contradictions in the details do not really matter. Yet

might be telling stories of not just one person but two or three different individuals which, for ecclesiastical purposes, were blended to form the fictional character named Jesus of Nazareth. The gospels also give different dates for the crucifixion. According to Matthew, Mark and Luke Jesus was crucified on the day after the Jewish festival of Passover; but the fourth gospel, that of John, says it occurred on the day before. They differ on the actual words inscribed on the crucifixion cross: In Matthew, the inscription was "This is Jesus the king of the Jews," in Mark we read, "The King of the Jews," while Luke reports that the superscription is, "This is

That is why internal democracy remains a victim of Nigeria’s democratic practice-a situation in which a man who becomes a governor uses the position to acquire stupendous wealth with which he easily displaces his own mentors in any contest! It also explains why politicians are able to render our electoral body inefficient or impartial-a situation which makes the distribution of voters’ cards more tedious than voting

itself which is the high-point of elections. During the heated debate on increased voting centres, one official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) explained that the increase in the North was because INEC had no evidence on paper that people were moving away from the area. It is pure deceit because as the Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido recently testified, the tension in the North is “so palpable that many concerned northerners have opted to relocate from their homes until after the next general election”. With so many uncared for internally displaced persons all over, did the governor make a new point? If not for self-interest, why are legislators afraid of e-voting? But for selfdenial, why is no one condemning the fielding of candidates at elections for primordial reasons? Why for instance, did the All Progressive Congress (APC) drop a tested achiever like Babatunde Fashola just to fulfil a Muslim-Christian ticket? Is it not for the same reason that we ignore our very best while seeking to implement any policy? We submit that whether Christian, Muslim, Northerner or Southerner; our troubled nation desires only who can BEST solve our problem and move the nation forward. Where ever he is from as well as his religious beliefs are inexpedient

Testament, in particular, projects an image of Jesus and his age that conforms to the needs of certain vested interests - of certain individuals and groups who had, and to a significant extent still have, an important stake in the matter. This implies that anything that could possibly jeopardise or embarrass these interests like the "secret" gospel of Mark, for instance -has been duly expunged. It can be persuasively argued that writers of the gospels have excised so much from available documents, in fact, that a kind of vacuum has been created, thereby necessitating speculation sometimes based on incomplete evidence. To illustrate, James D. Tabor, in his book, The Jesus Dynasty, suggests that the unknown biological father of Jesus was Tiberius Julius Abdes Pantera, a Roman Soldier and possibly a Jew. Pantera was a native of Syria-Palestine, north of Galilee; and he was a contemporary of Mary, Jesus' mother. Although most Christians might reject Tabor's submission out of hand, the archaeological evidence for it, no matter how small, should not be dismissed cavalierly. It is time adherents of various religions recognise that the best way to ensure the integrity of their creed is to be open-minded and allow all the facts to be put on the table.Obdurate, dogmatic refusal to reckon with evidence and suppression of dissent is atavistic and the surest way to emasculate spiritual enlightenment. Concluded.

PAGE 12 —

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

HERE is no likelihood that anyone would be faulted for describing Prof Bolaji Akinyemi as a man of many parts. He means different things to different people. Indeed, he comes across as a colossal scholar, fascinating diplomat, imaginary politician, misunderstood activist and quintessential statesman. Those whose perception of him may be at variance with the aforementioned are likely to commit the class blunder of regarding him as a gadfly. But that is at the peril of his antagonists, as the 1947-bornintellectual par excellence has never ceased from being a reference point since his first national appointment in 1975. Like a colossus, Akinyemi, whose appointment as the Director-General of the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, came at a rather astonishing age of 33, has continued to bestrode Nigeria’s socio-political sphere. In the trail of this nearly four decades of pragmatic sojourning are complex and yet workable variables expended on Nigeria’s journey to nationhood. As the head of the NIIA, he championed dialogue as an alternative vehicle for foreign policy consultation. He organised and presided over the following: NigerianUnited States Dialogue (1978), Nigerian-Soviet Dialogue (1978), Nigerian-Chinese Dialogue (1979), NigerianScandinavian Dialogue (1980), Nigerian-Brazilian Dialogue (1980), Dialogue on NorthSouth, Dialogue with Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (1981) and the Nigerian-Chinese Dialogue (1982). From the various national assignments he had undertaken at different times, Akinyemi, who was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs by President Ibrahim Babangida in 1985, boasts of an unwavering passion to serve his fatherland. This yet to be rivaled drive that saw him being a handy resource person each time stringent solutions are needed for contentious national questions, are conspicuously present in his speeches, seminal works and even media interviews. An encounter with him would surely make every student of history long for further engagements, as a result of his expansive knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of governance. As Minister of External Affairs, Akinyemi brought his provoking scholarly prowess to bearthrough policy actions at a time when the dynamics and complexities of global politics required men of his calibre to promote Nigeria’s stance on international affairs. Till date, some of the structures and frameworks he put in place act as testimonies to the indelible footprints he left in the nation’s foreign service. Of note is the Technical Aid

BOLAJI AKINYEMI@73:

Portrait of a firebrand statesman Appreciating a scholar par excellence

Prof Bolaji Akinyemi Corps ,TAC, a programme which sent professionals overseas to engage in volunteer work among the continuous interdependent nations of the world. TAC was designed to promote Nigeria’s image and status as a major player in global affairs, particularlythe African continent which had been the centre piece of the country’s foreign policy. Black bomb He was also credited to have initiated the Concert of Medium Powers, aimed at maximizing the potentialities of third world countries. A direct offshoot of that was his support for Nigeria to consider developing nuclear weapons. Such proposal, which he described as the black bomb, connoted that Nigeria had a sacred responsibility to challenge the racial monopoly of nuclear weapons. He was the leader of the Nigerian delegation to the United Nations Annual General Assembly Session, New York (1985); deputy leader of the Nigerian delegation to the Commonwealth Summit, Bahamas (1985); leader of the Nigerian delegation to the Organisation of African Unity, Council of Ministers Session (1986); deputy leader of

There is no likelihood that anyone would be faulted for describing Prof Bolaji Akinyemi as a man of many parts

the Nigerian delegation to the Organisation of African Unity Heads of State and Government Summit (1986); leader of the Nigerian delegation to the Non-Aligned Foreign Ministers Conference, Harare (1986); deputy leader of the Nigerian delegation to the Non-Aligned Summit, Harare (1986); leader of the Nigerian Delegation to the United. Nations General Assembly Annual Session (1986); leader of the Nigerian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the Critical Economic Situation in Africa (1986); leader of the Nigerian delegation to the Budget Session of the Council of Ministers of the Organisation of African Unity, Addis Ababa (1987); leader of the Nigerian delegation to the Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of the Organisation of African Unity, Addis Ababa (1987); deputy leader of the Nigerian Delegation to the Annual Summit of the Organisation of African Unity (1987), among others. The other side of him also manifested during the Abacha regime, when the tumultuous state of the nation then demanded that agents of change, like him, proceed to the trenches in the interest of the nation. Mixed bag With the nation on the brink, Akinyemi chose rather not to sit on the

fence as he, alongside the late Pa Anthony Enahoro, Bola Tinubu, Dan Suleiman, among others, formed the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO. With the display of uncommon bravery in the face of the brutality of the worst dictatorship in Nigeria’shistory, Akinyemi braved the odds to ensure that civil rule was enthroned. His role in that era also came as a mixed bag to those who thought that he was unlikely to stand up against the military-an institution he had served in some capacities before then. But that was the typical Akinyemi, manifesting his conviction that there isn’t any known alternative to democratic governance. Of significance, recently, was the stabilizing role Akinyemi played as the Deputy Chairman of the 2014 National Conference. Whenever matters were heading for catastrophe, Akinyemi brought his wealth of diplomacy to bear. It was that same sagacity that he demonstrated, penultimate week, when he sent an open letter to the two major presidential candidates - President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Muhammadu BUHARI of the All Progressive Congress, APC. In that letter, Akinyemi went down memory lane, bringing his fears home. “We have this very notorious prediction from United States semi-official sources that the world is expecting a cataclysmic meltdown of the Nigerian nation come 2015. Of course most Nigerians have taken umbrage at this prediction for their country. But there are Nigerians who are indifferent to the outcome of this prediction. One of my low moments during the just concluded 2014 National Conference was when in an attempt to break an impasse, I painted a grim picture of devastation which would follow a breakdown of the Nigerian state, to which a delegate between 45 and 55 years old replied “so what?” I thought to myself, here is a man who would probably run away to a neighboring country at the boom of the first gun but was callously indifferent to the fate of the youth, women and children who would be caught in the middle.” Akinyemi did not only identify the problem. He, also, in that letter, proferred solutions. As he celebrates his 73rd birthday today, we join Nigerians in wishing him well.

SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 13

41 DAYS TO PRESIDENTIAL POLL

Millions in South may not vote •PVCs’ collection higher in the North BY JIDE AJANI

hambling and shambolic! Those are the words that best describe what has become of the distribution and collection of the Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, which represents a very significant aspect of Nigeria’s electoral process. Indeed, these are not the best C M Y K

of times for Professor Attahiru Jega, National Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. With just some 41 days to the most crucial in a series of elections, that is the presidential election, fresh facts emerging suggest that millions of Nigerians may be barred from participating in the process.

This is so because the sine qua non for voting, which is the PVC, is not in the hands of many Nigerians – without it, they cannot participate in the voting exercise for the different categories of election. By the same token, a number of Nigerians have arrogated to themselves the role of loco parentis. What this means, strangely, is

Though some officials of the Commission continue to put up a bold face, sometimes lying about the status of the percentage of collection so far, there is a glaring mismatch with reality

that whereas the Electoral Act and the guidelines provide that individuals are to collect their PVCs in person, duly signed for after due identification as the bonafide owners of the PVCs, some District Heads in some states of the North are being allowed to collect and warehouse PVCs on behalf of their wards in the district. That is not all. The real danger for Nigeria’s crucial electoral process is that Jega’s INEC, either through sheer incompetence, egregious design or just as a victim of the now too familiar but retrogressive malaise afflicting the nation known as the Nigerian factor, an exercise that should ordinarily bring Nigeria closer to electoral civilization, has been made to look like rocket science through the instrumentality of an unscrupulous engagement.

Continues on page 14

PAGE 14—SUND AY 14—SUNDA

Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015

PVCs’ collection higher in the North Sunday Vanguard learnt that the PVCs collection exercises across the country, an engagement that was fraught with inconsistencies, disorganization and confusion, did not meet the expectations of even the leadership at the SOUTH SOUTH Commission. AKWA IBOM 60.0 Although, after the 79.43 BAYELSA public dramatization CROSS RIVER 69.2 of the collection of DELTA 67.0 PVCs, prospective EDO 57.7 voters, who did not TOTAL % OF PVC DISTRIBUTED IN SOUTH SOUTH ==66.666 get their PVCs, were expected to proceed SOUTH WEST to the local ONDO 65.4 government offices of 57.67 OYO INEC to collect them, LAGOS 49.0 many have come OGUN 54.4 back with tales of TOTAL % OF PVC DISTRIBUTED disappointment. IN SOUTH WEST=== 43.1535 Done in phases, that aspect of the electoral process NORTH CENTRAL demonstrated to a BENUE 72.0 large extent the level 63.97 KOGI of unpreparedness of KWARA 64.0 INEC for next PLATEAU 78.9 month’s elections. NASARAWA 70.6 Sunday Vanguard’s TOTAL % OF PVC DISTRIBUTED usually dependable IN NORTH CENTRAL == 69,894 source at the INEC headquarters NORTH EAST disclosed that one of GOMBE 77.0 the major problems, 70.0 TARABA which have given BAUCHI 96.97 rise to this present YOBE 80.4 state of stasis, is TOTAL % OF PVC DISTRIBUTED Jega’s decision to IN NORTH EAST=== 81.0925 constantly micromanage the process. Whereas Jega’s NORTH WEST insistence of microKEBBI 60.3 management may be 70.0 ZAMFARA hinged on his JIGAWA 94.0 intention to deliver SOKOTO 88.9 free and fair KANO 87.7 elections, the TOTAL % OF PVC DISTRIBUTED IN NORTH WEST === 80.18 enormity of the workload is such that cannot permit micromanagement but Continues from page 13 delegation. And even in instances where Jega was said The data in possession of to have delegated, the Sunday Vanguard shows that the PVCs’ collection, an exercise individuals he has put in charge have almost always had which the All Progressives an agenda allegedly hinged on Congress, APC, leadership sectional, primordial and alleged was being manipulated prebendal considerations. by Jega’s INEC and the Peoples A clear indication of this Democratic Party, PDP, as well as played out when one of such the Presidency, to achieve an individuals in the Commission expected end, has been came up with a sharing orchestrated in such a way that, formula for 30,000 additional on balance, there are more Polling Units, PUs, whereby PVCs in the hands of the the North got over 21,000 electorate in the North than leaving the South with just a those in the South – as at today. SOUTH EAST STATE % DISTRIBUTED ABIA 73.5 ENUGU 45.0 ANAMBRA 48.6 EBONYI 75.0 54.0 IMO TOTAL % OF PVC DISTRIBUTED IN SOUTH EAST == 59.22

C M Y K

Professor Attahiru Jega, INEC Chairman

little over 8,000. The consequence of the needless time, logistics and defence of the lopsided allocation of the PUs, is what has now come back to haunt Jega’s INEC with the shambles that the PVCs allocation has become. Sunday Vanguard was informed that Jega has been having and is still having sleepless nights because of the developments surrounding the PVCs collection. Though some officials of the Commission continue to put up a bold face, sometimes lying about the status of the percentage of collection so far, there is a glaring mismatch with reality. The latest data as procured from INEC shows that with the round of PVCs collection at the PUs across the country, the collection status are as follows: South South South N or th N or th orth N or th orth

PERCENTAGE East, 59.22 Collection South, 66.66 Collection W es t, 43. 15 Collection Wes est, 43.1 Centr al, 69.89 Collection Central, Eas t, 881 1.09 Collection East, W es t, 80. 1 8 Collection Wes est, 80.1

From the data (see box), the South-South geo-political zone, which has the highest collection compliance percentage in the entire southern Nigeria with 66.66, does not match the least in the North, which is the NorthCentral zone, with 69.9 percent. In fact, at one of the interactions leading up to this report revealed that in some parts of the North, the reason for the very high collection percentage in some parts of the North “is that some District Heads were allowed to collect PVCs on behalf of prospective voters”. “Sunday Vanguard source

Two months ago, Sunday Vanguard discovered that in Kano, contrary to the Electoral Act and guidelines, some people were conducting house to house registration of voters

said: What we discovered is that some people have compromised the process. “In some parts of the North, some District Heads were discovered to be collecting PVCs on behalf of the owners. This is in sharp contrast to the strict adherence to the rules of the game as carried through by those in the South. “Some of these instances are being looked into”. Two months ago, Sunday Vanguard discovered that in Kano, contrary to the Electoral Act and guidelines, some people were conducting house to house registration of voters. As revealed at that time, it took the intervention of the head of one of the security agencies, in collaboration with Jega, to stop the illegality. INEC continues to wax optimistic about the possibility of ensuring that most voters get their PVCs, there is already talk in some quarters that the Commission may be compelled to revert to the use of the temporary cards for some categories of voters. On a positive note, however, Sunday Vanguard was told that an international training was already ongoing in China for 12 staff of the Commission regarding the PVCs and Smart Card Reader. According to the INEC’s schedule, it ought to have completed a local training programme for its staff by the eve of last Christmas. The figures for eight states were not available as at the time of goping to press and they are Kaduna, Katsina, Adamawa, Borno, Niger, Osun, Rivers and Ekiti. It would be recalled that the Ekiti and Osun elections were conducted using the PVCs. And without prejudice to the use of the PVC in Osun and Ekiti, the noncollection of the cards account for the seemingly low turnout.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 15

.....CRIME AND NATIONAL SECURITY

Why I left the police for the farm

– Ex-AIG Hadeija

•‘Life in the midst of Nigeria’s first 1,000 policemen’ •Speaks on the nation’s problems

lhaji Mu’azu Idris Hadejia, retired as Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG. As AIG, he had been responsible for the administration of Nigeria Police Works Department, charged with the responsibility of providing accommodation for policemen from the rank of constable to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP. An electrical engineer, who left the old Kano State Rural Electricity Board in 1988 as deputy chief engineer, the 61-year-old former police officer picked his first rank in the Force as Assistant Commissioner of Police. An alumnus of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos, Hadejia suggested to the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua during his team’s visit to mark the end of their programme that he needed to add transparency as the eighth to his seven-point agenda, which Yar’Adua accepted. In this interview, Hadejia says the problem with Nigeria starts from selfishness. Excerpts:

By Bashir Adefaka

hen you look at the Nigeria Police, what would you say are your disappointments and consolations? Kano State Rural Electricity Board where I worked earlier was very small organization compared to the Nigeria Police because, the police is covering the whole country. And our works section provides office and residential accommodation for all policemen from the rank of constable to the InspectorGeneral of Police, IGP. When I came into the Force, there were so many challenges. One, this is a disciplined organization where every order must be obeyed. So, for a couple of months I was finding it difficult to cope, but after we had gone for our induction course in Police College, Ikeja, things went smoothly. We were enlisted into the senior cadre of the force.

But what is this thing about categorization of the rank and file in the Nigeria Police? I mean what category did you fall into at the point of entry? At the time I joined the Force, the police ranks were categorised into four segments: Rank and file and inspectors; SPOs, which covers from the rank of assistant superintendent of police to chief superintendent of police; senior officers from the rank of assistant commissioner of police to commissioner of police and then the generals from the assistant inspector-general of police, deputy inspector-general of police to inspector-general of police. I happened to join the Force at the second higher segment of commissioners, from the rank of assistant commissioner of police. At that time, police officers were not more than 1,000 and to find yourself among the first 1,000 in an

organisation that is presently over 350,000 and that happening at the point of entry. You combined being a police officer and an engineer. Is there any effort by you to fix your children in these professions? The first four of my children are professionals like me. If any of them wants to join the police, I won’t have objection. The only one who is working now, my first daughter, is an accountant with a federal parastatal; the one who followed her, my first male child, is doing agriculture at the University of Maiduguri followed by the one doing his master’s in architecture at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The last of them read micro-biology and you know in the Nigeria Police there is medical line just like our works section but there is no agriculture in the police (laughs). Yeah. Anyone of them who thinks he wants to join the police, I will not have any objection to that. There is this saying about our elites not sending their children to public schools in Nigeria, unlike General Muhammadu

Buhari who, we learned, sent his children to public schools like you. What is the attraction to the kind of frustrating university system that we have in the country? Simplicity, humility, what? I attended a public school, Ahmadu Bello University, and I can say I am among the first elites in my society. That does not stop me from making my children know their country very well. What is important is for you the parent to discipline your child and give him all that a child needs. Once that is done, you can send the child anywhere. Yes, there are challenges here and there and because of strikes and low quality of education, some people decide to take their children out of the country to study. Upon all that, the most important thing is the behaviour of the child because education is into two things: character and learning. The most important thing is to ensure that your child is properly groomed with good moral character and for him to know what he is doing.

Even if I have the money to send my children abroad to study, my priority is to train them in Nigeria

Based on that, even though if I have the money to send my children abroad to study, my priority is to train themin Nigeria. Probably in some cases like he needs to pursue further degree that needs to be done abroad, yes, you can go for that. In essence, are you trying to tell us that all hope is not lost for Nigeria, no matter what? As far as I am concerned, all hope is not lost for Nigeria. In the 60s, 70s and even 80s, we had a sound education system in this country. I remember when I went for my postgraduate programme in the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, UMIST, I met one professor. When I told him I came from Nigeria, he asked, “Where did you read?” I said Ahmadu Bello University and he started he started naming to me the professors in that university and in my department, which is the department of electrical engineering. He mentioned one Professor Morris, a British, and he said Professor Morris taught him in England and this is Professor Morris in Nigeria’s Ahmadu Bello University! So, we were really getting sound education at that time. What then is the missing point? If all of us and the leaders in this country would put our heads together and devote our times to the nation in all aspects of development: agriculture, education, health, transportation, infrastructure, the sky is our limit. Failure to have all these in place is the

Contines on page 16

PAGE 16—SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015

Contined from page 15 missing point. We have the human resources. We have very nice environment, very nice climate and we can do anything. Nigerians are the types that if they want to do something they do it. For example, the recent event of Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, shows that we are capable of doing whatever we think we want to and doing it right. And so we contained it. Now the US government wanted to come and study how we did it. So why are we not doing it and how do we resolve the problem? It is all the problem of contentment. The way to resolve the problem is to stop extremism in politics, stop ethnic and tribal sentiments among ourselves and all that. Another way is to understand these major religions in the world. If you take 95% percent of Nigerians, they are either Muslims or Christians. Let us understand the teachings of the prophets that came with these religions because no religion preaches violence. No religion preaches hatred or whatever is inimical to the well-being of humanity. All the messages in these religions are sort of manuals for human beings. It is just like you buy a new car and the car has a manual from the manufacturers which you must follow to maintain it. The scriptures are the manuals for human beings to live peacefully. So if we consider all these we will see that there is no cause for us to be in turmoil. Islam particularly encourages human rights. In Islam you are not under compulsion to embrace the religion. You are not told anywhere in Islam to force a Christian to change his religion to Islam. There is nowhere in Christian religion that says you should force a Muslim to

WHY I LEFT THE POLICE FOR THE FARM – EXAIG HADEIJA convert to Christianity. Based on that, if we can be strict to this religious instruction and stop forcing people in the name of preaching to embrace one religion or the other, which I believe is simply motivated by selfish interest, we will live in peace. So those who are struggling on this forceful ground trying to convert people to one religion or the other are the ones using it for themselves, to create problem! So, there is really hope for Nigeria if all these pretensions can stop and we work precisely according to the teachings of the religions. And government should come in here to ensure that religions are preached and practiced based on the messages. The Constitution has given rights of religion practice to everybody. If then there is anybody in one religion who is doing or saying thing outside the scripture of his own religion which, naturally, is harmful to the feeling or well being of people of other religion even people of his own faith, the government, as administrative authority of any given society, should be able come such a person to order. This is the way to avoid violence in Nigeria and the way to move Nigeria forward. When the Nigeria where you grew up in is juxtaposed with the Nigeria of today, you would discover that they are not comparable. As a retired AIG and an elite, what are you doing to join hands with others in moving the nation forward? I engage in agriculture because agriculture is what we should have taken seriously in Nigeria to satisfy

all our needs. So, I am doing some farming to maintain my family. And I do little commercial farming. I come from an extended family and I am the head of the family now. So, we have to put our heads together to do farming in order to, first and foremost, feed ourselves and then other Nigerians. If I am doing it and you are doing it, it will go round. For example the rice I eat here is from my farm and also in my family house (Hadejia, Jigawa State) they are eating it. Rice is a staple food. And also we have millet, sorghum, beans, soya beans, corn, maize and so on and so forth, we grow them in our farms. We eat and sell. Secondly, being an engineer, I am involved in estate development. I am involved in consultancy services and planning and designing of estates. Also I want to involve myself in security outfit. These are what I have engaged myself in since my retirement almost two and a half years ago. Any young person who wants to be successful in life be close to the elders for advice. Having spent this much in the Nigeria Police without a dent, one would want to be as successful as you are. What would be your advice to such a young person? First and foremost, you have to be very patient, persevere, you have to endure situations and also devote time to learn. When you are at higher level in the course of your growing up in life, if you are opportune to go

The recipient of the Resident of The Year Award, Professor Layi Shitttu, Head of Surgery Department, UCH, flanked by members of the Executive Committee of the Association. From right: Mrs Abimbola Tewe, Dr. Oshodi, Mrs. Shittu. From left, Mr. Tunde Adedeji, Reverend Falade, Mrs. Kunbi Abimbola and Agba Akin Olaosebikan.

to any of these higher institutes either Nigerian Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, in Kuru, Jos where I was part of the Senior Executive Course, SEC 30/2008 or National Defence College here in Abuja, which ever, either as an individual or public officer, you will learn about planning and strategies. This is how someone can build himself. I am opportune to be among those who went to National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies 2008 and really that, of course, exposed me to knowledge on planning and strategy for the development of our nation Nigeria and if I am called upon to give advice on planning and strategy especially in the area of agriculture, power and energy, infrastructure and also, being an engineer, I can foresee and have basic knowledge of all these sectors. And by the grace of Almighty God I am honoured by my country as Member of the Federal Republic, MFR. You are first of all an engineer and then a police officer. Yet, agriculture has always been your first. Why? I have been practising it and it is something we learned from our parents. My parents are farmers and business people too. From your background as an electrical engineer who had a stint at the Electricity Board of old Kano State and Works Section of the Nigeria Police, what do you think is wrong with our power system in Nigeria?

I told you earlier that I attended a post-graduate course for one year in the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, UMIST, where I graduated with diploma in electrical power system analysis. In the course of the programme, we were exposed to the power section of the United Kingdom. They practicalise the theoretical aspect of it. Normally in established power system, you must have at least two times the installed capacity of your consumption and at most three times. Assuming Nigeria needs like 20,000 megawatts, we are supposed to have installed capacity of 20,000 megawatts two times minimum. One will be functional and the other one will be on standby so that if any sector fails, the sector on standby will come in. Do you think we can achieve this? There is nothing that is not possible to achieve in Nigeria if we have the will. But our challenges are so many. Like now, our source of our power is only two: hydro and thermal. But there in the United Kingdom they have nuclear, they have wind, they have coal, they have gas turbine, they have the hydro. We can have all these in Nigeria. We know our weather conditions, we have wind, even there is solar because Nigeria is exposed to sunshine, with all these we can achieve what we want to improve our power system in Nigeria. In addition to all these, we lack continuity. Continuity of project is very, very important. Whether it is the same party or the opposition party, there must be continuity of project so far the planning and the design of such project is for the good of the people. Operators of our system must take note of this.

L-R : All Progressives Congress (APC) Vice Presidential candidate, Professor Yemi Osibajo; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fasola; All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate for Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and his running mate, Dr. Mrs. Idiat Oluranti Adebule, at the Student’s Support Group Interactive Session with candidates of the APC in the February 2015 General Elections which held at the Banquet Hall of the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, yesterday.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 17

bb pin: 20C37A25

•Chizzy Alichi

•Temitope Osoba

•Juwon Adewunmi

In the Spirit of the Season

(New Photo shoots)

rom time to time, entertainment celebrities take to photo studios to showcase what mother nature has endowed them with. It is in fact a necessary exercise to remain current and relevant in the industry. For the yuletide season, some hit the studios and came out looking like what? It is for you to decide. •Chiamaka Nwokeuku

•Destiny Etiko

•Ijeoma Imoh

Mimi Ubini

•Ruth Eze

•Christabel Egbenya •Adokiye Kyrian

•Peggy Onah

PAGE 18, SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015 Onikoyi68@gmail.com

Dorobucci, Surulere, Aye, Girlie O, others make MTv Base Official Naija Top Ten hottest videos of 2014

Why I’m spending so much money on my music — Gloria Ibru G

LORIA lbru isn’t your conventional artiste of today, unlike most of her peers, she believes music should be done live and not simulated. The talented daughter of renowned business mogul, Olorogun Michael Ibru, recently disclosed at the official unveiling of her fresh video Sugar Mama t h a t she is doing music which will still be relevant in the next 30 years. “ I am doing music that will be relevant in 30 years. I don’t want to do music that is forgotten in six months, which is why I am spending so much time and so much money doing the music. Believe me, the money will come back”. Describing the concept behind her music video, she said: “The concept of Sugar Mama video was inspired by Elvina Ibru. My life has always been one that I had to see and make sure everybody is happy. I hate to pass by and see somebody sad. I will

definitely ask : “Is everything okay?”. In Sugar Mama I am in my bar and a young man walks in looking sad. I walk up to him, asked him what was wrong, he joined us when the music started playing and became happy once again. The video is not about sex ,it’s not about romance, it’s just about making one person happy and carrying on with life which describes my personality. When asked what her challenges have been, she said: “The whole album is played live, it’s not simulated music. The instruments are played live, we do not have the equipment in Nigeria to do them at once. So the instruments record one after the other, it takes time and

his week’s episode of Official Naija Top Ten hosted by MTV Base VJs Stephanie Coker and Ehiz Okoeguale reveals the list of hottest videos aired on the show in 2014 The list includes ten chart-topping videos that stayed on the number one spot for many weeks during the course of the year. Runtown’s Gallardo holds the number one spot followed by Davido’s Aye and Dr Sid’s Surulere on numbers two and three respectively. Other videos that made the list include Jaiye Jaiye, Show you the money andYawa dey. See full list below: 10. Patoranking – Girlie O 9. Olamide – Turn Up 8. Burna Boy – Yawa Dey 7. Wizkid – Jaiye Jaiye 6. Wizkid – Show U D Money 5. The Mavins - Dorobucci 4. Burna Boy – Don Gorgon 3. Dr. Sid ft Donjazzy - Surulere 2. Davido – Aye 1. Runtown Ft Davido – Gallardo

•Gloria Ibru money. Now, what we need to do is to encourage Nigerians that love music to come in and invest in proper studios. It will be cheaper for younger people to do music live if we have more studios. The reason young artistes do simulated music is because it’s so expensive. This is why we are not getting real music out of Nigeria”

Secret of my soulful voice — Ruby Gyang L

OOPY records Ruby Gyang, is a fast-rising diva who broke into the industry with her song Good Man. In a recent chat with Potpourri, the pretty soul songstress disclosed that she is not opposed to pop music that is now the rave of the moment in the music terrain. “I am not opposed to making pop music, it just has to have content and depth. When you see people making party music and are making money, you might be tempted to do that. What I have learnt to do is to balance soul music with the kind of music people will love to listen to.” On the secret behind her high pitched melodious voice ,she said: “I work with a vocal coach.I have been working with one for four years since I moved to Lagos and that has helped. I am a soul singer, that is what we do. We use the high pitch to express ourselves. I think something that makes me stand out is that I am very soulful in my approach to music and the beauty of soul music is that you can fuse it with all kinds of styles.” •Ruby Gyang

•Runtown

I can make an English rap album if people will buy -Reminisce

igorous indigenous rapper, Reminisce who said his Alaga Ibile album sold up to one million copies upon its release has told Potpourri that he could release an English rap album if the market encourages it. In his words: “I can release an English rap album if people will buy. It is dependent on my audience. My first album had seventy percent English and you guys didn’t buy as much as I thought you would. I sold over a million copies of Alaga ibile without a dance track. You should give me some credit”. •Reminisce

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 19 Onikoyi68@gmail.com

FilmOne to open 2015 with 3 blockbuster movies

If you miss ‘First Cut’, it will be big miss of 2015 — Joseph Benjamin

FTER successful theatrical distribution in 2014, a leading movie distribution and production firm, Filmone now has its eyes set for 2015 as it’s opening the year with three major movies. On January 16, 2015, “Gone Too Far”, a British/ Nigerian comedy produced by Poisson Rouge Pictures and co-funded by the British Film Institute, starring O.C Ukeje, Adelayo Adedayo, Malachi Kirby, Bhasker Patel, Pooja Shah, Tosin Cole and directed by fast rising female British/Nigerian Director in the UK, Destiny Ekaragha, will set the ball rolling. Sequel to this, “Heavens Hell”, a psychological thriller, produced and directed by Katung Aduwak (Big Brother Nigeria Winner) will hit cinemas on January 23rd 2015. The movie stars Nse- Ikpe Etim, Bimbo Akintola, Damilola Adegbite, Chet Anekwe, Fabian Adeoye Olojede, O.C.Ukeje, Kalu Ikeagwu, and Gideon Okeke. The third on the menu is”The Department” which is billed for theatrical release on January 30. ‘The Department’ run by young professionals,blackmails top executives into selling their companies to the ‘man’ behind the Department. Two lovers opt out of The Department, and the pressure, intrigues, blackmail from the group, soon tests their love for each other. The action/romance/crime genre-based movie parades stars; Majid Michel, Osas Ighodaro, Jide Kosoko, Desmond Elliot, Funky Mallam and Seun Akindele, among others.

•Osas Ighodalo

I’m fierce and sexy, says Debie Rise as she releases ‘Winner’

INEMAS across the cities nationwide will witness what has been described as a ‘great movie’ come January as First Cut, a movie from Lisa Omorodion takes the centre stage. Joseph Benjamin who features in a leading role in the movie, said no better words other than biggest miss of the year could be used to describe the experience for anyone who misses out on the thrilling and educative movie when it eventually hits the cinemas come January 23, 2015. The popular actor who is a household name courtesy of the yearly music reality show, MTN Project Fame West Africa, describes the movie,’ First Cut as a product of great work. In his exact word Joseph Benjamin said, “It is a great movie. I could not believe it is Omorodion’s first attempt at production; the outcome is a great product. So much work was put into it and having Chico Ejiro as the director, and people like Bobby Obodo make it a great mix’. First Cut is an educative, captivating, mind blowing and thrilling movie produced by Lisa Omorodion, it presents a theatrical blend of morals, fashion, education, information and professionalism in film-making and production.

•Debie Rise

IGERIAN Idol Star, Debie Rise, who impressed and thrilled audience of the popular music reality show, ‘Nigerian Idol’ has released her single, ‘Winner’ after signing a recording contract with ‘800 Records.’ Winner as the single is titled, flamboyantly displayed Debie’s energy, passion, love and enthusiasm for music as indeed a winner and not a loser. Debie Rise who had stunned with ‘Gagabu’ and ‘MatchUp’ is gradually catching attention, earning respect of critics and getting a lot of gigs across the nation. Of particular mention are her performances at the Pepsi Gala Nite and several private ‘end of the year’ parties. Puffy Tee, the producer and the man who produced the street anthem ‘Yahoozee’ believes Debie Rise would give the established female acts a run for their talents. According to Puffy Tee, “A lot of people believe Nigerian female acts are not as talented as their male counterparts, ‘Debie Rise will be re-defining the popular opinion because her talent and energy are infectious. This lady is truly talented and for heaven sake a delight to watch on stage. I’ll say that the female Nigerian musicians should watch out for this new talent,” he said. For Debbie on her part, she sees herself as something of new breath of life. “My music is unique and my style is different. I am a combination of fierceness and sexiness,” she said.

•Joseph Benjamin

PAGE 20, SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015 Onikoyi68@gmail.com

Kidney transplant experience

I almost gave up hope of surviving — OJB

•Sets up Kidney Trust Fund By BENJAMIN NJOKU

HEN the popular music producer, Babatunde Okungbowa a.k.a OJB was down with kidney related disease, and consequently was flown to India for a transplant, two things pre-occupied his mind. They were, the fear of the unknown and that of the mystery of death. But in the mix of these depressing thoughts, OJB did not give up the hope of cheating death. He went through the surgeon’s knife and came off successfully. Today, the popular music producer is not only bubbling with life again, but he’s championing a worthy cause geared towards affecting the lives of those who are suffering from kidney related diseases. It would be recalled that shortly after his return to the country, OJB set up a foundation called, OJB Foundation, which he is using to solicit support for those suffering from kidney related diseases. He stated that the foundation would majorly act as a dialysis centre, providing financial relief for patients who spend their life savings on undergoing weekly dialysis. While he’s still working on actualizing the project, the respected producer last week launched a Kidney Trust Fund, in collaboration with The Bow Tie Club, a non-profit making organization. The trust fund, according to him, is being set up to address the issue of funding of kidney disease treatment. The two organizations decided to come together to champion fund raising efforts at supporting people with kidney and renal issues. Speaking at the launch, OJB said, “It is in this regard that two NonGovernmental Organizations, OJB Foundation and The Bowtie Club have come together with support from wellmeaning institutions to launch the Kidney Trust Fund with the sole aim of

galvanizing funds towards assisting those who otherwise would be left to die as a result of their poor financial status.” Continuing, OJB said, “The fund aims at raising over N200 million monthly, solely for the purpose of providing medical succor to as many Nigerians who are suffering from this disease as possible.” The fund, he further disclosed, will be run on a structural tripod. FCMB, he explained, will serve as the collection bank, while CSL Trustees Limited will also act as the trustee firm having full custody of the funds and reserving the rights to disbursement, usually directly to the partner hospital in India known as

What was going through my mind was basically what was going through the minds of over 30 millions people that have kidney related problems

•Bovi

“Vikram Hospital”. OJB Foundation, however, would provide the patients from their register of Patients which grows astronomically almost on a daily basis as a result of their periodical kidney health clinic. “Our projection is that in the next five years, the initiative should be in a position to build a local facility with up to date modern equipment with which we plan to render the transplant and other associated services to our people, according to set international standards,” OJB said. Recounting the horrible experience, he had, while fighting to survive the lifethreatening disease, the respected producer said, he was tempted to consider the possibilities of giving up the ghost. According to him, “What was going through my mind was basically what was going through the minds of over 30 millions people that have kidney related problems. Honestly, when

you are younger, you don’t think about death. But for some reasons, I had to think and consider death. I considered the possibilities that it could happen. And of course, when I start considering the possibilities of dying, everything starts flashing back to me; did I do enough, what didn’t I do right, should I die now, what is going to happen to

my family and business. As a result, you start to think about all these things, and the pressure of the thought begin to increase upon you, as the days go by. The psychological trauma is bigger than what you can imagine. OJB said, while the trauma lasted, he did not give up the fight to survive because he was blessed during that passing phase of his life. “ I had over 14 million people who were interested in my predicament. So, why should I give up hope of surviving. That was the lucky situation I found myself then. However, narrating his experience while undergoing the kidney transplant in India, OJB said, he said, it was horrible, “but I had confidence that I would make it.” He said, I wanted to set up a foundation before now. According to him, his daughter died of heart related disease about seven years ago. The sad experience, he said, prompted his decision to set up a foundation. “ I had already started working towards setting up the foundation, before I fell sick. My sickness was more of an awakening call for me to set up a foundation. I feel that setting up a foundation is something I was meant to do. I also feel that what I went through was for a purpose. I think people that have kidney related problem need a voice, and that was why God allowed me to go through the trauma,” he stated.

Why Bovi did not host the Headies 2014 M

ANY followers of Nigeria’s most prestigious musical awards were left stunned when they got to know that comedian Bovi would not be hosting the Headies 2014. Questions started coming from all angles and some even came up with different suggestions like something went wrong between the organizers and the popular comedian. Well, the real reason he couldn’t host the show has finally been revealed. The show was initially slated to hold on October 25, 2014 and he was in for the date and preparations and rehearsals

had already started when the organizers decided to change the venue and the date due to some logistic reasons and he was already billed to have a show on the new date picked. So he couldn’t just combine two shows in one night. Considering the calibre of the awards, the organizers had to get someone of a like mind with him in the name of BasketMouth and everyone present at the awards knew it was a job well done by our host.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 21

2015: Time to improve on your love life W

HEN you are married or are in a long term relationship, the tendency is high that things will fall into a routine. Because it is assumed or silently accepted that the partners are stuck together either by law, mutual respect for each other or some undeclared considerations, couples take to take each other for granted and do not make enough effort at pleasing or pleasuring each other. The hustle and bustle of life, work and family can also become overwhelming, taking fun to the back burner, same with caring for the children, cooking and housekeeping, making and managing family finances. All of these and more can affect the love life, sex and intimacy of couples who have been in a relationship for some time. However, the situation can be remedied or better managed if couples are willing and determined to improve on their relationships. I think this should be our goal this year, especially in this times of uncertainties. One of the first steps you must take is to improve on your communication skills. Children are perhaps the best source of information if you want to investigate how a couple live together. There have been stories of reports from children who'd innocently called their parents

Networking/ Sponsorship •Emma, a secular, theological graduate and a crusader, needs a philanthropist to sponsor crusades and outreaches. 07051824244 Friends Searching Female •Nkem, 20, fair in complexion, 5.8ft tall, a student and an upcoming actress, in Asaba, Delta State needs male and female from any part of the world that can take care of her financially and those that are well connected so as to be connected too.08131577290 Searching Male •Jerry, 24, resides in Benin, cute, caring and fun to be with, needs good looking, endowed and sexy female friends. 07065511561 •Itse, needs a rich lady for friendship, aged 15-23. 08140948343 •Gabriel, 20, needs a female friend in Warri only. 08110213605 •Emeka, 37, tall, employed and from Anambra State needs a good female friend. 07081108297 Lovers Searching Female •Kate, 23, very bursty, needs a man, for a relationship. 08148595415

abusive names simply because that is what they have heard them call each other. Or describing what their parents do when they are home as daddy sleeping or reading Newspapers while mummy does all the work in addition to also going to work. Couples must learn to be intimate with each other. Intimacy is not just sex or making out, it is the general attitude when you are together. It includes, talking, assisting each other, playing together, including reading the same things if reading is what your partner loves to do. That way you can have something to talk about later and share your views on the issues. There are so many things a couple can do together to bring them closer. You must create or maintain a bond. It is not the children that will you together, neither is it the property or investments and responsibilities you share together. Most relationships that hang on these are usually not fun and there is a high chance that the partners would cheat. The next item on the list is to create time, no matter how difficult or busy you both are. Most people don't have to go to work weekends, yet you find out that many partners tend to do their own things or make their own plans for what they want to do. For many, going out means

they are attending a social function or even family meeting. I have heard guys say they cannot follow their wives to the market! I think that is ridiculous and it will not make you less macho if you do. Depending on status and society there are many places that you can visit together or shop together such as the mall, the shops, the barbers shop or the salon or spa. If the children are still young, get someone old and responsible enough or take care of them, or take them to your parents or family members that you trust. Where they are old enough to take care of themselves for a few days, take a trip. And it does not have to be expensive too. Unfortunately, the concept of travels and trips in Nigeria connotes that you have some money to spend or waste, depending on the observer. So, for many, travelling means you are going on a spending or shopping spree. Thus, family and friends expect that you buy them something when you return. Sometimes, even local trips are not exempted. But you don't have to be discouraged, do only that which you think is appropriate and you can afford to. Try as much as possible not to alienate each other from family and friends. The concept of "me and my husband or wife" may have its advantages but it has

•Busola, 42, needs a responsible, God fearing, well educated and well to do Yoruba man, aged 45-55 for marriage.08176324722 •Trichia, fair skinned, sexy, big, bold and very beautiful with a good body skin needs a very caring, responsible and matured man aged 50 and above to love and pamper her. 08052420758 •Anita, 25, beautiful and attractive with a fantastic feminine features needs a caring and God fearing man, aged 40 and above to call her own. 08146671067 •Vicky, 27, chocolate colour with firm and pointed breast with very attractive backside needs a big, strong and reliable man aged 40 and above to call her own . 09039547641 •Lilian, 25, dark, slim, beautiful and shapy with a succulent breast needs a man aged 45 and above that will marry her for love and friendship. 08104264298

only, for a serious relationship. 07083109899 •Uj,50, 5.7ft tall, fair in complexion, Ibo and employed, needs a tall, slim or average built, fair in complexion and pretty lady, aged 30-45, for a serious relationship. 08166008291 •Adebayo, 45, needs a sincere, rich, employed or business lady, who is light in complexion,aged 30-35, in Abuja, for a relationship. 08067962636 •Fred, 30, resides in Abuja, needs a sexy, romantic and matured lady, for a relationship.07030933738 •Andrew, 33, needs a active lady, for casual relationship, aged 40-45.08069374361 •Joshua, 30, handsome, sexy and resides in Lagos, needs a responsible and employed lady, aged 22-28, for a good relationship, that will lead to marriage.08025459922 •Kola, 27, needs a lady, aged 20-23, who is a Christian, for a serious relationship, that can lead to marriage. 08163777771 •Moses,30,from Benue, needs a God fearing lady who is ready to settle down for a relationship, aged 18-25. 08164862619,08087656613 •Paul, 45, from Ogun State, needs a God fearing, beautiful, employed, and friendly, fair in complexion lady, for a relationship that will lead to marriage, aged 30-38. 07083810311 •Stanley,27,light in

Searching Male •James, 55, an industrialist, divorced and God fearing, in Lagos, needs a professional lady, aged 35- 45, for a relationship that will lead to marriage.08183385857, 08033222883 •Okey, 56, needs a tall and dark in complexion Igbo lady, aged 20-35, with sexy legs and big hips for marriage. 07087873633 •Emeka, 27, resides in Lagos State, needs a lady in Lagos

DISCLAIMER! Dear readers, please note that we neither operate, nor are we an affiliate of any match–making agency in or outside the country. Any reader who transacts business with any one claiming to be our agent does so at his/her own risk. Our mission is only to provide a platform for social networking. Also note that neither Vanguard, nor Yetunde Arebi will be liable for any error in the publication of requests which may result in any form of embarrassment to any member of the public. We therefore request that text must be sent through at least one of the numbers for contact. This notice is necessary to enable us serve you better in our refreshingly different style. You can send your requests to 33055. For enquiries, text or call 08026651636

Children are perhaps the best source of information if you want to investigate how a couple live together. There have been stories of reports from children who'd innocently called their parents abusive names simply because that is what they have heard them call each other

limitations too. No man is an Island, after all. However, on a more serious note, this is one concept that causes a lot of frictions in families. Perhaps,

complexion, employed, from ImoState but resides in Lagos, needs a lady, aged 19-25, as a wife.08038443555,08076315509 •Edmund, needs a lady, who is fat and from Benin, aged 303 5 . 0 7 0 3 0 6 9 5 7 1 3 •Neme, 25, handsome and from Nnewi, needs an employed lady, aged 32-48, preferably from Anambra, who is single, divorced or widowed, for a relationship. 07069487300 •Tony, 41, dark in complexion, a decent Catholic nurse and from Edo State, needs a decent qualified nurse or midwife Catholic lady, whose genotype is AA,light in complexion, from either Agbor or Asaba, who is ready to settle down, aged 2830.08036872619 •Ibrahim, an undergraduate, from Zarian needs a pretty and responsible Fulani lady, for a serious relationship. 07030906930 •Stan, 32, from Isoko, Delta State, needs a busty lady, for a relationship that can lead to marriage.08146756974 •Chris, 34, resides in Delta State, needs a lady, who is sexy. 08123522617 •Adeyemi, 42 and employed, needs a lady, aged 28-45, for marriage.08170940270, 08120300227 •Oluwawale, 40, needs a Yoruba lady, who is educated, mature, conscientious and jovial as a wife.08027220822 •Jude, 37, handsome, neat, a graduate and resides in Delta State, needs a mature lady, for a relationship. 07014813373, 08030648199 •Emma, 42, from Delta State but resides in Benin a single father and employed, needs a faithful Christian lady that can sing gospel music for a serious relationship that can lead to marriage.080777233872, 08141914740

because of our own insecurities and fears, many partners try to isolate the other from his or her family and friends for one reason or another, whether real or unfounded. The truth of life is that at one point, we will need family and friends around us, and this does not necessarily have anything to do with financial assistance. The great musical maestro, Chief Ebenezer Obey in one of his evergreen songs, stated the roles of partners are clear and different from that of parents. While love relationships can come to an end at anytime, according to him, the love relationship between a child and its parents will last their lifetimes. And when things turn sour, it is to your family that you turn to for support, especially emotionally. If you are in a relationship where your partner constantly say or do things that will not foster a good relationship between you and your parents and family members, then there is a problem. Besides, love me, love my dog, they say. Many people are guilty of this, so, try as much as possible to make amends. It is good for your relationship in the long run. Remember that you may reach me via email address: inthesunlovezone@yahoo.com for answers to any of your relationship and sex questions or any issue discussed on this column. I wish you a happy, prosperous and peaceful year. Do have a lovely Sunday!

Sugar Cares Searching Female •Nancy, 22 years old needs a sugar daddy that can sponsor her master ’s degree programme. 08166245147 •Favour, 24, sexy, pretty, tall and very bursty young girl needs a generous sugar daddy for a hot sexual relationship. 08102362446 •Joyce,25, educated, pretty and sexy model from Edo State, needs a sugar daddy who likes spending, for a serious and romantic union. 08116065035 Searching Male •Kenzy 27, resides in Lagos, needs, a rich, clean and sexually starved, sugar mummy, aged 30- 55. 07083109899 •Patrick, 34, from Delta State, fair in complexion and good looking, needs a sugar mummy. 07088410481 •Mike, 24, good looking and resides in Delta State, needs a romantic and sexy sugar mummy, aged 31-45, who can help him to start up a business.08089932046, 08022745139 •Iyke, a student from Enugu, needs a sugar mummy, who can take care of him. 07088966013,07037633468 •Sammy, 23, a graduate in Delta State needs a sugar mummy within Niger Delta for a relationship. 07068530958 •A guy, needs a sexy sugar mummy, in Delta State, aged 40-50.08167696605 •Obinna from Imo State, needs a sugar mummy who resides in Lagos for a serious relationship. 0806763506 •Tobi, 22, handsome, average built and from Anambra State, needs a mature sugar mummy, aged 30-50, for a relationship. 07030865772 •Robin, a student, needs a sugar mummy. 08082727986, 08109855831

PAGE 22— SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015

Email: vanguardwoman@gmail.com

Nigerian govt yet to fulfil its contract with women —Prof Olabisi Aina

By Josephine Agbonkhese

rofessor of Sociology and specialist in gender development, Mrs Olabisi Aina is a lecturer at the Department of Sociology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. Presently, she is on sabbatical at the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, where she is helping to establish a Centre for Gender and Development Studies. She is hence serving as Director of the centre which is being designed to enhance capacity building and technical expertise in the area of gender and development. Olabisi who has gathered over 40 years of experience in her field was one of the personalities that represented Ekiti State at the national conference. In this interview, she says most of the Federal Government’s policies for women are pleasant only on paper.

as it by fluke or ambition that you specialised in gender and development? I think I was just lucky because my first and second degree programmes fell within the First Decade (1975-1985) of the women’s movement. The issue of gender began then and being that my academic mentor was also interested in that area, I soon found myself loving it. Since then, it has been my passion. You’ve specialised in this field for decades; what would you say are the key issues hindering the advancement of women in Nigeria? There are so many factors. It’s now a truism that women don’t have it that good, compared with their male counterparts, in many facets of life. Nigeria as a nation has signed so many agreements towards improving the place of the woman in our society. We have three primary instruments amongst many others: the Beijing Platform for Action, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and then the Millennium Development Goals. There has been some level of responses into adapting

these international instruments, which has led to a lot of policy actions like the National Gender Policy of 2006, though. However, the effects of these policies have only been like a drop of water in a mighty ocean. The strong point is that as long as the position of the woman is not equitable to that of the man, we will always see disparity in development in the society. Talking about the National Gender Policy, how has it fared in view of the 35% slot pledged to women? Our government has generally not been able to meet up with its social contract with women. As a matter of fact, most of its policies are only on paper and not in practice. For example, when you look at the politics of 35% affirmative action, you begin to ask yourself how far we’ve gone with it. In terms of elective position, we are nowhere. It’s so terrible that we find people turning women down even in our local communities. Funny enough, most of us know how competent most women can be when put in positions. I however think the problem is that we are still fighting with patriarchal

*Prof Olabisi Aina

...there is a huge gap between theory and practice. How many states are opening up to the National Gender Policy for example? culture. That’s why you see even local communities preferring male leadership to female, irrespective of who is more competent. It is quite unfortunate that the local community has to be the first stage of conquest for any political aspirant. What’s your assessment of the Federal Government’s numerous policies for women so far? On paper, I think they okay. But it’s just that when you look at the reality, there is a huge gap between theory and practice. How many states are opening up to the National Gender Policy for example? That’s where it should start! Since 2006 that this policy came into being, only one state has domesticated it and that’s Ekiti State. So, where do we move from here when

states cannot even open up to such a vital policy? Even where we have laws on widowhood practices and so on, how many people have been convicted? The 1999 Constitution for example says there shall be no discrimination on the basis of sex, ethnic group and religion, but we know what actually obtains in our society. So, I’ve reached a stage where I believe one can no longer appraise Nigeria by its policies and laws. So where do we go from here, looking at the 2015 general elections and its possible aftermath? The truth is that everybody is afraid we might lose the gains of some ten years ago unless something is done. Looking at all the primaries, I don’t even know what else

to say about women representation in governance. Very few women succeeded at the primaries and that means we are again dependent on the goodwill of a president to then “appoint” us- that’s if he will appoint. As a sociologist, do you suspect the girls kidnapped from Chibok to be responsible for the series of suicide bomb attacks we’ve had in recent times? I can’t be too sure but I will tell you that is what conflict does to the mental state of anybody; a traumatised human can do anything. These girls have been kidnapped for months now and you cannot tell what they have been indoctrinated with and given. They can be put on drugs and might even be ignorant of their acts. A normal person will not go about unleashing explosive devices on fellow human beings. Above all, these girls have been living in a strange land where they’ve been eating strange foods and drinking strange water, so, they can do anything.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 23

08112662589

Should your child’s lover sleep over?

AUL was enjoying the family’s Sunday t r a d i t i o n a l breakfast in a cholesterolriddled array of boiled yam, fried savoury eggs and stew, when his daughter sauntered into the dinning area. Following on her heels was, according to Paul, a rough-looking burly guy, stubbles on his chin, ears jutting out like the handle of traditional FA Cup and wearing a smug smile. Paul nearly choked on the piece of yam in his mouth. How dared this cocky lad distrupt the family get together with such an unkempt look? The other two children, a boy and a girl, both in their teens, looked on in fascination at the drama unfolding before then. “Morning dad, morning mum” cooed Azeezat, their daughter, Please meet Kola; Kola my parents, brother and sister..” “Kola offered Paul his hand but he ignored it. He glared at his wife who looked utterly embarrassed. “And where did this Kola spring from? “He asked trying to keep his anger in check, Azeezat squirmed as she answered”, Actually, we went to Bose’s party together yesterday. I told you I would be attending. It was too late for Kola to drive back home and he was drunk. So I told him he could spend the night

sleeping on the sofa so he wouldn’t have any accident in the state he was in. He’ll be on his way as soon as he’s had breakfast.”Paul’s patience finally snapped. “Not on this battle, he wouldn’t, “spat Paul. Turning to Kola he bellowed: “If you don’t take yourself away from this house this instant, I won’t be held accountable for my action”, But dad....”protested Azeezat. “As for you young lady”, he rounded on her, “just take yourself back to your room, no breakfast for you either. Some minutes later, Paul was pounding up the stairs to Azeezat’s room to make sure the lad was out of the premises. He took in his daughter ’s rumpled bed. How could she bring a man to his house without the courtesy of telling him? The poor girl was 21 only a few months back. So while the whole house slept, the vermin could even be sleeping with his daughter? There were no tell-tale signs of that and he checked the en-suit toilet only to find a condom swimming in the toilet bowl! “I felt like throwing up”, Paul confessed. “How long had my daughter known the opportunist who thought nothing of taking advantage of her in her own parent’s home? My wife swore she knew

nothing of the relationship. She’d seen Kola once or twice in the house but always in the midst of Azeezat’s other friends. When Azeezat finally came in from seeing Kola off, she had a defiant look on her face. For the first time in my life, I felt like being very violent towards her. After all the education and training we’d given her, how could she let us down this way? She had the nerves to tell me I’d embarrassed her in front of her boyfriend. That she was now 21 and Kola’s parents treated her like the adult she is whenever she visited, never for a minute hammering on his door waiting to know what was going on in his room. Of

course, they would be liberal when it was their son using hapless girls to sow his wild oats! I asked her how often Kola’s parents had discovered used condom in his toilet? “She had the grace to look shame-faced. Falling in love is one thing, but flaunting her promiscuity in front of the whole family was taking permissiveness too far. What happens if she fell out with Kola? How many replacements would she feel free to sample before she builds a nasty reputation for herself?” Paul was the first to admit that a 21 year-old was more than ready for sex, but could she handle the responsibilities?

have not been diagnosed. The sad fact is there is no known cure for AIDs yet. Just measures to prolong the life of sufferers. “If you move in the right circle,”says a 27-year-old senior reporter confidentially, “that type of thing just doesn’t happen. “I don’t go out to beer parlours. I go to decent night clubs where members are decent and hold down high powered jobs. Otherwise, I tend to meet people at friends’ parties. So, it’s not as if I am picking up women in sleazy bars! But does he use the condom on a regular basis? “I seldom do”he says. “If a man carried condoms in his wallet here, women think: “this one only wants one-night stands, he must be doing it often.”That accounts for why people like him, when they eventually get infected, are too embarrassed to contact sexual partners to get tested, for fear of being labelled promiscuous. It also explains why some cautions women have vowed to be loyal to themselves by taking precautions rather than worry about loyalty to a man. No matter how decent a man looks, his sexual history is not so clear-out. “Better be safe than be sorry ”is the modern girls watchword.

Azeezat’s boyfriend had the common sense to use a condom, but how many young couples these days use the stuff or talk about sexually transmitted diseases? Kayode, a 28-year-old lawyer said he was a bit put off when his current girlfriend asked if he’d ever been tested for STDs.””Why would I want to do that?”he asked her. “I’ve never had anything wrong with me in my life.”She told me that many diseases such as Chilamydia (the most common and easily spread) can show no symptoms for months or even years. I told her straight away,that I didn’t know the kind of people she’d been hanging around with, I mean I know the type of girls I’ve gone out with and there’s never a problem of any stupid STDs.” It’s amazing that young enlightened adults from lawyers, engineers, to even actors, seldom mention safe sex or use a condom without their partners’ insistence. In a country where unbridled sexual pleasure make front page news, what happened to the AIDS/HIV conversation? Sadly, as much as we would love it to, HIV hasn’t gone away. Those who get diagnosed rise in number everyday and there is quite a number (according to a published report in the National HIV/ AIDS Health Survey) who

08052201867(Text Only)

Start the New Year fit and firm Taut Abdominals: The leg raise ECHNIQUE: Sit on the floor with the legs outstretched in front of you, place the hands just behind waist level and a little away from the body. Inhale and raise both legs up diagonally, forming a ‘V’ with the trunk. Once you are in the posture breathe normally. Retain the position for five to seven seconds, rest and repeat a few more times.

The Triangle: Firm Thighs and Butt Technique: Standing with the feet apart, bend the right knee to waist level with the toes pointing forward, keep the left knee slanted with the knee locked. Keep the hands at shoulder level and the trunk erect. Count to 10 and repeat legs. C M Y K

, You may keep the hands on the floor so you can hold your body up a bit if the stretching effect gets too uncomfortable

*The Bow Pose Strong Arms: The Bow Technique: Lying on your belly, bend both knees and with the legs up in the air hold the feet with the corresponding

hands. Lift up the chest and stretch out with the elbows straightened out. Hold the pose for a slow count to 10. Rest and repeat. Front to Back Splits

amazing Technique: Standing up straight, turn the trunk to the left and begin spreading out the legs as you lower down the body. As you get

closer to the floor invert the left foot and keep the right heel down. You may keep the hands on the floor so you can hold your body up a bit if the stretching effect gets too uncomfortable. As usual, regular practice makes the pose easier and easier.

*The Triangle Pose

Yoga Classes STARTED Physical Therapy Centre @ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos. 9.00am — 10.00am on Saturdays

P AGE 24 — SUND AY Vanguard , JANU ARY 4 , 2015 SUNDA JANUARY

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk 08056180152, SMS only

Togetherness never goes out of style; so learn to love the partner you have!

EN. There are different types of them under the sun. There are the little boys who just don’t want to grow up and face the world. There are the sort who’d almost always rather be with their mates, guzzling beer and pepper soup at their local ‘joints’. Then there are the mature ones, the kind who reckon there’s only one head in every household and it’s got to be them. There are the fun ones who know just how to keep us amused, and the charmers who can melt an icy moment with a look. There are the romantics too, who are not embarrassed to give surprise presents or send mushy love notes on landmark events and Christmas. And there are the men who really believe things should be more equal – and who don’t mind changing nappies or rustling up tasty meals to prove it. Little wonder most star prizes in cooking competitions are carted away by the men! There are also men who may love success in their work, but who reckon family life is the most important thing of all; the kind, caring sort who can’t wait to get home at the end of the day. But, if women find them hard to understand, they find it even tougher to understand women! They think women love them for their muscles, when nothing attracts a woman more than a great sense of humour. Men think women will fall for a chat-up line and showoff when a bit of gentle wooing melts a woman’s heart. “Yet despite their faults (and ours) and the money mysteries we’ll

never solve about men, marriage has never been more popular,”observed a psychologist. “The number of couples heading down the aisle is going up every year. A lot of things may have changed over the years, but togetherness clearly never goes out of style. You could write a book, or two, or three, about men and you’ll probably still never understand them! “She then gave four trouble spots that today’s man could encounter and offer some sound and practical advice on how you could cope: If your man suddenly becomes unemployed: Sympathy is in order, but not pity or blame. Treat the jobloss as a stroke of bad fortune that involves the whole family in rallying round to cope. Bear in mind that he’s lost more than a job he’s now minus his status as a worker, his colleagues, his routine, his earning capacity and, most of all, his self-esteem. Take care not to rob him of his role in the family. He’ll need lots of love and

OUR column to express your loving thoughts in words to your sweetheart. Don’t be shy. Let it flow and let him or her know how dearly you feel. Write now in not more than 75 words to: The Editor, Sunday Vanguard, P.M.B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos. E.mail: sunlovenotes@yahoo.com Please mark your envelope: “LOVE NOTES"

Date right

Dating a graduate doesn't always mean they are industrious. Dating a church girl doesn't always mean she's morally decent. Dating a pretty girl doesn't always mean she's beautiful in character. Dating a corporate guy doesn't always mean he's organised.

encouragement. Don’t let him drop his interest, hobbies and mates, or sink into despair. Keep him on the go and in circulation. Encourage him to look for employment as soon as possible. Look ahead and start discussing the options. Maybe he can start his own business or go freelance. He can’t make love any more: There are hundreds of possible reasons for your partner’s impotence and only one of them is that he’s sexually interested in someone else. So don’t start by suspecting infidelity – leave that till last. What ever the reason, he probably won’t want to talk about it. But talk you must, it won’t solve itself. And the longer the impotence continues, the more he’ll fear repeated failure and simple give up. Persuade your partner to check with his doctor for any physical cause. But impotence is nearly always emotionally based you’re his best therapist; show him you understand and that you

know it’s only temporary – then be patient, tender and matter of fact. Make a point of discussing with him any pressure he feels he’s under. Even if this uncovers a conflict between you. It is always better in the open, rather than hidden. Take more of the initiative in love making, and keep it undemanding and relaxed. If frustration sets in, explore ways of satisfying each other without penetration. He goes off with other women: Don’t panic. Many husbands seek a brief fling but few want a major upheaval in their lives – it’s too costly and wearing. If you feel angry, rejected, jealous or afraid, let him know it. Try to stay in communication with him somehow. The important thing is to find out his reasons for straying. It’s time for some home truths between the two of you, and no flinching. Let him know that you love him and want him back, but you won’t wait for ever. Meanwhile, find out where you’d stand if it comes to divorce, talk

(Check his bedroom. It's usually a mess). Dating a sexy lady doesn't always mean she is sex freak. Dating a girl from a wealthy family doesn't always mean she will give you all you ask for always. What is my point? My point is... If you don't date for the right reasons, you may actually end up getting married for the wrong reasons to the wrong persons with a wrong life. So think again before dating, #DateRight. Chris Onunaku 08032988826/08184844015

I've fallen for you!

You ask me what I’m thinking You want to know what’s on my mind Well, I think it’s time to tell you Because I think you’re one of a kind. Just being around you Brings a smile to my face

with a solicitor won’t commit you to anything. Start building up your own resources. If he doesn’t come back, this will help you to cope on your own. And if he does, your marriage will be all the stronger for having overcome ,this crisis. He treats you as his inferior: This is his problem, not yours. Anyone who treats someone else ,as a second class citizen has doubts about his own adequacy, so what he’s doing when he puts you down is shoring himself up. You can do one or two things – fight back. Stick up for yourself, pointing out your strength and his weaknesses. This may make you feel better but it could possibly wreck your relationship. Accept that this is the way he is (and so area lot of other men). If all else in the marriage is loving and good, it might be worth tolerating this prop to his confidence, tiresome though it is. But don’t start believing you’re inferior. He refuses to discuss problems: He says, “Not now well”discuss it later,”but “Later ”never comes. Or he says. “Don’t keep dragging that up – forget it”, as if ignoring a problem will make it go away. This attitude is frustrating and blocks solutions. So, somehow, the channels of communication must be opened. Some useful tactics are: don’t tackle the big problem onto a row about something else – it will get you nowhere. Choose a relaxed time to talk after a meal, an outing or love-making. “Why won’t you talk to me? “is a threatening

and negative approach. Instead, make a more positive appeal. “This hurts/worries me so much, I need your help to sort it out.”Stress that you’re not asking for decision or action, only to mull things over. Don’t pound away with your view of the problem. Ask him what he feels about it and listen to his views. It may be a welcome relief for him to let it all out. In The Christmas Spirit? (Humour) Four men are playing their weekly game of golf when one remarks how nice it would be for them to meet for a round on Christmas morning, without their wives kicking a fuss. His mates agree. “then let’s do it,”he agrees. “We’ll figure out a way and meet here early on Christmas morning.” Months later, 25 December arrives, and the four meet on the golf course as planned. The first days: “This game cost me a fortune. I bought my wife such a fantastic diamond ring, she can’t take her eyes off it.”The second admits: “I spent a packet too. My wife’s at home up to her eyeballs in brochures, planning the cruise I gave her.” The third guy says: “My wife is at home admiring her new car,”They all turned to the fourth man, who’s staring at them as if they’ve gone mad. “I can’t believe you all went to such expense,”he exclaims. “I slapped my wife on the behind and said: ‘Merry Christmas darling. It’s a great morning for either the golf course or sex’. And she said: “Here’s your jacket.”

One that’s been gone for so long And I thought no one could replace. I am happy when I’m with you And sad when we’re apart. Now all I have left to do I’ve fallen for you and I know Innocent Oluku, profprof2010@yahoo.com

My 9JAH Gal!

The gal with wicked love! Killing me softly with cruel kindness Terrorizing my body with terrific teases! I love you forever my 9jah gal! HAPPY NEW YEAR! CENT OBAMA centobama@gmail.com +2348061379003

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 25

MURDER OR FIRE AACCIDENT CCIDENT ON CHRIS TMAS D AY? CHRISTMAS DA

Doctor shot, hands and legs cut, body burnt — Family *Killerss lef leftt clues – NMA *Killer *Claims are premature – Police

•Oguntuase’s hospital after the inferno. Inset: The deceased Dayo Johnson, Akure THE death of a former Acting Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Dr David Oguntuase, in a mysterious fire incident on Christmas day has pitted the police against the family of the deceased and his colleagues in the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).“The puzzle to be resolved is whether the death of Oguntuase was accidental or was by hired assassins.“While the police are still busy examining the different theories and leads to unraveling the cause of the fire that gutted the doctor's clinic and in which the body of the 52-year-old deceased was found, family has concluded that the medical practitioner was killed by assassins and his body burnt to give a semblance of a fire accident.“In fact, the police are at the receiving end as knocks keep coming from left, right and centre for its alleged

lackadaisical attitude to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of the consultant paediatrician in his Universal Medical Clinic, located at Araromi area of Akure metropolis.“Fighting back, the Ondo State Police Command said that it would not be stampeded by the family or the professional colleagues of the deceased. “In an interview with Sunday Vanguard, the police command image maker, Wole Ogodo, said: “We are not bothered by the insinuations of both parties. All we know is that the medical doctor was consumed in the inferno.“" We are still investigating the matter and we will come out open after the completion of the investigation”, Ogodo said.“" Police investigation can not be made public. We can only tell the public after we conclude the investigation. Let the family and the NMA allow us to do our job.“"As soon as we have evi-

dence, we can assure the public that we will not hesitate to do our part conscientiously," “But the family of the deceased doctor and the NMA are seeing the scenario differently.“Oguntuase's wife, Ifeyinwa, who also works in the FMC, Owo as a social worker, told Sunday Vanguard that she received the last phone call from her husband at about 6.42pm on Christmas eve asking her on the need to shop for some basic provisions before dark because of the holiday period.“Ifeyinwa said her husband left home in the evening without his car which was under repair at a mechanic site, and did not return home before the family went to sleep.“According to her, because of the nature of his job as a medical doctor, he often returned home late and sometimes will not return home if he had a case at the hospital, but he would notify her.“She noted that Oguntuase was earlier robbed of his

Tongues are wagging that the deceased doctor might have been assassinated in his office before his hospital was torched to cover up the act

phones and other valuables the previous Saturday in the same area where his clinic is located.“Ifeyinwa recounted the travails of her husband at the FMC, Owo, as he was interrogated by the police on the allegation of plotting with others to assassinate the Medical Director.“The wife, who said she had been married to the late doctor for two decades, explained that they have three children: Ifedayo, 18; Temitope, 14 and Oluwatoyin, 11.“"For all I know, my husband was gruesomely murdered and I want justice for him," she stated.“"My husband was not a careless person, he was very meticulous and knew how to put things in their place. He was not lazy.“"He was simple and forthright. He used his clinic for charity. The clinic did not bring money to the house. He used his salary to pay his workers. He was kind hearted and selfless.“"I know they (police) can do something if they want to. They should find the killers at least to prove my confidence in them."“Also, the deceased's elder brother, Otunba Ben Oguntuase, said his brother "was murdered in cold blood".“Ben Oguntuase, in a statement made available to newsmen, said his brother "was brutally murdered by assassins/ arsonists, leaving behind a most gory sight."“He said a thorough examination of the charred remains of the hospital and the site of the incident revealed trails left behind by the murderers and how they accomplished the dastardly act.“"Evidently, they shot him in the main clinic area and carried his body to the room in the back area where the left him face down. Not done, they severed his hands and legs before proceeding to douse the body with petrol,”the Senior Oguntuase stated.“"The rest of the building on the inside was sprinkled with petrol before it was all set ablaze. It obviously was an inferno that raged leading the building to implode as the roof caved inward."“He noted that the fire did not affect other buildings around suggesting that it was professionally plotted and executed.“Ben Oguntuase alleged that the walls of the clinic were stained with blood showing that he was attacked and dragged to the place where he was eventually burnt.“The brother also explained that the walls of the fence showed marks of the feet of the assailants as they climbed to escape through the fence, and the keg with which they brought the petrol was left behind at their exit point.“While giving an insight into the travails of the deceased, the senior Oguntuase said he had been having issues with the management of the FMC, Owo.“According to him, " just last month, he was arrested over the allegation of planning to kill the Medical Director of the hospital.“He rejected the theories of suicide or fire accident caused by a gas explosion, saying the body was dismembered before it was set ablaze, and there was enough evidence at the crime scene to assist the investigation of the police.“While calling on the police to be forthcoming and

•Continues on page 27

PAGE 26 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015

I am finished

–W oman whose daught er w as killed bbyy lo ver on Xmas da Woman daughter was lover dayy *Aus trian Embassy show eres der *Austrian showss int interes erestt in mur murder Simon Ebegbulem, Benin City

T was a sad way for any family to celebrate Christmas; infact nobody would wish what happened to the family of Ms Rose Aifuwa, an Edo born Nigerian based in Austria, to happen to his enemy. It was a love story turned awry between Festus Aimufua, aka two million, a spare parts dealer in BeninCity, and Rose. Sunday Vanguard learnt that Rose and Festus became business partners about three years ago. She was sending spare parts and used cars, popularly known as Tokunbo from Austria to Nigeria and Festus became her links man here in Nigeria. It was learnt that the duo enjoyed the business relationship until January 2014, when they fell in love and started dating. Their relationship was rosy until last December when Rose arrived Nigeria demanding the money owed to her by her lover. The money was said to be in excess of N20million. It was gathered that goods including cars and spare parts imported into the country under the custody of Festus were sold but the proceeds not remitted to Rose. Rose allegedly arrived Nigeria insisting that Festus should pay her the money but Festus allegedly became evasive. On the eve of Christmas, Rose was said to have invited Festus to her residence at Upper Mission Road, Benin-City. Festus, married with two kids, slept at the residence of his lover and when he was about leaving in the morning of 25 December, Rose demanded for her money after she expressed displeasure with the way and manner Festus is running her chains of businesses here in Nigeria. Sunday Vanguard was informed that when they started dating, Rose handed her business empire to Festus to run for her. Initially, Festus used to purchase spare parts from her and pay immediately, but when they started dating he continued to purchase goods from her money. The proceeds were put around N20million. After a heated argument Festus was said to have rushed to her car that morning and Rose followed suit insisting that her money should be paid. Festus was said to have raced off in his Honda car but in the process hit his lover who was pursuing him. When crack team of detectives from the Police Command took the suspect to the scene of the crime, it was discovered that after hitting her he dragged the body of the decease under the car for another 500 meters before dumping the mangled body at the end of Upper Mission Extension. People who identified the body where it was dumped ran to the family of the lady to inform them. The family immediately went to in search of Festus. Sunday Vanguard learnt that when they saw Festus he was tricked to believe that her lover was still alive but in hospital, so he was advised to report himself to the police. The obviously confused man went to Oregbeni Police Station where he reported the case of accident instead of murder, apparently believing C M Y K

•... Crushed by moving

car

that his lover was still alive. He was arrested. The police consequently visited the scene where the body was dumped and found that the man had committed alleged murder. The incident is creating tension now between the Austrian government and the Nigeria Police. The deceased was said to have travelled to Nigeria with her Austrian passport and, following her death, the Austrian Embassy last Wednesday contacted the police in Edo State over her death. The Edo State Police Commissioner, Foluso Adebanjo, who detailed detectives to unravel the mystery behind the death, confirmed to Sunday Vanguard that the Austrian Embassy contacted them. While the siblings of the deceased may not know much about Rose's rela-

My daughter was the one that had been sustaining the family, now she is dead. My world has crumbled

•Mrs Victoria Aifuwa ...Bereaved tionship with Festus, their octogenarian mother, Madam Victoria Aifuwa, claimed to have the details of the relationship. Sunday Vanguard met her in their family house at Aduwawa area of Benin-City and she was a complete wreck. She wept uncontrollably, raining curses on Festus for allegedly cutting the life of the family's bread winner short. ‘Iye’, as aged women are called in Benin, narrated what transpired some 24 hours before the death of her daughter. She said: “I was with my daughter at her residence at Upper Mission on 24 December, 2014. When it was 7pm I told my daughter that I wanted to start going home because I wasn’t feeling well, so she started laughing, calling me old woman. She asked me to come back the next day which was Christmas day. Festus, my daughter ’s boyfriend, was with my daughter with some of his friends having drinks when I left them only for me to hear knock on my gate the next day that my daughter ’s dead body was lying at a junction. Later, the people that came were trying to hide the matter from me by saying it was minor injury that she sustained. Some people said she was shot at the back while others said her intestine came out. The killer of my daughter said they both slept together and that when he wanted to leave my daughter held him insisting he must pay her the money he owed over some business transaction. It was at that point he knocked her down with his vehicle and dragged her on the ground which led to her death. My world has crumbled, I don’t know what to do, I am in hell without my daughter, she is all I had. Each time my daughter brought goods from abroad, I usually called Festus and after selling won't remit money. I never knew the same

•The suspect ... ‘No intention to commit murder’ man will eventually kill my daughter and leave me in deep pain”. She wept.“ “She went further: “My daughter even rented an apartment for him (the suspect), spending over N250,000 in the process because they were going out. My daughter said he wanted to uplift his social status and went as far as buying him a car because her friends usually mocked her for going out with some one that was not up to her standard. Beside, she had started building a house for him at Aduwawa. Festus controlled most of her business dealings in Nigeria. Recently, she complained to me that the bulk of her money unremitted was in the custody of Festus; so I advised her not to give him any other goods. My daughter trusted him and that was why she opened her heart to him by ensuring that he was in charge of her business. My daughter was the one that had been sustaining the family, now she is dead. My world has crumbled. I am begging the police and Governor Adams Oshiomhole to come and help me. They should ask Festus why he killed my daughter despite all my daughter did for his in life. I have never seen this kind of wickedness in my life. Instead of killing her he should have gone with the money. I am finished”. Spokesman of the Edo State Police Command, DSP Joseph Edoigiawerie, who confirmed the incident?, said: “A case of murder was reported by one Elvis Omokhojie, that his sister, named Rose Aifuwa, was found lying dead on Upper Mission Extension junction, Aduwawa, Benin-City, and the cause of death unknown. We have been to the scene of incident and taken the corpse to the mortuary. Our investigation led to the arrest of the man friend or lover because, according to the report, he (the suspect) was last seen with her ”.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 27

Killers left clues — NMA •Continued from page 25 expedite action on the investigation, he pointed out that the cruelty of the act should be enough to gear the police to get to the bottom.“The NMA, Ondo State chapter also said it established leads to the fact that Oguntuase was murdered before he was set ablaze by assassins.“The Chairman of the state chapter of the association, Dr. Betiku Bamidele, asked the police to do its job and get to the root of the matter as it would resist any attempt to sweep the case under the carpet.“'Crime scene compromised'“Bamidele lamented the poor handling of the crime scene by the police, saying the scene had been a free for all site, an act that could compromise the body of evidence.“"The scene of the incident was initially a free for all to come in and out of the premises before concerted efforts were made by the NMA on the police to cordon off the environment such that the abundance of evidence be adequately utilized,”the NMA boss said.“"The manner of evacuation of the burnt body from the scene was to say the least unscrupulous

with a considerable likelihood to compromise the results of investigations.“"As if this was not vexatious enough, the scene, which apparently was cordoned off following intensive efforts by the NMA, was not the case when it was subsequently visited (even up till yesterday at 4pm).“"The press release by the PPRO of Ondo State Police Command, Mr. Wole Ogodo, narrowed the incidence to electricity surge even when the neighbors confirmed that there was no electricity supply at the time of the incidence.”“Bamidele noted that the statement by the police was suspicious, as the police was yet to carry out any preliminary investigations before issuing a statement.“He also faulted the call by the police for the family of Oguntuase to furnish it with any evidence on the matter, arguing that it was the duty of the police to look for evidence in a case of murder of assassination like this one.“"The question is, have the police done all their investigations on the scene or perhaps waiting for the family of our late colleague to produce evidence?,”the NMA boss stated. “"The body was dismembered on the upper and lower limbs and

the area of the silhouette was still somewhat wet and one of the small bones of the foot was found on the floor.“"The room where the body was had a burglary of its window destroyed (the only one noted to be so).“"There were two empty gas cylinders which were intact. We were also reliably informed that there was no power supply throughout the night of the incidence and the generator was intact."“The NMA Chairman also noted that Oguntuase had asked the night duty nurse to leave since it was Christmas eve and there were no patients in the ward.“Bamidele added that this was not the first time the deceased did that since the clinic was usually run on out-patient basis.“He drew the police's attention to the recent questioning of the deceased following a petition by the Medical Director of the FMC, Owo, Olufemi Omotoso, on allegation of threat to his life.“"The question again is, what have the police done with this allegation especially now that one of those on the list has been involved in a strange circumstances of fire accident."“The NMA demanded that the report of the allegation of threat to life and property should be produced.“

I es ar sity with esttablished vvar arsity per sonal savings — Ade-Ojo personal Dayo Johnson, Akure THE Proprietor of Elizade University, Ilara Mokin, Ondo State, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, has said that the university was established solely from his personal savings. Ade-Ojo said this when members of the National Association of Nigerian Students(NANS) conferred on him the honour of Life Patron of the association. He pointed out that he invested in the university to underscore his commitment to the development of education in the country. NANS also gave an award of The Private University of the Year (2104) to the institution, rating it as the best private university in West Africa. “I am not a politician, but I have friends who are politicians. I don’t have access to public funds and I have not benefited from such funds, “Ade-Ojo said. “This institution since its inception has received N1billion yearly as support. This institution is a product of my personal savings. “I pay my taxes, both personal and corporate. I pay the two and half percent education tax, even though I do not benefit from it, despite the fact that I have set up Elizade University.” He urged the student body to improve on its approach to executing its activities, saying that change was only achievable by youths who know

Chief Michael Ade-Ojo what they are doing. He thanked NANS for the recognition and urged them to continue to maintain a high level of integrity and good behavior as leaders of tomorrow. Speaking on behalf of the leadership of NANS, President of the Senate of the association, Oriyomi Oloyede, said Elizade University was chosen for the award as a result of its pragmatism, well-focused academic programmes, discipline amongst students and the excellent facilities in the university. According to him, Ade-Ojo was chosen as the Life Patron of the association following his immense contribution to the education sector. He said the industrialist had touched the lives of members of his community in no small measure and deserves to be recognised. Oloyede commended Elizade University for making itself relevant within the two years of its operations.

APC candidate distributes new year rice in Ogun .Assures of soft loan for traders

The 6th Annual Interdenominational Thanksgiving Service by the Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN), Ogodobri and Ezebri Chapter, Bomadi Local Government Area, Delta State held at Ogo-Eze. At the centre is Archbishop God-dowell Avwomakpa, CAN Chairman South South (Guest Speaker) flanked on his left by Pastor and Deaconess PZ Aginighan, Dr Janet Oyubu and Pastor Golipat. On his right are Archbishop Dr Stephen Overy, Pastor Seaman Aris(PFN Chairman Bomadi LGA) and Apostle Emmanuel Jimiyenwhen

New year succour for 2,000 widows Dayo Johnson, Akure

ELIEF came the way of over 2,000 widows and aged women in Owo area of Ondo State and environs during Christmas and new year festivities as Elizade Foundation gave out food stuff, clothing materials and provided free medical services.. The yearly gesture, courtesy of the Chairman of the Foundation, James Olaide Adelami, the widower of Bosede Elizade, who went to meet the Lord, is in continuation of her contribution to the welfare of widows in the area while alive. This year ’s ceremony, accord-

ing to the Coordinator in the state, Pastor Sam Alabi, marked the sixth year anniversary of the death of the Chairman’s widow. Alabi noted that the programme is to alleviate the plight of widows and orphans. Four doctors were on standby to attend to the aged women who were given free drugs after undergoing different tests. Over 400 bags of rice, 140 cartons of groundnut oil, 700 bags of salt and over 2,500 pieces of six yards of Ankara were distributed to the widows and the aged women. Speaking during the ceremony, Pastor David Adeniyi said many Nigerians have the capability to do exactly what Adelani

does twice a year but because of selfishness and self centredness do not care. He commended the Elizade Foundation Chairman for putting smiles on the faces of the widows and aged women and appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to borrow a leaf from him. Adelami told the guests that when the programme started, concentration was on distribution of food items and clothing. “But now we want to teach them how to fish by empowering those of them that can be productive,”he said. According to him, a dinner would soon be organised where he would invite partners to the Foundation.

LL Progressives Congress(APC) senatorial candidate for Ogun East, Prince Dapo Abiodun, distributed thousands of bags of rice to the party executives in all electoral units, wards and local councils in all the nine local government areas in the district. Addressing the party executives at a meeting at Ijebu North East local council secretariat, Atan, Abiodun stated that his visit became necessary because of the huge support given to him by the people during the party primaries which he declared contributed tremendously to his emergence as the winner. He appreciated the people for their support for him despite the fact that one of his co-contestants is from their council area. The APC senatorial candidate assured the people of the district that on market days in each of the wards in the nine local governments, bags of rice would henceforth be distributed to market women and men.

According him, the party executives from the unit to local government levels would inform party members and supporters about the days chosen for distribution in each ward for the people to come out en mass to collect their bags of rice. He also noted that apart from four litre of kerosene that would be distributed at all the electoral units, party members would also get kegs of vegetable oil. He noted that the gesture is a foretaste of what the people will benefit from him when they eventually elect him during the February general elections, adding that they should however guard their Permanent Voter ’s Card(PVC) as that is their means of guaranteeing that such benefits continue. By the middle of January, he said the first set of beneficiaries of the soft loans he had arranged with a commercial bank for empowerment of women, particularly market women, would have access to the fund. Abiodun explained that the distribution of the commodities was to cushion the current economic situation in the country, particularly during the new year celebration. C M Y K

PAGE 28—SUNDAY, Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015

Ahmed Onibudo celebrat es lif e @ 75 celebrates life

rominent businessman and Lagos Titled Chief, the Ashipa of Lagos Chief Ahmed Onibudo hosted friends at th the Peninsula Resort, Lagos-Epe Expressway on Tuesday to celebrate his 75 year on planet . earth. With him to celebrate the landmark were his children and grandchildren alongside some society’s heavyweights. Chief Ahmed Onibudo’s life is a source of motivation for anyone aspiring greatness against raw deals life could bring. Unable to proceed beyond Standard VI, he became, in turns, a vendor, an electrician, a printer before rising to the peak of enterprise and wealth. Photos by Lamidi Bamidele

Chief Rasak Okoya; Justice Adesola Oguntade (rtd) and Princess Adebisi Edionseri, The Iyalaje of Egbaland (Cash Madam).

R-L:Chief Ahmed Onibudo, The Ashipa of Lagos, celebrant; Chief Olu Okeowo and his wife, Joke Okeowo.

Chief Ahmed Onibudo, The Ashipa of Lagos, celebrant flanked by children and gradchildren

L-R: Chief Yemi Olagunju; Alhaji Muritala Gbadeyanka, Chairman, MITV and Gen Niyi Sangotade (rtd) .

L-R:Chief Ahmed Onibudo, The Ashipa of Lagos, celebrant; Chief Muyiwa Ajisafe and Chief Gbenga Obasa. L-R: Mr Peter Arigbe and Prince Olu Ademulegun.

L-R: Mary Soyinka and Princess Keji Momodu

L-R: Omooba Ade Adefioye; Aare Muyiwa Omisade and Funmi Fadahunsi

L-R:Mr Bolaji Onibudo, Princess Adebisi Edionseri, Iyalaje of Egbaland, Mr Adeniyi Onibudo and Mrs Adebukola Oladele

L-R: Dr Rotimi Adewoye; Mr M. Onigbanjo and Dr Adedamola Dada

SUNDAY, Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 29

Razzmatazz as Great Ogboru’s daughter weds

elta State Labour P a r t y gubernatorial candidate, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru held Abraka, Delta State to a stand still when his daughter, Ufuoma said ‘I do’ to her heart-throb, Bomaa Ugwuanya. Frontline politicians, traditional rulers and captains of industry graced the occasion. Photos by Akpokona Omafuaire

A cross section of Executive Members of Urhobo Progress Union,UPU. L-R: Chief (Mrs.) Grace Usiwairhe, Chief Austin Uloho, Chief (Engr.) Joe Omene, Chief Albert Akpomudje SAN and Chief.M.T. Okenini.

Chief Great Ogboru, father of the bride, blessing the couple

Chief Great Ogboru paying homage to some traditional rulers while his wife, Chief (Mrs.) Ebi and Chief Francis Ogboru support from behind

Mr.& Mrs. Boma Ugwuanya cutting their wedding cake.

The couple with friends of the groom

Chief Great Ogboru and his wife, Chief (Mrs.) Ogboru with their daughter, Ufuoma.

E g h w u b a r e ’ s daughter weds

r. Eghwubare of Delta State University, Abraka gave out his daughter, Abigail Akpobeme in marriage on December 6, 2014 at the St. Philip's Anglican Church, Abraka.

Chief (Mrs.) Ebi Ogboru (in White), Mrs. Beauty Eyefia, Mrs. Asaboro (1st & 2nd from right), Princess (Mrs.) P. Abaigbodi, Mrs.Rukevwe Unu and Mrs.Justina Awhi.

Uduak and Boniface

oniface and Uduak Edet Patrick had a traditional marriage in Ikot Akpan Iyang in Ikono Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.

4th from Left: Mr. Boniface Edet Patrick, groom; Mrs. Uduak Edet Patrick, bride; Mrs. Christiana Udoyoh of Vanguard, representing bride's mother with the bride's father, Mr. Christopher Akpan.

The couple, Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Ifeanyi Obiazu, displaying their marriage certificate.

Boniface and Uduak Edet Patrick during their traditional marriage.

L-R: Groom's father, Mr. William Obiazu, mother of the bride, Mrs. Eghwubare, the couple, mother of the bride, Mrs. Obiazu and father of the bride, Dr. E.F. Eghwubare

PAGE 30—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 31

PAGE 32—SUNDAY VANGUARD,

JANUARY 4, 2015

2015 Presidency:

Jonathan is desperate — Oyegun *’Osinbajo not Tinubu’s stooge’ *Says S/East has nothing to show for backing President

BENIN CITY

ational Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie Oyegun, in this interview, reviews some of the efforts being made by the party to reposition Nigeria. He also describes as nonsensical the insinuation that the running mate to the presidential candidate of the APC, Gen.Muhammadu Buhari, Yemi Osinbajo, is a stooge of the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Explaining that the party decided to assemble men of integrity to face the PDP in the February elections so as to tell Nigerians that change has come, Oyegun warns that the electorate will serve as vigilante against alleged plot to rig the elections by the PDP. He speaks on other national issues including the return of some loyalists of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu in Edo State to the APC. Excerpts: The APC held a successful convention. How did you make that possible? There was really no magic wand, that was the APC putting on show before the Nigerian public what the APC is and what we are all about. All what transpired were, with all sincerity, honest of purpose, deploying the right personnel to do the job the way it ought to be done. We appointed a team that was up to the task, very honest and transparent. The team was headed by Dr Fayemi, a former governor of Ekiti State. There was this noise about consensus candidate but I told them that consensus is good if it comes from those directly involved.

I made it clear to them that I was not going to be party to twisting any body out of the race. What all the aspirants wanted was a level- playing field and transparency that they too could see. And we gave them that and that proved that Nigerians can be gracious losers. Nigerians can accept defeat when they see that the process was not skewed against them; that is the APC, that is what we are offering the Nigerian people. People expected the APC to pick one of the South South governors as running mate to Buhari, but you went for someone who is considered relatively unknown. Why? That is the APC for you, expect the unexpected. We had qualified people. As a matter of fact, the candidate had a list of ten from all over the country and the attributes that we were looking at were quite clear, given the nature of the aspirant that he has become to the nation a symbol of rectitude. We were also looking for some body of equal rectitude, totally none controversial, a dye in the wood professional, a very organized person. It was a difficult choice because it took us a few days, it was a very difficult choice because every one of them in the field of selection was highly qualified. At the end, we thought this man best balanced the ticket and today we are presenting to the nation, the kind of persons that we think Nigerians can become; people who have succeeded through being transparent, hard working and dedicated. Everything we did we want to let the people know what to expect when they give us the mandate in February. But many people see

•Oyegun....PDP lacks integrity

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM,

I don’t want to be involved with this Jesus Christ debate because it is one of the most blasphemous thing that anybody can say

Osinbajo as a stooge of Asiwaju Tinubu? It is only the people in the PDP that see it that way because they don’t know what is called integrity. I don’t know if anybody can be anybody’s stooge particularly a professional like that. And not just a professional he is also high in the hierarchy of the Christian world. He may get on with Tinubu, I get on very well with Tinubu, he is also close with Tinubu because he worked with him as a Commissioner years ago but since then he has devoted his time to his professional duties. So it does not matter if he is close to Tinubu or not. He is a highly qualified professional, he has made himself a success in that profession; so he is not looking for sustenance, people like that can never be stooges of any body. INEC recently expressed fears over re-run in the 2015 polls. In case if it happens, what is your view? INEC never fails to surprise us. Four years ago, we all knew there was going to be another election in four years which is this year, but you can see they have not proved to be ready even with four years of planning. I think unfortunately there is a lot of infiltration into INEC at the lower level particularly

the ICT department and the voter registration department, those fields have obviously become the playing field of the PDP. So one pities (INEC boss) Jega really because he is now dealing with a machine over which he does not exercise total control as those two departments have become agents by and large of the PDP. So I am not surprised that they are not ready, with the voters registration, they are not ready with the PVCs; I am not sure they are ready with card reader. So if there is going to be a re-run and with only seven days, to do that after the main election, at least it is good the INEC is confessing that they are also unlikely to be ready for a re-run. What all that tells us is that we need to take a new look INEC; there is now no question about it, that has become inevitable but, of course, that cannot take place between now and the elections. But it is good they raised the alarm so we must begin to think now of what to do should that happen. We don’t expect that to happen because from our own investigation around the country shows we are going to have an outright victory on February 14. A presidential aide likened Jonathan to Jesus. Do you •Continues on Page 33

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 33

see him that way? I don’t want to be involved with this Jesus Christ debate because it is one of the most blasphemous thing that anybody can say. If anybody is given a responsibility, six years down the line and has not already proven and he is still hoping that, in future, he may turn out to be a saviour, six years he has not done any thing to show that he has started on that road. I think six years is enough for anybody to prove himself. Nigerians are fed up with the level of corruption, Nigerians are fed up with insecurity, so fed up with a litany of unfulfilled promises. This is not a case now of some body failing an exam and he is being asked to repeat; when you fail so woefully in our days, you get thrown out, you will go and learn a trade or find something else to do. We cannot continue like this, the country is in pieces, our economy is in shambles. People troop to Abuja, states that have not paid salaries for one year like Kogi, Benue, there is no school open in those states due to non- payment of workers, yet you now went there to donate N50milion which you could have used to pay your teachers salaries. It was such an obscene show that clearly indicated that the PDP no longer has any respect for the people of this country and no longer cares for the people. And I think when February 14 comes the people will also show that they too have had enough of the PDP administration in clear terms . Jonathan is desperate; we know but that won’t save his party, they are gone. PDP’s N21billion presidential campaign fund The N21billion does not bother us, we are even happy they raised N21billion because they will be so preoccupied sharing the money and, by the time they finish sharing and quarrelling over it, the elections will be over. You see the power of incumbency and the ability to rig elections go with relative popularity of the incumbent party. You rig where support is very high and I don’t think the country is in that mood now. But, of course, we are going to factor that into our campaigns and our preparations. We are not taking that lightly; it is a fact, it is a reality. We are also aware that our greatest defence against incumbency and against any attempt to rig will be the people of this country who want change. They will be the vigilante that

‘Osinbajo not Tinubu’s stooge’

•Continued from Page 32

The only people I can think of who will fear the Buhari presidency are those who do not want change

•Oyegun....We are working hard to capture South-East we have, they will check any attempt to rig or use security agencies to rig. We are prepared for all those eventualities. One will hope the PDP doesn’t rig. Two I hope they realize that there is a great movement for change and they recognize it and will allow the peoples votes to count. The international community has been sensitized, you can only rig when the people largely are on your side. I expect that they won’t be foolish enough to attempt the kind of crude and blatant rigging that can up turn the results that we expect and up turn the wishes of the people. I cannot predict, we are not in control of security forces, we are not in control of the police, we pray for peace, we want peace, we desire peace in the interest of the long suffering people of this country. But they will need to do something totally crude that any blind man can see for them to succeed in February, that I think is virtually impossible. Jonathan’s visit to IBB I don’t thing it is an advantage to Jonathan. If a visitor comes to your house, you have to be nice to the person. I will leave it at that particularly when the cameras are rolling. We have confidence in the force for

back. Anybody who believes that the future of this country is greater than his personal proclivities will have nothing to fear. There will be a line drawn on the sand, one part is the past, the other side is the future. If you are part of the future, part of change, part of changing society from all these ills that have brought us to our knees, you are our friend, you have nothing at all to fear. We don’t have time to go digging into the past, the future of our people is the challenge that we have, not the past. APC will win South-East We are working very hard in the South East. Fortunately, we have a very very hard working and performing governor in Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, who has become the standard in that area for what good governance should be. Secondly, the South-East case is a bit peculiar, they have always been part of the federal system, that is there history whatever excuses people are giving. But we are beginning to point out to them that for that kind of unending loyalty you lose respect, you being taken for granted, you are not getting any thing from the Federal Government. May be few of your leaders are but you the people are not. Take the Onitsha to Enugu Road, the

change in this country and we are very happy that even those at the top echelon of our society have seen the need for change. But that does not mean they won’t be good hosts, they will be good hosts. Don’t you have the fear that Buhari’s war against corruption may pit him against the elite? The only people I can think of who will fear the Buhari presidency are those who do not want change, those who want to continue with business as usual, those who want to continue to profit from the level of corruption in the society. We will have no apologies for people like that. But it is clear that from the Buhari perspective, the future of the people of this country is too important for us to spend valuable time trying to undo the past. The first moment of a Buhari presidency, the outlook is on the future. The message will be clear, whatever you engage in before that is detrimental to the people of this country, please stop it, change has come. It is time for change and anybody who decides that he does not want to be part of change and want business as usual, that is his choice. And we are going to go into a situation post-May 2015 where the law will normally take its course, there is not going to be any looking

major connecting road in the whole of the South-East is almost impassable, take the Port Harcourt axis too. The only motorable road there is from Onitsha to Owerri, so what are you people getting? The Niger bridge has been launched two to three times. They have been awarded many times, I don’t know if the first load of sand has gotten there yet to start building the foundation. So what are you people getting for this loyalty? So we are bringing this to their attention, we are beginning to get positive vibes and, of course, the crisis in the PDP in that area we are capitalizing on immensely. So we expect the results to be better now than before. The South-East is not benefiting from this blind unyielding loyalty. We observed that those APC members in Edo who defected to the PDP with Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu are beginning to come back to the party. What is your view? We are glad that they are coming back. Remember the Biblical injunction that a man will abandon 99 sheep that are safe and welcome the one that is lost. And, of course, the story of the prodigal son who went and blew everything he had, he came back and was forgiven. So we want to also assure those who have been loyal and faithful, they have been with us, we will not forget them. Those who are coming back, they have shown regrets we welcome them back to the fold. We hope they have learnt their lessons. And for those who have not yet come back out of shame, we have to tell them that they are welcome if they make up their minds.

PAGE 34— SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015

agent has attempted to arrest him or invite him over such statement. If we love our nation, must we kill and maim to get power? Violence begets violence; we must avoid it and not just paying lip-service to the rejection of violence in our polity. We the people must condemn any political leader that provokes violence in any form and mark them out for rejection. The media must not be silent on this ugly practice. The innocent Nigerians that were killed during the 2011 elections, particularly, the case of those corps (NYSC) members in the North that were killed, is still fresh in our memory. Their blood is still crying unto God for vegeance. Those who thought those young Nigerians died just like that should remember the bibilical Abel’s blood crying to God, even when only Cain knew about the crime, and Cain eventually got punished for the crime.

By Yomi Obaditan, Osogbo

015 is a decisive year. It is a year of decision; it will determine the hopes and aspirations of millions of Nigerians, young and old and even generation yet unborn. It is a golden opportunity for our political leaders to decide for the majority, whether we are going to fulfill the American prophecy that Nigeria’ existence may be terminated or we shall throw such prophecy into the trash can. Nigeria will be weighed by the American Author, Bernard De Voto’s book titled: “ The Year of Decision.” The author looked at the American war with Mexico, which led to the annexation of New Mexico, Arizona and Califonia, and how America settled her longsmoldering dispute with Great Britain and became a sovereign nation in Oregon, thus beginning the process of making the South West and West Coast a part of the American Republic. The situation in Nigeria today is not rosy, but we cannot continue to lament over the economic downturn, insecurity of lives and property, mass youth unemployment, poor infrastructure, haphazard educational policy and poor power supply to sustain industries. What must be done will be to review our political leaders’ efforts in the last 15 years and x-ray the opportunities they have had to better our lots, and do a comparative analysis of the missed opportunities and look ahead to attempt at correcting the wrongs of the past. According to John F. Kennedy: “ Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past; let us accept our own responsibility for the future.” Powerless majority Our responsibility, therefore, will be how we shall fix round peg in a round hole. We have arrived at a point where ethnic consideration must be jettisoned for merit. We must drop the campaign on the platform of religion for the factor that will not only save our much-foughtfor democracy, but must save our nation from total disintegration. We as a people must recruit men and women of timber and calibre; men that office cannot buy nor wealth corrupt, statesmen that the nation needs in order to get out of the present economic mess and insecurity that is currently overwhelming the military. “We have the power to make this the best generation of mankind in the history of the world or to make it the last,” says J. Kennedy. That power is the power of the electorate; as February 2015 approaches, we

Clarion call

•Gen. Buhari

•President Jonathan

Under Jonathan our insecurity has infected neighbouring countries must come out and use the power that the powerless majority has over the powerful minority that are our representatives in various political offices. From the office of the President to that of the state House of Assembly, we must vote only for the best in an hour and times like this. Boko Haram insurgency that has eliminated thousands of innocent people, and displaced millions in the North-East of Nigeria calls for concerted effort among all Nigerians. The implications of such insurgency have multiple effect on our socio-cultural, economic and political instability. Our neighbouring countries are today living in fear and apprehension, just as we are. Our internal insecurity has now snowballed into regional insecurity. We must keep reaching out to our neighbours in West Africa, that we need them to secure our boders. World peace Kennedy said is”like community peace, that does not require that each man loves his neighbour; it requires only that they live together in mutual tolerance, submitting their disputes to a just and peaceful settlement. And history teaches us that enmities between nations, as between individuals, does not last forever. However fixed our likes and dislikes may seem, the tide of time and events will often bring surprising changes in the relations between nations and neighbours. “ For instance, Ife and Modakeke in Osun fought

themselves for several years, today, they are harmoniously living together under the dynamic Governor Rauf Aregbesola. Before then, who would have thought that Osun would be one of the most peaceful states in the country as it is today? The Zango Kartaf in Kaduna State shed blood among themselves before they eventually sheath their swords. For over 50 years, the United States and Cuba were archenemies, but President Obama has put an end to it. Election must hold The President of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, must rise above party politics between now and January 2015 and mobilize all security agents and see that they are wellequipped to terminate the insurgency in Yobe, Adamawa, Borno, Kano Bauchi, Gombe with all urgency. Election must hold in the above-mentioned states, otherwise, it may be wrongly insinuated that the ruling party intends to disfrenchise the electorate in that region to the disadvantage of the opposition . As Chief security officer of Nigeria, Mr. President and by Section 14 (4) of 1999 Nigeria Constitution, which provides that the government must ensure the security of lives and properties, as well as guarantee the welfare of the people, and must see to the return of peace in the said states. The Independent National

Electoral Commission (INEC) must awake to its responsibilities, as we have less than two months to the elections. Just as the commission did its best in the conduct of Osun gubernatorial election which its chairman acknowledged to be the best ever, the nation’s peace and political stability depends on the INEC in 2015; the body must not give room for any excuse. The commission must be transparent in all its operations. Any of its officials, whose integrity cannot be guaranteed, should be removed before the February elections. The commission must not allow politicians, whose trade mark is “do or die” be allowed to have their ways. This nation is greater than an individual. Evil prophecy must not be allowed to come to pass. We as a nation cannot afford to disgrace the black race as the most populous black nation in the world. If we allow politics to destabilise our nation, we must remember and avoid the Ruwanda and Kigali genocide, which was a fall-out of political instability. The sign that the 2015 elections may be violene-prone is gradually unfolding by what have happened during the party primaries. Four people were reported to have been killed during the primary of a political party at Ebute Meta, Lagos. Asari Dokubo has promised war in case the incubent President loses out in the election, but no security

Patriotic Nigerians must support Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi’s appeal to President Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari over the perceived fear over 2015 elections where he asserted: “The certainty of violence afer the 2015 elections is higher than it was in 2011. If President Jonathan wins, the North will erupt into violence as it did in 2011. If Gen. Buhari wins, the Niger Delta will erupt into violence..... The violence of 2015 is going to be horrendous and worse than the one of 2011 for the simple reason that the illegal, massive importation of weapons of into the country has reached such alaming proportions that I really wonder which is better armed; the militias on one hand or the official armed forces.” This Prof. Akinyemi’s clarion call to political actors must not be ignored as we approach 2015 elections. To ignore his call is to invite state of anachy, that may signpost the begining of the end of the artificial creation called Nigeria. We must bear it in mind that just as it was in the First Republic, when some politicians set the nation ablaze and fled abroad, leaving the common man to bear the brunt. We must not allow history to repeat itself. Politicians should focus on issues rather than on individuals. It is issue-based politicking that can change our country for good. Tell the nation how our economy will be improved upon. Tell the youths how unemployment will be reduced drastically. To do otherwise, and be raining abusive language on the political opponents will be an open invitation to political violence. It will also show the stuff in which such politician is made up. Enough of blood sheding, we must bring hope and good tidings to the people, heralding a new era in a country that has long awaited its hour of redemption from the multiple challenges.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015—PAGE 35

Okupe makes Jonathan look incompetent – Lai Muhammed

*Says PDP is jittery over Buhari’s emergence BY OLAYINKA AJAYI

he spokesman for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in this interview, says those who have been speaking on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan, make their principal look incompetent. How do you describe the convention that led to the emergence of Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) as the presidential flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress, APC? We are grateful to God, to be able to prove beyond reasonable doubt to Nigerians that our party is capable of internal democracy. We were able puncture the lies, as well as the wicked allegations and unfounded truth against our amiable party. You would remember that, from inception, what the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has always touted is that the APC lacks internal democracy. Ironically, they were unable to conduct any presidential primary. We did not only conduct presidential primary we made it so credible, transparent and it became the toast of the entire world. We thank God we were able to conquer pressures from within and without that we should settle on a consensus candidate. If we had done so, Nigerians would had been robbed the opportunity of the possibility of internal democracy in Nigeria. From the feedback we got, that singular act has catapulted our party to a level that has made us the party of choice. Presidential spokesman, Dr. Doyin Okupe, recently, faulted the emergence of Gen. Buhari as the Presidential candidate of the APC, tagging him as the greatest mistake of the APC. How do you react to this? What is important is not just who emerged, but how the person emerged. I think that is the reason Nigerians are so pleased with us today. General Buhari may not have been the best aspirant we have in our party, but the manner we went about it convinced Nigerians that, truly, the APC is ready to practice internal democracy. We scored two very important points with our convention: the how and the who? On the part of Doyin Okupe and his co-jobbers, I believe their worst nightmares came as a result of the emergence of Gen. Buhari. Anywhere you see a sign board that states: No thorough fare, it means there must be a road there. Otherwise, if we made a mistake, they should be happy. Why are they worried about our mistake? Today, most Nigerians agree that the one person that can savage Nigeria, presently, is Gen. Buhari. I say this with all sense of humility, the major issues confronting us as a nation are insecurity and corruption. Every other thing follows from there. Gen. Buhari has the track record of being able to confront the two issues. As a former

military Head of State, he confronted both. See, a corrupt government cannot fight corruption. How do you mean? This administration is corrupt. All the people that surround the government have one story or the other. This is a President, when we handed over Nigeria to him, the country was in one piece, there was no single square metre that was occupied by terrorists. Today, over 22,000 square metre is being occupied by terrorist. When you need a man that can clean it up, it is only Gen. Buhari that can do it. That is why they are worried. Frankly speaking, this man’s personality has soared! That is the reason Okupe and his colleagues are bothered. But he has never won elections before. Do you see him delivering this time? That is correct. But there are many factors that have changed. Buhari has never contested on a broad based national party before. He contested twice on the platform of ANPP, and once on CPC. Even when he contested on the platform of CPC, the party was barely six months old, a virtually unknown party. Today, he is contesting on a party that has representation and spread all over Nigeria. He is contesting on a party that can boast of 14 governors, and a party that produced the Speaker of the House of Representatives. These made all the difference but, more importantly, there is a time for everything. When he contested in 2003 and 2011, there was neither corruption nor insecurity. Today he can be likened to Winston Churchill, who was the only Prime Minister that could rule Britain during the Second World War. Today, we have just one person, when he says he is going to fight insecurity and corruption, he will do it because he has done it before. Those that were hostile to his candidature have turned around and said this is not about religion nor about age but a person that can do the job. But many people insist he is a religious bigot. Is that not a threat to his candidature? I strongly believe that is an argument that Nigerians are no longer buying. If he is a religious bigot, how come he was also a subject of an attack

Mohammed...Presidency having its worst nightmares by extremists? If truly he is a religious bigot, how come nobody could think or finger him of sponsoring Boko Haram? How come the same Boko Haram is bombing mosques? If he is an extremist, how come all his years, he has always being running with a Christian candidate? I think, it is part of the lies of the PDP that have now blown in their faces. Nigerians, today, do not give a damn, they want somebody who can salvage them, be it a Christian or a Muslim. What Nigerians want to hear now is how does the APC intend to rescue Nigeria by restoring security and banishing corruption. All the things Doyin Okupe said about Gen. Buhari failed woefully. And under them, things are getting worse. The people that gave Jonathan four years, do you think they will give him four more years to mis-govern! He has no clue! He has been given everything he needs in this country to curtail insurgency. He wanted emergency, he was given, there is nothing he requested for that was not given, but what is the result? As we speak, there are over 300 of our girls missing, recently about 100 are missing. In a decent government, there is no President in the world today that won’t have a clue about where over 300 girls are! Should he have the moral right to say he wants to run again. Even as an opposition member, I am very embarrassed that the Boko Haram ragtag army can come anytime to abduct our girls, mothers and children! And the government has no sharp response except lamentation. We want somebody that can take charge and truly act as a commander in chief! Honestly, there is nothing President Jonathan can tell Nigerians today. No President in

the history of Nigeria has been so warmly received by Nigerians as Jonathan, yet he has left Nigeria poorer, more insecure and more divided. He declared his rerun ambition months ago, but he never told Nigerians what he will do differently. That means there will be more of insecurity and corruption under his rule. TAN Director of Communications, Dr. Udenta Udenta, in a recent interview, accused the APC of fuelling the insurgency, in the N-east. How do you react to this? Most of the spokes persons of the Presidency make President Jonathan look incompetent everyday. If your house is gutted by fire, will you be looking for those that ignited the fire or put out the fire? For a good President, what he should do first is put out the insurgency and then arrest those he suspects to be responsible. How come that all these while, they are yet to pick any single member of the opposition as being responsible for the insurgency? Nigerians are tired of dirty whispers by the Presidency. Is Jonathan an impotent President? There are many laws in Nigeria, and no law gives immunity to anyone sponsoring insurgency. If you say we are responsible for Boko Haram, then why can’t you arrest and prosecute us? We speak everyday and you know where we live. I think Nigerians are tired of that. What actually inspired the selection of Prof. Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo, SAN, as the running mate of Gen. Buhari? I think it is a masterstroke of the party to have produced an accomplished person, a man of impeccable character, integrity, excellence and a professor of law,a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, a two time attorney general of Lagos State, a pastor and a family man. I don’t think we can get a better choice. What do you make of Dr. Doyin Okupe accusing Gen. Buhari of celebrating poverty by claiming to have only N4million in his account and therefore could not pay N28 million presidential fee to the APC and had to go a borrowing to do so? A man who has been a governor of six states, who has been the Minister of Petroleum for about two years, Head of State, Chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF, yet today has no house in Lagos, Abuja, has no business, living on his pension, this is the kind of person Nigerians can trust with their fortunes. He is a kind of person that will tell you, he is not in politics to make money but to serve his country. Gen. Buhari is not celebrating poverty, but integrity and honesty where as the Okupe camp is promoting corruption. Do you see Gen. Buhari taking Nigerians to the promised land? Presently, if anybody can do it, it is Gen. Buhari. Because all it takes is political will and track records. And he has both.

PAGE 36—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015

Buhari Mimiko

Fayose

2015:

Jumoke

Obanikoro

Folarin

The plan to stop Buhari in the South-West DAYO JOHNSON Akure

ROM their looks it was evident that they were in the Ondo State for serious business that will determine their political future and continued relevance in the nation’s polity. Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, across the South West gathered penultimate Saturday in Akure, the Ondo State capital for the inaugural meeting of the National Campaign Council to strategise for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan and principally to deliver the zone to the party in the 2015 general elections. The tone for the meeting was set by the National Coordinator and governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, who has become a force in the PDP since he joined the party three months ago. Mimiko declared that Jonathan will not only win the 2015 presidential election but will also garner an unprecedented number of votes from the South West. He submitted to the leaders that the region “ have a date with history as we approach the 2015 general elections. We need to forge a common front and also mend fences because of the task

before us is one that can only be done effectively if we have a unity of purpose and demonstrate uncommon loyalty to the cause of our leader, President Goodluck Jonathan, and our great party, the PDP. “ The PDP should not be difficult to ‘market’ to Nigerians despite the propaganda that the opposition has deliberately orchestrated against us in recent times”, the governor said. “ It is our responsibility to let Nigerians take pride in the PDP and its pan Nigerian credentials. Our party does not have regional bases, the whole nation is its base and this should definitely be a plus for us. “With due respect, the choice between the PDP’s candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, and the opposition’s candidate is very clear. “ The only change that the main opposition to PDP shouts about is indeed a design to change from democracy to dictatorship”. Leaders from the South-West states chronicled past ‘sins’ of the presidential candidate of the opposition APC ,Gen Muhamadu Buhari, against elder statesmen and foremost leaders from the region to show that “ a leopard can never change” no matter the white washing of the general’s image in and outside

the social media. A PDP chieftain from Ogun State, Otunba Olukoye Ijaduoye, went memory lane when he said the desecration of the foremost Yoruba leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s home and the brutalisation of other sons of the state by the APC presidential candidate would make him fail to get votes from the state. Ijaduoye pointed out, “The APC presidential candidate, who had contested the same election three times before and failed, manifested his hatred for the Yoruba people and Ogun State in particular with the unlawful detention of a former governor of the state, the late Bisi Onabanjo, whose claim to fame was his popular column in the Nigerian Tribune, Aiyekooto. “Buhari insisted Onabanjo remained in detention even when the courts did not find anything against him, ditto for other South-West leaders he ensured he humiliated and tortured for serving well their people, whereas those from his own region who were arrested were given preferential treatment”. One after the other, the leaders spoke on the way forward for the Yoruba in the PDP and how they needed to educate the electorate of the

lies of the opposition to paint their candidate as a democrat/ messiah and their party as the alternative to the ruling party They equally deliberated on how they can garner votes for the President in the 2015 elections. They hammered on the Jonathan presidency transformation agenda and unanimously gave him a pass mark declaring that there is no vacancy in Aso Rock.. “It took us 50 years to get to the point we were before Jonathan became President in 2010 it will take us more than four years to get out of the problem we faced for half a century”, one of them said. The crowd that attended the meting scramble for space in the Banquet hall, Government House venue of the meeting. Others who spoke, including Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose; a former Minister of State for Defense, Musiliu Obanikoro; a former Osun State governorship candidate Iyiola Omisore; Oyo State governoship candidate, Teslim Folarin; and FCT Minister of State, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, were unanimous that the South West should cast their votes for Jonathan based on the enviable results of the transformation agenda across the country. They put a lie to what they descibed as the deceit of some Yoruba leaders in the APC “who are fighting for personal interest and that of the northern hegemony to the detriment of the Yoruba”. After the meeting, the leaders agreed that the presidential candidate of the APC “is not fit to rule the country going by his political antecedents”. A communique issued by the leaders said that the change the opposition mouths “ is indeed a change from democracy to totalitarian and dictatorship as represented by Buhari”. “Judging by his temperament, political antecedents and intellectual capacity, General Muhamadu Buhari, the APC candidate, is unfit to be the President of Nigeria”, the communique said. It was signed by Mimiko, Fayose,Omisore,Obanikoro, Akinjide, Folarin, Chief Kolapo Ogunjobi, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe and Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun The communique read, “ We resolve to fully back and work for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in the presidential election and all PDP candidates in other elections”. The communique, read by Mimiko, commended the President for developing structures and institutions through which the country had evolved cashless financial system, dismantled the fertilizer corruption cartel, improved food security, democratised access to education through the establishment of additional universities, polytechnics and Al-majiri schools and conducted successfully the 2014 National Conference. Speaking at the opening of the meeting, the Ondo governor said it was high time the PDP leaders rose to challenge the propaganda machinery of the APC. Mimiko said the APC presidency would spell doom for the South-West and Yoruba race, saying Buhari, at 72, cannot change and what made him lose in the three previous presidential elections would still repeat itself in the 2015 general elections. According to him, a Yoruba man was to be Speaker of House of Representatives in 2011 but was denied and the slot given to North-West with the connivance of the leaders of the proscribed Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Also, he said the position of Minority Leader in the Senate was to be given to Yoruba but was also taken to the North-Central which already has the Senate presidency. Mimiko said a vote for Buhari is a vote against the sensibilities of journalists who were jailed by the military regime and the Yoruba leaders who were sent to jail for being governors of their respective states. The governor said Jonathan presidency has improved the lives of the people have improved based of the United Nation’s report which stated that life expectancy has risen from 42 years to 52 years, income of the average Nigerian moved from low income to middle income nation. Also present at the meeting were Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode; Senators Lekan Balogun, Hosea Agboola and Ayo Adeseun; Hon Muraina Ajibola; and Deputy National Youth Leader of the PDP, Hon Dennis Alonge-Niyi. Meanwhile, the appointment of Fani-Kayode as the Media Director of the Jonathan Campaign Organisation is generating excitement in the PDP as many people believe he will deliver, citing his antecedents. A pro-PDP group, National Patriots, in a statement, yesterday, described the campaign media director as the right man for the job. The statement, signed by the group’ s leader, Bunmi Coker, solicited support for Fani-Kayode, especially in the face of the opposition APC” s “legendary capacity for propaganda”, to make his job a success.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 37

•Olorogun O’tega Emerhor

•Chief Great Ogboru

• Chief Joe Omene

DELTA GUBER: The Urhobo grandstanding By Egufe Yafugborhi

efore the purported lastminute alliance between Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) over the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary in Delta State, not a few Urhobo were impressed with the hard-line posture the Chief Joe Omene led UPU had maintained in asserting Delta Central senatorial district’s interest in the 2015 elections, particularly the governorship. However, the action of the UPU in the two days preceding the primary, the result for the Urhobo at the end of the day, and the post-primary reactions have left many Urhobo disappointed in a manner that may provoke a reversal of the renewed confidence the teeming UPU faithful were beginning to repose in the Urhobo leadership organ. The development has triggered a couple of posers. Has the UPU compromised the Ovwiamughe Declaration, the said oath of allegiance which Delta Central swore to actualize its 2015 governorship interest? Has the UPU derailed from the original declaration, and if so, whose script is the leadership now playing at this crucial hour ahead of the main election?

Letters of Ovwiamughe Declaration

y the Ovwiamughe Declaration, accented in February 2014 by Urhobo traditional rulers, clergy, elders, youths, women and other interest groups, the UPU made it clear that its political party of first choice is the ruling PDP, but which it equally acknowledged as not having worked in the interest of Urhobo from the Presidency to the state level in

the last eight years. That collective agreement, hoping for the worst from the PDP, as has happened in the primary, also specified the APC as the alternate party of choice while also de-emphasising the Urhobo interest in mushroom parties with no spread across the nation. In that order of preference, the UPU declared that should PDP grant its governorship ticket to an Urhobo, Delta Central will support the party all the way in the 2015. It then held that should PDP undermine an Urhobo ticket, Delta Central would reserve its majority votes in the state for the APC, that is if APC also fulfills the needful cedes its guber ticket to Urhobo. Any consideration for third choice therefore arises only after the PDP and the APC fail to satisfy the ultimate condition.

Double speak

ollowing a visit by Chief Great Ogboru, preceding the declaration, the UPU tainted the spirit of the declaration when it gave Ogboru a separate assurance to support his candidacy even if from the obscure Labour Party (LP) platform. The UPN leader, Omene, during that encounter, celebrated in the media by Ogboru, told the serial governorship aspirant that he would enjoy the support of UPU and Urhobo if he contests in 2015 with a caveat that he must decamp to the PDP should he win on the LP ticket. Reacting to this tone set by the UPU, a group, Urhobo Restoration Agenda, led by Chief Etachiko Omonigho, accused Omene and his group of double speak. “Where does UPU stand? the group had asked. The group displeasure was hinged on the understanding that the Ovwiamuge Declaration never

accommodated such waiver and that it amounted to double standards to change the goal post in the middle of the game.

Last -minute alliance

s many Urhobo were uncomfortable with the seeming doublespeak of the UPU on the conflicting assurances to both Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, an Urhobo who has now picked the APC gubernatorial ticket, and Ogboru, some were irked by the last-minute alliance between Uduaghan and the UPU on the failed attempt to pick David Edevwie as the PDP flag bearer. Justice Otitiri, a political analyst, while appraising the situation, said, “Ab-initio, everyone, including the UPU, knew that the governor and other power brokers in the Delta PDP were bent on shifting power to the North. So, going into the last-minute alliance, as has been revealed in the media, the

governor was not in the bargain to genuinely protect Urhobo interest. He simply wanted to get back at perceived Delta northerners who were critical of his choice of Tony Obuh and he found very willing conspirators in Urhobo, an unholy alliance which failed in the end. “However, whether or not the governor and the UPU were on the same page on the said alliance, the nuisance value for Delta Central in the failed saga, if for nothing else, was the golden chance it provided to aim at an all Urhobo candidature for the next election.” Zik Gbemre, National Coordinator, Niger Delta Peace Coalition, who concurred with Otitiri, said, “Chief Omene and co did no wrong in jumping at the bait from Governor Uduaghan. It was all in UPU’s determination to do all it takes to return the governorship to Central in 2015.

Post mortem

The APC, at its governorship primary held in Asaba, proved it fully respects the letters of the Ovwiamughe Declaration

ith the primaries come and gone, the ultimate challenge before UPU is how to ensure that it wastes no time in putting into motion its plan B. Plan B by the Ovwiamughe declaration is to mobilize Urhobo bloc votes for the alternate party, APC, if it back an Urhobo. Paradoxically, in a first advertorial reaction on the disappointment it suffered over the PDP primary, the UPU, far short of taking a stand on the ultimate challenge, concentrated its response on passing the blame and reinvigorating its grandstanding even beyond Urhobo boundaries. Otitiri, in response to the UPU post-PDP primary statement, said, “The UPU must be told that its grandstanding is turning counterproductive and they actually drove it too far when they started stretching the

threats beyond boundaries. Delta Central has no moral justification to blame Ijaws, Isokos or any other ethnic neighbor for their failure to produce an Urhobo PDP guber ticket. These ethnic neighbors also have group interests to protect and it is the tide where their interest lies they will flow along. “In same vein, sanctioning one rebellious Urhobo politician and forgiving him the next minute is no solution to the problem. What is needful now is for Urhobo to collapse all other interests and support Olorogun O’tega Emerhor and the APC which have satisfactorily fulfilled the letters of the Ovwiaghe Declaration.”

Meeting the Ovwiamughe Declaration

he APC, at its governorship primary held in Asaba, proved it fully respects the letters of the Ovwiamughe Declaration when delegates across geographical divides in Delta supported the candidacy of Emerhor with overwhelming votes, 3584 out of 3752 votes cast. The party loudly sounded the signal that its hoped to arrest power from the ruling PDP rests squarely on an Urhobo candidacy to the extent that even Fidelis Tilije, the only real challenge against Emerhor at the primary, polled no single vote from his immediate Ukwani constituency. The widespread unifying feeling in the party, which brought about the almost unanimous choice of Emerhor as flag bearer, develops from APC faithful’s realisation that, to put up a good fight against PDP in 2015, it would be foolhardy to give the guber ticket to same Delta North PDP was predictably tilted. The extended impetus was to catch in on the Ovwiamughe Declaration in the hope to garner Delta Central’s majority votes in the coming election.

PAGE 38 —

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015

By Olayinka Ajayi Mr Peter Obi, the immediate past governor of Anambra State, is a honorary adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan. Obi shares his perspective on the 2015 polls in this interview.

e overheard the Vice President introduce you as the Deputy Director General (South), comprising the South West, South East and South South of the presidential campaign organisation, which is why you are here as part of the reconciliation team of the PDP for Lagos. Are you satisfied with the outcome of the reconciliation meeting? Yes I am. I thank Vice President Namadi Sambo, who led the peace talks and also thank and congratulate the people of the state for their maturity. Mr Vice Vice President spoke to the party members like a father, and everybody in the PDP family agreed with him on the need to close ranks and work together. What is your reaction to the the statement of Governor Rotimi Amaechi, the Director General of Gen Buhari’s campaign, that the APC supports mutiny? The statement, if it is true, is unfortunate and least expected of a public officer of his status. I have always maintained that leaders in corporate and public life should strive to maintain exemplary character and behaviour that is worthy of emulation. Their pronouncements and disposition must be responsible, devoid of abusive, or inciting words that could undermine the moral fabric of the society. On this same issue of security in particular, lives have been lost by the civilian populace and military personnel. That is why public figures must be sensitive to these things and show signs of serious social responsibility at all times. We are expected to speak with restraint and decorum, knowing that we can make or mar society. At all times and in all climes, issues of security are left in the hands of security agents and we must show utmost understanding of the dynamics of security. Do you agree that Buhari has the capacity to stop Boko Haram if elected? Gen. Buhari, as a respected, retired general and as an elder statesman, does not need an invitation, an appointment or an elective office to intervene on any national issue, especially issues of national security like the one facing the country at the moment. Elder statesmen all over the world do not wait to be invited before they step forward on matters of grave concern to their fatherland. President Jonathan is running round sleeplessly and working with security agencies, in addition to forging bilateral ties to solve these problems. He will

• Peter Obi....Amaechi’s pro-army mutiny statement unfortunate

Nigeria does not need 72-yr-old grandfather as president – Peter Obi •’The untruths in the Buhari anti-Boko Haram claims’ certainly be very glad to receive any suggestions from Buhari and I can assure you that Nigerians will be glad if he helps solve the problem as an elder statesman. He has said that he will summon a meeting of serving and retired generals to help solve the problem if elected, but he does not need to be elected to do so. But some people are saying that he can deal with Boko Haram, the way he dealt with the Maitatsine unrest decades ago. I have read in some places where the APC said that because Buhari stopped Maitaitsine in the 80s, he will also stop Boko today. I disagree entirely with this claim, because the stable global environment of the 80s cannot be compared with the volatile and terror-enveloped global

I have read in some places where the APC said that because Buhari stopped Maitaitsine in the 80s, he will also stop Boko today. I disagree entirely with this claim

environment of today. The socio-religious realities that threw up the Maitaisine group are different from the realities that threw up Boko Haram. In the 80s, most countries were stable, but today the global instability, cutting across nations like Iraq, Syria and the Middle East, has created a labyrinth of terror. This is in addition to our African neighbours, , like Libya, Egypt, Somalia, Sudan, Kenya, Tunisia and others, which are all facing various forms of instability and terrorist activities. The level of sophistication in technology and military hardware is also totally different today. No one would have ever imagined in the 80s that terrorists would go into the US

and bomb the World Trade Centre, or attack the Pentagon. But we all saw it happen. These are realities that need to shape our understanding of the world of today. What is happening has a global coloration, because the ISIS flag is the flag you see with Alshaba in Somalia and Boko Haram in Nigeria. You can now see why we cannot compare yesterday with what we are seeing today. Who would have thought that Nigerians would turn into suicide bombers? What do you say about the fate of the Naira? Most comments about the condition of the Naira are made out of ignorance. It needs the understanding of Contnues on page 39

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 39

‘Nigeria does not need 72-yr-old grandfather as president’ Contnued from page 38

macro-economic realities to understand what is happening in the world today. The depreciation in the exchange rate is a worldwide phenomenon, fueled by the fall in oil prices and other elements of the increasing global economic and security challenges. Hardest hit are countries that export petroleum products. Talking about the fall in the value of the Naira, look at what is happening in Russia and other places. In just a year, the Russian rouble lost 40% of its value. The Venezuelan currency even lost more than that. The interesting thing about these countries is that they are not calling for the crucifixion of their leaders, rather, they are supporting them with an understanding that the problem will pass away. The APC has said that Buhari is the best Nigerian leader ever, that he did it once and can do it again. What do you say about this? At the age of 41, which was 31 years ago, Buhari staged a coup d’état and removed the democratically elected government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari and tried visibly to instil discipline and order in our society. This was both commendable and his greatest achievement. But the economic policies and actions of that government were disastrous, as Nigeria nearly turned into a pariah nation that no one wanted to deal with globally. At the time, under the Buhari’s government, confirmed Letters of Credit were rejected, because no one wanted to deal with Nigeria. Though I disagree that he was one of the best Nigerian leaders, even if we assume that he was the best 31 years ago, that is not the reason we should clone him back today at 72. The Singaporeans are not asking Lee Kwuan Yu to come back. Malaysians are not asking Mohamad to come back. The Americans are also not asking Bill Clinton, who came to office ten years after Buhari’s first outing and who had the best economic performance in the 21st century, to come back. Are we saying that Nigeria has not produced anyone who can do the job today? What exactly are you saying? All I am saying is that no progressive country of the world, especially those we are trying to emulate, like the US,

•Obi....Buhari’s economic policies were disastrous the UK, etc, have ever elected anybody above 70 years of age since the inception of democracy in their countries. The oldest person ever elected in the US was President Reagan, who became president at 68. At that time, Americans were particular about his age. This is a nation with a life expectancy of over 100 years, as against Nigeria, with a life expectancy of about 60 years. Towards the end of Reagan’s presidency, there were serious issues of stress and his ability to continue with the job. Few months after he left office, he could no longer recognise his wife. Let us cite examples of presidents of these countries I mentioned, all of whom came to power at least ten years after Buhari’s leadership of the country as Head of State. President Barack Obama was 47 when he took over, while George W. Bush was 54 and Bill Clinton 46. It is almost the same for the UK where the current Prime Minister was 43 when he took over, while Gordon Brown was 56, Tony Blair 43 and John Major 47. To bring this closer home, our neighbouring Ghana has President John Mahama who started at 53. One can understand if he is in his 60s today. To further elucidate this, why do we have to retire our top military personnel and civil servants at 60, university lecturers at 65 and Supreme Court judges at 75. Even the religious bodies now retire their leaders at the age of 70. Which is why the highly celebrated primate of the Church of Nigeria, Sunday

Mbang, and Ola Makinde of the Methodist Church, as well as Cardinal Okojie of the Catholic Church, are now retired. These are people who are managing smaller segments of civil society. In a world where a lifechanging protest for democratic change, demanding for free and fair democracy without Chinese interference, was led by a 17year-old boy in Hong Kong, APC is threatening to inflict a 72-year-old grandfather on Nigeria as president. Do you realise that the major companies of the world like doogle (1998), Yahoo (1994), Ebay (1995), Facebook (2004) and Alibaba (1999), were all founded by people under 40 years of age. Most of the captains of industry in Nigeria today are led by men and

The oldest person ever elected in the US was President Reagan, who became president at 68. At that time, Americans were particular about his age

women who were in not yet in primary school 31 years ago, when Buhari’s was Head of State. Gov. Amaechi also complained about Jonathan being responsible for the depreciation of the Naira Again, this is case of people speaking either out of mischief or ignorance, or both. I speak of mischief here because even those with no knowledge of macroeconomics know why the Naira is depreciating. Currencies depreciate for a number of fundamental reasons, other than the actions of governments. The recent depreciation of major currencies of the world was more pronounced in countries with heavy dependence on oil. The Russian rouble, for instance, lost over 45% of its value in four months and no one is blaming Putin for it, or asking that he should leave. Ours would have been much worse, but for President Jonathan’s diversification of the economy, especially in the area of agriculture which has saved a lot of savings in food importation. Furthermore, the currencies of better or similar similar economies, like the Brazilian real, Argentina’s peso, Soth African rand and more have all depreciated by over 12 and 15% in the last one year. This is similar to what we have witnessed here and the people are not calling for the heads of their leaders. Coming nearer home, the Ghanaian cedi has equally depreciated by over 35%and no one has called for an end

to the incumbent government. The opposition also said Jonathan is incapable of fighting corruption and I need to hear your views on that allegation. Well, everyone in Nigeria claims to be a saint and accuses others of being corrupt. We all read and also heard from those who were there what transpired at the APC presidential primary in Lagos. That is not corruption, right? While I agree that there is the need to strengthen institutions like the ICPC and EFCC, to fight the physical and more tangible forms of administrative corruption, there is also the far more fundamental need to fight corruption from its very roots. What I mean here is the distortion of societal values, as can be seen for example where those who are role models are mostly some of worst among us. Honours and titles are often given to persons whose conduct and obscene exhibition of wealth set a bad example for the leaders of tomorrow. The best way to fight corruption realistically is to institutionalize the processes of governance. You only need to look at how the reforms in the procurement and distribution of fertiliser have totally transformed everything, making fertiliser directly available to farmers and disbanding the cartel that held the system hostage before the Jonathan administration. It is the same with the pension reforms and the Sovereign Wealth Fund which have, respectively, created a more sustainable financial fall back position and blocked leakages in pension fund administration. What is you take on who Nigerians should vote for in 2015? The answer to that question is fairly obvious: Jonathan, Jonathan, and Jonathan. He has put the right policies in place and set the right processes in motion. He needs to continue and finish the good work he is doing now and that is why he should be voted in. The reason you are asking this question is simply because his performance is under reported and even sometimes distorted by mischief makers. He will be a stronger and better candidate, when re-elected, as he follows through what he has started. Whatever challenges are on the ground today are being progressively overcome and will soon become things of the past.

PAGE 40— SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015

By Luka Binniyat

OTHING stampedes Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State into taking action than security issues, those who are close to him are wont say. So, last Tuesday, he had no choice than host very unusual guests, to the amusement of those who said of him to be somewhat haughty and very aloof to persons of lesser social status than him, being the Dalatun Zazzau. Two groups of men sat facing each other on a roundtable, with Yero presiding over the session at the prestigious Ibrahim Kashim House, Kaduna. The men, some in threadbare shoes, were led by their well dressed leaders – Alh. Gambo Tuge and Nuhu Marafa – factional leaders of Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD) Union, Kaduna State Chapter. Yero, according to Sunday Vanguard source, was mediating for the second time in a month a protracted leadership tussle between the two groups. It was a brisk and to-thepoint meeting, said the source. “Meet among yourselves and resolve your differences or I bring down state might on you next time you try to breach the peace of Kaduna”, he warned the men who operate at the Kaduna Petrochemical Refinery Company, KRPC. But, the next day, Wednesday, troops and wailing military trucks had to storm the KRPC, after the two factions engaged each other in a clash, burning cars and vandalizing rival tankers. The fight started around 7:30 am by the refinery’s parking lot and the union’s offices, as each group wanted to occupy the office of the Chairman to take over. They threw stones at each other, while some mauled into pulps with clubs those they overcame. Other drew daggers and chased their enemies while some groups went into bare fist brawls. Pandemonium set in, and people who had come to work or had some engagements to do scampered for safety. Sunday Vanguard watched from the United Bank of Africa, UBA, side of the KRPC, as urchins defied warning shots from the Nigeria Police, and braved the choking teargas hauled at them. C M Y K

Mayhem as oil union factions battle for Kaduna refinery At a point, the combatants attempted to take over the nearby police station, but nervous police men shot into the air and managed to scare them off. As dark fumes of burning cars, union offices, and oil tankers billowed into the air, and the acrid burning smell of teargas made the KRPC took the shape of Armageddon, some mobile policemen came in a truck to reinforced those on ground around 8:45am, but all to no avail. Banks nearby hurriedly closed. The gates into the KRPC were shut, and hundreds of persons were stranded from either entering or leaving the KRPC. As the show of impunity of the gangsters continued, and decent men and women trapped in the fiasco kept wondering how such lawlessness could happen right in the centre of the biggest government investment north of the Benue and Niger, the sound of an army armored car was heard around 9:30 am. It charged past the UBA branch, with two trucks full of angry looking, well kitted soldiers speeding

behind it. Rat-tat-tat-tat sounds of gunshots followed. From the UBA side, Sunday Vanguard saw thugs dispersing in different directions, with some soldiers in hot pursuit. Unlucky ones caught were clubbed with gun butts to the ground. Pleading voices of some were caught as the soldiers gave them back their violent trade, perhaps in larger doses. The police at this point also joined in the pursuit. Several were injured. At least a police van carted some arrested ones and drove past around 10 am. But, somewhere around, some pockets of fighting were still raging. Around 10:45 am, there were more gun shots. Then silence. By 11am, Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Alh. Shehu Umar, drove into the KRPC in a convoy. Nomalcy returned thereafter when the unionists shut the multibillion dollar company. Now about 12 million litres of petrol, and millions of tones of very inflammable gases among others daily.

Each loaded truck must pay N50,000 to the union before it leaves the KRPC. Calculate that and see how much is under the control of any man who is the Chairman in Kaduna

The General Manager, Public Affairs of the KRPC, Alh. Abdullahi Idris, refused to comment on the incident when approached by Sunday Vanguard, saying it was a security issue in which he had no competence or authorization to speak on. But it was gathered that the crux of the issue was the huge amount of money that union leaders control at the KRPC. “Here, we load about 200 and 300 trucks of PMS everyday”, said a source close to the union who asked that his name not be mentioned. “Each loaded truck must pay N50,000 to the union before it leaves the KRPC. Calculate that and see how much is under the control of any man who is the Chairman in Kaduna.” Tuge and Marafa have been in and out of courts since 2012, after a controversial election unseated Marafa, who seems to still enjoy some popularity among his members. But, Tuge, who allegedly has the backing of the national headquarters of the PTD, flexes muscles, by ordering the stoppage of loading of fuel, which always makes government jittery when fuel queues appear at filling stations around Kaduna.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 41

By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin

NE can hardly discuss Kwara politics today without making reference to the Sarakis, particularly the late elder statesman and second republic Senate leader, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki, who died two years ago. Oloye, as he was fondly called, built the Kwara school of politics which many of today’s key players attended at one time or the other. Whether they internalised the acquired knowledge or not, however, another matter. So, to say that majority of the main actors in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have had brief and deep romance with Sarakis political dynasty to cut their own teeth politically is, therefore, stating the obvious. The opposition political PDP in Kwara has never been so resolute to wrestle power from the Saraki political dynasty than now. The dynasty is presently led by Senator Bukola Saraki, the first born of the late strongman of Kwara politics, the late Olusola Saraki. Interestingly, the capacity of Senator Bukola Saraki, currently the Chairman, Committee on Environment and Ecology in the Senate, is not in doubt as he successfully overthrew his father even when he was alive by installing Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed against the Oloye’s desire for Senator Gbemisola Saraki, his younger sister. Today, there is new twist in the political developments in Kwara as Gbemisola has pitched his tent with the opposition PDP, while Bukola remains in control of the government and the structure of the ruling party in the state. Sunday Vanguard checks revealed that this development made it easy for Bukola to move the government and party to the APC when the leadership crisis of the PDP under the chairmanship of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur reached the peak. The fall out of that exit is what the opposition PDP is banking on to defeat the ruling government in Kwara the 2015 general elections. Some politicians, who had worked with Bukola for eight years as governor of Kwara, and had one problem or the other over the way political appointments and elective offices were shared by him in the present dispensation of Governor Ahmed, saw an opportunity to vent their anger against him in the opposition PDP. C M Y K

•The late Olusola Saraki

•Gbemi Saraki

•Bukola Saraki

Kwara 2015: The move to break the Sarakis hold Alh Ahmed Yinka Aluko, who emerged as the running mate of Senator Suleiman Simeon Ajibola, the gubernatorial candidate of PDP, was the Special Assistant to Bukola Saraki on Security Matters when he was the governor for eight years. Aluko earlier emerged as the flag bearer of the PDP for Kwara Central, the same senatorial district with Bukola. So the exit of his boss from the PDP was seen as an advantage to achieve his own political ambition.He is claiming that all the strategies Bukola used to stay on politically came from him and that he is ready to used them against him in the forthcoming elections. Similarly, Ajibola,the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in the state, in the Senate for the third term courtesy of the Saraki dynasty, publicly fell out with the family shortly after the death of the strongman of Kwara politics two years ago. Same with many politicians who had deep relationships with Bukola such as Engineer Jani Ibrahim, Engineer Sunday Babalola, Alh Isa Bio Ibrahim, Senator Makanjuola Ajadi, Professor Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem, and Arc Kale Belogre. But, perhaps, because of the different backgrounds they came from, it took too long a time for the combination of these human forces to realize the need for unity against a common enemy in the person of Bukola. The in fighting over who to be accepted as nominee for the ministerial slot from the state took six clear months before Hajia Bola Shagaya,

widely believed to have a strong contact in the Presidency, allegedly nominated Dr Suleiman Abubakar single handedly around October, 2014.

he vacancy was created shortly after President Goodluck Jonathan came for what was described as the mother of all rallies in Ilorin, the state capital in March, 2014. The then Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, who was expected to take a stand, backed down because of his loyalty to Bukola and so sacrificed that office. Also,the emergence of Ajibola as the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP took not a few by surprise because he

But with some of his former strategists also in the opposition PDP battle ready to outwit him in the political game, how far can Bukola go this time is just a matter of less than two months

was largely seen to be ridiculously low in the rank of political profile vis a vis his alleged poor attitude to the people of his constituency when one compares his achievements to his being in the Senate for three times non-stop. He is also seen in many quarters to be a bench warmer in the Senate having not seen to have significantly contributed to any serious national issues talk less of sponsoring any bill in the three terms but merely enjoying the privilege of the political consideration for him by the Sarakis irrespective of his performance and peoples perspective about him. But while unveiling his running mate at a press conference in Ilorin, last weekend, during his historic home coming after his emergence as the gubernatorial candidate of PDP, Ajibola hit back at his critics, dismissing insinuations against him and saying he had never lost any election since his advent into politics and so the forthcoming election will not be an exception. The candidate vowed that his party men had put their crisis behind them and resolved to unseat the ruling APC in Kwara in the 2015 election. He addressed the press conference in the company of the state PDP chairman , Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, and three of the former gubernatorial aspirants of the party, Arc Kale Belgore,Deacon John Dara and Abdulraheem. “As we all know, a bird can never fly with one wing. In

this voyage, therefore, there is the need for running mate .After having considered the opinion of our party leaders and members at local,state and national levels, I hereby present to you my running mate in the person of Alh Ahmed Yinka Aluko”, Ajibola said. The PDP gubernatorial candidate posited that the ruling APC which was declaring the next election as a walk over for it because of his emergence was actually afraid of him; so it needed to pretend to the public. The state Chairman o f the PDP, Oyedepo, in his remark, assured that no member of the party will leave for APC, adding that the emergence of Ajibola has made the party stronger than before.

nlike APC, which imposed the incumbent,Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, on the party, he said Ajibola emerged from a rigorous process desirable for the much needed change in Kwara. Abdulraheem who spoke on behalf of other former gubernatorial aspirants pledged their loyalty and support for the party to win the 2015 elections in Kwara. Earlier,the ruling APC had warned the PDP in the state not to allow internal lingering crisis snowball to political unrest in Kwara. In a statement in Ilorin by its Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, the party said: “Senator Simeon Ajibola and other 12 aspirants who lost out at the primaries do not constitute a threat to the reelection bid of our governorship candidate, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed”. Having suffered defeat in the PDP gubernatorial primary by coming third, Gbemisola is quietly out of the political calculations of the state in the forthcoming election. But Bukola, who is the main focus in the 2015 political battle with his deep understanding of Kwara politics, is not leaving anything to chances if the political changes he has made within the his political structure are to go by. He is playing a political chess game with the strategic movement of his aides and supporters to various offices based on their strengths and weaknesses in a bid to achieve landslide victory in the 2015 elections. But with some of his former strategists also in the opposition PDP battle ready to outwit him in the political game, how far can Bukola go this time is just a matter of less than two months.

PAGE 42 —

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015

By Ayo Onikoyi

T was a swell Christmas for one of the victims of the Nyanya bomb blast when Women in Clergy, under the leadership of Prophetess Nonnie Robertson, gave her reason to smile without her only child whom she lost in the bomb blast. Madam Grace Omokoro Joe, a widow, was in May, 2014 empowered by the same religious body when she was given several gift items and cash. The woman told reporters that her only son, Joel Olukayode, a graduate of Federal University of Technology, Akure, was everything to her and that death wickedly snatched her away on the fateful day. She said Joel was to start a job in Abuja the day the incident happened. She said, “ On the fateful morning, we had our morning devotion and I asked my son to take at least a cup of tea, but he said he was okay.10-15 minutes after he left, the blast went off. I went outside to check if he was still there, but I didn’t see him. I dashed to the park. On getting there, I saw my son on the ground, dead. That was the last thing I could remember. He was my only child”. As part of their Christmas sacrifice to the nation and those who are continuously at the losing end of the Boko Haram war, Prophetess Nonnie and other members of the Women in Clergy empowered the bereaved woman with gift items, including bags of rice and money. The woman was also driven to the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, where she met with the Executive Secretary, Mr John-Kennedy Opara. While also presenting her with some cash, Opara told her to take heart as God was already using some individuals to console her over the death of her only child. ‘’Though it’s painful without a child, we assure you that we will continue to play our own role in your life, Opara said. He directed Nonnie to visit again with the woman in February 2015. Reacting to the gesture in tears, Grace said, ‘’Even though nothing can replace my son, succour has come my way through Prophetess Nonnie and her group as well as Kennedy Opara. In fact, I can’t thank them C M Y K

Though it’s painful without a child, we assure you that we will continue to play our own role in your life

Madam Omokoro(left) being consoled byProphetess Robertson

Bombers killed my only child – Widow enough. How do I begin to thank them? My son is dead, but he lives on. He was a writer. Here is the book he wrote before some people terminated his life at the park (showed this reporter). He died in Christ. Today, the same Christ is using some men and women of God to take care of his mother (in tears). God will bless them. I did not know them from anywhere. I just found favour in them, because I

think they were touched by my story. God will bless them. I also want to use this platform to thank my Son’s friends who have been checking on me. God will bless them. I thank everybody who has contributed to my well-being since my Son left me, including the media. God bless you for always picking up my story.” Speaking with journalists after the empowerment

exercise, Prophetess Nonnie said it was in the spirit of the season. ‘’ She is almost a forgotten victim of insurgency in the country. There are many of them on the streets who have committed no crime apart from being Nigerians. Some of them have lost everything to the war, and they are yet to get help from any quarters. These are the true national heroes. Just imagine her story. She had

just the son and no one else in this life. She is a widow. Tell me how she will survive without the son she had hoped on so much? Her story has remained one of the most pathetic, and that is why I’m particularly interested in her welfare. We decided to empower her today because this is the time she will begin to feel the absence of her son, being the first Christmas since the death of her son, she said. Nonnie blamed some people whose duty in government is to reach out to victims of bomb blast but have diverted items meant for them. ‘’ I think we cannot do this alone. We need the Federal Government’s support to be able to reach out to these forgotten victims. We have many of them in the Borno State. We have mobilized our members with the few gift items we were able to get, and they will be travelling to Maiduguri to visit some IDPs centres. Even in Abuja here, there are stories journalists have not relayed to the public yet. I think we need everybody’s synergy, including the media. It is not enough to fight insurgency without looking back at the victims of the same insurgency. I’m using this medium to thank John Kennedy Okpara for the support he has rendered to some of these people we try to revive. May God bless him,” she said.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 43

E X C L U S I V E !

My lesbian stor y (2) —Movie star, Yvonne Nelson

•'I like Jim Iyke because heis a hot guy’

im is now seeing fellow Gallywood actress, Nadia Buari. I asked Yvonne if she was not treading on dangerous path if indeed she had ever dated Jim Iyke. Smiling, Yvonne told me “I am not dating Jim Iyke – and that’s the truth, but I want to confess that we have very close relationship. We have great chemistry together – call it some form of magic between us, especially when we act together. He is a hot guy and I like him a lot. We are always together when he comes to Ghana to act in movies, I drive him around. When I am in Nigeria, he does the same for me. But does that mean that we are dating? The answer is no. We are great friends – the manner I am with Majid Michel, John Dumelo – these are great and hot friends of mine as well. Does it mean that I must date ever person that I have an onscreen chemistry with? People should learn to be less judgmental. There is nothing wrong about having a friendship with a costar and not talking it to the physical level.” Given that the reason she was alleged to be a lesbian was because she had not been regularly seen with boyfriend, I asked Yvonne if she was currently dating. “I am not dating now – conventionally speaking - but I wouldn’t say that I am desperate for a relationship at the same time. People have asked me if I don’t think I should be considering settling down, and I tell them that I appreciate their concerns but that I am still very young. I don’t have to rush to get married because everyone is doing so. When the time comes, I will get married. This may surprise you: I am a simple girl – very easy to date. If I go out with a date, it doesn’t cost the man money. I don’t order expensive champagne, I don’t order exotic meals. My drink of choice is orange juice. Most women would say they are looking for a chiseled man –those with perfect six-packed abs – well, good luck to them. I am not interested in macho men. I am more interested with the substance-the values and the humanity the man brings to the C M Y K

table than with his physical or material possessions. I work hard, so I don’t expect my man to have to slave to satisfy me. I am sure this may surprise you, because any one who looks at me – analyses the roles I play - may incorrectly define me according to those roles. That is the exact opposite of what and who I am – so when the time is right for me to get married, God will bring that guy to me. “ ‘No problem with Jackie’ Some years ago, it was widely reported that Yvonne was banned from Gallywood and Nollywood for one year due to her alleged rift and diva attitude toward fellow Ghanaian actress – Jackie Appiah –an actress she is said to be engaged in a fight of supremacy with. I asked Yvonne what was the status of her relationship with Jackie. In a body language that showed she was weary of being thought to entertain animosity towards Jackie, she said: “I don’t have problems with Jackie Appiah at least any that I know of. The industry is large and big enough to accommodate everyone, so the notion that I am in some form of competition with her to determine who is a better actress is ludicrous.” “But according to published report, you were said to have been banned because you wanted same treatment given to Jackie Appiah on set to be accorded you, and when that didn’t happen, you were said to have stormed offset, leading to your being banned for conduct not befitting a top actress”, I pointedly told Yvonne. “First of all, let me set the record straight – no one banned me. I was not banned, period. I was working throughout the period they claimed I was banned. Concerning my request to be accorded same treatment as Jackie Appiah, that again is misleading and untrue. I think I have worked hard enough and established enough bonafides to have certain things I need in the industry without having to make an issue out of those demands. I don’t know if some of these rumors emanated from camps that wanted to amplify a non-existent hostility and rivalry between Jackie and I. I was in the university for four years and was acting at the same time. Most times,

•Yvonne Nelson

there were conflicts between my lectures and time I was supposed to be on set and I would make some demands and, most times, things didn’t go so well on set and, because I wasn’t going to compromise my studies, I tried as much as possible to manage the two competing demands. Sometimes, I had to make choices that may not have been pleasant with certain actors and producers. I want to say that I have no regrets for pursuing my education, at the same time, giving my best to the industry. It has made me a better actress – and one with a better inquiring mind”. NEXT WEEK The first reaction of the husband was to dismiss the video as fake and a lurid attempt to embarrass him and his family, but on a closer examination, and seeing clearly the face of his wife, in various stages of intimacy

with a strange man, he was seized by shock and revulsion. He could not believe that the wife he married, and who bore him four children could betray her marital vows in such a public and embarrassing manner. When he was told the video had gone viral and that almost everyone in the Nigerian Diaspora community had watched the video on their smart phones, the shock was too much for him to bear. The children were stunned and the wife, too, ashamed and, with all she had worked for in the United States about to go up in flames, had been on suicide watch, in a Washington, DC hospital. Read the details, next week, of how infidelity and emotional abuse have turned wives against husbands and husbands against wives in the Nigerian Diaspora community in the United States. The pathetic case of a Nigerian nurse whose affair was leaked on Internet with video to boot, on a suicide watch, her story will make you cry.

PAGE 44—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015 sam.eyoboka@gmail.com

08023145567 (sms only)

*Dr.(Mrs.) Kate Okpareke on behalf of the Word of Life Bible Church/Eagle Flight Microfinance Bank Limited presents the key of a brand new car to Oghi Peter.

*The seven men who suddenly became car owners at the just concluded 9th Word of Life Bible Church/ Eagle Flight Microfinance Bank Limited Empowerment Programme in a group photograph with the visioner and CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor (m) flanked by Managing Director of Federal Housing Authority, FHA, Prof. Mohammed Al-Amin and Chief Imam of Maiduguri, Alhaji Mohammed Saidu and others after the poverty reduction programme at the church headquarters on Ajamimogha Road, Warri on Friday. PHOTOS: AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE.

*THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED ARE NOT LEFT OUT: Miss Patience Ndidi rejoices for being a proud owner of a grinding machine.

By Sam Eyoboka AJAMIMOGHA Road in Warri is not a particu-larly long street, but its a dual carriageway which plays host to two most important institut-ions dear to the hearts of residents: The Palace of the Olu of Warri and the International Gospel Centre, the headquarters of Word of Life Bible Church founded by the National Presid-ent of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritse-jafor. As early as 6.00 a.m. last Friday, the Ajami-mogha Road, was a bee-hive of activities as thousands of people from all parts of Delta State and other parts of the country had gathered for the official dedication of the ultra-modern head office branch of the Eagle Flight Microfinance Bank Limited/the 9th Word of Life Bible Church/Eagle Flight Microfinance Bank Lim-ited Poverty Alleviation Programme. There was a delegation of eminent Islamic scholars and Christians from different parts of the nation including the North East Region who had come to witness the pastor's philanthropic gesture which is often underreported but is steadily gaining popu-larity nationwide. Managing Director of Federal Housing Authority, FHA, Prof. Mohammed Al-Amin led the Chief Imam of Maidu-guri, Alhaji Mohammed Saidu and Dr. Abdul Ishaq among several others including a Maid-uguri pastor, Solomon David. The young and the old, strong and weak includ-ing the physically cha-llenged had defiled the early harmattan haze, hoping C M Y K

the biggest and the best has indeed taken its place in the scheme of things. It has empowered and registered about 3.5 million micro credit groups with a cash value of about N2.5 billion, adding “Loans have been granted to small medium scale enter-prises. The bank has em-ployed over 300 persons; thereby, reducing unemploy-ment in our nation, Nigeria.” Poverty reduction

*CAN President, Pastor Ayodele Joseph Oritsejafor conferring with Managing Director of FHA, Prof..Mohammed Al-Amin while CAN Director of National Issues, Elder Sunday Oibe watches with keen interest.

Oritsejafor remaking the nation *Bridging gap between Christians, Muslims *Empowering the poor regardless and praying for divine intervention. On parade for the 9th pover-ty alleviation progra-mme were already regi-stered seven brand new Hyundai Grand cars, 20 Bajaj tricycles, 100 grinding machines. Earlier on Sunday, church members were empowered with wash-ing machines, generat-ing sets alongside

barb-ing clippers and phones for those wishing to go into business centres. Before the main event, the CAN president, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor cut the tape to declare the new branch office open for operations while some customers were rewarded for their patronage in the fading year. A 3.5 KVA Generator, 32 Samsung LCD TV, a

Giant Refrigerator, one Split Unit Air Conditioner, one Home Theatre and an LG Washing Machine were given to outstanding customers. In her address, Eagle Flight Microfinance Bank, chairman, Pastor (Mrs.) Helen Oritse-jafor said the bank which started operations eight years ago with a vision of becoming

She maintained that the bank which started as a Unit Micro Bank was upgraded by CBN in 2012 to a state microfinance bank, noting that there are only 44 state microfinance banks in Nigeria and of this number five are in Delta State and EFMFB is one of them. The bank will continue to demonstrate its commitment to poverty reduction, "as one of the fastest growing banks of the millennium, it has spread its tentacle to the nooks and cranny of the state with four branches, seven cash centres, and its headquarters.” The speeches over, the actual balloting process to pick winners began and at the end, Mr. Oghi Peter, 26, Ejaeta Osuwe Robert, Emeka Joseph Ezirim, Augustine Chinazo Henry, Portharcourt Glory, Oghwuvwu Ojiyovwi, 27, and Boyi Dajide celebrated a very spectacular Christmas with a gift of a car each. All the cars are to be used as taxis to generate wealth for the recepients. Remarkable incidence

Twenty other lucky individ-uals also went home with tricycles while 100 grinding machines were given to an equal number of persons. One remarkable incidence happen-ed during the balloting process when the CAN president announced to the crowd that a pastor from a neighbouring Ughelli donated his Mercedes Benz car to him (Oritsejafor) in obedience to divine instruction. Immediately, he gave out the Mercedes Benz car to Pastor David Solomon who had travelled from Maiduguri to witness the empowerment programme. In addition, he announced a donation of a car to the Imam, Alhaji Mohammed Saidu. For Oghi Peter, an unemploy-ed graduate from Okwagbe, fortune may well have been his middle name. He told reporters that he just finished a degree programme at the Delta State University on a scholarship from the CAN pre-sident. Oghi, Pastor Solomon David from Maiduguri, Mr. Port-harcourt Glory, Mr. Dazide Boyi and Augustine Chinazo Henry have never driven a car. They unanimously expressed gratitude to Pastor Oritsejafor and his wife, Pastor Helen Oritsejafor for their unalloyed commitment to uplift the living standard of people in the state and the nation at large. “I feel extremely happy today. I can’t believe that I am a car owner right now. I can’t drive; my brother will help me drive it around to make some money for the

Continues on Page 45

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015---PAGE 45

Parabolic presentation Let me present the incident here as a parable, the better to highlight its significance to the undiscerning dogmatic reader of the bible. Jesus meets Paul on the road to Damascus and asks him: “Paul, why are you persecuting me?” Paul answers in protest and agitation: “I am not persecuting you Lord. I am serving you. I am getting Christians killed out of great devotion to you.” Jesus replies: “Getting Christians killed? How can you kill my brothers and then claim you are serving me?” Saul becomes even more confused. Like most Christians of today, he had been told the bible is the word of God. Therefore he tells Jesus: “The bible says I should kill them. Let me show it to you in Exodus:” “Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, ‘Whoever is on the LORD'S side, come to me.’ And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. And he said to them, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel: Let

THE BOKO HARAM RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE BIBLE

he righteousness presented in many parts of the bible is not the righteousness of God. Jeremiah declares that a righteous branch from David’s line shall be called: “The LORD Our Righteousness.” (Jeremiah 33:16). It is Jesus, and not the bible, that is the righteousness of God. If we persist in using the bible as a yardstick for righteousness, we will not inherit the kingdom of God. Jesus was at pains to explain this to Paul. Paul obtained his righteousness from the bible of his time: the law. As a result, he regarded the killing of Christians as a righteous requirement of God, according to the tradition of Moses. But Jesus showed Paul that the righteousness of Moses is flawed. He showed him the righteousness of God is not the righteousness of the “bible.”

Christ is the end of using the bible as our yardstick for righteousness

every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.’ So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day. Then Moses said, ‘Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD that he may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother.’” (Exodus 32:26-29). Like Jesus, like God “Can’t you see, Lord Jesus?” pleads Paul. “The Levites showed they were on God’s side by killing their brothers and their neighbours. In fact, because of what they did, God showered blessings on them. I am also getting Christians killed so that God can bestow blessings on me.” Paul thought he was serving God by killing Christians, but God in Christ met him on Damascus Road and told him he had been misled. You can never serve God by killing men. Jesus is the exact image of God.

Whoever has seen Jesus, the son of God, has seen God, the Father. (John 14:9). The Son of God does not come to destroy men's lives but to save them. (Luke 9:56). God does not bless murderers. But even more than that, Jesus says: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder,’ and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.” (Matthew 5:21-22). You cannot kill someone and then conclude that God is on your side. You cannot kill the children of God and then expect to receive God’s commendation. Righteousness of God God is not a murderer but the devil is. When we kill somebody, it shows we are the sons of the devil. (John 8:44). When we sin, it shows we are the sons of the devil. Jesus says the man who commits sin is a slave of sin. (John 8:34). But a son of God is not and cannot be a slave;

therefore he refuses to be a slave of sin. So what did Paul learn from meeting Jesus on Damascus Road ? He thought he was serving God, only to discover he had been misled. Christians need to appreciate this: Paul was misled even by the Old Testament bible. Moses led Paul to believe he could serve God by killing men. This is a fallacy. On the contrary, Jesus says: “The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life- life in all its fullness.” (John 10:10). So what did Paul learn from this experience? He learnt something even the Apostles did not learn with such dramatic effect. He learnt that we should not use the commandments of Moses in the bible as our yardstick for the righteousness of God. Our righteousness must be based on the life and words of Jesus Christ. Jesus says: “Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:32-33). End of bible righteousness

Therefore, Paul says to those who continue to insist that the righteousness of God can be learnt from Moses: “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:1-4). Substitute the law for the bible and you have a better understanding of this. Christ is the end of using the bible as our yardstick for righteousness. Substitute the law for the Old Testament and you get a clearer understanding yet again. Christ is the end of using the Old Testament as the yardstick for righteousness. Jesus is: “The Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:13). Thanks to Jesus, we have received the liberty not to be enslaved to the Boko Haram righteousness of the Old Testament bible. This prophecy of God is fulfilled in believers: “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbour, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares the LORD. ‘For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.’” (Jeremiah 31:33-34). Today, the Holy Spirit writes the righteousness of God in the hearts and minds of those who know the Lord, where it is accessible to us through our conscience. Accordingly, Jesus asks: “Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?” (Luke 12:57).

Bridging gap between Christians, Muslims Continued from Page 44 family,” August-ine Chinazo Henry spoke the mind of all the beneficiaries praying, “God bless Papa Oritsejafor and keep him alive in good health.” The FHA Managing Direct-or, Prof. AlAmin, a strong advocate of religious harmony and chairman of the Islamic Resource Centre, described Pastor Oritsejafor's annual empowerment programme as an unparalleled act of philan-thropy that can destroy the yoke of militancy in the country. National scale Intrigued by the commit-ment and deep desire to alleviate poverty in the land, AlAmin advocated the up-grading of the programme to a national scale with a view to bridging the gap between the rich and the poor as well as breaking the circle of militan-cy across the nation. The instant donation of a car each to the Maiduguri duo of Pastor Solomon and Chief Imam Saidu, both of whom, meeting for the first time in Warri, immediately pledged to work towards the peace of Borno State in particular and the North East geo-political region. Pastor Solomon and Imam Saidu commended the philan-thropic spirit of the CAN president, as well as his determination to ensure peaceful co-existence among every Nigerian in every part of the country, while many eminent Nigerians remain silent. Al-Amin, who presented some of the

items to their winners, said what the CAN president told him during an interfaith gathering on March 27, 2014 in Abuja was far less than what they have witness-ed, adding: "This is a man that will gather the down-trodden in the society and empower them with things that will totally change them for better and forever. "Honestly, I am very happy to be part of this memorable occasion. I was telling him, this event should not be re-stricted to Warri. Let him find a way of sharing this great work of Almighty God to Nigerians even if it is not physically; it could be through the electronic system," Al-Amin appealed. Anti-social evils The FHA managing director believes that "if this gesture can be extended to more Nigerians, the message of love, of giving, compassion there will a drastic change in anti-social evils that we see around. This is the practical manifestation of religion. Papa has been preaching, so many men of God have been preaching but this is actually working the preaching. This is the essence of religion." To Imam Saidu, "we came, we saw and we were conquered. It is beyond our expectation. The crowd and the level of the gifts that were given out and everything. That is why I said at the arena that in Islam we have what is called zakat, a way of empowering the poor in the society. "I have seen the practical empower-ment of the poor here because the mass of

people that came here were not arranged, it is just by the wish of God. You can see it by the looks on their faces that even the people that didn't win anything were all happy," Imam Saidu emphasized.

So, I feel fulfilled because anytime I have the opportunity to make someone happy, not only does it make me happy, it is a sign that I am fulfilling Scripture because by the time you do what God says, it brings blessing to you," he said excitedly.

Join hands for peace According to him, "the pastor and I came from Maiduguri and we have never known ourselves before. I believe it was God who arranged that we meet ourselves over 1,000 kilo-meters away from home and I can assure you that when we go back to Maiduguri, we shall join hands to-gether to work for the peace of our people." The imam who expressed disgust about the situation in North East, "so saddened, pathetic; we know the things that are happening there are not religious; whether it is political or some other consideration, the only thing is that we need a lot of prayers for God to enthrone peace in that region". He expressed happiness for the gift of a car from the CAN president, promising to continue to pray for him for his kindness. Asked how he felt about the events of the day, Pastor Oritsejafor expressed gratitude of God for the enablement to give out a total of seven new cars, 20 tricycles, 100 grinding machines as well as 500 small bags of rice to the poor in the society. "I feel very fulfilled because actually, for me, this is true religion. The scriptures say if you hate your brother and you say you love God who you don't see, you are a liar.

2015: Cleric predicts change, sues for peace

ASTOR Johnmark Ighosotu, founder and General Overseer of God's Delight Gospel Assembly, has predicted that the change being prayed for by Nigerians was imminent. Ighosotu, at the crossover night service, also gave a shocking prophesy that " a back tyre will overtake a front tyre in the new year", but declined to give further explanation on the prophesy. He gave other prophecies concerning the new year which include fervent prayers against the escalation of insurgents activities to other parts of Nigeria. "He revealed that there will be great spiritual awakening of slumbering Christians, complete deliverance and those who are serving God faithfully and have laboured in Christ shall be rewarded in this new year. Ighosotu charged Nigerians to pray against strange fire, terrible earthquakes and political violence that could lead to more killing of innocent Nigerians.

*SUPPORT THE PERSECUTED CHISTIANS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA C M Y K

PAGE 46—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015

BY FEMI FANI-KAYODE

RING light where there is darkness, joy where there is pain, hope where there is despair and respite where there is suffering. Fear not the mighty, be strong and confident in all circumstances, uphold the truth and defend the weak. Fight the power, bow to no man, stand firm on your convictions and resist the evil. Watch and pray, have faith in God, hold your head up high and fight the good fight. This is the creed of the believer: the obligation and calling of the Sons and Daughters of Zion.

The Believers' Creed

Yet we still have so much to learn. Consider the following. We live in an interesting world with interesting people. We only have one life so we must live it to the fullest. Trust and love God, hold on to your dreams, be faithful to your convictions and do as much good as you possibly can to all those around you. Do not be arrogant or forceful but at the same time bow to no man and let none intimidate you. Know who you are and where you are in the scheme of things: you are a child of the Living God, dedicated and covenanted to Him alone even before you left your mother’s womb. He is your God and your strength, He is awesome in battle and true to His word and He will not allow you to fail, to fall or to be ashamed. He has a mission and a purpose for you in this difficult, lonely and oftentimes cruel world. The challenge is to identify that purpose and to fulfill it in a glorious way. Yet despite the ugly storms of life let your resolve be strong: to live for God and to be a blessing to all those around you. And if nothing else remember this: that He loves you, that you are very special to Him and that you are destined to succeed. So take hold of your beautiful destiny and espouse it’s great promise to the fullest. Let it be for you as it was written in the Holy Books before the oracles of time. Let courage, truth and honor be your armor. Let praise, love, faith and compassion be your banner. Let the earth, the wind, the water, the fire and all the elemental forces of the cosmos confirm your greatness and protect your precious soul. Let the Lion of the Tribe of Judah watch over you. Let the Seven-fold Spirit of the Most High God defend you. Let the Holy Angels that guard the seven seas and the four corners of the earth fight for you. Let all of creation bow before you and let He that is more than able, He that sits above the circles of the earth, He that is known as Yeshua, the Son of the Living God be with you all the days of your life. And who is this infallible God whose name we consistently invoke? Who is this mighty Lord in whom we believe and whom we exalt and worship morning, night and C M Y K

• Fani-Kayode....He is the God of the Holy Bible: the giver of life day? Who is this all-powerful deity that is our strength, on whose name we stand and in whom we make our boast? He is the God of the Holy Bible: the giver of life. He is the Holy One of Israel whose coming was prophesied for thousands of years by the Prophets before it came to pass. He is He that humbled Himself and shed His divinity: who came down as God incarnate in the flesh. Who suffered on the cross under Pontius Pilot, who shed His blood, who gave up His life as a living sacrifice for our sins, who went down into hell and overcame satan and the principalities and powers, who rose again, who ascended into Heaven and who sits at the right hand of God the Father.

We are created for His pleasure, He delights for us to prosper, He displays His splendor, glory and majesty in our lives and besides Him there is no God Conqueror of Satan and the Great Provider.

He is He whose Holy Spirit guides, leads, protects and fights for us on earth today. He is He who holds the universe together by the power of His word. He is He that is high and lifted up, whose train fills the Temple and whose love has no end. He is He that is more than able and whose Kingdom shall reign forever. He is He that makes all things beautiful in His own way and in His own time. He is the Spoiler of our adversaries, our Advocate, our Defender and our Judge.

He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith, the Lifter of our Heads, our Shield and our Glory. He is our Father who is filled with love, who guards us jealously and who never fails. He is the Lord of the Universe, the Lord of the 24 Elders that sit before Him in His heavenly throne room. He is the Lord of the Angels and the Archangels, the Lord of the Cherubim and the Seraphim and He is the King of Glory. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle, He is the King of Glory.

He is the Man of War, the Avenger of our Blood, The Ancient of Days, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Lord of Hosts, the Comforter, the Consuming Fire, the Alpha and the Omega, the Creator of all that is, the Prince of Peace, the Lily of the Valley, the Rose of Sharon, the Balm of Gilead, the Blood of the Sprinkling, the Rejected Stone that became the Cornerstone, the Nazarene, the

His name is Jehova Sabaoth, Jehova Rapha, Yahweh God and the I Am That I Am. He is irresistable and unfathomable. He is the God of the Armies of Israel and the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is the All-Seeing and the All-Knowing. He is the Compassionate and the Merciful: the Adonai, the Elohim. He is the Lamb of God, the Risen King, the one and only Messiah, the King of Kings and

the Lord of Lords. He is Yeshua: Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Son of the Living God. We are created for His pleasure, He delights for us to prosper, He displays His splendor, glory and majesty in our lives and besides Him there is no God. To those that know and trust Him and that believe in Him I have this to say: He will guide you and protect you through this year and beyond. He will make his face to shine upon you. Your feet shall not slip and neither shall you suffer want. You shall live long and prosper and your joy shall be full. You shall not be cut short because long life is your portion. The Lord shall give you the fat of the land and a place of honor in the land. You shall increase. The Lord shall enlarge your coast and he shall exalt your horn. The seductions and evil of this world will not overwhelm you and neither will they consume you. The Lord shall guide you in all your ways and deliver you from the hands of the wicked one and his agents. You shall rise up to greater heights than you can possi-

bly imagine and neither shall you ever suffer want, shame or defeat. Before your very eyes you shall see the recompense of the wicked and those that seek your hurt and wish you to go astray. You will excel in your work and studies and the Lord will grant you joy everlasting. Because you have honored Him in all your ways your days will be long and His blessing shall never depart from you. The love of God and his grace and mercy shall walk with you all the days of your life and his angels shall guard you jealously both night and day. May God bless and keep you now and always and may this year and beyond be great in your life and in your family. You are simply wonderful; a great blessing from a great God. You will never be ashamed but rather like a well-watered garden, you will be fruitful and productive. You will flourish forever and neither shall your leaves ever wither. Your pockets shall never run dry for the Lord will grant you plenty and he will cause rivers to flow through your desert places. His precious anointing and Holy Spirit shall never depart from you and his peace and favor shall cover you all the days of your life. I soak your body, spirit and soul in the precious blood of the sprinkling; the blood of the Holy one of Israel, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, son of the Living God. I commit you into the hands and power of the God of Heaven and into the presence and power of he who came down as God incarnate in the flesh. May the deep mysteries of his precious blood speak for you at the gates and fight for you in every circumstance touching and concerning your life. Go forth into the world and the new year boldly with your head held up high knowing who you are and knowing that you serve a mighty God. Because of him you are safe and sound and you cannot be defeated. Because of him everything that you set your hands to do that is in accordance with his will , shall meet with good success. Give him the praise and glory in all things and remember always that He loves you more than life itself. God bless and keep you and all that is yours now and always. We serve a mighty God so go forth into the world in his strength and in his power. Take dominion and conquer, be courageous and be strong and most important of all be thankful and be happy: for in the end he makes all things beautiful. Faithful, mighty and true, that is his name. Have a great year and may God be with you and yours now and always.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 47

One of the oilfields offshore in Nigeria.....How can Nigeria survive this downward trend?

How low will oil fall? $30 is possible BY MATT EGAN

OOK out below! The plunge in oil prices may not be over just

yet. Oil took another hit Wednesday, sinking below $53 to a level last seen during the Great Recession. It’s hard to recall that crude oil traded for over $100 a barrel as recently as July. Few saw the energy meltdown coming. Now that it’s here, industry analysts warn another move lower is possible as the momentum remains firmly to the downside. “If this doesn’t hold, we could go back to price levels in late 2008 and early 2009 — down in the $30s. There’s no reason why it couldn’t happen,” said Darin Newsom, senior analyst at Telvent DTN. That would be good news for the overall U.S. economy, especially consumers who are saving money each time they fill up their gas tanks. If oil fell to around $40 a barrel, that would translate to a national gas average of roughly $1.80 a gallon.

Yet lower prices are also pinching the oil industry, including the previously redhot Texan economy and highcost U.S. shale and Canadian oil sands producers. Several thousand layoffs in the energy sector have already been announced.

Why is oil so cheap?

The oil plunge has been fueled largely by excess supply caused by the North American energy revolution. In an effort to squeeze these new players and maintain market share, OPEC exacerbated the oversupply problem by deciding to keep production steady in late November. “It really is pretty mathematical. There is more oil than we need,” said Tamar Essner, energy analyst at Nasdaq Advisory Services.

Slowing demand for oil:

The world’s appetite for oil no longer looks insatiable. That’s largely due to the

slowing Chinese economy. The country’s oil demand had been growing at incredible rates, but now it’s in the low single digits. “Their economy is maturing. Just by definition it’s going to

spiked to $140, we actually saw a change in consumer habits,” said Newsom. Now that the U.S. and Canada have moved towards energy independence, scary

The world’s appetite for oil no longer looks insatiable. That’s largely due to the slowing Chinese economy. The country’s oil demand had been growing at incredible rates, but now it’s in the low single digits need less oil,” said Essner. Global demand is also being slowed by the fact that the U.S. and other mature economies have become more fuel efficient. “If you look out your window and watch cars going by you don’t see huge gas guzzlers as much. When the market

headlines out of the Middle East no longer seem to spook the energy markets. The socalled “geopolitical risk premium” built into the price of oil has all but vanished. “So much supply was contingent on the Middle East where there was always the potential for things to go

haywire,” said Essner. She pointed to recent supply disruptions in Libya that had no impact on oil prices. In fact, prices kept dropping.

What’s next:

This is hardly the first time oil prices have suffered a dramatic tumble. A supply glut and economic turmoil in Asia caused prices to collapse in the late 1990s. One key difference between then and now is how much oil has grown as an asset class for investors. That could increase the chances of a downward spiral as investors panic and dump their holdings, said Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at the Oil Price Information Service. “If panic hits those financial companies that have a lot of exposure to oil on the upside, the numbers you may think are burlesque or hyperbole like $35 or even $25 suddenly become real possibilities, if only for a brief period of time,” said Kloza. “Anything can happen in 2015.” •Egan is of the CNN

Page 48, SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015

VIEWPOINT By Idowu Taiwo

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

The road to a graft free society

HE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) ended 2014 with a renewed vigour in discharging its constitutional duty of fighting corruption in Nigeria. A studied shift in paradigm of its operations, which to all intents and purposes, has started enjoying the confidence of more Nigerians is undoubtedly responsible for this new development. Put differently, the recent exploits by the Commission, headed by Barrister Ekpo Nta, in tackling corruption has been matching the expectations of watchers of the Commission who had always wanted ICPC to be more aggressive by initiatives and result oriented by operations . Since he came on board, Ekpo Nta has consistently been labouring to en-graft a new trick in the mode of fighting corruption by ICPC. He had severally schooled officials and Nigerians on the importance of a preventive approach and a bottom-up means for combating acts of corruption. Such, he believes are more effective such that every step taken in the right direction by the antigraft commission would attract only a modicum of hype, while the greater results are obtained at the end. In the past one year, ICPC, after its system study of tertiary ed-

ICPC: Winning the battle against corruption ucational system, sealed many tertiary institutions which had been offering fake admissions to unsuspecting students. So far, ICPC had sanitised the process of application of travelling visas by Nigerians through a synergy with Embassies to keep off touts. It has assisted in developing the right mechanisms for arresting monumental fraud in the Nigeria’s pension system, while all the same ensuring that those collecting multiple salaries within the government establishments face the law. In the past two weeks, the National Headquarters of ICPC has been buzzing with activities from visits by agencies of government one after the other, each attempting to forge ties with the Commission on how to curb corruption within their respective agencies, using a preventive approach which is now in vogue. The import of the new mode of fight against corruption being employed by ICPC sank k when the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) visited the Commission’s in Abuja. Specifically, ICPC featured JAMB in its 11th Good Governance Forum, with the Registrar, Professor Dibu Ojerinde as Guest Speaker. The insightful and quite impactfull lecture by the JAMB Registrar, was indeed, a good expose on the message being preached all along by the ICPC Chairman that corruption could be fought more

effectively by special designs which do not make room for hasty arrest and instant humiliation of offenders. Ojerinde told his listeners how JAMB has been able to stamp out the issue of malpractices in the conduct of its examinations in the past two years, using subtle, but more progressive means that never encouraged hyping.

The emphasis now in ICPC, as theorised by Nta, is the prevention of acts of corruption from the root rather than fighting the menace from the roof top

The JAMB Registrar stunned the audience at the ICPC Auditorium with the manner the Examination body deployed Information Technology for detecting all tricks, hitherto employed by the JAMB applicants to cheat during examinations. Those in attendance listened with rapt attention how JAMB through the Registrar was able to institute a measure with Computer Based Test (CBT) to stamp out the art of multiple registration for JAMB exams, impersonation, leakages of examination papers, cloning of JAMB results, admission letters, call up letters and others. At the end of the lecture, both the JAMB and ICPC saw the necessity for the two to continue to compare notes, while looking further into areas by which they could co-operate to fight the acts of corruption more within the academic system in Nigeria. Earlier, the ICPC took its fight against corruption to the next level when it signed a memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Aviation on the fight against corruption at the Nigeria’s main international airport. A ceremony marking this took place in Lagos with the Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, and Nta in attendance. With the MoU signed, both the ICPC and Aviation Ministry would henceforth begin to synergise efforts towards stamping out corruption at both the exit and

entry ports of Nigeria. Ekpo Nta said the strategies to be employed by the Aviation Ministry and ICPC in this process, include mandatory training on ethics and integrity at the anti – graft agency’s academy for personnel of all stakeholders deployed to work at the airports. Earlier, The Director General of Pension Transitional Management Directorate, (PETAD), Nellie Mayshak, in her visit to the ICPC headquarters told the management that of efforts by the agency to guarantee the security of pension funds in Nigeria have so far been producing huge results. The PETAD, according to the Director General, was soliciting the assistance of ICPC towards strengthening the Pension Management with a view to ensuring further reduction of corruption within the system In Nigeria today, ICPC has become a focal point for public and private institutions with desire to curb corruption in their systems. It is all a tell tale that ICPC is now on top the correct logic required for the effective battle against corruption. The emphasis now in ICPC, as theorised by Nta, is the prevention of acts of corruption from the root rather than fighting the menace from the roof top.

• Taiwo lives in Lokoja

Pomp as quintessential Hosa Okunbo turns 57 VIEWPOINT By Sufuyan Ojeifo

TRIBUTE IN BRIEF

Celebrating a philanthropist on his birthday

HE time has come again to celebrate the quintessence of humanity in Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo (aka Captain Hosa) as he turns 57 this month. Born on January 7, 1958, Hosa’s birthday has always provided an opportunity for family members, friends and political associates to get involved in the annual ritual of clinking wine glasses in toast for longevity and wishing the titanic business investor and unassuming political leader well as he begins another year ’s journey in life. As a business titan, he has broken the glass ceilings by his accomplishments in many areas of business into which he ventured. His foray into business in 1988 saw him establish Hoslyn Ventures Nigeria Limited, a company that was into procurement in the oil and gas sector. He is, today, the Chairman of Ocean Marine Security Limited, a company responsible for offshore asset protection for major oil companies in Nigeria, including the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); and PPP Fluid Mechanics Limited, a crude oil logistics company. A major shareholder in Westminster Group Plc, United Kingdom, and Chairman of Westminster Security Solutions Limited, a franchise of Westminster Group

Plc UK, Hosa also chairs Wells Dredging Limited, involved in dredging, sand filling and shore protection in the Niger Delta, as well as Wells Habitat Limited, a company partnering the Abuja Environmental Protection Agency in the area of waste management. Hoslyn Habitat Limited, a foremost design, construction and landscaping company, and Wells Property Development Company Limited, involved in the development of affordable properties for low-income earners, high net-

Indeed, it is the humility together with other outstanding qualities of this cosmopolitan businessman and perceptive politician that I have taken time to celebrate as he turns 57

worth individuals and office development, are both thriving under his chairmanship. He is a Director of Global Scan Systems Limited, a company responsible for the destination inspection of cargoes at the ports; Phil Nugent Nigeria Limited, involved in gas processing; and, Oil Offshore Combination; he is also a Director of Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Limited for the Ibadan and Yola Power Distribution Companies (Discos) among many other viable companies operating in Nigeria and abroad. Yet with these massive portfolios of viable investments and companies, running into billions of naira, Hosa is not conceited. He moves about without putting on airs; he is as inscrutable as he comes. He has chosen to wear the attire of simplicity, which is, perhaps, a product of his humble upbringing, made possible by the discipline of a clergy father, teacher and community leader, the late Reverend Robert Amos Okunbo. Indeed, it is the humility together with other outstanding qualities of this cosmopolitan businessman and perceptive politician that I have taken time to celebrate as he turns 57. His life is a study in resilience. He has remained steadfast all through the years, especially in the beginning that was not a bed of roses. Indeed, with a “cando” spirit, he began a career in the aviation industry as a commercial pilot. That was after his education at Government Primary School, Benin City, from

•Okunbo where he proceeded to the Federal Government College, Warri, in 1971, where he sat for his West African School Certificate Examination and passed in flying colours in 1975. He attended the Nigerian Civil Aviation Training Centre (NCATC), Zaria, where he graduated as a commercial pilot in 1979 at the age of 21, consequent upon which he started his professional career as a co-pilot with Aero Contractors Limited, which sponsored him to NCATC. He attended ACME School of Aeronautics, Fort Worth Texas in 1983 where he obtained his Airline Transport Pilot Licence and was made a captain in the same year at the age of 25. He flew as captain with the Intercontinental Airlines and, in 1985, joined the

services of Okada Airlines from where he retired in 1988 at the age of 30, having logged over 7,000 hours in flying time most of which were jet time. He has deployed his resources to build a loyal followership in the politics of his Edo South. He has continued to play the role of a reliable principal. He has loyalists across the two political parties-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC). For his steadfastness and capacity to galvanise financial resources for the activities of the party, he has emerged as the PDP leader in the southern district of the state. For his outstanding contributions to peace and good governance as well as development of his constituency, he was in 2007 honoured with the Justice of the Peace (JP). In 2012, the American Congress honoured him with the “African Titan” Award for being a voice of the Niger Delta people through a movie which he single-handed sponsored, titled: “Black November ”. The University of Benin has also conferred on him Doctor Degree in Business Administration (Honoris Causa). Not too long ago, the Oba of Benin recognised and decorated him as a worthy ambassador of the ancient kingdom, preparatory to a chieftaincy title which will come in no time. As Hosa clocks 57, I can only say let the compassion continue to flow to your people and to mankind. Happy birthday!

•Ojeifo, a journalist, is resident in Abuja.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015,

VIEWPOINT By Uche Olehi VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF Needless animosity against a gubernatorial candidate

INCE his election as the flag bearer of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 governorship election, there have been misguided comments and smear campaigns against Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu. During his campaign for reelection, Governor T.A. Orji had insisted on implementing the Abia Charter of Equity (ACE) after his tenure. This was a power sharing arrangement initiated and agreed upon by the founding fathers of the state. This arrangement specifies the sharing of political offices in a manner that none of the divisions at the time of creating the state would dominate the other. The purpose was to entrench equity, justice, fairness among the blocs. Precisely, the two power blocs are the old Bende Zone and Aba Division. Of the two zones, the old Aba bloc (Ukwa/Ngwa) is yet to produce the state governor since 1999. It is understandable that part of the argument opposing forces put forward against this arrangement is that Ukwa-Ngwa

Page 49

Abia: The gang-up against Ikpeazu people are spread in the three local government areas of Abia Central and, therefore, could not lay claims to being marginalized in producing the highest political office in the state. But this position is not only dangerously to equity, it is also presumptuous and preposterous. At the time ACE was adopted, three divisions - Afikpo Division, Bende Division and Aba Division-were operational. Of these, only Aba Division is yet to produce the governor. Rather than being pilloried, Orji must be lauded for remaining committed to this sacred union. Upholding the rotation of power between these old blocs definitely would sustain peace fair play in the state. It is not by happenstance that this man’s names (Okezie Ikpeazu) means where there is equity; injustice (bickering) takes a back sit. Another argument detractors are exploring to discredit him is that he was sponsored by Orji and as such his conscience will be mortgaged and he will do the biding of this mentor. This is nothing but a puerile logic at reducing dissonance and clothing a Sadducee with the garb of the

Pharisee. Even if we concede, for the matter of this position, that the governor is Ikpeazu’s godfather, what is wrong with that? All over the world, political apprenticeship is a practice. It is either you are sponsored for an election by a person, group of persons, or you go alone. Even at that, the lone-

Rather than being pilloried, Orji must be lauded for remaining committed to this sacred union

ranger will still need the goodwill of community leaders and political heavyweights to reach a wider audience. It is reasonable to assume that some people are intimidated by the profile of Ikpeazu as an acclaimed academician. Many Nigerians are used to romancing with mediocrity and settling for the second best. But the choice of Abia PDP is handing the party’s guber flag to Ikpeazu is a confirmation of the desire of the people to have the best brains preside over the affairs of the state. With B.Sc, MSc and PhD degrees in various aspects of biochemistry with focus in biochemical toxicology, he rose to become the Head of Department of Applied Chemistry, Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT). A teacher of people and a leader of men, it will be unfair if we say he is not suited to the job and has no experience to excel in office. He is not a novice in public service. When Orji needed a thoroughbred, knowledgeable and dependable hand to bring sanity to the chaos and disorder that was the environment of Aba, he didn’t search far before picking Ikpeazu, who he made his

Special Adviser on Environment and Sanitation and later appointed as Deputy General Manager of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA). Besides his towering credentials as a scholar, an intellectual and educator, Ikpeazu has remained a grassroots person; a man of the people, a party loyalist, a team player; a good listener, a humble and downto-earth personality. These are the hallmarks of a good leader. For sure, he will preside over a peaceful and unified state where every Abian would be accommodated and celebrated. He is not just the choice of the PDP; he is the choice of the citizens of Abia including Abia elders. The democratic space is always open. Instead of running campaigns that denigrate and impugn on his personality, it is wise that those who lost out in the governorship primary of the party should join hands with Dr. Ikpeazu. Abia must remain the number one state; Abia must remain God’s own state.

•Olehi, a journalist, is based in Umuahia

Of mutiny and the lesson from Pakistan VIEWPOINT By Reno Omokri VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF The opposition’s seeming support for terrorists

was preparing my regu lar end of year/beginning of the New Year analysis on Nigeria when the airwaves were almost physically assaulted by the unexplainable call by the Buhari Campaign Organization of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the military to mutiny! On regaining my composure after the shock I got on reading the news, I asked myself why anybody would make such a call especially at this time when Nigeria is contending with terrorists who want to force their interpretation of Islam and their way of life on the rest of us. Hadn’t the maker of that statement learnt anything from the way Pakistan is united behind the government and the military after the terrorist attack at the Army Public School in Peshawar? When terrorists strike in Nigeria, the opposition blames the government and undermines the military by politicizing the incident. And, worse still, they sow seeds of discord by spreading conspiracy theories which end up making it difficult for the armed forces to build relationships of trust between them and the local com-

munities at the frontlines of the insurgency. The Nigerian opposition appear to have put their own spin on John Lyly’s immortal words and now believe that ‘all is fair in hatred and politics’. But let us look at the response of the people of Pakistan to the Peshawar attack in which 145 innocent children died.

The Nigerian opposition appear to have put their own spin on John Lyly’s immortal words and now believe that ‘all is fair in hatred and politics’

Before the attack, the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party had organized the largest ever public protest march in Pakistani history against the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. As soon as party leader Imran Khan announced plans for the protest march, his fellow opposition leader, Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri’s political party Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) also announced his own party’s protest march against the government. The subsequent protest march became so big that it was nick named the ‘Tsunami March’ by the Pakistani press and was constantly growing and threatened the governing Pakistan Muslim League party’s hold on power as other protest marches erupted simultaneously in various cities across Pakistan. However, as soon as news filtered in of the terror attacks at the Peshawar school, Imran Khan, called off the protest, saying, “Due to the situation in the country right now, we have decided to end our protests, decision had been made in light of the terrorist attack on a school in Peshawar ”. When asked why he took the action, Khan said “the country needed national unity”. This is leadership! You do not have to hold a government position before you can show leadership. You

start where you are and Khan has shored up his leadership potentials in Pakistan by this act than he ever would have been able to do with his ‘Tsunami March’! Why can’t our opposition learn from this selfless act? Nigeria has been in the throes of the Boko Haram insurgency and the only way we can defeat this scourge is if we unite as a nation irrespective of political, religious and regional differences the way we did with Ebola. We can’t be fighting a war on terror and then the opposition is encouraging the military to mutiny. I thought long and hard on the call by Rotimi Amaechi, the Buhari Campaign Organization’s Director General and my conclusion is that we could all do with a bit of history and ecclesiastical lessons here. I am a student of religion. The holy Bible and the Quran urge readers to obey the golden rule: “Do to others what you would have them do to you”-Matthew 7:12. One of the Hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad SAW says, “PAheb li akheek ma tuhibu li nafsik,” which translates to “ wish for your brother what you wish for yourself ”. Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), who himself led a mutiny against a democratically elected gov-

ernment in December 1983 (almost 31 years to the exact day when his campaign team made the shocking call to mutiny), has, on many occasions, lamented the mutiny of his own officers against him in the palace coup of 1985. Going by this historical antecedent, it is somewhat befuddling that the respected former military Head of State is today sanctioning mutiny amongst our soldiers. Nigerians believed Buhari when he said that the fall of the defunct Soviet Union had cured him of his anti-democratic streak. However, the statement by his campaign organization calls into question his conversion and suggests that there is more than a latent anti-democratic leaning deep within him and it would be good for Nigeria’s democracy for the general to distance himself from that call in order not to be seen as sending out a subliminal anti democratic message especially in view of the comment made by his party in January 23rd 2014 through its then Deputy National Secretary who said “the next election is likely to be violent and many people are likely going to die (in the process). And the only alternative left to get power is to take it by force; this is the reality on ground”.

*Omokri is Special Assistant on New Media to President Jonathan.

PAGE 50—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 4, 2015

DIASPORA

AfICTA to engage for long haul towards ‘smart’ Africa vision — Olufuye Nigeria will change, when

there is individual rebirth

By EMEKA AGINAM

HE Chairman of Africa Information and Communication Technologies Alliance (AfICTA), Dr Jimson Olufuye has assured that the organization would engage for the long haul towards the ‘smart’ Africa vision. Olufuye who spoke recently at the just concluded AfICTA summit held in Cairo, told the gathering that AfICTA would achieve this through organizing nongovernment ICT stakeholders in Africa for effective local and continental advocacy, be the focal point for Africa ICT advocacy in the global digital economy, promoting constant improvement in African digital literacy in collaboration with stakeholders, among others. According to him, AfICTA would contribute to capacities building by promoting best practices, encouraging regional projects, sharing data, skills, expertise, events, business announcements, exhibitions, seminars, and many more. He said that 21st Century belongs to Africa, the 2nd largest continent in the world with more than 1.1 billion people. “With Africa together, we shall realize our full potentials for a ‘smart’ Africa we very much desire.” he added. At the summit that was hosted under the auspices of H. E. Eng Atef Helmy, the Minister of Communication and Information Technology of the Arab Republic of Egypt, he said that based on International Telecommunication Union (ITU) statistics, close to 30% African are on the Internet. He said, Internet penetration is growing at 45%, and we are close to 100% teledensity and over $100b infrastructure projects (in the area of broadband, electricity, and transportation) are currently on going across Africa. He emphasized that, Africa is growing and must continue to grow smart to boost intra-African trade which is currently below 8%. According to the former Information Technology Association of Nigeria, ITAN, AfICTA was committed to continuous engagement with all stakeholders both within and without Africa. “AfICTA is committed to effective collaboration among all stakeholders including but not limited to; governments, the civil

•Dr Jimson Olufuye societies, academia, technical community, business and Intergovernmental organizations” he added. According to him, AfICTA has already signed MOU with the Information Technology Industry Agency of Egypt (ITIDA), the sponsor of the summit, and collaborating with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) with whom AfICTA partnered to organise the Domain Name System (DNS) workshop; and partnered with the Alliance for Affordable Internet for All (A4IA) to promote the need for Internet access affordability for the African community. Accordingly, he informed that AfICTA signed an MOU with her counterpart in Asia, the Asia – Oceania Computing Industry Organismic (ASOCIO) represented by Mr Stan Singh. He thanked H. E. President Abdel Fattah elSisi, the Minister of C & IT, Eng. Atef Helmy, the Director of International Relations, Nermine El Saadany, the board and management of EITESAL for hosting Africa. He also thanked Egypt IT Industry Development Agency, the Business

With Africa together, we shall realize our full potentials for a ‘smart’ Africa

Constituency of ICANN, ICANN, National IT Development Agency (NITDA) Nigeria, and all sponsors of the summit for their support. Also speaking while declaring the Summit open, the Egyptian Minister of Communication & Information Technology, H. E. Eng Atef Helmy welcomed all and expressed Egyptian government’s commitment to engaging with the rest of Africa in the spirit of African brotherhood; the private sector and AfICTA in particular because he believes in a smart Africa driven by the private sector. He counseled that the “momentum already generated should be sustained and AfICTA can count on the support of the government and people of Egypt”. Earlier, the Chair of the Summit Organising Committee, Eng Hossam El-Gamal and the Chairman of EITESAL Dr Hazem El Tahawy, expressed delight to receive all delegates to Egypt and assured that Egypt private sector will continue to play important role in Africa private sector engagement with all stakeholders. Meanwhile, more than 200 delegates from 20 African countries attended the summit including three other Ministers of ICTs from Tanzania, Djibouti and Ethiopia. Also in attendance was the Coordinator of NEPAD Africa Dr Edmund Katiti, Mr Markus Kummer, former Chair of IGF and now ICANN Board member; ICANN Global Stakeholder Coodinator Patrick Jones, Internet Hall of Fame inductee, Nii Quaynor of Ghana, Mr Adrian Schofield, AfICTA Vice-Chair, Mr Roger Latchman WITSA Deputy Chair & AfICTA Board member. Other board members in attendance include from Nigeria Engr Lanre Ajayi and Engr Tola Sogbesan, and from Kenya Dr Waudo

HE most common word among Nigeri ans right now is "Change". In every corner in Nigeria, change is the word. And by extension Nigerians in diaspora are not left out. They are also "demanding" change, mostly (though) on the social media platforms. Some of them are packing their bags and "jetting" to Nigeria to be part of the change revolution. These patriotic Nigerians in diaspora argue that you cannot effect change by being thousands of miles away. They think to be agents of change, they need to strategically position themselves on ground in Nigeria rather than be contented with joining the army of change on social media. They reckon that change needs more than the "revolutionary posts" some of their compatriots are churning out on Facebook, Twitter etc. These set of Nigerians who have put their faith in their "legs" and decided to relocate home must be praised. The patriotic instinct in them has been ignited and they believe they can make an impact in the process. However, I hasten to say that at the approach of general elections in the country, some Nigerians in diaspora usually see these as opportunities to fit in to the "system" they walked away from some years back. Unfortunately, most of them come back after these elections with disappointments and unpleasant stories. I have often asked myself why majority of them get frustrated out of Nigeria's political system. The truth is that things are done differently in the society they came from and they soon discover they cannot fit into the peculiar Nigeria "system" where every "card" is played on ethnicity and religion. But it takes a lot of convincing to change the mind of a determined Diasporan not to go on a fruitless political journey. THE CHANGE IS HERE The "journey" to "change" peaked in Nigeria towards the end of 2014. The word has literarily replaced the national anthem. It has also rested (hopefully) the iconic words "Bring Back Our Girls". In the last part of 2014, Nigerians realised there must be a change. And we have all been chanting this word and making no progress towards effecting the real change. The politicians are vociferous about the change that has to come. The ordinary masses are in it too, believing this is what can guarantee their basic meals.

Change does not come in a vacuum, it has to be effected. And no society can be changed without changing the individual. The Nigerian has to change himself before the society can change In recent times, especially with the Nigerian situation, I have come to realise that change has different meanings. It depends on what side you are. To the politicians shouting change, what they want is a change in their personal status, so they can have control of the resources. While the ordinary Nigerians want a miraculous change that will create millions of jobs, banish poverty and put nice meals on their tables. I love Nigerians. We are a unique people. This uniqueness is reflected in what we do, and how we realise results. This is also reflected in our politicians. They are all over the places chanting change, with no laid down process to achieve this. A friend of mine during the week lamented that what we are demanding as a nation is superficial. He argued that for any meaningful change to happen, the individual psyche must be "retuned". Unfortunately, what we want as Nigerians is a change of government and not a change of individuals. We ask who are the people who make up the government! These are individuals and they are Nigerians. If we change the government and bring in new set of Nigerians, we shall still be shouting change in a few months’ down the line. It is the psyche of the ordinary Nigerians that need change, and not the political grandstanding our leaders are engaged in now. An ordinary Nigerian believes the government is a gateway to wealth, so getting into government is a means of having a comfortable life for himself and his family. Without a change of this mentality, there is no "change" coming to Nigeria. Change does not come in a vacuum, it has to be effected. And no society can be changed without changing the individual. The Nigerian has to change himself before

the society can change. And this is the mistake these agents of change are making. Change cannot be achieved overnight. It has to be a steady process. The change campaign is obviously a failure from the beginning. It is set up to fail because the foundation is wrong. Our politicians have different reasons for demanding "change". Mr A. who lost his political party primaries is demanding change. Mr B. is demanding change because a party has been in power for "far too long". While Mrs C. is demanding a change because the candidate is not from her "neck of the woods". And Chief Z. wants a change because there are more opportunities for economic patronage from a particular candidate. While the masses are just confused, they do not even know what they are supposed to be voting to change. The Nigerian case is different in many ways. This is a country where politicians campaign to win a major election purely on mudslinging and sentiments. In other climes, elections are won on the basis of how candidates have drawn out plans to change the lives of citizens. The 2015 General Elections in Nigeria is just a few weeks away, yet no manifestoes and the voters do not know what "change" these candidates are hoping to bring. All we hear is "Time For Change." The United Kingdom General Elections takes place a few months away too, yet the politicians are already educating the voters on their plans. On Friday, the ruling Conservative Party came out with its first campaign ad. It was a simple yet effective one that highlighted how many jobs it created and how it halved the country's deficit. No mention was made of the opposition parties' educational qualifications or religion. But we are obsessed with change. Will there ever be a change? Will the education sector ever witness a change? Will the health sector ever witness a change? Will anything ever change in the year 2015? Will anything ever change in Nigeria after the elections? These are questions that are begging for answers. Unfortunately, none is here.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 51 japhdave@yahoo.com 08066625505 ByJAPHET ALAKAM & PRISCA SAM-DURU LITERATURE

Events that shaped 2014 Literary world

espite the economic and security challenges in the country, the literary industry has evolved so much that it keeps recording tremendous success with each passing year. The year 2014 was indeed an improvement on the past years. With very few pitfalls, there were lots of interesting activities that kept the industry alive. The year under review witnessed the welcoming of icons into the club of octogenarians. Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, Professor Elechi Amadi and Emeritus Professor, Ayo Banjo all turned 80 and it was celebration galore as the literary community rolled out drums in celebration for that. A lot of activities and festivals were put together to honour them for attaining 80 as well as for the giant strides they have made towards the development of literature both in Nigeria and Africa. The major event was Professor Soyinka birthday, where many festivals, stage plays, book events were organised in his honour.The activities started earlier in the year with Pirates confraternity which he co founded that organised a lecture and opened a web site for the Soyinka lecture series. Thereafter, Zmirage, WS/ICE, that has been anchoring his birthday celebration since five years took over and from Lagos, Osun, Ondo and finally in Abeokuta his home state several events were packaged to that effect, and it was great as many keyed into it. Songs, drama, film, lectures, music After the Ogun lap of the celebration , the art community in Lagos took over again and the venue was the Freedom Park, Lagos where for five days they celebrated him with songs, drama, film, lectures, music etc. While many were relaxing after a long celebration, the government of Rivers State led by its art loving governor, Chibuike Amaechi organised a birthday dinner in his honour at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Port Harcourt. In the same year, in far away America, one of Nigeria’s respected playwright, Prof Tess Onwueme, an eminent University Professor of Global Letters at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire was honoured by her university. It was in celebration of the Archival Collection of Professor Tess Osonye Onwueme, The distinguished Professor of Cultural Diversity and English for her contributions to the literary world. It was such a wonderful occasion that attracted many scholars and dignitaries, including His Excellency, President

•Prof Achebe’s Arrow of God celebrated 50 Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR,who was represented by Molara Wood, (Special Assistant to the President on Documentation). Another great event of the year was the global celebration of Albert Chinuanulumogu Achebe’s Arrow of God which turned 50. Achebe was one of Africa’s best novelists and story teller, though he joined his ancestors in 2013, but his footprints are still here and would live forever. The book, his third novel after Things Fall Apart and No Longer at Ease was first published by HEBN in 1964. The novel is adjudged as one of the most widely read novel in modern African literature, a feat that has given it a place in the world literary table. It featured an international Colloquium with the theme: Arrow of God@50: Literature, Leadership, and National Unity which was held between April 23 and May 3, 2014 in seven cities. The cities include Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja, Sokoto, Awka, Ogidi with the grand finale at the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State. Also in the same year, The city of Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers state, Nigeria entered into the history book as it became the first sub-Saharan African City to be named UNESCO World Book Capital. At an elaborate ceremony which was witnessed by literary icons and dignitaries within and outside the country including the former President, Abdusalam Abubakar (Retd) in Portharcourt, the deputy governor of Bangkok, Mr Ammorn Kitchawenghui formally handed over to Rivers state governor, Rt Hon. Rotimi Amaechi the right and title of the UNESCO World Book

In the same year, the city of Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State , Nigeria entered into the history book as it became the first sub-saharan African city to be named UNESCO World Book Capital

•Prof Wole Soyinka, clocked 80 “An Evening with Prof Ayo Banjo at 80” organised by Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd (NLNG) to celebrate the erudite professor who was inducted into the octogenarian club. It was a heart-warming moment for all as distinguished friends, colleagues, former students, family members and admirers thronged the prestigious Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos to celebrate him with fond memories. Another literary giant, Prof Eko Ebele who retired as a Professor of English from the University of Calabar turned 70 and the industry also put up events both in Calabar and Lagos, to celebrate her. She utilised the opportunity to present a book she edited which was titled, Masterpieces of African Literature. Although she hasn’t yet clocked 80, Prof Akachi Ezeigbo was not left out of the accolades as the English Department of the University of Lagos, presented a

Festchrift in her honour. The event which took place at the Afe Babalola Hall, attracted many Academics who joined in the celebration. The Macmillan Youth Cultural Day and the 12th Macmillan Literary Night held in May and November respectively. Both literary events were a huge plus to the development of Literature in the country. The 16th Lagos Book and Arts Festival (LABAF)which held in November, was another major event that made the industry worth speaking about. It was organised as part of activities put together to celebrate Prof Wole Soyinka’ 80th birthday. Aside the numerous celebrations, there were so many new books that made it to the market which is an eloquent indication that more and more writers are joining the trend and making more impact on the transformation of the industry. The out-gone year was also made interesting with the literary prizes that held. The

Capital 2014, with this feat the city will bear the title from April 23rd 2014 till April 22nd 2015 when it will eventually hand it over to Incheon (South Korea). The Rainbow Book Club (RBC), organisers of the annual Garden City Literary Festival (GCLF), now known •Continues on page 52 as Port Harcourt Book Festival (PHBF), was not left out as they a l s o brought t h e whole world t o Nigeria for the 2014 literary festival. There w a s a l s o •Celebration time,Prof Tess Onwueme(m) did not forget her dancing style

PAGE 52—SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015 japhdave@yahoo.com 08066625505

Eustace Ukonu’s tripple solution to knowledge out ByJAPHET ALAKAM BOOK NEWS

he search for knowledge is very important for the development of man and nation. It was as result of its importance that prophet Hosea noted that “ my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” and ever since he made that statement,many people have gone extra miles to make sure that they do not fall victims of that. That is why many bookstands and shelves are filled with different kinds of books and many are still working towards bringing out more as the search for knowledge continues. But despite that there are still areas that have not been covered and in a bid to make sure that people have enough to feed their search,Brother Eustace Nnamdi T. Ukonu, a consultant, teacher, evangelist and Director of the Victory of Cross Ministries International came up with a number of books. One of his books has already received widely acclaim is Intercessors- Divine Change Agents. The book which is a practical guide on how to pray

and intercede for others has touched many lives. According to him, “the book is essentially a clarion call and a call to action to all who call on the name of Jesus Christ to embrace intercession and a prayerful life to redeem lives from the jaws of the oppressor.” As a result of the success of the book, the man of God is out with three new books entitled Illusion of bitterness; Trials in the Forest and Onuyi Verses; An Anthology of poems, psalms and dirges. The books which has a lot to offer to Nigerians especially in this trying and electioneering period will be officially presented to the public this year. A preview of some of the books reveals such, for example in Illusion of bitterness, the 56 pages book brings to the fore the solutions to series of problems which has caused untold hardship to many. The book will help you to identify any hidden root of bitterness that is unknowingly suffocating you and causing you un-diagnosable illnesses, mental and physical. It will also help individuals from within to heal and reconcile families, villages and nations. Onuyi Verses; An Anthology of poems, psalms and dirges,

By OCHUKO ABRAHAM EGUVABORE

New Ages Yet To Come

ncient confesses, The earth; …Captive of waters, and lifeless, Under bondage she lived like gold, Discovered and special, it was not sold, Seem so fair and beautiful, beauty lies within. Pregnant to deliver all therein, They are new and glittering, … The same and the old fashion, and life is truncating Differences are clear, By the ado of those satisfied by ad nauseam, Many with fear, And this seems to exist ad infinitum, Should we expect new ones?

is a book that truly expresses the author’s feelings of love, admiration, faith, gratitude and praise at different times, different seasons and in far flung locations. While Trials in the Forest, is an exciting fictional story filled with suspence, mystery, humor and woven with wisdom and philosophy; highlighting the triumph of good over evil, of the triumph of the virtues of contentment, persistence, sacrifice, patience and teamwork in sports and in life.

Ev ents that shaped 20 14 Lit erar orld Events 201 Literar eraryy w world •Continued from page 51 Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa, a panAfrican writing prize in the year 2014 which went to Akin Bello. He was announced winner in July, at a grand ceremony at The Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. Akin Bello’s The Egbon of Lagos beat the two contenders Toyin Abiodun and Othuke Ominibohs to clinch the prize money of $20,000. The prize was established in 2005 by the The Lumina Foundation in honour of Africa’s first Nobel Laureate in literature, Wole Soyinka. Akin Bello, the former Chairman of the Oyo State chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), was selected by a panel of five judges. Next was the Nigeria Prize For Literature sponsored by Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG). Prof. Sam Ukala was announced winner of the 2014 edition of the biggest literary prize in Africa which comes with a $100,000 cash prize. He was among a short list of 3 that included Friday John Abba and Jude Idada. He won for his play Iredi War. Interestingly, the prize for literary criticism was awarded for the first time since it was instituted in 2012. The award is given to the most outstanding piece of literary criticism in the last four years. Isidore Diala emerged winner for his article “Colonial Mimicry and Post-Colonial Remembering” in “Isidore Okpewho’s Call Me by my Rightful name” published in the Journal of Modern Literature Vol.36. No. 4. In the search for Africa’s best début fiction writer for 2014, Etisalat Nigeria in December 2014, announced a shortlist of three very strong writers. The shortlisted writers and their works are Nadia Davids, An Imperfect Blessing published by Random House Struik-Umuzi; Chinelo Okparanta, Happiness Like Water published by Granta Publication and Songeziwe Mahlangu, Penumbra published by Kwela

SUNDAY POEMS

Age of the biped grows old serpent’s skin, And her mother suffers it not alone, … Blames from offspring(s); who is the next of kin? Their acts make her ugly like vampire … And her time aghast, this is agony! The same and some agog now they are on fire, That new ones to come and wear away the aeon of agony, But wait till the aves develop teeth, Their opine to it thickens, becomes opaque without a way While mundane in their state and gnash teeth, Become like carcasses born out of cataclysm. Die, they may, Now; folly and whore, been woe of fierce wrath, Hence, foes of purity and are fogies without foible, … Even may deny fluke. Agog for fluke is now utopia while the cleansers have not come, Then, may their morale deliver messiahs and martinet; the preference, The new ages with verisimilitude to make a difference!

When the body has rested

ove on; the sun shines, Don’t stop, to dine and wine, Though he can’t be stopped, Faster he worked. Having realized the fact that failure to rest, Leads to being laid to rest, Let go the thought; what comes ahead, Forsake consciousness; the weak are ahead.

•Nadine Gordimer joined her ancestors

Anon, He shall come from above; And go away with the white doves, To the pit below; The stained go, not to flow. I can’t go by the body; Up above, welcome no body, I shall drop it to rest at a time; So I can fly on time. And now the ennui in me is sufficient; As body becomes the work of ancient, Now return unto dust its glory; Destination and category, life I found in Heaven.

From High Class Poems” a collection of poems inspired, and manifested to bring a brighter fact to its readers worldwide

Prof Dapo Adelugba Books, Imprint of NB Publishers. Sadly, the industry suffered a huge loss with the passing of one of its own, celebrated dramatist, teacher, theorist editor, writer and critic, Professor Adedapo Adelugba at 75.

Prof. Dapo Adelugba spent his last teaching years as Emeritus Professor at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, from where he retired finally two years ago. The Nobel Prize-winning South African author and antiapartheid activist, Nadine

Gordimer also, joined her ancestor. The widely read author of the July’s people coincidentally, died in July at the age of 90. Gordimer who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1991, was reported to have died peacefully in her sleep.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANAURY 4, 2015, PAGE 53

FA Cup fever grips Van Gaal L

OUIS van Gaal has reminded his Manchester United players they will be fighting for their lives when they face Yeovil in the FA Cup today. When asked to sum up the third round match against League One’s bottom side at Huish Park, the United manager said: “It is death or the gladioli.” Dutch road cyclist Gerrie Knetemann is thought to have coined the phrase in the 1970s and 1980s as the winner of Tour de France stages received a bouquet of gladiolus flowers. Others believe it dates back to Roman times when gladiators who killed their opponents also received flowers. “You are dead or you receive the gladiolus flower. In cup matches it’s always like that.” Van Gaal has won three domestic cups during his managerial career, but it has not always been a rosy picture for the 63year-old when it comes to knockout competitions.

In 1996 Van Gaal experienced one of the most embarrassing results of his career in the KNVB Cup when his Ajax team lost to second division side SC Cambuur. Louis van Gaal has had his share of ups and downs in the knockout rounds of major tournaments, including a 4-0 loss to Milton Keynes Dons in this season’s Capital One Cup. During Van Gaal’s illfated second spell at Barcelona, a team of internationals including Xavi, Michael Reiziger, Frank de Boer and Juan Roman Riquelme were knocked out of the Copa del Rey by third tier side Novelda in front of just 5,500 spectators. That defeat was so painful for Van Gaal that he has consigned any memory of it to the dustbin “I cannot remember anymore. It is wiped out of my mind,” he said. “But I do remember the criticism in Spain was very high after.”

LET’S GET IT ON ... Van Gaal, watches Wayne Rooney and Johnny Evans in training.

It will be difficult to replace Gerrard —Liverpool coach B

RENDAN Rodgers has defended the club’s handling of the Steven Gerrard contract situation, after the 34year-old announced he would be leaving the club when his deal expires at the end of the season, reports the

Liverpool Echo. Gerrard is set to move to the United States, and the Reds have received criticism from former players the likes of Jamie Carragher and Phil Thompson for not doing more to keep such an iconic figure at the

2015 Afcon: Fuludu predicts Ghana vs Algeria final E X-NIGERIA international Edema Fuludu has predicted the final of AFCON 2015 will be between Ghana and Algeria. Chairman Delta State League Management board Fuludu told AfricanFootball.com that both countries look good to win the trophy in the absence of the defending champions Nigeria. “It is very unfortunate that we won’t be in Equatorial Guinea to defend our title. I am not happy that we won’t be there as a Nigerian and a stakeholder, but we C M Y K

shot ourselves in the foot,” he said. “Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Algeria are good to win, but I will pick Algeria and Ghana for final. “I rated both teams highly at the World Cup in Brazil and we can see them play robust and cohesive football. They are the teams to beat unless they come the tournament for a jamboree, they have what it take to go that far. “ Fuludu won AFCON 1994 with Nigeria and also played in USA Gold Cup in 1995.

club. “When I came in here (in the summer of 2012) I still believed Steven had a lot to offer the team in terms of his performance and working here I see his great influence in the changing room with other players and the great work he does at the club,” said Rodgers. “But you always have at the back of your mind

he will move on and you have to look to bring through the next ones and that has had to be looked at. “It is near-on impossible to find a direct replacement for someone of that stature and quality but we have to continue with our work and find the top players to come in."

Mourinho banks on Ramires to revive Chelsea

IRREPLACEABLE — Gerrard

OSE Mourinho believes midfield maestro Ramires can help get Chelsea’s Premier League title charge back on track. The Blues started 2015 in awful fashion, slumping to a shock 5-3 defeat to Tottenham on New Year’s Day. Brazil star Ramires, who has recently been sidelined by an adductor injury, returned to action as a second-half substitute and provided a rare bright spot for Mourinho on terrible night at White Hart Lane. Despite conceding that

Ramires is not yet match-fit, Mourinho is convinced the 27-yearold can play a major role for Chelsea in the second-half of the season. “Hopefully Ramires is getting there step by step,” the Chelsea boss told the club’s official website. “Against Tottenham he played 45 minutes. He’s a player we need and he’s a player we haven’t had for the first part of the season. “When we had him he was not really ready and finally he looks like he’s almost getting there.”

PAGE 54, SUNDAY Vanguard, JANAURY 4, 2015

AYC 2015: NFF backs Flying Eagles to win in Senegal N

IGERIA Football Federation officials have pinned their hopes on the the nation’s under-20 the Flying Eagles to grind out results at the African Youth Championship to compensate for the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. The Flying Eagles featuring a good number of the U-17 Eaglets that won the FIFA World Cup 2013 in United Arab Emirate will start off their campaign on March 8 with host country Senegal, and then after face Congo and Cote ‘d Ivoire. According to NFF director of competitions, Sanusi Mohammed the team will be adequately prepared to face the tough task ahead. “Our focus is on winning the AYC. We

believe in this team and are very much encouraged by the unity and sense of purpose of the players. “To this end, we plan to get top quality friendly matches before the AYC and thereafter proceed on a training tour of a country with a similar weather condition to that of Senegal,” Sanusi said in Abuja during a visit to the Flying Eagles camp in Kaduna.

Flying Eagles players in a victory dance

Messi turns back on Chelsea A RGENTINA forward, Lionel Messi has committed his future to Barcelona, ending rumours of a move to Paris Saint Germain or Chelsea. According to the front page of Mundo Deportivo

OTH Esperance and Emem Eduok could be sanctioned by Football governing body, Fifa, after the Tunisian club announced (through unofficial sources) it has struck a deal with a wrong party, Dolphins of Port Harcourt, for the signature of the Nigeria B international. Sporting Director of Sarpsborg, Thomas Berntsen, has insisted that the Dolphins loanee penned a four - year contract in December 2014 after reaching an agreement with A & B academy, who own his economic rights. “Of course we have registered this, but relate to the agreement we have with the player himself and A & B Academy."

C M Y K

but Mundo Deportivo has claimed that Messi has a total commitment to the club. The paper further stated that Nassir Al-Khelaifi, president of PSG, was keen on the forward, while Chelsea had also readied themselves for a high bid.

Murray begins 2015 with trophy

Norwegian club claims ownership of Emem Eduok

in Spain, the Argentinian superstar has now confirmed he will stay at the Nou Camp for the foreseeable future. There had been rumours circulating of a potential move away from Barca, with Chelsea and PSG said to be preparing bids,

A •Messi

Former Enyimba defender dies

ORMER Enyimba defender, Romanus Orjinta was found dead in his Enugu home on New Year eve. The player’s remains was discovered by neighbours who became curious after the 33 year-old Orjinta was not seen in the public for several days. The cause of his death has not been known. Orjinta won the CAF Champions League with Enyimba in 2003.He was capped at full international level for Nigeria 13 times and

played across several Nigerian clubs including Heartland, Niger Tornadoes etc. He had a short stint in Norway.

Late Orjinta

NDY Murray picked up his first trophy of the season without having to play the final after Novak Djokovic withdrew ahead of their match in Abu Dhabi because of illness. Djokovic had looked in fine form in brushing aside Stanislas Wawrinka in the semifinals of the exhibition Mubadala World Tennis Championship on Friday. But the defending champion and world No1 revealed on Saturday he had been suffering from a fever. “I’ve been sick with a fever and I’m not fit to play,” Djokovic said. “I said after my match last night, the crowds here have shown their love of tennis again this year and always inspire me to play my best so I am hugely disappointed not to be able to play for

them tonight. I’m really disappointed not be able to take my chance of winning the trophy here again. Congratulations

•Murray

to Andy, it’s a shame I couldn’t play him today but I’m sure we will meet again soon.”

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015, PAGE 55

Drogba targets 5th FA Cup with Chelsea C

HELSEA striker Didier Drogba has designs on winning a fifth FA Cup as he prepares to return to the competition in his second spell at Stamford Bridge. The Ivorian scored what proved to be the winner in the 2007, 2010 and 2012 FA Cup finals, as well as being on target in the 2009 final against Everton. And the 36-year-old is keen to extend his FA Cup fairytale this season, with Chelsea starting their road to Wembley in the third round when Watford make the short trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday. With the Blues joint top of the Premier League, through to the League Cup semi-finals and into the last 16 of the Champions League, Jose Mourinho’s men are chasing a historic quadruple and Drogba told the club’s official website: “We have to do it together. “We want to achieve something great and I think that is why we have played well this season. I hope at the end of it we will be able to say together we won this trophy, this trophy and this trophy. “And yes, I would love to win another FA Cup. I would love to win it for the club and for the fans as well."

Suarez pays tribute to Gerrard

•Drogba

•Suarez

Ideye vows to score more goals for West Brom

OLLOWING the appointment of Tony Pulis as the new West Bromwich Albion manager, Nigeria striker

Brown Ideye has vowed to improve his goals tally for the Baggies. The 26-year old has scored just two goals for

Keshi Continued from back page

Lulu

Equatorial Guinea’s Continued from back women’s team, who he page led to the 2012 Nations Uchegbulam, Bolaji OjoCup title. As well as facing Oba and Taiwo Ogunjobi Congo, Becker would for offences bordering lead his new team out on “conspiracy and against Burkina Faso breach of due process is in and Gabon in Group A. which Equatorial Guinea contravention of the stepped in as last- public procurement act minute replacements for over purchase of two original hosts Morocco, buses.” The former NFF top who failed in their plea to the Confederation of officials were accused by African Football to the EFCC to have postpone the tournament breached due process in because of fears over the the purchase of two potential spread of the Marcopolo buses in a 10count charge when they deadly Ebola virus. As a result Equatorial were first arraigned in Guinea were handed October 2010. Lulu stated this while Morocco’s place at the responding to questions finals, despite having at his home town, Idah been eliminated during qualifying after they after the finals of the were penalised for 2015 FOSLA U-13 Cup fielding an ineligible about his future as regards to contesting for player. C M Y K

his former post as president of Nigeria’s top football governing body if there be fresh elections. The proprietor of FOSLA Academy expressed fulfillment in his success during his days in office and boasted his leadership record remains unsurpassed by his successors as there was all-round success and no complaints from any quarters. “I must at this point appreciate everyone who has been standing by me in the face of my predicament since the injustice I suffered in 2010. I believe in justice and those who for their desperate interests to sabotage our efforts and truncate our passionate visions will meet their doom and know no peace,” Abdullahi said.

West Brom in all competitions this season, despite arriving for a club record 10 million Pounds last summer from Ukrainian giants, Dynamo Kiev. However, following the sacking of the man who brought him to the club, Alan Irvine, and the appointment of Tony Pulis, Ideye reckons he must start scoring more goals. “I have to take each game as it comes, but my aim is to score in every match. As a striker you

•Ideye

want to score in every game and I am now challenging myself and I must work very hard for the team and score more goals,” Ideye said. But despite his ambition to improve on his goals, the Super Eagles striker also reckoned that they must start winning games, adding that it is the most important thing for him and his teammates. “The most important thing is to try and win every game and we must take every game as they come,”

UIS Suarez has paid tribute to Steven Gerrard ahead of the midfielder’s departure from Liverpool, describing himself as proud to have played with a “legend”. The 34-year-old confirmed on Friday that he will not renew his Reds contract, ending a 25-year association with his boyhood club, and is thought to be interesting a number of Major League Soccer clubs. Suarez, who played alongside Gerrard for three-and-a-half years, has called his time alongside the exEngland man among the “best” of his career and wrote of his admiration for his achievements. “With you I have lived one of the best moments of my career in a stadium. I am proud to say I played with a legend like you,” Suarez wrote on his Twitter handle, concluding, “I admire everything you have done during the years in Liverpool MY FRIEND. I wish you the best of the best!!”

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 4, 2015

Lulu: I want justice, not to be NFF president F ORMER president of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi, has declared that

he is no longer interested in returning as NFF president even though he is desirous of getting justice over his

Keshi loses out on Equatorial Guinea job •As FEGUIFUT is set to appoint Becker as coach

PECULATIONS linking out-of-contract Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi with the vacant position of head coach of the Equatorial Guinea national team have been put to rest with plans by that country ’s football association to appoint Esteban Becker to replace Andoni Goikoetxea. Equatorial Guinea have opted not to renew coach Goikoetxea’s contract, which expired on 31 December. The country ’s football association (FEGUIFUT) claims Goikoetxea breached his contract by not travelling to Portugal with the team on 16 December. As a result Goikoetxea was sacked, a decision sanctioned by new FEGUIFUT president Andres Jorge Mbomio. Following the sack of the former handler, the 2013 Afcon-winning Keshi was widely speculated as his possible replacement. With the latest development from that country, Keshi whose place in Nigeria is still shrouded in uncertainty remains in limbo. Equatorial Guinea have just over two weeks with the team before they kick off the Nations Cup against Congo on 17 January. Argentine Becker, 50, was previously in charge of

Continues on page 55

•Keshi

Continues on page 55

•Lulu

•Becker

Emenike: Fenerbache reject 10m euros bid F

“Emenike offer came, they gave 10 million Euros. However, I trust him. I therefore rejected the offer,” said the boss of the Turkish champions. Yilirim has also thrown his weight behind the ex-Spartak

ENERBAHCE president Aziz Yildirim has revealed the Turkish club rejected a 10 million Euros offer for Nigeria striker Emmanuel Emenike recently.

CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1. House of Reps Speaker (8) 5. Assistant (4) 7. Praise (5) 8. Upright (4) 9. Lantern (4) 11. Tradition (6) 13. Lagos masquerade (3) 15. Exclamation (2) 16. Pig’s nose (5) 18. Agent (3) 20. Glitters (6) 24. Forward (5) 25. Nigerian state (6) 27. Boring tool (3) 29. Ghanaian fabric (5) 31. Perform (2) 32. Oshiomhole’s state (3) 34. U.S. currency (6) 36. Vow (4) 38. Musical quality (4) 39. Inclination (5) 40. Eager (4) 41. Damages (8)

‘unlawful’ impeachment and protracted five-year-long court battle. Abdulllahi, who was impeached in 2010 is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside Amanze

DOWN 1. Sample (5) 2. Niger state town (4) 3. Observe (5) 4. Lecture (6) 5. Everyone (3) 6. Use (6) 10. Inquires (4) 12. Carpet (3) 14. Colour (6) 15. Resistance unit (3) 17. Coax (4) 19. Rollicked (6) 21. Hatchet (3) 22. Satisfied (4) 23. Nigerian state (3) 26. Cry of derision (3) 27 . African country (6) 28. Endure (4) 29. Child (3) 30. Spoke (6) 31. Adorn (5) 33. Baking chambers (5) 35. Asterisk (4) 37. Possessed (3)

Moscow forward, who has scored only two goals so far this season. He said he has complete confidence in the striker to shine in the New Year. “I trust Emenike and Diego. Emenike, as well as Diego will

add to the strength of our team in the second half of the season,” he remarked. “They will give the performance expected of them. They will make a major contribution towards our success.”

7 8

9 11

15 16

24 25 27

30 31

34 36

39 40

See solution on page 5

•Emenike

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Advert Dept: :01- 7924470; Hotline: 01-4544821; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. Email website: sundayvanguard@yahoo.com, editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, sunvanguardmail@yahoo.com. Advert:advert@vanguardngr.com. Internet: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: JIDE AJANI. 08111813023 All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos. C M Y K