Soldiers arrest Ijaw chief, 5 others

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 63043

N200

MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

Earth tremor causes panic in Oyo community >>39

Bank customers Muslims annual transferred fasting, Ramadan, N10trn in 4 years starts today >>11 >>40 —CBN

BOMBING OF SHELL FACILITIES:

Soldiers arrest Ijaw chief, 5 others •Oporoza, 24 hours after Army’s exit •Don’t dialogue with Avengers, Emami tells FG •Tompolo’s room turned upside down •Our people are not Avengers —Ogulagha youth leader

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South, Egufe Yafugborhi & Perez Brisibe

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ARRI—SOLDIERS, yesterday morning, swooped on oil-rich Ogulagha, an Ijaw kingdom in Burutu Local

Government Area of Delta State, arresting six persons, including a chief, in connection with the bombing of Forcados 48 Export Line belonging to Shell Nigeria Petroleum Company, SNPECo, last Thursday, by the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA. Among those seized were a notable leader in Continues on Page 5

Buhari flies out to London for treatment >>15 Mr & Mrs MEETING: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (left) and President, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Alassane Ouattara, during closing session of the 49th ordinary session of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in Dakar, Senegal, weekend.

COLUMNISTS:

Dancing on the edge of the cliff •P.33

The economy Atiku should and Pandora's define ‘restructuring’ Box •P.32

•P.34

This Business of Music Femi Anikulapo-Kuti CEO, Positive Force Band

•P.35 C M Y K

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Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016 — 3

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4 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

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Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016—5

POCKET CARTOON multinational oil companies, before and we have our own way of expressing our displeasures, not resorting to destroying our own facilities.

“No ransacking was done, no arms or incriminating materials were found with them.

Some of them were already on their way to church before they were arrested.”

Oporoza, 24 hours after military exit

should be on the basis of underdevelopment affecting the respective areas “We, the Itsekiri ethnic group, have our own problems, but that has not made us to go and bomb pipelines. For instance, the Export Processing Zone, EPZ, is there and nothing is going on, we are neglected, there is no development. So I am against dialogue with criminals.”

Meanwhile, Oporoza, the traditional headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, vacated by soldiers after a six-day siege, last Friday, is still a shadow of itself 24 hours after, and it seemed it would take a longer time for normal life to return.

Vanguard on its visit to the community, observed that the regular stop-andsearch along the waterways has stopped but commuters, especially those from Ogbe-Ijoh market waterside to Oporoza and its s u r r o u n d i n g communities, still travel with their hearts in their mouths.

The journey, which lasted 55 minutes, was smooth, calm and devoid of any military checkpoint

Our people are not Avengers —Ogulagha youth leader Chairman of the

Vanguard Publisher, Sam Amuka, survives violent robbery attack

PRESENTATION: From left, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State;

his wife, Edith; Prof. Epiphany Azinge (SAN) and Monday Igbuya, Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, during a public presentation of 05 Initiative of Dame Edith Okowa and her birthday celebration at Event Centre, Asaba.

Photo: Nath Onojake.

Soldiers arrest monarch, 5 others Continues from Page 1 Ogulagha Kingdom, Chief Peter Tuasinde; chairman of Ogulagha community, Captain Prebor Solomon and Public Relations Officer of the community, Henry Agedigba, who went to find out from the Joint Task Force, JTF, in the Niger Delta, why they raided the community and apprehended his kinsmen.

Also arrested were a staff of S. J. Abed Catering Company in Forcados Terminal, Mr. John Borme; a businessman, Mr. Clement Ibada, and Ejor Burutu, who reportedly showed them the houses of persons they mentioned.

Vanguard learned that soldiers of the JTF invaded the community at 8.20 a.m on suspicion that some members of the community were involved in blowing up the crude oil pipeline.

Niger Delta Avengers claimed responsibility for the attack on the Forcados

48" export line, saying it was because the company acted against its warning not to repair the facility, earlier bombed by the militant group.

FG should not dialogue with Avengers —Ex-DWSC

Similarly, former chairman of Delta Waterways Security Committee, DWSC, and Niger Delta activist, Chief Ayiri Emami, told Vanguard, yesterday, that Niger Delta Avengers were a bunch of criminals, and asked government, contrary to the opinion of some South-South leaders, not to negotiate with criminals.

“Why should they negotiate with criminals, if they are talking about neglect in the Niger Delta, all the ethnic groups are neglected and they have issues. So, if the government wants to dialogue, it should not be with criminals who are bombing pipelines, it

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO - 08104802192

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HEN you try to become like others or stick to the opinions of other people, you lose your uniqueness and might forfeit your chance of leadership authority.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE- O8084919482 If you’re irritated by every rub, how would you ever be polished?— Rumi

T

HE further along you mature in your spirituality, the more aware you’re likely to be very balanced in planning your life. You develop more tolerance and humour as you go along in your daily life because now you have a greater understanding.

This means you take more responsibility for whatever happens to you.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

Y

OU can wash the basket in the stream but you can't carry water home with it

umbrella body of Ijaw Youths Council, IYC, clan structure, Doubra Collins Okotete, who confirmed the arrest of the six persons, condemned what he described as “harassment, intimidation and arrest of innocent people.”

He said: “They arrested them over allegation of being involved in the recent attack on SPDCowned export line. I want to tell you that over 50 years of oil exploration and exploitation in our community, our people have always cooperated, supported and created the enabling environment for peaceful operations, despite the marginalization shown to our people by these multinational oil companies.”

Condemning the attacks on oil installations across Niger Delta by Niger Delta Avengers, Okotete called for the JTF to release the people arrested at Ogulagha and “correct the anomalies done to our people because Ogulagha man is not involved in such act.

“We have had issues with our visitors, that is the

By Emma Nnadozie & Evelyn Usman

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AGOS — GUNMEN, yesterday, invaded the Anthony, Lagos, abode of the Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr Sam Amuka, dispossessed him of some money meant for a trip to South Africa, this weekend.

The bandits, numbering five, also assaulted the 81year-old publisher using iron rods and other dangerous weapons on him.

His mobile phone, electronic gadgets and other valuables were also stolen.

The hoodlums reportedly stormed the one-storey building located on Adebayo Mukuolu Street at about 1.30 am in a Toyota car.

They parked their vehicle close to the gate with one of the gang members inside, while others scaled the high walls of the publisher ’s expansive compound.

They cut the burglary proof of one of the windows

on the waterways.

Returnee residents were apprehensive when they saw a group of journalists and they only started coming out in trickles moments after.

happening, one of them hit me twice on the face with the butt of his gun.

“Immediately they realized I was an old man, they fled into the night leaving me in a pool of blood from injuries.”

How I was butted with a rifle —80-yr-old Amadiowie

We don’t know our casualties yet

Recounting his ordeal, 80-year-old Amadiowie of Oporoza, Chief Francis Mala, said: “On the night the soldiers arrived Oporoza, I was in bed at about 2.00 a.m when I heard a knock on my door.

“I came out to check through the window and immediately I opened the window, I saw two soldiers with rifles and before I realized what was

with chisel, from where they gained access into one of the sitting rooms.

It was gathered that when they could not open the entrance door leading to his bedroom, they broke the ceiling and succeeded in getting in.

The bewildered octogenarian was repeatedly ordered to “bring the money” or get killed.

Eye witnesses said: “Two of them were armed with pistols, while the rest had iron rods, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.”

A staff of Vanguard, who usually takes the day’s newspapers to the publisher’s house, claimed he saw an ash coloured car speeding out of the street before he got to the main gate to drop the papers.

The publisher was later rushed to a private hospital.

Vanguard gathered that the Commander, Rapid Respond Squad, RRS, Mr Tunde Disu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, was the first security personnel to rush to the scene with a team of policemen, after he was

Vice chairman of the community, Morris Tebela, while denying link of the 10 persons from the community arrested by soldier to the Niger Delta Avengers, said: “They just came into the community and molested our boys, most of whom are students.

"We were shocked when we saw the boys taken away by the soldiers being Continues on page 36

alerted.

The Divisional Police Officer in-charge of Anthony Village division, Mr Chima Agha, a Superintendent of Police also visited.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, who spoke with the recuperating publisher from his Abuja office, informed that he would personally handle investigation.

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni, later rushed to the scene with the Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of Operations, Mr Edgar Imohimi, where he assured that the fleeing bandits would be arrested.

Also, policemen from the forensic section of the State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department, SCIID, were sighted at the scene taking finger prints.

Police sources said 10 persons had so far been arrested. The suspects, as gathered, had been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Sqaud, SCID Ikeja, following a directive from the IGP.

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2014

Pirates kill IYC scribe

By Samuel Oyadongha

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E N A G O A — SUSPECTED pirates have shot dead an executive member of the Ijaw Youth Council IYC, Diepreye Peters, along the Brass waterways in Brass Local Government area of Bayelsa State.

Peters, an indigene of Brass and Secretary of IYC in his clan, was allegedly shot dead during an ambush mounted by pirates on commercial boats.

It was gathered that the victim died of internal bleeding caused by the bullet injury he sustained during the attack on their boat.

A friend of the deceased, Sam Dogitimi, described him as his former colleague in Brass Local Government Area, adding that they fought courageously against oil bunkering in the council.

He said: “Unfortunately, he is gone, no thanks to the notorious pirates. They were ambushed on Friday, which forced them to run into the mangrove.

“Diepreye Peters, aka Daddy Offor, died of internal bleeding. For how long shall the people of Brass suffer in the hands of pirates?”

Boats plying Nembe and Brass waterways have come under pirates’ attacks with passengers dispossessed of their cash and other valuables, while female passengers are subjected to inhuman treatments, including rape.

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Asinim Butswat, said the report of the incident had not been officially reported to the command.

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT: From left—An inmate, Mr. Albert Emmanuel Ajogbor, who recently graduated with Bachelor of Arts in Theology; Deputy Comptroller of Prisons, Kirikiri Maximum Prison, Rotimi Oladokun; and Director, Learner Support Services, National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, Professor Nebath Tanglang, at the presentation of certificate to Mr. Ajogbor.

49-yr-old nabbed over Yabatech student's rape I only beat her up; she's my lover—SUSPECT

By Esther Onyegbula

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49-year-old man, Wasiu Arogege, is currently being questioned over the rape of a 19-year-old (names withheld) undergraduate of Yaba College of Technology, Lagos.

It was gathered that the victim, who also operates a restaurant and bar, became acquainted with Arogege some time ago and he reportedly promised to help her with N20,000 to buy a baking oven to boost her business.

Vanguard learned that Arogege asked the victim,

sometimes last month, to come to his residence at 108, Ojuelegba Road, for the money.

She went to his house, where Arogege allegedly gave her N2,000 pledging to give her the N20,000 in two instalments.

However, trouble allegedly started when the victim thanked Arogege and decided to take her leave. He was said to have asked her if she was not going to show appreciation for the N2,000 largesse, to which she replied: “The ‘thank you sir’

Cultists kill NYSC member in Bayelsa

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—A National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, member, James Onuh,

serving with Bayelsa State Ministry of Works, was weekend killed by gunmen in Obele, a suburb of Yenagoa, the state capital.

... kill 11 in Rivers' supremacy battle

By Davies Iheamnachor

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ORT HARCOURT—SOME gunmen, suspected to be members of a cult group, in the early hours of yesterday, killed 11 persons in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State in a fresh cult clash.

The cultists visited their activities on three communities in the area, Rumuji, Ovogo and Rumuewhuo.

Some of the victims’ names were given as Nature Oti, Ikechi, Onyebuchi Omuruka, Chima Omuruka, Lucky Okwakpam,

I said was to appreciate you.”

Arogege reportedly said that was not the kind of appreciation he wanted, but the victim told him that was the only thing she could offer and that he should open the door and let her out.

He was said to have beaten her into submission and then raped her.

However, denying the allegation, Arogege said: “She is my girlfriend; I beat her up because she refused to have sex with me in appreciation of my kindness towards her. I did not rape her.”

Nyovele and others.

It was learned that the gunmen had earlier attacked Rumuji Divisional Police Headquarters, allegedly overpowering the officers on night duty and rescuing detainees. They also broke into the armoury and made away with guns and ammunition.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said the police station was under heavy gunfire attack by some bandits last night.

Another source said seven people were shot dead in

Ovogo community, two in Rumuji and two others in Rumuewhuo.

He said: “The residents of Ovogo community woke up this morning to the presence of a lot of dead bodies.

“The thtree communities have been deserted.”

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, simply said: “There was something like that, but no casualties on either side.”

Onuh, a civil engineering graduate of University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, died when gunmen, suspected to be cultists, accosted him close to his residence, and shot him at close range.

He was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, which workers are on strike, where he gave up the ghost.

Though authorities of NYSC in the state could not be reached for comment, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident.

He said: “Gunmen, suspected to be cultists, attacked and shot him. He was rushed to the hospital where he later died. We are trailing the suspects and investigation is ongoing.”

Customs officer robbed, 2 arrested

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

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NEWI—LUCK, yesterday, ran out on a two-man armed robbery gang operating on motorcycle, when they were arrested by men of Fegge Police Division after they robbed a Customs officer at Fegge, Onitsha, Anambra State.

The Customs officer was said to have come into town from his work place and was riding on his motorcycle when the suspects pushed him off his bike and robbed him at gunpoint.

They were, however, caught by the police with the help of onlookers.

Confirming the incident, the Divisional Police Officer in-charge of Fegge Police Station, Mr. Rabiu Garba, said: “We have received several reports of their activities since they came back and we have been trailing them.

“We have made it clear that no armed robber will operate in Fegge and go free; residents of Fegge must continue to enjoy zero-robbery and we must catch any robber that come into this division. We will charge these ones to court.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016—7

2 dead, 11 injured in Aladja, Ogbe-Ijoh clash

By Emman Amaize

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ARRI—GUNMEN shot dead two persons and injured 11 others in a renewed inter-communal clash between residents of Aladja and OgbeIjoh communities in Udu and Warri South-West Local Government areas of Delta State, weekend, while residents have fled the communities.

However, the Police Area Commander, Warri, Mu’azu Mohammed, has been interfacing with the leaders of the two communities to ensure that the crisis does not degenerate further.

Mu’azu said: “The police are doing everything possible to stop the crisis. I heard some people are accusing us of taking sides, which is not possible. I have been talking to the leaders to restrain their youths.”

In addition, Chairman, Delta Waterways and Land Security Committee, Chief Boro Opudu, who condemned the attack, shootings and burning of houses, has moved in with some of his officials to maintain peace.

Chief Opudu urged the communities to respect the peace accord signed with the state government.

We’re brothers— Ijaw group

Meanwhile, the Ijaw People’s Development Initiative, IPDI, has called on the alleged

sponsors of the crisis between Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh communities to desist, while urging the two communities to embrace dialogue for peace to return to the area.

National President of the group, Austin Ozobo, in a statement, said: “Uhrobo and Ijaw are brothers; the current fallout between Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh communities is needless despite the provocation.

“I appeal to my Uhrobo brothers and communities to stop fuelling the crisis and build a platform for dialogue. Ijaw and the Uhrobo are inter-married and there is no need to fight ourselves.”

Spokesperson of Ogbe-Ijoh Defense Force, Mr. Yola Victor, who spoke to reporters in OgbeIjoh town, said: “Aladja youths attacked Ogbe-Ijoh. Our counter-attack was prompted by their earlier attacks, which the security is aware off.”

Secretary, Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Governing Council, Aaron Oweizi-Ebiye, also said the incident was as a result of an earlier attack by youths from Aladja community, who had on several occasions, stormed Ogbe-Ijoh community amidst series of gunshots.

Aladja accuse security agents

However, Chairman, Aladja

Police deny taking sides Governing Council, Dogene Elias, countered the OgbeIjoh youths claim, saying since last Wednesday, they took to arms in their bid to attack Aladja.

He accused police of providing cover for OgbeIjoh’s entry, which left a house burnt and several persons displaced Friday.

He said: “We have been complaining to security authorities that it has become a habit for Ogbe-Ijoh to fire gunshots every two or three hours.

“On Wednesday, they attempted to attack us and our boys repelled them.

Thursday, it was tough. They were advancing towards our sides and we just had to defend ourselves.

“This evening, security agents stationed there were aiding them. As Ogbe-Ijoh advanced, they will be shooting tear-gas towards Aladja. They injured one of our boys with the canister yesterday. One of his eyes is gone; he is here for verification.”

Elias said that top security officers mounted pressure on Aladja people to open the road, which they barricaded to prevent attack.

He said: “The road was opened and up till 5p.m., we were calling them to send in a replacement team, they did not send any. The soldiers in Ogbe-Ijoh had also left; the result of that is what has happened now.

“They came in Army uniform and burnt a house in Iwhre Quarters. We do not know the casualty figure for now. Many people have moved out. The area is a bit calm now.”

‘Aladja’re lawless’

However, the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Ogbe Ijoh/ Warri clan Chairman, Okosu Smart, in a statement, said: “The crisis between OgbeIjoh and Aladja communities is because of the violation of the peace accord between the two communities by the Aladja Community. Aladja people are lawless; they have no respect for government and constituted authorities.”

His words: “We are still using this medium to inform Delta State Government and the public at large that 11 nonindigenes, but are members of IYC, who reside at Aladja, are badly injured and their properties destroyed.”

Project Light Up Lagos cable vandal arrested

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Esther Onyegbula

that poverty led him into the act.

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ARELY 52 days after the launch of Light Up Lagos project by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, of the state Police Command, weekend, arrested a suspect attempting to steal the cables.

The suspect was caught while digging up the armoured cable and removing its silver protector in Ojota area of the state.

The suspected cable thief, identified as Obaji Christopher, 23, from Benue State, was caught in the act by RRS operatives, who were on routine surveillance of Ojota loop, inward Ketu-Alapere Road.

Obaji, who explained to interrogators that he just got to Lagos two weeks ago, was seen with an accomplice now at large, digging up the armoured cable with hoe and removing its silver protector before he was arrested.

One of the RRS men, who preferred anonymity, said: “Early on Saturday morning, during our daily patrol routine, we saw the suspect vandalising the armoured cable meant to electrify Lagos in an inauspicious corner in Ojota.

“We saw him and his accomplice digging up the cable.

It’s poverty—SUSPECT

Obaji Christopher He was using hoes to bring the cable to the surface. He was unable to take to flee because we had already surrounded the

area.”

Upon his arrival at the RRS headquarters, the suspect confessed to the crime, saying

In his confessional statement, the suspect said: “I just came to Lagos about two weeks ago. When I had nowhere to sleep, I started sleeping inside Ojota Park. It was at this park that I met one guy, Anago, who introduced me to this job.

“Anago told me that if I was able to go for two to three operations, I will have enough money to take care of my present predicaments. On this very day, we went together to Ojota and dug up the cable.

“We had successfully pulled it out. But to my greatest surprise, I did not know how my friend escaped from the scene. When I was about parking the cable into a sack, I saw policemen.”

The security operatives checks around the motor park as part of efforts to arrest Anago, proved abortive.

It could be recalled that RRS, on April 2, arrested a similar cable thief, Lucky Udeagwu, for stealing a 35metre long armoured cable meant for the project in Ogudu.

6 land grabbers docked over vandalisation of property

By Bose Adelaja

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EMBERS of sixman land grabbing syndicate, popularly called Ajagungbale have been arrested by Lagos State Task Force for illegally destroying and stealing properties worth over three million Naira in Makoko area of the state.

Parading the leader of the gang, Mr. Olalekan Olaiya, and his team, Chairman, Lagos State Task Force, SP Saheed Olayinka Egbeyemi, said they swung into action based on several petitions they received on their illegal activities from members of the public.

Egbeyemi noted that the gang members have been terrorising property and land owners in Makoko to re-validate or re-purchase their lands with prices ranging between N10 million to N50 million on the pretext that the land belong to their forefathers, who leased them out in 1950s.

He said operatives of the task force arrested Olalekan Olaiya, Mojeed Olaiya, Olusegun Olaiya, Ibrahim Bada, Abiodun Olaewe and Benson Filate, while they were wilfully and unlawfully removing the corrugated iron sheets of the roof of the property of Mrs Basirat Kosoko at 22, Olaiya Street, Makoko, Yaba, Lagos.

He said they have been charged to Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja Magistrate District, Ogba, under Magistrate Odusanya of Court 15.

Sergeant Anisere Taiwo (IPO) and Mr. Femi Alabi (prosecutor) confirmed that they all pleaded not guilty and were granted N250,000 bail with two sureties in like sum, and June 26 fixed for continuation of the case.

Meanwhile, the suspects claimed they never knew it was illegal to remove roofing sheets, damage doors and windows, while demanding money from owners.

Olaiya said they never inherited any legal document from their forefathers to back up their claims and “justice should be tempered with mercy.”

8—Vanguard, MONDAY JUNE 6, 2016

720 intending lawyers fail Bar final exams

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—THE Council of Legal Education has disclosed that out of a total of 3, 056 candidates that participated in the April 2016 Bar final examination, 720 of them failed.

The Council, through a statement that was signed by the Director General of the Nigerian Law School, Mr. O. A. Onadeko, said the result reflected 23.6 per cent failure.

However, a further breakdown of the result showed that whereas a total of 2, 232 of the candidates passed the Bar final resit examination, representing 73.0 per cent, 104 candidates secured conditional pass representing 3.4 per cent.

According to the statement, call to Bar ceremonies for the successful candidates is scheduled to hold on July 12 in Abuja.

Saraki loses 12m to burglars We didn't give Senate President money for Ramadan —Kwara govt

By Demola Akinyemi, with agency reports

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HE PRESIDENT of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, said yesterday that he lost N12 million to burglars in his Ilorin, Kwara State home.

News of the robbery was first revealed by an online news portal, which alleged that N300 million mysteriously disappeared from the Senate President’s bedroom.

The online news medium claimed the alleged N300 million was provided by the Kwara State government and was in different foreign currencies.

The money was reportedly meant to serve as Ramadan

handout to be distributed by the Senate President to supporters.

Saraki, however, denied the details of the robbery, which, he said, was being currently investigated by the police in Ilorin.

The Senate President, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, also rejected the online narrative that his domestic aides were culpable.

He said: “There is, therefore, no truth in the claim that the money ran into hundreds of millions, that it was in foreign currency or that the incident happened in Dr. Saraki’s room. ‘’The amount was simply in Naira. Also, the money has

nothing to do with Kwara State government.

“For the umpteenth time, we need to reiterate the fact that the fixation that any money spent by Saraki or that is in his possession is from Kwara State government is unfounded, unwarranted, lacks any basis and irresponsible. ‘’We wonder whether Saraki was such a poor man before 2003 when he was elected governor that he could no longer own any money without it being attributed to the state government.

“We call on all members of the public to ignore all the claims in the story. Dr. Saraki will allow the police to do their work and unravel the person or persons behind

We didn’t give Dr. Saraki money for Ramadan

LBS extols Glo’s pivotal role in telecoms

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HE L AGOS Business School Alumni Association has extoled the pivotal role played by next generation network, Globacom, in N i g e r i a ’ s telecommunication industry.

The out-going President of the Alumni Association, Mr. Wole Oshin, said at the association’s 2016 President’s Dinner held in Lagos over the weekend that Globacom had pioneered the massive growth in the industry in the last 13 years.

Oshin, who handed over to Mrs. Bola Adesola, commended the company for making telephony affordable and accessible to many Nigerians.

While expressing gratitude to Globacom for sponsoring the dinner, he also stated that the company ’s drive in supporting and promoting sports and entertainment in Nigeria deserved special commendation.

Mr. Oshin mentioned the training of all Lagos State High Court Judges on digital economy and the election of women into top positions in the assocoation as some of the achievements of his administration.

this theft in the Administrative Office,” he stated.

Kwara State government also denied the report that Saraki demanded the N300 million from it and that it provided the money that was stolen from the Ilorin residence of the Senate President who was also a two-term governor of the state and the political leader of the mainstream All Progressives Congress, APC in the state.

The state government in its official Facebook page, claimed ignorance of the source of the money, saying it was inconceivable for the state which is currently facing serious economic challenges to have afforded such.

The statement, which was repeatedly posted yesterday, read thus:

Executive Director, Sterling Bank Plc, Abubakar Suleiman (4th left); flanked on right by Group Head, Infrastructure Banking , Mr Ehianeta Ebhohimen and other staff of the bank during the presentation of cleaning items to the executives of Ikoyi/Obalende LCDA in Lagos after the nationwide Sterling Environmental Makeover (STEM) cleaning exercise to mark the World Environment Day, last Saturday.

"It has come to our attention that Sahara Reporters has published a story claiming that the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, demanded and received N300m from Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed, for the Ramadan.

"We regard this as the latest episode in Sahara Reporters’ serial campaign of falsehood against Dr. Bukola Saraki and the state he once governed.

It is certainly inconceivable that a state government that received N800m in statutory allocation in May but requires N2.1 billion monthly for salaries alone will indulge in such act."

PenCom, EFCC harassing me —Duru

T

HE CRISIS of confidence rocking the leadership of the National Pensions Commission, PenCom, may have reached its apogee with petitions flooding the Presidency and office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice over alleged highhandedness of a top official of the commission. The official has been accused of disregarding court judgments thereby undermining the integrity of the judiciary.

Some of the petitioners also accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of undermining the office of the Attorney General by disregarding directives emanating from the office.

These petitions are a fall-out of the forceful take-over of the First Guarantee Pension Limited, FGPL, since 2011, a

pension fund administrator, PFA, founded by Nze Chidi Duru, in spite of court rulings that PenCom should give back the company to its shareholding.

The latest petition, which is causing ripples at the PenCom and the EFCC, was written to President Muhammadu Buhari by Duru, founder and promoter of FGPL on April 22, 2016.

Entitled, “Malicious persecution of our client, Nze Chidi Duru,” Madyan Legal Consult, lawyers to the petitioner, narrated the genesis of the crisis and implored the President to ensure that justice prevailed in the matter.

“We write to bring to your kind attention the continued and unjustified persecution of our client, Nze Chidi Duru, by the Economic and Financial Crimes

Commission, EFCC, at the instance of a minority shareholder in First Guarantee Pensions Limited and who, in clear disregard of extant court orders/judgments and in his schemes to lay unlawful claim to the assets and management of the company, resorted to using the EFCC to persecute, distract and embarrass our client.”

After narrating the history of the crisis rocking the company and the role played by PenCom and the EFCC, Duru asked the President to intervene in ensuring that justice was done.

“We, therefore, seek your kind intervention that would result in the EFCC complying with earlier written directives of the Attorney General of the Federation, specifically directing it to bring the case file for review and further directives.

‘’The EFCC, acting within the law and, in particular, specifically withdrawing the 2015 charge it instituted in the Lagos High Court. ‘’A forensic audit of FGPL, which currently manages over N113 billion worth of assets of contributors, be conducted, as the company has not held any Annual General Meeting in the past six years and no account has been rendered to the shareholders.”

“This is a government that came to power on the crest of rule of law. The President is a man of integrity acknowledged all over the world and he has pledged publicly as recently as last week that even in the war against corruption, his government will not do anything to undermine the other arms of government,” said a Presidency source.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016—9

Banks in cautious treasury trading over policy delays

CRISIS: PDP Govs, BoT meet Sheriff

Mixed devt in forex markets as CBN spends $700m to defend Naira

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By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

AGOS—BANKS’ treasury positions have been placed on high alert, following uncertainties surrounding the proposed flexible foreign exchange regime.

As a result, system liquidity recorded a massive upsurge of 51.4 per cent to hit N408 billion last weekend against N277.4 billion recorded the previous week.

The liquidity level had averaged N250 billion week-onweek since the reversal of the expansionary monetary policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, about three months ago.

Bank treasurers told Vanguard that the heightened liquidity positions came as banks pull back their funds from long term instruments to short term to minimize their risk in the event of adverse development in the foreign exchange market.

The increasing liquidity continued, despite the apex bank’s debiting of banks’ accounts for both foreign exchange demands during the week and subscription to its liquidity mop-up instruments.

The CBN was forced to issue further N50 billion Nigerian Treasury Bills, NTB, auction in an emergency Open Market Operation, OMO, in addition to the scheduled N143.9 billion NTB auction mid week.

Though this measure had moderated total liquidity balances in the banks from the peak N463.2 billion, it did not prevent the crash in interbank money rate to 2.8 per cent and 3.2 per cent for Open Buy Back, OBB, and Over-night funds respectively.

Forex market, reserves further pressured

Also the situation further

increased pressure on the exchange rate in the parallel market, with Naira depreciating to week’s closing rate of N355/ USD1 as against N351/USD1 previous week.

However, CBN official rate remained stable at N197.5/ USD1, while Naira appreciated in the foreign exchange forwards contracts closing with the seven days, six months and 12 months dated contracts

appreciating by 0.02 per cent, 0.77 per cent and 0.42 per cent to N199.61/USD, N214.10/USD and N220.77/USD respectively.

But despite this mixed development, industry analysts at Cowry Asset Management Limited, a Lagos-based investment house, said last weekend that they anticipated continued pressure on the foreign exchange market against the backdrop of declining foreign

exchange reserves.

As at last weekend, analysis of the movement in foreign exchange reserves for the month of May, 2016 showed that it closed 2.6 per cent (US$26.4 billion) lower relative to the level (US$27.1 billion) in April, 2016, implying that an approximate average of US$0.7 billion was used in defending the currency in May alone.

COMMISSIONING: From left: Mr. F. John Bray, US Consul-General to Nigeria; Mr. John McCleary, US Commercial Consellor; Mrs. Stella Famutimi, representing the President, Nigerian American Chamber of Commerce; Mr. Emma Esinnah, Country Director, Curves International; and Mrs. Stella Eze, franchisee Curves, Chevron Drive, at the Commissioning of the Curves Chevron Drive, Lekki, in Lagos.

Jonathan condemns ‘exile' story A B U J A — FORMER President Goodluck Jonathan has denied a newspaper publication that he returned last Wednesday from Cote d’Ivoire, a country the paper claimed he allegedly

considered going into exile, describing the publication as malicious.

The publication had insisted that former President, Goodluck Jonathan had gone on selfexile for fear of being arrested.

However, dismissing the allegation as false, insensitive and tendentious, the former President warned newspapers to desist from reckless sensationalism.

Dr. Jonathan, who stressed that he returned from the United Kingdom and not Cote d’Ivoire as erroneously claimed in the publication, however, reiterated that he “has no intention of turning his back on Nigeria, a homeland he served diligently as President, to the best of his abilities.”

A statement, yesterday, by Mr Ikechukwu Eze, media aide to the former President, said: “Our attention has been drawn to a spurious publication of June 4, 2016 entitled ‘Buhari Holds Secret Meeting with Jonathan, Niger Delta Tops Agenda’.

‘’We had thought that the newspaper only set out to report a routine meeting between the former President and President Muhammadu Buhari, while speculating on the agenda just as newspapers are wont to freely do, especially as no statement was issued by either of the parties.

“We are, however, dismayed that this newspaper, unlike other newspapers, went beyond this brief and turned the report into a veil for its vain and futile attempt to justify its earlier ‘exclusive’ report, on a speculated Jonathan’s

self-exile to Cote D’Ivoire. “ We are inclined to p r o c l a i m straightaway that this claim or any insinuation to Dr. J o n a t h a n ’ s contemplation of exile is not only false, tendentious but inciting. Isn’t it reprehensible that the only truth in the newspaper is that former President Jonathan paid a visit to President Buhari, while the rest of the content are bogus insinuations and fabrications?"

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By Ben Agande

BUJA—LEADERS of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will meet with the embattled former Chairman of the party, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, today to find an amicable solution to the leadership crisis in the party.

Leaders of the party that are expected to meet with the former chairman of the party are the PDP Governors’ Forum, National Assembly Caucus and Board of Trustees, BoT. The caretaker committee chairman of the party, Ahmed Makarfi, is also expected to be be at the meeting which will be held at Ondo governor’s lodge.

The Director-General of PDP Governors’ Forum, Osaro Onaiwu, who disclosed this yesterday, said the one item agenda for the meeting was the resolution of the leadership crisis in the party.

He said: “The leaders of the party, the Governors’ Forum, National Assembly Caucus, BoT, Makarfi group and Sheriff group will meet tomorrow (today) to address the issue in the party. ‘’We want to resolve the crisis in the party once and for all. We want to find lasting solution to the party. All parties involved are invited for this meeting. The forthcoming Edo election will also be addressed.”

It would be recalled that the threeman committee, led by the deputy president of the senate, Ike Ekweremadu,hadearlierscheduled a meeting with Senator Sheriff last week to persuade him to accept the decision of the party at the convention held in Port Harcourt whichdissolvedthenationalworking committee of the party.

SenatorSheriffhadchallengedthe decision of the party at the convention, insisting that he was still the chairman of the party.

His claim to the leadership of the party forced the police to seal the national secretariat of the party for aboutninedaysbeforesomeworkers of the party were granted limited access into the secretariat at the intervention of the Board of Trustees of the party.

Marafa dismisses Senate reconciliation c'ttee the emergence of Senators instigating the existing

By Joseph Erunke

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BUJA—SENATOR Kabiru Marafa, yesterday, dismissed the Senate Reconciliation Committee set up seven weeks ago by the Senate leadership to reconcile aggrieved senators and possibly settle all the problems confronting the Red Chamber, following

Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu as Senate President and Deputy Senate President, respectively.

Marafa, who represents Zamfara Central Senatorial zone in the National Assembly, spoke to Vanguard, in Abuja, accusing the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, of

problems in the Senate through his actions.

He dismissed the committee, saying by its composition, comprising both senators from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, it was not meant to achieve any meaningful peace.

10 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016 — 11

Fayose writes NLC President over Ekiti workers' strike

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

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D O - E K I T I — GOVERNOR Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has replied the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, attributing the state’s inability to pay workers' salaries regularly to the current downturn in the nation’s economy and the heavy debt burden left by his predecessor.

The governor, in his response to the NLC President’s letter on the ongoing workers strike in the state, called on the NLC to join the advocacy for fiscal restructuring in Nigeria with a view to reviewing the federation allocation formula in favour of states, towards a lasting solution to the palpable indigent status of most states.

The letter read; “I write to acknowledge your correspondence on the current strike action by workers in Ekiti State and I thank you for the expression of concern for the welfare of workers and suggestions on boosting internally generated revenue.

“I want to state clearly that the issues listed in the statement represent the claims of the leadership of Labour in Ekiti State, upon which their rather hasty resort to industrial action was premised. Government does not agree with most of the issues, as stated by labour, and had since commenced dialogue with them. The discussions are ongoing and I hope that resolution(s) will be achieved soon.

“Let me put on record, the demonstrable commitment of my government to governance

principles of accountability, transparency and commitment to the welfare of workers.

“It is an open secret that I paid workers on or before the 22nd of each month during my first tenure.

“It is also known that the current economic downturn is a national issue and consequently, the inability of most state governments to meet wage obligations as at when due.

“Our case is further made more precarious in Ekiti State by the heavy burden of debt left by the immediate past APC government of Dr Kayode Fayemi, on which over N1

billion is being deducted from the state allocation monthly.

“Ekiti State economy is not immuned from the national crunch which is the bottomline for the arrears of unpaid salaries and pensions in 28 of the 36 States in Nigeria.

“Based on this, and in addition to your suggestions on boosting internal revenue in States, your congress needs to join the advocacy for fiscal restructuring in Nigeria i.e the review of the federation allocation formula in favour of states, towards a lasting solution to the palpable indigent status of most states.

“Please be assured that, it is

the policy of my government to involve labour leaders and other critical holders in governance and particularly on decisions on financial matters.

“We remain committed to the principles of accountability and transparency which the leadership of labour in Ekiti State actually need to embrace.

They also need to come to terms with the realities of the prevailing economic situation in our country at the moment.

“Once again, I thank you for your interest in the welfare of workers in Ekiti State and I assure you that government will sustain the ongoing dialogue with the leadership

THANKSGIVING SERVICE: From left, Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose; Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Pastor Kola Oluwawole; his wife, Funmilayo and Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Dr Samuel Omotoso, during the thanksgiving service marking the first anniversary of the 5th Assembly held at the Government House Chapel, Ado Ekiti, yesterday.

Ondo CP asks police barracks to pay their electricity bills

By Onozure Dania

the country intensify efforts at collecting debts owed by military formations across the country, Ondo State Commissioner of Police,

Mrs. Hilda IbifuroHarrison has summoned a S Electricity meeting of all Area Distribution commanders within her Companies, DISCOs, in command to map out modalities for the immediate payment of electricity bills by residents of police barracks in the state.

The CP dropped the hint during a courtesy visit by

By Daud Olatunji the Chief State Head, Ondo/Ekiti state, Benin BEOKUTA—THE Peoples Democratic Party, Electricity Distribution Plc., PDP, in Ogun State has urged Governor Ibikunle BEDC, Mr Ernest Edgar Amosun to set up a probe panel on the recent collapsed in Akure, Ondo state.

Itoku market building, which killed one woman and injured several others.

The PDP stated this, through the Chairman, House Committee on Rural Development ,representing Remo Federal Constituency of the State, Oladipupo Adebutu when he paid a condolence visit to the family of the deceased at Emere in Abeokuta.

Adebutu who donated the sum of N500,000 to aged mother of the deceased Noyinmotu Sikiru, said the government should bring the culprit to book and not sweep the incident under the carpet.

He said: “It is important to recognise that irrespective of culprits, we must have a true analysis of the facts. We must know the truth and in doing so, prevent a recurrence.’’

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PDP urges Amosun to probe collapsed market building

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of labour towards an expeditious ending of the current industrial action.”

In a statement by BEDC, Chief Corporate Services Officer, Mrs Kunbi Labiyi, Edgar confirmed that with respect to payment for police stations and offices, the Force headquarters have been duly advised and that payment would commence soon.

Mrs. Ibifuro-Harrison said the change mantra of the ruling all Progressives Congress government must start from every individual and the Nigerian Police force must be seen as

leading from the front.

Mr Edgar commended the command for the timely arraignment of two vandals with conviction and sentencing of one of them to two years jail by the Odigbo Magistrate Court.

Muslims annual fasting, Ramadan starts today ...As sultan announces sighting of the moon

By Bashir Adefaka

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IGERIAN Muslims join millions around the world in observing the dawn-to-dusk fasting as the holy month of Ramadan begins today.

The Sultan of Sokoto , Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, yesterday evening, announced the sighting of the new moon for the commencement of Ramadan 1437AH today.

Sultan Abubakar III, who is also Sarikin Mu’mineen of Nigeria, while addressing newsmen in his palace in Sokoto, said according to the report by National Moon Sighting Committee, the moon was sighted in many states of the country yesterday.

He noted that fasting in the month of Ramadan is an act of worship that is one of five pillars of Islam that every living and healthy Muslim must obligatorily begin to perform upon sighting or hearing announcement that new moon of Ramadan has been sighted.

The Sultan, who is also the President-General Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs also urged Muslims to devote themselves fully to the service of Allah and pray for the government to succeed in its effort to change Nigeria for better.

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

RENEWED MILITANCY: Failure of N-Delta Ministry,

NDDC, Amnesty, others —Lori-Ogbebor •Asks Avengers to stop destruction of oil pipelines •As INC calls for cease fire

By Charles Kumolu, Tare Youdeowei & Innocent Onoja

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AGOS—RIGHTS activist, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, has called on the Niger Delta Avengers to stop the destruction of oil pipelines in the Niger Delta region, noting that interventionist agencies in the region should be held responsible for failing to make judicious use of funds appropriated for the region’s development.

Lori-Ogbebor, who lamented that the renewed militancy would only exacerbate the environmental and socioeconomic problems in the region, noted that only the cessation of hostilities by the militants would pave the way for peace.

Also, Ijaw National Congress, INC, apex socio-cultural organisation of the Ijaw ethnic nationality, has called for unconditional cease-fire between government forces, Niger Delta Avengers and other affiliate groups to create enabling environment for dialogue.

INC in a statement, weekend in Warri, Delta State, over the state of the Niger Delta and negative impacts of the crisis on the people and region, restated its earlier resolve for peaceful dialogue as panacea for resolving all grievances by various groups and interests in the region.

This is as prominent Ijaw leader in Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area, Delta state, Chief Beck Hitler, commended President Muhammadu Buhari

for the withdrawal of soldiers from Gbaramatu communities and called for sustainable peace in the area.

Speaking in Warri, he appealed to President Buhari to find a lasting solutions to the sufferings of the people of Niger Delta region, adding that it was time the Federal Government sincerely embark on the development of the region.

“I thank President Buhari for the withdrawal of soldiers from Gbaramatu communities, and let me also urge President Buhari who is the father of the nation to see the people of Gbaramatu as his children. Our appeal is that there should be peace in Gbaramatu kingdom,” he said.

Meanwhile, briefing newsmen yesterday in Lagos,

Lori-Ogbebor said that neither the present government nor its predecessor should be blamed for the resurgence of militancy, stating that political leaders in the region failed to make use of the gains of past interventions in developing the region.

She said: “The failure of interventionist agencies to have a focus, plan and will to implement plans in addition to high degree of greed got us to this level. These Avengers are young men, who are being used and who have not been given proper direction. It is the same leaders, who embezzle money meant for the development of the region that instigates these boys to take up arms. I have never made any mistake about my belief that Niger Delta leaders are the cause of the present

crisis. They are not genuine. They should go to other states especially in South West states and see what the leaders are doing but that is not the case with Niger Delta states. Those of us who produce oil should go back to the drawing table and look at ourselves and ask ourselves if we want to really develop the Niger Delta or our homes."

On its part, national president of INC, BomaObuoforibo,condemnedtheuseof violence by both the Avengers and governmentintheirapproachtothecrisis in the oil-rich Niger Delta, which is the soul of the nation’s economy.

It called on the Federal Government and Avengers as well as affiliate groups to respect the sanctity of human life, livelihood and environment of the Ijaw people, noting that several people have beendisplacedintheforestofGbaramatu Kingdomandenvironsandwhereabouts of many are unknown as a result of the invasion by government forces of 10 communities.

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By Jimitota Onoyume

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By Onozure Dania

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ARRI—NIGER Delta Avengers, NDA, has said that its website was undergoing maintenance and not shut down.

The militant group in response to our earlier story, said: “Our website is not shut but is undergoing maintenance. Be careful in reporting.”

Vanguard had earlier reported that that a visit to the site Saturday and Sunday, read: “404. That is an error.

The requested URL was not found on their server. That’s all we know. The problem on the site launched, February 3, was noticed at 10p.m., yesterday. It was not, however, certain if the militant group shut down on its own knowing that security agencies were conducting checks on it.”

By Omeiza Ajayi BUJA—A former Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and governorship aspirant in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State, Mr. Emmanuel Arigbe-Osula, has dismissed allegations that Governor Adams Oshiomhole was foisting a successor on the party.

Arigbe-Osula, when he called at the national secretariat of the APC to pick his expression of interest form for the governorship primaries also noted that the party cannot afford to lose Edo State.

His assertion came against the background of allegations that that Governor Oshiomhole was tilting the party and government to foist another aspirant, Mr. Godwin Obaseki as his successor.

“Edo State cannot afford not to have an APC government not after the hell we went through before Oshiomhole got in. Oshiomhole has not anointed any candidate, otherwise there would have been no need for primaries. I am close enough to him, and if there is anything like that, I guess I would have even been the anointed candidate,” he stated.

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DINNER: From left—Mr Henry Semenitari; Mrs Ibim Semenitari, DG, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC; Mr Oma Djebah, Group Chairman/Editor-in-Chief, The New Diplomat Multi Media Ltd, and Mr Sam Omatseye, Chairman, Editorial Board, The Nation Newspaper, during the media executives' dinner in honour of Mrs Ibim Semenitari in Lagos. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

region.

Executive Director, Associates Peaceworks, Dr Judy Asuni, who disclosed this to Vanguard said, that the European Union and the United Kingdom’s Department

for International Development are providing support for the close-door security summit.

She said that the international community was deeply disturbed by the escalating violence in the region, adding

that the meeting is to discuss how to achieve enduring peace in the area.

She expressed hope that the summit will find a way out of the ugly situation in the region.

Reps urge FG to recall Open varsity VC BUJA—MEMBERS of the House of Representatives Committee on Tertiary Education and Services, have appealed to the Federal Government to rescind its sack of the Vice Chancellor of National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, Professor Vincent Tenebe.

The lawmakers stated that since Tenebe was already midway into his two-year extension granted to him by the Governing Council of the

By Emma Amaize & Brisibe Perez

Oshiomhole not imposing any candidate on us—Gov aspirant

Osinbajo, 50 N-Delta leaders meet over security ORT HARCOURT—VICE President Yemi Osinbajo is to meet with 50 leaders of the Niger Delta in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Thursday over the escalating violence in the

Our website not shut down —NDA

university and approved by the former President Goodluck Jonathan, The Federal Government will not lose anything by allowing him to

complete the tenure, which is remaining only one year.

The lawmakers made the appeal during a dialogue session with representatives of

the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu, over the sack of 13 vice-chancellors of federal universities by the Federal Government in February.

OGONI CLEAN UP: IYC asks FG to extend exercise

to entire N-Delta on the clean up of Ogoni land

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—THE Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, worldwide has hailed the take off of the implementation of the United Nations Environmental, UNEP, report

and urged Federal Government to extend the gesture to the entire Niger Delta region.

Spokesman of IYC, Eric Omare in a statement in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, described the formal flag-off as

a practical demonstration of political will to implement the UNEP report on Ogoni by the highest political authority.

According to IYC, “The entire Niger Deltaenvironmentispollutedandinneed of urgent clean-up for it to serve its purpose of sustaining the Niger Delta people."

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016 — 13

C M Y K

14 — Vanguard, MONDAY JUNE 6 , 2016

Bello charges journalists to promote good governance

By Boluwaji Obahopo

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O K O J A — GOVERNOR Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has charged journalists to use their profession to promote the country and ensured that good governance was entrenched.

The governor, who gave the charge over the weekend in Lokoja during a two-day symposium on Good Governance organised by Kogi State chapter of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, also urged journalists to adhere strictly to the ethics of the profession in the course of discharging their responsibility as watchdog of the society.

Bello said: “Journalists all over the world are required to be the watch dog of government, they are to discharge their duties within the ambit of the professional ethics to avoid blowing issues out of proportion.

“The western world use the media to promote their country and democracy, Ours is young and we need to grow fast as government rely heavily on the media to grow.”

Bello, who described the theme of the symposium as appropriate, enjoined the organisers to deepen people’s understanding of good governance through the various sessions and topics.

“I expect the issues around bribery and corruption, abuse of office, conflict of interest, accountability, teamwork, communication, work ethics, among others to be treated in detail,” he said.

He assured of his government’s commitment to NUJ, adding that his administration would create the enabling environment to allow genuine and professional practice of journalism to thrive in the state.

The governor said: “A good government, among other virtues, allows for the free flow of information. We will be open and we solicit the cooperation of the ‘4th Estate of the Realm’ to help improve governance through proper orientation, sustained information dissemination and increased mobilisation of the people of Kogi State in their own government.”

By Luka Binniyat

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ADUNA—THE Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, of the 19 northern states yesterday insisted that the trial of the killers of 74-year-old woman, Madam Bridget Agbahime, who was murdered by a mob at Kofar Wambai market, Kano, Kano State, last week over alleged blasphemy of Islam, must not be done in secret.

This is as the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, yesterday said, contrary to the notion that Bridget was beheaded by Islamic zealots, the woman died of injuries inflicted on her, an act it strongly denounced.

JNI also condemned what it said was the crime of blasphemy, describing those involved as “miscreants and criminals.”

Speaking to newsmen in Kaduna

BLASPHEMY: CAN insists on open trial of Bridget's killers As JNI says says she wasn't beheaded yesterday, the PRO of Northern CAN, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, said: “CAN wonders why the police who claimed to have saved the husband of the late Madam Bridget from the mob, could not rescue the woman or arrest the perpetrators immediately.

“We wonder why people would just wake up and kill a fellow human being just because they are angry with the individual.

“Our religious leaders must come out and preach the true tenets of religion, because this arrogance is getting too much.

This type of issues are giving

Kano State a bad name.

“Kano State government has to ensure that the trial of the man that raised the false alarm and his cohorts is not done in secret to serve as a deterrent to others.

On its part, the JNI, through a statement signed by its Secretary General, Dr. Khalid Aliyu Abubaka, in Kaduna yesterday reads: “With pains and sobriety, JNI reacts to the most unfortunate alleged blasphemy that was reported to have happened in Wambai Area of Kano, Kano State and Pandogari, Rafi

Local Government Council of Niger State.

“These ugly incidences utterly stand condemned and are regarded as criminal and unislamic, perpetrated by miscreants and criminals.

“We commiserate with Mr. Agbahime of Deeper Life Bible Church of Kano, over the death of his wife, Mrs. Bridget Agbahime, as a result of injuries she sustained in the fracas that ensued between her and the hoodlums. ‘’Similarly, the husband is commended for swiftly setting the record straight against all odds, by stating that his wife was not beheaded as reported by the media.''

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016 — 15

PMT insists on speed limiters, opens Ilorin terminal

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—THE Management of a leading road transport company,Peace Mass Transit,PMT,weekend,reaffirmed is resolves on installation of Speed Limiters in all its fleet to reduce the rate of auto crashes even as it commissioned its Ilorin,Kwara State capital terminal situated opposite ADP Sango Area,to ease difficulties commuters traveling to various parts of the country are bedeviled with.

The company,with a fleet of over 4,000 vehicles revealed that its aim was to ensure that its terminals were domiciled in 36 States of the nation even as plans have reached advanced stage to operate across the trans-Sahara region.

A statement signed and made available to newsmen by the Chairman,Chief Sam Maduka Onyishi in Enugu yesterday maintained that ninety percent of travelers in the country who use the roads were increasingly subjected to inhuman treatments in parks occasioned by the lack of vehicles to link them to any part of the country in a timely manner.

“Most commuters as experience has shown, waste manhours in various parks waiting to board vehicles that will convey them to their destinations.

This is because,transport business in the country is not booming."

Pro-Biafra groups demand Nigeria’s dismembership from Commonwealth ....Back Niger Delta Avengers

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—OVER eight proBiafra groups rose from a meeting in Accra, Ghana, weekend, demanding for immediate expulsion of Nigeria’s membership from the Common Wealth of Nations following what it described as serial extra judicial killings of pro-Biafra activists during last Monday’s Biafra Anniversary in the south-east and parts of south-south geopolitical zones.

This was even as the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, weekend,threw its

weight behind the Niger Delta Avengers,NDA, whose unrelenting onslaught on crude oil pipelines and installations in the Niger Delta region has plunged the NNPC production capacity to below 800,000BPD. A communique signed and made available at the end of the conference by MASSOB and Biafra Liberation Council, BLC, leaders,Uchenna Madu and Austin-Mary Ndukwu respectively on behalf of eight other pro-Biafra groups frowned at the delay by Common Wealth of Nations to expel Nigeria, noting that the body rose to the occasion in 1995 by suspending Nigeria due to her deplorable

human rights records including the execution by hanging of Ogoni nine activists including Africa’s Playwright,Ken SaroWiwa and the continuous detention and murder of MKO Abiola.

The communique read: ”The conference rejects Common Wealth of Nations blatant and double standard on the extra judicial killings of pro-Biafra activists who were going about their daily activities or peacefully exercising their right to demonstrate. We hereby demand immediate expulsion of the Federal Government from Common Wealth of Nations in compliance with the Harare

CELEBRATION: Director-General, Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu (right), and some members of the community, celebrating Egwu Abia/Nsi festival at Obodo Amankwo Eke community of Enugu State, yesterday. Photo: NAN

Dogara, five govs storm Owerri today

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—BARRING any unforeseen circumstances, no fewer than five state governors

and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, are billed to be in Owerri today.

According to a Government

House statement by the Governor Rochas Okorocha’s Chief Press Secretary, CPS, Mr. Samuel Onwuemeodo, the visitors would grace an event where the

Buhari heads to London for medical treatment today Special Adviser on Media and

By Levinus Nwabughuiogu, with agency reports

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R E S I D E N T MUHAMMADU Buhari will today travel to London for 10 days to seek medical attention and take a rest, his verified Twitter handle announced, yesterday.

The President’s verified Twitter handle, @NGRPresident, tweeted yesterday, “During the holiday, the President will see an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist for a persistent ear infection.

“The President was examined by his personal physician and an E.N.T Specialist in Abuja and was treated. Both Nigerian doctors recommended further evaluation purely as a precaution.

This development came barely a few days after the President’s

Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said in a Channels Television programme that the President was hale and hearty It had been on social media platforms and in the public domains, but without official reactions that the President has been suffering from Ménière’s disease, a disease of unknown cause affecting the membranous labyrinth of the ear, causing progressive deafness and attacks of tinnitus and vertigo.

The ill-development was said to have been the reason the President couldn’t go to Lagos where he was billed to commission some projects penultimate week.

The same scenario played out last week in which the president failed to show up at Ogoniland, Rivers State, where he was to flag off the clean-up of oil spill in the area.

Commissioners and Advisers in the Rescue Mission administration in the state would publicly give account of t h e i r stewardship and would also be assessed by a panel of judges.

“The panel of judges would equally name the best performing Commissioner or Special Adviser, as well as the second and third positions and they would be rewarded accordingly,” the CPS stated.

Declaration and norms and principles of respect to peoples human right.

“It is the right of Common Wealth of Nations to respect its founding principles which it did over the unjust execution of nine Ogoni activists and which it must do now over the illegal arrest, incessant torture,detention and imprisonment of the Director of Radio Biafra,Nnamdi Kanu; leader of Biafra Zoinist Movement,BZM,Ben Onwuka and Chukwuebuka Ikenwa among others.

“We strongly warn that failure to expel Nigeria from the Common Wealth of Nations will be a ‘carte blanch’ for the Buhari administration to continue unabated pogrom of extermination of people of Biafra origin. It will also be a free pass for the forceful islamization of Christian people of Biafra and the extermination of the members of the christian community within the confines of Federal Republic of Nigeria and Biafraland”.

Meanwhile,MASSOB had in a separate statement weekend, revealed that the activities of Niger Delta Avengers is a natural confirmation that Biafra stretches towards the Gulf of Guinea.

“The natural inhabitants and indigenous people of these lands are Biafrans by birth but Nigerians by citizenship.

MASSOB has made it open that we want Biafra. Though we choose non violent approach, we shall also support every genuine and legitimate methodology and approach chosen by any group towards Biafra self determination.

“Because of our non violent approach, the Nigerian security forces have killed thousands of MASSOB members and other group members since 1999 when the current struggle started. These extra judicial killings of non violent and unarmed Biafra agitators have gone unchecked by the Nigerian government and international watchdogs against human rights abuses, brutalities, genocides and pogroms including United Nations.

“The western world seems not to react against the ethnic cleansing of our people because of economic and diplomatic interest in Biafra natural treasures.

They kept their hypocritical eyes closed against the fate of over 60 million Biafrans.

“Nigeria and her likes understand the only language of violence. Today, Buhari’s military soldiers are being disgraced, economic power block being dismantled, diplomatic relations being shattered, his government in disarray and even himself is confused because of the activities of Biafran agitators in the Eastern region and what the Niger Delta Avengers are doing in the South -South region. "

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016 WE regard as unwholesome and unacceptable, strident efforts by former Kano State Governor, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso (who now represents Kano Central Constituency at the Senate) to take sides with a section of the ethno-regional stakeholders in the Mile 12 Market, Lagos to oppose the movement of the market to a more befitting location at Imota.

Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, announced plans to remove the market from Mile 12 in the Ketu axis following the recent bloody ethno-regional clashes in the market. The Mile 12 Market has, over the years, assumed the ill reputation of recording the highest number of clashes among the major ethnic groups in the market – the Hausa/ Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo.

The recent blood-letting which took place in March 2016 was marked by continued killings in

Mile 12 Market must move the neighbouring communities even after the clashes were quelled by the law-enforcement agencies. Innocent people were slaughtered in the dead of the night and homes were burnt down. People living around the market area live in perpetual fear.

It will also be recalled that some years ago after the security agencies put out the flames of conflict, a section of the feuding community which felt worsted in the fight went into nearby schools and slaughtered many kindergarten and primary school toddlers.

Kwankwaso is wrong to mount

an ethnic-inspired campaign opposing the relocation of the market. If he had bothered to find out the reasons for the action, he would have seen that it is in the overall interest of the generality of residents in the Lagos metropolis that the market should be relocated to an area where the traders, their goods, customers and innocent bystanders will be safer and more comfortably accommodated.

The Mile 12 Market is ancient, dilapidated, congested and situated in an area that is the primary gateway from other parts of the country into the hub of the

Nigerian economy. It is a major cause of traffic snarls.

The Lagos State Government has, over the years, gradually relocated many markets to more convenient sites as part of its urban renewal strategies for a metropolis that has become one of the largest in Africa and the world at large. Such markets include Balogun, Tejuosho and Alaba. Oshodi Market has just been moved this year and Ladipo Spare-parts market is also marked for relocation.

We expect all law-abiding citizens and lovers of good things to cooperate with government to make our cities better for all. We also call on the Lagos State Government to ensure there is justice and fairness for all, irrespective of where they hail from, in the allocation of shops and general market administration.

This is the only way to ensure lasting peace.

OPINION Clark: Social crusader @ 89

By Prince Abugo

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VERY May 25th is significant for Edwin Kiagbodo Clark because 89 years ago in 1927, Chief Fuludu Clark his father, scion of Ambakaderemo, gave birth to Kiagbodo, who was given “Edwin” by his teacher as was customary with missionary schools who found Christian names fanciful.

Clark’s family branch extends to Itsekiri, Urhobo, Isoko and Ijaw; Edwin effectively harnessed these for leadership of the Niger– Delta. He has biological children from the north; south-east and south-south of Nigeria thus deepening cultural and religious diversity of Nigeria in his household. Fearless and courageous in his socio-political crusades, once stated: “When a man is 70 years and above, he fears no foe because he is at the departure lounge, ready for his boarding pass, he speaks his mind because he has nothing to fear or gain apart from using truth for social development”.

An enigma, institution and social crusader whose convictions reforms society, I witnessed Clark’s emotions, courage and abhorrence for corruption and injustice.

When in 2011 election violence some youth corp members serving in the north were killed, he wept wondering what nation slaughters youths that are its future. When President Yar’Adua died, he cried profusely

and for days refused food that his doctor had to be called. Thirdly when the Chibok school girls were kidnapped; he lamented: “these are children who are suppose to mourn me and their parents when it pleases God to call me and their parents.”

Clark is a story of struggles, challenges and service; a destiny in travails, hope in hopelessness, courage in adversities. A story Nigerians need to discover through discipline, courage and potentials for service.

What are they avenging?

Clark is an unrepentant believer in Nigeria, he had seen joy, war, turbulence, injustice and resuscitation of national ideals without wavering, and his birthday awakens us to societal stench that hunts the nation: lack of fiscal federalism, injustice, corruption, Niger-Delta crisis and insecurity.

Edwin’s transformation from Kiagbodo town to a towering national figure whose voice cannot be ignored is a lesson for youths, to embrace education, discipline and hardwork in becoming productive citizens. Clark saw tomorrow when his peers were comfortable in their local environments; he was a teacher, community development officer, Lawyer, politician and ended as elder statesman. His marks in defunct Bendel with

Col. Ogbemudia are indelible; was a federal commissioner of information, senator, among others. At the 2005 national conference and 2014 constitutional conference, he was an unrepentant voice for fiscal Federalism and a balanced Federation.

No Nigerian of Niger–Delta extraction had fought injustice and corruption as Clark had, a moral voice of courage that reprimands excesses. His prophetic voice once warned government to listen to elders because “we may enter into an era when youths may no longer listen to elders because our admonishments had fallen on deaf ears and the youths may get into the driving seat with violent agitations”. This reality is hunting us today.

Clark’s “charity begins at home” because he loved his people, in 2007 his voice was against lack of internal democracy within PDP and prior to 2015 party primaries, he rallied governorship aspirants against same vices, the result is free and fair primaries that produced Okowa. Okowa as scion of Clark is a disciple of anti-corruption and good governance. His humility using resources for prosperity of state, creating jobs, providing economic opportunities through SMART despite scarce resources is commendable. Okowa understands governance is not a jamboree or circus show anchored on propaganda but a serious process that demands commitment and discipline.

Clark had confronted fear severally, when Rivers State became theatre of war, after Odili’s tenure, the man died in many for fear of reprisals but Clark mobilised leaders and accused government officials of having loyalty to one feuding cult or the other. In September 2007 he led a delegation to President Yar’Adua, stating reasons for the crisis. A shocked President Yar’Adua said:”you made grave allegations put them into writing and we will investigate them. If anyone is culpable, no matter how high, we will deal with him in accordance to the law”.

Outside the villa he briefed journalist “it will be recalled on 20th August 2007, we Ijaw leaders from Niger Delta met in Lagos to discuss the situation in Rivers State, from 1999 Rivers State is infected by over 103 cult groups, who are leaders and financiers of these cult groups? They are politicians, in and out of government”. This voice of courage is what a nation in times of decadence need for rebirth. Challenging us to harness patriotism in solving problems bedeviling us, he recently castigated renewed pipelines vandalism and demanded former militants leaders to rise against the economic and environmental effect of these criminals because “we suffer consequences of vandalism that pollute same water we drink” asking “what are they avenging?” in reference to the Niger-Delta Avengers group.

•Mr.Abugo, is SA, Social Advocacy, to Gov. Okowa of Delta State.

JUNE 6, 2016

Seven banks earn N78bn from forex trading in 2015 Forex revaluation gain falls by 60%

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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n spite of the scarcity and restrictions in the nation’s foreign exchange market, seven banks made N78 billion trading in foreign exchange in 2015.

Financial Vanguard investigations revealed that the income was 8.3 per cent lower than the N85.5 billion recorded in 2014. The banks are Access, UBA, FBN Holdings, Union Bank, Diamond Bank, Wema Bank and Sterling Bank.

Analysis of the audited financial statements of the banks showed that Access Bank and UBA accounted for 68 per cent of the total income with N53.8 billion, down from N67.2 billion recorded the previous year.

Access Bank led the pack with N36.9 billion, up by 103 per cent or N18.7 billion from N18.2 billion in 2014. UBA came second, with N16.9

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Speaking on condition of billion down by N7.6 billion or 31 anonymity, a research analyst in one per cent from N24.5 billion in 2014. of the top banks told Financial FBN Holdings came third earning Vanguard that banks make money N11 billion in 2015, down by 20 per from foreign exchange either by cent or N14.1 billion in 2014. Others using the capital to buy and sell are Diamond Bank, N6 billion, foreign exchange Sterling Bank, N5 in the inter-bank billion, Union Bank market or by ,N2.1 billion and In 2014, the helping their Wema N0.2 billion.

CBN was customers buy Analysis also foreign exchange revealed that of the reluctant to from the CBN. He five top banks, devalue the said that two Zenith recorded a naira, and factors occasioned loss of N1.96 billion resorted to the 8.3 per cent fall from foreign in the income exchange trading, defending the banks made from down by 113 per local currency foreign exchange cent from N14.1 by trying to trading last year. billion recorded in The first was the 2014. GTBank meet all various restrictions however did not demand for imposed by the disclose its foreign dollars CBN and general exchange trading scarcity of dollars for the year.

in the economy. The second factor was the decision of the apex bank not to defend the naira as it did for most part of 2014. “Remember that in 2014, the CBN was reluctant to devalue the naira, and resorted to defending the local currency by trying to meet all demand for dollars.

This coupled with demand for dollars from foreign investors exiting the Nigerian economy, provided opportunity for banks to buy cheap from CBN and sell high to desperate end users, and as a result made good money,” he said.

Income from forex revaluation falls by N32bn The decline in foreign exchange related income was however not limited to income from trading.

Analysis of the results of top ten banks shows that total income from foreign Continues on page 18

18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

Cover

How to become a successful entrepreneur and business owner Change your perception o you want to become selfemployed? Are you prepared for the challenges involved? Are you prepared to give your project all it requires to succeed? Are you mentally prepared to become your own boss? You might feel these are just casual questions but I want you to know that they are realistic questions. Most people quit their jobs and go solo without being mentally prepared for the process and that’s why they fail.

To become self- employed and succeed at what you do; you must change your perception.

You must transit from a mentality of dependency on your boss to being independent. You have to take control and be responsible for your actions. You must be accountable and most importantly; you must be prepared to face disappointments, you must be prepared to fail because failure is a pathway to success.

Identify your core skill What are you quitting your job on? What’s your leverage? What service can you offer in exchange for money that people are willing to pay for? What are your core skills, talent, hobby or passion? If you want to be a successful self- employed entrepreneur, then you must answer these questions.

Learn how to find opportunities that others miss “A good businessman must have nose for business the same way a journalist has nose for news. Once your eyes, ears, nose, heart and brain are trained on business, you sniff business opportunities everywhere. In places where people see a lot of obstacles, I see a lot of opportunities. At times, there is something instinctive in me that tell me a b u s i n e s s opportunity exist even at a place where others see nothing. That is what makes me different, maybe unique.The first key to becoming a successful business owner is finding the right opportunity; an opportunity that others fail to see. I use the word

S

VISIT: From left, Managing Director, Lagos State Number Plate Production Authority (NPPA), Barr. Razaq Olaseni Tobun and Managing Director/CEO, Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency, LASAA, Mr. Mobolaji Sanusi, when the latter visited in Lagos.

Seven banks earn N78bn from forex trading in 2015 Continued from page 17 exchange revaluation dropped by 61 per cent to N20.7 billion from N53.6 billion.

Foreign exchange revaluation (FXR) gain is recorded when value of foreign denominated assets rises due to exchange rate or interest rate movements.

While Zenith Bank and Sterling Bank recorded increases in income from FXR gain, five banks recorded decline. The five banks are UBA, GTB, FBN Holding, Union Bank and Fidelity Bank.

Access Bank however recorded FXR loss of N10.4

billion in 2015, down from loss of N17.6 billion recorded in 2014.

FBN Holding topped the chart with N10.9 billion, down by 65 per cent from N30.8 billion in 2014. Fidelity Bank came second with N6.2 billion, down by 52 per cent from N12.9 billion in 2014. GTBank came third with N5.2 billion, down by 68 percent from N16.2 billion. Others are UBA -N3.2 billion, down from N5.5 billion; and Union bank -N0.12 billion, down from N3.6 billion; Zenith Bank -N2.8, up from N2.2 billion, and Sterling Bank -2.7 billion, up from N0 in 2014.

According to a former CBN

Director, the FXR is determined by two factors mainly movement in exchange rate and the price/interest rate at which banks book dollar denominated loans either for themselves or on behalf of their customers. Speaking on condition of anonymity, she said, “When the naira depreciates, banks’ FXR gain will rise while an appreciation will lead to fall in FXR gain.

Also, if the interest rate for the loan, usually attached to movements in London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) falls, the FXR gain will reduce, even when the naira did not appreciate. That is what happened to the banks that experienced decline in their FXR gains.”

APRA charts new course for African growth

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frican Public Relations Association, APRA, an interest group set up to further the aims, goals and objectives of public relations practitioners on the African continent, has restated its commitment to creating an enabling environment for accurate, perception, goodwill and understanding of necessary and effective public relations practice in Africa.

The association also said that it is strongly committed to selling a positive image of Africa through the instrumentality of the public relations profession.

President Muhammadu Buhari's goodwill message, delivered by Mrs. Nkechi AlliBalogun, a former Chairperson of Lagos National Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, at the 28th edition of its annual conference tagged; APRA Calabar 2016 and themed: ‘Leapfrogging Africa: The role of Communication’ said Africa for long has been perceived

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as a continent of strife, war, pestilence, anarchy, corruption and massive poverty, by foreign media, but the truth is that there are also good stories about us (Africa) that can be projected.

He said: “For a new Africa to emerge, Africa and Africans must change the African narrative, her citizens have to embrace change.

We must modernise, by modernizing we must embrace knowledge. By knowledge I mean, education and technology.

“Across the globe, Africa and Africans are achieving phenomenal feats in their various endeavours, it is time for us to change the narrative, it is time for us to sell a positive Africa, one that is full of hope and a brighter tomorrow.”

Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, represented by Head of Communications of the Group, Tony Chiejina, on his part said, “Africa and its citizens have endured negative profiling by the international media and other

communication outlets, largely owned and controlled by the powerful advanced nations, as part of cultural imperialism. But it could not have been otherwise, given that the foreign media have their own agenda, which does not include the burnishing of Africa’s image.

“All too often, the foreign media have helped to reinforce negative stereotypes about Africans.”

He went further to say that the biased and stereotypical agenda, good news from Africa is either suppressed or slanted.

“This is not because the continent lacks the human capital to project its image, its largely because the political will and the relevant information communication and technology, ICT, tools and infrastructure are either nonexistent or cannot be portrayed in a bad light to strengthen the negative profiling and perpetrate the exploitation of the continent by the neo-colonial economic and political forces,” he asserted.

“learn” because entrepreneurship is a learning process; you must keep learning from the day you start a business till the day you quit the game.

“One of the most stupid things to do is to pretend you are smart. When you pretend to be smart, you are at the height of stupidity.” – Rich Dad I used the word “learn” because you can never become perfect at spotting good business opportunities; you just have to keep learning and improving your business skills or vision. Becoming a successful entrepreneur or building a successful business lies in your ability to spot business opportunities that others miss; you must be able to see opportunity in problems.

“Behind every adversity is an opportunity. If you lament over the adversity, you will miss the opportunity.” – Ajaero Tony Martins Learn how to raise money “Capital can do nothing without brains to direct it.” – J. Ogden Armour The second key to becoming a successful entrepreneur is to learn how to raise capital. I have said and written it countless times that one of the fundamental function of an entrepreneur is to raise capital; by any legal means necessary.

If you don’t know how to raise capital; forget about becoming an entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, you must learn to raise capital internally; as well as externally. Cash flow is the life blood of a business and it’s your job to make sure that cash continuously flow into your business. Show me a successful entrepreneur and I will show you an individual that knows the intricacies of raising capital.

“There is one paradoxical characteristic every entrepreneur must possess to succeed.

An entrepreneur must be able to persuade his debtors to pay their debts promptly and at the same, must tactically delay payments to his creditors.”

– Ajaero Tony Martins.

The second key to becoming a successful entrepreneur is to learn how to raise capital.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016 — 19

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t is no longer news that Nigerian economy is at a brink of recession.

The nation’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate declined to -0.36 per cent in the first quarter of this year compared to 2.11 per cent in the last three months of 2015, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) disclosed recently.

This negative GDP growth apparently confirms an earlier statement by the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed that the Federal Government was broke and making tough adjustments. He had said that the decision to increase the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from N86.50 to N145 per litre was one of those decisions to is facing stagflation. It is in a they are implemented. Over the free funds for government’s state where there is no growth years, the success of either other financial obligations. By but there is high inflation. This monetary or fiscal policy in this negative growth rate, the will be counter productive to the Nigeria depends on the country appears to be on a bid by the government to create imperative of their coordination. recessionary track as it requires jobs and reduce unemployment A careful observer will note that one more negative growth rate as the CBN mopping cash from it is only at the lower level of in the next quarter to enter into bank will constrain banks’ staff of the Ministry of Finance recession. ability to lend. and the CBN that you find some The 2016 budget was As it looks, while the Federal level of cooperation and designed to reflate the economy Government will be targeting coordination but when it comes in order to steer it out of the increased spending, the CBN to the key personnel, you find path of recession. To get this will be busy mopping up cash some discordance. done, there must be proper in the system in order to tame It is worrisome if the principal coordination of fiscal and the general rise in prices of actors in the monetary and fiscal monetary policies. This is not the goods and services. It appears arena are aware of what in time to claim superiority of one as if the CBN and the Ministry macro economics is referred to policy initiative over another as of Finance will be working at as the unholy trinity or the is always the case in Nigeria. It cross purposes. The Ministry of macro economic trinity. Under is in this regard that the Finance and the CBN need to this trinity, the argument is that Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi approach this issue with caution no central bank on earth Adeosun and Mr Godwin in order not to derail the 2016 manages the three key macro Emefiele, the CBN governor, budget plan of steering the economic aggregates. must of necessity, have to work economy away from the path of Central Bankers are quick to hand in hand. They must meet recession. The goals of any say that no central bank has regularly and possibly carry macro economic policy is to responsibility for managing other financial regulators along achieve full employment of inflation, at the same time in the bid to stabilise the resources, balance growth, delivering a fixed exchange economy.

The Federal stable prices of goods and rate or a definite level of the Government through the services, stable exchange rate Ministry of Finance intends to and balance of payment. In the reflate the economy but the real world, these policy ...if Nigeria has CBN believes that the banking objectives conflict with one and enduring system is already awash with another and require regular excess cash. The Federal harmonisation. institutions, Government's release of N350 In most other countries, there individuals will billion into the economy after is legislation that compels the come and go but the budget was passed has fiscal and monetary authorities institutions will further increased the cash in to sit on the same table to the system. What this means is harmonise their policies before always remain that inflationary pressure in the they are announced. In Nigeria, and that is what economy will be high this year there is no known legislation has guided other and the CBN will have to that compels the Ministry of countries deploy all arsenal at its disposal Finance and the CBN to to fight inflation as the economy harmonise their policies before

exchange rate and then deliver a regime of low interest rate in any economy. Bankers will always remind you that a central bank can only achieve two of the three and let the other go, it cannot control all three.

From recent history, the CBN has been having a curious eye on developments in the exchange rate; but for interest rate, it does not control interest rate as of today because of the deregulation of the economy in 1986.

Nigerians and government officials have been hampering on single digit interest rate, which has been a mirage due to high level of inflation in the country.

Nigerian economy can only experience a situation where interest rate is hovering around two percent, inflation is around two percent and a stable exchange rate, when the economy is developed. It will be possible also when Nigeria diversifies its economy not the present mono product economy that it is today. It will also be possible to have low interest rate if it is not an import dependent economy and the level of infrastructure is highly developed. The only countries that fall into this category are the US, UK, Japan, that is where you have low interest rate because the infrastructure is already there, the banks do not need to invest in any form of infrastructure. If the CBN tries to mange the three unholy trinity simultaneously, it cannot

Business & Economy Reps summon 1,319 firms over $10bn revenue leakages in NIMASA

Grand Oak partners regulatory agencies to fight counterfeiters relevant government agencies

What Emefiele, Adeosun must do for Nigeria

By GODWIN ORITSE

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N a bid to block revenue leakages at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) the House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration has summoned 1,319 companies to appear before it during a public hearing on operational deficiencies at the agency.

According to the Committee’s chairdman, Mr Mohammed

Umar Bago, the amount of money lost in the sector was about $10bn.

The Committee said that the affected companies would respond to questions relating to 3% freight levy, 2% Cabotage surcharge, sea protection levy, stevedoring, among others.

It said that the process that led to the revenue leakages were benchmark approach, as opposed to actual freight charges in the determination of the 3%, midstream clearance and discharge of cargo vessels, activities of foreign flag vessels

in coastal trade, ship-to-ship discharge of wet cargo, concealment of marine spread of oil and gas contract agreements and illegal Cabotage exemptions, dredging and reclamation activities within the Nigerian waterways.

Some of the companies summoned were drawn mainly from the oil and gas sector as well as private jetty owners and operators.

Confirming development, Spokesperson of the agency, Hajia Lami Tumaka told Vanguard NIMASA is collaborating withn the Committee on the matter.

Tumaka also said that the agency is making as much information as available to the Committee in order to help in the blocking such leakages.

By EFUGHI FAVOUR

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RAND Oak Limited has collaborated with National Agencies for Food and Drugs Administration Control, NAFDAC and the Consumer Protection Council, CPC,to fight counterfeiters of products in the industry.

The acting Managing Director of the company, Aare Fatai Osidele, disclosed this during the 2016 Distributors Conference in Lagos.

He stated that the company has concluded plans with NAFDAC, CPC and other

achieve success in any one of them, it will be a huge failure.

It is in shaping the direction of policy that the CBN governor and the minister of finance need to cooperate and work hand in hand to shape fiscal and monetary policies in a way to achieve the desirable result.

The two principal officers must meet on regular basis to review the economy and find out where each is missing it and fix the issue. It is in so doing that this government will achieve its economic objective of delivering dividend of democracy to the people of Nigeria.

In fact, the National Assembly should come up with a legislation that will compel the CBN management team and that of the Federal Ministry of Finance to meet and harmonise the nation’s economic and monetary policies before they are announced and implemented. The law should also compel them to meet quarterly to review policies and take corrective measures that will benefit the economy.

It is in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians for this government to create a stable polity. Nigeria as a country should create institutions because the President will use his tenure and go, the Governor of CBN will leave at the end of his tenure. If Nigeria has enduring institutions, individuals will come and go but institutions will always remain. That is what has guided other countries that have developed which some of us look up to and are running to because Nigerians think that they have done so well not minding that it is the effort of their citizens that brought them to where they are today.

to put a stop to the faking of wine products in the country.

Onthe company re-launchof Lord’s Dry Gin, Osidele explained that the continuous repackaging and innovation done is to educate consumers on ways of identifying the original products, adding: “The brand has been in market for 34 years and repackaging was necessary.”

He also stated that the product being faked is an acceptance that the brand is popular, as counterfeiters don’t fake failed products. However, steps have to be taken to put an end to it."

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20 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

Business & Economy

Jaiz Bank appoints Usman, MD

By EMMA UJAH, Abuja Bureau Chief

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new Managing Director has been appointed for Jaiz Bank Plc. He is Mr. Hassan Usman.

The Board of Directors of the bank appointed Usman substantive Managing Director to run the affairs of the Bank subject to the approval of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The decision was reached after a rigorous selection exercise where seasoned Islamic Bankers within and outside the country were screened and interviewed.

Mr. Usman takes over from Mahe Abubakar who has acted as MD since December 2015. Mr. Usman had previously acted as Managing Director in 2013.

Until the latest appointment, Mr. Usman was an Executive Director in charge of Operations and IT. He is a trained Accountant, having graduated with a First Class Degree in Accounting in 1985 from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria and later became a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

UBA offers customers Dubai trip,other prizes for using ATM

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holiday in Dubai, sight seeing its beautiful landscapes, shopping in its attractive shopping malls has been put on offer for loyal customers of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc. UBA is offering three lucky customers a chance to win an unforgettable holiday experience in Dubai. All a customer has to do to win this trip is withdraw cash from a UBA Automated Teller Macvhine, ATM with his or her UBA MasterCard, Visa or Verve card.

Tagged: 'The UBA Big Jolly Promo', it will run from now till June 30 this year and will give customers opportunity to win other prizes besides the three return tickets to Dubai for three lucky customers.

Other prizes on offer for lucky UBA customers include; 100 Infinix Hot Note smart phones, N5,000 worth of shopping vouchers for 100 customers, and N2,000 worth of airtime for 300 customers.

PROGRAMME: From left, Colligold Volunteer, Chinedu Okafor; Consultant, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Oyindamola Egbeyemi; Public Relations Manger, Jobberman Nigeria, Busola Babatunde; CoFounder, Colligold Resources, Tomide Awe and and another Colligold Volunteer, Patrick Oyekan, during the 2016 Edition of Colligold Employability Skills Programme held in Lagos.

Tax stakeholders meet on solutions to tax administration in ECOWAS T

he Director of Trade and Customs in ECOWAS Commission, Mr Salifou Tiemtore, has said that partnership between the Commission and WATAF is aimed at finding solutions for tax administration in West Africa. Tiemtore made the statement at the 10th General Meeting of West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF) on “Tax Harmonisation within the ECOWAS Region” in Abuja last week.

He said WATAF was an important association that collaborated with ECOWAS to

effectively implement fiscal reforms and harmonisation programmes in the sub-region in line with regional integration policies. “The collaboration with your forum

We have to undertake prudent tax reforms without any delay to adequately prepare and enhance the domestic revenue mobilisation

from the onset is an indication of our continuous desire to work with you to find common solutions to tax administration within and for the benefit of our West African region.

“We have to undertake prudent tax reforms without any delay to adequately prepare and enhance the domestic revenue mobilisation of our respective countries to mitigate the likely dwindling customs revenues,” Tiemtore

said.

He said studies had shown that both External Trade Liberation Scheme (ETLS) and Common External Tariff (CET) had negative impacts on African international trade revenue and would subsequently exert pressure on governments to fund their activities.

He added that the dwindling international trade revenues were likely to continue as Africa pursued and concluded further regional and international agreements to comply with international standards.

Tiemtore recalled that ETLS and CET were implemented for the harmonisation of customs duties and came into effect on Jan. 1, 2015. He said that the fiscal transition programme to support the effective operation of CET and minimise potential revenue loss was also adopted in Dec. 2013.

According to him,“ the programme is designed to implement institutional reforms within both customs and tax departments to harmonise the domestic legislations on Valued Added Tax and excise duties, including taxation on tobacco and its products.

Tiemtore said that ECOWAS had identified staff training as a key component of enhancing efficiency in the institutions, adding that an award of consultancy for the design and delivery of appropriate training was in an advance stage. He added that an award of a consultancy to design an ECOWAS Tax Treaty Model was being pursued.

Importers flooding Nigeria with substandard goods, SON alerts

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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he Director-General of Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr Paul Angya, has alerted the federal government of massive importation of substandard goods into the country. This, he said, has forced the SON to shutdown the Electronic Provisional Clearance Certificate (ePCC) platform after the 90 days expiration elapsed this year.

In an interview with Vanguard in Abuja, the acting SON DG, Angya said that the agency has been having a running battle with importers who have refused to align themselves with the legal platform to process their Soncap. Angya who was obviously taken aback by the allegations against the agency he heads stated, “We have a problem with importers of goods because they are cheating. They are manipulating the importation regime of goods to the country with the import of their goods.”

The Soncap process is done online without the intervention of any

member of staff of the organisation, following the scrapping of hard copy papers for effective and better service.

Nigerian Customs Service has established a digital platform, an online platform through which products coming into Nigeria can been seen and where people are supposed to register their import, all manifest of all consignments coming into Nigeria can been seen there.

He said, “On that platform, if you are bringing in any product without SON certificate of compliance which is called Soncap, you will not be cleared to bring in those goods because the CBN will not issue you Form M through which you can import."

He continued, “So that platform enabled us to see almost everybody who is importing which was not the case before. Today those who were beating the system are having challenges.

“The importers are avoiding the quality verification process that was established by the government to verify the quality of goods they import into

Nigeria which has resulted in the complete overrunning of the country."

The DG explained that the ePCC platform which has a self-service window, was meant to open to clients’ need only for three months but SON at a meeting with stakeholders extended the platform for another three months after the stakeholders pleaded for further extension, a move Angya said, was the last after which the importers would have to strictly follow the legal process of Soncap .

Meanwhile, some groups of importers in a statement , alleged that the government agency had not approved their Soncap which they claimed was heaped up in the organisation.

“We have over the last few months evaluated the system and discovered that the substandard products are majorly from China and other Asian countries," he noted. The clarification from the SON came on the heels of some group of importers, alleging that the SON DG had refused to approve their Soncap.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016 — 21

Banking & Finance

Government securities record 156% over-subscription *As excess liquidity hits N408bn *CBN spends $700m to defend Naira

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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HE volume of idle cash in the interbank money market rose last week to N408 billion, triggering 156 percent excess demand for government securities.

Financial Vanguard investigations revealed that the volume of idle cash (excess liquidity) in the interbank money market rose by 32 per cent from N277 billion the previous week, to close at N408.3 billion last week. The sharp increase was driven by fresh inflow of N141 billion from statutory allocation funds, and N144 billion from payment of matured treasury bills.

Consequently, investors demanded for N498 billion worth of government securities (treasury bills), representing 156 per cent higher than the N194 billion offered for sale by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). At the secondary market where existing bills are traded, investors demanded for N394 billion worth of bills while the apex bank offered N50 billion, but did not sell any bill. At the Primary market, where fresh bills are sold, investors demanded N394 billion worth of bills, while the apex bank

offered and sold N144 billion.

Also reflecting the impact of the improved liquidity, cost of funds remained relatively stable during the week between 2.0 and 2.5 per cent.

Meanwhile the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) spent about $700 million to defend the naira in May. However, the naira depreciated last week to N355 per dollar in the parallel market, due to increased speculation, occasioned by anxiety over the delay in the release of the guidelines for the ‘flexible exchange rate policy’, of the CBN. According to analysts at Afrinvest Plc, the naira might depreciate further in the

parallel market this week, should the apex bank continue to delay the release of the guidelines for the new policy.

In the company’s review of developments in the foreign exchange market last week, they stated: “The market had expected that the guidelines for the new flexible exchange rate regime would be communicated early enough to restore normalcy to the foreign exchange market. But the delay by the CBN on the specifics of the new foreign exchange (FX) policy further fuelled speculation within the BDC/ parallel segment of the FX market as the naira depreciated by 1.4 percent against the dollar to close at N355.00/$1 relative to previous week’s close of N350.00/$1 “At the official/interbank segment however, the Naira

remained stable for the week as the CBN again intervened at the official rate of N197.50/ $1. This makes the third consecutive auction the CBN conducted at the rate of N197/ $1 or N197.50/$1 after the market had anticipated that the Apex Bank would adjust its intervention rate (in order to save the external reserves) subsequent to NNPC’s announcement of a guided deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector that pegged the FX rate for petroleum importers at N285/ $1.

“We analyzed the movement in foreign exchange reserves for the month of May-2016 and found out that it closed 2.6 percent ($26.4bn) lower relative to the level ($27.1bn) in April-2016, implying that an approximate average of $0.7bn was used in defending the currency in May. In the interim, pending the clarity on the new FX policy, we opine that the pressure at the parallel segment will persist.”

ACCA advocates blend of skills, experience, for accountants A

research study by the global accounting body, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, ACCA, has emphasised the need for professional accountants to develop blend of skills, experience and intelligence in order to meet with the demands of the modern day business world.

Speaking at the launch of the report, ACCA Nigeria’s Country Head, Toyin Ademola, said, “The accountant’s role has been revolutionised over the past decade, with finance professionals becoming leaders, trusted expert counsel and key strategic advisers to organisations whether in the public or private sectors.

“With this metamorphosis comes a requirement for a whole new set of skills. On top of technical excellence, professional accountants now require creativity, emotional intelligence and the vision to lead.”

With input and insight from C M Y K

over 2,000 business and finance professionals around the world, Professional Accountants – the Future is the most indepth analysis of the profession – and where it is headed – ever conducted, said Toyin Ademola She said, “We discovered a brave new world of more regulation, greater globalisation, ever increasing risk, and of course, massive technological advancement.

The accountancy profession has to be ahead of the curve on all fronts - trained to the highest of professional standards, looking beyond the numbers and with a global mind set.”

To define what the 2016 finance professional must look like, ACCA has developed a set of seven Professional Quotients – a mix of technical knowledge, skills and abilities formed with interpersonal behaviours and qualities.

These are: “Technical and ethical competencies (TQ)”.

These are skills and abilities to perform activities

consistently to a defined standard. They are Often based on a professional qualification; Intelligence (IQ): The ability to acquire and use knowledge: thinking, reasoning and solving problems; Creative intelligence (CQ): The ability to use existing knowledge in a new situation, to make connections, explore potential outcomes, and generate new ideas; Digital quotient (DQ): The awareness and application of existing and emerging digital technologies, capabilities, practices, strategies and culture; Emotional intelligence(EQ): The ability to identify your own emotions and those of others, harness and apply them to tasks, and regulate and manage them; Vision(VQ): The ability to predict future trends accurately by extrapolating existing trends and facts, and filling the gaps by thinking innovatively; Experience (XQ): The ability and skills to understand

customer expectations, meet desired outcomes and create value.

According to Toyin Ademola, her message to current and aspiring accountants is that a blend of all these attributes makes the perfect finance professional, ready for the global business challenges they will face.

“These ‘magnificent seven’ strengths show the way ahead. They are the means by which accountants use their technical knowledge, skills and abilities blended with the interpersonal behaviours and qualities to put them to use.

“Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses.

The key is to recognise where you excel and where you need to work to build your competency through the continuous professional development which professional accountants already know so well”, she said.

Sterling Bank, Leap Africa empower SMEs

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TERLING Bank and LEAP Africa have pledged to continue to work together to empower Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs).

Speaking at a press conference on the 11th edition of the CEOs Forum organised

by LEAP Africa, Executive Director, Finance and Strategy at Sterling Bank, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, said the bank's decision to partner with LEAP Africa is based on its passion for SMEs. He said Sterling Bank will continue to partner with LEAP Africa as long as it continues to make impact in the development of SMEs. The purpose of the 11th edition CEO’s Forum, according to Executive Director, LEAP Africa, Mrs. Iyadunni Olubode is to empower entrepreneurs by opening up to them alternative sources of funding She said that the forum is aimed at discussing how small businesses can attract funding for sustainable growth and it will focus on alternative funding models such as angel investors, venture capital, private equity and challenge funds amongst others.

She noted that “a lot of entrepreneurs we interact with are looking for opportunities to grow and expand their businesses, and if any business is to be sustainable, it needs to be infused with capital from time to time.

“So we are bringing together, a team of experts, a team of entrepreneurs who themselves have been able to expand their businesses to come and share the wealth of knowledge with the audience. They would share their experiences, failures and were they succeeded with raising capital.”

Suleiman stated that the importance of the SME industry to the growth of the nation has made it imperative to open up alternative sources of funding to the sector.

SMEs in Nigeria need more than loans, he said, adding, there is need for ample education on positioning a business to attract the right level of funding it needs.

Reiterating the bank’s commitment to driving economic growth through capacity building for SMEs, Suleiman noted that “many entrepreneurs are not getting the capital they need because they have a wrong approach to sourcing capital."

22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

Corporate Finance

FCMB takes financial literacy to children

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irst City Monument Bank's (FCMB) women staff have taken financial literary to children as part of its commitment to educating them on the importance of savings.

The women, through FCMB across the country, hosted pupils from various schools, under the theme, ’Kids Banking Excursion Programme”, where they were exposed to the general dynamics of banking, financial literacy and how to cultivate savings habit from an early age. More so, an essay writing initiative, with the topic, ‘’Why I Love Nigeria”, was organised by the Bank for children of its employees and customers. At the end of the exercise, so many kids participated and displayed great writing skills, creativity, and passion for the country going by the entries.

FCMB also went a step further by donating a 40KVA power generating set to Federal Government Girls College, Akure,Ondo state. This was in fulfilment of the pledge made by the Bank during the mentoring session it organised for the students in March this year under the financial literacy programme.

According to a statement from the bank, “ A total of 1,000 underprivileged kids in primary schools in Lagos, Kano and Delta states had cause to rejoice during this year ’s Children’s Day celebration as FCMB Women donated school bags filled with educational materials to each of the school children. The materials include notebooks, biros, pencils, sharpeners, erasers, crayons, among others. Dictionaries were also distributed to help with language usage and grammar. The three schools that benefited from the gesture are, Alaba Primary School, Mushin in Lagos; Ugbolokoso Primary School and Ijakpa Primary School, both in Warri Delta state as well as Zango Primary School, Kano state.”

Speaking during the presentation of the school bags and educational materials to the pupils, FCMB’s Vice President, Human Resources & Strategy, Felicia Obozuwa, restated the Bank’s commitment to the educational development and welfare of children. ‘’Beyond celebrating the Children’s Day, this gesture on the part of FCMB Women and indeed the Bank is aimed at inspiring our young ones to become great men and women.

C M Y K

Capital market slumps below 3-yr lows in 2015 — CSCS boss Stories by PETER EGWUATU

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he Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc has stated that the Nigerian capital market slumped below its three-year low in 2015 due to dwindling crude oil price, foreign exchange problems and exodus of foreign portfolio investors.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of CSCS Plc, who stated this, while x-raying the company’s performance in 2015 said “The market was negatively affected by the unstable naira exchange rate which discouraged foreign investors from the market.”

He also disclosed that CSCS has introduced an Electronic Annual General Meeting, AGM, the first of its kind in the country. Commenting on the performance of the company in 2015, Kyari said “These outcomes were unfavourable to our financial performance and led to a decline in our income by 7.77 per cent in 2015 with total earnings of ¦ 7.6 Billion as against ¦ 8.2 Billion in 2014.

Our operating expenses stood at ¦ 2.58 billion in 2015 as against ¦ 2.48 billion in 2014.

This indicates an increase of 4.19% from the previous year.

The year ended on a profitable note with our Profit After Tax at ¦ 4.46 billion, although this is a tail off by 3.50 per cent from preceding year’s figures of ¦ 4.62 billion due to huge investments made towards our new CSD infrastructure”.

While speaking on the company ’s notable achievements during the financial year, Kyari announced that the company has been awarded ISO

27001:2013 certificate.

In the same vein, the Electronic Annual General Meeting (EAGM), a groundbreaking initiative designed to promote financial inclusion and improve market integration across.

Africa by allowing

shareholders to attend and participate in general meetings electronically was demonstrated.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of CSCS, Mr. Oscar Onyema had disclosed at the company’s 22nd AGM that a 26 kobo dividend has been declared

SESSION - From left: Group Head, Sales, Vitafoam Nigeria Plc, Mr. Sola Owoade; Group Managing Director, Mr. Taiwo Adeniyi; and Group Head, Admin and Legal Services, Mr. Lekan Sanni, during an interactive session on the company’s development plans in Lagos.

GSK allays fear of job cuts after divestment of drink business

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he management of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria, GSK Plc has allayed fears of job cuts after its planned divestment of its drinks business later in the year.

The Legal Director/ Company Secretary, GlaxoSmithkline Consumer Nigeria Plc, Mr. Uchenna Uwechia, who disclosed this to select journalists in Lagos stated

that the Board of Directors of GSK Plc has accepted Suntory Beverage & Food Limited offer for the divestment of its drinks bottling and distribution Business.

H e said that the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE has been notified of its proposed plan to divest from its drinks business as part the post listing requirement of the

CIS inaugurates 148-member technical committee to drive market activities

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for the financial year 2015.

In his words “The company recorded remarkable gains and this led to 26 kobo dividend pay-out which is in line with the company’s dividend policy which provides that 30 per cent of the company’s Profit After Tax recorded in a year be paid as dividend.

n pursuit of its determination to strengthen the operations of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), the Governing Council of the Institute has inaugurated 12 committees with 148 members.

The Committees which have been specifically set up to drive the activities of the Institute are: Education Committee, Research and Technical Committee, Membership Committee, Finance Committee, Programmes Committee, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Committee, Board of Fellows, Investigating Panel, Supporting Member Investigators, Disciplinar y Tribunal, Nominating Committee, and Presidential Nominating Committee. The Committees have a two-year tenure.

Addressing the Committee members at the inauguration ceremony at the Institute’s Council Chambers recently, the President, Mr. Oluwaseyi Abe explained that their appointment was the outcome of a careful due diligence conducted by the Council to ensure that people who are fit and proper are given an opportunity to serve the Institute.

Abe noted that the Institute had many talents that were willingly ready to drive its array of activities.

According to him, the Committees’ performance shall be based on the quarterly implementation of their terms of reference which form the deliverables. “The Council is of the strong view that the Institute must be developed in order to adequately meet the expectations of its stakeholders in line with the global best practices,” Abe said.

exchange.

According to him, “The Board of GSK has accepted and is recommending for approval by shareholders, a binding offer from Suntory Beverage & Food Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Suntory Beverage and Food Limited for the divestment of its drinks bottling and distribution business.”

Uwechia , disclosed that the principal terms of the offer will be set out in a circular to the shareholders.

According to a statement from the company, “If the shareholders and regulators were to approve the sale , the retained business of GSK Nigeria would include its wellness, Oral Healthcare, Nutrition and Pharmaceutical/ Vaccines businesses, and the company would remain listed on the NSE.” Commenting on the any job cut after the divestment, he said: “Part of the terms of the offer was that Suntory Beverages will retain the staff in the drinks business. So, there is no need to fear, we will disclose further details of the offer once we get all the regulatory a[approvals.

Even Suntory Beverages has stated that more people will be employed once it takes over the drinks business as the capacity of its plants in Nigeria is higher than what we currently have. “

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016 — 23

Corporate Finance Banking stocks record worst performance, as NSE sheds N435bn Stories By NKIRUKA NNOROM

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NVESTORS on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, lost a total of N435 billion from their investment last week as optimism that greeted the announcement of adoption of flexible foreign exchange policy from the federal government waned.

At the close of trading, the market capitalisation that measures performance of equities in the market fell to N9.49 trillion as against N9.93 trillion in the previous week, representing 4.4 per cent decline. The All Share Index, ASI, dropped by the same margin, declining to 27,634.42 points from 28,902.26 points.

Activity was weak across the entire market as all the sectorial indices took a downward trend.

The banking sector impacted by massive sell off on the shares of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Zenith International Bank Plc and Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, ETI, recorded the worst performance, sheding 7.7 per cent to settle at 276.96 points from 302.24 points. The NSE Oil and Gas Index fuelled by 17.87 per cent loss on the shares of Oando Plc closed as the second

worst performing sector, depreciating by 5.3 per cent to 326.05 points. The NSE 30 Index was down 4.9 per cent to settle at 1,229.26 points, while NSE Insurance Index went down by 4.01 per cent to 130.12 point. The Consumer Goods sector lost 3.01 per cent, while Industrial sector slipped by 3.35 per cent.

Analysts at United Capital Plc attributed the weak performance

to delay by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to provide clear guidelines on the new forex policy, “Recent market momentum from FX related pronouncement by the MPC appears to have waned as investors demand further clarity.

We expect the equities market will remain within its current range until there is a much clearer signal especially around FX, the analysts said.

Analysis of the price movement chart, showed that for every five losers during the week, there was one gainer, as 60 losers emerged versus 12 gainers in the week.

StanChart launches extensive mobile, online banking

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TANDARD Chartered Bank has announced plans to launch its newest mobile and online banking platform to one million clients across eight African markets.

After the roll out to Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe in the first half of 2016, the bank will launch fingerprint recognition technology in Botswana, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and

Nestle signs MoU with IFDC to support smallholder farmers He noted that the partnership underpinned the company’s believe in Nigerian farmers and rural estle Nigeria Plc has signed a Memorandum saying: “To produce our foods and N of Understanding, MoU, with International communities, beverages, we rely on secure, long term supplies of Fertilizer Development Centre, IFDC, to support the local farmers and facilitate government’s economic diversification agenda.

The partnership, a two-year pilot project, aims to help smallholder farmers, of whom 40 per cent are women, in Sahel and Sudan Savanna areas of the country to develop farming as a business and improve the quality and yields of millet and sorghum, which are popular staple crop ingredients in West African nation.

Under the arrangement, 1,000 framers in Northern Nigeria will be trained on good agricultural practices and entrepreneurial skills.

Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony in Lagos, the Managing Director/CEO, Nestle, Chief Dharnesh Gordon, said the partnership is in line with the company’s approach to business tagged Creating Shared Value, which is based on the firm believe that for a company to prosper over the long terms and create value for its shareholders, it must also create value for the society.

raw materials of the highest quality. To this end, we, together with our partners, have been training farmers in the northern part of Nigeria to produce good quality grains since 2010. This has been part of our Grains Quality Improvement project, GQIP, implemented in collaboration with suppliers.”

“Our new collaboration with IFDC, together with farmer groups and supplier partners, looks to support farmers in northern Nigeria by providing them with the tools and capabilities to produce high quality, disease-resistant crops for future food security,” Gordon said.

“We are looking forward to our new collaboration with Nestle Nigeria. The company is a fitting private partner because of its strength, professionalism and high standards that it instils to produce quality products for local consumers, and also because of the close and fair relations it wants to build and maintain with smallholder farmers,”said Dr. Amo Maatman, “SCALE Chief of Party of IFDC.

Zimbabwe for the firs time later in the year, giving clients a more secure and convenient way to log in to their accounts. In Nigeria and Ghana, mobile banking clients will move to the bank’s standard global platform Supported by the bank’s globalstandard technology, clients will enjoy a consistent online experience across laptops, tablets or mobile phones, and the convenience of banking from the location of their choice. Clients will be able to check balances, transfer money and pay bills securely, all through their smartphones using the mobile banking app.

“We’re bringing the best in mobile banking to Africa; consumers across the continent are increasingly affluent and tech-savvy and they want convenient access to their bank, wherever thy happen to be,” said Karen Fawcett, Standard Chartered’s CEO for Retail Banking.

“We are committed to making banking easier, faster and safer for our more than one million retail clients across Africa,” commented Jaydeep Gupta, Standard Chartered’s regional head of Retail Banking for Africa and the Middle East.

Commenting, Bola Adesola, Standard Chartered’s CEO for Nigeria and West Africa 1, added, ‘We are reiterating our commitment to our clients to provide the best in-class services and solutions for their banking needs.

C M Y K

24 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

Interview

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R. Paul Angya is the Acting Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON. He was heavily involved in the development of the National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) policy as Chairman of the Technical Committee. The NQI policy which encompasses standardisation, metrology, accreditation, testing and certification was introduced by the Federal Government to ensure that products coming out of Nigerian industries conform to international requirements. In this interview with VANGUARD, Dr. Angya talks about recent developments at SON since he took over few months ago, how they are building the capacities of local industries to produce good quality products for exports and how its metrology institute will transform the country. Excerpts:

By EMEKA ANAETO, Economy Editor & FRANKLIN ALLI

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hat are the new things that you have been doing at SON since you came on board as Acting Director General?

We have a lot of new things happening at SON. What we have been doing is to try to communicate the benefits of standardisation which translates to quality for Nigerians. We have devised innovative ways of communicating to people to buy the culture of standardisation. The major mandates of SON has not changedelaboration of standards and quality assurance, the regular inspections of factories and production lines of products; audit of companies and advising industries to improve on their products.

Basically, we have been doing this for a long time but standardisation is a voluntary concept; it is not a compulsory thing and it is not conscription so to say.

All over the world, people voluntarily embrace standardisation. So when a standard body like SON issues standards and publishes them; the society ordinarily should embrace them and that translate to quality.

However, the problem which we have in Nigeria to a large extent is that people don’t immediately embrace issues of regulation and that is why there are unlawful behaviours in the society. And so, it now becomes the duty of the

standards body to enforce standards rather than compliment society by way of standardisations. And so, what we have done in my time is to try and communicate to the people to imbibe the benefits of voluntary standardisations and where the information and education does not seem to work, we apply the big stick but mainly, majorly, our focus is on enlightenment and education .

Since I came into office over three months ago, I have engaged critical sectors in production and commercial industries in Nigeria. I identified critical sectors from which there are most complaints of circulation of substandard products and the impacts of substandard products on lives, investments and the economy.

Unfortunately, contrary to your view, this sector is not confined to local productions; most of the substandard products are from the imported products.

We have since March instituted Standards Clubs in secondary schools.

My predecessors preached it and I have been preaching it. We recorded a large number of successes but sometimes, when you talk about standardisation, people think it is alien concept and they don’t apply it in their ways of life and way of doing things. It sounds abstract.

Perhaps; it is because standardisation didn’t come to us early. So, perhaps, if we introduce it to people at the youngest stage, it will become part of their lives and so when they grow up, they will see it as a given and demand from their parents that they are entitled to quality and if you don’t give it they won’t accept. Nigerians are not committed enough to their own personal welfare by insisting or using only products that have quality assurance.

It may be a lack of commitment and sometimes, it may be due to issue of economics. No Nigerian will spend 1030 minutes at the SON Office to make a complaint and to police. He goes to buy a product for N500 in the market, probably at Ikeja, and he drives back to Egbeda in Lagos and finds that the product doesn’t work to his expectation, he would check the cost of going back to Ikeja which might be N750 and he has N1000. So he throws it away and picks another equally substandard product and it continues like that; he loses his money and dignity and sometimes it

•Dr. Paul Angya C M Y K

What Nigeria's trading partners are looking for in export products ... Builds capacity, quality products in SME sector

Dr. Paul Angya , Acting Director-General,Standard affect his health.

He also encourages those dealing in the sales of substandard products because he continues to buy them. But if he had gone back to the shop even at the cost of N1000 and said 'I’m not going to accept this, give me a good product or give me back my money or else I am going to report you to SON. If two , three, four Nigerians make similar complaint, he won’t continue in that business.

In the advance societies which we are copying, government is not an enforcer of consumer interests. What government does is to make a policy, consumer policy, standards and quality control policy and then there are consumer advocates whose duty is to take up consumer advocacies. In that society, they respect people and people there insist you give them value for their money.

So education is the key and that is why we have set up Standards Club in schools and we are hoping that we are working with other institutions like education authorities in primary and secondary schools, National Universities Commission, NUC, and National Board for Technical Education to introduce standardisation curriculum in schools.

Also, we are encouraging people to write books on Standardisations. I personally have written a book on Standardisations. So, we expect that by the time we encourage intellectuals to

write books and to teach the subjects, it will be a part of our culture for people to demand and insist for quality products.

How are you carrying those who are educated and knowledgeable along in the enforcement of standards?

Unfortunately for us, like I told you, we have not arrived at a point where people adopted those issues as their own, as personal to them, even for those who are knowledgeable and involved because they reason that somebody else is responsible for it. Like they say in my community, the community goat usually starves because nobody owns it, and nobody is feeding it.

People need to buy into the concept, own it and adopt it. Another new thing that we have introduced is to open up the process of standardisation to people so that they could get involved.

Hence, all the people who are using the products or services will make input into that standard. The standard will have the benefits of wider participation and when we have finally collated it into a draft, we also publish it and invite comments from informed sectors. And when that is done, we know the standard has input from all stakeholders and it is what they want. So, they will willingly apply that standard; it becomes a public ownership; the standard will have wider acceptability and application; and the impact will be felt on the community.

What is SON doing to make Nigerian products exportable and earning foreign exchange?

In Nigeria, long before President Muhammadu Buhari came on board and

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016 — 25

Interview The Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan, NIRP, was adopted for implementation. Under the NIRP, which is to grow alternative sectors to oil, SON has specific assignments. Number one is to build a national quality infrastructure for Nigeria people, by the government, industries and everyone in Nigeria, it will culminate into delivering quality to Nigerians and quality to Nigerian products and they can compete anywhere in the world.

In fact, the main focus of the national quality policy is to examine the environment and see what are those necessary facilities that a nation should have.

First of all, we surveyed why is China producing and able to produce so massively. We made a survey on how modern nations are delivering on quality and we found that in the current practices, the critical ingredients that enable a country develop economically is what we call quality infrastructure.

And every nation requires quality infrastructure to develop its economy, develop its industry and to protect its people.

ds Organisation of Nigeria, SON

There are basic standards for products all over the world. But then some products have additional requirements.

That is why you hear about American spec, European spec; Japanese spec and so on, they are additional safety requirements in those countries instituted his programme of finding alternatives to oil, SON, had started the programme of encouraging local production and we introduced MANCAP certification.

MANCAP means Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme. The certification is aimed at ensuring that all locally manufactured products conform to relevant Nigeria Industrial Standards, NIS, before they are presented to the consumers. Every manufacturer in Nigeria is expected to get the certification before you push your

products into the market and there are sanctions for defaulters.

There are basic standards for products all over the world. But then some products have additional requirements.

That is why you hear about American spec, European spec; Japanese spec and so on, they are additional safety requirements in those countries.

Meeting global standards We insist that products manufactured in Nigeria must meet acceptable global standards. It is part of what we have been doing and we are still doing itbuilding the capacity of operators in our local industries. We have identified small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as the engine room of economic development. So, we have structured projects of offering technical assistance and certification to SMEs. Most times, we offer these services free for them to know how to meet the standard, know how to process, package and label their products. Since President Buhari came on stream, the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan, NIRP, was adopted for implementation. Under the NIRP, which is to grow alternative sectors to oil, SON is given specific assignments. Number one is to build a national quality infrastructure for Nigeria and all these I have been telling you about standardisation and quality issue is built into it. It prescribes the basic minimum precepts that if imbibed by

Developing quality infrastructure When a country develops the quality infrastructure, it becomes a national treasure. So those are the components that are aggregated together to deliver quality to a nation. Fortunately, in Nigeria, that project was anchored on SON, and, I personally was the chairman of the Technical Committee that developed the National Quality Infrastructure. Standards itself is a quality infrastructure because it is the basis on which production, industry and quality are grounded.

And then we look at the issue of Metrology, which is the science of accurate measurement. We have legal metrology that goes into the public and interfaces with services delivered to make sure that the delivery to the public is the exact nature of the prescription.

For instance, if you go to filling station to buy fuel, it is priced at N145/litre now, and the guy at the station fix the pump into your car and he keeps pumping and said he has delivered 50 litres but when you switch on you ignition key, you discovered it was 25 litres and you have been cheated. So, it is metrology that will ensure the pump deliver the exact 50 litres, it is not pumping air into your car. To be able to deliver the exact quantity with the price, those machines need to be calibrated and the authorised institution that does the calibration is the Institute of Metrology.

This is a very relevant quality infrastructure. Any nation that doesn’t have it can’t progress. In fact, the success story of Germany as the most technologically developed economy is driven by its national metrology institute. It is called German National Metrology Institute (PTB). They are so rich and they are the one funding developments around the world, even in Nigeria.

We just finished a programme which they sponsored for us, building our capacity of improving our agro-allied exports.

And then we have another one called laboratory institute. Without laboratories, your products can’t sell outside your country because what your trading partners are looking for is evidence that your products can sell outside your country and where do you get the evidence, if not from laboratories. So, we produce agricultural products in Nigeria and we take them to sell abroad and they are rejected not because they don’t meet the required standards but because they lack certificate of evidence and why don’t they have certificate of evidence is because there is no accredited laboratories in Nigeria that can test those products and certify that they meet that standards. There are laboratories in Nigeria but they are not accredited laboratories because there are no accreditation institutions in Nigeria.

This is a relevant quality infrastructure that will evaluate laboratories from the premises where they are to the equipment in the laboratories to the personnel who are running the laboratories and issue certificates that the environment is conducive for this kind of test, that the equipment is sophisticated and sufficiently provided to run this kind of tests; that the personnel are sufficiently skilled to run this kind of test. When all these are put together and they get pass mark, then the accredited service will give you an accreditation that you have competence to run this test. When they give you the certificate, then, the lab can now run the test; for instance, Nigerian beans that were rejected in Europe didn’t get certificate from an accredited lab showing the beans met the requirement of the EU market. The market may require that the moisture content of the beans shouldn’t be more than 12 percent and the residue of the pesticide that was used in storing the bean should be of such a level that it should not harm humans when it is bought and consumed. And so, EU market will insist that the certificate accompanying this product must specify the moisture content, the chemical residue and even the soil content of the farm where the bean was planted and harvested.

So all these are what is called quality infrastructure and all these have been prescribed in the National Quality Infrastructure policy – standardisation, metrology, accreditation, testing and certification and that is what we called conformity assessment, the capacity to be able to determine that products coming out of this industry meets standards specification. So, a nation must have capacity to do conformity assessments to assure international community that the products coming from this country conform to international requirements.

We did that for Nigeria, but unfortunately it has not been promulgated into law by the Federal Government. We are still trying to get the present government to accept the document and to pass it into law so that it will begin to operate in Nigeria.

Already, the components of the quality infrastructure are being addressed at SON as part of our responsibility under the NIRP, we are building a gargantuan headquarters of National Metrology Institute in Enugu State. It’s 100 percent funded by SON and it’s over N1 billion.

When the institute is completed and functioning, the issue of testing and calibrations will be solved and it will save costs in hard currency.

C M Y K

26 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

Homes & Housing Finance

Ogun to construct 550 housing units

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gun State Government plans to construct 550 gated housing project at IdiAba in Abeokuta, the state capital in its bid to provide shelter for residents in the state.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing Development and General Manager of the State Housing Corporation, Jumoke Akinwunmi, disclose this in Abeokuta. She added that the housing units would be built on 26 hectares of land along Ajebo Estate.

Akinwunmi explained that the Corporation would harness the topographical feature of the site, with its high, medium and low densities to keep the concept of environmental sustainability for the benefits of the residents.

The General Manager said the project would be designed as two and three bedroom flats, terraces, semi-detached and fully detached bungalows, adding that there would also be site and services model to enable prospective homeowners build on serviced plots. “This scheme is designed to set a new benchmark in the local real estate market, create competitiveness and ease demand for residential and commercial space for physical developments,” she said.

BoE triggers mortgage rates slide

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omeowners are being offered the cheapest mortgage deals on record as the Bank of England has helped trigger another price war between lenders.

Latest figures from the Bank show the average mortgage rate fell sharply to 2.41 per cent in April from 2.49 per cent in March. Experts said lenders are battling it out to offer the best deals, meaning there has never been a better time to get a mortgage.

Mortgage rates had started to creep up at the beginning of the year as markets braced for a rise in interest rates.

But Bank of England governor Mark Carney ’s admission in February that interest rates could be cut even further from record lows appears to have been a turning point. Having risen between January and February, mortgage rates have started to fall again – with lenders rushing out cheap deals.

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FG earmarks N40bn for affordable homes as housing crisis looms 1m houses needed annually to avert crisis

By YINKA KOLAWOLE

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he Federal Government has earmarked N40 billion in the 2016 budget to implement a comprehensive housing development plan for Nigeria to avert a housing crisis in the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed this last week, in Abuja, at the 35th Annual General Meeting and international symposium of Shelter Afrique, a pan-African real estate finance institution.

Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Muhammed Bello, said for Nigeria to adequately avert a housing crisis in the next four years, it must consciously build one million housing units annually to reduce the current national housing deficit estimated at about 17 million units.

“Nigeria, with a population of about 170 million people and an annual population growth rate of 3.5 percent, requires a minimum of additional one million housing units per annum to reduce the much acclaimed national deficit of about 17 million housing units in order to avert a housing crisis by the year 2020.

“The problem of housing the urban poor is not entirely new and I believe that different efforts must have been

MoU - From left: Sampson AHI, Deputy Minister for water Resources & Housing, Ghana; James Murgerwa, MD Shleter Afrique; Francis Onwuemele, COO Afro-Asia Shelters; Mr. Babatunde Fahola, Minister of Power, Works & Housing; Harford Udochukwu, Deputy General Manager, Afro-Asia Shelters, at the signing of MoU between Shelter Afrique and Afro-Asia Shelters International in Abuja. deployed in the past to confront it. But, even today, the problem is still with us. Such reality

Government intends to directly supply housing stocks in urban areas across all the geopolitical zones

challenges us to re-assess our methodologies and evolve fresh strategies to meet the exigencies of these times. We are very much convinced of the catalytic development potential of the housing sector and have accordingly earmarked about N40 billion in the 2016 capital budget to implement a comprehensive programme for housing development in Nigeria,” he stated.

Chicason, Shelter Afrique seal N44bn housing deal A

Nigerian real estate development firm, Afro-Asia Shelters International, a subsidiary of Chicason Group has signed a real estate development funding agreement worth N44 billion with Shelter Afrique, Africa’s premier real estate development funding institution.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed last week in Abuja during the 35th Annual General Meeting and Symposium of Shelter Afrique, a pan-African finance institution created to exclusively support the development of African real estate and housing sector.

The agreement is for the funding of the phase one of the 3,000 housing-unit Rock City 2, Jibi in the Greater Abuja area. The whole projected is estimated to cost N44 billion. The phase one will however cost about N5.2 billion with Shelter Afrique contributing 59 percent while Chicason Group will contribute 41 percent of the development cost. The Rock City 2 project is coming on the heels of a N110 billion Rock City 1 in Lugbe currently under construction

by Rock of Ages properties Ltd, another subsidiary of Chicason Group.

At the signing ceremony, Managing Director of Shelter Afrique, James Mugerwa, noted

that the organisation remains committed to the shared vision of its founding fathers which is to tackle the ever growing housing deficit in Africa. He said, “The objective of providing affordable and quality housing to all is at the very heart of our mandate - it is the core of our operations. I am happy to inform you that as we continue in our quest to deliver on that objective, we have created new systems and drafted and put into operation a new strategy.”

In his remarks, Chief Operating Officer of Rock of Ages Properties Limited, Mr. Francis Onwuemele, who signed on behalf of Chicason Group, noted that Shelter Afrique agreed to provide the required funds at a friendly rate to his organisation, in recognition of its contributions to the development of the housing sector in Nigeria. According to him, Chicason Group has acquired 443 hectares of land at Lugbe, Abuja from the Federal Government for the expansion of its mass housing scheme.

He disclosed that the funds coming from Shelter Afrique will go a long way in helping the organisation to fast-track the partnership it has with the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) to provide affordable housing to Nigeria workers.

According to the president, “The government intends to directly supply housing stocks in urban areas across all the geopolitical zones under its comprehensive housing programme. The Federal Government would also continue to prosecute overall housing policy stand which recognizes the government as active facilitator of private sector-driven housing sector.”

The President said the new national housing development programme would address shortage through direct housing supply. According to the president, “the government intends to directly supply housing stocks in urban areas across all the geo-political zones under its comprehensive housing programme. The Federal Government would also continue to prosecute overall housing policy stand which recognises the government as active facilitator of private sector-driven housing sector.”

In his remarks, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, lamented that series of housing initiatives embarked upon by the country over the years had not been pursued with consistency or any measure of sustainability. He explained that Shelter Afrique had financed 23 housing initiatives with N10.435 billion between 2005 and 2010. He disclosed that twelve States of the federation have offered to key-in into the Federal Government’s planned housing model for low- and middleincome earners.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016 — 27

Insurance

FG yet to implement 18% pension contribution policy Stories by ROSEMARY ONUOHA

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HE Federal Government is yet to commence the implementation of the revised 18 per cent minimum pension contributions for its employees as stipulated under Section 4 of the Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2014.

Recall that the PRA 2014 stipulates thus, “The contribution for any employee to which this Act applies shall be made in the following rates relating to his monthly emoluments: a minimum of ten per cent by the employer; and a minimum of eight per cent by the employee.”

The figure was revised upward from the PRA 2004 where both the employer and employee contribute seven per cent each to add up to 15 per cent monthly.

However since the PRA 2014 became law, the federal government is yet to comply and is still contributing 15 per cent monthly.

The National Pension Commission (PenCom), in its website, stated that 73,403 companies have so far

embraced the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), and that 43,918 of them have largely complied with the provisions of the Pension Reform Act (PRA).

PenCom noted that about seven million employees working with public/private sector employers have registered with Pension Fund

Administrators (PFAs) for the management of their pension contributions.

“The number of companies whose employees have so far registered is 73,403. Of this number, 43,918 employers with more than three employees have largely complied with the provisions of the PRA.

“The remaining 29,485 with less than three employees are mostly the non-compliant organisations. These categories of employers are usually more of portfolio companies and in some cases are companies that had either been liquidated or ceased to exist,” it said.

It maintained the sum of N79.16 billion has been computed as the arrears of 15 per cent pension increase owed to 79,961 Federal Government retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) as at December, 2014.

CELEBRATION: From left, Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Khamis Olatunde Badmus; and the Deputy Speaker Federal House of Representatives, Honourable Lasun Yussuf during the 70th birthday celebration of the Chairman, TunsFarm, Alhaji Olatunde Badmus.

Over 70% of Nigerians are financial illiterates — Ogubunka

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HAIRMAN of Bank Customers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Uju Ogubunka, has said that over 70 per cent of Nigerians are financial illiterates.

Ogubunka noted that everyone needed financial inclusion irrespective of gender, age or profession.

Ogubunka stated this at the Financial Literacy Excellence Award (FiLEX), in Lagos last week.

He said that for a secured future and one that would guarantee some level of financial freedom, understanding management of finances is the way to go.

Accordingly, the Development Initiative Network (DIN) instituted the annual award to encourage corporate and individuals, working hard to promote financial literacy across the country.

Executive Director of DIN, Dr. Bola Fajemirokun, said the award is a new recognition platform for those working in the financial literacy space in Nigeria. “It’s purpose is to honour and celebrate the achievements of those individuals and organisations whose activities or initiatives have delivered results and impact in the important work of ensuring that everyone in Nigeria, has the knowledge and

confidence to make sound financial decision and engage effectively with financial institutions.

Fajemirokun said this year’s theme “Footprint of Distinction” is in recognition of the trailblazing efforts of those who have been honoured.

The award for Corporate Achievement Award for financial institution went to the Nigerian Stock Exchange. It was honoured for its annual

essay competition for secondary school students. More than 3,500 students take part in this exercise annually and it has helped in financial literacy among young people.

The second award being the corporate achievement award for non-financial institution went to ‘Financial Literacy for All’ for its savings education programmes for children and the hearing and sight impaired.

Innovation award went to the

Enterprise Development Centre of the Pan-Atlantic University for the customised content on its online portal as the SME toolkit.

While the Customer Champion Award went to Sola Salako, founder of the Consumer Advocacy Foundation (CAFON) in recognition of her pioneering role in enlightening financial consumers on their rights and responsibilities.

There is need for increased awareness on CPS – Ideva M anaging Director/Chief Executive of Premium Pension Limited Mr. Wilson Ideva has said that there is need for increased public awareness of the workings, benefits and imperative of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) especially in the face of the current economic uncertainties.

Ideva stated this while reacting to the award won recently as the pension company of the year

by Businesstoday, an online news outfit in Lagos last week.

Ideva said, “The CPS is the only sure way to guaranteeing your future.”

Mr. Paddy Ezeala, Head of Corporate Communication, who represented Ideva described the award as the reward for commitment, dedication and tenacity of purpose.

He said that the award also underlines the solid and fecund relationship between the company and the media in the area of awareness generation on the workings and benefits of the

pension industry.

Speaking on the awards, the MD/CEO of BusinessToday Online, Ms. Nkechi Naeche said the award which is in its third edition seeks out exceptional individuals, companies and states that have been outstanding in advancing the insurance and pension industries within a particular year.

She said Premium Pension was picked from the votes cast by the public and other considerations made by the award’s panel of judges. Naeche noted that as stipulated in the voting rules this year, 80 per cent of the votes were assigned to the public while a panel of judges made of experts possessed 20 per cent of the voting rights.

She added that Premium Pension won 2015 awards following its efficient services to Nigerian retirees and their families, adding that the Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) provides an impressive range of pension products and services to its client-base across the length and breadth of the country.

Inspenonline unveils nominees for award

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HE management of Inspenonline, an insurance and pension online news channel, has unveiled the nominees for 2015 Nigerian insurance and pension awards.

A statement by the Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief, Chuks Okonta, said 18 firms drawn from the insurance and pension sectors have been selected for various categories and will be voted for by the public.

He noted that the award which is the fourth in its series was designed to recognise the stride made by firms and individuals, adding that firms and individuals that distinguished themselves will be celebrated at the award ceremony scheduled for the month of August 2016.

Okonta said the Managing Director FBNInsurance Limited, Val Ojumah; Managing Director Leadway Assurance Limited, Hassan Oye-Odukale and the Chief Executive Officer Axa Mansard Insurance Plc, Mrs Yetunde Ilori, were nominated for the Insurance Man of the year category.

According to him, FBNInsurance Limited; Leadway Assurance Limited; Custodian and Allied Insurance Plc and Axa Mansard Insurance Plc, were nominated for Insurance Company of the year.

Leadway Assurance Limited; Axa Mansard Insurance Plc; FBNInsurance Limited and Sovereign Trust Insurance were nominated for Corporate Brand Category.

Stanbic IBTC Pension Limited; AIICO Pension Limited and Premium Pension limited were nominated for Pension Fund Administrators of the year.

Leverage Insurance Brokers Limited, YOA Insurance Brokers Limited; Standard Insurance Consultant Limited and Plum Insurance Brokers were nominated for Insurance broking category.

Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers; Nigerian Insurers Association; Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria and Association of Registered Insurance Agents of Nigeria were nominated for best professional group category.

Okonta noted that individuals and state governments that have help promote insurance and pension developments will also be honoured with an excellence awards.

He called on the public to cast their votes for firms and persons that have distinguished themselves through, email: inspenonline@gmail.com.

C M Y K

28 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

Aviation

NAMA demonstrates Aircraft e-clearance module, assures Airspace safety

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he Nigerian Airspace Management Agency,NAMA, has assured stakeholders that the nation’s airspace remains one of the safest on the continent of Africa for air navigation. This was disclosed by the Acting Managing Director of NAMA, Engr. Emma Anasi while declaring open the demonstration of Aircraft eClearance User Acceptance Test Module to National Air Defence Corp, Security Agencies and other stakeholders in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Engr. Emma Anasi noted that the agency in the recent past has deployed sophisticated technology and navigational infrastructure intended to enhance efficiency in its operations as well as safety of air travel in the country. He stressed that the deployment of Aircraft eClearance Solution was another innovation by NAMA to automate its operations and also ease the process of aircraft flight clearances which used to be very tedious and cumbersome in the past. Engr.

Anasi who was represented on the occasion by the Port Harcourt Airspace Manager, Mr Gabriel Akpen explained that the huge investment NAMA was making in automating its processes is in line with global best practices.

He therefore assured that the agency was ready to accommodate all the views and suggestions from stakeholders on how the system could be made to function better.

Earlier in his address, the Deputy General Manager, Aircraft Clearance Office, Mr Patrick Nebe recalled that apart from its inherent vulnerability to manipulations detrimental to national security, the old system of manually granting aircraft clearances was fraught with other challenges such as unnecessary bureaucracy leading to loss of valuable time, stressing that the urgency with which some flights operate necessitated a quicker system of processing flight clearances for them.

Nebe also explained that the Aircraft e-Clearance Solution has inbuilt security and tracking device which helps users to keep track of their request for flight permit as well as the general aircraft movement within the nation’s airports. The demonstration of Aircraft e-Clearance software to stakeholders which had earlier held in Lagos, Abuja and Kano centres has been lauded by stakeholders including Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation, as a timesaving innovation.

IATA urges Nigeria to facilitate repatriation of foreign airlines' funds Stories By LAWANI MIKAIRU

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HE International Air Transport Association, IATA , has called on the Nigerian government to ease and facilitate the repatriation of funds by foreign airlines. It said this is in keeping with international agreements obliging countries to ensure airlines are able to repatriate their revenues.

This plea was made by Mr Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO. He also pleaded with the Venezuela government and other oil producing countries who have been badly affected by the sudden drop in the prize of oil which has necessitated these countries coming up with stringent foreign exchange policy.

It will be recalled that foreign airlines have been having difficulties repatriating their earnings due to the new forex regime of the federal

government. This has led to speculations that most of the airlines are considering closing their Nigeria routes.

According to Tyler “Air connectivity is vital to all economies. The airline

industry is a competitive business operating on thin margins. So the efficient repatriation of revenues is critical for airlines to be able to play their role as a catalyst for economic activity. It is not

Mr Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General & CEO

Sirika calls for enhanced air connectivity among African countries T

HE Minister for State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Abubakar Sirika has called on African countries to encourage Air Transport Connectivity among each other in order to enhance the growth of civil aviation in the continent. This is just as the International Air Transport Association,IATA, called on African governments to prioritize the development of aviation nationally and at a pan-Africa level to boost economic growth and development.

The Minister and Mr Hussein Dabbas, IATA Regional Vice President Africa & Middle East respectively made the calls while addressing the IATA African

Aviation Day in Abuja, Nigeria. The event had as its theme: ‘Driving African Economies through the Power of Aviation’.

According to Sirika, “Enhanced Air Transport Connectivity is unarguably the key condition for any State’s progress and transformation.

Studies have shown that there is clear correlation between connectivity and economic performance. In addition, improved connectivity attracts inward investment, which enables access to export markets and opens countries up to competitive forces. “ He added that “Air transport is a facilitator of international business and trade. Improved

connectivity means more access to cities, markets, business and people as well as the integration into global supply chains, an important factor to attracting inward investment into any country” In his own remark, Mr Hussein Dabbas said Africa is set to be one of the fastestgrowing aviation regions over the next 20 years, with annual expansion averaging nearly 5%. “This opens up incredible economic opportunities for the continents 54 nations. By transporting some 70 million passengers annually, aviation already supports some 6.9 million jobs and $80 billion of economic activity on the African continent.”

reasonable to expect airlines to invest and operate in nations where they cannot efficiently collect payment for their services.”

IATA monitors blocked funds globally, the sum of which exceeds $5 billion. According to reports, the top two countries blocking the repatriation of airline funds are Venezuela and Nigeria. Last week, the British Airways had to deny considering an exit from Nigeria due to the harsh operating environment. There had been reports quoting Mr Kola Olayinka, Country Manager for British Airways’ as saying that the “UK. carrier is struggling to repatriate its share of the $575 million that Nigeria currently owes to airlines globally from tickets sold in Nigeria.”

An official statement from the airline however said: “ Our attention has been called to reports in several newspapers yesterday (Sunday) that British Airways is considering an exit from Nigeria. “ British Airways has a long history in Nigeria, having begun operations in the country 80 years ago as Imperial Airways. Nigeria remains a strategic market for BA and our operations locally are very strong. We have not issued any statements at any time indicating that we are on the verge of terminating operations in the country. We will continue to operate to Nigeria.”

IAG Chief Executive Officer Willie Walsh was also quoted as saying last month that “ Iberia would stop serving Lagos after the low price of oil caused Nigeria’s economy to contract for the first time since 2004 in the first quarter. Limits on dollar repatriation have been imposed by the Nigerian Central Bank as reserves slip to $26.5 billion, the lowest in more than a decade, from more than $30 billion in early 2015.”

Etihad Airways appoints new General Manager in Nigeria E

TIHAD Airways has appointed George Mawadri as its new General Manager in Nigeria. He will be responsible for growing Etihad Airways’ relationships with its travel trade and corporate customers while furthering the development of the airline’s commercial strategy in Nigeria.

Speaking on his appointment, Mr George Mawadri said: “I am excited to take on this new role with Etihad Airways in one of the airline’s most dynamic markets. I look forward to working with the team to find new and innovative ways of expanding our strategic corporate and trade partnerships, strengthening our commercial ties and providing our guests with Etihad Airways’ world-class service, comfort, and hospitality.”

Speaking also, Mr Danny Barranger, Etihad

Airways’ Senior Vice President, Global Sales, said: “I am delighted that George will be leading our team in Nigeria to grow our business there. His extensive commercial experience and successful track record in the African aviation industry will be invaluable as he continues to develop awareness of Etihad Airways, making him the ideal candidate for this important position.”

George brings a vast amount of airline experience and knowledge to the position having served with British Airways for 19 years in Uganda, Kenya and Zambia in the East and Central Africa region, as well as the surrounding feeder markets of Zimbabwe, Malawi, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Sudan and South Sudan.

•George Mawadri

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016 — 29

People in Business

My passion for mental health started in the university

health stigma through effective knowledge media design strategies; improving the quality and accessibility of mental health services in the Caribbean; organising educative seminars and workshops; supporting mental health research, and founding a trans-Caribbean mental health network.

Our target group is primarily the Caribbean community both local and abroad, but includes the global community as a stretch goal. While we focus on impacting community health, we ultimately wish to impact global health: reducing stigma and improving access on an international scale."

—NZUBE EKPUNOBI Nzube Ekpunobi is the Founder/Chief Executive Officer of the Caribbean Mental Health Initiative, CarMHI, based in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis, a small island nation in the Caribbeans. In this chat with Vanguard, Nzube speaks on his passion for mental health, why he founded CarMHI and the challenges. Excerpts:

By EBELE ORAKPO Early days lthough he was born in Lagos, Nigeria, Nzube has lived in various parts of the world. As an Igbo adage says; A welltravelled child exceeds a gray-haired person in knowledge, Nzube believes that living in different parts of the world has helped to give him a unique perspective on life generally.

"Life has placed me in very different environments around the world since I was a toddler. I’ve lived in England, Canada, the US, the Caribbean, and of course Nigeria. I think it has armed me with a wealth of experience and a unique perspective on globalism, international relations and issues that plague different communities and cultures.

A

Education "My secondary schooling was between boarding school in Abuja and public school in Toronto, Canada. I spent most of that time living away from family, which instilled in me a sense of independence and resourcefulness from an early age. My most transformative years followed shortly after, when I was accepted to the prestigious University of Toronto (U of T) to pursue an Honours Bachelor of Science in Health and Disease," he said.

Discovering his passion Unlike so many students, Nzube did not just pass through the university, he allowed the university to pass through him.

He thus emerged a better person with a clearer vision.

"My Specialist program explored human health from not just a physical and biological perspective, but from an emotional, psychological, societal and legal perspective.

It was a very well rounded education, albeit incredibly demanding. It really helped turn me into the person I am today! It was there I saw my passion for mental health! I began working for the University of Toronto Students’ Union as Associate President, and was thrown into the world of advocacy, policy and justice."

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Marginalised groups "I worked intimately with marginalised groups to craft policy, critique systems and, within the mental health board there, draft recommendations that would later prove immensely helpful for not only the university but the Toronto community for years to come.

"Shortly after graduating from the university, I spoke to my mother, Tessy, about my best options moving forward. I knew I wanted to practice medicine, but I also wanted to remain involved in advocacy, especially in the area of community and mental health.

Since she works closely with the government of St. Kitts and Nevis as their Honorary Consul-General, she highly recommended I consider a school down there named the University of Medicine and Health Sciences, St. Kitts (UMHS). She visited the campus and was blown away by the state-of-the-art facilities, and insisted that on St. Kitts I could reach an underserved demographic.

*Nzube Ekpunobi....CarMHI is dedicated to fighting local and professional mental health stigma through effective knowledge media design strategies

Moving to St Kitts "I was excited at the opportunity and applied to study medicine there. It ended up being the only school I applied for, and I was excited to receive my letter of acceptance into their accelerated MD program. Now, I’m half way done and I’m in the US for the remainder of my schooling, doing clinical rotations and clinical skills training. I hope to pursue a Master’s degree in Business or Public Policy after I graduate from medical school, so I can explore that side of academia a little bit further, and learn to improve upon my areas of expertise."

apartment that I would regularly try to keep in touch with and work with, and that was huge for me.

"One thing I noted was a significant stigma regarding mental health in the black community – even if their own family members have clear need for accessing such services. The issue is global, but very pronounced within our communities, whether it be in Black America, the Caribbean, and even Nigeria. It really boiled down to education and attitudes surrounding holistic health, and while physical health is something taken seriously, mental health is a lot less tangible and therefore a lot harder to promote.

Equipped with the knowledge

Why I founded CarMHI "As mentioned earlier, I really took a liking to mental health and advocacy while doing my undergraduate degree. Living in Downtown Toronto also had its benefits, in that it exposed me to a vast array of cultures and communities in a very short time. There were homeless shelters, women’s shelters and mental health research centers within walking distance of my

One thing I noted was a significant stigma regarding mental health in the black community

and resources I had access to, I took it upon myself to at least try to make a difference. That’s when I began thinking about starting up an organisation dedicated to just that, and that’s what motivated me further to study in the Caribbean: killing two birds with one stone.

"Once I got to St. Kitts, I made a few friends and discussed my ideas with them. I was blessed to have colleagues that shared the same passion and zeal to help bring it to life, thus CarMHI was born. We launched it at UMHS a couple months later, and it has been growing strong ever since! So far, we’ve launched an effective poster campaign, targeting mental health in men, raised a ton of money supporting mental health resources on St. Kitts as well as supporting Children’s Home for troubled and disabled youth that we sponsor on the island. We’ve also organised art therapy sessions, educational seminars, charity runs, awareness campaigns and more! We’re currently in the works of expanding further.

Target group We are dedicated to fighting local and professional mental

Challenges "We’re all fairly young folks at CarMHI, in our 20s and early 30s. This makes it difficult to be taken seriously in some circles.

It is sometimes a challenge when pitching our ideas, but once we show clear and solid plans, our growth, and some of the victories we’ve achieved, we tend to sway some people our way. The ideas, after all, are independent of age. Being based out of St. Kitts is also a little bit of an issue since shipping policies and geographical considerations limit the ease of access to goods and services on the island.

However, we are blessed to have contacts on the island, the US and in Puerto Rico who often help us out with such issues, and get supplies to us if we need them.

"Lastly, being in the US presents a challenge when trying to help with organisation at CarMHI, since there’s only so much you can do when you’re not on-ground. However, I have a very dedicated team on St. Kitts that are doing an awesome job putting together workshops, events and activities in my absence, as well as progressing with some of our more stretchgoals like posturing campaigns, expansion into neighbouring islands and more.

Mohit Mahalan, Jareliz Caldas-Diaz, Samantha Johnson, Micah Mathai, Mark Illes, James Riddle, Christine Sheeler, Darron Lewis, Sana Aman, Gina Allen and Dinorah Gomez are just some of the names of the dedicated staff and medical students that have continued to work hard to make sure that CarMHI is making a difference, and I couldn’t be more blessed to have such an exceptional group of people.

Since leaving St. Kitts several months ago, I continue to correspond with them often over instant messenger services or Skype, just for direction and policy advice.

Everything else, however, they pretty much have under control. There certainly are a lot more challenges we face, like any start-up organisation, but I’m confident that we’re equal to the task!"

30 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016 “We can’t fund every project in the 2016" – Adeosun.

VANGUARD, May 27, 2016, p 8. he 2016 budget should be thrown into the waste paper basket. It can no longer serve as a guide to what citizens can expect of the Federal, States and Local Governments this year. The Finance Minister’s admission, two days before the President addressed the world on his first year in office could not have come as a surprise to economists, finance experts, accountants and even those who have a good grasp of simple arithmetic and can think deeply. If ever there was a budget that was doomed even before it was written, the 2016 budget was it.

First, it started far later than any other budget in living memory. The budget that was to be laid before the National Assembly, before December of 2015, was not even started until November by a new set of economic managers with no offenders. We are in June and the year, the country is already months. Otherwise a lot of previous experience at the top no single person had been experiencing N665bn shortfall abandoned projects would occur. of the Federal government. identified as the one responsible in revenue or 34 per cent of what Now, let us return to the There is no need to recall how for padding. Yet, precious time, was budgeted. To catch up for figure above to illustrate how that occurred. Even the honest which was not at the country’s the rest of the year, revenue for financial forecasting can help members of this administration disposal, was wasted on the each month must reach at least governments to avoid getting must admit it was rush work and matter.

N521.25bn. That is where the into trouble in the rest of 2016. the repercussions were soon to However, all those pale into role of honest forecasting, Earlier in the year, the Minister be felt. insignificance when compared instead of mere book-keeping is had disclosed that the Federal Second, there was even no with the failure of the President’s essential. Forecasting forces government’s wage bill is unanimity about the method to Economic Management Team, economic managers to ask the N166bn. In March 2016, the be adopted. The Vice President PEMT, to undertake, at least questions: in N521bn per month Federal government would have announced Zero Based monthly, a review of the forecasts possible? And, if not, what received N155.48bn, and in April Budgeting to a Federal civil for the economy which is likely should we plan to do?

N140.92bn; meaning that service that had never practiced to go into recession. Even before Mrs Adeosun in that report government would have had to it and expected great results. In the National Assembly ’s had made it clear that borrow N11bn and N26bn in the end, a mixture of methods approval of the budget, prioritization was important. those two months just to pay were used and the mess created elementary arithmetic points to When she said “So what we are salaries. Where then are the by that was shown at the the fact that a proposed N6.0trn doing is project first”, she is only funds for projects coming from?

National Assembly hearings as budget meant revenue addressing half of the problems As if that is not depressing Ministers and Agency heads generation of N500bn per that arise when actual revenue enough, the news from the embarrassed themselves and month. Using the monthly falls far short of the budgeted Ministry of Petroleum adds government by disclaiming federally distributed revenue as revenue. Even prioritization of another tranquillizer effect to the entries in their budgets. guide, the following picture projects requires a fairly good outlook for the balance of 2016.

Third, there were charges emerges. idea of what revenue might be The budget called for oil exports regarding padding of budget.

With only four months gone in available in the next eight of 2.2 million barrels per day. At The Minister of Finance had earlier bragged that there was FEDERALLY ALLOCATED REVENUE 2016 (BN) no way the budget could be padded. The Minister of Jan Feb Mar Apr Total Information pronounced that Budget 500 500 500 500 2000 there was no padding. The President went all over the world Actual 387 378 299 271 1335 lamenting padding and Deficit 113 122 201 229 665 promising to punish the

T

Forget the 2016 budget; it's no longer realistic

the moment, at least 800,000 barrels per day is lost on account of militants’ action. That is 36 per cent of projected oil revenue which the country might not receive in May, June or even until December unless a truce is negotiated. Furthermore, there are signs that our failure to export might result in permanent patronage by some customers to other countries. The current rise in the price of crude globally might reduce the loss we suffer, but it cannot totally reverse the trend downwards.

Obviously, the forecast for revenue allocation for May would be for a figure lower than N271bn for April which is the lowest so far in more than twelve years.

With so much deficit racked up in the first five months, what are the prospects for the rest of the year? The brief answer is: very bleak. To start with, all the talk about diversification of the economy and return to agriculture as the basis of our economy will remain nothing but shadows of words. In fact, this might also be the worst year for agricultural production in a long time. Mrs Adeosun pointed to the late delivery of fertilizers to farmers this year as a result of N60bn owed to suppliers by Jonathan’s administration. By the time the fertilizer arrives, it will be almost useless to the farmers…

Micro-Finance

LAPO deepens economic empowerment with SID account Stories by PROVIDENCE OBUH

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APO Microfinance Bank (MfB) has unveiled Social Impact Deposit (SID) Account to further deepen economic empowerment.

SID account is a deposit product designed to empower the vulnerable and the economically active poor in the society. It is an innovative deposit and investment platform that provides individuals with the opportunity to make deposit with LAPO MfB that can be used to improve on the social needs of low-income individuals.

Speaking at the Product Launch in Lagos, Managing Director, LAPO MfB, Mr. Godwin Ehigiamusoe, said that the limited access to financial services particularly credit, remains the toughest challenge which owners of micro and small businesses contend with.

To this end, he described the SID account as a unique financial product developed to liberalise access to financial services to the people and an C M Y K

instrument for collective engagement of people in social and economic empowerment of low-income Nigerians.

According to Ehigiamusoe, “Many women and young people desire to start or expand their business but cannot because they lack access to affordable credit. After several years of supporting micro and small businesses owned by lowincome women, we have come to realise that they have the

capacity to actively participate in the economic space if sufficiently empowered.”

He pointed out that the rationale for SID is because the bank currently provide financial services to over 2.2 million lowincome people and owners of micro and small businesses in Nigeria and Sierra Leone, yet this is a small proportion of a large number of low income people who desperately need finance.

“Several individuals often express appreciation for LAPO’s commitment to the empowerment of low-income people particularly women, SID was developed to provide an ample opportunity for such socially minded men and women to be engaged in our efforts at economic empowerment. SID presents a win win proposition to depositors, LAPO MfB and clients; the depositors are doing

Honeywell harps on youth entrepreneurship, rewards whiz kids

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oneywell Flour Mills Plc has reiterated its continued support for the Nigerian youths in self discovery to be more useful to the society through talent development and skills acquisition.

Speaking at the 2016 Edition of Vision of the Child (VoTC) Literary and Arts competition Prize Presentation co-sponsored

by Honeywell, Managing Director, Mr. Lanre Jaiyeola, said that it is essential for parents to help bring out the unique talents in their children with a view to equipping them to be able to take advantage of opportunities, being the leaders of tomorrow.

Jaiyeola who was represented by the Executive Director, Supply Chain, Mr Rotimi

Fadipe, stated, “At Honeywell, we have a number of programs aimed at developing children and young adults especially in the areas of education, skills acquisition, talent development and sports. Not only do we have a brand that is targeted at children (Honeywell Noodles), we also believe there is never a prize that is too much to pay to see children succeed. “Working with children is amazing, it is amazing to know the kind of thought that pass through their minds, it is amazing to know that children sometimes know so much. So, for us at Honeywell, there cannot be a better time than now to work with these set of young and upcoming children who are leaders of tomorrow”, he said.

good and at the same time earn interest, Lapo MfB has access to deposits to replenish its loan fund; while our clients have access to more credit.

“The SID account will be targeted specifically at economically active poor individuals in Nigeria. With a minimum deposit of N200,000 and a minimum tenor of six months, savers in return are rewarded with attractive interest that comes with the account.

Other than the attractive interest on deposits, depositor with N10 million and above for a period of two years is also entitled to nominate a child from a low-income household for LAPO Scholarship award,” he said.

Chairman, Board of Directors of Wapic Insurance Plc, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, said that the innovation show LAPO’s intent to improve the life of the community.

Aig-Imoukhuede who was represented by Executive Director, WAPIC, Mr. Bode Ojeniyi, added, “SID is an innovation that LAPO is spear heading to improve the life of the poor.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016 — 31

Advertising & Media

Appointment of foreign agency jolts outdoor practitioners Stories by PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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hallenges facing outdoor practitioners in Lagos seems not to have abated, as the state government has concluded plans to handover the state’s out-of-home business to Jean Claude Decaux; a foreign agency, to manage.

Outdoor practitioners in Nigeria have over time complained of strangling regulations and high rates by states', signage and advertising agencies.

The incumbent president of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria, OAAN, Mr. Babatunde Adedoyin did not have an inkling of what may be lurking around the corner for the outdoor subsector in the shortest time when recently he declared that Out-of-Home advertising has become an endangered specie in Nigeria.

During an interactive session with journalists in Lagos,

Adedoyin had taken reporters through the various challenges facing the industry. Specifically, he mentioned among other things; the issue of N1billion owed his members by Lagos State Government, multiple taxation and the outrageous payment on vacant boards in some States, especially Lagos.

“Outdoor sector has become endangered species in the country as practitioners contend with regulatory bottlenecks and harsh economy. From left, right and center, we are being bashed.

Government cares less about our challenges and keep putting pressures on us, not minding the challenges we are facing as

businessmen.

Outdoor practitioners are not operating in isolation but within the same harsh economic environment, but government appears not to be concerned about our plight,” Adedoyin declared during the interactive session.

To add insult to injury, a reliable source close to Lagos State Government recently confirmed that the State has concluded plans to bring in a foreign agency, Jean Claude Decaux, to take over outdoor activities in Lagos. On further findings, it has been revealed that the agency will not come in just as a practitioner like Scan Group, an advertising

agency owned by Bharat Thakrar, a Kenyan-born Indian, three years ago. Jean Claude Decaux, the source revealed would be a repository for the outdoor advertising business in Nigeria. What this implies is that the agency will serve as both a regulator and practitioner as it will be in charge of site allocation to other practitioners.

The question many observers are asking include: What has become of the industry reform which was rolled out three years ago to spell out the percentage of ownership that can be accrued to a foreigner who intends to invest in the industry? What is the fate of local practitioners and thousands of Nigerians who are employed by the industry?

Is APCON concerned only about creative agencies or has the regulatory body gone to slumber?

Red Media to manage Facebook PR account

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ed Media Africa, a Nigeria Public Relations, PR and Communication agency has been appointed to manage the PR account of Facebook in Nigeria.

With its headquarters at Menlo Park, California, Facebook continues to drive its mission to

give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected, connecting over 1.04 billion daily active users worldwide and 7.2 million daily visitors from Nigeria.

Red Media Africa will lead on Facebook’s communication,

relationships and activations across the country with its teams from policy to developer relations and will also provide secondary support in markets across West Africa.

‘Mr Ibu’ becomes Kingdom lottery brand ambassador

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ollywood veteran actor John Okafor, popularly called ‘Mr. Ibu’ has been unveiled as the brand ambassador for Kingdon lottery.

Speaking to news men shortly after the paper signing exercise in Lagos, the Company Director, Mr. Yalon Zerberkwit, explained that apart from the instant scratch and win system, the company said that both losers and winners stand a chance of winning the grand prize of over N1 million every month in a grand draw when all returned scratched cards have been collated into a pull and randomly selected by the brand ambassador, ‘Mr Ibu’.

Speaking, Mr Ibu’s Manager, Mr. Okechukwu Nwuzor, stressed the need for entertainers to put in their best in their chosen vocation as this is the only prerequisite for sound carrier record achievements.

He noted that Kingdom lottery ambassadorial deal is the fourth ambassadorial endorsement in a row for his star brand, Mr. Ibu in the last four years.

E-Commerce

Company Review: Driving productivity through employee assessment STORIES BY JONAH NWOKPOKU

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ECENTLY, online job portal, Careers24 introduced an online solution, a feedback mechanism that provides unfettered access to employees to rate their employers.

Called the Company Review, the new solution democratises employer performance assessment, thereby providing a two way seamless communication pathway for both the employee and the employer to make informed decisions.

Head of Marketing, Careers24, Temitope Niyi, told Vanguard that “As a feature on the careers24 website, the Company Review provides an opportunity for employees to give completely anonymous feedback to their former or current employers.”

“The platform also provides potential employees or candidates with reliable information and gives them valuable insights while researching potential employers,” he added.

How it works To review a company, all a potential reviewer has to do is visit

the website and click on Companies. One can pick either Company Reviews or Company Directory. Next, you search for the company you would like to review and then click on Add review and follow the step-by-step guide. A reviewer can review former employers or current employers.

Already, the platform boasts about 5,000 registered companies which are available for review with over 500 reviews for different companies. Companies such as Guinness Nigeria Plc, Unity Bank Plc and Nigerian Bottling Company Plc have already garnered several reviews based on information given by their employees.

Solution to drive competition among employers Speaking on the solution, Careers24’s Business Development Manager, Adegbite Oreoluwa, said that the most significant role the solution will play in the job market will be driving healthy competition, especially for quality talents among employers.

He said: “Employers will have to review their management of talents and ensure they create a lively, work environment. This will

also make employers competitive in their hire and management of talent. Let me use this analogy.

Lets say we have two companies in the same sector competing for the same talent. Let’s call them company A and company B. Company A has received 80 per cent positive reviews and Company B has received 80% negative reviews. Automatically Company A would gain more candidates for hire than company B. Company B might even lose quality staff to Company A. You will discover that over time, because of the negative reviews received by Company B from careers24; it would begin to work on their overall relationship with their employees to ensure they receive positive reviews and improve their chances of hiring the best available talents.”

According Oreoluwa, “Job candidates in Nigeria have never been in a better position to research potential employers, and employees have never been more empowered to spill it all when it comes to reviewing their current workplace. This feedback will ultimately affect the future of recruitment and business growth.”

Improving quality of business

services On her part, Head of Client Relations and Business Services, Careers24, Francesca Oghide said: “Company Review is the voice of employees and it provides employers with insight into areas of employee’s dissatisfaction, which can be treated urgently to make current employees happy and to attract the right potential employees. I strongly believe Company Review is a right step to redefining the way employers handles employee relationship in Nigeria.”

She added: “From the candidates’ perspective, it is no longer about finding the right job but also about looking for the right company. This is why Careers24 has created a place where you can find and share honest and trusted information about companies/organisations in Nigeria, written anonymously by current and previous employees of these companies.

When I talk with Human Resources managers, they talk consistently about employee retention issues. Therefore feedback is very important; companies can make informed decisions from the reviews gotten to reposition their organisation.

If your employees love their work and the environment you have created, they will treat your customers better, innovate, and continuously improve your business instead of looking for the next available job opportunity.”

Value4naira.com unveils free delivery service

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alue4naira, an online superstore has launched a free delivery services for customers in Lagos.

In a statement, Value4Naira said the free delivery service was created to appreciate their customers while offering them free delivery services on items purchased within the promo period.

Speaking on the free delivery service, “Chief Operating Officer, Value4naira.com, Ernest Umeike, said: “As part of our desire to constantly engage our customers, Value4naira.Com is offering free delivery within Lagos to all our customers from the 25th of May till the 15th of June. This offer will we hope will be a further incentive to our customers to shop onvalue4naira.com”.

He also explained further, “The free delivery has no conditions attached to it, thus irrespective of what you buy or how much you spend the goods will be delivered free of charge to all who buy on Value4naira.Com between 25th May and 15th June. This way the customer can relieve themselves of the additional cost and have their shopping done conveniently.

32 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

(08052201997)

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n popular Greek mythology, “Pandora’s Box was actually a large jar given to Pandora by the gods, the box contained all the evils of the World, and when Pandora

opened the box, all the evils flew out, leaving only hope inside when she closed it again” (paraphrased from Wikipedia).

“Poverty will clearly deepen nationwide and severe level of unemployment will persist with serious social consequences, if the preferred strategy for rescuing our economy implies further Naira devaluation and outright deregulation of fuel price, as recommended by the IMF and other likeminded experts. (see “Devalue Naira, Remove Subsidy and Kill Nigerians” Rational perspectives: 02/11/2015 www.lesleba.com).

Incidentally, the dreaded twin evils of Naira devaluation and deregulated fuel price are presently widely celebrated as right steps towards economic restoration and diversification; thus, with the evolving policy thrusts, Nigeria moved closer to IMF’s recommendations.

However, international financial media and Banking moguls, and their Nigerian associates and partners, still insist on a steeper slide in the Naira exchange rate and a further hike also in fuel price to reflect market forces of demand and supply. The advocates of these harsh policy thrusts, often boisterously warn of dire social and economic consequences, if we do not fast track bastardization of the Naira and further pump up fuel price.

Unfortunately, the unfolding trends instigated by government’s concessions on Naira and fuel prices, do not auger well, as rising prices for food, transport and other basic needs have begun to stoke inflation beyond the already, very disenabling rate of about 13%, to deplete purchasing power of all income earners. Nonetheless, despite the inevitably, reduced consumer demand and industrial contraction, employers of Labour are persistently confronted with demands for higher wages to

cushion the harsh economic realities. It would, however, be clearly unconscionable, to defend N18,000 ($65) as an appropriate minimum wage, if Naira exchange rate hovers between N280-300/$, as currently speculated, under CBN’s proposed flexible exchange rate model.

Conversely, there is an orchestrated call for patience, with ceaseless assurances from advocates of a weaker Naira and fuel price deregulation, that progressive change will come.

Nigerians, recall that similar soothing calls and assurances preceded the suicidal IMF inspired SAP devaluations, which devastated our industrial landscape; we also bear witness to devaluation’s instigation of higher fuel prices which decimated our lifestyles and values and ultimately induced the horrendous brain drain.

Understandably, industrial production and the Nigerian economy, as a whole, have never recovered from the devastation SAP caused.

Unfortunately, the relationship between Naira Exchange rate and fuel price seem to have surprisingly eluded Nigeria’s policy makers. However, ‘perverse’ critics may suggest that the mute official denial of this relationship is deliberate and actually sets the stage for state condoned corruption and liberal rent seeking opportunities. However, it cannot be denied that vast fortunes have been made by bankers and their associates in the public and private sectors, from a price mechanism and forex market that discourages inclusive growth, but aggressively, conversely promotes the interest of a small rentier class. The result is clearly evident in our country, as liberal forex supply and inappropriately contrived regular CBN dollar auctions actively promote currency racketeering, round tripping, money laundering and also fund most of the smuggled imports, which cause considerable damage to the growth of Nigeria’s industrial base and significant revenue loss also to

recent suggestion that, henceforth, funds for fuel import would be sourced at N280/$1, may imply that fuel price will invariably rapidly approach N200/litre, and trigger serious inflationary consequences.

Furthermore, with the present collateral spike from about N125/litre to about N180/litre for diesel (AGO), the heavy cost burden of internal power generation borne by industrialists, may exceed 20% of total production cost, and invariably subdue competitiveness of Nigerian products.

It is not yet clear what concessions will accrue to manufacturers with the proposed flexible exchange system, but it is possible that any such gain would be consumed by the higher cost of diesel for powering our factories and commercial establishments. Thus, if N280/$ is designated for very critical imports like fuel, it is unlikely that industrial raw material imports will be supported with cheaper dollar rates.

Consequently, the early impact of a weaker Naira and deregulated fuel price do not suggest that there is any opportunity for the Nigerian economy to turn the corner soon, despite passionate calls for more patience from advocates of the twin evils of devaluation and subsidy removal.

Surely, so long as CBN continues its auctions of dollar rations in a market which is undeniably awash with Naira liquidity, the parallel market exchange rate will not collapse nearer the official rate as expected, anytime soon. In this event, parallel market exchange rates will remain as the tail wagging the official rate, as perennially surplus Naira will further dispel confidence in holding Naira, and reduce its market patronage as a safe store of value. Ultimately, the odious, regressive impulsive cycle of further devaluation and higher fuel prices will persist to finally lay the economy and its people prostrate, while we wait endlessly on hope.

The economy and Pandora’s Box

•Pandora’s Box government from duty and tax evasion.

The fuel subsidy policy, evidently led to serious malpractices and huge leakages from the Treasury for several years, but this programme was sustained without remedial modification until subsidy values rose astronomically beyond 20% of federal budgets between 20112012! Clearly, government cannot still be in denial that lower Naira exchange rates will invariably instigate higher fuel prices and provoke public demand for some relief.

Historically, government would

Ultimately, the odious, regressive impulsive cycle of further devaluation and higher fuel prices will persist to finally lay the economy and its people prostrate

first devalue the Naira, and then belatedly recognize the adverse impact on fuel price! For example, the most recent increase in pump price to N145/ litre was certainly not caused by prevailing depressed crude oil prices below $50/barrel! Indeed, it is rather surreal that while Nigerians currently groan under the burden of higher fuel prices, motorists abroad happily enjoy up to 50% drop in the pump price of fuel, because of low crude oil prices!

It is similarly inexplicable, that higher crude prices and the related increasing dollar revenue should challenge the Naira exchange rate, and also pump up fuel prices; sadly, this is an unusual case of heads they win and tails we lose! The question, is whether or not the economy is gradually been primed to take off as we are encouraged to believe by financial experts and bankers by the hike in petrol prices to N145/litre and the concurrent notice of a flexible exchange rate model which would further devalue the Naira.

Nonetheless, the N145/litre fuel price may have been designed to take advantage of low crude prices and wipe out fuel subsidy, with Naira exchange rate of N197/$.

However, the NNPC GMD’s

Business & Economy ‘Why Nigeria must explore non-oil options to boost economy’ markets for exports. Diversifica-

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By JONAH NWOKPOKU

hief Executive Offic erof Ed Theo Energy Limited, Fola Aguda has said Nigeria should urgently begin to explore non-oil options available for it, in order to remedy the current economic challenges occasioned by fall in crude oil prices.

Aguda made this statement while addressing newsmen ahead of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International, FGBMFI annual seminar scheduled for Friday June, 10th and 11th in Lagos.

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According to him, “Nigeria’s failure to diversify its economy from over dependence on easy money from the oil sector has exposed the national economy to extreme vulnerabilities in the face of declining oil prices. The neglect of development of other critical sectors of the economy has turned the oil boom to an oil doom.

“Economic diversification is a structured process of growing a range of and a number of outputs; either by way of diversifying products and/or practices within an economy, diversifying income sources beyond domestic economic activities, or diversifying local

tion improves microeconomic performance, faster economic growth. The plummeting global oil prices and serious revenue decline has exposed our folly as a nation and accentuated the urgent need to examine the non oil options within the Nigerian economy.”

The seminar which will take place in two stages will at separate sessions will address ‘the non-essentials for modern enterprises’ which is targeted at building capacities for SMEs and the ‘the non-oil options in the Nigerian economy ’ which is targeted at big and established corporations."

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Group Business Editor Deputy Business Editor Energy Editor Asst. Business Editor Snr Bus. Correspondent Insurance Correspondent Maritime Correspondent Maritime Correspondent Energy Reporter Industry/Agric. Reporter Maritime Reporter Insurance Reporter Capital Market Reporter

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Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016—33 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com competition for space in the market which had led to clashes.

Some of these, sometimes assume ethnic colouration.

But Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former Kano State Governor travelled to Lagos to denounce the relocation move which he described as “unfair and unacceptable.” He claimed

Dancing on the edge of the cliff VISITED Vienna, Austria some years ago. After five I days of going round the city, it

occurred to me that I had not come across a single policeman.

Yet everything seemed orderly, including traffic. I raised my observation with a resident whose acquaintance I had made. She laughed and pointed at the pedestrian crossing and said: “Try a few times to cross the road without waiting for the green light, and you will discover that some of the people you pass on the streets, are policemen.”

I was intrigued. I also recalled that in London, while policemen were visible, they hardly carried guns. But back home in Nigeria, the sight of armed policemen was not only common, but they also set up road blocks on busy streets doing ‘stop-and-search’. Worse still, is the common sight of military men, some of them in camouflage.

I had thought that we will strive for a country where the sight of guns will be rare. But when in 2012, I visited Adamawa State, I began to have serious doubts. As I moved towards Larmurde, there were

ill clad youths on horseback with Kalashnikovs slung across their backs. They rode furiously both ways. I was told they were out, scouting for herdsmen who frequently invaded the communities, most times, by crossing from the Benue River.

I have seen video clips and photographs of people slaughtered in Agatu, and sometimes, I am unable to sleep as I continue playing them back in my mind. Same for the Enugu massacre. It appears violence rules our lives. It reminds me of the title of Malian writer, Yambo Ouologuem’s 1968 novel; BOUND TO VIOLENCE. The sense of siege which many have, seems to colour the reaction of otherwise intelligent people to issues. For instance, I read that the Lagos State Government intends to relocate the Mile 12 Market in Ketu, Lagos to the outskirts of the mega city. Some of the reasons adduced include the fact that the present location causes traffic gridlock in the area given the high patronage, and that the volume of trade had outgrown the present location. This may be partly responsible for the fierce

The Kwankwaso theatrical performance in Lagos, is an example of how our elite complicate matters or sow discord rather than proffer solutions that the plan amounted to witch-hunting Hausas who he claimed dominate the market.

He warned Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode that if he went ahead with the relocation, the existing cordial relationship between Hausas and Yorubas would be put in jeopardy.

First, it would have been expected that a former governor would be conscious of the security implications of his actions and utterances. That rather than address the Hausas in Agege, Lagos and make public threats, he should have visited Governor Ambode and privately expressed his concerns.

This would have been better than the open incitement of a part of the Lagos populace.

Second, he did not address the reasons for the planned

allocation, and it is presumptuous of him to assume that he knows what is best for Lagos State better than its governor or the collective wisdom of Lagosians which was tapped into before the relocation decision was made.

Again, Kwankwaso was presumptuous when he claimed that most of the traders in Mile 12 Market are Hausas. I once lived a walking distance from the market; I am still familiar with it, and I know the Senator is uninformed on this. Mile 12 Market is an international one patronised by all Nigerian groups and traders from as far as Ghana.

In relocating the market, I have not read anywhere that the State Government intends to exclude or marginalise any group. The Kwankwaso theatrical performance in Lagos, is an example of how our elite complicate matters or sow discord rather than proffer solutions. We all seem to think for ourselves, and our assumed enclaves only, rather than for our country. Even while we claim to champion our individual group interests, among them unfortunately is not the eradication of poverty and hunger. The thoughts and scheming is not with the objective of wiping off the tears of hungry, babies and dejected mothers. It is not to provide free education, jobs or mass housing. It is always to secure private political and economic advantage.

For one year now, millions of otherwise educated, and brilliant Nigerians have been busy in the unproductive venture of engaging themselves in internet wars. They are ranged as the armies of the “Wailers” who uncritically, support the former

Tribute to the Illuminator

By Nkem Okeke NGR. Chief Sir Richard Nwachukwu Okeke (born E Richard Chukwukodinaka Okeke) Ezuo (meaning ‘complete’) of Enugwu-Ukwu na Umunri - is a man

whose footprints in the sands of time were marked by him inspiring many with his integrity, dedication to God, family and service to humanity. He was born on December 10, 1927 to late Simon Okonkwo Okeke and late Lucy Nwairuaku Okeke in Enugwu Ukwu, Njikoka Local Government Area, Anambra State.

‘RN’, as he was fondly called, grew up a precocious lad.

He completed his primary education in December 1943, in Kano. He attended secondary school at Africa College, Onitsha, and was the first student in the Eastern Region to sit for the Secondary School Certificate Examination in Class Five after three years of secondary school. He passed with Grade 1 and London Matriculation Exemption. After secondary school, he worked briefly with the Nigeria Railway Corporation in Zaria. He was later posted to Jos as a Telegraph Clerk in 1948.

He married Miss Dorothy Nwakego Okeke in 1951, after which he left for England to attend Borough Polytechnic, London from 1952-1956 and graduated as an Electrical Engineer. He came back to Nigeria in 1957 and joined Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN) later known as National Electric Power Authority, as an Engineer Grade 1. He was one of the indigenous pioneer engineers that blazed the trail of excellence and was popularly called ‘Okeke ECN’ by his peers. With hard work and dedication, he rose through the ranks from Engineer Grade 1 (1957-1959), to Director of Distribution West (1976-1977).

One of the most challenging and dangerous periods of Engr. R.N. Okeke’s professional life was between (19671970) when he was selected above more senior engineers to serve as the General Manager of the defunct Electricity Corporation of Biafra (ECB). As General Manager, he was responsible for providing electricity supply from very little power infrastructure at the time. He came up with creative and innovative ways to provide power supply during that period for the populace.

Other major transformational management and

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engineering feats were initiated and supervised by Engr. R.N. Okeke whilst in the employ of NEPA as Area Manager for then Eastern Nigeria, including Makurdi and Otukpo. This included the design, construction and maintenance of 66KV transmission lines and the installation and commissioning of 7.5MVA 66KV/ 11KV transformer substation with 11KV switch panel at both Onitsha and Enugu. As Director in 1976, Engr.

R.N. Okeke planned the construction and electrification of Shagamu, Iperu, Ago-Iwoye and Ijebu Igbo.

Perhaps, what can be described as the most enduring legacy of service to his people in Enugwu-Ukwu and neighbouring communities of Abagana, Nimo and Nawfia, was Engr. R.N. Okeke’s sanctioning of the capital intensive construction and supply of electricity thereby providing a major catalyst in the emergence of these towns as pioneers in development and enlightenment in the area.

Engr. R.N. Okeke held memberships to many revered

Ezuo lived to see his first daughter; Dr. (Mrs) Uchenna Joy Ikokwu retired as the Chief Medical Director, Ministry of Defence, Abuja, and his first son Engr. Dr. Nkem Okeke become the Deputy Governor of Anambra State Sir Richard Okeke

administration, and the “Hailers” who blindly follow the current administration. In this stupid unproductive ‘war’ no prisoners are taken and truth is a common casualty.

Such people are not interested in the tragedy the country is witnessing where 911,483 youths apply for 10,000 placements in the Police Force.

This means that at the end of the exercise, 901, 483 will be unsuccessful and remain unemployed.

I have sometimes wondered what would have happened if we took a different decision on certain matters. For instance, if Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf, his fatherin-law, Baa Fugu Mohammed, and financier, Alhaji Buji Foi had not been extra judicially executed, would the remnants have fled, trained militarily including outside the country, re-grouped and launched the offensive it sustained for years?

If we had allowed pro-Biafra agitators to protest on May 30 even if they disrupted economic activities, would we not have saved some fifty lives? If President Yar’Adua had not proclaimed amnesty in 2009, would we not have been poorer?

Here we are dancing on the edge of the cliff with violence wracking parts of the country and criminality, especially kidnapping and cultism taking firm roots. There is need for a rethink; it is not a matter of who is to blame, but how we can pull together for a better life.

We need to build or reinforce non-partisan, Pan-Nigeria movements like those of students, labour, traders, youth, women and intellectuals. We can’t go on this way.

professional associations, including the British Institute of Electrical Engineers (BIEE) since 1962. He became one of the indigenous pioneer members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (MNSE) in 1969 (NSE No. 93) and became a fellow (FNSE) in 1982. He was elected a member of the British Institute of Management in 1971 and in 1977, became a member of the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN).

After meritorious service and his voluntary retirement in 1977 at the prime age of 49, Engr. Chief Sir R.N. Okeke established RENACS Engineering Nigeria Limited; growing it into a leading electrical engineering construction company as its Chairman/Managing Director. He was also the Chairman/ Managing Director of A.B. Engineering Nigeria Limited which he founded in 1985. Engr. R.N. Okeke superintended over the affairs and made a success of the two companies until he finally handed over the reins to his second son, Engr. Chief Emeka Okeke. Thereafter, he retired to his beloved home town in 1992 at the age of 65, still maintaining the position of Chairman of these companies.

Chief Okeke’s legacy of integrity is the hallmark of his life. Integrity was the bedrock of his life as demonstrated in the exemplary standards he consistently maintained in all that he did; the beautiful family he nurtured and his unblemished career.

His devotion to God was evident in his daily life, fellowship at home and with other Christians and members of the Anglican communion.Ezuo’s marriage to Chief Lady Dorothy Nwakego Okeke ended 18 days shy of their 65th wedding anniversary. The union is blessed with seven illustrious children, Uchenna, Nkemakonam, Chukwuemeka, Ngozi, Ifeatu, Anyanna and Chinedu. Engr. R.N. Okeke and his wife have had every reason to be grateful to God who has not only given them a total of twenty grandchildren and one great grandchild, but also Ezuo lived to see his first daughter; Dr. (Mrs) Uchenna Joy Ikokwu retired meritoriously as the Chief Medical Director, Ministry of Defence, Abuja, and his first son Engr. Dr. Nkem Okeke become the Deputy Governor of Anambra State. Until his passing, Chief Richard was the longest living serving cabinet member in Enugwu-Ukwu cabinet of chiefs; having served for 43 years and second only to the late Igwe Agwuna. *Dr. Okeke is Deputy Governor of Anambra State.

34 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

FTER one year of silence, Vice President Atiku Abubakar seized A the opportunity of a book launch in

Abuja last week to break his silence. He reviewed the state of the nation under President Muhammadu Buhari, which is what pretty much everyone else has done in the past one week. Of all that he said, I was intrigued by his call for a “restructuring” of the federation and the shade he threw at the leadership of Buhari, when he observed: “we also have a leadership that is not prepared to learn from the past and the leadership that is not prepared to lead”.

Of this snide on Buhari, observers have already determined that it was Atiku’s first step towards a 2019 challenge for the presidency. This may well be so because we all know about Atiku’s insatiable appetite for presidential contests, of which he has made five record bids in 1993, 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015. Atiku’s former boss, exPresident Olusegun Obasanjo, was the first to caper a similar political double shuffle some weeks ago when he described Buhari as a leader who is good in military matters (such as the fight against Boko Haram) but incompetent in economic and diplomatic areas. He gave the impression that after Buhari defeats Boko Haram another leader would be found (obviously the selfinstalled tin god of Nigerian politics, Obasanjo himself) to solve our economic problems.

It is obvious that the mesmerism of Buhari is beginning to thaw as we steam towards the starting blocks of the next political transition, and it is going to be hot inside the All Progressives Congress, APC where, I am firmly convinced, Buhari will make a bid for a second term.

Atiku will definitely feature prominently in it, barring any earthshaking circumstances.

I am surprised that Atiku described himself as a “long term campaigner” for restructuring. Honestly, I have never come across that notion before. What is known to most Nigerians is that Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been a long term campaigner for true federalism and restructuring. For some quaint reasons, he has gone mute on this since the APC seized the reins of the Federal Government a year ago.

It is on record that the APC had it as one of its long-winded litany of campaign promises. The party and the Federal Government it produced have backed out of many of these promises, but it's not yet on record that the promise to establish true federalism is one of those. Yet not a single word has been breathed of it either by Buhari, the

federalism, such as the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, who graphically spelt the ideological basis of their postulation. It is not enough to fly a kite.

Buhari: Entering year two (3) HE fight against corruption started since the military vacated T office in 1999. Former President

Atiku should define ‘restructuring’ APC or even its chief protagonist, Tinubu. If Buhari meant to implement this policy, I am sure he would have said th so in his maiden broadcast on May 29 2015. He would have seized the th opportunity of his May 29 2016 to spell out the pillars of the programme, with timetable attached.

But of course, we have seen that Buhari’s fabled body language is not

I once asked when Tinubu will find his tongue and begin to demand from Buhari the need to implement the true federalism policy of his defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Or has he traded it off just to be accommodated comfortably in Buhari’s neo-Sokoto Caliphate political arrangement? pointing towards any bloody restructuring of the federation. It is, instead, boldly signposting the strengthening of centralising tendencies. He says he wants to revive a long dead state-owned flag carrier for our airline industry and the Nigerian National Shipping Line. Leave it to Buhari, he would bring back 1984!

I once asked when Tinubu will find his tongue and begin to demand from Buhari the need to implement the true federalism policy of his defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Or has he traded it off just to be accommodated

comfortably in Buhari’s neo-Sokoto Caliphate political arrangement?

It is important for Atiku to define what he means by “restructuring”. He hinted at state police and admitted that his own home region – the North – has been deeply hurt by the centralised structure imposed by the military and defended with venom by most Northern political leaders. Atiku’s fellow Adamawaite, Professor Jibril Aminu, says that the call for true federalism is a concealed plot by some southerners towards disintegrating the country. That was the fib that the first man who propounded the fallacy, Prince Akenzua, a former Federal super-permanent secretary fed to Col. Yakubu Gowon in 1967 in memo urging him to jettison the Aburi Accord. Akenzua eventually became Omo N’Oba Erediauwa Uku Akpolokpolor, the Oba of Benin who joined his ancestors recently.

Atiku now says he does not believe so.

I never believed it for once. In fact, I strongly believe that the only way to strengthen Nigeria’s unity and make its economy more productive is to dissolve Nigeria into a federation of semiautonomous six regions approximating the existing geopolitical zones, and complete with the powers of resource control but supervised by a centre that can defend country and assure the citizenship rights of its populace. Those who want to do Sharia can do it in their home region. Those who want to do Biafra can do it within the confines of that Nigerian arrangement. When we meet at the centre, we are all Nigerians.

That, in a nutshell, is my own idea of a restructured Nigeria. Atiku should please define his own for us. Let him not leave it loose. That was how APC used it to win power with its flag-bearer, Buhari, fully aware he was not for it.

Let Atiku emulate the examples of the former chief protagonists of true

OPINION Coming to terms with Niger Delta Avengers

By Paul Odili

T

O correct a wrong, it is sometimes necessary to exceed proper limits’. This doctrine is attributed to Mao Zedong by his personal secretary, Lin Ke. Mao, founder of the modern communist state of China was a man of power, who had no hesitation using whatever means he judged necessary to protect his power and the state he founded. In this context, Mao was justifying the use of terror.

I do not ordinarily believe in the use of terror by legitimate forces of the state, yet there are times you just ponder what are the options before state actors under certain circumstances. If Mao were to be the commander of Nigerian state, there is no question as to what he would do in view of the dystopia in the Niger Delta area.

The senseless attacks and economic sabotage going on in the Niger Delta by a shadowy militant group( Niger Delta Avengers) claiming to be fighting for the interest of Niger Delta, you wonder if there is no great wisdom in Mao’s doctrine. We don’t have a Mao here of course, we have PMB and PMB is no Mao clearly. And Nigerian state is neither a communist state nor resembling a Chinese society. We are Africans with our cultural mores and social and economic structure. But we are a society that must survive and we are under attack by a merciless force. Nigeria is in a state of war. In any state of war, economic assets are legitimate targets. So what do we do?

Let’s get inside PMB’s head. A retired old school Army General, strict and unbending, prides himself in promoting order and discipline above everything else, is now faced with one of the greatest existential threat yet to his administration. At a period of great economic stress, in which the main source of the government’s economic power is being systematically sabotaged and somehow he is C M Y K

powerless to do anything. This must be his worst nightmare!

Naturally, his first instinct would be to use military force and exterminate these saboteurs. He said as much when he declared that the Niger Delta militants would be dealt with like Boko haram. So far PMB is wrong. The terrain and associated circumstances are different. NDA have called his bluff. Almost on a daily basis one asset or the other has been blown up. Minister Ibe Kachikwu is lamenting the effect of this on oil production down to 1.4 million; the lowest production in two decades. With the hapless situation he is facing PMB must be torn between armistice with the militants or military operation to conquer.

Across With public panic rising and economic downturn worsening with board the continuation of this act of war, Nigeria is what should be done and done to end this conflagration once and for all? on As PMB may have realised there is no easy answer. tenterhooks In the short term, war won’t end this and negotiation can only buy you time at some cost with concession. Both have their implications. Military effort will lead to greater destruction and sabotage. Negotiation and amnesty can only provide temporary truce. In any case, what kind of amnesty? Certainly PMB terms will not tolerate the kind of amnesty package that made the militants extremely rich such that some became politicians and power brokers and lived a life of opulence amidst poverty and neglect of their people they claimed they were fighting for.

One of the biggest lie since the Devil deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden was that the militant attacks was to bring attention to the neglect to the region. It is not. It is war for

Olusegun Obasanjo focused his own fight on his regime, with emphasis at recovering late General Sani Abacha’s loots. He created the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), which helped to make his efforts outlast him, though he was accused of using them to fight his political enemies.

Late President Yar’Adua used his own war on graft to draw attention to the fact that he, the President, was not corrupt. He somewhat scaled down the activities of the EFCC and ICPC and left no lasting marks. Former President Goodluck Jonathan also tried to rein in ghost workers through the Integrated Personal Payroll Personnel Information (IPPIS) and the Single Treasury Account (TSA) which he did not implement. He was seen as being unserious about the war, and events are unfolding largescale grafts under his regime.

Muhammadu Buhari came into power with a reputation of personal integrity and a track record of anti-corruption. I have yet to see a Nigerian who says he is against the war on corruption being waged by him, but critics are concerned that it seems one-sided, with leaders of the opposition PDP and a few of his party men who are not its good books targeted.

Buhari is also criticised for many instances of disobedience of court orders.

Some also observe that Buhari appears more interested in the recovery of stolen federal funds than setting up institutional frameworks to arrest corruption before they take place.

There is little doubt that under the Buhari dispensation, public officials will no longer spend public funds with impunity. The awareness that something is being done about corruption in Nigeria is felt even in the international community, where more and more countries are volunteering to help return stolen funds hidden away in “safe havens”.

Buhari’s slow start and backtracks on many promises disappointed a lot of his fans, but he might yet spring surprises as we enter year two. CONCLUDED

profiteering through bunkering or outsize government contracts to protect pipelines. We know the life style of the ex-militants during amnesty. Lavish parties, fancy cars, expensive cognac at social events, beautiful women bedecked with expensive jewelries, the militants were known to spray dollars at social events—child naming, wedding anything that catches their fancy, no sense of moderation. During President Jonathan administration, his amnesty programme was a spigot that spilled cash endlessly. It was bazaar, easy money on a scale never seen and which PMB has cut off. This is bound to get reaction. And the reaction is what the country is facing.

The other great disappointment is the failure of Nigerian state not to have found a way to map and establish greater presence in the Niger Delta region in a manner that reduces this scale of destruction. Are we saying that a foreign hostile force can slip into the Delta region, occupy it and control it and we are caught in a rearguard fight? Surely technology exists (drone for instance..etc) that track movement real time within the region. These militants can’t just move randomly unchallenged if proper deployment of men, materials and technology were in place. Or is there a conspiracy somewhere? Or is the usual lack of rigour and sloppiness in our administration.

Overall, the cards are stacked against PMB in the short term. It is either he climbs down and negotiate on a generous terms like other presidents before him he might succeed in deescalating the crisis or he pursues this war of attrition to its conclusive end. He is no Mao and probably lacks the will to implement Mao’s doctrine. Mao was extremely cunning, extremely charismatic, extremely capable in the act of statecraft and extremely ruthless. He created a state that made it possible for him to thrive. To succeed in the present circumstances, PMB might well use some of Mao’s qualities.

Across board Nigeria is on tenterhooks. *Mr. Odili, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Asaba, Delta State.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016 — 35

This Business of Music

I

t’s past 6pm on this usual Thursday. I sauntered into the hall way leading to his office apartment. It’s a few hours to rehearsals and he is busy trying out notes on the trumpet. This is the routine for Femi Anikulapo-Kuti, the CEO of 12-piece Positive Force Bandarguably one of Africa’s greatest dance bands. It’s the same routine and discipline that has enabled him take the mantle from his father, Fela creator of afrobeat; one of Africa’s biggest musical exports. Founded 30 years ago on the cusp of him leaving his father’s band, the Positive Force Band has attained ample strength as a leading light in world music.

Band loyalty

Since the band’s establishment bandleader Femi AnikulapoKuti finds that sustaining a hugely successful African band hasn’t been easy: “Like everything in life; keeping and running a band is quite difficult.

To keep the group together is probably the most difficult.

Retaining loyalty of band members whenever we are touring Europe and America is another aspect because I have experienced band members leaving me midway into tours.

Those were very embarrassing moments for Africa. That said, a lot of them are very dedicated and sincere because they understand what I’m doing,” he said.

Starting out as an alto saxophonist member of his father’s band (Fela Kuti & The Egypt 80 Band) Femi was far from being virtuosic, but he made up for his technical limitations by emphasizing his strengths: Ear for ensemble sound, unique phrasing, and a distinctively fragile tone. During the band’s early years, he jettisoned the slow- tempoed afrobeat that characterized much of Egypt 80’s work for something more introspective culminating in an approach much different from that of his father: “I knew I would be successful.

Femi Anikulapo-Kuti CEO, Positive Force Band It was just that I didn’t know how.

But I was a young man determined to succeed and my mother greatly supported and financed my band till I ran her account dry. Then, I got my first break in 1988 when the French Cultural Center took me on a cultural exchange to France. That was the turning point of my career,recalled. In retrospect, he is quick to point out that the biggest decision for him was leaving his father’s band. “I just had to take that major step into the unknown…and win the trust of people around me. I just knew I had to leave,” he said.

In the early years of his solo career, critics generally lambasted what they considered the lukewarm afrobeat of Femi Kuti.

But in the ensuing decades, the recordings he made advanced the afrobeat idea, making greater use of electronics and high-powered amplification, and deemphasizing solos in favor of ensemble funk. The music was fierce and rolling. By this time, the positive Force had reached new heights of popularity: Concerts selling out all over the world and recordings denting pop charts. His word: “That was a huge step for my music. Letting my music be remixed by many great DJs particularly Bang!

Bang! Bang! Which went very far with various genres of remix spanning house, techno, reggae and Dance music.

My collaborations with great American musicians on my 2001 album Fight to Win was a milestone project that took afrobeat to another level. Then of course, making myself available as guest artiste with many other great musicians also greatly helped push the boundaries.”

Concert Tours:

crowd starts to build inside the Africa Shrine. Onstage, though, Femi Kuti barely breaks a sweat.

The afrobeat king, garbed Tshirt with Batik pants, gets his fans to do some of the work. They rhyme along with him during each song, finishing his verses with him.

Four hours later he walks offstage, working his way through the backstage. His band members retire to the ground room to joke and probably pass around some drinks.

Femi enters his separate suite and commences banter with friends and family members. Femi usually repeats this ritual through-out the year on a much larger, more lucrative concert scale.The concert business has never been bigger, in dissonant contrast

Artistes must be part of the business because they are the business; and they must let the business manipulate itself.

On this typical Thursday, the

BIO BRIEFS Date/Place of Birth: 1962, London.

Education: Igbobi College Discography: No Cause for Alarm (1989 Polygram) M.Y.O.B (1991 Kalakuta Records) Plenty Nonsense (1995 Tabu/Motown Records) Shoki Shoki (1999 MCA) Fight to Win (2001 MCA) Live At the Shrine (2004 Palm Pictures) Day By Day (2008 Wrasse) Africa for Africa (2011 Wrasse/Knitting Factory) No Place for My Dream (2013 Knitting Factory)

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to the recorded-music business.

While music sales have dropped, hurt by digital piracy and a lackluster flow of hot new acts, the tour business has since climbed, thus musicians increasingly rely on road shows for their income: “Albums don’t sell like before

anymore so we rely more on making sure that we’re constantly touring. I am a live oriented musician because my strength is in live performance.

But the truth is that I hardly make money from my international tours because so many things come into doing a tour. I mean, whenever I’m on tour, I’m thinking of salary for the band, money for flight tickets, ground transportation (tour sleeper bus) which usually costs $20/30,000 depending on the duration of the tour. ‘’The cost to hire the tour bus excludes drivers feeding and fuelling. I then provide 3 square meals for 12-piece band members. I’m also paying my agents, manager and publicists who have to effectively put out words that the band in town.

Even at that, you’re not guaranteed to fill all the venues.

So, by the time you cut all these costs from a $200,000 tour and still be able to come back with $5,000; you’re quite lucky. And

In spite of not making so much money during tours, he constantly keeps an eye on the budget because he finds that it’s very important in the running of bands. Responding to how he prioritizes his running budget, he says: “Anybody that’s with my band must understand that they are with me for the love of playing music. When you understand that then you can acclimatize to any situation: sometimes you’re playing for free; sometimes you’re playing and you make money. Any band member that’s not ready for that cannot play with me.’’

Social Media

In terms of media promotion, Femi thinks that it’s important for bands to promote themselves on the internet especially with platforms like MySpace. “You can’t do without the internet. It’s a new age. There was a time journalists had the power to make or mar an artiste. Now, an artiste that has 100,000 followers doesn’t really need the press that much. ‘’They will only need specialized journalists if he/she is a wellrespected and objective music journalist to review their work. And most of the time, journalists who’re worth their name go out of their way to find artiste with substance, assess and then write stories on them. ‘’There are many well respected journalists that artistes cannot do without. And these objective journalists will always be there without being sought. So, the game has changed because in the past, a bad story could

•Femi Anikulapo-Kuti yet, nobody cares about your meager profit because what they think is that you’re worth $200,000 because you did cover all your costs. ‘’And if your name could generate $200,000 that’s how you’ll be rated in terms of market value. I’m going on tour of the United Kingdom this week for instance and flight tickets alone is nearly $40,000. How can I make profits? I play free at the Shrine on Thursdays and Charge N500 during my Sunday shows.

The same amount I’ve been charging for nearly 16 years. The point is: My aim is not to make money but I’m glad that I’m able to pay my bills and maintain a modest lifestyle. ‘’I have one car and a bus that conveys my children to and from school. In Nigeria, I might have one or two big shows that can sustain me for the whole year. So, it’s really not about showing off; it’s about keeping the head above water which I can manage to do, he explained.

ruin the career of an artiste. And it could either take nearly a lifetime for the artiste to do damage control or it must be that the artiste must really be loved by his/her fans to ignore bad press because people are very gullible with regard to what they read. Social media is indeed the game changer,” he explained.

Similarly, he finds that it’s always important for record labels, publishers and artiste managers to work together. He said: “An artiste needs a good management, record label and publisher. Most importantly, the artiste must always have the freedom to create because when the artiste does everything by themselves they lose focus because artistes cannot be business people. I like division of labor and so, the artiste must remain the musician and must be left alone to create. But they certainly must be part of the business because they are the business. And they must let the business manipulate itself.”

36—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

Continues from page 5 paraded with guns, ammunition and other dangerous weapons on television as members of a militant group.

“Oporoza, as a community, does not condone the use of those items the army claimed to have found in the community. We are a fishing community and do not have any oil well, aside the fact that a pipeline passes behind the community and no one dares tamper with that pipeline.

“We have an examination starting on Monday to write here but that may not happen as the students have fled the community.

"As for causalities, we still have not ascertained if there is any loss of life as we will only know if there are causalities when everyone returns to the community.

But we got information that two persons arrested by the soldiers died even though we are yet to confirm that.”

Tompolo’s room turned upside down

“We are still leaving in fear because we do not know the reason they (soldiers) left as the manner in which they left hurriedly calls for concern. We do not know if they have other plans.

“As am speaking, residents of the community still run and hide each time they see choppers or jet fighters, which personally I think should be used for international warfare and not for community invasion.

“Buildings that suffered the brute of the soldiers are the lavishly built Oporoza community guest house, some residential buildings with holes on the walls from gunshots, and the Oporoza ancestral home, which houses some deities of the community."

At Oporoza community guest house, which houses a private room for former General Officer Commanding, GOC, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, was literally turned upside down.

Taking reporters on a tour of the guest house, Tebela said drinks and food items meant for guests of the Pere of Gbaramatu kingdom, HRM Oboro II, were allegedly taken away by the rampaging soldiers.

Desecration of Oporoza ancestral home

Also affected was the Oporoza ancestral home.

According to one of the priests at the home, John Ojo, treasured and revered religious items in the home since the origin of the community were missing.

He said: “This place has been in existence right from the time of our forefathers and nobody enters here freely as you must be authorized before you can enter here.

“The army entered this place (ancestral home), desecrated the place and made away with some treasured items, including a gold sword which has been here for ages.”

Army should probe Oporoza looting — Mulade

Meanwhile, enraged chairman of Kokodiagbene community, Mr. Mulade Sheriff, yesterday, called on the JTF “to return all looted items from Oporoza Town, Gbaramatu Kingdom.”

“It is unpatriotic, unethical and unprofessional for the Nigerian Army, who invaded Oporoza and other Ijaw communities in search of vandals and militants to abandon their primary responsibility of fishing out the perpetrators to resort to looting of items belonging to Pere’s palace and law-abiding citizens within the community.

“It’s worthy to state that the Nigerian Army looted valuables worth over N300,000,000 and cash of about N70,000,000 meant for the completion of the Pere’s palace. We are appealing to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Burutai, to probe his men, recover the looted items from the palace and other residents, and kindly return them to the law-abiding citizens of Oporoza.

“We believe the Nigerian Army has the capacity to thoroughly investigate and bring the looters to book in the interest of the image of the Army. As law-abiding citizens, we have no option than to institute a suit against the authority to recover our items, if the authority fails.

“The JTF's continuous visits are posing serious threats to the communities.

We are living in fear and bondage. Gbaramatu kingdom is host to oil and gas facilities and not to Avengers,” he said.

Avengers sponsored by PDP – Ex-Agitators

In the interim, National Coalition of the Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, NCNDE, has called on the Federal Government to flush out the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, which they described

AGM: From left, Emeka Emuwa, CEO, Union Bank Plc; Cyril Odu, Chairman, and Somuyiwa Adedeji, Company Secretary, at the 47th Annual General Meeting of the bank in Lagos.

Soldiers arrest monarch, 5 others as criminal elements allegedly sponsored by the

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to stoke troubles from

the region.

President of NCNDE,

Israel Akpodoro, who stated this while chatting with newsmen, alleged that the PDP was in want of goading the Federal Government into military confrontation that might provoke public outcry, especially “the foreign communities with the ultimate aim of discrediting the All Progressives Congress, APC-led administration at home and abroad.”

According to Akpodoro, the second aim of the Avengers is to cripple the Nigerian economy to give reasons for the PDP to gloat and mock the administration.

Urging the Federal Government to go all out for those he described as criminal elements masquerading as freedom fighters and their sponsors, he said no amount of subterfuge could make anyone believe that the bad losers in the PDP were not behind the economic saboteurs.

Returned loot: FG weighs prosecution options

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor, Wahab Abdulah, Charles Kumolu & Gbenga Oke

L

AGOS— THE Federal Government, weekend, released the list of funds looted from the national treasury without names of those involved in the loot.

Although government had given reasons for withholding the names of the looters, one of which was to stave off litigations, Nigerians have continued to clamour that those involved should be exposed.

But will the Federal Government still press criminal charges against treasury looters, who have forfeited assets worth billions of Naira to the national coffers?

This was the question that dominated discussion at the weekend, as the government weighed many options on what to do with the looters whose identities had not been revealed as at last night.

A top Federal Government official, who is actively involved in the funds recovery effort, told Vanguard that it was possible that some of the cases would be treated differently from the others because of the amount involved and how the money was taken.

As Babatope, Ogunye, Opara, Tsav react The source said: “It is too early to say whether to try those who refunded the money and those who forfeited assets.

“In any case, all the cases are not the same because we applied serious effort to trace and freeze some of the assets while others were willingly returned by the looters. These issues would certainly play a crucial role in deciding who to charge or not."

But the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, whose opinion on the matter was sought last night, declined to make a pronouncement on the matter.

Malami said he could not immediately speak on whether the looters would be prosecuted or not, given the fact that recovery efforts were ongoing.

The minister, who spoke from an official engagement in Cameroon, said there was still more work to be done in the recovery of looted fund.

The AGF said: “We are working hard to ensure that all looted funds are recovered and put to use for the common good of all Nigerians.

“I have nothing to say on the issue of whether to prosecute or not at the moment but what Nigerians should know and believe is that the Buhari administration is

committed to recovering all stolen assets and using same to work for them.

It's an empty fight against corruption — Babatope

Meanwhile, reacting to the release of the looted funds and assets, yesterday, former Transport Minister and a chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, said government’s refusal to publish names of looters was an indication that its fight against corruption was empty.

He said: ‘’The Federal Government cannot claim to be fighting corruption when it is only list of monies recovered that was published and names of the so-called looters were protected.

What the Federal Government is doing right now is an empty fight against corruption."

Govt must determine the source of funds before spending –Ogunye

far. Now we are requesting that the government should also reveal the identity of those who took the funds away.

“As to how the money should be utilised, the Federal Government, whose agencies recovered the money, have a duty to come to a determination as to the source of these monies in order to know the authority to whom it should be returned.

Nigerians have right to know the looters — Opara

On his part, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara, said Nigerians have the right to know who the looters were, for government not to create doubts on the minds of many Nigerians.

“Releasing the names of the looters don’t really mean much to me since the amount of monies looted has been published to justify the fact that monies were looted," he said.

Identity of looters should have been included—Tsav A lawyer and human A retired Police

rights activist, Jiti Ogunye, said the government must determine the source of the funds before it could be appropriated for any project.

“It is good that the Federal Government has made the disclosure of the funds recovered so

Commissioner, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav said: “It was a good thing to do but they should have made the identity of the looters known to us.

Releasing their names would have served as a major deterrent for other looters."

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016—37

World Milk Day:

Dano fetes 2,000 children at Edo IDPs camp

By Etop Ekanem

I FCMB DONATES TO SCHOOL: From left—Retail Head, South-West Region, First City Monument Bank, FCMB, Limited, Mr. Victor Adejimola; Principal, Federal Government Girls College, Akure, Mrs. Florence Ejikeme; Regional Head, South-West, Mr. Adelaja Adeleye, and Corporate Affairs/Media Relations Officer, Mr. Rafiu Mohammed, both of FCMB, during the commissioning of a 40KVA power generating set donated by FCMB to the school under its financial literacy programme in Akure, Ondo State.

We’ll consult wide before approving ECOWAS-EU free trade deal—BUHARI

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA—PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, Saturday night in Dakar, Senegal, said Nigeria would consult widely before endorsing the Economic Partnership Agreement, EPA, between Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, and the European Union, EU, on free trade deals.

The President said it was necessary to do so to allay the fears of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, and some other key economic players on the restrictive manufacturing tendencies of the deal on them.

Buhari was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the 49th Ordinary Session of ECOWAS in Dakar.

He stated that Nigeria could not be committed to such an agreement without wide consultations.

He said: “There are ongoing negotiations on it. We are discussing with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, and some other key economic players about it.

“We understand some of the terms of this agreement are capable of restricting theirmanufacurers-trading activities and we would not want this to happen.

“It is equally important that as we make the decision, we take into consideration the concerns of these critical stakeholders and tread cautiously.”

While a number of West African nations have endorsed the deal, a few, including Nigeria, have raised issues regarding the implications of the deal being championed by EU. The EPA is a free trade deal that had been initiated by EU and ECOWAS negotiators covering trade in goods and

...as ECOWAS Commission gets new President development cooperation.

On the allegation that some members of ECOWAS were not up-to-date in their financial obligations, President Buhari restated Nigeria’s constant commitment and obligations to the regional body, having recently paid its dues.

This attracted commendation for Nigeria at the summit.

Buhari said: “We are also very committed to ECOWAS. As the largest economy in the region, we have constantly fulfilled our obligations and we intend to continue to do this.”

Meanwhile, the summit, which featured commendations from ECOWAS leaders to Buhari and the nation on the progress recorded by the country against

terrorists, also witnessed the swearing in of the new ECOWAS commission President, Mr. Marcel A. de Souza.

Also, the Liberian President Ms. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, was chosen as the Chairperson of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, taking over from her Senegalese

Afghanistan: MP Sher Wali Wardak killed in Kabul bomb blast

A

N Afghan lawmaker and at least three other people have been killed in a bomb explosion in the capital, Kabul.

MP Sher Wali Wardak was injured in the blast outside his house and died on the way to hospital, officials said.

No group has so far admitted carrying out the attack.

Separately, at least seven people were killed and more than 20 injured when Taliban gunmen - reportedly in police uniform - stormed a court in in Puli Alam, capital of Logar province.

The militant group said the attack was in response to the government’s execution of six Taliban prisoners last month.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has pledged a tougher response to the Taliban after an attack in Kabul in April left 64 people dead.

Peace efforts stalled this year after the Taliban refused to participate in new talks with the Afghan government until foreign forces had left the country.

The militants have been waging an insurgency against the Afghan government since being ousted in 2001.

Nato ended its combat mission in Afghanistan in December 2014, leaving a

13,000-strong residual force used for training and coun-

ter-terrorism operations, including 9,800 US troops.

Iraq violence: Civilians ‘shot as they flee Falluja’

C

IVILIANS fleeing Fal luja, an Iraqi stronghold of the so-called Islamic State (IS), are being shot as they leave, an aid agency says.

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said families it had interviewed described people being shot dead as they crossed the Euphrates River.

The NRC, that runs refugee camps near Falluja, said up to 50,000 people remained in the city.

Iraq’s army began the fight to retake the city late last month.

Falluja lies just 50km (30 miles) west of Baghdad and has been held by IS since 2014. It is one of two remaining IS strongholds in Iraq.

Shakir al-Essawi, the head of Falluja’s regional council, told Reuters people were trying to cross the Euphrates in refrigerators, cupboards and barrels.

“Our biggest fears are now tragically confirmed with civilians being directly targeted while trying to flee to safety,” said Nasr Muflahi, the Iraq country director of the NRC, that said only that

“armed opposition groups” were behind the shooting.

“This is the worst that we feared would happen to innocent men, women and children who have had to leave everything behind in order to save their lives.”

N further demonstration of its commitment to delivering social investments in Nigeria, Arla Dano Milk has increased access to good nutrition for over 2,000 children at the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camp in Uguagolor near Benin, Edo State, with the donation of free cartons of Dano milk.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony in commemoration of the World Milk Day, witnessed by key officials of Edo State Government, Marketing Manager, Dano, Afousat Traore, said the gesture was a response to the plight of the displaced persons, who need everyone’s support and empathy.

She said Dano Milk recognised that nutritious food was essential for children, nursing mothers and the aged at the camp.

Wife of Edo State Governor, Mrs. Iara O s h i o m h o l e , represented by the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Hanena FulaniOjo, commended the company for its gesture, adding that the initiative will impact positively on the quality of life at the camp.

Mrs Oshiomhole then charged the children to always maintain personal hygiene while in the camp

Ebonyi community boils over leadership tussle

By Peter Okutu

A

B A K A L I K I — U K W A G B A community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, weekend, boiled over the leadership tussle between some groups and the local government boss in the area.

Vanguard's investigation revealed that the squabble started when the Council Chairman, Mr. Clement Odah, allegedly dissolved the cabinet of one Joseph Odanwu, who was elected as

the chairman of Ukwagba central council.

It was gathered that Odanwu emerged as the chairman of the union, following the expiration of tenure of office of the former chairman, Chief Raphael Ituma on March 2015.

However, controversy continued to trail the election that brought in Odanwu as he was accused of causing confusion and crisis in the community.

Odanwu was also accused of threatening to take over leadership as against the wishes and approval of the stakeholders of the community.

M

38 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

Reign of terror in Delta villages ‘under herdsmen’s control’

•Niger Delta Avengers

S/SOUTH LEADERS TO BUHARI: How to stop Niger Delta Avengers 4T2 Sani “The way forward, simply put, is fiscal federalism. You have a constitution that takes everything from a particular region and gives it to everybody, that is empty Niger Delta. You have a constitution that recognizes that there are natural resources, but that same constitution claims that the natural resources belong to me, but if it is oil and gas and any other natural resources, it does not belong to me anymore, the federal government becomes the owner. So you have a situation where the Kaduna State

governor is able to say he would bring in people to explore for gold, but yet, the governor of Rivers State cannot do same for the oil and gas deposits in his state.

That is injustice Burning spear The purported launch of clean up of Ogoniland is deliberate insincerity aimed at given political and electoral advantages to APC candidates in the re-run elections.

Milosavage Milo I don't know why the FG is wasting money cleaning

Ogoni land. The Ogoni people should be relocated to other states and the area should be declared a disaster area.

Ogoni all the time, what's the population ?

TOBBY777 South Sudan felt the North Sudan can survive without them. They fought for decades, got independence and they became poorer after independence.. Baylesa with 8 local governments with some 1.7 million people is still owing salaries. What Bayelsa has is more than what some 3 states have put together. We are the product of our decision making.

Nenfort Dan How come the strong Niger-Deltans are in this mess? Oil pipelines are peaceful but being attacked on daily basis yet herdsmen that kill, rape and destroy crops in the farms are in charge of some communities?

Niger Delta Avengers is only about oil? Just thinking.

a law abiding citizens. A word is enough for the wise

NYPN When our government allowed them to carry weapons all about, what else do you expect from such people? Killings by these herdsmen will not stop until our government do the right thing. If an Igbo, Yoruba, Benin, Urobo, Itsekiri, or any other tribe carry such weapon, they will be arrested by our security forces. But Fulani man with weapons is

Kevenreal Emma-Mabe yanze As I said few weeks ago, the first part of this struggle has to start at home. That is to say, making sure only those that have our interest and share the same view represent us in the government.

NDA alone is not enough for this struggle; there must be political will to push the argument in the presidency.

Milosavage Milo These communities are cowards . Fulani herdsmen are few. If the criminals among them keep on making trouble, all you need to do is to organize your own weapons and fight them.

•Fulani Herbsmen

RECOVERED LOOT: Why FG did APC will apologise to not name looters —Presidency Nigerians, PDP in 2019 hiding the names of the looters. We know them.

Woman leader President Buhari will continue to succeed. We are experiencing traces of good governance in this country.

•President Buhari

Herclues45 Name the looters, Mr. President. There is no point

Restructure How can you release the names?

The Government knew quite well that the road towards the recovery could be termed Kidnapped and Ransom

collected. Publish the names if actually you are fighting corruption.

Iceeman71 I think if we will be fair, the truth is that no administration has ever done that much in the area of recovery of public funds throughout the history of our nation. If critics point that they need names, it is just because they want to find fault in every action.

Terumi Kyoto Refusing to publish their names is corruption itself, lack of transparency.

— Onuesoke OgbodoJoy The truth is that people are suffering a lot of hardship now but this was not the promise.

The campaign promise was to bring down the cost of fuel, create jobs, naira value to be at par with dollar, provide electricity and other social amenities.

there were cheap foods in the market, fuel at affordable prices, exchange rates affordable for importers, peace and unity all over Nigeria. We expect the APC to do more than this or build on the achievement of PDP but you can see what is happening now.

CNEKOH PDP is far better than the APC government. We all are aware of the situation during the reign of the PDP, where

TOBBY777 Goldenrule With a mindset like this Nigeria will continue to sink in the ocean of underdevelopment. What Nigeria made during the 16 year reign of PDP is more than what we made from 1960 to 1999. The decent Nigerians that gave the PDP name like Dr. Alex Ekweme, Solomon Lar and a few others were relegated at the Jos convention that brought in former President, Olusegun Obasanjo as the party candidate. The PDP never recovered from that error.

TRENDING ISSUES ON TWITTER Dele Momodu @DeleMomodu I talk more about development and they don't just happen without persons Africa Research Inst ?@AfricaResearch How to Rob #Africa: Billions disappear from the country every year, who's responsible?

Feyi Esan Keshinro @FeyiEsan

Clinton bests Sanders in the Virgin Islands, edges closer to Democratic...

We shouldn't be surprised. Who makes decisions at twitter

O m o j u w a V e r i f i e d account@Omojuwa Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn't matter which color does the hating. It's just plain wrong

Elvis Eromosele @elviseroms BENIN CITY,; Heavy traffic build-up along Uselu/Uggbowo road axis due to the ongoing traditional rites. @trafficbutter @Gidi_Traffic

Muthoni Muriu @jmmuriu

Prof Of Flashback @ikennaasomba13 NDA Avengers launches new website

Vanguard, MONDAY JUNE 6 , 2016 — 39

RECOVERED LOOT: FG should publish names — SERAP

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

L

AGOS—THE SocioEconomic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, yesterday hailed the publication of the list of recovered funds, but insisted that the Federal Government should publish names of those involved.

Beside, SERAP, charged the government to channel the funds for concrete projects for positive development towards the establishment of a culture of transparency and accountability in government.

In a statement by its Executive Director, Tokunbo Mumuni, SERAP, said publishing the names of highranking public officials involved will be in line with international standard, recognizing that naming those involve will shame them and prevent future occurrence and also discourage any form of looting or re-looting of the recovered funds.

To use the funds appropriately, the body called on President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a mechanism with a view to ensuring that it is applied in a transparent and accountable manner.

In stated: “The recovered funds must be spent to directly benefit Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations particularly to improve their access to quality education, healthcare including for children, women and the elderly, and regular and uninterrupted electricity supply. ''It will be a double jeopardy for victims of corruption if recovered funds are re-looted, as it was the case with Sani Abacha recovered loot.”

Earth tremor causes panic in Oyo community

By Ola Ajayi & Ikenna Asomba

I

BADAN—RESIDENTS of Saki in Oke Ogun area of Oyo State are now living in palpable fear over what they described as earth tremor that started few weeks ago.

Places where the deafening underground vibration are rampant are Medinat, Veterinary and Ogbooro areas of the town.

According to Wikipedia, an earth tremor (also known as a earthquake,or temblor) is the perceptible shaking of the surface of the earth, resulting from the sudden release of energy in the earth’s crust that creates seismic waves.

Tremor can be violent enough to toss people around and destroy whole cities.

Nigeria experienced tremor in 1933, 1939, 1964, 1984, 1990, 1994, 1997, 2000 and 2009.

The National President, Building Collapse Prevention Guild, Mr Kunle Awobodu, an expert in the built environment, recently stated that Nigeria, particularly the South-West region was not immuned to tremor.

According to him, geophysical and geological studies have discovered that a fault zone that connects with the Atlantic fracture system exists along Ifewara in Osun State and Zungeru.in Niger State.

Meanwhile, an eyewitness, Alhaji Dauda Tijani said the underground vibration, which shakes houses in the affected areas to their foundations was very disturbing.

For fear of being caught unawares, residents of the areas have left the community in droves.

He said: “The terrible vibration started about three months ago, but we thought it was a mere noise that would stop. Instead of stopping, it happens on regular basis. At times, the ground could vibrate five times a day and at times, it may not vibrate within three days.

“People are very confused and

AWARDS: From left; MD/CEO, BusinessToday Online Ltd, Nkechi Naeche; DG, Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC), Mrs Folasade Onanuga; MD/CEO, Anchor Insurance Plc, Ademayowa Adeduro and Head, Research/Business Devt, BusinessToday Online, Gabriel Esezobor during the 3rd BusinessToday Online Insurance and Pension Industry Awards 2015 at Protea Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos. have vacated the affected areas.

My child was living there before, but he has been living with me for the past one and half months.”

“When the ground vibrates, buildings in the areas would be shaking seriously and then stop”.

Another eyewitness, Mr Adeola Fehintola, a lawyer, said the tremor was very unsettling.

According to him, the Oyo State Government sent some people here, but they are not showing enough seriousness about the issue.

By Onozure Dania

L

AGOS—THE embattled widow of the late Biafran warlord, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Bianca Ojukwu has asked a Lagos State High Court, sitting at Igbosere to reject an application filed by her husband’s second child, seeking to be joined as defendant in the suit she filed against the family over property.

Bianca, an ex-beauty queen and former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain, had on behalf of her two under-aged children, Afamefuna and

to Governor Abiola Ajimobi, he directed enquiries to the Permanent Secretary on Environment, Oguntola Gabriel who said when something like that happens, it is a precursor to an earthquake.

He said: “First of all, we have not been there. I was in Abuja and I just came back. When the ground vibrates like that, it’s a precursor to an earthquake. But, for now, I can’t validate that. This week, we will make sure we are there to see what is happening.”

4TH MAINLAND BRIDGE: Lagos earmarks N120bn for land issues, others the project would be expended

By Monsur Olowoopejo

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AGOS—THE Lagos State Government has earmarked N120 billion of the N844 billion for the construction of 4th Mainland Bridge on relocation of service, contingency, design/ supervise and land acquisition

OJUKWU’S ESTATE: Bianca asks court to reject step-son’s application Nwachukwu (claimants) dragged Ojukwu Transport Limited, OTL and seven others before the court over an alleged move by the Ojukwu family to eject her sons from the company’s properties situated in Lagos.

The company, OTL, and its property belong to the grandfather of the claimants, late Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu.

Ojukwu’s second child, Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Jr was not among the eight defendants dragged before the court by Bianca but in his application seeking to be joined as defendant in the suit, he prayed the court to join him on the grounds that he is a director of the first defendant

“The Federal Government should please send experts here to see what the noise is. If it is something they can prevent or do something about, let them come quickly. We see this thing as something that needs urgent attention so that when it eventually happens, there will be no casualty. Residents have deserted the area as I’m speaking with you and many more are moving their things out, he said.

When Vanguard called the Special Adviser on Environment

company, OTL and by virtue of his position has responsibility to look after the interest of the other children of his late father.

He averred that the claimants in the suit are the last two of the eight children of his late father and they are represented by their mother who was the last of the six wives of his late father.

Emeka, urged the court to join him as defendant in the best interest of justice, stating that any decision in respect of the claims of Bianca’s two children in the suit so far as it relates to his father ’s interest in OTL will affect him as the current head of the late Dim Chukwuemeka OJukwu’s family.

and compensation to owners of property expected to give way for the project.

This was contained in a presentation obtained by Vanguard , which clarified financial commitment on the project.

The State Government had in April revealed that with the new alignment adopted for the project, 800 structures and shanties would be affected by the construction of the 38 kilometre road.

The document stated that the total length of the Bridge was 38 kilometre, stating that 25 kilometre of the Bridge would fall on the Mainland axis of the state, eight kilometres on the lagoon and five kilometres will be on the Lekki corridor.

According to the presentation; “N20 billion would be spent on land acquisition and compensation to owners of property on the route adopted for the 4th Mainland Bridge.

“N17 billion would be expended on relocation of service and N67 billion earmarked for contingency” that may arise during the construction of the project.

“N16 billion of the total fund for

on design/ supervising of the project,” the presentation added.

It further gave a breakdown of the N844 billion, noting that the initial cost of the project, that is, to get it operational between year 2016 and year 2021, was N790 billion.

The project will be constructed under a Build, Operate and Transfer, BOT concession and the state’s Public-Private Partnership, PPP programme for a period of 40 years.

The presentation stated that during the concession period (2021 and 2061), N20 billion would be spent on annual operating cost while N5 billion for the “structural pavement” repair works between 2018 and 2033.

Also, the presentation disclosed that N19 billion was earmarked for the five year refresh programme of work along the route between year 2030 and 2061 while N10 billion would be spent on the ‘Add overlay plus line and refurbish before handback’ between year 2055 and year 2061.

The presentation noted that due to the state of the project, “it cannot be constructed in phases because it would cost more than expected.”

40 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

Bank customers transferred N10trn in 4 years —CBN L

By Babajide Komolafe

AGOS—THE Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN has said that bank customers made instant money transfers of N10 trillion in four years.

Assistant Director, Banking and Payment System Department CBN, Mr. AgboolaOlusola, disclosed this at a one-day interactive enlightenment session with stakeholders in Lagos, weekend.

He said that the total number of Bank Verification Numbers linked to accounts as at May 31, 2016, stood at 34,765,546.

Speaking on the achievements recorded under the cashless policy of the CBN, Olusola said: “Instant money transfers through Deposit Money Banks grew to N10 trillion as at February, 2016, from N307 million in the first quarter of 2012.

“Value of transactions through Point of Sales (PoS) rose to N46 billion in February, 2016 from N39 million in January, 2012, while transactions through Mobile Money increased from N31 billion in 2012 to N1.1 trillion in April, 2016 with 107,571 agents and 29.9million customers.’’

He said through the cashless policy, the CBN sought to

transform both commercial and retail payments to increase the use of electronic (alternative to cash) channels.

He said the CBN had so far conducted a nation-wide cashless sensitization campaign; successfully implemented cashless policy in Lagos, Abia, Anambra, Kano, Ogun, Rivers

and FCT; licensed 21 Mobile Money Operators and six Payment Terminal Service Providers, PTSPs, among others.

On job losses, the acting Director, Corporate Communications, CBN Mr. Isaac Okoroafor, said it was not peculier to the industry.

He said it was about what the labour law says and

about the country’s industrial policy, but remained optimistic that the Ministry of Labour and the banks would arrive at a reasonable conclusion in their soon-tobe-held meeting.

He said the interactive session was a way of sensitizing stakeholders about the recent policies taken by the apex bank.

PRESENTATION: From left—Mr. John Jack Gougassian, Mr. Kingsley Emu, And Mr. Jack Achkar, at the public presentation of 05 Initiative of Dame Edith Okowa, wife of Delta State Governor to mark her birthday in Asaba. Photo: Nath Onojake.

How Yar'Adua's death stalled implementation of more amnesty packages —Gen Abbe

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN CITY—FORMER Minister of Defence and pioneer Chairman of the Presidential Committee on the Implementation of the Amnesty Programme, Maj. Gen. Godwin Abbe (retd), weekend, lamented that the sudden death of President Umaru Yar’Adua, led to the failure to implement some of the packages in the amnesty programme meant for the Niger Delta region.

Describing the current insurgency in the region as senseless, he noted that President Muhammadu Buhari, who was not privy to the amnesty arrangement has started the implementation of some of the key items through the on-going cleanup of oil spills in Ogoniland, the construction of the East West rail line, has warned the Niger Delta Avengers and other militant groups destroying oil pipelines to desist from actions capable of destroying not only the environment but the entire economy of the nation.

Speaking at the public presentation of a book titled “Home –School Partnership for School Effectiveness,” Abbe who called for dialogue, narrated that “There is no programme that is forever. But, I think that the point of departure was the fact that after the demise of President Yar’Adua,

the type continuity that would have taken place did not take place. But that is past now as President Buhari was not a party to that.

“There are several aspects of the amnesty programme that

were concluded. It was not just enough to send these young ones to institutions of higher learning, develop the manpower needs of the Niger Delta region.

There were other projects that would have been taken on. Like

the East West Road, it took a long time for it to be completed. The present government has taken on the East West rail way line.

There was also the idea of constructing a coastal high way from Ekpe to Akwa Ibom State.”

Ize-Iyamu, PDP's winning hope, says party stalwart EDO:

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—A chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ovia North East Local Government Area, Edo State, Mr. Solomon Odemwingie, has described a governorship aspirant of the party, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as a ‘Winning Hope` in the September I0, 2016 election Odemwingie who spoke on behalf of Ize-Iyamu when some youths visited him in his house, weekend. in Benin, said that the governorship aspirant was the only one who could break the winning apparatus of the All Progressives Congress, APC. He appealed to delegates of the party to this months’ governorship primaries to give Pastor Ize-Iyamu the governorship ticket, describing him as a crowd puller and an inspirational icon in the political arena.

He said: “Indeed, I see him as a winning hope for the party and if you so agree with me, let us urge our party leaders to give him the ticket and be sure of reclaiming the state. By this appeal, I am not saying that other aspirants are not good enough. Certainly, they are eminently qualified but there can never be more than one governor at a time.

The battle we are in is a serious one because we are not in the federal, state or local government.”

Oyegun, Oshiomhole, Eta assure Edo APC gov aspirants level playing field

By Gabriel Enoghlase

B

E N I N — N AT I O N A L Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, Governor Adams Oshiomhole and National Vice Chairman of the party (South- South), Prince Hilliard Eta, weekend, assured party faithful and governorship aspirants of a free and fair governorship primary slated for June 18, 2016.

The leaders who spoke at a solidarity rally organised by the zone inside Edo State Government House, warned all the governorship aspirants to avoid campaigns of calumny, infighting, and bigotry.

On his part, Eta said it was an established fact that in some states where the party had the opportunity to win elections through popular mandate, such opportunities were lost through preference for mediocrity.

He said: “This idea of imposition is not only unfortunate and regrettable but is one issue that we must guard against and we must address

issues of internal democracy in the Edo poll. As we go into the primary election, one of you will emerge and whoever that person is, he is a candidate of all and his subsequent victory

will be for all. For us as a party, we want to come back to Edo, have a roundtable with all the aspirants and decide on how to jointly move Edo forward from where Governor Oshiomhole has left it."

APBN partners FG on fight against corruption the citenzry compared to their professional levels and support

L

AGOS—THE Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria, APBN, and the Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, have expressed their resolve to partner the Federal Government in its anti-corruption war in order to curtail the menace among the nation’s professionals.

This came as Lagos State branch of Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, decried the state of the economy and what they described as geometric progression in expenditure by

take home, which results in several cases of rental defaults and litigation.

The President of all professional bodies in the country, Mr. Gabriel Fasoto, made the disclosure at the investiture of the 22nd President of Nigerian Institution of. Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, Dr. Bolarinde Patunola-Ajayi in Lagos.

Fasoto noted that the war against corruption would be more effective, if the nation’s professionals shunned corrupt practices at individual and

present efforts being made to curb corruption in the country.

He noted that it was unethical for professionals to collect and superintend over construction projects, that they do not have expertise on, counseling them to direct such jobs to appropriate professionals to avert project failure.

In his address ,the President of Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, Dr. Bolarinde Patunola- Ajayi lamented the incursion of other professional into real estate agency.

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A4—VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

Muhammad Ali had tough time for a year before death— Doctor

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UHAMMAD Ali’s doctor says the iconic boxer had been “having a tough time in the last year” before his death.

The three-time world heavyweight champion, who had Parkinson’s disease for 32 years, died aged 74 from “septic shock due to unspecified natural causes” according to his family.

“The last week has been particularly tough,” said Abraham Lieberman, who was with Ali only hours before he died.

“It became apparent God wanted him and we all became reconciled to it.” Lieberman told BBC Radio 5 live’s Sportsweek: “Everyone at the back of their minds expected something bad was going to happen but you always hope you will beat the odds because he is someone who always beat the odds - he is not an ordinary person.

“He stood up for his beliefs and what he thought was right. He treated everybody from the humblest person to

the biggest celebrity the same - which was fair.

“You could not believe how nice he was outside the ring compared to the way he was inside the ring. I lost a great friend.”

Lieberman, a director of the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center in Arizona, rejected suggestions that boxing was solely responsible for Ali’s illness.

“I don’t think it helped but I think he developed it slowly over a number of years,” he said.

West African leaders discuss setting up antiextremist force The member states EST African W leaders discussed setting up a force to combat

extremists in the region and will send an observation mission to Gambia before elections, the regional economic body said.

The decisions were announced after about a dozen heads of state, including presidents from Ivory Coast, Niger and Mali, met in Dakar, Senegal, for the 49th session of the Economic

Community of West African States.

“We must constantly reconcile the free movement of people and goods with security measures,” said the new president of the body, Marcel Alain de Souza of Benin, at the opening of the day-long summit. “The multiplication of the number of zones of terrorism in our space obliges us to share information on all activities and to coordinate and mobilize our resources.”

discussed the creation of a regional force, he said later Saturday, without giving further details.

The threat of extremism in the region has increased following major attacks by al-Qaida-linked militants in Mali, Burkina Faso and in Ivory Coast. The Nigeriabased Boko Haram, which has declared its support for the Islamic State group, continues to carry out attacks in Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.

U.S. warns Islamist militants planning attacks in South Africa government said the The U.S. embassy said

T

HE United States warned its citizens on Saturday of possible attacks by Islamist militants on U.S. facilities or shopping malls in South Africa during the upcoming month of Ramadan, but the South African

country was safe.

It was the second such warning in under a year from the embassy, which issued a similar alert in September in a country that has a significant expatriate and tourist population but has seldom been associated with Islamist militancy.

up-market shopping areas and malls in the commercial hub of Johannesburg and Cape Town, widely regarded as South Africa’s tourism capital, were the main target areas in the suspected planned attacks.

Libyan brigades capture air base from Islamic State south of Sirte Mourners queued up to pay their respects at Muhammad Ali’s childhood home, 3302 Grand Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky

Iraqi forces secure southern edge of completely encircled the western bank of the Fallujah whole Iraqi city. A leader Euphrates.

F

IGHTERS battling to retake Fallujah from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group say they have secured its southern edge and have almost

of the Iran-backed Shia coalition taking part in the offensive said on Sunday the only side of Fallujah that remained to be secured by pro-Baghdad forces was part of the

Swedish nun canonised for She also won praise for saving Jews promoting better relations

A

NUN who saved Jewish families during World War Two has been made the first Swedish saint in more than 600 years.

Pope Francis canonised Roman Catholic convert Mary Elizabeth Hesselblad at a ceremony in St Peter’s Square on Sunday.

Ms Hesselblad hid Jewish families in the convent in Rome where she was the mother superior.

The Pope also canonised Polish monk Stanislaus Papczynski for supporting the poor in the 17th Century.

He founded the first men’s religious order dedicated to the Virgin Mary ’s immaculate conception.

A former nurse, she is credited with saving at least 12 Jews during the war, concealing families inside her Rome convent for about six months before the war ended.

between Catholics and non-Catholics and for encouraging both Christians and nonChristians towards the church.

Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust remembrance centre honoured her as one of theRighteous Among the Nations in 2004.

“We are now at the gates of Fallujah,” Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy leader of the Popular Mobilisation Forces, told a news conference broadcast on state TV. People fleeing Fallujah have been using anything that floats to help them get across the river, which is about 250 to 300 metres wide at the crossing point in farmland just south of the city, provincial council head Shakir al-Essawi said.

About 50,000 civilians live in Fallujah, 50km from Baghdad, with limited access to water, food and healthcare, according to a UN

B

RIGADES aligned with Libya’s U.N.backed government said on Saturday they had captured Ghardabiya air base from Islamic State to the south of the militant group’s stronghold of Sirte.

Spokesman Mohamed al-Gasri said the capture of the base, about 20 km (12 miles) from the centre of Sirte, was strategically significant since it cut off supply routes for Islamic State and “trapped them further” within the city.

Three fighters from the government-backed brigades were killed and around five wounded in Saturday’s fighting, he said.

The brigades, mainly made up of fighters from the western city of Misrata, have driven Islamic State back to the outskirts of Sirte from the west over the past three

weeks. They counterattacked after Islamic State had advanced towards Misrata in early May. To the east, a separate

force that controls oil terminals and is also loyal to the U.N.-backed government captured two small towns from Islamic State earlier this week.

Trade volume between Nigeria, Italy now $3bn nities in Nigeria.

By Victoria Ojeme

TALIAN Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Fulvio I Rustico, has said that the

volume of trade between Nigeria and Italy was $3 billion dollars last year.

The envoy, who spoke at the weekend during the country’s National Day celebration in Abuja, said there was need to boost ties between both nations.

Rustico also said the two governments are working to organise an official visit of Italian Economic Minister along with team of investors to explore the huge investment opportu-

His words: “What we want to do now is to boost our economic relationship with Nigeria. We are working for a visit of several Nigerian ministers to Italy around November or early next year, depending on how fast we can go to present Nigerian government to Italian industries.

“We are also exploring ways of how to create a platform for the private sectors of both countries to know each other better and do business together.

This requires some work and that is why we are working hard with several ministries in Nigeria.”

Switzerland’s voters reject basic income of 2,500 Swiss income plan

S

WISS voters have overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to introduce a guaranteed basic income for all.

Final results from Sunday ’s referendum showed that nearly 77% opposed the plan, with only 23% backing it.

The proposal had called for adults to be paid an unconditional monthly income, whether they worked or not.

The supporters camp had suggested a monthly

francs (£1,755; $2,555) for adults and also SFr625 for each child.

The amounts reflected the high cost of living in Switzerland. It is not clear how the plan would have affected people on higher salaries.

The supporters had also argued that since work was increasingly automated, fewer jobs were available for workers.

Switzerland is the first country to hold such a vote.

Ali’s brother Rahman greeted wellwishers at the home they shared as boys in Kentucky.

A5—Vanguard, MONDAY MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

PMB’s first year in office

By Ebele Orakpo

’T

*Some boats used in water transportation in Lagos. INSET: Alhaji Muazu Sambo, NIWA Lagos Area Manager

Lagos inland waterways:

Boat operators protest prohibitive regulations

By Mike Ebonugwo HE Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria, ATBOWATON, has described as a healthy development a recent meeting at which they had the opportunity to rub minds with officials of the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA and the Lagos State Waterways Authority, LASWA, with the aim of improving water transportation on the inland waterways of Lagos.

The event was particularly remarkable as it brought together NIWA and LASWA which have for some time been locked in a seeming cold war following a legal tussle over who should exercise regulatory control on the activities of sand dredgers and boat operators on the inland waterways of the state.

But while they applaud the convening of the meeting, ATBOWATON members are not particularly happy with its outcome, especially with respect to some regulatory guidelines handed to them by the regulators.

The regulations were contained in an operational standards manual for commercial boat operators which was jointly signed by the Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Alhaji Muazu Sambo and the LASWA boss, Abisola Kamson. It stipulated that all commercial boats must be fitted with two engines and a functional speedometer.

The regulations included that: “All commercial boats must also be fitted with appropriate navigational aids, including GPS and Echo Sounder Systems as well as cabin lighting systems.

Each boat must also have life jackets, fire extinguishers, paddle, life buoys, shore to sea communication gadgets, key starter, horn and alarm systems.

“Commercial boats should have a minimum of four emergency exits, as well as toilet and waste treatment facilities for bigger boats with 70 or more passengers.

T

C M Y K

Commercial boats must adhere to a speed limit of six knots around jetties and a maximum of 15 knots as service speed as well as provide manifest of passengers on board.

“Besides having a comprehensive insurance cover submitted to regulatory bodies annually, boats must be subjected to a bi-annual inspection for standards while boat drivers must be certified for competence and be issued a certificate. There should be a manifest secured in a water tight carrier, boat names should be boldly written on both sides and carry appropriate flags while commercial boat colours must

The relevant authorities should endeavour to sanitise the inland water ways by clearing it of debris, logs, wrecks as well as carrying out dredging and channelisation of the routes and putting signage on the waterways conform to the specified standards.”

But in their reaction via a letter they dispatched to the two regulatory bodies, ATBOWATON had complained about the nonworkability of some of the guidelines and appealed that they be reviewed, arguing that the guidelines will hinder rather than enhance safe water transportation in the state. It faulted, for instance, the recommended minimum boat size of 7.3m length, 2.2m width, distance between seats of 0.6m as well as minimum capacity of 30 passengers, adding that “the dimension is also silent about the

depth and height of the hull”.

It also described as untenable the recommended provision of a minimum of four emergency exits in a boat with two on each side, given the stipulated size of the boat. The association said a boat of such specification “can be built/ constructed by our local boat builders in Lagos, Ondo, Cross River, River and Bayelsa states etc”. According to it: “This would also create job opportunity for Lagosians and Nigerians as a whole in line with the present administration’s policy to encourage local content”.

The association also picked holes in the directive that the use of navigational aids, including GPS and Echo sounder system, should now be the operational standard for commercial boat operations on the Lagos inland waterways.

It argued that before the directive is enforced, the relevant authorities should endeavour “to sanitise the inland water ways by clearing it of debris, logs, wrecks” , as well as carrying out dredging and channelisation of the routes and putting signage on the waterways.

Apart from putting in place these accident prevention measures, the authorities are also being enjoined to make the recommended equipment readily available to the boat operators for purchase through large quantity importation as they are not available in the local markets.

ATBOWATON’s list of demands also included an appeal to both the Federal and the Lagos State governments to avail boat operators needed grants and soft loans to acquire standard boats with requisite navigation aids and safety accessories like life jackets. And like Oliver Twist, they were not shy in asking that they be granted license to erect a filling station at the NIWA Marina Jetty in addition to a request to the NNPC/DPR to allow them operate a floating filling station at the Lagos waterways since there is presently no filling station within the Lagos waterways where boat operators can purchase premium motor spirit, PMS or petrol.

O me, President Buhari’s administration has not done well at all. People are hungry for goodness sake,” said Timmy this Monday morning in the Apapa-bound bus.

“You are not being fair to him. He has tried to redeem the image of Nigeria in the international community by fighting corruption vigorously” said TJ. Asked Emma: “Which corruption? Na war against corruption we go chop? Look, person wey dey cry, dey see road oo. The man just dey operate one-way traffic.

He is fighting corruption while neglecting real governance. How do you expect a hungry man not to be corrupt?”

“So are you saying he should not fight corruption and recover our money?” asked TJ, to which Emma replied thus: “That is what I am saying. He should do other things he was elected to do apart from fight corruption. He can make the institutions set up to fight corruption stronger and allow them pursue that while he faces governance and deliver his promises to the people, period!”

“Hmm, please those who wine and dine with the president should advise him to wake up to his responsibilities. I think his advisers and spokespersons are shielding him away from the reality on ground. People are disenchanted with him. It is very dangerous to go on the streets today and shout ‘Sai Baba.’ The common man does not want to know who stole what or how many trillions you have recovered; all he wants is his salary as at when due, food on his table, electricity, water, just the basic things,” said Timmy.

“What irks me most about this administration is their penchant for blaming the past administration. When they were promising the people heaven on earth, didn’t they realise what they were doing? Quit the blame game please. After all, PMB is a past president.

Did the person who took over from him complain? He went to work. So please, get to work already! The way they are going, they are making us believe those that said they were never ready to govern but were prepared to fight. PMB should prove them wrong,” said Blessing.

“Even Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, PMB should be his most ardent supporter, a father to all; had condemned the constant blame game. He he should reach said he did not inherit a perfect Federal Capital out to all Territory as a minister but aggrieved he did not go about blaming his predecessor. sections of the Instead, he went to work country and and did his best to leave listen to them the place better than he met it. I think that is the spirit. Whining and blaming your predecessor shows you up as one without any solution to offer” said Eka. “Yeah, even OBJ said Buhari was luckier than him, yet he did not go about blaming his predecessor. My question is: Where is all the trillions of naira they said they have recovered and the ones looters have returned? They should use it to cushion the negative effects of their policies on the masses,” said Rose.

“PMB should be a father to all. He should reach out to all aggrieved sections of the country and listen to them. Campaigns are over so propaganda should be over. He should not be seen as giving preferential treatment to the so-called 97% who voted for him while neglecting the so-called 5% that did not. As a father, he will not cast out one of his children for disagreeing with him,” stated Timmy.

“As humans, we are prone to listen to and flow with those who agree with us but the truth is that you cannot succeed that way. Listen to both friends and foes. Sometimes, your so-called friends will lead you to destruction unintentionally,” said Emma.

A-6—VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

their hands. And by the way, let me be honest with you, this is natural resources; nobody owns it and nobody farms it but by virtue of the location that you find yourself. If there is ecological diversification and you need to do something for your livelihood, then you table this issue to the federal government so that there would be amicable resolution Giving the adverse effects of their actions, will it not be better to seek dialogue?

What do they need? Let them come out and tell government that ‘this has been our farmland, it has been devastated, we have no land to farm anymore’ and then bring a proposal to the federal government. This is how it should be done than issuing threats. If I were the president, I would have ended that thing by now.

How would you have done it?

Yes, by closing the whole thing down. Before oil came, didn’t this country exist? So,

•Waku

Jonathan was just a lazy president — Sen. Waku *Asks Buhari to lock down the Niger Delta SENATOR Joseph Kennedy N Waku, (JKN Waku), the stormy petrel of the Middle Belt was elected senator for the Benue North West Constituency of Benue State, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in 1999. Not long after he came into national renown following his controversial call for a military coup on the claim that President Olusegun Obasanjo was derailing the democracy project. Since then he has been an unrepentant critic of President Obasanjo, and a major political figure in the North. Waku is not only a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC but also of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF. In this interview, he speaks on current national issues. Excerpts:

By Joseph Erunke

W

HAT is your reaction to the renewed insurgency by militants in the Niger Delta?

In the first place, what were the offences committed by these people before they were pardoned? Are they not criminals? If I were the president, I would jail them.

So, are you ruling out dialogue as being proposed by some people as a way of resolving the problem?

What kind of dialogue? Let them bring to table what they want. Let them do what they are doing, they will also suffer it. Are they also not suffering when they ruin the economy?

Are they not facing the same

problem like you and I? They are talking of marginalization today.

If you create Biafra today, is Biafra solidly Igbo's? It’s not.

When you go there, you would find a southern minority who will tell you that they don’t want to be part of it, even among the Igbo. Some Igbo will tell you that they don’t want it. If there is definitive kind of discrimination against certain segments of the country, that needs to be addressed because injustice creates dissatisfaction. If there have been injustices against one particular group in this country, let’s address it and not by taking the law into their hands.

That is criminality. We are

also affected but we want to take it in a matured approach.

You cannot go and begin to destroy state apparatus in order to achieve your agitation, it is against the law.

I am not in a position to talk about which contract was revoked because I am not involved in that.

If those contracts were illegally awarded without going through the due process and the current administration wants to follow due process, what is bad about that? Go and do your investigation on that contract to see whether the old law that qualifies one for such contracts were made. What do you award contracts to militants for? In the first

place, the name ‘militant’ is criminality. It is only this country that somebody will come back and say I am a militant and then ‘you award him contract.’ If they claim to be agitators as they are saying, then let them come out with their demands and not by holding the state to ransom.

Now, how would you want the government to handle this situation?

My advice is that you can’t take government for ransom.

If their livelihoods have been damaged considerably by the pipelines and they have nowhere to go, let there be adequate compensation to them. It is not to take laws into

What Buhari needs from you and I and many Nigerians is prayers, so that we get out from this mess. Let me tell you, Goodluck Jonathan was just a lazy president

what are you talking about?

We have been blindfolded and Nigeria became so lazy, a nation of cheap money.

Before the oil, we had cocoa, we had palm oil, groundnut and pyramid, and those were the things that actually helped to develop the oil.

At a point, we in Benue challenged them that okay,’ let them go and drink their oil, we would eat our yams and then see who will survive.’

Do you regret the four years you spent on the platform of the PDP in the Senate especially given your assertion that the 16 years of the PDP was a waste?

You can see the difference, during my time, we averted it. We tried to stop it and that was why the powers that be at that time didn’t let us come back so that they can have a field day. We must understand

Continues on page 37

VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016—A-7

Continues from page 36 that it is not everybody that is in PDP that is a corrupt person, no. Even the sharing of the cake which is being probed now, it wasn’t all PDP members that got involved in it because these people were not in good book with the powers that be.

How many PDP members are being locked up, how many of them? The membership of PDP is over 15 million but the number of them being locked is not up to one hundred.

Those being locked up are the targeted criminals in PDP, who thought that they had it all. PDP is not a bad party but the leadership was bad.

Some people are saying the war against corruption is selective, that if corrupt PDP members run to the APC, they are left off the hook but I don’t think so. If you have any allegation against anyone, come out with evidence and see if the government will not take action. If you run away from PDP to APC, wanting to take a refuge so that nothing will happen to you, you won’t survive here because I will personally expose you because APC is not a home for criminals to come and take refuge.

As a chieftain of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, can you reveal the position of the body on the issue of the clashes allegedly stoked by herdsmen?

Well, I think the National Assembly is working on a law that would solve the problem.

I can only tell you the position of my state, which is Benue.

We, in Benue State are against grazing reserve.

Brazil has the largest number of cows in the world and you don’t see any cow there on the street. So, we want the same practice here, we need ranches so that the cows can be in one place. That is what this country needs. It is for the good quality cow meat and milk. To get good milk out of cows, they need to be in one place. We are against grazing areas but we are encouraging ranches.

But the pending bill in the National Assembly which you talked about seems to be favourably disposed to establishment of grazing reserve rather than ranches….(cuts in) No, no. We are against grazing reserve, that can’t work. Grazing reserve is not fashionable in Nigeria, that was about 20 to 30 years ago.

Now, that can no longer work.

The ongoing administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is one year old now, could you give me your

Jonathan was just a lazy president — Sen. Waku me, it is the best policy. ’I think the government should be praised for reducing the hardship from them.

But the Goodluck Jonathan came up with similar policy and most Nigerians including some chieftains of the ruling party now protested against it….(Cuts in) No, it was not as worse as we witnessed under this government. Nigerians were not as disciplined as they are now.

The Labour union protested against this policy, demanding a correspondent increase in minimum wage given the hardship that followed government’s action. Are you in support of increase in minimum wage?

Yes, I support the increase in the salaries to cushion the effects of the fuel price hike but I don’t respect labour.

•Waku independent assessment of the administration so far?

Let me tell you, Nigeria is lucky to have Buhari as a president. I cannot claim that he is one hundred percent right. He is not, but Buhari came into government at a time Nigeria needed somebody like him.

The fact that you are aware today that an individual was given N2.5 billion to N2.6 billion to offer prayers for some persons to remain in office alone has established and brought sanity to this country. The ongoing hardship is not caused by him; the hardship has been caused by previous leaders.

He just inherited it. What has been destroyed for 16 years cannot be done in one year.

The exposure that Nigerians now know how their monies were stolen by the previous administration alone, is a developmental index and progression. It instils fear into Nigerians that ‘if I get into this office, let me be careful. So, the Buhari administration has brought us sanity of governance.

Although there are still hardened criminals in offices but it is no longer business as usual. Therefore, I think

Nigerians should pray for him because when you are fighting corruption, corruption fights back. So,

president. And because of that, people took his kindliness for granted and that was why there was this problem. Otherwise, the most corrupt presidency was that of Obasanjo.

He has no choice than to probe Obasanjo’s regime, otherwise, probing Goodluck alone will look like witchhunting

Are you saying that the ongoing war against corruption be extended to him (Obasanjo)?

Look, Buhari has no choice if he wants Nigerians to have confidence in his fight against corrupt practices. He must probe Obasanjo’s regime, he has no choice. He has no choice than to probe Obasanjo’s regime, otherwise, probing Goodluck alone will look like witch-hunting.

what Buhari needs from you and I and many Nigerians is prayers, so that we get out from this mess. Let me tell you, Goodluck Jonathan was just a lazy president.

The recent increase in price of fuel pump has added to the hardship of the citizens of Nigeria, do you think this action was necessary especially at the time it was done?

Let me tell you, Nigeria is one country that doesn’t respect law. Nigerians were buying the product for N300 per litre and somebody got up and said you were buying this at such amount and you were not even finding it, go and buy at N145 where you will see the product everywhere. To

How, sir?

Because he took things for granted, he was not in charge of the affairs of the country as

Why? Where were they when petrol was being sold at over N300 a litre all over the streets? They are hypocrites, I don’t respect them. Labour has been politicized. It is no longer the labour you used to know. Look, when we were coming up as young people, there were three tiers of organizations that could bring government down. And these were student unions, media organsiation and labour.

But when the media started taking fat envelopes, and started giving state governors title like ‘executive governors’, the system started collapsing. There is nothing in the constitution like executive governor, this thing came from the press. Go and check the constitution, the constitution said there shall be a governor of a state and not executive governor but the press started the ‘executive governor’ titled because they needed some fat envelopes from some governors. And that grew up the governors’ head. So, the media organization also lost its steam.

I had the cause to criticize the speakers of state Houses of Assembly. You could imagine that a speaker would get up and address governors as executive governors! Even when the governor presents his state budget to the House of Assembly, and the speaker still gets up to respond and addresses the governor as executive governor! Would he present the budget to you if he were executive governor?

He could sit in his office and

A-8 —Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

LEISURE

YOUR LUCK TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

LIBRA; Happenings within your working arena’ll give genuine cause to smile and with efforts on your part you’re in for a rewarding day. Take advantage of your sex-appeal to enhance your love life. Experiment with ideas creatively.

SCORPIO ; Creativity may take front in what’s happening within your base of operation and the best for you is to join them. Lovers are fairly favoured.

SAGITTARIUS ; Tomorrow is your great day. Yet your being creative today can earn you un-expected good result at the end of the day. Be family minded now.

CAPRICORN ; Needed solution to challenges along your career/business lines will come through your being creative. Prepare to take good advice on your finances.

AQUARIUS; If you take unusual ideas coming to your mind today more seriously, thins’ll work favourably for you. The more financially ambitious you’re the better.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

L

IFE is all about relationship. It is all about how you relate well with the other man or woman. For ex-

About Relationship? ample, a successful father should be able to relate well with his children, a successful leader

TERROR MUDA

should be able to relate well with his followers.

Similarly, a good manager should have a good rap-

in “Never say goodbye”

port with members of his workforce.How well you relate with people could determine how far you will go in life.Think about it.

By Kola Fayemi

PISCES; The Moon in your Star sign favours aggressive approach in a favourable way. Here is a day Artist among you can create master piece. Be steadfast.

ARIES You’ll have much to gain if you’re more cooperative and embrace creative ideas of your close associates. And it’s good to be friendly, loving and caring.

TAURUS ; Aggressive approach is not what you need at work now, but creative approach. You’ve got nothing to lose if you take good advice from your friends.

GEMINI ; Whatever anybody says about your ambition and desire success will crown your efforts today. The more creative you are the better for your cause. And lovers can make it an exciting and happy day. Show your sex appeal and be loving.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

CANCER; Your ideas are brilliant and if you blend them creatively the sky’ll be the limit. Let people within your home base know that you truly care for them.

LEO; It does not matter who initiates creative idea that lead to success what is important is you should not be left in the cold all alone. The more co-operative you are the better for you. Don’t ignore your magnetic se-appeal.

VIRGO.; Good luck and happiness indicated for you today. But then, the scope of your success’ll depend on how co-operative and creative you are both with your loved one and at work. Prepare to take good advice especially from younger person(s).

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

Basic characteristics of Capricorn

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

B

ECAUSE they rarely day dream, Capricorn natives are set of practical people. This is because Capricorn is ruled by Saturn - the planet of career, sceptical and material things Although, the spirit of pessimism often times tempt the Capricorn born people, to succeed they will need to develop strong will that is indispensable to achievements of higher order because, series of challenges will come his/her way before he/she finally makes it to the top. Most natives of Capricorn are forced to shoulder many responsibilities early in life. Career building comes first in their priority lists which often leads to enviable career achievements that guarantee recognition. And another name for Capricorn is PATIENCE. Yet, he/she can appear mean in the business circle. And tell you that seriousness and business are synonymous. Above all, they are endowed with leadership capacity.

Capricorn ‘s quality is cardinal, element is the earth.

The cardinal aspect makes a natural leader with strong ability for hard work. Natives of cardinal signs crave for action and strongly desire prominence and often times make success of their love of action and desire for importance through relentless efforts.

The earthly connection with Capricorn further confirms innate ability for hard work and practicality .

Saturn is the planet of hard task, delay, depression, frustration, frustration but reward after so much struggles. Being a difficult teacher, Saturn usually takes its natives through many different tasks, challenges and delay. All these are meant to teach them virtues of patience and hard work. However, Saturn usually brings its natives recognition and reward.

The cautious side of Saturn always manifest in all Capricorn born people thus, but it is necessary for them to watch that side of their characteristics as they often push their cautious side too far and most of the time it results to black mood.

HOME & ABROAD

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016—41

French Open: Djokovic beats Murray to win first title W

ORLD number one Novak Djokovic yesterday beat Britain’s Andy Murray to win his first French Open title and complete the career Grand Slam.

The Serb, 29, won 36 6-1 6-2 6-4 to win his 12th major title and become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four Grand Slams at once.

Murray had hoped to secure the third leg of his own career Slam,

having already won Wimbledon and the US Open.

The Scot, 29, was Britain’s first male finalist in Paris since 1937.

Second seed Murray played superbly to win the first set but could not convert a break point early in the second, and Djokovic took control to win in three hours.

He becomes only the eighth man in history to have won all four of the

sport’s major singles prizes - and could yet match Laver’s achievement of winning all four in a calendar year.

“It’s a very special moment, the biggest of my career,” said Djokovic. “I felt today something that I never felt before at Roland Garros, I felt the love of the crowd.

“I drew the heart on the court, like Guga, which he gave me permission to do. My heart will always be with you on this court.”

•Djokovic, new French Open king

Ali didn't fight for money —Don King M

UHAMMAD Ali always said he wasn’t fighting for fame or money, he wasn’t fighting for himself. He was fighting for the

black people on welfare, black people who had no future. He wanted to win for his people.

When we were working on the ‘Rumble

Lennox Lewis

was always a very positive experience for me.

It is incredible when we think about it just how much he affected people.

Not just in sport but the whole world, in all kinds of ways.

How many other people can you say that about?

He became this icon in religion, he fought for his race. He had so much courage.

In the ring, look what he did - he was a showman as well as a brilliant fighter. Kids showboat now and that started with him!

He has been through so much and kept on fighting.

He will be missed tremendously.

Continues from BP be the best boxer I could possibly be.

He stood for excellence.

In many ways his career tailored my own, right up to fighting in Africa, just like he did.

I met him many times and it was always humbling to be around him.

He used to joke with me and I would love to be around him.

The last time when I was with him, and he was still talking, he was joking, ‘I used to be the greatest and now you are the greatest’.

It was just satisfying, excellent to talk to him. It

Continues from BP death, as he reflected on their childhood, close bond and last conversation. “His spirit will always be with me and he doesn’t go.

“He’ll always be with me — in my heart, in my bones, in my mind,” Ali said. “He’s my brother, my older brother. He’s the greatest fighter on this planet. That’s one hell of a achievement. My black brother who lived in Kentucky became the most famous man in the world. That’s a blessing from God, and I was there from the beginning.

“I miss him but I will see him again in heaven,” Ali said.

Rahaman Ali said that Muhammad “knew right from the beginning” that he’d achieve greatness in

in the Jungle’, I had a feeling that the time had come. It was very moving for me, because it was about black liberation, about freedom of the mind, of self-confidence, and pride because what we were doing was actually against all the odds; against all the racists who were espousing that black people could not rise to the occasion.

Yet here we had two black fighters, fighting for the world heavyweight title, staged on the so-called ‘dark continent’, promoted for the first time by a black promoter. This sporting event had a whole new dimension about it.

I do feel nostalgic looking back. ‘Working together works’ has always been my theme.

We had Britain’s David Frost over in Zaire on the microphone, analysing the fight, and many of your writers from the UK were there.

Don’t cry boxing.

“Muhammad was 12 years old and I was 10,” he said. “The moment he walked into the gym, he knew he would be great.

You know what he said to me? ... He said ... ‘I’m going to be the greatest fighter that ever lived.’

And then one day he did it.

“He was gifted with success, he was born with success,” he said.

Ali said he was shocked to hear of his brother’s death. While “his motor skills, his physical skills were deteriorating,” the icon’s “mind was always sharp,” he said.

In their last conversation, “he said to me with shaking, he said, ‘Rahaman how do I look?’ I said, ‘You look the

same to me, you look the same with all that shaking.’ He said to me, ‘I’m in no pain. No pain.’

He said, ‘Don’t cry for me, Rahaman. I’m going to be with Allah god. I made peace with God. I’m OK.’ “He’s going to be with God, which is the best thing,” Ali said. “And I am happy because I will meet him in heaven. He’s going to be in my prayers.

“My dad and mom were angels,” he said.

“My mother and father were good people and they told us not to hate but to love and be kind and good to people. They went to heaven and now my brother is going to heaven to join my parents. One day I will join my parents too and my brother in heaven.”

•Don King (L) and Muhammad Ali Continues from BP at half-mast on all public buildings in Louisville, where former US president Clinton will lead eulogies at a public memorial on Friday, as well as actor Billy Crystal and American TV sports presenter Bryant Gumbel.

A procession on Friday will take Ali’s body through the streets of Louisville, past the Muhammad Ali Center, travel along the street named after him – the Muhammad Ali Boulevard – and through the neighbourhood where he grew up, “to allow anyone who’s there from the world to say goodbye”, his spokesman, Bob Gunnell, said.He will be buried at Cave Hill cemetery in a private family ceremony, and an interfaith memorial service, broadcast online, will follow at the town’s sports arena.

Rahman Ali paid tribute to his “sweet, kind” brother who he said should be remembered for his prowess in the ring and devotion to humanitarianism. “There was nobody on this Earth more famous than

Mourners Muhammad Ali, he was known in every country,” he told the BBC. “God blessed him because he was such a sweet person.

My mother and father were sweet, good people, and he came from good stock. He was a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful man. He will be missed. There will never be another Muhammad Ali.” Ali said his brother, who suffered with Parkinson’s disease for more than 30 years, had “loved everybody, he had a good heart. So I cry from joy, and happiness. I want Muhammad to be remembered as a humanitarian, a loving, kind, sweet, good man.”

The boxer, who had nine children, died with his family around his hospital bed, one of his daughters revealed.

Hana Ali said his heart did not stop beating for 30 minutes after all other internal organs had failed. Hana, the boxer’s elder daughter with his third wife Veronica Porsche Ali, posted on Instagram: On Saturday, Barack Obama led tributes in a deeply personal

statement, which revealed he kept a pair of Ali’s boxing gloves in his private study.

It said: “Muhammad Ali was the Greatest.

Period. If you just asked him, he’d tell you. He’d tell you he was the double greatest; that he’d ‘handcuffed lightning, thrown thunder into jail’.

But what made the Champ the greatest – what truly separated him from everyone else – is that everyone else would tell you pretty much the same thing. Muhammad Ali shook up the world.

And the world is better for it. We are all better for it.”

Ali’s death leaves George Foreman as the sole significant survivor of the golden age of the heavyweights which included Ali, Joe Frazier, Jimmy Young and Ron Lyle.

“Each time one of us leaves, I tell everybody: Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, we were really just one guy,” Foreman told the Press Association. “And every time one slips away, you feel like you’ve lost a piece, and Muhammad Ali was the greatest piece of all.”

42 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

Mohammed Ali: The last of the Camelot giants •A tribute

BY PROFESSOR A. BOLAJI AKINYEMI

M

Y generation by which I mean the generation which came into political and social consciousness in the 1960s was lucky in the sense that we had many real heroes, men and women from whom we drew inspiration, who made us feel that the best was within reach and that God’s mission on earth was achievable by doing good. They did not come any greater than John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Kwame Nkrumah, Patrick Lumumba, Nelson Mandela, Kaduna Nzeogwu, Francis Fajuyi and yes, Mohammed Ali (the Greatest boxer of all times.). It was also the age of independence for African states, an age that liberated not just territories but the can-do spirit of the whole world.

It reminded us of the cando and elevating atmosphere prevalent in the

court of King Arthur and his knights of the round table.

That Court was known as Camelot.

But it was also an unfortunate generation because we watched helplessly as each one of our heroes was assassinated, overthrown, and incarcerated. It was a generation that watched as dreams were aborted. We watched as the dreams of independence turned into the nightmare of massacres, genocide, civil wars and kleptocracy.

Now, the last of the Camelot Titans, Mohammed Ali is gone, just gone.

I met Ali only once in Lagos during the Shagari period. The United States under Jimmy Carter was trying to organize a boycott of the Moscow Olympic Games then due to be held in Moscow. Mohammed Ali was sent by the Carter Administration to lobby African States to join in the boycott. I was still at the Institute of International Affairs as the Director-

•Professor A. Bolaji Akinyemi

General and Professor Ishaya Audu was the Foreign Minister. I turned up in Professor Audu’s office on appointment only to be told to wait a while as an unexpected visitor had shown up. Soon, the door opened and I leapt up as Ali floated out in a boxing posture as he exited the Foreign Minister’s office.

Then we shook hands.

Professor Audu said jokingly that Ali should seek to persuade me about the Moscow boycott. That Ali went on diplomatic missions on behalf of the United States showed that even though he was against the Vietnam War and was against racism in the United States, he was not against the United States.

He had a presence and a charm that masked the gritty determination of his beliefs. Ali showed a more profound and nuanced opposition to racism in the United States than most of the leaders of the antidiscrimination movements.

The singular act of changing his name from Cassius Clay Jr. to Mohammed Ali sent a more powerful message as a symbolic message than a thousand marches. Ali was probably, actually definitely, not aware of the linkage between Islam and Arab slave trade in Africa. A later awareness of this in his later years might account for his switch from Sunni Islam to Surfism (another variant of Islam). Ali was a master of the grand gesture, gestures timed for maximum effect. Without a university education, not to talk of any specialization in psychology, he used psychology to devastating effect against his opponents before they even climbed into the ring.

Ali, the master performer, elevated boxing from the basement of the poor to the

F/Eagles in Calabar, set for Burundi

T

HE Nigeria U-20 squad on Sunday flew into Calabar, capital of Cross River State as the football –loving State returns to the front burner of international football action.

Coach Emmanuel Amuneke led a group of 25 players and three officials into Canaan City, as the Flying Eagles intensify preparations for weekend’s 2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations qualifying match against the Young Swallows of Burundi.

Calabar is hosting the return leg match this Saturday, which should be a soft session for the African

champions, who pipped the Young Swallows 1-0 in Bujumbura two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, Chile 2015 FIFAU-17WorldCupbronze ball winner Samuel Chukwueze has continued in fine form in friendly matches ahead of the clash, causing serious havoc to opposition defence –lines.

Justtwodaysafterhisbrace helped the Flying Eagles demolish Nigeria National League side, Shekarau Babes FC in a friendly match played on the artificial pitch of the FIFA Goal Project in Abuja, the winger was again at his imperious best netting twice in the second half as

the Emmanuel Amuneke tutoredsidesawoffAmakson Football Academy 3-0 in another friendly match at the weekend at the same venue.

•Amuneke

•Muhammad Ali (l) and Mike Tyson sitting room of royalty and billionaires. Boxing will miss him; sports will miss him; humanity will miss him.

He survived in spite of the fact that he did not play safe.

He took on the American system when in 1964, he changed his name from Cassius Clay to Mohammed Ali after joining the Nation of Islam otherwise called the Nation of Islam and when he refused to fight in the Vietnam War. Those who took on the system especially in 60s and 70s usually paid with their lives as one hero after another got hunted

down by the invisible forces that form the underbelly of rapacious and vicious system. Mohammed Ali survived.

The death of our heroes, speaking for my generation, did not kill our dreams.

Those who kill often do not realize that dreams cannot be killed. They sow seeds that germinate over time and hopefully serve to inspire another generation.

You said you were the Greatest. So say we all. Your death brings to mind the immortal words of John Donne in his poem “For

whom the bell tolls” when he wrote “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main…any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore neversendtoknowforwhom the bells tolls, it tolls for thee” Good night Mohammed Ali.

•Professor A. Bolaji Akinyemi,

Nigerian Minister of External Affairs, 1985-87

Eagles goal 'll help Ighalo’s confidence – Coach Yusuf E AGLES caretaker coachSalisuYusufhas said he believes Odion Ighalo’s goal against Luxembourg will boost his confidence after a rather trying time for the Watford striker.The26-year-oldIghalo has shone in the English Premier League but his goal, against the Red Lions of Luxembourg was only his third goal for Nigeria with his last being against Cameroon in a friendly last year October.

Critics have already said he has failed to translate club form for country.

But coach Yusuf said he believes it was crucial for the striker’sselfconfidencetoget on the scoresheet for the Eagles again.

“Thegoal(vsLuxembourg) will do a world of good for the confidence of Ighalo,” Yusuf said.

“It has been a bit difficult for him in front of goal of late, and a goal for a player, a striker for that matter, can do wonders for your self-belief.”

•Ighalo

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016—43

Dream Team confront Honduras A

FTER two defeats from same number of matches, the national U-23 Olympic team will face their Honduras counterparts today at the Suwon invitational tournament in South Korea.

The Dream Team V1 have not performed well in the tournament after they went down 1-0 to hosts, South Korea and 6-2 to Denmark in their second match on Saturday.

Today’s encounter is seen as a formality match after which the team will fly back home to continue their preparations for the Rio Olympics where they are zoned alongside Colombia, Sweden and Japan in Group B..

•Siasia

Shell Cup hots up in Lagos LL is now set for the A final stages of the conducted this weekend Manager of the Shell annual NNPC/Shell while the two semifinal Petroleum Development Cup football competition organised for secondary schools in the 36 states of Nigeria.

Four teams have qualified for the semifinal of the 2016 edition which is billed to take place at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on June 14.

The schools are FOSLA Academy Secondary School, Abuja; Government (Senior) Secondary School Darazo, Bauchi State; Excel Education Centre, Port Harcourt, Rivers State and Asegun Comprehensive High School, Ibadan, Oyo State.

According to the organisers, a draw will be

matches will take place same day at 2pm and 4pm respectively. The final is scheduled for June 16.

The External Relations

Corruption, infighting bane of Nigerian football—Barr. Aimuan

By Jude Opara, Abuja

T

HE protracted crisis rocking Nigerian football has been linked to high level of corruption and infighting that have characterized the administration of the sport in the country.

Hoopers coach assures on good play-offs showing

R

IVERS Hoopers head coach, Ogoh Odaudu is optimistic his team will do well at the Conference play-offs in Lagos.

The two-time Nigeria Basketball League Champions will slug it out for a place in the last four in the Atlantic Conference after finishing third in the regular season games.

A confident Odaudu is set out to avoid errors that would dent his side’s chances of playing in the finals of the 2015/2016 DSTV Basketball League.

“We are picking up gradually and the regular season games are for you to make your mistakes and correct them going into the play-offs,” he posited.

“You will see a different Rivers Hoopers team when we get to the play offs because we are not

Company of Nigeria, Igo Weli, said the sponsors had enjoyed contributing to the society through the development of youths.

going to make the kind of mistakes we made in the league.

“You lose one, you put yourself in a very serious trouble. So we are going to take every game as it comes.”

Meanwhile, the Benueborn coach has called for strict measures to be taken on match officials who falter in their responsibilities.

“They should be stricter on the table officials and the referees. A basketball game is supposed to be played with three referees but we are managing two and when one doesn’t show up entirely, it doesn’t speak well for the game. NBBF should take disciplinary measures on any referee or match commissioner that refuses to show up for any game.” Odaudu concluded.

Chairman of Grace Garden International School, Barr. Collins Aimuan made the assertion over the weekend in Abuja in an interview with newsmen.

According to him, if the managers of Nigerian football will adopt the same spirit which the owners of private schools apply in running their business, the Super Eagles will in no distant time be strong enough to defeat even the world champions, Germany.

Aimuan who spoke while presenting the trophy which his school won in the last FCT Interschool Competition also revealed that his outfit effectively combines education with sports.

He added that sporting activities and development is one of the focal points of the institution which has seen their students participate in various sporting event around the world.

“Last year former Super Eagles coach, Daniel Amokachi flagged off our European League Competition which includes taking some students to Europe to meet with leading clubs.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016 — 45

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46 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

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Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016 — 47

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Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

•p .4 1

Don King speaks on Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali: Mourners to descend on Louisville for funeral procession M

UHAMMAD Ali will be laid to rest in his Kentucky home town of Louisville followed by a memorial service led by Bill Clinton, it has been announced, after it was revealed the three-time world heavyweight champion died of septic shock.

Flags have been flying continues on page 41

•Lennox Lewis (L) has paid his own tribute following the death of Muhammad Ali

•Clay (Ali) is seen with his mother, Odessa Grady Clay, April 2, 1963.

‘Don’t cry for me, Rahaman, I’m going to be with Allah’

Ali meant everything to me—Lennox Lewis •Muhammad Ali’s last British everything to me. He F ORMER boxer Lennox Lewis motivated me to be a words to his brother has paid his tribute following the death of Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Ali meant

boxer and from being a boxer he motivated me to

continues on page 41

M

UHAMMAD Ali’s brother Rahaman Ali has said that being the boxing icon’s

It’s the Novak Slam! Djokovic crushes Murray to win French Open •p.41

T OD AY'S PUZZLE ODA

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

younger brother “ was like heaven on earth.”

“He was a wonderful angel,” an emotional Ali said, after his brother’s

continues on page 41

NPFL Results Heartland Ikorodu Utd Pillars Nasarawa N/Tornadoes Rivers Utd 3SC Sunshine El kanemi

1 0 1 2 2 1 3 1 2

Rangers Wikki Plateau Enyimba Ifeanyiubah Lobi Akwa Utd Abia Warrior W/Wolves

2 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 2 Perfect (5) 7 Shut (5) 8 Performer (5) 10 Trail (5) 12 Rank (3) 13 Follow (5) 15 Tower (7) 17 Regret (6) 19 Pinch (3) 20 Hung (7) 23 Cook (4) 25 Consider (4) 26 Hauled (7) 30 Sicken (3) 31 Occupant (6) 34 Ascertained (7) 37 Raid (5) 38 Label (3) 39 Liability (5) 40 Power (5) 41 Bar (5) 42 War-horse (5)

DOWN 1 Unaccompanied (5) 2 Outcome (5) 3 Rely (6) 4 Particle (4) 5 Abraded (7) 6 Arbour (5) 9 Hill (3) 11 Curl (7) 13 Upright (5) 14 Rate (5) 16 Nothing (3) 18 Entwined (7) 21 Prevent (5) 22 Vacant (5) 24 Anxious (7) 27 Tune (3) 28 Pollute (6) 29 Before (5) 32 Famous (5) 33 Nude (5) 35 Droop (3) 36 Adroit (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 2, Alert, Stir 8, Ordeal 9, Craft 11, Mad 13, Ass. 15, Amen 16, Lap 18, Stop 19, retinue 20, Avid 22, Elan 23, ruinous 25, Eyed 27, Tie 28, Here 30, Rod 33, Lying 36, Alcove 37, Onus 38, Trend.

DOWN: 1, Steam 2, Are 3, Era 4, To 5, Odd 6, Lasso 10, Feat 11, Manager 12, Desired 13, atelier 14, Spanked 16, Leant 17, Pique 18, Sue 21, Dud 24, Oily 26, Yield 29, Rogue 32, Mob 33, Let 34, Ire 35, God.

How to Play Sudoku

P

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

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

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

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