As Bakassi goes in 48 hrs, AGF stalls on appeal to ICJ by Vanguard Media Limited

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N35 1m drugs hidden in balls N351m int er cept ed at Lagos air por inter ercept cepted airpor portt BY DANIEL ETEGHE

From left: Mr Joseph Baiyekusi, Chief Operation Officer, Impact Your Leadership Initiative, Mr. O. P. Philips, the author, Mrs Osayame Igbinomwanhia, Marketing & Communication Manager, DHL Express, and Mr Tonye Cole, during the book launch by Opeyemi Philips held at NIIA, Lagos, supported by DHL Express. Photo by Diran Oshe.

fficials of the Na tional Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday impounded three consignments of heroin hidden inside balls and woollen carpets at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Shed, Murtala Muhammed International Airport

Awolowo to Achebe: We are disappointed T

he storm generated by renown novelist, Prof Chinua Achebe, over his claim that wartime Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, and the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo formulated the policy of genocide against Igbo during the civil war continued, yesterday. Awolowo’s daughter, Dr (Mrs) Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu, said she was disappointed about Achebe’s claim. She also hinted that the

Awolowo family may issue a formal response on the controversial claim by the novelist in his latest memoir on Biafra, ‘There was a country’. But a former governor of Anambra State, Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju, said whatever Achebe said about the civil war should be taken seriously. Mbadinuju cited the novelist’s antecedents. Awolowo was the vice chairman of the Federal Executive Council

(FEC), equivalent of deputy to Gowon, during the civil war. Dr Awolowo-Dosunmu told Sunday Vanguard, yesterday, while responding to the Achebe claim: “One is still trying to come to terms with the sense of disappointment about the person who wrote what is now a brewing controversy in the country. “While a formal statement responding to the offensive comments of the writer is being pre-

pared by the family all I can say for now is that I feel so disappointed”. But, Mbadinuju, defending Achebe, said: “I have not read the book. I don’t want to speculate. During the civil war, I was studying in the United States of America. However, I have absolute confidence in Prof Chinua Achebe. He is an acclaimed international scholar and figure; whatever he says about the civil war should be taken seriously.”

Ex-militant leader rallies suppor or Mimik o supportt ffor Mimiko BY DAYO JOHNSON, Akure

HE leader of exmilitants in the riverine communities of Ondo State, High Chief Bibopiri Ajube, has endorsed Governor Olusegun Mimiko for second term. Ajube, popularly known as “shoot at sight”, also expressed concern over the alleged politicising of the amnesty programme in the state. Speaking with newsmen in Akure, the exmilitant leader said Mimiko should be given another four years to enable him complete his developmental projects across the state. He pointed out that he will mobilise massively for the re-election of the governor in the October 20 election. Ajube said the opposition parties should wait for another four years. “The people of the riverine communities have

decided to adopt the governor of the state, Olusegun Mimiko, based on the belief that the governor will develop the area during his second term.” Speaking on the alleged politicising of the amnesty programme, the ex-militant leader said those in support of Mim-

iko second term in the riverine communities of the state would not accept it. Ajube declared: “I believe amnesty is not a political issue and should not be treated as one. Amnesty is a national issue and peoples right to vote must not be trampled upon.”

The ex -militant was reacting to a statement credited to the Special Assistant to the President on Amnesty Programme, Hon. Kingsley Kuku, that those who do not vote for the PDP in the coming election would no more benefit from the programme in the area.

Pope’s butler convicted

he pope’s butler was, yesterday, convicted of stealing the pontiff ’s private documents and leaking them to a journalist in the gravest Vatican security breach in recent memory. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison, but the Vatican said a papal pardon was likely. Judge Giuseppe Dalla Torre read the verdict aloud two hours after the three-judge Vatican panel began deliberating Paolo Gabriele’s fate. Gabriele stood impassively as

it was read out in the tiny wood-paneled tribunal tucked behind St. Peter’s Basilica. The sentence

was reduced in half to 18 months from three years because of a series of mitigating circumstances.

Cust oms donation Customs The Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA) FOU ‘A’ Chapter visited the Modupe Cole Memorial Child Care and Treatment Centre,Yaba,Lagos as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility. Presenting items which included rice, vegetable oil, toiletries and medicaments to the home, the chapter chairperson Mrs. Ochanya Dan-Ugo, who represented the National President Hajiya Sa’adiya Abdullahi Dikko, stated that the visit was in furtherance of the objectives of COWA to promote the well-being of its members and other less privileged in the society.

(MMIA), Lagos worth N351million. The consignments of drug, imported from Pakistan, were detected through the help of the agency ’s sniffer dogs weighing a total of 29.260 k i l o g r a m m e s . The rug consignment containing 14 kilogrammes of heroine came as cargo on KLM flight while the other two consignments of balls weighing 10.230 kilogrammes and 5.030 kilogrammes were imported on Saudi Arabia Airline.Chairman of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, vowed to incapacitate drug trafficking syndicates in the country through counter measures. “Every drug seizure is important to us because of the value of the drugs and the fact that every seizure made advances the antidrug campaign. This seizure is important to the country because the damage the drug would have caused cannot be quantified. Drug trafficking car-

tels may be sophisticated in drug concealment, but the seizures are indicators of Nigeria’s counter efforts. We will not relent in protecting the country from the activities of drug traffickers”, Giade s t r e s s e d . According to Giade, investigation is on-going to unravel the cartel behind the shipments of narcotics. Meanwhile, the NDLEA Airport Commander, Mr. Hamza Umar, pointed out that the goods were abandoned by the importers as soon as they arrived the airport, adding that the officials of the agency had to tear the consignment to uncover the drugs. “The drug was factory packed in the cartons containing the balls. The rug concealment was also factory packed because we had to tear and unfasten to recover the drugs. Four rugs were found to contain heroin. So far, no arrest has been made but the cases are under investigation” Hamza explained.

20 15: YYar’A ar’A dua, A tik u 2015: ar’Adua, Atik tiku structure, bounces back, plans to build bridges BY HENRY UMORU

HEAD of the 2015 presidential election, the former structure of the late General Musa Yar’adua and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Movement, PDM, has bounced back with plans to build bridges across the country. PDM, at the end of its meeting in Abuja, however resolved to adhere to the dreams of its founding fathers, just as it stressed that if Nigeria as a country must have true democracy and good governance, issues of security and economy must be addressed. In a statement by PDM Protem Chairman and Secretary, Bode Ajewole and Murtala Yar’adua respectively, the group explained that it was formed to eliminate sectional, ethnic, religious and all primordial divisions in the country, adding that no national or government can grow to become prosperous when there was the absence of equity. While calling on Nigerians to join the new PDM, the group promised however to be on the side of unique political histo-

ry, adding that as a group, it has political alignment or affiliation with any of the existing political parties in the country, even as it promised to work with any Nigerian or political organisation that shares in their objectives and ideals.

Delta community defends son BY FESTUS AHON, Ughelli HE Afiesere commu T nity, Delta State, yesterday, affirmed that Mr.

Peter Ogedegbe is their son, describing media report against the origin of Ogedegbe as mischievous and borne out of malice. The community, in a statement issued by its President General, Mr Peter Onoberhie and its Secretary General, Mr Shikaleke Okiemute, said: “ Dr. Peter Egedegbe hails from Arovie Street in Urhie Quarters in Afiesere Community. ”Precisely, he is a descendant of the Uwejeyan family where his father, Egedegbe Ogodogbo came from. His father, sojourned in Ophori-Olomu where he married his mother, Odibo.”

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012 — PAGE 5

Flood cuts off East-West Road BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA,

AMPAGING flood from the Forcados river and from the adjoining creeks has cut off the BoluAngiama-Umeh stretch of EastWest road in Delta State. Also, the gateway road off the East-West road linking Gbarain kingdom to mainland Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, is on the verge of being cut off by flood which has swallowed several buildings around the Igbogene community. Residents of Patani fleeing to Ughelli from their devastated homes were stopped as they could not pass through the flooded stretch of the road of Bolu-Angiama-Umeh stretch of East-West road. Many were forced to return to Patani and take refuge at a discarded filling station owned by a PDP chieftain from the community while others with their belongings were seen by the road side in make shift structures erected with sticks and nylon. Others headed straight to Yenagoa with their scanty belongings they could retrieved from their flooded homes to put up with relations pending when normalcy returns. Some of the drivers, who made u-turn on approaching the flooded section of the road told Sunday Vanguard, “The situation is pathetic, the Bolu-

Angiama-Patani-Umeh axis of the East West road is completely impassable. Some people have abandoned their vehicles and started trekking on the road which is now under water.” Meanwhile, the flood is now threatening to cut off the new gateway road bye pass linking Gbarain kingdom to Yenagoa. Sunday Vanguard reporter who visited the area observed that unless the rising flood level ceased, the route may become impassable as a section of it was already under water.

20 wedding guests killed in auto crash BY DAUD OLATUNJI

O fewer than 20 people were reported dead in auto crash yesterday along Kobape-Abeokuta. The accident occurred at Ototo village located between Paramount F.M Radio Station and Police Computer College, Abeokuta around 7.30 a.m. The accident was reportedly caused by a truck with registration number, Lagos, JJJ 489XB, which

‘No constituency projects implemented in S-South’ BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

EMBERS of the House of Representatives Committee on Constituency Projects, yesterday, raised the alarm that there is zero per cent implementation of constituency projects in the South South by

The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Relates Offences (ICPC), Mr Ekpo Nta (right), chairman of the Anti-Corruption, National Ethics and Values, Mr. James Abiodun Faleke (centre), and his deputy, Ahmed Ishaq Kana, during the committee's visit to the ICPC.

the Federal Government. The seven-man Committee, led by the member representing Owan Federal Constituency of Edo State, Mr Pally Iriase, told newsmen in Benin City yesterday, that their observation, after touring the states in the South, was

SOLUTION

allegedly veered off its lane and rammed into a fully loaded Hiace passengers bus conveying the victims. It was gathered that the victims, all members of the African Church Solution Camp, Ewang Estate, Abeokuta, had left for Lagos to attend a wedding ceremony of one of their members when tragedy struck. The driver of the truck was said to have lost control and killed the bus passengers. Many of the victims, according to an eye witness account,

contrary to the claim by the Federal Government that it has implemented 56 per cent of the 2012 budget. Flanked by the member representing Oredo Federal constituency, Rasaq BelloOsagie, and others, Iriase explained: “The way the constituency project works under the 7th Assembly is that you can only nominate projects and indicate site but the implementation by way of awarding contracts and execution is under the purview of the executive. But we also have the right to go round to ensure that what is put in the budget is executed. “But from what we have seen so far, we visited riverine areas like Burutu and several others. As far as constituency projects implementation is concerned, we have observed zero per cent implementation in the South South. You are very much aware that the executive told us that they have implemented 56 per cent of the budget. We expected that as we go round, we should find 50 per cent performance as regards constituency projects”. The lawmaker further explained:“The entire constituency projects under the House of Reps are in the region of N43billion and that amount is a paltry sum when you compare it with the N1.3trillion for capital”.

died on the spot following the impact of the collision, while others died in hospital. Two infants, including a twoyear-old, were said to be among the victims. An eye witness claimed the survivors were taken to a state hospital for treatment. Ogun State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Ayobami Omiyale, confirmed the accident,but said only nine died. He however said that sympathisers took some corpses away before rescue team arrived the scene. Also, the coordinator of the Ogun State traffic management outfit, TRACE, at the scene, Sola Bamidele, said the accident was caused by the truck driver. Bamidele pointed out that the passengers took off from Abeokuta less than 30 minutes before the auto crash occured.

He added that the body (TRACE) was still trying to get in touch with the transport company which owned the illfated bus to get the manifest of the passengers. When Sunday Vanguard visited the State Hospital Ijaye, where the victims were allegedly taken, worried relations were seen, asking for the victims whereabouts. A doctor coordinating Ogun State Ambulance Services, Hassan Adelakun, said some of the victims died at the scene of incident while others died at the hospital. Adelakun added that some of the victims corpses were deposited at State Hospital while others were taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta. Meanwhile, at the African Church Solution Camp, which the victims attended, members wore a pensive mood when Sunday Vanguard visited the place last night.

Bakassi: AGF stalls appeal to ICJ Continued from page 1 Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, is stalling on the presidential directive to revisit the issue. DETAILED REPORT ON PAGES 36-39 At the end of its Wednesday emergency meeting with Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark, Speaker of House of Representatives Hon Aminu Tambawal and governors of the six South-South States, President Goodluck Jonathan had ordered that Nigeria should file for a revision of the case based on the fresh facts exclusively made public by Vanguard newspapers. But a member of the committee set up by the

president to prepare Nigeria’s case for the appeal told Sunday Vanguard, at the weekend, that “the AGF is still not disposed to assembling the documents for the revision because time is too short”. Sources said, last night, they were not surprised about the AGF inaction as he had argued at the Wednesday meeting “that time was too short for Nigeria to present a formidable document, make contact with renowned international lawyers to package the case in conformity with ICJ specification and standards”. Sunday Vanguard learnt yesterday “that the AGF is still in Abuja contrary to the initial reports that he was heading to the Netherlands to expedite

Continues on page 6

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Continued from page 5 action on the matter ”. But sources said the Bakassi people had made contact with the wife of Mr. Tony Blair, a former British Prime Minister, who had prepared their brief months ago. A member of the Save Bakassi Group, Mr. Maurice Ekong, also said the Efik Kingdom had secured the services of a high profile international lawyer two months ago and paid the initial commitment fee. “We have packaged the Bakassi brief in conformity with the ICJ standards”, Ekong said. “All that Nigeria needs to do is to take over the services of the international lawyer and our local lawyer, Mrs. Nella Andem Rabana (SAN), and submit

Bakassi: AGF stalls appeal to ICJ necessary documents before the deadline”. Rabana was among those who attended the Wednesday top level meeting in Abuja. Yesterday, was reportedly sad that no action had been taken by the committee the president set up as if they had all the time in the world to make the appeal. MINISTERIAL EGO on. Ani Esin, who was Bakassi Local Government Chairman when the territory was handed over to Cameroon, told Sunday Vanguard, yesterday, that “indeed our brief is well packaged and will withstand any international scrutiny ”. But Adoke,

the AGF, was said to be reluctant to take a decisive action because he felt not enough work had been done given the limited time frame. Said a source: “The AGF has not equally availed himself of the knowledge of those Nigerians who have dug up the fresh facts neither has he called on those who have done their research to come up with their findings to brief the government on the way forward. This is a national assignment and the AGF is acting as if he has some axe to grind with Bakassi people. How can an officer appointed to serve his nation stall a directive given by his principal? What does he stand to

gain if we lose Bakassi and sentence our people to eternal misery?” Sunday Vanguard learnt that the AGF is waging a cold war against the governor of Cross River State, Mr. Liyel Imoke, whom he alleged was uncharitable in the remarks made by the governor when the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Akwa Ibom on the 76 oil wells that were given to the latter based on the interpretation of the Green Tree Agreement, GTA. Imoke was said to have criticised the Minister and the Supreme Court for using the GTA as the basis to award the case to Akwa Ibom because the GTA is an interna-

tional agreement that has not been domesticated by the National Assembly. Lagos lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), said the governor was right because the interpretation of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, SCN, on the Cross River, Akwa Ibom case only succeeded “in making Bakassi people refugees in their own country”. Sources said the action of the AGF on the Bakassi case bordered on ego because, as an appointed officer of Nigeria, his mandate is to serve the people of the country regardless of his personal prejudices and ego. Ekong said it was sur-

prising that someone in the office of AGF should see himself as superior to his boss and the entire country in a matter of utmost national importance and urgency. BACK TO PAST MISTAKES Senator Ewah Bassey Henshaw told Sunday Vanguard, yesterday, that Nigeria was back to the same old ways that caused the country to suffer defeat before. According to him, the new team put together to look into the possibility of the ICJ reviewing the verdict on Bakassi was without reference to the aboriginal people of Bakassi whose fate was at stake. “The Obong of Calabar is not being

Continues on page 7

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012, PAGE 7

Groom abducted during wedding By DEMOLA AKINYEMI, Ilorin

Area Manager, Piaget branch of Richmont International Switzerland, Mr. Mathieu Delmas; Executive Director , Polo Limited, Ms. Jennifer Obayuwana; Managing Director Polo Limited, Mr. John Obayuwana and National Sales Manager, Polo Limited, Mr. Mike Eze during the Piaget team’s business visit to Polo Head office in Lagos recently.

EN of Kwara State police command have commenced investigation into the abduction of a 35-year- old petrol attendant kidnapped during his wedding and found five days after. The reason behind the abduction has remained a daunting task for the police and mystery to family members of the victim. The spokesman of

NCC: No underhand dealings in frequencies allocations BY ELIZABETH ALAINE

HE Nigerian Com munications Commission, NCC, has debunked reports of underhand dealings in the allocation of spectrum licences to two companies: OpenSkys and Smiles Communications. Their traducers have alleged that due process was not followed and that national security had been undermined following the allocation of frequencies reserved for the police to OpenSkys. Reacting to the allegations, the NCC’s Head, Media and Public Relations, Reuben Muoka, said there was no flouting of the rules and the exaggerations and half truths are indications of a lack of “basic understanding of frequency allocation and its processes involved, resulting in unsubstantiated information capable of misleading the public and indus-

try stakeholders.” According to the NCC, the frequency allocations to OpenSkys were not only in “compliance with the Nigerian Communications Act, but also in full implementation of a presidential directive of 5th July, 2007. This directive was fully deliberated upon by the Board of the Commission during its 62nd, 63rd and 64th Sittings and other subsequent meetings. “ The commission noted that the provisional offer of frequency was made to OpenSkys as far back as October 2, 2009 one full year before the current EVC was appointed and, at that period, “the Nigeria Police was still occupying some of the frequencies in the 450MHz Band. The then Ministry of Communications had on October 5, 2005, conveyed to the police the decision of the National Frequency Management Board, for it to be relocated by the Commission.

“The decision to allocate part of the 450Mhz frequency was therefore not made by the NCC nor by

HE branch control ler of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ilorin Mr. Onoriode Monday Olotewo, led his staff to donate fourteen wheel chairs to the disabled in Tunde and Friends Foundation and Hope Orphanage Foundation both in the outskirts of Ilorin to make life more comfortable for them. Presenting the items to the beneficiaries, Olotewo said the gesture was part of the social responsibility of the apex bank in giving back to the host community. According to him, the items were bought from donations from the staff and given to people irrespective of where the come from.

He advised the National Assembly to enact a Disability Law that will cater for the needs of disabled in the country and encourage others to do what the CBN is doing for its immediate community.

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME, PH

HREE robbers were allegedly burnt to death at Omokere- Aluu community in Choba area of Rivers State Friday night It could not be confirmed if they were students of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT)

but community sources claimed they were students. According to the sources, some students of the university reside at private hostels in OmokereAluu from where they go for lectures. They said the suspects met their end when they allegedly robbed residents of some of the hos-

tels in the community of valuables including phones. The sources said youths in the neighbourhood quickly mobilised to apprehend the robbers, adding that they were immediately set ablaze. Sunday Vanguard gathered that robbers had held the community hostage for about three

months, raping wives of their victims. It was apparently why youths of the area vented their anger on the three that were apprehended on Friday. River State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ben Ugwuegbulam, confirmed the incident but said details were hazy at press time.

Bakassi: AGF stalls appeal to ICJ Continued from page 6 carried along, the same thing with the Etiyin of Bakassi, Dr. Edet Okon Etim, who is the chairman of Council of Traditional Rulers in Cross River State. Prof. Walter Ofonagoro, whose seminal

He explained that the excellent outing of the people with disability during the just concluded London olympics alluded to the urgent call for the enacting of a law for the disabled.

Methodist Church Nigeria, Lagos West celebrates HE stage is now set for the third edition of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Diocese of Lagos West’s Festival of Hymns and Songs. The event comes up at Methodist Church Nigeria, Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos on Sunday, 14 October. According to the Chief Host, the Diocesan Bishop, Rt. Revd. Isaac Ayo Olawuyi, “As

da rider in a bush at Kangu-Olunlade village Ilorin where he was purportedly dumped by his abductors early Tuesday morning, October 2, 2012, drenched in the early morning rain and was shivering. Zubair, who was said to have begged the Okada rider to call members of his family, was then taken to a private hospital where he was later traced. The victim had since been hospitalised. Contacted, head of Balogun-Fulani family, where the victim hails from, Alhaji Mahmud Durosinlorun Atiku Fulani, said there was no suspicion prior to the abduction, vowing that the family would use all legal and spiritual means to get to the root of the matter and fish out the perpetrators.

Three set ablaze in Rivers for robbery

The CBN succour for the disabled

Dr. Juwah, the NCC EVC. It was a decision that predated his appointment by almost five years”.

Kwara State police command, Mr Femi Elubode, said though he had received calls on the incident, the A Division Police Station at Challenge, Ilorin where the incident was said to have been reported, had not briefed his office. ”And if we are not officially briefed of any incident,it will be difficult to know the level of investigation,.I have not been briefed yet,” Elubade said. Sunday Vanguard reliably gathered that the two-day wedding preparation between the victim, Zubair Aliyu Balogun, and his heartrob had commenced on Thursday, September 27, only for him to disappear on Friday morning, and his whereabouts remained unknown for five days. After intensive search by family members,and sympathisers, the groom was found naked by an Oka-

Methodist, one of the greatest and renowned composer of hymns that have ever lived remains Charles Wesley, the brother of John Wesley (Founder of Methodist Church). This Festival of Hymns is to identify with one of the most valued elements of Methodist as a Church of God; whereby we communicate the gospel through glorious hymns to all and sundry”.

work exposed the fraud in the first case, has not been contacted and we are back to using the same people who made us to suffer defeat and went back to negotiate Bakassi people and land away to Cameroon”, Henshaw said. According to him, the

Federal Government should, as a matter of urgency, demand the demilitarisation of Bakassi as stated in the GTA and allow unhindered access of independent monitors from the United Nations to interact with the peninsula people to ascertain what they have been going through. “The president should write to the United Nations to demand that the UN police are sent to the peninsula while Cameroonian security agents are withdrawn from the peninsula in compliance with the GTA. There should be unhindered access to Nigerian officials who want to visit the peninsula to find out the atrocities that have been carried out against our people in clear violation of Article 3 of the GTA”.

According to him, Cameroon is exploiting the fact that the GTA has no provisions for enforcement of Article 3 of the agreement and lack of sanctions for its violations to brutalise Bakassi people on the peninsula. “There is the need for Nigeria to petition the UN to send multinational police team to Bakassi to protect the lives of the people there”. The senator said the UN and the world owe it a duty to the people of Bakassi to determine where they want to belong rather than rely on judicial pronouncements and colonial treaties to determine the fate of indigenous people against their will and in violation of Article 21 of the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights Meanwhile, the people of Bakassi have hailed Jonathan for accepting to ask the ICJ to review its verdict that gave the sovereignty of Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon. They also singled out Vanguard Newspapers and Professor Walter Ofonagoro, Prof. Bola Akinter-

inwa for commendation for leading the charge to denounce the fraud which Cameroon perpetuated ten years ago by denouncing an international boundary that had exited for centuries. The paramount ruler of Bakassi, Etiyin Edet Okon Etim, said the president was not going against his statement in New York that Nigeria will abide by the rule of law because Article 61 of the ICJ Statute made provision for the action that Nigeria has taken which is also imposed on him by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the oath of office that enjoined him to protect the territorial integrity of Nigeria and the welfare of its citizens. He said with a 95% ethnic population of Bakassi people coming from Nigeria as the aboriginal population, the least Jonathan could do was to ask the international community to ascertain the wishes of the people

rather than yoke them with the government and people of Cameroon, to live in perpetual bondage.

PAGE 8—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012

NAFDAC approves 2 wipes, products launched in Lagos BY ADEOLA ADENUGA

leanettes Nigeria Limited has unveiled Delicattes and Menthorex wipes. While unveiling the products, the Director of Business Development of Cleanettes, Mr. Azuma Chukuwu, said that the products give maximum cleansing, adding that the firm emphasises core values of excellence, innovation, reliability and loyalty to their customers. Speaking at the occasion, the chairman of the company, Mr. Ade Adelakun, said Cleanettes had been able to prove that their products are better than those of competitors. He added that arrangements had been concluded to bring down machines to Nigeria from America where they currently produce in order to create job opportuni-

ties for unemployed people. He stated that having gone through tests by NAFDAC, the two newly launched products were approved.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Obi Azukwo of NAFDAC testified that the products were good and that Dr. Paul Orhii, the D-G, was enthusiastic about them.

Church mourns VC BY OLAYINKA LATONA

he Board of T r u s t e e s , Governing Council and The Apostolic Church Nigeria have described as a colossal loss the passing on of the pioneer vice –chancellor of Samuel Adegboyega University (SAU), Prof Samson Adedoyin.Elder Bisi Ogunjobi, ProChancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, SAU, said the i n s t i t u t i o n s transformation would have been incomplete without Adedoyin.The

President of The Apostolic Church Nigeria, Pastor Gabriel Olutola, said the deceased left a shoe too heavy to find a carrier and vacuum too large to fill. “His personality alone has contributed in no small dimension to the rapid transformation that both Ogwa community and SAU have witnessed,”he added.Olutola said the pioneer VC demonstrated God given potential in his chosen career as he became the hope of transformation in the agricultural sector for SAU.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012 , PAGE 9

RAGE OF NATURE BY JIDE AJANI

ORROR came in the shape of suicide in one of the resettlement camps in Kogi State where two victims of the ravaging floods decided to take their own lives. They could not bear the loss of properties. Suicide they wrote. In relief camps in Kogi, 20 people have already died. The conditions are not the best. Two bags of rice for 2000 victims per day: How would it go round? First it was the flood which ravaged Lokoja and parts of Kogi State that made the headlines just about three weeks ago. Then came more reports of other incidents of flooding across the country! Areas hitherto never imagined would be flooded started recording same in its most destructive forms. In the reports below from Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Kogi, Kwara and Niger States – nine states in all – it is one lamentation song after another. In a part of Cross River State, there is even no dry land to bury the dead. It is that bad. From Minna, Niger State came the bizarre story that displaced people are lobbying to stay in camps because of free food and free medicare they enjoy for now. The only thing that explains that is sheer poverty. At a car washing centre, the owners of four state-of-the-Art cars watched their vehicles submerged by flood waters while they waited for the rains to subside.

In Anambra, it was so bad that by the time Governor Obi got back to where his convoy of cars was parked after inspecting some flooded communities, the water level had risen and the cars had to be moved farther; the governor needed to do the remainder of the trip on foot, inside the flood which got to waist level. In Patigi, some of their leaders said they last saw this type of flooding over 70 years ago. In Delta State, some elderly persons had to cling to trees to stay afloat and alive. President Goodluck Jonathan’s State, Bayelsa, though accustomed to flooding, witnessed a new form of deluge this year. From the sky, vast lands submerged by water could be seen. Even storey buildings were not spared. In Benue State, all those on the banks of the River Benue woke up to discover that water had entered their houses. Like a nightmare, a step on the floor from their beds was a step on water, some up to waist level. “We woke up inside water”, one of the victims of the flooding lamented! For the downstream parts of the country, the water levels will still rise as the dams in Cameroun would still be opened again for the release of water. And with the rains, there would be more water from Futa Jalon where the Niger River is fed. It might take few more weeks before the devastation engages another gear, especially for those in the Delta region. What has been the emergency response? Well, the best on offer is not good enough. Read the following horrific stories and make up your mind.

ANAMBRA STATE

Flood and Gov Obi’s cry for help •Industrial layout submerged BY VINCENT UJUMADU

ITH the plethora of canoes now plying the areas, you could easily mistake this terrain for a pure riverine area. But they are not. These were once lands, with roads snaking through them. Today what you have is a ‘sea’. Four local government areas in Anambra State - Ogbaru, Anambra West, Anambra East and Ayamelum - have virtually been submerged by flood that is ravaging the affected areas. It began in August this year with the flooding of farmlands in Anambra West and while the state government was making efforts to assist the victims, the misfortune affected three other council areas. Governor Peter Obi had to suspend the Independence Day celebration to meander through the flooded OnitshaOsomala road in Ogbaru and Nmiata road in Anambra West to supervise the evacuation of people trapped in their communities by the menacing flood. The damage done by flood in the affected areas has been enormous. For instance, the entire Nzam, Aguleri Otu

Governor Peter Obi , with Anglican Bishop of Mbamili, Most Rev. Henry Okeke transversing what was once a sprawling community of Umueze Anam in a boat. The entire Ogbaru, Ayamelum, Anambra West and Anambra East are completely subsumed by flood. (where President Goodluck Jonathan commissioned the Orient Peterleum facility), Nmiata, Odekpe, Osomala, Osuche, Atani, Amii, Umuzu, among other communities in the state are now under water and properties worth billions of naira in the four local government areas destroyed. Also, the Ogbaru Anglican Cathedral and the Catholic

Church in Atani, the Divisional Police Station and the High Court and Magistrate Courts in the area, as well as secondary and primary schools have been totally submerged and canoes are plying there as if nothing existed in the area before the flood. At the Ogbaru local government headquarters in Atani, the menacing flood pulled

down the fence and flooded most of the offices, necessitating the evacuation of all government property. The affected churches had also removed all their property and the Bishop; Reverend Samuel Ezeofor had relocated his household to safe area. Road sides, which served as refugee camps have also become flooded and it was only this development that made the refugees to agree to move into designated camps provided by government. After persuading the people to leave their properties and secure their lives first, Obi thereafter used canoe to reach other communities trapped across the River Niger. By the time he returned to continue his inspection, it was difficult coming out from Osamalla as flood had already covered the entire road though which he would leave. The governor and his team had to wade through the flood, which reached their waists to get to where the convoy of vehicles was parked. At each of the communities Akili-Ogidi, Akili-Ozizor, Amiyi, Atani, Mputu, Obeagwe, Ochuche, Odekpe, Ogbakuba, Ogwu-Aniocha, Agwuikpele, Ohita, Okpoko,

Ossomala, Umunankwo, Umuodu, Umuzu - the governor explained to them why they should be evacuated and promised them that government would continue to assist them till the flood is over and rehabilitate them thereafter. Many camps have been established and government has provided the basic necessities to ensure that epidemic did not break out. Some places were designated as cooking points from where food is distributed to the camps located at Aguleri, Onitsha, Umuleri, among other places. Even part of the commercial city of Onitsha housing many blue ship companies are also affected by flood, especially Habour Industrial Area. The governor had to wade through flood to visit all the affected factories. Some of the factories already submerged were Pokobros, Krisoral, Bororo pipes and profiling, among others. THE senator representing Anambra South in the upper legislative chambers, Dr. Andy Uba, who also visited the affected areas, said the senate would allocate more funds in next year’s budget for disaster management in various parts of the country in view the devastation caused by flood.

N PAGE 10 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012

BAYELSA STATE

Even for the water people of Bayelsa, towns were sacked •’This is Armageddon’, victims cry out BY SAMUELOYADONGHA

HIS year ’s flood in Bayelsa has been described as unprecedented in the last 50 years. Life has been literarily brought to a standstill in the riverside communities eighty per cent of which have been submerged by flood and the people racing against time to see what they could salvage. For a state with the longest coastline in the country, measuring approximately 800 miles and lying below sea level, the pain of the people is understandable. It is on record that aside the people being assailed annually by devastating flood leading to destruction of their means of livelihood (fishing and farmland) their communities on the Atlantic fringe are also being swallowed up gradually by the surging ocean. While the state semi-diurnal tidal regime ensures two tidal floods and two low ebb tides within the course of each day, wave actions along the coastline results in both depletion and loss of sediments in the beaches. Hence, flooding, which have been perennial, forces resi-

Every part of Bayelsa is under water except Nembe and Brass council areas dents in the flood prune areas to flee their homes to distant upland areas from the riverbanks, creeks and waterways. Virtually every part of the state is under water except Nembe and Brass council areas. Unlike in other parts of the country, this phenomenon is a yearly ritual for the people whose means of livelihood is not only destroyed but are also subjected to health hazards associated with such disaster. Ironically, it is this same

water which the people defecate into that also serves as their drinking water with the result that water borne diseases are rampant during the flood season in the predominantly riverine state. Sadly, this year’s occurrence has turned out to be the worst for the natives as hitherto upland areas used as shelter by those fleeing from surging flood have all been submerged, leaving in its trail pain and sorrow. "We have been overwhelmed by this year’s flood, there is

apprehension everywhere in the land as virtually all the communities considered to be safe haven and often used as transit camps pending the return of normalcy in the past are gradually being taken over by the scourge," lamented Ebiowei Ayaowe. In fact, some of the victims lamented “this is Armageddon” Sunday Vanguard’s investigations revealed that the hardest hit segments of the population are not the just the fishermen and the conventional formal occupations but

the farmers, palm wine tapers and distillers. Also, schools have temporarily shut down in the flood devastated communities where fishing activities have been grounded due to the enormous volume of water. What could have been the harvest of farm produce in the impacted communities such as cassava, sugar cane, yams, plantain, rice and others have been lost to the flood. A troubled Bayelsan, Elder John Obu, whose Biseni hometown is also under water, blamed the sad scenario in the lower river Niger on the changing global weather condition which according to him is impacting negatively on the already fragile environment of the area. Though flooding is a yearly occurrence here but the magnitude of the destruction being unleashed on our communities should be a source of concern to the authorities as we cannot continue to live like hunted animals." One of the foremost environmentalists in the Niger Delta and an indigene of the state, Alagoa Morris, while xraying the situation in the riverside communities said, "it is a battle for survival in these communities as the folks are left alone to combat the scourge.

BENUE STATE

We woke up inside water, victims lament •Escaping with my family, better than properties – Father of Four BY PETER DURU

EVER in the history of Benue State have the people been so devastated by flood water. The devastation, to say the least, took the people unawares and this accounted for the magnitude of losses incurred by victims - most woke up one morning to discover that they were sitting in the middle of an angry River Benue that overflowed its banks. From Katsina-Ala to Makurdi down to Otukpo and Agatu, it was all tales of woes by the victims of the devastation; and as at the last count, close to 10,000 houses, business places, huts and farmlands have been swept away or submerged by

the raging flood. Worst hit by the devastation were residences and houses along the banks of River Benue and most structures within ten kilometers radius of the River. Some of the communities and towns badly hit by the rising flood waters included Otukpo, Agatu and Apa local government areas of the state while in Makurdi areas like Kucha Otebe, Gyado Villa, brick factories in Wadata and New Garage, the abattoir along the new Makurdi bridge, North bank and the highbrow Judges quarters where Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume and Minister of State, Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom, have their residential houses, were ravaged.

Also threatened by the rising water levels were the main campus of the Benue State University and the newly constructed Benue University Teaching Hospital, the Regional Headquarters of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG and the cooperate headquarters of state owned transportation company, Benue Links Nigeria, all in Makurdi. The devastation also sacked majority of the students of the state owned Benue State University who moved out in droves after losing most of their books and house hold items to the flood. One of the victims of the flood and final year student of Benue State University, Mr. John Itodo, told Sunday Van-

Flood everywhere

guard that the flood took them unawares. He said, "We actually noticed a sudden rise in water levels along the banks of River Benue but we felt it was normal given the torrential rains two days before; but to our surprise we

woke up one morning to discover that our houses have been completely submerged by water flowing from the river". Recounting his loss, father of four, Mr. Romeo Dajoh, said he lost several of his household items but thanked God that he was able to escape with his family alive.

National Dialogue: SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012 , PAGE 11

CROSS RIVER STATE

178 communities, 79, 000 people, affected •How a 53-year old woman and 78 year-old man narrowly escaped death BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

BOUT 79, 000 people have been displaced by natural disasters in the past nine months in Cross River State. Out of the number, more than half - 49, 918 - were displaced by flood as a result of the release of water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon. The flood affected 178 communities, killed 11 persons and destroyed 15 churches, 13 schools and 18 markets. The worst hit was Biase Local Government Area where 18 communities were sacked, 11 persons drowned, eight churches, six schools and nine markets destroyed. The flood also displaced 26 communities from Ikom Local government Area and destroyed one school and two markets. In Odukpani Local government Area, 29 commu-

nities were displaced, while 34 communities were sacked by the flood in Ogoja Local Government Area with three churches, four schools and two markets destroyed. In Obubra, 18 communities were rendered homeless, four churches, two schools and five markets destroyed, while the flood turned indigenes of 22 communities’ into refugees in

their fatherland. Abi also was not left out as 13 communities were also displaced. At Umon Island in Biase, a seven year old girl was killed, three declared missing while two were taken to hospital where they were receiving treatments following an overflow of the Cross River that swept away the community. Among those receiving treat-

ment at the community Health Centre, Umon who narrowly escaped death when their houses collapsed on them (but were lucky that the youths on vigilante exercise were around) are a 53 year old woman and a 78 year old man. The corpses of the missing children feared drowned in their houses and apparently washed into the river were yet

EDO STATE

River Niger creates 500,000 refugees •Flood submerges Dokpesi’s house BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

OT less than 500,000 persons have become refugees in Edo State as a result of the ravaging flood problem caused by the over flow of the River Niger. The ravaging flood which has taken over 20 communities and destroyed virtually everything in the affected areas including, buildings, house hold properties and food crops in their farmlands. At the Ekperi Grammar School, Ugbekpe Ekperi, there were over 60, 000 refugees from Yuluwa village, Ofukpo, Agbabu, Iguzi-Ofukpe, Udaba, Unudoboh, UdabaOgho, Anegette all in Etsako Central. The palace of the Daudu of Usumegbe, Chief John Musa, and that of the village head of Udaba, Chief David Inetape are among the buildings that have been submerged in the flood. The houses of the proprietor of DAAR Communications, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi and that of the former chairman of

Etsako West, Stanley Odidi were among those that submerged. In Agenebode, the headquarters of Etsako East Local Government Area and its surrounding villages have also been taken over by the flood, while Ilushi, Urho, Urhowa and Inyelen in Esan South East Local Government Area have completely been destroyed by the flood with

the entire people moved to Ubiaja the council headquarters. Governor Adams Oshiomhole inspected the affected areas penultimate week with a helicopter. At some point the governor and his entourage had to paddle canoes in order to get access to some of the interior communities. All the affected communities are in Etsako Central,

Etsako West and Esan South East Local Government Councils of the state. Oshiomhole who expressed shock over the incident, described it as worse than tsunami and immediately released the sum of N100million for the purchase of relief materials for the victims. He also assured that government will look for a longterm solution to avoid a re-oc-

to be found despite the efforts made by the village divers searching for them so that they could be given befitting burial. The family of the dead girl who had already been buried was yet to fully absorb the shock as they were seen mourning at the grave side. In Umon Island alone over 40 houses with about 1,500 people while about 70% of the entire village with a population of 6,000 has been flooded, and movement between houses done either by wading through water which is at waist level or canoes. A prominent Chief of the community Elder Okon Nya Aniyom, 78, while reacting to the disaster recalled that such catastrophe had occurred twice in his lifetime; 1971 and 1991 but that the magnitude could never be compared with what was happening. In Calabar Municipality, over nine residential buildings were pulled down by gully erosion occasioned by the heavy flood, while about 15 others are highly vulnerable to collapsing along the Atimbo water channel. The flood sacked 150 people from their homes. One of the victims, a widow who recently lost her husband to assassins in Akwa Ibom State, Mrs. Helena Akpabio, lamented that the section of her apartment where she was residing had collapsed with her household property. Mrs. Akpabio who was with a 3 month old child said that she had no place to go to and pleaded with the state government and philanthropic organizations to urgently come to her aid. Delivering a paper at a workshop jointly organized by the State ministry of Information and the United Nation’s Children Fund, UNICEF, with the theme ‘Flooding and Climate Change Adaptation in Cross River State: Safety measures for School Children.

PAGE 12—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012

NIGER STATE

117 communities, 663,000 persons affected •Opposition politician killed by falling tree •Two brothers washed away •Victims lobby to make camp site permanent BY WOLE- MOSADOMI

N what is emerging as a comic twist to the flooding disaster in Niger State, some of the victims who are currently sheltered in camps in some parts of the state are insisting that they would like to continue living there? Why? Abject poverty! For the people of Niger State in the past years, flooding had been limited to communities along Rivers Niger and Kaduna especially affecting those living downstream of Jebba, Kanji and Shiroro which are the three multibillion naira hydro electricity generating stations in the state. However, the flooding of this year extended to other communities in most parts of the state including Chanchaga, Bosso, Munya, Shiroro, Borgu, Wushishi, Mokwa, Bida Edati and Lapai. Besides the human lives lost, properties worth millions of naira were lost including animals and farm produce. As at last week, 49 lives had been lost to the flood, 117 communities displaced with no fewer than 663,000 people affected. The heavy rainfall was complemented by excess water released from the three hydro-electricity Dams of Shiroro, Jebba and Kainji in the past few weeks. In Minna the state capital, despite the multimillion naira drainage system across the city, flooding also ravaged some of the communities resulting in the death of four people. More devastating was a family who lost two children – Bashir, 12years, and Mustapha, 10years - had their lives terminated when they slipped into a flowing drainage in front of the Bahago Plaza, in the Tunga area during a heavy downpour. The Legal Adviser to the leading opposition party in the state, Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Barrister Joseph Kolo, also died mysteriously during a downpour in Minna. Though he was not washed away by flood, his death came while in his car waiting in front of the gate to his friend’s house for the heavy

Flood causing disaster in Niger State rains to subside when a heavy tree gave way to the rainstorm and fell on his car, smashing it – he died instantly. Also in Bosso Local Government Area which is a neighbouring local government to Chanchaga, members of Gwaibaitas family of Gungel

Village was thrown into mourning as two members of the family were washed away by flood after a heavy downpour. The corpses of the deceased were later recovered kilometers away from their area the following day. Similarly, Zungeru, in

Wushishi Local Government Area of the state also had its own bitter experience of this years flooding. Besides farmlands washed away, two Fulani herdsmen were also washed away with their cows. Worst hit are Mokwa and Lapai Local Government Areas of the state where lives and farm produce were lost. Mostly affected are Aza, Muregi, Zdagu, Egagi, Zdagu, Ketso Kpashafu and Lenfakus, all in Mokwa Local Government Area of the state. In Lapai, communities displaced are Eshiu, Kpataku, Dere, Egba, Reba, Achiba, Muye-Gbako, Tsakanabi, Ebwa and they want to be relocated at Kolu in Egba Junction in Bina area. Others are Egya and Sokun who want to be relocated in NambataEbege area, Pelle, Rigido,

Edda, Gbami who want to be resettled at Puzhi area while Yawa, Yambabu, Koki, Elegi and Mumbu communities want to be relocated at Madalla area. Workers at a car washing centre in Minna also watched helplessly when four cars brought for washing were submerged by the torrential rainfall just as valuable properties left in the vehicles were either damaged or washed away in the presence of the vehicle owners. In an interview with our correspondent, Director General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, Malam Mohammed Shaba, confirmed that almost 665,000 people have been displaced from no fewer that 117 communities in the state.

KWARA STATE

N300m, One million hectres of rice, maize farmlands, gone •86 communities sacked by flood •’The last time this happened was 76yrs ago’ BYDEMOLAAKINYEMI

HE magnitude of flood di saster penultimate week in Patigi, headquarters of Patigi Local Government in the northern part of Kwara State was devastating to say the least. Patigi, a rural and agrarian/ fishing community is about three hours journey from Ilorin, the capital of the state; only a river separates it from the neighbouring Niger State, to the north. Tragedy struck penultimate week when waters from Rivers Niger and Kaduna, coupled with heavy rainfall and the overflow of Jebba dam, caused devastating problem in the entire local government area leaving in its trail untold

losses in cash crops, domestic animals, houses, and other properties. While the disaster lasted, residents of more than 70 communities in the area were displaced just as 16 communities were completely submerged by the ravaging floods from both rivers. Sunday Vanguard’s visit to the area revealed that about one million hectares of farmland of rice and large number of hectares of maize worth more than N300 million were destroyed. Among the affected communities are Kpata-Gbaradogi, Gunji-Saaci, Gbafun, Gakpan, Vuma, Esungi, Mawogi, among others. During the visit to the areas, Sunday Vanguard gathered that the last time a disaster of such magnitude occurred was

Communities sacked by flood some 76 years ago. Some of the victims of the flood were resettled at an outskirt of Patigi community on a piece of land given to them by the Etsu of Patigi; but, expectedly, their mood couldn’t have been any worse. Speaking with Sunday Van-

guard, the community leaders of Gunji-Saaci and Gbafun communities who are now at the resettlement camp, located close to another river with their family members, said it is the seventh time they are relocating from one location to another due to flood problem.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012 , PAGE 13

DELTA STATE

Flood overruns riverside communities in Delta •Royal father drowns during evacuation; villagers weep •Elderly men and women clung to trees to stay alive BYEMMAAMAIZE

•Gov Uduaghan Inspects Flooded Villages

VER the decades, the people of Oko-Anala, Oko-Ogbele and OkoAmakom in Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State have been living near the bank of the River Niger, between Anambra and Delta States, and have had to contend with sporadic overflows from the river, but nothing in the scale of what happened, this year. The state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, was flabbergasted when he inspected the damage wreaked by flood in the communities and practically swore that he was going to relocate them from the flood-prone environment. At the back of Government House on Asaba-Anwai Road, Asaba, several other riverside communities, bordering Anwai in Oshimili South and Illah waterside in Oshimili North local government areas were submerged. In a community in Ndokwa-East local government area of the state, a traditional ruler, who was being evacuated from his undersea community drowned when the boat capsized, while old men, women and children climbed trees like monkeys in some affected communities to escape the rage of the flood that had swallowed their homes. Three persons have been reported dead and over 300, 000 persons rendered homeless in 220 communities in the state in the latest sea surge. A riverine dweller, Mr. John Okotie, told Sunday Vanguard, “The flood reminded me of days of Noah in the Bible when God sent flood to wipe out the entire human race because of sin”. He is not alone. Niger-Delta activist, Comrade Omolubi Newuwumi, who hails from Ogheye community in Warri North local government area, told Sunday Vanguard, “We are living in water; the rage of the River Niger is not strange to us. It overflows every time and swallows our people and their homes, we have been crying over the years that government should come to our assistance, nobody listened to us, Newuwumi asserted. Like Omolubi, ex-chairman of Gbekebor, a predominantly Ijaw fishing settlement in

Gov Uduaghan Addressing The Affected people in Oko-Anala, Oko-Ogbele LGA of Delta State

Burutu local government area, which is also inundated by flood, Comrade Alapala Ebitonmo, told Sunday Vanguard, “Ocean surge has constituted a threat to our lives and property for many decades, but we never dreamed of what happened this year”. His words, “The havoc

wreaked by the water on the community is unusual and pathetic. It has accounted for a large proportion of losses; properties worth millions of naira, people are prone and infected with deadly diseases, all schools in my town have been closed down, residential houses and commercial shops

devastated”, he added. President of Gbekebor Peace Movement and secretary of Gbekebor Urban Community, Messrs. Oyinkro Egberibo and Tonfa Cyprian respectively, passionately to the Federal Ministry of Environment, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Federal

Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Governor Uduaghan, Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC and non-governmental organizations, NGOs, to come to the aid of the community.

KOGI STATE

Frustrated, two victims commit suicide in Kogi BY BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO

OKOJA - Tales of woes and tears have ravaged the relief camps in Kogi State. Two victims have committed suicide in the State having been frustrated by the heavy losses they incurred. Also 16 other victims have died across the 17 camps set up for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) bringing the total number of deaths in the relief camps to 20. The two victims who committed the suicide are from Ibaji Local Government Area which is the worst hit of all the areas ravaged by the devastating flood. Among those dead is a four year old baby boy. There is great hunger and anger at the relief camps. Food items and relief materials are grossly inadequate. “We are facing problem with the distribution of food due to the shortage. There are about 30,000 victims in the camps and we are using two bags of rice to feed about 2000 persons in each of the camps, an official said. The Lokoja metropolis has also continued to have its fair

People's houses submerged by flood. share of the crisis. Presently, no vegetarian can survive in the state as all the markets are yet to have vegetables on sale – areas where such vegetables are grown have been submerged or washed away totally. However, more people and organisations have continued to show sympathy to the plight of the flood victims. Among the organisations that have made their contributions is the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, which has expressed

concern over the health of flood victims camped in the affected areas and urged the Federal Government to be proactive in disaster management. National President of NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, who visited the state on Wednesday going round some of the relief camps presented relief materials, including drugs and other items to the victims, lamented that the victims were suffering due to the failure of government to establish a proactive emergency manage-

ment unit. Expressing fears of epidemic in some of the camps, Enabulele explained that NMA decided to visit the camps to see how to assist the victims, by ensuring that women and children accessed good medical care. Also, a Non-Governmental Organisation, Partner for Development and Baby Hannatu Foundation, have donated some relief materials to Kogi State government to assist the flood victims.

PAGE 14 — SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 7, 2012

Why some Northern leaders are traitors, by Ango Abdullahi (1) zSays we’re suffering from leadership crisis z‘We documented OBJ’s anti-North actions’ zWe have derailed from the core values of founding fathers

rof Ango Abdullahi, an outstanding academic, r e s e a r c h e r , agriculturist and former Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria between 1979 and 1986, also served as Special Adviser on Food Security to President Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2003. Abdullahi, who will be 74 in December, was barely 22 years old and was warming up for admission into the only Nigerian university in Nigeria at the time the Union Jack was lowered and the Nigerian flag hoisted in 1960. Although he is not a politician per se, he remains a potent force in Nigeria’s socio-political arena, having taken part in all the major political restructuring programmes in the county: he participated in the constitutional conferences of 1987-1988 called by Gen. Ibrahim Babagida, 19941995, assembled by Gen. Sani Abacha and the 2005 Constitutional Conference convened by President Obasanjo, all in a bid to move Nigeria forward. Apart from currently serving as Pro-chancellor of Bauchi State University and the newly established Federal Government-owned Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Abdullahi is also the spokesman for the Northern Elders’ Forum, NEF, a thinktank for the 19 northern states and a source of inspiration and hope for the younger generations of northerners and Nigerians because of his leadership acumen. In this interview, Abdullahi speaks on what made Nigeria tick, where it derailed and what could be done for the country to regain its lost glory. Where were you at the time the Union Jack was lowered and the Nigerian flag hoist-

ed in 1960? I was just about to start my university education at the University College Ibadan, which was by then a college of the University of London. In fact, we were the last batch of Nigerian students to graduate from the college under the University College platform. I would say in 1960, we were just mature students in tertiary institutions, which were not many at the time. In fact, what we had then was just the University College Ibadan, the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology-one here in Zaria, another in Ibadan, one other in Enugu. We were very much alert about Nigeria’s independence and we knew

By Soni Daniel

Nigeria was holding and is still holding in terms of population, size, resource potentials and as the largest black nation in the world. I would say it was something of happiness for all Nigerians because the actual growth that propelled Nigeria to that greatness was achieved within a period of 12 years. You remember that political parties actually came about in the 1940s. There was a lot of hope that Nigeria would become a very great country as a result of that independence. How old were you at independence? In 1960, I was 22 years old. What were you planning to do in life having seen the hopes and promises of an in-

At that time agriculture was contributing at least 60 percent of the total GDP at the national level, and, at the regional level where I come from, it was providing about 80 to 90 percent and all other things were contributors

precisely what Nigeria was getting into with the advent of independence. Besides, our forefathers had told us clearly that Nigeria would become a great nation with the advent of self rule and we were therefore very expectant and ready to savour the new regime brought about by the occasion. They had told that the land would be flowing with milk and honey for everyone. These were some of the aspirations and hopes that came out of the elders who were then our leaders at the federal and regional levels and we believed them. So, 1960 was a year of very big hope not only for Nigerians but also for other Africans given the position

dependent nation in 1960? For those of us who were receiving tertiary education, we were told by our parents that we were the people to fill the vacancies to be created by the exit of the colonial mastersthe engineers, the doctors, the agricultural scientists and the educationists- the ones to run the Nigerian economy at all levels and we believed them. So, we began to study very hard and we were doing so in mind so as to help develop Nigeria. Does that explain why you studied agricultural science? That could be one of several reasons. But don’t forget that even when we became a colony of Britain in 1914, what sustained Nigeria was

*Abdullahi...There was so much hope in 1960 agriculture. It was agriculture that actually provided the development base for Nigeria up to independence and beyond. So, I particularly thought that I could make my own contribution to national development through my studies of agriculture. We all know our social economic history. At that time agriculture was contributing at least 60 percent of the total GDP at the national level, and, at the regional level where I come from, it was providing about 80 to 90 percent and all other things were contributors. So agriculture was the mainstay of the economy and I decided to train in that area to make my maximum contribution to national development. It is regrettable that many years after independence, the once flourishing agric sector that sustained the Nigerian economy collapsed to the extent that the popular groundnut pyramid in Kano, the cocoa industry in the West and the palm oil farms in the East all disappeared. What happened? This is the sad story about our pattern of development. As I told you, when I finished my studies in the University of Ibadan, I came back straight to the North and got a job in the Northern Regional Government as an agricultural officer and I was immediately posted to Samaru. Samaru was and is still the nerve centre of agricultural research in Nigeria, having been established a few years after Nigeria became a country under the colonial

administration in 1922 or thereabouts. It had no other function except agricultural research- to develop crop varieties, to develop all the technologies that will drive agricultural production, including introducing varieties that farmers did not know before. This is where I started my work and there is no village of 5,000 people in northern region that I did not set my foot, moving around with information on new technology and interacting with agricultural extension staff in the various provinces. That is what gave birth to the economic boom in the country. The policy was very clear: agriculture was the mainstay of the economy and every government-federal and stateparticularly the regions, concentrated on that and they provided the needed resources that propelled agriculture in all the areas of the East, North and West. This policy translated into practical production of crops we needed for consumption and for semiprocessed products for exports as well as the raw materials and resources that provided the basis for infrastructural development of Nigeria. Up to the time of independence in 1960, the resources that Nigeria used to construct the ports, the railway and road transportation came from agriculture. As I told you, I was working as an agric officer in Samaru. I grew up to become the Director of the Agric Research Institute there

Continues on page 15

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 7, 2012— PAGE 15

‘We’re suffering from leadership crisis’ before I became the Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello they are not serving well even in the countries from where we borrowed. The streets of Paris, Athens, France, United States and Germany, are all seeing protests over social economic injustices imposed on the people around the world, including Nigeria. It is paradoxical that there is wealth and overwhelming poverty in Nigeria. It seems to me that the Nigerian people are therefore helpless because the political processes are controlled and directed by the very leadership that has failed them. I disagree with you. No matter how much we say that the constitution is imperfect, we can work with it because there is no perfect law anywhere. We cannot therefore say that the people are helpless. Partly true they are helpless but not true in all ramifications. This is where there are differences in ethnic tribes. The Yoruba is very adamant in defending his rights. You cannot steal votes in western Nigeria. It becomes easy for this thing to be done in other parts of the country. The Yoruba land has been outside the Federal Government but they successfully resisted the imposition of political parties and leadership they don’t want. But other parts of the country fail to do so in their domains. The other problem is that we Nigerians have become commodities for sale. And the politicians who were ahead of us in terms of acquiring illegal wealth have turned around to buy us as chicken. It is common in many parts of the country. But even if crooked politicians offer money to buy us, it is still possible to resist them. It happened sometime ago in Kano when people defended their votes. Even recently, we saw it in Bauchi, in 2007. Obasanjo did not want the governor but the people wanted him and resisted Obasanjo. The problem we have today is that the Nigerian people have suffered enough in the hands of people who made promises to them and did not fulfill them. They made promises of good governance in 1999 and did not do anything. In 2003, it was poorer and in 2007, it was

open robbery and the same in 2011. So I think the people can come out and resist these robberies. How can they do it? Street protests as you see on the streets of Europe and Asia is a tool. But the leadership has manipulated the people all the time to their own selfish interest. What do you think the people should do? With the kind of government we have been having since 1999, they have reached the limit of their willingness or ability to change. There are two aspects-willingness and ability- to change for the better of the society. But, for now, there isn’t the willingness and, in fact, the way they comport themselves there isn’t inherent ability within the government to change thingswhile you have riff-raffs as ministers or commissioners as call girls and men is by that margin that they find themselves in positions of responsibility. For heaven’s sake, what do you expect? There can be no result except

Continued from page 14

style of leadership would lead to inevitable break-up of this country. I am very frightened of it. The ordinary Nigerian does not even know whether Nigeria is making oil wealth or not because he does not see it in the school system, he does not see it in the hospital, he does not see it in the security. He sees nothing apart from being told that so and so billions have been stolen by top government officials. So, the people are being pushed to the wall. And all these are manifestations of leadership failure in Nigeria. Let us be honest with ourselves. The problem of the Niger Delta is not new. It was identified and spoken about by our leader-Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. Gowon and subsequent leaders still appreciated that something should be done to the oil producing areas of the countr y. The question is whether the steps that have been taken have been adequate, appropriate and result oriented. Now we come to the present situation. I was

With the kind of government we have been having since 1999, they have reached the limit of their willingness or ability to change

‘ yes sir, yes sir, and all that. Have you seen any public officials resign over whatever they have done? I only saw Nnaji, being forced out recently over certain issues. Look at what has happened with the oil subsidy probe. See dirt all over the place and the minister is sitting there. What is she still sitting there for? There is a serious moral question hanging on the neck of the minister and she cannot claim to be able to carry on as a minister under the serious fraud that has virtually overwhelmed the oil sector under her watch. But she still sits there pretending to be serving Nigeria drawing power from whoever is supporting her. So there is very little hope that this government can salvage Nigeria. The front has to be broken by the people of Nigeria. They have to protect themselves otherwise this

in the constitutional conference of 1994-1995, 1987-1988 and 2004-2005 where the 13 percent derivation was debated. Today, there is NDDC, there is Ministry of Niger Delta, there is Amnesty Office and 13 percent allocation and so on. We can argue for more funds for the Niger Delta but the question is, what has been done to ameliorate the suffering in the region with the huge resources being pumped into the area? The leaders who take this money either as governors, or board members of the commissions merely take this money for uses other than the well-being of the people of the Niger Delta. They are not willing to come clean to discuss the usage of the money. If a Niger Delta state gets as much as N11 billion and Kaduna and Jigawa get only N3 billion a month, for heaven’s sake, show the difference.

*Abdullahi...leadership has manipulated the people all the time

Most often, they dodge the explanation and confuse their people by saying that the money is in Abuja. They campaign that northerners have stolen the money and others. The people are difficulty. They don’t want to take them to go to Jigawa, Yobe and Borno to see deserts and other disasters threatening to wipe the people out. The areas are covered by sand domes and people are living there. So if there is militancy in the Niger Delta because of oil pollution there, could militancy and uprising in other places for reasons of environmental difficulty of existence. So if people are pretending that there is no reason for people to be violent because of poverty, they must go to another school to learn some lessons. So, are you saying that the insurgency in the North is caused by poverty? To me, in terms of the report we have prepared for Mr. President’s attention, we brought out so many factors and one of them is poverty. But the biggest of them all is the issue of bad governance based on injustice. There are enough indicators for us to change course because we cannot keep pretending that all is well when it is not. So, what do you want the government to do to quell insurgency and reduce the gap between the leadership and the governed? People are so disenchanted that they can’t even believe their leaders. If you believe that you don’t have a leader, you don’t care. But this is why many people out of ignorance prefer to burn their voting cards because they believe that there is no need to waste time when the votes don’t count any more. We have to really sit

down solve our problem. A lot of problem we have comes from poor leadership. Nigerians are denied the right to elect people they trust. Do you think the problem is with the electoral system or the type of government we operate? No, it still goes back to the people. Sometimes you need to separate the government on paper and the government that is practical and responsive to the people. There are rules set out for all to follow. But do the government officials follow the rules? No, they don’t for their selfish interest. They don’t care about the electoral process. As long as they ignore these issues, peace will continue to elude the people. Are you worried about the disappearance of the monolithic North? I am worried in the sense that the divisive elements that crept in should not have been allowed to do so. The Sardauna who gave leadership to the North was giving leadership to diverse people. In fact, there is more diversity in the North than you can find in the entire Nigerian state. Really? Oh yes! We have over 200 ethnic groups in the North. In Kaduna, we have about 22, Taraba, Kaduna,Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Borno will give you about 200 ethnic groups with distinct languages and so on. The Sardauna covered all of these. But how did he do it.? He was identified as an honest, committed, dedicated leader caring for everyone. What he wanted was competence.

To be continued

PAGE 16—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012

PhD, Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos,

The case for atheism (2)

There is solid evidence that events which at first sight appear highly improbable sometimes occur with surprising regularity

ficially, especially for those uninformed about the details of evolutionary theory, the teleological argument is a gamechanger in the debate between creationists and atheists.

owever, Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution has blown it to smithereens, by demonstrating the fallacy of thinking that anything which looks designed

Reaching deep down

XERCISE is a necessity to keep our bodies in good shape; my yoga coach is quick to remind me that the body is a rogue that can only be controlled with discipline and constant training. In a perfect world; I would be able to eat anything and everything at anytime without gaining weight but I know for a fact that it is not a perfect world as my ever growing population of cellulite will attest. My physical well being is greatly improved when I exercise regularly. I find that some forms of exercise can be excruciatingly painful, especially those that target the abdominal walls and the gluts and the pain intensifies the more we count down. A 100 stom-

must have a designer. Ironically, amazing discoveries in the sciences, especially biology, have spawned a revival of the argument from design in the form of argument from improbability. Fred Hoyle, a British astronomer, reportedly argued that the probability of life originating on earth by pure chance is no great-

ach crunches is not a big deal when you are nearing 20 but most faces will contort in pain when you are counting up to 80 and it's then you have to reach deep down for strength to push through the pain and get to 100. I have learnt to ignore my pain in those trying minutes and just keep going. It is always a surprise to find that I can actually do what I I don't believe I am strong enough to do; there is a always an extra reservoir of strength if we just reach deep down. There have been many instances where I have felt I just couldn't bear pain anymore and been very tempted to give up. Pain while exercising is a choice but life doesn't always happen by choice. Emotional, spiritual and even physical pain is foisted on us by circum-

er than the probability that a hurricane, sweeping through a scrapyard, would have the luck to put together a Boeing 747 aircraft.

pologists of reli gion quickly latched on to Hoyle’s metaphor to argue the impossibility of assembling a cell, let alone a fully developed organism, from atoms without a designer. Hence it is stances and our survival can often depend on our ability to reach deep down for strength to fight our way back to health, mentally and physically. The worldwide recession hit Nigerian shores like a tidal wave and other disasters both natural and man-made means most of us are battle weary. I almost cant believe that this year is almost over and it feels like very little has been achieved by a majority of people. I actually believe at times like this our attention should be focussed on surviving the times. For most people the pain is like the 70th crunch when you have given yourself a goal of 150 stomach crunches. Giving up is not an option as our lives are linked to that of others, so pushing through pain seems like the only prescription available. It's all well and good to prescribe reaching deep down for a reservoir of strength but it is cold comfort to people facing harsh realities of weak finances and failing health. That's the added reality most people are combatting!! Along with the economic downturn; stress has taken a toll on

ut natural selection is a better, far more scientifically credible, alternative. Presenting details of how natural selection dissolves the problem raised by the improbability thesis will require elaborate analysis of technicalities from various biological sciences (including molecular biology and cell biology) which we cannot go into here. Suffice it to say, however, that natural selection is a cumulative process which breaks down the problem of improbability into small segments. Each of the small segments is a little bit improbable, but not prohibitively so. Dawkins argues that when sufficiently large numbers of these slightly improbable events pile up in a series, what is produced most people and their healths are suffering. It's a sad fact 60-80% of all diseases and illnesses can be traced to stress of some sort and most of us are not sure there is any strength left to reach deep down for. There are many mornings I ask myself what next? It's normal for me, I have been an entrepreneur for close to 20 years so stress has become part of my routine. The life of of an

natural organisms, like contrivances and machines, are incontestably the product of intelligent design. Therefore, there must be an intelligent designer, God, incomparably superior to humans and who is responsible for designing the majestic universe and all the wonderful entities that populate it. Now, super-

O G I C A L LY speaking, ‘ex ists’ is a verb: it is not a predicate that can be added or removed from a connoting expression in a manner that makes an ontological difference. An important a posteriori argument for the existence of God is the teleological argument or argument from design. Because of its deceptive plausibility, which has seduced even first class scientists to accept the existence of a supernatural intelligent designer, we shall discuss ramifications of the argument extensively. The English theologian and moral philosopher, William Paley (17431805), is the most cited exponent of the teleological argument. For Jehovah’s Witnesses, a proselytising Christian sect, the argument from design is the ultima ratio for God’s existence, as articulated in the book Life How did it get Here: By evolution or by creation? Paley, in his magnum opus, Natural Theology (1802), drew extensively from anatomy and biology to make his case that

not surprising that ‘intelligent design’ is the fashionable locution used by creationists to dress the hackneyed argument from design. Essentially, the argument from improbability affirms that it is statistically impossible for a natural phenomenon, such as a protein molecule or the entire universe itself, to originate from pure chance; thus complex things, so the argument goes, cannot come about by chance - there must be an undesigned intelligent designer who is responsible for their creation. As already indicated, the creationist argument is invalid: it presumes that the only alternative to chance is design.

thereby seems almost impossible that the creationist feels compelled to invoke a designer, God, which is really unnecessary.

f course, more than a century before Dawkins Darwin had in his work, Origin of Species, masterfully demonstrated how a complex biological device such as the eye, for example, could have evolved by gradual degrees. The same principle is fully elaborated by Dawkins in his book, Climbing Mount Improbable. Deep understanding of the basic mechanisms of natural selection, as originally formulated by Darwin and articulated further by biological scientists since the emergence of genetics, will definitely reveal how gratuitous the creationist argument really is. Now, let us find out whether or not seemingly improbable events do occur, even though we have argued a moment ago that natural selection beautifully explains how statistically improbable entities could arise from less improbable steps.

here is solid evi dence that events which at first sight appear highly improbable sometimes occur with surprising regularity. Russell F. Doolittle, in his paper, “Probability and the Origin of Life,” used the game of bridge to illustrate this point. He asked the question: how likely is it that a person playing bridge will be dealt a perfect hand of all have days like that and I have described the present reality as a never ending marathon that goes on and on! It seems we all need a break; I would personally settle for some peace and more liquidity in the financial system. Mopping liquidity to cover excesses for crooked elections seem a nail in the coffin of the already dying masses. So what next? Can I honestly expect anyone to reach

Mopping liquidity to cover excesses for crooked elections seem a nail in the coffin of the already dying masses

entrepreneur is one of dodges and misses and if one is not careful or resilient; failure is just a breath away. Lately I am hearing just one statement from a majority people; if truth be told I have said it myself a few times this year. "I am tired", seems to be the chorus we are all mournfully singing. I sympathise with everyone who feels that way, I

deep down for any strength? How do I even know they have not even scraped the barrel of the strength reservoir? Many questions indeed and they all have one answer; yes!! Oh yes is my emphatic answer! I can tell you all and myself included to reach even deeper for strength. We don't always feel strong but we are built to

thirteen spades?

he probability of that happening is one in 635, 013, 559, 600, the number of different sets of thirteen cards in a standard deck of fiftytwo. Obviously, being dealt a perfect hand in a game of bridge is very improbable; still it happens, because it is just a matter of how many people are playing within a specific time frame. According to Doolittle, in the 1920s and 1930s when the game was popular in England, it is estimated that “perfect hands” were an annual occurrence in that country. Extrapolating from the above, the passage from one successive stage to the next in biological evolution is well within the parameters of probable occurrence, although the end result of the series appears prohibitively improbable. Consequently, although scientists are yet to discover and account fully for the intricate mechanisms underpinning the coupling of protein manufacture to the information in polynucleotide sequences, it is well within the capabilities of nature in the prebiotic aqueous environment of the young earth that once a small number of polypeptide chains that could catalyse a few critical reactions - notably the polymerisation of nucleotides and the incorporation of amino acids - had been formed a critical Rubicon in the evolution of life was crossed. To be continued survive and survive we will. At times like this we all need spiritual strength to gain physical and emotional power. The elemen t of faith counts

more than anything in bleak situations and that may even be the key to our collective survival corporately and individually. I am not happy with the state of my nation and I am relying on my faith not reality that things will get better. I reach deep down with prayer; I ask God daily for the strength to put one foot ahead of the other and keep standing. I know one such person who needs a break; a reason to just keep holding on. To a very special person; a sister and a friend, I say hold on. I send my prayers and encouragement and remind you that the tide never stays out at sea; it comes back. To the rest of us who are battered and discouraged I end with David's encouragement to himself in Psalm 30:5 (the bottom part). "Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning"

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012, PAGE17

Presidents also cry: Tear drops by Jonathan –2

ART one of this series ended last week with the declaration that Jonathan, instead of hunting around for his enemies, real or imagined, determined to ruin him, should instead engage in a critical analysis of who those antagonists are. Since he had declared the media as his number one enemy, I have served as proxy for the media. For the second ranked enemy, the president had been urged to look in the mirror and he will see the face of his second most important enemy. When Socrates reportedly advised each of us to “Know thyself ”, he meant that we should be honest with ourselves. All of us, presidents and paupers, are our own worst enemies. Presidents, Prime Ministers, in short, leaders of people, fortunate, or unfortunate, to select the people who will work with them, invariably

end up with subordinates created in their own images. Thus, Ministers and Special Advisers, even if foisted on the leader by others, almost always end up reflecting his personality – if they last long in the corridors of power or if they don’t want to be side-lined. So, President Jonathan, when attending the next Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting should look around the table and he will see, starring back at him, the faces of his few of his best friends; but, mostly, his worst enemies. Some, as he had admitted himself, are Boko Haram moles; planted at the top level of government.

thers are adversar ies because they have come into government with personal, or group, agenda which might not tally with the President’s Reformation Agenda (whatever that is). Yet, a few become foes inadvertently. In other words, the last group had no premeditated plans – they just end up messing up the president. Three examples will illustrate the

points made above. President Jonathan probably lost the majority of Nigerians on January I, 20I2 when he increased the pump price of petrol from N67 to NI4I.

very other calamity befalling his government had built on that one or has been made worse by it. Even,

“Better a declared enemy than a doubtful ally”. Napoleon Bonaparte, I769-I8I5, (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS P 48).

and life. The fuel price increase was not a brain wave of the President. The decision was reached after months of public debate, starting from July 20II, when the President first announced that the energy sector was going to be deregulated and subsidy removed. Despite the repeated calls by several segments of the population, economists, financial experts, professors, former Ministers, religious leaders, Labour, ASUU etc for Jonathan to forget the idea, he was adamant. “There is no going back on subsidy removal” was the official announcement. Even, the argument that there was no subsidy to remove, only corruption to eradicate, fell on deaf ears. Shock-

The argument that there was no subsidy to remove, only corruption to eradicate, fell on deaf ears. Shockingly, the fuel price increase was introduced at the worst possible time

his handling of Boko Haram, which in my view is the best he can do, given a guerilla/religious outfit, has not received the sympathetic support he deserves because on the first day of the year, he, literally, spilled the blood of the people of Nigeria. As everybody knows, transport is the life-blood of the economy

ingly, the fuel price increase was introduced at the worst possible time. Millions of Nigerians travel for the Yuletide, after calculating the cost of fuel or transport fares to take them to their destinations and back. Invariably, they would return to base with the last naira in their pockets.

I repeat, we all stand before history—Ken Saro-Wiwa

every page came to live and you cannot fail to warm to the characters. You felt you knew them or you wanted to know these characters and my favourite of his novels, was Sozaboy. Sozaboy was written in Pidgin English, (that was unique!) liberally splashed with graphic and flawless English. My copy is no longer with me but it was well worn. I also was one of many who rushed home to watch Basi and Company which Saro- Wiwa wrote and produced more than 150 episodes.

dent of the Association of Nigerian Authors for three years until 1991, when he decided to devote himself entirely to the nonviolent struggles of his fellow Ogoni people. He was born Kenule Benson Tsaro-Wiwa in Bori, in 1941, the son of Jim Beesom Wiwa, a businessman and community chief and a farmer. Mr Saro-Wiwa,( I feel I cannot use his first name) was a larger than life character, with trademark pipe and safari top, you could not miss him, he was engaging and erudite and truly a man of the people. His son, Ken Saro-Wiwa Jr, in his

book of his father, In the Shadow of a Saint: A Son's Journey to Understand His Father's Legacy (2001), described him as truly special that “he

ES, October 1, 2012. Independ ence Day came and went in my household, without a muster or fanfare. I vowed two years ago, that future Nigeria’s Independence Day at least, in my household, is not a time for whimsicalities but one of quiet contemplation. So true to my word, my family and I celebrated the achievements of great Nigerians who have truly contributed positively to the lives of our people. One such luminary is Ken Saro-Wiwa. He was a writer, artist, journalist, and television producer and became the Presi-

The most important thing for me is that I've used my talents as a writer to enable the Ogoni people to confront their tormentors

walked at seven months, and his parents doted on him because he was, for the first seven years of his life, their only child." I picked up Mr SaroWiwa’s novels like many other young Nigerians,

This showed the genius of the man. We laughed and cackled and rolled with laughter at the exploits of the lead character, Basi. Ken was more than that. In 1990 Saro-Wiwa

The price increase on the first day of the year left millions stranded. It was a slap in the face people will never forget.

ut, how did Jonath an come about the decision that there was a huge subsidy to be removed? For this mistake, which had cost him so much ill-will, he has three officers to thank primarily. The first is the Minister of Petroleum Resources, whose ministry provided the bogus figures pointing to subsidy. Nigerians would recollect the Minister telling the National Assembly, NASS, that the nation consumed 57 million litres of petrol in one month. It was a colossal lie. The second officer is the Minister of Finance, former World Bank Managing Director. Had Dr Ngozi Okonkjo-Iweala, done what we were taught in universities in the US – namely ask for the monthly breakdown of the total NI.3 trillion phantom subsidy, one month would have alerted her to the scam going on. That was the month Nigerians “drank” 57 million litres of petrol. It was totally out of line with other months; all of which were generally in the 30 million range.

the SURE-P document which Jonathan had ordered withdrawn. In that document, “Madam World Bank” promised to undertake with NI.3 trillion projects which N400 trillion could not have accomplished. The third officer was the ubiquitous, Governor of Central Bank, who later told us that in actual fact, over N2 trillion bills had been submitted for fuels not fully delivered. One could not fail to get the impression that, had OCCUPY not taken place, the CBN would have paid the fraudsters without raising a query.

hat was the month the “forwarding” and “backwarding” reached insane proportions. Instead, she accepted the lie told by the Ministry of Petroleum, proceeded to develop her own set of lies, expensively published in

he three only serve as examples of how Presidents are undermined by their Ministers. But, supposing Jonathan had acted differently. If instead of a fuel price increase on January I, 20I2, he had announced that he had set up a panel to examine the accounts of the Ministry of Petroleum and the colossal fraud had been revealed. He could then simultaneously announce the result of the audit; fired all the top people involved in misleading him, order the prosecution of all the culprits and shelf any fuel price increase. Had he done that, the 20I5 election would have been easily won in 20I2. He still has a chance to redeem his lost popularity; if only he gets rid of the liars who get him into trouble all the time – like those Ministers, at least two, announcing millions of jobs created.

founded the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP). A more radical youth movement, also founded by Saro-Wiwa, was reputedly engaged in sabotage against Shell. The company decided to cease operations in Ogoniland in 1993. Saro-Wiwa highlighted the corruption and condemned Shell and British Petroleum. He brought the international environmental attention to the cause.The Nigerian government disbanded the movement to stifle Ken, but the tinder box was lit. They killed many of their supporters at Giokoo and it ultimately led to his arrest and the senior members of the movement. He said that "The most important thing for me is that I've used my talents as a writer to enable the Ogoni people to confront their tormentors. I was not able to do it as a politician or a businessman. My writing did it. And it sure makes me feel good! I'm mentally prepared for the worst, but hopeful for

the best. I think I have the moral victory." Ken was right and maintained his belief to the end ,"You cannot destroy an idea like mine…Even if I were to die tomorrow; even if I were to be locked up in prison…You can't destroy an idea like mine.” And he wrote to the end. Couple of years ago, my dad mentioned that Mr Saro-Wiwa wrote to him while in prison. My dad knew him and of course I was told by my dad that he was a thoroughly amazing man. “History is on their side. God is on their side. For the Holy Quran says in Sura 42, verse 41:"All those that fight when oppressed incur no guilt, but Allah shall punish the oppressor. He was hanged with rest of the Ogoni 7 on the 10th of November, 1995. On the 10th of October ,2012 he would have been 71. Mr. Kenule Benson Tsaro-Wiwa Ken, I salute you, a truly incredible Nigerian.

PAGE 18—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012

Nigeria lacks the ‘political will’ for devt umn is more particular about how these other branches are as relevant as the executive in nation building The role of the legislature is to make laws for the good governance of a nation. It is hard to say it has done so in Nigeria with courage and sincerity of purpose. For instance, whereas it has been quite active in the

HERE seems to be a consensus that leadership in Nigeria needs to exhibit greater ‘political will’ to move the nation forward. What is ‘political will’? I imagine it is something like a greater resolve or a more determined drive by the nation’s leaders to pursue development with vigour and commitment. Who are the nation’s leaders? They are no doubt many but the first in line are those in government. In fact, the layman would narrow it down to the executive notwithstanding that we have 3 arms of government- legislature, executive and judiciary. But that is faulty because it gives the impression that we are not interested in the development of the nation in the areas of legislation and settlement of disputes. The approach also overlooks the great impact which the role of the legislature and that of the judiciary can have on the performance of the executive. Today, this col-

endorse electronic voting because it would be virtually impossible for them to rig elections in the system. Oh yes, with a computerized election process, it would be irrational to purchase voters’ cards; just as it would be futile to assemble a group of people in a hide-out to massively thumbprint ballot papers. A voter’s card that is used by a person other than its rightful owner is fruitless. Similarly, a ballot paper with a wrong thumbprint will be electronically rejected making it hard for unpopular candidates to win elections.

Thus, history would be kind

to Speaker Tambuwal and his team for seeking to know how budget 2012 has fared before looking at a future budget

area of lawmaking for elections in the country since 1999, it has not had the ‘political will’ to evolve what can give the nation free and fair elections. The Electoral Act has been tinkered with several times but our legislators have skillfully refused to

The argument that our people are not educated enough for electronic voting is a ploy by the elite to carry on with the present system that they easily manipulate. Electronic voting does not require a higher level of literacy than we presently

Children in a Petrie dish There are touted benefits to this development: for example, gay couples may now have the opportunity to use this process to have children in the non-traditional ways, as would hetero couples who may be unable to conceive and make babies in the socalled “traditional” ways. But this is by far the most unnecessary and illthought reason to explore this potentially limitless process. Human beings are not toys. Making babies is not a natural entitlement. The body either does or does not.

here might be a rea son why the natural process of selection makes it possible for two gender types to attract against the wider nature of oppositional attraction. Perhaps nature itself does not permit certain human types, endowed in other ways to reproduce as a means of containing and balancing the natural human weight of the world. Not every human reproduces

and that should be alright. It is therefore not necessary to design a system or process that begins to seem like an inverted form of the reward system, by which new, dangerous reproductive technology using stem-cell research would “compensate” a natural lack, and in so doing formalize a process that cheapens and dehumanizes life.

CIENTISTS in Japan have dis tilled a process that can use stem-cells to produce sperms which can be introduced to female eggs to make babies in laboratory conditions. The implication of this heady, mind-blowing development is powerful, dangerous and disturbing. Among some of its implications, particularly in the distracted and alienated human communities of the western world, is that in the next fifty years, by some predictions, a quarter of the babies and the human beings on earth, will no longer be conceived “on a bed or behind the back seats of cars” as a commentator on the American National Public Radio (NPR) puts it, but be made in Petrie dishes under laboratory conditions. This is a development that must alert us all to the potential extremes that science and new scientific development may lead us to in this era.

have. If the so called Nigerian illiterates can use their GSM phones, there is no reason why they cannot participate in elections based on electronic voting. Indeed the role of a voter in electronic voting is not different from what he does at present

herefore, if the Na tional Assembly is committed to the growth of our nation, it should muster sufficient ‘political will’ to make a law to empower our electoral body to use technology to sanitize our electoral process. If that is done, the political environment would become attractive for men and women of vision who can conceive of and execute good projects to come forth and lead the nation aright. Such visionary leaders are likely to have the ‘political will’ to develop the nation. Where any of them in the executive begins to falter due to the comfort of office, the legislature ought to use its oversight functions to redress the situation. It would however be a different ball game if the legislature due to lack of ‘political will’ colludes with the executive arm to shortchange the people. For instance, the Nigerian budget has been an annual ritual since 1999 in which funds are not released as approved or on time and projects are not executed as probusy professionals in New York or London or Lagos with a busy life. They are so busy with their life, they no longer have time to hump; besides, well for the woman, a pregnancy might reshape the architecture of her highly valued body; no more post-coital worry about “unwanted pregnancy;” no more post-natal worry about baby fat; post-natal depression; a depression of the mammary firmness; an all-round gain of body autonomy by eliminating the natural or traditional process of conception and birth; in fact, the elimination of the mediatory place of the male factor in that process itself because the “sperm” and even the “ovary” is cheap and can now be produced or created by

Governments across the world must, as a matter of urgency, close down this misuse of science and stem-cell research that pose unanswerable ethical questions

The product of life becomes mechanized and thus subject to profound renegotiations about its meaning and its value when we make human babies no more or less than toys produced in factories. Just imagine the consequence: two

laboratory means, to have the sort of baby they want. You want an athlete, then you get an athlete. You want a blue-eyed, ginger-haired, blackskinned baby, and that can be arranged. All you need is the menu of types and there to choose from.

posed. Rather than compel a change, the legislature had played along. Thus, history would be kind to Speaker Tambuwal and his team for seeking to know how budget 2012 has fared before looking at a future budget. It is hoped that our Senate can herein know the appropriate meaning of ‘political will’ from the dimension of the legislature. Considering that many charlatans pose as visionary leaders to win elections, the judiciary is empowered to examine claims brought before it and throw out such impostors. Unfortunately in Nigeria, there are many judges who, due to lack of a firm resolve, another word for ‘political will’ in this article, hide under technicalities to shield such charlatans. That appears to be the only way to rate those judges who refuse to look into the participation of impersonators in an election only because the electoral commission allowed their participation. In other words, for a judge to appropriate such omnipotence to an administrative body is an invitation to the leaders of the other branches of government that the judiciary is willing to partner with those seeking to frustrate the Nigerian dream. Thus, leaders who lack the ‘political will’ to move Nigeria forward are in all

the 3 branches of government. Indeed the leaders of the Nigerian judiciary proved this beyond reasonable doubt when they chose to stand the law on its head in the Katsina-Alu / Salami case. There is no doubt that broadcasters who hear of the amusing tales that are often credited to the National Judicial Council are standing by to develop a good story line for a television drama series.

You now buy your baby in the market and as in such developments, we will let the market forces regulate that too. That is the logic of capitalism, that all things, including the most sacred become subject to market forces, and be subject to purchase, including life. This is the most dangerous development in the annals of man.

and we must be wary of what they do now. After Amadioha’s experiments with fissile energy destroyed the world in the bronze age, in his search for what the Igbo “Dibia Afa” calls “Orisha-Akalam” – basically the mystery of divine agency and power, the ancient Igbo sealed, through very secret codes, the knowledge of iron, the engineering of rocketry, and the science of energy production because of its dangerous uses as exemplified in Amadioha’s tragic experiments.

cience is a great thing, and scientific development has made human life easier and in many situations, very pleasurable. But I’m afraid we are moving gingerly into its darker side, that part that the sages over time have warned us from entering. I speak right now, with two examples, one from the Igbo story of the figure called “Amadioha” whose real name was Kamalu, and from the Western tale of Mephistopheles in German folklore. Goethe’s Faust or even the English Elizabethan playwright, Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus, place before us, the tragic consequence of losing our souls to the “devil” of ambition and overreach, and creating a catastrophe far larger and far more consequential than we can control. The current scientists, working to unravel the sealed “mysteries” of life are exactly the examples of the tragic Dr. Faustus,

e can also not fed eralize leadership in government because we have 3 tiers of government- federal, state and local. The ‘political will’ to develop the nation at all 3 levels would also matter. It is also important to note that the level of development in a nation can be looked at from the growth of its institutions. For instance, many analysts are appalled by the fact that no Nigerian university is listed among Africa’s best. Could it be that the leadership of Nigerian universities do not have the ‘political will’ to move their institutions? The recent ‘Keffi declaration’ in which our Vice Chancellors resolved to put a halt to their own practice of awarding honorary degrees to undeserving persons seems to suggest that there is lack of ‘political will’ by any type of leadership in Nigeria.

hey understood that nature is limitless in its propensities and the human mind can fathom aspects of it by forms of reproduction, thus the Igbo design theory – “Di uzu n’amaghi akpu ogene, lee egbe anya n’odu” – basically what European renaissance scientists and philosophers later conceived as putting a mirror before nature to reproduce it. It is thus possible to recreate man – to produce human beings in a Petrie dish, but it is of no use, for man to move in that direction. Governments across the world must, as a matter of urgency, close down this misuse of science and stem-cell research that pose unanswerable ethical questions before man enters fully and permanently into the Mephistophelean age.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012, PAGE 19

Can this prevent pregnancy? Dear Rebecca

AM twenty -two years old and in a higher institution. The man I’m in love with is a twenty seven year old business man. In spite of the fact that he doesn’t give me so much, this hasn’t stopped me from loving him. He has constantly assured me of his love for me. My problem bothers on his demand for sex which I always refuse. Recently though, he has introduced the withdrawal system as a way of preventing pregnancy. My question is, can this really prevent pregnancy? Can I get pregnant even if just a little semen gets inside me? I’m afraid because I haven’t tried this before. Nneoma REPL Y REPLY

MEDICAL doctor says this is a very unreliable method of preventing pregnancy because sperm can escape from the man’s organ at anytime without him noticing it. If this happens even at the entrance of a woman’s organ, it can get further up somehow and result in pregnancy. So claims of “you can’t be pregnant for me, we didn’t go all the way” will not hold much wa-

ter later if a man and a woman of child bearing age have allowed their organs to touch at all. The sensible thing to do if both of you agree to have sex in the relationship, is to use contraceptives. You should use methods recommended by a medical doctor who must have had a chat with you about your menstrual cycle, and your man, the condom. This will help reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancy and venereal diseases. Make sure though that you really want sex with this man before granting him his request for it. You are giving him your body and at some risks because some men have several sex partners. So think carefully. You have to be sure of his feelings for you and yours for him. With some men “I love you” is just a way of getting a girl into bed. There is no harm in yielding if you want it too and are well prepared for it, but beware of smooth-talk. It is best to leave sex until you’re properly married to a man; not just a promise to marry you, or even going to talk to your parents about marrying you. Let at least the traditional wedding, which in our culture is a recognized/ legal wedding, take place first before you have sex. A relationship with the opposite sex should not be seen as an exchange for money or favours on the part of the girl, so don’t

A relationship with the opposite sex should not be seen as an exchange for money or favours on the part of the girl, so don’t feel that you are doing your boyfriend a favour by continuing in the relationship even though you feel he does not give you so much

feel that you are doing your boyfriend a favour by continuing in the relationship even though you feel he does not give you so much. The feeling should be that you are both boyfriend/girlfriend because you are fond of each other. My advice is that you shouldn’t allow him near your private part for any reason, unless when he becomes your husband. Tell him that you promised God that you would wait until your wedding night before having sex. Stick to this, and it will bring you self-respect and much peace.

Please help! I can’t assimilate Dear Rebecca

am a boy of eight een and I’m in my final year in the seondary school. I have a problem which has been worrying me for about two months now. The problem is that I cannot retain anything in my mind during study and during lectures at school. It’s like my brain is not steady and set for assimilation of ideas. I have thought over it, but I don’t know what to do and I have not told any person about it. Should I tell my parents? Am I having a brain ailment? Please, what do you think is the cause ? Is it a determination to succeed that makes it so? Please, what do you think should be the first thing for me to do? Should I see the doctor ? Have I done any evil thing somewhere? I will be grateful if you would suggest a solution to this problem. Harry Delta State REPL Y REPLY

think the problem has to do with your approach to your studies. You are so keen

and worried about passing your forthcoming examinations that you have got all tensed up. This tension is affecting your ability to concentrate with deep understanding during lectures or while studying on your own. If you allow the situation to continue, you will end up very confused about what you read and hear at school, and you will begin to think that something is wrong with your brain, or that some evil forces are at work. What is overworking is your mind. So, the solution lies in your ability to relax. Your mind needs constant rest from stress and anxiety so that you can function properly when you face a challenge like examinations. The first thing to do is to make a time-table for your studies at home, which gives you time for other things which will relax you. Take up hobbies like jogging, going for walks, gardening, table tennis, listening to music, etc. All these will relax your tensed-up feelings and you will come back to your books refreshed, happy and in a position to absorb what you want. It is good to take your

studies seriously, but organise yourself well and don’t panic about failure. Tell yourself that you are intelligent and that you will work hard in order to be successful, and that you won’t bring depression to yourself, through over reading. It is more profitable to read for a few hours, go out for games or a rest, and then come back to your books, than staying at your desk for a long period. When you read too much you get confused. Also, take notes at lectures, so that you can go over the points again on your own later. As you study on your own, take down the important notes for you to go over again later. As you do this on a regular and consistent basis, you will begin to retain what you’ve read and heard. It helps too, to join a group of serious co-pupils, for studies. Each of you may take it in turns to read up a topic, and come discuss with the other. That means, each person would be a teacher for some minutes, and the whole group would discuss the

salient points. This way, those who didn’t fully understand a particular subject, would have the opportunity of asking the others questions that will enlighten him. Having mates for studies is important. There’s no harm in confiding in your parents. Tell them how you feel, and ask them to join you in praying for your success at your studies. They have your best interests at heart, and I’m sure they will gladly help, particularly your mother, since mothers are usually more patient than fathers. If you belong to a church, ask the pastor to pray for you too. A combination of all the above will give you the confidence to absorb learning. The brain needs rest, so relax it. Eat nourishing food containing protein and carbohydrate so that you can build up your energy. Fruits are good too. Make time to chat with friends and relax your mind and body. Some days you may choose to study for just two hours. Good-luck with your examinations

•All letters for publication on this page should be sent to: Dear Rebecca, Vanguard Media Ltd, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria. E-mail: dearrebecca2@yahoo.com

PA GE 20—SUND AY Vanguard , OCTOBER 7, 2012 20—SUNDA

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‘Friends with benefits’ relationship - Could it work for you?

AVE you ever found yourself wanting sex so badly you come to an agreement with a good partner to have regular sex, just for the fun of it? Does a no- strings-attach sex work during in-between period when you eventually find a suitable partner? This arrangement is known as: friends with benefits - and it happens when victims are totally unaware such a relationship could crop up. And the arrangement is not as new as we would believe. Years back, when Banke was jilted by her boyfriend of almost four years, she was suicidal. “It was a betrayal I wasn’t expecting,” confessed Banke. “To say I was heart broken was putting it mildly. I’d just started a new job and had to confide in a male colleague. Pat and I went to the same university but he finished before I did. We became close when I joined the firm he worked for. When I told him what happened, he was really sympathetic. ‘He must have been a price idiot,’ he said of my ex. To cheer me up, he took me out whenever we could. We were at his

place after taking in a movie when he suddenly gave me a kiss. ‘I miss not having sex,’ he confessed. He was in between girlfriends too and I found myself confessing I did too, so we slept together. “Back at work, we were a bit awkward with each other. But Pat eventually put things straight we weren’t under any pressure to commit. That sex between us shouldn’t ruin the friendship we so much cherish as long as we saw each other as friends who slept together. I realised I liked Pat, but not enough to want him as my boyfriend - and the more I looked at the prospect of sex-on-tap whenever I wanted it, the more I fancied the idea - the perfect solution to my nonexistent sex life. “And that was the beginning of our ‘friends with benefits’ set-up. And it was really worth it - and easy. Anytime I felt like sex, I would either go to his flat or he would come to mine. He did the same too. The advantage was that we didn’t have to make too much efforts to look good for each other as we were really comfortable

around each other. On top of which he was a darn good lover. Then Pat changed. He wanted us to do more things together, go out to parties with each other ’s friends. “Then it dawned on me he wanted more from me than sex. This was where I should have put a halt to our arrangement - but I kept going back to him despite knowing he had real feelings for me. The friend I confided in said I was heartless, that after what my ex did, I should show real consideration for Pat’s feelings my telling him I didn’t feel the same way about him. But the sex was so good it was hard to resist. Things came to a halt when he got a better

Yoga all across the world

HE Beatles’ asso ciation with the Transcendential Meditation. Movement in the late 60s helped popularise yoga especially in Europe and America. There had been yoga institutions on both sides of the Atlantic since the closing decade of the previous century. But at no time has yoga reached as many people in so many different places as today. Yoga schools and yoga books and videos are being sheperded into existence almost on a daily basis. Much the better for mankind as yoga seems to have a say in almost all the departments of existence. Firstly, it improves the body’s health and vitality, secondly it treachs the type of mental discipline that conduces to the

alertness of the mind, thirdly it teaches proper repose for both body and mind. Countless persons everywhere are testifying to the palpable difference yoga has brought into their lives. There are numerous reports of people having received so much help from such a short period of practice.

Peiple afflicted by conditions such as asthma back pain, constipation, and even heart disease have all benefited from the pratice of yoga. But most yoga teachers will tell you that yogadoestn’t cure anything. What it does is remove the impurities in the body and then nature takes over the effects the

* The Spread Eagle Pose

job offer and took it. He wanted to make more concrete plans for us now he’d be earning more money and I had to confess I wasn’t ready for that type of commitment. He looked so hurt and sad that I felt terrible that our friendship was ruined. “Most people assume that in ‘friends with benefits’ situations, it is the woman who gets used. But from what I went through with Pat, I know the man is just as likely to develop feelings and come off worse. ‘Friends with benefits’ might sound like a bit of fun but beware. It has to have rules and a shelf life. Otherwise, someone always develops feelings. And someone always gets

hurt ... “ A fact Dora found out to her bitter disappointment. “Whenever the phrase ‘friends with benefits’ crops up, I cringe,” she said. “Sophisticated people portray it as something glamorous and empowering but I know from experience that it isn’t always the case. I lived next door to Tade and we were good friends, often going out together or simply hanging out with friends. Then Tade fell out with his girl-friend and became single again. I had a couple of boyfriends but none I was really crazy about. “During one of our visits to each other, we ended up in bed together. It was a bit baf-

healing. The relaxation technique of yoga enables the practitioner to regain lost energy and vitaity. There’s an increase in the zest for living and psychological negativities such as anger, impatience, intolerance and depression do not easily assail our beings. The ancient Romans made a veritable observation of the individual when they coined the dictum; a sound mind in a sound body.

with the feet rather wide apart, turn the trunk to the left and lowering it place the palm of the left hand flat down on the floor on the outside of the left leg while raising up the right hand and straightening it at the elbow. Fix your gaze on the palm of the raised hand. Breathe normally and retain the position for about 10 or 15 seconds. Benefits The triangle stretches the leg, spine, and trunk muscles. It promotes flexibility of the hip spine and legs. It tones the nerves of the spiner and the abdominal organs. It reduces pain in the lower back and invigorates the circulation. The Spread Eagle Technique: Sit with the legs stretched out as far back as possible and slowly lower the trunk till the chin is on the floor.

he whole business of yoga is one of continual purification of both body and mind. In such a state it is assumed that the body will better be able to express life both in its physical and mental aspects. The following illustratons drive ho.me the fact that yoga is catching on as a means to physical conditioning and as a therapy form. A yoga class doing the Triangle Pose Technique: Standingn

fling and I told him I didn’t want such a commitment. But he argued we should keep things casual. It looked like a good idea and that was how we came to be having sex on a regular basis. Friends warned Tade was an opportunist, using me to get over his broken heart, but I ignored their warning. The more we did things together, the more I fancied him. Could I be the replacement he needed for the ex he left? I was on the verge of asking him how he really felt about us when I saw him coming out of his flat with his ex! He waved, obviously happy to be back with her. Was he expecting me to be happy for him? “I was devastated even more so when he later wanted to give me a blow-by-blow account of how they made up! Now, whenever I see him next door, I feel embarrassed, thank goodness I hadn’t told him how I really felt! I’ve since discovered friends of both sexes who have been hurt because of such setups. My advice is to go into any ‘friends with benefits’ arrangements with your eyes wide open!

Place the fingers on the toes and breathe normally. Stay in the position for about 5 to 15 seconds. Rest and repeat. Benefits: The Spread Eagle stretches the hamstring and inner thigh muscles. It helps expand the chest. It stretches the spinal column and is said to invigorate the entire nervous system. VARIATION 3 xhale as you bring the body forwards Grasp the toes of both feet. Breathe slowly and deeply. Try to bring the forehead to the ground. If you can, try to bring the chin, and finally the chest, to the floor. Don’t elbow the body to bounce up and down Keep the back straight to get the m stretch in the lumbar region Hold the feet with the respective hands

Yoga classes at 32 Ademola Adetokunbo Victoria Island, Lagos, 9.10am on Saturdays

SUNDAY Vanguard , OCTOBER 7 , 2012, PAGE 21 bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

08056180152,

SMS only

Why couples need to rise above affairs J

UST at what stage do you start get ting cynical about love? A few weeks ago, Jade, an old friend became irritated because her daughter’s boyfriend of 18 months didn’t want to face the reality of the death of the romance. “He keeps on hanging around the house like a love-sick puppy ”, she complained. “I’ve asked my daughter how she feels about him and she assured me she was no longer interested in the relationship. As a matter of fact, she’d moved on to greener pasture. But would be listen? He said he’s in love. In love my foot! He’s just miffed because he’s the one who was dumped!” A couple of our friends present were a bit irritated by her outburst. I scolded her not to be that dismissive of relationships. We might be less starry eyed about love, but we owed it to the younger ones to make them realise love could conquer all in the end. Her eyes narrowed: “It hasn’t conquered much for you over the years, has it?”, she asked nastily. Ouch! She then went off on one of her lecturing jag: “Have you taken notice of how much sleeping around goes on these days?”, she asked. “It’s even more rampant amongst married couples - all pretending to be family friends! As a result, when your husband has an affair with someone close, you don’t even have to agonise over what the other woman looks like because you already know. The betrayal is a double blow - two of the people you are closest to going behind your back and shattering your life”. “Charlotte, who was really just an acquittance,

hadn’t said much, but she was suddenly interested in what Jade had so say. “My husband’s mistress used to be a member of a close group we belonged to at our social club”, she said sadly. We promptly perked up our ears. “Greg, my husband, and Akin, the other woman’s husband, were teaching each other how to play golf when Ropo, Akin’s wife, said she too was interested. There were some second-hand golf clubs advertised for sale on the club’s notice board and she promptly bought a set. That was how the four of us often met at the club, becoming such good friends that we saw each other most weekends.

opo was bubbly and flirtatious. She and Greg often exchanged banters with each other, but I didn’t think much of it. Early this year, Greg told me he’d bumped into Ropo at the club without her husband and I instantly had this gut feeling that something wasn’t right. So, I watched Greg’s mobile like a hawk and when he went to the bathroom, I accessed his messages. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read a couple of messages from Ropo with one ending with ‘love you’, see you soon!’ When I confronted Greg, he said what they had was platonic friendship, that he didn’t always tell me when they met in case I got the wrong idea. That all Ropo was interested in was perfecting her golf moves. He obviously thought I was an idiot with a child’s imagination. Months later, I sort of suspected Akin too guessed what was going on - he just chose to turn a blind eye, hoping it

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

My dear Blessing,

O Blessing, you are my love and I long for you. My whole being desires you like a dry, wornout and

would blow over. It’s amazing what some spineless men would condone in the name of peace. The final straw was when a female member of the club told me she knew where their love nest was. Apparently, Ropo is a sort of barracuda, who had snapped up a few gullible husbands and my informant’s husband was one of them. I staked out the place for days until I saw Greg’s car in the park. I stormed into the bungalow in spite of the night guard’s protest, knowing both of them would be there. I found her cowering in the toilet’, with Greg begging that we needed to talk. I simply walked out of their illicit nest.

he saddest bit is that I don’t trust Greg anymore,” “He certainly hasn’t given you enough reason to trust him, has he?” I asked her. “And the affair has nothing to do with you but if your marriage is to survive, you both need to look at your role within the problems you now have. “He has assumed full responsibility for the affair but you need to stop seeing yourself as the victim and move past the hurt. If a partner cheats, the wom-

an’s instinct is to wonder what she did wrong - was she too fat, too thin, not smart enough? In some ways, what you’re mourning is the relationship you once had, and having difficulty coming to terms with the fact that it may never be the same again.”

can’t stop going to the club because of her,” fumed Charlotte, “in spite of the fact that Greg assured me it is all over, he can’t really stop talking to Akin and Ropo. You said a woman has to come to terms with her husband’s infidelity. But, what about Akin? He too is a victim and a lot of members laugh behind his back for getting stuck with a nympho. Why hasn’t he given her the heave-bo, after all these years of humiliation? The other day, the same female member who hinted us of the affair, pointed to Ropo’s last child and asked me to look closely at him, then look at the current chairman. The resemblance was startling. Yet, the Mugu of a husband still fetches and cares for her. Why? We’ll never know,” I

waterless land, my soul is thirsty for you, let me see you in my secret room; let me see thy pretty and angelic face, will you hide your beautiful face from me forever? Let me see how lovely and passionate you use to be. For your constant love is better than life itself, and so I will love you forever. Emma Mine, mine4christ@gmail.com 07051037749 Delta State.

If I had known

Unlucky I didn’t know then what I know now, unlucky it didn’t cross my mind until we finally fell behind, unlucky I didn’t know better until you walked out the door. Unlucky I didn’t have time to take back the words I said before. Unlucky I won’t be the man to vow “till death do us part” Unlucky I won’t be the one to forever hold the key

soothed. “All you want to do now is start repairing your marriage. This might be learning new ways to relate to each other or putting intensity back into your love life. Learn to talk more rather than look for external solutions.” “And that would be it?,” Charotte sneered. “Not really. Some couples find an affair turns out to be a sort of blessings - they come out of it with a closer, stronger marriage than they imagined. For them, the affair is a wake-up call and a chance to begin a new and better relationship. But, if your spouse is a philanderer, there’s not much you can do - even if you talk till kingdom come. There’ll always be that last fling he must have before he gives up!”

Sex is good for you and these are the reasons why!

AVE sex at least once a week. Research shows this helps keep illness and depression away. It seems genital stimulation makes for a stronger immune sys-

tems, relieves headaches and combats the aches and pains of everyday life. Forget statistics: Ignore statistics about how often other people have sex. It can lead to feelings of insecurity and worthlessness, which in turn leads to a decline in your sex life. Minimize distractions: Watching television in bed has recently been voted the biggest libido killer. The flicker of the TV screen apparently hypnotizes you into wanting sleep, desensitizes you to sex and kills your sex drive for the night, so if you want sex switch off. Change positions, eighty per cent of people use the missionary as their number one position. Get on top of things - literally! Take a banana to bed: They ’re rich source of Vitamin D and enhance both sex and orgasm by promoting the flow of blood to your sex organs. Discuss your fantasies with each other. This will turn you both on quicker than foreplay. If you’re stuck for something to say, ask him to go first. Don’t gossip to others about your sex life. Chatting with your friends about what goes on in the bedroom can have a detrimental effect on ‘Your love life. Firstly, most men consider a sexual revelation told in jest to be a major betrayal, secondly, comparing and contrasting can deflate self esteem. Forget simultaneous orgasms. They always seem to manage it in movies - but that’s because they’re always faking.

to your heart, unlucky there’s no remote control to rewind to the time it was better, unlucky there are no time machines To travel back to the day I met her michealart3937@yahoo.com

My everything

You made me who I am today,You picked me up in the most hurrible time of my life and make meaning to my life. You changed my sadness to gladness,and my faith to reality,i will for ever be indebted to you.i own you alot,because to whom much is given,much is also expected...These were the words i said to my luv,GOODNESS by name.but dat was under duress, I was actually refering to my sweet mum.i luv you so much... Alex Princewill, princewillalex@yahoo.com 07035148931,08077003592

PAGE 22—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012 jobs done with the seventy percent deposit which was usually deposited as I had learnt from the furniture company. There were markets where we went to use machines, and we could also

To succeed, I learnt to defy the odds

— Ibukun Awosika

z‘I started off with no capital’

he founder and CEO of Sokoa Chair Centre Lim ited and TCC Security Systems, manufacturers and marketers of office furniture, office seating and banking security systems in Nigeria and the West African market, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, has, no doubt, built a name for herself as an entrepreneur of repute. A graduate of chemistry turned furniture-maker, her business acumen has earned her seats on a number of boards including First Bank Nigeria Plc, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, FBN Life Assurance, Youths Business Initiative and Women in Management and Business-WIMBIZ. She is also a member of the Lagos State University’s Governing Council. To give back to society, she founded the Afterschool Graduate Development Centre, AGDC, in 2007, and the organization has since then addressed employability and enterprise development amongst young Nigerians through various trainings programmes. AGDC is partnering Lagos State government on a project tagged, ‘Ignite Enterprise Employability’ , to train thousands of young people to be economically productive. Enjoy our chat with her. Behind every individual doing something outstanding, it is believed that there must be a beginning… I was brought up in a middleclass family and did not go to school abroad. I went to the University of Ife and one week after my youth service at Akintola Williams & Co.(now Deloitte), I went to work in Alibert Nigeria Ltd, a furniture company, as Showroom Manager. I was doing that to kill time while anticipating a career in the banking industry. Three and a half months into joining the furniture company, I

thought that I could do the job in a better way since I had already developed interest in the business. That was how I ventured into the line in 1989, setting-up Quebees Limited from which The Chair Centre later evolved! All the challenges we have today were still in Nigeria then, but, despite all of that, I still had the opportunity to create something. That’s why I know young people can create something of their own in this country no matter the challenges. When we start airing the Ignite Enterprise Employability programme, you will see that one of the rules I’ve set for young people is that they mustn’t come to tell me they can’t do certain things because Nigeria has problems. There are problems

Mrs. Ibukun Awosika....You can get things started

if you’re committed.

By Feyi Bankole

One of the rules I’ve set for young people is that they mustn’t come to tell me they can’t do certain things because Nigeria has problems

Awosika....Information is

easy now.

everywhere, but the issue is that we must still make something of our nation despite the problems. That is the commitment that I have. As you teach people to defy present-day odds to become successful both in career and business, do you consider the fact that the challenges we had during your time were different from the myriad we have today? There was also no power or resources during my time! I can categorically tell you that this generation have better opportunities! Who was going to give money to a young girl of twenty-five for business? I had no collateral and, of

course, I wasn’t meant to sell my father’s house to get money for a business! Information is easy now at the click of a button, and the internet is available! We didn’t have it this way during my time! It is about the choices that we make, and you can see that there are concerted efforts by various agencies to help young people find their way; there wasn’t that much focus when we were growing up. How then did you get the resources to set up the Chair Centre when you worked for only three and a half months? I started the Chair Centre Limited with zero resources! With no capital at all! I found out in my three and a half months of working at the furniture company that when people come to place their orders, they pay a deposit. That deposit was my capital! I hired carpenters who brought their tools and got paid after service. So, I really did not have to spend so much money buying tools. Also, there were sawmills where we could do the finishing of our work. But how really could you have set up a company with zero capital? All I had to do was to get the first order which was very small. It was to produce some paper trays and some wooden door splits. I found out that if I disciplined and organised myself properly, I could get my

rent spray machines, gums, etc. I was actually renting! That’s why I’m passionate about the enterprise programme. Enough of excuses! You can get things started if you’re committed. Running a business could be quite discouraging at the early stage; how financially rewarding was the first job you did? Did I make any profit? You know, when you do a job and you have to go and redo one thing or the other, by the time you finish, you hardly have any profit left, but because you’re committed, you go on! The fact that you have a business transaction and you get paid for something is exciting enough for a start-up. Being caught up in profit is actually what keeps people away from starting small, but the fact is, everything has it’s time and it’s season! You have to be profitable in business, but you have to understand that sometimes, your profit might be very small. If you’re renting equipment, it means that your cost will be very high and your margin will be very small; but that’s alright because it is either you start that way or you never start at all because you’re waiting to make the big profit; that opportunity cost. So, for how long did you manage this way before the dough began rolling-in? I didn’t determine at what point. I just know that I kept building on each job and on each stage of the business. Everything I did from the first job of paper tray was to plough back everything into the business until when we were going to buy our own machines. I couldn’t buy the big machines, so I looked for small fairly used ones and that grew the business a little. But as you can see, it’s been worth it. Otherwise, we won’t have come this far. You’re widely known to be a business expert; is AGDC not one of your chains of moneymaking ventures? Because of the essence of the programme, money is seriously a secondary issue. However, it is natural that you then find help as you begin the process. The kind of partnership we found with the Lagos state government, First Bank and the Bank of Industry among others have really encouraged us to do more because we are now able to scale-up and reach a larger crowd. The results of this programme on young people who have passed through us cannot be bought by money; their success is more rewarding than any financial reward. Of course there are people who would say you are doing the things you do because of money, but you know what, life isn’t all about money. Life is a pay forward system, and I believe very much in that. Where do I know that my children will go to tomorrow, and which of these people I’m helping do I know that will be of help to them?

Most entrepreneurial ideas will sound crazy, stupid and uneconomic, and then they’ll turn out to be right -Reed Hastings C M Y K

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012, PAGE 23

M A I L B A G

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

Sharp practices at our citadel of learning Dear Sir,

OST lecturers in our tertiary institutions are now in a serious business. The business, as you may think is not making sure that students are educationally equipped in all ramifications but are bent on enriching themselves at the detriment of the students. Under normal circumstances, a university graduate is believed to have passed through a hard academic tests that warranted their present academic status and the feat is achieved under the tutelage of their lecturers who had sleepless nights with a view to making sure the students become envy of the neighbourhood and pride of the nation But alas, what is going on now in our tertiary institutions amongst the lecturers is impoverishing the students by extorting money from them by one means or another. They now force the students to buy handouts and any student that refuses would fail that particular course. Another system in vogue is writing of text books which they sell only to the students and any student that fails to buy would not receive the blessing of the lecturer. In other words, no matter how intelligent or factual the student is, he is going to fail that course. The worst form of their evil business is the SORTING OF PAPERS

syndrome. Students pay to pass any paper they take in the examination and the amount involved is outrageous. This attitude will never augur well for us if we are serious to raise the

standard of education to an enxiable height by the year 2015.

o vice chancellors and heads of departments should investigate

to confirm this allegation and bring the erring lecturers to book. Nkemakolam Gabriel Port Harcourt 08072257360

FG needs to revisit ICJ ruling on Bakassi Dear Sir,

HE Federal Government should seek a review of the October 10 ICJ judgement over the Bakassi peninsula to the UN. The ICJ has been open-minded.The people of this peninsula have travelled a hard road;they are entitled to selfdetermination as they have proved;they are Nigerians;but have been lopped-off. It has been proved that the Green Tea Agreement (GTA) has failed.They have uprooted from their ancestral lands,becoming refuges in the country of birth.There is need for a plebiscite/ referendum.This has been done in South Sudan. The 12th brain-storming session of the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs has offered a number of ways forward; all of which centres on the need to go beyond the ICJ legal frameworks''by engaging all the parties through stipulated processes,or we wait and allow the situation to play out with unintended consequencies''. It would be remembered that peninsula came under Cameroon sovereignty in two stages-- the northern area on August 26,2006 and the southern area on August 14,2008.

The ICJ verdict was based ,among other things , on the Anglo-German Agreement on April 12,1913 and 1975 Maroua Declaration which were fraudently interpreted, and without ascertaining their wishes. It is a fact that the judges who sat on the case came from Britain.France and German;represented by judges Higgins,Guillaume and Carl August respectively.

According to Abba Eban,South-African born Israeli: ''Men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives'' Also,asJudge Dillard succinctly put it in the Western Sahara Case(1975 I.C.J 12,122), ''It is for the people to determine the destiny of [a] territory and not [a] territory the destiny of people''. Bernete Ebere-Emezue berneteuzoma2011@yahoo.com

Nigeria at 52: No cause for celebration! Dear Sir,

T is really a tragedy that 52 years after our independence, we do not have cause to roll out the drums to celebrate it, due to glaring fact that we have been subjected to unprecedented suffering with the non provision of the basic necessities of life by the politicians, as it were in the 1st Republic because of the greed of a ruthless ruling class, their business partners and unscrupulous civil servants that are hell-bent in milking our richly blessed country to death and in the process becoming richer than

her! Are they not buying up our assets in the name of privatization to add to the wealth they have already accumulated for their generations yet unborn? Have they not failed woefully to fix our roads, give us constant supply of electricity and water, provide jobs for our youths, adequate security of lives and property and not to talk of strengthening the purchasing power of the naira? Shame on them! Ifeka Okonkwo Phase II, G.R.A, Awka. C M Y K

PAGE 24—SUNDAY VANGUARD,OCTOBER 7, 2012

Re: New Lagos Traffic Law

HERE’S hardly anywhere in the world where all aspects of a law is approved by the totality of the people. Some aspects would be lauded, while some are condemned, and some others are deemed good but unworkable. More than half the readers who sent in their views on my piece on the new Lagos traffic law, believe that if welladhered to, and well-implemented with transparent honesty and fairness, and without the usual Nigerian attitude of ‘All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others’, it could yield results which would make road use in the State saner, safer and more pleasurable. “Madam Helen, first of all, I must commend the Lagos State government, for seeing the need to bring some order to road use in the State. When we genuinely acknowledge that there’s a problem, that problem is halfway to being solved. Now, some aspects of this new law is good, like banning the commercial bike riders pn the expressway. This would save the maiming and deaths of many, including the bike riders themselves, who weave in and out of traffic with reckless abandon. Some of them would even take one foot off the bike as they do so. Many times I’ve had to apply my brakes very quickly when one of them would suddenly appear from no where to cross my path! When they hit your vehicle, they won’t stop, unless their bike is damaged and they ’re unable to ride on. Then other bike riders would stop, and apportion blame to the motorist and begin to threaten him/her, insisting that the bike rider must be ‘settled’. If the Police is called in, you can guess who gets justice; he who can grease palms the more. If the bike rider is injured or killed, God forbid, as he rushes onto your path, you get arrested, despite the fact that he was at fault. I hope the government will really be serious about this aspect of the new traffic law. Thanks, Mrs Ade, Mushin.” “My question is, how do you stop a driver who’s driving recklessly, and get him to be breath-analyzed for the amount of alcohol in his system, in order to know if the level of alcohol in him is above what’s safe for driving? Who gives chase? Do LASTMA, traffic wardens, the Police, have the means for the pursuit? In Lagos where most commercial drivers drive carelessly and crazily at any given time, and anywhere, endangering lives, how many of them can you stop at a time, C M Y K

View-Point

Helen Ovbiagele Woman Editor

Let’s be hopeful that this new traffic law will work in many aspects. I know that the Nigeria attitude may set in, and there would be foul play by some road officers, but once people are aware of the aspects of this law, many would try to toe the line

since you could have about six of them in a row? I can see this aspect of the new law causing a lot of traffic buildup as drivers argue with the officers, or even refuse to take the test. Their vehicles would block the road and reduce the lanes being used. Won’t the exercise give room to demands for bribes to let offenders go free, and to arrest innocent people who are not drunk at the wheel, but who fail to come across with money? As we all know in Lagos, when LASTMA arrests you, if you don’t come across, they haul you off to their office, leave you in the hands of the desk people and disappear. It’s their word against yours, as your vehicle is impounded. While you’re protesting your innocence, a signal would be given to those outside to deflate your tyres. How will the government check this? Saying that officers who demand bribe should be reported, is a joke in this society. Thanks, madam. Franco, Okokomaiko, Lagos.” “Mrs. Ovbiagele, let’s be hopeful that this new traffic law will work in many aspects. I know that the Nigeria attitude may set in, and there would be foul play by some road officers, but once people are aware of the aspects of this law, many would try to toe

the line. As time goes on, sanity will gradually be injected into road use. Most Nigerians are law-abiding citizens, and would not want to get into trouble with the law. I’m sure the government itself will ensure that the bumps are leveled since they know how Nigerians are.” “I support regular interaction and seminars for commercial bike riders at ward level. Each of them should be registered within his area of operation and should have his ID card from the local government area, on him at all times while on duty. It should be mandatory for all of them to attend the seminar every Thursday, during the environmental hours for markets and commercial outfits – say from 9 am to 10 am. Interpreters would be needed, of course, and the LGA officials should explain to them the aspect of the traffic law that concerns their trade, and insist that they must all comply, or face the fines and imprisonment attached to the offence. This would work to a great extent if the officials themselves are diligent in enforcing the law, and they don’t merely slap offenders lightly on the wrist. - Pa Ojo, Ajah, Lagos.” “Madam, I support your view that the trailers, and other heavy duty vehicles should

be driven only at night in the centre of our cities. As you rightly observed, they’re the major cause of ghastly accidents (their containers fall off, they run into vehicles and people when their brakes fail, killing and maiming people, and destroying vehicles), and traffic build-up when they break down, and also with their laborious movement which slows down all other vehicles on the road. The Police and V.I.O.s should regularly check how secure and sound the brakes and engines of these vehicles are; not on the roads, but at their depots. All vehicles should be properly registered so that when they ’re abandoned by the roadside for one reason or the other, their owners can be traced. If the owners cannot be reached, or if they fail to come forward, the vehicles and their contents would be towed away. - ‘Labi, Lagos State.” “Helen, please bear with me, madam. Can I use this opportunity of the new traffic law to ask the Lagos State authorities if we can obtain drivers’ licence from them. Is it still only the prerogative of the FRSC? The present mode

of renewing your licence is very very tedious, and it’s very likely to increase the number of fakes people carry around. I think it’s time decentralize the exercise and revert to the old form in which we were able to renew with the State local governments. That sped up the procedure, and there was hardly any need for fakes to be produced. - Thanks, Deaconess Mercy, Olodi, Apapa.” “I do appreciate the concern that the Lagos State government feel about sanitizing road use in the state, but I would like to point out that the perennial bad state of most roads is responsible for the majority of the problems road users encounter – accidents, traffic build-up, car-snatching, robbery, etc. If the roads are good, these problems would greatly reduce, as traffic would flow well. Floods and bad roads are very worrisome to road users in Lagos State. We hope the government would come to our rescue. Thanks. D. Musa, Agege. ” We thank all those who wrote in.

Sunny-Leone-Indian-Red-Saree-Collection-2012 abeautyclub.com

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 7, 2012, PAGE 25

Country News

Can of worms as secret divorce is foiled! By Adeola Adenuga & Oluwatobiloba Adeyemi

divorce case between lkechukwu Ogbuenyi and his wife, Rita, took another dimension when the counsel to lkechukwu, Mr. Ogunkoya, threatened to take legal action against any reporter who may venture to report the case. Rita and her family insisted that the matter could be published in the papers because, according to the wife, lkechukwu wanted to divorce her secretly. The wife added that she would not want the matter to be kept out of the public glare especially when the case was mentioned in an open court. She told the court that the husband was a wife beater, citing

zI married a wife-beater – Woman z’In-law, daughter connived to abort the case of an assault on her by Ikechukwu, saying the incident landed her in an hospital where doctors found that the tissues holding a pregnancy she was carrying had broken. ” When l started vomiting blood, we approached a doctor who told me that the pregnancy had to be evacuated”, Rita said, explaining that her husband took her to one Dr. Demola and they agreed to remove the pregnancy. Rita, who lives at 1 Bayewu Adelami Street, Elliot Bus stop, Iju-Isaga, told the Agege Grade A Customary Court that she was 18 when lkechukwu deflowered her, and they lived

together thereafter till 2008 when all her efforts to make lkechukwu marry her according to custom and tradition proved abortive. She said that it got to a stage she stripped herself naked before lkechukwu to convince him that she did not fornicate in his absence. The wife said she attempted to commit suicide when her husband took her children to unknown destination without her consent. According to her, she would have sued lkechukwu for divorce initially, but she was brainwashed by him. Although the respondent in the case, Rita urged the court to

pregnancy’

dissolve the marriage and grant her custody of the children. In his submission, lkechukwu insisted that the court should continue with the dissolution of their marriage because he could not continue to live with a woman who was encouraged by her mother to aborted three months pregnancy. The husband alleged that Rita always patronised night clubs whenever he travelled aboard, and added that he never wanted to marry her but his mother encouraged her because she was a young girl. He claimed that when the wife fell down while scrambling for

seat in a bus, he took her to a doctor who confirmed that Rita’s pregnancy had problem. Ikechukwu claimed that when he discovered that the wife had connived with her mother to remove the pregnancy, he started suspecting that she must have been fornicating while he was away. The husband added that Rita later confessed that she always patronised night clubs, but that she never slept with any man. ”I put her in school, bought N3 million car for her and nearly all her family members lived in my house; yet, her mother helped her to terminate three months old pregnancy she had for me”. He urged the court to dissolve the marriage and grant him custody of the children. Meanwhile, the court adjourned the case till October 10, for further hearing.

UNIBEN may be cut off U

niversity of Benin (UNIBEN) is being threatened by gully erosion. The authorities of the university took Sunday Vanguard round the erosion sites and the revelation was shocking because the problem is capable of bringing one of the leading universities in Africa into extinction. Over five houses at the senior staff quarters have already given-in to the gully while other buildings in the university and the neighboring communities are on the brink. The UNIBEN public relations officer, Harris Osahenhen, said the university may be forced to relocate from its Ugbowo main campus if urgent steps are not made to check the menace. “Over four houses in the senior staff quarters (SSQ) have caved in to the gully and we have relocated some of our staff from the houses in the affected areas in order to avoid deaths. The gully has cut off the university from its host communities and this is making life unbearable for students”, he said.

“When the gully was discovered in 2006, N1billion was required to salvage the gully problem. But now that it has expanded, we may need about N2billion to be able to embark on serious work on the gully to ensure that the university community which

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM, BENIN CITY

The gully has cut off the university from its host communities and this is making life unbearable for students”

is a citadel of learning is safe for learning and research”. Sunday Vanguard learnt that the university authorities, led by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof.Osayuki Oshodin, had made several efforts to get the attention of the relevant agencies to the plight of the institution but with little or no success. Oshodin, who spoke on the issue, explained: “We have set

* A part of the university already washed off up a committee and the committee has come up with a proposal, it is a palliative measure that is still going to cost us millions but we still don’t have the money. I would have loved to tackle the problem but there is no fund. The NUC, Federal Ministry of Education have even helped in telling the whole world about the problem but no help is forthcoming. I have gone to corporate bodies, I have written to every body including NDDC but no help has come yet”. He went on: “We have lost houses and if we don’t do any thing now more houses will go. It is almost breaking UNIBEN into two. The UNIBEN fence that de-

marcated us from Ekosodi village is gone. That village has also lost some houses and it is really sad. As it is now, we don’t have access road to that community because the gully erosion has cut us off from the neighboring communities. The problem requires heavy funding to be able to fix it and the university cannot afford that. To fix the problem will cost billions of naira. My fear is that if the gully is not tackled today, it will continue to expand and that will be dangerous for us. We have evacuated some of our staff who live close to that area in order to avoid any casualty and it has not been easy managing the situation”. The VC also spoke on his other

projects. His words: “A good number of the projects were done from our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETF) has been very helpful. “We have been able to set up these infrastructure as a result of their financial contribution through the Federal Ministry of Education. You can see our new School of Pharmacy building, new lecture theater in the faculty of Engineering, about Four of them, new lecture theater, new building for Faculty of Education, the Mass Communication building in Ekenwa Campus, and the massive renovation in Ekenwa campus”.

PAGE 26—SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 7, 2012

Country News

Lease of life for Abia, Abuja communities

ir Emmanuel Ndubui si Mbaka Foundation, a non- governmental organisation, has purchased tricycles, known as keke, for youths in Isuikwuato local government area of Abia State under the Foundation’s poverty alleviation and empowerment programme. The coordinator of Ndubuisi Mbaka Foundation, Mr. Goddy Nnorom, said the Foundation has taken delivery of the first batch of the tricycles numbering 20 worth over N10 million and 12 distributed to beneficiaries. Nnorom explained that the programme is an ongoing one, and will be extended to other local government areas as well as other states of the federation. “ The beauty of it is that the keke is being given to a beneficiary registered to avoid the beneficiary from the hassles of raising money to register the keke, thereby making it easier to use as soon as they receive the largesse, it guarantees instant use”, he added. “The tricycles are being given to the beneficiaries on an interest-free loan. The loan is expected to be a revolving one, so that many more people in the state will benefit from the Foundation’s project”. According to the spokesman, an office complex is under construction at Isuikwuato Local Government Secretariat, Mbalano which, when completed, will serve as the corporate office of the Foundation. He continued: “Other projects embarked by the Foundation are the non-interest revolving loan to youths and a soccer tourney. The loan is for the youths to engage in productive and profit yielding ventures. The Foundation spreads the loan refund up to three years to prevent

BY ADEOLA ADENUGA & OLUWATOBILOBA ADEYEMI

* Tricycles as empowerment tools stress on the recipients. The period of repayment is being spread over a period of three years. “However, the football competition holds during at Christmas and is not only designed to promote sports and physical development but also to create a social and recreational environment for the teeming holiday makers prevalent at the period. The Foundation has endowed N1 million for the winners of the annual football competition”. The Foundation, Nnorom said, in 2011, built a church cathedral in Eluama, Isuikwuato for the Catholic Church. He said the Catholic church building was the Foundation’s commitment to supporting the work of God as parishioners at St. Anne’s will now worship in an environment good enough for the angels. Other contributions of the Foundation include distribution of books and other learning materials to secondary schools in Isuikwuato to enhance learning and academic excellence. The spokesman for the Foundation indicated that the gesture will be replicated in other states of the federation in due course.

The Foundation gives financial assistance to indigent citizens. Nnorom disclosed that it is an on-going project. “This has been the aspiration of the Foundation to reach out to impoverished citizens”, he stated: adding that the Foundation is desirous of bringing some of the facilities enjoyed in urban cities to his community, Isuikwuato. To this end, the Foundation intends to construct recreational and public utility facilities in the community to attract people to the community. The Foundation has also spread its activities beyond Abia State. It constructed a borehole for the Jahi community near Mabushi in Abuja and also boosted electricity in that community by installing a 500kva transformer there. By this, the Foundation brought succor to Jahi, which has been without electricity or water for over 50 years. This is in line with the mission of the Foundation to provide succor to the needy and put smiles on the faces of indigent Nigerians. By these gestures, Sir Ndubuisi Foundation complements efforts of government in providing public utilities to neglected communities

Lawmaker laments as flood ravages Delta communities By Simon Adewale

he member represent ing Ndokwa East Con stituency in Delta State House Assembly, Hon. Friday Ossai Osanebi, wants immediate intervention on the flood ravaging several communities in Ndokwa East LGA. Osanebi, who was accompanied by Chief Godwill Obielum, sent the SOS while addressing newsmen shortly af-

‘Hubby disowned me for giving birth to baby girl’

ter visiting some of the affected areas to commiserate with displaced persons. He also gave relief materials such as food and medicine to the over 3000 displaced persons. The lawmaker appealed to the displaced persons to remain calm, adding that the state government was doing everything possible to alleviate their suffering while the federal government was also working out palliatives. Osanebi said that the overflow of the River Niger was due to the open up of dams in the

area, and added that he was overwhelmed by the washing away of some communities. “Apart from residential buildings, the flood also damaged the Customary Court building, police staff quarters and the official residence of the local government chairman,” he said. The lawmaker particularly called on the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and the State Emergency Relief Agency, SERA, to send relief materials to the victims to avoid epidemic.

A 51- year-old man, Mr. Lukman Agoro, was alleged to have thrown his wife, Sadiat, out of their matrimonial home for giving birth to a baby girl. Sadiat, who was dragged before an Agege customary court by her husband for not allowing him to see his child, however said that Lukman had warned her earlier that she should not venture to give birth to a baby girl if she wanted to live under the same roof with him. She added that her husband once vowed that he would not be involved in the upbringing of the child and that she ( Sadiat ) would raise the child at her parents house. The wife also informed the court that barely three months after she gave birth to her daughter, Lukman threw her belongings out, and claimed that he didn’t have interest in the relationship any longer. ” To my surprise, Lukman came to my parents house when my daughter was exactly one year old claiming that he wanted to mark the little girl’s birthday”. She added that her daughter ran away from him, because she didn’t know him as a father. In his submission, Lukman told the court that his mother-in-law didn’t like his face, adding that she didn’t want her daughter to live with him as his wife. He therefore pleaded that the court should dissolve the marriage and grant him custody of the girl. Meanwhile, the case was adjourned till October 24, 2012 for further hearing.

Housewife: My husband is a thief By ADEOLA ADENUGA & OLUWATOBILOBA ADEYEMI An eight-year-marriage between Mr Adeloba Ogunrinde and his wife, Taiwo, has hit the rocks as the court separated the couple over the allegation that the husband stole the proceeds from the wife’s kerosene and recharge cards business. Taiwo, 32, begged an Agege Grade A Customary Court to separate them, maintaining that the continuation of the marriage will ruin her life and business. The wife said her business was going into comatose by the perpetual habit of her husband to steal the little money she made from it. She added that her mother transferred the business to her in order for her to make ends meet. ” But instead of contributing to the growth of the business, my husband doesn’t want me to progress, he stole the whole money and make me a debtor ”. Taiwo said that her parents rescued her again by giving her N80,000 which she invested in the trade, but she could not afford to rent a shop. She claimed that her husband hardly gave her feeding allowance, adding that he gave his children N200 once in a week. According to her, she had to pack out of Adeloba’s house when she realised that the burden was so much on her as her husband hardly paid N10,000 out of their children’s N40,000 school fees. Adeloba denied the allegations and claimed that he had been paying N25,000 school fees, and N10,000 monthly feeding allowance. The court said since it could not force two unwilling adults together, it had no choice than to dissolve the marriage. It therefore ordered that custody of the children should remain with Taiwo while Adeloba would pay N55,000 for education and N5,000 for medicals.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 7, 2012, PAGE 27

C M Y K

28—SUNDAY, Vanguard, OCTOBER 7, 2012

At Dizengof f’s launc h of Dizengoff’s launch Farmer armerss Kit in Nigeria

With Ayo Onikoyi

08033286159

Deluxe union of Oniru-Majekodunmi families

wo powerful families, the Oniru Royal Family of Lagos and the popular Majekodunmi of Abeokuta painted the ancient rocky city with kaleidoscope of colours and regal style when Olatorera Majekodunmi, daughter of Chief and Justice Femi and Tokunbo Majekodunmi married Adedapo Oniru, son of Otunba and Yeye Alaba Oniru. The couple were joined together at Chapel of Christ the Glorious King, Obasanjo Presidential Library Complex, Abeokuta Photos by Dare Fasube

L-R:Otunba Alaba Oniru, groom’s dad, Justice Tokunbo Majekodunmi, bride’s mum, the couple Adedapo and Olatorera Oniru, Yeye Alaba Oniru and Chief Femi Majekodunmi, bride’s dad

Chief Segun Osoba flanked by the couple’s dads

eries of activities to mark the 74th anniversary celebration of Ikoyi Club 1938 was rounded off with the grand finale last Sunday at the Club and it was hip-hop singer, Brymo who took the stage to entertain guests. The celebration ran from September 24th to 28th. Photos by Biodun Ogunleye

L-R:Mrs Edna Anukwuem, Mr Kumar Chugani and Mr Yomi Ojemuyiwa C M Y K

L-R:Prof. Yomi Durosinmi-Etti ,OFR; Mr Richard Hargrave, M. D., Dizengoff; Prof. koffi Duncan, Chairman and Prof. Wale Omole, former VC, OAU

L-R: Justice Tokunbo Majekodunmi, bride’s mum,Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Femi Majekodunmi and Yeye Oniru

Ik oyi Club celebrat es 7 4th anniv er sar Iko celebrates 74 anniver ersar saryy in style

Mr Richard Giwa-Osagie, Chairman, Ikoyi Club 1938 and wife, Moji

oremost multinational company, Dizengoff Nigeria, on Thursday launched what it calls ‘The Farmers Kit in Nigeria,’ a scheme, it says would increase current crop yields of the nation by 75 times. According to the management, their mission is to liberate the small scale subsistence farmer by providing a proven approach to become an ‘agropreneur’ with a middle class income on a permanent basis, as well as to bring fresh fruits and vegetables to the surrounding communities at affordable prices. A host of important dignitaries took part in the launch. Photos by Lamidi Bamidele

L-R: Otunba Abiodun Olufowobi, Mr Tunji Okesola, and Mr Olufemi George of Lagos Country Club

L-R:Mr Oludayo, Onasanya, Treasurer and wife, Theresa with Mr Babatunde Akinleye, Vice Chairman of the Club

L-R: Prof. Koffi Duncan, Chairman, Dizengoff; Miss Glory Lone, receiving award for dedication to duty and Mr Richard Hargrave, MD

L-R:Prof. Wale Omole; Dr. Abimbola Adewunmi, Executive Director, Leventist Foundation and Prof. Yomi Durosinmi Etti,

L-R: Mr Akintunde Akintayo, Agric Desk; Mr Peary Idounigis, Head of Agric Division and Mr Douglas Ugo, Marketing Manager, Food and Agric Division, all of UBA PLC

SUNDAY, Vanguard, OCTOBER 7, 2012 —29

At TTW W Magazine’s 5th anniv er sar anniver ersar saryy

With Ayo Onikoyi

08033286159

Encomiums all the way for Gabi Williams @ 75

r. Gabi Wlliams, former Chief Medical Officer of Lagos in the then Lagos City Council is a man known for his forthrightness, kindness and social grace, so it came as no surprise when his family and friends gathered last Sunday at the Church of the Resurrection, 1004 Housing Estate, Victoria to celebrate his 75th birthday which coincided with the Church’s 9th 2012 Community Hymn Singing. It was a stirring evening of nostalgia as family and friends eulogised the exemplary qualities of the celebrant. Photos by Diran Oshe

The 5 th Anniversary of Today’s Woman Magazine, known simply as TW magazine, was held in Ikoyi, Lagos last weekend. It was a gathering of the crème de la crème in the society. Amongst the major events of the day was an award session where awards of excellence were given to some honest and hard working Nigerians by Mrs Adesuwa Onyenokwe, Publisher of TW Magazine. Photos by Lamidi Bamidele

L-R:Mrs Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, actress, receiving an award from Mrs Atilola Williams, MTN and Mrs Adesuwa Onyenokwe, Publisher, TW magazine R-L: Mr Babatunde & Mrs Fadeke FataiWilliams

Dr & Mrs Victor Ozobia

L-R: Mr David Brandler and Mr Oladele Fatai- Williams

L- R Olatoun Wiliams, daughter, Dr. &Mrs L-R: Mr and Mrs Lateef Salami, receiving an award for honesty from Mrs Atilola Gabi Williams and their grandson Williams, MTN and Mrs Adesuwa Onyenokwe, Publisher TW magazine

L- R: Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi,Sooko Kole Ojutalayo and Brig. Mobolaji Johnson (Rtd)

L-R:Mr Femi Kolawole; Mrs Bola kolawole and Mr Bayo Omipidan, MD, Vlisco

Omobola Bo o rest in grand style Boyyo laid tto

t was a colourful occasion at the Redeemed Christian Bible College Chapel of Praise, Redemption Camp, when Mr Jolomi Boyo, Vice President, Iwere Knights Association and his siblings along with family members laid to rest, their late dear mother, Mrs. Omobola Maria Boyo, 94, on Saturday 8th September 2012. Members of the association and others from all walks of life attended the colourful ceremony

Children of the deceased; Joseph Boyo, Samuel Boyo, and Mrs Boyo Jolomi

Mrs Florence Okoya, younger sister of late Mrs Omobola Boyo and other relations.

Iwere Knights Association President, Mr. Taiye Ajyen Emma Awani, John Ebigbeyi, Tosan Clarke, Dr. Edwin Clarke and Joe Ameye.

C M Y K

PAGE 30 —

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012

STORIES BY UDEME CLEMENT

Orient Oil Well belongs to Anambra, not Kogi —Okoye

Odeke people of Igala in Kogi State traced their ancestral origin to Aguleri hence the good neighbourliness that has existed for long

Chief Egwuoyibo Okoye....Anambra can be accused of anything but not stupidity. the pronouncement that we all heard. The little shift by the uninformed few very close can never change the facts. That means your position is that leaders of these two states are making baseless claims,

INCE the official commissioning of the Orient Oil well, in Aguleri-Otu, Anambra State and subsequent declaration of Anambra State as the 10th oil producing state in Nigeria, by President Goodluck Jonathan, some communities from neighbouring states of Kogi and Enugu have been laying claims to the ownership of the oil well. As the controversy rages, a lawyer and former law maker who is now the Transition Committee Chairman of Nnewi South Local Government of Anambra State, Chief Egwuoyibo Okoye, gives some insight into the history of the area, among other things. He spoke to Anayo Okoli. You are aware of the controversy that is trailing the discovery of oil in Anambra State following the claims by communities in Kogi and Enugu states. Could be that the curse of oil is at work? I want to state without any ambiguity that there is no curse and there will be no curse that will follow the recent good news delivered to Anambra people by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, recognizing Anambra State as the 10th oil producing state in Nigeria. I deem it very necessary to thank Mr. President and our indefatigable Governor Peter Obi, whose determination and resilience made it possible. We call him “Okwute Ndi Igbo” but I call him “Omenma Ndi Igbo”. The reactions we are getting from our neighbours that have been living happily with us for ages is a natural reaction you get when the signs are clearly there that you are breaking away from poverty to success. Human beings will always want to find a way to destroy destinies but I want to assure you that as far as it is God that put that mineral in Anambra soil, it shall be a great blessing to Anambra people and Nigerians including those our neigbours. I want to assure that everybody knows the truth about the ownership of the land where Orient Petroleum is located today. What facts informed your position? Having been a member of Anambra State House of Assembly for two consecutive terms, I believe I am in a position to have an idea on how government works. First of all, you need to know that the president of this country will not leave Abuja and come to Anambra State to pronounce us the 10th oil producing state without due diligence. What you heard is the declaration but there had been due diligence before the declaration. I am saying that all the information concerning Orient Petroleum with its legal, security, environmental reports and much more must have been presented to the president and the conclusion must have been

Anambra State money on a cowboy project. He is an experienced business man disposed to conviction and due diligence. He is very knowledgeable and detailed. The Chairman of Orient

Our boundary dispute with Kogi State was settled as early as 1927 via an Arbitration Committee headed by colonial Assistant Divisional Officers from the two regions then

and that the accusations leveled against Anambra were unfounded? Anambra can be accused of anything but not stupidity. Orient Petroleum is a public liability company; it means that there are investors. From the facts available to me, majority of them are Igbo, for an Igbo man to invest in such venture, he must have done his own due diligence. Investment into such a venture is not for small players, it implies that the investments must be reasonable. I am saying that Orient Petroleum would have found it difficult to attract investors if they had not taken care of such concern as land ownership. I am also sure that my governor, Mr. Peter Obi, would not have risked billions of

Petroleum Resources Plc is Chief Emeka Anyoku, former Secretary General of Commonwealth, a professional diplomat and perfect gentle man, a man that has achieved greatly and not desperate for position what so ever that may be.

lived in this area from time immemorial. Odeke people of Igala in Kogi State traced their ancestral origin to Aguleri hence the good neighbourliness that has existed for long. Unless the Odeke people contest this fact, the ancestral trace implies that Aguleri people must have been living there from time immemorial.

aving dealt with the sentiments, let us look at the facts. Historically, the owners of the land where Orient Petroleum Resources Plc, i.e. OPL915, is located have always been the Aguleri people, precisely Aguleri-Otu in present day Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State. It has never been taken by force during any ancient wars or used for any type of settlement, negotiation or other. Aguleri people have

n terms of boundaries, we have a natural boundary with Enugu State which is the Anambra River, that is settled. Our boundary dispute with Kogi State was settled as early as 1927 via an Arbitration Committee headed by colonial Assistant Divisional Officers from the two regions then. The committee had representatives from the two communities of Aguleri and Ibaji and resolution was reached. The consequence is that the official map of Nigeria in 1927 recognized Anambra Forest Reserve, the exact location of Orient Petroleum Resources PLC, OPL 915, as a part of Eastern Nigeria. Since then, the location circumstance has never been tampered with, questioned or challenged in any law court either by error or commission. All these facts are out there for any person that has interest to verify. I hear some misinformed people talking about National Boundary Commission and the Surveyor General of the Federation, my question is, will they change the map of Nigeria? If the answer is no, it means then there is no need to go there except for a social visit, matter does not exist therefore no need for resolution.

In 1931, this same land was acquired by the government to establish Anambra Forest Reserve; eight communities entered into agreement with the Government of Eastern Nigeria then, those eight communities are in the present day Anambra State. The Forest Quarters built by Eastern Nigerian Government to take care of the housing needs of the staffs of the Forestry was situated right at the centre of the land. Aguleri people have been collecting royalties from the Forestry till date. Anambra State government set up a migrant primary school in the area to serve the fishing communities, the Abaji people or Kogi State government never contested that.

ou may be aware that the Chief Press Secretary to Kogi State Governor, Mr. Jacob Edi was quoted to have confirmed that Kogi State government has written to the President and National Boundary Commission chaired by the Vice President Namadi Sambo proclaiming their ownership of the concerned oil well. What is your view on this? Does Kogi State want to reap where they have not sowed? Complaining to any level boils down to an exercise in futility, sheer waste of public funds and tax payers’ money. Will they expect that the Presidency will give them the oil well when they have not invested a kobo in the project? Will they expect the National Boundary Commission to change the map of Nigeria? Chief Emeka Anyoku, the Chairman of Orient Petroleum and former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, stated that there is no case since the land in question belongs to Anambra State. Anambra State government under Mr. Peter Obi invested over 4 billion naira, other investors too invested heavily on this project, what exactly they want the President or the NBC to tell them or do? Do they want to change the colonial judgment of 1927 in 2012? They are 85 years late. Were there any communities from present day Kogi or Enugu States that were involved in the agreement of 1933 with the Eastern Nigerian Government when they took over the land for forestry? What then is your advice to the leaders of the two states of Enugu and Kogi over the issue? I would want to advise their political leaders to desist from making unfounded statements. The positions that they occupy make their opinions not just heard but taken as the facts. Such false opinions sow terrible seeds that breed unimaginable consequences, consequences that would not discriminate. No person from Aguleri or Anambra State is talking of war because we have clear conscience; we are looking forward to ways we can help Orient Petroleum succeed.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012, PAGE 31

‘Flaws in the case against N5000 bank note’ The suspended plan to restructure the country’s currency has been described by many as antithetical to the move for a cash-less economy which the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN governor., Mallam Lamido Sanusi, is championing. Chief Martin Onovo, the national leader of the Strategic Union of Professionals for the Advancement of Nigeria, SUPA, in this interview, warns that should the CBN mint N5000 note, it will soon realize the need to mint N10000 note given the current economic realities in Nigeria.

HE CBN seemed bent on forcing the proposed N5000 bank note on Nigerians before the move was aborted. How would you react to that? Higher currency denominations is a practical response to inflation and consequent devaluation of a currency in an economy. Hyper-inflation due to corruption and the deceitful

fuel deregulation in January, 2012 has led to loss of value of our Naira. N5000 at N162 US$ is only $31. It may be better to print a new N10000 ($62) note instead and save billions required for new notes. Minting currency is very expensive because of the security requirements. If the

BY AKOMA CHINWEOKE

It is historically and economically incorrect to claim that the denomination of a currency can cause inflation

CBN mints N5000 note as initially planned, it will soon realize the need to mint N10000 note given the current economic realities in Nigeria. Consequently, it may be better to save the cost of minting N5000 note by minting N10000

note instead. Do you share the view that the introduction of the higher denomination would lead to inflation? C u r r e n c y denomination does not cause i n f l a t i o n . Introduction of a h i g h e r denomination cannot lead to inflation. It is growth in money supply and not higher denomination that can cause inflation. N10000 note will reduce cash management cost, improve security, reduce dollarization and improve functional value.

he incorrect criticisms against higher denomination notes include that it will cause inflation, it will encourage corruption and it will portray the Naira internationally as weak. These three claims are incorrect. Inflation is caused by three factors: Cost push inflation:

when the cost of production inputs like fuel cost increases and cost of products and services are pushed up; demand pull inflation: when effective demand for products and services increases and alters the demand/supply equilibrium leading to increase in prices; money supply growth inflation: when sovereign monetary authorities increase the amount of money in circulation. The denomination of a currency

Chief Martin Onovo cannot in any way cause inflation. It is historically and economically incorrect to claim that the denomination of a currency can cause inflation. Comparing functional values, a £100 GBP note is worth about N25,300. A $100 USD note is worth about N16,000 while a N1000 note is worth just that N1,000. To buy some yams, some vegetables and some oil for a family requires an

inconvenient fat wallet of Naira notes. Considering the cost of printing the notes, do you see the move as a step in the right direction? Cash management costs include cost of very large vaults, cost of many counting machines, cost of frequent transportation of cash by CIT security vehicles, cost of additional cash handling staff, cost of space for cash and additional staff, cost of power, etc. With a N10000 note, one cash-in-transit security vehicle (or bullion van) can carry as much money as ten vehicles with N1000 notes. One counting machine can count as much money in N10000 notes as ten machines can count N1000 notes. Security will be improved as money can be carried more conveniently without attracting the attention of criminals. Less policemen will be required to provide security for cash movements. Traffic disruptions by so many cash-in-transit vehicles will be reduced.Currently, many persons use foreign currencies domestically in Nigeria. This is called dollarization. This puts even more pressure on the Naira as more people prefer to carry Dollars for functional value and convenience. The pride in our currency is consequently being subverted and the demand for foreign exchange further undermines the value of the Naira. Higher denomination of the Naira will be more convenient and have more functional value and retain the preference of Naira by most citizens.

From the streets to wealth BY ELIZABETH ALAINE AN entrepreneur shares the story of his rise from a sales tout to an employer of labour. RESH out of university in 1999, Kazeem Alase, 38, could have taken to a paid job. But the marketing graduate couldn’t think of himself being held down in any office. Alase opted for selling satellite TV decoders on the streets of Lagos. From that modest start 13 years ago, he’s built a multi-million-naira business which today employs dozens of Nigerians. Alase, CEO Kazzy Telecoms, holds the Super Dealer franchise of pay-tv firm, MultiChoice Nigeria. Alase’s relationship with MultiChoice dates back to 1998, when he was posted there by his NYSC, The corps member completed his assignment at the company but continued working there, not as a regular staff, but as a tout cornering customers who came to buy decoders at MultiChoice’s head office on Victoria Island. Having worked as a corps member in the company for a year, he knew how things ran from the inside. But he didn’t push for a permanent

in a small space on Muri Okunola Streetin Victoria Island, in 2001, A l a s e metarmorphosed, in 2007, to a super dealer– the highest cadre in MultiChoice’s dealership system. A sales agent would have gone through some stages before qualifying as a super dealer. The super dealer is followed by the

Kazeem Alase....The salesman did so well. dealer, then the retailer. A super dealer acts as a oneemployment. “I never did. I was not the office type; so I stop shop. Many services preferred tooperate from the offered at MultiChoice’s outside. They called it touting operational offices are also provided by the super dealer. then,” recalled the CEO. “I qualified as a super dealer He started with nothing. He would accost customers at the based on passion,” he says. Achieving a given volume of MultiChoice office gate, gather money from three to five, and sales is a major consideration would later return with their for becoming a super dealer. products. He made good A dealer would have to have savings from the commission driven a high volume of sales. he was getting. Later he got a I was picked as a super dealer used car and later a bus which he would park at vantage having reached a sales point. locations to woo buyers. The It wasn’t just about having the salesman did so well that, two finance. It was more about the years later, the cable TV firm passion for the business.” Besides recording high sales, appointed him a retailer. From operating as a retailer

there are other requirements like finance, a decent office space, among other conditions. As a super dealer, Southwest zone, Alase operates from four offices –Akure, Ado-Ekiti and two in Ibadan. There, he markets MultiChoice’s products – DStv and GOtv decoders – to retailers and end users.

rom around four years ago that he moved from being a retailer in a single office in Lagos to overseeing sales in the Southwest region, the super detailer points out that business has been good. “The journey so far with MultiChoice is so good. The inter-relationship is very nice. MultiChoice knows how to support their dealers. They help build you. Alase derives fulfillment not just from having made a success of his venture, but that through it other people are earning a living. “I have over 30 workers in my four branches. That’s aside my seven domestic workers. About eight of my staff got married last year. It means they are

doing well. That gives me a lot of joy. From his experience of being an employer of labour, he says he found that many youths are willing to work, just that the opportunities are non-existent. “I have dedicated staff who keep the business running. I don’t have to be around, they are ready to work. I can afford to travel outside the country and things will still work out fine.” For youths yet to find a means of livelihood, the entrepreneur advises them to start with what they have. “It’s not wise you keep on waiting on a job that never comes or government’s promise of creating mass employment. You could just start with something. No matter how little! I actually started with nothing.” Does Alase see himself doing anything resembling a paid job in future? He doubts it. “I’m an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur will always remain one. And a company like Multichoice helps people with enterpreneural spirit like me. Besides, I have so many things I do on the side that fetches me extra income. No company can afford to pay me.”

C M Y K

PAGE 32, SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012

Our women... now, YouWin T

over the three years during which the three cycles will be implemented; * Provide business training for up to 6,000 aspiring youth entrepreneurs spread across all geo-political zones in Nigeria; * Encourage expansion, specialization and spin-offs of existing businesses in Nigeria; and, * Enable young entrepreneurs to access a wide business professional network and improve their visibility. PLEASE NOTE!!! * YouWiN is an equity contribution to your business. It is therefore NOT A LOAN but a grant. * Award recipients will be paid according to the needs of the business and specific milestones stated in the business plan. * Award recipients must be registered with CAC before

HIS week's piece is a combination of news dissemination and informed analysis, structured to specifically connect with a special target audience - our young women for their information, awareness and call to action. To be more precise, we are talking to WOMEN (female) YOUTH with innovative ideas and entrepreneurial drive, ready to bring about progressive change for a better Nigeria, based on productivity, industry and employment generation, through their readiness to take advantage of a rare but once-in-a-lifetime opportunity offered by the Federal Government's youth empowerment and employment generation program, known as YouWIN designed for women. SO, THE NEWS: the President, leading the Federal Government team, has just launched the second edition of the YouWIN (Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria) program for women. The first time we wrote an article on YouWIN was October 9, 2011. It was shortly after the Federal Government launched the YouWIN program for the first time. We did, in that writ-up, identify with the plusses of the program, driving home the benefits inherent for our youths and the nation. The attraction remains the strategic focus for which the program was designed: to enable aggressive growth in employment, by engaging and supporting the youths. It involves the Federal Government's massive financial investment in form of grant, training and mentoring of participants. Specifically, however, the second edition of YouWIN is designed and focused for WOMEN. Essentially, YouWIN is an expression of the Federal Government's determination to create employment for our youths, drawing on their creativity, industr y, determination to excel, through constructive engagement. On the government's part, it has committed to providing grants up to N10, 000, 000 per person for investment Specific Objectives of the Program include to: * Attract ideas and innovations from young entrepreneurial aspirants from Universities, Polytechnics, Technical colleges, and other post-Secondary institutions in Nigeria; * Provide a onetime Equity grant for 1,200 selected aspiring entrepreneurs to start or expand their business concepts and mitigate start up risks; * Generate 80,000 to 110,000 new jobs for currently unemployed Nigerian youth

Business Plan Competition tagged "YouWiN! Women". * Mon. Sep 3, 2012 First stage business concept submission starts after launch by President Goodluck Jonathan. * Sun. Oct 14, 2012 First stage business concept submission closes. No entries accepted after this date. * Mon. Oct 15, 2012 Marking of first stage submission by an International Business School. * Fri. Nov 30, 2012Notification of successful first stage candidates and invitation for training in each state of the nation. * Mon. Dec 10, 2012Training of the 1st set of second stage candidate starts. Trainings will be held in sets on 10 - 21 December 2012 and 2 - 11 January 2013. * Mon. Dec 10, 2012

YouWIN for WOMEN presents our womenyouths the opportunity to join hands in building a Nigeria of our dream

disbursement of funds even though they do not need to be registered to apply. YouWIN will support the registration process. * Award recipients will operate accounts using their registered companies with any of the participating commercial banks prior to disbursement. * Award recipients must sign a grant agreement with the managers of YouWiN before disbursement of funds. Apply Now! Competition Timeline * Mon. Sep 3, 2012 Launch of 2012/2013 Edition of the YouWiN!

Submission of second stage business plan starts on 10 December 2012 and ends 8 February 2013. Please note that only entries from candidates who attended the training and had their biometrics information collected are eligible and will be reviewed. * Fri. Feb 8, 2013 Submission of second stage business plan entries closes. All qualifying candidates must submit their business plans by this date. * Mon. Feb 11, 2013 Business plan marking commences with an

international business school providing quality assurance. To apply, please go www.youwin.org.ng To us at MC&A Digest, the exciting thing about this women-directed program is the challenge it brings to our teeming population of educated, creative, focused, entrepreneurial and industrial women. To us, it is great thinking on the part of government for the ingenuity in encouraging the women towards putting their entrepreneurial spirit to work. This program puts a grant (not a loan) of up to N10m at the disposal of at least 1,200 women with demonstrable skills, abilities and creativity to start and run their own businesses and conveniently create employment for many others. The roll-call of female-driven businesses comes to mind at this time, across various industries. For instance, we can readily recall the Lady Cobbler (an excellent and ingenious demonstration of creativity and artistr y, purposeful engagement). That enterprise has expanded exponentially, giving employment and apprenticeship to a sizeable number of men and women. We also remember the size and scope of businesses in the food vending business such as Tasty Fried Chicken brand. That brand has excelled under the watch of a woman, who has demonstrated plenty of commitment to industry, providing jobs to many across the country. Aside from service businesses, we know of women that are excelling in architecture and building industry, landscaping, interior decoration, auto maintenance, manufacturing, beauty products and accessories sales and distribution. Our women youth with initiative should hurry to take advantage of this rare opportunity offered by YouWIN for women program to empower themselves. That is

the focus of this program. The Federal Government's determination to empower the nation's youth (especially the women by this unique program), should be seen as a challenge our women youth should hurry to take advantage of. It is a clarion call for the women. Given that the scope of commitment and support for both editions is the same, underscores the efforts towards achieving a penetrable reach-level with this program. The world is changing on all fronts, with regard to nation-building. In a recent interview on the CNN news channel, the President of Chile did capture the changes in the global pillars of development. According to him, the traditional growth pillars, according to world standard, are democracy, growing economy and literacy level. Going by the new world economic order, however, all of that has changed. Today, the new and operating pillars of development are: T E C H N O L O G Y , I N N O V A T I O N , ENTREPRENEURSHIP and EQUALITY. It is also instructive to note that digital and knowledge-based economy is the new development frontier. In realization of this paradigm shift, Nations are structuring their development plans and pattern around the new insight, paying particular attention to the details of change. On a broader scale, YouWIN initiative strikes a connect with the ENTREPRENEURSHIP ingredient for growth and nation-building. As we noted in our first article on this program, this initiative by the Federal Government is a call to duty for the youths in this country. They should take advantage of the ample opportunities offered through this program, to actualize that productive personal ambition to work for a prosperous and better Nigeria. for WOMEN YouWIN presents our women-youths the opportunity to join hands in building a Nigeria of our dream. Our women are highly creative, patient, innovative and industrious. These are rare qualities we must take advantage of at this time. Between October 2011 and now, the first edition of the YouWIN program has thrown up 1,200 award winners scattered across Nigeria, actualizing the projection of the Federal Government. Women, the opportunities have been provided in large measure. If we do not optimize the opportunity inherent, we are to blame. The grants are ready, the entry is open and the process is on. This time, YouWIN is all about you our women!

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012, PAGE 33

Vice-Chair least of my political ambition —Bolaji Dada, Apapa Council Vice

he left the corporate world for politics in her desire to contribute to good governance. Amiable and articulate Hon.(Mrs.)Bolaji Cecilia Dada is the ViceChairman of Apapa Local Government; a position she is holding for the second time. She is a 1991 Lagos State University graduate of Industrial Chemistry with a Masters in Corporate Governance from the Leeds Metropolitan University, United Kingdom. In this interview, she talks about her life as a woman in politics and how the local government being chaired by Hon.Ayodele Joseph is partnering productively with corporate organizations in the area.

*Hon.Bolaji Dada By JOSEPHINE IGBINOVIA

there would be no problem. When there is understanding, every other thing will fall into place. As a mother, wife and politician, it hasn’t really been easy but I’ve been able to survive by the wisdom and grace of God. I have a wonderful family. Just recently, my husband and I

What efforts have you made to motivate other women to join active politics? E actually have a supervisor for women affairs who I work with in such areas, and together with the wife of the Chairman of the local government, we’ve invited women in our local government area to meetings on several occasions. We’re engaging the women in both economic and political empowerment programmes. To the best of our ability, we teach them to be self-reliant and to comport themselves well in public places. We’ve really made them to believe in themselves. After serving in this capacity, what do you plan to achieve in the nearest future? I’m a Vice-Chairman and that’s the least I want to be. My ambition, like I’ve always said, is to be the first female President in Nigeria. However, I always allow God to take charge because I believe that He is the one who crowns. All I can do is be the best I can be, and put in all my efforts while I serve in whatever position I find myself. How are you working towards making this ambition a reality? The only way I can work towards it is to have faith in God and to be myself. I can only put in my best into every work I do, and leave the rest to God. You are a mother and wife, and yet, you sound an ambitious politician; but how come many women claim it’s difficult combining these three tasks? It all has to do with planning. If you plan your time properly and you have a husband that you communicate very well with,

Out of the 57 local governments and council developments areas in Lagos State, you can count the number of women on your finger tips! That goes to show that the ratio of women officeholders to that of the men is still nothing to write home about

were invited to a church programme titled ‘Marriage is a Plus’, and our marriage was used as a model for marriages, and other couples were advised to emulate us. So, in my home front, I have no problem and in my political career, marriage has never been a hindrance. Has “Party politics” ever affected your political career in any way? I don’t understand what some people refer to as party politics. I however would say that I’ve always found myself

in the midst of men. When I was on the board of the Lagos State Sports Council, I was the only female member, and that was before I became the Vice-Chairman of Apapa local government. When I was the Secretary to the local government, I was the only female on the executive council of the local government as well. When I was contesting two tenures ago as the Chairman of the local government, out of about 12 aspirants, I was the only female aspirants; I also was a challenge to all the male contestants. I’ve never been told to step-down for any one because of my sex. Are you insinuating there are no gender barriers in politics? There will always be! Out of the 57 local governments and council developments areas in Lagos state, you can count the number of women on your finger tips! That goes to show that the ratio of women officeholders to that of the men is still nothing to write home about. Though the state has tried to be gender-sensitive, the ratio given to women is still not significant; but I know we’ll get there some day. I understand this is your second term in office; how has the work been? Well, as soon as we came into office in the last administration, we noticed the environmental decadence in the local government and we saw that as a huge challenge. We took up the challenge and so far, we’ve done quite a lot and are still working. We came up with a project tagged ‘Keep Apapa Clean or Leave’, and we led by example by engaging in a week-long sanitation, including my Chairman. We also employed more street sweepers. When we returned for our second term, we relaunched the project and engaged the youths in the enforcement of environmental laws. We also got vehicles to aid their operation. Also, since we came in, we’ve renovated and constructed almost 40 roads and drainages in the local government. We’ve built a primary healthcare unit, renovated schools, donated

vehicles to the police and we’ve bought transformers for some communities. We did quiz competitions for primary school pupils and the winners were taken to London on an exchange programme with another primary school in the UK. We’ve also continued to provide school uniforms for pupils in all the primary schools within the local government. We give them two pairs every year to ensure they don’t wear worn-out uniforms. I could see that some of the schools have been renovated while some are being rebuilt… The state government renovated some while we renovated the others. We got support from corporate sponsors to build new blocks for some. You see, because of our resolve to bring much improvement to the local government area, corporate organisations rose up to say they wanted to work with us. So, we get sponsorships from companies like the Flour Mills of Nigeria, Sifax, Kazuma Shipping Nigeria Limited, to mention but a few. We also have free buses for

pupils coming from Ijora to and fro, and from within Apapa. For those from the water sides, we've built standard boats. Are you saying that good governance can attract private sector partnership? Yes, once it is observed that you are working diligntly as a government, you will be supported by the private sector. You can imagine what happened when we were campaigning for a second term! The GRA, Apapa Club, and corporate organisations within the local government had a rally for us! If we had not done well, they wouldn’t have got involved; they never got involved the first time we contested.

*Hon.(Mrs.)Bolaji Cecilia

C M Y K

PAGE 34—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012

Shema...We should live in peace

The nation is split down the ladder over the creation of state police. Even the Governors Forum to which you belong are not together on the issue. The governors are separated along regional lines. Where do you stand? This argument about state police of federal police, some of us in the Nigerian Governors Forum- Governors Rotimi Amaechi of River State, Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, Jonah Jang of Plateau State, Kashim Shettima of Borno State, and myself – were in Germany recently. This question came up on how do they operate their own state police. They do operate state police, but states that are rich help the ones that are not rich . There is no tailor made arrangement in the world regarding issues relating to security or policing, but what is important to me, police as an institution has been in existence for a long time in Nigeria and many committees have been set up by various governments. These committees were set up to do a study on what needs to be done to enhance police services in Nigeria. Now, whether a state

police will serve the purpose of peace, law and order and good governance of the country or federal police should be, we can look at it critically. There is no need whether this person likes it or the other person doesn’t, what is critical to me as a person and a governor is which one will serve the purpose better for Nigerians in term of securing their lives and property?. Is it the state police and, if it is, what are the reasons and how do you intend to finance it?. And there is this fear in some quarters that some

overnor Ibrahim She hu Shema of Katsina State is not impressed that we tend to emphasise our individuality and regional affiliation rather than nationality. This, he says, is slowing down Nigeria, 52 years after independence. Shema spoke as his state turned 25. The silver jubilee was witnessed by some former military administrators of Katsina and eminent indigenes of the state. The governor also spoke on how he is building on the foundation laid by his predecessors.

erty and the enormous challenges we are facing: unemployment, insecurity, etc, and I think we should start by asking ourselves what are we doing with the little we are receiving, what difference will it make now even if we start giving more money to any state in the country. To my mind, this thing(about increase in derivation money from the federation) should be tied to specific programs. Even if we want an increase, what do you intend to do with the young men and women out

There is this problem with us in Nigeria, the issue of individuality, more individual feeling than national feeling, and state feeling than regional feeling

of us politicians in Government House that if we have state police, they could use it to intimidate their opponents. So, to me, what is the status of security in Nigeria and what must we do as a nation. This has to be agreed as a consensus. The oil dichotomy which was abrogated remains on still front burner in the polity as if the nation’s existence depends on it. Do we need the controversy? Fortunately I was part of the legal team as the attorney-general and commissioner for justice that represented Katsina State at the court then on the onshore/offshore dichotomy issue. Now my question is this, is it just about onshore/offshore dichotomy or about development of Nigeria and Nigerians. In Nigeria, we love to blow big grammar on issues that may not have any bearing with pov-

there, how do you fight poverty, how do you encourage industrialisation, how do you create jobs, how do you improve power and water supply and other infrastructures that have decayed since independent, are we talking of onshore/offshore tied to certain programmes to change the lives of Nigerians of are we just talking because we love it as a political instrument to hurt each other and over heat the political system? Yes, I’m a lawyer and I believe in rule of law, and laws can only be made in a manner in a nation like Nigeria if there is consensus and understanding, but I want to ask all of us whether we are for or against dichotomy, to think deep and think hard, so what we do nothing to undermine those institutions against the interest of Nigerians. Nigeria at 52 does not appear

to be getting it right. What do you think we should be doing at this point in time? The problem of Nigeria never started today, no, and Nigeria of today is not the Nigeria of yesterday in terms of population, social, economic and political challenges. Even, all over the world, there are also crises, economic, social or political. Just recently, Europe and America witnessed economic meltdown and, even now, the world is witnessing insecurity and political instability more than ever before. If you look at all these and say Nigeria has not done well, no, Nigeria has done well. There is this problem with us in Nigeria, the issue of individuality, more individual feeling than national feeling, and state feeling than regional feeling. We should just try and live in peace and harmony irrespective of our tribe, religion or political affiliation and talk about Nigeria instead of individuality. Katsina State is 25years old. What are the milestones since you took over from your predecessor in 2007. I feel happy as a governor as my people are appreciating the good work of my government, that means our effort at improving the lives of our people is being appreciated. In coming to office, I was faced with three important challenges Education is one. This has been given me a lot of worries and the reason is simple: The poverty or the income of our parents is hindering most parents from taking their children to school, so I decided to save about 100 million naira to fund our education system. We started free education since 2007 which was absolutely free both for primary and secondary education, while WAEC and NECO fees are paid yearly

for the final year students and we also have free feeding programme for the pupils. We gave out scholarship to about 270 students being trained in Arabic education. I also provide buses for students for as low as 10naira per drop. We also increased the number of classrooms and teachers just as we improved on the salary structure of our teachers both in secondary and primary schools alongside other welfare packages even before the introduction of the national minimum wage. We also work on the issue of the girl-child education by constructing additional 165 schools and also encourage local govt. councils to create a department for the girlchild education. We completed the state owned university which we met on ground in 2007, the Umar Musa Yar’adua University, furnished with equipment. Food security Our second area of focus is agriculture. About 85% of our people are engaged in farming and rearing of livestock and this in turn contributes not just to the economy of Katsina State, but also the economy of Nigeria. We try to improve on our agriculture by setting up a special committee that gathered data from research and agric institute at ABU, Zaria, with which we then now set up a special task force under my office to look at ways of encouraging the development of agriculture.We provide subsidized fertilizer at the rate of N1500 per bag which cost us around 900million per annum. We also imported improved rice seedlings, conducted training and workshop for farmers and provided them N25million interest free –loans. We are in partnership with the Songhai Farm in Benin Republic on what we call the Songhai/ Katsina initiative which is to train our youths in different areas of agriculture. And we supplied 340 tractors, 10 to each of the local governments at 40% discount. We encourage farmer ’s cooperative groups with the aim of empowering them. We also focused on irrigation and one of the dams in Katsina State by the time we came into office was barely existing, we turned it around, channelled it, fixed the generators and other equipment, we worked on the road , provided fertilizers, improved seedlings. By the first year of harvest, the farmers contributed tonnes of food and cash crops. Katsina is a state with fertile land that can produce food and cash crops all year round, that is why I said if we handled the issue of irrigation properly, Nigeria will be self-sufficient in terms of food

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SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012, PAGE 35

Continued from page 34 production. We encouraged our farmers to irrigate for cultivation purposes. We are also in talks with some people from Spain trying to see if we can go into flour production and we are also working on Benniseed production which is a good product in international market, we are also working on Jatropha seed production for bio-fuel production. We are really encouraging agro-allied industry, we are the first state in Nigeria to embark on a project of a mini-fertilizer processing plant, we started it with the Nigerian Institute of Agricultural Science Students with the collaboration of the Federal Government to produce green fertilizer made from Dogonyaro tree and also pesticide. We mandated four other local government areas to set up four local fertilizer blending plants and we train 25 young boys and girls in each local government to produce organic fertilizer and the first year of operation, we bought fertilizer worth N300 million from each plant having about ten thousand production capacity that can do blending of urea and turn it into N.P.K 15:15.

Nigeria needs to pay attention to youth restiveness and there are many men and wom-

Cotton appears in abundance here. Any works in the pipeline to generate revenue through foreign investors.

Cotton has a special program under the Federal Government and we are presently looking at ways of working with the Federal Government on how to improve cotton production and also export. So all hands are on desk to see that this happens. Even as we speak, I received request from my brother and friend, the governor of Lagos State, Fashola in that regard. Argentina, Bangkok are in talks with us, but you know the problem with agriculture is that the gestation period is long before you can make a formidable, viable economic production. Another area is minerals production with about 18 different types of minerals deposits both metallic and non-metallic. There is investment profile listing the various minerals deposit which I set up as department, now a ministry of resources development and the first thing we did was to identify the largest minerals deposit and kaolin happened to be in abundance ,incidentally, kaolin is a major ingredient in the production of chalk and paint. So rather than going out to buy them, we can as well produce them since we have the ingredients here. We thought we could give it a trial by getting our youths trained in its production and we gave it a trial with about 25 persons from

‘Our windmill will generate 10,000 megawatts of electricity' each local government who were trained on how to produce paint and chalk and the production actually started in 2008, and the paint you are seeing on the wall of Government House building was manufactured by these boys. I deliberately did not repaint it since then as I wanted to know its quality. You can see for yourself the quality.

Curbing youth restiveness

and determination. We have where we teach young farmers on modern techniques of farming, I set up a special department for bee keeping, fish farming, poultry farming etc to train young people in these areas, we equally created young entrepreneurs and we give them interest free-loans to the tune of aboutN250million for GSM repair, block making machine, weldering, car washing, hairdressing. In the same manner, we also trained people from Borno State and other parts of Nigeria and also Niger Republic; even the NYSC has approached us to train some of their staff members.

There is already a wind mill plan with Japanese and Federal Government, our own role there as a state government is to provide the land and we expect to generate from the project about 10,000 megawatts of electricity

en with untapped potentials for the benefit of the nation and so that we can move our youths away from drug abuse and political thuggery. I personally oversee the establishment of youth training centers here where they are being trained in carpentry, furniture and wood work, metal work, tie and dye, sound proof generator, G.S.M handset repairs, computer training, baking of cake and catering services, hairdressing, web design and publication, fashion designing, etc. Everything is possible with will

Youth empowerment is very critical, that is why we directed all the local government councils to get 200 young boys and girls who have finished schooling and are at home to go and teach as casual workers in schools and those of them who did community health should be hired to assist in clinics and maternity centers. We didn’t stop there; we have not overlooked other critical infrastructure and amenities, we’ve developed over 30 new road projects and we have dualized

roads across all the local government areas. We built about 2000 houses with about 35 housing units in each local government and about 752 in the state capital, and the way we did it is that each person that works in the government establishment here will get an automatic discount of about 40% . For example a three-bedroom flat will cost N3million plus but you don’t have to pay all, all you pay is just 10% and you will get a key to your house and the remaining balance you will pay in 15 years without interest, this is just about N310,000.

Infrastructure

n transportation, we re ceived an award as the fastest growing state owned public transport company and we have well over 100 plus brand new vehicles. The health sector is not left behind, we have a policy of free ante natal and post natal care, free medicare for children between age 0-5years and also for special conditions like accident victims. We also subsidize our drugs and hired more doctors because, quite a number of them have left because of insecurity in some parts of the country. We built over 68 new primary health care centers and expanded some facilities in the main hospital and bought other new equipment. We have a 250-bed orthopedic hospital under construction;

this is the first of its kind; we are in talks with some foreign firms to see how we can partner in this regard in a public/ private partnership. The Katsina airport run-way has been expanded and this is the sixth year we are running hajj operation since we completed the run-way expansion in the airport now named Umar Musa Yar’Adua International Airport, Katsina.

Windmill If you take the aspect of rural development and infrastructure, we’ve covered 130 villages in electrification. Of course, power supply remains our major challenge. Because of that, there is already a wind mill plan with Japanese and Federal Government, our own role there as a state government is to provide the land and we expect to generate from the project about 10,000 megawatts of electricity. This is the first of its kind in Nigeria and we are hopeful that by October or December, it will be completed. We have signed an agreement with the Federal Government in partnership with the German government to provide solar energy facilities in the same trip I made to Germany. I also met with an independent company to provide 20megawatts of electricity. The will not require any money from the state government because it is a direct foreign investment. So cumulatively we will be generating about 60 megawatts of electricity by the end of next year or so, our current demand is about 40 megawatts of electricity so we will be having an excess of 20 megawatts as a result of these projects. We also try to introduce biogas facilities for cooking and we have selected eight locations with involvement of experts from China who are helping us to set up these facilities while we use animal waste to generate bio-fuel for cooking. So, we are really trying our best to making sure we develop all areas.

Independence Day: ‘Jonathan’s speech unpresidential’ By Taye Obateru

eactions have continued to trail President Goodluck Jonathan’s Independence Day broadcast with many residents of Plateau State capital describing it as falling short of expectations. Those who spoke to Sunday Vanguard in separate interviews view it as a repeat of the usual talk that are hardly backed up with action, saying it offers nothing new. Executive Director of Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Mr. Steve AlukoDaniel, described the speech as “un-

presidential” as it failed to provide any insight into the policy direction of the administration. ”The speech was full of mere statements and did not show clear policy direction of the administration. There was no policy direction as to what government would do about issues begging for attention. Rather, he was asking Nigerians to wait for another year to see results of what the administration is doing. ”This represents the character of the ruling class in Nigeria which has consistently demonstrated inability to live up to the expectations of Nigerians or to solve the country’s

various problems”, he said. Similarly, the Director of Centre for the Advocacy of Justice and Rights, Mr Gad Peter, said the speech was non-committal as President Jonathan refrained from making any promises. According to him, “the President’s speech was more like giving account of his stewardship, appeal for support from Nigerians and where we hope Nigeria will be by next year. He was careful not to make promises.” However, a civil servant, who preferred not to be named, said it was better for the president not to make empty promises and urged Nigerians to cooperate with the administration to achieve its objectives.

PAGE 36 — Vanguard, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2012

By Hugo Odiogor,

Foreign Affairs Editor

Can you give us an insight into what is happening in Bakassi? I think we have done quite a lot on the Bakassi issue, right from the onset of the judgment. We have condemned the judgment. I don’t know what we should do and where should go from here. We are approaching the final day of the decision and the country is not doing anything. What I want to say is that Nigeria should release us, Bakassi, technically, is included in Nigeria, but it is not in Nigeria. People say, technically, that it is included in Nigeria because we are listed as a local government in Nigeria, so, any action we want to take now would be mean a violation of the constitution of Nigeria. But, for sure, I, as the paramount ruler of Bakassi land that is in existence in this planet earth, we would take back our land. Just as the nation of Israel went back to their land in a miraculous way, I am so convinced that, with or without an appeal to the ICJ, there is another court that is beyond us all, we are all C M Y K

Bakassi! zTwo days to extinction, hope on the horizon? zMonarch cries: We are Nigeria’s sacrificial lamb z’How Obasanjo deceived us’ zQuery over N4b compensation money awaiting the judgment of that court. So, Nigeria should be kind enough to release us. Some people went to the National Assembly to say that Bakassi is not part of Nigeria and therefore it should be deleted from the constitution. I sup-

he Etiyen of Bakassi, Dr. Etim Okon Edet, is not only the paramount ruler of Bakassi but also the Chairman of Cross River State Council of Chiefs. A product of the University of Calabar where he studied political science, the traditional ruler was forced out of his palace in Atabong by the intrigues of concession of his land, which is part of Efik Kingdom, to Cameroon by the Federal Government based on the war time policy of appeasement entered into by Gen.Yakubu Gowon and the late Alhaji Ahmoudu Ahiidjo of Cameroon and Sealed by Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo and Mr. Koffi Ananah, who accepted the ICJ verdict and rushed into implementation of the verdict with the endorsement of the controversial Green Tree Agreement. Five days to the dead-line of October 9, 2012 to appeal for the review of the ICJ judgment, the Federal Government moved to do the needful on Thursday when it raised a panel to look into the possibility of the review. In this interview, Edet tells Sunday Vanguard that those who ceded Bakassi and threw over three hundred thousand people into destitution should face trial for crimes against humanity.

everybody that the Bakassi issue is going to be a serious case study of injustice done to people on this earth, and it is going to affect those who are pretending now as if the matter does not concern them. When you don’t want to do something, He (God) does it

What I want to say is that Nigeria should release us, Bakassi, technically, is included in Nigeria, but it is not in Nigeria

port that call. We now know that we are not legally in Nigeria. We want to be free to confront whoever handed us illegally to anybody unknown to us. We will confront them and then we will be free to do so. May be at that point, the entire world would then look at us as a crazy people. I don’t want a situation where by any cobweb is still moving around us and nobody cares to say anything. But we are assuring

in a very wonderful and miraculous way. God cannot begin a project that He cannot end. God created us and put us where we are just like all of us. For instance, if you were born in Maidugri, Borno State, perhaps you would have been a Muslim; not by our choice, not by our making but God wanted us to be there (Bakassi). We are here and we are Christians because that is where we came to be. So God

placed us there, gave us the land, named all those areas, the trees, the villages, the shrines, the food, etc, and, after several years, people are coming to make adjustments, people are beginning to be displaced from what God originally made it to be. So God will not start a project, and leave it like that. He has to complete it. So, I’m assuring, from the bottom of my heart, that we are taking back our Bakassi, I’m not worried. I don’t know the year, I don’t know the method, but I’m telling our people that we are going to get our land back, we will pray to the Almighty. Whatever the president is doing, or whatever Nigeria is doing, the president should know that he is from the Niger Delta region, the president should know that we voted for him. When the president came, I received him, I campaigned for him, today he is not listening to what we are saying. God is going to judge. We are not looking at any man again; we are not looking at the president again. I think in the past years, people have died, people have suffered, nobody is going to school; their schools have been abandoned there.This is a grave

injustice to a people that was denied education by the colonial powers, a people who are in a hurry to produce educated people to catch up with their kiths and kins. How do you react to the claim that the National Assembly does not border about sovereignty, lives and security of the country? I am even surprised that after their long vacation, the Bakassi issue, which they condemned over a period of time, is not seen as a serious issue to deserve their attention. This is a matter they condemned and they said that the treaty had not been domesticated by them. I personally witnessed two motions, moved in the House of Representatives stopping proceeding and another asking government to go to the ICJ to ask for a review of the judgment because of the overwhelming things that they had seen. In other areas of the world, such resolutions will not be taken lightly. So, when they returned from their vacation and the matter was not on the front burner, I felt disappointed. They are talking about something else like moving motion for the printing of new naira notes, moving motion on allowances and other issues. Nobody is talking about Bakassi. They will see the truth and turn over it, a brother will not help a brother, such a situation brings anarchy. I am surprised that a people are even playing politics with this matter, some want to play safe because of the politics of 2O15, they want to be careful with some national issues. You will know a leader in times of crisis not when things are smooth. I am talking as a leader of Bakassi; I don’t mind whatever it will lead to because I am hurt. Nigerians too should be hurt that a part of this country has been lost. I have never seen a nation giving out a territory instead of extending their territory. The National Assembly is not doing well. Why didn’t they impeach former President Obasanjo for breaching the constitution? Why are they talking now? I have received so many visits on Bakassi. They just come around to collect money and play with us. I had to stop some of them from coming to me because I was not ready to receive them. The information they are seeking is all over the internet. They know that the people of Bakassi went to court in this country. Judgment was given, injunction was placed that the

Continues on page 37

Vanguard, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7, PAGE 37

Continued from page 36

*Bakassi ... a people on tenter hooks

’We will get our land back’

Green Tree should not be implemented but they went ahead to do it. So, what are we talking about? Where would we get justice? I am completely disappointed in the National Assembly that they are not using their powers. The National Assembly cannot fail Jonathan, yet they took an oath to correct many errors, to do justice. Look at the power project, corrections are being made at all levels. Look at our constitution, reviews are being made and yet they cannot review a judgment that was made. Why can’t they make an attempt on the ICJ verdict review and let it be on record? The Federal Government said if they ask for a review, the world would laugh at them. Do you agree? You can even see that Gowon is silent on this issue up till today. Obasanjo joined; the two former military leaders have not made any statement about the mistakes they made. Like I said, I will continue to pray to God to prolong their lives to see the end so that they can tell the story. Now, we have heard that Nigeria will be a laughing stock if we go back to ask for the review of the judgment by the ICJ. Is it that Bakassi is now made a sacrificial lamb? They swore an oath to protect the destiny and integrity of this land. They have not done so. But they should understand that the lives of people are involved. Both Gowon and Obasanjo should be tried for war time and peace time atrocities visited on Bakassi land. Our oil and land they have given to Cameroon and made us refugees. Americans should know that the lives of people are involved. All those who witnessed the signing of the Green Tree Agreement should know that the lives of people are involved and, when you joke with the lives of people, you are joking with God. If we are the sacrificial lamb for Nigeria to be one, are we not entitled to compensations, are we not entitled to other good things of life? If I am giving out my life for you to be free, I am also entitled to any other thing that you are taking out of my land, but you have not done so. You have not given me another life to live, I am still roving around, and you think it would be well with such people. When Bakassi people talk about resettlement, what is it that comes to their mind? We want back our land. At the initial point, we were de-

If we are the sacrificial lamb for Nigeria to be one, are we not entitled to compensations, are we not entitled to other good things of life? If I am giving out my life for you to be free, I am also entitled to any other thing that you are taking out of my land, but you have not done so

ceived; we were told that we had to be obedient servants, we had to obey our president. For the president of your country to call you one on one and plead with you:’ There are other implications that you are not aware of now. Please

*Ceding to be reversed?

you guys should leave the place, we are going to put you somewhere and almost a similar place that you were before.’ We believed him and we moved. First year, second year, what they did was to go

and give account and I told them it was not our kind of resettlement. They thought it was an emergency situation. We have lived in a particular where most of the people are fisher men, they have waited and they continued to wait, now we know that they are not serious, we know that our president lied to us, lied to me in particular. He called me, held me by the hand, the president of my own country held my hand and we discussed. I told my people to be calm, but, up till this moment, we don’t even need resettlement, we don’t need anything called resettlement because we don’t know what they are going to do. Like you rightly said that money was given but, up till now, this country has not called on the person who collected the money. Is getting people to stay in a camp resettlement? You are talking about putting people in camp, these were people who had their own tradition, everything was fine, they did not complain. Now you are coming to build a camp and you want to put them there. I told Donald Duke (former governor of Cross River State) who started this process that ‘if you want to take these people to another populated area; it means that you want to displace those people who are the original owners who will not allow you to change their name’. So he compounded the issue. You mentioned Donald Duke that was in

government. You also mentioned that the president at that time spoke to you, but why is it that since this problem came up, Cross River State government has kept quiet? They are playing politics with the lives of people but God himself will visit all those who took part in the Bakassi problem one after the other. Today nobody is saying he/ she did this and it was done wrongly and that he was sorry and nobody is asking any question which means there was coherence from top to bottom. If you are a minister and you gave out a job and the job was not properly done and the people are complaining and whatever the decision they write to the minister, he suppresses, the minister that did not take part in it would want to know if the job was not properly done if at all it was done. You spoke about the N4 billion set aside for resettlement, well I don’t know about that. And let me say it clearly, it is Bakassi today, tomorrow it may be Bekwara, the day after tomorrow it may be Bayelsa. And it would go on like that. When you become a refugee you become an immigrant in your land There is nothing we have not done. We have even written to the United Nations General Assembly. The world today is a global village. Going to court is a serious matter and taking judgment is a very serious matter. Nobody can say he is ignorant of the Bakassi problem and that injustice has been done to a community in Nigeria. Well, maybe the ICJ was thinking that if justice was done …… or the area that was given out was a no man’s land, whatever they were looking at. But we never participated in the (civil) war. We never knew what was going on at the ICJ. It was in 2001 that I started hearing about the case in the ICJ because we never took part in it; we were not carried along. But I will tell you that our area is not going over to Cameroon. The ICJ has finished their work; the Attorney General of the Federation recently said so to the president and the foreign affairs minister that they are not going back to the ICJ. He said they should not revisit the matter. But God will visit all those who are part of this wrong done to us. Why is the issue of Bakassi only centered on oil and its

Continues on page 39

PAGE 38 — Vanguard, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2012

BAKASSI:

Why Nigeria can’t appeal the ICJ verdict

—Robert Clarke By Ishola Balogun & Wahab Abdulah

Some believe that Nigeria traded off Bakassi. Do you think that was right? I will not say whether somebody was right or wrong but I will first like to analyse the facts. The question is that at the time former President Obasanjo decided to enter into the Green-Tree Agreement with Cameroun, what were the facts, the fact on ground was that there was a judgment of the International Court of Justice in 2002. By majority decision in which our eminent jurist Ajibola sat, it ruled that Bakassi did not belong to Nigeria, nothing was done on that judgment since 2002. By 2005, Obasanjo felt he should look at it. I am not holding brief for him but the fact is that by 1914 when Nigeria became one nation, the map of Nigeria as at that time did not contain Bakassi. So, Bakassi was not part of Nigeria. But at what time did Bakassi become part of Nigeria? If Nigeria became a nation in 1914, and Bakassi was not part of it, and it later became part of Nigeria, we need to know under what circumstances. Bakassi later became part of Nigeria in 1918 when Hitler ’s colonies all over Africa were taken away from the Germans- Tanzania, C M Y K

Namibia, Togo and Cameroun were German territories up to November 1919. And by the Amnesty treaty, the League of Nations decided to take away all the German colonies in Africa and brought them under the trusteeship of the League of Nations. So, the League of Nations said they had taken all these territories from the Germans, and who is going to look after them? At that time, they divided Togo into two as well as Cameroun. Gold Coast took over half of Togo while they gave the Northern Cameroun to Nigeria and they gave the other part to France. That was how Bakassi became part of Nigeria as a ‘trusteeship’ entity and not as a separate

enior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN), who is the Principal Partner, Paiko & Co, implores the Federal Government to resettle Nigerians living in Bakassi instead of allowing a revolt which, according to him, may have a spiral effect in the country. The septuagenarian, in this interview, insists that Nigeria erred by submitting to the International Court of Justice(ICJ) and has no option than to abide by the decision of the ICJ on the peninsula. Excerpts:

*Clarke... Too late to appeal judgement an entity to be independent was devoid of Bakassi. If they granted us independence, it would only be the area Nigeria was in 1914. So, they asked the same question that ‘ you Camerounians, do you want to remain in Nigeria or you want to go back to the French territories’? (then Cameroun had not taken independence). The Northern

That was the greatest mistake Nigeria made by submitting to the World Court. You are bound to carry out the judgment; if you don’t, the United Nations Security Council will enforce it

entity. Now, in 1958 when Ghana was to become independent, the United Nations asked the Togolese, ‘Do you want to remain in Ghana (Gold Coast) or you want to go back to the French territories ‘as Togo because Togo had not gotten independent then, it was under the French rule? They decided that they didn’t want to go back to Togo. It is just like Nigeria where you have the Anagoge and Yoruba in Benin Republic, do we say because they are Yoruba, they are Nigerians? No. They opted to stay in Ghana. In 1960, Nigerian was to become independent and Nigeria as

Camerounians decided to stay with Nigeria, but the Easterners who are the Bakassi and West Cameroun, as they were known then said no, that they had not been treated well by the regional government. Of course they were not the only ones that complained, Cross River also complained. So, they opted to go back to the French Cameroun. There was a plebiscite and it was approved by the United Nations. That was the legal position of the area as at 1960. The question then became how are we going to re-draw Nigeria’s map? The problem however started in 1966 when General Yakubu Gowon took

over government. The gendarmes thought that since Nigeria was at war, it was time to attack Nigeria, so they sent soldiers into Bakassi. Gowon told them that he did not want to fight a war, he was already fighting a civil war and he said ‘let us divide Bakassi into two so that we both keep our part’. It is also a wrong notion when people say that Gowon sold out Bakassi. When Shagari came in, nothing was done, and when Abacha came in, the gendarmes attacked again, and Abacha wanted to fight a war, they showed him that Nigeria can’t fight a war because we don’t own it. So, Abacha set up a panel with Akinjide, Ajibola and others as members to look into it and they decided that we had a better title than the Camerounians and that was what led them to submitting to the World Court on the notion that history is the cornerstone of Nigeria rulership. That was the greatest mistake Nigeria made by submitting to the World Court. You are bound to carry out the judgment; if you don’t, the United Nations Security Council will enforce it. So, Obasanjo, who knew all the facts, and with his wide experience internationally, he opted to make the best out of nothing. According to him, ‘ we have spent so much to develop the area, we cannot just lose out completely, let us agree on some economic terms’ and they drew out a 20year economic term whereby they allotted certain oil blocs

to Nigeria and, after 20 years, it will be reviewed. Obasanjo did not take any step in isolation; he was acting in pursuant to the international law. What options are then open for Nigeria and what is the position of selfdetermination of the people in all of these? Under international law, wherever you settle down, you are bound by the law of that area. If you go to Benin Republic today, one-third of the people are Yoruba; would you say they are Nigerians? No. If you go to Equatorial Guinea today, in the good old days, the Igbo were going there as plantation workers, you have many of them there who have intermarried. Today, in that country, half of the population are Igbo. Can we say the Igbo in that country are Nigerians? Since they have decided to settle there, they must abide by the rules of the country. The fact that the Cross River people moved into Bakassi over 100 years ago to settle down does not mean that they own the place. The international law has now adjudged that they do not own the place, the best they can do is to accept that they are not the owners and leave the area as their parents have been doing and decide to come back to Nigerian as refugees if they are not happy with the treatment there. Government now owes it as a duty to rehabilitate them when they come back. That is a duty we owe them because being refugees is not of their own making; it is our government who sold them out to international court. Why should they suffer? If they are being harassed, let the government wade in, build rehabilitation centres for them and set them up. Nigeria has money to spend instead of individuals pocketing the money. The international court gave us the opportunity that if there is anything wrong in this judgment, we should review it and they will look into it. We never did that, but typical of Nigerians’ way of doing things, you now say you want to appeal in just three weeks. Was it solely as a result of our complacency or we don’t have a fact to push forward? One, we don’t have a fact to push forward. Again, the government of Obasanjo has already taken a decision for us in his own wisdom to get the best for Nigeria by signing an economic pact with them. So, there is nothing we can do again. There are certain oil

Continues on page 39

Vanguard, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7, PAGE 39

‘Obasanjo did his best on Bakassi’ Continues from page 38 blocs that have been allocated to Nigeria, at least for 20 years. And if you look at the terms of this agreement, it can only be reviewed in 2028. That is the advantage we can leverage on. But don’t you think the killing of Nigerians in the area by gendarmes is a violation of the Green-Tree Treaty entered into by Cameroun? That is human behaviour. What is happening in Sierra Leone and Ghana today has nothing to do with Nigerians. The best we can do is to use diplomatic means. Nigeria

cannot send any troop into Bakassi today. If we do, the United Nations Security Council will ask us to clear out within 24 hours. We are not Israel that has been occupying Palestinian state for so many years. There is nothing we can do; we just have to tell ourselves the truth. Apart from asking your people to leave and rehabilitating them, any other thing will be a violation of the international law. But the people might have felt that they were rather short-changed by the Nigerian Government for not being able to defend them, what is your advice for the

people and government of Nigeria on the issue? My advice is that Nigeria should live up to its obligations. When the Federal Government of Nigeria has entered into economic relationship on Bakassi, she should have allowed her people who want to return to Nigeria do so and let them know that if they return, they are not going to lose anything. So, instead of allowing organised revolt in another sovereign country, because it may backfire in Nigeria, let our government make arrangement with the neighbouring states like Akwa Ibom, and Cross Rivers,

*Clarke ...We are not Israel

and make available an economic situation where these people can return and be re-settled. Sovereignty is

so important in international law that you are bound to obey the laws of the sovereign state.

‘We are Nigeria’s sacrificial lamb’ Continued from page 37 resources and not the people? That is the question we should ask the people and the entire world. You know people are just looking at where they can make money even when they steal the money but the money they are already making in Bakassi is blood money. Whoever is making money there now or is trying to make money there in the nearest future is making blood money except the proper thing is done, except justice is done and except the people are no more dying. People are no more interested in the human factor but the oil money. They are looking for blood money. Nigeria is holding us hostage We built about three secondary schools in Abana and several primary schools. But these schools are no more there. Each time I attend May 1 Children’s Day and October 1 Independence Day celebrations, I kept telling the political leaders that I would not attend the ceremonies again if I don’t see the primary schools at Abana and children passing. The schools are no more, the people are scattered. The people you only see there are the councilors and chairman without a local government. C M Y K

*No more fishing in Bakassi The largest local government has just five councilors and above all I am the only man standing. Iam just standing on the law. I want that law to be taken away so that I can stand firmly on the ground. Apart from that law in the constitution, there is nothing else. It just exists by name. But must human beings continue to exist just as names and there is nothing to fall back to on ground? The allocation given to Bakassi is not a hidden thing. It is on the internet. Bakassi still exists in law and the allocation Bakassi is getting is

because of that law. That is why I said the law must be removed for us to be able to conduct issues because we existed before Nigeria, we existed before Cameroon and we existed before the local government.

e have been there before the local government was attached to Bakassi. We were known as the Bakassi people and not Bakassi local government. So why have they refused to leave us alone with their laws and allow us to stand how we used to stand? Cameroon had never

entered there before. They know they can never enter there ordinarily. We are riverine people and, in that time, to leave Bakassi for Calabar was a long journey that took days. Nigeria is saying no going back on the issue, ‘Bakassi is gone’. Then let them leave us alone. Nigeria is still keeping Bakassi because of the oil. You say these people are not there but you are using them to collect money and to take their resources. Because Bakassi is still in the constitution, we cannot act but if Nigeria removes Bakassi from the

constitution, the Republic of Bakassi cannot be in Nigeria or in Republic of Cameroon. Bakassi cannot be in Cameroon because the ICJ cannot give the land of Bakassi to Cameroon, because they don’t know anything about the land. So we need freedom. We need to be left alone. Nigeria, please leave us alone. You don’t need the people but you need their resources. Let them release us. If they release us, Cross River will be willing to release us. So what is your message for Bakassi people? The message is that very soon, the problem will be over. We have only a few days to go but God will perform His miracle. He can use one day to change an event. He would allow you to flourish in your stupidity and ignorance and just like He told that rich man in the Bible that today was the end. I am assuring all our people that this whole situation will come to an end and that they should be constant in their prayers that He should do for them just like He did for the children of Israel. Today, Bakassi people are living with enemies surrounding them. So they should pray constantly.

PAGE 40, SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012

Presbyterians prepare functional leaders

MONEY LAUNDERING IN THE CHURCHES

HEN a villain has ill-gotten gains, he sometimes needs to have the money “laundered.” This is the process whereby stolen money is made respectable by moving it through a number of legal channels designed to camouflage its original illicit source. Sometimes, the stolen money is smuggled out of the country and then brought back in through regular channels, so as to make it seem like it originated from foreign shores whose records are inaccessible domestically. Another version of this money-laundering process is duplicated in the churches with pastors as the lynchpin. When a contrite Judas brought back the 30 pieces of silver he received for betraying Jesus to the Jewish Priesthood, they refused to put the money in the offering-box: “The chief priests took the silver pieces and said, ‘It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.’” (Matthew 27:6). This was convoluted reasoning at best, showing the “doublethink” of religion. The priests had no qualms about bringing about the death of innocent Jesus. But they felt it was inappropriate to put “blood money” in the offering-box. However, even such hypocritical qualms are no longer evident today. Today, it does not matter where the money comes from, as long as it is money you can be sure the church will receive it.

Theft sanctification As I said, pastors operate today an elaborate money-laundering business. You steal the money; you kill for the money; it makes no difference. Just bring the money; we will receive it gladly from you with no questions asked. When you bring the money, we will bless you and pray for you. We will also pray that the source from which you got it will not run dry, so you can go and bring some more. This goes a long way to assuage the conscience of the wicked. They are encouraged that as

Thieves and robbers are Satan’s gifts to the churches long as they give a significant fraction of their stolen money to the church, the theft is sanctified. In effect, the offering is used by the pastor to make atonement for the sin of the theft, thereby releasing the crooked donor from guilt. So doing, we receive and launder stolen money on God’s behalf. Indeed, there is an implicit signboard in front of mega-churches, saying: “Thieves and robbers are welcome here, preferably with a tithe of their stolen loot.” When they come, we lavish encomiums on them. When I accused a lawyer with whom I was negotiating a business deal of sharp practices, she retorted: “Dr. Aribisala, I will pay tithe on the amount.” Jesus shows nothing but contempt for this kind of thinking. He said to the Pharisees: “Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?” (Matthew 23:19). Thieves and robbers are Satan’s gifts to the churches. Visit the mega-churches in Nigeria and you will discover the people seating in the front-row are the bigtime thieves who have robbed the country blind. Everybody knows they are crooks; nevertheless, they have pride of place in the churches. Their seats are reserved. The messages preached are carefully-crafted so they are not offended and remain comfortable in their thievery. Mega-pastors would hardly operate in the tradition of John the Baptist, calling the Herods of Nigeria to repentance. On the contrary, when Herod comes to church, we give him the microphone to address the congregation. Thus, one Lagos mega-pastor gave Governor Bola Tinubu, a non-Christian, the microphone to address members of his house on the sand, when he was seeking re-election in 2003. Of course, the “ogbologbos” of Nigeria

can always address the faithful of Redeemed at Kilometre 46. Says Ebenezer Obadare: “In a dynamic that works quite well for the state and serves the ends of holders of political power, religious leaders attend their (office holders’) birthday ceremonies, bless their respective families, and, at the end of each year, unfailingly prophesy positive things for the country they so spectacularly misgovern.”

Robbers’ revolt I was given a fascinating report about a wellknown Lagos prosperity pastor. He suddenly saw the light one Sunday, and decided to preach the true gospel for a change. He warned his parishioners that it is righteousness that exalts, but sin is a reproach. He told them if they did not repent, they would miss the kingdom of God. No sooner had he finished his message than uproar arose. The major financiers of the church were livid and they asked for an emergency meeting with him. They did not mince words. They told him in no uncertain terms that that kind of message was unacceptable. It was very easy for him as a pastor to grandstand with lofty religious sentiments, while living on the money he collects from them. But how did he think they were getting the money they gave him? Let him leave the pulpit and come into the real world so he can see whether it is possible to become a slumdog billionaire through the righteousness that exalts a nation. The pastor’s ears were opened. He quickly went back to his old time-worn prosperity and motivational messages and everyone was happy again. “Preach it, pastor; preach it,” they cheer him on, while an attendant dutifully comes forward to wipe his

face with a towel.

Stolen offerings In 2002, it came to light that one Lawrence Agada stole N39 million over a period of time from the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, where he was employed as a cashier. For very strange reasons, he spent very little of the stolen money on himself. Instead, he gave the lion-share of it as tithes and offerings to a parish of Christ Embassy. Clearly, there was witchcraft at work here. The man did not even own a car. Neither did he have a motor-cycle. Nevertheless, he did not use any of his stolen loot to enhance his standard of living. What must they have been telling him at Christ Embassy to lead him to the conclusion he could serve God with stolen tithes and offerings? His “generosity” so impressed his church that, on occasion, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, the head of the church, wrote him a special letter of commendation read to his entire parish. At no time did anyone deem it necessary to enquire how someone who was only a cashier could have obtained so much money. When the theft was finally detected by his employers, Christ Embassy admitted that Agada had indeed given the stolen money to the church. Nevertheless, the church refused to refund the looted money. You may well ask why a church of God would refuse to refund money it knows was stolen to its rightful owners. Suffice to say any church which directly or indirectly encourages theft and knowingly receives stolen property cannot be of God. If you steal, it makes no difference if you give all the money to your church, you are still a thief. Your offering might be acceptable to your pastor, but make no mistake about it; it is not acceptable to God. God hates robbery for burnt offering. (Isaiah 61:8). He said: “As your offering to me you bring a stolen animal...Do you think I will accept that from you?” (Malachi 1:13).

APPRECIATING the place of functional leadership in nation building, the Presbyterian Students’ Fellowship of Nigeria rec-ently organized its 4th National Leadership Train-ing conference in Lagos, reports OLAYINKA LATONA. The theme of this year's programme which was attended by over 200 students, was “Raising functional models.” The occasion was also used to expose the students to different models of servant leadership, not only in the Presbyterian Church alone but in the entire country. According to the national director of Presbyterian Fellowship, Rev. Sharon Ukah, and the zonal coordinator west, Rev. Daniel Ukah, the yearly training programme is an avenue where new executives of the students body will be imparted spiritually so that they can face the great task ahead of them and come out successfully. “The theme for this year conference is a timely one, because most of our leaders have failed us and we think that the way forward is to equip these youths to become functional models who will aspire to be the best not only in their churches but also in the country. Through various teachings that the students have heard, we know that it will go a long way to impact greatly into the students and from now they will aspire to be the best in whatever they do," Rev. Ukah stated.. During the career development seminar, Mr. David Nwachukwu advised the students leaders to imbibe moral value and be disciplined in their various fields. Speaking on a paper tagged; “Unlocking the spirit of excellence”; he explained that it is through discipline and high moral standards that the youths can provide quality service to the society. In his words: “Nigerian youths should find out what they are good at and in doing so Nigeria will overcome some of its challenges. There are lots of challenges facing the country because most people refused to use their God-given talents to be the best and if one did not utilize his or her talents he will become a burden to the society.”

Youths cautioned on use of internet BY IKENNA ASOMBA AS a result of the untimely death of Miss Cynthia Osokogwu, allegedly murdered by friends she met on a social media network site, Nigerian youths have been advised to exercise discretion on the use of the internet and other social media. This advice was given by the parish priest of Christ The King Catholic Church, Akowonjo, Rev. Father Rodney Crawley at a seminar organized for youths by the Ladies Auxiliary Knights (LAK) of St. John International, KSJI, of the parish on Monday. Father Crawley said; “the Nigerian youths have responsibilities to their country, the people and themselves. They have to contribute meaningfully to the welfare and growth of the world in which they live in. Making use of the internet is not a bad thing. However, they have to make judicious use of it for the betterment of the society. Delivering her welcome address at the occasion, LAK president, Mrs. Funke Igwilo, said there is nothing wrong in networking through the internet and other social media but decried the negative ways today’s youths use them. She said: “Networking generally is a very good thing for the nation. But instead of embracing the positive part of it, youths now embrace the negative aspect and that is why through this programme, we have brought a professional to enlighten and train them on the right use of networking.” Admonishing parents to live up to expectation in bringing up their wards, she advised, “parents should not think that their children are above training because they are graduates. Rather, they should supervise what they are doing and lead them right. They will obey whatever we tell them if only we live up to expectations.”

CHRISTIAN FESTIVALS for October 2012 October 31: Wednesday

All Hallows Eve

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012, PAGE 41

HE gong for Igbo people to produce the president of Nigeria in the 2015 elections has started to clang. The reverberation is deafening to the ears than any other gong clanging contrarily. The echo of the gong for this assignment has been heard from Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu who was former governor of Abia State. Kalu is restating the need that Igbo should produce the next president of this country. His tireless campaign for this reason illustrates that there could be something going on within the powers-that-be against the Igbo in the forthcoming elections. And with a persona like Kalu, who knows Nigeria and the inner-circle too well, any attempt to shortchange the Igbo from actualization this may not hold any water. Is it not an insult that Nigeria is still keeping the Igbo to be playing the third fiddle forty-two years after the civil war? Against this influence, Kalu believes that the Nigeria/Biafra civil war has not come to an appropriate end till he sees the Igbo become the president in Nigeria; not at any other time, but in 2015. This is coming as some Nigerian Jacobic quarters are saying that the Igbo are not organized; hence they cannot produce the president. On the contrary, Kalu has been asking whether other tribes that have produced president had two heads. On the other hand, he wants maximum support from other tribes to make Igbo president.

onceivably, it’s because the Igbo have not produced the president that has led to majority of the roads in the areas the Igbo have as their homes not tarred resulting to the dampening of the eco/socio lives of the people. Politics in the area has been the dictates of Abuja, whereby such names as “Abuja politicians” and “home based politicians” are heard, as if politics has become a football club, where names like ‘international players’ and ‘home based’ are heard. And Kalu didn’t mince words when he said: “It has also been shown that those who boot-lick presidents in Nigeria since independence never do well; they don’t even tar the roads, they don’t give free education, they do nothing to salvage their states because they believed the president is their boss; if the president asks

The tribal politics against 2015 Igbo president

President Goodluck Jonathan heroes. them to go and put their house on fire they will go and do it, which I feel is not in consonance with democratic concept.”

he above could be the reason elections have been rigged in this country, because the powers-that-be in Abuja control the army, the police, the navy, the air force, and are ready to make or mar, for anything they gun to get. They are ready to give backup to any “Abuja politician” to defeat any “home based” in an election. Nigerians once saw this played in a SouthEast state where a sitting governor was abducted in broad daylight and the powers- that-be in Abuja gave maximum support to the ‘home based’ political gangsters, who were shamelessly parading themselves as godfathers and godmothers of the state’s politics, leading to a notable Igbo son from the state rejecting a national honour that was awarded to him, even a second time. Have Ndigbo not been manipulated enough in this country? How long shall the powers-that-be continue to divide Ndigbo? Kalu is squabbling today that this habit and sundry are advised against in future elections. He stepped down from contesting the 2011 presidential election when it was obvious that majority of the Igbo personalities and organizations had shown interest to support President Goodluck Jonathan, an Ijawman, who was murmured had an intention for one term and, later, it would be the turn of

and Orji Uzor Kalu....People must learn to respect their the Igbo. But the darling of power seems to have entered Jonathan’s marrow and the same murmurings are making the rounds today that he wants to be president beyond 2015. Ndigbo from all walks of life, no matter where they were domiciled, gave Jonathan their maximum support in the 2011 elections, and it is expected that the president will, in turn, give them his support to be president in 2015. So, was Kalu right when he said that it would be an insult to the Igbo for anybody to feel that they cannot produce president in 2015? Kalu has been fighting for the unity of Nigeria against

BY ODIMEGWU ONWUMERE

more than the late Dim Chukwuemeka OdumegwuOjukwu did. And the late Ojukwu and Kalu have something in common – fearless and outspoken. Hence, Kalu is diplomatic and is much relevant in the Nigeria’s politics than certain bunch of political jobbers that spread across Nigeria. Kalu is one man who has stood a tested reputation by saying that he is a Nigerian when others were grabbing ethnicity, and this belief cost him a lot during his eight-year rule, as governor of Abia State, under the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo, who is Yoruba.

since the colonial rule to date can only come to an end, when the Igbo become the president. This is the reason Nigerians should rally round Kalu in making sure that this purpose is actualized, because injustice is not monopolistic.

ho knows whose turn this injustice will be tomorrow, if it is not nipped in the bud today? One thing with Kalu is that he has a humane heart. Those who have such a heart know that he has come out openly in recent times and said that Nigerians will get it right this time even if they could have made some mistakes in the

Have Ndigbo not been manipulated enough in this country? How long shall the powers-that-be continue to divide Ndigbo?

his own businesses and family for too long. He has always come out openly to call injustice by its name when others are clamouring for the debris they will get from government. Some people may be thinking the reason Kalu is fighting for the Igbo to produce the next president is because he wants to occupy the nation’s highest office.

his is far from the truth. Kalu has only declared that the injustices to Ndigbo

past. What do people know as an apology if not this? In earnest, he has pleaded for the peace and unity of Nigeria. Kalu’s attitude to saying that things will be right this time shows the Igbo adage that says, “Peace is for the elder to initiate”. And Kalu is suing for peace which should not be misconstrued for cowardice. No. He is doing this because of his love for this country. This is evident when majority of Ndigbo have said that Kalu is a man of peace and will lead them

eople must learn to respect their heroes. Kalu did not move against the third term agenda of Obasanjo, because he’s Igbo; but because he’s a Nigerian, who meant well for Nigeria. Thus, why should the proponents of the third term that Kalu was against now use it against the Igbo from becoming the next president? This is the bane! And Kalu from his bravado is not pleased with the agenda that the Igbo will not be president in 2015. This is not a tribal sentiment! And if there is any sentiment in Nigeria, it is not from the Igbo, but from those who have made it their duty that the Igbo will not produce the president. Anybody who does not see that Kalu is making a point is really making a mistake. Majority of the people are supporting Kalu for this rightful cause, because they could not see any magic those who come from other tribes have done as president, hence the Igbo should be given a chance, and also the foreign powers should leave Nigeria alone. Let Nigeria have faith in the Igbo, who have ever shown that they have confidence in themselves and, always, have supported the cause of people from other tribes.

or example, Kalu’s businesses are for-themost-part manned by people from other tribes. This does not mean that he hates the people of his tribe. Rather, he always wants to lead by example that the Igbo are not haters of people from other tribes. Conversely, Kalu should let the past be in the past, and continue with the crusade for the actualization of the Igbo president in the 2015 general elections. Every Nigerian should give him the maximum support that this crusade requires. This is the time the Igbo should be waiting for. No matter the party differences, all Nigerians should come together, and think about how the Igbo have been much humiliated in this country. Other tribes have achieved much leaving the Igbo to their industrious fate. Let the Igbo comeback to their senses and respect Kalu. He is speaking up for Nigeria.

PAGE 42—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012

They succeeded in showing that Yoruba are in disarray — Falae •Says Pa

Fasoranti is Southwest leader

BY ISHOLA BALOGUN

What is you view on the recent Yor uba National Assembly summit? N 1994, we prepared the Yoruba agenda. We stated the position of the Yoruba people; in 2005, we prepared yet another Yoruba agenda. I was a participant in that exercise. Again, in my book, ‘The Way Forward’, which I launched in 2003, I spelt out what Nigeria must do on the economy and the restructuring of the polity. In all these documents, the Yoruba agenda is clear and that was what echoed in Ibadan. You will recall the Yoruba Unity Forum, to which I belong, some months back, went to see the president with some South-South leaders and we spelt out the same thing that the Yoruba want return to regional government, to parliamentary government, part-time membership of the legislature, regional or state police. I argued in my book that as a state, I know of three police forces in Nigeria- the Nigeria Police Force, Western Regional Police Force and the police in Akure. So, this position has been agreed by the Yoruba since 1994. There is nothing new in it but it is good to re-emphasis it. Each time I had the chance to speak at any forum or event, I hammer the same point; and until Nigeria is restructured through a conference, we are going no where. So, what happened in Ibadan was a reechoeing of what the Yorubas have agreed in the last 25 years. But some people have argued that restructuring could lead to dismembering Nigeria.

Chief Olu Falae....The Yoruba have invested more in Nigeria than any other people

Baba R. S Fasoranti

I raised the same matter in my book that some people were of the view that a national conference will dismember Nigeria. And I say this is stupid because the Yoruba have invested more in Nigeria than any other people. And, therefore, what we want is not dismemberment, but restructuring by living together on terms that will mutually benefit all of us and that will not make anybody first class or second class; a system that will give us the opportunity to actualise our potentials. The truth is that the present structure cannot endure, we must change the system so that nobody will want to leave Nigeria. Don’t make me feel that I am imprisoned, if you make me feel I am in jail, I will want to get out of the jail. We want a system where all of us will feel at home and nobody will like to pull out. There seems to be a crack in the Yoruba leadership. How will this development help in achieving their position? The Yoruba crack has not just started. When the British got to Nigeria in the late nineteenth century, the Yoruba were not united. There were civil wars, the Ijaye war, Kiriji war, Ibadan war among others. We were fighting wars and in total disarray. The arrival of the British ended the civil war in Yorubaland. Later, the Egbe Omo Odudua and the Action Group later brought us together and gave a sense of belonging, sense of oneness. Unfortunately the Akintola/ Action Group crisis created another crack which we are still trying to manage up till today. Nobody wants to accept anybody’s leadership. Otherwise, the Ibadan meeting in my view was not necessary. My view was that if we were to speak with one

mind, we are already having the Yoruba Unity Forum. I am an Afenifere, but when the idea of YUF came as a forum where all of us could meet, Afenifere will try to attend the meeting; so also other groups. What happened in Ibadan could have been a joint thing so that all of us can speak with one voice. But some still want to have their own forum

FOLLOWING the outcome of the summit held in Ibadan recently by a group of Yoruba leaders, a former presidential candidate of the defunct Social Democratic Party, SDP, ex- Minister of Finance and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, slammed the conveners, saying they have only succeeded in showing Nigerians that the South-West politicians are in disarray. However, Falae, in this interview, agrees with the position of the assembly which, he said, is in concert with what the Yoruba have been agitating for in the last 25 years but insists that the parallel group should have carried everybody along.

the end of the day, we would have spoken with one voice. But they chose to speak in their own voice which is not different at all from what we have been saying for the past 25 years. As things are now, who is the leader of the Yoruba? It is for the followers to say this is our leader. I cannot say I am the leader. Anybody who

We want a system where all of us will feel at home and nobody will like to pull out

to have their own show, it is unfortunate. But since the YUF existed two years before, this one could not have come up. In fact, they could have come to Ikenne and say we want these changes and, at

says he is a leader is not a leader. In Afenifere, we have Papa Fasoranti as our leader. They are trying to create a parallel organisation, we don’t know why. It is just that some groups don’t want to

accept the Afenifere leadership as the leader of the Yoruba people. We have a leader, Baba R. S Fasoranti, who is one of the original Action Group members of Pa Awolowo. He was in detention with Pa Ajasin. Since 1951, he has never changed his party, a role model and a man of intergrity. Those are the attributes the Yoruba saw in their leaders. At the moment, Pa Fasoranti is our leader but some people say no,no!, they want somebody else. But who is that somebody else, we don’t know. So, if they want to know who their leader is, by age, experience, and qualification; it is Pa Fasoranti. What we can do is to come around him and we take a position together. I don’t hold any position in Afenifere and in Yoruba Unity Forum, I don’t have to hold any position but to make my contribution. There are some people who just want to be leaders. Let them come and open up. It is clear now that there is no difference in what we are saying and that of Ibadan Forum. So, why are we creating parrallel organisations, unless we don’t want to accept certain people as our leader. What is the way forward? General Akinrinade is my very good friend. We respect each other. When he came to me, I told him to get in touch with Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi who is the leader of Yoruba Unity Forum. Bishop Gbonigi worked with us in NADECO including Gen. Akinrinade. So, we worked together before and I thought the meeting will be a joint one that will show we don’t have any crack. But now, we have succeeded in advertising to the rest of Nigerians that we are in disarray. Now, when Olu Falae speaks, don’t listen to him and when Akinrinade speaks, don’t listen to him because he holds a different opinion in Ikenne. It is something we should avoid. It is not too late anyway, Gen. Akinrinade can get in touch with Bishop Gbonigi and the two of them can engineer the coming together of the two groups into a single Yoruba organisation.

We should be patient with Jonathan– Iboi BY EPHRAIM OSEJI Chief Okhue Iboi is the spokesperson for the Community of Nigerian White Witches. He wants Nigerians to be patient with President Goodluck Jonathan. Nigeria at 52. IGERIA is a great country. All we need to do is to just take things easy. I know things will soon turn around for good in this country, it is just a matter of time. I know that in the nearest future, Nigeria will be compared with other great countries of the world but we must put our heads together to work as one, love one another, be ready to make sacrifices and our leaders should put the country’s in-

Chief Okhue Iboi terest first and nor their own selfish interest The CBN In our meeting two weeks ago in Zamfara, we concluded that the Sanusi Lamido-led Central Bank of Nigeria should return the sold banks

to their owners. The former CBN governor did not sell any bank during his tenure, so we do not see any reason why Sanusi should sell the banks. The witches said that if they do not fight such a thing now, it will not be good for the country and if another CBN governor comes in after Sanusi, the person might also want to sell some other banks. On the 5000 Naira bank note, we are happy with the Federal Government and the National Assembly on the way they stopped it. We have looked into the printing spiritually and discovered that it will have no economic value to the country. If the introduction of that note was not stopped, it would have

Continues on page 43

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012, PAGE 43

'We should be patient with Jonathan' Goodluck Jonthan, you will see what will happen to them, they will return all the stolen money. 2015 Like I said before, Nigeria need to pray as they have never prayed before to avoid war, di-

We have seen it that the cabal in the oil sector, are under the protection of government

vision. Northerners are saying they have been cheated as they are supposed to produce the president, likewise other parts of the country. This particular issue will bring problem in 2015. Flooding God is angry with the country. It is a way to show that God is not happy with our leaders. God has so much blessed this country with abundant human and natural resources, but they have been mis-

used by our leaders. In the 70s and 80s, Nigeria was more involved in farming before the discovery of oil which has made all attention to be focused on oil. But our leaders will do things right, we will be better off. Bakassi Peninsula Bakassi will come back to Nigeria. We are praying for it to come back to Nigeria and we are doing every thing possible so that it will come back to the country because it is our right and it will benefit the country more. Can you imagine that, in the ICJ judgment, for the first time, an organ of the United Nations set up the foundation for people to be uprooted from their ancestral lands and to become refugees in their country? The Green Tree Agreement, while recognizing the need for amicable settlement of the dispute and the promotion of peaceful co-existence between Nigeria and Cameroon after the judgment, set out terms that completely violated the Bakassi society. How can you live like slave in your own country? These conditions by the ICJ are just nonsense, that Nigerians remain in their own country and become Cameroon citizens.

Beware of sycophants, Labour chief cautions Jonathan BY EPHRAIM OSEJI

resident Goodluck Jonathan has been advised to guard against being distracted and misled by economic and political sycophants in his government who left the last republic in controversial manner. This remark was made by the Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Edo State Chapter, Comrade B.F Kadiri during a chat with newsmen in Benin He maintained that President Jonathan should by now know the difference between the indices of a collapsing economy and developing economy, noting that, as the Commander-inChief, it is his duty to determine the direction of Nigerian economy and not to leave it or allow himself to be misled by a few people in his government and cabinet to run at the expense of the Nigerian people. Comrade Kadiri also ad-

vised President Jonathan to learn from the mistakes of the last republic where the people who claimed to be economic experts disappeared into thin air in a controversial manner. He asserted that these economic and political sycophants do not want him to succeed as Nigeria’s president saying since the beginning of the Jonathan government, Nigerians

have been witnessing economic contradiction and controversies as a result of the advice of the sycophants Comrade Kadiri further maintained that for President Jonathan to succeed, he should focus more on security and economic problems of Nigeria rather than listening to those who are fighting for their own selfish interest.

Daubry, Timi task FG on Delta flood

S flood continues to cause havoc in communities in Delta State, the member representing Burutu constituency11, Mr. Kennedy Daubry and Commissioner for Special Duties, DESOPADEC, Mr. Tonye Timi, yesterday appealed to the Federal Government to quickly salvage the devastating

situation. The duo spoke separately to newsmen at Patani when they visited the areas affected by the flood and camps set up by Delta State government for displaced victims They commended Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for propmt intervention and also sending relief materials.

The BLTs that count B

LT also known as Bites, Licks, and Tastes are the easiest ways to add weight and quickly move from a size 10 to a super large size. According to Beatrice, a middle aged mother “I found it a lot easier avoiding fatty and caloric foods as a single. Then I had some control over my excessive eating as I would decide not to cook, for me not to eat. i would only have lunch at work and after then eat very light for bed; I had my weight in check around the problematic areas of my body. But since I got married and started giving birth to children, I have started struggling a lot with my weight as there is always food in my kitchen to eat, which includes the left-overs from a child’s plate, tasting the cooked meat, taking afternoon sugary beverages and all the biscuits and chocolate I bite into once I am bored. All these extra calories are generally unaccounted for in my head but really do count and add up as body fat around my tummy, hips and arms. Since my husband started complaining of my weight I decided to stop the BLT,s that I indulge in in-between meals. I must not lose my youthful look faster than the strapping man I have for a husband. I would not want the busy-bodies call me “his older aunty” so soon when i can start a work-out to remain his sweet sixteen. The next time my hubby was to get me cake for my birthday, I requested for a dumbbell which I already improvised with a small-sized bottled water to shed my flabby and fat arms. I had to change my exercise time to 9pm after my family retired, since my daytime schedule became busier than ever. Doing the house

chores as a stay- athome- mum did not help to burn up the body fat as much as lying down to do the exercise circles and consistently feel the pressure on my hips and tummy at least thrice weekly.Doing my exercise with watching what went into my mouth daily was when I started loosing a considerable amount of weight.” There are instances when doctors have had to

brought a very big problem and confusion in the country. How do you relate a passenger coming down in a N50 bus and he/she will give an angry conductor N5000? It is really going to bring much fight and problem in the country, some commercial drivers will see it that you want to tell them that you have enough money. It will also cause increase in the prices of commodities. If you watch out, you will find out that since the introduction of N1000, N5 has no more value. Even a sachet of water now sells for N10. President Jonathan administration Nigerians are not patient. President Goodluck Jonathan wants to do a good job in Nigeria. Take note he will make the power sector one of the best in the world. He is a Godsent leader. He has good intention for the country; we should give him the chance to perform. He has a good heart but some sections of the country do not want to give him the opportunity to move Nigeria forward. Oil subsidy probe We have seen it that the cabal in the oil sector, are under the protection of government. After the leadership of President

Continued from page 42

Some women with weight problem tend to think it is in their gene to be fat but from researches done, weight problem is mainly as a result of what we eat

advice their patients to reduce their body fat in other to eliminate the symptoms and effect of some ailments, “so I have always admonished my self that too much body fat is actually sickening, so why don’t I control what I eat now to enjoy a healthy life later ”. Preventive measures are always better than cure. During my industrial Attachment with one of the giants in the oil industry, I noticed the amount of meat that one staff of the company is entitled to; a total of 4 large pieces of red meat in a plate of food was my entitlement every lunch hour as an IT student. Do the calculation of the

amount of meat a staff of that company would have consumed by the time of retirement and see why most of them retire with one health challenge or the other. Red meat is some how associated with the growth of cancerous cells and it is advised by experts to space out your meat intake for a period of 2 weeks if you must eat red meat as an adult. Instead take white meat like chicken and turkey . Some women with weight problem tend to think it is in their gene to be fat but from researches done, weight problem is mainly as a result of what we eat. Nigeria is blessed with a lot of starchy foods; oily and meaty soups is part of our daily staple and consuming them wisely can reduce weight problem from deteriorating into obesity, diabetes, heart failure and so on. Overweight issues are rather life threatening for us not to watch what we eat for the rest of our dear lives. According to experts, eat more fish, white meat, vegetables, beans, fruits , grounded wheat, plantain amala, oats, akamu (ogi) with a few drops of milk. if you must lose weight then a slice of bread with boiled egg with lots of veggies is enough for breakfast, remove milk, salt and sugar from your diet, half your normal plate of eba and fufu, cook your pot of stew with a few spoons of oil, juice your own drinks, eat salads without the cream,eat your chicken and turkey without the skin. Eat more greens and organic foods and less of canned foods.No fast or junk foods like cake, meatpie, egg roll, fried plantian (kpekere) Diligently take note of your daily food intakes coupled with a disciplined exercise plan and watch all the weight peeling off you.

PAGE 44—SUNDAY VANGUARD,OCTOBER 7, 2012

•Henry, a student, needs a girl, aged 17-25, for a seri-

•Kevin, 34, 5.9ft tall, dark in complexion, a business man, from Benue state, but resides in Lagos, needs a lady for fun. 07065257463 •Francis, 33, a born again Christian man, from Anambra state, needs a serious Christian, graduate lady, from Anambra or Imo state, for a serious relationship, that will lead to marriage. 08182454748 •Derek, 21, a student, from PH, needs a mature lady, aged 20-27, for a long term relationship.08139182302 •Oke, 37, a graduate, resides in Delta state, needs a lady, who is tall, beautiful, God fearing, a graduate and employed, for marriage, aged 27-29. 08061225410 •Elijah, 34, a musician, resides in Lagos, needs a handsome, sexy and rich lady that can sponsor his musical carrier, for a serious relation-

ous relationship. 08068601113 •A man, 52, needs a humble, God fearing, tall, slim, fair complexion, employed or business lady, aged 28-45, for marriage.08065795846 •A guy, needs a lady, to chat with, aged 23-30, for serious relationship.07035121244 •Udoka, needs a responsible and an educated girl, with a caring heart, for serious relationship. 08064052114, 08091136880 •Prince, 24, resides in Delta state, needs a wealthy and sincere girl, for a relationship, aged 18-25.07025886037, 08032645146 •Amon, 23, handsome, tall and attractive, from Edo state, needs a decent girl, from Edo state, for a serious relationship.08154677506, 08103556178 •Lucky, a producer and an artist, in Benin, needs a God fearing girl, for a relationship. 07059159296, 08093375934 •Martins, from Delta state, needs girl, aged 17-20, for a serious relationship. 07068518603 •Richey, 46, a businessman, needs a lady, aged 36-40, for a serious relationship. 08021360798

ship.07065827729 •Shola, 36, needs a romantic and caring, beautiful lady, who is willing to settle down for marriage.08171929991 •Moses dark in complexion, am 27, 5.8f tall, i need a mature beautiful God fearing female for a serious relationship, age 27-50 07069436398, 08029203053 •Axelen, 27, 6.2ft tall, dark in complexion and resides in Lagos, needs a mature and beautiful lady, for a serious relationship, aged 39-50. 08093087560, 08022131160 •Gabriel, 27, needs a pretty Jehovah’s Witness girl, aged 18-25.08155154289, 08082571497 •Peter, 34, self employed, needs a financially stable and busty lady, aged 30-38, for financial assistance and sexual relationship.07056308899 •Prince, 24, from Delta state, needs a wealthy and sincere girl, for a relationship, aged 18-25.08032645146, 07025886037 •Opeyemi, 30, resides in Lagos, needs a mature lady, who is loving, caring romantic and God fearing, for a serious relationship.08072353156, 08033794678. •Oluwafemi, 40, a business-

Secret Love

here is great sadness in wishing only that a secret love might bring a loved one a little happiness, rather than wishing that the secret love can be met and reciprocated. Some love are full of optimism and shout about the overwhelming power of love to unite people and overcome differences. But Secret love is a sad lament to an unrequited love. fully resigned to the secret love being unfulfilled. cheers! Networking/ Sponsorship

•Chy, 21, from Imo state, needs someone that will help in paying her school fees. 08136319261, 08130783719 •Emeka, from Anambra state, needs a lady, who can support him in a business. 08064191197 •Felix, a deaf student, needs financial assistance, for the completion of his education.08070724865 •Osas, a student, needs urgent financial assistance, to enable him do his project. .08088076055, 08189162208 •Jumoke, 23, dark in complexion, resides in Delta state, needs a good and responsible man to help finance her education 07036525804

above for a lasting relationship. 08133312980 •Chika, 25, 5.10ft tall, slim, chocolate in complexion, busty, well endowed and sexy, needs an intelligent man with high libido, aged 34 and above, for a relationship, no games please. 08056200609

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Links

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Lovers Searching Female

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

man, from Ondo state, needs a responsible lady, aged 2740, for serious relationship. 08078774168 •Prince, 24, from Delta state, needs a wealthy and sincere girl, for a relationship, aged 18 -25. 07025886037, 08032645146 •F man, 34, fun to be with, resides in Lagos, needs a God fearing and honest lady, with good sense of humour, that is ready to assist him financially, for serious relationship, that will lead to marriage. 08184337384,08064834253 •Benjamin, 29, tall, dark in complexion, from Anambra state, needs a God fearing, good looking and matured in mind.08065700612 •Brown, 24, tall and handsome, resides in Asaba, needs a girl in either Asaba or Onitsha, for a relationship. 08156007096, 08063559429 •Dagogo, 21, an undergraduate, needs a lady, for a serious relationship.08064746229 •Mike, 30, average height, from Delta state, needs a nice and sexy lady, for a serious relationship.08134146226, 08153059195 •Good luck, 21, needs a charming, hot, fat and dark in complexion lady, for a relationship, aged 40-80. 08057595032 •Williams, 39, a businessman, resides in Lagos, needs an employed lady, for an intimate relationship.08136034820 •Ikechukuw,36, 5.9ft tall, chocolate in complexion, a businessman, resides in Lagos, needs a lady, aged 3036, for a relationship. 08065746896 •Jeff, 45, from Edo state, needs a matured, responsible and educated lady from any tribe for marriage. 08033282523 •Prince, 48, employed, needs a pretty lady, aged 40 and above, for marriage. 08164627192 •CJ, 34, tall, from Warri, needs an employed lady, aged 2535, around Warri, for a relationship. 08036427350, 08056514611 •James, 24, resides in Lagos, needs a girl, aged 18-23, who is loving, caring, understanding and faithful, for a serious relationship.08191672260 •Darlington, 28, resides in Lagos, needs a girl that is tall, fair or chocolate, in complexion, aged 23-25, in Lagos, for a serious relationship. 08162589445 •Michael, 22, 6ft tall, chocolate in complexion, from Delta state, needs a matured lady, aged 25-60, for a serious relationship.07085796468, 08130813124 •Bob, 30, a graduate, from Delta state, needs a girl, aged 20-25, for a serious relationship. 08037378341 •Paul, 29, from Delta state, but resides in Lagos, needs a girl, aged 26, from Delta state, for a relationship.07065286859 •Tony, 25, needs a lady, aged 18-30, for serious relationship, in Lagos.08035001873 •A guy,19, handsome, needs a lady, aged 25-45. 08139166280 •Okus, 24, needs a faithful, God fearing and matured lady, for a serious relationship, aged 30-35. 08035949939 •Ferdinand, 36, cool, caring and resides in Abuja, needs a pretty lady, for a serious relationship, that will lead to marriage, aged 25-35.

08155740295, 08138218848 •Endurance, self employed, from Delta state, Urhobo, to be precise, needs an educated and matured Christian lady, either Urohbo or Isoko as a life partner.07065303475 •Chuks, matured, from south east, needs a mature and responsible lady, for a serious and meaningful relationship.08055315964 •Prince, 30, businessman, from warri, needs a lady for private relationship. 08059276130 •Ereba, 25, good looking, from Rivers state, in Port Harcourt, needs a good looking lady, that knows what love is all about, for a serious relationship, aged 30-45.08064341521 •Sam, 45, 6.3ft tall, needs a very rich lady, for a relationship, that will lead to marriage. 08020573740 •Nas, 27, needs a girl, who is beautiful, not fat or too slim, for a romantic and serious relationship that will lead to marriage.07067218849 •Alvin, 21, cute, romantic, sexy and from Delta state, needs a lady, for a relationship. 07065325395 •Junior, a student, needs a serious girl, for a relationship, aged 18-23. 07068077227 •Nonso, 35, a graduate, average height, chocolate in complexion and handsome, needs a rich lady, aged 22 and above, for a serious relationship, that will lead to marriage. 08153679515 •Kc, 33, resides in Lagos, needs a wife, aged 25-32. 08056247082 •Donald, 42, tall and kindhearted, needs a God fearing, beautiful, good mannered, tall, literate and chocolate or fair complexion lady, aged 25– 32. 07059411212 •Ovotu, 37, from Delta state, needs a lady, aged 26-29, for a relationship that will lead to marriage. 07071583867, 070361712241 •Oscar, 22, slim, tall, good looking, from Benin, needs a pretty lady, for a serious relationship.08185212718 •Prince, 22, handsome, from Delta state, needs a caring lady, who will take good care of him.07062618449 •Nd, 22, tall, handsome and resides in Delta state, needs a beautiful girl, aged 18-21, who resides in Delta state, for a serious relationship. 07062692513 •Teejay, 52, tall, slim, dark in complexion and an engineer, needs a mature, tall, chubby and independent lady, aged 40-50, for intimate relationship, in Lagos. 08064973720 •Ade, a graduate and an engineer, needs a honest Muslim lady, who is good looking, plump, fair complexion, busty and understands the Yoruba language, aged 19-25, for marriage.08078775379, 08095798670, 08065968873. •Richard, 35, needs a lady, aged 31-36, who will love him, for who he is, for a relationship 08066594196, 08028791431 •Shegun, 35, 5.8ft tall, employed and resides in Lagos, needs a fat and employed lady, from any tribe, for a serious relationship. 07044275396 •Kc, fair in complexion and handsome, needs a romantic, slim, loving and caring lady, aged 20-26, for a relationship. 08035276378 •Austine, 24, needs a cute lady, who is ready for a rela-

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER,7, 2012, PAGE 45

WEEKLY HOROSCOPE Joshua Adeyemo

God fearing and caring lady, aged 20-25, for a serious relationship, that will lead to marriage 07031111173 •Philip, 25, tall, handsome and from Anambra state, needs a girl, for serious relationship, aged18-25.08061629237 •A guy, handsome and needs a beautiful and caring girl, aged 18-19, for a relationship. 08167067273 •Kane, 29, honest, needs a caring lady, for a steady relationship. 08031373763 •Ben, needs a lady, for a relationship.08094383349 •Owolabi, 43, an engineer, from Akure, needs a God fearing lady, for a relationship. 07082879031 •Emx, 25, average height, from Delta state, needs a faithful and honest girl, aged 1923, for a serious relationship. 08128879366, 07053807789 •Gbolahan, 31, resides in Lagos, needs a God fearing lady, for a serious relationship, that will lead to marriage. 08085733616

Sugar Cares Searching Female

•A lady, 25, sexy, a graduate, pretty and well figured, needs a sugar daddy that is employed in any oil company, in Nigeria, to take care of her needs.08027655566, 08094404484

Searching Male

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needs a sexy sugar mummy. 08067691545 •Emmanuel, 23, needs a sugar mummy, who will take care of him.08073667035 •Desmond, 25, resides in Warri, needs a loving and caring sugar mummy. 07067472562 •Louis, needs a sugar mummy, who is wealthy, and beautiful, aged 37-45. 07053024041, 08131681720 •Tony, 28, tall, fair in complex-

ar mummy, who is romantic and can take care of him. 08109541388 •Tony, 28, a student, needs a sugar mummy, aged 35-50, to support him financially, from South -South region. 08062079129 •Paul, 23, good looking and resides in Lagos, needs a sugar mummy, who can take good care of hi needs. 08182048680 •Courage, 29, good looking

08056180139

About the Moon

ERIODS of the Moon’s fluctuation as given here-un der, are when unexpected frustrations and disappoint ments are possible .And those are the times when otherpeople should not be taken for granted. However if I write that such periods/days favour you, you have no cause to worry. Therefore you are advised to plan your week carefully. Such periods/days are: 1.37am to 10.34am of Monday (same day) 11.08am to 4.15pm of Wednesday. 11.47am to 2.04pm of Friday (Same day} During the week, Moon will go through CANCER, LEO AND VIRGO

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 22) BUSINESS; Your being careful is necessary. MONEY; Positive development indicated for you on Thursday. LOVE; It’s important you avoid confusion at home on Tuesday.

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and resides in Lagos, needs a caring sugar mummy who can sponsor his education. 08077514368 •Jedna, active and romantic, needs a sugar mummy that is honest, aged 40-45. 08102725626 •Suliaman, needs a sugar mummy, aged 35-40, for a relationship.07085398456 •A guy, resides in Warri, needs a nice and caring sugar mummy.07067638892 •Olumide, needs a rich and beautiful sugar mummy, who resides in either Abuja or Lagos.07065251978 •West, from Ogwashi-ukwu, needs a captivating and pretty sugar mummy, who is financially ok.08135753801 •A guy, 5ft tall, needs a sugar mummy, for a relationship, aged 30-40, from either Warri, Ughelli or Asaba. 08181709927 •Tony, 35, needs a sugar mummy, aged 28-46, for a relationship.08190453078 •Marvis, 23, tall, handsome, chocolate in complexion and from Delta state, needs a sugar mummy, aged 30-40. 07039465032, 08093004669 •Nelson, resides in Abia state, needs a sugar mummy, who reside in Abia state, for a relationship.08036369378 •Dilichukwu, 30, nice, caring and resides in Abuja, needs a sugar mummy, aged 30-50. 08066238290, 08101227788 •Diamond, 30, handsome and fun to be with, needs a good looking sugar mummy, for a serious relationship. 08067933628 •Vent, 30, dark in complexion, sexy and resides in Delta state, needs a sugar mummy. 08057873705 •Prince, 20, from Abia, needs a wealthy, romantic and sexy sugar mummy, for sponsorship and relationship, aged 30-45.08161398403 •Donald, tall, cute, nice and needs a nice and caring sugar mummy, who is romantic and financially ok, aged 30-50. 08163135460 Joe, 26, handsome, romantic, from Edo state, needs a sugar mummy to pet him. 08056639264, 08031519826, mummy.08105700181 •Vincent, 24, needs a sugar

BUSINESS; You’re becoming more and more forceful. MONEY; Carelessness’ll back-fire on Friday; watch it please. LOVE; Friends’ll bring you good opportunities come Thursday. SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec21) BUSINESS; Difficult opposition’ll give way eventually. MONEY; It’s important you don’t miss good opportunity on Monday. LOVE; Some of your superior colleagues may show green light. CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19) BUSINESS; You just have to show case your leadership talent. MONEY; Being secretive’ll help your cause tomorrow (Monday) LOVE; Good times’re here for unattached.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18) BUSINESS; It appears as you’re losing grip on others MONEY; Secretive deals back-fire painfully on Friday. LOVE; Resulting to forceful approach’ll worsen your case. PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 19) BUSINESS; Cold war within your base’ll start to give way. MONEY; Unexpected assistance’ll come your way on Thursday. LOVE; Your shinning period kick-starts this week.

ARIES ( Mar 20 – Apr 19) BUSINESS; Veterans within your base may be in touchy mood. MONEY; Success’ll knock at your door on Friday. LOVE; Now you must do away with recklessness and carelessness.

TAURUS ( Apr 20 – May 20) BUSINESS; Watch what you’re telling others today (Sunday) MONEY; Sunday morning can come today. Be steadfast. LOVE; Happiness is within your reach. Be bold enough. GEMINI (May 21 – June 20) BUSINESS; You’re in for a successful week; be business minded; MONEY; Today (Sunday) and Friday’ll make you happy. LOVE; Your being family minded’ll yield good results. CANCER (June 21 – July 22) BUSINESS; Forceful approach’ll pay if others’ll support you. MONEY; Take advantage of influential people around you. Good opportunity’ll come your way on Tuesday, but you must be more careful around weekend (Friday) LOVE; Your sex appeal is coming up very strongly; exploit it positively. LEO (Jul 23 – Aug 22) BUSINESS; Early part of the week’ll bring you remarkable success. MONEY; Take good advantage today (Sunday) when your luck ‘ll shine. LOVE; Watch your steps carefully on Saturday. Be tolerant. VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22) BUSINESS; Tough challenges’ll give way to better opportunities. MONEY; It’s important you avoid gambling with your source. LOVE; Although there’ll be mid-week challenges, you’ll win.

PAGE 46—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012

VIEWPOINT BY MONTY IDIONG

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

“Akwa Ibom is blessed with hardworking people who have achieved a lot and are proud of their state. I am so happy I came to Uyo to witness all that I have been hearing about the state. I am impressed. Akwa Ibom people are blessed with everything they need to be number one. They are really blessed.”

HAT paraphrases the sentiments expressed by a guest from a neighboring state, whom I met at the state banquet on September 23, 2012, the final event to mark the silver jubilee of the creation of Akwa Ibom State. He kept shaking his head in wonderment as he recounted his tour of the state capital. It emerged that he did his National Youth Service in Uyo in 2006. In 2012, six years later, he needed a tour guide to drive round the town, as he kept missing his way because of the transformation that had taken place in the city. I nodded in agreement. I myself had fallen victim when I returned from a three-year sojourn outside the country. By my own personal assessment, the state has moved well ahead of its contemporaries in many areas since its creation on September 23, 1987 by the Ibrahim Babangida administration. People from all walks of life and of varied back-

Akwa ibom: There is truly silver in this jubilee grounds and calling have expressed satisfaction with the tremendous progress achieved in the period of time. I would dare conclude that our heroes, who risked life and limb wrestling against socio-cultural and political prejudices in days of yore, fighting for self determination for their people, must be sleeping peacefully in their eternal rest. We have come a long way indeed. Generally, Akwa Ibom has been governed by men who strove to leave a mark. Given constraints of time, fi-

There is much to celebrate as Akwa Ibom State marks its birthday

ing on ground. And then there was Governor Godwin Abbe - focused, determined and aggressive. Who can forget the regime of son of the soil, Governor Idongesit Nkanga, who within eighteen short months drastically and positively changed the Uyo landscape, completing then edificial Ibom Hall, building the much yearned-for state secretariat, very aptly now named after him, and the IBB Road which is part of one of Uyo’s ring roads. Obong Akpan Isemin of bless-

Akwa Ibom people must not be complacent. It would be dangerous to fall into a false sense of “done and dusted

nances and other circumstances, the level of achievement has been varied from administration to administration. First was the regime of then Colonel Jonathan Tunde Ogbeha which laid the foundation in 1987, setting up the administrative framework of a brand new state from virtually noth-

ed memory, the first democratically-elected governor of the state succeeded Nkanga. Within the few months of his administration, he built a befitting office for core staff of the state administration and will be remembered for his concerted efforts to change the people’s mindset through his cul-

tural reorientation programme aimed at teaching Akwa Ibomites to abandon the traditional “etok” (small) syndrome, and instead, dream big dreams. For Military Administrator Yakubu Bako, emphasis was on health care and his signature project was the Uyo Teaching Hospital which now ranks highly as a secondary health care provider and centre for high-level study of medical sciences. Administrator Joseph Adeusi focused on education, establishing a school of arts and science. His successor John Ebiye will be remembered for Akwa Ibom House in Abuja, with a guest house and liaison office for the state in the nation’s capital city among other achievements. A low-income housing estate constructed by his regime has come to be known as Ebiye quarters. When Obong Victor Attah was sworn in as second democratically-elected governor of the state, expectations were high for superlative performance, given his antecedents. He did not disappoint.He set about laying the foundation anew for a 21st century Akwa Ibom State.

He is credited with spearheading the state’s hard-fought bid to have the dichotomy between on-shore and off-shore petroleum in the allocation of revenue from derivation, abolished. The Ibom Power Project, the Airport and Le Meriden Hotel, among others, were all part of his vision for the state. The current chief executive, Chief Godswill Akpabio has created a niche for himself in the annals of development strides in the state. His performance in the five years he has been in charge has impressed even some of his most consistent critics. He characterizes his administration’s breath-taking infrastructural development activities as uncommon transformation. He is right. The very visible infrastructural landmarks, constructed by his administration, have earned him accolades from far and wide. The sheer quantum of kilometers of roads crisscrossing the entire state is matched only by the high quality of the construction work itself. Thus, the state capital now bears a refreshingly modern look with well-built and well-lit roadways and flyovers. The journey is well under way, but there is still a long way to go. Akwa Ibom people must not be complacent. It would be dangerous to fall into a false sense of “done and dusted.” A very high bar has been set and the people must be careful and bold choosing their leaders. The momentum must not slack as they continue the good work, pushing, even further, the frontiers of development and progress in our state. Happy silver jubilee, beloved Akwa Abasi Ibom State! *Idiong can be reached via montyidiong@gmail.com

Power as universal key BY AMOS ALECHENU VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF Things are looking up on electricity generation.

T is not in doubt that pow er is the key to the devel opment of our country. It is so for every country. Electricity is the universal key for unlocking the doors of industrial growth and development. No nation with poor level of power generation and weak distribution machinery can make rapid economic and technological progress. For a very long time, this reality never dawned on us as a nation. And so we joked and toyed with the nation’s power sector. No government found it necessary to treat the development of the sector as a priority and address the rot that it had suffered for decades squarely until recently when President Goodluck Jonathan saw the need to do so. His administration seems to have done an accurate diagnosis of the malady that had crippled the power sector and found for

it the right medication. That medication, packaged and popularised as the Power Road Map, is proving an effective remedy for an obviously embarrassing national morass. There is now considerable improvement in power generation and distribution and consumers’ hope for better days ahead has been rekindled. A lot has happened and a lot more is expected to happen in the power sector given the huge amount of financial investment being committed to it. Architect Darius Dickson Ishaku, minister of state for power who is currently driving the government’s power rejuvenation programme, has used every opportunity he has had to inform Nigerians that the dawn of the era of stable power has finally come. Monday September 24 was one of such occasions and he told Nigerians when he spoke on the nation’s power dream and the expected explosion in the sector that the time of exhilaration was here. The envisaged power explosion would be far more monumental and beneficial to the country and its people than what has happened in the telecommunication sector following its deregulation. Ishaku wants

Nigerians to prepare themselves for this explosion and to take advantage of it to develop their businesses and create employment opportunities. The minister who spoke in Abuja at the launch of the Graduate Skills Development Programme of the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria, NAPTIN, assured

VIEWPOINT

dispensation in the country. Two hundred and forty young engineers including five women, are taking part in the programme. All states in the federation are represented in the scheme. Many other stakeholders in the power sector spoke glowingly of NAPTIN’s training scheme. They included Alhaji

The success of the bidding process has raised hopes that the envisaged new era of stable power supply in Nigeria will be achieved

that the success of the power privatisation agenda would lead to huge economic and industrial transformation. The Graduate Skills Development Programme designed by NAPTIN for engineering graduates is one of the ways the Ministry of Power is preparing for the power explosion. It is an intensive one year programme to equip participants with the practical knowledge needed for them to meet the needs of the new power

Isa Bello Sali, head of Service of the Federation who said the NAPTIN’s training programme was a product of foresight and urged participants not to allow the investment in their training to end up a waste of effort and resources. Reuben Okeke, director general of NAPTIN, said the process of selecting participants for the training was rigorous and transparent and those who finally got the nod to take part in the programme were

among the best engineering graduates from all the states of the federation. James Abiodun Olotu, chief executive officer of Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC, said access to electricity has become a basic human requirement worldwide and argued that any step that could lead to stability in electricity supply should be encouraged. Another fundamental step towards actualising the nation’s power dream was taken on September 25, a day after the NAPTIN’s training programme launch, in Abuja . The success of the bidding process has raised hopes that the envisaged new era of stable power supply in Nigeria will be achieved. All the companies are together bringing into the sector more than one billion dollars of investment. The joy of the success of this process is that the power sector will now be run as a commercial enterprise where efficient services would be provided and those who enjoy it would pay tariffs good enough to enable the investors profit from their investment. * Alechenu, a Public Affairs Analyst, lives in Abuja.

Contribution of not more than 1,200 words should be sent to sundayvanguard@yahoo.com

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012, PAGE 47

Adamawa: Massive ruling, no celebration BY AARON ARTIMAS VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF The tension created by election tribunal on Adamawa governship poll.

N July 25 2012, the Adamawa State elec tion tribunal delivered its verdict. It was impossible to describe the mood and expectations of both the protagonists and antagonists in the disputed election as they awaited the tribunal’s verdict. The so-called ethnic minorities (but collective majorities), had expected a judgment which would have ended what they have always perceived as an oppressive, discriminatory and exclusive regime foisted on them. To Governor Murtala Nyako, anything short of victory portended grave danger to members of his regime and the interests the government claimed to represent. In fact, he was alleged to have stayed

away from the state, while the trial lasted, desperately craving the intervention of some powerful leaders around the country and whipping up ethnic and moral sentiments. Since its creation in 1976, Adamawa State has never been polarized along ethnic and religious lines as it is under Nyako, an over seventy year old man who should have been a father figure to all diverse groups in the state, rather than the divisive politics he has played. Perhaps it is because of insalubrious environment that the late Asaph Zadok hypothetically described the state as ‘the last bus stop before hell’.

uring the trial, the ACN candidate, Engineer Markus Gundiri, and his party believed they had presented a water tight case of massive rigging against the PDP and its candidate. The ACN legal team had extracted a major concession from the tribunal, for a forensic recount of the entire votes cast during the election. INEC was ordered to make all ballot papers available to the ACN legal team for the re-

count, but INEC soon sabotaged the effort after the votes in respect of three local government areas were re-counted.

he INEC staff locked up their offices and disappeared, leaving eight Local government ballot papers uncounted, even after ACN got

VIEWPOINT

three thousand votes. Imagine the severity of stealing from twenty-three thousand people.

or instance, it was estab lished that the certified true copies of registers of voters produced by INEC as used for the conduct of the February 4th 2012, governorship elec-

INEC’s brazen disobedience of the tribunal’s order was a clear evidence of culpability and it was enough to dismiss the election as discredited

the nod from the tribunal to recount the remaining eight. INEC allowed it to re-count five local governments refusing to allow the re-count of Yola-South, Yola-North and Girei. Even with this major setback, it was established from the re-count that the ACN led PDP by over twenty-

tion, revealed that in 31 polling units, across 21 wards, in 7 Local government areas, while results were posted on the respective forms, no voter was ticked to have voted. But while delivery his controversial ruling, the tribunal chairman, Justice Bitrus Sanga, found “sufficient” grounds

to dismiss the election despite the avalanche of evidence before him. The tribunal also blamed ACN for not insisting on sanctioning INEC for disrespecting its order to make available election materials for forensic scrutiny. This is bizarre. Somebody slapped you on the face and you blame another person for not raising the alarm over it. The tribunal was desperately looking for a straw to hang on, so as not be swept away in the tidal wave of condemnation for a shoddy job. It was like searching for a few grains of evidence in one hundred bags of chaffs. INEC’s brazen disobedience of the tribunal’s order was a clear evidence of culpability and it was enough to dismiss the election as discredited. And Nyako? He sneaked back into Yola without the noisy crowd which usually received him at the airport. It was like winning a boxing contest and ending upon crutches and heavy bandages across the face. This, indeed, was a real breathless and chocking experience. * Artimas is resident in Jalingo, Taraba State.

Angelina Imuekemhe: 1932 - 2012 BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

TRIBUTE IN BRIEF The life and times of the mother of Edo SSG.

HEN beggars die, there are no comets seen, the heavens blaze themselves upon the death of Princes”. These were the words of the famous English playwright, Williams Shakespeare, in one of his famous plays, “Julius Caesar”, and it came to fore recently at the hilly town of Ikabigbo - Uziarue in Estako West local government area of Edo State when Mrs. Angelina Imuekemhe, the mother of the Secretary to the Edo State Government, Dr. Simon Imuekemhe, passed on. Indeed, the ‘ world’ did quake when Mrs. Imuekemhe, aged 80, died on May 28, 2012 as tributes and condolence messages from Edo State and all over the country poured into the residence of the SSG, eulogizing the woman who many said touched the

lives of those who crossed her path. One of such condolence messages was from the Comrade Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, who wrote, “Madam Imuokemhe would naturally be missed by you, her family and the community, towards whom she dispensed so much affection and charity. You must be proud that she is leaving behind cher-

VIEWPOINT

a Christian is only a passage onto a higher life for Christ assures that “anyone who believes in me, even though he dies, yet will he live’. Your mother has gone ahead of you to meet the Lord in he place where there will be no more tears, and there she can best intercede for you” The late Mrs. Angelina Imuekemhe was born in 1932

As a woman of high character and wisdom, she realized early enough that her children’s adult life will be largely shaped by the amount and quality of advice they received, hence she constantly advised her children

ished memories and remarkable legacies, foremost among her legacies is an outstanding son of distinguished value”. On his part, the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Benin, Most Rev. (Dr.) Augustine Akubeze, wrote in his condolence message: “The death of

into the Izuagie family of Afasho – Uziarue in today Estako- West local government area of Edo State, but unfortunately lost her mother at a tender age. As a result, she had to live with her aunt, Madam Okhapeme until her marriage to Mr. Philip Im-

uekemhe in the 1950s. As a woman of high character and wisdom, she realized early enough that her children’s adult life will be largely shaped by the amount and quality of advice they received, hence she constantly advised her children: ‘Stay away from blood money, do not take what does not belong to you. It is only what God gives you through hard work that can stay with you’. “With her disciplinarian husband always away for work, she exercised robust self-discipline and will power and leadership and these qualities enabled her to handle the home front in her husband’s absence. Her passion to live consistently with her values of hard work and honesty was balanced by her desire to ensure that these values were internalized in her children. She embraced the need to involve God in this project, hence she inculcated in them Christian values and rough them up in the fear of God”, Dr. Imuekheme said in a tribute to her mother. At the requiem mass at the

St. Michael Catholic Church, Ikabigbo, organized for her, the first Bible reading was taken by the eldest son, Dr. Imuekhemhe. In his homily, the VicarGeneral of the Auchi Diocese of the Catholic Church, Rev. Father Isaac Bosey, who represented the Diocesan Bishop, Most Rev. (Dr.), Gabriel Dunia, he advised the congregation to emulate the life of Mrs. Imuekheme by always doing what is right. Indeed, the burial ceremonies for the late Mrs. Imuekhemhe had the trappings reserved for princesses. It attracted the ‘ who is who’ in Edo State, including Oshiomhole, his deputy, Rt. Hon (Dr.) Pius Odubu, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Uyi Igbe, Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Cromwell Idahosa, Head of Service, Princess (Mrs.) Ekiuwa Inneh and her husband, Mr. Daniel Inneh, Justice Otabor Olubor, representatives of the Oba of Benin and the Odionwere of Benin, Chief David Edebiri, his class mates, professional colleagues and club members and others too numerous to mention.

PAGE 48—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012

chimeena@yahoo.com

BY MCPHILIPS NWACHUKWU INTERVIEW INTERVIEW

Dr Chris Anyokwu teaches African Poetry, African literature and literary theory at the Department of English, University of Lagos. He is the author of A Parade of Madmen, Homecoming, Ufuoma, Termites and Ol’Soja and Other stories. In this interview, the seminal scholar and writer speaks about a number of disturbing trends in contemporary Nigerian literature. He talks about the function of literature in an environmentally changing and cyber redefined world, Niger delta and about the state of criticism in Nigeria. Excerpt:

s a Writer and scholar of literature, how would you explain the role of literature in this cyber and globally changing age? Literature is a major aspect of cultural production. And of course, culture is the sum total of a peoples way of life. To say that literature will not have a say in the digital age might not be correct. The thing is that the producers and consumers of literature have the duty to the phenomenon called literature. I feel that the onus lies on the producers and consumers of literature to ensure that literature enjoys longevity in the digital era. Having said that, I believe that the timeless relevance of the written word will always make literature stand in excellent place no matter the challenge posed by digitilisation. One should think that the canonisation of particular form of imaginative works as environmental literature has become a new template for drawing attention of creative writers to the new defining roles of writers in the present era. How popular is this new trend in the country’s literary academy? Well, there was something that I read in England in a book shop, where one man alleged that the black man is incapable of an original idea. That whatever the white man says or does is usually reactive or reflective of the western imagination. I don’t think that is completely true. But to some extent, the term you just used, environmental literature is not a theoretic construct minted or coined here on the African homeland. Usually, people seem to wait for western scholars to come up with something before they begin to think about how to adopt it into their own local environments.

aving said that, I still do not think what you might call environmental literature being taught or referred to in the African academy or the African literary establishment as it is. Yes, we are aware of what you might call eco criticism or eco poetics and of course other things like

Dr Chris Anyokwu.... There is a global collapse of intellectual riguor and culture of excellence in Nigeria.

Writers of the old generation are better than the present — Chris Anyokwu that. But these things are still at their incipient stages. They are not yet enjoying mainstream attention from university faculties so to speak. But at individual level, you find scholars researching into

body of writing. I have contributed to that. I wrote a play , which is an adaptation, or a generic transposition of JP Clark’s, Night Rain. The title of the play is Night Rain. It is on the Niger Delta.

For a term to enjoy respectability and to get into the critical lexicon of scholarship, it has to be discussed at fora, symposia and be published in reputable local and international journals

these areas based upon what they read online. And when they travel abroad, they meet scholars, where they exchange ideas bothering on some of these emerging trends. And when they come back they try to establish such ideas at home. But for now, I must say, that the phenomenon is still quite rudimentary. How can one divorce the whole of this argument from the corpus of works being written in Nigeria and studied as Niger Delta literature. Is there anything like Niger Delta literature? There is nothing like Niger Delta literature. We might say that Niger Delta crises has spawned and created a whole

I know that Tanure Ojaide, Ahmed Yerima,Ibiwari, Ikriko, Nimmo Bassey, Tess Onwueme, and a whole lot of other writers have written on the Niger Delta. But to say that we have what is called Niger Delta literature, may be a new fangled literary term that people want to catch up with so that people will begin to band it about hoping that with time it will begin to enjoy intellectual respectability. But to the best of my knowledge, I do no think that we have anything called ,Niger Delta literature. For a term to enjoy respectability and to get into the critical lexicon of scholarship, it has to be discussed at fora, symposia and

be published in reputable local and international journals. So, I really do not think that such has been done for us to say that we have Niger Delta literature. But like I said , we have a growing body of works in prose fiction , drama and poetry dedicated to the Niger Delta crises. Geographically speaking, who are the writers that should be classified as Niger Delta writers given that such a trend exists? Let us assume that it is reductive and very parochial and provincial for one to say that there is a Niger Delta literature. Otherwise, you will be cutting yourself away from the larger Nigerian environment to just maroon yourself into your Niger Delta cocoon. What is important is that you are writing Nigerian literature and that you are from the Niger Delta and that this literature focuses specifically on this aspect of Nigeria’s social life. I think that is okay in that regard.

rom your position as a scholar and writer, what is your assessment of the state of Nigerian contemporary criticism? Well, we all know that right now , everything seem to be in abeyance. The country seems to be going down hill not only in the realm of research, but also both politi-

cally, sports etc. there is a global collapse of intellectual riguor and culture of excellence in Nigeria. But I must say that the past is better than the present. And that is true. When you look at the writings of Wole Soyinka, Achebe and members of their generation, when you pick up their works to read , you find out that their works are better than what is produced now. A number of reasons can be adduced for this: a culture of excellence was there. They had better teachers, who were expatriates. They had better environment. Even when they started writing, they had reverence for the written word. They also had mentors, people they looked up to as their role models, particularly from abroad and they wanted to write like them. But these days, people are not taking time to learn their craft. For you to be a great writer, you must be an amalgam of the historian and the philosopher. If you have not taken time to reflect, and I tell you what, because of the age in which we live: the age of being on the go, people are always moving and they don’t indulge in reflection. They don’t enjoy the culture of reflection, of sitting down to reflect about their idea streams and try to understand human psychology. How then can they as writers function effectively as the spokes men and women of their generation?

hen you look at all of these, you find out that people have not really gone to the best schools, have not learnt their craft well and do not have role models to look up to and that the structures of publishing are not there. The effect of all these is poor works. If for instance, you place Achebe’s Things Fall Apart side by side with any of the new works of today, you will find out that it is many light years ahead. If you also talk about criticism, for you to be a good critic, you must also have learnt your craft by studying the masters. If you read Longinus and Horace, they will tell you that for you to be a great critic, you must learn from the masters. How much of the works of Nigerian masters: Ernest Emenyonu, Abiola Irele, Biodun Jeyifo, Charles Nnolim, Donatus Nwoga, Izabaye, Emmanuel Obiechina , have you read? Also how much of the expatriate critics like T.S.Eliot, Matthew Arnold, Shirley etc, have you read? You as a critic must have read all of these critics and be mimicking them so that over time you would have achieved your own individual voice. So, as it is in the creative terrain, so it is in the critical clime that one can rarely have critics, who have the cutting age intelligence to do thorough work that can stand the same ground with the works of the masters.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012, PAGE 49

chimeena@yahoo.com

Stage performance of The Bridge written and choreographed by Arnold Udoka by National Troupe of Nigeria to mark Nigeria's 52nd independence anniversary at the National Theatre Iganmu

Debacle of Choreography in Nigerian Theatre Practice BY ARNOLD B. UDOKA THEA TRE THEATRE

he deteriorating significance of the choreographic art in contemporary theatre practice in Nigeria is worrisome. As opposed to its centrality in the cultures of Nigeria before colonialism, dance has been subordinated under the other performative forms in contemporary times. Its subordination as a result of education policies means that the art that creates the dance naturally is reduced to insignificance thus checkmating its development, progress and contribution to humanity. An argument might be proposed to the contrary that numerous dance performances have been witnessed in the post colonial decades. But what makes the dance visible and intelligible? It must be made clear from the onset that this is why the concern of this paper is not about dance performances, but the art responsible for the creation of the dance. This art is lacking both in quality, quantity and leadership due largely to the absence of trained personnel in contemporary Nigerian society. All art forms have principles, elements, structures, theories, history; the choreographic art is no exception. For this reason and in the light of the new social dispensation, a proper system of knowledge transfer and acquisition is the only approach to generate prospects for those interested in such course of study. The educational policy in operation and curricula which are to replace and correct their parochial colonial predecessors also treat the subject as anathema or are

designed by persons who are entrusted with the moulding of the Nigerian character, but by their collective judgement does not recommend the choreographic art as a subject area and why it should be treated as such. With the benefit of hindsight, the lack of the feature-value of choreography in the curricula is a carryover of colonialinstitutionalized campaign against and devaluation of Nigeria's cultural realities and the basis of her humanity. The result is the growing population of charlatans who have brought this art form into disrepute and public

Since fine arts, music and literature were canonized in the colonial education policy for Nigeria at the primary and secondary levels, why not choreography

odium. he scholars of choreography are not unaware of the efforts of Western historians, social anthropologists, administrators and other major and minor scholars at denigrating the significance of Nigerian dance craft in order to justify the barbaric labels which they invented based on racist considerations, skewed aesthetic values and outright ignorance. The goal had always been to provide the basis for the formulation of policies that would lead to the formatting of indigenous choreographic phenomena. By the end of the 1800s, how and what would constitute Nigerian culture had been decided; the Westward view was to supplant the indigenous views and realities.

Nigerian cultural heritage and creative aspects were relegated and the choreographic art being the iconic purveyor of the motifs of the basis of the nature and realities of Nigerians was to face all arsenals of denigration chief being the creation of the Nigerian elite class. With the creation of the elite class, the "fetish" label finally hung on the choreographic mode. Choreography was not on the 'eessential' or priority list and therefore, had no elite representative. Since fine arts, music and literature were canonized in the colonial education

choreographic approaches in favour of the invading European versions? The excuse could be that in the area of dance, its concern was limited to ethnography and anthropology. Or was it a result of the vulnerability of the first generation of Nigerian intellectuals who configured their instructional lodestone on European academism than on inspiration or synthesis? Questions, questions and questions.

BOOK OF THE WEEK

policy for Nigeria at the primary and secondary levels, why not choreography? It is apparent that the products from those three subject areas are responsible for Nigeria's global acclaim in the arts today. Why does the education policy continuously diminish the choreographic art and stunt the growth of the dance to this day? Sadly too, the choreographic element has never been given any regard in research or discussed in the numerous Nigeria Magazine publications from its first issue in 1927 in which in every edition Nigerian dances seem to be the flagship. Was this publication's celebration of dance a facade, while tacitly neglecting the concept and forms of Nigerian indigenous

Title: There Was A Countryâ&#x20AC;Ś A Personal History of Biafra Authour: Chinua Achebe Publisher: The Penguin Press, New York,2012 Pages: 333

his grand narrative written in the lucid style of Achebe chronicles the history of important epochs in the last century. Through personal records, the Master story teller in this 333 pages autobiography takes the reader on a journey of two historic intercessions: the making and collapse of two nations: Nigeria and Biafra.

PAGE 50—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012

Life Is A Tragedy For Those Who Feel, And A Comedy For Those Who Think —JEAN DE LA

My saddest day as First Lady, by Obioma Liyel Imoke M

rs. Obioma Liyel Imoke, wife of Gov ernor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, is regarded as mother Theresa of the state. She floated many non-governmental organisations that touch the lives of women and young girls. In this interview, she speaks on her mandate and saddest moment as First Lady. Excerpts: For about five years now, you have floated many nongovernmental organisations. Can we know some of them and how far you have touched lives through them? When I came to Cross River State with my husband, I ensured that everything I did complemented his efforts. If you know my husband very well, he is very passionate about the downtrodden and the people he believes need government more. He is very passionate about seventy per cent of the people that voted for him who are actually not in the urban areas. So he has that in my psyche and so my main focus when I came here was to look at the best way to get back to the grassroots, these are the people that are targeted that should really experience government. And in a bid to do that, we decided to do a baseline data of what was happening in Cross River State, what the women do and so on. In the process, we realized that it is very important that if you empower a woman, you are not just touching the woman herself, you are going to be touching her family, her husband and children, and, of course, the children are the future of any nation, so you are invariably touching the nation and so I decided that I was going to focus on women in a holistic way. We have a slogan that says ‘put more money in the hands of a woman’. I believe that the passion

comes from buying into what my husband is doing and the desire to see things better for people who need to be attended to. We initiated a programme called Partnership Opportunities for Women Empowerment Realization (POWER). It is a holistic way of empowering women. I believe in partnerships. What I set out to do was not to teach women new things but to help them to take what they are doing to another level basically and so we initiated POWER and our baseline survey shows that more than 72 per cent of the women in Cross River State are farmers; we needed to start our interventions through farming. But, in the process of this holistic approach, we have had to look into several other incidents and issues that had come up from this programme. For instance, when we started talking to women about farming and what they were supposed to do, we realized that they were taking their children to farming, and, for us in Cross River State, government has initiated a free and compulsory education programme, so I did not understand why they were not taking advantage of it; and so we had to go out there and advocate for these children to be put in school. There was a huge job to be done and so, we initiated a programme called A State Fit for A Child (ASFAC). And this again is a holistic approach to ensuring that the child, even

from in the womb, to coming out, to being in the school years, to adolescence, gets a total package as the government is able to give to him to ensure that our state remains fit for a child and is childfriendly Dead baby In the process of looking at Cross River State being a so-

By By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Calabar

My first experience was that one of my staff called me and said they just found a baby in a trash can. And I said: ‘Bring the baby to my house’. She called me back and said the baby was dead

ciety for a child, we realized again that a lot of children were being abandoned on the streets. When I say children, I mean babies, infants. My first experience was that one of my staff called me and said they just found a baby in a

Obioma Liyel Imoke....I was a bit confused. trash can. I was a bit confused. I had never experienced that before. And I said: ‘Bring the baby to my house’. She called me back and said the baby was dead and I didn’t understand it. I made some investigations and I found out that it was something that was common. Some of the girls that get pregnant, they hide it from their parents or get kicked out of their homes and so they want to have those babies and throw them away so that nobody knows. And we are talking about MDGs, we are talking about a state that is fit for a child, I don’t think a child is a mistake. My belief and understanding is, perhaps, there may be parents that are illegitimate, but I don’t believe any child is illegitimate. I don’t believe that God made a mistake by bringing a child into the world. So, I began to think how to stop people from killing children because if you don’t get to the children in time, they die. I looked at a situation where I could reach out to young girls, teenagers and young adults and talk to them about how to take pride in themselves and not engage in casual sex or what we call premarital sex. It was really difficult for me. But there and then, they were the ones that had engaged in premarital sex and had gotten pregnant. So, we said what do we do with them? Do we kick them out? So we found a way of rehabilitating them. So we started another programme called Mothers Against Child Abandonment (MACA). In this programme, we have two homes which are the Refuge Baby and the Refuge Girls. At the Refuge Girls, we keep young girls who are pregnant and we teach them life skills, we teach them vocational skills to enable them live independently forever when

Obioma ....There was a huge job to be done

Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see. - Arthur Schopenhauer

they leave. One of the important things we tell them as they come in and go through our counseling is that we hope they would take their babies with them when they are leaving, and we are going to help them if they need help looking after their babies. And I believe that the programme has been able to save quite a number of lives and I believe we have also been able to rehabilitate a good number of our children, young girls and some of them have gone back to school. In a bid to do this, we thought it would be good if they have someone like a role model. So we initiated the Calabar Carnival Queen (CCQ). It is not beauty pageant. It is a pageant where we choose someone to be a role model for young ones in Cross River State, and so, after the pageant and we choose our Carnival Queen, her project that whole year is to go to schools and talk to young girls about the ills of casual and premarital sex. We preach abstinence because we know it is the only way to avoid unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and one of the best way of avoiding HIV/AIDS and all sorts of other ills that come from casual sex. And so that programme, CCQ, is under MACA. It never stopped because there is always need and so, one day, I was sitting in my house and my child was sick. I kept looking at this child and she was getting worse. So I called my doctor and said I didn’t know what was wrong with my daughter that she was deteriorating and he said I should bring her. I took her to the emergency room of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, and he took one

Continues on page 51

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012,PAGE 51

Life Is A Tragedy For Those Who Feel, And A Comedy For Those Who Think —JEAN DE LA

'It is illegal to deprive widows of properties' look at her and said the baby had pneumonia. I was surprised. I thought pneumonia was for people who had exposed themselves to cold for a very long time. I went round to see the other kids in the hospital and every one of them had pneumonia. They were at least 18 babies. Pneumonia I was there for two hours and in the two hours, two children died. The doctor then started telling me about pneumonia. What I found fascinating about it was one, that it is preventable and two, it is curable and yet children were dying. So, by the time he gave me the statistics, it was scary, because he was telling me 20 children die every hour from pneumonia. Now that is ridiculous for a disease that is preventable and treatable. So I decided that why don’t we take this up and again get women to understand that their children do not have to have pneumonia, so we started a statewide advocacy to enlighten women on what pneumonia is all about, how you can prevent it, how to identify and treat it and so on. We tagged that pro gramme, Breath of Life, because we want the child to breath and live. And that again was in our bid to make Cross River State fit to live for every woman and every child. Then again, I got a call from UNICEF saying we have street children in Calabar. I said we didn’t, unless they were talking about another state. So they said they were going to send someone to me to take me to where these children were. I didn’t believe them. They took me to the back of Okoi Arikpo House and I saw about 36 children were staying there. I interviewed some of them and some said their parents had died, their aunties do not want them, they ran away from home for whatever reason. Quite frankly it was not a very good sight and I promised them that I would get them out of there and into a home by Independence Day

which I didn’t do. But one of the things I did was that we were able to give them food on a daily basis. Because they needed food, people were using them to make money to get food. They were running drugs. They were doing all sorts of things just to be able to make money. So, we established a resettlement home, Destiny Child Centre, for the reintegration and rehabilitation of street children and we moved them into that home on the 16th of October 2009, and, presently, there are over 100 children there. The good news is that they are all in school or there are some in vocational skills training. We have a few that have graduated from

Continued from page 50

properties from them, so I decided to put something together that will assist them especially when they are being maltreated or where they are having a rough time just because their husbands died. We established an initiative which we called Giving Life Options to Widows (GLOW). Basically we want to not just focus on women but this set particular set of women who are disadvantaged just by the mere fact that their husbands died. Some are ostracized, some are even stigmatized because they are widows and they are not able to access funds and facilities the way other women are able to. We want to make a conscious effort to get these things to

There was this doctor in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, who had literally written to everybody he could possibly write to saying I was trafficking children. It just didn’t make sense

vocational skills training and we applied for jobs for them in technical companies and all that. We thank God their lives are better. We have also been able to reunite some of them with their parents because that is the end result we are looking at, and get them to live happily ever after. Life options As God would have it, we are doing these interventions for women, and I thought there are a group of women that I have not really heard much about. And these are the widows. During our last campaigns, I did a lot of sensitization with the widows and found out from them what it was that they really needed, and we found that there were regular people. Farmers, traders and so on. Then in some areas when their husbands died, they were inherited from their homes which is illegal. It is illegal to take

them so that they can live without finish that their lives ended when their husbands died. It is always more difficult for the widows than the widowers. So with all these we hope we can improve the lives of the people of Cross River State. When we started we would probably pick up a child every month. I don’t think we have more than two children that have died this year from being abandoned. For instance, our home for teenage girls presently, we have just one girl. Normally, it would be six or so. I believe we are beginning to make impact. The CCQ works very hard. I believe we are on the right track. What have been your challenges? They have been many. Of course you know the Office of the Wife of the Governor is not constitutionally approved.

Obioma Liyel Imoke.....Why would you refuse to care for your child that did not choose you to have him or her? And like I have said, I have seen it as a duty to complement what my husband is doing. But most of these things are capital and personnel intensive, well trained and high tech personnel. We had a doctor, a psychiatrist, who started with us and, within a year, he passed on. It was a big setback for us because he was able to work with the children and find out what was going on, because if you get a child off the street raw, it is a crazy experience. We also have challenges of parents who could not live up to their responsibilities. They just don’t want those kids. I have never seen anything like that. We struggled to get the Child Rights Act and we really need to begin implementing that Act. Why would you refuse to care for your child that did not choose you to have him or her? You chose to make it happen. I have heard reasons as ridiculous as the child is very stubborn. So these are some of the challenges. It is heart breaking even for the child.

f course you know that is this life, we have all sorts of people and I just put it down to the devil’s advocate, because I believe I came fully to Cross River State about five years ago and I believe these things did not just start happening when I got here. They have been happening since and I decided to try and curb this situation, taking children off the streets, taking babies off the streets, help young girls, and then you find people misinterpreting what you are doing; it is not just insulting, but it is also heart-breaking. You ask yourself, where were they when the children were being abandoned on the road? What had they done to the mothers and fathers of those children who would not have them back? You know, I don’t understand it, this twisting of what you are doing to make it look as if you

are doing something bad, it is quite demoralizing. That to me has been one of the greatest challenges that we have had. What has been your saddest moment as First Lady? I had a very sad day one day. I actually called my husband and told him, ‘you know what; I am going to leave this. I don’t want people writing and talking about me’. There was this doctor in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, who had literally written to everybody he could possibly write to saying I was trafficking children. It just didn’t make sense. I couldn’t understand the wickedness behind that. I called my husband and said I was shutting down everything. He came back from work early that day to come and counsel. To me, that has been my saddest day. How could one think about such a thing? It is evil. If you are such a great activist, the children being abandoned all over, what have you done to save their lives? We cannot be perfect but we are trying to do what we know is right. We have young girls who come with absolutely nothing. We start from the beginning, we buy them clothes, we clean them up, and we send them to hospital to do their medicals. We beg them, it is on their forms, and our first choice is that you take your child with you. And we don’t take anybody twice because we believe that when pass through our programme you should be able to respect your body and all that. So you ask yourself how people come up with these things. We have a no exchange policy. Even to thank us we are okay. We know why we are doing it. It is to save that child’s life. We never exchange money, gifts or anything for those children. But I got past that. Too bad for the detractors. I am going to do what God has asked me to do and I will do it well.

52 — SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 7, 2012

Chelsea too hot for Norwich, extend lead C

HELSEA put their off-field troubles aside as they emphatically beat struggling Norwich to continue to set the Premier League pace. John Terry and Ashley Cole started for the home side but they went behind when Grant Holt drove in a 15-yard shot. Chelsea hit back with a Fernando Torres header and Frank Lampard drilled in an 18-yard shot to extend the Blues lead. Juan Mata set up Eden Hazard to slot in a third before Branislav Ivanovic powered in Chelsea’s fourth. The playmaking trio of Mata, Hazard and Oscar buzzed around with an incisiveness and invention that Norwich could not handle with the former particularly prominent. Mata has four goals and five assists in the last five games and the stylish Spaniard was the main orchestrator as his side secured a sixth top-flight

win in seven. Norwich were left still searching for a first league victory of the season and manager Chris Hughton will be concerned at the leaking of 17 goals so far this campaign. The victory for Chelsea will also be a relief for the Stamford Bridge side af-

ter the previous day’s troubles. The club had first heard the Football Association’s ruling that John Terry’s evidence was “improbable, implausible and contrived” in the hearing over whether the defender racially abused QPR’s Anton Ferdinand.

Man City pound Sunderland

ANCHESTER City returned to form with a deserved victory over Sunderland thanks to goals from Aleksandar Kolarov, Sergio Aguero and James Milner. The Premier League champions had won just one of their previous six matches in all competitions but were fine value for this win. Kolarov’s free-kick gave City an early lead and substitute Aguero made it two with a neat finish after half-time.

Milner’s set-piece was deflected in by Craig Gardner to seal the points. Roberto Mancini’s men had numerous chances to improve the scoreline but they will be delighted with the result. It was City’s first clean sheet of the season and moves them up to second in the table, a point behind leaders Chelsea. Mancini admitted the quick turnaround from Wednesday’s Champions League draw with Borussia Dortmund was “a problem”.

Keshi, Atlanta gold medalists to honour Oritsejafor BY SAM EYOBOKA

OME Saturday, No vember 3, the cream of the most successful football team, the all conquering Atlanta Dream Team will re-enact the magic that produced the first African Olympic gold in football when members of that team are expected to file out at the Warri Township Stadium for a

•Torres, scored Chelsea’s opening goal yesterday.

novelty match in honour of the National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor. For the benefit of those who had forgotten, 18 Nigerian footballers including Daniel Amokachi, Emmanuel Amuneke, Tijjani Babangida, Celestine Babayaro, Emmanuel Babayaro, Teslim Fatusi, Victor Ikpeba, Dosu Joseph,

Boxing: Obisia, Okorodudu, Nana, get Festival assignment BY EDDIE AKALONU

X-INTERNATION ALS, Obisia Nwakpa, Jerry Okorodudu and coach Oketefe Nana may be chosen by the Nigeria Boxing Federation to constitute a panel of the technical team during the 18th National Sports Festival, EKO’ 2012 whose mandate is to a source for and select outstanding boxers for the national team to major international events. The move, Sunday Vanguard Sports learnt is to shore up the nation’s dwindling fortunes in the sport given the dismal performance at the the last Olympic Games in London. Olympian, Okorodudu, who confirmed the development in Lagos, said he was informed by the Federation president, General Ken Minima that the work of the group is to be coordinated by Nwakpa, national coach and member of the technical committee of the fed-

eration. “We have been told to look for and fish out the best boxers during the festival. The federation is hell bent on plugging all loop-holes that brought about the embarrassing situation that dragged down amateur boxing in the last couple of years,” he said. Okorodudu insisted that the federation may have listened to voices of reason to move away from past practice as several complaints by stakeholders reasoned in very strong terms that it was wrong and faulty for the secretary of the federation, a non technical person who formed the habit of solely inviting boxers and coaches to national camp. “Although we have been told that’s our mandate for the festival, we are awaiting further directives because I know the president will still work out modalities with members of the Board of the

Federation. You can trust we are ready to attempt making corrections of what brought about what I would call technical and administrative reasons why boxing derailed. We understand the con-

cerns and plans of the president to take stern measures that will return boxing’s respect and prestige and we will be serious and open minded about it to make sure that only the best in the coun-

try who have prospects are selected from the festival to represent the country as was done in the past when the sport had its glory days,” said the former, national and African champion.

Lagos Half Marathon demise haunts AFN officials BY BEN EFE

S the IAAF world half marathon championship runs its course today in Kavarna, Bulgaria with 245, 000 dollars prize money up for grabs, Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN officials are having sober reflections on the death of the Lagos international half marathon. The Lagos international half marathon was gathering momentum to becoming a top destination for world elite marathon runners, but just when the stakes were high, the sponsors Globacom left the AFN in the lurch and now officials of

the Federation are being haunted by their decision to dump MTN, a rival mobile telecoms company, that took up the sponsorship in 2002 and kept it going for five consecutive years. Globcom took over in 2007, and after two editions, negotiations for a new sponsorship deal have been permanently stalled. “The AFN is haunted by their decision to sign a contract with Glo. The Lagos half marathon was a good property and it gained world recognition, but because the AFN was carried away by promises of a better offer, the officials decided to terminate their association with

MTN,” an industry source disclosed. It was gathered that AFN officials made reconciliatory overtures to MTN recently, but the company was not favorably disposed to reopening negotiations with the AFN. They felt like, they were stabbed in the back. The last edition of the Lagos international half marathon was held in 2009 with world elite runners like Lornah Kiplagat, Hilda Kibet starring in the women’s category, while in the men’s event, athletes Luke Kibet, Tsegaye Kedebe and Dieudonne Disi were in attendance. Ethiopia’s legend Halie Gebrselassie was a guest.

Nwankwo Kanu, Garba Lawal, Abiodun Obafemi, Kingsley Obiekwu, Uche Okechukwu, Jay-Jay Okocha, Sunday Oliseh, Mobi Oparaku, Wilson Oruma and Taribo West conquered the world to win the first African gold medal in football in Atlanta in 1996. Sources close to the Warri-based Word of Life Bible Church stated during the week that the former Borussia Dortmund ace defending mid fielder, Taribo West is currently reaching out to some of his colleagues in that gold winning team to join him in honouring Pastor Oritsejafor who will be celebrating a triple jubilee of his birthday, his church silver jubilee and 40 year of ministry. According to the source, Taribo, who is now a pastor based in Italy, has already secured the nod of Nwankwo Kanu, Okocha, and coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi for the novelty match and is still in the process of trying to recruit more of the players to be of the event in Warri. Apart from using the match to honour the celebrating CAN president, there are loud rumours that the match which will be against a local side, would also serve as a veritable tool for talent hunt in the Niger Delta as it will be a flag off for a soccer academy that Taribo West has been trying to put in place to engage the Niger Delta youths.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012, PAGE 53

PAGE 54, SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 7, 2012

ESTERDAY we ran the interview our Sports Editor Tony Ubani had with the Sports Minister and Chairman, National Sports Commission, NSC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi on the problems with sports in the country. Today, we run the concluding part of the extensive interview. Enjoy it. We have talked a lot on football. Looking at sports generally, do you think we have done well in our 52 years of independence? Do well? No. We have not done well with sports. Yes, there are great strides that we have taken in the past but they are not enough to say we have actually achieved much. Individually, we have had people doing well in the Olympics but in the overall measurement it is still very low for a country so talented like ours. I do my measurement with the Olympics because that is the pinnacle of whenever it is sporting competition in being played. the world. Honourable If we base it on that, then, we have won 23 Minister sports medals in all since we have given us a lot began competing at the of resources... Yes it has but I am Olympics in 1952. Now compare it to what only not looking at Michael Phelps has won anything in isolation. as an individual and you The question is why begin to ask yourself have we not made the whether we have really best use of the done anything at all. It resources? is a painful reality. As a ow much? country, it is right to say N2.5bn for the that 52 years after, we ought to have achieved entire Olympics? Yes, but why have we more. not done more? We ought It is in that contest that we begin to ask what can to have achieved more we do to go up as than we did? If some quickly as possible. We other countries were able need to find out what we to give N20bn, why are doing wrong and couldn’t we provide that? address the ills as The question is have we achieved as much as we quickly as possible. It would have been easy should? I am saying that to compare it to some we have not achieved as other sectors in the much. country and say sport But If you say sports has done so well because we have won gold and in has not achieved much, FIFA ranking we what then can you say th reached 5 spot in the of other sectors. Can we past. We can begin to say say anything about the sports is by far the best energy sector for in Nigeria because we instance? You can take that always win or reach the defensive approach if final but we cannot say some other sectors can you want but it is not be measured as the fifth helpful. For instance I best in the world now or can say the sports sector is doing well; it is the in the past. best because it is with he vision is to do sports that Nigerians are well in the well known all over the Olympics where the rest world. Our football is of the world is envied no matter how we measured. In football for have treated it. At the instance, it is always Paralympics we were given that Brazil will ahead so many and we win every World Cup but are rated as the best we don’t get such rating powerlifting country. We when it comes to the were in the finals of at African Nations Cup. We least six events at the have won it only twice. Olympics even though We won the 1996 we didn’t win any Olympics soccer gold but medal. But if we take that until now we are yet to approach, it won’t take win any major cup. Why us anywhere. When Team Great is it so? The ideal setting Britain went to Atlanta for our football should be and won only two that it should be assumed that Nigeria medals and the entire went into has the best team to win nation mourning. They did not the Nations Cup

•Abdullahi (m)

I want to develop a working system for Nigeria’s sports — Abdullahi

come back to look at the aviation sector and say what is your position?. Comparatively, we can say that sport has been the sector that has been able to withstand the different crises and difficulties that this country has passed through. But if you look at it in absolute terms for a country like Nigeria in

•Ekeji, DG NSC

a r e possible; a situation where things can be worked out in concrete terms for continuous use no matter how many changes in administration is made. Let’s prepare for Rio the way we should. The associations must be able to develop a system which the next person taking over can also use as template.

ut do you think government is a

I want us to get to the level where such things are possible; a situation where things can be worked out in concrete terms for continuous use no matter how many changes in administration is made

the last 52 years, is that the best we could have achieved?

e had Atlanta ’96 gold winning team which means as the Minister I should be able to walk in and ask for the template used in winning. But do we have any? The answer is no. I want us to get to the level where such things

continuum in Nigeria? Transition is a major problem in Nigeria. I have suffered it in Kwara State. I set out with the most aggressive basic education reforms in Kwara and this ordinarily should take about 10 years to achieve complete breakthrough but I was never going to stay for that long. When I left the follow up pattern changed.

But many ministers have come and discarded things from their predecessors? I know things happen that way but if we are able to put together something fantastic down for Rio before leaving, not even the wildest animal would want to throw it away. Are you sure... Yes, it can and that is why we have to strengthen the federations. If they are good and strong with quality concrete programmes and projections, no minister will come and kick those things away. The federations should be the ones building and driving the systems. We are meant to provide just guidance, some funding and policy guidance. And that was why I asked for their Rio programmes when we came back from the Olympics but the first ones I got were of very poor quality. So when will the federations go? Do I have the powers to kick them away? (Laughter) I don’t think so but they still have some time to serve... But the Olympics is

over...It is usually the year of the Games and perhaps after Sports Festival All of you would say I am interfering. Some of them still have terms to go. They didn’t all start at the same time. What about the ones already due. Some of the elections simply throw characters as in football... The truth is that we have chosen to have five elite sports that we can properly develop. Perhaps equip them with some Olympic Performance Directors to help prepare them in concrete terms for the Olympics. We really need to develop the capacity of these federations which I think we have not done over the years. It is when their tenure is over that we can then call them and begin to look at their statutes which incidentally are not as binding as that of football. If we build concrete working and organised federations even Satan cannot come down and disorganise it. If the system is working fine, he will have no choice because he will be incapacitated.

Concluded.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 7, 2012 — 55

Keshi backs Mikel, Moses, Utaka for CAF awards •Calls for support against Liberia BY JACOB AJOM

UPER Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi has backed the three national team players nominated for the 2012 Africa Footballer of The Year Award by the Confederation of African Football, Thursday. Speaking in a chat with Sunday Vanguard Sports, the national chief coach said, “It is good. I hope all of them get it because it has been a long time a Nigerian won the award. It is good for the country.” Keshi said he hoped Mikel Obi, John Utaka

and Victor Moses would see their nominations as a challenge for better performance. “It is up to them to seize the situation and justify their nominations. On my own, I cannot tell you whether this will serve as a motivation or not. It is up to them,” he said repeatedly. Keshi also spoke on the impending second leg tie of the 2013 AFCON qualifier against Liberia on October 13. “We are working hard. What we are doing now is concentration, concentration and concentration.” He said although it was

painful that one of his central midfielders, Gabriel Reuben would not be fit for the match, his team was not built around one player. “That is why it is a team,” he said, adding, “When one person is out, the next person to him would have to step up to fill that gap. We must support him.” Keshi calls for the support of Nigerians, saying, “It is our country and I expect everybody to rally round the team. I knoe every Nigerian wants the Eagles to be in South Africa.”

Sunshine in nail-biting 3-3 draw against Al Ahly •Continued from BP port, Medrano Tamen pulled them back in the 34thminute when he scored with a terrific curler from the edge of the box and at that stage to halve the deficit and give the Akure Gunners a fighting chance in the encounter. At that stage Coach Ogunbote made two quick changes. He replaced underperforming Izu Azuka with Dele Olorundare and in the 43rdminute, Adeniyi Alaba replaced Dayo Ojo but the first half

ended with Ahly in the lead. The second half started with Sunshine showing more urgency but Ahly held their lines and played on the counter. Sunshine continued to pressurise and got their due reward when they were awarded a penalty in the 72ndminute. Olorudare stepped up to make the game 2-2. The momentum was now with Sunshine but their attacking fervour was punctured two minutes after the equaliser

when Ahly hit on the counter attack by Mohammed Naguib El Ghareeb to give Ahly the lead again. Sunshine fought back and got a deserved equaliser in the 86ththrough Precious Osasco. Sunshine could not push on to get the winner and the match is now delicately poised for the second leg where Sunshine will have to throw the kitchen sink at Ahly to get a favourable result. The second leg comes up in Cairo on November 16.

Osaile appeals to VP to call Jagal/ AIS to order BY JACOB AJOM

HE Vice President, Dr Namadi Sambo has been called upon to intervene in the lingering dispute between a construction company, Jagal Construction and the American International School which has hindered the completion of a multi-million sports complex for the .school located at Lekki, Etiosa Local Government Area of Lagos State. Making the appeal in Lagos Friday, Chairman of Sports Facilities, Martins Osaele said materials worth N450m meant for the construction of a sports complex for the School were rotting away. “Sports facilities already on ground since 2010 include material for the construction of a

tartan trackfrom Mondo of Italy (the same used for the construction of the London Olympic Stadium), artificial football turf, artificial base ball turf,, plywood for flooring the indoor sports hall and 220

synthetic pathway flooring. Osaile said if the situation was not arrested, it could have a negative impact on government’s quest for private participation in sports development.

TENNIS... A press briefing heralding the 12th edition of the Lagos Governor’’s Cup Tennis Championship was held in Lagos during the week. From left Mr. Ikechukwu Kalu, Group Head Communications, FCMB,Chief Pius Akinyelure, Chairman LOC and Miss Modupe Thami, Head Events and Sponsorship, Etisalat Nigeria during the ceremony. Photo by Sylva Eleanya.

Thank you Governor Akpabio E

XACTLY a week ago, the annual Governor Akpabio International Scrabble Classics ended in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital. Since then, words of praise have not ceased from the mouths of all those who participated in the competition for Governor Godswill Akpabio, sponsor of the world class event. Both Nigerians, including those visiting from various countries, as well as foreigners from Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and England have spoken and written about the wonders Governor Akpabio is doing in Akwa Ibom, Uyo in particular. They wondered if the governor is not a Nigerian to have the kind of mind to do what he is doing for Akwa Ibom in the area of infrastructure, a feat alien to most Nigerian politicians whose only reason for veering into politics is to amass wealth at the expense of the common man. What Governor Akpabio is doing for Akwa Ibom is not the thrust of this piece today but what he is doing for Nigerian scrabble and the players who now look forward every year to Uyo because of the competition regarded as the most rewarding scrabble competition in the world going by the prize money. Going by Nigerian ranking, scrabble is one of the so-called lesser sports which gets little or no subvention from the National Sports Commission, NSC. Even when the NSC tried to concession the federation a few years ago, it got into a wrong hand who thought that there was easy government money to siphon. Scrabble Federation of Nigeria is one federation which does not depend on the NSC funds to carry out its activities. It is also the only federation that has competition almost all the months of the year, the Governor Akpabio Scrabble Classics being its biggest. The prize money for the just concluded Classics in Uyo was close to N12 million with players in the Masters Category sharing N5, 550,000 among themselves. The Intermediate Category had a total of N2, 710,000, Opens Category got N1, 6550,000, Veterans Category had N1,690,000 while the female Category had N130,000. If one considers that all these prize money does not include the money spent for other logistics for the organisation of the competition which lasted three days, then Nigerians and sports lovers in particular would appreciate what Governor Akpabio is doing for Nigerian sports men and women every year. Interestingly, the prize money keeps increasing every

year. Governor Akpabio does not only have passion for the game because he plays it, his interest lies more in the fact that he is empowering the youths through sports. When the youths are engaged positively through sports, the thought of vices like armed robbery, kidnapping, vandalism and many others will be seriously minimised if not eradicated and the Nigerian economy will be the better for it. If all our Governors, Senators, House of Reps members, other politicians and all wealthy individuals including corporate bodies, could take one sport and support it like Governor Akpabio is doing for Scrabble today, Nigerians will not be grieving over poor performances at competitions like we saw during the Summer Olympic Games in London a couple of weeks ago.

Time for Ladipo to quit

lders from my little village of Ekpon in Igueben Local Government of Edo state say that if one stays too long in a pit toilet, he is sure to be visited by flies of different colours. Meaning that that person has over stayed his visit to the toilet and should leave. That is the case with Dr Rafiu Ladipo, the self-styled President General of the Nigerian Football Supporters Club who is being fingered for the crisis rocking the club over its inability to conduct an election into its executive offices. The grievances of the aggrieved members include Dr Ladipo's alleged insistence on ensuring that his favoured candidate wins and an allegation that he vowed never to allow a non-Yoruba assume leadership of the club. If they are true, these allegations are weighty and he should douse the fears of the members by allowing the elections to hold on a level playing field. If I am right, Dr Ladipo took over the mantle of leadership of the Supporters Club in 1994. He took the club to a height that earned it accolades from FIFA, brought sponsorships deals for it and glamourised its activities. When he was challenged for the chairmanship position years back, he resisted but only stepped aside and created the President General position as the club's permanent world leader, life chairman you may call it. He has done well, there is no doubt about that but when he begins to think that without him, the club will die, people will tell him it is a fallacy. That is the resistance he is getting over the election he has refused to conduct. The honourable thing for him to do now is conduct a free and fair election, scrap the President General position and assume an elder of the club who members can run to for advice on issues periodically.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 7, 2012

resident of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari will be at the Ilorin Township Stadium today at the head of the Federation’s support for the U-20 National Team , Flying Eagles in their 2013 African Youth Championship qualifying cracker against the Amajita of South Africa. Today ’s tie is delicately poised after both teams ended the opening leg 1-1 in the South African city of Nelspruit two weeks ago. Maigari, who only returned to the country on Friday night from Azerbaijan, where he had gone to cheer the U-17 Women Team, Flamingos at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, is scheduled to fly into the Kwara State capital today. He will be joined by Chairman of NFF Technical Sub-Committee, Barrister Chris Green and Member of the Executive Committee, Barrister Olaleye Adepoju. NFF General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu, Director of Technical, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme and Director of Competitions, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi will also be in town. Officials of the Kwara State Government have also confirmed that the Executive Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, will attend the match as Special Guest of Honour. “ I have confidence in the Flying Eagles and I have no doubt that they will prevail over the South Africans in order to qualify for Algeria 2013,” Maigari said on Friday. The 18th African Youth Championship will be staged in Algeria in the last half of the month of March, next year Midfield ace Abduljeleel Ajagun scored Nigeria’s equalizer

CELEBRATION... Flying Eagles celebrating a goal during a match. Their coach, John Obuh has assured Nigerians they will celebrate again today after defeating the South Africans in Ilorin.

Flying Eagles’ll prevail over S/Africa, Maigari assures Nigerians Results

Obuh also confident in the first leg after the South Africans scored early in the game at the Mbombela World Cup Stadium. Ajagun also scored the opener in the 2-1 defeat of Tanzania at the Ilorin Township Stadium in the earlier round and will lead the line against the Ama-

jita today. The Cup holders must guard their loins well after the Amajita crew made it known on arrival in Lagos on Thursday night that they would be opting for an all-out attacking game. Coach John Obuh, who

steered the Flying Eagles to win the African title in South Africa last year and led the team to the FIFA U-20 World Cup quarter final in Colombia, says his team has prepared well enough to conquer. “We are ready for the South Africans. We exercize no fear because we have done our home work.”

Chelsea Man City Swansea West Brom Wigan West Ham

4 3 2 3 2 1

Norwich Sunderland Reading QPR Everton Arsenal

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CAF Champions League Sunshine 3

Al Ahly

Keshi names 7 home-based players for Liberia S

UPER Eagles coach Stephen Keshi yesterday named seven home-based players who are expected to depart for Calabar tomorrow for Saturday’s Nations Cup qualifier against Liberia at the U.J. Esuene Stadium. The players who made Keshi’s

list were Godfrey Oboabona, Chigozie Agbim, Azubuike Egwueke, Henry Uche, Benjamin Francis, Umar Zango and Ejike Uzoenyi. He dropped 15 others who have been in camp but with a firm promise that they should keep fit because he may still

Sunshine in nail-biting 3-3 draw against Al Ahly

T took until the 86th minute before Sunshine Stars, Nigerian representatives in the 2012 Caf Champions League, literally came back from the dead to earn a 3-3 draw with Al Ahly of Egypt in the first leg of the semi-final played at the Dipo Dina Stadium in Ijebu-Ode. According to goal.com, the Egyptian record Champions League winners drew the first blood in the 18thminute through

their Egyptian national striker, Geddo Nagy whose speculative shot from outside the box beat Moses Ocheje in goal for Sunshine Ahly added the second 12 minutes later through Mahdy El Sayed and at that point, the Nigerians seemed lost for what to do to counter the Egyptian offensive. But their Cameroonian im-

•Continues on Page 55

need them soon for a friendly match. “Keep yourself busy and fit football wise because we have a friendly soon and we have other qualifiers that you will

again be called upon to come and fight for a shirts. The dropped players include Akpeyi Daniel,Stanley Okoronkwo, Kalu Orji, Ezekiel Bassey, Kingsley Udo, Mba Sun-

day, Christian Ofili, Jabason Solomon, Sanusi Sanni, Philip Asuquo, Brendan Ogbu, Anthony Okpotu, Ubale ManirKano, Ohanduku Gomo and Fidelis Saviour.

ACROSS 1.Nigerian state (5) 3.African river (7) 7. Near-extinct animal (5) 8. Roof part (5) 9. Greek alphabet (3) 10. Supplement (3) 12. Widespread (4) 14. Replies (7) 17. Let (5) 19. Limbo (3) 20. Donkey (3) 21. Cots (4) 24. Pitcher (4) 26. Reverential fear (3) 27. Goal (3) 28. Peruses (5) 30. Sure (7) 34. Eleven (4) 35. Flying mammal (3) 37. Unwell (3) 38. Hausa boy’s name (5) 39. Possessor (5) 40. Wearing away (7)

41. Commonplace (5) DOWN 1. Prevents (6) 2. Church part (4) 3. Queen Amina’s old city (5) 4. Anchors (5) 5. Bird of prey (5) 6. Notions (5) 11. Niger-Delta tribe (8) 13. Zealous (5) 15. Nigerian state (8) 16. Bar (3) 18. Vital liquid (5) 21. Animal (5) 22. Therefore (2) 23. Exist (2) 25. Misery (3) 29. Polluted (6) 30. Earnestly wish for (5) 31. Wireless (5) 32. Excuse (5) 33. Synthetic fabric (5) 36. Pie (4)

SEE SOLUTION ON PAGE

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