BLACK SUNDAY: Levi Ajuonuma, 3 Genrals, 166 others die in plane crash

...towards a better life for the people

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N150

MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012

VOL. 25: NO. 61636

BLACK SUNDAY:

Levi Ajuonuma, 3 Generals, 166 others die in plane crash •Aikhomu's son, Ehime; man and his four children involved •Tears, wailings as victims' families storm airport Taiwo Lamidi Awodogan Olusanmi Obi Chinwe Shaibu Memuna Maj. I D Mohammed Nagidi Ibrahim Attu Anthonia Shaibu Sam Ifeanyi Orakwe Obinna Akubueze Li Rui Xie Zhengfen Okoe Ese Oghene Chukwuemeka Okere Adekunmbi Adebiyi

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THE VICTIMS: Ibrahim Matunkari Wasa Ruth Wasa Awyetu Ojukwu Alvana Lawal Anakobe Nabil Garba Mohammed Falmata Ibrahim Jangana Okikiolu Olukayode Komolafe Olugbenga Dike Chinwe

Dike Chukwu Ezugo Olusola Arokoyo Adekola Ayoola Akinola Olumodeji Olukoya Banji Saka Otaru Adeleke Oluwadamila Yusuf Ibrahin Ikpoki Obiola Aikhomu Ehime Levi Ajuonuma

Mbong Eventus Fatokun Olaoluwa Oshunbade Aderoju Fatokun Anjuola Fatokun Ibukun Buhari Maikudu Amina Idris Bugaje Ajani Adenike Ike Abugu Adijolola Abraham Obot Emmanuel Otegbeye Adiza Ehioghae Sunny Onwuliri Celestine Abikalio Otatoru

AGOS—CALL it a weekend of disaster and you will not be wrong. Beginning from Thursday, Nigeria, the world’s largest black nation has been engulfed in a series of air and land tragedies that have claimed about 267 lives and destroyed property

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BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE & BEN AGANDE

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Mr & Mrs

2—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012

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Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012—3

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4 — Vanguard, MONDAY MONDAY,, JUNE 4, 2012

Mubarak’s life sentence raises tension in Egypt sons and senior police MENA news agency, eral and left-wing revo-

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ORMER Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his aide Habib al-Adly were found guilty of conspiracy that resulted in the death of protesters last February Arab Spring protests that swept through the Arab nation. But his sons Alaa and Gamal Mubarak were acquitted of corruption charges.

Also acquitted of corruption were four senior aides of Habib al-Adly. In the first judicial reckoning of a leader toppled the former Egyptian dictator, Mubarak was also acquitted on corruption charges but was handed a life prison sentence. His two

men were found innocent of corruption charges and acquitted. The state prosecutor has ordered the start of the appeals procedure.”

Mubarak, the former president who was ousted by a popular uprising last year, and his former interior minister were sentenced to life in prison for failing to stop the killing of more than 800 people during a police crackdown on the protests.

Reports from Cairo, confirmed that travel bans on the six officials, in place since the trial first began last February, have been renewed. The

meanwhile, reported that the five of the six officials were due to be released from prison shortly.Hassan Abdel Rahman, the head of the now-dissolved state security apparatus, will remain in prison pending investigation into another case. Rahman is accused of destroying state security documents in that case, MENA reported. The general prosecutor lodged an appeal yesterday against the acquittal of six senior police officials charged with killing protesters, and banned them from travelling, the prosecutor’s assistant said.Young lib-

lutionaries who led last year’s uprising were dismayed when their own candidates lost the first round of the presidential election last month. The run-off will pit former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq, who holds Mubarak as a role model, against the candidate of the socially conservative Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Mursi.

Shafiq has taken a tough stance on law and order, appealing to many Egyptians tired of protests, political chaos and insecurity that have damaged the economy. Critics say he also has the backing of the powerful army.

Queen Elizabeth leads Diamond jubilee flotilla

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RITAIN’s Queen Elizabeth joined an armada of 1,000 boats down London’s River Thames to the pealing of bells yesterday in a spectacular highlight of four days of nationwide celebrations to mark her 60th year on the throne.

Hundreds of thousands of cheering people waving “Union Jack” flags and dressed in red, white and blue braved the wind and rain to pack the 7-mile route for one of the largest flotillas ever seen on the river.

The queen, wearing a silver and white dress

•Queen Elizabeth II with a matching coat, smiled broadly and waved to large crowds before boarding the gilded royal barge, “The Spirit of Chartwell”, alongside her 90-yearold husband Prince Philip.

Other members of the royal family on the barge

included heir-to-thethrone Prince Charles, his eldest son Prince William and new wife Kate, a global fashion trendsetter who wore a vivid red Alexander McQueen dress and matching hat.

Up and down the country, millions of people were due to attend diamond jubilee street parties over the long holiday weekend in honour of the 86-yearold, the only British monarch after Queen Victoria to have sat on the throne for 60 years.

Leisure cruisers, row-

Khamenei accuses West of diversion on nuclear talks

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RAN’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei yesterday accused the United States and its allies of lying about the threat of a nuclear Iran to cover up their own economic problems, state television reported.

In a fiery address marking the 23rd anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, Khamenei also warned Israel against any attack on Iran, saying it would receive a “thunderous blow”.

Khamenei - who has total command over Iran’s nuclear policy - has publicly forbidden the development of nuclear weapons, but Western nations suspect that Tehran is developing in isolation each of the components

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former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, a U.S. and Western ally, last year. “If they take any miscalculated action, they will receive a thunderous blow.”

•Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

required for an atomic bomb capability.

“What Americans and Westerners do is idiotic.

They magnify the nuclear issue to cover up their own problems,” Khamenei said, referring to the economic gloom in the U.S. and Europe.

“They are deceitfully using the term nuclear weapons,” he added.

Iran’s supreme leader said Israeli talk of military strikes showed it felt vulnerable after the fall of

ing boats, yachts and canoes made up the colourful Thames armada that also featured vessels from the 1940 evacuation of British and Allied troops from Dunkirk in northern France - a famous rescue performed by crafts of all shapes and sizes and a celebrated piece of British history.

Not everyone in Britain is celebrating. The anti-monarchist group Republic held a riverbank protest Sunday to oppose the wave of jubilee-mania.

“People are sick and tired of being told they must celebrate 60 years of one very privileged, very remote and very uninspiring head of state,” said the group’s chief executive, Graham Smith. “The hereditary system is offensive to all the democratic values this country has fought for in the past.”

•Hosni Mubarak, former Egyptian President

Lebanon deploys troops to quell unrest in Libya

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EBANON has de ployed troops to the northern city of Tripoli after at least 12 people were killed in fierce clashes between supporters and opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, local medics and security sources said.

Residents said relative peace had returned to the city since the soldiers deployed yesterday after gunmen exchanged heavy fire and rocket propelled grenades. Reports from Tripoli, said an “uneasy calm” had set in after the fighting.

“The Lebanese army has been deployed, but if you talk to anyone, they will say this is just a temporary truce,” Khodr said yesterday.

Marijuana smoking mother drives off with son on car roof

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marijuana-smoking woman was arrested at the weekend in Phoenix after she accidentally drove away with her five-week-old son in a

Former Zambian President’s son nabbed for corruption

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AMBIAN investiga tors have arrested a son of former president Rupiah Banda for corruption and possessing assets bought with dirty money, a police spokeswoman has said.

“Andrew Banda has been formally arrested and charged for corrupt practices and being in possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime,”

Namukolo Kasumpa, a spokeswoman for the criminal investigations department, said on Thursday. Banda, currently his country ’s deputy high commissioner to India, was arrested barely 24 hours after police took a statement from him. Andrew is the eldest son of former president Banda, who lost to opposition leader Michael Sata in

“The clashes really have become more and more frequent over the last few months. This conflict really is far from over,” our correspondent added.

The latest clashes began at the weekend as residents of the neighbouring districts have clashed repeatedly in recent weeks, but Saturday’s death toll is the highest in a single day in Tripoli, raising fears that Syria’s unrest was spilling over into its smaller neighbour. Among the dead were a woman and her son, killed by a rocket in the Bab al-Tabanneh district, a mostly Sunni Muslim community which supports Syria’s opposition, a security official said.

•Rupiah Banda

child safety seat on the roof of her vehicle, police said.

The baby fell off the car in the middle of an intersection and was found unharmed and strapped into the seat, said Phoenix police spokesman James Holmes. The mother Catalina Clouser, 19, was booked into jail on child abuse and aggravated assault charges, he said. The infant was taken to a local hospital as a precaution and is in the custody of state Child Protective Services.

Police said Clouser and her boyfriend had been smoking marijuana in a park and left with the toddler to buy beer late on Friday night.

Vanguard, MOND AY, JUNE 4, 2012 — 5 MONDA

Black Sunday: 170 die in Lagos plane crash Continues from Page 1 worth billions of Naira.

Yesterday’s Dana Airlines commercial aircraft crash at Iju, Lagos, which claimed about 170 lives, one of the worst air crashes in Nigeria’s history, caps a weekend of tragedies, which began on Thursday.

Although peace has become a scarce commodity in many northern cities of the country on account bombing activities in recent times, the southwestern part, including Lagos, the economic nerve-centre has had no respite since last Thursday.

In two unrelated accidents between Lagos and Ibadan, last Thursday, 10 persons were killed. At Ibafo along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, five persons were burnt in a multiple accident and explosions involving nine fuel tankers while a building under construction at

New Covenant Church, Sagbe, Ojoo, Ibadan collapsed during a downpour and claimed five persons including two women.

On Saturday, another fuel tanker explosion, which claimed 24 vehicles rocked the everbusy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The tragedy occurred at Danco Village in Obafemi Owode Local Council of Ogun State.

The citizenry were still absorbing the effects of the tanker explosions when the news of the death of 30 people in Assakyo, headquarters of Lafia Local Council Development Area of Nasarawa State broke.

They were killed following renewed violence between Alago and Beron communities.

And on the same day, an accident in Funtua, Katsina State, claimed three persons and injured 17others.

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Arthur C. Clarke once said: “The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.” This is a validation of the statement as quoted in Matthew 19:26: “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” This laid credence to the fact that there is a God factor in achieving the impossible in once life.

Your depth in God determines your height in life and your willingness to comply with His commandments and do His will without questioning is the key to the unlocking of your destiny.

So seek God with all your heart and believe that nothing is impossible and He will grant you your heart desires.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

WHEN we see ourselves as we truly are—divinely perfect human beings struggling to live out the gifts of spirituality—we have an opportunity to crack open the door of compassion a bit. When we can compassionately see that we fumble, we make mistakes, or that we are aware of goodness within us that we do not always know how to express, we start to be aware of feelings of compassion for ourselves. Once we are aware of compassion for ourselves, it is only a very short step to begin to feel compassion for others. - Anne Wilson Schaef-

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S Gandhi wisely points out, even as we serve others we are working on ourselves; every act, every word, every gesture of genuine compassion naturally nourishes our own hearts as well. It is not a question of who is healed first. When we attend to ourselves with compassion and mercy, more healing is made available for others. And when we serve others with an open and generous heart, great healing comes to us.

Still thirsty for blood, the agents of death remained on prowl yesterday. First, nine people were killed and 40 others injured when a suicide bomber in a Honda Civic, who attempted to force his way into the iron barricade at the entrance of Living Faith Church, Ungwan Angas, Yelwa, Bauchi State but was denied entry detonated his explosives at the barrier opposite the church.

Even in Ghana, the disaster continued when Allied Airplane Cargo Boeing 727 aircraft crash landed, hit a van and killed 10 persons. And then the chilling Iju disaster, which occurred at about 3 p.m Aside killing the 154 persons on board, the crash also killed about 16 persons ground.

On its destruction path, the plane destroyed two threestorey buildings before burying itself inside a warehouse.

Also destroyed was an uncompleted building and a church building.

Charred remains of the dead littered the scene as rescue workers battled through the thick smoke of the burning aircraft and crowd to search for survivors.

Lack of gas masks, rubber gloves and the surging crowd impeded the efforts of rescue workers made up of soldiers, police, Lagos

POCKET CARTOON

State Emergency Aganecy (LASEMA), the Nigerian Red Cross and men of the Fire Service. So far only a man, a nursing mother, her baby and the grandmother were rescued from one of the collapsed buildings.

Efforts to speak with the survivors were thwarted by doctors administering first aid on them and the area has been cordoned off by security agents.

I have lost everything I have to Dana plane crash, says BAT worker A contract staff with the British American Tobacco Company, Mr Isaac Daniel, who resides in the two-storey building where the Dana plane crashed said he lost everything he had to the incident.

Daniel told the News Agency of Nigeria that he resided at the ground

floor of the building with five members of his family.

He said that all his family members survived the crash but lost their certificates to the inferno, adding that he was not at home when the incident occurred.

Eye-witnesses said that three lifeless bodies had been removed from the wrecked building.

Delayed rescue operation wasted lives —Residents According to them, the newly constructed storey

BY CHARLES KUMOLU & KINGSLEY ADEBOYE

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AGOS—IF help had come early, the over 140 persons, who died in the Dana commercial air plane crash at Iju, Lagos, yesterday might have saved, residents have said.

aircraft did not explode immediately it crashed.

It exploded after about 20 minutes.

An eyewitness said the incident happened between 3pm and 4pm.

Narrating how the crash happened, an eyewitness, who claimed anonymity noted that the aircraft was seen swinging before it eventually landed on a

THE VICTIMS: Norris Kim Eyo Bassey Ntuko Charles Anibaba Tosin Okocha Christopher Shobowale femi Phillip Chukwuebuka Sparagano Lawrence Shomolu Oluwakemi Ariyibe Temitope Mecha Eke Ojugbana Amaka Ojugbana Christopher Hunna Walter Coker Olumide Lillian Last Mutir Stephanus Yusuf Alli Lt. Chumba Ochigbo Eribake Wale Zhai Shutao Wang Yu D. Awani O. Awani

Rescue teams, including the Fire Service and the Lagos State Ambulance Services were not able to get to the scene of wreckage as large crowd of people made it impossible for the rescue teams to have access.

The police were helpless as crowds of people thronged the area to have a glimpse of the incident.

Continues on Page 12

N. Chidiac Rejoel Dhose Li Huizhu Apochi Godwin Kang Yi Inusa Ahmed Faysal Inusa Mojekwu Adeobi Ibrahim . D Bamaiyi Adamu Ifekawa Jones Peter Nosike Anthony Nwaokogbara Mamudu Aliyu Nnamdi John Akwa Eze Elizabeth Dorothy Adeduni Echiedu Ibe Maria Okuleri Jennifer Ibe Oloko Tunji Sarah Mshelia Ahmed Mbana Okonji Patrick Oyosore Rajulie

Oyosore Ugabio Kaikai Farida David Kolawole Fortune David Kolawole Eyinlojuoluwa Kaltun Abubakar Dukawa Mammud Pathience Sunday Udo Asuquo Ini Obong Onomelease Aimanehi Onyeagosha Chidinma Onyeagocha Ogechi Ike Okoye Amiaka Rapheal Ijeoma Onyijuke Garba Abdu Abdu Aisha Benson Oluwayomi Anthoni Okaro Onyeka Anyiene Humra Lawal Manuma. Ayune

building. ‘’I was here with my wife and other people when we saw the plane moving around in random directions.

Initially we were confused, but when it was getting usually close to the rooftop of the houses around, we stood up and traced were it eventually landed,’’ he noted.

Berki Sumyindadi Ebuka Enuma Oluchi Onyia Sunday O George Moses Ogechi Njoku Nsa Anyere Kasmisgona Anyene Stanford Obrutse Kayinetochi Anyene Okeke Hope Kaimarachi Anyene Rev. Ayodeji Cole Ngozi Noah Anyene Ailendi Ehi Oluwasegun Funmi Abiodun Shehu Saad Usman Aladi Martins Auta Jennifer Auta Josephine Ike Achonogor Joy Alison John Ahmadu Agu Rogers Tatokin Anjola Tatokin Idris

6—VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012

THE DANA AIRCRAFT CRASH IN LAGOS Tears as relations of crash victims storm airport

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI, BABATUNDE JIMOH, EMEKA AGIAM, WAHAB ABDULLAI, GBENGA OKE AND BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

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AGOS — RELATIONS, friends and sympathizers who besieged the conference room of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, MM2, local wing broke down in tears and wept uncontrollably yesterday as they listened to the names of their loved ones being announced among the people onboard the illfated Dana airplane.

It took the intervention of the armed security personnel to control the crowd who were already threatening to beat up officials of Dana Airline for delaying the release of the manifest.

When Vanguard spoke with Professor Peter Okebukola, immediate past Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, NUC, at the airport, who was scheduled to travel on the same crashed aircraft to Abuja confirmed that NUC lost four staff to

the crash.

Okebukola, who was visibly shaken by the development, described the crash as a national disaster.

According to him, “the plane that crashed was supposed to take me to Abuja before we heard the sad news. I am deeply sad.

This is a national disaster.

As I speak to you now I can confirm to you that NUC lost four staff in the plane crash. The names are Mr Mamud Dokawa, Architect Chinwe Obi, Mrs Shuaibu and professor Nwoleri, past Vice Chancellor university of Technology, FUTO, Owerri and the leader of the NUC team.

Okebukola said he had to go back home as further flight had been suspended by management of Dana Airline.

Meanwhile, Special Adviser, Technical to Minister of Aviation, Mr. Victor Oche Elias, has explained that the pilot declared 11 nautical miles to landing and when he declared emergency, he was given priority. But the plane crashed 4 nautical miles to landing.

16 die, 2 rescued from scene

BY BOSE ADELAJA & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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ESIDENTS of Olaniyi Street in Iju/Ishaga area of Ifako/Ijaye local government just came back from various places of worship when the Dana airplane crashed into their neighbourhood.

As at 8pm, the mammoth crowd at the scene hindered rescue operation while street urchins took advantage of the situation to loot as security agents battled endlessly to dislodge them.

An official of Lagos State Emergency Management agency who pleaded anonymity said he had earlier envisaged the disaster few minutes before it happened.

According to him, “when I noticed the plane hovering around 3.30pm, I knew a major disaster was about to occur. I thought he would be able to navigate to the Railway line but it couldn’t until it finally landed on a three-storey building which went up in flames. Immediately, I mobilised my colleagues who rushed to the scene but it was too late as the plane had already crashed. The pilot tried to jump out of the plane but he did not survive."

Also, an unconfirmed report said about 16 corpses and two survivors who were occupants of the affected buildings were brought out dead as at press time. The black box was also said to have been recovered around 6.30pm.

Sympathisers at the scene of the crash, yesterday. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

History of the ill-fated aircraft L

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

AGOS — There are indications that the Dana Air MC Donnell Douglas MD 83 which crashed around IjuIshaga area of Lagos ,yesterday has a history of worrying defaults even before original owners, US-based Alaska Airlines sold it to Dana Airlines on February 17, 2009.

According to the information from Aviation Safety Network, an exclusive service of the Air safety Foundation, the ill-fated aircraft was acquired by Alaska Airline in November 13, 1990 with registration number N944AS. However, on November 4, 2002 the aircraft developed fault and had emergency diversion due to smoke and electrical smell in the cabin area, which engineers said was because light ballast had over heated.

Four years after, the aircraft's health was also called to question when on August 20, 2006, it was again evacuated af-

ter landing at the Long Beach, CA due to a chaffed wire bundle that discharged and produced smoke in the cabin area again.

Apparently scared that the worst could happen, Alaska Airlines was said to have on August 21 parked the aircraft at Victorville until September 11 2008 when it carried out maintenance on it.

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AGOS — A DANA Air McDonnell Douglas MD-83 with registration number 5N- RAM that finally crashed, yesterday, killing about 153 passengers on board, was a disaster waiting to happen.

On May 3, an unnamed Lagos station manager of the airline was reported to have drawn the attention of management of the air-

lines that the aircraft in question needed to be grounded for general check-up but that alarm was ignored.

So on May 11, 2012, the same aircraft that was billed for Lagos/Abuja with more than half capacity passengers and an air return and had emergency landing at the Murtala Muhammed airport. Reports said passengers on board had to

hurriedly disembark and sought alternative means of travelling. No casualty.

On May 25, 2012, the same plane that was to do Lagos/Calabar flight also made another air return to Lagos after the crew reported engine fault. There was also no casualty.

Then came the final straw. On June 3, 2012, the same MD-83 with registration number 5N-RAM was performing a flight 9J-

engines, increased fuel capacity and longer range. It was equipped with slightly more powerful 21,000 1bf (93 kN) Pratt and Whitney JT8D219s as standard.

The aircraft also had higher operating weights with MTOW increased to 160,000 1b and MLW to 139,500 1b. Typical range for the MD-83 with 155 passengers in around 2,504 nautical miles (4,637km).

I have lost everything, says BAT worker

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AGOS — A contract staff with the British American Tobacco Company, Mr Isaac Daniel, who resides at the two-storey building where the Dana plane crashed, yesterday said he lost everything he had to the incident.

Daniel told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that he resided at the ground floor of the building with five members of his family. He said all h i s f a m i l y members survided the crash but lost their certificates to the inferno,

Build-up to final crash of Dana aircraft MD-83 in Lagos

BY ALBERT AKPOR

Eventually on February 2009 Alaska Airlines shifted the burden to Nigeria when it sold the illfated plane as 5N-RAM. The MD-83 was manufactured in 1983, announced go-ahead on January 31, 1983 and had first flight on December 17, 1984 It was a longer range development of the basic MD-81/82 with higher weights, more powerful

1993 from Lagos to Abuja with 153 passengers on board when the crew also discovered that the engine had developed fault.

The pilot made a quick air return to Lagos.

But while on a final appraisal to the runway 16L, the aircraft rammed into a power line, crashed into a build-up area about 56nm from touch down and burst into flames, killing all passengers on board.

adding that he was not at home when the incident occurred.

Eye-witnesses said three lifeless bodies had been removed from the wrecked building.

Rescue teams, including the Fire Service and theLagos State Ambulance

Services were not able to get to the scene of wreckage as large crowd of people made it impossible for the rescue teams to have access.

The police were helpless as crowds of people thronged the area to have a glimpse of the incident.

Deceased Levi Ajuonuma

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R. LEVI Ajuonuma was a popular television presenter in the early 1990s where he captured public attention with his weekly programme of Nigerian Television Authority, (NTA), The Sunday Show.

Ajuomuna, who majored in Mass Communication from the United States, landed the plum job of NNPC Corporate Affairs Manager in 2004, when he was appointed the General Manager, Corporate Affairs in the nation’s capital Abuja.

He became an influential figure in managing the controversies that trailed his organisation which had to face ethical interrogations from the Nigerian public and policy makers.

The last of such controver-

sies was the House of Representatives probe into the mismanagement of the presumed subsidy on petroleum products in the country. He was rumoured to have resigned from his job as the spokesman in January but he stoutly refuted the story as part of the intrigues and blackmail that had become part of the oil industry.

VANGU ARD, MON DAY, JUNE 4, 2012—7 VANGUARD, MOND

DANA AIRCRAFT CRASH IN LAGOS It was a black Sunday in the nation's aviation industry as a Dana aircraft, which left Abuja en-route Lagos, carrying 153 passengers and six crew members crashed and burnt a building in Iju, Lagos, several residents were also feared dead. Pix:Joe Akintola, Photo Editor (Lagos) & Abayomi Adeshida (Abuja).

The destroyed building in which the plane crashed on

Sympathisers at the scene.

Parts of the crashed plane

Some residents of the building dislodged after the plane crashed on the building.

One of the victims being carried away.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?Some relatives of passengers of the ill-fated plane at Dana Airport Office, Abuja, going through the manifest, yesterday.

Crowd at the scene.

IN DEEP THOUGHT: Relatives of passengers of the ill-fated plane at Dana Airport Office, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, yesterday.

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Wings of the crashed plane being taken away by sympathisers.

8—VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012

THE DANA AIRCRAFT CRASH IN LAGOS

Burnt passengers' documents.

Sympathisers at the scene of the crash. Photos: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor

Recovered voice recorder.

The crashed plane on fire

Wings of the crashed plane

Another building affected by the crash

The black box of the crashed plane being carried away

Some parts of the crashed plane C M Y K

Part of the crashed plane.

A victim being evacuated from the scene

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012—9

SUICIDE BOMBER STRIKES IN BAUCHI CHURCH A suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden car into the premises of Harvest Field of Christ Church, Yelwa, Bauchi State, killing no fewer than nine, with 40 injured, yesterday. NAN PHOTOS.

Victim.

The Church.

Bombed. ... another victim. ... and yet another victim.

Charred.

Seeking escape routes.

Suicide bomber attacks Church in Bauchi

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AUCHI—AT least nine persons have been confirmed killed and 40 others injured in a suicide bomb attack, yesterday, at Harvest Field church near Living Faith Church in Yelwa area, a surburb of Bauchi State metropolis.

Addressing newsmen on the incident, Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Ladan, said a suicide bomber who drove a Honda Civic car, attempted to force his way into the Church, hitting a barricade.

The commissioner said: “A lone suicide bomber in a Honda Civic attempted to force his way into the iron barricade at the entrance of Living Faith Church, Ungwan Angas, Yelwa,

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Bauchi, but was denied entry.

“In the process, the suicide bomber detonated his explosives at the barrier opposite Harvest Church, Ungwan Yelwa.

“The suicide bomber died on the spot, while nine persons so far have been confirmed dead and 27 others are receiving treatment at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, Bauchi.”

He explained that only one of the two churches located in the area was affected by the blast.

He also said that one live Improvised Explosive Device, IED, hidden under a bridge in Yelwa area of Bauchi was discovered and detonated

by Police Anti-Bomb

Squad.

Ladan said no arrest was made, but that investigations had commenced with a view to fishing out

perpetrators of the act.

The police commissioner called on people of the state to remain calm and be lawabiding, pleading with

them to also assist security agents with information that could help in apprehending dubious characters.

He also called on parents, guardians, religious and traditional leaders, to prevail on their wards

and followers to keep the peace.

An eyewitness said: “We only saw half of the suicide bomber’s body. We saw his legs down to his waist, but his head and some parts of his body was burnt beyond recognition.”

... as President Jonathan reacts

BY BEN AGANDE

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BUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has again appealed to Nigerians, especially those who occupy leadership positions, to fully support the Federal Government and security services in the fight against terrorism.

In his reaction, yesterday to the suicide bomb attack on a church in Bauchi State, the President said no patriotic Ni-

gerian should stand aloof while enemies of the nation wage a wicked war against innocent citizens.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Communications, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President expressed sadness at the loss of more Nigerian lives in a terrorist attack on a church in Bauchi State and conveyed his “sincerest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the bombing and has directed fed-

eral medical and emergency services to do everything possible to assist the survivors.

“While the recurrence of a heinous attack on a place of worship is most regrettable, the President urges Nigerians not to be disheartened by it.

“Rather, he urges Nigerians and friends of the country to be comforted by the knowledge that the significant reduction in the frequency of such attacks in

recent weeks is a clear indication of the increasing effectiveness of measures that had been put in place by the security services to combat the evil of terrorism.”

He assured Nigerians that the Armed Forces and security services will continue to implement proactive counter-terrorism measures and intensify efforts to totally eradicate the scourge of mindless terrorism from the country.

10— Vanguard, MONDAY,JUNE 4,

2012

DANA AIR CRASH:

Govs, senators, ministers, others lament WORDS of condolence, commiseration and comfort poured forth from prominent Nigerians and aviation stakeholders, yesterday, as news of the crash of the Dana Air plane settled on the country. Many of those who reacted last night said it was an irony that the crash happened at a time that it was believed that the problems that had for long bedeviled the aviation sector were about being overcome.

President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, governors, Aviation Minister Stella Oduah and national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur were among those who reacted last night.

While commiserating with families of the victims, Senator Mark promised that the Senate would investigate the cause of the aircrash in a bid to ensure that there is no recurrence.

Mourning loss of lives In a statement issued on his behalf by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Kola Ologbondinyan, Mark said: “I feel so sad and heartbroken hearing the news of this ugly incident.

It is quite unfortunate and disheartening. We mourn the loss of lives and prayed God to put a stop to every form of evil in our land. The Senate will definitely investigate the cause of this ugly incident to checkmate any future occurrence.”

Speaker Tambuwal who said he received news of the crash with great shock and sadness, said the unfortunate incident came at a time Nigeria made giant strides in the area of aviation safety. In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Imam Imam, the Speaker encouraged Nigerians not to be deterred from using air travel on account of yesterday’s crash.

Ekweremadu described the incident as “shocking and emotionally devastating,” noting: “This is shocking beyond words, especially given the noticeable efC M Y K

forts at repositioning the nation’s aviation industry and when we thought we had put the air disasters of early 2000s behind us."

Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Odua who was on her way to the scene yesterday said: “I am extremely saddened by the news of the crash and I assure the nation that investigations are underway.”

Her predecessor, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode on his part said: ”This is so sad.

All that blood and life just wasted. We warned them about safety standards. Aviation is the sector I presided over. I know it inside out and now I am in pain. May the souls of those that died in that crash rest in peace.”

Lagos State Governor Ba-

Wreckage of the Dana Airlines plane that crashed in Agbado, Lagos State. Photo: Joe Akintola, photo Editor

batunde Fashola said: “It is unfortunate that your expectations to welcome and embrace your loved ones after their journey could be cut short so abruptly and in such unexpected manner.

There is no gainsaying the experience could be traumatic,” regretting that the incident would destabilize homes as well as cause dis-

ruption to the lives of the affected families.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has described the death of over 150 people in a plane crash at Iju, in Lagos as a great loss to the nation. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Peter Okhiria, the Governor said: “I received with great shock

news of the plane crash at Iju, in Lagos, in which over 150 people lost their lives. I wish to convey the deepest condolence of the people and Government of Edo State as well as my personal commiseration to the families of the victims."

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State described the crash as unfor-

tunate and national disaster of monumental proportions.

He advised aviation authorities to stop at nothing in finding out the caused of the Iju plane crash in order to avert future occurrence, prayed God to grant families of the victims of the two unfortunate incidents the fortitude to bear the loss.

Continues on page

A disaster forewarned: I'm looking for my cousin and his wife — Capt Tito killing 10 persons after colliding with a van; and a Dana passenger aircraft with 153 passengers in its bowels crashed in Iju, Lagos killing about 142 persons as of press time.

Speaking on the incidents, yesterday, Capt Omaghoni said he was on the site of the crash looking for his cousin, Mr. Awani and the wife,

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

W

HEN former Nige ria Airways pilot, Capt. Tito Omaghomi, told senior editorial staff of the Vanguard two weeks ago that another disaster was looming in the aviation industry as operators have started cutting corners and neglecting aircraft maintenance, the instant prayer on the lips of those present was: "May God save us." The fear on the faces of the 22 persons in the Editorial Conference Room, who are regular air travellers was palpable.

In a two-page interview published on May 21 following his visit to Vanguard, Omaghomi warned that operators were thinning out, checks on aircraft were becoming irregular and these might lead to crashes soon if the needful was not done.

Cutting corners His words: "Talking about what is going on today, I was the one who coined the word "cutting corners" in the aviation industry during our interaction with the former President, Chief Olusegun

Capt. Tito Omaghomi Obasanjo, in Abuja when Nigerian planes were falling off the skies. I predicted that planes will continue to fall as long as people were cutting corners in the aviation industry.

"Today, you can quote me anywhere, operators are becoming very few, we know that pilots are given instructions, 'if you have a snag in an aeroplane, do not put it on your technical logbook, write it on a piece of paper, when you land, give it to the engineer.' What it means is that if the engineer is able to fix your snag, good; if he is unable to fix your snag, the aeroplane will go into service because there will be no evidence in the check log. As you know, the check log is the book anybody will go to...'No engineer that knows his on-

ions will sign an aircraft off that this aircraft has an hydraulic leak, I have repaired it, it is good to go.

No engineer will put his hand in such a check log, so to cut another way of passing them, write it on a piece of paper, give it to the engineer, this we have discovered. I have raised this alarm, we are becoming very cautious, the operators are becoming very cautious, and this is why we are having fewer accidents now."

Two weeks after this prophetic warning, although the cause of the accidents have not been disclosed, the caution of operators and stakeholders seems to have failed, yesterday, a black day as it were. The nation recorded two air crashes: An Allied Airplane Boeing 727 cargo plane crashed in Accra

who were on the Dana flight. "If I must tell, I came in from Abuja this morning. The whole of Rewane Dynasty were in Abuja for the marriage of my sister, who got married to Mr Okuku. We are looking for two members of our family, who were in that aircraft. I am at the site of the crash. I am doing an independent investigation."

I warned Dana Air MD—Akpabio

I

T emerged last night that the management of Dana Air which operated the aircraft that crashed over Lagos, yesterday, was warned by Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State over the operational service of its airplanes.

Reacting to the air crash the governor urged regulatory agencies to ensure that airline operators adhered strictly to global aviation operational standards.

Speaking through his Commissioner for Information, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, Governor Akpabio recounted that he had, in a recent telephone chat cautioned the Managing Director of Dana Airlines to ensure that its aircraft were air

worthy so as not to endanger the lives of Nigerians.

This warning was on the heels of an averted air disaster involving Dana aircraft enroute Lagos from Uyo which had technical problems that forced the aircraft to hover for hours before finally making it back to Lagos where it managed to land.

The Governor who called on airline operators in the country not to experiment with people’s lives maintained that similar situations had caused serial air disasters in the past thereby resulting in massive loss of lives and the extinction of some affected airlines in the country. Akpabio expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for the repose of their souls.

Vanguard, MONDAY,JUNE 4, 2012—11

Govs, senators, ministers, others lament Continues from page 10

batunde Fashola said: “It is unfortunate that your expectations to welcome and embrace your loved ones after their journey could be cut short so abruptly and in such unexpected manner. There is no gainsaying the experience could be traumatic,” regretting that the incident would destabilize homes as well as cause disruption to the lives of the affected families.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has described the death of over 150 people in a plane crash at Iju, in Lagos as a great loss to the nation. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Peter Okhiria, the Governor said: “I received with great shock news of the plane crash at Iju, in Lagos, in which over 150 people lost their lives. I wish to convey the deepest condolence of the people and Government of Edo State as well as my personal commiseration to the families of the victims."

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State described the crash as unfortunate and national disaster of monumental proportions. He advised aviation authorities to stop at nothing in finding out the caused of the Iju plane crash in order to avert future occurrence, prayed God to grant families of the victims of the two unfortunate incidents the fortitude to bear the loss.

Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State described the crash as a major loss and a sad day in the country’s history. Wada himself a pilot while sympathizing with the families of the victims commended those who were on hand to lend a helping hand at the crash site.

Chairman, Senate Com-

mittee on Aviation, Senator Hope Uzodimma on his part expressed shock over the crash and lamented that it occurred at a time when the Federal Government had put in place the necessary machinery to turn around the aviation industry.He called for an immediate probe into the air accident by the necessary authorities in the aviation ministry with a view to unearthing the cause and averting future occurrence.While commiserating with families of the victims, the senator expressed the resolve of his committee to put in place laws that would guarantee the safety of air travelers in Nigeria.

The PDP in a statement issued by its national publicity secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh on behalf of Tukur condoled with President Goodluck Jonathan and families of the victims over the incident. He said: “The entire members of our Par-

ty share in the grief, the pain and the anguish of the families of those who have lost their loved ones, their confidants, their sisters and brothers; their fathers and mothers; breadwinners and employers; and all those who are affected by this national calamity.”

The Southwest chapter of the PDP also spoke in the same vein describing the crash as sad and painful.In a statement issued by its Zonal Publicity Secretary, Hon. Kayode Babade, the PDP commiserated with President Goodluck Jonathan, minister of aviation, governors and government of Lagos and Ogun states, management of DANA Airline, the entire Nigerians, especially those who lost their relatives in the crash.”This is very sad and painful and all that we can say is that God in His mercies will console those who lost their relations in the crash,” PDP said.

Ijaw youths threaten action over 13% derivation

BY AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE

W

ARRI—DELTA Ijaw Oil Producing Areas Youths Assembly, DIOPAYA, has call on the Federal Government to pay the 13 per cent derivation fund accrueable to the state directly to the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, to avoid a break down of law and order.

The youths also alleged that DESOPADEC, had been hijacked by the state government and State House of Assembly.

DIOPAYA in a statement, yesterday, by Wuruyai Joseph, Napoleon Sekegbekumor and Jackson Timiyan, said:

“DESOPADEC was established to administer 50 per cent of the 13 per cent derivation fund to ameliorate the sufferings of the oil bearing communities in the state but had been hijacked by the state government and House of Assembly.

“Instead of providing checks and balances to the activities of the executive arm of government, the state House of Assembly has always been a willing ally in the perpetration of project manipulation.

“They (House) panelbeat the budget against the project proposals by the host communities, hence making the commission a conduit pipe to satisfy their political whims and caprices.”

ANNIVERSARY: From left: Mr. Oti Edukugho, Prince Yemi Emiko,Ojoye Oma Eyewuoma and Tsola Aragho during Alpha-May Club's 27th anniversary with the theme; Ingredients Of Unity Among The Ethnic Nationalities In Delta State, at Metropolitan Club, Victoria Island, Lagos. Photo: Shola Oyelese.

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012

PLANE CRASH—Sympathisers at the scne of crash in Lagos yesterday.

Over 2,000 lives lost in air crashes in 40 years

BY EVELYN USMAN

L

AGOS—THE news of yesterday’s plane crash in Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos, no doubt, came to Lagosians in particular and the country in general, as a rude shock. But to the bereaved families, words of consolation will doubtlessly not be enough to erase the indelible agony and emotional trauma they are currently going through This is because, never in their wildest

imagination had they envisaged that the conversation they probably had with their loved ones on board the ill fated aircraft would be the last.

But yesterday ’s incident is not the first time the country would be hit with such tragedy.

Statistics has shown that over two thousand persons have lost their lives in different plane crashes in the country between 1969 till date.

Statistics, showed that the first plane crash in

the country occurred in November 20, 1969 in which a total of 87 passengers on board Nigeria Airways BAC VC10 perished . In January 22, 1973: Royal Jordanian Airlines flight 707 carrying 171 Nigerian Muslims returning from Mecca and 5 crewmen crashed in Kano, killing all passengers.

Five years later, precisely on March 1, 1978, Nigerian Airways F28-1000 crashed in

Kano killing 16 passengers on board followed by another Nigeria Airways F281000 which crashed on November 28, 1983, in Enugu killing 53 on b o a r d .

February 24, 1991: British Helicopter crashed in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, killing all nine people on board.

Others plane crashes occurred as follow; •June 26, 1991: An Okada Air Bac-11 crashed in Sokoto, three

Black Sunday: 170 die in Lagos plane crash Continues from Page 5 incident.

FG declares three days of national mourning, order investigations Shocked by the disaster, President Goodluck Jonathan has declared a three-day national mourning for all those, who lost their lives in the Dana plane crash.

A statement issued in Abuja by the Special Adviser to the President on Communications, Reuben Abati said president Jonathan has also “ordered the fullest possible investigation into the crash.”

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As part of the national mourning, the president has cancelled all his public engagements scheduled for today.

He has also directed that the Nigerian flag be flown at half-mast for the three days of national mourning.

In compliance with the President’s directive of full investigation, the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah has relocated to Lagos to oversee the crash investigations and present an interim report to the Federal Government as quickly as possible.

The statement added

that “the President joins all Nigerians in mourning all those who lost their lives in the plane crash which has sadly plunged the nation into further sorrow on a day when Nigerians were already in grief over the loss of many other innocent lives in the church bombing in Bauchi State.

“President Jonathan assures air travelers in the country that every possible effort will be made to ensure that the right lessons are learnt from the tragic loss of valuable lives in today’s plane crash and that further measures will be

put in place to boost aviation safety in the country “He prays that God Almighty will grant the families of the victims of the plane crash the courage and fortitude to bear their irreparable loss” the statement concluded.

Also, the Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oodua told NAN that she was saddened by the news and was already on her way to the crash site.

“I am extremely saddened by the news of the crash and I assure the nation that investigations are underway,” she said.

people died.

•July 11, 1991: Nigeria Airways DC-8-61 crashes in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from system failure killing 261 on board.

•26 Jun 1991; Okada Air BAC-111; Sokoto, Nigeria: Fuel starvation during holding pattern over Sokoto due to heavy rain. Flight from Benin City diverted from Kano due to heavey rain. None of the three-crew members and three of the 52 passengers sustained fatal injuries.

•September 26, 1992: Nigerian Air Force A C130 plane crashes minutes after take-off from Lagos. All 200 on board killed.

•June 24, 1995: Harka Air Services Tupolev 34 crashes on landing in Lagos killing 16.

•November 13, 1995: Nigeria Airways Boeing 737-2F9 crashes on landing in Kaduna killing 9.

•January 17, 1996: Ibrahim Abacha, son of Sani Abacha, was killed in a plane crash. The group “United Front for Nigeria’s Liberation” (UFNL) claimed responsibility for the crash.

•November 7, 1996: A Nigerian ADC (Aviation D e v e l o p m e n t Corporation) Airline Boeing 727-231 flying from Port Harcourt to Lagos with 142 passengers and 9 crew members crashed on landing, plunging into a lagoon with all on board killed.

•January 31, 1997: SkyPower Express Airways Embraer 110PIA crashes on landing in Yola killing 5.

• September 12, 1997: A NAF Dornier 228-212 in Nguru, Bornu State ran into a ditch during the take off, none of the 10 people died.

•January 5, 2000: SkyPower Express Airways Bandeirante 110P1A crashes on landing in Abuja killing 17.

•May 4, 2002: EAS Airlines’ BAC 1-11-500 with 105 people on board crashed and burst into flames in a poor, densely populated suburb of Kano. 76 on board killed, including 72 on the ground bringing it to a total 148 dead.

•July 26, 2004: Pan African Airlines’ helicopter crashed into the Atlantic Ocean in Eacraros, Delta State, 4 people on board died.

•February 25, 2005: ADC’s B73 aircraft had its tyre burnt while landing at Yola airport.

•March 27, 2005: A Boeing 737 of Bellview had one of its engines caught fire.

•June 11/12, 2005: Lagos: a Boeing 727-200 aircraft belonging to the

domestic Chachangi Airlines overshot the runway at Murtala Muhammed airport, while yet another overshot the runway at the airport in Jos in central Nigeria a day earlier •July 23, 2005, a Lufthansa aircraft crashlanded at Lagos airport and was badly damaged, but no life was lost.

• October 22, 2005: A Bellview Airlines Boeing 737 airl iner with 117 people on board crashes and disintegrates in flames shortly after take-off from Lagos. All on board killed.

•December 10, 2005: A Sosoliso Airlines DC-9 crashes in Port Harcourt, killing all 103 on board.

Most on board were for schoolchildren going home for Christmas.

•September 17, 2006: A 18-seater Dornier 228 Air Force transport plane, carrying 15 senior army officers and three crew members crashed leaving only three survivors that sustained serious injuries. The plane with registration number 228-212 crashed in northern part of the country at Oko village in Vandeikya local government area of Benue State at about 10:30 a.m •October 26, 2000: Dornier aircraft plunged into a thick bush near the Niger Delta, 6 occupants injured.

•October 29, 2006: Aviation Development Corporation Airline Boeing 737 with 104 on board crashes minutes after take-off from Abuja’s airport during a rain storm. All but 6 perished in the disaster.

The spiritual leader of Nigeria’s Sunni Muslims, His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido was among the dead.

•November 10, 2006: OAS Service Helicopter crashed in Warri, Delta state killing 4 on board.

•August 2, 2007: Bristow-owned helicopter crashed inside ExxonMobil facility in Port Harcout.

•March 15, 2008: Beechcraft 1900D plane marked 5N-JAH, belonging to Wing Aviation crashed in the mountainous forest of Busi in Cross River State on its way to Obudu airstrip. The wreakage was not found until 6 months after the disappearance of the aircraft. All 4 man crew on board died.

•March 14, 2012: A Helicopter belonging to the Joint Task Force (JTF) crashes in Kabong, Jos, killing all members onboard including 4 senior Police officers.

Vanguard , MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012—13

Police arrest suspected kidnapper in Enugu zRescue abducted 6-yr-old girl

BY TONY EDIKE

E

Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, (right); Pastor Idowu Iluyomade, Pastor of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Apapa Family (left); and other pastors during the Excel 2012 at Tafawa Balewa Square, Onikan, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

Tragedy as 60-yr-old widow murdered in her home

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA WERRI—THE hitherto quite Umuezeala, Nzerem community in Ehime Mbano local government area of Imo State, has been thrown into confusion and mourning, after the brutal murder of a 60-year-old widow, Mrs. Mary Agada.

Vanguard gathered that it took up to two days before the community discovered the death of Mrs Agada and accusing fingers were being pointed to the late widow’s 35-year old son, (name withheld), who was still at large at press time.

“Until we noticed that she was out of circulation, nobody knew what happened to the woman.

Her door was securely locked from outside”, a villager, who spoke on condition of anonymity said.

Answering another question, the villager said “the sudden disappearance of mother and son, heightened our suspicion and started digging into the mystery”.

Continuing, the villager explained that when the woman’s door was opened, her lifeless body was seen lying in a pool of her own blood, while the bloodsoaked knife was also abandoned in the room by her assailant.

It was gathered from some villagers before this sad development, that the deceased had appealed in vain to her son to stop hard drugs business.

“A formal report was made to Ehime Mbano

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Police Division, which removed and deposited her body at Saint Vincent De Paul mortuary,

Umunakanu”, another villager said .

When contacted, the Police Public Relations

Officer, PPRO, Mr. Sam Oodee, said the command would investigate the report and get back later.

Senate summons PHCN boss over delay in power projects

BY HENRY UMORU

A

BUJA—THE Senate has identified non-supervision of power projects across the country as the reason for their non-completion and why the much desired electricity supply was still evasive, just as it summoned the Chief Executive Officer of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, KEDC, to appear before it tomorrow.

Speaking weekend during an inspection of electricity sub-station for the transmission of power to Yelwa, Yauri, Zuru axis in Kebbi State, Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Steel and Metallurgy, Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda, PDP, FCT warned that a situation where these projects were not monitored by the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, and electricity distribution companies was no longer acceptable, adding that the KEDC boss must appear before the Senate Committee tomorrow to explain why a project awarded in 2007 was still at its embryonic stage.

The contract for the 2 x30/ 40 MVA S/S 32/32 KV injection substation to supply the people of Zuru emirate electricity was awarded by the Federal Government in 2007 to Valenz Holdings Limited, an indigenous company.

Meanwhile, Valenz

Project Manager, David Ozurumba while explaining the nature of the project to Aduda and Senator Mohammed Magoro, PDP Kebbi South, however indicted TCN that projects are awarded by them without even going to sites and knowing the site measurement, just as he said the initial problem why the delay was unavailability of funds.

Speaking further, Senator Aduda who warned that the company must in the next two weeks ensure that it gives progress report of the substation to the Committee, stressed that the upper chambers will no longer accept a situation where government make available money for projects and they were abandoned or delayed unnecessarily by the contractors.

Onitsha lawyers task IG on free bail

BY ANAYO OKOLI

U

MUAHIA—NIGERI AN Bar Association, NBA, Onitsha branch, has charged the Inspector-General of Police Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, to make free bail as one of the important issues in his on-going reform of Police if he wants to be taken serious by Nigerians.

Chairman of the branch Mr. Chidi Onyiuke, gave the advice while addressing Youth Corp lawyer members of the Nigerian Legal Aids Council during a one day seminar on “Bail, Prison Decongestion in Nigeria and Rights of Inmates to Vote” He said, “it not enough to say that bail is free, but when you go to the police

stations people are cajoled to pay huge sums of money before they secure bail for themselves or their loved ones.

"If Inspector General of Police is serious about the on-going reforms and wants Nigerians to take him serious, he should ensure that the ‘parlance bail is free’ is made practical by making sure that people are granted bail without making any kind of payment in the police stations.

"Even when people bring their lawyers to secure bail, you find out that they have to compromise with the police to part with some amount of money, but if the IG dismisses any police man for demanding and accepting money before bail is granted that corruption must stop.”

NUGU—THE anti-kid nap squad of the Enugu State police command has arrested a member of a notorious kidnap gang that abducted and killed one Miss Patience Ogbodo at Agbani, Nkanu West local government area of the state in December last year.

This came as the squad rescued six-year old Kosi Akilo, who was abducted from her residence at River Lane, GRA, Enugu and held hostage for about three weeks. She was rescued at Ovwian in Warri, Delta State last Friday following a tip-off.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, yesterday, confirmed the arrest of one John Nnamani, a native of Obinagu village Akpugo, Nkanu West local Government Area of Enugu State suspected to be

one of the kidnappers that allegedly abducted Miss Ogbodo on December 3, 2011.

He said following Nnamani’s arrest by the anti-kidnap squad led by Superintendent Stephen Osaghae at the Agbani axis of the state, he made revelations which linked him with the alleged kidnap of the victim, who died while in captivity.

The gang, according to the police spokesman, had collected N300,000 from the family of the victim out of the N5 million ransom demanded with a threat to kill the girl if their demand was not met.

They went ahead to kill the victim as threatened and dumped her corpse at the premises of the Modern Secondary School, Agbani, Amaraizu said, noting that the suspect was already helping the police in their investigations.

14—Vanguard , MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012

Mark drums support for industrialisation policy

BY HENRY UMORU

A

BUJA—SENATE President, David Mark, said, weekend, that for the Federal Government to eradicate unemployment and general economic malaise, there was need for Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora to support the government’s new industrialisation policy.

Senator Mark added that solving the problems

of the country must not be left to government alone as all, Nigerian professionals in the diaspora in particular, must avail the nation of their expertise and experience to realise the dream.

Addressing Nigerians in London, United Kingdom, at the second Ibibio (Akwa Ibom State) second summit, Mark stressed the need for them to be on board “because industrialisation is critical to eco-

nomic development, if Nigeria would achieve her ambition of becoming one of the most developed economies in the world by the year 2020.”

Represented by the chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, Senator Mark, who noted that the nation has had turbulent industrialisation history since independence, said: “Our industrial sector has experi-

enced uncertain and difficult times and has been incapacitated by several factors, which includes energy crisis, excessive import dependence as well as lack of clear strategy for areas where we have competitive and comparative advantages.”

He appreciated President Goodluck Jonathan’s new approach to industri-

alisation, which necessitated the constitution of the Prof. Mike Kwanasheled committee to identify factors militating against the implementation of previous industrial policies and formulate sector-specific policies based on areas where the country has comparative and competitive advantages, among others.

The initiative, Senator

Mark, assured will go a long way in fast-tracking Nigeria’s march to industrialisation.

He said: “It will ensure specific interventions in the areas of industrial and infrastructural development, innovation and technology, improves business environment with appropriate technologies as well as skills acquisition for our youths.”

... as investors commend FG's agric reforms ing arrangements to levWashington DC.

M

INISTER of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has been described as “one of Africa’s greatest agriculture and finance leaders.”

Administrator of United States Agency for International Development, USAID, Dr. Rajiv Shah, made the remark at the forum on increasing harvests at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies in

The Minister, who delivered a lecture entitled Feeding Africa: Unlocking Nigeria’s Agricultural Potential, at Johns Hopkins University, was applauded for the revolution that is currently underway in Nigeria’s agriculture sector.

Nigeria’s reforms to fully deregulate the fertilizer and seed sectors to the private sector, development of privatesector driven marketing institutions, new financ-

erage commercial banks to expand lending to agriculture, and fixing of its agricultural value chains, are attracting agribusinesses to invest in Nigeria.

According to one investor “Nigeria is the next big destination for agricultural investments. With its new private-sector driven policy reforms to make agriculture a business in which we expect Nigeria to soon become the leader in Africa.”

FORUM: From left— Mr. Martins Ogbolu, Chief Compliance Officer, Vodacom; Mr. Louw, MD, Morverst Nig; Mr. Okechukwu Itanyi, Executive Commissioners, Stakeholder Management, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, and Mr. Richard Morse, Head, Group Strategy and Innovation, Globacom, at the stakeholders' forum on corporate governance hosted by NCC in Lagos.

‘21 million trapped in forced labour'

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

N

O fewer than 21 mil lion people are presently victims of forced labour globally, International Labour Organisation, ILO, has said.

ILO, in a statement, weekend, said these unfortunate victims are trapped in jobs they were either coerced or deceived into, which they cannot leave.

According to the statement, the Asia-Pacific region accounts for the largest number of forced labourers in the world with 11.7 million (56 percent) of the global total, followed by Africa at 3.7 million (18 percent) and Latin America, with 1.8 million victims (nine percent).

Head of the ILO’s Special Action Programme to Combat Forced Labour, Beate Andrees, said methodology had been revised and improved since ILO’s initial estimate in 2005 and the numbers were more robust now.

He said: “We have come a long way over the last seven years since we first put an estimate on how many people were forced into labour or services across the world. We have

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also made good progress ensuring most countries now have legislation which criminalises forced labour, human trafficking and slavery-like practices.”

The release noted that “three out of every 1,000 people worldwide are in forced labour today. 18.7 million (90 %) are exploited in the private economy by individuals or enterprises. Of these, 4.5 million (22 percent) are victims of forced

sexual exploitation and 14.2 million (68 percent) are victims of forced labour exploitation in economic activities, such as agriculture, construction, domestic work or manufacturing.

“2.2 million (10%) are in state-imposed forms of forced labour, for example in prisons, or in work imposed by the state military or by rebel armed forces.

5.5 million (26 %) are below 18 years.”

Peace Centre advocates tolerance

BY TAYE OBATERU

J

OS—CENTRE for Conflict Management and Peace Studies of the University of Jos, Plateau State, has sued for peaceful co-existence among Nigerians through mutual respect and tolerance.

Director of the centre, Dr. Audu Gambo, at a two-day advocacy to Dadin Kowa and Rantya communities in the state capital, said it was part of a peace-building project, being executed in collaboration with Royal Netherlands Embassy.

He noted that the two communities stood out during the recurrent cri-

ses in the state as places where adherents of different religions remained peaceful and still co-habit.

Gambo, at different fora with members of the two communities, said they had become case studies on how people can live together in peace.

He said: “When other places were boiling, Dadinkowa and Rantya remained peaceful. We believe that this kind of interaction will help us get from the people strategies they have employed to promote peaceful coexistence within the communities.”

He noted that the lessons from the two communities would be useful.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012—15

INAUGURATION: Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed (right), commissioning one of the electrification projects in Iporin, Ilorin East Local Government Area, to mark the first anniversary of his administration.

With him are the Local Government Chairman, Hajia Aminat Ishola and others.

Jonathan, Fayemi, others eulogise Olasore

BY LEKE ADESERI, South-West Regional Editor

A

BUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has described the death of Oba Oladele Olasore, Ajagbusi-Ekun Owaloko of Iloko-Ijesa in Oriade Local Government Area of Iloko-Ijesa in Osun State as “a great national loss.”

In a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, yesterday, in Abuja, Jonathan said he received the news of Olashore’s death with sadness.

The President said the late traditional ruler was one of the most prominent pillars of the banking profession in the country for many years.

He noted that Olashore’s contributions to the development of Nigeria’s banking sector and his service as Minister of Finance had already assured him a place in the nation’s history.

Jonathan said the monarch would also be remembered for elevating

the profile of his once humble community of IlokoIjesa through immense personal effort and selfless service.

He joined the Olashore family, people of IlokoIjesha and Osun State as well as the monarch’s friends and associates across Nigeria and beyond in mourning him.

Jonathan urged Olashore’s family and friends to be comforted by the knowledge that the deceased had left behind an indelible legacy of great achievements in banking, education, philanthropy and community service.

He noted that the Olashore International School in Iloko-Ijesa, established and nurtured by

NOYE

O

SOGBO—NA TIONAL Chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Chief Bisi Akande, has faulted the renaming of University of Lagos after the acclaimed winner of the June 12,1993 presidential election, the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola,

by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Fielding questions from newsmen in his country home, Ila-Orangun,Osun State, yesterday, Chief Akande said that inas much C M Y K

Fayemi mourns

also

Meantime, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has expressed shock on the death of Oba Olashore.

In a statement, Fayemi said the late monarch served his immediate community, his state and the entire country to the best of his ability throughout his life, leaving be-

hind legacies of integrity and excellence.

He said political office holders would miss the wise counsel the late Oba Olashore used to offer in his life which, according to him, added value to governance in the Southwest in particular and Nigeria in general.

Fayemi also described the late Oba Olashore as a consummate banker, an astute administrator, an erudite educationist, a shrewd investor and an altruistic traditional ruler.

The governor noted that Oba Olashore excelled when he served as the Managing Director of First Bank and also shone when he served the nation as Finance Minister.

Ekiti teachers begin strike over test zNo going back — Govt

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

A

DO-EKITI—AS teachers in public schools in Ekiti State have called their members to distance themselves from

UNILAG: Akande opposes name-change

BY GBENGA OLARI-

the late Oba, would stand as an eternal testimony to his commitment and belief in education as a tool for sustainable growth and development.

The President prayed that God Almighty would grant Olashore’s soul peaceful repose.

as he would have welcomed the development, the timing of the announcement was wrong.

Akande argued that President Jonathan should not have made the pronouncement, especially when the university community was still mourning the untimely death of its ViceChancellor,Professor Babatunde Sofoluwe.

He noted that the late Abiola being a sport philanthropist not only in Nigeria but the entire Africa could have been honoured with naming of the National Stadium, Abuja, after him.

all the designated centres for the compulsory test slated for today, the state government had vowed that there is no going back in the conduct of Teachers’ Development Need Assessment (TDNA) test.

The umbrella body of teachers in the state, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) had directed members to shun the planned assessment test in all the 16 local government areas of the state.

As a matter of fact,the state wing of NUT has declared an indefinate strike from today to register their opposition to the conduct of the test which it saw as an avenue for the state government to witchhunt and them from service.

The Principal Assistant Secretary-General of NUT in Ekiti State, Mr. Wale Oyeniyi, told newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, Friday, that the union had, at its emergency congress last Wednesday, agreed that they would

have nothing to do with the compulsory test.

But the government had said there was no going back in its plan to conduct the test.

According to the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mr. Funminiyi Afuye, who spoke in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, the opposition of some teachers to the test notwithstanding, the state government would still go ahead with its plan.

While assuring the teachers that the government would make provision for maximum security to protect some of them who may show up for the exercise,Afuye, however, warned the teachers not to disobey the order of what he described as a constituted authority by not participating in the test,adding that the test was being organised to know the areas of weakness of teachers and to know how to further help them.

Court orders Tambuwal to expel sacked Rep

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE—THE Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, has been ordered by the Federal High Court sitting in Akure to immediately send packing from the House, the member representing Akure North/Akure South Federal Constituency, Mr. Ifedayo Abegunde, following his judicial ouster from the seat.

The presiding judge, Justice Gloria Okeke, issued the Enrolment of Order in Suit No: FHC/ AK/CS/3/2012 signed on Friday.

The order was, however, said to have been dispatched to the Lower

Chamber of the National Assembly in Abuja for necessary action.

Also, the court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately fill the vacant seat through a bye-election.

Okeke had, in her judgment last Wednesday, sacked Abegunde from the Legislature in a suit he instituted for judicial protection against his recall for defecting from the Labour Party,LP. Abegunde was elected into the House on the platform of LP in April 2011 general elections, but defected to the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, over alleged crisis and division in the party.

Ex-militant leader wants action on security personnel

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE—LEADER of the repentant militant group in Ondo State, Bibopere Ajube, weekend, raised the alarm over alleged involvement of some security personnel in the activities of some unrepentant militants who terrorise the people of the Niger Delta area of the state.

Speaking with newsmen, he said: ”The recent criminal activities in the area were caused by some criminals that were working with serving army and police officers.

He consequently asked the army and police authorities to investigate the activities of some of their officers in the state.

Meantime, some traditional rulers in Ondo Northern Senatorial District, weekend, unanimously endorsed the second term ambition of Governor Olusegun Mimiko

and his deputy, Alhaji Ali Olanusi.

The first class Akoko traditional rulers, rising from a meeting in Ikare-Akoko area of the state, hinged their support on the “’excellent performance of the governor in the last three years.”

While saying that they would continue to pray for the continued success of the government, the monarchs lauded the state government for the development recorded in Akokoland within the last three years.

Oba Akadiri Momoh, Olukare of Ikare, presided over by the meeting held at his palace.

No fewer than 40 monarchs attended the meeting at which they declared “that the entire Akokoland would support Mimiko because of the infrastructural development his administration had initiated in the various communities in the area.

Osun moves to prevent flooding

O

SOGBO—THE Gov ernment of Osun State, yesterday, said it had continued its massive dredging of waterways and canals in its determination to prevent flood in the state.

The government said last year’s decision to embark on early dredging of the waterways paid off as the state did not witness the kind of tragedies that befell many states as a result of the change in climate conditions.

Commissioner for the Environment, Professor

Olubukola Oyawoye, while speaking in Osogbo, yesterday, said the state could not afford to rest on its oars despite the huge activities of last year which saved the state from the previous cases of flooding.

He said while last year’s dredging activities had taken care of most of the major canals and streams in many of the towns and cities in the state, there were still other streams with capacities for flooding, especially because of the habit of people.

C M Y

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012 EARLIEST interests in constructing Nigeria’s coastal road, dates back eight decades. The Niger Delta Environmental Survey of 1998 rated the road among development priorities for the Niger Delta Region.

After eight years, it was included in the Niger Delta Development Commission Master Plan of 2006, which proposed a road to cover nine coastal States of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Rivers.

It will stretch 704 kilometres from Calabar in Cross River to Epe in Lagos, weaving through swamps, river paths, marshy ground, thick forests; and 1,000 communities, most of which do not have any form of land access.

The road will open immense social and economic opportunities in the coastal communities through infrastructures. The Calabar end, with further road developments would be the North East’s fastest access to southern Nigeria.

A marvel and the largest engineering project in Africa, its projected N1.8 trillion cost (37.9 per cent of the 2012 budget), pales beside accruable benefits in political, social, economic terms. About 180 bridges, two of them ‘cablestayed’ and another two being ‘suspension’

1 Okafor Frank Uche House 141 H H Crescent, FHA, Abuja, FCT Winning caption: Housing For All, How realistic?

2 Ogochukwu Okpara 401 Road, Block 3, Flat 26, Festac Town Winning caption: Cement Companies, the Shylock of our generation 3 Bola Azeez 33, Kamaru Adeyemi Street, Bariga, Lagos State Winning caption: Cement way beyond our reach

Impetus F or Eas tWes For Eastt-W estt Road bridges are some of its wonders.

The multiplier effects are beyond the unimaginable shortening of transit times from Lagos to Port Harcourt and Calabar to about three and five hours. Other benefits include: •Generation of over 11,000 jobs during construction •Linkage of coastal economies to the national economy •Boost of major economic activities of fishing and related businesses in the region •Provision of safe and direct access to currently under-utilised or unused waterways •Fostering maritime industries such as ocean terminals, ship repair and maintenance •Unlocking of the region’s vast tourism potentials in ocean viewing, natural beaches,

CATCHY CAPTION COMPETITION No 24 WINNERS EMERGE 7 Sule Kareem 4 Beatrice Okon 88, Otunba Oduwaiye Sreet, 15 Makinde Street,, Bariga, Lagos Ijora Badiya Winning caption: My DREAM HOME is better imagined 5 Olusegun Adeyemi PO Box 108, Oregun, 8 Boniface Okolie Oregun Ikeja 78, Adeojo Street, Winning caption: Housing, a Olodi-Apapa, dream for common man Lagos State 6 Stellamaris Ayorinde 43, Balogun Street, Orile, Lagos State Winning caption: To own a house in this country is mirage

9 Nwaokoro Onyinye Catherine 10, Gerrard Crescent, Ikoyi, Lagos Winnin caption: Will I remain a permanent Tenant?

eco-sanctuaries, spawning grounds, spectacle of the world’s fifth longest cable-stayed bridge and eighth longest suspension bridge •Expansion of the service sector of the economies of the contiguous States •Enhancement of exploitation of vast oil and gas reserves in the region; facilitation of regional integration •Spur establishment of more export processing zones Few projects are capable of the anticipated impact of the road on the most degraded region of the country. Completely new vistas of possibilities would open with the completion of the project, including viable light rail systems to link new cities that would be built. Yet the road is bedevilled by poor funding and a seeming lack of interest by the authorities in the economic opportunities it can unleash.

On completion, the benefits of the proposed road could make it the most profound economic legacy from the present generation to the next.

Governments have a duty to discover the political will that would translate this lofty vision into reality, and with it transform our economy and our lives.

10 Abagun Samson Po Box 1350, Effurun, Delta State Winning caption: “Na wao, see cement go hang up like play play”

Claims:

Winners residing in Lagos State are to call at our Corporate Headquarters, Opposite Julius Berger PLC, Along Apapa-Oshodi Expressway Mondays through Fridays (1-4pm), armed with adequate proof of identification to collect their winnings.

While out-station winners are to collect their winnings from our Zonal Offices nearest to them.

Congratulations!

OPINION

BY UCHENNA NWANKWO

I

RAN and North Korea are always in the news. If one is not being accused of building atomic bombs the other is being lambasted for developing intercontinental ballistic missiles. Meanwhile, nobody seems to bother about the fact that the USA, Russia, China, Britain and France are daily developing and deploying new advanced weapons systems of every description. And that the burgeoning arms race that has gone on since 1945 is clearly indicative that the United Nations, UN, has largely failed in its core mandate of making the world secure or safer, as unrestrained arms build-up contributes enormously to outbreaks of armed aggression.

To make the UN effective in the discharge of its core objective, we must redefine the criteria that inform the prestige and clout enjoyed by nations within the UN system.

The continuing use of military might as a primary factor in this regard, as exemplified by the use of veto-power in the Security Council, is fraught with negative consequences. Indeed, we should abolish the veto and democratise the UN such that factors that truly underscore the strength of nations as well as enhance world peace are brought more into the picture and the process of allocating voting powers to nations in a democratised UN. Power-sharing within a democratised UN should be based on the three factors of equality of states, population and economic power of nations. Equality of states (or groups) and population are long settled and accepted yardsticks for power-sharing in national politics the world over. We do not, therefore, need to dwell on them. The third factor, economic power, is in my opinion relevant to powersharing in the international arena because it complements the other two in the estimation of national power. Indeed,

Towards a more effective United Nations the three factors form the tripod upon which a nation derives true power. Conversely, they represent the axioms upon which the gradation of nations and a fair distribution of voting powers among nations in a restructured United Nations should be based.

In applying these factors to the task of gradation of nations and the assignment of voting powers, the scores of each country on the three attributes of equality of states, population and economic power are summed up and then subdivided by three to produce an average that then represents the nation’s voting power. By way of example, the United States which has a GNP that today approximates 27percent of the world’s total, a population that is approximately 5.5percent of the world’s total and finally a score on the equality of states principle which like those to be assigned to each of the nearly 200 membernations of the UN, stands at about 0.5percent.

T

hese give the USA a total score of 33 percent, which when subdivided by 3 gives the country a weighted voting power of 11 percentage points. Similarly, an abjectly poor country with a GNP of approximately 0.00percent to the world total, an approximate population of 0.00percent to the world total and, of course, the requisite 0.5percent score on the equality of states principle would have an aggregate score of 0.5 percent, which when subdivided by 3 will give her a voting power of about 0.17percent. These voting powers are of course subject to annual adjustment in accordance with changing

economic and demographic realities. The idea is detailed in my book, Strategy for Political Stability (1988).

It can be shown that like the USA, China, Russia, France and Britain, each stands to achieve very high scores or voting powers under this format. With these countries garnering or mustering so much voting powers, while the vast majority of the other UN member-nations will each have just about 0.2 percentage points, why would they continue to insist on having the veto-status? It is my hope that this power-sharing format should placate the big powers who stand to lose the veto in the proposed new scheme of things. The arrangement should equally discourage the burgeoning arms race because nations will naturally strive to cut back on their military spending in order to enhance their economic power, to achieve better voting powers. Of course, democratic politics and decision-making processes will help bind losing minorities to accept the outcome of elections to which they submit themselves and hence curb veto-induced grandstanding within the UN as well as enable it to rally the world community, especially the big powers, to the path of restraint and honour.

Furthermore, I think that in the new dispensation, it should be stipulated that decisions on critical matters of armed UN intervention in any spot on the planet must be backed by an aggregate absolute majority of yes-votes. The new envisaged dispensation will with time ingrain a new suasive democratic culture in world affairs which no nation, however mighty, can afford to ignore or go against.

This suggested reform should help infuse sanity, humility and mutual respect in world affairs. *Mr. Nwankwo, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012 — 49

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50 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012

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Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012 — 51

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52 — Vanguard,

H

MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012

I READERS! How wonderful it must be to be very much in love! When I came down the next morning for breakfast, Kate and Dean had their arms cosily around each other on the couch and were talking in whispers. You should see the sheer joy on my cousin’s face. My heart softened and I greeted them warmly. Kate responded with warmth too, but Dean mumbled, avoided my eyes and looked uncomfortable.

“Join me for breakfast,” I told them genially as I headed for the dining room.

“Thanks, coz. We’ve already had breakfast. We’re trying to decide how best to spend the day.”

“Oh, you can come have lunch with me at our staff canteen,” I heard a voice say. I was shocked when I realized that that voice was mine. My God! What had I done?

Carried away by their romantic mood,I had to say such an idiotic thing! Too late to take my words back, though.

“That would be great, coz!”accepted Kate quickly. “Dean darling, my cousin here is a big shot where she works. The food in their senior staff canteen is so delicious. We shouldn’t miss it.”

“That’s only if it’s convenient for you. Since you have only two nights more, you may want to do more exciting things than coming to an office. Besides, the food isn’t all that grand. It fills the stomach.

That’s all. And Dean, please forget about the ‘big shot’ stuff.

Kate was only joking,” I said “Hey, everybody!” called out Ify, as she descended the staircase.

“How did the night go? I slept like a log. Where are Dicta and Chuma?”

Breakfast together “We had breakfast together with them, and they left. They had to go to work,” said Kate. “Ify dear, you look like dew. You don’t age.”

“Thanks, Kate dear. You told me that yesterday, and I must have aged since then. Now, you two are coming with me to spend the day at my place. No! No protest!

It’s an order.”“Ify! Observe protocol. Don’t stage a coup,” said Kate, wagging a finger at her. “I’m your sister-in-law. I should give the order. Thanks for the invitation, but we’re committed to going to have lunch with Treena in her staff canteen.”

“Or, you don’t have to honour that,” I said at once. “Ify’s place will be a lot more exciting than my office. I readily release you to go enjoy yourselves there.”

Kate looked at me, then at Ify, trying to decide what to do.

Ify didn’t give her a chance to reflect. “Treena has spoken! It’s done then, ” she said. “We’ll leave here at ten. Is that alright? On our way, we could have a dip at the swimming pool at Ikoyi Club.

Would you like that? ” “Oh golly!

That would be nice, but I don’t have my swimming things, Ify dear.” “Don’t worry. We’ll pick some up some cheap ones at a shop on Awolowo Road.

Disposable swimming gear.” I threw a grateful look at Ify, and mouthed my ‘thank you’. Nanny looked more serene as she and Michel served Ify and me breakfast. I suppose, like me, they C M Y K

LIFE WITH TREENA KWENTA

- the funloving, but hardworking single parent

Mending things! had resigned themselves to having Kate and her man around for two more days. No point wearing a long face about it.

When I left for work, my thoughts were all over the place. Frankly, I would have preferred to stay at home to watch the love-birds. I always find it interesting watching budding romantic relationship, particularly between two perfect strangers like Dean and Kate were, as yet. You’re hopeful! You’re apprehensive! No, no. I wasn’t jealous that my cousin has found love, and I do wish them well, still, it can be rewarding when there’s a hiccup, and you can say ‘I told you so!’ with some relish.

Seb Darling!

As the driver and I connected Mile 2 to go take Orile to Apapa, I turned my attention to work, wondering how much I would be able to accomplish by the end of the day. Then my phone rang. It was Seb. Oh dear! I felt a bit guilty that I hadn’t thought of him for two days! That was unusual. He wouldn’t be happy to read this here, but it’s true. Normally, thoughts of him would flash through my mind at least twice every day. But since the Kate/ Dean matter, thoughts of them and their relationship have dominated my mind.

“Hello Seb darling,” I gushed into the phone, to cover up the guilt I was feeling, “good morning. How are you today?”

“My goodness!

What’s happening? Is that Treena?”

“Yes, it is. Does it sound like someone else?”“Well, it is your voice, I must say, but you spoke out of context.” “Out of context of what?”“Of the way you normally address me.”

“What does that mean?” “You called me ‘darling’! Incredible!

You haven’t called me that since you left me. You erased it out of your vocabulary concerning me.

So, what has brought it back, or was it a mistake? Did you mistake me for that brigand of yours who lives in Angola?” “Seb, what and who are you talking about?”

“Forget.” “Thanks.

I’ve forgotten. Thank you for ringing.

How are the children?” “They’re fine. You spoke with both of them, and Robert yesterday evening, didn’t you?” “So I did. Are you at home?” I asked, for want of something else to say.

“For the time being, yes. But Belinda and I are shortly leaving for Essex to go see Simon and his family. They’ve just had an addition to the family.”

“Oh, congratulations. The babies seem to be coming fast.

Good news, though.”

“Yes, it’s good news. Er, look Treena dear, I’m sorry about not telling you all these years about that silly thing about Kate. Er, I didn’t

think it was important enough to tell you and have you worrying about a non-existent thing. You might have refused to marry me, if I had told you at the onset. She was just being silly and mischievous. There had been no contact between us for so long now.”

“Until last month when you met again.” “Even that would have been contained, but when she insulted Belinda in my presence, I knew she would try to say something to hurt you, so, I reported the incident to Tayo. I learnt she’s ashamed of herself now. Dicta has kindly been filling me in on what’s been going on at your place. Michel and nanny too.

It was Belinda who told me that it was important that I should apologize for not telling you much earlier.” “She was? I query her motive in asking you to do that.”

“She said you should have been told that your own first cousin didn’t think you were good enough for me, and wanted to swop places with you.”

“Now, that’s Belinda’s cynical motive for urging you to tell me.

Anyway, this isn’t the time to rake up mud.

How’s your health?” “So so.

One is notcompletely out of the woods yet.

Whenever I feel I’m getting better enough to return home to Lagos, something pops up and I have to go see my doctor at once.” “I’m sorry to hear that. Is there a new health scare or what?”

“No, I think it’s more a case of panic that comes from within. I want to return home, but at the same time I’ve become so dependent on my doctor here that I have this feeling I shouldn’t be away from him.

It’s weird.

That is not me.”

“Well, maybe you should just force yourself to travel down here at a short

notice, without giving yourself time to think about it. Belinda can arrange that, I’m sure. Unless she has some sinister motive for wanting you to stay permanently in the U.K. Maybe she feels more in control of your life there.”

“Treena, I didn’t ring to discuss her, but to discuss Nurudeen, who I understand is now a born-again called Dean.”

“What about him?”

“I’m told you wanted him to produce your car, or the money he sold it for.” “Wasn’t I right to demand that?” “You were, but if you don’t mind, let’s forget about the whole thing.” “Why?” “If we’ve been able to survive financially these ten years without the money from the sale of that car, we should write the debt off.

Besides, I learnt your cousin has fallen madly in love with him and is considering inviting him to the U.S, so that they can live together, pending when they will wed.

Now, my darling, if you now try to separate them by insisting that he should produce your car, or if you do anything that will end their relationship, Kate will blame you forever for ruining her chances of getting married at last. That’s not why you wanted to chase the man from your place, is it?”

“My goodness! You’ve hurt me, Seb?” “Hurt you? How?” “There I was, thinking you wouldn’t want the man to stay at my place, and here you are, making it seem that I was being wicked in not wanting him to stay. I thought you would be angry if you hear that a strange

man was welcomed to stay with me.”

“A strange man shouldn’t be welcomed at your place, ever, but he was with your cousin, as her lover. Now, if it had been Edmund, I would have given Michel the permission to go throw him out. Let’s encourage this relationship Kate’s having, Treena darling. Who knows, this might finally convince her that I mean nothing to her, and that she’s found her Mr. Right at last. What do you think?”

“I think that’s brilliant. Same thing about what you said about our writing the debt off. I hadn’t thought along those lines. Clever you!” “Well, actually, it was Belinda’s idea.” “Now you’ve spoilt everything, Seb dear.”

“In what way?” “By bringing Belinda into it. If it’s her ideas then they can’t be good. There must be something sinister behind her advice.”

“Look, darling, I’m beginning to enjoy this love affair you and Belinda are having. She’s as uneasy about you as you are about her. The best solution to the matter is for both of you to live together.

The rest of us will then have peace.

Ah, here comes Belinda. Say ‘hi’ to her. Bye!” Belinda’s voice came on, dripping with sympathy about all I had been going through. I wanted to ask her what exactly she meant, but I thought that would be ungracious. So, I greeted her politely, congratulated her on her latest grand child, and bid her goodbye. The vixen! Tara.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012 — 53

I

Abiola's political enemies

I

am left with the following conclusion: the President only consulted with the camp of the ruling political establishment, Abiola’s political enemies. These people and their supporters annulled the June 12 1993 presidential election won by Abiola. These were the people who, sensing disintegration possibilities hurriedly ceded power to the Yoruba and chose General Olusegun Obasanjo as the person to take up the presidency rather than Abiola.

These were the people who ensured that both General Sani Abacha and Chief Abiola should vacate the scene and give way to a “neutral” leader as a way of ending the fight for selfsuccession and revalidation of the annulled election. These were the people who chose May 29th as the hand over date to civilians, rather than October 1, our National Day. And also, these were the people who, since 1998 when Abiola was killed in government custody, have refused to recognise his contribution to the restoration of our democracy, let alone honour him for it. These were the people who ignored June 12 and instead settled for May 29th as our Democracy Day. Jonathan, I believe, told them he was determined to recognise Abiola’s contributions to the restoration of our democracy after 13 years of denial by the political establishment which the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is the driving vessel. The renaming of UNILAG was probably the end product of the negotiations.

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Nnamdi Azikiwe. When the Great Zik founded the University in 1955 with its formal opening on October 7th 1960, he named it the University of Nigeria to honour the nation and emphasise his own nationalist propensities. Zik continued to reject the renaming of UNN till he died.

He, however, happily welcomed the creation and naming of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, after him by the Anambra State Government.

MAU

mischief

Mischief taken too far

T

hese two factors are at the heart of the rejection by the staff, students, alumni and well wishers in the naming of UNILAG after Abiola. It has nothing to do with ignorance by the students of the contributions of the man. The renaming is mischief taken too far. It is capable of killing a proud brand and rubbing it with the mud of “Abiola politics”. It is an act of diminishing Abiola and UNILAG with a single effort.

Whether his enemies like it or not, God used Abiola to save Nigeria from disintegration and to preserve its democracy.

If Abiola had not fought the annulment of his election, General Babangida or his alter ego, General Sani Abacha, would have still been in power today if the nation had not since disintegrated. Abiola’s struggle forced the north to cede power. It made it possible for the idea of power rotation and zoning (which was spawned during the days of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in power to address

UNILAG student protesting change of varsity's name I smell mischief in this whole thing.

The idea is obviously to localise Abiola’s memory to the South West, thus making him seem not good enough to have an institution in Abuja, (such as the National Stadium) our nation’s seat of power named after him. This was a man who held 197 chieftaincy titles from all over Nigeria, built 63 colleges, 121 mosques and churches, 41 libraries and was grand patron of 149 societies, a record yet to be attempted since. Above all, he won the fairest and freest presidential election on a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

These same people seeking to belittle him never thought twice when they named the road fringing the Atlantic Barbeach, Victoria Island in Lagos after a regional leader of the north, Sir Ahmadu Bello.

Quite obviously, also, the idea is to diminish the brand known as the University of Lagos (UNILAG), a fifty year-old legacy university and one of the three top universities of choice in

,

T is the hottest debate in town. Boko Haram and terrorism have been pushed to the back seat, for now.

Temporarily forgotten is the proposed electric power tariff increase the Federal Government vowed must go into effect this month. Sidelined for now are the petrol subsidy report and its mind-numbing revelations on which many interest groups have served notice they would soon go on “occupy” street protests. In fact, the first year post-election performance rating of the President Goodluck Jonathan has been drowned in the cacophony over the renaming of the University of Lagos as Moshood Abiola University (MAU) (or is it Moshood Abiola University of Lagos MAUNILAG?) There are those who strongly believe the President deliberately planned it this way to divert attention from the growing perception that he has performed way below the expectation of Nigerians in the past year. If that was so, I promise the President’s strategists that the diversion will be brief. No matter how noisy and strong the jet stream of urination is, it will it will soon pipe down, so the elders say.

As soon as President Jonathan completed his rather dry and unarresting speech presentation, the University of Lagos exploded in a spontaneous outrage. Students, teachers and sympathisers closed ranks and poured into the streets.

Their bold and vehement message to the President: WE DON’T WANT! And let me add: I DON’T WANT!!

Given the outburst of opposition from across the spectrum, I wonder where the President made his “ wide” consultation. From the way staff and students of the University reacted to this change of name, it was clear they hadn’t the slightest inkling of it. A consultation that did not involve the staff, students, alumni nor flown as a kite in the media to feel the pulse of the nation could not in all honesty be described as “ wide”. Even members of the national parliament, whose duty it is to amend the laws to enable the change of name, were taken by surprise.

Abiola’s struggle helped put paid to military intervention. It helped douse the agitation for national disintegration or secession threats. It also led to the election, for the first time in our history, of two southern presidents within 12 years. It made the election of a minority president of Nigeria possible. Abiola is the founding father of Nigeria’s modern democracy

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Nigeria. When Professor Jibril Aminu was the Minister of Education, he tried to do the same thing to my glorious alma mater, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). Aminu was fond of calling it “University of Nsukka”. An attempt was made to rename it after the father of Nigerian nationalism, Dr.

Emeka Nwosu’s book for launch tomorrow A

FTER years of chronicling the current affairs of Nigeria as a political reporter, Emeka Nwosu, former Political Editor of Daily Times, National Chairman of National Association of Political Correspondents and now the Special Adviser to the Deputy Speaker, House of Reps, has compiled his writings into book form. The book is entitled: Nigeria and the Crisis of the Nation-State, Agenda for National Consensus. It is a 248-page volume with 67 single-article chapters covering about everything under the sun of Nigerian politics and governance as seen through the eyes of an experienced reporter and opinion leader.

Emeka is a veteran of the trade whom I have met in the field both home and abroad. While I have remained on the pages, he forayed into the practical world of politics. In fact, he even ran for the House of Representatives.

Nevertheless, he has never missed an opportunity to write and express his views about unfolding events in Nigeria with his articles making frequent outings across the spectrum of the Nigerian Press.

The book launch will take place at the Shehu Yar ’ Adua Centre, Abuja on Tuesday, June 5th 2012 under the Chairmanship of Prof. Jerry Gana. The Governor of Abia State, Chief Theodore Orji will be the Chief Host, while Emeka’s principal, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, will be the Chief Guest of Honour.

We will be there to support him. Join us.

the fears of sectional domination) to be practicalised. The north had resorted to using the military to return to power any time the date for the zoning of the presidency to another part of the country seemed around the corner as we saw in the Muhammadu Buhari coup of December 31, 1983 when Dr. Alex Ekwueme was already being touted as the next president in 1987.

Abiola’s struggle helped put paid to military intervention. It helped douse the agitation for national disintegration or secession threats. It also led to the election, for the first time in our history, of two southern presidents within 12 years. It made the election of a minority president of Nigeria possible.

Abiola is the founding father of Nigeria’s modern democracy. He must be honoured with an institution in Abuja, our federal capital. UNILAG must be left to remain as UNILAG. Jonathan’s goodwill towards Abiola must not be sullied by a very unpopular and mischievous decision.

Having done so already and getting the resounding NO from stakeholders and patriotic Nigerians he must listen.

He must follow due process of the law, since he is neither a General nor Pharaoh.

It is a brave man who realises his mistake and takes steps to correct it.

54 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012

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VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012 — 55

Osun grieves over Oba Olashore’s demise

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

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NEASY calm per vaded the sleepy town of Iloko-Ijesha in Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State, weekend, following the official announcement of the demise of their foremost traditional ruler, the Ajagbusi Ekun, Owaloko of Iloko Ijesha, Oba Samuel Oladele Olashore who died in a London hospital on Friday at the age of 77.

When Vanguard visited the community, yesterday, the entire community was in grief as they were mourning their monarch who came to the throne in 1997 after a lot of pressure from the community on him to occupy the throne of his forefathers. The death has actually paralyzed both social and commercial activities in the town, just as the roads were deserted in honour of the late traditional ruler.

Also, all the markets in the town were shut down to honour the late monarch who indigenes of the town said brought unprecedented developments to the town, even as Sunday Service in all the churches in the town were dedicated to the late monarch.

Discussion of the passage Residents of the town were seen in groups in various locations in the town discussing the passage of Oba Olashore; while indigenes of the town in the diasporas along side other sympathizers kept trooping into the town to mourn the death of the traditional ruler.

The palace of the Ajagbusi Ekun of Iloko Ijesha was also deserted when our correspondent visited the town yesterday, and none of the traditional chiefs of the town was willing to comment on the death of their monarch.

Executive Secretary of Oriade Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Taiwo Fatiregun who announced the death of the monarch, said details of his funeral rites would be made public as soon as the government concludes consultations with the family of the late traditional ruler and the leadership of the state council of Traditional Rulers.

It was learnt that an emergency meting of the state C M Y K

Oba Samuel Oladele Olashore, Owaloko of Iloko Ijesha

council of traditional rulers would hold this week at the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, who is the permanent chairman of the council. Oba Olashore, a foremost banker and former Minister of Finance died in a London hospital last Friday.

His last outing was the celebration of his 77th birthday in February this year where he laid the sod for the construction of a botanical garden in the town. The monarch would be remembered for his love for his community as he had most of his investments including the famous Olashore International School in the town, which he ruled for over 15 years.

Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola and his predecessor in office, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola were among the first to send condolences. Aregbesola in his condolence described as a colossal loss, the passing on of the Owaloko of Iloko-Ijesa, Oba Oladele Olashore. The Governor said the Oba served Nigeria as a dedicated professional to the best of his ability before retiring to offer community service to his people in the State.

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overnor Aregbesola, in a statement signed by the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, recalled Olashore’s brilliant performance within the Nigerian financial sector; a performance that saw him to the pinnacle of his career as the Managing Director of the First Bank of Nigeria Plc.” The Governor added: “The love of his people which made him to site the Oladele Olashore International School in his community has brought fame and

development to that community which was hitherto a rural community. His reign witnessed growth and abundant happiness for his people. His personality alone has contributed in no small dimension to the rapid transformation that the town has witnessed.”

Former Governor of the state and National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, described the death of Oba Olashore as a great loss to the nation. Oyinlola described the death of Aloko of Iloko, Oba Oladele Olashore as a huge loss to Osun state and to the nation.

Prince Oyinlola, in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Ayo Olaiya, noted the invaluable contributions of the late Aloko of Iloko Ijesa to his community and to Osun State saying his death marked the end of an era in true patriotism.

He described the late Oba as a key pillar of support for his government in his seven and a half years in power, stressing that Oba Olashore’s demise was a personal loss to him and that the incident had made Osun State and Nigeria poorer.

“The late Oba was a shining example of how the elite can motivate and engender development in their localities. He showed in practical terms how to lead by example in communal development. “His development activities, philanthropic gestures and the totality of his reign as an Oba were a practical demonstration that with Oba Olashore a tree can make a forest. He lived well and history will record him as one who gave his very best in the service of his people,” Prince Oyinlola said.

56 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012

First anniversary:

We have been taken for a ride — Yadudu PROFESSOR Auwwalu Yadudu, presently a teaching staff at the Bayero University, Kano was Legal Adviser to former Head of State, General Sani Abacha.

Erudite and forceful in his arguments, Yadudu in this interview bares his mind on the state of the nation and reviews the actions and inactions of the Goodluck Jonathan administration after one year.Excerpts:

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has just celebrated one year as elected President. What is your assessment of the administration and its impact on the average Nigerian?

Well, I am not an average Nigerian but we all feel the pulse of the nation whatever state we are. I hope I am not being uncharitable, but quite frankly and very regrettably, I have not seen anything positive that I can pin-point to score this administration in one year.

Unfortunately, the administration does not seem to understand or comprehend the challenge of governance and it seems to me that they don’t seem to have the grip of first understanding all the negative things that have been happening across the polity or taking steps to deal with them in a meaningful manner. We have one year of democracy, yes Mr President has been in office for a year but I do not see any promise that he has made that he has attempted and certainly delivered. You get many vows and if you count these vows, you lose count of them. The approach is ‘I will do’ but really there is nothing to show for it. That is my regretful assessment of the one year in office of this government.

How then do you react to increasing clamour over the 2015 election?

Well, unfortunately 2015 is thrust in the public eye by the presidency itself and personally, I am not a partisan politician. I find it very regretful that down the line you have three years to run an administration and to give account of the mandate that the people have given, yet you are thinking of submitting yourself for re-election in 2015 now. In other places, when elections are over, it is over and it is time to deliver on promises made and

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on the basis that you do well, the public can give another mandate when they look at what you have done. It is the President that threw 2015 in the open and therefore if others join in taking up the issue, it is unfortunate. I can understand if the opposition are busy thinking about 2015 because they have an election to contest but it should not be the person who has been elected that should be thinking about any elective office now. The President should think of how to start running the business of presidency. For me, I consider the talk about 2015 regretful and unhealthy.

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By GBENGA OKE

Professionals and Politicians led by Dr Junaid Mohammed what is your take on the increasing polarisation of issues between the North and South?

This nation has come a long way as one indivisible united nation and I personally would do anything to defend that regardless of who is at the helm of affairs at the centre. The agitation for regional interest or the protection or promotion of regional interest is something that does not necessarily affect our federation. Mallam Aminu Kano had a saying that ‘everybody may be a Nigerian but we all know where we come

We have one year of democracy, yes, Mr President has been in office for a year but I do not see any promise that he has made that he has attempted and certainly delivered

Could that have been what prompted the dog and baboon statement credited to General Muhammadu Buhari?

I cannot talk for General Buhari because I do not have his authority to speak on his behalf. Whatever statement he has made was made in the context of the circumstances surrounding a visit. He made the statement and it unnecessarily generated controversies. When the presidency picks the baton and begins to count 2015 and somebody takes the issue up with them, I think it is only fair.

As I said, I am not talking about the content of what was said and what was not said, but I think General Buhari and other political aspirants are entitled to pick up issues with this issue of 2015 that was started not by them, the opposition, but the presidency.

As a major player in the group of Northern

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from, our own home.’ In any event, all politics is local and national politics is local because I can offer myself to be a Senator or the President of this country but the starting point is my constituency. So on the agitation for the promotion of regional interests, I do not see any harm in it.

As a Northerner, I see a lot of wrongs in the elevation of ethnic agitation. Of course, I will not hoist or construct their agitation on the basis of ethnicity but for us in the North, we are a region from historical experience that have transcended regional ethnicity in our association and political expression. I think it is good for the polity and for the nation.

You can speak about territory, you can speak about shared culture but ethnic affiliation is something that does not appeal to me. To your question about the regional agitation or promotion, I personally will not

*Yadudu work to ensure or to seek to hoist a Northerner, however illsuited, however ill-prepared, and however un-qualified to be the leader of this country simply because he is a Northerner. I will want to see this nation have a leader that we deserve who in any event will offer himself for service, who will not render himself as regional champion..

I will want to see a great leader regardless of where he comes from being qualified, able of character to run the affairs of this nation. He may be from the North, from the South. The situation we are in about zoning and rotation is an affair that the PDP as a party rightly or wrongly put in their constitution, it is their own problem but of course PDP will not always run the show in this country.

Some eminent Northerners have recently claimed that the North would do better without the South. Do you share this opinion?

This nation is so interconnected, it is so interdependent that it will be foolhardy to think the South can survive without the North or think the North can survive without the South. The issue really is that, God forbid, you come to a decision where you want to part ways for whatever reason, I can assure you that give and take, the North stands a better chance of surviving it than the unit of the South. I

don’t mean to say that the North does not have its own problems but it far more problematic in the South than it is in the North. For example, if you are talking about economy and market, in this world today, the larger the economy the better and therefore in my view, we all are better for it united than divided because we stand a better chance being together than divided.

What is your take on the different slants by major Northern groups on the 2015 presidential contest?

It is not unusual for any given regional organization to have expressions that take different forms and it is expressed at different platforms. First of all, I do not belong to the Governors Forum, so I do not know what brought about their position and agenda. The group that I belong to is not just the group that Dr Junaid convened, I am not partisan but I belong to committees and groups that will make a difference in the life of this nation and also make a difference in my immediate community. 2015 is for politicians and partisan people but of course it will be wrong to think there won’t be discordant tunes concerning the candidature or political party, you cannot wish that

Continues on page 57

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012 — 57

First year anniversary:

We have been taken for a ride — Yadudu Continued from page 56

Sovereign national conference If you talk about Sovereign National Conference, it is something constructed on other consideration, it is problematic and will be chaotic and it will lead to disorder.

Well, it is few people that are meeting in Lagos and they make the noise but in terms of reality, it is not more than the noise that they met because you cannot move an inch further without reshaping the polity.

All the structures of the federation, all the issue you want to change outside the context of the legitimate authority are built on the 1999 constitution.

If you don’t want to be a political anarchist, I don’t see them getting much mileage trying to construct things in terms of the polity, structure of the economy or of the federal unit outside the system.

Do you think northern leaders have responded well to the insecurity problems in the North?

(Cuts in) Is it insecurity in the

*Yadudu North or the entire country?

But the North feels the insecurity more and innocent lives are being lost on daily basis. Will you then say the government has shown enough will in tackling the menace?

First, it is wrong to talk of insecurity in the North because there is insecurity generally over the country. We have different manifestation of it everywhere. It is true that we have an entirely different security challenge in the North as we do in the South-South, as we do in Lagos and everywhere. First, my problem with this challenge is that the Federal Government doesn’t seem to understand what the problem is.

It is incompetence maybe arising from its lack of knowledge of what the threat is. It is incompetent to handle it and in some cases, some officials appear to be complicit in really not getting to the root of the problem. If we are going to get to the root of this insecurity, everybody has a role to play. The governors and those in authority at different levels have a role to play in dealing with the challenge.

Make no mistake about that. W hen you have the entire law enforcement apparatus controlled by the Federal Government and the governor has no say as to how you deploy the police or how you control them.

When you have the armed forces also at the control of the Federal Government and the governor, the LGA chairman cannot give them any order or direct the police how to operate. When you also have

the State Security Service under the control of Federal Government when we have this kind of insecurity challenge facing the country, you cannot make headway on it, you will only keep making promises but taking no action of meaningful nature to deal with it.

Of course we aware that you are maltreating people, setting road blocks, throwing the security operatives around

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away and it is not only happening in the North. You cannot say the South-East is speaking with one voice politically, certainly you cannot say that South-West will be going to 2015 with one voice.

You cannot shut people up and I don’t see anything wrong in what they said because there has been one agitation too many and the governors might be talking about the North within the PDP as a party or the North irrespective of party affiliation, it is too early to say what they are all up to, whether it is something they can deliver or not.

Do you subscribe to calls for a Sovereign National Conference?

I think there cannot be two sovereign powers at the same time. Sovereignty and our constitution belong to the people and under our system, the people have delegated their sovereign rights to their representatives in the different arms of government, whether in the Legislature, Judiciary or Executive and according to the legal order we operate today, these are the sovereign authorities we have and that is the only legitimate platform or basis for discussing any problems that we have.

Personally, I think there is no problem of a constitutional or structural nature that we cannot solve except we refuse to have political will to attempt through the existing legitimate order.

have their mind closed to pursuing other options because when other events like bank robbery happens, they will say it is Boko Haram, when political assassination happens, it is Boko Haram, some of these things that Boko Haram used to make claims on, the truth of the matter is that the pressmen are not investigating things. People post things on the website and you just swallow it, we all swallow it. There are some on youtube, somebody dressed in camouflage with grenades all around and he claims this is what he is, unfortunately the security agencies do not understand the threat exposed in this manner, believe me, if you don’t understand the phenomenon and if you don’t adopt a non-partisan and dispassionate attitude to it, you will never get to understand it, all you will do is to wreck the economy, you will wreck social life and you will breed disgruntled elements who will take up all sought of things and you will make life horrible for everybody and it is not what we need to find solution to our problems.

Do you subscribe to General Azazi’s claim that the PDP zoning arrangement was the major cause of this problem?

To me, that statement is nonsense, absolutely nonsense. The PDP zoning arrangement did not begin in

The issue really is that, God forbid, you come to a decision where you want to part ways for whatever reason, I can assure you that give and take, the North stands a better chance of surviving it than the unit of the South

the people but this will not help solve the problem, it will only escalate it. The government is even spending a lot of money to massively install gadgets that if you are to check now, do not work. Here in Abuja, you have all this surveillance cameras installed with billions of naira but they have not helped matters. My take is that there has to be a genuine attempt on the part of the Federal Government especially to understand the true nature of the security challenges and to be very non- partisan and dispassionate in seeking to find out what really the problem is.

In my view those who are charged with the responsibility of dealing with these problems are already compromised, they are already biased and they

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2007, the zoning problem of PDP has been with us. The problem of Boko Haram’s manifestation did not start in 2007, and it started much earlier. It is very naive for the National Security Adviser to find it necessary, even find it expedient to use that as an argument. It makes me feel sorry for this country because what he has done is simply to say that somebody in the North wants to put sand-sand in the their son’s garri and make his government troublesome. For street and pedestrian argument, that can pass by but for the person who ultimately advises on security matters to the President to even swallow that argument is wrong. He did not only say it in private but even said it openly. That it is

the reason why things are happening the way they are happening in the country, we are sorry as a nation and I don’t see us really trying to understand the problems.

Quite frankly, I have respect for his office but I think it is the most unhelpful statement that can come out of an office such as his.

Some say high poverty in many parts of the North as a major reason for this insecurity……

(Cuts in) Not only in the North and I think if you work to deliver on employment to the youth, it is wrong to talk of poverty in the North because youth unemployment is national, youth agitation is national, youth tendency to violence is national, it only takes different manifestations and different outlook.

Different outlook So, I don’t think it will be right to say that solving poverty alone will solve the problem but it is a mix of actions that will help to solve the problem.

With the number of years the North was in power in Nigeria, it is believed that there should have been major development in the entire zone but it seems the reverse is the case!

It is simply the most unkind thing to say about the leadership in the country. A Northern leader does not consider himself as a leader of the North to the exclusion of the rest of the country that he leads, so it will be wrong to say that I am responsible for the problems of the youth in the North and not in the south. It will be wrong. The point really is that, it is true that our leaders North and South, West and East have not truly given good leadership to run our affairs in a manner that our problems will be solved and this is across the divide and if you want to make that argument, I will be ready for it but it will be wrong to begin to have a scale of preference. You don’t tell me that over the years the Governors in Rivers state have done more to the youths than the governors in Kano has done to the youths, I don’t know the figure but my hunch is that they have all taken us for a ride and they have not really done anything. Again, you don’t need to tell me that the 8 years Obasanjo did in government, he has done more to attend to the problems of youths in the South-West, if he had done that, it will be wrong and unjust of him. Sometimes we just move around the problem.

58 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012

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VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012 — 59

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60—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012

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Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012 — 63

Namibian coach mocks Nigerian Eagles of Nigeria and “I had expected Nigepress Namibia played at the ria to run over Namibia.

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU, Calabar

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EAD Coach of the Brave Warriors of Namibia, Benard Kaanjuka has expressed disappointment over the low goal margin in yesterday’s match between the Super

U.J. Esuene stadium, Calabar, Cross River State.

Kaanjuka in an interview said that it was speculated that the Eagles were going to run over his team, but that did not happen.

Instead, his team which he described as a young team ran over the Eagles.

Sudan Continues from BP duce a response.

The opening stages of the game saw scrappy play from both sides but it was the hosts who were enjoying the better of the possession.

Rainford Kalaba and Chris Katongo started to cause some trouble for the Sudan defence after the 25-minute mark but they were still unable to get through.

Kennedy Mweene was finally forced into a save in the 30th minute but Careca’s shot was fairly simple for the stopper to deal with.

Kalaba then wasted a free-

kickthreeminuteslaterwhile Isaac Chansa tried to release Emmanuel Mayuka but he was ruled out for offside.

The game finally came to life in the second period when Careca blasted a shot past Mweene just four minute in and the African champions responded immediately with William Njobvu and James chamanga being thrown on.

It did not help though and in the 70th minute the home fanswouldbesentintoafrenzy when Masawi got up to meet a quickly taken corner and powered a header past Mweene.

Drogba and Kalou Continues from BP shaled by Didier Drogba, Kolo Toure, Chieck Tiote and Gervinho.

Salomon Kalou put the home side in the lead nine minutes into the game after finding a breach in the Tanzanian area during a goalmouth scramble.

With the score still at 1-0 after the hour mark and the Taifa Stars still holding their ground, coach Sabri Lamouchi brought in Hannover ’s

Ya Konan Didier and Kader Keita of Al Sadd to spice up the frontline, which paid off immediately after Keita sharply set up Drogba from the left edge of the Tanzanian box. The Ivorian captain escaped his marker and hit the back of the net to double the lead for his side.

Cote d’Ivoire will play Morocco in Marrakech on June 9 while Tanzania will host Group C’s fourth member Gambia in Dar es Salaam on June 10.

Eagles Continues from BP play notwithstanding. He hit the post in the first half but blew chance after chance even once when he dribbled a defender over his head but played the shot into the sky. His misses appeared to have affected his confidence and what followed was a barrage of misses. Victor Moses was not in the game and John Utaka was equally not doing better. They were left too long in the pitch. They all had to be changed for Ahmed Musa and Kalu Uche, the Enyimba striker.

Before then tired Obiora Nwankwo had been replaced by Henry Uche, another Enyimba player. ”The building process is on.

We are learning with time and every match,” Keshi

said as he walked out of the pitch. He admitted that it was a difficult match but hoped that Eagles would continue to improve. Eagles must leave for the match in Malawi thinking abouit how to improve on their attacking runs and the midfield where there wasn’t much creativity. Gabriel Ruben did well defensively in the midfield but his effort was not complemented by an injured Obiorah, Moses and Utaka. Ejike Uzoenyi enjoyed some dribbling runs but should learn to release ball faster. Set pieces including corner kicks were another area Eagles were found wanting. ”We would do a lot to work on these areas,” Keshi said, adding ‘ the important thing were the three points and we had them.”

Before the match, the press said that they were going to run over Namibia. They did not do that.

It’s Namibia that ran over your team. From here on we are going to run over all the other countries.”

The Coach however said that despite the goal margin, the Eagles were technically better than his team noting that he had learnt a lot from the performance of the Eagles.

The super Eagles players are very good. Technically they played well, my boys have learnt from the boys of Nigeria. It is a good beginning for my team.

Keshi Continues from BP er by the depressing news of the ill-fated plane crash which they learnt of before the commencement of the game at the U.J Esuene Stadium in Calabar.

Keshi, while describing the crash as a sad and painful development which showed the vanity of life, prayed God to grant the families of the crash victims the fortitude to bear the loss.

“We dedicate this win to all the victims of the plane crash. It was a very tragic one and we actually got the news before the match and it depressed us because these are Nigerians like us. We were pained and just had to goon the pitch to play for them. This is a very sad day and we can only pray that God will grant the families of the departed the fortitude to bear the losst”, said an emotional Keshi.

On the match, Keshi said that it showed that there were no small teams in African football, giving the stiff opposition that the Namibians gave to the Eagles.

Keshi added that even supposedly small teams, now come to Nigeria with the intention of beating the Super Eagles in competitive matches, a situation that he said his charges were not going to allow in the ongoing World Cup qualifying race.

He said that his strikers were unable to score early because of the defensive play of the Namibians.

Keshi promised to work on the attack, which lacked the cutting edge ahead of this weekend’s qualifier against Malawi in Blantyre.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012

Sudan stun African champs Z

AMBIA were unable to follow on where they left off in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations as they went down 2-0 away to Sudan in a 2014 World Cup qualifier on

Saturday.

Goals from Mudathir Careca and Saif Masawi in the second-half gave Sudan the advantage and the African champions were unable to pro CContinues on page 63

Eagles struggle past Namibia

BY ONOCHIE ANIBEZE, Calabar

W

Nigeria who now top their group after Kenya and Malawi played scoreless draw on Saturday. ”Nigeria have bigger names in football but they will feel us on the field,” Namibia’s coach Benhard Kaanjuka told Vanguard before the match. The Eagles really felt their defensive play as they had about nine players behind the ball most times but were also quick in spreading out when in possession of the ball. Rarely did they harass in Eagles’ goal area. The onus fell on Eagles to prove they were a better side. They needed goals to do that.

But they missed many chances, Ike Uche being the key man in the “missing game.” He would have ended up the villain if he had not scored. But he did and for that reason was man of the match, his seeming loss of confidence and clumsy

HILE Nigeria’s Eagles engaged Namibia’s warriors in a 2014 World Cup qualifier in Calabar yesterday, the news of the plane crash in Lagos spread at the stadium and attention of the fans who heard the sad news was divided until the referee blew the final whistle. And in the post match press conference Keshi prayed for the souls of the reposed and said that “we would like to dedicate this victory to the victims of the crash and we pray that God will grant the families of the victims the fortitude to bear the loss. It’s a sad day in Nigeria and we sympathize with the bereaved.”

His team earned a hard 1-0 victory courtesy of Ike Uche’s 81st minute strike that the fans celebrated almost to high heavens. It was a difficult match for CContinues on page 63 TODAY'S

PUZZLES

Keshi dedicates win to crash victims

BY PATRICK OMORIODON, Calabar

Drogba, Kalou punish Tanzania OTE D’IVOIRE beat Tanzania 2-0 on Saturday in the second round qualifying of the 2014 World Cup played at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan.

Ranked 15th overall

by FIFA, the Elephants were facing a team placed 145th on the world table, but the visitors stunned many by standing up against the Ivorian challenge mar CContinues on page 63

C

OACH Stephen Keshi has dedicated Super Eagles 1-0 win over the Brave Warriors of Namibia in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier to the victims of the plane crash that occurred yesterday in Iju, on the outskirts of Lagos.

The Super Eagles celebrated the narrow win, with a perfect strike by Ikechukwu Uche in the 80th minute, even though they dominated possession and could have scored at least five goals. The Nigerians were made to fight hard for the win, which Coach Keshi, admitted during a post-match conference, was made tough CContinues on page 63

THANK GOD — Ike Uche celebrates after his goal against Namibia. Photo: Sylva Eleanya

FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

C

2014 World Cup Qualifiers Nigeria 1 Namibia 0 Benin 1 Mali 0 Niger 0 Gabon 0 Angola 1 Uganda 1 Guinea 1 Zimbabwe 1 S/Africa 1 Ethiopia 1 Tunisia 3 Eq Guinea 1 S/Leone 2-1 Cape Verde Ivory Coast 2-0 Tanzania Morocco 1-1The Gambia Ghana 7-0 Lesotho Zambia 0-2 Sudan Burkina Faso 0-0 Congo Kenya 0-0 Malawi Egypt 2-0 Mozambique Algeria 4-0 Rwanda Cameroon 1-0 DR Congo Senegal 3-1 Liberia Togo 1 -1 Libya

Friendly S/Africa 1 Falcons 1

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Fog (4) 4 Beaker (3) 6 Swab (4) 8 Mysterious (6) 9 Uproar (6) 10 Headgear (3) 12 Vault (5) 14 Viper (5) 15 Sea-duck (5) 18 Water-channel (6) 20 Clouded (6) 24 Cede (5) 26 Humorous (5) 28 Rustic (5) 30 Elderly (3) 32 Touching (6) 33 Harmony (6) 34 Exclude (4) 35 Newt (3) 36 Increased (4)

DOWN 2 Encounter (5) 3 Instrument (7) 4 Legend (4) 5 Present (4) 6 Cabled (5) 7 Upstart (7) 11 Imitate (5) 12 Gearwheel (3) 13 Fasten (3) 16 Parched (3) 17 Fish-eggs (3) 19 Regular (7) 21 Layer (3) 22 Worshipping (7) 23 Fish (3) 25 Sick (3) 27 Tangle (5) 29 Elicit (5) 30 Monster (4) 31 Tube (4)

FRIDAY'S SOLUTIONS

ACROSS: 1, Strap 5, Vapour 8, Barge 10, Tomato 11, Stud 14, Tenant 15, Regular 18, Net 19, Tom 21, Dawn 23, Lever 24, Mesh 27, Den 29, Log 31, Rapidly 32, Doomed 34, Tale 35, Elicit 38, Aided 39, Thread 40, Tenet.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 2, Too 3, Abacus 4, Pat 5, Vest 6, Pruned 7, Rotten 9, Rotated 12, Ten 13, Data 16, Ease 17, Rover 20, Menaced 22, Will 24, Modest 25, Slot 26, Homage 28, Divide 30, Gel 33, Dead 36, Let 37, Ire.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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