Who 'll wear herwedding gown now?— Bereaved mother

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...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 61640

FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

We killed Ningi, says Boko Haram

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FG not implementing anti-corruption laws — US •P 5

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DANA PLANE CRASH

Who 'll wear her wedding gown now?

— Bereaved mother •To wed in September, all plans concluded •Died with nine friends in crashed plane •I fainted when I heard of Levi's death — Brother

BY BOSE ADELAJA, PRISCA SAM-DURU & VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU AGOS—THE Somolu family in Lekki area of Lagos and the authorities of a private school in Mafoluku, Laureates College and Kiddies’

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Kingdom Private School, are in deep mourning and inconsolable.

Last Sunday ’s Dana Airplane crash in IjuIshaga, Lagos, which claimed over 150 lives dealt them a devastating blow. Ms Oluwakemi Continues on Page 5

Alleged N6.5bn fraud:

Sylva gets N100m bail *Ayoola: Already bought wedding gown

*Condolence for Ayoola Somolu

*The search for loved ones continues

*Dana Management Minute Silence for victims

•P.7 Mr & Mrs

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POCKET CARTOON

DIG NINGI GOES HOME—

Crowd at the burial of former Deputy Inspector General of Police, In-charge of Works Department, Force Headquarters, Mr Saleh Abubakar Ningi, at Ningi, Bauchi State, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Who 'll wear my daughter's wedding gown now — Bereaved mother Continues from Page 1 Ayoola Somolu, their only daughter and one of the most successful members of the family, died in that crash with nine of her friends who were returning from Abuja after attending the wedding of one of their friends. She died exactly three months to her own wedding.

Before the tragedy, all was set for her wed lock billed for the first Saturday of September, 2012; the wedding gown had been imported alongside the costume, expenses for the bridal train had been taken care off, the hall and the catering have been paid for and plans were in top gear for the honey moon.

Being the last born in the family of three, the bride’s family, the Somolus, who reside in Lekki was looking forward to this day of joy and was planning it in a big way before the tragedy struck and Ms Oluwakemi Somolu, an alumni of Queens College, met her untimely death.

Though she resided overseas, Ayoola had arrived Nigeria penultimate Friday for a friend’s wedding which took place in Abuja on Saturday June 2 and was in the company of her nine other friends on that day when the unexpected happened.

The 10 friends left Abuja on that fateful day and were in the Dana

aircraft. Unfortunately, they all lost their lives in the air mishap.

Vanguard gathered that her 80-year old mother and proprietress of Laureates College and Kiddies’ Kingdom Private School, had wished her daughter had stayed at home on that weekend but Ayoola pleaded with her and promised to come back the following day not knowing that that would be the last meeting with her aged mother.

The aged mother told her relations that ‘my daughter arrived from overseas to attend her friend’s wedding but she is no longer alive to witness her day of joy.

The Somolus have been planning the deceased’s wedding in an exclusive way but see how the whole thing has gone, it is a big blow to the family.

Who will wear her wedding gown now?” she cried A close friend to the family, Mrs Bridget Anayo, said Ayoola was the favourite child of her aged mother and was to take over the running of the school as both parents are advanced in age but this was never to be.

When Vanguard visited the school at 3/5 Olayinka Adenubi Street, Aviation Estate, Mafoluku last Thursday, all the teachers had just arrived from a trip to Lekki where they paid a condolence visit to their aged proprietor and all of them were in

pensive mood.

Some staff of the school and parents of students told Vanguard that the deceased had left a big vacuum that would be difficult to fill. “The heroine of the Somolus has fallen, who are we to question the creator of Heaven and Earth? May God grant her eternal rest in His bosom,” said Mr. Okolie Ramond.

The Head teacher of the 26-year old school, Mrs Iwuchukwu F.E, said Ayoola’s demise was a big blow to the Somolus.

“Everbody who came in contact with her usually had a story to tell. She transformed many lives and was working hard to make many people great.

We have lost a benefactor, a motivator and a bread winner to many. She died at a time many needed her most, who can question God? He knows why He did this and nobody can question His authority,” she said.

I fainted when I learnt of Levi's death — Brother Like the Somolus, the mood at the residence of Chief Emmanuel Ajuonuma, the eldest son of the Ajuonuma family, who was still in a state of shock over the death of his younger brother, Dr Levi Ajuonuma, was sorrowful.

Chief Ajuonuma who laboured to grant an interview to Vanguard Newspapers, was still confused about

the whole incident and has continued to ponder why it had to be his ever lively Levi, whom he described as the love of the family, being the last child of their parents, and was until his untimely death, the heartthrob of the Ajuonumas.

He is yet to come to terms with the demise of his brother and has continued to question why Levi had to be on that ill-fated flight. “God knows everything, it has

happened and that is it.

He knows why He allowed the crash to occur and there is nothing anyone can do to bring the dead back” he sorrowfully stated.”

Continuing he said: “When I first heard the news of the Dana plane crash I wept bitterly for Nigeria not knowing that my own brother was among the victims. It was indeed a terrible occurrence and when finally I was told that Levi had died in that plane, it was so shocking that I fainted”.

He added that “Levi was full of life, we were neither expecting him to die soon nor was he, someone who had no need for Paracetamol and all of a sudden, we heard he was dead, it is really heart breaking.”

He disclosed that the family had been asked to visit the morgue for his corpse today, hopefully, burial arrangements

according to him, would be announced later.

Some of his relatives, who are still shocked about the loss of their beloved brother have resigned to fate as they preached that the daunting challenges facing the nation were signs of the end. They called on Nigerians to establish a personal relationship with God to be able to go through the difficult times.

The mood is same in Owerri where people have continued to visit some of Levi’s relatives to sympathize with them.

Speaking from Owerri, Imo State, a relative who sounded dazed by the untimely demise of her brother in-law lamented that death had dealt the worst blow on her.

Also, a close colleague of the deceased NNPC spokesman said that Dr Levi’s demise was a monumental loss to both the organization and his family.

FG not implementing anti-corruption laws — US AGOS—THE United States, yesterday, dismissed Nigeria’s war against corruption alleging “massive widespread and pervasive corruption affected all levels of government and the security forces”.

In its 2011 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, which was submitted to Congress by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, it said the law provides criminal penalties for official corruption; however, the government did not implement the law effectively, and officials frequently engaged in corrupt practices with impunity.

According to the

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report: “Public officials, including the president, vice president, governors, deputy governors, cabinet ministers, and legislators (at both federal and state levels), must comply with financial disclosure laws, including the requirement to declare their assets before assuming and after leaving office. Violators risked prosecution, but cases rarely came to conclusion.

“There was a widespread perception that judges were easily bribed and that litigants could not rely on the courts to render impartial judgments. Citizens encountered long delays and alleged requests from judicial officials for bribes to expedite cases or obtain favourable rulings.

“Police corruption remained rampant,

particularly at highway checkpoints. Police routinely stopped drivers who did not commit traffic infractions, refusing to allow them to continue until they paid bribes.

The Office of the Inspector General of Police attempted to strengthen the Police Monitoring Unit, which was charged with visiting police stations to search officers for signs of accepting bribes; however, the unit remained ineffective and made no arrests by year’s end. Citizens could report incidents of police corruption to the NHRC; however, the NHRC did not act on such complaints during the year, and no other mechanism existed to investigate security force abuse.

6—VANGUARD, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

Dana crash: Aviation experts kick against Obakpolo probe panel Say it's wrong to set up parallel panel

By LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE

AGOS —THERE has been strong criticism by aviation experts and stakeholders on the decision by the Federal Government to set up the Group Captain John Obakpolo-led panel to probe last Sunday's Dana plane clash at Iju-Ishaga in Lagos The Federal Government on Wednesday, through the Minister of Aviation, announced the setting up of a nine-man technical and administrative panel headed by retired Group Captain John Obakpolo to probe the crash. The panel will also take a comprehen-

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sive look at the aviation sector with a view to making the country airspace safe. It has six weeks to submit its report.

Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah also said the panel would work simultaneously with the Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, and would also do a comprehensive assessment of the schedule of all the domestic airlines.

A former pilot and Air Traffic Controller, Mr. Obi Ogbolu, said though Obakpolo was in the aviation sector, he was not competent to carry out investigation of air crash.

He said: "It is definitely not right. There are specialists who investigate accident all over the world, even

in Nigeria. We have such people appointed by the government, there is Accident Investigation Bureau in this country, why do you have to ask Obakpolo to go there when these people are there? If you feel that they cannot do the work alone, you invite a foreigner to join them possibly from FAA or somewhere

else."

Also speaking in the same vain, Captain Mohammed Joji, General Secretary, Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, said it was wrong for the government to have set up a parallel panel.

He noted: "Listen to me, we are strongly objected to that. Is he a trained sur-

veyor? It is an insult to FAA America that gave us CAT One, it is an insult to Mr. President who used CAT One as part of his achievements. What we are telling America is that, they are wrong to have given us CAT One. "What experience does Obakpolo have. It is an in-

sult to us. They should allow the Commissioner of the Accident Investigation Bureau to investigate the accident with his team."

Joji further said it was against ICAO recommended practices to set up another investigation panel when the Accident Investigation Bureau is there.

Boko Haram claims responsibility for Ningi's murder Says top govt officials 'll be targeted soon AIDUGURI — IS LAMIC sect, Boko Haram, yesterday claimed responsibility for the murder of former Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG Abubakar Saleh Ningi, in Kano, on Tuesday.

Ningi who retired recently was gunned down with his driver and a police orderly on his way from his farm.

The sect stated in a statement written in Hausa, yesterday, in Maiduguri that it was happy killing the top retired cop, and vowed that very soon all top government officials would be targeted the same way as they would have no hiding place.

The statement also claimed that contrary to the Joint Task Force (JTF) re-

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cent declaration that it had killed 16 of their members, only one was killed.

The sect further claimed to have killed several soldiers in a recent encounter in Maiduguri.

According to the sect’s statement, "only one of our brothers was martyred. As a result, it was only this morning that they (JTF) came to pick up the dead bodies of their colleagues and as usual started torching the houses of innocent people out of vengeance.

"We urge the people of Maiduguri city and other towns to exercise patience because very soon, God willing, we will flush out these forces of unbelief and establish the Islamic Sharia system where justice will reign.”

UNILAG name change: It's Jonathan's boldest decision ever —Gbagi

BY EMMA UJAH, ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

BUJA — Former Min ister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, has described the decision of President Goodluck Jonathan to name University of Lagos after Chief Moshhod Abiola as one of his boldest decisions since becoming president of the Federal Republic.

According to the former minister, the late MKO Abiola deserved the honour and even more, and therefore urged President Jonathan to re-name the Aso Rock Villa, Moshood Abiola Villa.

His words: “Let me first

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and foremost salute the courage that, honestly, Gen Ibrahim Babangida could not do as a result of being afraid of himself; what Gen. Abacha could not do; what Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar could not do; what Olusegun Obasanjo could not do; what Umaru Yar’Adua could not do.

“It has taken the courage, the fear of God and most importantly, the respect for the true love of democracy for President Jonathan to take that bold step.

“Whilst I salute his courage and Abiola not being a regional leader, I demand of him without fear of contradiction to name Aso Rock Villa as Moshood Abiola Rock."

President Goodluck Jonathan (right) receiving the Letter of Credence from Ambassador of Bangladesh to Nigeria, Mr. Mur Mohammed during a ceremony at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

DNA examination of crash victims begins As relations protest slow process DNA results to take 4 to 6 weeks Samples to be taken abroad for analysis

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

AGOS — DNA exami nation of the victims of last Sunday’s crash involving Dana airline commenced, yesterday, amid protests by friends and relations of the 52 identifiable bodies over the slow nature of the forensic processes at the Department of the Pathology & Forensic Medicine of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH. The mild protest ensued following what they described as "slow processes" in collecting the necessary specimen for the DNA analysis. According to the families, the process which was supposed to start as early as 8:00 am did not begin until about 9:30 am.

A friend of one of the victims, Mr Gbenga Eguntola, said the forensic process started behind schedule.

According to him, “ we have been here since morning. They have scheduled 36 families for the DNA, but since 9:30 am, the first two families that were called in for the process were yet to

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come out at about 1 pm."

Eguntola said he was at the mortuary in connection with the late spokesman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr. Levi Ajuonuma, who died in the crash.

However, it took the intervention of the Chief Medical Director and the Chief Medical Examiner, Prof. John Obafunwa to calm the families.

Chief Medical Director, Prof. David Wale Oke, however, explained to the relations why they have to be patient with the hospital and the government in the ongoing processes.

Addressing the families inside the Lekan Ogunsola Crisis Centre, Oke explained the various steps that were being taken to ensure that the processes were hitch-free.

Confirming the protests to Vanguard, the Chief Medical Director, who said none of the bodies would be released yet, announced that the DNA examination would take between four to six weeks to be concluded.

Oke said: “The problem

we may have is about the bodies that are unidentifiable. If you can’t get the genetic mark, you can say 'A belongs to B.' So those will probably take up to six weeks to be concluded because we are going to take the tissues outside the country.”

“All the bodies recovered must undergo DNA analysis. The entire specimen submitted will be taken out of the country in conjunction with the tissue of the deceased because it has to be matched. We are hoping that in the next four to six weeks commencing after sending the specimen, our results will be back.

The plan is to send the specimen in batches. But we are still collating the specimen.”

On why the test may not be completed within two weeks as earlier promised, Oke said: “We were at the first instance thinking that as soon as we conclude the autopsy, we will release them, but we had a meeting with the Attorney General of the state, the insurers of Dana, the Min-

istry of Health in Lagos, Dana and all agreed that because the matter of claims that will come up, we have to do the DNA whether they (the bodies) are recognisable or not."

To that effect, he said the hospital was putting up a paper, with regards to those victims that are identifiable and listing names of those people claiming to be their relations so that people who are contesting that could come up with their complaints.

He added that another reason why this was necessary was to ensure that the hospital did not give a body to the wrong family.

"As of now, we have done 20 autopsies. We want to be sure that no litigation comes to LASUTH," he said.

Giving the details of the DNA processes, Oke said, “We are asking the mother and father of the deceased preferably, to come so that we can take the specimen from both.

“In the absence of those parents, siblings, that is, the brother and sister and in the absence of these four, specimen would be taken from the children.”

On the importance of taking specimen from both the victim’s father and mother, Oke said the father and mother are closer to the individual in terms of the genetic materials than the siblings because it is the genetic materials of the mother and father that make up a child.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012—7

Moral decadence, root of economic crimes —Lamorde

BY OSCARLINE ONWUEMENYI

BUJA — CHAIR MAN, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, has decried the high level of moral decadence prevalent in the country which he said was the major reason for the perpetration of economic and financial crimes.

Lamorde made the remark, yesterday, in a From left: Deputy Governor (Operations), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Tunde Lemo; Chairman, House Committee on Information Communication Technology, Ibrahim Sheu Gusau and Yusuf speech while declaring open a workshop organAyo Tajudeen during an oversight function to CBN headquarters, Abuja. ised by EFCC and the Interfaith Anti-Corruption Advisory Committee, IAAC, to validate two anticorruption manuals at the commission’s academy in Karu, Abuja.

He noted that it was a privilege to have clergymen and scholars gather to contribute their quota in the fight against corruption.

He said: “What you are

BY IKECHUKWU lease of the accused person surety in like sum. The tle document of the propNNOCHIRI after he deposited N100 surety must be resident in erty must be deposited to doing for EFCC is so immillion as bond.

Abuja and must be an the court registrar for veri- portant to this fight as an BUJA — AFTER Noting that the offences owner of a landed property fication before the release of institution and as a counspending two days in preferred against the exthe applicant from custody.” try. This is because the custody of the Economic governor were bailable of- worth the bail sum. The tiand Financial Crimes Com- fences, Justice Bello, howmission, EFCC, former gov- ever, ordered Sylva to proernor of Bayelsa State, Mr duce someone resident in Timipre Sylva, yesterday, Abuja to stand surety for regained his freedom. him, adding that such perSylva is facing trial over son must be an owner of a allegation that he master- landed property worth the elled against them.”

BY GODWIN ORITSE tional security. minded the illegal diversion bail sum.

According to Adeniyi, He said: “Despite the fact of funds from the Bayelsa The judge stressed that that the investigating offic- the offence was alleged to AGOS — COMPTROL ers came to my office with- have been committed in State treasury while he was the court registrar must LER of the Nigeria Cusin power. verify the authenticity of the toms Service, NCS, Mr Jack out a warrant of arrest, I Minna, Niger State someConsequently, the anti title deed of such property decided to produce the of- times in 2002, when Jack graft agency, on Tuesday, before okaying release of Bot, was yesterday arrested ficers on account of the was an Assistant Comptrolby men of the Nigeria Poweight of allegations lev- ler of Customs. docked the ex-governor on the accused person from the lice force for alleged guna six-count criminal charge grips of the EFCC. running while on official bothering on conspiracy, Meanwhile, sequel to duty in Niger State. money laundering and ob- fears expressed by the antiThe Comptroller in the taining by false pretence graft agency over alleged Inspectorate Division of the contrary to section 1(1)(b) of surreptitious moves by the Service was fingered in an

BY BEN AGANDE tion; equitable distribution; the Advance Fee Fraud and ex-governor to run out of on-going investigation into and effective application— other Fraud Related Of- the country once he is illegal procurement of BUJA — PRESIDENT are essential steps that must weapons from the Police fences Act, 2004, as well as granted bail, Justice Bello, Goodluck Jonathan be taken if we are to realise section 14(1) of the Money yesterday, seized all his In- armoury.

Also, another junior of- has emphasised the need significant benefits from our Laundering (Prohibition ternational Passports, warnfor equitable distribution enormous investment in ficer, Shehu Ahmed, who Act) 2004. ing that he should not leave worked with Jack as his or- and effective application quality education, over the Shortly after the accused the shores of Nigeria with- derly in Minna who is al- and use of the learning maperson pleaded his inno- out first securing the con- leged to have been an ac- terials in order to attain the years.”

He enjoined all cence before a Federal sent of the court. complice in the crime was transformational agenda of stakeholders to understand High Court in Abuja on The court said that breach also handed over to the Po- his government. the inextricable linkages Tuesday, trial Justice of any of the conditions lice.

The president stated this A statement by the serv- when he flagged off the dis- between the three compoAdamu Bello, ordered his would amount to an immenents, adding that educaremand in the custody of the diate revocation of the bail. ice spokesman, Mr tribution of educational tion is an important compoAdewale Adeniyi said the materials for the Universal nent of his administration’s EFCC pending the deterAccording to Justice mination of his application Bello, “I am persuaded by officers were personally Basic Education at the Transformation Agenda. handed over to the Police Model Primary School, for bail.

He further implored all the submission of the by the Comptroller-General At the resumed sitting on learned Senior Advocate as of the Nigeria Customs Maitama, Abuja. stakeholders to support President Jonathan, who the case yesterday, Justice well as the contents of the Service, Alhaji Abdulahi governments at all levels to Bello said he was satisfied affidavit in support of the Dikko, following intelli- was represented by Vice ensure that “the basic eduPresident Namadi Sambo that the defence lawyer, bail application and hereby gence report on their activication sub-sector provides said: “We must do all we the solid foundation for Chief Lateef Fagbemi, exercise the discretion of the ties while in Niger State. can to ensure that textbooks In a brief statement before quality education in NiSAN, successfully adduced court in favour of the applihanding over the officers, and instructional materials geria.” sufficient reasons capable of cant. bring added value to our Dikko said the service In her remarks, Minister swaying the court’s discre“He is hereby granted bail education process.” of Education, Prof. tion in favour of his client, in the sum of N100 million would not harbour gun“This three dimension runners whose activities just as he ordered the re- and ordered to produce one constitute a threat to na- strategy— quality produc- Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, said the distribution of the

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Alleged N6.5bn fraud: Sylva secures N100m bail Court seizes his International Passports As trial begins Sept 19

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preachers and men of God hold a vantage position to reach out and talk to the average Nigerian in very powerful and convincing ways.”

According to him, it was baffling that despite the message of “Thou shall not steal” in both the Holy Bible and Quran, many who profess to both religions steal from the commonwealth, adding: “I hope, with a gathering like this, the heart of the problem which is moral decadence would be effectively tackled.”

Lamorde, who was represented by the Commandant of the EFCC Academy, Ayo Olowonihi, said Nigerians should be conscious of the consequence of their actions while they are still alive as well as for eternity.

Speaking during the event, chairman of IAAC and the Vice-Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said participants should not only see their job as a religious obligation but also as a national assignment.

Customs Comptroller arrested for alleged gun-running L

Some senior Customs officers who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity said the officers should be made to face the full wrath of the law if they were found culpable.

Jonathan emphasises need for equitable distribution of learning materials in schools

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education materials was part of Federal Government’s four-year strategic plan aimed at improving quality of education, charging the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to track the movement and usage of the books.

On his part, the Minister of State for Education, Ezenwo Nysom Wike, said the textbooks were free and the distribution would be a collaboration between the Ministry, UBEC and its counterparts in the 36 states including the FCT. Books to be distributed to all pupils of primaries one and two include English Language, Mathematics, Social Studies and Basic Science and Technology, as well as library resources materials for Junior Secondary Schools nationwide.

8—Vanguard , FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

From left: Leader of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu with presidential candidate Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), at a meeting in Kaduna, yesterday. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

UNVEILING OF NIGERIAN UNITY FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

Obafemi Martins (middle), with members of the Nigeria Football Supporters club during the unveiling of the Nigerian Unity Football Tournament in Abuja.

From left: Miss Rita of Love FM; Moses Ebahor, Project Director; Nigeria Unity Football Tournament; Alhaji Muhammed Abdullahi, President, Nigeria Traditional Wrestling Association who represented the Chairman of the event, Engr. Sanni Ndanusa, President, Nigeria Olympic Committee, Obafemi Martins, Kelechi Esimogu, Publicity Secretary, LOC and Mr. Ejugo Alfred, Chairman/CEO Mackjus Consultancy Services.

LOOKING FOR CRASH VICTIMS

Members of the Dana air crash victims' families yesterday visited Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Ikeja, to identify bodies of lost ones.

Photo: Bunmi Azeez C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012—9

Lagos House confirms Justice Ayotunde Philips as CJ BRIEFING: G o v e r n o r Babatunde Fashola, SAN, and others at a briefing in Alausa, Ikeja, on efforts to ensure timely release of bodies of victims of Sunday's Dana plane crash at IjuIshaga.

BY EBUN SESSOU KEJA—JUSTICE Ayotunde Philips' nomination as the new Lagos State Chief Judge was, yesterday, confirmed by the House of Assembly.

Governor Babatunde Fashola, SAN, had on Monday, in a letter to

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the lawmakers, explained that the Chief Judge, Inumidun Akande, will retire from office on June 10.

He recommend Justice Phillips to take over from the retiring Chief Judge, while urging the lawmakers to consider and confirm her appointment as the new Chief Judge.

...PDP tackles Assembly over Aviation Minister Dana crash: Ghosts' scare grips Iju residents

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

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AGOS—FOLLOW ING concerns over alleged plans to bury victims of Sunday’s Dana plane crash at Iju-Ishaga, Lagos, some residents of the area have appealed to the authorities not to bury the victims in the area, for fear of ghosts.

The residents, who based their apprehension on their belief in the existence of ghosts, noted that it was natural that when human beings die prematurely, their ghosts will haunt the scene for a while.

Idayatu Ali, a 24-year-old unemployed school leaver, said she would not want the victims buried at the scene of the accident, following fear of ghosts.

She said: adding “this is not superstition; I have witnessed where a young man died in an accident and his ghost continued to cry at the scene for days until a sacrifice was performed.”

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Titilayo: Court admits 20 photos

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH & MICHAEL OLADEPO KEJA—AN Ikeja High Court, Lagos, yesterday, admitted 20 photographs, containing horrifying images of the late Mrs. Titilayo Arowolo, allegedly killed by her husband, Mr. Akolade Arowolo, despite objection by his counsel to the admisibility of the pictures.

Admitting the photographs, Justice Lateefa Okunnu, said contrary to the argument canvassed by defence counsel, the fact that the witness’ testimony had not been con-

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tradicted and since he was under oath, was enough for the admissibility of the pictures as exhibits.

Arowolo, who is facing a one-count charge of murder, was accused of killing his wife, Titilayo, last June 24, at their residence in Isolo, Lagos.

At the hearing in the matter, Arowolo’s lawyer argued that the pictures tendered before the court were tendered as mere identification documents and should not be admitted as exhibits.

The lawyer argued that since the negatives of the pictures tagged I’d 20, 28, 3 and 15 were not pro-

Fashola appeals to relations of crash victims

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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KEJA—GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, appealed to family members and relations of victims of the Dana plane crash to exercise more patience for proper identification to be carried on the bodies before they were released.

He added that the state would assist them in the burial arrangements if they so desired.

Fashola, at Alausa, Ikeja, said what was making the matter more challenging at the moment was the problem of identification of the bodies.

He said: “There is a big risk here in releasing the wrong body to the wrong family. Even yesterday, I was told that in the process of identification, there was almost a mix-up between two families because of the state of the bodies.

Foreigners are also involved. There is danger of allowing Nigerian body to be taken away.

duced in court, it should be rejected as they cannot be tendered in evidence since there was no foundation laid for tendering them.

Mrs Olabisi Ogungbesan, who led the prosecution, had argued that the defence can easily cross-examine the witness on the exhibits since he was still before the court. She asked the court to overrule the objection.

BY DAPO AKINREFON KEJA—LAGOS State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has berated Speaker of Lagos State of Assembly, Mr Adeyemi Ikuforiji and other Lagos lawmakers, who had called for the resignation of Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah, following Sunday's Dana plane crash.

PDP, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Taofik Gani, said the law-

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makers’ call was in bad faith.

He said: “The party agrees that the direct and remote causes of the crash must be probed and any official found culpable must be brought to book irrespective of the status. ''However, the party sees the call by the Speaker and other Lagos lawmakers as one made in bad faith and just playing politics with very serious national calamity that warrants soberness.''

10—VANGUARD, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

How Ondo monarch attempted to rape housewife, police tell court

BY DAYO JOHNSON

KURE—A Chief Magistrate's Court sitting in Supare, Ondo State, was told how a traditional ruler, the Olusupare of SupareAkoko, Oba Adejoro Adedeji, allegedly attempted to rape a housewife, Olori Comfort Awogbamila, in his house.

The police also told the court how the wife of the monarch, Mrs. Sherifat Adedeji, engaged in public brawl with Mrs Awogbamila twice within a week.

Mrs. Adedeji is facing a two-count charge of engaging in public brawl

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Relatives of the Dana plane crash at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital,LASUTH, mortuary, Ikeja, to identify bodies of their lost ones. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

Muslims want Ondo guber poll shifted

BY DAYO JOHNSON

KURE—AN appeal has gone to Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to shift the October 20 date fixed for the governorship election in Ondo State.

The muslim community in state made the appeal

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...Religious groups fight maternal mortality in Ogun

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA—MUS LIM and Christian women leaders in Ogun State, yesterday, pledged their support for the state government in its efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality rate.

The religious women organisations gave the assurance at a sensitisation programme organised to round-off the Safe Motherhood Day celebration in the state with the theme, “Pregnancy is Special, Let's Make It Safe,” at NUT Hall, Kuto, Abeokuta.

At the event, the Amirah of Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria, FOMWAN, Ogun State Branch, Dr. Aishat Lawal, and Women Wing Chairperson of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Deaconess Amoke Olugbade, said the initiative would help to liberate and enlighten women on pregnancy-related issues, saying that this would go a long way to overcome the challenges on maternal and child deaths.

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in Akure, saying that holding the election on that day would disenfranchise many of the muslim faithful who will partake in this year’s hajj in Saudi Arabia.

The co-chairman of the state chapter of Nigerian Inter-Religious Council, NIREC, Alhaji Ibrahim Omoloja, said a letter had been sent to INEC national headquarters on the request.

Omolaja, while speaking at the quarterly meeting at NIREC said, “We are seizing this opportunity to appeal to INEC to act fast on our letter which had since been sent to it and duly acknowledge so that our members who would perform this year’s hajj will participate in the election.

“The election, if allowed to go on as scheduled, will definitely disenfranchise many muslims which will not be too good.”

He, however, call on

Ekiti House urges teachers to sit for test

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

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DO-EKITI—EKITI State House of Assembly has urged teachers in the state to offer themselves for the compulsory examination, otherwise tagged as Teachers Development Needs Assessment, TDNA. Speaking with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, Chairman, House Com-

Unions call for airlines' audit

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-

YOUNG BADAN—A GROUP of trade unions, “Integrity Group of Industrial Unions,” IGIU, has called on the Federal Government to look beyond grounding DANA Airlines from flying the Nigerian airspace, but carry out a total audit of the other airlines in the country to avert another air crash.

In a statement by President of National Union of Hotels and Personal Services Workers, NUHPSW and General Secretary of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, Leke Success and Peters Adeyemi, respectively IGIU called for a public hearing on aviation

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media professionals in the state to be cautious, ethical and refrain from sensational reports that could create tension as the state prepare for the governorship election.

sector to address the rot therein. The group urged government to not only make public the outcome of the investigations on the circumstances surrounding Sunday’s crash, but take stern sanction against all those found culpable to serve as deterrent to all players in the aviation industry.

mittee on Information, Omowumi Ogunlola, said the House had in the past intervened in the face-off between the state government and the teachers in public schools.

He said there was nothing unusual for an employer asking its employee to upgrade themselves educationally by partaking in the TDNA test Ogunlola, who is representing Ijero constituency, urged the teachers to shed the toga of pride and display sense of patriotism by submitting themselves for the test.

B E O K U TA — BARELY 24 hours after a trafficker was paraded with eight victims in Abeokuta, by the Ogun State Command of Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, the command, yesterday, paraded 32 alleged illegal Chinese immigrants in Abeokuta.

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The counsel argued that reading the statement would establish that the police instead of charging the incident of May 4 which was an attempted rape, charged the incident of April 28 which was an affray.

The court which agreed

Ex-EKSU VC docked over alleged N91m scam

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

DO-EKITI— FORMER ViceChancellor of Ekiti State University, EKSU, Professor Dipo Kolawole, was, yesterday, arraigned before an Ado-Ekiti Magistrate's Court for allegedly stealing N91 million belonging to the institution.

The former vice-chancellor, who appeared before Chief Magistrate Adesoji Adegboye in Ado- Ekiti, according to police prosecutor, Amos Dagbo, between August 28, 2009 and May 13, last year allegedly stole the said money in connivance with two others still at large According to Dagbo, Kolawole committed the offence of felony by forging the letterhead of the university to withdraw N91,051,244.59 in one of the accounts of the university with the UBA University Branch.

When asked if he wanted the case to be tried by the court, Kolawole answered in affirmative, the fourcount charge was subsequently read to him.

Chief Magistrate Adegboye granted bail to Kolawole with the sum of N400,000 with two sureties.

The case was adjourned till July 18, this year.

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Owo chiefs hail Ondo govt over dev

BY DAYO JOHNSON

KURE—TRADI TIONAL chiefs in Owo, Ondo State, yester-

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32 illegal Chinese immigrants held

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

and conduct likely to cause breach of peace before the Magistrate, Mrs Olubunmi Olujiyigbe.

The charge sheet read in court said that: “You, Comfort Awogbami and Olori Sefifat Adedeji on May 4, 2012 at about 8pm at Supare Magisterial District unlawfully involved yourself in fighting in public at Ugbe Quarters, Supare-Akoko and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 83 of the Criminal Code cap 37 Vol 11, Laws of Ondo State.”

The monarch’s wife and her co-accused, Mrs Comfort Awogbamila, were also charged with conduct likely to cause breach of peace, contrary and punishable under Section 249(d) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol 11 Laws of the state.

At yesterday's hearing, the Investigating Police Officer, IPO, Mr. Ewarawon Fayowole, informed the court how Olori Adedeji fought with Mrs Awogbamila, on May 4, and the incident led to an uproar the town.

Fayowole tendered the statement of Mrs Awogbamila where she alleged that Oba Adejoro invited her to his personal house and attempted to forcefully have canal knowledge of her.

However, a mild drama ensued in the court when lawyer to the first accused, Mr. Duro Adonis, accused the police of proffering wrong charges against the accused persons.

Adonis, who was crossexamining the IPO, asked him to read the statement made by Mrs Awogbamila in the open court, but this was objected to by the prosecutor, Mr. Steven Dickson and the magistrate.

The command’s Comptroller, Greene Anike’Nweze, said the arrest was made when NIS raided the hide-out of the suspects about 5.am.

He said none of the suspects could produce a passport or any other means of valid identification, adding that they would be screened and investigated.

day, said the dualisation of major roads in the town and the rehabilitation of its water dam by the Ondo State Government would go a long way in alleviating their plight.

Speaking on their behalf, Ugwadogbon of Owo, Chief Ademola Obanoyen, said the community was grateful to the government for its development.

Obanoyen said the road project as well as the rehabilitation of the water dam had made life meaningful to the people and was gradually changing the face of the ancient town to

a modern city.

The community also applauded the administration in the state for appointing seven indigenes of the town as permanent secretaries.

They are Mr. Dare Aragbaye, Chief Gbenga Ale, Mr. Soji Gbadebo, Mr. S.A. Mibiola, Mr. Akin Ogunleye, Mr. Akin Aragbaye and Mrs. Kosemani Kolawole.

He said Olowo of Owo, Oba Folagbade OlateruOlagbegi, would be at a thanksgiving service organised by the community for the appointees on Sunday in the town.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012 —11

BURIAL: Cross-section of Okere-Urhobo chiefs at the burial of late HRM Benjamin Okumagba in Warri, Delta State.

Igbudu Market women paying homage at the burial.

CP threatens Delta monarchs over kidnappings

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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S A B A —

HENCEFORTH, any traditional ruler in Delta State, whose jurisdiction was turned into kidnappers’ den would be sanctioned, state Police Commissioner has warned, noting that hoarding of information was hampering efforts towards curbing the menace of kidnapping in the state.

Deputy Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, who gave the warning while briefing newsmen in Asaba, yesterday, said that traditional rulers were supposed to be in firm control of their subjects, and should assist the police with necessary information without coercion, even if it

means concealing their identities while giving out such information.

He said: “The failure or rather lukewarm attitude on the part of victims of kidnap and their relations towards cooperating with the command is rather

worrisome. It is also necessary to state that the command may be forced to recommend sanctions for traditional rulers, whose jurisdiction is turned into kidnappers den.”

He assured residents in the state and bankers in particular, that there was no cause for alarm over attack by armed robbers, adding

Isoko youths sue minister, Shell, others over onshore oil facilities' sale

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—ISOKO youths under the aegis of Isoko National Youth Movement, have dragged Shell Petroleum and Development Company, SPDC; First Hydrocarbon Nigeria Limited; AFREN Group Plc; Nigeria Petroleum Development Company

Limited, NPDC; Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and Minister of Petroleum Resources before a Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State over the sale of onshore oil facilities in Isokoland.

The suit, which has President of Isoko National Youth Movement, Mr. G. Okorobia; Chief Odomero

Edo guber poll: Gowon endorses Oshiomhole, commissions projects

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN CITY— AHEAD the July 14 governorship election in Edo State, former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon(rtd), yesterday, described the developmental projects of Governor Adams Oshiomhole in the state as magical and urged the people of the state to ensure he emerged victorious at the polls.

He spoke when he commissioned the Iheya Street and 10 adjoining roads and street lights in Benin City.

Other projects flagging off

by Gowon, yesterday, were the he Edo State Government free eye glasses programme and testing programme for 60 years and above and the rebuilt Iyoba Girl’s College,

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that the command had mapped out strategies to checkmate any such occurrence as senior officers were on constant patrol day and night in the state.

A 24 year-old student of Delta State University, DELSU, was also paraded with other arrested suspected criminals.

Benin City.

Gowon said: “I am happy being in Benin to commission these projects because I have always shared a lot of things in common with people from this area. Bendel people helped me to ensure one Nigeria during the civil war.

That is why I am so glad

with what Oshiomhole is doing today in Edo State. I know you want him to continue. If anyone is doing well, he deserves the gratitude of everybody.

“From what I have seen, I want you to give him your total support, so that he can continue with what he is doing in all the communities."

Igbine, Chairman Board of Trustees; some oil family landlords in Oleh, IyedeAme, Igbide, Okpolo Enhwe and Emede as claimants, want the court “to set aside the sale and/or any transfer of Shell and NNPC interest and facilities (including OML 26 and OML30) to First Hydrocarbon and AFREN Group, without the concurrence of the claimants, who are the customary landlords/lessors as null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”

The youths want the court to compel Shell, First Hydrocarbon and AFREN Group to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the claimants to cater for the interest and the degradation of the claimant’s environment and all other benefits accruable to the claimants.”

Forum flays attack on firm

BY TONY NYONG

YO—THE Uyo Youth and Elders Consultative Forum, yesterday, condemned unprovoked attack on a major construction firm, the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company, CCECC, in the state.

The forum said in a statement by its Chairman, Mr. Itoro Okon, and the

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Secretary, Mr. Cletus Ekong that the attack directed at CCECC was malicious, handiwork of some greedy politicians.

It said: “We have found out that the sponsored publications by those who have chosen to embark on actions that will negatively affect the process of transformation being engineered by the governor of Akwa Ibom State."

Retreat

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INCENTIAN RETREAT Centre, 1, De Paul Avenue, Yakoyo, Ojodu, Lagos, will be ending its three-day monthly retreat with the theme: My Month of Remembrance, today with a vigil starting by 9pm.

The event which will be hosted bytheVincentianFatherswillalso featureHolyMassandAdoration.

Reps threaten to over-ride President on unsigned bills

BY OKEY NDIRIBE, HENRY UMORU, EMMAN OVUAKPORIE& INALEGWU SHAIBU

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B U J A — CHAIRMAN House of Representatives Committee on Rules and Business, Mr. Sam Tsokwa, yesterday, threatened that the House would by next legislative year over-ride President Goodluck Jonathan on bills he doesn’n endorse within the constitutionally stipulated time limit.

He also lamented what he described as slow implementation of House’s resolutions by the executive arm of government. He said the House will continue to pass new resolutions.

The House Committee Chairman further stated that the slow implementation of the House’s resolutions was surprising since it was based on the resolutions of the National Assembly that President Goodluck Jonathan transmuted from Acting to a substantive President in 2010.

Briefing newsmen on the one year anniversary of the seventh House, Tsokwa assured that the House would not deviate from the agenda it set at the beginning of the year.

Commenting on the performance of the chamber in the last one year, the legislator flayed the reliance on ministries and parastatals by some committee members during oversight activities.

He said that it was wrong for lawmakers who are going on oversight assignment to depend on logistics provided by the ministry or organisations they are

oversighting.

Despite such shortcomings the committee chairman commended the performance of the House committees, arguing that they surpassed the performance of previous assemblies in oversight functions. He maintained that the house oversighted more than ever before.

Tsokwa stated that the House came in with a clear agenda and vision, adding that the agenda is being followed religiously.

He gave a breakdown of programmes accomplished by the House adding that the chamber received a total of 273 bills, most of which were in the second reading stage.

He explained that the House received 278 motions and resolutions and 178 petitions.

On the number of bills passed Tsokwa said that 32 bills were passed in the last 12 months.

Why NASS can't override Jonathan’s veto on unsigned bills —Senate Meanwhile the Senate has explained that it could not override President Goodluck Jonathan’s assent to unsigned Bills because the sixth Senate which passed and presented them to the executive had elapsed and remained dissolved.

Also yesterday, the Senate gave President Jonathan a clean bill over assent to bills, stressing that there was no bill passed by the seventh Senate and sent to the President that he withheld assent to or failed to communicate the withholding of assent.

12—Vanguard , FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

NSCDC parades woman, 7 others for selling fake products

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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MUAHIA—EIGHT suspects including one female, believed to be dealers in fake and adulterated products were yesterday paraded by the Abia State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC. The Command also impounded fake consumer products at a warehouse in Eziukwu Cemetery Market, Aba. Among the impounded products were Mobil Insecticide, St. Lauren Wine, Seaman Schnapps, Seaman’s Branded cups, 5

Alive wine, Eva wine, Chelsea London Dry Gin and Mc Dowell’s Whisky, Squadron Blended Dark Rum, Bacchus Wine and Milo.

Handing over the suspects and the fake products to National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, the Abia State Commandant of NSCDC, Mr. Nathaniel Ubong, said the suspects were apprehended by his men following a tip off.

According to him, his men met very hostile environment during the raid forcing them to retreat.

Ubong said “We have not recovered half of the things we discovered at the production site because the crowd that was in sympathy with those arrested became volatile and threw stones at our men. We decided to retreat in order to avoid crisis.”

Receiving the suspects, the impounded products and the investigation file, the Deputy Director, Aba Special zone of NAFDAC, Mr. Festus Anumba, decried the proliferation of adulterated consumer goods in Aba and described the situation as “worrisome”.

Heavy traffic build up in Enugu as Abakpa-Nike bridge colapses

BY TONY EDIKE

NUGU—THE collapse of the 50-year-old Abakpa-Nike Bridge in Enugu State capital on Wednesday following a heavy down pour yesterday caused heavy traffic up in the city.

Residents of the densely populated Abakpa-Nike who passed through the bridge late Wednesday evening woke up yesterday morning to discover that the bridge had collapsed,

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cutting them off from other parts of the city.

Mindful of the severe hardship which the residents would encounter on account of the incident, Governor Sullivan Chime, who returned from a trip to Abuja yesterday, drove straight to the scene and quickly mobilized the Arab Contractors to commence repair work on the bridge, which one of the embankments was washed away by f l o o d .

The state government, ac-

cording to the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke, was determined to get the bridge repaired without delay hence the quick mobilization of the construction firm to the site.

Although no life was lost, it, however caused a major traffic for motorists plying Abakpa-Nike, Emene and Trans-Ekulu axis as most residents of the area were forced back home, while some trekked to their places of work, market and s c h o o l .

Residents express fear as robbers invade Abia

BY ERIC UGBOR BA—RESIDENTS of Umuahia, the Abia State capital and Aba, now live in fear, especially at night as armed robbers have been terrorizing the towns and robbing people of their cash and other valuables running into millions of naira.

Investigations revealed that armed bandits have in the past one week invaded many homes in the two cities, robbing and inflicting bodily injuries on their victims.

Narrating her ordeal, Mrs. Onyekachi Agbalu, who live on Ehiere road in Aba told Vanguard how 10 men bulldozed their ways into her building and robbed occupants of the building, including her.

She said she lost over N120, 000 meant for her children’s school fees and lamented that one of the occupants of the building, a teacher, was beaten to comma and several injuries inflicted on him because he

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had no money to give the

bandits.

Dana: Sen Okonkwo mourns victims RESIDENT of the nas cent Igbo Socio-political group, “Committee 21”, Senator Annie Okonkwo, has expressed sadness over the Dana Airline tragedy that claimed no fewer than 170 lives, saying “it is a great loss to the nation.”

In a statement by his Media Adviser, Mr. Collins Steve Ugwu, the Senator called for immediate and

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thorough investigation into the matter.

According to him, “it is with a profound sense of loss and agony that I join President Good Luck Jonathan and Nigerians to mourn yet another wholesale demise of a generation of her people whose hope and dreams are buried with this tragic disaster".

Senator Uba loses mum AME Bessie Chinwe Uba, the mother of the senator representing Anambra South, Dr Andy Uba, has died, aged, 89.

According to a statement by the head of the family, Senator Ugochukwu Uba, she passed on June 4 at the Abuja National Hospital after a brief illness.

She was a devout Christian, women leader and a successful entrepreneur.

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The matriach of the family who hailed from Ugah in Aguata local government area of Anambra State is survived by Senators Ugochukwu Uba, Andy Uba, Chief Chris Uba, daughters and grand children. Burial plans would soon be announced by the family.

Senator Uba described her demise as a huge loss not only to the family, but the state due to her motherly role.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012—13

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14—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012—15

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16—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012 — 17

Sweet & SOUR

Donu Kogbara

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Dana Air crash site.... on Tuesday

A tale of two Sundays much less polite than Kadiri; and I wasn’t surprised to encounter a barrage of furious anti-

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LIZABETH II, the 86 yearold Queen of the British Isles and Beyond, has just completed six unblemished decades on the throne. And I was happily watching her spectacular, uplifting Diamond Jubilee celebration on TV in London last Sunday when there was a newsflash announcing the Dana Air plane crash in Nigeria.

In other words, while one of the two countries I describe as “home” was joyfully basking in national pride and engaging in heart-warming jollifications to honour its highly-respected and much-loved Head of State, the other was overcome by grief, despair, fury and absolute contempt for its current and past rulers. Over 1000 people have perished in no less than l0 plane crashes since 1992. And there’s no getting away from the fact that most of these tragedies would have been avoided if our regulatory agencies did their jobs properly.

As Michael Kadiri, a visitor to the website of The Will, a Nigerian-American online publication, so succinctly put it: “One of the reasons normal countries insist on a robust regulatory environment is because men in the pursuit of profit cannot always be trusted to do the right thing.

Wherever there has been a systemic failure of an industry, it is usually because the regulatory agencies have been compromised and are no longer fit for purpose…”.

Meanwhile, others have been

futile because they are, according to her, “incomparable”. She feels that it is ridiculous to men-

Why oh why am I sitting in London absolutely dreading my next trip to Nigeria? Why do I spend as much time outside the land of my ancestors as possible? Why can’t I have a lovely African home I can be proud of and yearn to return to?

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government commentaries when I checked out the internet to monitor the public’s reactions to the Dana disaster.

My mother is always telling me that my habit of comparing the UK and Nigeria is completely

tion Nigeria and the UK in the same breath because it should be obvious to anyone with half a brain that the gap between the two places and peoples is so wide that they might as well be on different planets. And she fre-

ics who griped about the enthusiastic manner in which he cooperated with a system that is rotten to the core and complained about his penchant for defending the indefensible. But most of these detractors are full of s...... and wouldn’t have behaved differently if they’d been given a chance to do his job.

Levi was my friend and I sometimes accused him of being unfair to some of the people around him and of being economical with the truth; and he would just laugh amicably and promise to be kinder and tell me that if you are going to do a job, you might

as well do it well. And he was indeed a gifted spin doctor. He was also - more importantly - a basically decent man.

Farewell, dear Levi. I wept when I thought about the anguish you must have been through in your final moments.

And I will miss you.

Thanks so much for remembering me on my last birthday.

Thanks for making me smile when I was feeling down. May your sweet soul rest in peace and may your family - whom you loved so very much - bear this terrible loss with fortitude.

Fond farewell DR. Levi Ajuonuma, the ebullient, articulate Group General Manager, Public Affairs, of NNPC, was one of last Sunday’s Dana Air casualties. He had crit-

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The late Dr. Levi Ajuonuma

quently berates me for expecting too much of Nigeria.

I totally disagree with my mother in the sense that since Nigerians and Britons are members of the very same human race, the former should be able to achieve similar levels of competence, compassion and honesty as the latter. And it drives me crazy when I’m told that I am being overly optimistic.

What is our problem, for crying out loud?

When we go to school with them, we often get better exam results than they do. When we work in their country or for organisations that they manage or own, we work efficiently as a general rule and have even been known to excel within these supposedly alien foreign environments on occasion.

And, sure, I’m definitely more of an Anglophile than the average Nigerian, but I’m not the only Nigerian who wishes that Nigeria was more like the UK. Many of my compatriots, including many of the Vanguard readers who contact me – AND many of the government officials I know - admire the way the British operate.

So why can’t we prove that we are as good as they are on every single level and suppress our baser instincts and dump the avarice, the thieving, the lack of self-control and the hypocritical religiousity that isn’t tied to REAL ethics? Why can’t we get our acts together and pull together

to build a nation in which life is truly valued and planes do not fall out of the sky with alarming regularity?

Why can’t our leaders be genuinely committed to eradicating poverty, developing infrastructure, expanding the economy, nurturing talent and rewarding integrity? Why does all this talk about “Transformation” sound so hollow? Why oh why am I sitting in London absolutely dreading my next trip to Nigeria? Why do I spend as much time outside the land of my ancestors as possible? Why can’t I have a lovely African home I can be proud of and yearn to return to?

Sorry

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AST week, I wrote about the President’s decision to re-brand Unilag. Several readers reacted passionately and I promised to publish their responses this week.

But recent events have obliterated my interest in this issue.

All that stuff about being for or against a mere name change seems so trivial at the moment.

Please accept my apologies if you find my attitude offensive.

Responses to: donzol2002@yahoo.co.uk or to 0802 747 6458 (texts only). PLEASE KINDLY NOTE THAT UNLESS YOU SPECIFICALLY REQUEST ANONYMITY, YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE PUBLISHED IN VANGUARD, WITH YOUR NAMES AND NUMBERS OR EMAIL ADDRESSES ATTACHED.

18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012 THE renaming of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as the Moshood Abiola University of Lagos (MAUL) by the federal government as announced by President Goodluck Jonathan in his 2012 Democracy Day address to the nation came to many as a rude shock. The students and staff of the University were so outraged as to embark on protests both within and outside the school’s premises.

Contrary to some analysts, this spontaneous reaction had nothing to do with the students being so young as not to know Abiola’s contributions to nation-building and the restoration of our democracy in particular. After all, their teachers who are part of this demonstration of rejection of the rechristening were not only adults when Abiola held sway, but some of them also were part and parcel of the struggle for the revalidation of his presidential mandate given by the Nigerian people on Saturday June 12 1993.

Though to the president said he held wide consultation before arriving at the decision, there were few indications that critical stakeholders were taken along. For instance, the Senate and House of Representatives equally expressed surprise at the president’s move, meaning they had no inkling of it, at least officially. After all,

Rage over UNILAG renaming being the first university in Nigeria set up under federal legislation in 1962, it is expected that due process of the law should be followed if renaming it is adjudged in the interest of the nation.

For years, Nigerians canvassed that Chief MKO Abiola should be recognised, not for being an angel (as no one is such) but for his contributions to Nigeria’s democracy. Without the struggle he put up after the election was annulled Nigeria would never have changed to what it is today, where a section of the country no longer holds the sole franchise for political leadership of the country.

Both the north and the south have produced presidents, and in fact, it has become possible for the minorities to occupy the exalted position through the electoral mandate of Nigerians. This was simply unthinkable before.

For a start, the president could have nominated him for the national honour of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) or even the highest cadre, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR). After all, he was elected president of Nigeria though he was denied his mandate. Some Nigerian leaders who did not even get elected president of Nigeria, such as Chief Obafemi Awolowo, were bestowed the highest national honour.

There are also other national institutions and monuments such as the National Stadium, Abuja or Lagos, which will befit him as the Pillar of Sports in Africa. The federal government also has nine new universities under construction. One of them could be given Abiola’s name to help it leverage to prominence.

UNILAG is a coveted brand university in Nigeria. We do not support its renaming without carrying stakeholders along. We want Abiola adequately memorialised but not in this controversial manner. We advise the federal government to call a meeting of stakeholders and agree amicably on the best way forward, and then submit whatever is agreed to the National Assembly for necessary action. This is a democracy, and we must respect the feelings of our people.

OPINION

BY ANIETIE EKONG

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N the almost five years that Chief Godswill Akpabio has been on the saddle as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, the state has witnessed unprecedented infrastructural and human capital development that many people who have followed development in the state since its creation in the last 24 years have marvelled at the quantum leap. Indeed, Akwa Ibom has emerged as a model that people see and wonder by saying, “so government can work!” to borrow the Governor’s phrase.

Visitors to Akwa Ibom State have been stunned by the dizzying pace of development. Simultaneously, construction of roads, bridges and flyovers go on in all parts of the state.

Indeed there is a general consensus even among his political opponents that Governor Akpabio cannot be faulted on performance because he has exceeded the expectations of even his critics and opponents. The Governor has turned Akwa Ibom State into one huge construction site.

Before now, many people had held the view that so much money was allocated to the Niger Delta states with little to show for it. This opinion had gained so much prevalence that some people had agitated that the allocation to the area is scaled down. But such people may not have taken cognizance of the silent revolution that is going on in Akwa Ibom State.

Those who have visited the State lately have marvelled at the economic wizardry of Governor Akpabio in taking on so many mega projects and other life-touching development ventures at the same time across the State. It is instructive that in the last five years, the administration of Chief Akpabio has consistently devoted over 80 per cent of its annual budget to capital projects. Also, in carrying out these projects, the administration has made prudent management of resources its watch-word as it has plugged all loopholes and leakages C M Y K

Akwa Ibom: A model of good governance and devoted a huge percentage of the budget to infrastructure.

Governor Akpabio is often credited as saying that if you want a five-star project, you must engage a five-star construction company. And this has been the lot of the state in the last five years. Reputable construction companies have delivered world class projects that would stand the test of time, across the state. It is instructive that at a time the whole world was under trepidation about the secret information leaked about government malfeasances all over the world

by Wikileaks, what was ‘leaked’ about the Akwa Ibom State government under Governor Akpabio was that there was infrastructural revolution going on in the state.

This ‘infrastructural revolution’ is visible across the state. At the last count, the Akpabio administration had constructed three new flyovers (three more are nearing completion), over 290 new roads (many of them dualized), spanning across the length and breadth of the state. One distinguishing feature of the Akpabio roads is that they neither are political roads nor built to score political points. From past experiences, roads built for political reasons are washed away no sooner than they are commissioned. About a dozen bridges have also been built.

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resident Goodluck Jonathan during a visit to Akwa Ibom State bore testimony to the pace and quality of work the administration of Chief Akpabio has done: “From what I have seen so far, it is evident that the Akwa Ibom State Government is driven by a singular commitment to enhancing the welfare and well-being of the people through

infrastructural development and innovation in the provision of infrastructural amenities and human capacity development. The pace and level of development graphically demonstrates that the Governor and his team are focused and committed to transforming Akwa Ibom State.

“I have seen quite a number of projects today, some have been commissioned, I have inspected some, and tomorrow on my programme, I will still see more… One thing I have seen today is that the projects I have seen are not just projects, but with very high quality…And I’m quite pleased with that because the Governor is not just playing politics with projects, it is so glaring that he is committed to changing things,” the President said.

Today unarguably, Akwa Ibom State has one of the best road networks in Nigeria. More roads and flyovers are being built across the state. As observed by a commentator, across Nigeria, Akwa Ibom is among the very few states in the country which have built flyovers. While the ones in Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja were mostly built by the Federal Government, not many states have engaged in the ‘luxury’ of building flyovers because they don’t come cheap, but everyone desires the benefit of easing vehicular traffic and decongesting the city. Now, even the most remote part of the state could be accessed in less than two hours from the state capital.

Aside the impeccable infrastructure in the state, the Akpabio administration has also laid a very solid foundation for the take off of its ambitious industrialization programme.

Realising the importance of power to industrial growth, the administration completed a 191 megawatt independent power project. *Mr. Ekong, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012 — 19

, DANA - Counting the dead and conning the damned (1)

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F it were possible, I’d real ly like to avoid using the word “tragedy”- not only because it’s trite and over-worked, but also because, in this instance, the term is woefully inadequate.

It fails to give vent to my true passions: To the explosive plethora, the swirling vortex of emotions that the Dana Airliner crash in Lagos has aroused within me.

Naturally, there is grief and a sense of loss which I share with the bereaved families of the passengers and others who perished as well as with Nigerians generally. But this is just part of the emotional mix, one dimension of my thoughts and feelings about an airline acci-

dent that follows an all-too-familiar pattern.

The Dana crash fits perfectly into what has become an ethos of death and destruction, a catastrophic continuum, which entails a fatal accident and a litany of promises, ceremonies and rituals. No tragedian - Greek, African or other - could have created a more dramatic contrivance than the scenario that is being played out in the wake of the Dana Airlines incident.

Nor could even the most accomplished thespians have acted their roles with more exactitude, than did our administrators and elected officials, when paying their customary visit to the scene of the crash. It was a classic - if not exactly captivat-

Nigerians, especially those who ply the corridors of this country’s air space regularly, as I do, deserve more than displays of sorrow and regret, after disaster has struck

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ing - performance. The Aviation Minister cried, as reportedly did the President, who issued the expected proclamation - promising to “get to the bottom of this” and “find a solution” to the problem of airline safety.

Let me stress, to avoid being seen as callous and inconsiderate, that when I make reference to “thespians” and “acting”, I am taking poetic licence. The intent is not to portray the President or any other public official as insincere, far from it. Many of you know that the Aviation Minister remains

one of my favourite and God knows the entry of Dana into our airspace precedes her.

So no, quite to the contrary, the grief of these leaders almost certainly runs deeper, even than my own (if that is possible). They not only share a sense of loss with the rest of us, but must also - I think it’s fair to assume - suffer guilt-pangs, being among the persons charged with ensuring safe air travel. What I must insist upon though, is that grief is not enough. Nigerians, especially those who ply the corridors of this country’s air space regularly, as I do, deserve more than displays of sorrow and regret, after disaster has struck.

Elimination of accidents Accidents, of course, can never be eliminated entirely. But members of the public have a right to feel reasonably safe, whether in flight or in their sitting rooms - whether they are air travellers or people like the residents of Iju-Ishaga, in Lagos, who reside under flight lanes.

“Getting to the bottom” of the Dana Airlines crash, which the

Olaitan Oyerinde: Rest not in peace until...

HIS piece was initially entitled: “Olaitan Oyerinde: A Machiavelli Unravels in Edo”; but I had to change it to “Olaitan Oyerinde: Rest not in peace” for an understandable reason: To flag down attention of readers to the narrative, which is both a tribute, in the plain literary logic, to a man who lived for the labour struggle but was, unfortunately, cut down by unknown gun men in the arena of conflict that has been given a political coloration, and a genre of message to a spirit being to fight for himself in the folkloric sense.

Since the gruesome killing of Comrade Olaitan, the Principal Private Secretary to the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole, at his residence on Ugbor Road in the GRA, Benin, in the early hours of Friday, May 4, 2012, the Governor and some of his aides have been peddling the theory that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its leaders were responsible for the dastardly act.

Oshiomhole has been particularly and passionately committed to making a political capital from this. He has understandably latched on to it as a window of escape from the vicious missiles that were hitting his underbelly in the aftermath of the revelation of the alleged multi-billion naira mansion and other structures he is building on his sprawling estate at his Iyamho village in Edo State.

The politicisation of the killing of Oyerinde by Oshiomhole is not only an act of insensitivity to the dead and his family by a supposed father but also an indication of the Governor ’s desperation to divert attention from issues of accountability being raised about the sources of funding for the monument to madness at Iyamho. It is part of deliberate efforts to preserve his enlightened self-interest in the tumultuous politics that has become the lot of Edo State.

Instead of responding with his usual ballyhoo to the Iyamho mansion scandal, the Comrade-Governor has chosen to take refuge in reckless acts of pointing finger of

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guilt at the opposition over the killing of Olaitan. And he is doing it with a rare relish, happy that attention has, to a large extent, been shifted from the sordid skeleton in his cupboard at Iyamho. It is sad that the Comrade-Governor is, by so doing, dancing on the grave of Olaitan.

Has Oshiomhole been denatured such that he could not address the Iyamho scandal on its merit (or is it demerit)? Why has he decided to shy away from personally joining issues with the opposition on the scandalous Iyamho mansion saga despite the wide and damaging publicity given to it? Very unlike the rambunctious ComradeGovernor! The reason is that his hands have been caught in the cookie jar and he has found it extremely difficult to wriggle out of it.

His aides have tried hard to rationalise it but have failed to explain it away. It is rather unfortunate that the only way the Governor and his strategists planned to push the issue to the background was by playing dirty politics with the death of the three journalists who died in his convoy accident and his confidant (Olaitan). But their blood must speak out. In particular, Olaitan’s blood must fight!

Political desperation I think reckless and extreme politicisation of Olaitan’s death is not the best way to honour the life and times as well as his memory. I am sure the dead himself would scorn this Machiavellian approach of using his killing to whip up public sentiments for possible political gains. It will be more so if innocent persons have been wrongly accused of perpetrating the act. This is the point at issue here. It is indeed worrisome that reputations would be impugned with reckless abandon on the altar of political desperation.

Indeed, Oshiomhole’s grotesque propositions in the haze of governorship electioneering have simply convinced me that a new Niccolò di Bernardo dei

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BY SUFUYAN OJEIFO

I sincerely wish that the spirit of Olaitan will receive a rare capacity to torture and expose for ridicule and punishment the elements that conspired to cut down his physical body in the midstream of his life

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Machiavelli, that “diabolical” Italian historian, diplomat, philosopher, humanist, writer and father of modern political theory based in Florence during the Renaissance, has unraveled in our own Edo State.

No matter how he is constructed or de constructed, the greatest source of Machiavelli’s reputation is, of course, The Prince (1532). The main theme of this short book is that all means may be resorted to for the establishment and preservation of authority — the end justifies the means — and that the worst and most treacherous acts of the ruler are justified by the wickedness and treachery of the governed.

So it is with Oshiomhole in his current enterprise at demonizing the opposition by accusing its members of being responsible for all the tragedies that have so far befallen him in the build-up to the July 14 governorship election. His followers are falling over themselves to sheepishly reinforce his propositions and thus please their paymaster.

Indeed, I have not stopped thinking about how Olaitan Oyerinde would feel wherever he is when wrong persons have been accused of his death; and when, perhaps, his real killers may just be members of the government or the party for which he worked in Edo. I believe his remains would turn in the grave at this cruel deployment of his

President has promised to do, is an important first step towards providing Nigerians with this sense of security: Towards alleviating the oppressive psychological burden which the looming threat of plane crashes impose Nigerians.

The operation of Dana Airlines has been suspended. But why did it take over 150 Nigerian lives to achieve this - particularly when the irregularities, as reported in The Will, a U.S. based newsletter, were so glaring? Within hours of the crash, CNN had a detailed report on the ill-fated plane formerly owned by Alaskan Airways and rejected by both Canadian and US authorities.

Why not us? If anyone thinks that this will blow over, think again. If anyone thinks that this report will join the rest, know that the mood in the country is changing. It is like the filling of a cup drop by drop. It is simply too hard to point the finger at the drop that made the cup runneth over. Maybe we should be thinking more along the lines of a judicial commission of enquiry. The absence of consequence is the mother of our evils.

To be continued.

killing for political capital.

The cavalier manner at which Oshiomhole targeted the character of the opposition when the Police have not come out with the result of their investigation is simply Machiavellian. It is one of the strategies or means for preserving his governance authority beyond November 14, 2012. But to his chagrin, this will not work.

I sincerely and very seriously think that beyond Oshiomhole’s reckless accusations and the Police investigations, the spirit of Olaitan, a strong labour union activist while alive, should be strong in the realm of spiritualism to preponderate the shenanigans that have dominated the physical or the terrestrial in the ambiance of Edo State politics.

This goes to the heart of the traditional belief, especially in Yoruba land, where Olaitan came from, that spirits (spiritism) of the dead have powers to interfere in the affairs of the living. If that is correct, I sincerely wish that the soul or spirit of Olaitan will receive a rare capacity to torture and expose for ridicule and punishment the elements that conspired to cut down his physical body in the midstream of his life.

And if this mission must be accomplished, then much as the death of any man diminishes me, I am careful in joining the bandwagon of genuine and fake sympathisers who have prayed for Olaitan’s soul to rest in peace.

Having considered the callousness of his killing and the suspicious atmospherics created by Oshiomhole and his aides in their hasty and unconscionable accusation (as if it was pre-determined) of Chief Tony Anenih as being responsible for the killing (the governor has even named Delta Crescent, GRA, where Anenih lives in Benin after Olaitan, a conclusive attitude when the Police are yet to finish investigations), I can only pray that the soul of Olaitan should not rest in peace until it has helped relevant security agencies to fish out his real killers.

So, my brother (since we are both handiwork of God’s creation), Olaitan, please, understand with me as I earnestly urge you, yes your soul, not to rest in peace until your killers are apprehended. *Mr. Ojeifo, a journalist, wrote from Abuja.

20—Vanguard , FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

Shock as taskforce flushes illegal squatters from under bridges ONDERS they say, shall never end.

This best describes what the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Other Special Offences, led by Superintendent of Police, Bayo Sulaimon discovered during the on-going massive reclamation of loops and illegal structures built under the bridges in the state.

The exercise followed the directive by Governor Babatunde Fashola and endorsed by the Federal Government for the removal of all abandoned and illegally parked vehicles around Apapa area particularly, along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Ijora, Creek Road, Marine Bridge as well as the cleaning up of bridges in the area.

The State government had few weeks ago handed a seven-day ultimatum to all illegal occupants of the road, including owners of tankers, trailers, roadside shanties and squatters living under bridges to quit or be forced out.

The ultimatum took effect from Sunday April 29, setting the stage for the full enforcement of the order by Governor Fashola, who during earlier visits to the area, expressed shock at how the once quiet and serene Apapa area had been messed up by tanker and trailer drivers and the owners of tank farms.

Determined to ensure that the roads are rid of the tankers, the Federal Government, through the Presidential Taskforce headed by Sylvester Monye, who is also chairman of the Ports Reform Committee, had on Friday made known its involvement with Lagos to dislodge errant tanker and trailer drivers who turned the corridor into a nightmare for road users and residents.

The operation involving the two levels of the government is being supported by teams of well-armed mobile po-

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licemen, army, navy and air force, following weeks of consultations with stakeholders, including transport unions, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, among others.

Monye, who heads the Presidential Task Force, said it was now time to act to restore sanity on the corridor and ease access to the Apapa and Tin Can Ports which handle the bulk of shipments into Nigeria.

“We are ready to take these people out. We have had extensive consultations with various stakeholders because we chose not to take anyone unawares and with the strong support of the Lagos State government, I believe we will succeed this time. What we want to do is to replicate the huge success at Oshodi in Lagos,” he said.

President Goodluck Jonathan had directed the Acting Inspector General of Police, the Garrison Commanders of the Army, Navy and Air Force to provide the critical support for the operation to ensure total clearance of all the trucks and their drivers

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BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

*Debris under the bridge at Ijora after the evacuation of squatters. over the development, the Task Force boss said his team had a very difficult time getting rid of the squatters who put up a lot of resistance. At Ijora Olopa Bridge, brothels, business centres, makeshift cinemas and lotto offices were among the many structures that went down during the clean-up exercise. Children of different ages were among those evacuated from under the filthy bridge.

One of the major discoveries was a big hole that leads inside the bridge where squatters

I am a transporter, I have been living under this Ijora Bridge for the past 15 years; I have my family here; the Lagos State government just brought their bulldozers and demolished my house; now where do I go from here?

if they fail to exit the corridor.

Precisely a week ago, the taskforce bulldozers rolled to the notorious Ijora bridges removing thousands of abandoned vehicles and demolishing several illegal structures. In the process thousands of illegal squatters with their children were displaced.

While, speaking with Vanguard Metro, VM,

dangerous weapons, including cutlasses, guns, arrows and charms were recovered in the rubbles at Marine Bridge, Apapa.

Speaking with VM, one of the displaced persons, who simply identified himself as Jimoh, said: “My brother, I am a transporter; I didn’t have any place to go. I have been living under this Ijora Bridge for the past 15 years. I have my

turned into a room and parlour. Various personal belongings like television and radio sets, and mattresses were said to have been removed. It was believed that the occupants must have been using the place as a hideout while carrying out their nefarious activities. No one, however, was apprehended in the process.

Earlier, all kinds of

port, where travellers come from all over the metropolis to board vehicles to Kwara. We have been operating here for over 30 years without any hassles until now.

This is where we get the means of our livelihood.

We are begging the governor to have a rethink on the evacuation exercise as we are ready to abide by any environmental laws,” Alhaji Ahmed pleaded.

At last, a lifeline for border communities

BY CHARLES KUMOLU HE people of Shan gev-ya district of Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State recently had cause to smile in appreciation as the Border Communities Development Agency, BCDA, which is an agency set up by the Federal Government primarily to address the neglect of border communities, presented health and medical facilities to the Ada Community Clinic located in the area. This was done during the visit of the Senate Committee on States and Local Government Affairs.

The Committee which was led by Senator Kabiru Gaya, had an on-thespot assessment of the condition of Nigerians living in border communities. The trip which was necessitated by BCDA Needs Assessment Report, was widely described as a welcome

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family here. The Lagos State government just brought their bulldozers to demolish my house.

Where do I go from here?

Another displaced victim at Ijora 7-UP Bridge, who simply identified himself as Alhaji Ahmed, pleaded with Governor Fashola to give them special consideration as commercial bus operators.

“This is the popular Motor Garage known for Kwara inter-states trans-

development for the people living in Kwande LGA border communities.

Prior to this presentation of beds, mattresses, pillows and mosquito nets, pregnant women usually gave birth on bamboo beds and mats in the clinic. While making the presentation, the Executive Secretary of BCDA, Numoipre Wills, assured the people that the Federal Government was poised to address their plight, but appealed to them to maintain facilities that have been provided.

He further reiterated the resolve of the government to overcome insecurity in all the border communities in Nigeria.

Making his own contribution, the Senate Committee chairman, who was visibly moved by the “pitiable” living condition of the people with almost no access road, promised to take their plight to the National Assembly for positive

legislation.

Gaya, a former governor of Kano State, also lamented the absence of federal roads to link many border communities in the country.

Gaya said the visit provided them with a “firsthand information” that would assist in carrying out their oversight functions on the activities of the agency. The Chairman appealed to the Federal Government to allocate more funds to the agency for capital projects. Responding, the villagers thanked the BCDA and promised to put the facilities to good use.

The Committee also visited Imande-Tura which could not be accessed by cars as the road was not motorable. Instead the visiting law makers and management staff of BCDA had to access the community by motorbikes popularly called Okada passing through several streams.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012 — 21

Industrialist seeks SMEs exemption from IFRS

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM MALL and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) should be exempted from International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) says the Managing Director, Poly Products Nigeria Plc, Mr. Nasir Gwalani.

Gwalani who spoke to Vanguard on some of the challenges businesses face in Nigeria, especially quoted companies, opined that all over the world, small businesses are not mandated to adopt the reporting system.

He noted that going by very nature of the reporting system, it would be difficult for small companies to abide by the requirements of IFRS. He maintained that though the system could be acceptable to multinational and other blue chip companies, SMEs that post insignificant revenues should be allowed to continue with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, GAAP. “All over the world, small and medium industries are not subjected to all those things. Here we are bringing everybody under IFRS. It is very difficult for small companies to abide by what they are saying.

Banks, yes; multinationals, yes, but small and medium scale industries whose turnover is few million naira per year should be excluded from the IFRS. In England, you don’t even require audited balance sheet if your turnover is not in excess of five Pounds. What you need is only certified accountant report,” he stated.

Gwalani stated that adopting the new system will not resolve the laxity and regulatory lapses that the regulatory agencies in Nigeria are known for; adding that monitory

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156.10

-2.35

2,155.00 +61.00 19.17

+0.27

98.70

-0.15

84.23

+0.25

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL SELLING CFA 0.2716 KRONER 25.8642 EURO 192.2616 POUNDS 237.4942 RIYAL 41.2745 SDR 239.8471 FRANC 159.9835 DOLLAR 154.8 YEN 1.9783 RENMINBI 24.3081

0.2816 25.9478 192.8826 238.2613 41.4078 240.6218 160.5002 155.3 1.9847 24.3871

0.2916 26.0313 193.5036 239.0284 41.5411 241.3965 161.0169 155.8 1.9911 24.4661

CBN Exchange rate as at 07/06/2012 C M Y K

and thoroughly reading the reports will yet constitute another problem.

Speaking on some of the challenges businesses face, Gwalani stated that insecurity and infrastructural decay have continued to pose grave danger to survival of business entities in

Nigeria.

Vanguard recalls that all quoted companies have been directed to adopt the IFRS reporting standard effective December, 2012.

Already, a couple of companies have announced their readiness to tag along, while others said they

have since migrated to the new reporting standard ahead of December deadline.

However, some financial experts have said that the new system of reporting requires a lot of disclosure which some companies might not be comfortable with.

From left: Professor Yemi Osinbajo, former Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of Lagos/Director, Law Paviliion; Mr. Ope Olugasa, Managing Director, LawPavilion and Mr. Gbenga Fabilola, Director at the LawPavilion Blackberry App launch, in Lagos.

PHCN, FBN risk contempt over power purchase agreement

By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE ANAGERS of First Bank Nigeria (FBN) Plc and Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) may face contempt charges at the Lagos High Court Igbosere over a dispute arising from breach of contribution in Barge Power Purchase Agreement entered into by PHCN and Lagos State Government in 2000.

Applicant in the suit, Mr. Olasupo Shasore SAN (also counsel to Lagos State government) informed the court that PHCN and First Bank Plc have disobeyed the ex-perte order of Mareva injunction made against them (PHCN and FBN) on May 16, 2012 and sought to know why they disobeyed even after admitting service.

He said: “The first and second respondents have disobeyed the order of the court and the rule is that they should not come to the court to which they have disobeyed for favour. They were served the order on May 22, 2012 but they still went ahead to transact on their account.”

Urging the court to stand the

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matter down until the respondents depose under oath an affidavit of compliance to the order, Shasore held that various sums of money were on May 23 (a day after they were served) withdrawn from the accounts of the first respondent held with the second respondent running into billions of naira against the orders of the court, noting it was a deliberate action aimed at scorning the order.

Counsel to the first defendant, Mr. Babatunde Ajibade SAN had brought a motion on notice seeking to vacate the ex-perte order of Mareva injunction, which forecloses transactions in the accounts of PHCN with First Bank and another bank.

The motion, which is supported by a 28-paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Matthias Dawodu was not opposed by the applicants counsel.

But the applicants counsel insisted that that motion cannot be moved until the firms clear the allegations of disobedience to court order.

Ajibade argued that since the order was served on the respondents on May 22 and the withdrawals took place a day later,

it means that it was inadvertently done. According to him, the management of PHCN did not receive the order by the time the transactions took place.

“The order that my learned silk is referring to has elapsed by effusion of time on the 23 of May because the order was to last for only 7 days.

Since it was made on May 16, it has elapsed according to the rules or the court. I disagree with the oral application of my learned silk seeking to extend the order.

“He supposed to do so appropriately. If my colleague would not allow us to move the application to discharge the order for alleged disobedience which we said was done inadvertently, I submit that the order has elapsed and the application for extension do not apply ”, he declared.

Counsel to First Bank, Mr. Bayo Akinsola said the applicant had alluded to the fact that monies were withdrawn from the account after the order but refuse to acknowledge that there were also some lodgments into the account. He stated that they would respond appropriately to the allegations at the right time.

22 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

IOSCO raises concerns over regulation of derivatives trading

By MICHAEL EBOH the Nigeria Stock Exchange, NSE, plans to introduce derivatives trading in the next couple of months, the International Organization of Securities Commissions, IOSCO, has raised concerns on the need for

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effective regulation of the derivatives market to ensure it does not lead to a crash in the capital market.

IOSCO, according to a statement signed by its spokesperson, Carlta Vitzthum disclosed that derivatives market intermediaries, DMI, were not properly regulated prior to 2008,

a development which led to a number of them engaging in sharp practices which became obvious during the financial crisis of 2008.

To this end, she said IOSCO has published a report titled, ‘International Standards for Derivatives Market I n t e r m e d i a r y Regulation,’ which

recommends high-level international standards for the regulation of market participants that are in the business of dealing, making a market or intermediating transactions in over-thecounter (OTC) derivatives.

She said, “Historically these derivatives market

From left: Managing Director, Solamith Nigeria Limited, Mr. Tunde Sanni; Executive Director, Commercial Banking, Keystone Bank Limited (special guest), Mrs. Sally Uwechue-Mbanefo and Mr. Tersoo Akula of Theophilus Danjuma Foundation during the TY Foundation graduation lecture organised

by Afrigrowth Foundation, in Abuja.

Nosak Distilleries laments high cost of funds … To get SON certification

BY PETER EGWUATU HEAD of its proposed plans to go public and get listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) as well as its certification by Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Nosak Distilleries Limited, has lamented the high cost of sourcing funds from the banks, and called on the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to find a way of reducing interest rate.

Managing Director/ CEO, Nosak Distilleries, Mr. Edwin Ibube, revealed this in Lagos, on Wednesday, saying the greatest challenge facing the company is the high cost of sourcing fund from banks.

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“Manufacturers find it difficult to cope with interest rate as higher as 15 per cent, so we want government to provide intervention funds that will help manufacturers to continue production in large scale which will lead to creation of jobs for Nigerians.”

He commended President Goodluck Jonathan for the intervention fund from the Bank of Industry (BOI).

Ibube, stressed that Nosak would be honoured by SON on the award of NIS 1SO 9001: 2008 certificate.

According to him, “The Quality Management System in accordance with the requirements of NIS ISO 9001: 2008 was e s t a b l i s h e d , documented and is being implemented and

maintained.”

On its plan to go public, he said, “We are preparing this company to access the capital market in order to tap the abundant benefits, especially long term funds that will help us expand our production capacity. Very soon we will soon go public as arrangement has reached an advanced stage.

“The company commenced operation in July 2002, and specialised in the production of high purity beverage grade ethanol , with a daily production capacity of 100,000 litres. The plant was increased to 250000 litres per day with the commissioning of the 2nd plant in October, 2007. To maintain our leadership position in the industry, the 3rd plant

was commissioned in February 2012.”

Ibube, disclosed that the company has invested a total of N6 billion with employment of 250 staff, stressing that the increase in the plant capacity will generate additional 450 jobs.

In his words, “Apart from cutting edge technology and new equipment in our processes, we believe in manpower training and development to meet growing industry challenges.

Nosak Distilleries is currently the largest producer of beverage grade ethanol in Africa that serves the needs of industries such as: Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics, Alcoholic beverages, Blenders, Hospitals, Paint, Lacquers etc.”

intermediaries (DMIs) often have not been subjected to the same level of regulation as participants in the traditional securities market.

Without sufficient regulation, some DMIs operated in a manner that created risks to the global economy that manifested during the financial crisis of 2008.”

The report, according to Vitzthum, is based on the commitment by G-20 leaders in 2009 to reform the OTC derivatives market in response to the crisis.

She said the report is taking into consideration distinctions between the OTC derivatives market and the traditional securities markets, and also the differences in jurisdictional approaches of international market authorities.

Vitzthum explained that the report draws on the extensive work IOSCO has done on traditional securities market intermediaries, in an effort to harmonise the recommendations applicable to DMIs and to avoid the creation of unnecessary burdens on entities that act as both

traditional securities market intermediaries and DMIs. She said, “The recommendations in the Report are intended to address: DMI obligations that should help mitigate systemic risks; requirements intended to manage counterparty risk in the OTC derivatives markets; and protecting participants in the OTC derivatives markets from unfair, improper or fraudulent practices. “ T h e recommendations are made regarding the following substantive areas: Registration/ licensing standards; capital standards or other financial resources requirements for nonprudentially regulated DMIs; business conduct standards; business supervision standards; and recordkeeping standards.”

Continuing, Vitzthum noted, “Consistency among market authorities with respect to the regulation of DMIs is essential to the successful oversight of the global OTC derivatives market particularly because many DMIs operate in multiple jurisdictions.”

Nasdaq offers $40m to cover Facebook losses, short of claims ASDAQ OMX Group Inc said it will offer cash and rebates totaling $40 million to compensate clients affected by the problems with Facebook Inc’s initial public offering, an amount well short of the losses claimed by top market makers for the IPO. After approval by regulators, Nasdaq said on Wednesday, $13.7 million would be paid to its affected member firms and the balance would be credited to members to reduce trading costs, with all benefits expected to be awarded within six months.

“Our expectation is that every firm will receive some measure of cash and that every firm will receive their full accommodation by year end if current trading patterns persist,” Eric

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Noll, executive vice president for transaction services at Nasdaq OMX, said in a webcast to member firms.

The top four market makers in the Facebook IPO - UBS, Citigroup, Knight Capital, and Citadel Securities together lost upward of $115 million due to technical problems that prevented them from knowing for about two hours if their orders had gone through after Facebook began trading.

Smaller market makers that might have suffered losses would also receive a part of the $40 million.

The idea of rebates has caused some concern at other exchanges.

Sources at Nasdaq rivals said that such a plan would force brokers to trade at Nasdaq, taking market share from competing exchanges.

Vanguard,FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012—23

BRIEF CBN, Lagos partner on e-payment workshop HE Lagos state office of the Auditor-General for local government is collaborating with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to organize a two day workshop on e-payment.

The workshop will involve public sector and local government functionaries across the state such as Council chairmen, council managers, education secretaries of local government education authorities, secretaries, pension board, local government council treasurers, paymasters, heads of accounts of local government education authorities and local government pension board.

Banks and CBN approved solution providers are been encouraged to also attend to showcase their end to end epayment solutions to the audience.

According to the head of planning, research and development Lagos State office of the Auditor-General for Local Government, Mr. Adeniji Salami “In view of the cashless policy by the CBN, the fact is that e-payment is new and alien to our economy and there could be some risks associated with the practice.

So we don’t want the local government officials to run the risk of huge losses due to lack of knowledge and understanding”. He further stated that the state office of the Auditor-General for the local government is collaborating with the CBN to sensitize and enlighten the people on the workings of epayment “ we are doing this to enlighten our people to understand the rudiments and workings of cashless policy, e-payment systems and how it could assist us in our duties”.

The event is themed as ‘the workings of electronic payment/cashless policy for public sector functionaries, Local governments and Local government education authorities in Lagos state’.

The event is scheduled to hold on the 13th-14th of June with the Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos state on taxation and revenue Hon. Abimbola Shodipo as the guest of honour and Permanent Secretary/Auditor –General for Local Government Lagos state as the chief host.

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From left: Tosin Odukoya, Head of Investor Relations, Stanbic IBTC Bank; Hon. Samad Ogunbo, Supervisor of Works, Eti-Osa East Local Council Development Area; Morin Adeyemi, Head of Corporate Social Investments, Stanbic IBTC Bank and Memudu Bakare, Chairman, Community Development Association (CDA), Ogombo Town, during the handing over of borehole facility donated by staff.

Securing convictions critical to war against money laundering —GIABA

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE ECURING convictions in prosecution of money laundering cases is critical to success of measures to fight money laundering and terrorism financing.

Director General of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), Alhaji Abdulahi Shehu Yibaikwal said this on Monday at the official presentation of a book titled ‘Strategies and Techniques of Prosecuting Economic and Financial Crimes’.

He said “National and

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regional capacities to investigate cases and bring them to Court have been greatly enhanced over the past 6 years. However, all that work can come to nil if convictions are not then secured. Thus, one final and crucial step in the chain of opposition to money laundering (ML) and Terrorism Financing (TF), including issues of corruption, is the strengthening of the capacity of prosecutors to successfully prosecute cases in court in order to obtain convictions and deny criminals the benefit of their ill-gotten gains. That is the aim of the book we are

presenting today. This book has been published as part of our technical assistance to member states.”

Speaking on the rationale for the book, he said, “As a leader of the regional alliance against transnational organized crime, my goal is not to determine the direction of the wind of change in criminal justice, but to inspire and adjust the sails – and that is the main thrust of the book to be presented today. The book seeks to provide some guidance to officials who are involved in the prosecution of economic and financial crimes. It reviews contending issues, provoking some thoughts, especially on the ways in which the capacity of prosecutors should be enhanced to effectively deal

with economic and financial crimes.

“In short, it aims to strengthen the integrity and professionalism of prosecutors. Interested users will find the book useful not only in understanding the nature and patterns of economic and financial crimes, but also the challenges that developing countries, in particular, face in dealing with these problems. The book draws inspiration from experiences of many jurisdictions, which suggest that to successfully deal with these menaces, strong laws are vital, and this view has been held by the courts to represent a proportionate response to an insidious problem.

“In many case laws, the courts have accepted that if economically motivated crimes are to be combated, there should be a balance between individual rights and the wider public interest.

Respect for human rights, is after all, integral to crime prevention and detection, the administration of justice, and indeed, the trial of suspects.

“Looking into the future, we can only be certain of one thing - there will continue to be changes in the conditions and circumstances which form the context in which we fight economic and financial crimes within the rule of law.

And for the crusade to remain effective, we must strengthen the capacities of investigators, prosecutors and also judges to adapt appropriately, to take into account these changes.

Hence, our technical assistance program consisting of provisions of legal advisory services, training for investigators and prosecutors, as well as capacity building programs for judges, will continue to target the specific areas that we can make the maximum impact in our regional fight against organized crime, in particular the laundering of the proceeds of crime and the financing of terrorism.”

Union Bank boss makes case for agric financing ROUP Managing Director of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Mrs Funke Osibodu has called for concerted efforts by banks to make agricultural financing attractive and profitable for shareholders/depositors by focusing on a holistic value chain.

She made this call in Abuja at the African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (AFRACA) workshop sponsored by the bank.

She emphasised the benefits of this approach to include the production of input/output linkages, meeting the needs of industries, infrastructure needs of stakeholders among others.

The Union Bank boss said that the value chain model would enhance increase in per

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capita income, employment generation, rural development, empowerment of citizens and well informed banking customers.

She listed other benefits to include products for agricultural and industrial sectors, reduction in Africa’s food import bill and sustainability of Africa’s food security.

She eulogised the leadership role being played by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in providing the platform for banks to focus on agriculture. Mrs Osibodu said this was being complimented by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture through practical innovations in enlarging the value chain approach. The AFRACA is expected to assist the central banks, development agencies

and related ministries to align their interventions and policies with areas that will enhance the agricultural value chain. The forum is also expected to provide a road map to utilising knowledge for bank credit facilities from the farmers’ view point.

Union bank has been in the vanguard of agriculture financing for many decades, which has earned it national and international awards and laurels. Meanwhile, experts and farmers at the workshop have called on relevant government agencies to take agriculture more seriously by increasing incentives to the sector. The Secretary General of AFRACA, Alhaji Saleh Usman Gashua set the tune by challenging African leaders to refocus their energies on policies that

would attract investors to the sector.

He observed that in most emerging nations, Nigeria was behind practical steps towards achieving the much needed food security.

Experts such as professors Victor Okoruwa, James Olukosi, Dapo Adedire and Dr Ilo posited that until an enabling environment was provided for all issues in the value chain, agriculture will continue to suffer policy inconsistencies and somersaults.

They challenged all the stakeholders to team up towards realising food sufficiency in the continent.

The agriculture experts opined that it was through collaboration that the value chain would be pulled rather than pushed

24 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

ACBF signs partnership agreement with AfrExim Bank T

HE African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and the African Export and Import Bank (AfrExim Bank) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, aimed at strengthening their collaboration on various capacity building initiatives in Africa. The Agreement recognises the common areas interest in fostering sustainable capacity for African countries.

In signing the MoU, the two institutions agreed to join efforts in supporting inter-African trade, by strengthening institutional capacity for export development, building capacity for research, policy formulation and implementation of think tanks. Private sector organisations in the targeted countries would also be included in the focus areas, in order to uncover innovation in effective economic integration, interAfrican trade and export development.

ACBF has extensive

experience working on Africa's developmental challenges and has an established regional network of partners that are able to carry out capacity development programmes in a sustainable manner. On its part, AfrExim Bank is an African regional institution that provides trade finance facilities to promote intra-African trade and to encourage African countries to trade internationally. By partnering to mitigate country risks in Africa, the two institutions will create synergies, through joint support for economic policy analysis and management and other capacity development initiatives.

ACBF and AfrExim Bank are complementary in contributing to the mitigation of country risks, as the bank provides country risk guarantees to enhance the credit of African borrowers, whereas ACBF contributes to better economic policy formulation and management on the continent.

Speaking at the sign-

ing ceremony, Mr JeanLouis Ekra, President and Chairman of the Board of AfrExim Bank said that the agreement underpined the bank's strategic focus on leveraging partnerships, in order to complement and supplement ongoing efforts at addressing human resource capacity gaps on the continent.

He highlighted that "through strategic partnerships and collaboration, our two institutions will be able to create the necessary synergies for the creation of the requisite human and institutional capabilities to support economic growth and development in Africa, by leveraging and pooling our individual technical expertise."

ACBF was established in February 1991. It is the outcome of collaboration between African governments and the international donor community. Its mission is to build sustainable human and institutional capacity for sustainable growth and poverty reduction in Africa.

COCKTAIL — Rudolph Ezeani, Partner, Adejumo, Ekisola & Ezeani (Legal Practitioners & Notaries Public); Fubara Anga, Partner, Aelex (Legal Practitioners & Arbitrators); Sade Morgan, Legal Director for West Africa, British America Tobacco; Anthony Nwaochei, Managing Partner, The Law Crest LLP and Ayuli Jemide, Lead Partner, Detail Solicitors at the Law Crest LLP Cocktail party to commemorate the firm's transition into a limited liability partnership in Lagos.

Amiwero, maritime stakeholder, arrested for writing to President Jonathan N April 3, armed men from the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS) stormed Lucky Amiwero’s, President, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agent’s (NCMDLCA’s) office, beat him, before he was whisked away to the FOU office in Ikeja, for alleged misinformation.

At Ikeja, he was locked up and denied access to his lawyer for five days.

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FOU Zone ‘A’ intercepts contrabands valued at N100m in 2 wks STORIES BY DANIEL GUMM HE Federal Opera tions Unit, Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted various contraband goods valued at over one hundred million (100 million) Naira in the past two weeks.

The Controller of the Unit, Comptroller Dan Ugo, stated this Monday, while conducting press men round the seized items.

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Prominent among the items seized were jumbo bales of second-hand clothing, used handbags and shoes, used tyres, poultry products, mosquito repellant coils as well as used fridges.

Other items seized included two (2) units of brand new Toyota Camry cars and an SUV, which were ostensibly cleared as used vehicles.

The CAC F.O.U. ‘A’ explained that most of the items listed above falls under schedule three (3) of the Revised

Import Prohibition list of the Common External Tariff. He emphasised that the Federal Government of Nigeria in its wisdom placed some of these items on ban in consideration of the health hazards associated with them, while protecting local industries.

He further stated that the latest circular from the Customs headquarters on zero tolerance to importation of contraband goods, particularly poultry

SEIZURES — Federal Operations Units (FOU) Comptroller, Dan Ugo and his officers, inspecting some of the seized contrabands.

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products would be aggressively pursued, reiterating the operational readiness of the anti-smuggling outfit to combat smuggling and facilitate legitimate trade.

The CAC stated: “There is a renewed vigour in our approach to anti-smuggling which is intelligence based.”

He attributed the successes recorded to the modalities put in place by the unit to checkmate activities of some unpatriotic elements whose attitudes, of noncompliance with the Federal Government’s fiscal policies have been a clog in the wheel of our economic progress.

He, however, vowed to sustain the war on smuggling in compliance with the admonishments of the Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Abdullahi lnde Dikko (CFR) and his management team, calling on all Nigerians to shun acts of smuggling in view of its effects on our economy and as well as its security implications.

*Lucky Amiwero Amiwero, is an advocate for port reform in Nigeria. He was a member of the Reconstituted Presidential Task Force on Reform of the Nigeria Customs Service in 2010.

Amiwero stated that the Customs authority have decided to punish him for his stand on many policies of the service considered contradictory to trade facilitation. As a concerned stakeholder in the maritime sector, he has mounted pressure on government to suspend Benchmarking, also known as Commodities Data Base, the Comptroller General of Customs, Abdulahi Inde’s policy to boost the revenue profile of the Customs, which the Federal Government has mandated to generate N1 trillion for the 2012 fiscal year.

The Customs is doing everything it could to silence those stakeholders, who opposed the Benchmarking policy. Benchmarking is a revenue collecting system where flat duties are charged on imported commodities regardless of the value of such goods.

Amiwero had written the President in one of his petitions to reverse the

Benchmarking. The petition, titled: “Illegal Imposition of Commodities Data Base by Nigeria Customs Service in Contravention of the Customs and Excise Management (Amendment) Act 20 of 2003,” had prodded the President to disregard the policy as it contravenes paragraph 7 (1) of the Act which stipulates that “Customs valuation shall be based on the actual price of the goods to be valued, bought or imported for use in Nigeria, based on the price actually payable with adjustment.”

When Senate President, David Mark received the same petion, he responded by directing the Senate Committee on Finance to act on the matter. The Federal Government has since cancelled the policy following strong civil resistance of Benchmarking led by Amiwero.

Amiwero had been arrested and charged to court for alleged minsinformation of the President. His ofence: he has signed and authorised the issuance of a document to the President without authority. That he also gave false information to the Office of the President of the Federal Republic, thereby committing an offence contrary to the provision of section 125 (A) l(a) of the Criminal Code Act cap C 38 Laws of of the federaton, 2004 an offence punishable under the same Act. Vanguard’s efforts to seek clarification from the Customs as to why the arrest, was to no avail as the Customs Public Relations Officer, who did not want his name in print, explained that he has just been posted to the FOU, from Servicom.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012—25

Jonathan assures foreign investors of safety STORIES BY NAOMI UZOR HE Federal Government has assured foreign investors of safety of their lives and properties including their investment, urging them to conduct their businesses in the country without panic.

President Goodluck Jonathan who was represented by the Minister for Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, at the Nigerian democracy anniversary lecture organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), said in spite of recent challenges, his administration remains resolute in ensuring the security and protection of lives and properties of every citizen irrespective of where they reside or work in the country, adding that he is "assuring our foreign friends to continue to carry out their businesses with no panic measures."

He disclosed that the country has continued to attract the required flow of investment from both domestic and foreign sources, especially in sectors where the country has competitive and comparative advantage such as the downstream oil and gas, mining, agriculture and infrastructure, real estate

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development, maritime and shipping.

“As a result of aggressive investment drive by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, investments commitments of N6.6 trillion have been made for the next

3 years; comprising of N3.9 trillion in FDI and N2.7 trillion in LDI and with immense potential for job creation. This is expected to continue, given the many reforms that this administration is putting in

place to improve Nigeria’s business and investment climate. These include ports, customs, business registration, tax, immigration, power and infrastructure reforms among others,” he said.

President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Goodie Ibru (left); representative of President Goodluck Jonathan and Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Mustapha Bello and Guest Lecturer and Sector Director, Africa Region, World Bank Washington, Marcello Giugale, at the Democracy Day lecture of the Chamber.

French watch manufacturer seeks increase in market position F

rench watch and jewelry manufacturer, Cartier International says the opening of four outlets in Nigeria was to bring its products closer to consumers and to strengthen its market position in the country.

Export Director, Bruno Carraz, told reporters in Lagos that of Cartier ’s 300

outlets worldwide, four are in Lagos and Abuja, respectively; and they have concluded plans to further open new boutiques in Port Harcourt and other cities in the country.

Bruno, who was in the country with the Area Manager, Vincent Decoopman, , further stated that they were in Nigeria to discuss with their partner,

Polo Nigeria Limited on how they can better attract Nigerians to Cartier brands.

(Polo Nigeria is a collector and marketer of luxury items like watches, jewelry, leather accessories, eyewear, etc for manufacturers worldwide.)

“I thank Polo for what they are doing for us in Nigeria. We found in Polo a good partner

Access to competitive markets impedes SGBs' growth — Aganga T

he Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, has said that one of the major challenges that have hindered the growth of operators of the Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs) in Nigeria is access to competitive markets both locally, regionally and globally.

Aganga disclosed this during the Market Access Interactive Session organised by the Enterprise Development Centre of the Pan- African University in collaboration with Etisalat Nigeria, in Abuja.

“One of the major challenges that have curtailed C M Y K

the growth of operators of SGBs in Nigeria is access to competitive markets both locally, regionally and globally and several deliberate interventions in the past have not had any significant and sustainable impact. Therefore, a new impetus must be generated to expand the market horizon of the SBGs in Nigeria” he said.

He noted that the theme of the interactive session, ‘Facilitating Market Access for Small and Growing Businesses’ is aimed at keying the SGBs into the value chain of large enterprises for the purpose of empowering and

strengthening them to be in the best position to create employment, generate wealth and reduce poverty in Nigeria.

“Specifically, the session is aimed at creating market access for credible SGBs in Nigeria, bridging the gap between Large Enterprises and SGBs, fostering networking and partnership opportunities, enabling local content development and participation in various sectors of the Nigerian economy by SGBs, and creating a platform for structured networking between SBGs, among

because they have the knowledge of the market, and they know how to represent our brands in Nigeria and we feel this is the time for us to strengthen our position in Nigeria. Cartier is renowned for luxury items in every country. Today with the help of Polo team, if you talk about watches in Nigeria, or any luxury, there is only one name ‘Polo’; so our choice of Polo is because the company is very knowledgeable about luxury.

They are the best one to really deliver what Cartier represents. So we are very proud to start the business with Polo Ltd,” said Bruno.

Fielding questions on luxury items collection in Nigeria, Decoopman, said it cuts across varieties of Cartier collections you can find in the world.

“Everything you can find in places like New York, Paris, anywhere in the world like watches, jewel, leather accessories, eyewear; Cartier collections have been here for decades already.

Polo introduced these collections and what we are doing now is to raise support in terms of m e r c h a n d i s i n g , Communication, investment and training,” he stated.

LCCI inducts 73 new members

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HE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), yesterday, awarded certificates of membership to seventy- three companies.

These companies were awarded certificates of membership by the LCCI at a reception ceremony Wednesday, at the Commerce House on Victoria Island.

According to the Public Relations Manager of LCCI, Mr. Tope Oluwaleye, the leading Chamber of Commerce in the West African sub-region, was established in 1886. Part of its advocacy roles is ensuring a conducive business environment for its members in particular and the Nigerian business community in general. Many business organisations in Lagos are registered members of the Chamber.

The Chairman, membership and Welfare Committee of the Chamber, Dr. Wole Ogunpehin, disclosed that new members are admitted into the chamber every quarter in a year while reception ceremonies are held for them twice within the same period.

Reps wade into Innoson’s auctioned parts

BY OLAYEMI FOFAH

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HE House of representatives committee on industry has recently expressed concern over the controversial seizure and auctioning of 25 containers bearing CKD{Completely Knocked Down} parts belonging to an industrialist, Chief, Dr. Innocent Chukwuma.

The committee which were on a working visit to Innoson Plastic Plant at Emene, Enugu state were shocked when the Chairman of the company ,Dr Chukwuma explained how the customs impounded the components imported for the assembly of motorcycles by his company, which were later sold to unknown buyers without compensation to his company. The committee which comprised ten lawmakers has promised to wade into the matter as they were amazed by the actions of customs services.

“My main problem now is how to settle the banks that have financed the importation.

My ordeal started in 2004 when the 25 containers valued then at N800 million were imported, but impounded and later sold by the customs service officials. I have gone to court to seek redress, judgment was delivered in my favor, but the customs only paid 30 per cent of the whole sum and refused to pay the balance. I have tried within my capacity to pay some part of the money to the banks that financed the business yet they are still threatening and harassing me with Economic and Financial Crimes Commission {EFCC} officials” he explained.

26 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012—31 With PRINCE OSUAGWU princeosuagwu@gmail.com

Three Nokia Asha ranges now in Touch

LG unleashes the gaming potentials in 3D TV

By EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

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ELEVISION took a new dimension to entertainment on WLAN, enabling users to stay Tuesday, when LG electronics debuted with its first ever OKIA has just added innovations specifically fit for connected while on the move.

Cinema 3D game festival in Nigeria. The LG 3D game festiIt also supports video streamthe touch experience to the purpose. val was staged to demonstrate to the Nigerian public, the its new three Asha models, 305, The beautifully crafted Nokia ing through both GPRS and potential of the 3D television in the gaming environment.

306 and 311. The reason may Asha 311 is a fast and fluid 3.5G WLAN, meaning this handset About 200 youths recruited by LG were on hand to test their not be unconnected to its desire capacitive touchscreen device, truly is a fun way to stay in gaming prowess in the trilling and relaxed atmosphere of touch. to have the next billion con- powered by a 1GHz processor DEEHALL, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

The Nokia Asha 311 is a colsumers connected SMARTly. to provide a great internet exThe 200 gamers for the LG 3D Wars contest,were drawn The company said that the perience. The bright and edgy ourful, compact touch screen from across the 36 states of the federation and FCT. The conthree new phone models have Nokia Asha 305 is a fun and device that comes with all the test is expected to recognise the LG 3D War Champion at the features you’d expect for a fun further expanded the success- affordable phone, featuring the end of the competition, in a grand finale, expected to hold at ful Asha family that was first exclusive Easy Swap dual and easy mobile experience. It Silver Birds Galleria. introduced in October 2011.

SIM. The phone features a boasts of a bright and colourThe winner will coast home with LG’s new 55”inch CineToday, there are 10 Asha de- bright and colorful 3” WQVGA ful, scratch resistant capacitive ma Screen 3D TV to be launched in Nigeria next month. glass screen with polarization vices available in more than 130 resistive touch screen along markets, providing young, so- with Bluetooth and Dual Band filters ensuring users get the cial consumers with a choice of connectivity. Forty EA games best experience from the phones to match their own life- are available for download with unique and visually entertainstyle. every phone as well as a 2MP ing user interface. The Nokia These latest phones, Nokia camera, Nokia Maps and the Asha 311 also features a 3.2MP said, have been designed to revolutionary Nokia Browser camera and pre-installed Noprovide an incredibly rich, which helps significantly low- kia Maps, in addition to the 15 smartphone_like experience to er data costs. Its sister, the No- level pre-bundled version of consumers who want to be set kia Asha 306, is a single SIM Angry Birds.

The pre-loaded social client free from excessive data con- model, and becomes Nokia’s sumption costs and short bat- most affordable Wi_Fi handset makes accessing Facebook, tery life. The Nokia Asha 305, to date. Along with all the great Twitter and many other global Asha 306 and Asha 311 offer a features that come with it, such social networks simple while new, fully re_designed touch as bright and colorful, 3” WQV- Nokia Browser makes using user interface, combining the GA resistive touch screen and mobile internet fast and afford•Contestants showcasing their creativity on LG 3D TV in Lagos. proven ease of use from Nokia’s 40 EA games for download, the able. It also includes the most popular messaging services. heritage with digital design Nokia Asha 306 also provides The estimated retail price for Nokia Asha 305 is EUR 63 and it’s expected to start shipping in the second quarter of 2012. The s technology changes the face of the world, LG appears estimated retail price undaunted in innovation as it has introduced a new smartfor Nokia Asha 306 is phone display that’s expected to come to new handsets in the EUR 68. The Nokia second half of 2012.

Asha 311 has an estiThe smartphone comes with a panel of five inches across, and mated retail price of features a pixel density of 440ppi with an aspect ratio of 16:9, EUR 92. Both devices capable of displaying 1080p HD content. The new display also are expected to start comes with trumps Apple’s retina display, as well as the larger shipping in screens on phones the third like the Galaxy Note •LG’s five-inch LCD disquarter of in terms of size verplay can handle full 1080p 2012. sus pixel density.

HD video The new five-inch display uses LG’s Advanced High Per•New Nokia Asha touch ranges formance In-Plane Switching, APIS technology, which the company claims delivers improved color accuracy, inOR career photographers and mixed, so the user could for instance creased resolution and PPI, other real tech geeks, a new arrange for the camera to start takand greater light transmission technology just debuted to make pho- ing shots in time lapse mode, but for lower power consumption. tography more fun. It is the ioShut- only once the app is triggered by a Though, the company has not ter , a remote-control app/device that sound. The system currently works announced which phones will allows the user to control how his with Canon cameras, along with be featuring the screen, it is DSLR takes photos, via the iPhone, some models of Samsung, Hasseblad rumored that Google’s next iPad or iPod touch. The app allows a and Pentax, while a version for Nexus device will launch in camera which is hard-wired to the Nikon is said to be on the way. the next several months, and phone to be triggered in a number The app works with iPhone modcould very well feature a fiveof ways. els 3 and up, 4th generation iPod inch screen. Others speculate In its single shot mode, ioShutter touch, and all iPads. Prospective usthat Apple is eyeing the Galcan be used to take photos simply by ers can download it for free from the axy Note, and plans to launch touching a control on the iDevice’s App Store, to check out its features a five-inch device of its own. screen. However, it also incorporates in more detail. If you want to actualWith Google’s Android cona motor drive function, timer, time ly use it to take pictures, however, ference a few weeks away, and lapse, sound trigger, movement trig- you will require the dedicated camApple’s iPhone press event, it ger, and bulb mode where the shut- era cord. Although prices currently is expected that the first to reter remains open as long as the user aren’t available on the product webceive LG’s new display will dictates. Those modes can even be site. soon be known.

•Remote camera shutter.......

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... and 5” full HD smartphone display debuts

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Shutter that allows camera control via iPhone

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Vanguard , FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012 — 29

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30 — Vanguard , FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012 — 31

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32— Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

luwole Oshinloye trained as a chef at the Nigerian Hotel & Catering school and the Sheraton Stockholm hotel Sweden. Today, he is the executive chef of Golden Tulip Festac hotel, Lagos. In this chat he shares his experience .

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By JIMOH BABATUNDE Did you cook growing up?

Yes. I did a lot of cooking growing up.

What made you decide to become Professional Cook?

I have a passion for the profession.

How did you train ?

I was trained in Sheraton Stockholm hotel Sweden, they though that African has nothing to offer but I was able to prove to them that we can do more better How difficult was your training?

The training is not difficult because this what I choose as a career Would you do it again?

Yes. It is a training any chef will love to have.

Best cooking tip for a novice?

Working in the kitchen table for the first time may be quite a thrill. Cooking is something that you should take seriously.

Here are some basic cooking tips that everyone should know before putting on an apron.

Preparation is the key: Prepare the things that you need to work with before cooking.

Purchase all the ingredients that you need and make a

checklist of the tools and equipments that you will use.

Proper preparation is one of the key things that separate the professional from the novice.

Food hygiene: When preparing to cook, always wear clean clothes and put on an apron. Briskly wash your hands before and after working with raw meat and other food items. Pull your hair back to prevent any loose hair to come in contact with your food. Wash all meat, poultry, fruits and vegetables before cooking them. Avoid handling food when you are sick or feel ill.

Frying : Frying is one of the most common cooking procedures. Cool and dry places are the best storage for oil. It is not advisable to deep fry salted or moist products.

Fry in small portions of food so that the oil would not cool down fast. Frying pans should be heated up with just the right temperature so that food would not stick to the pan.

Baking :Make sure that all ingredients are pre-measured.

Temperature is very important in baking. Always follow t e m p e r a t u r e recommendations as indicated

Chef Oluwole Oshiloye in the recipe. The mixing process in baking should be followed precisely. Overmixing or under-mixing can alter the taste of your finished product adversely. Do not overcrowd your oven and avoid opening the oven door every so often.

On cooking pasta: Remember that fresh pasta cooks quickly.

Cooking pasta in plenty of water and constant stirring can prevent them from sticking together. To prevent mushy pasta, make sure not to allow your pasta to stay in water longer than it should. Salt

does not only bring out the flavor of pastas but it could also add to its firmness.

Cooking vegetables: It is advisable to scrub vegetables rather than to peel them. Most nutrients can be found in the skin of the vegetables. To get the most out of your vegetable, you can steam your veggies or put them on a microwave oven rather than boiling them.

Finish up with a good presentation With a nice presentation, you would definitely entice anyone to have a taste of the food you prepared. It is a good idea to

British Airways unveils Olympics menu

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ichelin-star chef, Heston Blumenthal has unveiled the Olympic and Paralympic Games inspired menus created by rising star Simon Hulstone, which cabin crew will serve to three million British Airways customers during the Games.

Simon spent the past year being mentored by Heston

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Blumenthal as part of the BA Great Britons programme, which supports British talent in the run up to the London 2012 Games.

With a nod to Heston’s creative approach, Simon’s dishes take inspiration from the airline’s menus dating back to 1948 – the last time the Games were held in London.

Popular ingredients from the time have b e e n incorporated into his menu, with some dishes reinvented for a modern d a y audience – rich in umami and using local produce. To complement the menu

there is a specially commissioned on-board soundtrack which customers can listen to -featuring uplifting music and commentary from iconic British moments from previous Games.

British Airways mentor Heston Blumenthal, said: “Simon has created an exciting, delicious and wellbalanced menu that pays homage to the Games in a clever and subtle way. The dishes celebrate our rich history and British talent at its best. As a mentor, chef and friend I’m very proud of what he has achieved.”

Heston spent the past year mentoring the 37-year old from Torquay, as part of the BA Great Britons Programme, which offers a global platform for up and coming British talent in food, art and film in the run up to the Games.

Michelin-star chef Simon Hulstone, said: “It’s an honour to have created a menu that millions of people will experience during the Games - I can’t think of a better platform to showcase British cuisine.”

Simon has created four menus, which will be available on long-haul flights from London Heathrow from July in; First, Club, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller cabins.

Working with Heston and his experimental team, Simon researched food in post war Britain, as well as the 1948 airline menus. As food was rationed at the time, ingredients that were indigenous and plentiful such as ox cheek and fish played an important part of people’s diet during these austerity years. Even athletes at the 1948 Games enjoyed a diet rich in fish.

decorate your food only with things that are edible. Edible garnishing should always go with the food that you prepared. One tip: use the similar ingredients that are dominant in your food for garnishing. For instance, you can create chocolate curls to top of a delicious chocolate cupcake.

Grilling : The marinade is the key to a good grilled food. Put a generous amount of marinade to the food that you are about to grill. The best cut for marinated food should at least one inch thick. When cooking directly from a charcoal grill, sufficient amount of coal can add to the quality of your food.

With these basic tips in mind, you are sure to make your way to a delectable and satisfying meal!

Cooking is something fun, could be one of your hobby.

Especially for moms. Mom should prepare the meal for the family. Change your menu everyday, so your family won’t be bored. Happy Cooking What advice would you offer a young person interested in getting into the culinary industry?

There are two ways; either you start in a kitchen or at culinary school. But the most important thing to becoming a good chef, is traveling, curiosity, never thinking you know the truth, trying to work with a lot of different chefs, learning many ways of cooking, then finding your own style, but still being open. You will never be done experiencing new ways of cooking...

Favorite Gadget?

The most basic and necessary kitchen gadget is a good knife.

The 8" chef’s knife is the one most serious cooks use most.

Funniest Kitchen incident?

Working in kitchen a. Start making a BIG mixer bowl of mash potatoes...pour the milk in and accidently turned the mixer on high. Mashed potatoes all over my face, the sous chef and wall. Tasted good though.

Favorite food to cook with?

I think that poached and dressing fresh whole salmon are my favorite foods to cook.

How important is the food culture to Nigerians today and are they still handing down traditional recipes to the younger generations?

Food culture to Nigeria is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse countries.

Nigeria has such a variety of people and cultures that it is difficult to pick one national dish.

The Yoruba, Hausa and the Ibo . Each area has its own regional favorite that depends on customs, tradition, and religion.

The different foods available also depend on the season.

The “hungry season” is before the rains arrive in March, and the “season of surplus” follows the harvest in October and November. Fruits, however, are enjoyed year-round.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012 — 33

Bala Mohammed and Abuja renewal

By EMMA AGU

W

ATCHING the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed, at a recent interactive session with some journalists, to explain the policies, programmes, achievements and challenges of his administration, the occasion threw up some dramatic yet splendid and reassuring moments. Talking about drama, one is reminded of the misadventure of the rather egocentric reporter who had so preposterously remarked that the minister had not done anything to promote industry, only to look pitiable when the minister established, to the conviction of all present, that much had been achieved! In other words, the reporter was either mischievous or ignorant. Either way, that would be considered by any right thinking person as unfortunate.

Nonetheless, the misplaced question did not deter the minister whose decorum all through the interaction was undergirded by disarming candour and spellbinding insight laced with enormous respect for his professional colleagues. The minister was to re-enact the same mien and delivery at another forum. Oh! By the way, not many know that Bala started out as a journalist in Jos, Plateau State. Well, he jumped ship and picked up a job with the civil service. Lucky guy! He saw tomorrow. But it wasn’t all by happenstance. His distinguished civil service career was punctuated by appointments as special assistant, first to the Minister of Interior (late Alex Ibru) and later, Minister of

,

Have you seen the Abuja airport road of late? It reminds one of any of the motorways in the United States

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Aviation (Isa Yuguda, now Governor of Bauchi State). That was before he was elected to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I am forced to give this background because of the tremendous impact it has had on the minister’s approach to national issues and the challenge of administering the Federal Capital Territory. To start with, equipped with such a rich and varied background, it is no surprise that, under him, the FCT has recorded steady progress. For another, given that the minister subscribes wholly to the civil service culture of loyalty in service, one should not be surprised about his unquestionable loyalty to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, though it needs be emphasized that this is, in part, attributable to his principled insistence on the cardinal C M Y K

principle of equity, fairness and justice.

From his responses at the meeting with journalists, you could discern a man with a deep knowledge of his charge, a politician driven by a consuming passion to drive the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan to its logical conclusion; someone who, in spite of the high office he now occupies, has not lost sight of his own humble background in the backwaters of Abuja and therefore naturally empathiz- •Abuja light rail mass transit...ready in 2013? es with civil servants; a nationalist who, in spite of the endemic nepotism of our political environment, maintains that the federal capital territory is for every Nigerian.

Of his •FCT minister, Bala Mohammed •Map of Abuja FCT many sobering and heart-warming responses, housing in the districts and sat- empowerment and rehabilitation of beggars, street traders and comnone was as reassuring as his em- ellite towns.

Not done, Senator Mohammed mercial sex workers is treated as phasis on social infrastructure aimed at the lower strata of the also insists that under the evolv- a humane governmental responsociety. His thoughts on this ing dispensation city planners sibility and not a political tool. To evolved as he explained away the and property developers have a draw the point home, Senator mass housing program of his ad- moral duty to device ways of in- Mohammed reminds anyone who ministration, the massive road tegrating indigenous elements cares to listen that these Nigericonstruction works, the Abuja into modern housing plans in- ans flock to Abuja in search of mass transit buses and why he stead of hounding them out greener pastures only as a last ensured that the $500 million through various disputed payoffs resort. To him therefore, “they Chinese loan to facilitate the com- and troublesome resettlement ar- should be treated with compaspletion of the Abuja Light Rail rangements. In other words, mod- sion even as we insist on applyern cities being planned under a ing the rules”. creative arrangement known as Let’s we forget, when consumthe Land Swap Model (of the mated, the Land Swap Model will Private Public Partnership) will stand out as a creative breakmake provision, among other through in public private partneroptions, for the original settlers ship. Its major advantage is that to be part of the new cities. Ten by guaranteeing the provision of districts have been earmarked for infrastructure in virgin areas, new this purpose in a massive opera- cities would spring up without project was secured.

He reminded his media col- tion that promises to instantly any financial demand on governleagues: “Don’t forget that I start- transform the Abuja landscape ment.

The savings will then be applied ed like most of them in the lower into a study in human habitat development. to other pressing needs of the rungs of the civil service. I lived people. I have no doubt that in the outskirts of the city centre many, like me, cannot wait for the and experienced what it means Human habitat day this will be completed. But to live in shanties and the nighthow long will that take? Or will mare of commuting to and from In a country where political of the project suffer the fate of other work, far away from the city centre”. The problem, he explained, fice-holders elevate showman- public projects: bogged down by reels of callous indifference: over ship to the stature of an art, where bureaucratic inertia, political inthe years, top private and public impunity is deployed in a demo- terests and elite mischief?

Here is the good news. First, the sector executives made housing cratic setting to hoodwink the plans for themselves without any people into believing that all mo- project has received the endorseprovision for drivers, gardeners, tions lead to movements, it is sur- ment of the president’s economic stewards, etc. He insists that his prising that Bala Mohammed is team. Second, high net-worth administration is determined to able to achieve the goals of the property investors have signified reverse the trend as a way of al- FCT Administration without the definite interest in the project. leviating the plight of the people familiar cacophony of noises of the Among these are Dangote Group, in line with President Jonathan’s past. That explains the absence Rosehill Group, China Railway transformation agenda. To this of fanfare even as his adminis- Construction Company, System end, his preoccupation has been tration insists with adherence to Properties Development Consorto provide infrastructure as a cat- the Abuja master plan; that is why tium Limited, Edimo Group of Italyst for development of mass the sustained skills acquisition, aly and Afri-International Projects

and Consulting Ltd. Third, a cross-section of enlightened professionals and technocrats has applauded the programme implementation for its transparency and practicability.

At the recent stakeholder forum on the model Mansur Ahmed, director general of Nigeria’s Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Agency, ICRA, Mustapha Bello, CEO of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, NIPC, and Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, minister of national planning, all applauded it not only as an out of the box extra-budgetary relief but a catalyst for the huge employment and supply window which, in their view, paves way for achieving the human development component of President Jonathan’s agenda. Thus, barring unforeseen hitches, Senator Mohammed’s determination of actualizing President Jonathan’s dream of transforming Abuja into one of the world’s first five cities by the year 2020 is well on course.

Light rail project Does that sound fictional? Think of Abuja with the light rail project being operational by 2013; imagine a capital city with the prestigious $1.2 billion World Trade Centre (already under construction by no less a company than the Churchgate Group), take a mental lip into the $2.6 billion Abuja Downtown Centre which agreement has been signed with the Balkan Group of billionaire American investor Jim Phillips.

Think about a sprawling metropolis traversed and served by a meshwork of elaborately constructed roads as is the case in Abuja today. Have you seen the Abuja airport road of late? It reminds one of any of the motorways in the United States. If that is a sign of the dream city that President Jonathan plans to bequeath to Nigerians, he would have blessed the memory of his predecessors who initiated many of the projects as part of the Abuja master plan.

•Agu, former Editor in chief of Champion newspapers writes from Lagos

34—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

Departure of two great icons TRIBUTE

By OTUNBA MICHAEL BALOGUN

I

FEEL a grievous sense of per sonal loss with the death of two great Nigerians. Indeed two distinguished icons of a kind. The two of them belong to a genre of public servants whose exalted public offices did not get into their heads nor did they blind them to any possible future which, as we say, is always “in the laps of the gods” (Our God, the Ever-faithful, the Omnipotent, the Omniscient and the Creator of all of us). They both had common touch and would go the extra mile to encourage any of their compatriots who genuinely and honestly aspire to excel.

I am referring to HRH Oba Oladele Olashore, CON. The Aloko of Iloko-Ijesha and former Director of Banking Examination in the CBN and my good friend; Alhaji Ibrahim Damcida, former Federal Permanent Secretary in many ministries culminating as Federal Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance. Alhaji Ibrahim Damcida retired into several businesses and served on the Board of a number of multinational companies among which was the Nigerian-American Merchant Bank Limited (NAMBL) of which he was Chairman.

Let me start with Ibrahim Damcida. A detribalized Nigerian

•Alhaji Ibrahim Damcida

•Oba Oladele Olashore

manner and was very knowledgeable in the nuances of governance, so much so that his advice was always sought after in difficult times in Nigeria. He had so many close friends from outside his Kanuri enclave of Biu and Maiduguri and particularly, in the old South-West and the Eastern parts as well as the remaining parts of the North. He was indeed a true Nigerian. All these earned him Board appointments in his retirement in many multinational companies which were very proud and appreciative of his helpfulness and commitment.

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He never allowed his exalted positions in life particularly at the CBN to run into his head or detach him from friends as long as he was acting within the confines of the regulations

whose path first crossed mine while we were students in the United Kingdom. He and other distinguished Nigerians including the former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, while he was a young military officer studying at Sandhurst, lived with us in the British Council Hostel at No.1, Hans Crescent, Knightsbridge, London. We all returned to Nigeria and as I said, Ibrahim held many top positions in the Federal Public Service. He never forgot all of us who were his friends from student days. He was one of the powerful civil servants and Permanent Secretaries who would go the extra mile to be of assistance to anyone particularly his compatriots, Nigerians from any part of the country. He did so with such humility and sincerity that have remained indelible in the hearts of many of us.

I would with a sense of modesty acknowledge that I was one of these friends and others who were beneficiaries of the good nature of Ibrahim. He retired into business and he retained his affable and genial nature, his enthusiastic and calm cheerfulness. He discussed Nigerian problems in a most objective and patriotic C M Y K

,

To his eternal credit, I would never forget that during the consolidation exercise in the banking industry; finding that FCMB was close to making the required paid-up share capital of N25 billion, he personally approached me to come and take-over his own bank, Nigerian-American Merchant Bank Limited (NAMBL) because as he claimed, he had implicit trust in my integrity and professionalism. He eventually joined us on the Board of the enlarged FCMB of which he remained until his death, a substantial shareholder. He only retired as a director about a year ago in accordance with the CBN requirements.

Ibrahim and his dear wife, Alima, were very close to me and my wife and would always be with us at Ijebu or in Lagos just as we tried to reciprocate. I have lost a personal friend whose relationship I cherish so much and whose type of relationship with other compatriots this country needs badly. My wife and my children join me in condoling his family especially Alima and their children. I pray that Almighty Allah would grant his soul eternal rest. Amin.

O

ba Olashore on the other hand was a complete gentleman and a true friend who would go the extra mile to assist when he was in any exalted position. He also had the common touch and was one of the earliest directors of a department in the Central Bank who will go to any length to be helpful within the confines of the regulations of the CBN. My path ran into his when I had to handle the application for a licence for the establishment of the bank, Icon Limited (Merchant Bankers) while I was Company Secretary of NIDB and Director in-charge of Icon Securities Limited during my years at NIDB. I believe that at that time both the Banking Examination and Supervision Departments in CBN were merged. I also believe that he was more or less the architect of the first regulations for the setting up of merchant banks in Nigeria. I was the one who made a suggestion to my colleagues in NIDB that we should convert the then Icon Securities Limited, a stockbroking company which I was heading into a Merchant Bank.

Banking licence for FCMB Let me acknowledge that he readily agreed to let me pick his brain on a number of naughty issues and was particularly helpful to me, so much so that when the licence had been signed, he telephoned me to come personally and collect the licence on behalf of my employers. This among other experiences I had in dealing with him, encouraged me to apply for a banking licence for FCMB when I was disenchanted with what was happening within the former Icon Limited (Merchant Bankers).

Needless to say that on this latter occasion, my friend Dele Olashore as I knew him then, with one of his assistants, Wole Oduyemi, who later on became a Deputy Governor in CBN, went to all possible lengths to encourage and assist me in this my pioneering effort of single-handedly applying for a banking licence - a step I took which encouraged many other Nigerians to follow suit. I

will never forget the roles of Mr. Ola Vincent, Alhaji Otiti and the late Governor of the Central Bank, Alhaji Abdulkadir, who made sure that in spite of human obstacles, the first wholly-owned Nigerian Merchant Bank was granted licence.

During the one year of grace to comply with all the conditions, my friend, Dele Olashore, as he then was, had become the Chief Executive of what use to be called Afribank and he was extremely helpful in putting together the share capital of only N2 million in those days which was lodged in his bank. Not long after, he became the Chief Executive Officer of First Bank and his support and encouragement for my young institution solidified our friendship. Something that struck me very thoughtfully was his candidness, sincerity and humility. Even though he was a sound technoc r a t , while in all these exalted positions, he went to all length to be helpful and was alw a y s frank and down to earth. One remarkable instance of his humility t h a t would ever stick in my heart was the way he acknowledged in his book, t h a t when he had to leave F i r s t

Bank, I came to his house in Ikoyi to offer him a position next to me in the fledgling FCMB. Oba Olashore continued with this his unique dispositions up to his ascension of the throne of his fore-fathers at Iloko and we continued to be very close friends.

We used to joke with one another as to who was the bigger brother, and one day he just came to me to say that he had conceded that I was his senior brother because I was one full year older than he was. Among his peers and many Obas, Oba Olashore endeared himself to all and sundry and as I said earlier, he had a common touch, set up a Public School named after him in his community but patronized from all over the country. He also took landmark steps to develop his community.

I cannot within this short space of time say all that I would have liked to say, except to conclude that he was a devoted Christian, honest to a fault, candid and sincere in his disposition to all and sundry. He lived a life of service and assistance to his fellow human beings. He never allowed his exalted positions in life particularly at the CBN to run into his head or detach him from friends as long as he was acting within the confines of the regulations. He never turned a blind eye to the future. He was a true friend and indeed at my last birthday in March this year, he wrote me a beautiful letter reminiscing on our friendship and extolling my humble achievements in life in spite of daunting obstacles. My wife and my children join me in wishing his soul a graceful repose in the bosom of God His maker. Amen.

•Otunba Michael O. Balogun, CON, is the Asiwaju of Ijebu Christians & The Olori Omo-Oba Akile Ijebu

Vanguard, THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 TAURUS: Better opportunity to make money may come your way but those who want your affection and vice versa, may not allow you to concentrate fully. Take advantage of the opportunity to establish friendship with influential people.

GEMINI: Most of the exciting happenings are within your base of operation. And healthy relationships may start between you and other members of your work force. Take the initiative.

CANCER: When it comes to passion/romance, you come first. And on a day like this when love is in the air, you can’t be left in the cold. Don’t be selfish please.

LEO: Financial success may be what you want to celebrate with members of your opposite sex who unexpectedly arouse your passion.

VIRGO: Many will desire you strongly today but you’ll equally attract the green-eyed monster called jealousy especially from your established relationship. Movement and communication will do the magic

FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012 —35

LEISURE

YOUR LUCK TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

AN has only one enemy in his life. I guess you want to know who that enemy is? Supposing I ask you to tell me who your enemy is, who would you point finger to? I am pretty sure your next

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Never be less door neighbour will be your target.

Supposing I tell you, your answer is far from the truth, what will be you reaction? The truth is that you are your own worst enemy. Even if the whole

TERROR MUDA

world is against you, if you don’t surrender to them, you will maintain your greatness and dignity even in death.

Only two things can happen to a man in life — he is either

in “Never say goodbye”

greater or lesser, bigger or smaller, in peace or in pieces, but if he keeps the good fight, remain loyal to his cause, he will never be diminished. Truly, he will be counted among the great.

Think about it!

By Kola Fayemi

LIBRA: Romantic Venus and sexy Mars are bringing influences of money, friendship, real love and leadership to earth’s inhabitants. What do you want?

SCORPIO: Venus, Mars and Pluto at work today will influence many of you to give more time to matters-of-theheart, especially physical side of it.

SAGITTARIUS: Love is in the air but if care is not taken, members of your opposite sex you see as your superiors (or boss) may become entangled. Watch it.

CAPRICORN: Influence of the Moon today actually wants you to work hard but if you ignore love, you’ll not be able to concentrate on what you are doing. Friends will drive your fun-seeking vehicle along social circles.

AQUARIUS: Some of you will be falling in love for the first time. And those of you who are old in the act will have rare excitement and satisfaction. Money can come in.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

PISCES: You will find it relatively difficult to ignore love as attractive members of your opposite sex may go out of their way to gain your attention.

ARIES: Powerful emotional feelings may overwhelm some of you and make you crave secret affair (with your subordinates?) It’s important you don’t allow scandal.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send your date and place of birth to the Astrological Counselling, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos

What is wrong with me?

Dear Joshua, I have written you many letters without response, I hope I will be lucky this time around. What’s your e-mail address?

Although, I am interested in my financial affair and will like to know what awaits me in the future as the ups and downs are giving me concern, what I want you to tell me is: Who is working spiritually against my marriage? I have married four times. Why?

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

Sunday, Oyo. Dear Sunday, My e-mail is: joshuaadeyemo@yahoo.com If you have spiritual warfare, it is in your financial affairs. You were endowed with special ability to make money for both yourself and other people.

However, three things can militate against your finances namely; inability to hold on to your gains for too long (miscalculation) jealousy and occultic manipulation by those who are green with envy.

Yet, whatever happens, dire financial misfortune is not meant for you, especially if you heed advice from your star; your being spiritual will assist you.

Fortunate placement of the Moon and Venus in Libra and Sagittarius endowed you with charming and magnetic personality which will make it easier for you to attract members of your opposite sex who will be willing to make you happy. But after sometime, your hidden aggressive personality and tendencies to worry will come out to the resentment of members of your opposite sex.

Some other times, you promise more than you can deliver.

Then yours is a jealous soul (yes everybody was born with jealous traits) but yours is extraordinary and if you have reason to doubt the other person, you may not be able to forgive.

The summary here is that there’s not much spiritual aspect working against you here but your too strong or powerful personality is what you will need to work on: if at all you have problem with love. One sure bet is members of your opposite sex cannot do without your magnetic pose.

C M Y K

Commen3

by Lawrence Akapa

36—Vanguard , FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

From left: Mr. Gbenga Ibikunle, Executive Director, BATN; Mrs. Juliet Anammah, Director, Real Sector, Acceanture Nigeria and Mr. Bert J. Ronhaar, The Netherlands Ambassador to Nigeria at the AgriBusiness Food Security Summit in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Diran Oshe.

DESOPADEC assures Isoko people on projects

BY FESTUS AHON

GHELLI—THE commissioner representing Isoko ethnic nationality on the board of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development C o m m i s s i o n , DESOPADEC, Mr Joseph Ogeh has assured Isoko people of their fair share in the 2012 budget of the commission in line with their quantity of oil production.

Ogeh,whogavetheassurance when Presidents-General of Isoko communities paid him a courtesy visit, said the commissionwascommittedtothe overall development of oil producing communities in the state, explaining that on assumption of duty, he ensured thatsalariesofstaffwerepaidfrom the ethnic nationality’s escrow accounts, which gave Isoko nation additional funds that would be used to fund other sector’s.

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LG polls: Candidate harps on change

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YO—IN a buildup to tomorrow’s local government polls in Akwa Ibom, Mrs. Stella Inyang, from Enwang ward 1 of Mbo local government area has promised meaningful and impactful change if elected.

Inyang who is running for concillorship on the platform of Peoples Democratic party, PDP, told newsmen at her Mbo base that she has got in her kitty laudable people-oriented programmes that would make the difference.

In a terrain where men are usually the gladiators, Inyang who declared that competence and not sexism was the issue that would ensure victory, appealed to her compatriots to put sentiment and tradition apart to vote en-masse for her.

C M Y K

Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole, President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Institute of Management, NIM (left) and Mr. Sabo Sodangi during the visit of the Institute to Mr. Sodangi under the NIM We Care programme. Photo: Oscar Ochiogu.

Suspected assassins murder Benue cleric

BY PETER DURU AKURDI—A cleric with the Methodist Church at Ago Otukpa, in Ogbadigbo Local Government Area of Benue State, Rev Michael Ejeh was, Tuesday, slaughtered by unknown persons in a bush, about two kilometres from the church where he had gone the previous day to pray for the congregation.

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Wife of the deceased, Charity Ejeh who spoke to Vanguard, yesterday, at Ago village on the killing of her husband, said the deceased had gone to a Deliverance Ministry owned by one Prophet Moses Ujah at Odebe before he was later discovered dead in a bush where he had gone to ease h i m s e l f .

Some of the deceased

colleagues expressed shock over the way he died, adding that the deceased was a gentle and easy going person. According to them, there was more to what happened than meets the eye.

According to sources, Rev Ejeh after prayers on the fateful night had decided to sleep in Odeba as it was late for him to return to Ago. Prophet Ujah was said to have accepted to host the late reverend after which he ordered two of his pastors

Rotational presidency: LG boss wants constitution amended

BY CHINENYEH OZOR

S U K K A —T H E N a t i o n a l Assembly, NASS, has been urged to amend the 1999 Constitution to accommodate rotational presidency as the only panacea for peace in the c o u n t r y .

Chairman of Igboeze South Local Government Area of Enugu State, Mr Festus Ozioko who made the suggestion also called for the convocation of a Soverign National Conference, SNC, to cement the unity between

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the various ethnic groups in the country.

Ozioko spoke in an interview with Vanguard, saying that the twin issues of zoning and SNC should be addressed to ensure the growth of democracy in the c o u n t r y .

He said: "The people should not be afraid of SNC as it will ensure long term solutions to the problems in N i g e r i a . " He further explained that since the return of democracy in the country in 1999, there have been steady progress at the

federal, state and local government levels, pointing out that this was why no group or groups had agitated for forceful take over of government, adding that enshrining rotational presidency in the constitution would stop political uprisings with different names and shapes, as it would address the problem of rulership since every section would quietly wait for its turn instead of causing unnecessary distraction in the name of ethnic agitation among others.

We'll abide by party's decision on candidate —Ondo ACN guber aspirant

BY ABDULWAHAB

ABDULAH KURE—ACTION Congress of Nigeria, ACN, governorship aspirant in Ondo State, Chief Jamiu Ekungba has said that the large number of governorship aspirants in the forthcoming election in the party in the state, will serve as its strength rather than weakness.

Allaying fears being

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entertained in the political circle in in the state over the development, Ekungba said whoever emerged from the process to be adopted by the party in selecting the candidate for the October 20 lection will be supported by all the aspirants.

He said: “Rather than disintegration, we will turn that perceived disadvantage to strength

with which to lift the banner of our great party to greater heights.”

Ekungba who was canvassing for support at a rally in Isua, the capital of Akoko South East where about 1,000 members of Labour Party from five different wards/towns decamped to ACN said the party will utilise all the opportunities available to it to better the lot of the people.

to sleep with him at the ministry’s office, only to be found dead the following morning in a bush.

His body has since been deposited at a mortuary in Otukpa even as his host had been detained by the p o l i c e .

Meanwhile, efforts are said to be in top gear by the Enone Diocese of Methodist Church to unravel the cause of the death of Rev Ejeh, given the mysterious circumstances surrounding the issue.

Attempts to get the reaction of the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO in the state, Mr Philip Agena failed as his deputy, Ejike Alaribe said that he was in a meeting.

Mimiko's wife marks birthday KURE—WIFE of the Ondo State Governor, Mrs Kemi Mimiko marked her 45th birthday anniversary with visits to over 100 sets of triplets and quadruplets from different parts of the state, whom she showered assorted gifts o n .

Mrs Mimiko said her pet programme, ”Maternal Pulse Foundation” decided to identify with the triplets and quadruplets delivered in the state since the present administration came on board on her birthday, adding that the distribution of gifts to them was another way sharing her joy with them.

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Group holds fund raising for Oshiomhole's re-election

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN CITY— G O V E R N O R Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has taken his re-election campaign a notch higher with a fund raising held for him at the prestigious Transcorp Hilton Hotel.

The Governor who vowed to sustain the struggle to keep the forces of darkness and underdevelopment out of the state said his administration has succeeded because the people now determine what goes on in the state.

He said: "Edo people determine who is a Councillor, Chairman, members of the House of Assembly, the Governor and any of the elective offices. We must sustain the momentum to take Edo State to the next level.

“I have nothing to live for but to stand on the side of truth. Nigeria is greater

than any of the political parties and for those who believe they are greater than Nigeria, we cannot be afraid of them because we are determined that those who feast on our common wealth must be stopped and we are not relenting to stop them.”

Governor Oshiomhole said while Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has been going round the various communities telling the people what the government has done in less than three years, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are in Abuja perfecting plans to rig the election.

He said: “We h a v e shown what we have done.

The flooding problem in Benin is a thing of the past, there are roads with street lights and drainages to open up the various communities, schools are constructed and water is flowing in parts of Edo state where in the past they said it was impossible."

Vanguard, FRIDAY,JUNE 8, 2012 — 37

Discovery of the missing ingredient

By JAPHET ALAKAM & PRISCA SAM-DURU UDGING by the decency and simplicity that graced Femi Onasanya’s book presentation recently at the Function Hall of the MUSON Centre Lagos, it will only be fair to describe the launch as unique.

The organisers, chief host and guests especially, the Chairman of the occasion and former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan; former Minister for Industry, Chief Mrs Nike Akande; former President of ICAN and Chief launcher, Mrs Adenike Adeniran and many others must be commended for sticking to time.

The book, One Missing Ingredient is a well defined piece with consistent vivid descriptions that incorporates biblical allusions for the purpose of challenging readers into action so as to attain set objectives. In other words, it is premised on the author’s firm belief that after all

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rather to celebrate somebody who has done a good thing by writing a book.”

According to him, writing a book is not an easy task, and especially an inspirational book.

It calls for commitment and dedication which the author has demonstrated. Life according to him is full of persistence and it is the author’s persistence that

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articulated review titled, How to Live Your Vision, described the 63 pages book as a “Cornucopia of simple statements, ordinary ideas, common thoughts that when properly and fervently internalized will produce an extraordinary personality”, adding that what the book “lacks in volume or caressing aesthetics, it more than justifies

We are not here to celebrate somebody who has done something bad but rather to celebrate somebody who has done a good thing by writing a book

made him to do that.

Citing that persistence and staying focused made the likes of America to go to the moon, successful businessmen to succeed, Professors in the universities to get professorial chairs, he added that life is full of ups and down, if you fall today,

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with the persistent and pertinent desire of the writer to connect with his audience in a manner that is long-lasting and characterretooling.” In her part, the chief launcher Mrs. Adenike Adeniran, former President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN commended the author for the good work, pointing out that there is always something new in any chapter of the book.

The book launch was not without some form of entertainment as prior to its formal presentation; guests were entertained with some soul inspiring gospel songs.

Also present at the event were veteran actor (L-r) Chief Ernest Shonekan, Chairman of the occasion, Femi Onasanya, Chief Justice the author and Mrs Adenike Adeniran during the public presentation of Esiri, Mr Tunde the book Ayeni, Victor Odozi, Prof Ayodeji Olukoju, Vice efforts have been made in a you can also get up again.

Chancellor of Caleb University Writer/Journalist Femi specific venture or endeavours, and others.

Akintunde-Johnson in his well one needs perseverance or persistence to emerging a successful person.

The tone, descriptions and author’s testimonies are eloquent FTER several months of the Lagos culture house, Terra indication of his genuine concern tinkering, altering and Kulture, Victoria Island , Lafor wastages in the society.

In his remarks, Shonekan who reconfiguration to develop gos. lighted up the event with into new forms in the exploAlex Nwokolo who has humourous jokes, in his capacity ration of materiality and the been desirous for change has as chairman of the occasion extant possibilities of working gradually shifteds his artistic thanked all for coming to the in various media in very ground from his usual event which was an indication of creative ways, Auchi trained paintings as he explores the love they have for the author painter and one of Nigeria’s materiality in a new body of and his family. Shonekan who most talented colourists, will works. was not happy with the recent present his new body of works ugly developments in United in a solo exhibition titled Desire for Kingdom where a former Authenticity of Thought, an change governor of a State in Nigeria was exhibition of artworks in a jailed and another Nigerian girl mixed media .

The focus of the show ac The exhibition which is orsentenced stated that “we are not cording to Nwokolo is based here to celebrate somebody who ganised by Sachs Gallery, on the desire for change and has done something bad but Lagos will open on June 9, the need to have global perand run till June 13, 2012 at

25 years of Stage and Screen Continued from last week

URING these years, we saw the gradual transition and the build-up of the nation’s entertainment industry.

Television dramas began to gain grounds and stage shows reduced in number as in popularity. Only Chief Hubert Ogunde was left standing from among his colleagues. He combined stage and screen and lasted longer than the others.

Indeed, most of them passed on. They died from the fade of stage. It was a case of ‘fade off to frame up’.

Soon after, the main bowl of the National Theatre was shut down from commercial presentation of performances.

Then, of course, came the proliferation of Home Video and that put the blocks on the path of theatre and stage production. We announced the demise of theatre stalwarts like Duro Ladipo, Zulu Sofola, Ola Rotimi, Hubert Ogunde etc.

The art in acting could not fight back into popularity. Unsafe roads at night, car thefts, all made their contribution to the dearth of Theatre traditions.

One of the capital reasons is lack of venue. There are no large enough playing grounds to give producers enough audience to make profit. No Repertory Theatre companies to polish ‘green horns’ from Theatre Arts departments into brilliant performers that can shine round the world as star actors from any of the dozen or so

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universities in the country, the president’s Bonanza to the entertainment industry could be released into operation to build the Industry, Halls and Auditoria help performances, exhibitions, studios thereby setting up jobs for painters, sculptors, dancers, graphic Artists etc, to feed the National Hall of Fame. We have established the theatre culture as in other countries, especially the western world. We should also be in the reckoning, in terms of performance, productivity and acculturation. Several times, we blew the whistle to ‘Stop the Entertainment Train, Nigeria wants to get on’, but sad to say, we are still not ready as a national industry

We should also be in the reckoning, in terms of performance, productivity and acculturation

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to tag along with TV industry, film industry and stage – to build a giant industry of Entertainment.

The Entertainment Industry’s growth or advancement should take shape first by restructuring for a better foundation, proper training grounds away from University Bureaucracy and improvement on teaching methods. In the Western world, there are schools for training actors and actors teach acting, just like football. So, let the Theatre Arts Professors teach appropriate subjects so we can produce star actors not graduates of Theatre Arts seeking jobs as Receptionists and Bank Security.

Nwokolo showcases new forms at TerraKulture

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spective in his art as through the body of works, he will propagate his thoughts, fragments of thoughts, up growing impressions, concerns in various socio- political and economic happenings from the local to events in the international scale and it will feature about 25 works in fabric, aluminum foil, papier mache, enamel paint etc. The works actually shows a drift from his usual painting works to constructed objects. However, it also reveals the trajectory of his creative talents as he was able to combine

painting with his design and craftmanship.

In assembling the works, the artist made use of four main dimensional of material, they are those made of rolledup pieces of fabrics placed orderly on a board, those made of flattened and folded pieces of aluminum foil and those made up of papier mache on a board but the metal works dominate the collection. And with the fusion of the above materials , he was able to produce stunning works that sends his message across.

38—Vanguard,

FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

Yes, Jonathan has delivered for his friends — El-Rufai FORMER Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has since his informal exit from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP transformed into one of the leading voices of the opposition. A chieftain of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Mallam El-Rufai in an interview reviews the performances of the Goodluck Jonathan administration and profers his suggestions. Excerpts:

BY HENRY UMORU

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Waiting for God's judgment

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But the power is being used to perpetrate fraud against 168 million people and those that voted for him should ask themselves whether they have done the right thing and those of us that did not vote for him but our votes were stolen and added to him. We are waiting for God’s judgment.

Do you believe the opposition is strong enough to take power from the PDP? When the time comes, the opposition will be strong enough. People think the opposition is just political parties, those who think so are in the dream land; opposition is Nigerian people, Nigerians whose lives have been much traumatized, that is the opposition and at the level of political institutions, we are here to organize our ourselves into a united and formidable opposition, I hope we get there.

How organized are you the opposition parties?

We are organizing, I don’t want to say more than that.

Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark had said while marking his birthday that Jonathan will contest in 2015. As a northerner, what is your take on this?

I am not a Northerner, I am a Nigerian.

I don’t see myself as a Northerner, I don’t like those affiliations; I don’t believe in

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*El-Rufai: I am not a Northerner, I am a Nigerian that, I believe I am a Nigerian and I see every Nigerian from whatever part, language and religion as a brother. Again, that is what is wrong about our country. I don’t think the constitution disqualifies Jonathan from contesting, I don’t see any problem in that.

Only the constitution and the electoral acts defines who can run and who cannot run and I don’t see anything in the constitution that disqualified Jonathan from running, but what he is not entitled to do is to rig the election and impose himself on Nigerians because if that happens we will respond. It is as simple as that. You can deceive me once, but I will not allow you to deceive me twice. If you deceive me once, then the next time you do it, I will react. That is it. Edwin K. Clark is entitled to his views and I agree with them because any Nigerian who is above the age of 30 with a secondary school certificate is qualified to run for president and unless he runs more than twice. So, he is entitled to run.

How far has the CPC gone in reforming itself?

The CPC is young, we were registered in 2009 and before we could settle down, we had to contest election and yet, our presidential candidate got over 12 million real votes, not the Jonathan fake votes.

We have organizational issues in the party as a young party, we are not 13 years like the PDP, we are just 3 years, so, these kinds of issues can happen and we are addressing them and part of what I am

doing is to get some of these issues sorted out and we are working on them. The party is working on its internal problems and we will overcome all these issues to ensure that PDP stops destroying Nigeria.

Back to the government, as a former Minister you worked with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, where do you think in the next one or two years the government should concentrate on and Nigerians will be happy for it before the next election?

There are three or four fundamental issues where this government has failed woefully in the last 2, 3 years because Jonathan has been around not for one year, but for about three years. They have failed in providing security for the people which is the primary reason for having a government. They should look at what they have been doing in the last one year and correct it. That is one. Second, they have not managed the economy well.

This country is broke, the federal government is unable to pay federation allocation on time, they are unable to pay salaries on time, we are in May, April salaries have not been paid.

There should be reduction in level of corruption and fraud in the amount of fund leakages so that the liquidity in the

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O you agree with the PDP that the federal administration has delivered on its promises?

Yes, they have delivered on insecurity, they have delivered on insolvency of the federal government, they have delivered on the division in the country, they have delivered on depletion of social capital; I don’t know what they are celebrating. I think they can celebrate because they stole 2 trillion of subsidy money and they are stealing some billions in pension.

I think they have delivered, but for themselves not for the Nigerian people.

The PDP and Jonathan have every reason to celebrate because they have wiped out our foreign reserves, wiped out excess crude account and they all own houses in Abuja and Lagos. So, they have every reason to celebrate but go to the local market and ask many Nigerians whether the plight of this year is better than the plight of last year and the answer will be very clear. Nigeria has become much worse under Jonathan’s watch. So, I don’t know what they are celebrating.

Do you imply that Nigerians are regretting voting in Jonathan?

I don’t know. Every Nigerian must have a view on this. I don’t think his no shoe story and all that got him elected. I don’t think he was elected, I think they rigged their way into power and if they were using the power for good, it will not be too bad.

economy will be restored. Stealing should not be the full time job of people in government. They should work and manage the economy.

The third is that these endless promises to improve the electricity must stop and deliver some results. Electricity generation has not improved from the level we left it which is about 3,200 megawatts in April 2007. It has not changed; in fact it has gone down once in a while.

Finally, they should think of the 6 million babies we make every year and begin to think of their future. People without hope are capable of anything; the government should level the playing field. These are the four areas I will advice them to look at. I am not their Adviser. ill the North allow President Jonathan to run in 2015?

It is not up to the North or anyone to allow anyone to decide, Nigerians decide who they want as President and there was great consensus at a time that the presidency should be ceded to the South and no credible Northerner contested the office. I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.

These are some of the decisions people make for the unity, peace and good governance of the country. I don’t believe we should be selecting our presidents on the basis of where they come from. I have said this overtime, I think we should look for the best qualified person for the job and where you have a decent person doing the right thing, everybody benefits – North, South, East and West, Muslims and Christian, Hausa, Igbo Yoruba, Ijaw, everyone, we can all benefit from good governance.

Your former boss, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo recently decried the level of corruption where he was quoted to have alleged that members of the National Assembly are rogues and armed robbers, do you agree with him?

President Obasanjo is a very thoughtful and experienced person, I am sure before he made the statement, he had the facts and I think Nigerians know what he meant and they all know the National Assembly members, the allowances they take that they are illegal.

Obasanjo knows what he is talking about. I don’t believe that everyone in the National Assembly is bad, there are many

The PDP and Jonathan have every reason to celebrate because they have wiped out our foreign reserves, wiped out excess crude account and they all own houses in Abuja and Lagos

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decent people there but there is something wrong with the National Assembly. I don’t know what Obasanjo said but whatever he said, he must have his reasons and his facts.

How would you access the 7th National Assembly?

Disappointing, for me this National Assembly has not done much. There are many legislations that have been lying there forever like the Petroleum Industry Bill which has been in the National Assembly since 2008. The most important legislation that will reshape our oil industry has been lying there. It was the Senate that first had the resolution on investigation of fuel subsidy fund, but at the end, it was the House of Continues on page 41

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012—39

ONE AFTER:

Yuguda's story in Bauchi

BY SUZAN EDEH SINCE the May 29, 2012 Democracy Day celebrations, the question on the lips of many remains: What have political office holders been able to achieve since their inauguration on May 29, 2011?

In Bauchi State where Mallam Isa Yuguda holds sway as the governor, the last Democracy Day Celebration was an avenue to give account of his stewardship since he was re-elected in the April 2011 gubernatorial elections.

Yuguda, it would be recalled had on May 29 last year, pledged to correct all the mistakes made during his first tenure in order to change the fortunes of the state for the better.

“This time it will not be business as usual because I want to correct all the mistakes I made during my first tenure in office. My administration will place high premium on the security of lives and property, while a lot of investment opportunities would be explored to create jobs for the teeming youths in the state,” Yuguda noted during his inauguration at IBB square in 2011.

He also reiterated the commitment of his administration to deal ruthlessly with anyone, who would constitute a clog in the administration’s wheel of progress. With one year gone since this pledge was made, what the governor has done so far, has been a subject of discourse in the court of public opinion.

Whether he has acted in accordance with his campaign promises, is still being debated by followers of political events in the state.

Areas like Health, Security, Human Development, Transportation, Water Supply, Agriculture, among others, have received the governor’s special attention within the period under review.

The state government constructed and commissioned five new general hospitals, in addition to the over 1,000 Health Centres across the state. One of the hospitals, Tafawa Balewa Hospital, which is a 144-bed state of the art hospital, was built at the cost of 577 million.

In furtherance to his bid to ensure optimum healthcare in the state, Yuguda created four new agencies. They include; Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Leprosy, BACATMA, Bauchi State Primary Health Care, , BSPHC, Bauchi Hospital Management Board, HMB, and Bauchi State Health Insurance Scheme, BHIS. In ensuring the security of lives and property, the Yuguda administration was able to combat the menace of a youth cult group, otherwise known as Sara-Suka( political thugs).

Before now, the youths were dreaded across the state, because of the mayhem they usually left behind after attending any political activity.

Another step taken by the Yuguda’s administration is the creation of the Sayawa Chiefdom through a law passed by the Bauchi State House of Assembly.

It was said that the agitation for the Sayawa Chiefdom was the reason for the recurring crisis in Tafawa Balewa Local Government, which successive administrations battled to solve without success.

An indication that the security level in the state had improved, was made by the Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to the governor, Mr. Micheal Adeyemi.

He stated this shortly after he led journalists on inspection tour of some projects within the state capital.

“What is worth celebrating on Democracy day in the state is the fact that the state has been experiencing relative peace for some time, especially in the

troubled Tafawa Balewa axis where crisis have been recorded in the past. It would be recalled that the state government took bold steps at addressing the issue.

First, the Sayawa Chiefdom was created and the council was relocated to Bununu town. This is a very great achievement by the Yuguda led administration.

There is no state that is totally free from crisis, but compared to other states, Bauchi state is peaceful, ”Adeyemi stated.

Further checks showed that scholarships were awarded to 20 students to study Aeronautical Engineering in the United States of America and 45 others in different institutions across Asia and Europe.

Challenges One area in which the state appears challenged is the aspect of inherited debt from previous administrations. Under this, a N22 billion debt owed to banks is believed to be the most pressing challenge before the administration.

Inspite of the huge sum of money channeled towards combating water scarcity in the state, some residential areas are still battling with water scarcity, forcing the state government to take drastic measures to surmount the problem.

Present efforts have led to the activation of the old Water Pumping Facility which is now said to pump about 2.4 million gallons.

Another source of worry in the state, is the controversy surrounding the creation of the Sayawa Chiefdom.

The Sawaya people have taken the state government to court over the matter, describing the development as incondusive. This has continued to fuel tension in the area until this moment. Another area in which the Yuguda’s administration is often criticised by opposition parties, is the poor relationship the Governor has with the media in the state. This is occasioned by his frequent trips and absence in the state. Although he had asserted that his frequent absence from the state was to attract more dividends to the state, his relationship with the media on the issue remains unhealthy.

How we're handling insecurity in Bauchi—Yuguda GOVERNOR Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State in this interview with newsmen discusses the insecurity situation in the country and the efforts by his administration in restoring peace in the state.

Excerpts:

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HAT efforts are you taking to ensure security in Bauchi?

Our country has being going through a lot of trial and as journalists you will appreciate that you are the conscience of the society and your job is a very risk job, it is just like that of my own job. I swore by the Koran, when I was taking oath of office that I will protect lives and property.

We have sworn, also to protect property. If any person’s property is destroyed today in Bauchi state, if it is not an accident, if people go and just burnt somebody’s house, then, I am held responsible, that is why I have a law in place today if there is arson by any group of people that local government would not have subvention for that month until it fixes that house. If they kill your animal and you come and report that your animal has been stolen, then we use the local government money to buy your animal and we give it back to you and then the balance is C M Y K

what the local government will get so that everybody will be on his toes. If you lose one life without due process, the local government will forfeit its subvention until the day it produces that hoodlums.

We call the family, we compensate them for the life.

This law was recently passed to bring more sanity into our system.

Anytime you see anything about Bauchi, either mayhem or Boko Haram and I assure you the opposite is the case. We had an incident of Boko Haram in 2009, that is when we had an attack and that was when we engaged them that night for 12 hours.

You have to tell Nigerians, you have to help Nigeria because there is no country that can develop without regards for lives and property. Believe me Nigeria is one of the safest countries on earth, despite all our kidnappings. There are some countries on earth, I don’t want to mention the country but you people should know,

*Gov. Yuguda: Bauchi is peaceful every minute a woman is raped, every minute, a human being is killed. In fact, in one of those countries, a budget of one city is almost twice the budget of Nigeria put together.

As way back as 2001, they were budgeting $30bn for security but have you ever seen it in their papers?

We make our own country so

insecure because they read us.

Immediately you write, they go to internet to read about Nigeria and you now go to them to discuss investment with them, they will say no.

I also want to appeal to you because we have to have respect for human lives you will never see any gruesome picture in the newspaper in the

west, the human being slaughtered and you see his/ her pictures on the pages of newspapers. It gives us an impression of a country that is not safe. It does happen in their countries too, they slaughter people, but you will never see them give it prominence on the pages of their newspapers. Those gruesome pictures on the pages of our newspapers turn away people from us.

What efforts are to making to compare notes with your fellow governors in the north who are having the same security challenge?

We have been meeting of recent and we share our own tactics with my neighbouring states, Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Borno, Yobe including Taraba, Gombe and Adamawa. We as governors and also the stakeholders intend to meet very soon because it is our own time that God has decided to give us leadership. It is our own responsibility, not about Bauchi being peaceful and Gombe is not peaceful. Bauchi is being peaceful and Borno is not peaceful. If you see the kind of damage that the economy of Borno state has undergone, gentlemen you will weep.

Continued from page 41

40—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

If Abacha had lived?

ERSTWHILE, military Head of State, General Sanni Abacha died on June 8, 2008 just before winning the unanimous endorsement of the five registered political parties of that era. His death led to a resetting of the shape and structure of the Nigerian political landscape. But what if he had lived?

were chairmen of the five political parties; parties that had been once described as the five fingers of a leprous hand.

Three of the five parties had over time shrunk leaving the dominant two, the United Nigerian Centre Party, UNCP and the Grassroots Democratic Movement, GDM to struggle for space.

Chief Barabbas Demade, national chairman of the Grassroots Democratic Party and Alhaji Isa Lawal national chairman of the United Nigeria Centre Party, UNCP were as usual engaged in their unending game of superiority to take front position in the receiving party. After the five parties in 1998 adopted the then General Abacha, the two foremost national parties had continued to take turns in succeeding presidential election to present Abacha in the elections. The world had been aghast at the folly of the Nigerian political class in 1998 when all five political parties adopted Abacha in the presidential elections.

exhilarating exhaustion that followed a romp and rollick with Abacha one of the more adventurous ladies had eaten the poisonous apple that Abacha had secretly swapped with another apple of his own which he had eaten. he diplomatic fuss that followed saw the surviving girl detained in Abuja for two years and was only released following quiet moves by President George Bush who succeeded Clinton to downplay the opposition of the West to Abacha’s transmutation as civilian president.

But it required more than that for President Obama to visit Nigeria. One of the conditions that had been negotiated with Nigeria’s foreign minister, Chief Ebori was that the respected Nigerian former military head of state and African statesman, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo would be allowed to meet with Obama during the visit. Indeed, prior to the visit, a senior United States diplomat had visited Obasanjo in his residence in Otta to prepare him for the visit. The one time Nigerian leader, the diplomat reported

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In the exhilarating exhaustion that followed a romp and rollick with Abacha one of the more adventurous ladies had eaten the poisonous apple that Abacha had secretly swapped with another apple of his own

POL SNIPES

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

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RESIDENT Sani Abacha was in amiable mood as he grinned mischievously to his long time friend and play partner, Dr. Jeremiah Oseni on the tarmac of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja that afternoon. Air Force One, carrying President Barrack Obama of the United States had just touched down at the airport and President Abacha was making a rare outing to receive the world’s most powerful leader.

“We got them didn’t I tell you? All we needed to do was to insulate ourselves and all this democracy nonsense will die out,” the Nigerian president said to Oseni, his long time associate.

“Ranka dede you are correct, now the President of the world’s leading democracy has

come to meet with the President of Africa’s biggest democracy," Oseni said.

"Yes, your claim that the world will come to meet us on your terms has paid off,” Dr. Oseni who like Abacha had risen through the ranks of the Nigerian Army to the position of a General told the president.

Following his disengagement from the military at the official age of 60, Oseni had seen it expedient to replace his military appellation of General with a civilian title. At least four universities including the University of Lagos had honoured him with doctorate degrees for his service to the fatherland. A former Minister of the Federal Capital, Dr. Oseni emerged as the President of the Senate and had kept the chamber in quiet submission to the dictates of President Abacha.

As the pair conversed and

waited for President Obama to deplane, Nigeria’s Prime Minister, the western educated Alhaji Teslim Polarin kept a distance alongside the Foreign Minister, Chief James Ebori and a horde of bureaucrats who kept a quiet conversation with the Chief Security Officer to the President, Brig-Gen. Hamisu Al Mustapha.

Political caucus Polarin who had originally designed himself for the Nigerian senate was nominated for the position of Prime Minister by the Yoruba politician, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu who had emerged against all odds to become the leader of the Yoruba political caucus in the country. Polarin was nominated following the exit from office of the first Prime Minister under Abacha, Chief Jim Nwaobodo who had served two consecutive terms between 1998 and 2008.

Far back in the reception line

Following that, ahead of the 2003 elections it was agreed that for democratic decorum that the UNCP should present Abacha while the GDM should not present a candidate. In 2003 it was the turn of the GDM to present Abacha.

The other three national political parties, however, presented presidential candidates who in the 2003 and 2008 presidential elections all lost their deposits that were reportedly offset by the administration.

Inside the plane as he prepared to step down from Air Force One, President Obama was still trying to reconcile himself with the reality of engaging the Nigerian ruler who had been the scorn of two of his immediate predecessors.

President Bill Clinton it was reported had employed all manner of intrigues including employing the use of two Indian born female operatives of the Central Intelligence Agency, CIA to undermine the Nigerian president.

President Obama smiled quietly as he remembered the secret briefing he had been given of how a diplomatic incident between the two countries broke out after one of the Indian girls died after eating an apple laced with cyanide that she was supposed to have fed Abacha with. In the

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in his dispatch to Washington was in good health but lived in miserable conditions. His one time profitable farm had been run aground during the time of his incarceration between 1995 and 1999. Obasanjo was released in 1999 as part of Abacha’s efforts in wooing the world after his strange democratic expression in 1998.

Even though free, Obasanjo 's life was one of hand to mouth dependent on his military pension and periodic inflows from his children abroad including his US based daughter, Iyabo who is a successful veterinary doctor in the United States.

As Obama deplaned he was escorted by a number of senior officials of the US administration, but the surprise for their Nigerian hosts was the presence in the entourage of a former Nigerian senator and activist in the National Democratic Collation, NADECO, Senator Sola Sinubu. Sinubu’s visit to Nigeria it had been agreed between Nigerian diplomats and US administration officials was purely apolitical, Sinubu was visiting to see his aged mother and matriarch of Lagos traders. As Obama neared him, Abacha could not but again mutter to Oseni near him, yes we got democracy in my own terms.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012—41 N this column a fortnight ago, I asked whether the ‘Amalgamation of 1914’ was a mistake. The feedback was that judging by the present state of events in Nigeria, the step taken

by Lord Lugard, though helpful to Britian, was not in the best interest of the country.

Many argued that instead of one politically unstable country, it would have been possible to have three or more independent countries – strong, reliable and in a competitive relationship with one another.

Others believe that it was not the amalgamation that was faulty but the inability of past and present leaderships to maintain political unity and evolve economic prosperity.

It would appear that the problems of the country are deep rooted and thus, could not be blamed on the present President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan.

The President recently in a speech in Enugu called for the evaluation of events since 1914 and also assessment of events since independence in 1960.

In fact, the political situation suffered a terrible stroke in the Nigerian civil war of 1967-70.

That war could be attributable to the intransigence of old politicians and the inability of the military to agree on the principle of justice, fairplay and equity that was needed at that time.

There should be no more grand illusion of political unity, religious tolerance and ethnic coexistence. There should be a need for dialogue to support the continuous existence of Nigeria as a strong and happy nation.

In recent weeks the economic stability of the country has been called to question. The other day, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said that Nigeria was not broke as being imagined by many soothsayers just

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Critical observations on Nigeria’s economic and political stability because of recent delays in salary payments and a day postponement of the meeting of the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).

"With a GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth rate of over 7 percent and foreign exchange reserves of $38.6bn ($38.72bn on May 17). The economy has been doing quite well,” the Minister was quoted as saying.

The Minister is quite correct judging by the available statistical figure showing actual total revenue to be about N500bn more than the projected figure.

The latest statements of the amiable Coordinating Minister seems reassuring as against her earlier statement some weeks ago that the amount of $3.6 billion in the depleted Excess Crude Account would not be enough to sustain Nigeria for any period of time.

The Minister held the state governors for the slow growth of the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) by adhering strictly to the principle of ‘true federalism‘ as opposed to the economic advantages of the Fund as protection against future

turbulence. However, the main argument of the state governors is that in true federalism, you cannot withhold any part of their allocation without their consent, or spend it without their express approval.

This argument raises the problem of the concept of federal and unitary type of government operated in this country. There should be a re definition of the type of federalism operated in Nigeria. At the time the argument on allocation of resources to all levels of government is being debated, the Central Bank of Nigeria,CBN, in its latest statement said that Nigeria‘s economic growth is at great risk.

This is based on observable decrease in the growth of crude oil productions, (2.3 percent); non oil sector and agriculture in the first quarter of 2012 compared with the same period last year.

The overall economic growth in 2012 is estimated at about 6.5 per cent, a little below that of over 7 per cent in the year 2011.

Over the years the Nigerian economy has grown at an average of about 7 per cent, but

it has been paper growth without favorable impact on the level of unemployment which is estimated to be about 29 percent of the working population – 3 per cent unemployment is the accepted norm in developed countries.

It is a deep sense of relief that the CBN has now publicly admitted that its belief that tightening monetary policy is wrong as a pre condition for macroeconomic stability.

We agree with the CBN that, ‘Monetary Policy on its own has limitations with respect to inducing growth without fiscal and structural measures relating to petroleum, power and infrastructure sectors‘. It is believed that no economic transformation will be feasible without heavy concentration of efforts on provision and supply of electric power. The ruling party has continued to monopolize wisdom and proper vision for development in the power sector.

Solar power and coal exploitations Not enough investments have been made in solar power and coal exploitations. Sadly too, efforts by some states on power projects for their citizens have been diverted to the national grid, to the detriments of the indigines of the states concerned, e.g.

Lagos and Rivers State.

It may be pertinent to note that as at the time our Finance Minister was advocating for a foreign loan to fix our economic infrastructures, the oil money which should be the engine of growth, was lavishly distributed to states and local government.

The sum of N563.089bn was reported to have been distributed to all tiers of government after an apology for a delay of a day or two. Some apologists of true

federalism would frown at a system which allows a Big Brother in Abuja to be distributing funds to its fiefs on such regular basis. True federalism ensures that each state would develop all its resources and manage its funds to the best of its ability for the good of its people.

If the minerals in each state are allowed to be developed by the state, and not wait for federal authority‘s blessings, the better it would be for the economy of that state and general development of the country.

In many developed nations, all explorations, productions and sales are left in private hands through companies owned by share holders. All incomes derivable from their operations go directly to the shareholders after payments of due taxes to their host and home governments.

Government might participate merely as shareholders like others.

If the federal government is the sole contributor to the Joint Ventures operations, (unless the contrary is the case), it stands to reason that the total income from oil belongs to the sole funder of the operations-Federal Government.

I have advocated in this column several times for a more realistic approach to this problem of oil money allocation.

The NNPC should be converted into a public organization owned by the Federal Government (30%), Oil Producing States (50%) and other States (20%).

The owners would subscribe to oil and gas production costs in relation to their holdings and share income accordingly in the proportion of their share holding. Surely, the convenient marriage of common sense economics with sensible politics would promote political stability and economic prosperity.

How we're handling insecurity in Bauchi — Yuguda Continued from page 39 Borno has a history of 1,200 years of Islamic civilization.

Go and look at the history, but you can see that 1,200 years of a town that had civilization of peace (because I slam preaches peace, Christianity preaches love,) so where the two come together, you can imagine the kind of leadership we are going to have but today the economy of Maiduguri that was serving Cameroun, Chad, Niger, apart from neighbouring states in Nigeria, but today the margin has been closed.

Hardly will you find one or two families that will put pot on top of fire before they feed their children. I am not speaking for the governor but that is the reality and these are your people, your own brothers and sisters. It can happen to you.

The situation is that we are trying our best. We are sharing our tactics. It is not something that I can discuss on the pages of newspaper. I am assuring you that, we are still working C M Y K

as a team.

On Boko Haram: Almost all of them are graduates; some of them are mechanical engineers, some of them very, very intelligent. They have decided to take up arms because there is no job. Imagine somebody who doesn’t have a job,

nowhere to go and they say an idle man is the devil’s workshop and they are there in thousands. Eventually they will have a meeting point, eventually they will have somebody who has power to indoctrinate, power to use them, the power to incite them

to do something.

It is not my own making that I am created as a Fulani man neither yours that you were created as a Yoruba man. All of us have a duty to our country to make it a great country.

Instead of abusing the President, advice him. What

has he done, because God has chosen him to be the President.

He is the only one out of 150 million people. God chose him, it is not him. He cannot give himself power. If you force yourself into power, you will see that God will force you out.

Yes, Jonathan has delivered for his friends — El-Rufai Continued from page 38 Representatives that took the lead and did good work in that regard.

I think the overall performance is disappointing though I will say Farouk Lawan has helped elevate the quality of the House of Representatives. I think under Tambuwal, the House of Representatives has become more reflective of the wishes of Nigerians than the Senate.

What do you think should be the outcome of the report from the House of Representatives?

I think a few things are clear, the report identified the

companies that collected public funds without supplying anything. I think they should be asked to refund that money back before you go any further. You don’t need any investigation. But no action is being taken along that line. I heard that the anticorruption agency has got the report and I do hope that all those involved in doing the wrong things will be brought to justice as quickly as possible.

On Boko Haram, what is the way forward?

I don’t know it is a complicated issue with many dimensions.

Unless you have all the

*El-Rufai: information, it is very difficult to make any permutations and conclusions, but what I do know for sure is that the current practices of the government have failed. There are strong

suspicions among us that the government is behind some of these violence including Boko Haram and the government has not done anything to apprehend some of those behind the violence.

They are losing the battle in the heart and minds of the community where the so called Boko Haram is supposedly operating and I think they need to rethink their strategies. The government should stop it, they should stop complaining and they should stop behaving as if they are victims and just solve the problem.

42—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012—43

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R-l: Mr. Akinwale Goodluck, Corporate Services executive, MTN; Lynda Saint Nwafor, Chief Technical Officer and Ms Funmi Omogbemi, GM, Corporate affairs during the press conference on MTN network modernisation Project Announcement in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor

L-r: First Lady of Lagos State, Dame Abimbola Emmanuella Fashola; President,The Counselling Ambassador Organisation, Mrs. Regina Iyabo Obasa; and Engr. Adekanmi Obasa, during the BERACHAH 2012 & Annual Praise & Worship Concert with the theme: Perpetual Praise held at the Balmoral Hall Kudirat Abiola Way Oregun, Ikeja

R-L: Pastor Mrs Ewaen Edun; Miss Evelyn Edu; Dr. Leo Erhunmunsee, Chief Medical Director Federal Medical Centre, Asaba; and Dr. Kayode Adeniran, Head of Dept. Paediatrics, FMC, at the presentation of baby incubator and medical equipment to the centre, Asaba by Chirst Embassy Church, Asaba branch. Photo Nath Onojake

VANGUARD'S LAGOS OFFICE YOU CAN B O O K Y O U R A D V E RT S AT OU R L A G O S I S L A N D O F FI C E — VA N GUARD MEDIA LIMITED (LAGOS OFFICE) KIOSK 4 8 E A S T P AV I L I O N T B S , L A G O S .

L-r: Mr. Felix Awogu, GM supersport Nigeria; Mr. Segun Agbede, Supersport; Mr. Charles Anazodo, Supersport presenter; Carol Tshabalaka, Supersport presenter and Mozez Praiz, Supersport presenter at the Supersport Roll Out of Two 24 hours Channels for Euro 2012 media Quiz in Lagos. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor

44—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8 , 2012 — 45

French Open Watch....French Open Watch

Federer needs to be ‘mentally ready’ for Djokovic

R

oger Federer will need all the reserves of his Zen-like calmness if the dismal weather forecast holds for Friday’s men’s semi-finals day at the French Open.

Forecasts are expecting more rain on a day of two heavyweight clashes, with Novak Djokovic trying to extend his quest for a fourth straight title at a major as he faces Federer, and Rafael Nadal playing David Ferrer with Spanish clay pride on the line.

Federer, the 2009 Paris champion with four titles in 2012, is accustomed to ending the party for Djokovic after halting the Serb’s unbeaten match streak at 41 wins a year ago at this stage at Roland Garros.

Since that loss,

•Federer Djokovic has won a tight US Open semi-final and one at Rome last month against the 16-time Grand Slam champion.

But as holder of more than a few himself, Federer is not impressed by potential records.

He’s all about getting on court — even a heavy one — and playing the match.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s Novak or any other player really, you just want to be well prepared; you want to be

mentally ready for a long day,” said the 30-yearold.

“Over five sets the rain or the sunshine could come and go. You have more possibility of interruption just because you’re out there for a longer period of time. It’s a different kind of approach."

Poland wary of Greek defence C

G

S

uch is Rafa Nadal’s vice-like grip on the French Open that his semi-final opponent David Ferrer concedes beating him is “almost impossible”.

Ferrer is a claycourt specialist who has dropped only one set en route to the last four culminating in a straightforward victory over fourth seed Andy Murray on Wednesday.

But such is the six-times champion Nadal’s dominance in Paris, that Ferrer knows the odds are stacked enormously against him when the pair meet on Friday.

“I think you can win a set against Rafa, but

and winning a match,” he told reporters.

“Winning a match against Rafa is almost impossible. He is in such good shape.”

Ferrer has won only four of 15 matches against the Mallorcan battler and his only claycourt success came eight years ago.

The pair have played twice this year, in Spain and in Rome, and Nadal has won both without conceding a set.

“Each match is different.

In Godo, I had to be slightly more aggressive and I made mistakes.

“In Rome it was different, because I had opportunities to win a set, but he played extremely well - I tried.”

•Djokovic

Mata aims at Italy

reece’s ironclad defence is Poland’s biggest worry, both the coach and captain of the the Euro 2012 co-hosts acknowledged on Thursday on the eve of their tournament opener.

“It’s clear that the Greek defence, and in fact the whole team, is based on defensive play.

That’s their strong point,” Poland manager Franciszek Smuda said ahead of a training session in Warsaw ’s National Stadium, venue for Friday’s clash.

“It’s definitely going

Ferrer in mission impossible is a difference against Nadal there between winning a set

to be the hardest nut for us to crack,” he added.

Greece qualified handsomely for Euro 2012 without losing a single match, scoring 14 goals and conceding just 5.

Captain Kuba Blaszczykowski said forcing open a breach would be key.

“We have people who are pretty good at doing that,” the midfielder added, without naming names.

While Polish fans were ecstatic to have drawn Greece in their group, it was largely because they

avoided heavyweights such as champions Spain or 2008 finalists Germany, and Poland have repeatedly warned against underestimating the Euro 2004 victors.

“Greece are a good team for sure. They proved that in the q u a l i f i e r s , ” Blaszczykowski said.

Poland themselves are on paper the weakest team at the 16-nation E u r o p e a n championship, hosted with neighbouring Ukraine, and as hosts did not have to come through qualifying.

h e l s e a midfielder Juan Mata, with the Champions League already tucked under his belt this season, says that he hopes to play his part in helping Spain defend their Euro title - but warns their first opponents Italy will pose a tough opening challenge.

“They are a very competitive team and are always very difficult to beat with talents on baord such as (Antonio) Cassano or (Mario) Balotelli,” says Mata, who will have his work cut out to get a starting berth in the holders’ stellar midfield.

“Of course my goal is to play as much as possible. But the competition in the group

•Nadal is very strong - I’ll have to work hard to get in there but that’s normal various other players deserve their starting eleven status,” he added modestly.

One man who won’t be there is injured all-time record scorer David Villa.

“He’s scored a lot of goals for his country but I think we have no shortage of firepower in (Alvaro) Negredo (Chelsea clubmate Fernando) Torres and (Fernando) Llorente.

Then we have attacking midfielders who can also get on the scoresheet.”

•Ferrer

Briefs

RIP Preciado, say Spain

S

pain were Thursday mourning the death of former Sporting Gijon coach Manolo Preciado, who had only been appointed coach of Villarreal on Wednesday, from a heart attack.

Preciado, who also coached racing Santander, had the reputation of being a workaholic and was well respected across Spain.

Italian flavour for opening

T

•Mata

he Euro 2012 opening ceremony in Warsaw will have a decidedly Italian flavour as it is being produced largely by creative director Marco Balich and DJ Karmatronic - aka Achilles Filippo Sparta, a remixer for stars including Shakira.

Balich was behind similar extravaganzas at the Winter Games at Salt Lake City (2002) and Turin (2006), while he is also helping produce the London Games opening ceremony. He will furthermore be MC for the closing ceremony at the Euros.

46—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012—47

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48 —

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

UN accuses Syria of massacre as survivors recount horror U NITED Nations Sec retary-General, Ban Ki-moon ratcheted up the pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad yesterday to end his 15month onslaught against opposition seeking to oust him, condemning a reported new massacre in Syria as an “unspeakable barbarity.”

Ban, speaking at the start of a special U.N. General Assembly session on the Syrian crisis, called again on Assad to

immediately implement international mediator Kofi Annan’s six-point peace plan that both Damascus and the opposition publicly embraced in April but continue to ignore. This came six hours after tanks and militiamen pulled out of Mazraat al-Qubeir, a Syrian farmer said he returned to find only charred bodies among the shouldering homes of his once-tranquil hamlet.Syrian troops and

militiamen loyal to President Bashar al-Assad stood accused by opponents yesterday of a new massacre of scores of villagers hours before a di-

vided U.N. Security Council convenes to review the crisis.

The killings of at least 78 people at Mazraat alQabeer, near Hama, will

pile pressure on world powers to act, but there is little sign they can overcome a paralysis born of sharp divisions between

Western and Arab states on the one hand and Assad’s defenders in Russia, China and Iran.

Romney beats Obama in fund raising REPUBLICAN presidential candidate Mitt Romney and Republican groups raised more than $76.8 million in May, his campaign said yesterday topping the more than $60 million President

Barack Obama and his Democratic allies hauled in.

Romney ’s campaign and the Republican National Committee have $107 million in cash on

hand, the campaign said.

Obama’s cash on hand figure was not immediately available.

“We are encouraged by the financial support from a broad range of voters,

said Romney national finance chairman Spencer Swick. “It is clear that people aren’t willing to buy into ‘hope and change’ again.

Greece faces bankruptcy, austerity hit spanish children S European leaders grapple with how to preserve their monetary union, Greece is rapidly running out of money.

Nikos Lekkas, a government official, said banks had hindered his efforts to collect back taxes.

Government coffers could be empty as soon as July, shortly after this month’s pivotal elections.

In the worst case, Athens might have to temporarily stop paying for salaries and pensions, along with imports of fuel, food and pharmaceuticals.

Officials, scrambling for solutions, have considered dipping into funds that are supposed to be for Greece’s troubled banks.

Some are even suggesting doling out i.o.u.’s.

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Iraq executes Saddam's aide NE of Saddam Hussein’s closest aides who handed down many of the dictator’s repressive orders was executed in Iraq yesterday, the justice ministry said.

Abed Hamoud, Saddam’s private secretary, was regarded by many Iraqis as more influential than most ministers.

He was number four on the U.S. list of most-wanted Iraqi officials following the 2003 invasion, after the Sunni dictator and his sons.

He was sentenced to death in 2010 on charges of orchestrating a crackdown against rival political parties in Iraq in the 1980s and 1990s, including assassinations and unlawful detentions.

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52 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

ALLISTUS Ibare of AIT, with his camera man, put me on the 'dock' ten minutes before Nigeria engaged Namibia in Calabar.

I had told him I supported Stephen Keshi's programme, insisting that the building of a new national team with special attention on the local players was one good way out for Nigeria's football. I reminded him that many of the foreign-based stars severally disappointed Nigeria at the crucial moment and that going by the ill-fated Nations Cup qualifier against Guinea in Abuja last year and the match in Rwanda in February this year it was clear that the time of many of them was up. I maintained that Keshi was on the right track and should be allowed to continue the good work. Then came the last question. "If Keshi loses this match will you still support him?" I said absolutely yes and reminded Callistus again that there was no other way out other than Keshi's ongoing programme. Building of a team takes time and when the players are local players it could take longer time because two major things will suffice - developing their technical and tactical abilities and exposing them to modern life, facilities and even the atmospherics of big occasions so that they will not easily be overwhelmed. Exposure is very important. I heard that the matches against Egypt in Dubai and in Peru were eye openers to the boys. Some of them admired the streets.

When they entered the stadium in Peru the noisy fans overwhelmed them and this contributed to the poor first half we saw in that 1-0 defeat.

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eshi consulted when he got the job and I was among those who told him to focus on our league players because I knew that potentials abounded in our league. But I warned him that it required hard work and the ability to transform raw talents to finished products. I knew that not all coaches could do that. Not all coaches are developers. Some are good in managing stars but cannot develop talents and vice versa. Keshi assured me that he would start a programme similar to what Clemens Westerhof did. Repeatedly, I said that Westerhof was a gift to Nigeria from God and that people should not expect to see, so soon, another foreign coach who would love Nigeria and be as committed as Westerhof was. You may even have somebody very committed but who lacks the skill to develop players especially within our harsh and deplorable conditions. Keshi picked his team and went to work. And the result now is what we have

in players like mesmerizing Ejike Uzoenyi, Kalu Uche, Henry Uche, Sunday Mba, Papa Idris, Gabriel Ruben, Oshanuwa, Godfrey Itama and Egwuekwe. After watching the games in Rwanda and in Calabar, I wonder what could have happened if Keshi didn't start this ongoing programme. I bet his job would have been on the line because we would have fallen by now. In Rwanda, the five local players who played saved Nigeria from defeat. In Calabar Ike Uche gave Nigeria victory with great contribution from players Keshi is currently grooming.

The three substituted players (Obiora, Utaka and Victor Moses) all ply their trade abroad. Does this

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Of Mikel Obi and Kojo Williams

I'm scandalised by those who argue that Jose Mourinho destroyed Mikel Obi's game by making him defensive.

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send any signal? I will never join those asking Keshi to totally shut the door on foreign-based players.

We need the ones who can fit into our game, those who can fight and play well in our World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers. African football, I maintain, is always different and there are some players groomed in Europe who don't fit in here. After watching Gabriel Ruben of Kano Pillars in the de-

Utaka returns to happy hunting ground J

OHN Chukwudi Uta ka will be one of only two players in the Nigerian squad that were in Blantyre the last time the Super Eagles tack-

led the Flames in a qualifying match in that country.

On March 29, 2003, the Eagles doused the Flames 1-0 in a 2004 African Cup of Nations

qualifying match, right at the Kamuzu Stadium.

The only goal of the match was scored by

John Utaka.

The languid but efficient marksman returns

HE prestigious Access Bank UNICEF Charity Shield’2012 Polo Tournament which took to a blistering start some days ago came to a thrilling climax at the weekend with the defending champions, Access Bank Fifth Chukker edging MRS in a tense final to retain their coveted Charity Shield.Within three days of explosive battles, the four teams with a high-goal showdown narrowed to two finalists with Access Bank team edging the ambitious MRS12-10 to maintain their Charity Shield supremacy for the third year running.

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Usain Bolt’s grand entrance in Oslo Continues from B/P nightspot.

It was a chance for the 25-year-old world champ to let his hair down, as he takes a break from the local Bislett Games and his prep-

arations for the London Olympics.

And he would be glad of the female company following his split with gorgeous fashion designer girlfriend Lubica Slovak last month.

Usain called time on the romance to concentrate on his training.

Continues from B/P prepare for the Nations Cup qualifier against Rwanda.

The game, earlier scheduled for Sunday June 17, has now been moved forward to Saturday, June 16 at the UJ Esuene Stadium in one of Africa’s cleanest city, where football was first played in Nigeria.

Keshi told the players that he feels a personal sense of loss to ask them out but going by FIFA rules he cannot take more than 23 players to Malawi, but assured that they remain part and parcel of his plans of rebuilding the national team, urging them to keep the faith with him and help return Nigerian football to the top of

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hey say he is a good passer of the ball. I agree.

But most of his passes are either backwards or to his side. He rarely puts pressure on opponents.

It was against this background that Keshi called him after his first training session with him and passed these words to him. "I want you to express yourself on the field, feel free, go forward and score. Don't restrict yourself in anyway." Obi thanked him and walked away. The next day he said he was injured and that was how he missed to play against Botswana in Benin and Zambia in Kaduna, Keshi's first and second matches. After this disappointment, Keshi left him alone. Up till now Obi has not shown any sign of commitment to the national team. Even when Barrister Chris Green, chairman of NFF Technical Committee, tried to make a case for his invitation after the Champions League victory of Chelsea a mail came informing the NFF that he was injured.

Green fumed. I have told this story so that nobody puts pressure on Keshi over players who lack the fighting spirit for Nigeria. For now, Ruben is giving us more, Ohanuwa is better than Taiye Taiwo and Kalu Uche, Sunday Mba will be more deadly than some of the strikers abroad especially against African countries. Let's use them and do what Kojo Williams suggested. Take them to Europe and expose them and make them stars. Let me recall what the former NFA chairman told me: "When I took Eagles to Sweden they hit us 7-0 in our first match and Westerhof and I hid this from Nigerians. In our second match they beat us 3-0.

We were building a team and knew where we were headed. The third match we won 3-2 and we started gathering the momentum. We have more money now than then so let Keshi embark on tours in Europe to train these local players who will be great stars tomorrow if we do the right thing. Exposure will help a lot." I agree, Kojo. to the Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday as member of the Nigerian team that must earn three points against the

Flames in a Day 2 match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil qualification series of the African zone.

FIXTURES

3 more Eagles drop out Access Bank Fifth Chukker of Blantyre battle wins Charity Shield Polo title

fensive midfield of Eagles, I don't see Mike Obi taking his place now. Against Argentina in the international friendly in Bangladesh, Obi toyed with the ball, lost it and never gave a chase until Argentina scored with it. That's characteristic of him in Eagles. Against Guinea in Abuja, after 15 minutes, he was supporting his waist with his hands. At some time, he was walking on the field. I'm scandalised by those who argue that Jose Mourinho destroyed Mikel Obi's game by making him defensive. For about six years that he has played for Chelsea did Mourinho tell him not to score or even make an assist?

the chart in Africa and one of the best in the world.

The lucky 23 players who made the cut for Malawi are:Vincent Enyeama, Austin Ejide, and Chigozie Agbim, all goalkeepers. Defenders Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike Egwueke, Gege Soriola, Papa Idris, Efe Ambrose, Elderson Echejile and Juwon Oshaniwa. In the midfield are Gabriel Reuben, Raheem Lawal, Obiorah Nwankwo, Ejike Uzoenyi, Obinna Nwachukwu, Henry Uche, Ahmed Musa and John Utaka, while the hunt for goals will be led by Victor Moses, Sunday Mba, Ikechukwu Uche, Omatsone Aluko and Uche Kalu.

Continues from B/P Sunday June 17 Kharkiv, Group B: Portugal v Holland 7:45pm Lviv, Group B: Denmark v Germany 7:45pm Monday June 18 Gdansk, Group C: Croatia v Spain 7:45pm Poznan, Group C: Italy v Republic of Ireland 7:45pm Tuesday June 19 Donetsk, Group D: England v Ukraine 7:45pm Kiev, Group D: Sweden v France 7:45pm QUARTER-FINALS Thursday June 21 Warsaw, QF1: Winner A v Runner-up B 7:45pm Friday June 22 Gdansk, QF2: Winner B v Runner-up A 7:45pm Saturday June 23 Donetsk, QF3: Winner C v Runner-up D 7:45pm Sunday June 24 Kiev, QF4: Winner D v Runner-up C 7:45pm SEMI-FINALS Wednesday June 27 Donetsk, SF1: Winner QF1 v Winner QF3 7:45pm Thursday June 28 Warsaw, SF2: Winner QF2 v Winner QF4 7:45pm FINAL Sunday July Kiev: Winner SF1 v Winner SF2 7:45pm)

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VANGUARD, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

Poland, Greece face-off as Euro begins •Turn to Centre Spread

3 more Eagles drop out of Blantyre battle T was another hard striker, Izu Azuka, NorFengor decision to take for the way-based Super Eagles technical Ogude and Ekigho crew, as three more play- Ehiosun, who was on ers were dropped from loan to Turkish side, the party that headed for Samsunsport last seaBlantyre, Malawi, son. The trio will have Thursday night to join another opportunity of Nnamdi Oduamadi, proving themselves worwho earlier dropped out thy of being in the nadue to injury among tional team, when they those who will not take join the team’s camp in part in the battle of Calabar, Cross River State next Monday to Malawi on Saturday.

Those dropped are Sunshine Stars of Akure CContinues on Page 52

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Usain Bolt’s grand entrance in Oslo H

And the record-breakE’S famous for fin ishing well in rac- ing sprinter was a runes, but it seems Usain away success when he Bolt also knows how to took to the stage as well.

He took the opportustart a night in style too.

The world’s fastest man nity to show off his less arrived at Oslo’s plush famous talents, having a Bar Tjuvholmen in a go at drumming and SPEEDBOAT with a DJing at the Norwegian beauty on each arm.

CContinues on Page 52 TODAY'S

PUZZLES

FIXTURES Friday June 8 Warsaw, Group A: Poland v Greece 5pm Wroclaw, Group A: Russia v Czech Republic 7:45pm Saturday June 9 Kharkiv, Group B: Holland v Denmark 5pm Lviv, Group B: Germany v Portugal 7:45pm Sunday June 10 Gdansk, Group C: Spain v Italy 5pm Poznan, Group C: Republic of Ireland v Croatia 7:45pm Monday June 11 Donetsk, Group D: France v England 5pm Kiev, Group D: Ukraine v Sweden 7:45pm Tuesday June 12 Wroclaw, Group A: Greece v Czech Republic 5pm Warsaw, Group A: Poland v Russia 7:45pm Wednesday June 13 Lviv, Group B: Denmark v Portugal 5pm Kharkiv, Group B: Holland v Germany 7:45pm Thursday June 14 Poznan, Group C: Italy v Croatia 5pm Gdansk, Group C: Spain v Republic of Ireland 7:45pm Friday June 15 Donetsk, Group D: Ukraine v France 5pm Kiev, Group D: Sweden v England 7:45pm Saturday June 16 Wroclaw, Group A: Czech Republic v Poland 7:45pm Warsaw, Group A: Greece v Russia 7:45pm CContinues on Page 52

Arriving in style ... Usain Bolt with friends YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

For more on Euro 2012, turn to our centre spread . Its a Sports Vanguard Special QUICK CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 Stone (6) 5 Plastered (6) 9 Beneath (5) 10 Maintain (6) 11 Clergyman (6) 12 Lukewarm (5) 14 Always (4) 17 Decay (3) 18 Wan (4) 20 Sum (5) 22 Jockey (5) 23 Cautious (7) 24 Stitched (5) 26 Cap (5) 29 Poke (4) 30 Marry (3) 32 Dreadful (4) 33 Hell (5) 35 Really (6) 36 Surpassed (6) 37 Allude (5) 38 Deserved (6) 39 Give (6)

DOWN 1 Shrub (6) 2 Hamper (6) 3 Lechery (4) 4 Go in (5) 5 Liability (5) 6 Parched (4) 7 Decapitate (6) 8 Smart (6) 13 Driven (7) 15 Elector (5) 16 Rushed (5) 18 Heaped (5) 19 Bar (5) 21 Youth (3) 22 Massage (3) 24 Elf (6) 25 Awe (6) 27 Torn (6) 28 Offer (6) 30 Paddled (5) 31 Dissuade (5) 33 Present (4) 34 Angry (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 4, Dazed 7, Cleric 9, Rig 10, Pod 12, Visit 13, Leek 15, Medal 17, Regale 19, Evil 20, Steer 22, Eat 24, Niggled 27, Tea 28, Erode 31, Mess 33, Atomic 35, Harem 37, Pest 38, Relax 39, Dim 41, Peg 42, Tumour 43, Asked.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN:1, Scales 2, Severe 3, Zip 4, Diva 5, Agile 6, Elicited 8, Coma 11, Delegated 14, Keen 16, Deal 18, Grit 21, Tireless 23, Team 25, Gear 26, Drip 29, Ocelot 30, Entire 32, Shape 34, Omit 36, Axed 40, Mud.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

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

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

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

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