BOMBS, AK47 rifles found in politician's home.

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 61833

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

ARMS & AMMUNITION: Assault rifles, ammunition and bomb making items recovered by men of the Nigerian Army in the house of a politician, Hon. Hussaini Dei Dei,along Sabon Birni Road, Kawo, in Kaduna metropolis, Tuesday. Photos: Olu Ajayi.

Bombs, AK47 rifles found in politician's home

BY LUKA BINNIYAT & DEMOLA AKINYEMI

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Six arrested Nobody is safe in Nigeria —Chief of Air Staff PIB debate: North controls 83% of oil •P.8 blocs

AWO LEADERSHIP AWARD:

Corruption Jonathan tasks leaders beyond on accountability •P.13 FG's capacity Is'haq COLUMNISTS: —Buhari Modibbo OCHEREOME THE HUB

•P.25 C M Y K

Kawu

•P.17

NNANNA •P. 19

•P. 19

•P.9

ADUNA — THE Nigerian Army said, yesterday, it has uncovered an armoury with a large cache of

Continues on page 5

Mr & Mrs

2— Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

C M Y K

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C M Y K

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C M Y K

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POCKET CARTOON

the house is in progress.

We are taking our time because we want to make sure that the general area is safe before we demolish it.”

From left:(front row): Special Adviser on Security to the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Yinka Aluko; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh; Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State and Commander, 203 Medium Aircraft Group, Air Commodore S.N. Kunu during a courtesy visit by the Air Officers to Government House, Ilorin, yesterday.

Bombs, AK-47 rifles found in politician's home Continues from page 1 arms in a Kaduna home allegedly belonging to an Abuja-based politician, Hon. Hussaini Dei Dei. This came as the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh, said yesterday in Ilorin that nobody was safe in the country and called for

proactive measures among states of the federation to curb the situation.

The arms were discovered following an operation carried out by 1 Division, Nigerian Army in the house located at Sabon Birni Road, Kawo in Kaduna North Local

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

EXCUSES have no value. Forget about making excuses and focus on the amazing possibilities.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

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LANT it. Cultivate it. Tend it. Something WILL grow there — believe it. And it will be magnificent —Steve Goodier Brian Cavanaugh tells an inspiring story about growth. He was young and in the seminary, he and friends decides to plant a small vegetable garden outside their house of studies. However, permission would be needed and they feared that getting the superior’s okay might be no easy task. The three seminarians explained their idea to him. His response was a tilt of the head pronouncement.

“You’re wasting your time. Nothing will grow there.”

But he allowed them to go ahead if that was what they wanted to do.

Then they slammed their pickax into hard dirt, turning clumps of earth upside down. What they discovered just a few inches beneath the surface brought smiles to their faces.

It was a gardener’s dream: dark, composted, fertile soil, likely the result of a former refuse area.

Still grinning broadly, all three looked at one another and said in unison: “Ah, nothing will grow there!”

The garden turned out to be spectacular. In fact, tomatoes grew so vigorously they were re-staked twice and finally topped off at seven feet tall.

Nothing will grow there indeed!

I like the observation of writer George Eliot: “It’s never too late to be who you might have been.”

You may not always see the potential for growth, but it is there. All the rich compost you need is hidden just beneath the surface.

Government Area of Kaduna State, following a tip off.

The building is located few metres from the 1 Division Army Headquarters.

Brigadier-General Tagbo Chuks Ude, Commander, One Division, Internal Security Force, who briefed newsmen on the development said: “Our discovery followed a cordon and search operation carried out in the area by troops at about 5.30 pm, Tuesday.

The building, housing the bomb making factory, will be demolished in line with Army’s resolve to deter terrorists from their activities.

Items recovered “During the operation, the following items were recovered: Six AK 47 rifles; one light machine gun; one tear gas launcher; 27 loaded and17 empty AK 47 magzines; one FN rifle magazine; five submachine gun magazines; four pistols magazines; one loaded light machine gun magazine; 275 rounds of 7.62 mm NATO ammunition; 765 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition; 58 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

“Other weapons recovered during the operation include, 125 pieces of detonator-33; two reels of detonating cords; nine small cans of

prepared impoverished explosive devices, IED; one paint can of prepared IED; nine pieces of nine-volt batteries; three bags of white chemical substances; five pieces of remote control switches; one reel of firing cable and six pieces of assorted car number plates.

“The recovered dangerous weapons were buried inside soak away pits, and underground within the building. I want to commend the efforts of the well-meaning citizens that reported the matter and also to reiterate our resolve to fight terrorism in the country.

“I still want to appeal to the public to report any suspicious m o v e m e n t , establishment or persons in their environment as such information would be treated with absolute confidentiality.

Six arrested “We arrested two men, two children and two women in the house. As a matter of fact, the explosive contents of this paint can bring down the whole of this headquarters,1Division Headquarters.”

Ude said the house would be demolished as soon as it was cleared of all explosives.

He said: “Our normal process of demolishing

Nobody is safe in Nigeria —Chief of Air Staff The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Badeh, who said nobody is safe in Nigeria, spoke during a courtesy visit on Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State in Government House, Ilorin as part of his maiden familiarisation tour of Air Force formations in the state.

According to him,”from what we are witnessing in Nigeria today, nobody is safe in the country, and this is very sad. Everybody is worried. I think what we need to do is to take proactive measures. This is the only option we have to stop this trend.

“Apart from this, everybody must be involved, because effective security is the due responsibility of all Nigerians. The security operatives alone cannot do it, so there is the need for collaboration by the Nigerian people.

When we help the government, we help ourselves. That is what security is all about and that is why there are results in developed countries. We must be conscious of the need to offer useful information that would assist the security in their work.

..Makes case for youth employment ”Idle hand is the devil’s work shop. Each government of the states of the federation must also ensure that sufficient number of youths are gainfully employed as this would also go a long way in

ensuring that insecurity is reduced drastically.

“Each state should also be interested in ensuring that neighbouring states are safe. That is very crucial and that is why so much efforts should be spent in this regard because each state has its own peculiarity.”

The Air Force boss, noted that “the need to be proactive stemmed from the fact that if neighbouring states are not safe, then no particular state is safe”.

He also called for innovative technology in tackling insecurity, saying that ingenious ways are key to his vision in the Air Force.

Badeh, who said the Air Force was a strong arm of democracy in the country, assured that he was committed to its sustenance. He also encouraged the state government to always call on the force in times of need.

We are ready to partner on security —Gov. Ahmed Governor Ahmed in his remark, assured that the state government would always complement efforts of the Federal Government on security matters, saying the Federal Government cannot do it all alone.

He said: “To us in Kwara State, we are quite aware that effective security system is part of our success story so we are ever ready to partner with the stake holders such as Air Force to achieve this set objective."

The tour also took the Chief of Air Staff to the hangar which is being used for servicing aircraft at Ilorin airport, Gbagaba, Oloje Air Force barracks and Emir ’s palace among others places.

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

2 die in smugglers, Customs faceoff at Seme

Police recover bomb in Kwale, arrest 16 suspects 2 teenage brothers nabbed over death of step-sister

BY GODWIN ORITSE

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HERE was a face-off be tween some customs officers and irate youths in Seme border yesterday after chase of some smugglers led to the death of two of them.

Unconfirmed reports also said the face-off may have resulted in the death of an unnamed officer.

Confirming the development, Public Relations officer of the Command, Mr Ernest Olotta told Vanguard that there was a protest by some youths in the Gbagi area of Seme over the death of one their colleagues suspected to be a smuggler.

Olotta told Vanguard that the deceased suspect was coming from across the border carrying poultry products, on sighting a team of anti-smuggling officers around Gbagi, he drove into the bush, which necessitated a chase by the officers.

The Command spokes man explained that it was in the course of the chase, the suspected smuggler ran into some objects that led to his death.

He stated that both the products and the vehicle have been taken to the Seme border for further investigation.

Community protests over alleged outrageous PHCN's bill

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AGOS —THE Landlords and Tenants Association in Alaba-Oro area of Lagos is protesting erratic billing by the PHCN in spite of poor electricity supply to the community.

The association, in a protest letter alleged that residents were being erratically billed by the PHCN. The letter signed by Mr Raji Yusuf, Secretary General and spokesman for the association, said residents did not understand the reason they were placed on estimated billing.

The association alleged that PHCN sent estimated bills to the residents between December and March in spite of blackout suffered by the community.

“Some residents paid as much as N14, 000 per month. We have reported the case to PHCN Apapa Business Unit", the association said.

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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SABA—DELTA State police command said it has arrested 16 persons and recovered an Improvised Explosive Device, IED, following two days of constant raid at criminal hideouts in Kwale, Ndokwa West local government area of Delta State.

Also, two teenage brothers of same parents have been arrested in Ogbe-Ijoh, Warri SouthWest local government area of the State over the death of their sixyear-old step sister.

State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Famous Ijieh said in Asaba yesterday that “following successful raids at criminal hideouts in Kwale on February 21 and 22, 16 suspects were arrested and an improvised explosive device was recovered, including nine live ammunition.

They (suspects) made useful statements.

“We also arrested two brothers of same parents at Ogbe-Ijoh aged 17 and 19 respectively over the death of their step sister. It was quite atrocious.

“When the father of the boys

died, their mother remarried another man and they all moved in with their mother. Reports said

that the two boys were secretly having carnal knowledge with the six-year-old girl until the girl

started to develop protruded stomach. And when she was taken to the hospital she died."

Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (left), decorating Mr Ayodele Sulaiman, newly promoted Deputy Superitendent of Police, DSP, (middle) and ADC to the Governor, at the Government House, Osogbo, Osun State.

I won't retire from music until..., says Sunny Ade ...denies any rivalry between him and Ebenezer Obey

BY OLA AJAYI

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BADAN—JUJU music maestro, Mr. Sunday Adeniyi, aka King Sunny Ade, has said he would not quit music until he wins the prestigious American prize, Grammy Award.

KSA, as he is popularly called said this, yesterday, at a roundtable organised by the League of Veteran Journalists, Oyo State branch. The musician had been nominated twice for the award.

King Sunny Ade who agreed with Professor Olawale Albert, Director, Institute for African Studies, University of Ibadan that if Nigerians wanted him to win the award, it would not be difficult, said “a prophet is without honour in his own country”.

He said: “It is for everyone of you to assist Nigerian musicians. I will continue to work hard. If I don’t get it, I won’t leave music. That is why I am trying to train my children. If I don’t get it, my children will get it. Nigerian musicians would get it”.

Contrary to expectations of some people that there was rivalry between him and his

Juju counterpart, Chief Ebenezer Obey, he explained there was no rivalry of any sort, adding that it only existed in public perception.

According to him, he and

Obey arranged that for good 30 years, they never met in the same outing.

On the proliferation of obscene and immoral music, he noted that it should be blamed

on the public that promotes such music.

Sunny Ade commended Nigerian media for the enviable heights he attained in the music industry.

Okada riders protest over levies in Benin

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN CITY– OVER 2,000 commercial motor cycle riders in Benin City, yesterday stormed the Edo State Government House and State Assembly complex, protesting what they described as exorbitant levies and extortion from the Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria, RTEAN. The protesters carrying placards, disrupted economic activities at Ring road and other adjoining streets for more than three hours and appealed to government to come to their rescue.

But in a swift reaction, the chairman of RTEAN Comrade Osakpanwa Eriyo debunked the allegations, saying “ we

are only collecting what is due to the association. They are only trying to destroy our name over unfounded allegations”.

However, the protesters alleged that apart from the N50 they were asked to pay by the state government “we are also being asked to pay for jackets and other revenues by members of the RTEAN and any body who refused to pay is usually beaten up. We are aware that we were only told to be paying N50 so we want government to know what we are going through because the extra money they are extorting from us may not be going into government purse”.

Eriyo who briefed newsmen in Benin City yesterday, la-

mented that “government is losing over N400,000 daily because RTEAN members are not allowing vehicles in the parks to wait for their turn so that we can collect the normal government revenue. These vehicles no longer load in the parks they will connive with RTEAN members and be running along the road which is very wrong.

“You now find out that in a day only about eight vehicles will be issued tickets in the park and that is affecting government revenue. We are appealing to the Comrade Governor to wade into this matter so that drivers and Okada riders will not be over taxed by RTEAN members, the situation is creating serious tension now,” he declared

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013—7

9-yr-old boy electrocuted in Ebonyi A

BY PETER OKUTU

BAKALIKI—A nine year old boy, Master Chinedu Nwangwu, of Echara community in Ezza South Local government area of Ebonyi State, was weekend electrocuted when he tried to pluck fruits from a cashew tree in the area.

Vanguard gathered that the victim, a pupil of Echara Community Primary School, in Ezza South LGA, who lost his life on the fateful day, climbed a cashew tree without knowing that one of the branches of the tree was resting on a high tension wire that supplied electricity to the community.

Lamenting the incident, mother of the deceased, Mrs. Nwangwu, said a similar incident led to the death of another of her son.

As the family of the deceased are still battling with the loss of their son, Mrs. Nwangwu attributed the incident to the activities of some spiritual forces that were beyond her control.

She lamented that: “I should blame my God for allowing me to live in the land of the living without my son. It is not up to three years I lost one of my boys to mo-

tor accident and today again, it is another calamity; wouldn’t it be better if I cease to live as life is becoming useless without my children”.

One of the teachers of Echara community primary school who

Demolition of buildings in Epe, Lagos State, yesterday.

Police nab student with slain Damoche's phone

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BY EVELYN USMAN

HE Police in Lagos, yes terday, gave the identity of the Lagos State University student on whom the phone of late Damino Damoche, the 400 level Banking and Finance student killed last Thursday by suspected cultists in front of LASU gate, as Durojaye Olaleye.

Olaleye was said to have been arrested by operatives from the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja in the school premises.

His arrest as gathered, caused pandemonium as some of his colleagues attempted to stop his being whisked away.

Meanwhile, out of the 70 suspects arrested weekend in connection with Damoche’s killing, 36 had been released, with 34 still in detention.

Police sources said the detained suspects’ statement led to Olaleye’s arrest and subsequent recovery of the late Damoche’s phone.

Spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide confirmed the arrest, adding that he had been transferred to the homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, for further interrogation.

...arrest 4 robbery suspects, recover 57 livestock in Zamfara

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USAU — THE Zamfara Po lice Command has arrested four suspected robbers and recovered 57 livestock.

Its spokesman, DSP Lawal Abdullahi, said yesterday that two of the suspects had been terrorising parts of the state for long.

Abdullahi stated that 32 cows and 25 sheep were recovered from two of the suspects, who were said to specialise in cattle rustling.

He said the other two suspects were arrested along Anka-Daki Takwas-Gummi road, after they had robbed one Bashir Musa, a commercial motorcyclist.

According to him, the suspects were traced to a forest near Anka,

spoke with Vanguard, attributed the misfortune that befell the family of the deceased to lack of proper home training, adding that if the boy was well tutored by his parents he wouldn’t have climbed the cashew tree in the

where three motorcycles, machetes, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons were recovered.

“We believe that the two suspects are responsible for the incessant robbery attacks on the highway,” Abdullahi said.

He advised those that lost their cows and sheep to report to the command to identify and collect them.

The spokesman said the suspects would be prosecuted as soon as investigations were concluded.

He attributed their arrest to the campaign against crime launched by the command and the support of the general public

first place.

According to the teacher, the school authority had earlier directed the pupils not to climb any tree or pluck any fruits in the school without the consent of the school authority.

Lawyer arraigned for assault

BY DANIA ONOZURE

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AGOS—A 46-year-old man, Emeka Onohwakpor was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate court for alleged assault and breach of peace.

Onohwakpor, who is a legal practitioner, was arraigned before Magistrate Demi Ajayi on five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful assault and conduct likely to cause breach of the peace in a public place.

Onohwakpor was alleged to have slapped one Abia Stanley, Mrs Chinwe Adejoke, Nosa Joseph and Ameh Monday, as well as unlawful entered into a property located at 3, Oduduwa Crescent GRA, Ikeja, which is in actual and peaceable possession of Mainstreet Bank Ltd. The police prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Barth Nwaokoye told the court that the offence was committed on January 11, 2013 at Mill hill School, 3 Oduduwa crescent GRA, Ikeja.

8—Vanguard , THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

BY HENRY UMORU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

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BUJA—CHAIRMAN, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to revoke and re-allocate oil blocs, saying that the northerners control 83 percent of oil blocs in the country.

Senator Enang said this yesterday, when discussions on the new Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, entered its second day on the floor of the Senate in reaction to the position of Northern Senators on Tuesday that allocation from the oil revenue has been mismanaged by the Niger Delta region.

Enang, who represents Akwa Ibom North/East, said it was imperative for the Federal Government to look at the way oil blocs were distributed, with northerners dominating ownership in the country.

He explained that the bill was good because it makes it easy for all the laws governing the petroleum industry to be seen in one volume and body of laws referred to in one Act. He said it was better than a situation where the Petroleum Act, Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency, Petroleum Technology Development Fund, Associated Gas Re-injected Act, among others, are found in different volumes of laws, made in different dates and possibly with conflicting provisions.

Blocs, oil fields, firms

He also revealed that eminent Nigerians benefited from the distribution of the oil blocs. He named late President Umaru Yar’Adua; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; the Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero; former Minister of Petroleum, Dr. Rilwanu Lukman; former Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Danjuma from 19992003 and also Chief of Army Staff (1975-1979).

Others are Alhaji Aminu Dantata; Col. Sani Bello; Alhaji Mai Deribe from Borno State; Mallam Sanusi Lamido; Alhaji Saleh Gambo; Emeka Offor; Mike Adenuga; Yinka Folawiyo, among others.

Senator Enang said in his paper: “Cavendish Petroleum, the operators of OML 110, awarded to Alhaji Mai Deribe of Borno State (NorthEast), nets an average of about N4 billion monthly; Seplat/Platform Petroleum, operators of the ASUOKPU/UMUTU marginal field with Mallam Sanusi Lamido as a major shareholder and director.

“South Atlantic Petroleum Limited, SAPETRO, established by Danjuma, who is also the Chairman of ENI Nigeria Limited.

SAPETRO partnered with Total Upstream Nigeria Limited, TUPNI, and Brasoil Oil Services Company Nigeria Limited to become operators of the OPL 246.

“AMNI International Petroleum and Development Company is owned by Colonel Sani Bello of Kotangora, Niger State. They are operators of OML 112 and OML 117. A former Petroleum Minister and former OPEC Chairman,

PIB DEBATE:

North controls 83% of oil blocs Mai Deribe: Cavendish Petroleum, the operators of OML 110, nets N4 billion monthly Sanusi Lamido, Director: Seplat/Platform Petroleum, operators of the ASUOKPU/UMUTU marginal field General Theophilus Danjuma: South Atlantic Petroleum Limited, SAPETRO, ENI Nigeria Limited, operators of the OPL 246 Alhaji Aminu Dantata: Express Petroleum and Gas Limited, operates OML 108 Alhaji. W. I. Folawiyo: OML 113 allocated to Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum Limited Emeka Offor: Starcrest Energy Nigeria Limited, operator of OPL 291, sold by Starcrest to Addax Petroleum Other stakeholders: Atiku Abubakar, Ado Bayero, Rilwanu Lukman, Sani Bello, Saleh Gambo, Mike Adenuga Revoke, re-allocate oil blocs, Senator tells Jonathan Rilwanu Lukman, another northerner, manages AMNI oil blocs and with very key interests in the NNPC/Vitol trading deal.

“Oriental Energy Resources Limited, a company owned by Alhaji Indimi, runs three oil blocs: OML 15, the Oldwok field and the Ebok field. Alhaji Aminu Dantata’s Express Petroleum and Gas Limited operates OML 108; OML 113 allocated to Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum Limited is owned by Alhaji. W. I. Folawiyo.

“OPL 291 was awarded to Starcrest Energy Nigeria Limited, owned by Emeka Offor, which was sold by Starcrest to Addax Petroleum. Emeka Offor still has a stake in Addax operations in Nigeria.”

Continuing, he revealed that “Mike Adenuga’s Conoil is the oldest indigenous oil exploration industry in Nigeria with six oil blocs; Alhaji Saleh Mohammed Gambo’s North East Petroleum Limited is the holder of the OPL 215 license.

“NOR’EASTER Petroleum was awarded the blocs OPL 276 and OPL 283 and closing thereupon a Joint Venture Agreement with Centrica Resources Nigeria Limited and CCC Oil and Gas; and INTEL is owned

by Atiku Abubakar, Yar’Adua and Ado Bayero and has substantial stakes in Nigeria’s oil exploration industry, both in Nigeria and Sao Tome and Principe”

We're more concerned with sharing than baking — Sen Kaka

The debate on the PIB would be concluded today, where it is expected to sail through the second reading and subsequently referred to the relevant commit-

tees for further discussions.

On his part, Senator Sefiu Kaka said funds generated from oil have not been utilised judiciously by the country.

Kaka said: “I support with mixed feelings in the sense that when we look at where we were in 1999, when the price of crude was about $10 per barrel, and from then till 2005,when the price rose to $147 per barrel, we appear to have been failing the nation by not utilising the money judiciously.

“We are rather more concerned about the sharing of the cake rather than how to bake the cake. It seeks to bring together 16 enabling Acts guiding our monoculture product.

“We are still going ahead to increase the cost of governance by expanding the Act of governance of that important sector. The power being sought for the minister of petroleum, which is a transient position, should be looked at critically so that we don’t give too much power to government institution which is the life wire of the economy.”

‘Reduce governors' allocation’

Senator Danjuma Goje said: “I was one of the people completely opposed to the bill. But from the trend of the debate, it looked like the Senate is ready to do a thorough job without fear or favour. For this reason, I will join others in asking that this bill be considered while the contentious positions are addressed.

“Speaker after speaker agreed that powers of the minister are enormous. It is necessary that the power be reduced so that whosoever is the minister is

not a super minister.

“We should make definite provision for the funding of expansion of exploration frontiers. The allocation going to governors should be reduced.”

For Senator Barnabas Gemade, he argued that corruption has denied Nigeria the opportunity to develop, saying “there is a common adage that wherever you find oil, corruption comes in and whenever you find diamond, war comes in.

“This has been proven beyond doubt. That is why there was war in Liberia and corruption in Nigeria. There is oil everywhere and if we play lips service in the development of oil fields, we would be left in the cold.”

Senator Chris Anyanwu said there was need for the Federal Government to tackle oil bunkering and pipeline vandalism in the country.

She said: “Nigeria is a big player in world’s oil production. PIB is important, not only to Nigeria but entire world. $10 billion worth of oil theft was recorded in 2012.

“It is done through bunkering but major quantity goes through pipeline vandalism because communities are angry over the activities of their leaders and oil companies.

Last year, the Navy destroyed 3778 illegal refineries.

“The element I like most in the bill is the host community fund because it removes the motive for crime. It gives them a sense of belonging and ownership but the fund is not as bad as people thought yesterday. Brazil gives 18 percent to host communities.

“Until the PIB is ready and

people know that their investment is safe, they will not come to Nigeria. I will advocate that we extend these elements to other sectors.

“In Zamfara State, so many children were destroyed due to illegal mining of lead. The Bill should advocate a similar court to deal with crime in the oil sector.”

On his part, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin said: “Section 191 of the bill gives the President awesome power to grant oil or petroleum license. It does not state what the special circumstances or percentage of licenses the President has power to grant."

"We're on the right path"

Also contributing, Senator Akin Odunsi said: “I will expect that the debate is to be conducted in a most pragmatic manner.

With the consensus building up, I believe we are on the right track towards ensuring that we deliver a bill that will lead Nigeria on the right path. There are areas we must pay special attention to.”

Senator Abdullahi Adamu, while contributing to the discussion, said there was need to reform the oil and gas sector to ensure transparency and accountability.

Also contributing, the deputy Senate Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi, PDP, Bauchi Central, said: “The 10 percent host communities’ funds law is not implementable.”

He added: “I accept the spirit behind the need for reform of oil and gas sector because of lack of transparency, accountability and lack of accurate figure of the magnitude of crude oil that is lifted from the country on daily basis.”

Vanguard , THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013—9

CAN blasts Sultan over Boko Haram amnesty call

BY CALEB AYANSINA

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BUJA—CHRISTIAN Association of Nigeria, CAN, yesterday, dismissed the call by the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, calling on the Federal Government to grant “total amnesty” to members of Boko Haram sect for the sake of peace.

CAN in a statement by its General Secretary, Dr. Musa Asake, said it categorically rejected any offer of amnesty for members of Boko Haram sect.

The statement said: “Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, is surprised and puzzled by the statement credited to the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, that the Islamist militant

group, Boko Haram, should be granted “total amnesty” for the sake of peace in Nigeria and that “the bottom line of the problem facing us has been injustice meted out to people who are not supposed to.

“We wonder what the Sultan meant by injustice in relation to the activities of Boko Haram sect when members of the group are a bunch of fundamentalists who have killed, maimed, deformed Christians and made orphans and widows of otherwise peaceful and lovely families.

“They have also displaced people, destroyed businesses and livelihoods in their thousands.

Would the Sultan sincerely attribute the perpetration of the injustice to Christians?

“If it is injustice, is it not government that should be held accountable?

Why would the sect not hold their representatives at the various tiers of government responsible?"

KONGI: From left— Vice President Namadi Sambo; Prof. Wole Soyinka, awardee; Dr. Olatokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu, Excutive Director, Obafemi Awolowo Foundation; and Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Chairman, Selection Committee, during the inaugural Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership award in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

Corruption beyond FG's capacity— Buhari M

A J - G E N .

Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), Nigeria’s former Head of State, Monday night in London, said the fight against

corruption in Nigeria was beyond the capacity of any government because the scourge was deeply rooted in the nation.

Buhari, who stated this at the 4th British-African Diaspora Conference on the theme Stable Democracy and Nigeria’s Economy, held at the British House of Parliament, said corruption still remained the old and ever present devil that had eaten into all facets of life in the country.

He said: “Until serious efforts are made to tackle corruption, which is beyond the capacity of the government, economic growth and stability will continue to elude us.”

Emphasising the need for the cooperation of all Nigerian, he quoted the

Chairman of one of the bodies responsible for the task of fighting corruption in Nigeria, Mr. Ekpo Nta of the ICPC, in a recent interview as saying that “there is no political will to fight corruption in Nigeria.”

He said this stresses the need for all hands to be on deck in a collective fight to eliminate the scourge. Buhari, however, said Nigeria had the capacity to emerge as an economically competitive nation.

He said “democracy” cannot function optimally without a certain level of economic attainment. He also spoke on a wide range of issues from state creation to zoning system, while expressing concern over INEC, and the 2015

general elections.

According to him, the present leadership of the electoral body is incapable of delivering a fair election, as it had a cosy relationship with the executive and the judiciary.

He said: “INEC requires a group of independent minded people, patriotic and incorruptible, who have the courage and the capacity to handle such a strenuous assignment of conducting elections in Nigeria.”

Speaking on poverty and wealth creation, the former Head of State, and founder of the Congress for Progressive Congress, CPC, said there was no short cut to poverty eradication than to get people to work and earn money.

... as FG assures PHCN staff of benefits

BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

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BUJA—FEDERAL Government, yesterday, assured workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, that there was no cause for alarm over the payment of their severance benefits, as the implementation committee raised by the administration was still working on the matter.

The workers had become agitated that the government announced a unilateral sum of N384 billion for payment of their benefits without engaging them in the process.

However, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, told Vanguard in an exclusive interview, that the workers had no reason to worry as the government was conscious of the need to pay them appropriate benefits as stipulated in the agreement reached between them and the government.

Wogu explained that all portions of the agreement reached with the workers would be implemented to the letter as a mark of government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the privatisation process.

He said: “First, there was an agreement be-

tween the government and labour and the items of agreement were noted down and signed.

“At the end of the day, those agreed portions will definitely be monetised.

Secondly, there are agencies of government involved in the calculation.

“The central body that plays a central role in the whole process is the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPE. There is an implementation Committee that is working on the matter.

“Already, we are planning to meet with labour to discuss it. The committee is still doing its work and any matter that arises will be handled."

10—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

FG enhancing urban transportation —Okonjo-Iweala

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

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AGOS—COORDI NATING Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said the Federal Government will continue to enhance urban transformation, to reduce the effects of the partial removal of fuel subsidy.

She also said the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is recording gains in its efforts at making Nigeria a global economic giant.

Okonjo-Iweala, who spoke in Lagos, while receiving the Silverbird 2012 Man of the Year Award, expressed optimism that the nation would overcome its current multifaceted challenges.

The minister said: “It is an honour to serve your country. I know we are facing challenges. But I have experience of over 30 years of travelling to over 60 countries of the world. From my experience, I am an unapologetic believer in Nigeria.”

Displaced market women send SOS to Fashola

BY WILLIAM JIMOH

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AGOS—MEMBERS of the Oriade Market Women Association, OWA, have petitioned Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State, over a disputed land between the association and Management Enterprise Limited, MEL. The women accused the company of forging a document with which it was laying claim to the ownership of the portion of the land where the market was being erected in Abuleosun at Oriade Local Council Development Area of Lagos.

Speaking during a peaceful protest at old Ojo road, where the market is located, their Coordinator, Alhaja Amanpe Abu, claimed that the land was given to them by Alago Agodedoye of the area for the purpose of constructing a market, until recently when they were forced to vacate the place by Management Enterprise Limited.

S’Court begins hearing of Bode George’s appeal today

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

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AGOS—THE Supreme Court will today commence hearing of the appeal filed by Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Chieftain, Chief Olabode George, against the judgment of the appellate court which confirmed the judgment of the Lagos State High Court that sentenced him to two years imprisonment for contracts splitting and inflation in 2009.

The former Deputy National Chairman (South West) of PDP, had filed an appeal to the apex court asking it to review and upturn the judgment of the trial court which sentenced him to two years jail term.

George in one of the grounds of appeal was contending that the appellate court erred in law when it failed to upturn the jail term passed on him by the trial court, while he contested that the prosecution counsel, Mr. Festus Keyamo, did not get a fiat to prosecute him.

He is also contending that the trial court erred in law when it convicted him for not obeying administrative directive, which had been in existence before he came on board of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, as chairman.

Gorge claimed that he was

tried in error by the Lagos State High Court, which sentenced him to two years imprisonment for contracts splitting and inflation in 2009.

Referring to a memo by the Acting Director of Public Prosecution of the Federal Government, Mr. O.T Olatigbe, he argued that there was no fiat

defendant after the charge was amended.

In a response to a memo by the office of the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, AGF, Mohammed Adoke, which requested for the fiat upon which the trial was based, Olatigbe said they could not trace any record of such fiat with his office.

PRESENTATION: Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi (middle); with members of the IBM Corporate Service Corps team, after their final presentation ceremony in AdoEkiti, yesterday.

Worth of Lagos economy, still a secret —Fashola

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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from his office ordering his trial.

Others convicted alongside him were the former Managing Director of the NPA, Mr. Aminu Dabo, Captain O. Abidoye, Alhaji Abdulahi Aminu Tafida, Alhaji Zanna Maidaribe and Mr. Sule Aliyu, who was joined as 6th

A G O S — G O V E R NOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, said the worth of Lagos economy was still a secret yet to be discovered by the world.

He said only few people had discovered the true value of the economy of Lagos, the fastest African emerging megacity.

Fashola spoke at the launch of the Book titled “Lagos: Historical and Cultural,” authored by Mr. Kaye Whiteman, at the Muson Centre, Onikan, This came barely 24 hours after the governor said the Lagos economy was rated above Ghana and the United Kingdom.

Fashola said: “Those who find it fail to disclose what lies in it. While many complained, they continued making returns and tapping the energy. This is where the Nigerian’s dream is best expressed.”

This is where all our possibilities lie. This is where the indigenes cannot give full account of the story of the state. Everyone in the entire 36 states of Nigeria has part of Lagos with them. That is why anyone in the country can tell a story about Lagos.”

In his goodwill message, the Publisher of BusinessDay newspapers, Mr. Frank Aigbogun, described Mr. Kaye Whiteman, as a foreigner who loved Nigeria, but “whose love is not tied to his practice of journalism.

He is a man who writes with affection about Nigeria and knows Nigeria and Lagos more than many Nigerians do. He is one of the best friends of the country.”

Vanguard, THUIRSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013 —11

Ondo guber polls: Oke closes case at tribunal

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ALL FOR PEACE: Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State (5th right), with state House of Assmbly members, after the peace meeting held to resolve the crisis that rocked the House, the at Governor's Office in Abeokuta, yesterday. Photo: Wumi Akinola.

BY DAYO JOHNSON

KURE—THE candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last governorship election in Ondo State, Chief Olusola Oke, yesterday, closed his case before the Election Petition Tribunal challenging the victory of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

This came as he failed attempt to tender 12 volumes of the analysis of over 100,000 names allegedly injected into the 2011 voters register by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was rejected by the tribunal after over five hours of legal fireworks by counsels.

The three-man tribunal led

by Justice Andovar Kaka’an, rejected the documents on the

Amosun, Ogun lawmakers apologise over show of shame

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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B E O K U TA — G OV E R NOR Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and the leaders of the two warring factions of the State House of Assembly, yesterday, publicly apologized to the people of the State and Nigerians for the violence and disgraceful conduct by the lawmakers.

The apology came after Amosun held two hours closed door meeting with the warring lawmakers at his office, where he brokered peace between them.

The lawmakers who had been at the daggers drawn over the

constitution of tender’s board, embraced one another after the meeting and later held a plenary with all of them in attendance and Suraj Adekunbi presiding.

Amosun speaks

Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the governor said: “I want to apologise on behalf of the House of Assembly, the good people of Ogun and to all lovers of democracy.

This is Ogun State, the home of Awolowo, Obasanjo, Soyinka and other giants who have laboured selflessly to make us what we are.

So, we cannot afford to let them down, we are sorry.

“There can be no befitting birthday gift than this to the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. They are the one that have laboured selflessly for all of us. So, I think this is a perfect birthday gift for baba Obafemi Awolowo and respect for all others who have laboured to place Ogun on an enviable height in the contest of the Nigerian nation or government.”

Adekunbi, Hassan beg

Also speaking, the embattled Speaker, Suraj Adekunbi and the Speaker Protem, Remmy Hassan jointly begged the people of Ogun State for the show of shame’.

Adekunbi said: “We have met as one big happy family and what happened was quite unfortunate. By the special grace of God, you will be seeing us doing our legislative responsibility in accordance with the extant law. You will see us discharge our responsibilities in a normal way by appreciating ourselves, giving ourselves due recognition as members and as true representatives of Ogun State.

“Sincerely, we want to use this medium to CHANGE OF NAME EZEH- I, formerly known and apologise to all addressed as Miss Ezeh Ijeoma good people of Rita, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oguh Ijeoma Ogun State Rita. All former documents remain for what tranvalid. NYSC and general public please take note. spired at the hallowed chamber, yesterday.”

VACANCY On his part, There is vacancy for the following: Remmy Hassan - Class Teachers (Nur & Pry) said: “We of- Subject Teachers (Maths, Computer, Music & Science for fended the enprimary school) tire citizenry of Qualification: Minimum of Ogun State, but, NCE/Degree Holder.

Application should be directed to sometimes you The Director of Studies, TENDER cannot comLILIES MONTESSORI at 8, Adetayo Osho Street, Folapletely rule out Agoro, Akoka, Lagos. such when there are issues that Application closes two weeks to this publication. are going be-

yond what temper can handle.

We are saying here to all the good people of Ogun State that we are sorry.

“Because if this is a state where the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo hailed from and he ran the best of parliaments in the 60s and 70s, it should not be the state that would be an example of what is repugnant to acceptable norms in a legislature. But of course, we have risen far above that.

“Thank God it is one big happy family, we will proceed from here to the Chamber. It is going to be business as usual, the way it is meant to be done in a legislature, with due process, with our rules, with the constitution, with our extant laws and with acceptable convention.”

While speaking on purported suspension of the leadership of the House, Hassan said: “Everything that transpired before now, we have risen above it. The House is one. I will give the microphone to the Speaker to also say one or two things.”

Earlier, security men had taken over the Assembly and prevented the four ‘rebellious’ lawmakers from entering into the legislative complex.

The aggrieved lawmakers led

by Hassan had planned to hold plenary under the tree close to the Chamber with a hired mace before the governor intervened.

Vanguard gathered that the national leaders of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, had mandated the governor to resolve the crisis before it went out of hand .

Vanguard, also, learnt that Amosun’ s aide, the immediatepast Speaker of the Assembly, Tunji Egbetokun, facilitated the meeting between the lawmakers and the governor.

premise that they were not pleaded in the petition and that they were unsigned by the maker.

Oke who gave evidence as the 45th witness fought in vain to tender the analysis of the voters register of 2011, that showed that new names were illegally injected into the register used for the October 20, 2012 election.

The document contained the local government by local government analysis of the register as compiled by him and not an expert he deposed in his original Petition before the tribunal.

Counsel to Governor Mimiko, Chief Adebayo Adenipekun, SAN, had objected to the admissibility of the document, arguing that it was not signed as required by law.

Adenipekun prayed the tribunal to dismiss the document on three grounds including failure of the maker to sign it which automatically rendered the document worthless.

Oke was led in evidence by his Counsel, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.

Ondo oil communities deny report against NDDC

BY DAYO JOHNSON KURE—OIL pro ducing communities of Ondo State, yesterday disowned a report condemning the activities of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, in their area.

The people of the communities said all the ongoing projects awarded by the commission across the communities had not been abandoned, saying contractors were on site.

Leaders of the Communities, Roberts Nana and J. O Fagbiye, said they had no complain about the execution of the NDDC projects.

They said: “We wish to make a categorical statement that never did we make such publication as published, the authors of the publication are only out to drop our names and are being mischievous.

“We don’t know the people behind the publication, they only used our names to gain popularity and we want the people of the community and the commission to disregard such unfounded publication.”

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12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Private medics hold 35th AGM in Calabar

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HE Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, AGPMPN, will next week hold its 35th Annual General Meeting and International Scientific Conference in Calabar, Cross River State.

The event tagged: Paradise 2013, is billed to commence March 13 to 16, at Tinapa Resort, Calabar.

A statement by Vice Chairman, Conference Organising Committee, Dr. Andem Andem, said over 1,000 medical doctors have registered so far for the conference.

The theme is Life Style and Emerging Diseases, and other sub- themes, will be preceded by ultrasound, BLS and ECG preconference workshops.

Andem assured that adequate arrangement had been made within the venue and Calabar metropolis for accommodation and other logistics.

Ndiokho, former UAC Chairman, passes on

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R. Bassey Ndi okho, a former Chairman and Managing Director of UAC of Nigeria Plc, UAC, has passed on, aged 74.

A former Director of some leading businesses and institutions in the country, Mr Ndiokho was at various times the ProChancellor of Akwa Ibom State University of Technology; Chairman of Enterprise Development International, and a nonExecutive Director of Union Bank of Nigeria PLC. Ndiokho attended Walthamstow South West Essex Technical College, where he trained as an Estate Surveyor and joined UAC in March 1971.

Ndiokho is survived by wife, children, grandchildren and an aged mother.

Late Mr. Ndiokho

Delta govt to pay DSC workers' salaries

BY EMMA ARUBI

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ARRI—DELTA State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has promised to pay the salaries of workers and teaching staff of Delta Steel Company, DSC, and Technical High School.

The governor, who also expressed disatisfaction with the state of infrastructure at the school, said the Technical School was now a shadow of its former self and promised to assist in putting infrastructure in place to make the place conducive for learning.

He regretted that the school could not be taken over from its original owner.

The governor, who inspected facilities at the Technical High School, said that because of the priority he accords education, he was determined to restore the school to its former standard.

Governor Uduaghan, who commended the Principal and staff of the school for their dedication to duty, despite not being paid since

2011, said their commitment was next to none in the state.

He said that negotiation was on top gear with Access Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, to fashion the way forward for the Steel Company,

so as to get the company back on stream, noting that he was very emotional about DSC Technical School because of its students' exceptional performance in academics across the country and internation-

ally.

In her brief remark, Principal of the school, Mrs. MayRose Ojukwu, appealed to Uduaghan for the provision of more classrooms and hostel blocks.

VISIT: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State flanked by Brig-Gen Pat Akem, Commander 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Benin City (left) and Maj.-Gen Ahmed Tijani Jibrin, General Officer Commanding 2 Division, during the GOC's courtesy visit to the governor in Benin City, yesterday.

Edo goes tough on encroachment of govt school premises

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—EDO State Gov ernment, yesterday, said it had commenced the demolition of houses built on government lands around school premises, expressing its determination to return the state to the number one position in the education sector.

Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, during the commissioning of the science and technology laboratory projects in three public secondary schools in the state, executed by MTN Foundation, said it was the resolve of the Governor Adams Oshiomhole-led administration to provide conducive learning environment for students in the state, adding that it will not tolerate any form of encroachment on government land around school premises.

He said: “The state government is committed to rehabilitating the education sector, which was run aground by previous governments in the state and that is why in the next one

month, the state government will commence demolition of houses built on government lands around schools. There will be no form of negotiation with those encroaching on

school land or any form of compensation.”

While commending MTN for the gesture, which benefited Idia College, Benin City, Edo Boys High School, Ben-

in City and Sacred Heart Girls Model School, Ubiaja, Ihonvbere stressed the need for a conducive learning environment for students in the state.

FG urged to appoint Aginighan PTDF Executive Secretary

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—PRESIDENT of Urhobo Support Groups for Goodluck Jonathan 2011, Miss Esere Ejifoma, has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint Pastor Power Aginighan as Executive Secretary of Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF.

It will be recalled that Urhobo Youth Council, UYC had, on Monday, urged the President to appoint any qualified Urhobo indigene as Executive Secretary of PTDF. Ejifome, who spoke to Vanguard, yesterday, in Ughelli, Delta State, said the nomination of Aginighan for the position was a welcome devel-

opment, as they had nothing against his nomination.

Appealing to President Jonathan to appoint any qualified Urhobo son or daughter as a minister in the country, she argued that Urhobo, as the fifth largest ethnic group in the country, should be represented in the Federal Executive Council.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013—13

AWO LEADERSHIP AWARD: Jonathan tasks leaders on accountability As Soyinka wins inaugural award

BY GBENGA OKE AGOS—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday in Lagos called on Nigerian leaders to embrace the character of accountability, which the late Premier of defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, exhibited in his life time.

He also described Awolowo as a foremost leader, who can never be forgotten, adding that he was a rare nationalist who worked tirelessly for Nigeria’s independence.

Jonathan, who was represented by his Vice, Namadi Sambo, said this at the inaugural Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership Award 2012, which was won by Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka.

Dignitaries at the event include Vice President Namadi Sambo, a former military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon; former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Governors of Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Niger states respectively, Messrs Olusegun Mimiko, Ibikunle Amosun, Abiola Ajimobi, Rauf Aregbesola, Kayode Fayemi and Babangida Aliyu.

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Others are: National chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Chief Bisi Akande; former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; chairman of the Patriots, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Odia Ofeimun, Chief Jimi Agbaje, Fedrick Fasheun, Chief Gani Adams, Gen. Alani Akinrinade, Bolanle Gbonigi, Sen. Biyi Durojaiye, Sen. Iyabo Obasanjo, Chief Demola Seriki, Yinka Odumakin, Sen. Adeyeye, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Sen. Femi Okunrounmu, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, Prof Tunde Adeniran, Prof Pat Utomi, Senators Daisy Danjuma and Anthony Adefuye.

According to him: “Awolowo was an embodiment of intellect, he left a legacy for Nigeria’s development and he worked for his people. He was a central force in Nigeria politics and demonstrated uncommon leadership style. Today, many politicians try to follow his leadership style because we all have a lot of lesson to learn from Awolowo’s visionary style which is mainly based on rare

leadership accountability.”

He further said, “It is our collective responsibility to learn from his leadership style and what he stood for which was driven by passion for development of Nigeria. Wole Soyinka is an embodiment of perfect leadership and his achievement qualifies him for the award because he has helped in strengthening de-

mocracy in Nigeria and he demonstrates a rare quality which Chief Awolowo stood for in his days” In his speech, chairman of the selection Committee of the award, Chief Anyaoku, said the Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership was named after the late sage, who was Nigeria’s

foremost leader.

Anyaoku said: ”Integrity, credibility, discipline, selflessness, visionary leadership, people centred leadership, positive policy intervention, respect for Rule of Law, Accountability, Corruption perception, Courage and Tenacity of purpose are among the criteria used in selecting the bearer of the Award.’’

EXCO MEETING: Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke (middle); his Deputy, Mr. Efiok Cobham(left) and the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Mike Aniah, at the state executive council meeting in Calabar, yesterday.

Edo LG polls: EDSIEC disqualifies 12 ACN candidates sion was only doing its job

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—AHEAD of h e April 20, local government elections in Edo State, the Edo State Independent National Electoral Commission, EDSIEC, has disqualified 12 councillorship candidates of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, over alleged failure to produce their tax clearance certificates.

Reacting, the state chairman of ACN, Mr. Thomas Okosun, said the party will replace the candidates after due consultations with the party leadership in the respective wards.

Vanguard observed that t

the son of a chieftain of the party in Egor Local Government Area was also affected. Other councils where the councillors were disqualified include Esan Central, Esan West, Etsako West, Owan East, Egor and Ikpoba Okhai.

A source at EDSIEC told Vanguard: “We found out that some of them did not present their tax clearance certificates and so, they are not eligible for the election.

We are determined to conduct a free and fair election, so whoever is not qualified for the election will be prevented from contesting.”

Okosun said the party has no problem with EDSIEC, because the “commis-

PUBLIC NOTICE

ITSEKIRI DAUGHTERS AND WIVES ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA This is to inform the general public that the above named Association has applied for registration to the Corporate Affairs Commission under “part C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

The Trustees Are: 1. Dr (Mrs) Valentina Toritseju Ideh - President 2. Chief Mrs Patience Essie Blankson Uku 3. Prince Alhaji Bernard Oritsetimeyin Emiko 4. Dr (Mrs) Clara Akele 5. Dr Tosan Alex Ideh 6. Mr Babalola Williams Dede 7. Mrs Roxy Gaius-Obaseki Aims And Objectives: 1. A forum for Itsekiri daughters and wives to interact.

2. Inculcating the Itsekiri culture among members, husbands and children as well as siblings.

3. To promote Itsekiri ideas and organize lectures, seminars and conferences to propagate the Itsekiri cultural values.

4. Educational assistance to Itsekiri children.

5. To organize trips to places, areas of interest which will improve the general outlook of all members.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot H 20, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, P.M.B 198, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: N.A. WEYINMI & CO. (08033544839)

as an umpire. So we will consult with the leaders of the party in the affected areas and replace the candidates.”

Maku commends DESOPADEC over project execution

BY EMMA ARUBI ARRI—THE Good Governance team, led by Information Minister, Mr. Labaran Maku, has commended the Board of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, for completing projects inherited from its predecessor, instead of initiating new ones.

Maku, who was at the commissions’ head office in Warri, Delta State to inspect projects executed by the state government, said awarding fresh projects in the face of a plethora of ongoing ones would have led to the abandonment of existing ones, noting that such practices, as in the past would have left the benefiting oil bearing communities, where such projects were sited, frustrated.

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14—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Cardinals develop ‘profile’ of new pope, agree on media blackout

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE (With agency report)

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ITH ONLY two of the 115 cardinals, who will elect the new pope being awaited, the cardinals continued their pre-conclave meetings yesterday outlining qualities the successor of Pope emeritus, Benedict XVI, should have.

Although the hierarchy of the world’s 1.2 Catholic Church had not set a date to begin the conclave, the cardinals, who took an oath of secrecy and have agreed to media blackout of preconclave meeting.

Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi told reporters, yesterday, that delay in setting a date for the conclave was in order and not related to divisions among cardinals.

“One senses strongly within the College (of cardinals) the desire for an adequate, serious, profound preparation, not hurried. So in this situation it still has not seemed opportune to put a date for the conclave to a vote,” he said.

Moving too quickly to vote," he said, “could seem to many like forcing” the issue, rather than “ respecting the dynamics of reflection and maturation” of ideas on the part of the cardinals.

But, he said, the cardinals have said they want a thorough preparation, “which will facilitate arriving at the decisive moment of the conclave with a clearer idea, a more mature process that will facilitate their commitment in voting.

"How much time the first and second phases will require, I have no idea,” he said.

Lombardi also said another sign that the conclave is not just a day or two away is the fact that the cardinals still have not drawn lots for their suites or single bedrooms in the Domus Sanctae Marthae, the Vatican guesthouse.

Asadu: Detectives investigate police aides

BY EMMA NNADOZIE

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AGOS — Detectives investigating the gruesome murder of Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chinwike Asadu, last Saturday in front of his residence in Enugu, are reportedly beaming their searchlight on his police aides and consequently placed them under close watch.

This is just as the family of the late police boss had strongly debunked insinuations that he

wanted to be the king of his community after retirement.

Police sources said the action followed disclosures from a member of the slain police boss family that one of the police aides sneaked out of the family house immediately after the Commissioner of Police drove out of the compound with his lawyer friend and two other orderlies.

The source intimated that one of the aides was to accompany him, but he declined only for him to later sneak out of the

house to an unknown destination.

According to the source that sought strict anonymity, the police aide came from Ilorin with him and he had been visiting Enugu with him.

Our sources said members of the Commissioner’s family are not comfortable with the way the police aide refused to accompany his boss while he was going out only for him to surreptitiously sneak out of the compound without telling anybody where he went to.

From left: Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State; Christopher Chukwura, Clerk of the State House of Assembly; Mr. Eugene Odo, Speaker of the House and Chime Oji, Deputy Speaker, during the signing of 2013 Appropriation Bill into law, at Government House, Enugu, yesterday.

They said he only resurfaced few minutes after the killing of the police boss.

“Our suspicion around some of his aides was strengthened by the fact that the Commissioner drove out in an unmarked car known only to those he left in the house.

Meanwhile, members of his family have expressed embarrassment over media reports that Asadu who was assassinated last Saturday was involved in chieftaincy dispute in his Ihene-Owerre Autonomous Community.

One of his brothers, Ejike Asadu, who spoke on the development, described such reports as not only wicked, but diversionary. ’’Our late brother was not involved in any chieftaincy dispute and was not interested in becoming the traditional ruler of our community.

"In fact, the late Commissioner of Police did not know those interested in occupying the vacant stool.

He was not interested in such matters and had never at any time indicated his interest in any traditional stool."

Reps urge FG to rescue Abia from erosion menace

BY OKEY NDIRIBE AND EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

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he HOUSE of Representatives yesterday passed a resolution urging the Federal Ministry

of Environment to carry out ecological survey on some communities in Abia State affected by erosion.

The resolution was consequent upon a motion brought to the House by Oluchi

Ibeji of Abia State, alerting the parliamentarians of the ravaging impact of gully erosion in some communities in the state.

The motion which was entitled, “devastating gully

Prof. Animalu eulogises late UNN ex-VC as Maths genius role model

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ROFESSOR EMERITUS of Physics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Alex Animalu, has described late former Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. James Ezeilo, as a role model who would be sorely missed.

In a tribute to the late former Vice Chancellor, Prof. Animalu said: “I have received with profound shock the message of the ‘final equation” of Professor Emeritus James O.C. Ezeilo (whom we fondly but respectfully call JOC) by 12 noon on February 4, 2013.

“JOC has been my intellectual inspirer and extraordinary mentor in mathematics for more than 50 years, worth recalling with tears in my eyes but with gratitude to God for JOC’s well spent life.

“My association with JOC began from 1952 while I was a high school student at the Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha, where, as my predecessor, JOC’s intellectual

record, like a star in the intellectual firmament of mathematics, beckoned and inspired me to follow his footsteps to proceed to university on scholarship.

“From 1959/60, I met JOC at the Department of Mathematics of the University College (now University of Ibadan when he had just returned with Ph.D. degree from Queens College, Cambridge, UK. and (with his family) became our youthful friend and lecturer in pure mathematics.

“From 1962, JOC’s unflinching support through correspondences guided me through challenging years at Cavendish Laboratory and Clare College, University of Cambridge, UK. Prof. Animalu after narrating how the late VC helped him in the United States during and postNigerian Civil War, also revealed how his mentor worked his way back to Nigeria, when he was appointed V.C. of UNN.

erosion threatening some communities in Umuahia North/Umuahia South and Ikwuano Federal Constituencies of Abia State was overwhelmingly supported by members.

In his contribution to the debate, Ibeji notified the House that the recent torrential rain at the Amuzu Oro, Amuzukwu, Nkata Afarata Ibeku in Umuahia North Local Government Area, Amibo and Mgbarakuma Ubakala in Umuahia South Local Government Area and Ibere in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State resulted in erosion which devastated the affected communities.

He also noted that some buildings in the affected communities were submerged.

Complaints Commission seeks closer collaboration with legislative houses

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HE FEDERAL C o m m i s s i o n e r representing Anambra State in Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Angela Metuh-Mbah, has called for closer working relationship between the Commission and legislative houses in the country.

Metuh-Mbah, who stated this when she paid a courtesy

visit on the leadership of the Anambra State House of Assembly recently, noted that the legislature could collaborate with the PCC by referring cases related to administrative wrongs in both private and public sectors to the commission.

Responding, Speaker of Anambra State House of

Assembly, Princess Chinwe Nwaebili, commended Metuh-Mbah for the successes recorded by the PCC in Anambra State. She also handed over to the PCC cases related to administrative wrongs which had been brought to the legislative house.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013—15

From left: Rotaract Omotunde Lawson, Peace President, Rotary Club of Lagos West; Rot. Osei David Andrews-Hutchinson, Team Leader of Rotary International Foundation Group Study Exchange, USA; Rot. Antwane Lee, member; Rot. Carl Anthony Bandy, member; Rot. Lauren"Lolo"Envans, member and Rot. Lateef Afodun, member, Lagos West, during Rotary International Foundation Group Study Exchange, USA, visit to Vanguard Newspapers' office, in Apapa, Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

FCTA to deduct PHCS funds

BY LAIDE AKINBOADE

ABUJA — MINISTER of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), , Senator Bala Mohammed, yesterday, directed that funds meant for the requirements of Primary

Health Care Services (PHCS), should be deducted at source from the monthly federation allocation meant for the FCT Area Councils.

The Minister gave this directive while meeting with the members of the

Court declines to sack Gov Dickson from office

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

ABUJA — THE Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, refused to sack Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State from office over allegation that he emerged as the gubernatorial candidate

Funeral MADAM CATHERINE Alianetu Olere Erhagbe passed on recently at the age of 72 years.

She is survived by her husband, Chief J.D.M Erhagbe; Dr. Eddy Erhagbe of Uniben, Mrs. C. Acha of U.B.T.H,Benin City and Hon. Justice J.I. Acha of Edo State Judiciary, son in-law.

According to the family, she will be buried 12noon on Friday, at JattuUzairue, Etsako, Edo State

Madam Erhagbe

of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, via a kangaroo primary election.

A chieftain of the party who was equally an aspirant in the last governorship election in the state, Mr Austin Febo Ogionwo, had approached the high court praying it to void Governor Dickson’s election on the premise that the primary election that produced him was not conducted in compliance with either the Electoral Act 2010, as amended, or the party’s electoral guidelines for primary elections.

According to the plaintiff, on November 14, 2011, national officers of the PDP arrived at the party ’s secretariat in Yenagoa where he said they spent only 30 minutes and disappeared without conducting any special congress in the state for the purpose of selecting delegates to vote at the gubernatorial primary election.

He told the court that sequel to that action himself alongside all the other aspirants staged a protest that culminated to their unanimous decision to boycott the primary election he said was stage managed

Implementation Committee of the FCT Polio Immunization Exercise, Development Partners as well as stakeholders on Tuesday in his office at Abuja.

He said the action was necessary to underscore the importance of Routine Immunization to all the nooks and crannies of the FCT. According to him, “The FCT Administration remains a practical example of good governance, as my Administration has been prompt in releasing all funds from Federation Account allocation including 10 percent of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) accruing to the FCTA to all the six area councils.

“I wondered therefore, why the Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory would fail to meet all its statutory responsibilities despite the magnanimity of the Administration to live up to its own responsibility.

“We as the FCT Administration have given the FCT Area Councils all it takes as required by the law and therefore cannot accept failure in the area of primary health care services which is central to the health of rural dwellers in their respective Councils because we cannot continue to micromanage the Area Councils”.

The Minister instructed that Traditional Rulers and Religious Leaders must be carried along in all the processes of Routine Immunization Exercises in the Territory.

16— Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013— 17

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President Goodluck Jonathan political act against President Jonathan; this mindset came out of the bitter political struggle which took Jonathan to power, and the fact that the Niger Delta political elite had sponsored the Niger Delta insurgency with money and arms and so assumed that what they did to Nigeria, under other administrations, was now being done to their man, Jonathan. This line of thought was consistently pushed by the president himself, even during our interview, with his refrain of “Boko Haram and their sponsors”; sponsors that the administration has consistently been unable or unwilling to unmask; while exploiting the growing suspicion amongst various groups in the country and deepening division between North and South; Muslim and Christian, as part of an overall political agenda. This is inspite of President Jonathan’s regular admonition that the Boko Haram insurgency should not be politicised, a line he repeated during his recent interview with Christiane Amanpour. In pursuit of the phantom of chasing “Boko Haram and their sponsors”,billions of naira went down the drain and a few elements of the security apparatus of the Jonathan administration, especially when Andrew Azazi ruled the roost, in cahoots with international security contractors, as AFRICA CONFIDENTIAL reported, have continued to record stupendous riches!

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orno state has been left to its own devices in the effort to contain the insurgency, including the financing of the JTF troops, but especially in finding succour for the people. Despite the ferocity of the insurgency, it was always instructive for me that Borno C M Y K

Before President Jonathan touches down in Borno elders and the state governor, Kashim Shettima, always argued for a peaceful end of the insurgency. I took my inspiration from that position and consistently argued for a peaceful means to end it. The position was very unpopular with gung-ho elite groups in the south, far removed from the insurgency, but believing they knew better and were egging on the Nigerian state to use the bare knuckle to crush the insurgency. These groups seemed to have influenced official Jonathan administration attitude for a long time, until more level-headed individuals and groups around the country, began to come round to asking that the state found a more peaceful, less bellicose approach, to ending an insurgency which has ground socio-economic life in a huge swathe of Northern Nigeria.

President Jonathan ought to have visited Borno before now and in truth, he is at least two years

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HE story broke last week that President Goodluck Jonathan will soon visit Borno state. It is almost two years late really and was coming after the APC governors stole the thunder with their visit to the state and the walk about which surprised and thrilled the people, whose only contact with Federal officialdom in recent years has been the JTF. When we did the media chat with President Jonathan last June, I asked him specifically why he had not visited Borno and Yobe states since the beginning of the Boko Haram insurgency. He told me that the airport in Maiduguri was closed and so he couldn’t land there. I knew that the president had been misinformed, because I had flown into and out of Maiduguri, three weeks earlier. I was also aware that there were regular flights into the city and they were always full!

One of the most controversial aspects of the counter-insurgency war against Boko Haram, especially when the late Andrew Azazi was NSA, was the fact that a “them-versus-us” attitude had crept frightfully into security thinking.

Those in power at the centre nursed a basic assumption that the Boko Haram insurgency had been sponsored as a

I hope the visit will help President Jonathan to understand the complexities of Nigeria better and help explode the simplistic assumption, for too long a central motif of his administration’s security thinking, that the Boko Haram insurgency was stoked by those opposed to his ascendancy of the presidency, in the first place

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late! In the period that his security apparatus was busy expending billions of naira and enriching a few individuals, all that the people of Borno and Yobe knew of the Nigerian

Mr. Chinweike Asadu, assassinated Kwara Commissioner of Police

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CANNOT quite recall what I was searching for last Sunday, when I saw the call card of the Kwara State Police Commissioner, Mr. Chinweike Asadu. I thought to myself that I have not kept the promise to call the very decent police officer. We had met in Ilorin a few months ago, when in the company of my cousin, the Special Adviser Security, we had gone to his office. He was very professional in respect of the issue that took us to him in the first place and was also a warm human being to boot. I was pleasantly surprised because he also walked us to the vehicle inviting me to see him again, whenever I returned to Ilorin. I have not been back home since our meeting; so when I saw the card on Sunday, I made up my mind to call and at least keep my promise. Much later in the evening, I was checking the internet when the story popped up that the Kwara state Police Commissioner had been assassinated.

Just to make assurance double sure, I went for the card again and was crestfallen when it turned out to be the same officer!

This must be a very difficult moment for officers and men of the Nigeria police, especially in the Kwara command and all those who have met the gentleman officer; but above all, members of his family. The outpouring of emotions since his assassination has underlined the decency of the man. It was tragic that the man was killed just

a month to his retirement and a newspaper quoted him as saying that he was going to lie low for a whole year after retirement; and having worked for his country, he would devote himself to his family. The assassination put paid to his dearly held hope! And the way that criminal groups around Nigeria have ready access to arms and ammunition must worry us all. In truth, Nigerian society is broken and those who rule us can huff and puff as much as they like, but there is a lot wrong that they are too incompetent to fix and too irresponsible to even bother about. But a country must rally to fix assassinations and crimes which in a deeply philosophical sense, are rooted in injustice and choices made by the ruling class. May God give the family the fortitude to bear his loss.

The late Mr. Chinweike Asadu

state was the scorched earth tactics of the military in the brutal effort to contain the insurgency. Hundreds of innocent people have been killed and the military invariably became recruiting sergeants for the insurgency.

The Jonathan administration did not cover itself in glory, with its neglect of that region of Nigeria. But it is still good that, against the backdrop of the preparations for the 2015 election, Jonathan has now found the liver to announce a visit to Borno state. He ran out of excuses, after his APC political opponents not only visit the state, but also did that politically loaded walk around. Jonathan and his handlers must have calculated that there are enough votes to harvest in 2015, and some grand gestures will be needed, through an equally politically savvy visit to Borno.

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few weeks ago, Vice President Namadi Sambo, emerged from behind the sandbags of fear to do a first Federal government visit to Borno.

He told an ‘over-secured’ audience, that there was oil in Borno, including, even in metropolitan Maiduguri, and the Federal Government was committed to exploration. That visit was akin to a RECCE for the recently announced presidential visit announced. We can guess that even more promises will be made to the Borno people, with an eye to the 2015 election. One of the scenarios being toyed with not-too-long ago, was that Borno, Yobe and most of the North might be so security-challenged, as to become almost an electoral no-go region in 2015. But that has obviously dissolved against the backdrop of the fast-paced political re-alignments taking place in the country. Borno will become one of the main battlegrounds of 2015 politics, because since 1999, it has been in the grips of the opposition ANPP that is now a part of the new APC grouping. The PDP elite there has desperately fought to wrest power and that political duel between the ANPP and PDP, has been one of the reasons in fact, which gave political visibility to Boko Haram in the first place!

President Jonathan will have to double up on lost time and opportunity in Borno and the best he can do is to work with the Borno people and especially governor Kashim Shettima, who has done a lot to keep on the top burner the argument for a peaceful resolution of the insurgency; and despite the difficulties, has made a remarkable effort to make a mark in poverty alleviation; education; youth development; empowerment projects and agriculture. In my view, it is these increasingly effective governance successes that have brought Borno back to the centre of political development and the decision by President Jonathan to finally break from the cordon of lies thrown around him, which had stopped him from visiting Borno before now. Jonathan will be given the traditionally hospitable welcome of the Borno people even if deep down, they are disappointed that he has not visited earlier. I hope the visit will help President Jonathan to understand the complexities of Nigeria better and help explode the simplistic assumption, for too long a central motif of his administration’s security thinking, that the Boko Haram insurgency was stoked by those opposed to his ascendancy of the presidency, in the first place. He might then be more committed to the peaceful resolution of the insurgency.

It is never too late to do the right thing in life or in politics!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013 WHAT does the Federal Government have against mining of gold and other solid minerals? We are wondering again because there are at least two major reasons that should elicit government’s interest in these minerals that have illegally been plundered for decades – they are great sources of income; their illegal mining annually leads to deaths of hundreds of children, over 400 in Zamfara alone since 2010.

The disclosure by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Linus Awute, that Nigeria lost $50 billion (N8 trillion) through illegal mining and exportation of unprocessed gold, in the last two years, should be of great concern to Nigerians.

“What the country loses to illegal mining is tremendous. But the truth is that the amount of gold that left this country because of the illegal mining activities is more than $50 billion in the last two years. The amount of unprocessed gold that has left this country through the neighbouring countries, Ghana in particular, and being processes in Ashanti gold is enormous,” Awute said at the NigerianBrazil Investment forum in Abuja.

FG’s Anti-Gold Policy Awute, an erudite civil servant, appointed a federal permanent secretary in 2008, and who had served in that capacity in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence, and Ministry of Health before his current posting, is not a frivolous man.

The annual federal budget in the last two years was about N8 trillion, meaning that the budgets could have been funded solely from gold stolen from Nigerian soil. There are fears that the figures understate the plundering that has been ignored for years.

Government’s proposed expenditure in 2013 is N4.92 trillion, it was N4.77 trillion in 2012,

the lost gold resources could have funded these budgets that are often unacc0mplished because of poor implementation capacities and lack of funds.

Other solid minerals like iron ore abound in Konkosso, and feldspar (for glass making) in Borgu, both in Niger State. Tantalite, an element for mobile phone technology is in Hayin Kanwa, near Zaria, Kaduna State, and tourmaline, used in making jewellery is mined in Olode, Oyo State.

The country’s gold belt spreads through different parts of the country, and its illegal mining accounts for the lead poisoning that has killed more than 400 children in Zamfara State since 2010.

Nigeria, once the world’s largest exporter of Columbite and the world’s 6th largest producer of tin ore has abandoned solid minerals to illegal miners, estimated at more than 10,000 in Zamfara alone, who ruin the environment, plunder the nation’s wealth and cause the death of many.

It is time the authorities halted illegal mining, stopped the deaths and harnessed the resources for national development.

OPINION

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BY UCHE NNADOZIE

ITH recent events suggesting troubling crises within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the South West, keen political observers would be kind to submit that the party is on tenterhooks. It becomes more worrisome with general elections knocking so loudly. If you take into cognisance the expected merger of some opposition parties in the country, then PDP cannot afford to be having such selfdestructive impasse. But how did things come to this sorry pass?

Firstly, it is important to point out that there is no political party all over the world that does not experience intermittent internal upheavals. What is different is the energy exerted to curtail such, or alternatively find solutions. Each chapter of the party has had its fair share of crises, but it is curious that it is Ogun State’s internal woes that have proved to be intractable. And this is the state that produced former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who recently resigned as chair of his party ’s Board of Trustees. That resignation has come to show that it was more a protest than altruistic.

Issues surrounding the Ogun chapter crisis began during the administration of Otunba Gbenga Daniel, former governor of the state.

Being a PDP member the same party as Obasanjo, it was not surprising that issues will boil over more so when the former president retired with idle time to spare. With no state matters to keep him busy, Obasanjo C M Y K

On Ogun PDP trail reverted to Ogun matters, including that of PDP. It did not take long before he clashed with the former governor. I may not know the details as there may not be real details, but ego trips. However, officially, following a disputed PDP state congress in 2008, a harmonization of the Ogun PDP factions followed in 2010- sequel to a National Working Committee, NWC, directive as supported by a court order meant that if the party wanted peace that was the green light.

Unfortunately, the governor spurned this opportunity. He mistook the determination of a faction of the party that was interested in the rule of law and harmony for Obasanjo’s caucus. This much Daniel sold to the media, more so when Senator Iyabo Obasanjo was spotted among this group. Truth be told, Obasanjo was a late entrant to the harmonized executive. Further more, by this time, both the former president and the former governor had fallen out. So, whoever was not with Daniel was with Obasanjo. That was what was then variously called the JMK, or OBJ faction versus the OGD faction; whereas the brain behind the so-called OBJ/ JMK faction was, in essence, Prince Buruji Kashamu, a business entrepreneur and party financier.

It was therefore, the insistence by the Daniel faction chaired by Joju Fadairo not to submit to the Dayo Soremi-led harmonized

executive that tested our judiciary. Of course the court pronounced Soremi as the authentic chair and went ahead to recognise the primaries it organised towards the 2011 election. All the efforts made by the recalcitrant Fadairo proved redundant and ineffectual. The Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, thus rejected nominees submitted to it by Joju Fadairo/Daniel. It was, therefore, repugnant to notice that after the election and through out 2012, the same Obasanjo who nominated Soremi as a consensus party chair, turned round to sponsor another set of party executives led by one Senator Dipo Odunjirin. Do not forget however, that it was the same Soremi executive that produced the party’s guber candidate, Adetunji Olurin who is Obasanjo’s nominee. Obasanjo and his friends did not only arrange some renegades to take over the party secretariat opposite NNPC, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, they felt too big to participate in party congresses and convention organised last year.

While Soremi organised ward, local government and later state congresses, Obasanjo and friends preferred not to present themselves to party members. They boycotted the congresses but waited till the last minute to anoint some friends as party executives. Of course, it was this illegality that enraged Soremi and company to head

once more to the courts. Incidentally these illegal party officials were same persons that got involved in the South West PPD executive and even the national working committee.

As has been proved now, since you cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand, those illegally nominated in the South West and NWC have been withdrawn through legal intervention.

It is not as if anybody is fighting former president Obasanjo, rather it is the rule of law where he preferred the rule of brawn.

With his status and age, it is expected that the Ebora Owu should have long retired from partisan politics. He deserves and rightly so to be a true elder statesman. In the meantime, as Ogun and the South West PDP battles to steady its ship, it is apparent that a new star has emerged in the state and zone.

Prince Kashamu having used his personal funds, contacts and organisational competence to steer the party without violence, it’s time to give him more tasks and responsibility. Although he has variously confessed not to be interested in elective or appointive positions, but good governance and centralism, the PDP needs to elevate such persons even now that the All Progressives Congress is about to birth. Elder statesmen should consequently take a deserved rest and allow younger persons to prime the party in the zone to achieve unity. *Mr. Nnadozie, a journalist, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013—19

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T has become an annual routine for the Lagos State Government, LASG, to close the Ladipo Auto Spare-parts Market, Mushin, citing poor sanitation.

Each time you drive past the Guardian Newspapers premises along the Oshodi – Apapa Expressway and you see hundreds of young men loitering around the fringes of the famous market, you will know that the two sides are at it again.

The traders say they are not guilty as charged. Some even table the hollow alibi that auto spare-parts are naturally oily or greasy. Therefore, the market in which they are sold must appear “dirty”. I don’t buy that. I have visited some European countries, especially Germany where some of these parts are sourced from.

They are always well organised and neat. I wonder why the traders, most of whom are importers who travel to Europe, Asia and America to pick and choose their commodities will not emulate best practices in advanced societies?

Even if the goods are greasy and dirty “by nature” what about the habit of dumping refuse in the

canal, which was one of the grounds on which Governor Babatunde Fashola ordered the latest closure of the market?

What about trading along the road, thus causing difficulty in movement for traders and bypassers alike? What about trading along the canal itself?

One thing I have noticed is that Nigerian traders are generally cavalier about issues of environmental hygiene. They are also particularly prone to lawlessness. And it is not just noticeable in Lagos alone. Nor is it peculiar with any particular tribe. I will give examples.

It is a well known fact that certain linguistic groups in Nigeria are associated mainly with some lines or items of trade or provision of specialised services. For instance, up to 80 per cent of the traders in the Ladipo Auto Spare-parts Market are Igbos. Yoruba-speaking people and others take up the rest and provide services that the spare-parts dealers cannot do without. In the East, particularly Onitsha Bridgehead, the site of frequent altercations between traders and the Anambra State

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Government, ANSG, the major items of trade are poultry and foodstuff. Again, about 60 per cent of the traders there are Hausa-speaking Northerners, with the local Igbo population providing complementary items of trade.

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ust as the LASG is engaged in endless battles with the Igbo traders at the Ladipo market, the ANSG is also ranged against the Northerners, who have stiffly resisted efforts to relocate to a new site to give way to beautification of the Niger Bridge – Zik Mausoleum corridor. They claim, rather provocatively, that the “market” was given to them by the Federal Ministry of Works, perhaps their booties of the civil war?!

In Aba, the situation is not much different. In fact, the Aba traders became so lawless that some of

Which Way, Nigeria? (II)

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LEASE, follow today ’s piece with sympathy for a country called Nigeria: For stealing N23 billion from the Police Pension Fund, Yusufu walks our streets today in full freedom, having paid the fine of N750, 000 (0.003% of his loot); for allegedly mismanaging (perhaps a clear euphemism for stealing) close to N200 billion of Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pension funds, Maina has been officially provided a safety valve within which to escape to foreign lands to enjoy his loot; and for stealing an old Mitsubishi bus, Citizen Onwe has been admitted to Asaba Prison for 50 years without any option of fine.

Many of the owners of the pension money have died while waiting for their payment.

What better proof does anyone need that the labour of our heroes past is already in vain and hopelessly so? For all we know, God is not a Nigerian and He is not given to hypocrisy!

The rest of this piece is dedicated to supplying the meat to the above skeleton.

Only those interested in details should proceed further.

When Yakubu Yusufu boldly asserted that he “stole only N23 billion”, he certainly knew what he was talking about. We now have preponderant evidence that N23 billion was a small drop in the bucket. We are not in a hurry to forget the entire imbroglio that surrounded the fuel subsidy removal of January 1, 2012, which enveloped the entire nation in a wild cat strike, leading to the further loss of billions of Naira in man-hour to the national economy.

After all the theatricals around all these thievery, one is tempted to believe the theory currently making the rounds that those engaged in stealing huge sums with impunity may not be the real owners of the loots.

Anyone who heaves an

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entire treasury may be acting as a mere front for his principal whose duty it is to ensure that the petty agents remain tightly protected.

Why else would we pretend to be fighting corruption and at the same time be seen to be shielding corrupt officials? It happens all the time. We have virtually become a nation of endless probes and inquiries; and a government of committees and panels. These bodies begin at the crest of very popular acclaim but as they progress, men go to work, looking for how to ambush them. The grand design is on how to hijack them, remove all their biting teeth and render them totally impotent. If by accident the probes slip through, there will be enough containment plans to consign their reports to the waste basket.

Without going far into ancient history, we recall the Elumelu-led power probe of the House of Representatives which was apparently progressing smoothly until the principals and their agents moved in and we started engineering the engineer, leaving his engine.

In the case of the oil subsidy probe, a witch cried all night and in the morning, a baby died. We didn’t have to search too far for the cause of the baby’s death.

The 2011 general elections were perhaps highly capital intensive. We realised too late that the money had to come from some extra-budgetary source.

In the process, we may have paid oil subsidies to friends and fronts who did not import a single drop of oil. The subsidy probe report revealed that much.

But it is a natural law that a man cannot be washing his own sore and be sobbing aloud. A tsetse fly that perches on a delicate part of the body must be handled with care.

Those waiting for the implementation of the probe report may, indeed, be waiting forever; till thy kingdom come.

them brought trucks with loads of sand to fill the Big Gutter, the giant drainage built by the colonial masters to drain the flat city of rain or running water. After filling the portion they chose for themselves they would simply build sheds and start trading or renting to traders! Once it rains, water will have nowhere to go.

Since the government of Ochendo Theodore Orji began demolishing the structures to restore the drainage, there has been no dirty name under the sun he has not been called.

Having made the point about dirty and lawless proclivities of market traders, I want to still blame government, especially the LASG, for not taking the bull by the horn to end the annual routine of Ladipo Market closures. It is the duty of government to provide markets, facilities and services and dictate regulations for their use, while it is the responsibility of traders to use the facilities lawfully and pay taxes and rents to government.

Corruption of government officials is chiefly responsible for trade on roads and along the canals. This has been going on for decades, and each time government closes the market it pretends not to know that these traders pay through the nose for the illegal spaces they occupy.

The LASG, over the years and through the various regimes, has evolved strategies for solving problems to ease the tension between them and traders.

Traders were simply allocated land far away from their makeshift markets and allowed to buy and develop sheds and malls in accordance with government regulations. That was how Alaba International

Market, Trade Fair Complex and others sprang up, and are largely owned by the traders. But with regard to the Tejuosho Market, the LASG opted to retrieve it from the traders and is on the verge of completing it into a world class market for allocation to traders who can afford.

Why is it that the Ladipo Market has not been paid similar attention? The traders recently revealed they have been losing not less than N100 million everyday since the closure. This means they have the means to build a first class market if challenged to do so by government, just as their Alaba, Balogun and Trade Fair counterparts were able to do. So, what is still keeping the goat tied to its tether?

There is this growing feeling that the LASG under Bola Tinubu and Fashola have not always been as friendly towards nonindigene Lagos residents as they should be. Those who say this point to the way Okada riders, slum dwellers and low-level traders have been banged about without “human feelings”. They also allege that this is being done because most of the people in these categories, being nonindigenes, are being subtly “encouraged” to leave Lagos.

I don’t believe that. I believe in modernisation. If you want to live in Lagos you must join the modernisation train or it will leave without you. But government must work more closely with market and trade associations, carry them along and give everybody a sense of belonging. The tendency to raid and harass must be toned down.

We are all in this thing together, like it or not.

Agent Yusufu “stole only N 23 billion”.

After the open court trial, which we all saw, the case was probably taken to the principal’s

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LASG and Ladipo traders

I believe in modernisation. If you want to live in Lagos you must join the modernisation train or it will leave without you.

But government must work more closely with market and trade associations, carry them along and give everybody a sense of belonging

Why would we pretend to be fighting corruption and at the same time be seen to be shielding corrupt officials? We have virtually become a nation of endless probes and inquiries

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inner court, where the “harsh” judgement was arranged: two years imprisonment or N750, 000 fines, which Yusufu immediately pulled out of his pocket while still in the witness box.

T h e agent/principal relationship came into full focus in the executive/ legislative handling of the Abdulrasheed Abdulahi Maina affair. Maina was Acting Director of Customs, Immigration and Prisons pension office. The National Assembly smelt a rat that all was not well with close to N200 billion in the man’s care.

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t first, the matter was before the Senator Aloysius Etok Joint Committee on Public Service and Establishment and State and Local Government Administration. Efforts to get Maina to appear before the Committee

were rebuffed to the point where the Senate issued a warrant of arrest on him.

At a point, it became clear to the Senate that the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, was foot-dragging on the execution of the warrant.

At the peak of it, when Maina was being expected in the Senate, a rented crowd was instead, chanting war songs at the entrance of the National Assembly. The Senate bared its fangs over what it saw as undue shielding of the embattled Maina, resulting in his pouring invectives on the National Assembly. By a unanimous Resolution of the Senate with the concurrence of the House of Representatives, the National Assembly asked the President to dismiss Miana from the public service of the federation and that he should be immediately arrested, investigated and prosecuted for the alleged multi-billion Naira fraud in the pension office.

We see a clear case of the principal/agent arrangement at work here. Why else would the executive have dilly-dallied on the issue until Maina finally vamoosed from these coasts? And why else would an Assistant Director who had been declared wanted by the Senate still be moving around with a myriad of police guards?

Paradoxically, the Vanguard of Wednesday, 27 February 2013 reports that Justice C. Ogisi, sitting in Asaba High Court, has sentenced Citizen Ndubuisi Onwe to 50 years imprisonment for stealing an old Mitsubishi bus! Perhaps a clear case of all animals are equal but some are more equal. Which way, Nigeria?

20 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013 — 21

By OMOH GABRIEL, Business Editor

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HE Chairman KPMG global Mr. Andrew Michael has said that Nigeria is one of the four countries that international investor are willing to invest in.

Speaking to Journalist in Lagos on his working visit to Nigeria Mr Michael said “In the last few weeks I have been to Mexico, Indonesia, India and now Nigeria, and their similarities are remarkablebetween those economies and these are the ones attracting a lot of interest.

“In the last few years we have talked about BRICS as been the area of focus, but if you talk to international investors, their view will be that the BRICS with the exception of China has been quite disappointing, that they have found it difficult to invest in these countries, their regulatory environment is unpredictable and that they have not been able to get return on their investments. Investors now talk about the MIINT, Mexico, Indonesia, India, Nigeria and Turkey.

“They are the four countries that the international investors are really focusing on for growth and investment. The offers are intense and we are getting a huge amount of enquiries about these countries. People want to know how to do business in these countries, how to access the markets and how to take advantage of the long term growth that is coming.

“I will also like to put ASIAN to MIINT because of the recognition of free trade in those countries. Singapore,

International investors eyeing Nigeria and three others — KPMG Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Miama and Indonesia is a large market of about 750 million people where there is common infrastructure, planning and customs regime.

Investors are looking at that and I think they can compete with China. I think part of the point for Nigeria is that it

T

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke [right] and Director, Corporate Banking, Diamond Bank, Samuel Egube at the Bank’s stand during the Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference (NOG 13) held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

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110.50 +0.41 90.30 CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR 154.75 POUNDS 234.5082 EURO 201.7785 FRANC 1.6602 YEN 1.6602 CFA 0.2878 WAUA 232.3486 RENMINBI 24.8737 RIYA 41.2623 KRONA 27.0551 SDR 233.0999

155.25 235.2659 202.4305 1.6656 1.6656 0.2978 233.0993 24.9545 41.3956 27.1426 233.8531

energy are the ones that they are really focused on in these emerging economies. They know that they have to be here and they know that they have to have a long term view of the market. So they are actually studying the market entry plans for these countries. So these are the macro trends that we are actually seeing in economies around the world.

BY FRANKLIN ALLI

Intercity rail demand deepens as passengers decry congestion

BY JONAH NWOKPOKU

2,087.00 +5.00 18.22

are seating in London, New York or Frankfort because the market is growing and the cash inflow to these market, the market are putting pressure on the CEOs to try and few new markets where they can find growth. Particularly in things like consumer markets, financial services and food and

FG mandates ITF to train 29,875 graduates annually on skills acquisition

-5.3

140.65

actually competes now for investment with Indonesia, South America and Mexico.

When international investors are look at these countries, there are certain features that they will like to see, which is actually influence their investment.

“If you are a CEO and you

+0.18 SELLING 155.75 236.0236 203.0824 1.671 1.671 0.3078 233.85 25.0354 41.5289 27.23 234.6062

CBN Exchange rate as at 05/03/2013

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HE demand in intercity rail service is on the rise as the Nigeria railway makes a comeback in the transport sector.

The huge patronage of the rail transport has however led to unquantifiable congestion, situation passengers say, makes rail travel a harrowing experience.

The Nigeria Railway Corporation, NRC has said a fortnight ago, that over thirty thousand passengers have been moved within that last two months but Vanguard investigation has revealed that much more than that figure have been moved on the weekly intercity train service.

Our correspondent who joined the train to Kano observed that the ninety-five capacity coach contained more than one hundred and fifty passengers. Every available space contained human being or luggage including the aisles, the couplers and the toilets.

Officials say it is an attempt to accommodate

as many that want to travel by the rail.

“How would you feel if you get to the station and only to be told that there is no train?” one of the railway officials quipped when asked why they are permitting congestion.

But most passengers regret the situation arguing that the railway authority is abusing the interest saying the train is causing more suffering to the people.

“In fact I am very sick now. I stood from Osogbo to Mokwa, now everywhere is paining me. And I paid money not as if it is free. How could NRC pack people like this? A coach that was supposed to carry about 90 passengers carrying about 150 people, and then you still have more loads than human beings. I think government has provided this thing to solve the transportation problem of the masses but what obtains now is actually increasing their suffering.” Quadri, a student of Bayero University Kano who joined the Lagos bound Kano at Osogbo, said.

HE Federal has mandated the Industrial Training Funds (ITF) to train 29,875 graduates annually through the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP) to acquire skills to set up their own businesses or to be gainfully employed.

The Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, said this during the inauguration of the Industrial Training Funds’ Headquarters Annex and ICT Training Centre, in Jos, weekend.

According to Aganga, the NISDP is a skills acquisition programme designed to attract resource empowerment for its trainees upon graduation and it is in line with the Industrial Revolution Plan of the Ministry of Trade and Investment.

“We are already on the path to addressing the problem of skills gap and unemployment through the introduction and implementation of the National Industrial Skills Development Programme.

“Therefore, the strategy of the Ministry of Trade and Investment, working together with the ITF, is to first of all identify the critical sectors of the economy where we have comparative and competitive advantage. The second thing is to link those sectors or industries that we have identified to innovation, Research and Development.

Then, the third thing is to link those sectors to industrial skills development. That is where the NISDP comes in.”

22 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 201 3

SEC holds financial empowerment forum for women

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From Left: Area Head, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs, British American Tobacco West Africa, Mr Freddy Messanvi, Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Adegbenga Kaka and Area Operations Director, British American Tobacco Nigeria, Mr Francisco Toso during the BATN/BATIA Farmers Productivity Awards Ceremony in Iseyin, Oyo State.

CEOs should be proactive about business decisions-Obaze

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

E

xecutive Secretary, Fi nancial Reporting Council, FRC Mr, Jim Obazee, has charged chief executives of companies in the country to be proactive in their approach to business decisions in order to take maximum advantage of emerging issues in the market.

Addressing the CEOs and top management of companies at an executive briefing on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) organised by the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC) in Lagos, Obazee charged the CEOs to think outside the box and look at issues such as target market size and share, service delivery as well as implication of technology on their operation.

Stressing the rationale for adoption of IFRS in the preparation of financial reports in the country, Obazee said “Convergence gives standards an authority and credibility that cannot be equaled by any other set of standards, be the issuer a national or regional organisation”.

He also disclosed that Nigerian entities have to prepare their accounts using IFRS in order to benefit from crossborder listing, ensure confidence of local and foreign investors, and assume a vital position as global players.

He therefore encouraged the participants to take advantage of opportunities presented by the FRC through its Help Desk and IFRS Academy to

acquire knowledge of IFRS. Delivering a lecture entitled Tax Implication of IFRS Adoption, a tax consultant, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, of Price Water house Coopers stressed the need for adjustment in tax legislation to cope with new

demands of IFRS. He also advocated more commitment on the part of taxpayers and regulators in order to guarantee seamless adoption of IFRS. According to the Roadmap to adoption of IFRS in the coun-

try, publicly listed entities have adopted IFRS in the preparation of their accounts since January 2012, while other public interest entities are expected to mandatory adopt IFRS for statutory purposes by January 1, 2013

Merger: NSE places BAGCO shares on full suspension

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

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he Nigerian Stock Ex change, NSE, has placed the shares ofNigeria Bag Manufacturing Company, BAGCO Group, on full suspension following the planned merger with Flour Mills Plc. The suspension will enable the company to determine the number of shareholders that have opted for cash consideration and consequently the number of scheme shares to be listed.

The company said in a statement that shareholders had up to March 5th to decide whether to take up shares in Flour Mills or elect for cash consideration.

It said, “Flour Mills and BAGCO Group have determined that the last trading day on the shares of BAGCO Group will be March 4, 2013, hence, the request that the shares of BAGCO Group be placed on full suspension on March 5, 2013 prior to its eventual delisting from the Daily Official List.”

It would be recalled that as part of the scheme arrangement of the merger, Flour Mills had recommended an offer of 25 Bagco shares in exchange for one share of Flour Mills or a cash consideration of N2.75 for each BAGCO share, a 39 percent premium to BAGCO’s closing share price on 16 November.

At the court-ordered meeting held in Lagos last week, shareholders also gave their full support to the proposed merger scheme between both companies.

The shareholders at the meeting said that the move would strengthen the business structure of Flour Mills, especially as it owned 70 per cent of BAGCO. The National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders’ Association of Nigeria, Sir Sunny Nwosu, who spoke at the event said the merger was a strategic plan to reduce duplication of functions since the three subsidiaries of BAGCO were wholly owned by Flour Mills.

He said, “We see the merger itself as a synergy building as it will reduce duplication of functions by these other subsidiaries, because at the moment, most of the functions are cross functions. So, it will definitely reduce expenditure as a result of the cross function and bring synergy. “ We are expecting that this idea will bring more money to us in terms of dividend to the shareholders, because whatever they are able to save from the duplication of functions will now go into FMN and increase its portfolios. That is our belief.”

The Group Managing Director of Flour Mills, Dr. Emmanuel Ukpabi, had earlier said that the proposed transaction was in furtherance of the company’s long-term growth strategy, which would involve significant capital expenditure.

This, he said, was demonstrated by the company’s recent investments in the food and agroallied sectors of the Nigerian economy.

n line with its Develop ment mandate, the SEC has finalized arrangements for a women – oriented seminar which will serve to deliver financial information regarding saving and investing; and the opportunities to Nigerian women for wealth creation within the Nigerian capital market.

The ‘Women economic empowerment forum’ which is themed: “Enabling Women’s Financial Inclusion” is the SEC’s mandate-focused interpretation of the International Women’s Day. It will take place in the Commission’s HQ on Friday, March 08, 2013. The event will deliver actionable financial information in an atmosphere that is educative and also entertaining – with cultural dances, poetry recital and drama presentation by female students from secondary schools in the Federal Capital.

The SEC hopes to enhance retail investor participation in the Nigerian capital market by unlocking the huge potential which Nigeria’s female population represents. Information on Collective Investment Schemes, CIS, the sturdy, less volatile avenue for investing in the market, will be shared at the event. Mrs. Nimi Akinkugbe, an expert on Personal Finance, will be the Guest Speaker. She will speak on Securing Your Financial Future. Mrs. Akinkugbe, a renowned banker has written extensively on the subject and maintains columns in leading, nationally circulated publications.

Other highlights of the event include poetry recital by female students of Olumawu Basic Secondary School, Wuse, Abuja; drama presentation by female students of Baptist High School, Kubwa, Abuja and dance presentation by female students of Government Secondary School, also in Kubwa, Abuja.

An important objective of the financial empowerment forum exceeds the inclusion of women in the investor public in Nigeria’s capital market. It entails also demographic inclusion expressed through the invitation of no less than 100 female secondary school pupils to attend and participate in the event as well as benefit from its information and education content in line with the “catch them young” philosophy of the SEC. Other target audiences of the forum are female ministers who will present goodwill messages at the forum, female journalists, and female staff of the SEC, spouses of the SEC’s male staff and representatives of the National Association of Market Women.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013—23

DMO establishes debt offices in 36 states, Abuja

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FROM LEFT: Chairman, Communications Committee, Ekiti West Federal Constituency 2,of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo; Permanent Secretary, Hospital Management Board, Ado-Ekiti, Dr. D.K Aina and Specialist Government Relations,Etisalat, Nigeria, Abbas Ismail, at the Commissioning of a 27KvA Generator, Donated by Etisalat Nigeria to Aramoko Ekiti General Hospital, Aramoko Ekiti.

World Bank predicts trillion dollar agri-business in Africa

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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HE World Bank said that Africa’s farmers and agribusinesses could create a trillion-dollar food market by 2030 if they can expand their access to more capital, electricity, better technology and irrigated land to grow highvalue nutritious foods, and if African governments can work more closely with agribusinesses to feed the region’s fast-growing urban population.

In a new report titled Growing Africa: Unlocking the Potential of Agribusiness launched this week, the World Bank said “Africa’s food systems, currently valued at US$313 billion a year from agriculture, could triple if governments and business leaders radically rethink their policies and support to agriculture, farmers, and agribusinesses, which together account for nearly 50 percent of Africa’s economic activity.”

“The time has come for making African agriculture and agribusiness a catalyst for ending poverty,” says Makhtar Diop, World Bank Vice President for Africa Region.

“We cannot overstate the importance of agriculture to

Africa’s determination to maintain and boost its high growth rates, create more jobs, significantly reduce poverty, and grow enough cheap, nutritious food to feed its families, export its surplus crops, while safeguarding the continent’s environment.”

Due to a combination of population growth, rising incomes and urbanization, strong demand is driving global food and agricultural

prices higher. Supply issues – slowing yield growth of major food crops, slowdown in research spending, land degradation and water scarcity issues, and a changing climate all mean that prices will remain high. In this new market climate, Africa has great potential for expanding its food and agricultural exports.

Africa holds almost 50 percent of the world’s uncultivated land which is

suited for growing food crops, comprising as many as 450 million hectares that are not forested, protected, or densely populated. Africa uses less than 2 percent of its renewable water sources, compared to a world average of five percent.

Its harvests routinely yield far less than their potential and, for mainstay food crops such as maize the yield gap is as wide as 60 to 80 percent. Post-harvest losses run 15 to 20 percent for cereals and are higher for perishable products due to poor storage and other farm infrastructure.

Lagos appoints Diamond Bank collector of Land Use Charge T

HE Lagos State Government has appointed Diamond Bank Plc as an agent for the collection of land use charge in the state.

The move it was gathered was to further provide as many residents as possible the opportunity to pay the charges which came into force in the state 12 years ago.

The land use charge law came into effect in 2001 when the state House of Assembly replaced all existing state and local government taxes on real estate bringing them all under one law.

According to a statement signed by Mrs. Ayona Trimnell, Head Corporate Communications of Diamond Bank , “ By virtue of the appointment, property owners

in the state can now remit land use charge to the state government through the bank.

According to the law, all properties in the state are subjected to the land use charge with the exemption of those owned by the government or by religious or charity organisations. The bank said it would deploy its modern infrastructure to ensure quick and efficient issuance of ereceipt on all payments made anywhere across the state.

Under the law, property owners are afforded only one month of grace from the date the demand notice is served to pay up the charge or face penalties from the government for evading payment.

HE Debt Management Office has established 37 debt management departments in 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory in the last six years, the DirectorGeneral, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, has said.

Nwakwo said this at a sub-national debt sustainability analysis/ portfolio review training for employees of the DMDs in Abuja.

He expressed satisfaction with the completion of the establishment of the DMDs in all the states of the federation, adding that the report of the exercise, which included verification of both the external and internal debt portfolios of the states, would soon be made public.

According to the DMO boss “We have been trying to ensure we build very robust and effective debt departments in the states.

As far back as 2007, we commenced a programme of helping the states, working with them to establish debt management departments in all the states of federation. We have been able to conclude that exercise and the report will soon be released formally.

“We had challenges, but we were able to surmount them to a significant level, and we congratulate all stakeholders on the success of the exercise in the past years.

So, having completed the first phase, we believe that we don’t need to leave a gap.

“We have to move on to the next stages and, therefore, as you see, we have arranged a series of seminars, a series of events, a series of trainings for the states so that we can consolidate on the achievements we have jointly made over these years.

“The seminar we are currently having with the states is a two-week exercise for all the states of the federation. We are now moving to the next phase of consolidation and refining and producing a little more sophisticated technique in the management of the debts of sub-nationals.

24—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

LADOL predicts human capital, infrastructure growth in 2013

BY IFEYINWA OBI

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HE Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL), an indigenous logistics support company in the nation’s maritime, oil and gas sectors, has identified human capital development and expansion of its logistics infrastructure as its main drivers of growth this year.

LADOL in 2013 is going to focus on growth in two ways, human capital development in line with our plans to build Santa Academy in partnership with Samsung, and we are also going to look at infrastructure in line with our plan to build an FPSO integrated facility, Managing Director of LADOL, Amy Jadesimi, said .

According to Jadesimi, the construction works on the facility would take off this year alongside the logistics business of LADOL, including the rig repair business.

“We did the groundbreaking ceremony of Santa Academy last year but the reason the take-off was delayed was the tender process.

We are partnering with Samsung in the development of the training centre but the tender process last year involved a number of significant changes.”

She further said LADOL met with Samsung this year and they confirmed they would start the construction work in the next two months.

Giving an overview of LADOL in 2012, Jadesimi said it was a very tough year for the company.

We participated in a lot of tenders. Fortunately, the tenders came out

very successful but it was a very difficult process that involves lots of work, huge demand of expenditure with a number of large rig repair work to do, which we had to invest in new equipment and train a lot of new personnel.

In 2012, she further said, LADOL also received a lot of government support and recognition for its performance in Local Content despite challenges it faced in the area of investment made.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and members of the Nigeria Maritime Expo (NIMAREX) 2013 Planning Committee during a visit to Obasanjo at his Hilltop Villa, Abeokuta residence

Customs, service providers, agents trade blame over un-utilised RAR

BY GODFREY BIVBERE

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ANAGEMENT of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)and the three Service Providers engaged by the Federal Government are currently engaged in war of words over un-used Risk Assessment Report (RAR), even as operators have differed on who is to blame.

The issue of un-utilised RAR became contentious following counter accusations that it has become a source of revenue loss for government and a means of financial enrichment to some persons.

Public Relations Officer of Ports and Terminal Multi-purpose Limited (PTML) Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Steve Okoma, noted that it is almost impossible for anyone to have two RARs on one consignment without being detected.

Okoma said once a RAR has been registered on the system it can not be duplicated without being discovered. He pointed out that there

was a case recently where an importer and his agent where brought from Ibadan to explain why their consignment had two RARs. He said it was discovered that another agent had first been contracted formally and a RAR was raised before it was handed over to the new agent who tried to cut corners by going to another service provider to raise a new RAR. The Customs image maker explained that when he found out that they could not use the second one without answering for the first, they

returned to the first with the intention of abandoning the second.

He said agents usually move from one service provider to another with the intention of paying lower duty. He further noted that it is so because a RAR from one service provider can be accepted by another Command with a different service provider.

A senior staff of one of the three service providers who spoke with Vanguard on the condition of anonymity, said that it is a well known fact that agents connive with Customs to doctor docu-

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HE Nigerian M a r i t i m e Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) yesterday sent another 191 young Nigerian cadets to the Arab Academy for Science Technology and Maritime Transport in Alexandria Egypt.

Disclosing this in Lagos, NIMASA’s Director

General Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi warned the cadets to be good ambassadors of the country urging them not to waste government investment on them.

Apkobolokemi stated that NIMASA decided to take this initiative with a view to creating a brighter future for young Nigerians so as to contribute to the economic development of

usually involved in the issuance of multiple RAR. He wondered why Customs did not continue with its Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) which was introduced late last year. The ANLCA boss said its continuation is necessary to enable operators acquaint themselves with it before the hand over in June this year.

He noted that severally, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had written to the service providers asking why there are so many un-utilized RAR issued by them.

New Port Police boss warns against indiscipline

BY GODFREY BIVBERE

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HE new Commissioner of Policein charge of Nigerian Ports Authority Police Command, Disu Olajoku has warned officers and men of the Command that she would deal with anyone involved in any form of indiscipline.

Olajoku, who gave the warning in Lagos after a working visit to the Lagos Ports Complex as part of her familiarisation tour of formations under her Command, said under her watch, it will no longer be business as usual.

She explained that the Command would no longer tolerate indiscipline, warning that offic-

NIMASA sends another 191 Nigerian cadets to Egypt Maritime Academy

BY GODWIN ORITSE

ments to enable them raise a new RAR with lower value for their personal benefits.

Similarly, National President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu, told Vanguard that service providers are the ones responsible for the issuance of multiple RAR. Shittu explained that the service providers usually issue RAR with high duty level which in turn encourages the need for cutting corners. He noted that importers, banks and service providers are

the country.

The NIMASA boss also stated that the sea time aspect of the training has also been incorporated into the entire package of the academy adding that the cadets will not only complete the programme but could be employed at the end of their training.

He also warned the cadets to align themselves to the law and culture of

their host country and abide by the rules in the school.

“Please when you go there, do not make trouble, do not be involved in rape, do not be involved in drugs do not be involved in anything that will mar your progress, do not form yourselves into groups that will stand against the school’s authority” he added.

ers and men of the command caught in any act of indiscipline would face the full wrath of the law.

She said: “We have observed that most officers have deployed themselves to traffic leaving very few at the general duty post and I can assure you that that must stop.”

She particularly took a swipe at officers and men of the command over their shabby mode of dressing, which she warned was not acceptable. She advised them to abide by the code of conduct introduced by the Inspector General of Police, Abubakar Mohammed, warning that any officer caught misbehaving will be dealt with.

The CP had also warned stakeholders that the command will not allow miscreants and unauthorised persons ac-

cess into the ports, warning that any miscreant seen around the ports would have himself to blame. She said the command would henceforth enforce access control to the various seaports with a view to protecting the nation’s maritime infrastructure and also ensuring security of lives and property.

“We will not fold our arms and allow unauthorised persons convert the seaports to a market place with the attendant negative security implications,” she noted.

While speaking at the event, commander of the Port Criminal Investigation Department, Mr. Bashir Abdullahi assured the CP that officers and men at the Command would be of good behaviour.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013—25

learning@vanguardngr.com

DLI, e-learning, most viable means of broadening educational access — Okebukola

BY DAYO ADESULU

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From L-R: Head, B2B Division, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Ayodele Adegboye; Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa,Mr. Brovo Kim; and Director, Greensprings School, Lagos, Mrs. Olayiwola Koiki, at the launch of Samsung’s Smart School Solution at Greensprings School, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.

Interest and enrolment in science on the decline in Africa —UNESCO

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI

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he United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has lamented the global decline in interest and enrolment in basic sciences across its member-countries especially in Africa where the situation has become worse than any other continent.

This was disclosed by UNESCO’s Director and Executive Secretary, International Basic Sciences Programme, Professor Maciej J. Nalecz, who noted that the

organisation is concerned about the global level of decline in science and technology despite what it sees as the primary role of science in the production of knowledge that improves conditions of living, sustainable development and, in general, the advancement of civilization.

Speaking on Biotechnology Prospects and Challenges for Africa at the Inaugural Conference of the International Centre for Biotechnology (UNESCO Category II), University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nalcez said the main challenge for science and

technology at a global level is the declining interest and enrolment of young people into science, mathematics and engineering faculties, especially women, at a time when there is an increasing need for them.

“Yet, new knowledge provided by scientific research is required to address major challenges such as poverty, environmental degradation, climate change, existing and newly emerging diseases, natural disasters and energy needs, form the stable foundation on which all current and future technologies should stand.”

According to Nalcez, statistics

Building collapse: Unilag partners Locust Soroptimist on bean to education for visually the impaired rescue C M Y K

The Damoche we knew —LASU students, lecturers

show that Africa’s contributions to research and development (R&D) is less than 1 per cent of global investment in R&D while it generates a mere 1.5 per cent of total scientific publications, a situation grossly termed inadequate.

He blamed the declining interest in enrolment of youngsters into

Continues on page 26

ormer National Universites Commission (NUC) Executive Secretary and Pro-Chancellor/ Chairman of Council, Osun State U n i v e r s i t y, P r o f e s s o r P e t e r Okebukola has said that the Open Distance Learning Institute (ODLI) should be run to fulfill its primary objective saying it should be seen as a potent pathway for bonding the world as a global knowledge society with technology playing a key role. He said; “Open and distance education refers to approaches to learning that focus on freeing learners from constraints of time and place while offering flexible learning opportunities.”

Delivering the 2013 lecture for the Distance Learning Institute at the University of Lagos entitled; The Changing Landscape of Open and Distance Learning and the Impact of E m e rg i n g Te c h n o l o g i e s , h e explained that open and distance learning is a way of combining work and family responsibilities with educational opportunities adding; “The open nature of distance learning typically involves open admissions, and freedom of selection of what, when and where to learn.

According to Professor Okebukola, the openness of distance learning should be seen in relatively flexible organisational structures, delivery and communication patterns as well as the use of

Continues on page 26

26—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

196 coys bid for supply of NYSC Batch ‘B’ kits

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he Minister of State for Education, Barrister Ezenwo Wike, has tasked Federal Government contractors on the need to meet completion of projects deadline in schools.

This is even as he said that Federal Government’s intervention in the provision of infrastructure and facilities to promote basic education is being vigorously pursued to meet the desired goal.

The Minister stated this during an inspection tour of construction of buildings geared towards this direction in Delta and Edo states and the FCT. Wike inspected the library buildings under construction at Federal Government Girls’ College, Ibusa; Junior Girl Model School project in Oginibo, Ughelli South Local Government; Federal Government College, Warri, Delta State, and Federal Government Girls’ College, Benin, Edo State.

The Minister, who noted that the construction work in all the sites is nearing completion, however, expressed dissatisfaction at the quality of work done at Junior Girl Model School, Oginibo. Nevertheless, he said that in the upcoming meeting with the consultants and contractors handling the projects, the observed anomalies will be discussed with a view to correcting them and ensuring that none

BY CALEB AYANSINA

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Students about to board the train on an excursion organised by Wonderland Entertainment for selected schools in Lagos.

Minister tasks contractors on projects deadline of them lagged behind.

He described the transformation agenda in the basic education sub-sector as a step in the right direction, saying that government is constructing junior model schools in Delta, Rivers, Cross-River, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa states (though construction work has not

started in Bayelsa), as well as intervening in all the Federal Government Colleges, geared towards increasing access to basic education and delivery of quality services.

Inspecting unity schools within the Federal Capital Territory, including Federal Goverment College, Kwali;

Federal Goverment Girls College, Abaji and Federal Goverment College, Rubochi, Wike was visibly displeased over the e-library project in FGC, Kwali, which was sited miles from student’s classrooms and hostels.

Interest and enrolment in science Continues from page 25 sciences on a diminishing trust in science by the general public resulting from a number of reasons among which are many unfulfilled promises such as a

cure for cancer, a solution to energy crisis, a healthy economic future, among others.

Warning that Africa stands the risk of stunted growth if she doesn’t arrest the current slide by putting in place adequate

measures, Nalcez said “failure to meet this challenge will result in insufficient numbers of scientists, continued brain drain, skills shortages and ongoing impact on development, especially for

DLI, e-learning Continues from page 25 various technologies to support learning.

Open and distance learning is aimed at bridging the time, geographical, economic, social, educational and communication distance between student and institution, student and course ware and student and peers.

He pointed out that open education is a label for a panoply of systems which include open and distance education, e-learning, flexible learning, distributed learning and a host of other brands, adding that what brings all the bedfellows together under the open education umbrella are three C M Y K

characteristics - flexibility, technology - mediation and learner control.

He noted that they are open to the extent that the learner is the master, the teacher, the servant leader. “The learner determines when to learn, what to learn, how to learn and who to collaborate with in learning.

Open education enables students to choose the mode of learning that works best for them,” he said.

Open education, he added, is considered by its practitioners as the most viable means for broadening educational access while improving the quality of education, advocating peerto-peer collaboration and

giving the learners a greater sense of autonomy and responsibility for learning.

Considering the impact of the distance learning programme on our education sector which started in 1983, Okebukola said the total students enrolment as at June, 2011 were ninety-seven thousand, five hundred and twenty-six (97, 526). In the break down, National Open University of Nigeria led with 42,898, followed by University of Ibadan with 14,500, University of Abuja with 18,300, University of Lagos with 12,000, Obafemi Aw o l o w o U n i v e r s i t y w i t h 5.000, Maiduguri 3,624 and Federal University of Technology, Yola; 1,204.

developing and leastdeveloped countries.”

To reverse this trend, he suggested that innovative means be developed to allow young people appreciate the value, creativity, challenges and excitement of science.

The Biotechnology Conference marked the official commencement of the International Centre for Biotechnology, UNESCO Category 2, UNN as a UNESCO Centre following the signing of the MOU between Nigeria and UNESCO in October 2012.

The UNN Centre was established to provide state-of-the-art laboratory facilities to enhance and develop research for food security, develop tropical disease research initiatives, provide training for postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows and develop capacity for biotechnology policy and practice.

BOUT 196 companies have been announced by the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, to have submitted bid for the production and supply of kit items for 2013 Batch ‘B’ corp members.

At the opening of Prequalification Documents in Abuja, the Director-General of NYSC, Brig-Gen Nnamdi Okore-Affia said the scheme would not deviate from transparency and due process it had been known for, promising to follow Public Procurement Act to the letter.

“It is important to inform you that this exercise will be followed by the critical examination of your documents by the Technical Evaluation Committee, who will eventually produce the qualified companies that will be issued with bidding documents for financial bidding coming up on March 25, 2013.

“Let me appeal to you not only as contractors, but also as members of the NYSC family to cooperate and make this exercise a success,” he pleaded.

Also speaking, the Director of Procurement, Mr. Gabriel Alonge explained that being a registered contractor with the scheme would not give anybody undue advantage over others, telling contractors not to give anybody kick-back for their company to be selected as the whole process will be made open.

40 students graduate from HOK centre

BY OLAYINKA AJAYI

F

orty women deployed by the Federal Government through the Presidential Amnesty Program have successfully graduated as hotel and catering managers from the HOK centre for Business, Technical and Trade Education, located in Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos.

Head of HOK Centre, Mrs. Helen Okafor, stated that the centre was established to aid the eradication of poverty, domestic abuse and to empower women. “l decided to do something on women empowerment, fortunately the Presidential Amnesty Program offered me a platform to stand and that gave birth to the HOK Centre.

“The deployment of the 40 women to this center to be trained in the area of hotel and catering management would enable them become employers of labour.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013—27

The Damoche we knew — LASU students, lecturers

BY IKENNA ASOMBA & ADEYEMI MOSES

H

ad he known that he would be murdered in cold blood on Thursday, February 28, 2013 by yet to be identified gunmen, he wouldn’t have come to school in his bid to meet up the 70 per cent compulsory class attendance of his course, Banking Lending & Credit Administration (BSS 405) taught by Dr. (Mrs.) Oluitan.

Had he been aware that his sojourn on earth will end that fateful day, perhaps he would have left the university campus earlier. Had he been pre-notified that he would not be among those that will sit for the First Semester examinations, commencing on March 11, 2013, he would have waited until half-time or even the end of the match to entertain the students who gathered at the university’s sports complex to watch the Deans’ Cup Finals between his department, Banking & Finance and the Department of Insurance.

All these and many more are rhetorical questions, which no one but God Almighty could answer. On what students and staff of the Department of Banking & Finance of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, termed a brutal death, upcoming artiste, and final-year Banking & Finance student of LASU, Olaniyan Damilola popularly known as Damino Damoche was, on Thursday, February 28, 2013, shot dead some meters away from the university gate along Iba Road by two unknown

Damoche at the Sports Complex 15min before his death

gunmen who rode on a motorcycle.

As Damoche was buried last Saturday, students, staff and friends revealed to Quadlife the Damoche they knew.

One of his friends who pleaded anonymity condemned the killing saying; “Damoche was a very reserved person and I’m so shocked that anyone would think of killing such a young man with a bright and promising future.”

Asked on his take that

Damoche belonged to the Eiye fraternity and must have been murdered by a rival fraternity, he retorted; “When something bad happens to someone, you

TANGLE – TANGO angle as a verb means ‘to twist something into an untidy mass’ e.g. ‘The wires got all tangled’. As a phrasal verb, ‘to tangle with somebody or something’ is ‘to become involved in an

T

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argument or a fight with somebody or something’. In noun form, ‘a tangle “is a mass of things such as string or hair twisted together untidily’ e.g. ‘Dada’s hair is a mass of tangles.’

Tango can also function as a

Faculty of Management Science, where Damoche belonged, described his death as a rude shock. “On that fateful day, when I saw him at the sports complex, I pleaded with him to perform after the half-time of the males’ final which was to commence in some minutes.

He agreed and I asked the Sports Director of Industrial Relations & Public Administration to get a microphone for him since the females’ final has just come to an end. But no fewer than 15 minutes after he left for the microphone, we learnt that Damoche has been shot dead.”

The Head, Department of Accounting & Finance, Dr. Babatunde Yusuf, who described Damoche’s murder as a dastardly act, expressed displeasure in the conflicting reports in the media about his death.

“I was sad when I learnt of the demise of Olaniyan. My displeasure, however is the wrong notion given by some media about LASU to be a den of cultists. I must say that in the last eight years or more, we have not witnessed this kind of situation. No single issue of students killing has been recorded on campus."

Hardwork, diligence, perseverance panacea to success — Ministry of Education

BY DAYO ADESULU

H

ard work, diligence, dedication and perseverance have been identified as prerequisites verb or noun. As a verb, it means ‘to dance the tango’.

Tango (noun) is ‘a fast S. American dance with a strong beat, in which two people hold each other closely.’ Thus, ‘When you tango, you dance the tango’.

Confused words

hear a lot of negative things about such person. I don’t think he belonged to any fraternity because we all know he detested radicalism as is common with most cultists.

“Rather than looking at his death from the cultism perspective, is it not likely that he must have been killed by arch music rivals, considering the fact that the music industry is highly competitive?”

Another student, Yahyah, averred that the gruesome murder of Damoche, of whom he is an ardent fan, must not be swept under the carpet.

“The Police said they have arrested over 70 suspects, but how sure are we that they are not innocent passers-by around the scene of the murder?

Serious investigations must be carried out to know what led to his death because I can’t just imagine that somebody I saw at the sports complex waiting to perform would be brutally killed.

“It was said that Damoche got a call before he left the sports complex that fateful day. Who called him and who picked up his phone after he was killed?

Did his killers go away with his phone because the Police can track who called him minutes before his death.”

On his part, Comrade Seyi Jaga, Sports Director of the

Tango is often confused with tangle in the idiom ‘It takes two to tango’. It is incorrect to write or say ‘It takes two to tangle.’ The acceptable word in the idiom is tango. An idiom is a fixed phrase or a fixed group of words whose meaning is different from the meanings of the individual words. The idiom ‘It takes two

•CONTINUES Next week.

that contribute to one’s success in life and towards attaining greater height.

The Permanent Secretary, Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Alhaji Ambaliu to tango’ is ‘used to say that two people or group and not just one, are responsible for something that has happened (usually something bad).

‘Tangle’ is a misnomer in the idiom and so must not be used.

HUMAN – HUMANE Human refers to ‘mankind, of or connected with people rather than animals; humane means, kind, compassionate, considerate, respectful of people’s and animals’ rights.

Examples The food is not fit for human consumption.

Many people are religious but few are humane.

Send requests/problems to Gabriel Osoba, Ph.D, Department of English, Lagos State University, Ojo, through Editor, Teach Yourself English, Vanguard Newspapers, PMB. 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or email: editor@vanguardngr.com & gabosoba002@yahoo.co

Ishola gave this admonition while declaring open a oneday induction programme for Education Officers newly employed by the State Government at the Ministry ’s Conference Room, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

The Permanent Secretary said as young officers who have just been employed by the State Government, there is need for the officers to be good ambassadors of the state. He added that they should mind the way they talk, manner of dressing and behaviour.

He urged them against taking any steps or give out any information without an approval from the higher authority.

“In civil service, there are rules and regulations guiding its operation. So this training was purposely organised to train you on the dos and don’ts and code of conduct so as guide you in your daily activities, manner of interacting meaningfully with other staff, how to be loyal to higher authority and financial regulations as related to civil service.”

28—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Students' union visits Jonathan’s SA on Niger-Delta Affairs BY EMMANUEL AHANONU, UNICAL

T

he National Executives of Niger-Delta Students’ Union Government (NIDGUG) and other senior stakeholders of the union have paid a courtesy visit to the special Adviser to the President on Niger-Delta Affairs, Hon. Kingsley Kuku in his office in Abuja.

The visit was precipitated by multifaceted challenges facing students in the NigerDelta region as stated in a communiqué issued at the end of a one day National Congress meeting held after a joint session between Senate and Executive of

NISUG at the Ignatus Ajuru University of Education.

These challenges were succinctly enumerated in this communiqué which was presented to Hon. Kuku during the visit.

According to the communiqué, the major challenges are on education and students' welfare. The communiqué in its way forward enunciated some things that could salvage the situation which include among others; “undergraduate scholarship scheme, skills acquisition/ industrial training programme, bursary scheme and entrepreneurship training.”

The communiqué noted that

“ we must state that we are disappointed with the nonimplementation of any of these requests. In fact, the Niger-Delta Ministry has done nothing for the education of our people.”

The communiqué in its resolution noted the body in her congress, lent their voice in many areas as it affects students’ community.

It challenges the NigerDelta Ministry to undertake an indigenous master ’s degree scholarship to deserving persons in the region with a target of 100 persons per state annually.

Other issues advocated in the communiqué include “skills acquisition/industrial programme, bursary scheme

for undergraduates, national summit/Niger -Delta students sports competition.”

On this summit, the paper noted that it is “a way to faster progress, to give students a sense of belonging, and promote peaceful coexistence by bringing students together.

It also charged the commission to “give desired attention to our proposed National Summit tagged; The challenges of education and our future hope and the sports competition tagged; NigerDelta Students Challenge Cup. Responding to this in the speech he entitled; We are Heading Somewhere, Hon. Kuku applauded the NIDSUG body for their bold step in being a voice to the voiceless and further regretted the gap in communication in the time past.

UNILORIN students commend SUG for purchase of ‘Keke NAPEP’

BY HAMEED MURITALA, UNILORIN

The tricycles at the launching

S

tudents of the University of Ilorin have commended the Students’ Union of the school under the leadership of Com. Aremu AbdulMalik for the purchase of five tricycles (Keke Napep) to ease the transportation burden of the students while on campus.

The students described the acquisition of the tricycles as a step in the right direction as it would reduce the transportation challenges faced by them within the school premises.

The tricycles were commissioned last Wednesday, February 27 at the Senate Building by the Deputy ViceChancellor (Research, Training and Innovation), Prof. F. A Oladele on behalf of the ViceChancellor, Prof. Abdul Ganiyu Ambali. They had since commenced operation.

Alabede Surajdeen, a 300 level Geography & Environmental Management student said; “This is highly commendable; it is a step in the right direction as it will ease the movement of students within the campus.”

“Well, I commend their efforts, I think they can still do

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more because considering the student population, five tricycles are not enough,” said Tunji Oyeleke, a 300 level Mass Communication student.

The Students’ Union President, Aremu AbdulMalik, said that the tricycles would cost N10 per drop, against the N30 per drop being charged by the

existing transporters on campus. He added that the price was carefully considered by leadership of the union.

U.I elects Students’ Union leaders

BY HAMMED HAMZAT & DHIKRU AKINOLA

S

tudents of the University of Ibadan recently went to the polls to elect new leaders for the 2012/2013 academic session.

It was the third election since the ban of students’ unionism was lifted after over 10 years of proscription by former ViceChancellor, Prof. Ayodele Falase.

Enoch Oladehin, Babatunde Badmus and the only female candidate, Gbemi Osadua, contested for the presidency while Seun Akinbiyi, Glory Aiyegbeni and a male candidate, Victor Odesola aspired to be vice-president.

They all campaigned vigorously and in the end, the chairman of the electoral commission, Mrs. Stella Soola, declared Babatunde Badmus old

glory of the union, adding that anything after that is a ruse.

Azeez Akinola of the department of Adult Education said he was happy for the victory, saying that he want the welfare of the students to be handled with utmost concern. He noted that the union must be rebranded in order to regain its vibrancy.

Imo withdraws scholarship from indecently dressed students

BY LAJU ARENYEKA (with agency reports)

S

agging of trousers and wearing micro minis now hold greater consequences for Nigerian students from Imo state, as some unlucky students of Imo origin may soon lose their scholarships for dressing indecently.

Bypassing the typical grounds for withdrawal of scholarship benefits, such as ailing academic performance, and severe behavioural misconduct, the Imo state governor, Gov. Rochas Okorocha last week, said that he would withdraw the scholarship from any student of Imo origin in tertiary institutions reported by the school authority to be indecently dressed.

Okorocha made this known in Owerri while addressing members of the newly appointed Government Liaison Officers.

He said “I have mandated the school authorities to forward to my office, the name of any female student found to have exposed the sensitive parts of her body for immediate cancellation of her name as a beneficiary of the scholarship award.

"The same goes to the young boys found exposing part of their inner wear in the name of sagging. The school is for academic work and those that found themselves there must know how to dress properly.”

It would be recalled that at the beginning of the year, the Imo state Governor began the implementation of a scholarship award promised to students of Imo origin in tertiary institutions.

By the scholarship, students of the state-owned university (IMSU) are to receive N100, 000 each academic session while those of the polytechnic and colleges of education are to get N65, 000 for their academic pursuit.

However, mixed reactions have trailed the governor ’s proclamation that this package could be forfeited by students caught dressing indecently.

A student of Imo state University who simply referred to himself as Emeka is not in support of the idea. According to him, the issue of indecent dressing should be handled in a less harsh and more effective way.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013—29

AAU student emerges Edo most beautiful girl

By NOSA UWADIAE, BENIN

E

do State Most Beautiful Girl, Miss Jalome Udimoh is set to organise a youth summit tagged; Anything Imaginable is achievable, aimed at educating undergraduates and senior school students in Edo State on genotype test awareness.

The beauty queen is a 400 level student of Medical

*Miss Jalome Udimoh, Edo State's Most Beautiful Girl.

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Laboratory Science, Ambrose Alli University, AAU, Ekpoma.

The pageant is organised by the Devine Smiles Foundation International, aimed at boosting the tourism sector in the state, and giving succour to the needy, the weak among others.

Udimoh was a former Miss NIMELSSA (Nigeria Medical Laboratory Science Students Association, A AU) and later st 1 Runner-up, Miss NIMELSSA in Nigeria before she emerged Most Beautiful Girl in Edo recently.

The beauty queen who hails from Okpekpe Community in Etsako East LGA said her one year tenure will enable her to create awareness on sickle cell anaemia.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and a foremost activist and CoFounder of Pan-African University, Patrick Utomi will lead other dignitries to Edo State for the state youth summit billed for Friday March 8, 2013 at the Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre, Benin City.

The summit which is organised in collaboration with Edo State Government will create opportunity for senior secondary school

students and undergraduates to have genotype test free of charge.

She said the programme would be centred on youths, “because the youths are the leaders of tomorrow. As a medical student, I need to educate them because it has come to my knowledge that

most young people still marry without knowing their genotype. And this has led to many couples giving birth to children with sickle cell anaemia.

“More so, if they know their genotype, they can further seek professional advice on

what kind of partner they can go for and this would reduce the number of people with sickle cell anaemia. And I assure you that this would indeed improve their knowledge on issues that border on genotype and sickle cell anaemia after the summit,” Udimoh stated.

Church provides succour to night readers at UNILORIN

BY DAYO AKINOLA, UNILORIN

W

henever exams come calling, students’ preparations are always at their peak. At the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, many students are known to read at nights, especially as the exams draw closer. Though the university library has begun its 24-hour service but the library can’t take more than its capacity, leaving many students at the mercy of mosquito-ridden lecture rooms.

Then came the Ever Increasing Word Ministries, aka Rhema Chapel International Churches, with its irresistible night class offer as it opened its doors to

students to read during the night for the Harmattan semester exams.

All that is required of the student is to register his/her name at the church gate and enter to have a wonderful reading experience in the most conducive environment that is yet to be matched anywhere else.

An entrance into the large expansive fully airconditioned hall would give the semblance of a lecture hall.

Students are seated around tables and are served hot tea every night to keep them warm.

Added to this is the number of mattresses available for those who may like to rest after reading, thereby making night reading irresistible for many

students.

Adefemi Odunlade, a 400level student of Agric Economics and also the Coordinator of Rhema Chapel Campus Fellowship (RCCF), spoke to Quadlife on what prompted the gesture.

“The idea is a vision of the founder, Rev George Adegboye, to help others actualise their goals with the knowledge that goals can’t be actualised without proper preparation."

This is just one of the expressions of the vision God has given to him. This is the maiden edition of the night class and we hope it would continue. The idea of serving tea and providing beds is just to make students very comfortable.”

30—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Unilag partners Soroptimist on education for visually impaired

BY JOSEPHINE IGBINOVIA

T

HE University of La gos, Akoka, has renewed its commitment towards providing quality education for the over 40 visually impaired students in its institution with the proposed procurement of 30 special computers.

With 15 already on

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ground, the devices, according to the university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, Prof.

Babajide Alo, are loaded with special software packages with transcription facilities so as to further enhance the use of audio devices and Braille papers by visually impaired students.

Alo made this known while receiving the Pres-

ident, Soroptimist International of Great Britain, Mrs. Pat Black, who was on an inspection visit to the university’s Braille Centre built in 2010 by the Soroptimist International of Eko. The Braille Centre uses the latest computerized software to assist visually challenged students with their studies and research, thus trying to

bridge the gap between them and their sighted counterparts.

Buttressing the institution’s commitment to the holistic education of challenged students, acting University Librarian, Okanlawon Oladipo Adedeji, revealed that the university had various preferences for challenged students and was also planning other state-

of-the-art services.

“These are students we cannot allow to be on their own, so, as we cater for other students, we have put in place services for them. We care for all categories of students, but for those with physical challenges, we give priority, including in the area of accommodation.

For visually impaired

students, we had in place audio devices to aid their studies, but since the establishment of the Braille Centre two years ago by the Soroptimist of Eko, they now have the opportunity of studying and writing examinations without audio devices, but with Braille papers. The production of Braille is actually now done here in the centre.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013—31

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

BY EBELE ORAKPO

E

ngineer Ocheja Joseph is a senior technologist in the Mechanical E n g i n e e r i n g Department of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State. His unit deals with fabrication. In this chat with Vanguard Learning in his office, Ocheja speaks on his current project which is a fourwheel auto car, saying that if Nigeria must move forward, the private sector should move ahead of government. Excerpts: “As technologists, we try to produce things that will help the university to be independent. Right now, I am working on a four-wheel Covenant University branded mini car.," he said.

Motivation: "It was an inspiration

by God. It is going to be the first of its kind in this country. I want to say that a country that wants to be really independent has to look on the inside and see the people and resources it has that will make it truly great. We are not waiting for the government anymore; we have to move ahead of the government. So I came up with the fourwheel branded vehicle.

In fact, someone walked in here and said it is an elder brother to Keke Marwa (tricycle), but this is not a tricycle. Also, why I came up with this four-tyre stuff is just to give it balance because the Keke Marwa is not well balanced. When you have one tyre at the front and two at the back, it is not balanced at all. So for balancing and for more passengers, I came up with the four-wheel mini car," he said.

The Process: "After I produced the design and made everything ready, I submitted it to the Research Committee of the university. They looked at it, saw the viability, the pros and cons and engineering hindrances that may occur and they returned it to me. I did some adjustments and came up with a neat paper which I presented to them. The school then released grant for me to go on with the project.

That was just last December and I think I have started making a mark. I am still in the C M Y K

To be truly independent, Nigeria must look inwards – Ocheja Joseph

*Engineer Ocheja Joseph at work on the Covenant University-branded four-wheel mini car process of production," he stated.

Local input: “I want to mention here that when you talk about the finished product, the

things that we bought from the market are the tyres and engine only because presently, Nigeria does not produce any engine

anywhere. And even, when you look at our cars, it is not just one company that produces everything.

There are companies that produce headlights, some

produce batteries, some produce tyres etc. They bring these things and couple them together.

Then you may have a link company like

Toyota set-up that has where they produce the parts and then bring everything into the Toyota Manufacturing company and couple them together. That is what happens outside there. We cannot run away from that so I have bought the four tyres and the engine. But I am making every other thing here, putting them together to make it work.”

Affordability: "It will be affordable of course. Actually, when you are producing a prototype, it is a little bit expensive but when you go into mass production, the cost drops by about 40 per cent. I have a four-stroke engine to drive the rear wheel tyre.

With time, I might move the engine to the front to make it a front-wheel drive. So the cost will definitely drop by the time we start mass production.

By then, I must have known how and where to get the materials cheap, how to cut the parts and make moulds for some of the parts," he said.

Building collapse: Locust bean to the rescue

BY EBELE ORAKPO

O

ur secondary school children are putting on their thinking caps, looking for ways to make life better for the people. At the recently held Nigerian Secondary Schools Science Fair organised by Genius Illumina at the University of Lagos, Cherry Field College, Jikwoyi, Abuja, presented their project entitled; Enhanced paint using locust bean pod extract. In this chat with Vanguard Learning, the students, Favour Garuba, Nnamdi Nwajiuba and Godenaan John Wala said they were motivated to carry out the research as a result of the incessant building collapse in the country.

Excerpts:.

Said Nnamdi; “In the north, it is a common practice for locals to hang locust bean pods on their walls and with the coming of the rains, the water washes out the extract into the walls.

At first, they look a bit unsightly but further research led to the discovery that this extract actually makes the walls stronger. What makes the wall

*Could this be part of the solution to incessant building collapse in Nigeria? stronger in the locust bean pod extract is partially the organic and the inorganic components. The organic component – tannin – is a plant chemical spread over the clay lumps and even them out so that the pores are filled and water cannot penetrate. So if this is applied on your wall, it will do this exact thing and water will, therefore, not destroy your wall. The calcium, the inorganic component, combines with oxygen in the process of oxidation to form calcium oxide. The calcium oxide in turn combines with the clay in the wall to form calcium silicate, the major cementing agent. So you have double cement, making your wall stronger.

I think the local folks knew the principle behind this practice because they could not afford paint or cement to hold their walls together. It is a

*From left; Favour Garuba, Nnamdi Nwajiuba, Godenaan John Wala. regular tradition that we notice nowadays and we decided to investigate this particular one because of the rate of building collapse in the country due to poor engineering so we have found a way now to make buildings stronger."

Significance: Speaking on the significance, Favour Garuba said; "The significance of this is that you are able to get paint that enhances your wall by making it stronger. In addition, it also has an anti-termite property to prevent termites from destroying anything you use it on."

Commercial viability: “Now that we have seen that it actually works, we want to sell the idea to major paint producers so they will simply integrate the extract into their paints to make the walls stronger. It is at no extra cost because this is something that is being thrown away so it adds no extra cost to their production.”

32—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Ogun commissioner lauds Nestle’s teachers’ workshop DAUD OLATUNJI

O

gun State Commissioner for Education, Segun Odubela, has lauded Nestle Nigeria PLC over a workshop it organised for teachers of 25 public schools aimed at raising awareness on the importance of good nutrition and healthy life-style among schoolage children in Nigeria.

A d d r e s s i n g participants at the workshop, Odubela said the training was important and helpful as it would afford the participants the opportunity to sharpen their nutritional teaching and learning skills as it affects the health of the younger ones.

He also said the workshop would have positive impact on the service delivery of school teachers in the state.

Explaining the rationale behind the programme, the

Managing Director of Nestle, Martin Woolnough said it was organised for the participants to play a cogent role by imparting relevant knowledge on the kids when they return to their various schools.

Woolnough, who spoke through one of the Directors in the company, Dr. Samuel Adenekan, noted that the workshop would lay very serious emphasis on arming the teachers

with nutritional skills and modern teaching methods.

He disclosed that the objective, if achieved, would also help the younger ones adopt good eating habit, promote health and reduce the risk of disease.

The Managing Director added that the programme was a powerful tool to ensure that children understand the value of nutrition

and physical exercises and imbibe such values for healthy living throughout their lifetime.

“One of the objectives of Nestle Healthy Kids' Teachers’ Workshop is to ensure that the healthy kids' teachers use innovative nutrition education techniques because teachers often need more help with innovative techniques than with content.

*Winning house, Favour House with 15 gold, 12 silver and 6 bronze medals, Goodness House and Praise House of Wellspring College after the school's interhouse sports competition

Sport nurtures children to work in team spirit, says Principal

BY TOBI ODEJAYI

T

he Principal, Wellspring College, Mrs Oluwayemisi Oloriade has enjoined parents to give room to their children to

participate in sport activities saying that sport develops the body, mind and also moulds the character of a child to work in team spirit.

She said; “The school's inter-house sports

competition makes a good and responsible leader, a team player who listens to the yearnings of his people and respect their feelings for it was with team spirit that

MCPS holds inter-house sports

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI

C

hants of 'Go Blue House!

Run Red House! Go Yellow House,' filled the air as parents and pupils of Maryland Convent Private School, Maryland, cheered their house members as they competed in various sports at the school’s 15th biennial inter-house sports festival.

The pupils competed in 37 events, some of which are 25m tiny tots (boys and girls); 25m slippers race (boys and girls); 50m dash (boys and girls); filling the basket (boys and girls); 50m slippers race (boys and girls); 100m junior (boys and girls); 100m intermediate (boys and girls); 100m senior (boys and girls); invitation relay, 4x100m relay (boys and girls); among others.

Welcoming parents and guests to the festival, the Head teacher, Rev. Sis

Gladys Osagie, stressed on the importance of sports to the mental and physical development of children.

At the end of the day, Infant Jesus (Green) House came first with 20 medals, followed by St Anthony (Yellow) House with 17 medals. Fr. Augustine Planques (Blue) House, was third with 16 medals, Lady of Apostle (White) House came fourth with 13 medals and St. Agnes (Red) House came fifth with 13 medals.

The march past event was won by Lady of Apostle House, Fr. Augustine Planques House won the football event while Infant Jesus House is the best behaved house. In the individual events, Mr. Andrew Agbesinu won the male parents’ race, while Joy of Infant Jesus House was the overall best athlete with four gold medals.

democracy was born by the Greeks and nurtured by the Americans.”

Delivering her speech during the school’s interhouse sports competition held at the University of Lagos sports complex, Oloriade however, added that those who are not directly participating in active sport but cheering them up are as important as those participating directly.

According to her, without the fans or spectators to cheer and support the athletes, there will be no glamour in whatever victory they may record in the competition adding, “You must see yourself as the bedrock of today ’s occasion and try your best to make it a successful one by not relenting in your support for you representatives.”

She noted that the best form of education for a child is one that does not only develop his cognitive domain but also attends to his psycho motor domain to ensure a thoroughly bred youth who is not only knowledgeable and disciplined but also healthy.

Directing your life movie L

ife could be likened to a movie in which we get on the world stage to play our part within a specific time frame on the time line of life. The more inspiring, captivating, exciting and thrilling the story lines, the more highly rated and valuable the movie becomes.

As it is with all movies; it can be inspiring or it can be demeaning; it can be an example or it can be a warning; it can be a tragedy or it can be a comedy. Whatever the story line of your life movie is, one thing is certain, you are the writer of the script and the director of the movie which implies you are absolutely responsible for the quality of your life.

I introduce to you a real life “movie” that eclipses a life from an ordinary birth to an extraordinary accomplishment; from a deprived background to an inspiring frontline; from abject poverty to abundance; from a crime-infested neighbourhood to someone who is changing the world one day at a time.

Raised by a single mother but with lots of love, discipline and motivation in a poverty stricken environment but with a mind filled with unlimited possibilities. At the age of six, the young lad formed the habit of daydreaming; he would imagine what he desired for his family; he would dream of igniting audiences of millions of people with great speeches; he was all about possibilities with no iota of lack or negativity in his mind.

The dream dominated his thoughts. The young man made his imagination to serve him. Remember, you are not limited by your background or circumstance; you are only limited by the size of your imagination. Here is his pedigree, “At age six, he carried homemade business cards in his “briefcase” (a plastic lunch box). At eight, he started a club. At 10, he suffered his first major setback.

At 11, he was co-hosting a national-radio simulcast. At 14, he was a millionaire. At 16, he was a reallionaire - a businessman dedicated not just to money, but to giving back and inspiring others.” His name is Farrah Gray.

I present to you another life “movie” but a contrasting one at that. A man full of health and energy broke the news that he was going to die on his next birthday. On his next birthday, he refused to go to work and he announced to his family that he will die before midnight. A doctor was called to examine him but found him in a good state of health.

However, the man refused to eat, grew weaker and weaker and eventually died before midnight. What a tragedy; a product of distorted imagination. We do not believe what we see but rather we see what we believe.

Everything that is visible in the world was first created by imagination. The world of imagination is the real world because it births reality; the imaginary state precedes the physical state. It is saddening to observe people using this great tool for self destructive purposes by letting their imagination run wild; imagining all kinds of negativity and dire things rather than channelling it for constructive purposes in creating and shaping their destinies positively.

What you imagine to be true shapes your behaviour and belief system and creates the condition of your life. Whatever you imagine clearly and feel deeply impresses on the subconscious mind and is carried out to its minute detail. You don’t play games with your subconscious mind; anything impressed upon it is as good as done.

To direct our life movie effectively, we must maximize our imagination by creating a mental picture of the way we wish to be, the kind of life we want to lead. In fact, we can use our imagination to picture a successful outcome of everything we intend to do, be and have through life; acting “as if ” it is already a reality.

Make your life movie highly rated by maximizing your imagination.

V anguard Vanguard anguard,,

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

GEMINI: Avoided you don’t allow others to mislead you, things will not go wrong. The more willing you are to take the initiative the better for you. Take your love life more seriously.

CANCER: Although you will need to be as secretive as you can, your success will attract others’ attention to you to the betterment of your cause. Be ambitious.

LEO: People who more influential than you will be willing to support your cause but you will need to make the necessary move. The more self assertive you are the better.

VIRGO: Challenges of yesterday will today bring you good opportunities along your career/business lines to the betterment of your finances seek supporters of powerful ones.

— 33

LEISURE

YOUR LUCK TODAY

TAURUS: Mercury will start to go on backward motion soonest, therefore you will need to re-examine both your personal ideas and advice given to you by other people. Be family minded.

THURSD AY, MARCH 7, 2013 THURSDA

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

T

HERE is this song I love to sing even when my voice is not friendly, it goes thus “magnify the Lord, oh’ magnify the Lord, the Lord is able”. My friend let me ask you a question: who do you magnify in your

Who do you magnify? life, your problem, your challenges or your God? The truth is that many of us unknowingly magnify our problem. Yet, we

profess to be children of God. If we truly believe in our God, we will magnify Him above every other thing in our life, including our problem. Or don’t

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye”

you know that each time you place your problem above God, you are belittling Him? Magnify the Lord.

Play down your problem. The Lord is above.

Think about it!

By Lanre Kehinde

LIBRA: Think of the best way to improve on your working pattern in order to enhance your career prospects if you listen to your creative self, things will work out fine for you. Be more loving.

SCORPIO: Success is boldly printed on your cards today. Think of both immediate and far future while you are savouring goodies offered you but mother nature.

SAGITTARIUS: You should not have it tough while trying to win the needed supports of others. Take good advice from some of your friends who are creatively gifted.

CAPRICORN: Your creativity ...... is enhanced today and if you demonstrating this within your working arena, you’ll earn success and consolidate on your recent progress.

AQUARIUS: As mercury prepares to go on backward motion it is important you don’t take things for granted.

Watch carefully what you agree to do.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

PISCES: Better than yesterday. Others will be willing to give you the needed co-operation both at home and within your working arena. This is a good day for lovers.

ARIES: Those of you who are more enterprising will have much to show for your efforts. The more cooperative you. Don’t neglect love.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

What does future have for me?

Dear Joshua, I don’t want you to publish my data. However, I want to know how the planets lined up when I was born.

And which day of the week was I born, would I record success in life ? When would my success come?

Glory, Lagos.

Dear Glory, You were born on a Jupiter ruled day - Thursday. You’ll succeeded earlier than you think.

Your Horoscope Data DAY OF BIRTH: THURSDAY SUN SIGN = PISCES: SUN IN 25TH DEGREE OF PISCES MOON SIGN: PISCES: MOON IN 21ST DEGREE OF PISCES MERCURY IN 28TH DEGREE OF AQUARIUS VENUS IN 28TH DEGREE OF ARIES MARS IN 7TH DEGREE OF CANCER JUPITER IN ZERO DEGREE OF AQUARIUS SATURN IN 27TH DEGREE OF CAPRICORN URANUS IN 22ND DEGREE OF LEO NEPTUNE IN 11TH DECREE OF SCORPIO PLUTO IN 6TH DEGREE OF VIRGO NORTH NODE IN 6TH DEGREE OF PISCES CARDINAL AND MUTABLE STAR SIGN HOSTED THREE PLANETS EACH, FIXED AND WATER FOUR EACH, FIRE EARTH AND AIR HOSTED TWO EACH. PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 40% NON-PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 60% HIGHLY HIGHLIGHTED STAR SIGN = AQUARIUS FINAL DISPOSITOR = SATURN ANALYSIS OF THE HOROSCOPE DATA Saturn as the final dispositor-the most influential planet at home when you were born, pointed to you as an ambitious person who must have a well developed career.

You are a disciplined person with higher degree of leadership quality in yourself. Although, you can be emotional, you are stable and reliable. Less than 50 per cent of push-full influence in you is an indication of your being an amiable person. Both your natal sun/moon in Pisces and Aquarius are indications of characteristic of star signs are highly pronounced in your inner-self Having your hands on public pulse will always bring you unexpected success and fulfilment.

VIRGINIA

Commen3

dadadekola@yahoo.com

by Lawrence Akapa

34 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7-, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7-, 2013 — 35

36—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH, 7, 2013 cluded that she must be referring to his younger brothers and their families. It never occurred to me that the children she used to ask about all the time were Kole’s. If their mother is white, it would mean also that I have a good guess of who these children could be. Several times, I’d seen pictures of some half castes in the family album but I never thought to ask who they were since I just assumed they would be people close to the family. Besides, I’d seen pictures of the same kids on Kole’s phone and he’d told me he is their godfather but people know them as his children because they spend a lot time at his place because of the freedom his place provides for them. It made sense because a bachelor’s apartment could sometimes be very condusive for almsot any activity, especially for young people. In my mind, I had concluded that they were going to be part of the people I would have for company when finally I move to America. I never knew I was fooling myself.

Married but living single(4) prove their case beyond any doubt to her and she had no choice but to let me in on it.

Then she began asking a barrage of questions; what did Kole tell me he was doing in the USA? Why did he say he has never been married?

What would I say if it was our brother who has never been married at that age, would we not ask questions? She finally concluded that Kole is a big liar and had been lying all along.

She said her friend who is a friend to the younger sister of Kole’s friend told her that Kole is married to a white woman back in America. They also have two teenage children, a boy and a girl together

,

,

HI! IT is the dream of every wom an to find her own Prince charming, get married and be called Mrs. It is a dream they have harboured in their hearts since they were little. And when that husband comes in a package wrapped with success, the promise of life abroad and access to the good things of life, many women are likely to throw caution to the winds. Unfortunately for some, reality may sometimes be different from dreams and they find themselves trapped in between two worlds, neither married, nor single. We will be taking the story of three women who are trapped in unions with guys who reside outside the country.

Dear readers, if you or anyone you know of have been through a similar experience, please write in and share with us. We also offer our readers an opportunity to share their problems with other readers whose advise will also be published on this column. this is because this column is not only reader participatory, it is also because we believe in the power of numbers, the more, the merrier. So, we are anxiously waiting to read from you. Our adress remains, The Human Angle, Vanguard, P.M.B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos, and our email address: thehumanangle93@yahoo.com Happy reading!

Below, we continue the narratives of Arike, (30), mother and graduate as she shares the story of how she became a single parent living with her in-laws.

My younger sister called me one day to tell me she had something very urgent and important to discuss with me. When she arrived, she looked very worried and heartbroken. She told me that I must believe whatever she tells me because she is my sister and would never deliberately hurt me.

She said when she heard the story she was about to tell me, she did not believe it and has fought seriously with them on our behalf.

However, they have been able to

Several times, I’d seen pictures of some half castes in the family album but I never thought to ask who they were since I just assumed they were people close to the family

and worse still, they all live together.

She said that all I have been told is a lie and Kole married me just to please his mother who insists that he must marry a Nigerian woman.

At this point, I felt the blood drain from my head, face and my body growing limp. I did not know that I had slumped until I woke up to see my sister standing over me, fanning away frantically. My blouse and hair was soaked with water. I was told that I passed out. It was a first time for me. I started crying.

My life has been ruined.

I asked if my sister had told anyone yet about it and she said she wanted to tell me first before telling our parents. So, I begged her not to tell anyone just yet. I needed to do my own investigations before telling them. It was then that some of the things I’d seen started making sense to me.

One day, mummy and Kole had been discussing on the phone and when she wanted to round up, she started talking about greeting the children and their mother. I con-

I could not hold back my anger and anxiety that night. He would always call but I put the call through that day and it was the first question I put to him. He asked if I was crazy and who had told me such bogus stories. I didn’t know how I answered him but I know I was shouting and calling him names. By the time I finally asked what he was planning to do with me and my daughter, I did not hear anything from the other side again and realised he’d hung up.

I did not go to his mum to ask anything but kept to myself. Funny enough, my mother-in-law did not ask me anything and after a few days, I started thinking she must know something already. She spoke to Kole and her two other boys almost on a daily basis, surely one of them would have said something to her about my discovery.

It was not until the weekend that Kole and I got to speak again.He told me he had deliberately delayed calling me so that I would have let off my anger by the time he called.

To be continued

Friends Searching Males

•Alex, 25, tall, fair in complexion, handsome and

resident in Abuja, needs a sexy and generous lady, aged 30-45.08066895006 •A guy, self employed and resident in Warri, generous and fun loving, needs a good girl for a serious relationship, that would lead to marriage.08064640258 •A matured and responsible man wants a matured, beautiful and responsible lady for a secret affair.

08027818773 •Osas, 25,in Lagos, needs a lady, aged 35 and above, for a sexual relationship.07014332822 •Kj, 40, needs an intelligent, romantic and fair complexioned lady from either Rivers, Akwa lbom or Bayelsa. 08103196319 •Darlington, 48, resident in Lagos, needs a woman, aged 35-50, for an affair. 08089486882 •Martins, 19, not that tall, not too slim or too fat, from Delta State, needs a girlfriend for a relationship.07065302004 •Klien, 39 and good looking, needs a lady, aged

22-35, who is responsible and caring and is ready for adoption or marriage.08091065213 •Monday, 27, resident in Delta State, needs a caring and hard working girl, for a serious relationship that will lead to marriage.07038713283 •Joe, 30, needs an employed lady, who resides in Benin for marriage.08067205632 •Dear readers, please note that neither Vanguard, nor Yetunde Arebi will be liable for any error in the publication of requests on the Lovezone that may result in any form of embarrassment to any member of the public.

Also note that we do not run any match-making agency in or outside the country. Any reader who transacts business with anyone claiming to be our agent does so at his/her own risk.

Henceforth, only messages sent through the numbers readers want to be contacted on will be published.

This notice is necessary in order to serve you better in our refreshingly different style. To get your requests published, just text it to the code number 33055. For further enquiries, call 08026651636. Cheers!

Stop feeling powerless

BY ONOZURE DANIA

D

O you find your self working so hard to get a relationship and keep it going? If so, I know all too well how that feels, because trying to keep a relationship afloat always takes up all your thoughts and energy.

I remember a friend telling me some time ago about how she was trying very hard to see that her relationship worked, but the harder she tries, the more the relationship got even worse off and she started feeling like something was actually wrong with her. Even with all her efforts she never got anything in return. It was not that she wasn’t good looking or that she was dependent.

No, she wasn’t. She had every thing she needed but she just wanted to have a very good and firm relationship that can lead to something real. However, all her effort was in vain, as she never got enough back from the man to fill her up enough inside so she could feel good. After her narration, she discovered that this was exactly the problem. It took a lot of broken relationships before she finally figured out what had eluded her for so very long.

She finally saw that the good feelings she was so desperate to have from a man weren’t possible if she wasn’t feeling good about herself to begin with. She explained to me how she discovered a powerful tool to put an end to this vicious cycle.

Imagine that your attractiveness is boundless, your eyes are magnets, your heart is an open pool of gold that every man wants to dive into and your body no matter what you think is a lush place that every man longs for, feels awestruck just thinking about getting close to, and yet feels safe

within! Really imagine that’s what he sees, thinks and feels. When any doubts, fears and negative thoughts come up, simply tell them to step aside and just paint this picture of boundless attractiveness for yourself in your imagination, right now, this moment, and keep it going all day and night.

No matter what happens, once this imaginary picture is in your mind and the good feelings it brings are in your heart and body, you will notice something different about you and this will reflect in your relationship.

The amazing thing, is that when you are in the market, at the office or anywhere, walking down the street, waiting in line at the bus stop, you will begin to experience yourself as a magnet for men.

Lean back, tilt your body backwards to keep your energy in receiving mode while you are imagining every man you meet especially the one you may be in a relationship with right now, giving energy to you.

Light the candles whenever he comes over. Put on your sexiest clothes and buy lacy lingeries.

Once you start practicing this tool and I mean make it a habit every day, you will find out that your love life takes a huge leap in the right direction. Why? Because you have created the very feelings within you that you have so desperately tried to get from a man. And that is very empowering not to mention extremely attractive. When you continue to do this, you’ve achieved the first step to feeling so good and so at ease within yourself.

Then you can be rest assured that men will literally be flocking to be by your side. They will want to know what it is that makes you feel so confident.

•Frank, 32, needs a romantic girl for a serious relationship that will lead to marriage. 08163002420 •Chuks, 24, needs a rich and God fearing lady for a relationship. 08161347587 •Tony from Asaba, Delta state, needs a descent lady, aged 35.08037324135 •Churchill, 18, resides in Calabar, needs a lady, that is well connected for a serious relationship.08094708899 •Robert, 23, student from Akwa Ibom state, needs a God fearing lady, aged 18-20, for a serious, relationship that will lead to marriage.07033937704 •Rex, humble, friendly and resident in Warri, needs a fat lady, aged 35+. 07069650072, 08092379808 •Samson, 28, from Delta, needs a pretty, sexy and romantic lady for a serious relationship.

08106222951 •Henry, 32, tall, dark complexioned and slim, needs an average height, decent, mature and Godly lady for a relationship that will lead to marriage. 08060388533

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013—37

LG polls: Edo ACN chaiftain assures on victory

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

B

INSPECTION: Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Engr. Andrew Yakubu (middle) in a boat with the Group Executive Director, Corporate Services, Dr. Peter Nmadu (left), during an inspection of the System 2B pipeline artery at Arepo in Ogun State.

Senate c'ttee lauds Uduaghan on education

BY EMMA AMAIZE

W

ARRI—THE Senate Committee on Education, led by Senator Uche Chukwumerije, has commended the achievements of Delta State Government in the basic and secondary education sec-

tor.

Speaking during a courtesy call on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan at Government House, Annex, Warri, Senator Chukwumerije said a tour of some model secondary and primary schools in the state showed

that a major transformation had been achieved by the Uduaghan administration.

With Senator Chukwumerije on oversight visit to the state were former governor of Plataeu State, Senator Joshua Dariye, Senator Pius Ewherido, representing Delta Central Senatorial Dis-

Bayelsa landslide: Construction firm returns to site for shore protection

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA—SUCCOUR will soon come the way of the landslide troubled indigenes of the riverside Okoloba town, Sagbagreia in KolokumaOpokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, as the construction company handling the shoreline project in the community, Zement & Zement, has mobilised to site to tackle the menace.

The community was, Saturday, hit for the second time in less than five years by a devastating landslide, which buried eight houses and also caused cracks on a number of buildings some distance away from the impacted area.

It was learnt that the return of the construction company followed the resolution of the conflict between it and the community.

The paramount ruler of the community, HRH Mac-Carthy Macpherson, it was learnt, also met with the project officers of the construction firm handling the shoreline project, on Monday to chart a new course.

C M Y K

“The intervention of the monarch helped broker peace between the firm and the community and it was agreed that the legal action against the company be dropped to ensure commencement of work in the area,” a community source said.

Project Manager of the company, Mr. Adedoyin Kayode, said though the firm had

mobilised to site with over 38 containers of material, huge sand dumps and stones for the shoreline protection project, the legal hurdle placed before the company had delayed the project.

“What we did was to get back to site and start work as planned. I assure the community of speedy job to commence this month,” he said.

trict, among others.

The lawmakers said reports by the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC and the State Primary Education Board, SUBEB, in the state, indicated that cooperation between the state and the Federal Governments was producing good fruits.

They urged the sustenance of the synergy as basic education was the foundation of learning.

Governor Udughan told the committee that besides free education at the primary, basic and secondary levels, government was also giving scholarships to first class university graduates to prepare the state for the future.

The governor called for a second look at the payment of primary school teachers’ salaries, saying the state was subsidising the state's monthly teachers wage bill to the tune about N600 million, as the local government areas were incapable of shouldering the burden.

Kalabari monarch not dethroned —Lawyer

BY YEGUFE YAFUGBORHI

P

ORT HARCOURT— COUNSEL to Amayanabo of Kalabari Kingdom, Rivers State, King Tonye Princewill, has denied reports of the dethronement of the monarch.

A local newspaper, had on February 26, alleged that King Princewill, immediate past Chairman of Rivers State Council of Traditional

Rulers, had been dethroned from his Amayanabo throne.

The publication claimed that the Supreme Court dethroned the monarch by its judgment of February 25, 2013.

Counsel to King Princewill, Mr. Faye Dikio, SAN, in a statement, described the story as malicious and false.

He said: “The truth is that there was no judgment by the Supreme Court dethroning the Amanyanabo of Kalabari on February 25, 2013.

The Supreme Court did not affirm or upload any judgment of the Court of Appeal on the said date.”

He said the throne of King Princewill, father of philanthropists and 2007 gubernatorial candidate in Rivers State, Prince Tonye Princewill, remains intact and that the monarch had enjoined his subjects to be calm and united for the progress of Kalabari while final outcome of the court cases in question were determined by the Supreme Court.

ENIN—AHEAD of the April 20 local government elections in Edo State, a chieftain of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Mr. Lucky Ijeh, has predicted victory for the party’s candidates in the polls.

Meantime, the chairmanship candidate of ACN in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, Chief Roland Ibierutomwen, has described the recent screening exercise of candidates by Edo State Independent Electoral Commission, EDSIEC, as thorough, saying that the committee set up for the job was well selected.

Saying that he was impressed with what he saw when a representative of the Ministry of Education was perusing the credentials of the candidates, he noted that there was hope for the Nigerian project.

However, Ijeh, a former council chairmanship aspirant for Orhionmwon, who spoke with journalists in Benin, maintained that ACN will record a landslide victory at the polls as it did in the July 14, 2012 governorship election in the state.

Umanah passes on @ 87

E

LDER Isaiah Umanah is dead, aged 87.

The late Umanah who died on December 12, 2012 will be buried on March 9, 2013, after a service of songs at The Apostolic Church on Friday, March 8 at his Efa Iman, Etinan Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, home.

He is survived by a brother, sister, sons and daughters, among whom is Mr. Godwin Umana of Vanguard Media Ltd, Lagos.

Late Elder Umanah

38 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Corruption: Ohakim urges court to declare panel null and void

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

O

WERRI —THE Immediate past Governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, has urged the state High Court sitting in Owerri to declare that the public pronouncements of the Governor Rochas Okorocha indicting him for alleged corruption before and after he had set up a judicial commission of inquiry breached his right to fair hearing.

Ohakim also asked the court to declare that the judicial panel of inquiry on award of contract set up by Governor Rochas Okorocha had no power to investigate any aspect of the subject matter of suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/545/09, pending at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Ohakim made the plea in the suit, HOW/81/2013, he instituted against the state governor and the state Attorney General.

Other defendants in the suit, Justice Goddy Anunihu, Joseph Nwachukwu, Bob Kay Njemanze, Evaristus Ebegbu and Ambrose C. Eke, are members of the judicial panel set up by the governor to probe award of contracts.

Youth leader advises NPDC host communities

U

GHELLI —A YOUTH leader in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr. Chris Eriyamremu, has appealed to the various host communities to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, in Delta State, to always employ dialogue and be peaceful in their agitations for development.

He advised that the outright shutdown of oil facilities (flowstations) by host communities does not proffer the desired solutions, and should be discouraged and discontinued.

Eriyamremu, an expert in conflict management, noted that peaceful agitations could be more effective than violent agitations such as closing down of oil facilities, which paralyzes the economy, and brings untold hardship to the affected communities.

C M Y K

Anglican Church retires Vicar over alleged insubordination

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

A

DO EKITI — THE Diocese of Ekiti West Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has ordered the Vicar of Saint Paul’s Millennium Church, Owa Ekiti, Rev. Michael Ogunniyi, to proceed on compulsory retirement for an alleged act of insubordination against the Bishop of the diocese.

Ogunniyi was embroiled in controversy with the Bishop of the Diocese, Rt. Rev. Samuel Oludare Oke, over the manner the church spent the N5 million donated to it by the state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, during the burial of the Primate of Anglican Church, Most Reverend Abiodun Adetiloye, at Odo Owa Ekiti in January 19, this year.

But the embattled clergy, through the Church Provincial Council, CPC, said the money was used to purchase a bus for evangelism and for renovation of the church.

It was reported, however, that the Bishop had advised against spending the money on the ground that it was a donation for

endowment that must be utilised prudently.

As part of sanctioning the Vicar, the Bishop had earlier demoted him from Archdeacon to Canon before his present travail.

According to the statement jointly signed by Prince Sola

Adetule and Otunba Kunle Olasope, the Diocesan Communicator and Emeritus Communicator respectively, the diocese took the decision to save the office of the Bishop from embarrassment.

According to the statement, the diocese equally passed a vote of

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State (right) and Senator Uche Chukwumerije, Chairman, Senate Committee on Education during a courtesy visit by the committee to the governor at Government House Annex, Warri, Delta State.

Umeh asks A-Court to halt execution of Enugu High Court order

BY TONY EDIKE

E

NUGU — EMBATTLED National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, has asked the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu to order a stay of execution of the Enugu State High Court judgment which restrained him from parading himself as the party’s national chairman and sacked the entire National Working Committee, pending the determination of his appeal against the decision of the lower court.

The Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezulike, had in his judgment delivered February 8, 2013, in the motion brought before him by an expelled member of APGA, Ichie Jude Okuli, restrained Umeh from parading himself as APGA national chairman.

It also held that the party’s convention held on February 10, 2011, to re-elect the national chairman and other officers “was unconstitutional, null and void.”

But in a 25-paragraph affidavit in support of his motion on notice for stay of execution of the lower court’s decision filed before the appellate court, Umeh stated that he had on February 11, 2013, applied to the lower court for an order of stay of execution, pending the determination of his appeal.

“Despite my request for a date to be assigned for the hearing of my Motion on Notice, dated and

confidence in the Bishop of Ekiti West, Most Rev Oludare Oke, for the effective way he managed the affairs of the Diocese.

Going by the statement, Ogunniyi is to proceed on leave

by May 31 and retire fully in August 31.

filed on February 11, 2013, the said Motion on Notice for Stay of Execution was not heard nor attended to by the lower court before the Record of Appeal was transmitted to this honourable court and the appeal entered as no. CA/E/84/2013,” Umeh told the appellate court.

He noted that consequent to the judgment of the lower court, a group of persons who described themselves as the ‘National Caucus’ of APGA met, issued a communiqué and passed several resolutions purporting to have accepted the judgment of the lower court and appointing certain persons as officer of the

Ezu River: Pro-Biafra group threatens to drag FG to court

BY TONY EDIKE

E

NUGU — BIAFRA Zionist Movement, BZM, has threatened to drag the Federal Government to court if the issue of dead bodies found in Ezu River, Anambra State, was not judiciously handled.

Addressing newsmen in Enugu, Mr. Edeson Samuel, who announced his election as the new leader of the group, condemned the spate of extrajudicial killings in the country and requested that government must do all within its powers to bring those involved in the recent case, where over 50 bodies were found dumped in a river, to book.

He frowned at the manner which the victims were killed and dumped in a river and the lackadaisical attitude of the Federal Government to the issue, warning that the BZM could not sit and watch while

Biafra people were being wasted without going through any judicial process.

He said: “It is a clear evidence that the Special Anti Robbery Squad at Awkuzu had been carrying out extrajudicial killings against Biafra people. We wish to make it clear that the killing of Biafra people by security agents is no longer business as usual.

“We have set up a machinery to monitor and report to us the killings and inhuman treatments being meted out against the Biafra people across the length and breadth of this country.”

Edeson, who was among the members of the BZM executive that recently announced the suspension of Mr. Ben Onwuka as leader of the pro-Biafra group, said he was elected at a National Executive Council meeting of the BZM in Enugu.

S-West PDP endorses Filani-led caretaker c'ttee

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AGOS — LEADERS of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the six states of the South-West geopolitical zone have endorsed the Chief Ishola Filani-led Caretaker Committee for the zone.

In a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting between the newly inaugurated caretaker committee and state chairmen at the party’s zonal office in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the chairmen accepted the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) to comply with the judgments of the court and pledged their loyalty to the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and the Filani-led committee.

The communique was signed by Mr. Makanjuola Ogundipe (Ekiti), Capt. Tunji Shelle (Lagos), Engr.

Adebayo Dayo (Ogun), Mr. Ebenezer Alabi (Ondo), Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa (Osun) and Mr. Yinka Taiwo (Oyo).

They also hailed the emergence of Chief Tony Anenih and Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State as chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP and chairman of its Governors’ Forum respectively.

Vanguard , THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013 —39

COMMISSIONING : From left— Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State; Mr. Godwin Allen, Plant Manager; Mrs Folasade Omole, Corporate Affairs Manager; Otunba Michael Daramola, Chairman, Board of Trustee, all of International Breweries Plc, and others, during the commissioning of a newly-installed plant at the Breweries in Ilesa, Tuesday.

MEMORIAL: From left— Sen. Anthony Adefuye, Patron, United African Methodist Evangelical Church Cathedral; Gen. Oladipo Diya (rtd.), former Chief of General Staff; and Chief Folorunsho Oladepo, Otun Baba Ijo, at the interdenominational service for late Archbishop Patrick Ajibogun at Ifo, Ogun State.

FIESTA: From left— Mr. Nnamdi Ezeani, Manager, Mass Market Segment, Etisalat Nigeria; DJ Zeez, Nigeria, hip-hop artiste; Idowu Adesokan, Head, Consumer Marketing, and Modupe Thani, Head, Events & Sponsorship, both of Etisalat Nigeria, at the Etisalat EasyStarter Fiesta in Ibadan, Saturday.

SUMMIT: From left— Mrs. Bunmi Odunoye, Assistant Sales Manager, Lucky Fibres Plc.; Mr. Ajibesin Samuel Kehinde, Samuel Victory Carpets, Ibadan; Mr. Tony Ogwu, Tony N Int. Carpets, Owerri and Mr. Hemant Nahar, National Sales Manager, Lucky Fibres Plc, at the 2013 distributors' summit in Dubai.

BONANZA: Mr. Chijioke Kanu, star prize winner (left) and Mr. Js Yoo, General Manager, Mobile Communications, LG Electronics, West Africa Operation, at the presentation of a Kia Picanto to Mr. Kanu, winner of LG Mobile Christmas Bonanza star prize in Lagos.

IDYA: Mr. Prince Tinimowei Oniyemofe (5th left) and other representa-

tives of Iyaw Youth Development Association, IDYA, during the presentation of 2013 JAMB forms to members of IDYA. C M Y K

SPORTS: From left— Chief Leila Fowler, Administrator, Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls; Daisy Edeaghe, Captain of Purple House, displaying their 1st prize trophy, and Mrs Lanre OlomofeKufeji, Proprietress, Starland School, at the College's 12th inter-house sports competition at Agege Stadium. PHOTO: Biodun Ogunleye.

LAUNCH: From left— Mr. Tony Munro, Solution Executive, Dimension Data Africa; Mr. Graham Dinwoodie, Managing Director, Data Nigeria; Celine Rousseau, Marketing and Channel Manager, Dimension Data Middle East & Africa; Mr. Babajide Agbaje, General Manager, Enterprise Solution, Dimension Data Nigeria; and Mr. George Thomas, Business Development Manager, Dimension Data Emerging Africa, during a briefing on the launching of Dimension Data Cloud services in Nigeria. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

MATRIC: From right— Mr. Linus Ugbechie, Registrar; Dr. Nwanze Ezoem, Provost; Dr. Edith Ojiako, Deputy Provost and other principal officers of Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, at the College's 26th matriculation.

40—Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY,, MARCH 7, 2013

NOA to engage corps members on patriotism, attitude to work

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BUJA—THE Na tional Orientation Agency, NOA, is set to engage the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members on patriotism and the right attitude in discharging their duty.

Mr. Mike Omeri, the Director-General of the agency said this, yesterday, in Abuja, at the Award ceremony by the Yakubu Gowon Foundation, YGF, for National Essay competition for NYSC members.

Omeri said the agency decided to partner with Yakubu Gowon Foundation in order to create platform for the Nigerian youth.

He said: “We will shift from essay writing to patriotism, love of the country and seek to know their view on what they feel about the country and how it should be governed.“ The D-G said that the Nigerian youths were resilient and always determined to contribute their quota to the country given the right environment. He added that all they needed was encouragement.

He called on the youths to desist from looking up to government in getting jobs, stressing that they could also engage themselves in a meaningful venture.

Oshiomhole for WIMBIZ lecture today

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HE annual lecture series of the Women in Management, Business and Public Service, WIMBIZ, with the theme “Leadership: Women Making a Difference,” holds today at the Muson Centre in Lagos, with Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, as the guest speaker.

Mrs. Adeola Azeez, Chairperson, WIMBIZ, who briefed newsmen in Lagos, said the lecture will examine issues bothering on the essence of women in leadership positions, and the trickling effect women have in areas of leadership.

EFCC drags ex-Adamawa gov, Haruna, 3 others to court over alleged N200m fraud Y

BY UMAR YUSUF

OLA—Economic and Fi nancial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has dragged f o r m e r Governor Boni Haruna of Adamawa State and three others to the Federal High Court sitting in Yola, over alleged fraud, conspiracy, forgery, diversion and laundering of public funds to the tune of N200 million while in office.

Also re-arraigned alongside the former Governor were Mr. Mohammed Inuwa Basi, the former Personal Assistant to Haruna, John Elias, his former Commissioner for Finance and Al-Akim Nigeria Limited, a firm allegedly owned by the former finance commissioner.

The case was earlier before Justice Bello of the Federal High Court, Abuja, but now transferred to the Federal High Court, Yola, presided over by Justice Bilkisu Aliyu.

The four accused persons who have been standing trial before an Abuja High Court since 2008 on a 28-count charge of allegedly defrauding the state of about 200 million when they served as government officials between 2002 and 2003, pleaded not guilty.

Counsel to the EFCC, Ofem Uket, said the accused, had within the period in Yola and within the jurisdiction of the court conspired between them-

selves to perform an illegal act to wit: forgery of bank account opening documents with Guaranty Trust Bank, GTB, Yola branch, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 3 and 6 of the Miscellaneous Offence Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

He also stated that the offence

committed by the accused persons, according to the 28-count charge is punishable under Section 2 of the same Act. In the joint-count charge, the former commissioner of finance, John Elias who doubled as the Managing Director of Al-Akim Company Nigeria Limited, was accused of allegedly using his

said company to siphon millions of Naira to facilitate the Bring Boni Back Project, BBBP. Elias and the Al-Akim Company Nigeria Limited who were the third and fourth defendants in the case were absent in court but the court had ordered that they should appear before it during next Thursday’s sitting to accelerate the trial.

INAUGURATION: Governor Tanko Al-makura of Nasarawa State (left), presenting the keys of the newly-inaugurated tricycles to Mr. Yakubu Jibrin in Lafia, Tuesday.

Bauchi records 18 cases of measles outbreak

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BY SUZAN EDEH

AUCHI—EIGHTEEN cases of measles have been reported at Dambam Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sani Malami, confirmed the development when he spoke in an interview with Vanguard in Bauchi, yesterday.

Malami said that already, the state government had sent drugs like antibiotics and vitamin A supplements to the affected area to prevent the disease from spreading to other communities in the local government.

The commissioner said: “Last week, we recorded 18 cases of measles in Dambam Local Government, but the

state goovernment is stepping up efforts to ensure that adequate preventive measures such as equipping all the primary Health Care Development Agencies and General Hospitals across the state with drugs that will help combat any fresh outbreak of the epidemics.

“Presently, there is no general outbreak of the disease in

Nasarawa govt bans okada on highways, launches tricycles

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AFIA —NASARAWA State Government has banned the use of commercial motorcycles popularly known as okada as a means of transportation.

It has however, launched tricycles popularly known as ‘keke TA’AL, to replace motorcycles on the highways.

Governor Tanko Al-makura launched the new tricycles yesterday at the Government House, Lafia.

Speaking at the ceremony, Almakura regretted the influx of commercial motorcycles into the state and attributed the development to the ban against

okada by neighboring states.

According to him, the ban on okada became imperative because of increase in criminal activities and road crashes within the cities in the state.

He however, stated that the introduction of the tricycles was part of his administration’s plan towards ameliorating the transport difficulty being experienced by the people of the state.

The governor said: “We wanted to complete the roads within the cities before commissioning the tricycles because it requires good road network for this kind of transport system, but the recent activities of unscrupulous and

undesirable elements who were flushed out from other states compounded the matter as they found themselves here and started using motorcycles to perpetrate their evil acts.”

The governor said his administration purchased 100 tricycles as a pilot scheme, adding that they would be sold to members of the okada union at subsidized rates with favourable re-payment terms.

Receiving the keys, the Chairman of ‘okada’ riders in the state, Mallam Yahaya Jibril thanked the governor for his good gesture and promised that his union will utilize the tricycles to achieve its purpose.

the state. It is only in Dambam that we recorded some cases.”

While appealing to parents to ensure proper hygiene in their environment to prevent outbreak of diseases like cholera, Malami also urged them to report any suspected case of measles to the nearest government hospital.

Meanwhile, Vanguard investigations revealed that most of the government hospitals and Primary Health Care Development Agencies were filled with nursing mothers who brougth their sick babies for medical attention over fever related cases, indicating symptoms of measles.

A 23-year-old nursing mother, Hanatu Gambo, told Vanguard at the Teaching Hospital in Bauchi that her eigthmonth-old baby had been sick for seven days, despite all the medical treatment she had offered to him.

She said: “For some days now, my baby had been very sick. He has been displaying symptoms of fever like vomiting, frquent stooling and high temperature. I treated him at home, but his condition has not improved, so I decided to bring him to the hospital for proper medical attention.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013—41

I N S I D E

Why our criminal justice system must be reformed — Angwe

— 43

Anti-graft War: We are ready to step on toes — ICPC boss

BY DAYO BENSON

Mr Ekpo Nta, is the current Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices (and Related offences) Commission ICPC. A lawyer by profession, he acted in this capacity from November 29, 2011 to August 2012 before he was confirmed by the Senate and subsequently sworn-in as the substantive Chairman of the Commission with effect from September same year. In this interview, he spoke on the tasks ahead, corruption in the polity, his approach to combat the menace and his overall vision for the Commission.

Excerpts.

In the public domain, your name does not ring much bell; Where are you coming from. May we know a little more about you?

Well, I am happy that my name does not ring much bell because when your name rings a bell in this country, you are situated in groups that are very well known; either as a politician or whatever group. So I am coming into this job without strings of any group; I represent no group, I represent no interest apart from the interest of Nigerians. I deliberately did live a quiet life. If I had wanted my name to be known, I would have been known very well; I execute my functions quietly. I would want to leave it at that and Nigerians will get to know me by the activities of this Commission. Let me be judged by my activities.

The only thing I can say for now is

•Mr Ekpo Nta you are bringing into the Commission, considering your background ?

My vision for this Commission is very simple. This Commission was set up to do specific things and I am to situate myself within those specific items and activities. I agree with the

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If I see you living a lifestyle you cannot explain by way of your income, then under the powers vested in me in ICPC I can seize your property and ask you to explain to me and the Commission how you managed to acquire such property

that I worked in various states and federal civil service for 25 years and I retired as a Director of Human Resources for the Niger Delta Development Commission. We transited from OMPADEC which was the Oil Minerals Areas Development Commission in Port-Harcourt. I was one of the pioneer Directors that set up the place and I retired quietly into a model educational facility which I built and sustained for 10 years ( a Nursery /Primary School).

Let’s talk about the Commission proper. As the substantive Chairman, what would you say is the vision that

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ordinary Nigerian that we should carry out the mandate of this Commission because corruption is taking away our Human Rights, it is taking away our children and it is limiting our best potentials as persons or as a nation, it is also bringing opprobrium to the country.

You are beginning to have paradigm shift even from the larger society. If people were to tell you that there will be massive protest against removal of oil subsidy at the levels we saw, and the mobilization that was involved by different groups for different reasons including personal interests, it means

that we can also mobilise Nigerians against corruption because this one actually touches their lives.

So for me the major aspect of fighting corruption which is empowered by our Act which we had not paid attention to was in the aspect of public enlightenment. So this exercise we are doing now is one of the new approaches we are going to adopt.

I am looking at the situation where I am going to put Billboards in all the Local Government Areas, telling people what their Local Government Councils have appropriated for what project. So if you begin to go with inferior materials to the site, the young people and the elders in that community will tell you that this is not what we saw up there. So we are putting the power of fighting corruption back to the people who are victims of corruption.

Some other aspects we have always overlooked has to do with education.

Have you looked at your children’s environment? Have you gone to their schools? Do they have laboratories?

Do they have Libraries? Do they have competent teachers?

From now on, ICPC will be an eye on all these issues to link causative actions with the big talk of the budget.

As a matter of fact, we have already

commissioned the study of the Nigeria University system; that is where we are starting, a massive review of corruption prone activities in all Nigerian universities.

On that team I have Prof. Okebukola heading it and three other Professors including our own Prof. Olu Aina who is a Board Member of this Commission.

Well said , but what you have explained is pointing to the paradigm shift that you mentioned earlier because I did not hear anything about ICPC going out there to fight corruption itself in the public sector, talking about the arms of government like the Judiciary, Legislature and the Executive. Is the Commission not interested in this area?

Of course we are. You must also know that about 50% of the functions of ICPC is prevention. Why would we want to wait until somebody steals money and then we begin to run after him. I am looking at a situation where he does not have the ability or capacity to steal that money, by doing a constant review of the system; but for those who are stubborn – you will find that in any society - we will still come after them definitely.

Don’t forget that the act of corruption in most cases is done in private and so you need persons to speak up more.

When you sensitise the public and they still see these acts of corruption, they will write immediately or call on phone or send an e-mail. That is why I am very happy with some groups of persons who have set up very interesting web-based applications to help ICPC. I am getting them to bring that website and I have been talking with some people there to link that website to ICPC; so that when we get such reports, we move in.

You also know there is a website, ‘I

Continues on page 42

EDITORIAL TEAM Dayo Benson (Editor) Innocent Anaba Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri C M Y K

42—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Anti-graft War: We are ready to step on toes — ICPC boss Paid Bribe Nigeria’; if you Google it, you will find it. If you have a smart phone, you can actually take pictures and record corrupt activities that are going on and download it directly to us. I have had a few of these done by some smart young men, and we have taken action on those issues. We have a six core mandate: investigation, prosecution, public enlightenment, education and then the prevention aspect of it. If you look at the way it is carved, investigation and prosecution go together, public enlightenment is on its own, education is on its own, and then the other three deal exclusively with prevention modes. And if you look at the international community, because we relate with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the major focus everywhere in the world is on prevention mode, designed systems to help prevent. There is no country that will survive on only arrest, let people know the infractions before you continue to arrest, else you won’t have enough space in the prisons.

Victimisation and denial of promotions For the Civil Service – Ministries, Departments and Agencies, I am sure you know we have positioned staff in all these places under units known as Anti-Corruption and Transparency Monitoring Unit (ACTU). They are the eyes of ICPC in those institutions. But because in the past they were staff of those organisations, they were being victimised and denied promotions or transferred at will. So now, we have decided to use another mode; we send staff from other agencies to your own agency who would work with you for that period and so you don’t have a control over the person’s career.

As undercover or what?

No, openly, you know I am here, so if you are doing anything, you must pass those things through them and they will let us know what is happening. Sometimes you will be surprised that 33% of the information and petitions we receive come from inside sources. Within those organisations, they are people who are still good and will still send those petitions; and that is the average standard everywhere in the world.

Nobody will come and discover what is happening from the outside, but the first tip must always come from inside. That is why we are having this whistle blower policy to C M Y K

protect such people if they come out boldly. But if they don’t , and still send us the information we will act on it.

But we have to be careful to distinguish between malicious petitions and genuine ones; because at times we might find out that there was a deal, somebody was cheated and he would now write a petition.

All these you have said, is it part of the new initiative of preventing corruption and going after offenders when there are infractions?

Sure ,it is new because one other thing which I have done that has never really been done here is the non-conviction seizure of assets. I have tested that out and it has worked beautifully. What it simply means is that, if i see you living a lifestyle you cannot explain by way of your

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•Continues from page 41

So in accepting this job, I am fully aware of the consequences; I am aware of the pains that it will cause even to me; because there is no where you will hold somebody down and start cutting him alive that he will not fight back

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income, then under the powers vested in me in ICPC I can seize your property and ask you to explain to me and the Commission how you managed to acquire such property. And you have one year within which to explain or go to court, to say that, ‘the Chairman of ICPC seized my property wrongly and I inherited it from my father’.

•Mr Ekpo Nta We will also investigate, because sometimes some of them will forget that their father was a palm-wine tapper and so could not have left behind a three- storey building in Ikoyi-Lagos or in Maitama; so these are some of the things we are looking at.

This year we are going to experience more seizures definitely. If after 12 months you have not contested it in the courts, then I will go to the court and ask for a final forfeiture order; we are doing all these within the Act. But before the seizure I hope investigations would have been carried out?

Oh definitely, we would have carried out surveillance and investigated the matter, quietly, covertly and overtly, before coming to such a decision.

Recently we saw Ministries, Departments and Agencies returning unspent money into federation account; even though this started with the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo; does ICPC has anything to do with

this?

Thank you for raising that question. We did a review of the integrated pay-roll information systems for MDAs for 2011 and we noticed quite a lot of infractions; people paying cleaning services, security services from personnel cost and all that.

We do know that it is a tradition in some organisations not to return money to government. They will find all kinds of reasons to say they were spending it. I have issued circulars and notices to all MDAs and i want to use this forum to advise all Ministers and Permanent Secretaries and heads of parastatals and extra-ministerial departments that all monies that will be left over from personnel cost must be returned to government . As from this year we will be going to the treasury to see what has been returned and we have also given them templates to fill; we know what their nominal roll is like.

This time, there would be no sacred cows, there would be

massive prosecution of anybody found to have infringed this particular aspect of the exercise. I have given myself and the Commission a target of how much must be returned; and i am starting with ICPC. Whatever is left of our personnel cost, am returning ahead of time. If ICPC would return, then no other agency would want to claim that they would not return.

With all these you have said, there is no doubt that you have a clear vision of what you want to do in this Commission, but are you ready to step on toes?

Now when you have cancer and you have to go to hospital, do you expect the Doctor to say, well, it might be very painful if I do this surgery. If I do the surgery and take this off, it will be very painful but you will survive or should I leave it there, manage it as I can in order for you not to feel pain. That is the way we must treat corruption; that is the way we have treated cancer.

You are the one who will tell the Doctor ‘even if you don’t have anaesthesia please do the operation.

So in accepting this job, I am fully aware of the consequences; I am aware of the pains that it will cause even to me; because there is no where you will hold somebody down and start cutting him alive that he will not fight back. You have already seen it happen.

You saw what happened to Dora Akunyili for trying to clean up the fake drugs regime , but God was with her. You also saw what happened to the other female Minister, (Okonjo- Iweala).

We can’t shy away from things like this. The comedians in Rivers State had some saying that ‘strong disease would need strong medicine’; so it is something we must do for the survival of our own children.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013 —43

Why our criminal justice system must be reformed — Angwe

BY INNOCENT ANABA

Professor Bem Angwe is the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, NHRC. In this interview, he spoke on the scope of the commission’s powers, the efforts of the commission in promoting, protecting and defending the rights of Nigerians and other national issues. Excerpt:

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OU have been Chief Executive Officer of NHRC for over a year.

What has been your experience?

It has been an interesting one, given my background before I assumed this duty.

In all my life, I had always tried to work for humanity. I had worked for the benefit of human beings, defended the rights of Nigerians. Before I assumed duty here, apart from the fact that I was teaching human rights and humanitarian law, I was also serving humanity in other ways.

I had a non-governmental organisation that was basically aimed at providing free legal services for indigent Nigerians, so upon the assumption of duty here, I realised that what I was doing was only but preparatory to the challenges that I am now made to face here. I consider my coming here as an act of God, because I never thought I will head the commission.

I was contented being a lecturer, touching human lives at that level, but here is a calling from God and I find it very interesting. It is challenging, but it is good to give your best to humanity, to put your life down for the sake of working for fellow human beings.

The law establishing NHRC was amended in 2011 to enhance efficiency and autonomy in its operations, how has this impacted on your performance?

It is interesting to note that this institution was established by the military regime in

Fundamental factor Prof Bem Angwe duties and mandates. In relation to that, we have financial autonomy in the sense that it is placed in first line charge of the consolidated revenue of the Federation and then, the security of tenure of the governing council members and that of the chief executive is also guaranteed to the extent that they cannot be removed from office except by the resolution of the National Assembly.

Again, the commission is empowered to take decisions that are enforced like the judgments of a High Court. To this end, the commission can bark and bite, which means that it has enforcement powers that

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The fundamental factor responsible for this (prison congestion) is the police arresting people, putting them in detention or arraigning such suspect before the court without having the evidence to prosecute them

Nigeria to show the world that Nigeria was also committed to the protection and promotion of human rights. However, given that scenario, the commission was not given all the powers that were envisaged and agreed upon by the international community under the principles which we refer today as the Paris Principles.

Under the Paris principles, all such national institutions were to be given autonomy, they were to be independent in their operations and were to have financial autonomy and security of tenure for the major operators, which include Chief Executive and the Commissioners.

However, NHRC was not given such powers at the time it was established.

Happily, on the February 25, 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan signed into law a bill that was passed by the National Assembly, which today, had enhanced the powers of the commission.

In which areas did the amendment enhanced the powers of the Commission?

By this amendment, the Commission is today independent in its operations, it is not under the authority or control of any person in this country in carrying out its

of the Police?

We are also embarking on a training programme for the Police, as I speak, we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, where NHRC will be involved in teaching courses in all Police colleges in the country. We have requested for time, they have allotted time to us and in every of their courses, we are going to have a syllabus that will teach them protection and promotion of human rights In addition, we are also going to carry out massive capacity building on human rights and the modus of operation in a manner that ensures observance and respect for human rights by all members of police force, so it is a good development.

We have carried out prison audit, where we realised that more than 30 percent of Nigerians, who are in the prisons today are those on awaiting trial. We had also tried to figure out the factors that are responsible for this.

What were your findings?

Principally, we have realised that the criminal justice system in Nigeria needs to be reformed in such a way as to prevent many Nigerians, who are today awaiting trials at various prisons from having to go through the ordeals that they are currently going through.

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will ensure that it does not only promote, protect, but also provides remedies to victims and aggrieved persons when such rights are violated. This is different from the commission that was in existence prior to amendment, which had no such enforcement powers.

What changes and innovations have you brought to the Commission since your appointment?

From the start, I knew that the Commission was operating in seven offices, one in the headquarters in Abuja and one in each of the six geo-political zones of the country. I realised again the powers that this commission has bearing in mind the fact that many Nigerians are not yet aware of their fundamental rights.

So, I felt that there was a need for the commission to do more to ensure that Nigerians become aware of their rights, ensure protection of such rights and in doing so, there was the need for the commission to give Nigerians access to its services. I noticed that it was not possible for the commission to give such access while we operate one office in each of the six geo-political zones. I decided to expand

the services of the commission and by the grace of God, this commission now has 24 offices and I hope that by the end of March this year, the Commission would have offices in the 36 states of the federation. If we have offices in the 36 states of the federation, there is no doubt that Nigerians will freely walk into any of our offices as they are doing now, to make their complaints which they don’t necessarily need the services of a legal practitioner to do. Even those who are not well educated have been coming to us, we reduce their petitions or complaints into writing and we investigate them accordingly. So I expanded the scope of operations of the commission, I also restructured the operations of the commission in such a way as to meet the needs of every Nigerian, particularly in the area of human rights protection.

In addition to that, I started carrying out enlightenment campaigns, creation of awareness and so on. Today, we are translating the basic human rights instruments in the constitution into major Nigerian languages, so that Nigerians will be able to read and understand their rights in their own languages.

I have also paid visits to major stakeholders and in addition to that, we have constituted a working team with the Nigerian Police to improve human rights protection in the country.

I wrote a letter to the Inspector – General of Police that there was need for the human rights commission to work in collaboration with the Police to improve the promotion and protection of the rights of Nigerians.

The IG had realised that and had promised to ensure that police officers that are engaged in the violation of human rights are not only disciplined, but are also relieved of their appointment and so far, he has kept his words, some police officers that have been identified as major culprits in human rights violations have not only been dismissed from the service, they are also facing prosecution today, so we are working together.

What other things are you doing to improve the human rights performance

The fundamental factor responsible for this is the police arresting people, putting them in detention or arraigning such suspect before the court without having the evidence to prosecute them. You find out that in many cases, when police arraign people before the courts, they seek adjournments on the ground that they are still investigating such matters.

So what are you doing about this?

We want a situation where, Nigeria will also take a cue from what is happening in other parts of the world, where police take time to carry out their investigations and when they are satisfied that a prima facie case had been established, they will then arraign such a person in court and from that point, they prosecute with evidence and the trial goes on. So, this practice where you arrest people, detain them, take them to court, remand them in prison custody before looking for the evidence is not healthy because it does not guarantee that fundamental rights of citizens, which presume the accused persons to be innocent until the contrary is proved is observed. The current practice seems to criminalise Nigerians in a manner that is not acceptable. In addition to that, we also discovered that most of the trials in Nigeria courts do not go on because of the issue of awaiting for Director of Public Prosecutions’ advice.

So what is your reaction to this?

We have looked into this matter and found out that some people are not just doing their work and at the same time, the various ministries of justice across the country are grossly understaffed. The work that one person is expected to do is so enormous that it prevents him from bringing out the legal advice as promptly as he should have done, since so many of such cases are before him. So, we are looking into that and we have also discovered that sometimes, even when the legal advice is out, it takes them two to three years to file the information on the matter before a competent court, particularly in a matter that is to be tried by a High Court, it takes two to three years before they can file such information before a court.

C M Y K

44—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

•Ubah: Who is more qualified than me?

Anambra 2013:

•Uba: Where is Chris this time?

•Uzor: Will his philanthropy help him?

On your mark, set...

THE Peter Obi political era is gradually drawing to an end in Anambra bringing attention to the battle for political succession. The contenders are now emerging

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E are set for Anambra State and anybody who is more qualified than I am should come out and let’s see him,” billionaire businessman Ifeanyi Ubah said penultimate Sunday while throwing down the gauntlet ahead of what promises to be an interesting gubernatorial election in Anambra State this November.

It was remarkable that Mr. Ubah did not set the basis of qualifications for the governorship of Anambra State , a state where intrigues, high drama have almost consistently mixed with good and bad money in setting the political direction of the state.

Incumbent governor Anambra State is the first state where an incumbent governor was barred from seeking reelection, it is the state where a governor was locked up allegedly in a toilet and humiliated by a godfather, it also has the shortest reigning governor in the person of Senator Andy Uba, a former super aide of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Anambra State was also the state where two brothers opposed one another in a governorship contest forcing one to get the better over his sibling by causing his incarceration in the Force Headquarters in Abuja .

C M Y K

Anambra is also the only state in the country not to have held a local government election since the advent of democratic rule in 1999 and also, the only state where the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP with all its captivating political plots, has not been able to hold a successful congress for more than ten years. Indeed, there are as many PDP factions in the state as there are political godfathers with each godfather parading a faction of the party for his purposes.

Past efforts in harmonising the factions by the national secretariat of the PDP according to one Anambra political stakeholder were always opportunities for money making by the national officers of the party. Despite its famed proclivity for the politically odious, Anambra is also replete with some of the brainiest persons in the country who have won global recognition in the sciences, arts and business. So it is not surprising that the state has the moniker “Home for All”, the good, the bad and the ugly.

But money making is apparently where the men and women of Anambra have excelled themselves. So it is not surprising that for many of the moneyed men of the state that political power becomes a target pursuant to the actualization of wealth. While some have directed their gazes at the seat of power for themselves, others have sought to play the role of godfathers, who influence the man on the throne.

Chief Chris Uba, reportedly a one time aide to Chief Arthur Eze, himself another godfather, was perhaps the most conspicuous and controversial godfather of the major godfathers who have squabbled over the state since the advent of the fourth republic.

At his zenith after the 2003 general elections, he was hailed as the ultimate godfather upon his alleged sponsorship of all but one of the elected political office holders in the state - governor, senators, House of

drop his name as a patron.

The lethargy among the godfathers would also have been compounded by their diminished political prowess following the enthronement of Mr. Peter Obi as governor who as it is generally known, has not been good business for them.

The eight years of Governor Obi has hurt political and other businesses of the godfathers and it is not surprising that many of them have resorted to their legitimate businesses rather than

Despite its famed proclivity for the politically odious, Anambra is also replete with some of the brainiest persons in the country who have won global recognition

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BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

Representatives and House of Assembly. After the face off with his brother just before the 2007 election, Chris Uba is now reported to have considerably reduced his political engagements and few have seen him in political circles in Anambra since 2011 as he has almost left the field for his elder brother, Senator Andy Uba. Chief Emeka Offor, a one time godfather has also almost abandoned the political arena channelling his energies on money making and philanthropy. Chief Arthur Eze like the other two godfathers is reported to have also removed himself from the political arena, though some factional groups within the PDP now and again

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sowing in the uncharted wind of politics. That is not to say that godfathers have by any indication been completely removed from Anambra, as now and again, names of some outstandingly rich businessmen are mentioned as political patrons. In the absence of the former dominant godfathers, many political partisans are now said to be gravitating towards Ernest Obiejesi, owner of Nestoil, though his political intentions remain unclear for now.

Chief Ifeanyi Ubah, no relation to the Uba brothers – Senators Ugochukwu, Andy and Chief Chris Uba – who by the financial parameters of assessment of godfathers, should be one, is

however, not restricting himself to such a role, preferring now to dabble into the gubernatorial race himself. His entry is generally believed to be the root of the crisis in the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA that is ruling the state. Mr. Obi is said not to be disposed to him as a successor against the inclination of the party ’s embattled national chairman, Chief Victor Umeh.

The division between Umeh and Obi also boils down to the matter of zoning. The governor in the heat of his 2010 re-election campaign had inclined himself towards producing a successor from Anambra North senatorial district, the only part of the state that is yet to produce a governor.

Gubernatorial hopefuls The governor ’s promise nonetheless, the Anambra South and Central senatorial districts are awash with gubernatorial hopefuls desiring to put Mr. Obi’s promise at bay.

Besides Ifeanyi Uba who is from Anambra South, other top aspirants from the south also desirous of getting the governorship include Senator Andy Uba who is the incumbent senator for the zone, Chief Akachukwu Nwanpko, arguably, Andy Uba’s replacement at the presidential villa who goes by the designation as Special Adviser to the President on Technical Matters, but has his hands in many areas of governance. Akachukwu, allegedly a classmate of President Goodluck Jonathan, according to political tales in Anambra, is being packaged by

Continues on page 45

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013—45

Obi wants to kill APGA and go — Ndigwe CHIEF Austin Ndigwe, a founding member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA is disturbed by the protracted and recurring crises in his party. In this interview, he recalls how the party was formed and offers suggestions on how to resolve the crises including stopping Maxi Okwu as acting national chairman.

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE & TONY EDIKE

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N the lingering crises in APGA? It is obvious that Governor Peter Obi is the one fueling APGA’s crises. He wants to produce his successor at all costs and is fighting Chief Victor Umeh because the National Chairman asked him to conduct local government election. The governor has finished his first term and is about completing his second term without conducting local government election and he is not carrying his political party along. Governor Peter Obi is claiming to be the national leader and sole financier of APGA, it is not true. We are the founding members of the party. APGA was formed by Prince Arthur Eze, it was to be called UPGA, for the logo, the rising sun was to be adopted but the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC refused to register it. That was the beginning of the party and it was Prince Arthur Eze, who made it possible. He financed and registered the party, rented an office for us.

When Peter Obi came to Arthur Eze’s house in London begging for nomination with Chekwas Okorie, Onwuka Ukwa, he was then in the All Peoples Party, APP. Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu- Ojukwu was in APP. We brought Ojukwu into APGA to give it Igbo identity. These are

the basic facts and truth about the formation of APGA and it was done in Prince Arthur Eze’s house in Enugu and executed by Chekwas and I. But today, people are claiming the glory of what they did not do. Governor Obi came into APGA with Mike Kwentor who was the chairman of APP. Then, Arthur gave us instruction to give Peter the nomination ticket.

It is unfortunate that the governor has not learnt lessons from past governors that left office before him. It is not only that Peter is part of the crises; he is financing the removal of Victor Umeh because he said 'conduct local government election, give account of your stewardship.' That was the beginning of the crises.

Today, he has brought in Tim Menakaya, Dora Akunyili and many people into the party.

Serving minister Menakaya was the minister for Health under PDP, he attended PDP conventions; it was when he was removed that he joined the opposition to fight Obasanjo.

Today, he is claiming to be the Acting chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party. He attended the 2003 PDP convention as a Minister and a delegate. If he was not removed as a minister would he be talking about APGA? The same thing with Akunyili, she

Anambra 2013: Continues from page 44 the villa for the governorship in the same way Obasanjo reportedly made way for Andy Uba to govern the state, albeit for 17 days. Dr. Obinna Uzor, a lawyer and PhD holder in is one of the more refined ones also aiming for the governorship. Cut in the image of the outgoing governor, Uzor is better known for his philanthropic gestures and has used his 25 year old Obinna Uzor Foundation for charitable causes including the building of church buildings, hostels in some universities in the state, provision of water and electricity among others.

Also believed to be contending from the south is Nicholas Ukachukwu, another moneyed man whose aspirations to political fulfilment have time and again been checked by the Uba brothers from Uga. While his aspiration for the

in Enugu gave judgment against Umeh, Governor Obi quickly conveyed a meeting in Abuja saying that we cannot fold our hands and watch our party be without leaders.

He nominated an acting Interim N a t i o n a l Chairman for the party. On which platform or authority are you conveying the meeting? Is it the same NEC that was said to have been sacked by the court? Is it the •Ndigwe: Obi is fueling APGA’s crises NEC that was not party to the suit? was a serving Minister under Umeh was sued on personal PDP and was an accredited cognizance. That was the delegate of PDP in various preliminary objection we raised conventions in the past. She has immediately that Umeh nothing to do with the caucus was sued on personal that removed Umeh. cognizance, not as a national It is unconstitutional and I am chairman. That is why we called taking all of them to court in it kangaroo judgment. Umeh has Abuja. Everything they did in right of appeal even to the Abuja was a kangaroo, there is Supreme Court. As a governor, nothing like national caucus in he is supposed to be in sober our constitution, we have APGA reflection that court sacked his caucus which comprises of NEC national chairman but in less and NWC, Governors, Senators, than 48 hours, he had to convey House of Representatives a meeting and appointed acting members and House of national chairman and the Assembly members; they person he appointed was Maxi constitute a caucus and are not Okwu, the same person whose meant to take decisions for the expulsion was ratified by party.

Supreme Court. Maxi Okwu and On the origins of caucus in Chekwas Okorie have not been APGA re-admitted into the party. Maxi Immediately the High Court Okwu is a chairman of another political party.

So we will challenge Obi on the nomination of Okwu. It is illegal and unconstitutional and Okwu is not a member of our party.

When Supreme Court ratified the expulsion of Maxi Okwu and Chekwas Okorie, Chekwas went and founded his own party, UPP and Maxi went and formed his own party CPP and he is the national chairman of the party.

So how can you conduct convention for a party that you are not a member of?

On the role of Menakaya Dr. Tim Menakaya was like an assistant to late Ojukwu and when a leader of our party asked for anything we must give it to him. Even at that, his tenure as a member of the BOT expired in January and the letter was conveyed to him even before the court judgment.

Let Peter Obi deny that he was not given nomination by Arthur Eze. I will defend it anywhere that without Arthur Eze, Peter Obi would not have become governor; there would not be APGA because prominent Igbo men and women were in PDP. On rumour of Peter Obi joining PDP I don’t believe he wants to go back to PDP, but he wants to kill APGA and go. Yes he is very close to President Goodluck Jonathan but he is not the only opposition governor that is very close to Jonathan. Jonathan is a president and there are other people who are even closer to him and they are not governors.

APGA is not against Jonathan, if 2015 comes and Jonathan wants to negotiate with Ndigbo, he is free and we shall negotiate with him and ask what will be our gain.

On your marks!

senate in 2003 was foiled by Senator Ugochukwu Uba, Andy Uba stopped him in his bid for the governorship in 2007 and again whittled away his support in the 2010 election.

All four possible contenders from Anambra South are presently members of the PDP but as the election approaches, it is not impossible that Uba and Ukachukwu who have sought the office on different parties could again seek alternative platforms to achieve their aims. The three prominent gubernatorial hopefuls from Anambra Central and also veterans of the 2010 contest with Obi, are Senators Chris Ngige, Annie Okonkwo and Rep. Uche Ekwunife.

Though the outgoing governor is from Central, it has not in any way dampened the enthusiasm by the three veterans. Ngige and Okonkwo, remarkably, are major pillars in the crystallising All

•Ngige: APC hopeful Progressive Congress, APC. The gist is that the national leaders of the APC are desirous of using Anambra as an entry point into the Southeast and are as such determined to put forward the most viable candidate in order to win the election ahead of the coming battle for the presidency

in 2015.

Anambra North senatorial zone not surprisingly, presents the highest number of governorship aspirants given the agitation from the zone over zoning.

Among them are the incumbent Secretary to the Anambra State Government, SSG, Mr. Oseloka Obaze from Ogbaru, Senator Emma Anosike from Anambra East, Chief Paul Odenigbo from Ayamelum, who was the immediate past SSG, the member representing Anambra State at the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Ezennia Nnamdi Ekweogwu from Onitsha, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu also from Onitsha, former chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Godwin Ibekwe, an industrialist, Dr. Chike Obidigbo, Mr. Patrick Obianwu from Onitsha, Dr. Emmanuel Okafor, Mr. Chima Anene, former banker

Chief Dennis Odife, Prince Chinedu Idigo and former commissioner for local government and chieftaincy matters, Mr. Dubem Obaze.

The last time that somebody from the area made an impact in a governorship campaign was in 1998 when Mrs. Joy Emodi led a bubbly campaign that captivated the imagination of the nation’s political class. Since then the other zones have monopolised the governorship between them. Governorship contenders and political stakeholders from the zone have lately increased the contention on zoning with the argument that what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

It is an argument that ordinarily should not have been, given the zone’s population superiority over the other zones. But not in Anambra where the norm turns into oddities!

46—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 07, 2013

Maritime workers talk tough over privatization

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

M

Omar

Esele

Comrade Aham Ubani, Secretary General, MWUN, Chief Emeka Wogu, Minister of Labour and Productivity and Comrade Emmanuel A Nted, President-General of MWUN, at the conference. physical structures of the union, we then embarked on aggressive human development programmes and re-orientation of all our members at various levels.

Trainings and workshops were organized for a good number of our members both locally and overseas. This had a positive impact on the attitude and conduct

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We say no to the move to further privatise NPA services and employ all patriotic Nigerians to resist and as a union, we shall resist it even with the last drop of our blood

shipping companies who had their operational base in the concessioned areas were declared redundant. In effect over 18,000 Nigerians lost their sources of regular livelihood.”

“Many of these unfortunate Nigerians have since died of the attendant hardship. Some have taking to crimes while some are still fighting for the payment of their terminal benefits even in the law court. The current threat of privatisation of the harbours, pilotage and towing services in NPA is in a very bad fate. Those agitating for this are doing so purely for selfish reasons. Can we afford a repeat of such vicious circle of mass retrenchment and the negative consequences as experienced 10 years ago? Can we afford to ignore the serious national security implications of handing over the harbours and pilotage services in Nigerian territorial waters to private operators? We say no to the move and employ all patriotic Nigerians to resist and as a union, we shall resist it even with the last drop of our blood.”

Human development: The PresidentGeneral, recalled the challenges that confronted his leadership immediately after election when some hired hoodlums invaded the national secretariat of the union and inflicted wanton destruction of property among others.

According to him, “having restored the

ILO meets on employment issues

BY FUNMI KOMOLAFE

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••lament 18,000 job losses ONDAY, March 4, 2013,members of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, gathered in Abuja, for their 3rd Quadrennial Delegates Conference, QDC, to take stock of how the union fared in the last four years.It climaxed with the re-election of Comrade Emmanuel Anthony Nted, as PresidentGeneral of the union for the next four years.

Taking stock of the past four years of the union’s leadership under him, Nted warned against planned to further privatise the services of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, lamenting that the union was yet to recover from the effects of previous exercise done between 2001 and 2012.

According to him; “the current threat of further privatization of the remaining functions of Nigeria Ports is unacceptable anti-society and unpatriotic. 10 years ago between 2001 and 2002 the operational services of Nigerian ports Authority, NPA, were concessioned to private operators. The exercise rendered over 5,000 direct employees of NPA jobless, about 1 0,000 dockworkers were retrenched and over 3,000 employees of

Bits

of the workers in the execution of the responsibilities of their employment. Thus the union won the respect and total acceptance of the employers. The workers confidence in the leadership of the union grew to a position of total trust, as the workers’ rights and privileges were always protected by the union. The employers and managements are now enjoying unprecedented industrial peace.

"Recently, the union completed and commissioned its Abuja building at Yaunde Street Wuse Zone 6. The present and future welfare and condition of service of our members are of great concern to our union. While we negotiate as when due, improved condition of service for our members, we also sensitize the workers through seminars and workshops to cultivate the habit of saving monthly no matter how little for their future. They are also advised to avoid extravagant or ostentatious life style which is not sustainable. While thanking our employers for providing employment to our members, we also solicit their assistance in granting deserving workers access to opportunities to enable them attain their potentials.

NLC commends leadership: Speaking, Acting General Secretary of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Chris Uyot, commended leaders of the union for bringing back industrial peace to the

maritime sector.

He recalled that the sector was before now prone to violence creating unsafe operating environment to stakeholders and other users of the ports.

Similarly, immediate past PresidentGeneral of the union, Comrade Onikolease Irabor, commended the Nted led leadership of the union for sustaining the peace and development in the union.

According to him, the union passed through a trying period under his leadership, but because of unity of purpose and above all, the grace of God, the union was able to surmount the challenges.

Surmounting the challenges He advised members of the union who aspire to become leaders in any capacity to wait for their turn, urging them to maintain peace and avoid anything that could cause crisis in the union.

Guideline on contract, casual workers: Declaring the conference open, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, told members of the union that his Ministry would soon come out with strict guidelines to regulate the employment of contract staff and casual workers in the Maritime sector.

According to him, “My Ministry will come out with strict guidelines to regulate and curb the prevailing issues of contract staffing and casualisation in the Maritime Industry as it had done in the Oil and Gas sector”.

While urging delegates to elect officers who will promote and defend democracy and enhancement of industrial peace and harmony for national development, Wogu declared “I urge all delegates to elect officers who will continue to promote and defend the rights, wellbeing and interests of workers as well as promote and defend democracy, probity and transparency in the trade unions and civil governance”.

HE Governing Body of the International Labour Organization, ILO,commenced its meeting, yesterday, March 6, 2013 to discuss employment and social policies that could lead to a coordinated recovery from the global crisis. Many ILO member nations in Africa and Europe have been grappling with unemployment especially among youths.

The meeting, taking place from March 6 to 28, according to the ILO office in Geneva, Switzrland “ will review basic labour rights, social protection issues, technical cooperation approaches and sectoral activities around the globe."

Delegates including those from Nigeria are also to examine how to promote full and productive employment and decent work as an explicit goal of the global development agenda beyond 2015.

According to the ILO’s programme, , two distinguished guests will address the high-level section of the Governing Body on March 22. They are, Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, and Dr. Deepak Nayyar, Professor of Economics at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

The Governing Body is the executive body of the International Labour Office, (the Office is the secretariat of the Organization).

Another sacked staff floors NLC in court

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HE National Industrial Court, NIC, sitting in Abuja has awarded substantial damages against the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, for unlawfully terminating the appointment of Comrade Iduh L. Onah, an Assistant General Secretary.

He acted as the Head of the Information and Public Relations Department of NLC between September 2009 and March 2011.

This judgment is the second in less than two months that the National Industrial Court is indicting the NLC for violating the rights of its employees. Earlier in January, the court gave a judgment that re-instated Comrade John Odah who was unceremoniously removed as General Secretary of NLC in May 2011.

The court, presided over by the Justice Babatunde Adejumo, President of the National Industrial Court, delivered judgment in the suit in which Comrade Onah had sought for a declaration that the termination of his appointment on May 24, 2011 based on an alleged re-organisation was a ruse and therefore unlawful.

Vanguard, THURSD AY, MARCH 7, 2013 —47 THURSDA

Just N400,000 will save Temitope from 6-year pain

BY CHARLYNE IKPE

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HE beauty of life is when a person is healthy. Health they say is wealth. But when a person is down with ill health life becomes unbearable.

This goes to support the popular saying that health is life and life is beautiful. In most cases, when a person is sick he or she becomes a liability to the family, society and the government at large.

This is the case of Miss Temitope Oshoba, a young and dynamic lady who has been living with a lifethreatening pain for the last six years.

Her life of pain has not only made life unbearable but almost unworthy.

From enquiries, doctors at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, say Temitope who hails from Abeokuta, Ogun State is suffering from Amealoblastoma, a rare, benign tumour of odontogenic epithelium ameloblasts.

Right now Temitope needs a sum of N400, 000 for a life saving surgery.

Temitope, first child from a family of three visited Vanguard corporate Head Office last week and narrated her ordeal.

A medical report from LUTH revealed that an urgent surgery must be done for her to survive.

Her words: “It all started when I was in JSS2, six years ago in 2007 when part of my mouth began to swell gradually. At first, I thought it was a boil so I applied shea-butter (ori) but

the swelling only increased and with so much pain. I became worried and I decided to visit the hospital. There, the doctor told me it was a minor issue and asked me to remove some of my teeth where it was affected. At first, I was scared but with more conviction I

lamented her plight: “You can imagine the pains I go through every day and night, coming from a home where there is no father and a mother who is just an onion seller.

“Today, I am out of school. We hardly feed three times a day. How do I raise N400, 000.00 for surgery? We have been trying to raise this money for six

years with no one coming to our aid.

My life depends on this money.”

Temitope is appealing to well-meaning Nigerians to come to her aid. If you are touched by her story please make your donations to UBA Acct.NO: 00900680015052, Name:Olayinka Ayanodunriah, or call 08123410663.

Shalina, ACPN deworm 4,000 pupils

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•Miss Temitope Oshoba did, still the pain became severe and the swollen part got bigger.

“Afterwards, I was advised to go back to the first hospital, where, unfortunately, I was told that the doctor has been transferred. At that juncture I became confused, then I decided to visit LUTH. On getting there, one Dr. Chukwuma Emeka from the Department of Othondontics, attended to me. He ran several tests and x-rays.

It was he who told me it was a case of Ameloblastoma a rare, benign tumour of odontogenic epithelium ameloblasts. In tears, she said

EALTH benefits of deworming can not be overemphasised.

Deworming is one of the most cost-effective ways that developing countries like Nigeria can improve attendance and performance in schools. Studies have shown that it reduces student absenteeism by 25 percent and increases cognitive performance. When children are sick they can’t concentrate or focus. Deworming not only ends the grossness, it gives children the chance for a healthier, smarter, more productive future.

Confirming the benefits of deworming in Lagos during a deworming exercise organised by Shalina Healthcare Nigeria Limited in collaboration with Association of Community Pharmacist of Nigeria, ACPN, Ketu Zone,for over 4,000 pupils of four schools in Ikosi-Ketu Local Government Development Area of Lagos, Pharm. Adeshina Bashir, Head of Sale, Shalina Healthcare, noted that worm infections can be severe for young children as they consume the vitamins and nutrients in their bodies leading to malnutrition, low weight and anaemia.

Bashir who stressed the need for parents to maintain clean environment, posited that deworming should be done every six months after the age of two years. He said it is often very hard to tell if a child is suffering from worm unless symptoms like anorexia and diarrheal become noticeable.

Bashir added that this is why their brand, Tanzol worm expeller is very unique. “This is where the uniqueness of Tanzol Deworming Brand comes in. It is chewable, comes in different fruity flavour and also available as suspension. Aside deworming the children, we are also giving out free tablets to be delivered to their parents at home,” he said. Bashir further highlighted that Shalina Healthcare as a body concentrates on three areas namely healthcare, exploration and corporate social responsibility.

Earlier, Coordinator, ACPN Ketu zone, Pharm. Paul Oladipupo explained that the deworming exercise was part of the association’s way of giving back to the community. He also counselled that it is important to deworm children every six month.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

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ELLO Uche, i have been dating this married man for a long time. He has really helped me and put me through school. Now i am about to finish school and get a job and he says he wants to marry me this year. But the thing is that i have a boy friend who is just one year older than me and he wants to marry me as well. Now i dont know which man to settle for – Sandra Sandra I am sure that you don’t need me to remind you that you cannot be dating a married man.

That is just wrong on every level. I am actually shocked that you can talk about it so casually. Do you really understand the implication of marrying him? For him to marry you, he will have to abandon his wife and children. And then both of you will organise a wedding in which you will go to the altar and ask God to bless your own marriage after you just wrecked another woman’s marriage and stole her husband? If you actually do care to listen to advice, then I am telling you that you cannot steal another woman’s husband. If any man who is still married ever tells you that he will leave his wife for you, run for your life. If you marry him, your marriage will be cursed. There is a special punishment reserved for home wreckers and when things begin to go terribly wrong in your life, you begin to wonder why.

There are many other men in this world and already, one of them wants to marry you. Get your life together and if you really do care about this other young man that loves you, then love him back by staying with him and him alone. But you cannot wed the married man. You should be breaking off that affair right about now – Uche I had surgery seven months ago and after it, I lost my erection permanently. I have taken all kinds of drugs with absolutely no results. I feel so bad but I am more worried about my wife. She has

been very supportive but it is only a matter of time before she starts sleeping outside. I need any help I can get – David David i am sorry to hear about your condition. If all those drugs didnt work for you, I won’t recommend another drug. The only option now is for you to use a penile extention for intercourse just so that your wife can at least have a sex life. A penile extension is an artificial penis that a man wears over his own penis for intercourse. It is hard like a real erection and realistic. It comes in sizes of 6, 7, 8 and 10 inches and can be used by men with problems like yours or just by men who want to keep having intercourse after ejaculating. Sorry again. I wish you the best – Uche Please i need Exploding Thunder supplement. I bought it from you during the Christmas period for my weak erection problems and it really helped me.

I have checked everywhere but I cannot find it – Chamberlain Chamberlain you will not find it. Exploding Thunder is a rare gem and we have been looking for it too. But check back on Thursday Match 7. We should have it by then – Uche Please is the marathon delay cream for premature ejaculation used once a day or every three days?

I just bought it and enjoyed using it. But when I wanted to have sex again that day, I wasnt sure if I could still use it – Olamide You can use marathon delay cream as many times as you want. It is a cream, not a supplement - Uche That’s it for today. Adults in need of these novelties and treatments can call us on 08027901621 or 08051924159 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com.

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48—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013 Edited by MCPHILIPS NWACHUKWU 08026350360 E-mail: chimeena@yahoo.com

ing his efforts to enroll many students into visual arts, he said, “…Particularly as a teacher, I infected the students with so much enthusiasm in arts”.

While many delve into business or chose careers mostly to make it big, Prof. Onobrakpeya remains an exception. He persevered in his chosen career until arts became a money spinner due to the emerging auction tradition.

Going back memory lane, he recounted how bad the journey to stardom started: “... as an artist, we live from day to day.

We live from hand to mouth. We don’t have the nerve of putting money away in the bank and letting it grow up to become something that gives you joy. So,

,

Onobrakpeya, imprints of living legend

BY PRISCA SAM-DURU

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NDOUBTEDLY Dr. Bruce Onobrakpeya needs no introduction in Africa’s artscape be it in Nigeria or across the globe because his career in the arts which spans several decades, has in no small way, positively affected the lives of so many people and also impacted positively on the image of the country.

This icon is perhaps, Nigeria’s most documented artist, who has spent all his life propagating his passion for arts and at the same time, mentoring a good number of individuals in the field that was once regarded as a career for failures in the society.

Beginning from 1953 when he was hired as an art teacher at the Western Boys High School, till date, Prof. Onobrakpeya has continued to increase the tempo of his art. He received training in the Western tradition of representational art, and at the same time, experimented with forms in relation to Nigerian folklore, myths and legends.

And as is evident today, much of his works which use stylistic elements and compositions which are products of traditional African sculpture and decorative arts, have been maintained but perfected with each collection.

His admission in 1957 into the then Nigerian Arts College of

Technology now Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, was indeed a stepping stone to greatness for the master printmaker as he met people who had the kind of urge and craving to become artists like he had. As opportunities

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His love for art and knowledge that art is a vital tool through which one could contribute to the progress of the nation have remained a driving force

Prof. Bruce Onabrakpeya demonstrating beside some of his art works

By August 30, 2013, Nigeria’s living Legend and foremost artist, Professor Bruce Onabrakpeya would turn 81 and from all indication, Nigerians and indeed, the entire world are yet to witness more amazing works from the grand artist as he seems poised to do greater exploits.

teach in the universities, employing younger artists in form of apprentice, to learn from me, trying to exhibit these younger ones and take them to places, like Dakar, Senegal, for exposure". “ Sometimes, I even sponsor their exhibitions. By the time you look at it, I can be classified as a very wealthy person because of the large amount of money that enters my hand and because of what I do with that money”.

Interestingly, Onobrakpeya’s immense contributions to the development of Nigerian art have not gone unnoticed. For instance, in 2010, he became the second recipient of the government’s Creativity Award, trailing behind Nigeria’s literary

presented themselves, he began with exhibition of his works in Nigeria and Germany which led to receiving an award from the old Bendel State. He later began contributing to decorations in town square and by doing things that show that arts is actually there to continue to give the country a new and better name in the world.For the master artist, his love for art and knowledge that art is a vital tool through which one could contribute to the progress of the nation have remained a driving force. Describ-

money is not the essential thing to the artist. The most essential thing to the artist is that you are able to create, you have new innovations, and you are able to talk about the society as it affects the people within.”

Continuing he added , “‘but a lot of money passes through my hands. Money that passes through my hands is put back into the arts, put back into education.

I have a Foundation, called the Harmattan Workshop, which is done several times in the year.

The money goes into building the infrastructure for that, buying materials to train the younger ones or even the older ones who are interested to learn and to be able to take something back to

icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe. And during his 80th birthday last year, a lot of events were organized in his honour both within and outside the country, example of which was the show held in New York where his recent works were showcased at the upscale Skoto Gallery.

Onobrakpeya’s kind of art is experimental in which he tries to fuse many ideas together in order to get something that is new. According to him, “I fuse the old and the new to project the future. My art belongs to the synthesis group which is the name given to the Zaria Art Society group”.

Rebirth of Negro Art Gallery

BY JAPHET ALAKAM

I

N what looks like a dramatic come back to her first love , Funmi Ogbogu, daughter of renowned artists Ernest Azubuike Emdim, aka Negro Arts recently opened a new art gallery for business. The Micro Biology graduate of University of Benin who claims that art flows in her family disclosed that she opened the gallery in order to meet

One of the art works at the gallery

the demands of many art collectors in Nigeria especially those in Lagos mainland. The gallery which is situated at, Adeniran Ogunsanya Street, Surulure, Lagos is already stocked with different art works of varied media that can meet collectors demand any time, and is set to host its maiden exhibition from April 1 – 6, 2013 at the gallery .

In a chat with the Media, Funmi who said that she joined the gallery business in memory of her late father added that “We are bringing the beauty of African creativity to art lovers in Surulere and environs. Our vision is to have art appreciation in every home and business environment while growing and developing our local artistic talents.”

Continuing she said, “we are doing this through exhibitions, buying, selling and promotion of African artworks and artists. We want to build a clientele that believes in beauty and in artworks that speak to their emotional, intellectual and creative cores. A clientele that wants to have a full life experience”.

Negro Art Gallery, she also said, provides an avenue for discovering and nurturing talents in young people by

providing role models for them in the art world. The gallery also provides an outlet for individuals, family and friends to take some time out of their busy schedules and experience the spiritual, emotional, therapeutic, and social benefits of inspirational works of design and beauty from great talents.

The gallery features works from well known professional artists with many years of experience as well as budding artists with lots of potentials for creating master pieces if nurtured and encouraged. They include: Tony Nwalupue, Demola Tukuru, Lucky Isaiah, Wahab Aromire, Marshal Nwanwu and Anthony Emdin among others.

The paintings include landscapes, portraits, still life, real life, and religious works. One will also find artworks that help us reconnect with our culture and our history as Africans and indeed works for different occasions including gifts for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, sentforth/ farewells, beautification (interior and exterior decoration) of homes and offices, as well as souvenirs/ memorabilia.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013 —49

Mama Adire: Giving Batik human face Nike Davies Okundaye is arguably one of the most popular artists in the Nigerian art scene. She is the founder of Nike Centre for art and culture, an art centre committed to the promotion and development of Nigerian art and culture

BY JAPHET ALAKAM

M

ANY years back, when humble and soft spoken doyen of Nigerian art, Nike Okundaye started her romance with art in the poor village of Ogidi-Ijumu, no one gave her chances of survival but today, with four centres in Lekki, Lagos State; Ogidi-Ijumu, Kogi State; Osogbo, Osun State and Abuja, the seat of Nigeria’s Federal capital, the foremost batik designer has proudly become a household name in the world of art.

According to her, the beginning was not easy, as she ended her formal education at Primary 6 in her village and did not attend any art school, but today, the renowned artist and teacher has through her own self help touched many lives and has taken art round the globe.

As somebody from a poor background who does not want many to suffer, Okundaye has used her arts as a means of em-

powerment and fighting social challenges such as prostitution, unemployment and poverty.

Her philanthropy has paid off as she has so far trained over 4,000 Nigerians in the making and designing of different Nigerian textile clothing, embroidery and weaving.

Presently, her gallery in Lekki which is presumed to be the biggest gallery in Africa with over 7000 art works has become a Mecca of sort as people from all walks of life, especially foreigners visit the place every day. Her Osogbo centre is also a beehive of activities as workshops hold regularly for women and girls. And the Abuja centre also organises many art workshops too.

With all these achievements so far, one would have expected that Mama adire as she is fondly called will feel fulfilled but that is not so, rather she is still bent on creating new frontiers towards actualising her mission of improving the lives of many, especially, the less

Nike Ogundaye, Mama Adire, (middle) impacting practical knowledge to young girls during one of \ the workshops organised by her centre.

privileged and unemployed in the society, discover new talents, empower the rural women and provide training for hundreds of aspiring young performance artists and craftsmen on the practical aspect of art.

During a visit to her gallery at Lekki, Nike who discovered art when she was seven years old disclosed that arrangements have be concluded for the establishment of an art village in Abuja. The art village which is located at Piwoyi village, FCT

Abuja according to her, will serve two main purposes: first, it will provide functional platform for research into Nigerian traditional textile industry in the Federal Capital Territory by bringing the culture of the different people of Nigeria to one place where one will come and see the type of art done in different states like Delta, Cross River and Abia. It will also provide employment for many youths that go to Abuja for job.

The art village according to her is going to be a research

Sixto Rodiriguez: Two lives in one life time

BY MIKE ANGERE

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BBY, my Yoga student and events planner per excellence and an art enthusiast of the highest order asked me just a fortnight back.” Mike, have you ever heard of a musician by the name of Rodiriguez?” I answered in the negative. She thensaid that she had a docummentary on the guy on the Ipad and that I should view it while she got on with her yoga postures.

She gave me a quick summation of what it was all about.

SixtoRodriguez had been released on Motown two albums; Cold Fact and Coming from Realities; but did not sell well in America. This was I the year 1971, the year of Tapestry by Carlos King which became the biggest selling LP in the history of the time. The LP eas said to have sold a whooping 8 million copies. We a had a copyme and my friends.

Back to Rodriguez. He was rumored to have committed suicide on stage. But one fan,Steven Sergerman, nickname, Sugar started making inquiries about the musician and to his surprise, found out that he was alive and kicking.

Sugar’s investigations led him

first to one of Rodriguez’s daughters, who confirmed that fact. Phone numbers were exchanged and one night the phone rang and Sugar’s wife, whose side of the bed the phone was answered then woke her husband up and whispered to him,” it is him”, meaning that it was Rodriguez.

Immediately Sugar woke up from the bed and headed for his study where he ho took the reviever to speak with the musician. As soon as Rodriguez spoke,

Sixto Rodriguez

Sugar said that he had no reason to doubt that he was speaking to the living dead. A mystery!

Surprisingly, Rodriguez never knew how big and famous he is in the musical scene until this recent discovery. It is still shocking to him to learn that as early as the 70s, he was already a big name comparable

to the Beatles and Mr Protest Singer, Bob Dylan in South Africa.

The man equally had no idea that his works had done remarkable well in South Africa. A tour was arranged for performances in the country and the first day ticket 11,000 tickets were sold off. That wash how popular, Rodriguez was.

In a recent interview in Time magazine, Rodriguez revealed that while he performed on stage, that members of the audience, who knew the lyrics to all the songs sang along with him. It is something that gladdens the heart to know that a man who had supported himself by doing demolition work, and has ran for office eight times, a couple of them for mayor, State representative and city council will get his due as an artist albeit belatedly.

Modest Rodriguez, who, until his present rebirth at 70 was said to be doing demolition by way of renovating his house, says he likes to live below his means and that , that is a good discipline as it is wiser.

centre that will represent all the ethnic groups in Nigeria. “Abuja is the capital of Nigeria, so what we intend to do is make it a cultural hub by looking at the past and add something to make it look like the present.

The village will be the first of its kind in the capital city. So, it will comprise of a library that will house all the traditional books, a gallery where the works of different genres of art, will be showcased, textile museum, a hostel that will house the students and visitors to the place.” She said.

Continuing, she stated that apart from the finished works, most of the processes involved in the production of the works will be taught there, like the dyeing in Kano.

Finished works “Indigo, cotton, cassava and others will be grown there and the students will be taught how to convert them into textiles. We will also bring people who know more about culture to the village so that people will see how they live, dress, greet and how they use art to communicate within the various communities.”

On the choice of Abuja instead of other remote areas, she said, “you know we have a centre at Osogbo, we also have at Ogidi in Kogi State, but Abuja is the capital and everybody wants to come to the city for one thing or the other, its just like going to Washington DC in US. Many people especially the youths come because of employment but at the end of the day most of them get frustrated and end up as armed robbers. The village when completed will provide opportunity for such people to learn a trade so that they can become useful to themselves and the society.”

50— Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

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52—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Borno govt declares Friday holiday for Jonathan's visit ...Police deny killing of DPO, deputy

BY NDAHI MARAMA

M

l-r: Ahmed Shinkafi, National Secretary, APGA; Chief Victor Umeh, National Chairman and Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu Jr., (late Ikemba Ojukwu's son), during a briefing announcing his election into APGA Board of Trustees, at the party's NEC meeting, in Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

AIDUGURI — BORNO State government has declared Friday, as work free day to enable civil servants welcome President Goodluck Jonathan who would be in the state on a twoday working visit.

The state Police Command has also denied the killing of a Divisional Police Officer, DPO, and his deputy in the suspected Boko Haram attack on Monday evening.

Some terrorists laid ambush for some policemen in Gwoza

UNICEF vows to stem deaths of children under 5 with immunisation

BY PETER DURU

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A K U R D I — DETERMINED to stem preventable deaths among infants and children in the country, the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has vowed to intensify the immunisation of children under the age five from this year onwards.

The Chief of Office, UNICEF A-Field Office, Mr. Charles Nzuki who spoke at a one day zonal quarterly media briefing in Makurdi, yesterday, said the move would also help the country meet its MDG4 by 2015.

Nzuki said, “Our focus this year will be aimed at systems strengthening for routine immunisation for all under- five children and also integrate maternal neo-natal child health interventions. ”We will support our government partners and other partners to deliver impact interventions to increase the coverage in immunisation to reduce pre-

ventable diseases among the children in the states covered.”

While acknowledging the progress being made so far by UNICEF, Nzuki further said, “the progress in reducing child mortality has been rapid and excellent towards achieving the MDG4 by 2015.

Statistics show that underfive and infant mortality rates have been falling drastically. ”However, the main causes of infant and child deaths still remain such diseases like pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria, while neonatal causes like under-nutrition or vac-

cine preventable diseases still remain major factors. ”It is also pertinent to note here that 24 per cent of all under-five child deaths occur in the neonatal period which therefore calls for intensified campaigns in that area,” he added.

Under-representation of women in Nigeria our undoing —Mrs. Suswan

J

BY TAYE OBATERU

OS — THE continued under-representation of women in politics and other spheres might undermine current efforts by Nigeria to be among the top 20 world economies, wife of Benue State Governor, Mrs. Yemisi Dooshma Suswam has said.

Delivering a lecture at the University of Jos, she said unless the potentials and abilities of Nigerian women are properly harnessed, the goal may be difficult to achieve. ”There is little doubt that the success of Nigeria’s objective to be among the top 20 world economies

by 2020 rests to a large extent on Nigeria’s ability to harness the abilities of its womenfolk and drive them as engines of durable growth. ”As we proceed further, we shall see that Nigeria’s future growth prospects are irrevocably tied to the status of its women and its ability to adequately leverage their considerable economic potential”, she said.

Mrs. Suswan was the guest lecturer at the lecture entitled “Empowering Women for Leadership Through Education,” which was organised by the Gender Intervention Team in collaboration with the Centre for Women and a Gender Studies of the University of Jos.

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

Local Government Area of the state barely 17 hours after killing a Police Mobile Force Training Camp Commandant in Maiduguri, “leading to the killing of seven people,’’ just as ‘’a bank and a police station were also torched during the attack.”

But reacting to the issue yesterday, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Gideon Jubrin stated that “at about 2100 hours (9 p.m.) of Monday evening, some suspected terrorists laid ambush at Gwoza Council Area of Borno State,’’ adding that only one policeman was killed and not the DPO or his deputy, while another one sustained injuries.

According to Jibrin seven civilians were also killed during the attack. The police further said that the security agencies in repelling the attack succeeded in killing two of the suspected terrorists. He also urged media practitioners to verify their stories before publishing.

Jibrin stressed that the doors of the Borno State Police Command were open for practising journalist to verity their facts to avoid publishing false information.

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

Does love exist without money?

T

HE word love has nothing to do with whether one has money or not. But that does not mean that money is not needed, being humans. Really, love exists with or without money. It is a matter of choice.— Miss Nwosu N j i d e k a , Businessperson.

L

OVE does exist without money.

But it is very rare.

Especially in today ’s world where there are many heartbreaks and disappointments. However, like I said, there can be love without money.— Miss Ogbue Immaculate, Entrepreneur.

I

T will not be wrong for me to assert that there is love without money because when you love someone, you have decided to join two hearts as one. But somehow, these days we can hardly see young girls talk of love without money.— Miss Chizoba Mary, Student.

I

F love goes with money, then certainly many parents today would not have been married because it all started with loving the person you want to spend your life with. So love can exist without money but with lots of challenges.— Miss Chioma Ani, Model.

H

OW can you say you love me, yet you cannot take care of my immediate needs? Love is demonstrated by giving. If you love me, then you have to convince me by giving and not just going to bed and sleep. That would not work. — Miss Anasthesia Ezeka

O

NLY when the relationship is an old one. Once you approach a girl for a relationship today, the next thing is she will start requesting for Blackberry, i-phone and so on. If you need her, get those things and she will love you.— Mr. Emmanuel Ijanna, MC.

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Afcon has made me more mature — Mikel Delta Governor’s Cup enters knockout stage J •Asaba, Oghara, Sapele, others to

OHN Obi Mikel has said that winning the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations Cup and the crowd that met the team on arrival in Nigeria is a feeling he will never forget.

The Chelsea midfielder played a big part in the Super Eagles’ run to their third continental title where he became a leader on and off the pitch.

“It was crazy. It was really nice to go back home after the tournament with the cup - the whole country was waiting,” he told his club’s official magazine.

“It was a big, big thing, because we couldn’t walk, we couldn’t actually get out of the airport. The whole way through, from the airport to the hotel where we were staying, it was crazy.’

Mikel missed a penalty kick in the second match against Zambia but he did not allow that miss to dampen his enthusiasm.

Mikel Obi (l) against Burkina Faso in 2013 Afcon final. Nigeria won 1-0

host matches

A

10th biennial Police Games: Zones 7, 9 begin well •As scramble for medals intensifies

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OMPETITIONS in the on-going Police Games “Port Harcourt 2013” began in earnest at all venues yesterday, on a very high note, with athletes keenly contesting spiritedly in

AFN leaps into the future at D.K Olukoya meet Championships billed for

BY BEN EFE

A

THLETICS Federation of Nigeria officials are looking to select a crop of young athletes that will form the thrust of its youth development programme as the Pastor D.K Olukoya Under-17 Championships begin today at the Yaba College of Technology sports complex Lagos.

The meet is a trial selection for the maiden Africa Athletics Youth

Warri, Delta State later in the month. According to AFN technical director, Omatseye Nesiama there will be a tighter control of the selection process, so that athletes who are truly under-17 team would be selected for the AYC. “We are not seeking to win at all cost at the AYC. Our aim is to take a crop of Under-17 athletes there and after the Championships we will see those that can be trained.

Kenya Continues from BP proper aclimatisation.

Newly employed coach, Adel Amrouche, commenced his training with the home-based stars invited for the game yesterday and he is upbeat about the chances of his team to outshine the African champions, saying the Eagles’ status rather than offering a fear factor should be a motivation for his side.

Amrouche, who was unveiled three weeks ago, has named a squad of locally-based players to start training at the Moi International Sports C M Y K

Centre, Kasarani.

Among the surprise callups to the team is teenage striker Michael Olunga, whom Amrouche described as a talented player who needs a chance to prove himself at the national team level.

“I have watched his performance for the last two years when he was still a student at Upper Hill. He is a talented player and needs to be exposed at this level,” said Amrouche.

The coach also explained that he has recalled AFC Leopards striker Allan Wanga to give the player another chance in the national team.

their events, to win precious medals for their respective Zones.

At the Liberation Stadium Elekahia, where the football C tournament is being M Y staged, four matches K were played in the male category while two were in the female category.

In the first match of the day Zone 9 Umuahia walloped Zone 1 Kano 3 -1, to

clinch the three maximum points.

In other results, Zone 7 Abuja defeated Zone 6 Calabar (the host Zone) 3:1, Zone 11 Osogbo beat Zone 4, Makurdi 3:1; while FHQ beat Zone 5 Benin 2:1.

In the female category, Zone 6 Benin walked over Zone 1, Kano; while Zone 2, Lagos defeated Zone 7, Abuja by 4:1.

Falana defends Rangers Continues from BP Rangers team was led

by Human Rights Lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, who was propped up by two other lawyers in arguing Rangers’ case for ownership of Mba, who became a star for scoring two crucial goals in Nigeria’s road to 2013 AFCON glory.

We gathered that after listening to both sides argument, that the NFF was said to have reserved ruling for today.

According to our sources at the meeting, Falana argued that Mba signed a contract for Rangers and that the deal was to elapse in 2014.

However, it was learnt that Falana argued that since Mba’s had always gone on loan deals with former clubs like Dolphins that it was a normal process to go through.

In their own defence, we gathered that Warri Wolves team, which was

led by the Executive Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, Pinnnick Amaju presented documents to prove that Mba was still their player. It was reported that Amaju also tendered the request Rangers made to Warri Wolves for the transfer of Mba, who the former was said to have informed the house was yet to be sold to Rangers.

However, we gathered that Falana was reported to have argued that the transfer request, which Amaju was said to have alluded to, was made in error and that it was provisional and not in permanent form.

It was learnt that the famed lawyer argued that Mba’s transfer to Dolphins and other clubs were on loan but Amaju was said not to have been intimidated by the lawyers as he made a brilliant case for Warri and he tendered more documents to back up his case.

LL is now set for the knockout stages of the Governor ’s Cup in Delta State. The zonal elimination matches will kick off in four centres, beginning on March 11.

Rising from a meeting in Asaba, the Main Organising Committee (MOC), put in place by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for the championship, fixed March 11, 12 and 13 for the knockout matches, while the quarterfinal holds on March 18 and 19. Semi final and final will take place in April.

Schools representing

three local government areas in Zone A, Oshimili North, Oshimili South and Aniocha South will do battle at Gbenoba Grammar School in Agbor. While Ugbolu Secondary School, Ugbolu trade tackles with Comprehensive secondary school by 2.00pm on March 11, Niger Mixed secondary school, Asaba will confront Comprehensive Secondary School, Ogwashi-Uku on March 12. The game between Ugbolu secondary school and Niger Mixed secondary school will hold the next day (March 13).

I signed for Rangers before Afcon — Mba Rangers before the

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I G E R I A N international, Sunday Mba has moved to voice his opinion over the long drawn battle between Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) clubs, Warri Wolves and Enugu Rangers.

Both clubs claim they own the player but the midfielder has now declared that he is surprised the issue has hogged the headlines in recent days.

Mba said he signed a contract with Enugu

commencement of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa with Enugu Rangers.

“I signed a contract with Rangers even before I left for South Africa for the 2013 Afcon and I am surprised Wolves are saying Rangers have no right of ownership over me,” Mba told supersport.com on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old also revealed that Warri Wolves was aware he had completed a move and signed a contract with Rangers.

Oparaku Continues from BP Police, IGP. Oparaku, wrote through his lawyer, Mr. Nick E. Nworgu, informing the IGP that he “ was subjected to a very brutal and dehumanizing assault by some policemen, who inflicted grievous bodily injuries” on him.

Giving a graphic account of the ugly incident, Oparaku’s lawyer stated that after responding to a harmless question coming from the driver of the police patrol van, his client continued on his way.

“Suddenly, and for no

justifiable reason whatsoever, one of the policemen sitting at the back of the pick-up van jumped down and started raining blows on our client. The others, numbering about five, also jumped down and joined in the brutalization of our client”, the lawyer recounted.

According to the lawyer, the policemen “kept beating and kicking our client until blood started gushing from cuts in his mouth, eyes, face and other parts of his body ” , adding that his clothes were torn in the process.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013— 55

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Chelsea rest Moses, Ramires for Man. U

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INGER Victor Moses and midfielder, Ramires have been left behind by Chelsea as they prepare to play Steaua Bucherest in today ’s Europa League tie.

Kenya tour Cote d’Ivoire for Eagles K

ENYA National football team harambee Stars reported for residential training on Wednesday 6th March 2013 in preparation for the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Nigeria.

The players selected by Coach Adel Amorouche have already received their letters of release and the clubs accordingly released the players to the national team on Tuesday.

A p p a r e n t l y determined to get a favourable result against the Super Eagles in Calabar, March 23, the Harambee Stars are billed to camp in Cote d’Ivoire for about two weeks for Continues on Page 54

•Oliech, Kenyan star

PUZZLE

•Moses

Mba: Falana defends Rangers T HE battle over which club owns Super Eagles Nations Cup winner, Sunday Mba appears to be nearing its end following yesterday ’s meeting of the Nigeria Football Federation with

the aggrieved parties, Rangers International of Enugu and Warri Wolves..

At the meeting which ran late into the night, we gathered that the

Continues on Page 54

Oparaku petitions IG

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA, Owerri

A

CE footballer and 1996 Olympic gold medalist, Mr. Mobi Oparaku, who was brutalized by some policemen attached to Shell Camp Police Division, Owerri, has now sent a petition to the Inspector General of

•Mba

•Oparaku

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

Chelsea will face Manchester United in the FA Cup still smarting from the Championships League round of 16 loss to Real Madrid at Old Trafford on Tuesday night. Chelsea travel to Manchester with the hope of upseting the Premier League leaders.

Demba Ba is cup-tied so Fernando Torres will start up front, with midfielder Oriol Romeu the only player missing due to injury.

Moses who won the Africa Nations Cup with the Super Eagles of Nigeria spoke of his desire to see Chelsea create an upset at Old Trafford.

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Conflict (6) 5 Tread (4) 8 Profundity (5) 9 Astern (3) 10 Booty (4) 11 Destroy (4) 12 Shy (5) 13 Epic (6) 16 Vent (4) 18 Discharge (4) 20 Cot (3) 22 Sister (3) 23 Trail (3) 24 Discourteous (4) 25 Adorn (4) 28 Weidly (6) 30 Collapse (5) 32 Fate (4) 33 Midday (4) 34 Fuss (3) 35 Irritated (5) 36 Victim (4) 37 Maintain (6)

.DOWN: 1 Wrap (6) 2 Delayed (8) 3 Incentive (6) 4 Reserve (9) 5 Streaked (7) 6 Bump (4) 7 Long (4) 8 Speck (3) 14 Doomed (9) 15 Large (3) 17 Regret (3) 19 Actuate (8) 20 Coach (5) 21 Aver (7) 26 Dog-house (6) 27 Past (6) 29 Elderly (4) 30 Mistake (4) 31 Seed-vessel (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

ACROSS: 3, Canal 9, Labour 10, Rotate 11, Edict 12, Mute 15, Stir 17, Prevent 20, End 21, Trash 23, Each 25, Poll 26, Taste 28, Act 30, Evident 33, Tyro 35, Ever 36, Shelf 38, Nausea 39, Vandal 40, Tried.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Plump 2, Abate 3, Cue 4, Ardent 5, Arch 6, Lot 7, Waste 8, Weird 13, Urgency 14, Evict 16, Incline 18, Trite 19, Asp 22, Horde 24, Hag 24, Evolve 28, Atone 29, Trout 31, Evade 32, Troll 34, Char 36, Set 37, Fad.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

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

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

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

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470; Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

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