Documents againstme doctored — Okereke-Onyiuke

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61619

**

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

Mark asks FG to Pg.6 dialogue with terrorists •Says terrorists are at war with Nigeria

Sacked doctors: There's still room for negotiation — Lagos govt

•P.7

OTEH VS OKEREKE-ONYIUKE

Documents against me doctored

— Okereke-Onyiuke

•Obasanjo forced me to head Transcorp, she says •SEC faults allegations, demands proof •P.46 •Reps accuse Oteh of arrogance, threaten sanction

BY PETER EGWUATU, MICHAEL EBOH, CHINEDU IBEABUCHI, BEN. AGANDE & EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

L

AGOS—FORMER Director-General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, Professor Ndi OkerekeOnyiuke, yesterday, indicted the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, for collecting unapproved Continues on Page 5

Explosion injures suspected bomber, 3 others in Bauchi •P.16

DEAR BUNMI:

I want to show him my •P. 38 gratitude

Security worsens in Imo as gunmen kill monarch —P.13

Mr & Mrs

Why I axed my wife to death •Pg.36 —Pa Mathew I am a Deltan —P.17

MBGN 2012— The 25th anniversary of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria(MBGN)” beauty contest, organised by Silverbird took place in Benin City weekend. The new MBGN (2012) Isabella Ayuk being crowned by MBGN (2011) Sylvia Nduka.

Va — d W DA D rAY N E S 2 a u 0 g 9, n 1 2,Y,M C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012—3

C M Y K

4—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

From left: Rotimi Shodimu, Registrar, University of Lagos; Professor Adetokunbo Sofoluwe, Vice-Chancellor and Professor Rahamoni Bello, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Management and Services during the University of Lagos Pre-Celebration Press Conference for its 50th Anniversary at the Senate Building of the institution in Lagos yesterday. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele

NBCC L-r: Research Professor, South African Chair in Postharvest Technology, Prof. Umezuruike Linus Opara and Area Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Communications, British American Tobacco West Africa, Oluwasoromidayo George, at the monthly breakfast summit organised by the Nigerian British Chambers of Commerce at Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos

FUEL SUBSIDY PALLIATIVES:

Auto suppliers threaten FG over debts

By THEODORE OPARA

A

UTOMOBILE com panies that supplied vehicles for the Federal Government’s fuel subsidy palliative programme in January have threatened to retrieve them following to government’s inability to pay for the vehicles, five months after they were supplied.

The Federal Government had during the fuel subsidy crisis in January ordered for the supply of 2500 high capacity buses valued at over N15 billion from some vehicle vendors to cushion the effect of the removal of the fuel subsidy.

About 1,250 units of these vehicles were supplied by the companies which include Innoson Motors, National Truck Manufacturers (Kano), Globe Motors (Hyundai and Toyota), Elizade Motors (Toyota) VWON (Ashok Leyland), Tata Motors and ANAMMCO Motors (Mercedes).

The companies halted the supply of the remaining 1,250 vehicles as a result of government’s inability to honour its obligations.

Some of the vehicle suppliers said they had no options than to recover their vehicles from the government to avoid closing shops having borrowed the funds from the banks at very high interest rate.

Lamenting their ordeal, one of the suppliers who claimed to be speaking of the other others said: “We have perfected arrangements to retrieve our vehicles from the operators so as to curtail our loses."

Vanguard, WEDNESD AY, MA Y 9, 2012—5 WEDNESDA MAY

OTEH VS OKEREKE-ONYIUKE: "Documents against me doctored" Continues from Page 1 fees from transactions in the secondary segment of the Nigerian capital market.

She also disclosed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo compelled her to lead the Transcorp team against her wish as DirectorGeneral of the Stock Exchange. She said: "I was directed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo who came up with the idea of establishing Transcorp to be like the Asian Tiger to oversee and lead the management of the company. Transcorp was made to be a public company because President Obasanjo directed that all Nigerians should be part of it, even government officials were allowed to buy shares of Transcorp.

“When he told me to be the chairman of the company, I objected but he insisted that I should see it as a national assignment. I also went to the council of the NSE to seek their approval and they gave me the go ahead. So it was not an illegal act because the

council of the NSE approved it. There was no conflict of interest with my appointment as chairman of Transcorp and DG of the NSE.” Also yesterday, the House Ad-hoc Committee, probing the near collapse of the Nigerian capital market ordered that Ms. Arunmah Oteh, appear before it, latest, today May 9, by 10 am or it would be forced to invoke its legislative powers on her.

But in her testimony yesterday, the former Director-General of NSE said rather than blame the state of the stock market on the expenses she incurred, “the intervention in the Stock Exchange by the Securities and Exchange Commission has kept the market comatose. As long as the council of the stock exchange approves money to be spent, nobody can challenge that” she said.

On the money that she was said to have spent on trips, Professor OkerekeOnyiuke said the Securities and Exchange Commission “doctored

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

L

IFE is spiritual, there are good spirits and there are bad spirits, good choices and bad choices, good beliefs and bad beliefs. The strength of a man is determined by what he believes in, and the choice he makes. What you do today delivers the outcome of tomorrow. Take the right choices and make the right decisions, guarantee a great future. Moses put it this way: “I set before you life and death, good and evil, blessing and curses. Choose life so that you and your children might live.” What you do today will affect your future and influence your children.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE You are unique. You are original. You don’t have to pretend to be somebody else. You don’t have to try to be the way people think you ought to be. You need to show us who you are. You need to show us those vulnerabilities .That’s what will resonate in life — Babara Cook.

B

ARBARA’S wise words say everything about how we need to be in order to have a loving, joyful, fulfilling relationship with others and ourselves.’’

If you knew that you are enough, that you are unique and original, wouldn’t you be willing to be vulnerable and show us those things about you? I believe you would.

It’s what makes this life worth living.

Your friends enjoy your uniqueness and they get to see that, most of the time, because you are vulnerable and willing to show it to them. They know how unique you are.

They know how original you are.

Somehow you get in your head that you aren’t enough; that in order to be liked you have to behave in a certain way, you have to suppress your originality, you have to hide.

So you go through life thinking you need to act a certain way in order to be liked and loved. You develop a core belief that you aren’t good enough. And then from that place you forget how unique and original you are. And you become unwilling to be vulnerable. Not a chance you’re going to risk that. The journey from feeling not enough to I am enough starts with accepting the possibility that you are enough.

some of the documents that they broke into NSE and removed” saying that “the kind of money they are mentioning even stock brokers know that NSE does not have that kind of money ”. She however noted that because some of the issues are subjudice, she was not willing to speak on them.

But giving an insight into the long service award which led to the purported purchase of the Rolex Watches, the former DG of NSE said the award was for 48 years of service which took into consideration even people who had died after serving in the exchange for a long time.

“What is wrong with a private company buying gifts for its staff who have served well. Even private companies celebrate long service award for their staff. It is nobody’s business if the council approves the expenses. We do not have to take permission from anybody”, she said.

On the money she purportedly spent on trips, the former DG said the amount mentioned by the DG of Securities and Exchange Commission “ was doctored” but added that members of the NSE were sent on training all over the world including members of the board of the exchange who may be appointed.

SEC collects 0.3% of NSE charges She accused the Securities and Exchange Commission of collecting 0.3% from the NSE’s operational charges which she said the commission does not account for. She called for proper funding of SEC to enable the commission carry out its regulatory functions properly.

On the reasons for the near collapse of the Capital Market, Prof.

Okereke-Onyiuke said the indiscriminate granting of margin loans by banks, the failure of the SEC and the CBN to carry out their regulatory duties and the placement of companies that were not listed on the stock exchange.

Speaking on how to resuscitate the market, the former NSE boss called on the government

to intervene by bailing out the capital market as it was done in the money market. She also called for the listing of multinational oil and telecommunication companies either through legislation or through persuasion in order to make the capital market stronger while also encouraging more indigenous companies to be listed in the stock exchange.

She also called for proper funding of the Securities and Exchange Commission so as it will carry out its regulatory functions, noting that a situation whereby it is partly dependent on those it regulates has a tendency of compromising its regulatory functions.

SEC's illegal collection from NSE Onyiuke, in her presentation at the public hearing of the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc committee probing the near collapse of the Nigerian capital market, said “SEC has been illegally collecting 0.3 per cent as fee from every transaction in the capital market”; a development she said is not backed by any legal provision. She disclosed that the monies collected by SEC were not accounted for and not remitted to the federation account by the commission.

According to her, “the 0.3 per cent transaction fee collected by SEC is due to an arrangement between the NSE management and SEC, as parts of its support for the commission”.

She further said: "There is no where in the Investment and Securities Act, ISA, or in the law setting up SEC where it was authorized to collect fees from transactions in the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE. The 0.3 per cent fee only came about due to an arrangement, at a time when SEC came to the NSE to help fund its operations. The NSE was also later advised by certain persons in government to support the authority responsible for policing the capital market.

"It is important to note

POCKET CARTOON

that SEC does not account for the monies collected from the NSE and the money is not remitted to the federation account.

"I would advise that the Federal Government fund SEC, 100 per cent.

At the moment, SEC is partly dependent on the market through transaction fees and penalties. This has the tendency of compromising regulatory integrity." On accusation of monopoly of the NSE, and stopping the proposed establishment of Abuja Stock Exchange, Onyiuke said, "I am not against the establishment of Abuja Stock Exchange. If for any thing, I welcome competition. What I was against was using tax payers’ money to float Abuja Stock Exchange; this is because government has never managed any business successfully. I rather encouraged a situation where private people will come together and pool resources together to form an Exchange. Why has SEC not revived the comatose Abuja Securities and Commodities Exchange?

Why did they decide to interfere with the activity of the NSE that is privately driven?

"If you want me to start and revive Abuja Securities and Exchange Commission I will do it now that I am retired. I will get it up and running in the next six months for free."

On her involvement in raising fund to support Obama She said: "People misunderstood what I did. I never gathered money to support Obama's election. The

N100 million dinner for Obama was simply to create awareness for his presidential bid.

When Obama was only eight months old as a senator, he queued to take photograph with me when I was honoured by the New York Stock Exchange. Obama is someone I knew before he became US President.

I did not raise money for his campaign as being speculated. Even the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had investigated the fateful dinner and found me not culpable."

Why I was removed as DG of the NSE She said: “My removal

by SEC was part of an orchestrated plan to hijack the demutualization of the NSE. I was forced out because SEC knew if I completed my tenure in the NSE, I will be on the council of the NSE for the next three years, thereby, giving me the opportunity to also supervise the demutualisation process.

On SEC's alleged plans to build a world class market She further flayed SEC and the NSE's campaign of making the Nigerian capital market a world class market, saying the market has already attained a world class stature since 2007.

She said the NSE was classified a world class market by the World Federation of Exchanges, WFE, in 2007, after their meeting in Nigeria, while Nigeria's former president, Umar Musa Yar'Adua, was on hand to usher the NSE to a world class nature through the

Continues 0n Page 47

6—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

BY HENRY UMORU, ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD & INALEGWU SHAIBU

A

BUJA — SENATE President David Mark, yesterday, described the incessant bombing of major cities, market places, and worship centres across Nigeria by terrorist groups as a war against the nation.

Mark, in an address to the Senate after a one-week recess, lamented the widespread bombings and killings of innocent people by terrorists, saying Nigerians must join hands to combat the terrorists.

Mark also called on Federal Government to dialogue with the terrorist groups to end endless killings of innocent Nigerians, adding that security agencies must find a way to solve problems of terrorism.

He said: “The current level of insecurity in the country is unacceptable and something must be done to improve it and very quickly too.

We should not despair

“Clearly, the terrorists have declared war on Nigeria and Nigerians. Escalating acts of terror not only threaten our unity as a nation but challenge the very human values we all believe in. In spite of all these bombings, we should not despair or be disillusioned.

We shall overcome through our collective determination.

“This is the time for concerted action by all Nigerians, ethnicity, political affiliation, religious belief notwithstanding. We have a real problem on our hands and we must handle it with the seriousness it deserves and we should never politicise it.

“Divisive statements or finger pointing are not helpful. Attempts to apportion blame for failures at this time of the burgeoning terror threats will not lead to any practical and long lasting solution. The primary responsibility of tackling this challenge lies with the government but that notwithstanding, we all have roles to play.

Tasks FG to dialogue with terrorists

“Let me also say without mincing words that the security agencies must intensify their pre-operational responsibilities, roles and actions and improve their operational capabilities.

Their major task must be to thwart and prevent these bombings.

“Having said this I would like to add that these

misguided groups are our brothers and sisters; government must, therefore, explore all avenues to discuss with them. On the other hand, those who are aggrieved must find a better way to express their grievances. It is in the national interest that there is peace and security particularly if we want the transformation agenda to succeed.”

Blames corruption, inefficiency on senators

Mark who also spoke on high level of corruption in the country blamed the Senate for not being very effective in its oversight functions, which he added would have stemmed the tide of corruption in public places.

According to him, “the second issue is on oversight functions. Let me use this opportunity to state unequivocally that we must improve on our oversight functions. The inefficiency and corruption in the system, which the various investigation committees have uncovered, could have been reasonably abated if we had carried out our oversight functions exhaustively and effectively.

“In the course of our oversight functions, some of these incidences could have either been stopped or reduced to the barest minimum.”

The Senate President also commended his colleagues and Nigerians for standing by him during his sickness, stressing that their prayers got him off the sick bed.

“I am happy to be back.

Let me first take this opportunity to most heartily and sincerely thank all of you for your prayers, phone calls, text messages and support while I was away for my medical treatment in Israel.

Your prayers and those of our colleagues in the House of Representatives and all well-meaning Nigerians encouraged and sustained me,” he stated.

Another blasts foiled in BUK

Meanwhile, another deadly attack on Bayero University, Kano was foiled, yesterday, after university authorities discovered three high calibre time bombs strategically planted in and around the Faculties of Science, Law as well as the Sports Complex at the old campus of the university by unknown persons. Upon discovery, the institution immediately invited police anti-bomb experts who defused the time bombs.

The police squad that was complemented with heavily armed personnel had

From right: Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Mr. Femi Otedola, Managing Director, Forte Oil; Gov. Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State and his Anambra counterpart, Mr Peter Obi during the meeting of the Economic Management Team at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: State House.

Terrorists at war with Nigeria —Mark zTasks FG to dialogue with terrorists zBlames corruption, inefficiency on senators zThree high calibre bombs discovered in BUK cordoned off the old site and evacuated residents to safety before swinging into action in the institution located in the densely populated ghettos of Kabuga, Dorayi and Rijiyar Zaki.

The university witnessed a devastating assault from unknown gunmen and bombers penultimate week, leaving no fewer than 20 Christian worshipers that included two professors dead during a church service in the institution.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Magaji

Majia told Vanguard that, “we are in the university on the invitation of the BUK authorities to defuse some strange objects established to be high calibre Improvised Explosive Devises, IEDs, our men have professionally and successfully detonated the three bombs and I am glad to inform you that no one was hurt during the process.“ Loud explosions were heard within and around BUK during the detonating exercise by the police that caused panic in the city which had witnessed frag-

ile peace over the last couple of months following terrorist attacks.

Security was, however, beefed up in the city to forestall possible breakdown of law and order as residents witnessed increase in troops movement and deployment of military aircraft that hovered around.

Yesterday’s discovery of time bombs at BUK came barely two weeks after a similar IED was planted by yet to be identified persons or groups at the Sociology Department of the new campus of the university

along Kano —Gwarzo federal highway.

BUK’s Public Relations Officer, PRO, Mr. Mustapha Zaharadeen told Vanguard on telephone that “yes, we found strange and suspicious objects in our old campus and invited the police to establish the fact of the matter.”

Zaharadeen said the authorities were holding a crucial meeting, noting that the official position of the university would be made known to the public in due course.

Nigerian justice sector ranks low in the world —FCT CJ

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA — CHIEF Judge of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Justice Lawal Gunmi, yesterday, decried the insidious level of corruption in the judiciary, saying the justice sector in the country ranked among the worst in the world.

Justice Gunmi’s assertion came barely 24 hours after the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, alleged that some judges in the country lacked “integrity, honesty, knowledge of the law, willingness to listen, empathy, sense of fair play, patience and humility.”

Speaking at the commissioning of the Inter-

national Centre for Arbitration and Mediation (ICAMA), in Abuja, Justice Gunmi said lack of timely, predictable and affordable access to justice was having negative toll on the level of confidence citizens and foreigners have on the Nigerian judiciary, saying it contributed to the declining level of investment in the country.

He said: “On the economic angle, it is positive development that this commissioning is taking place at a time when the number of cases filed in our courts are exponentially increasing while on the other hand, government is increasing its drive to encourage investment and growth in the economy.

“Unfortunately, many developing and transi-

tion countries, including Nigeria rank poorly in the area of the efficiency of formal justice systems.

“Lack of timely, predictable and affordable access to justice has a negative effect on the business climate because. Experience has shown that serious businesses are reluctant to put money into an economy where safety of their investment cannot be protected.

"This protection includes judicial intervention when disputes arise; obviously, most of these businesses cannot afford to join the waiting list in our courts and thus is where a centre like this comes in handy.

“This centre can offer obvious benefits when properly introduced into

a dispute and the process properly managed and some benefits include: faster and less costly resolution of disputes, reduced formality through easier and more accessible process, more efficient dispute resolution in highly technical specialized areas, and reduced backlog of court cases.”

Meanwhile, former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN, who is the founder of ICAMA, said the centre would help towards promoting amicable settlement of disputes without recourse to the courts, noting that it took him 10 years to perfect the process that led to the establishment of the legal body.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012—7

L

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

AGOS — THE Lagos State government, yesterday, explained the rationale behind the sacking of 788 doctors under its employment, saying the decision was not a palatable one for the government even as it said the government had not foreclosed the issue of negotiation.

Fielding questions from journalists during the state Ministry of Health annual ministerial briefing to mark the first year of Governor Babatunde Fashola’s second term in office in Lagos, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, justified the action of the government.

According to him, “the bottom line is that you have people who entered the civil service under specific rules and regulations. The state government reserves the right to evolve policies for all civil services but once you allow people to behave the way they like, there will be chaos and disaster.”

Idris who acknowledged that the sack was not an end to strike in the health sector, added that everybody had the right to strike while the government also had the right to sack.

Newly recruited doctors being deployed

He said: “What we are addressing now is the emergency services. We have the responsibility of providing healthcare and that is our priority now. The hospitals are not totally paralysed as some doctors are still working. We still have over 1,000 doctors in service including the new ones. As at yesterday, the new doctors had their orientation and are currently being deployed to the various hospitals. We have plans to recruit more as a good number of doctors from other states have signified interest to work with us.

“We do not know any other state that pays as much as we are doing right now. This government has bent over backward. That is why the government was forced to publish what they are being paid.

"If you look at all their grievances, the first one, they demanded that the house officers and medical officers on Grade Level 12 must be paid teaching allowance. As at the point of discussion, we did not say we will not pay. But a circular provided by salaries and wages commission, Abuja to the minister, specified the category of health workers that are entitled to teaching allowance.

"In that document, the house officers and those medical officers were not entitled to teaching allowance and that is where the state says, we cannot pay teaching allowance to those who do not teach because we are not doing the same thing for nurses, pharmacists and other health workers.

“Another area is that, they said there was dichotomy, we agreed that we are going to address it. We have started correcting them. As a matter of fact, this would have been corrected in their April salary. The other issue is that, any new consultant that we are employing must be placed from Grade Level 15 and we said no because under the state civil service policy, all these were taken into consideration and we started at Grade Level 3 step one."

There is still room for negotiation

Reacting to the issue of sacking the doctors even before dialoguing with them last Saturday, the state Commissioner for Health said they were at the meeting to show people that there was always room for negotiation, adding: “But to our dismay the doctors came and insulted members of the panel. It is not by force to work for Lagos State.”

Idris, however, disclosed that the issue of negotiation had not been foreclosed, adding that they did what they did to restore services, particularly, the emergency departments of the various hospitals as part of their social responsibility to the people.

We will not be distracted by NMA’s threat

On the threat by the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, to shutdown services, the commissioner, who dismissed the threat, said: “We will not be distracted by an association because the same NMA has been in Lagos since this started.

Who then is after the interest of the patients?”

Idris accused the NMA of peddling false information on authorities that they did not have. He said: “NMA does not grant medical licence. The Medical and Dental Council does that.

They just want to instil fear into the new doctors. NMA should be an association of professional doctors not one that impedes healthcare services. Discipline must be maintained in service because once that is compromised, there will be chaos.”

For once we must call their bluff

Former Director-General, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Prof. Ndidi Okereke-Onyiuke (right) taking oath at the ad-hoc House Committee, investigating fall of Capital Market in Nigeria at National Assembly, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Lagos explains sack of 788 striking doctors zSays there is room for negotiation zOver 1,000 still in service —Health Commissioner zWe 'll not be distracted by NMA’s threat— Idris zJAF condemns sack Corroborating his views, the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Aderemi Ibirogba, who argued that the government overlooked the fact that the doctors did not follow the labour laws, said the decision of the government was in the interest of the patients.

He wondered why people who are trained to save lives now decided to kill the lives they were trained to save, adding: “In spite of all our pleas, the doctors remained adamant.”

Ibirogba who said there was no regret for the government action said: “For once we must call their bluff. Are they more professional than engineers or lawyers? If you continue to pamper these ones, then the other professionals will say they want the same treatment."

The sack is totally unacceptable — NMA

In his reaction, the newly elected National President of the Nigeria Medical Association, and a Consultant Family Physician, Dr. Osahon Enabulele said: “Our position is that the sack is totally unacceptable. It is an in indication of the fact that government did not listen to the voice of reason-

ing. The earlier we revert to dialogue and drive mission of development in the healthcare, the better for all.

The sack order by government is not in the interest of the people of Lagos, the state government and the governor. It is necessary for the government to have a rethink to go back to negotiation table. It is unfortunate that things degenerated to this extent.

All parties must find a palpable solution —AGPMPN

Also reacting, the National President, Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, AGPMPN, Dr. Anthony Omolala said: “I am disturbed by the happenings in the health sector. My initial reaction is that all parties must find a platform for eventual resolution. The employer/employee relationship is now sour. The employer/employee must at this juncture find a palpable solution.

Life is involved and nobody has the ability to give one.

Give constructive dialogue a chance — PSN Reaction, National President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Mr

Azubuike Okwor said: “As a body, we are compelled to call on the Lagos State government and the leadership of striking doctors in Lagos State to give constructive dialogue a chance in the reality of the recent face-off between the contending parties in the last few days. In Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, we are conscious of our leadership responsibilities in healthcare. Therefore we encourage both parties in this industrial dispute to reckon that leadership has fundamental traits including care, compassion and kindness to follower ship at its bosom.

I have lost many of my good doctors — LASUTH CMD

Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Prof David Oke, said this sack, at least in my hospital, means that I have lost a lot of my doctors. It means that we have lost many of our good hands. It’s going to affect services and it means that to an extent it is going to affect the teaching of residents and students in the medical school.

But we are putting up contingency plans, such as making a list of consultants/ lecturers who were affected

by the sack.

JAF condemns sack

In another development, the Joint Action Front, JAF, has condemned sack, saying it was "unlawful and unwholesome."

The group made this known in a statement by its Chairperson and Secretary, Dr. Oladipo Fashina and Mr. Abiodun Aremu, in Lagos, yesterday.

According to the group, the Lagos State government should be held responsible and liable for the death of Lagosians arising from its refusal to meet the demands of doctors and its disregards for the right of doctors to strike.

It said: “The action of the state government constitutes a grave violation of labour laws and international conventions on the freedom of association. The sack of doctors clearly contravenes the decisions and principle of freedom of association committee of the governing body of the International Labour Organisation.

“The dismissal of workers because of a strike constitutes serious discrimination in employment on grounds of legitimate trade union activities and is contrary to Convention 98."

8— VANGU ARD, WEDNES D AY, MA Y 9, 2012 8—VANGU VANGUARD, WEDNESD MAY

MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN NIGERIA BEAUTY CONTEST HITS 25 The 25th anniversary celebration of the highly-coveted ''Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria'' Beauty Pageant, organised by the Silverbird Group, held in Benin City, weekend. The event was co-sponsored by Edo State Government and La Casera and others at Best Western Hotel, Benin City.

THE GODFATHER: From left, Silverbird Chairman, Ben-Murray Bruce; Senator Patrick Osakwe and others. at the event

HAPPY MOMENT:...And the winner is... Isabella Ayuk, Cross River.

UNDISPUTABLE:Delectable...Lovely...

Beautiful...Isabella Ayuk.

From left, outgoing Miss La Casera 2011, Nwando Ebeledike, Chief Operating Officer ,The La Casera Company Limited,Prahlad From right, Mr. Guy-Murray Bruce, Outgoing Most Gangadharan, Miss Lacasera 2012, Antoinette Igebu (Gombe State) Beautiful Girl in Nigeria,Sylvia Nduka (2011); and current Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, Isabella Ayuk. and others.

Some of the contestants.

Guy-Murray Bruce and other Queens. ALL BEAUTIFUL: A cross-section of the contestants.

C M Y

Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012—9

Alleged killer-doctor remanded in prison

Briefly

Policeman impregnates kidnap-victim

BY EVELYN USMAN

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

L

AGOS—THE police corporal, who reportedly shot his estranged lover and kidnapped the victim’s sister in the Gbagada area of Lagos, has been arrested, three months after the incident.

The corporal, identified as Emmanuel Okujo, according to police sources, showed up Monday evening at the Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja, Lagos, with the kidnapped-victim, Patience Isanor, who was discovered to be pregnant for him.

It will be recalled that the corporal reportedly shot one Blessing Isanbor in the mouth, in her parents' apartment at Ifako, Lagos, during an argument and locked her inside, apparently to bleed to death.

He absconded with the victim’s younger sister to an unknown destination, a development that resulted in his being declared wanted by the command.

During investigation, the trigger-happy policeman, attached to Ifako division, told detectives at the State Investigation Bureau, that he dropped his AK 47 riffle at a location, where he informed a colleague to get it from.

Apapa Customs rakes in N58bn

BY IFEYINWA OBI

L

AGOS—NIGERIA Customs Service, Apapa Area I Command, has declared a revenue collection of N57.9 billion for the first quarter of 2012.

A statement in Lagos by the Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Timi Bomodi, said that the figure was an improvement over the N50.2 billion collected during the same period last year.

He noted that the activities of the command, at the beginning of the year, were affected by strikes occasioned by the removal of petroleum subsidy, which he said led to a loss of 14 working days, adding “ we can estimate a duty loss of over N7 billion attributable to the strike alone.’’

L

BRIEFING: From left, Dr. (Mrs) Yewande Adesina, Special Adviser on Health to the Governor; Dr. Jide Idris, Commissioner for Health, and Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, at a briefing in commemoration of the first year second term in office of Governor Babatunde Fashola, in Ikeja, yesterday. Photo Shola Oyelese.

ALLEGED N7.9M FRAUD:

Court adjourns case against ex-Vanguard staff

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH & ONOZURE DANIA

L

AGOS—FURTHER hearing in the alleged charge of stealing against former Chief Accountant of Vanguard Media Ltd, Mr. Bhadmus Yisa, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, suffered a setback, as his codefendant in the case, James Unoka, was said to have taken ill.

Unoka’s counsel, Mr. Samuel Agwe, told the court that his client had taken ill and was preparing for an appendicitis surgery, which prevented him from being in court for the hearing.

He asked the court for an adjournment to enable his (Unoka) attend to his health condition.

Meanwhile, Yisa’s counsel, informed the court that Yisa had filed an application before his brother-judge, Justice Candide-Johnson, of the state high court, Igbosere, for the consolidation of the different charges brought against him. He said May 10 had been fixed for the hearing of Yisa’s application.

The court consequently adjourned till September 11 and 12 for further hearing.

Yisa and Unoka were accused of forgery and defrauding Vanguard Media Ltd. to the tune of N7.9 million between January 2006 and June 2008 by converting the money to their personal use.

According to EFCC, the accused were said to have carried out the alleged stealing by forging different bank

slips from where they fraudulently stole the money from the company.

EFCC alleged that Yisa and Unoka had between January 2006 and June

FAAN set to recover debt with EFCC, ICPC

BY DANIEL ETEGHE

I

KEJA—GENERAL Manager, Public Affairs of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mr. Akin Olukunle, yesterday, said that the authority would use the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and Independent Corrupt Practices andother Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to recover the N22 billion owed it.

Olukunle, told Vanguard in Lagos that using the anti-

Fashola charges youths on threats by climate change

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

I

KEJA—GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has charged youths, especially school children to join hands with stakeholders to address threats posed by climate change.

Fashola spoke on the occasion of the 4th anniversary of the Lagos State Schools Climate Change Club with the theme, Catch them Young

in Lagos.

He said the club was designed by the government to promote climate change awareness among school pupils and described children as protagonists of change.

He added they could promote environmentfriendly behaviour that could significantly mitigate the impact of environmental problem.

He said: “As a result of the challenges presented

2008 in Lagos, conspired to steal by fraudulently converting N7.9 million belonging to the company, to personal use.

by the scourge of global warming, the time has come for you (youths) as leaders of tomorrow to reason together and join hands with government to confront this monster.

“We must strive together to confront the problem, particularly as you are the young population, who are the hope of our future, and daily come under severe threat of climate change and its attendant threats.''

graft agencies to recover debt owed the authority was its next line of action, because the matter had become that of corruption.

He said: “We are going to involve the anti-graft agencies because it is a matter of corruption, it is part of the vices that the government is fighting against.''

AGOS—A 35-year-old man, Femi Bejide, who claimed to be a medical doctor, has been remanded in Ikoyi Prison,Lagos, by an Ebute-Meta Magistrate's Court, Lagos, after he was arraigned for allegedly administering fake drugs that killed one Blessing Friday.

The accused’s plea was not taken as Magistrate M. Olajuwon noted that the court has no jurisdiction to try the case and that the matter required the advice of the Directorate of Public Prosecution.

According to the prosecutor, Mr Emmanuel Essien, the accused, on February 12, 2012, killed Friday as a result of the drug he gave her to use.

Essien said: “The deceased, who complained of malaria to the defendant, died after she used the fake drugs given to her by the defendant,” adding that the accused owned a clinic known as Shasha Medical Centre.

He told the court that the accused lives in Shasha, Idimu, Lagos, and that the alleged offence contravened Section 231 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

Plans under way to train graduates on employable skills

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

L

AGOS—POISE Graduate Finishing School, PGFS, has concluded plans to train Nigerian graduates on skills that would make them employable, in order to reduce high graduate unemployment in the country.

Head of the Poise team, Mr. Odurekun Kolawole, during a courtesy visit to Vanguard Corporate Headquarters, Lagos, yesterday, said: “Poise Graduate Finishing School is an initiative that was designed to bridge the gap between school experience and work life. ''Our main programme is

a three-month employability skills training, which is designed to give graduates a two-year head start in career by complementing what was provided by tertiary education system and building their employability skills. ''The programme has attained 80 per cent employment rate of all our graduates.

“Our employability skills certification is accepted worldwide as a proof of employable experience and competency, as Poise Nigeria is the premier Business Image Consultancy in Nigeria Certification from Protocol School of Washington.''

10—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

Ladoja's fortune dwindles as ACN control Oyo Assembly Ajimobi, Speaker celebrate development

BY OLA AJAYI

I

BADAN—THE efforts of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Oyo State to gain numerical superiority in the state House of Assembly paid off, yesterday, as two lawmakers, one each from the Peoples' Democratic Party, PDP and Accord Party, AP, defected to ACN giving the ruling party majority in the legislative arm.

The defectors are Mr. Temitope Olatoye aka Sugar, said to be a strong chieftain of AP and a member of PDP from Ogo Oluwa/Surulere Constituency, Matthew Abioye.

With the defection of Temitope, Lagelu Constituency, who was instrumental to the success story of AP in the 2011 election, the political camp of the former governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, has been depleted.

PDP has been making frantic efforts to woo Ladoja so as to control the legislative arm.

Though, Ladoja has given green light to PDP, many of his supporters in AP are not comfortable with his decision to join the party which he had abandoned when he was not treated fairly.

As it is now, ACN lawmakers, who used to be 15 in number are now 17.

Of the 32 legislators in the legislative arm, PDP has 10 while AP has reduced to six lawmakers.

Knowing the implication that the ruling party now controls the House of Assembly with its members in the majority, hundreds of supporters of the party went wild in jubilation waving brooms, the insignia of ACN, after the lawmakers’ declaration for the ruling party.

They trooped to the Governor ’s Office to declare their loyalty to Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

Wearing uniform Ankara that had been chosen for the day, the whole of the Governor ’s Office was electrified by their songs which they sang welcoming the two defectors “to where they naturally belong.”

The governor, while

receiving them, expressed happiness that the lawmakers had thought it wise and expedient to join ACN, a development which he said had put the ruling party in a vantage position in the House.

He said: “It’s a very happy thing for us to have very notable members from PDP and Accord joining ACN in the House of Assembly.

What does this mean?

One, we are now in the majority in the House of Assembly. ''Two, these are foundation and senior members of the House.

For them to have joined us is a reflection of their own wisdom and foresight, and it is a confirmation of the fact that ACN as a party is now doing well in Oyo State. ''No other party, no matter their machinations, will change the progress that we have already started in Oyo State.”

The Speaker of the House, Mrs. Monsurat Sunmonu, described the defection as a welcome d e v e l o p m e n t , expressing optimism that more of the lawmakers in the opposition parties would join ACN. Abioye hinged his decision to leave PDP on the fact that it had

become a divided house, adding that the party produced parallel executives from two different congresses.

He said: “PDP is a divided house. I have decided to leave the divided house to join a united house, which is

the progressive party, ACN.” He added that he took the decision to complement the efforts of

Council workers manhandle Ogun LG boss

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

BEOKUTA—THERE was a mild drama yesterday when workers of Ewekoro Local Government in Ogun State held the Transition Committee Chairman, Mr.Sunday Akinyemi, hostage for hours,

accusing him of planning to use their April salary running into N34.2 million to host Governor Ibikunle Amosun on his local government area tour.

Under the aegis of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Ewekoro

Branch, the workers trooped out to the streets of Itori, where the secretariat is situated and locked up the council chairman, who had allegedly gone into hiding within the secretariat.

The angry workers alleged that the

PRESENTATION: From right, Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola; Chairman, Gubernatorial Advisory Committee to Lagos State Government, Professor Adebayo Williams, and Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, at the representation of award of hard work to the governor by Osun State Descendants in Canada, in the Governor's Office, Osogbo, Monday.

S'Court dismisses Goni's plea to review ruling on Shettima's election

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA—THE Supreme Court, yesterday, dismissed an application urging it to review its earlier ruling on the Borno State governorship election

appeal.

The Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, and its gubernatorial candidate in the state, Alhaji Mohammed Goni, filed the application for judicial review of the judgment that affirmed the election of Governor Kashim

My office not threatened — Ekiti Speaker

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

A

DO-EKITI—THE Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Adewale Omirin, yesterday dismissed insinuations that there were plans to impeach him, and said he was not threatened with resignation nor impeachment by his colleagues.

Rumour has been rife in the last few days that

Gov. Ajimobi “ who has been doing very well through massive infrastructure development to change the face of Oyo State.”

Also commenting, Olatoye said he decided to join the ruling party in the interest of his people, the majority of whom he said had embraced ACN.

members of the state House of Assembly have concluded plans to impeach Omirin over an allegation of unholy romance with the state executive.

Another alleged crime of the Speaker was his perceived inability to fight for the restoration of the scrapped N20 million Constituency Allowance to each of the lawmakers

by Governor.

Shetimma of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP. However, a five-man panel of justices of the apex court, led by Justice Francis Tabai, threw out the motion, saying it was a gross abuse of court process.

Other members of the panel who concurred to the decision included Justices Muntaka Coomasie, Mary Odili, Chukwuma Enne and Olukayode Ariwoola.

Counsel to Goni, Mr Femi Falana, had, while moving his motion, urged the apex court to set aside its own judgment delivered on February 17, 2012, on the grounds that a full complement of the apex court did not sit to hear and determine the matter.

Falana contended that since the case was a constitutional matter, a Supreme Court’s panel of seven instead of five justices ought to have been empanelled to handle the

appeal, even as he claimed that some of the justices who sat in the earlier judgment were not supposed to have been there.

management of the council had concluded plans to pay them half salary for last month and use the remaining to host the governor billed to visit the council tomorrow on his tour of the 20 local government areas.

The protesters, who were armed with placards with various inscriptions such as “Mr. Governor, N34.2 million is not enough to pay salary. Why now”; “Mr. Governor, Ewekoro LG staff are suffering”; “We say no to half salary for the month of April 2012” among others, called on the governor to intervene in the interest of peace.

Speaking, NULGE Chairman, Akinsola Akintola, said the protest would continue irrespective of the governor ’s scheduled visit unless the council management addressed the issue and pay their salary in full.

Attempts to speak with embattled council’s Transitional Chairman, Akinyemi, were unsuccessful.

State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Muyiwa Oladipo, when contacted confirmed that the state government was aware of the payment of half salary, saying it was approved for all the local governments employees in the state.

Nigeria,Rwanda economic summit begins

L

A G O S — A N investment forum that would bring together government and business leaders in Nigeria and Rwanda is planned to hold in Lagos from May 9 to 14.

The forum, tagged Nigeria/Rwanda Economic Summit is being put together by Limitless Minds Africa,in partnership with the Rwanda High Commission in Nigeria and the Nigerian Economic Summit Group NESG.

According to Limitless Minds Africa, the five-day forum would bring together business leaders and influential decisionmakers in Nigeria,Africa and the diaspora.

The event, dubbed Embark would feature a Gala, holding on May 12,at Expo Centre,Eko Hotel and Suites.

It would be an evening of high octave entertainment featuring the breathaking Ingazo Ngari dancers from Rwanda and Nigeria’s 2face Idibia among others.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012—11

Ayakoromo community lauds Uduaghan over reconstruction

BY EMMA ARUBI & AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE

W

ANIOMA CULTURAL FESTIVAL: From left: HRM Obi Jikeme, Obi of Ute Ogbeje ; HRM Obi Ofulukwu, Obi of Obior; HRM Prof. Edozien, CFR, the Asagba of Asaba and his Queen; and HRM Obi Chukwumalezie, Obi of Onicha-Ugbo, at the just-concluded Anioma Cultural Festival, sponsored by Grand Oak Ltd., at Asaba, Delta State.

Four women arrested in Delta over alleged theft of 8-month-old baby

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

SABA—A 45-yearold woman, who runs a private maternity home in Abia State, has been arrested along with three other women over their alleged involvement in the stealing of an eight-month-old baby boy, reported stolen from his parents at OgwashiUku, Delta State.

Parading the suspects (names withheld) at the state police headquarters, Asaba, yesterday, state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Charles Muka, said the stolen baby, named Destiny Umeh, was taken from the parent’s home while the mother was in the market.

Also yesterday, a twoman kidnap gang was paraded for kidnapping one Gina Okolie and her two children, aged six and four years, at Agbor

on April 25. The victims were, however, rescued from a building located in a palm plantation at Aho, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State two days after.

Muka told reporters, while parading the suspects, that the eightmonth-old baby, “son of one Innocent Umegboro of Ogwashi-Uku, was stolen from the father ’s house when the mother left him in the care of an

older son while she went to the market to make purchases.

“However, on May 6, 2012, Ogwashi-Uku Division received reliable information and trailed the suspects to Osisioma Aba, in Abia State and arrested two women (names withheld) both of Ogwashi-Uku.” He said that following investigation, the female nurse and one of her staff were trailed to Abia

We'll immortalise three dead journalists—Oshiomhole

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—AHEAD the July 14, governorship election in Edo State, Governor Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday, kicked off his campaign in Edo Central senatorial district of the state.

He said he intends to build an edifice in Benin City after the deceased journalists, who died in auto crash in his convoy penultimate week.

He said: “We will call the edifice 'Democracy House' and will put the names of those young men who died because

Edo PDP backs probe of Olaitan’s assassination, accident

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

B

ENIN—EDO State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has supported Governor Adams Oshiomhole's request for a speedy, highpowered and thorough probe into the accident that claimed the lives of three journalists and the assassination of Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde and to

State, were they were also arrested.

“The third suspect, a nurse and her worker had conspired with them to dispose off the children before nemesis caught up with them.

The suspects had confessed to the crime and are helping the police to unearth the cases of child stealing in Ogwashi-Uku and environs in the past months,” he said.

make the findings public.

The party, in a statement in Benin, yesterday, by its state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Matthew Urhoghinde, said: “Our party will take definite steps to oppose any attempt to sweep the results of the investigation under the carpet as all Nigerians are expecting to hear who actually did what in the execution of

the dastardly acts.

“The PDP also condemns Governor Oshiomhole’s action in preempting the findings of the probe panel and hastily concluding that certain persons were responsible for the incidents.”

The party described recent statements credited to the governor as inciting and unbecoming of someone in an exalted position of the governor of a state.

they died so that the god father may not prevail, so that good people will witness development. We will put their names on gold forever and even after my death, historians will say this was why this house was named after these people.”

Before Oshiomhole spoke, his deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu; Director General of Oshiomhole Campaign Organisation, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu; former Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi; former Chairman of the party, Chief Tony Omoaghe and former member of the House of Representatives, Patrick Obahiagbon, addressed the crowd, stressing the need for Esan people to support the second term ambition of the governor.

They said that Esan people had benefited from the government more than from previous Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governments.

ARRI—THE Aya koromo Rehabilitation Council in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, has commended Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, for fulfilling his promise of reconstructing the community after its invasion by the joint Task Force, JTF, in its operation to fish out militant leader, John Togo, last year.

The Council gave the commendation while inspecting a guest house constructed with N50 million and handed to the community by the state governor.

Governor Uduaghan had promised to rebuild the community after the

JTF's invasion last year.

A seven-man committee set up by the state governor, under the chairmanship of Chief Anthony Bamuza, has been overseeing the rehabilitation of the community.

Chief Bamuza noted that women of the community, led by Mrs. C. Agbegha, had protested in Asaba over the JTF invasion, which left many people in the community homeless and some dead.

He added that it was in response to the cry of the women and children that Governor Uduaghan visited the community after which a committee was set up with a donation of N50 million to build temporary structures to accommodate those displaced by the invasion.

Ignore SNG's call for protest —S-South youth leader

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

P

ORT HAR COURT— NIGERIANS have been told to ignore call by the Save Nigeria Group, SNG, led

by Pastor Tunde Bakare, to protest in support of the subsidy probe.

President, South-South Youth Leaders, Mr. Odiedum Amachree, said Nigerians should be patient to get to the end of the probe as some as-

pects of it were being challenged.

He said: “The silent question to ask Tunde Bakare is, whether as a Vice President, he would have advised his commander-in-chief to rush into prosecuting persons based on a frivolous, baseless, and a misleading probe report?” which is currently being challenged by persons from all sectors and credible institutions such as the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN."

Attacks on Christians may lead to anarchy—Cleric

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—BISH OP of Ughelli Diocese, Church of Nigeria, (Anglican Communion) Rt. Rev. Cyril Odutemu, has expressed worry that the unprovoked attacks on Christians by the Islamic sect may result to anarchy in the country, if not properly

addressed.

Speaking at the 3rd session of the 5th Synod of the Diocese of Ughelli at Orhuwhorun, Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, Odutemu said there would be no cure to the political and financial corruption that is bedeviling the country until the judiciary was purged of corruption.

Egede passes on at 70

M

ISTER David Egede of Aliren Community, AlisimieAgbor, in Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, is dead, aged 70.

A statement by Mr. Sunday Egede, said burial rites would commence Friday, May 11, with a funeral discourse at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses followed by interment at his

residence, 70, Obi Road, off Uromi Junction, Agbor.

He is survived by a widow, six children and 10 grand children.

Late David Egede

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

JTF nabs 21 Ghanaians, five Nigerians over crude oil theft

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA—THE Joint Task Force, JTF, in the Niger Delta, codenamed Operation Pulo Shield, has arrested 21 Ghanaians and five Nigerians in an operation to curtail rising cases of crude oil theft, illegal refineries and pipeline vandalisation in the Niger Delta waterways.

It was learnt that the special security forces drawn from 130 Battalion, Sector 2 of the JTF made the arrests Monday in what a security source described as discreet raid.

VISIT: From left—Dr. Ramon Adedoyin, Executive Chairman, The Polytechnic, Ile-Ife; Dr. John Enahoro(FCA), and Prince Ezekiel Folowosele(FCA), when Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN, paid an accreditation visit on the polytechnic.

Oyerinde for burial tomorrow ...As Tinubu condoles with Oshiomhole

BY OKEY NDIRIBE

T

HE remains of former Principal Private Secretary to Edo State Governor and notable labour activist, Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde, will be buried in his home town, Ede, Osun State, tomorrow.

Oyerinde, 44, was killed by unknown gunmen in his home in Benin City last weekend.

He is survived by his wife, Funke, four children, two sisters and aged parents.

The burial will be preceded by a service of songs at Government House, Benin City, today and his corpse is expected to depart Benin City for Ede in a motorcade at 7am, tomorrow.

Meanwhile, former governor of Lagos State,

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has decried political violence in the country, adding that contesting ideas should drive politics in the country.

Tinubu, National leader of Action Congress of Nigeria, in a letter of condolence to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, governor of Edo State, said: “Oyerinde was a hero of justice, freedom and liberty and a towering one

at that."

Meanwhile, the headquarters of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Abuja was a ghost of itself, yesterday, as most of its principal officers were said to have travelled to Benin, for the funeral proceedings of Oyerinde.

A source at NLC headquarters said the labour leaders would attend a wake-keep for their de-

We didn't negotiate with ex-militants to fight Itsekiri—Ogbe-Ijoh

BY EMMA AMAIZE

W

ARRI—THE peo ple of Ogbe-Ijoh kingdom in Warri SouthWest Local Government Area of Delta State, yesterday, denied allegation that they negotiated with

ex-militants to join forces with them to prevent Itsekiri from performing the epochal regatta, weekend, in honour of the Olu of Warri.

The community, in a statement by the Secretary-General, Ogbe-Ijoh

Fish out Oyerinde's killers, civil society he gave up the ghost, groups urge Police recounted his experience

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—COALI TION of Civil Society groups in Edo State, the Gani Fawehinmi Movement for Good Governance, GFMGG, and thousands of youths dressed in black, have embarked on a peaceful procession in Benin City, calling on the Police to fish out the killers of the

ceased colleague today in Benin City and proceed to Osun State for the burial tomorrow.

Tinubu said: “That the villains so wickedly cut short his life saddens me, but it equally builds my resolve, our resolve, to continue to fight for the liberation of our people.”

He said though his party wanted power, it would never resort to assassinations and sundry violence.

Principal Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde.

Tears flowed freely at the premises of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, secretariat yesterday, when the Executive Director of the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Rev. David Ugolor, who rushed Oyerinde to hospital before

on the night of the assassination and described the perpetrators as cowards.

However, in an address, the Coordinator of Gani Fawehinmi Movement for Good Governance, Mr. Kaduna Eboigbe, prior to the peaceful procession, extolled the virtues of the late Oyerinde, which he said endeared him to Governor Oshiomhole.

Youth Council, Mr. Payebor Koremene, said the allegation by an ex-militant commander, Mark Ebiotu, alias Single Bullet, that ex-militants were approached by leaders of an unnamed Ijaw community to support them to fight Itsekiri was a farce.

He said: “The OgbeIjoh people never at any time resolved to go to war with the Itsekiri people and, there was no basis to approach anybody, including the so called Ebiotu and his unknown group to help them to fight the Itsekiri.

“We challenge Ebiotu, the self-styled ex-militant, to name the leaders who approached him and his group to fight the Itsekiri."

Acting on a tip-off, the operatives were said to have trailed two vessels, MT Ani and MT Oso, carrying illegal crude and intercepted them on Sombeiro River in the South-Eastern part of Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Following a search on the vessels, the operatives were said to have discovered 650,000 metric tonnes of stolen crude oil.

Media Coordinator, JTF, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, who confirmed the development, said the vessels were destroyed by the security outfit.

Oshiomhole emerges Champion Newspaper's Man of the Year

A

LL is now set for the conferment of Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, with Champion Newspaper's 2011 ‘Man of the Year’ award. The ceremony will hold on Tuesday, May 15, at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

Governor Oshiomhole, who had already confirmed the acceptance of

the award, is the second Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, governor to be given the award after Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola was conferred with it last year.

The choice of Governor Oshiomhole was hinged on his performance in the last three years of his administration.

Ihama installed Ihama of Benin Kingdom

D

OCTOR Felix Emwinghama Ihama has been installed the Ihama of Benin Kingdom. Dr. Ihama attended Edo College, Benin City and University of Ibadan where he trained as a medical doctor. He also attended the University of KEELE, KEELE, United Kingdom, for a Masters degree in Georatic Medicine. He later had a Ph.d in Physiology in 2008.

He worked with University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, as a Senior Registrar. He was a Consultant Physician with Central Hospital, Benin. He was also a State House Physician, Edo State Government

House, 1992-1994.

He is a Consultant Physician, Pilgrim Hospital, Boston UK from 2002 till date.

The title of Ihama was conferred on him on the March 19, 2012. He is happily married to Mrs. Cherida Ihama and they are blessed with three children.

Dr. Felix Ihama

Ekee passes on

C

HIEF Jeremiah Ekee, the Akokotu of Erowha Kingdom, is dead.

The late Chief Ekee, who died on March 17, hailed from Irri Town in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State.

A statement by the family said burial announce-

ments shall be announced later.

Late Chief J. Ekee

Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012—13

From left: Head of Retail, Oando Marketing, Mr. Rabiu Umaru; Community Leader, Mechanic Village, Ikeja and Agidingbi, Mr. Segun Olawale; Head, Lubricant, Mr. Jonathan Sanyaolu and Brand Chairman, Mechanic Village, Mr. Shogbamimu Olarewaju, during flag-off of Oando Marketing Lubricant product education for mechanic at Agindingbi, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo editor.

Canada to assist FG on accurate statistics policy decision

BY VICTORIA OJEME BUJA—THE C a n a d i a n government has concluded plans to assist Nigeria in having accurate statistics for policy decisions, as it is also supporting other projects in the country to the tune of $18.45 million (N2.86 billion).

President of Canada’s International Development Research Centre, IDRC, Mr. David Malone, made this known yesterday at a briefing in Abuja.

He said the researchers were aimed at improving the health of mothers and babies in Nigeria, to provide information on Nigeria climate change and to reduce the risk of flooding in the country.

“Here in Nigeria, we have a partnership with Canadian International Development Agency, CIDA, in the area of health researches and we are active in two states, doing quite deep into maternal care and so on. We have also been supporting four thinktank institutions in Nigeria.

“Health is very complicated and very expensive. You could waste money in the sector and so to get the maxima benefit in the sector is very critical.

“Nigeria has one of the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the world.

In a pilot project aimed at improving health outcomes for mothers and babies, researches in Bauchi and Cross River states are designing and implementing a system of ‘demographic surveillance.

“Data from this system will make it possible to measure the impact of primary health programmes in the two states,” he stated Other areas of focus, he said, include research funding of $299,600 for flood control, $384,400 for

A

climate change and $373,000 to boost the respect of Nigerian women rights.

In his comment, the

Canadian High Commissioner, Chris Cooter, said Nigeria will be better if it policies were based on accurate statistics.

Agric lending: CBN sets aside N75bn to reduce risk

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

A

WKA—CENTRAL Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has set aside N75 billion to trigger an a g r i c u l t u r a l industrialization process through increased lending and production and processing to boost economic earnings.

Deputy Governor of the CBN in-charge of financial systems stability, Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, who announced the decision at an international agricultural conference at Anambra State University, Igbariam, explained that a body known as the Nigeriabased Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending,

NIRSAL, set up by CBN, is set to provide what he called the singular transformational, onebullet solution to break the seeming jinx in Nigeria’s agricultural lending and development.

Moghalu, whose lead paper at the conference was presented by Mr. Isaac Okoroafor, an Assistant Director in CBN, said with the fund, NIRSAL intended to leverage at least N450 billion from the balance sheets of banks, which would be channeled into agriculture value chain to provide jobs, create wealth, increase the income of farmers, processors and other people in agribusiness to reduce poverty.

Credible polls: INEC takes campaign to schools

BY ANAYO OKOLI

U

MUAHIA—IN a bid to give Nigerians credible, free and fair elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has embarked on voter education campaign in secondary schools to inculcate in youths efficient and effective electoral process.

To this end, the commission has commenced zonal voter education workshops in secondary schools under the programme, “Catching them Young for Democratic

Governance”.

The campaign would be handled by school principals in liaison with INEC. Declaring open a meeting between INEC and school principals at the Kolping Society Conference Hall, Umuahia, Abia State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Jacob Jatau, described the secondary schools voter education as “unique” because it has deviated from the traditional voter education for political parties, politicians, traditional rulers and socioeconomic groups.

14—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

BRIEFLY

Uba denies guber declaration

Accident

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

BY INNOCENT ANABA

O

T

HE Senator representing Anambra South senatorial district, Dr Andy Uba, has denied that he had formally declared interest to run for Anambra State governorship election in 2014.

Senator Uba, in his reaction to a recent media report said, “contrary to the media report that I had formally declared interest in the 2014 governorship election in my state, this is far from the truth. For now, I want to concentrate on fulfilling my election promises to the people of my district. We have just concluded an election, so to begin to talk of 2014 is not only too early, but an unnecessary distraction.

“My only task now is to positively impact on the lives of my people, who gave me their mandate to represent them in the Senate. 2014 is still a long way, so to begin to talk about it now is not only politically unwise, but distracting to the agenda of making life meaningful for my people.”

Madam Asonye for burial

M

RS Victoria Asonye of Umuezealagwu community in Umuaro II in Isiala Mbano local government area of Imo State is dead. She died on Saturday April 28, 2012, after a brief illness.

Wake-keep comes up on May 24, 2012, while burial will take place on May 25, 2012 in Asonye’s compound after funeral mass at St. Francis Catholic Church, Umuaro II. She is survived by husband, children and many relations, among whom are Mr. Marcos Asonye and Donatus Asonye.

zLate Mrs Asonye

From left: Mr. Afolayan Adebayo, Mat Ketins, Bukola Ojo, vice president Stream-8 PGFS, Mr. Mideno Bayagbon, Editor Vanguard Newspapers, Ify Nwolisa HR, Mr. Kolawole Oduekun, President Stream8 PGFS, and Mr. Toyin Giwa, Head Coorporate Communication, duiring the Stream-8 PGFS visit to Vanguard Newspapers in Apapa, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

Security in Imo worsens as gunmen kill monarch

W E R R I —S O M E passers-by narrowly escaped death yesterday as a new gate currently under construction at Lobo Extension/Wetheral Road junction, Owerri, collapsed.

People were seen in groups at the scene discussing the incident and praising God for saving innocent lives that would have been consumed in the crash.

Some of the residents of the area cursed the contractor for allegedly doing a shoddy job and pleaded with the government to properly monitor what the contractors were doing to avert endangering people’s life.

Seminar

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

O

WERRI—THE security situation in Imo State worsened Monday night, following brutal murder of Eze Stanley Akuneto, traditional ruler of UmuezeAbazu, Ogwa, Mbaitoli local government area of the state.

Vanguard investigations revealed that the two gunmen, who were operating on a motorcycle, stormed the royal father’s palace at about 9pm when most people had gone to sleep.

It was further gathered from a villager, who did not want his name in print, that the gangsters did not betray their principal mission when they asked after the traditional ruler.

“When they were taken to where the traditional ruler was relaxing, they quickly shot him at close range and sped away on their motorbike into the dark night,” the villager recounted with grief.

Another woman, who could not hold her emotion as she spoke, described the late royal father as “a lover of his people, soft spoken, sincere to a fault, unassuming and a fine gentleman”.

She wondered why anybody or group of persons would have conspired to snuff life out of the man, even as she denied that there was any form of crisis in the autonomous community.

Efforts made by Vanguard to get in touch

with the community ’s President General, Engr.

George Obinna Asi, failed as he was said to be “out of town on a business trip.”

When Vanguard called the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Sam Oodee, for his comments, the fellow that picked his

phone claimed the gadget had a problem which he was fixing and urged our correspondent to call in the next 30 minutes.

Court jails six MASSOB members in Asaba...for wearing Biafra regalia

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

SABA—SIX members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, were yesterday sentenced to prison by a chief magistrate’s court sitting in Asaba, Delta, for wearing regalia of defunct Biafra and proclaiming to be members of the group.

Sentenced to six months imprisonment on each of the three-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful possession and proclamation to be members of MASSOB were Sunday Okoro, Ifeanyi Igbozuruike, Francis Onigbo, Sebastian Nworie, Emmanuel Nwafor and Chidi Okafor.

One of the convicted persons, Sunday Okoro, was said to have been arrested by men of Delta State police command at the Asaba end of the River Niger Head Bridge in February for being in possession of Biafra paraphernalia, including flag and chaplet.

It was reported that the next day, other members of the group from neighbouring Anambra State stormed the Asaba police station where Okoro was held in solidarity visit

but that while on that visit, five of them were detained along with Okoro for also adorning Biafran regalia.

In jailing the accused persons, the Asaba Chief Magistrate court presided over by Mr. S.C. Ehikwe stated that it was the duty of the court to check the excesses of miscreants out to cause confusion in the

nation.

However, counsel to the convicted members of MASSOB, Mr. W.O. Ezeanwo, said “we are not satisfied. There is no evidence that MASSOB is an illegal organization. So we are going to get the True Certified Copy, CTC, of the judgment and file our appeal in a higher court.”

UNIZIK VC canvasses increase in number of admitted students

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

A

WKA—THE VICE Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof Boniface Egboka, has advocated an increase in the carrying capacity of the institution, in view of the increasing number of candidates applying to study in the institution.

Nnamdi Azikiwe University was the second most sought after institution in this year ’s Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board, JAMB, examination, a development which Egboka said made it necessary for the university to be given approval to

admit more students.

In this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, a total of 1,503,931 candidates applied for the examination, with the University of Lagos ranked first as the most sought after university with 83,865 candidates, followed by UNIZIK with 82,148, while the University of Benin came third with 80,048 candidates.

Prof. Egboka lauded the Federal Government for e n c o u r a g i n g establishment of more tertiary institutions in the country to cater for the growing number of applications for university education.

T

HE Police Assistance Committee, PAC, will organise seminar/workshop for members on the current security challenges in the country.

The body has also resolved to liaise with stakeholders, including chief security adviser, state governors, chairman of local governments, Police State Commands, State Security Service, SSS, and other security agencies for them to be fully involved in the training of PAC members and brain storming programmes to enhance information and intelligence gathering for crime prevention and detection.

Things Fall Apart

A

S the Nigerian International Book Fair begins this week at the University of Lagos, the United States’ Great Books Chicago, has made Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart its 2012 theme book.

Great Books Chicago is the Great Books Foundation’s annual event for those who loves reading and talking about outstanding literature.

Since 2000, the foundation has been hosting this threeday programme of lively book discussions, performances by outstanding musical and theatrical companies, and visits to museums and other interesting sites in and around the city.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012—15

US-based journalism don flays attacks on media

USAID launches $224m HIV/AIDS, TB service scheme

A

BY VICTORIA OJEME

N American-based Nigerian professor of journalism, Chris Ogbondah, has condemned last week’s bombings of ThisDay, Sun and Moment newspaper houses, describing it as an attack against the foundation of Nigeria’s embryonic democratic structure.

Professor Ogbondah is Coordinator of the Mass Communication programme in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Northern Iowa.

He said: “These attacks were not aimed to destroy the messenger (the press) as they were aimed to destroy the message.

“They show a lack of respect for the inalienable right of freedom of the press as provided for in Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and disregard for Article 9 as provided for in African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.”

A

BUJA—AS part of measures to reduce the HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis prevalence rate in Nigeria, the United States Agency for I n t e r n a t i o n a l Development, USAID, yesterday, launched a five-year strengthening integrated delivery of HIV/AIDS services project with an estimated budget of $224,000,000.

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Terence McCulley, made this known in Abuja, explaining that the project was funded

by USAID to reduce the HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis burden through the provision of strengthened and integrated high quality, comprehensive services that are sustainable in the long-term.

He said: “This project is building on the

achievements of predecessor Global HIV/ AIDS Initiative Nigeria, GHAIN, project to increase access and coverage of high-quality, comprehensive HIV/ AIDS treatment and improve efficiencies in service delivery between 2004 and 2010.”

Previous achievements In her remarks, USAID Country Director, Dana

Mansuri, said GHAIN provided training for health workers, refurbished facilities, and improved laboratory and pharmacy services, supply chain management, data collection and reporting.

Mansuri added that the project also increased HIV testing and counselling services while referral systems were improved.

She said: “HIV services were integrated into Tuberculosis and Reproductive Health

treatments nationwide. By 2011, USAID provided assistance to over 160,000 HIV positive persons in 124 sites.”

Mansuri added that the Strengthening Integrated Delivery of HIV/AIDS Services project also created improved quality and integration of HIV/

AIDS services, and upgraded the capacity of Nigerian institutions to provide these services.

Target

She said over the fiveyear period (2011 – 2015), the project will assist the government of Nigeria to reach the following key

beneficiaries: 252,000 men, women and children to receive anti-retroviral therapy; 1.7 million pregnant women to receive counseling and testing for the prevention of mother-tochild transmission of the HIV virus, while 41,220 pregnant women will complete antiretroviral treatment.

Why Nigeria is backward— ICPC

BY CALEB AYANSINA

A

BUJA—NIGERIA has continued to experience persistent deterioration in the quality of governance, because the rules and regulations for doing official businesses are deliberately ignored or circumvented to facilitate corrupt practices, Acting Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Mr. Ekpo Nta, has said.

Nta was speaking at the sensitisation/enlightenment campaign against corruption for Niger Delta Development Commission,

NDDC, staff in Port Harcourt. He said the major clog in the wheel of progress as a nation, particularly in socioeconomic development, was the issue of corruption.

He recalled how the media was awash with revelations from investigation reports of antigraft agencies and National Assembly fact-finding committees of how huge amount of public funds meant for social needs ended in private pockets.

He noted that the effect of corruption was enormous when huge resources were taken away from the economy, resulting in the

denial of social, economic and other beneficial programmes and engendered poverty and strife.

He regretted that corruption in Nigeria had been domesticated and grafted into “ethnic and official practices and renamed ‘public relations,’ ‘appreciation,’ etc.”

Nta stressed the values of integrity and accountability in public service as means of curbing the menace of corruption in the country, maintaining that integrity promotes the attributes of self-discipline, honesty, fairness, dependability, reliability and zero tolerance to corruption in general.

16—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

FOR LATE RASHIDI YEKINI

From left— Pa Yekini, late Rashidi Yekini’s uncle; Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, and Madam Sikirah Yekini, Rashidi Yekini's mother, during the governor's condolence visit to the family, yesterday.

NOA launches Transform Nigeria campaign

BY EMEKA MAMAH

T

HE campaign by the National Orientation Agency, NOA, seeking the participation of Nigerians in all the sectors of the economy in the development of the nation was launched simultaneously in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, yesterday, with thousands of Nigerians joining the road shows.

The campaign and logo for the Do the Right Thing: Transform Nigeria, campaign was launched Monday night by President Goodluck Jonathan and seeks the participation of all Nigerians as part of national transformation.

According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to NOA, Mr. Paul Odenyi, the Director-General of the agency, Mr. Mike Omeri, led headquarters’ staff around the FCT in a carnival which was attended by several musical groups and movie artists to draw attention to the new campaign.

Odenyi said those who attended included St Obi, representatives of other government organisations, market women, security organisations like the Civil Defence and road safety agencies, motorcycle and commercial vehicle drivers, among others.

NOA said the Do the Right Thing charge was intended to create consciousness in Nigerians to do what is right at all

times and under all circumstances in order to transform the country.

C M Y

... AND FOR LATE OLAITAN OYERINDE

From left— Mr. Issa Aremu, General Secretary, National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGWN; former Governor Balarabe Musa of Kaduna State, and Mr. Oladele Hunsu, President NUTGWN, at the tribute to late Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde, former Deputy General Secretary, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Principal Private Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State by NUTGWN in Kaduna, Monday. PHOTO: Olu Ajayi.

Explosion injures suspected bomber, 3 others in Bauchi zDon't know how I got to blast scene— Suspect

BY SUZAN EDEH

B

AUCHI—FOUR persons, including a suspected bomber, were Monday night, injured when a bomb exploded at People’s Hotel located behind Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in the Bayan Gari area of Bauchi metropolis, in the NorthEast geo-political zone of the country.

State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ladan, confirmed the incident in an interview with newsmen at the police headquarters, Bauchi, pointing out that the bomb which exploded at about 9pm injured a woman and three other men, including the suspected bomber.

Ladan said the victims were, however, rushed to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, ATBH, for treatment with three of them already discharged as at yesterday morning.

He said: “We suspect that the remaining victim,

who is currently on admission, is the one that carried out the act because of the degree of injury on his body. But we are still investigating the matter.

Part of the building was blown off by the blast and

no causality was recorded.”

Ladan further stated that when the suspect was interrogated, he alleged that some unidentified men within the Bauchi market area came and enquired if he was a

policeman.

The suspect added that before he knew it, the men overpowered him and took him away, adding that he suddenly saw himself at the scene of the blast.

5,500 women die of pregnancy, birth-related issues

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

I

LORIN—KWARA State Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Kayode Issa has said that no fewer than 5,500 women die globally from pregnancy or child birth-related complications, out of which over 99 per cent occur in developing countries.

Issa stated this, yesterday, in Ilorin at the official opening ceremony of the Family Planning Week, organised by the Family Planning Unit of the state Ministry of Health in conjunction with the Nige-

ria Urban Reproductive Health Initiative, NURHI. He also said that family planning was the key achievement of MDG 4,5, and 6 which would help in the reduction of high mortality rates among mothers and their children, just as it was used to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria among other diseases.

Issa further noted that the goals of preventing the death of women during child birth needed urgent attention, adding that most countries were now committed to the reduction of maternal mortality by 75 per cent by 2015 for which

‘’family planning is being adopted as the most important pillar’’ in the campaign.

In his remark, Kwara State Co-ordinator of NUHRI, Abubakar Sadiq said the advocacy group had done a lot of sensitisation of the public on the importance of family planning.

He added that they had visited various heads of communities, villages and traditional rulers to intimate them on the need to allow their subjects adopt the planning method for safe motherhood.

EFCC can't prosecute me— Goje

BY JOHN BULUS

F

ORMER Governor of Gombe State, Senator Danjuma Goje, yesterday, told the Federal High Court sitting in Gombe, that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC lacked the powers to prosecute him over allegations of money laundering and embezzlement of funds brought against him by the

anti-graft agency.

Counsel to Goje, Mr. Adeyini Akintola (SAN), made this known when the case against the former governor and three others came up yesterday in court.

Akintola said the only authority vested with powers to file charges against his client was the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF. He also challenged EFCC’s Counsel, Mr.

Wahab Shittu to provide the authority which enabled him to prosecute his client, adding that until Shittu provided evidence showing that the AGF has empowered the EFCC to try his clients, yesterday’s trial would both be unnecessary and a waste of time of the court.

He enjoined the court to dismiss the case in the absence of such evidence.

Akintola, who led a team of

11 other lawyers, argued that in a case of this nature, Section 147 of the 1999 Constitution made it fundamental for the prosecuting lawyers, especially private lawyers, to obtain fiats from the AGF and Minister of Justice.

EFCC Counsel, Mr. Shittu promised to approach the relevant authorities for such evidence and asked for adjournment.

Zamfara in 5-day blackout

BY SAMINU IBRAHIM

G

USAU—ZAMFARA State capital, Gusau, and its environs have been thrown into darkness for over five days, following the alleged destruction of 132KV transmission lines from Zaria to Zamfara State, by rainstorm.

Business Manager, Gusau Business Unit, Mr. Abdullahi Bunzu, who made this known, yesterday, while briefing newsmen, said 10 local governments were affected by the blackout, while four others which were not affected sourced power from Sokoto State.

He spoke through the Senior Manager, Distribution, Mr. Gideon Adeniyi, adding that the problems emanated from heavy rainstorm that occurred last Friday.

He noted that engineers were, however, working hard to rectify the faults and restore normal power supply.

He said: “We take power supply from Kaduna State through Zaria to Gusau. It affected our feeder lines,” pointing out that Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, engineers had been able to patrol and clear the line from Zaria to Funtua in Katsina State, without identifying the cause of the problem.

According to him, until power is transmitted to Zamfara State, the business unit cannot distribute to the public, even as he said that the incident had now virtually become an annual event, especially at the onset of the rainy season because of the peculiar terrain of the place.

— 17 Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012— “One fifth of the people are against everything all the time.”

J.F. Kennedy.

LL columnists are used to having feedbacks, some abusive, others encouraging.

Indeed, these feedbacks mean a lot, even if, in many instances, they come from people who have either not read what you have written, or understood it. Since I started writing for the Vanguard sometime last year, I had braced myself every week for the on-line comments as well as the many more which I receive through my e-mail address. A large number of the responses I get, no matter what I write on, are informed by my geo-ethnic origins (and this is usually couched as “abokie” “goat-rearer”, “bookharamist” “malam” “almangiri”) and nothing I write is good. I take comfort from the belief that many more readers will have opinions which, though they may not express them, are generally less negative. In fairness there have also been many responses from people I have extremely high regard for from the South, who have communicated with me privately on what I write. I found those bits particularly inspiring.

Last week I wrote on the reports that the government of Delta State had planned to spend over N7b to demolish a hill (which others said was a pile of sand) around the Asaba Airport to expand its runway, and allow President Jonathan’s plane land for the South South Economic Summit. I questioned the cost, rationale and viability of the project, and I made the point that it is projects of this type that give people like the Governor of Niger State, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu the basis for suggesting that all this money that goes to the South South leads to some waste and mismanagement.

While making the case that the President and other leaders from the Niger Delta State have a responsibility to ensure that the quality of governance in the region is improved, I also mentioned that every Nigerian has a right to insist that people of Delta State get value for money from their government.

A

A

s usual, there were mixed responses. A few thought it was encouraging to have a northerner comment on a matter so far away from him. I reminded those people to see the extensive and impressive effort made by a “northern” newspaper, Daily Trust, to look into this issue, and the extent its reporter went ( u n s u c c e s s f u l l y, unfortunately) to get the government of Delta State to state its own side of the story.

But the most robust response came from someone I know

C M Y K

political process, failures of leadership and emergence of threats to national security

,

The responses

I am a Deltan

Governor Emmanuel Udughan, Delta State very well. I had worked with him at a very high level in the Federal civil service, and though I was his senior in the Service, I had called him “Sir” because he was older than me.

He had retired before me, and somehow I had lost touch with him for the last few years.

As it turned out I had also lost touch with his political reorientation.

When he contacted me through my email initially, I was so shocked by the manner of his response and the issues he raised that I had to ask if it was the same person I interacted with as a colleague in the public service for almost 15 years. When he answered in the affirmative, I was stumped. We all have many parts to our characters and personalities; and even values which we think are settled in our lives can be severely tested by changing contexts, circumstances and environment. My friend says he is not an employee or appointee of the government of Delta State, even though he is an indigene of Asaba. He took particular exception to me making it my business to devote a whole page on an issue which affects the people of Delta State, instead of raising matters about Boko Haram, child beggars or the silent exodus from the North, of people from the Southeast and South South. What, he asked, is N7.4b to a people blessed by God with unlimited resources, if it expands the airport and in five, six or ten years, it becomes the hub of air travel around the Delta and Gulf of Guinea? What will I do next, now that I have nothing about the north to criticize: snoop around every government project in BRACED, and write columns?

Have I heard the NSA say northerners in the PDP are responsible for Boko Haram at the Summit? Isn’t that more

Potiskum, Yobe State is bound to have a major impact on the local economy, Igbo cattle dealers, transporters, consumers in Potiskum, Owerri and Asaba, and on the cattle industry generally. The insecurity we live under appears to be blinding us to the fact that the innocent lives bombed and shot at the Bayero University Kano recently are being locally mourned by millions, many of whom are Muslims who also lost loves ones in many recent attacks in Kano. All this talk about regional development and blueprints for possible autonomy is creating a false consciousness that parts of Nigeria can just walk away from the nation anytime they feel like it.

I hurt when bombs go off, whoever the victims are. I hurt when I am told that the problems of the north, of child beggars, decaying infrastructure, corruption and impunity are the problems of northerners. In case there are citizens of Delta State reading this, the N7.4b being spent on the Asaba airport should be explained, at the very least. It’s your money, and mine

,

Asaba Airport runway useful to write on than the Delta airport?

Naturally, these were questions coming from him in a rather lengthy engagement, to which I responded. I have to say, however, that I did not succeed in getting my (now former) friend to see my point of view. He conceded only one thing to me: he said he believed me when I assured him that I was not paid to do a hatchet job against the Governor and Government of Delta State, and that it will be very helpful if the State Government itself puts forward its own position on this matter.

I admit I felt deeply saddened that the current state of the nation where our failure to manage our pluralism through an all-inclusive

which appear to be pitching sections of the country against each other are making casualties of our senses and perceptions of each other. We see this type of bitter, shallow and stereotyped characterisation of each other in chatrooms and other social media where the younger generation of Nigerians reside almost permanently. But to see it in a man over 60 who has given his entire life to the service of the nation is profoundly saddening. More worrying is the possibility that there could be many more like this elderly Nigerian who have drawn rigid lines around the concept and practice of one nation; and of a citizenry linked by bonds so strong that the recent massacre of 50 people in a cattle market in

Many hurts

N

eedless to say, I reminded my friend that I am from Delta State. I am also from Osun, Benue, Abia and Sokoto. I hurt when the resources which God endowed us with are plundered or abused, and it doesn’t matter who does it. I hurt when bombs go off, whoever the victims are. I hurt when I am told that the problems of the north, of child beggars, decaying infrastructure, corruption and impunity are the problems of northerners. In case there are citizens of Delta State reading this, the N7.4b being spent on the Asaba airport should be explained, at the very least.

It’s your money, and mine.

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

DEBATES will continue about the treatment of our heroes following the death of Rashidi Yekini, Nigeria’s iconic footballer and scorer of Nigeria’s first World Cup goal in 1994. The circumstances of his death and the panegyrics that have been pouring since then are typically Nigerian.

We shun heroes. We fail to appreciate the consequences of the likes of Yekini dying as destitute from treatable medical conditions. The hypocrisy of lamenting Yekini’s end when millions of Nigerian pensioners, heroes in their own right, die in abject poverty because people have stolen their dues, is evident.

Born in Kaduna, he began his career with United Nigerian Textile Limited, UNTL. He played in Cote d’ Ivoire, Portugal, where he became the third African to win the league’s highest goal scorer after the legend Eusebio, and fellow Nigeria Richard Owubokiri. He also played in Greece, Spain, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia.

“Yekini used to pay surprise visits to fans at their homes even at nights and ate with

Yekini – One More Unsung Hero the poor,” Serge Kouame, a 56-year-old secondary school teacher said in Abidjan where Yekini played for African Sports 19 years ago. “I can still see his goals in my spirit. No other player has been so close and so good to us.”

He is mostly remembered for his celebration after scoring Nigeria’s firstever World Cup goal against Bulgaria.

Incidentally it was his only World Cup goal though he played in other matches including the 1998 World Cup. Yekini used a Finidi George cross to score the first ever goal for Nigeria at the World Cup, but more striking was the celebration he brought to it, grabbing the net, and

shaking it, while screaming. Nothing could have captured the exhilaration better.

In 1993, he became the first Nigerian to win the African Player of the Year award.

A year after he helped Nigeria to win the Africa Cup of Nations and was also the tournament’s top scorer with five goals, becoming the only player to have won the title as a reigning African Player of the Year ever since.

Yekini scored 37 international goals for Nigeria in 58 appearances and also played in the Nations Cup in 1988, 1990, 1992. He scored Nigeria’s only goal in the 3-1 loss to Yugoslavia at the 1988 Olympics.

CAF President and FIFA Vice-president Issa Hayatou’s tribute stated, “I remember him well - he was a solid attacker. It was so difficult to take the ball from him.”

A country that remarkably maltreats its people cannot bother about them, whether they are kings or commoners. Yekini’s death is another call for us to care for our people instead of wasting words when they die.

OPINION

BY COLLINS UGWUNNA

A

BIA, God’s Own State is today witnessing a complete new vista in infrastructural development. If we are to paraphrase and borrow from the late Bob Marley’s hit track, then we can say that there is a natural happiness blowing through the air in Abia. But unlike Marley’s natural mystic, you don’t need to listen carefully to feel what is happening in Abia. It is self-evident all over, and as constant as the Northern star.

This time, the good news is the euphoria of the highly improved power distribution to parts of the state which has given residents the opportunity of enjoying uninterrupted power.

So stable is the power distribution in Abia since the past two months that residents suffering from the prolonged inertia of epileptic power in the past keep wondering if what they enjoy today is real.

This latest feat which is one of the numerous pluses by the governor, Chief T.A. Orji, is as a result of the energizing of the long awaited 132 KVA Ohiya sub-station built by the State Government. Drawing from the Alaoji Main Power Station which was stepped down at Ohiya as an injection station, the Abia State Government embarked on the evacuation of power from the sub-station to all the feeders in the state.

It is to the credit of the present administration that it pursued with vigour and determination the rehabilitation and expansion of the nearly C M Y K

Abia basking under stable energy evacuation moribund energy feeders in the following locations- Afara, Nkwoegwu, Ubakala, Obowu and Ntigha to enable this evacuation.

To the layman, the evacuation term simply means moving the energy from the sub-station source to the final consumers through the rehabilitated feeders. And the state government is believed to have spent close to N2 billion to actualise the project.

With its test-run during which the power company was able to detect and rectify some teething problems seen mainly in extreme fluctuations of voltage, the project is perfectly serving over 60 percent of the state, namely: Umuahia North and South, Ohafia, Abiriba, Item Bende, parts of Abam and Uzuakoli.

Others are Isuikwuato, Ikwuano, Isiala-Ngwa North and South and parts of Obingwa.

On the fear being entertained over the sustainability of the current distribution, Chairman of Mechanical Systems Limited, MSL, Chief Tony Ukasanya, whose company executed the contract, allayed such fears which he noted were not unfounded given what the average Nigerian fears about energy distribution in the country.

According to him, this project is structured to last even eternity as long as power is being generated from the sub-stations. “Whenever

power drops, this state will continue to enjoy near uninterrupted supply as PHCN still has excess energy to evacuate.

Chief Ukasanya further traced the past problems with energy generation and distribution to neglect and lack of will on the part of policy makers, while attributing the current gains to real dividends of democracy.

“Past problems were generation and evacuation. Under the military the two areas were completely neglected, and as they lacked attention, the consumption rate rose by the day, and PHCN then NEPA could not do any magic. They just had few plants, namely: Kanji, Shiroro, Delta 1, 2 and 3 as well as Egbin”.

H

e revealed that with the opening of the democratic space, more states and corporate entities have veered into power distribution and the result is the improved distribution to meet the demands of the consumers. “In Rivers today, there is Afam 1, 2, 3 and 4, in addition to Omoku Eleme and Trans-Amadi sub-stations. While in the South East, we have Geometrics.

“You will agree that this can only be possible in a democracy where every leader is desirous of making positive impacts on the lives of his

people. This is why the people of Abia will and should remain eternally grateful to a leader like the Governor who has identified the core projects that are of relevance to his people and has doggedly embarked on them. This power evacuation is one of his success stories among the numerous others,” he added.

On the cause of the direct high voltage surge which many residents claimed destroyed their appliances during the test-run, it was discovered that the problem emanated from the transformers most of which can no longer stabilise energy before distribution to homes mainly due to old age.

The state governor in prompt response ordered through the State Ministry of Public Utilities, the immediate replacement of all moribund transformers in the affected areas so that the people’s joy will know no bounds.

In the Abia story, the new era has witnessed ripple effects in other sectors. For instance, the prices of petroleum products which had been determined at the pleasure of marketers automatically crashed with the sustained evacuation. Most filling stations that called the bluff of government to sell subsidized products at hiked prices were forced to revert to approved pump prices. The reason being that residents and the business community no longer have need for the use of generators all the time.

•Mr. Ugwunna, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Umuahia, Abia State.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012— —19

, I

T was a year last week since, on till then, the most wanted man in the world, Osama Bin Ladin was killed by American Special Forces, specifically the Seals. It was more or less a Labour Day gift by American President, Barak Obama, to the rest of the world, for Bin Ladin was killed just a day after May Day, last year. I recall getting an sms text message from a friend telling me of the killing of the man responsible for the deaths of many and whose profile as the scourge of America had risen in the previous 10 years since 9/11. Before his death, Osama Bin Ladin had assumed the character of the proverbial cat with nine lives. He had eluded capture for 10 good years and it was as if he could no longer be caught. So that when the end came for him it was practically unbelievable. Osama Bin Ladin dead? The news was shocking precisely because it was unexpected.

As it must have been for the most wanted man himself. A reconstruction of Bin Ladin’s last days suggests that death caught him unawares and in the most improbable place-Abouttabad, the location of one of Pakistan’s most

prestigious military bases. Contrary to the popular impression that the man lived his days running from one cave to another in the rugged, dessertlike terrain of the frontier regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Osama Bin Ladin was found ensconced apparently in relative wealth in a Pakistani suburb. After 10 years of playing the fugitive, Bin Ladin must have come to believe that he could never be caught again, totally making nonsense of America’s claim of possessing the most sophisticated military and intelligence-gathering network. But like a brood of hen suddenly rendered motherless when a hawk swooped on the entire brood and flies off with their mother, Osama Bin Ladin was picked clean from among his family.

Not even his attempt to hide behind his wives could save him from the fierce wrath of the Americans who landed their aircraft right in his large compound where he reared goats and chickens to cushion the biting effects of poverty, it’s been revealed. Though he lived his last days in a mansion which gave all the impression of a wealth from the outside, life behind the high walls of his hideaway was

,

far from ideal. Even if he had talked about death and his readiness to go as a jihadist on the battlefront many times before death came knockinglike Saddam Hussein, time had blunted that raw desire for martyrdom when the two-dozen American Seals team came calling.

In the end, the Americans did for Osama Bin Ladin, triumphed over him when it looked like the man had become invincible.

L

ast week, Barack Obama, the man who ordered the final mission that brought Osama to his end celebrated America’s victory over their most hated adversary with a visit to Afghanistan where the search for Ladin first began following the levelling of the World Trade Centre in a series of planned attacks, more or less an invasion, of America. Nearly three thousand of different nationalities died. Al Qaeda boasted of its triumph and promised more devastating attacks in the time ahead. But America had been stung beyond understanding and there was palpable blood-lust on their part. They wanted the man

Understanding the paranoia over Edo guber race

BY CALLISTUS OMOREGIE

G

OVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State is getting very paranoid and this is understandable. It is just dawning on him and his court jesters that to win re-election is now an almost impossible task. All the endorsements he has received for his second term bid so far are mere pieces of comedy meant to entertain the hapless Edo citizens, who have endured the pains of arbitrariness, arrogance, cronyism and humiliation for over three years.

Imagine this scenario: Barely two and a half months to his re-election bid, a governor who just exhausted himself at a failed campaign rally, feeling angry and agitated, jumped into a vehicle and decided to drive himself against all known protocol: took control of the steering, and led a convoy that is reputed for its recklessness. He sped off and the security vehicles gave hot chase, “normally” chasing other road users from the opposite direction into the bush. The long convoy followed at top speed all trying to catch up with the Governor- turned driver.

Suddenly, the convoy arrived at a very sharp and blind bend at the same time as a truck driven by a poor driver. There was confusion at the bend of the single lane road that was fully occupied by a convoy. The truck driver was scared and lost control; so also the vehicles at the head of the convoy.

The rest was history.

Three innocent journalists and a driver were killed instantly and numerous others were badly injured and rushed to hospitals.

Not sure how to account for the death of innocent souls and the injured, he remembered that there was an opposition party that must take the blame for his own indiscretion and misdemeanour. Surely, this was the case of Boxer in George Orwell’s Animal Farm. There must be a scapegoat.

Napoleon can do no wrong.

His Commissioner for Information, Louis C M Y K

Odion, and the Director of Media and Publicity of his campaign, Prince Kassim Afegbua, otherwise respected journalists, who cheated death in the encounter, joined in the wicked propaganda against the souls of their departed colleagues, and against those innocent souls now groaning in pain in hospital beds. Oshiomhole and his prostrate subordinates must believe that Edo people and the rest of the world are fools.

The blood of the dead journalists must seek revenge. The blood of all the injured must cry to heaven for revenge.

The leadership of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers, where Oshiomhole was once an apprentice tailor and later their Union leader, who did not witness the accident, and who is impatient to wait for the report of the Police investigation, jumped to an irresponsible conclusion, in a national daily that: “A suicide lorry deliberately veered off its track faced the Governor’s staff car and missed it by the whiskers. It later rammed into the vehicles conveying the security details and Government House Press Crew. This tragic event came after a similar cyberorchestrated criminal personal attack and open threat on Oshiomhole by the opposition over his so-called mansions”.

This is from a press statement by the General Secretary of the Union, Mr. Issa Aremu, published at page 48 of the Vanguard newspaper of Tuesday, May 1, 2012. If we may ask, are the Iyamho mansions of Governor Oshiomhole so-called? Has Oshiomhole spoken out since the scandal hit the world? Has he taken up the challenge thrown by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that he should organise a guided tour of the scandalous estate under construction to put a lie to the allegations? Does the noise about his fabled performance qualify him to tamper with the taxpayer ’s money so crudely and so blatantly? We shall come back to this very

,

Fighting terror, American style

Until the authorities are ready to turn the tide against these hawkers of death and destruction, Nigeria cannot expect peace

responsible for the worst attack on their soil, dead or alive and the organisation he led totally annihilated. To a large extent, America has achieved its aim in this regard with the killing of Osama Bin Ladin and most of the leadership of Al Qaeda whose ability to carry out its promised threat against America and all those opposed to it had been severely downgraded. Only offshoots of Al Qaeda like the Al Shabaab with its base in Somalia but causing devastation along the Horn of Africa and the misguided group that professes hatred of Western education operating in Nigeria and other vulnerable parts of the worldonly straggler groups such as these are still left foraging the fields of terror and hawking mindless violence around. The latter group has in the last couple of weeks taken its campaign of violence into one of the leading centres of learning in Northern Nigeria, Bayero University, Kano, where not less than 20 persons, including two professors were murdered in cold blood by men who threw grenades into their places of worship and shot indiscriminately, ‘commando-style’, into the fleeing worshippers. But America can beat its chest and say it has since last May scattered Al Qaeda and its leadership into the winds. Though, it hasn’t called it a celebration but Americans, in a sense, registered their triumph over Al Qaeda with Obama’s unannounced visit to the Bagram military base in Afghanistan where the American President signed an agreement with Afghanistan and made a live broadcast to the American people.

It is a measure of Obama’s success on the World stage and in America’s fight against what it calls ‘the war on terror’ that even his Republican opposition, particularly Mitt

We can assert that Oshiomhole’s desperation is not simply about winning a second term ticket; the prospects of moving from the state house to the other side is staring him in the face

,

shortly.

We must ask of the whereabouts of the driver who is said to be a card-carrying member of the ACN and driving a truck said to be owned by an ACN member, according to claims by the PDP in Edo State. We hope the driver is safe in police custody? We hope Oshiomhole and his aides have not done anything funny to the poor man to destroy evidence? They should not tell us that the man escaped.

W

e can assert that Oshiomhole’s desperation is not simply about winning a second term ticket. The prospects of moving from the state house to the other side is staring him in the face and he is very scared. Is Oshiomhole ready to truly account? We must insist on knowing how much all the eighteen local government areas have received, by way of Federal allocations, since he came to power and how much he actually released to them.

We must know how much has accrued to the state by way of Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, and how these have been expended. We must know how much loans Edo State has taken since Oshiomhole came to power and how these have been invested. We are also interested in the amount of grants the state has received, from where and how they have been invested. We will do a proper evaluation of all the projects he has executed and get a proper costing.

What else is due process? What else is

Romney, could not raise a voice to criticize him in a way that might suggest weakness or reluctance to take on America’s enemies on his part. Obama deserves all the attention he is getting on the world stage because his decision to invade the Bin Ladin’s compound without the knowledge of Pakistani authorities and the full agreement of his advisers could easily have backfired. For one, Joe Biden – the Vice President – and Christopher Gate – the Defence Secretary – were opposed to the decision. Past failures along this line gave the Americans cautionary lessons that rejected invasion as an option. This fear appeared to come true when the Seals’ aircraft went down in Bin Ladin’s compound. But the highly trained Seal team went into action, steadily made their way up to the third floor where their prime target was. The decision to invade and the professionalism of the Seals were acts of courage largely absent from Nigeria’s own reaction to increasing threats to security in the country.

Suicide missions have become daily affairs, indiscriminate and with neither focus nor principle. The terrorists act in full conviction that their prey neither has the means nor will to fight back. They are emboldened by every successive act of vicious murders and until the authorities are ready to turn the tide against these hawkers of death and destruction, Nigeria cannot expect peace. The desire to constantly be in the news that seems to motivate resent actions by Nigeria’s version of Al Qaeda should be rejected by the media which should increasingly black them out while officers of the law entrusted with the task of fighting this copycat Jihadists should refrain from disclosing their strategies in the media.

accountability and transparency?

Oshiomhole has long abandoned issues and gone personal with General Charles Airhiavbere, his PDP opponent. He wants a public debate and so on. These are all fine.

The place to start is for Edo people to know how Oshiomhole has managed their lives and resources since he assumed power so as to know if they can trust him with their lives and resources for yet another four years.

These are the issues. Public debates at this point are mere distractions and no one will oblige Oshiomhole. He wants equity. We must certify that his hands are clean.

Back to Oshiomhole’s growing mansions in Iyamho. This matter cannot go away, whatever the guerilla tactics Oshiomhole and his handlers intend to employ. There can be no cover up. The world must know that we have a pseudo-comrade as a people’s governor. Unless he is fully exposed, he will continue to hoodwink our people. President Jonathan says he has zero tolerance for corruption. From everything he has done so far, we believe him. Edo will offer another opportunity for our President to prove a point. All the wolves in sheep clothing must be exposed. Oshiomhole must be fully investigated.

Indeed, the results of the last general election in Edo State have deceived Oshiomhole into thinking that he is firmly in control of the state. Apart from the underhand methods he employed in the elections, he must know that the people voted for their sons and daughters that they know.

Now, they know Oshiomhole. The students know him. The youths he gave bogus employment letters know him. The teachers know him. The workers know him. The farmers and market women know him. The pensioners know him. Private school and hospital owners know him. The traders and artisans all know him. This time round, there is no hiding place.

This paranoia over Edo governorship, this desperation for re-election will take Oshiomhole nowhere. All the comic endorsements will amount to naught. He knows it. July 14, 2012 will tell. *Mr. Omoregie, a public affairs ana\lyst, wrote from Benin, Edo State.

20

—

Vanguard , WEDNESD AY, MA Y 9, 2012 WEDNESDA MAY

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012 — 21

Regional Maritime Development Bank to begin operations in July T

HE Regional Maritime Develop ment Bank may take off in July in Abuja after two years of inactivity. A source close to the Federal Ministry of

Transport, Abuja, disclosed this to NAN on Monday in Lagos.

The source said that the financial and legal consultants had been directed to

commence work by July. According to the source, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has also been directed to

From right: Mr Soji Apampa, Executive Director, Corvention on Business Integrity; Mrs Modupeola Dada, Chief Executive Officer, Prominet Securities Limited; Mr Sebastian Wegner, Cordinator, Humboldt-Viadrina, School of Governance, Berlin/Germany, and Mr Sven Biermann, Director, School of Governance, Berlin/Germany, during the joint meeting of working group/ business roundtable on development of a national anti-corruption, organised by Corvention on Business Integrity, and Business Action Against Corruption [BAAC], in Lagos. PHOTO; Kehinde Gbadamosi.

House Committee queries NSE over Council composition

T

HE House of Representatives has queried the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), over the nomination of four of its members to its council by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Capital Market made this known in Abuja on Monday.

174.80

+0.20

2,340.00

+51.00

21.11

+0.30

113.32

+0.14

98.07

-0.42

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL SELLING CFA 0.2905 EURO 203.0747 POUNDS 250.1963 RIYAL 41.2489 SDR 239.1507 SWISS 168.9787 DOLLAR 154.7 WAUA 238.3612 YEN 1.9277 RENMINBI 24.5297

0.3005 203.7311 251.005 41.3823 239.9237 169.5249 155.2 239.1316 1.934 24.6095

0.3105 204.3874 251.8136 41.5156 240.6966 170.071 155.7 239.902 1.9402 24.6892

CBN Exchange rate as at 08/05/2012 C M Y K

Rep. Yakubu Dogara (PDP-Bauchi), a member of the committee had observed that the nomination of four members to the eight-member council

by SEC would influence policy decisions of the exchange.

He said that it was out of place for SEC as a regulator to nominate members into the council. In his response, the Director-General of the NSE, Mr Oscar Onyema, said that SEC took that decision because of the crisis in the market then. Onyema attributed the crisis in the market to inadequate regulatory policies and weak corporate governance.

He noted that there were inadequate rules and regulations in place to guide the operations of the market before the 2008 crash.

He stressed the need for the restoration of stakeholders’ confidence as it is necessary for the active participation of investors in the market. Onyema said that majority of activities of the exchange were being driven by foreign investors. He called on the National Assembly to review the PENCOM and Local Content Acts to encourage listing of more companies on the market.

According to him, the exchange has put in place sanctions ranging from fines, suspension and de-listing of

investors from the market for unethical practices. Rep. Ibrahim El-Sudi (PDPTaraba), the Chairman of the committee directed the NSE to submit to the committee, bank statement of Investment Protection Fund.

provide the requisite pre-incorporation funds. The funds, it was learnt, would form part of Nigeria’s equity contribution to the project.

“The Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) has been waiting for Nigeria to appoint financial and legal consultants and make sure the secretariat is opened. The rents for the two properties leased in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Transport for the secretariat and transit guest houses will expire soon,’’ the source said. The idea of establishing the regional bank came up at the Bureau of Transport Ministers’ meeting in Angola in 2005 and Nigeria agreed to host the headquarters.

The bank will be like other development banks such as the InterAmerican Development Bank and Asian Development Bank. The approval for Nigeria to host the banks’ headquarters was given by the 13th General Assembly of MOWCA in Dakar, Senegal, in July 2008. The latest resolution of the 14th General Assembly of MOWCA on August 2011 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo also reminded Abuja of the urgency to host the headquarters.

The bank’s project is a sub-regional initiative supported by multilateral agencies such as the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB) and European banks. The bank will help to generate funds at very good conditions for the services of the Cabotage Act and the Local Content Act. When operational, the regional bank will increase the purchase of vessels by indigenous ship owners to enable them to lift crude and refined petroleum products. MOWCA was established in May, 1975 as the Ministerial Conference of West and Central African States on Maritime Transport. The name was changed to MOWCA as part of reforms adopted by the General Assembly of Ministers of Transport meeting in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, between August 4 and August 6, 1999.

AFAN wants FG to stop importation of food items

A

LL Farmers Association of Niger ia (AFAN) has called on the Federal Government to stop the importation of food for the success of the current Agricultural Transformation Agenda. The Financial Secretary of the association, Dr Tunde Arosanyin, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Orosanyin was reacting to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina’s recent declaration that some foreign investors were planning to invest in rice and cassava production in the country.

He said if not stopped, the importation of food items might create serious challenges for Nigeria’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA). Arosanyin advised the Federal Government to encourage local food production instead, by lowering the

cost of production so that farmers in the country could make profit from agricbusiness.

He said, “A ton of maize from UK and US ex Apapa port can sell for 28, 000 to 30, 000. Whereas the same ton of maize in Nigeria in terms of cost of production is about 45, 000 to N50, 000, cost of production. Most of us now that produce maize , we have a market offer of N50,000 but we cannot sell because if we do, we will be running at a loss then we may not be able to be active this season. But a field miller or a semovita industry in Lagos is comfortable buying maize from UK or from US at N30,000 or N35,000 because he too wants to make profit .

“Then the same field miller and all the breweries that are making use of maize or sorghum will prefer to buy the imported maize because the price is low.

22 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

Capital market probe: SEC to refund investors’ money … Blames market meltdown on NSE, operators

BY PETER EGWUATU, MICHAEL EBOH & CHINEDU IBEABUCHI

T

HE Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, said it will ensure that investors are restituted for their losses caused by fraudulent operators in the Nigerian capital market, even as it blamed Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and operators for the market meltdown

Director General of SEC, Ms Arunma Oteh, in her presentation to the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee, probing the near collapse of the Nigerian capital market, said the Commission will ensure that the fraudulent operators are made to return proceeds of their crime.

According to her, “SEC has already commenced legal proceedings at the In-

vestment and Securities Tribunal, IST, against 260 entities and individuals for various forms of infractions.”

She said, “As a result of SEC investigations with respect to the intervened banks, we instituted legal proceedings, at the Investment Securities Tribunal (IST), against 260 entities and individuals.

“The Commission is alleging that these indi-

viduals and entities were involved in different forms of market abuse including insider dealing, pump and dump, wash sales and share price manipulation.

“We are seeking declaratory orders for the illegally gained profits that were made to be disgorged so that poor retail investors who invested their live savings and pensions into the Nigerian capital

Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chairman, Dangote Group (left) and Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State during the former's visit to the governor in Government House, Edo State.

markets can be restituted.”

While commenting on the activity of the NSE, she said “ Financial schemes and misappropriation of funds in the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) was also responsible for the near collapse of the capital market.”

“It was brought to my attention that there were incidences of financial s c h e m i n g , misappropriation, false a c c o u n t i n g , misrepresentations, and questionable transactions “For instance, the council of the Nigeria stock Exchange bought a yacht for N37 million and wrote down the book value within one year by recognising it in its books as a gift presented during its 2008 long service award” she alleged. Yet there are no record of the beneficiary,” she added.

Oteh also alleged that the council of the NSE also spent N186 million on the purchase of 165 Rolex wrist watches, as gift for awardees out of which only 73 were actually presented to the awardees. “The outstand-

NB explains decline in dividends yield

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

Shareholders eye low-priced equities, seek increased investment

BY MICHAEL EBOH

S

HAREHOLDERS have been advised to leverage on the opportunity presented by the low price of equities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, by increasing their investment in the market.

According to a statement by Mr. Sola Abodurin, Chairman, Ibadan Zone Shareholders’ Association, IZSA, c o m p r i s i n g shareholders in Oyo, Ogun, Kwara, Ondo and Ekiti and Osun States, said, however, it is necessary that the investors are enlightened on the

present situation in the market and on how to take advantage of it.

To this end, Abodurin said the association is organizing an enlightenment seminar, Thursday, designed to encourage their members to take advantage of the low prices of many equities and invest more in the Nigerian capital market.

On the essence of the seminar, he explained that during interactive sessions with the chairmen of state chapters of the association, they noticed that investors in the grassroots and other minority ones needed enlightenment on the declining stock prices in the market.

He further stated that the seminar scheduled to hold in Ibadan, Oyo state, would have experts and operators unveiling the huge potential in the market and how to address the declining prices of equities.

Abodurin stated further, “As an association that is alive to its responsibilities, a one day seminar is being organised to address this burning issue of the capital m a r k e t . A l l stakeholders, particularly all those that are affected by the declining stock market are expected to participate at the seminar.

“Besides, it will be an

opportunity to let our members know that the current low price is an opportunity for them to increase their holdings.

Given the efforts to reposition the market and the impressive results companies are declaring now, it will be difficult to see many of the stocks at their current prices in the near future.”

He explained that the seminar which has as its theme: “Reversing the Declining Trend of the Nigerian Stock Market — The way forward,” would have the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema and other guest speakers.

ing 92 Rolex watches valued at N99.5 million remained unaccounted for.”

The SEC boss accused the NSE of “weaknesses in corporate governance, weaknesses in risk management, and weaknesses in internal control, insufficient oversight of brokerage firms and listed companies and inabilities to enforce rules.”

She noted that the inspection team that examined the NSE found out that “more than 2, 700 investors complaint lodged with the Nigeria Stock Exchange had yet to be treated.”

She further blamed the extent and nature of the market abuses carried out between 2006 and 2008 as the primary reasons for the continuation of the investor apathy that is seen today For instance, she cited instances of Finbank, Intercontinental Bank, Afribank and Union Bank, where the banks connived with capital market operators to perpetrate fraudulent activities.

N

I G E R I A N Breweries plc has said that the recent fall in its dividend yield curve was fall out of decision of the board to reinvest part of its annual earnings into the business in pursuit of the company ’s expansion plan.

Dividend yield is an easy way to compare the relative attractiveness of various dividend-paying stocks. It tells an investor the yield he / she should expect by purchasing a particular stock. This allows a basis of comparison between other investments such as bonds, certificates of deposit, among others.

Dividend yield therefore is calculated by dividing annual dividend proposed by a particular company by the current stock price.

NB had in 2009 paid total dividend of N3.69;

in 2010, it dropped to N2.40, while the board is making dividend proposition of N3.00 to be approved by shareholders in the forthcoming annual general meeting later in the month.

A comparative analysis showed that the proposed N3.00 for the 2011 financial year was just 3 per cent of the market price N96.00 when the company ’s register closes.

Addressing journalists at the company’s PreAGM Media briefing in Lagos, the Managing Director, Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde, explained that the practice, though, contrasts with the old tradition where the brewery giant pays out 100 per cent of its earnings to shareholders, would translate to increased returns to all stakeholders as the returns of the expansions begin to trickle in.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012—23

EDITED by Adekunle Adekoya

Select ICT events z WAFICT 2012.

Holds May 8 – 10, 2012 at New Eko Expo Hall, Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. z Broadband Asia.

Holds 8th - 9th May 2012 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. z5th Annual Roam-

ing World Congress.

Holds 14 - 16 May 2012, in Madrid, Spain.

z Tetra World Congress 2012. Holds May 14 - 17, 2012 at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

,

zNorth Africa Com. Holds 15-16 May, 2012 in Tunis, Tunisia.

Preview

New inventions shaping life and living

Microsubs could clean oil spills

M

AGNETICALLYguided microsubmarines originally developed to deliver drugs in the body could now be used to clean up oil spills.

A team of researchers, led by Prof. Joseph Wang of the University of California- San Diego, found that applying a water-repellant coating to the outer surface of the subs allowed them to slip easily through the water while also absorbing oil droplets. Laboratory tests have been promising, although many more subs would be needed for real world efficiency.

I N S I D E

Broadband is key to rapid GDP growth — Johnson, Juwah at Accenture Forum

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

C

ONSIDERING that voice te lephony has just become a basic service in many countries of the world today, while data transmission defines for them the speed which businesses are conducted in the new world order, Accenture, gathered technology experts and other industry stakeholders last week, in Lagos, to brainstorm on possible ways of promoting and sustaining broadband availability in Nigeria.

Johnson, Juwah on broadband

Interestingly, Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson chaired the parley while the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr Eugene Juwah also made a powerful presentation on the way forward.

The event seemed to have revolved around these two, considering that the institutions they head are key to the success or otherwise of the country’s broadband penetration efforts. While the ministry is expected to formulate and implement right policies to ensure growth, NCC is expected to sustain growth through focused regulation.

In her opening address, Mrs Johnson noted that on weekly basis, every event that holds in Nigeria, must have one segment or the other, where broadband access is discussed.

For her, that is a strong point to begin to take the issue more seriously than before. This is more so, as

Between the National Bureau of Statistics and Scan-ICT Nigeria

zMinister of Communications Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson

,

DIARY

zExecutive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr Eugene Juwah

One of the most difficult challenges to wide scale broadband infrastructure deployment is the issue of right of way.

While this issue seems intractable, there are obvious solutions

she observed that some countries of the world have gone as far as defining access to broadband as a fundamental human right, just as access to water, electricity and healthcare.

Broadband for wealth

From every indication Johnson believes that for developing countries, declaring broadband a fundermental human right is the way to go. She said: “There are compelling

Does your business need a mobile app?

and empirical statistics that tell us that every 10 percent increase in access to broadband in developing countries, results in a commensurate 1.38 percent increase in GDP. Therefore any country seeking growth, job and wealth creation, must address their minds to how it can increase access to broadband.”

However, there seems to be a sore point in Nigeria’s position to all these advantages that broadband access can bring about. This also seems to

be giving the minister some sort of migraine.

Her voice while highlighting the point, betrayed an urgent willingness to turn things around before her country plays the cath_up, forever.

“Despite the fact that we have internet penetration of about 28 percent which translates to about 45 million internet users, only nine per cent which is about 14.5 million people of the population are actually internet subscribers and broadband penetration is at a mere six per-

ISPON seeks $100bn digital Marshall Plan for Africa

cent. Although access through mobile broadband increases tremendously, that statistics only tell us that most Nigerians still access through public venues like cyber cafes and computer labs.

This is not only for lack of broadband ubiquity but also the cost of access.

Today, we have one of the highest costs of access in the world at approximately N8,000 to N10.000 for 5Mbs of data. This is even when the average speed of access is still low and in fact lowest in Africa,” she lamented.

She however, highlighted on some policy directions and interventions her ministry was looking at, to turn the tide around.

These included declaring broadband as critical ICT infrastructure, as a cataContinues on Page 26

Negative effects of social media

24— VANGUARD,

WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

Does your business need a mobile app?

Between the National OME business can S benefit from a comBureau of Statistics petitive advantage with having a mobile app, eswhen capturing and Scan-ICT Nigeria pecially general consumers by

F

,

OR long, one of households with a TV — the problems that 89.5%; proportion of managers of the households with a VCR/ national economy, at DVD — 80.3%; proportion whatever level have had of households with interto grapple with is the net access — 10.7%; proavailability of reliable portion of households data for planning and oth- with telephone — 3.6%; er purposes. The Nation- and proportion of individal Bureau of Statistics uals who used a mobile (NBS), whose affairs are cellular telephone in the managed by a 15-mem- last 12 months — 94.7%.

From what we have ber board, with a statistician-general as the chief here, it could be seen that executive officer is the nearest agreement charged by government between the NBS and Scan-ICT data is on radio to fulfil this need.

Last month, the NBS re- (NBS, 82.9%, Scan-ICT, leased the 2011 Annual 86.8%). On TV, NBS claims less Socio-Ecothan half of It is unsanomic Report the popuon Access to voury and lation at ICT. The re44.7%, port is quite leaves a lot to h i l e interesting; it be desired if w Scan-ICT shows that the most widely data generat- o f f e r s 89.5%, in used devices ed on the the same are radios and m o b i l e same sector by c o u n t r y. u r t h e r, p h o n e s , two govern- FScan ICT “while internet usage and ment agencies says 14.8% is the proPC access reindicate so portion of mained conhouses i d e r a b l y much dispariholds with low.” ty a compuAccording to ter, 5.4% NBS, “82.9% of Nigerians had total ac- have printers, 3.9% are cess (those who owned with scanners, while and those who had access 10.7% is the proportion of only) to radio, and 63.9% households with internet had access to mobile access. However, NBS phones. While less than says more than 95 per half of the population cent of the population (44.7%) had access to TV, does not have access to more than 95% of the pop- either the PC or the interulation does not have ac- net!

On mobile telephony, cess to either the PC or the the disparity between internet.”

Scan-ICT is a global in- NBS indicators and that itiative launched by the of Scan-ICT is wide; NBS Economic Commission for claims 63.9% have “acAfrica (ECA) and the Gov- cess to mobile phones”, ernment of Finland to while Scan ICT says “promake available quality portion of individuals data on ICT activities in who used a mobile celluAfrica. At home here, lar telephone in the last Scan-ICT collaborates 12 months” is 94.7%. I with the National Infor- don’t know whether both mation Technology Devel- bodies factored converopment Agency (NITDA), gence in their surveys; the government body re- many users have devices sponsible for transforming through which they catch Nigeria into an IT driven the latest news on radio economy for global com- or listen to their favourite petitiveness. For last year, radio programmes, watch 2011, Scan-ICT gave the TV on the go, and surf the following indicators in re- internet, all with their spect of Nigerian house- handheld devices.

However, the issue at holds and ICT — Proportion of house- stake is that it is unsavoury holds with a computer — and leaves a lot to be de14.8%; proportion of sired if data generated on households with a print- the same sector by two er — 5.4%; proportion of government agencies inhouseholds with a radio dicate so much disparity.

— 86.8%; proportion of Who are we to believe? households with a scan- Clearly, we still have a ner — 3.9%; proportion of long way to go.

,

placing & effectively marketing their services; such as those SaaS companies do by adding real value accessing their services. However, the truth is not all businesses need their own app for their company. Some companies do not have a B2C model and require more tools catered to their needs. Many companies can take advantage of existing mobile apps to equip their employee base with tools to be more productive.

At the very minimum your website should be mobile optimized when someone accesses it from a smartphone or tablet. A mobile optimized website takes your existing website, however, presents it best for small screens.

Therefore many of the presentation factors are eliminated to accommodate for faster page load speeds over cellular networks; content information, navigation and buttons are made larger to

account for fingers and thumbs acting as the pointing device versus a mouse. Great examples include Yahoo, Travelocity, Facebook and Twitter mobile websites.

If you need to build your own mobile app…

Determine whether you need a mobile app for your business. One common pitfall is when creating an app that is only ‘brochureware’, basically placing static information in an app that can be found on your mobile website. The key is to determine whether you can engage with your audience with a mo-

bile app, such as accessing proprietary data like sales figures, inventory or products.

Determine whether your app is an internal only or mass consumer app Now that you have determined you have a need for a mobile app it is time to think heavily about budget, as mobile app development can be costly, especially if you are thinking about more than one platform; i.e. iOS (including iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch), Android, Blackberry, etc. I personally would recommend according to the majority

of your end client needs or start with the two most popular platforms; iOS and Android.

Find a professional mobile app developer/ company that can handle most of your initial and ongoing support & maintenance needs. One company we can recommend is MusicTapp, although currently geared at musicians, their mobile app platform allows for custom app creation on iOS and Android with a content management system business owners can use to control their own content.

Marketing your app is another ball of science we’ll discuss in another article, however, you should think heavily about differentiating and marketing your mobile app if it is geared toward mass consumers.

Once the app is built, tested and deployed… it does not stop there. Consider improving the app based on user feedback and continue to iterate on bug fixes and feature enhancements.

Track and measure productivity from the previous method into the new.

OAU students to represent Nigeria at Imagine Cup finals

BY EMEKA AGINAM

T

EAM Gravity from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife in the category of software design who designed a healthcare solution called SwiftER , an application aimed at improving the response of Medical, Security and other services to emergency situations will fly Nigerian flag in Sydney, Austrailia in July 2012 for this year Microsoft software competition.

However, 13 teams had competed during a challenging day of presentations which brought together students from universities across the country. Team Gravity is made up of Oludayo Alli and Timileyin Okoya, will go on to compete in the Imagine Cup Worldwide Finals Austrailia this summer.

“We are thrilled! To have won this year’s National competition – and to have the opportunity to represent our country at Worldwide Imagine Cup along some of the brightest young minds – is an honour,” Oludayo Alli said, adding that, “And we’re thappy for the the opportunity to compete with students from around the

A cross-section of participating students at the Imagine Cup Competition.

Team Gravity from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, will fly Nigeria's flag at the event in Australia in July. globe who, like us, are passionate about making a difference in the world.”

Inspired by real problems facing the country, each of the 13 competitors were honoured for their work to address some of Nigeria’s toughest challenges. While Team Infinitude designed “Reinvented” to address education issues, Team TechInnovations created “EyeOn” to

solve medical issues, etc.

“From a software solution designed to “reinvent” education, to an application aimed at improving the response of medical, security and other services to emergency situations, the imagination and creativity applied to some of the country’s toughest problems at this year’s competition was inspiring,” Oyeshina

Oyetosho, Developer and Platform Evangelism Lead, Microsoft Nigeria, said, adding that , “We’re proud to honour these young students who we believe truly exemplify the spirit of the Imagine Cup competition, and we’ll be cheering team Team Gravity on as they compete on the world stage in Sydney.”

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY,MAY 9, 2012—25

ISPON seeks $100bn digital Marshall Plan da. for Africa “Therefore, is also

BY EMEKA AGINAM

W

ITH its recent In ternational Arch of Europe award based on ISO QC100 standard, the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria, (ISPON) has called on the United Nation to as matter of urgency establish a $100 billion digital marshal plan fund’ (DMPF) for the current and emerging Africa digital disaster (ADD).

The President of ISPON, Chris Uwaje who made this declaration last Monday in Lagos while speaking to IT Journalists on its its recent international award noted that the fund if established would help Africa countries to bridge digital divide. Similarly, he said Nigeria can within the next three years earn about $10billion in foreign exchange annually from the software industry.

Meanwhile, the Arch of Europe Award was conferred on ISPON on merit, as the “Advocate and Champion of professional Software Entrepreneur and Industry in Nigeria, ECOWAS and Africa.”

By wining the award, Nigeria developed software is now at the International level having received the much awaited international recognition from the International Arch of Europe quality award. The award , ac-

AWARD: ISPON President, Chris Uwaje receiving Arch of Europe for quality and technology in Gold category award from the President of Business Initiatives Directions, Jose E in Germany. cording to him, was conferred and presented to the ISPON President, by Jose E. Prieto – President and CEO of Business Initiative Directions (B.I.D) Europe, after the recommendation of the BID election committee made up of participants from 90 Countries of the world. 72 countries received the BID award in various categories in Frankfurt, Germany late late last month.

In his response speech after receiving the Award in Frankfurt, the ISPON President, Chris Uwaje said: “All Dreams are possible and can be actualized, if we have the will! today, Nigeria developed Soft-

ware has demonstrated beyond all reasonable doubt, that it has all what it takes to engage global competitiveness in the Information Technology domain of the knowledge society.

Software regulation

While dedicating the award to the innovative African youths in the IT/ Software domain, ISPON President called on the Nigerian government to establish software regulation.

According to him, there was need to establish a national software development policy, master plan and awareness agen-

against the backdrop that building software capacities presents immense economic opportunities for nation building. Suffice to state that Nigeria can - within the next three years - earn about $10billion USD in foreign exchange annually from the software industry. “ IT-propelled Software is perhaps the most critical and success factor for 21st century global and national development otherwise known as the New (knowledge) economy.

And may remain – for a long time - the inevitable engine room for all future development” he said.

The Oracle of the Nigerian IT industry without mincing said that ISPON was deeply concerned that the critical and strategic importance of Software for national survivability in the 21st century, has not been fully understood by the Nigerian leadership “This situation must change, because neither the 20 -2020 vision nor the transformation agenda can be effectively delivered and sustained without the infusion and diffusion of Software capability and capacities” he added.

Unregulated software application He warned that in ad Continues on Page 30

M

ANY people are on one of the social networking sites and let's admit it, many of us are already addicted to it.

However, like every good thing, it has a flip side as well. Sites such as Facebook, My Space and Tumblr etc, can also have a negative effect. Here are some reasons why: Invasion of privacy We gladly put our photographs and information on our 'page'. However, we are little aware that we are often posting information that we would probably never have given away in real life, so, beware.

Lack of socialisation Let's face it, our online friends are really not the ones we call on when we are alone. Instead, the time spent on the internet takes away the time we could spend meeting 'real' people in a 'real environment'.

Health effects Researchers have found that there appears to be a positive correlation between hyper networking, which is more than three hours of internet time, and negative health behaviour such as

Negative effects of social media depression, drug abuse and isolation among teenagers.

Defamation There are times when companies face a scenario where disgruntled employees speak their mind, defaming the company's good name. Social networking sites have also been famous for defaming and negatively portraying brands, companies, celebrities, as well as members of the general public.

Accidental leakage of confidential information Many slips happen and in the case of social media marketing, confidential information can be released - and once it's out there, it cannot be retrieved. What's more,

since it reaches such a wide audience, the impact is a lot greater had the leak been in a more 'real' setting.

Identity theft Another area that has correspondingly increased with the increase of social networking sites is identity theft.

With personal information so easily available it can also be easily stolen.

Cases where information is taken from social networking sites are soaring.

Stalking and misbehaviour Availability of one's personal information so easily can also make one prey for possible stalkers, as many of us have seen. The misuse of photographs, personal information as well as 'tag-

ging' photographs with other identities, puts one in danger and can be a cause of discomfort.

There are many other instances where social networking has changed our behaviour but not in good ways. The language we use has become poorer with many grammatical mistakes; the use of social networking by employees while working has decreased their performance, individuals' reputations have also been harmed in many ways.

However, just as a coin has two faces, so does social media. The good and the bad go hand-inhand but more than anything else all you need to be is vigilant and create balance.

— By Kelly Marsh; culled from Bixcommunity.com

Arit makes Cisco ATP for identity services

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

P

REMIER professional services and network security solutions firm, Arit of Africa, has announced completion of Identity Services Engine, ISE, Authorized Technology Provider, ATP designation from Cisco Systems.

This core specialization recognizes Arit of Africa’s knowledge and expertise in designing, deploying, and supporting comprehensive Cisco ISE products and services. With this achievement, Arit of Africa becomes the first company to achieve Cisco ATP certification for ISE in English speaking West Africa With the Cisco ATP for Identity Services Engine designation, Arit of Africa is qualified to support the requirements that mid_sized to

enterprise_scale organizations have when deploying a wide_range of network security technologies and applications.

Earning this credential validates that Arit of Africa possesses the specialized architectural and engineering skills as well as the resources necessary to build comprehensive, next_generation identity and access control solutions that enable enterprises to enforce compliance while enhancing infrastructure security and streamlining service operations.

Cisco ISE is a policy component of Cisco TrustSec that integrates with Cisco Network Admission Control (NAC), and can be deployed as an appliance or virtual machine to enforce security policy on all devices that attempt to gain access to network infrastructure.

BuyRight Africa opens shop

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

A

new Technology conglomerate, Buyright Africa DotCom debuted the Nigerian ICT shores last Monday. The launch heralds the unveiling of the official website of its Technology Division.

Buyright Africa in partnership with a strong International Finance group is being launched to assist Africans realize their technology dream and enjoy the benefits of emerging technologies and build technology strength that would allow her citizens, governments and businesses compete favorably with other strong economies of the world.

It comes with a strong mandate to partner with international and local ICT companies to fund and deliver major ICT

projects in the public and private sectors.

According to the Managing Director of Buyright Africa, Mr. Mukoro Emomine, who is also Managing Director of Zinox Technologies Limited, “our company is here to resolve ICT solutions delivery issues. We are staking the reputation of the owners and our partners to make big ICT deals happen in this continent starting with Nigeria. Our checks confirm that the bane of technology development in Africa mostly in Nigeria is under funding and high interest rate. Most ICT companies who are issued LPOs are unable to deliver due to high interest charged by banks and finance companies.

Buyright is here to intervene for such companies."

Ministry signs deal with Nokia

BY EMEKA AGINAM

T

O stimulate growth of Information Communication Technology ICT sector in Nigeria. the Ministry of Communication Technology has signed a memorandum of understanding with Nokia.

At the signing ceremony in Abuja, Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson noted that government would continue to partner with the private sector and industry players to stimulate socio-economic development and bridge the digital divide in the country.

The MoU was one of several PPP initiatives being undertaken by the ministry to foster innovation and development of the ICT sector in Nigeria.

According to her, the

Nigerian government was very much aware of the potential ICTs can have on the development of the nation and is working to ensure that ICT is deployed as a tool to foster inclusive development and transform Nigeria into a digitalized economy.

She said that the Ministry is focused on creating incubation centers that will facilitate innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation in the country.

Earlier in his remarks. the Vice President for Nokia West Africa and Central Africa, Mr James Rutherfoord stressed that despite the advent of GSM technology in Nigeria, a sizeable proportion of the population were yet to be connected by mobile, a development which he said impedes economic growth.

C M Y K

26—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9,

2012

Broadband is key to rapid GDP growth Continues from 23 lyst for economic growth, as a means for inclusive social development and as a means to achieve effective government and governance.

According to her success in these declarations, would ensure achievement, in 5 years, of one national network capable of delivering broadband speeds of not less than 50 percent of average speeds available worldwide. It will also ensure increase in ICT contribution to GDP by at least 1.5 percent by 2015, ensure the use of broadband as a

driver of inclusive development especially in the health and education sectors and also ensure that government services are delivered through the internet, among others.

Facilitatiing broadband growth through regulation

However, when the NCC boss mounted the rostrum, he delivered his speech with confidence that indicates that all hope is not lost.

“Let me start by refreshing our memories when we say that we have con-

quered voice telephony.

Currently, more than 90 million active lines are available for the population compared to about 400,000 some ten years ago. This is why the growth of the last ten years has been variously described as a revolution.

By the International Telecommunications Union standards, this is a huge performance at 64.98 % teledensity compared to some 0.44% in 2001. This is why Nigeria is adjudged one of the fastest growing telecommunications nations of the world, and indeed, the fastest in Africa”.

Before participants

could adjust and digest these facts, Juwah has taken to global aspirations for broadband and concluded that much as Nigeria needed this upgrade so desperately, it was not alone in the aspirations.

“It is not only Nigeria, or the developing world that aspires to enjoy the broadband revolution.

President Barack Obama, on June 28, 2010, sent a memo to the Heads of the Executive Departments and Agencies in his administration titled: "Unleashing the Wireless Broadband Revolution."

One paragraph in that memo that has captured

the thoughts of some of us who are dedicated to pursuing the broadband revolution reads: “Expanded wireless broadband access will trigger the creation of innovative new businesses, provide cost-effective connections in rural areas, increase productivity, improve public safety, and allow for the development of mobile telemedicine, telework, distance learning, and other new applications that will transform Americans’ lives.”

The statement above represents the veritable offerings available in any country that has pervasive broadband availability”.

Economic impact

On the economic impact of broadband, Juwah made a quick calculation based on the World Bank position that in low and

Impact 2012: IBM bids to retool businesses with new solutions

BY EMEKA AGINAM, who in Las Vegas

L

AST week at the Las Vegas Venetian Hotel and Resort in the US, no fewer than 9,000 technology and business experts worldwide gathered at the 2012 IBM Annual Impact conference that featured especially, latest IBM capabilities and solutions that help drive innovation, transformation and grow businesses.

Innovation on parade

With innovation as the overall theme of the Impact 2012 conference, participants were able to get technical insight and hand on information on IBM innovative solutions announced at the capacity building event including WebSphere, Business Process Management, (BPM), SOA, expert integrated systems, mobile and cloud computing technologies, PureSytems and many more. John Russell of Cannon Software at the event said that IBM solutions have the technology capacity to retool businesses around the world.

“Iam happy to be here.

We have a lot of traffic in our stand here. It is worthwhile participating at Impact 2012 where innovations changed the game,” he said.

Also speaking, CEO of Sproxil, a US firm protecting brands globally, Dr Ashifi Gogo said the IBM impact conference was the good place to be for product showcase and offerings.

With the collaboration of IBM on software to fight counterfeit drugs, he disclosed that , Sproxil also

IBM IMPACT CONFERENCE: From left, Pierre Haren, IBM Vice President; Gagan Saxena, CIO, Apple Vacations; Steve Menke, CIO, BodyMedia and Dr. Ashifi Gogo, CEO, Sproxil at a panel session during the just concluded 2012 IBM impact conference, held in Las Vegas, United States. Photo: Emeka Aginam. uses IBM’s cloud service to provide clients with secure, reliable data access virtually anywhere.

In his assessment of the conference, the Vice President, Client Services of WebLayers while showcasing their solutions at the event told Vanguard Hitech that IBM solution offerings were already changing the game in the IT industry especially in the mobile and cloud based services.

“We are very delighted to be part of this important annual event. It has been exciting. We have been having visitors wanting to know about our products offerings.

IBM did a good job by staging this event whose content is relevant in the global IT scheme of things”he added.

Earlier, Senior Vice President of IBM Software Solutions Group, Mike Rhodin told the gathering IBM has stateof-art solutions that can help business around the world to grow for better.

“IBM has come to stay.

We have come a long way

in delivering business solutions in the 21t century knowledge society. We are here today to listen and engage. Mobile is an enterprise priority and IBM delivers comprehensive end-end mobile solutions to meet the needs of customers and business partners looking to build mobile applications, manage and secure their data, devices and applications while delivering their capabilities.

“What you will be seeing at this event is first hand what IBM offers the mobile enterprise and many other solutions including PureStems, Cloud Computing among others” he told the gathering."

PureSystems

One important new offering unveiled by IBM at the event was PureSystems, a solution designed to make it easier for business partners and clients to create "patterns of expertise.

The solution introduced in April, was the result of $2 billion in research, de-

velopment and acquisitions over four years, and has been designed to help change the economics of IT so that organizations can reduce their IT costs and complexity and put more resources towards innovation and growth.

“With almost two-thirds of global IT budget being spent on just maintaining their current infrastructure, it is imperative that companies find ways to reduce the complexity in their data centers," Wieck, General Manager, IBM Application and Integration Middleware. Said, adding that , "The introduction of patterns will revolutionize how applications are being developed and managed, simplifying tasks that organizations once spent months on and allowing them to refocus on innovation."

Mobile foundation

One of the major announcements at the event was Mobile Foundation, a comprehensive portfolio

of software and services designed to help organizations capitalize on the proliferation of mobile environments including laptops, smartphones and tablets.

The IBM Mobile Foundation, according to Marie Wieck, General Manager, IBM Application and Integration Middleware at the opening ceremony was targeting $22 billion market opportunity, expected to grow to $36 billion in 2015.

“Over this time, we have evolved our market-leading portfolio to meet our client’s needs to extend their reach through new channels like mobile and cloud computing. Our latest offerings are yet another step in this direction and will provide customers with everything they need to support mobile devices in their business and use them to transform the way they interact with customers, partners and employees.” she added.

Software to fight counterfeit drugs

Another exciting announcement at the impact conference was IBM technology to help the pharmaceutical industry fight drug counterfeiting and allow consumers to verify the authenticity of prescriptions in seconds with their mobile phones.

Sproxil Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ashifi Gogo, told newsmen at one of the panel sessions,that “Through our work with IBM, we can enable our clients to render charts with high-speed, even in low-bandwidth situations.

Through IBM’s cloud service, we are also able offer clients secure and reliable application availability no matter where they are located,” he said.

middle-income countries, every 10 per cent increase in broadband penetration accelerate economic growth by 1.38 percentage points.

“In an alternative perspective, doubling the broadband speed for the economy increases its GDP by 0.3 percentage points. The above percentage points may appear small but if you apply them to the Nigerian GDP at 40 trillion Naira you obtain an increase of more than half a trillion naira in the first instance and N120 billion in the second.”

Challenges

However, Juwah knew that all was not rosy and so highlighted some impediments that could slow the pace of progress.

“While the regulatory environment in the country has remained stable and attractive to the global investment community, there still remain a number of challenges.

One of the most difficult challenges to wide scale broadband infrastructure deployment is the issue of right of way. While this issue seems intractable, there are obvious solutions. State Government could move away from the current practice of imposing one off charge for right of way, based on distance to a new regime of periodic revenue streams from their right of way assets.

One way to realize these stream is to contribute the assets as participation in the project. Alternatively, State government may choose to barter their right of way assets for a specialized service from infrastructure operator. For example, access to right of way can be traded for a security surveillance network provided from the infrastructure. Another challenge comes from Government institutions themselves in form of multiple regulation and multiple taxation. A third challenge is vandalisation of infrastructure” he added..

At the end of the Accenture broadband forum, participants agreed that not only that the theme was apt but also the forum was necessary to wake Nigeria up to the need to join other countries of the world that hopes to use broadband access to accelerate economic growth.

Recently, the UK announced a 362m Pounds fund to improve broadband connections in 90 percent of hard-to-reach communities not catered for by the private sector.

Also, the US congress recently awarded $2-5b in Recovery Act funding to help bring broadband services through fibre to rural unserved and under-served communities.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012 — 27

Atletico, Bilbao go to war in Bucharest •Europa League final

A

tletico Madrid aim to rejoin the European football elite today by beating Athletic Bilbao in an all-Spanish Europa League final in Bucharest.

Atletico won the inaugural Europa League two years ago 2-1 against England's Fulham in Hamburg.

They followed up that triumph three months later by overcoming Champions League winners Inter Milan 20 in Monte Carlo for the European Super Cup. "We want to repeat what we achieved in 2010," said captain Antonio Lopez. "That was a C M Y K

wonderful achievement, now we want to do it again."

However, it will be a very different Atletico team today to the one that beat Fulham and Inter.

Only four players - Lopez himself, Alvaro Dominguez, Luis Perea and Paulo Assuncao - are still at the club, and none of these four are sure of their place in the starting lineup of coach Diego Simeone.

Lopez and Perea are about to leave the club. They were given an emotional send-off by the Estadio Calderon on Saturday before a 2-1 defeat

of Malaga which left Atletico in fifth place.

"On Wednesday we will be playing for our lives. It will be a great day. It is very difficult to reach a final ... I hope it will be the icing on the cake to my spell at the club," Perea said.

Lopez said: "I always said that I didn't want to leave this club without picking up a trophy, and fortunately I have been able to lift two (in 2010).

I hope we don't miss the chance to pick up a third one."

Neither team has any injury worries. While

Simeone was putting out his best 11 against Malaga, Bilbao coach Marcelo Bielsa was resting most of his first-teamers in Saturday's 0-0 draw with Getafe.

B

ilbao is the European team which has played most games this season, in reaching not only the Europa League final but also the Spanish cup final.

The wear and tear on Bielsa's young Basques has caused them to slip down to 10th in La Liga.

However, they will be fresh and keen on Wednesday,

determined to give the club a first continental trophy - and rub out the memory of a narrow defeat on away goals against Juventus in the 1977 Uefa Cup final.

Bilbao are a unique case in European football because they eschew foreign signings and field only players born or brought up in the Basque provinces.

"We are expectant, wanting the day of the final to arrive straight away," said Ander Iturraspe, one of Bilbao's many promising prospects.

"The fans are also expectant, as always, with a lot of hope.

We perceive this and it is very positive for us to know that we have that pressure to do our best."

Another of Bielsa's young midfield tigers, Oscar de Marcos, said: "In the past few days I have had a tension in my stomach when I think about the final. We have to keep this tension at bay. We are all waiting for the big day to arrive, we can hardly wait."

Iturraspe and De Marcos will line up in midfield alongside the elegant Ander Herrera and the lively Markel Susaeta, with enfant terrible Iker Muniain in attack alongside Spain striker Fernando Llorente.

Herrera, Muniain and Llorente are high on the shopping lists of many top clubs for this summer, alongside midfielder-cumdefender Javi Martinez, another Spanish international.

28 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

Simeone: A / Bilbao are a team with a lot of intensity T

he Colchoneros coach has warned his side not to underestimate the Basque outfit ahead of today's all-Spanish Europa League final in Bucharest Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone is eagerly anticipating the Europa League decider against Athletic Bilbao today.“The Argentine coach is full of respect for Athletic, and has stressed that the Vicente Calderon side have to be compact in order to be successful against Marcelo Bielsa's men.

"They're a team with a lot of intensity, a direct style of football, quick, brave, a team that isn't afraid to play their way, even in away matches," Simeone said to uefa.com. “"They've played like that throughout the whole season. And knowing the team and their coach, I know they will be the same in any game, whether it's a friendly or a final.

Falcao insists he will not leave Atletico Madrid

C

•Simeone

Juventus eye unbeaten season in Serie A •Buffon midable opponents, but they have had their struggles away from home, winning just four Serie A matches away from the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia in 2011-12.

To make matters worse for the Orobici, they lost the reverse fixture at home by a score of 2-0 on 21 January, 2012.

Unlikely goalscorers Stephan Lichtsteiner (54') and Emanuele Giaccherini (82') netted for Juve, while world-class goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon kept a clean-sheet for the would-be champions.

I

TALIAN giants Juventus claimed their first Serie A title since 2003 on Saturday.

However, the club’s Serie A campaign is still far from finished.

Juve will host Atalanta on the final day of the season, 13 May, with the Bianconeri one result away from an unbeaten, invincible season.

Now then, Atalanta are forC M Y K

Pochettino to remain with Espanyol

M

AURICIO Pochettino is set to continue as Espanyol boss next season despite recent reports to the contrary, according to AS. The Argentine has seen a steady decline in club finances since taking the reins at the Cornella El-Prat in January, 2009, with staff wages reduced from a total of

€35m to the current €25m on offer. However, the 40-yearold former Espanyol central defender is believed to be prepared to accept the present imbalance between sales and investments, having seen the likes of Victor Ruiz, Didac Vila and Dani Osvaldo transferred out of financial necessity in recent times.

helsea and Tottenham target Radamel Falcao will snub a move to the Premier League in the summer, even if his side miss out on Champions League football.

The Atletico Madrid striker has scored 23 goals in his debut La Liga season after joining from Porto in the summer, and has been heavily linked with a move to England.

His goals have also fired Atletico to the Europa League final in Bucharest today and a win over Athletic Bilbao will guarantee them a place in next

season's Champions League.

But defeat, and the fifthplace league finish they look like earning in their domestic league, will mean they miss out on Europe's top tournament.

However, that will not force the Colombian into making his second move in as many summers.

Falcao said: "I am looking forward to the Europa League final, if we win. If we do not make the Champions League it would be a shame, but it does not mean that I will go.

•Ibrahimovic

Ibrahimovic stunned by rare Milan failure A

C Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has spoken of his dis appointment after missing out on the feeling of winning a league title for the first time since 2003.

Juventus claimed the Serie A crown on Sunday as they beat Cagliari 2-0 and Milan crashed 4-2 to Inter in their city derby.

And not since failing to win the Eredivisie title with Ajax in 2003 has Ibrahimovic experienced a fruitless year.

“I’m not used to winning nothing - it’s the first time it’s happened to me,” he said, perhaps forgetting some of his earlier years in the game, when he won nothing with Swedish side Malmo. “I’m disappointed. It’s a failure.”

Technically, 2006 was the last time he failed to win the title as Juventus were stripped of their 2005 and 2006 scudetto crowns due to match-fixing. However, at the time, Ibrahimovic experienced the thrill of winning as those two titles were only revoked later on.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY9, 2012 — 29

Atletico Madrid’s Diego eager for Europa League final

•Diego

T

HE Brazilian is very much looking forward to today's encounter against Athletic Bilbao, which he sees as a big moment in his career Twenty-seven-year- old Atletico Madrid playmaker Diego is thoroughly looking forward to taking part in the Europa League final today, a game he calls "one of the biggest of [his] career".“The

attacking midfielder, capped 33 times by Brazil, has played an integral part in his side's brilliant 2011-2012 European campaign, which has seen Atleti beat the likes of Lazio and Valencia on their way to the final. He is now anticipating what could be his first ever continental silverware, having missed the 2008-09 Europa League final between Shakhtar

Montpellier reclaim Ligue 1 top spot M ONTPELLIER climbed back to the top of Ligue 1 with two games left when they won 2-0 at Stade Rennes to move three points clear of Paris Saint- Germain on Monday.

The leaders, who dropped two points after a 2-2 home draw with Evian last Tuesday, gave a solid performance to reclaim the place PSG briefly held after defeating Valenciennes 4-3 on Sunday.

"Paris had put us under the pressure when they won. I expected my boys to give their answer on the pitch and they did," Montpellier coach Rene Girard told a news conference.

"Since the season began, we are here, at the top, we've been there from the start."

Lille, who still have a slight chance of retaining their crown and travel to Montpellier next weekend, are five points behind the leaders after they thrashed Caen 3-0 at home thanks to two goals from Tulio de Melo.

Their fifth consecutive win helped the defending champions secured their Champions League qualifying spot for next season. The toptwo teams qualify for the Champions League group stage and the third move into the play-off round.

Montpellier looked nervous after they ended with nine men against Evian but they controlled the match at Rennes.

The hosts failed to score the opener when Jonathan Pitroipa's acrobatic volley hit the woodwork after 12 minutes.

Donetsk and ex-club Werder Bremen through suspension.

Speaking to Brazilian website Globoesporte, Diego said: "This will be one of the most important matches of my career. We are close to having reached our goal, which would be such an extraordinary achievement.

Being in the final means there is only one more step to go.

Football is all about results and silverware."“On loan to Atletico from the Germans, Diego recalls having to sit out of the final three years ago: "I had an opportunity with Werder, but I could not play after picking up three yellow cards. Now I have another chance and hopefully we make it this time."“The capital side claimed the first Europa League crown two seasons ago, defeating Fulham in the final on that occasion.

•Forlan

Forlan ‘rooting’ for Atletico Madrid T

HE Inter attacker departed the Calderon last summer but is still a keen follower of the Rojiblancos and is desperate for them to beat Athletic Bilbao in today ’s match Diego Forlan has revealed that he will be “rooting” for Atletico Madrid when his former side take to the pitch in today ’s Europa League final against Athletic Bilbao at the National Arena in

Bucharest.

The capital outfit convincingly defeated Valencia over two legs at the semi-final stage a fortnight ago to reach their second European final in three years and set up an all-Spanish clash with the Basques.

Forlan played a major role en route to Atleti’s success in 2010, as he scored twice against Fulham in the tournament decider to win his team the trophy, and he admits he is holding out for them to repeat their triumph.

Guardiola rejects Chelsea again Rummenigge ummenigge: Chelsea will T HE Daily Mirror reports that Pep Guardiola has rejected Chelsea for a second time, which is good news for Roberto Di Matteo.

It claims the Londoners are offering the outgoing Barcelona boss a salary of around €14m-a-year, dwarfing Jose Mourinho’s €10m-a-year Real Madrid earnings, with substantial funds available to raid his old club’s squad. But the 41-yearold is understood to remain firm in his conviction that he needs a break from football and is unlikely to be swayed in his decision.

However, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has made Guardiola his No 1 target and will not be put off despite Di

Matteo steering the Blues to FA Cup Final success and a date with Bayern Munich in the Champions League Final on May 19.

The Italian also has a chance of ending the Premier League season with a top-four finish, yet if Abramovich is unsuccessful in his pursuit of Guardiola then he is understood to be ready to stick with Di Matteo at least until the Spaniard declares himself available.

It is not the first time Chelsea have tried to secure Guardiola’s services after having a formal offer rejected in 2011, but they could face competition from Milan as the race hots up for one of world football’s greatest coaches.

struggle under new laws

•Rummenigge

K

•Guardiola

ARL-Heinz Rummenigge feels Chelsea could struggle to meet UEFA’s Financial Fair Play criteria.

The Bayern Munich CEO believes the Premier League side will not be able to break even, unlike Spanish powerhouses Barcelona and Real Madrid, despite club owner Roman Abramovich’s more cautious approach in recent years.

“It is no secret that 60 percent of professional European football clubs are in the red.

What I do know is that Chelsea would not meet the criteria of Financial Fair Play today,” Rummenigge told Abendzeitung.

C M Y K

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY,MAY 9,

2012 —30

Glo unites W-Africa operations with UNIWORLD card

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

ECA, stakeholders laud NITDA on ICT strides

BY EMMA ELEBEKE THE Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and stakeholders in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) have commended the National Information Technology Agency (NITDA) on its strides in ICT development.

The commendation was contained in a communiqué issued after a workshop on National Validation Workshop on SCANICT in Abuja last week.

The SCAN-ICT Nigeria project is aimed at measuring the impact of ICT on socio economic development in the country. ECA and other Stakeholders were impressed by the activities undertaken by NITDA in the implementation of Nigeria ScanICT programme noting that the country in one single survey had embraced a large spectrum of core ICT indicators namely: Agriculture, Education, Government, Health, Household and Business.

The communiqué also said the ICT4D plan is the roadmap for IT development in Nigeria and its adoption of the ICT4D initiative as a major component of its Vision 20:2020 Agenda.

According to the stakeholders the joint partnership between NITDA and

BEACON OF ICT AWARDS: Andy Nwani, Dataflex Managing Director receiving Dataflex Award; ‘Technology Innovative Company Of The Year’ from Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, Chairman Open Media Group at EKO Hotel & Suites, venue of the Beacon Of ICT Awards organized by the Nigeria Communications Weekly.

UNECA in formulating national e-strategies (NICI) is taking Nigeria into the knowledge economy noting that Nigeria is the first country to carry out Scan ICT under the third phase of the projects.

Though Nigeria joined the SCAN ICT initiative just a year ago it had made tremendous impact through the integration of ICT statistics in her national statistical system the communiqué noted adding that much progress is being made in Africa countries most importantly in Nigeria in the

implementation of ICT4D programmes.

Nigeria through NITDA is committed to the promotion of the information society by embarking on the measurement of ICT4D, thus the implementation of the ScanICT project, the statement said. It added that Africa needs a common vision in its bid to bridge the digital divide.

It recommended that Nigeria through NITDA should put in place arrangements for ensuring the sustainability of the SCAN-ICT process and

collect ICT statistics on regular basis for progress monitoring.

ICT penetration and use in the various governmental levels be continually pursued and strengthened towards her socio-economic development and that NITDA, ECA and other major stakeholders in ICT sector in Nigeria should continually partner in allocating more resources for the continuous measurement of detailed and comprehensive country wide survey of the impact of ICT in Nigeria.

ISPON seeks $100 bn digital Marshall Plan for Africa Continues from Page 25 dressing the challenges and impact of ICT based software, there was need to recognize and emphasize that there is an acute danger in blindly allowing the unregulated and wholesale deployment of foreign application software in key, critical and sensitive areas of the national economy especially in Federal Government functions/operations domain to foreigners.

“This release aims to examine the challenges, certification and quality issues in the IT Software Sector with a focus on the fundamental need to foster and promote the establishment of a National Software Development Policy” he said.

The need to establish a national software development policy, master plan and awareness agenda therefore, is also against the backdrop that building software capacities presents immense economic opportunities for nation building. Suffice to state that Nigeria can - within the next three

years - earn about $10billion USD in foreign exchange annually from the software industry. IT-propelled Software is perhaps the most critical and success factor for 21st century global and national development – otherwise known as the New (knowledge) economy.

And may remain – for a long time - the inevitable engine room for all future development.

Software factory According to Uwaje, Nigeria can in collaboration with her Science and Technology Diaspora knowledge base build large software development entities and factories and consequently reduce the nation’s unemployment index by creating abundant employment of about 10 millions Nigeria youths – who currently harbor uncountable Software factories in their heads waiting to explode and be converted into national wealth – but currently wasting away and forced to sell nothing but

pure water!.

“Nigerian indigenous software urgently needs a Constructive Intervention Bailout (CIB) before it is too late. A simple National Software Development policy and conscious IT legislation (Acts of the National Assembly) can turn the Nation’s Software fortune around.

“The time to act is now.

Our universities need software strategic plans and a robust Campus Intranet Infrastructure Backbone to engage in the knowledge Olympiad.

However, before we forget. New knowledge must precede new technological products and the supercomputer of today will become the everyday nano-computer of tomorrow”, he explained.

According to him, there was need t establish a national software development policy, master plan and awareness agenda. He said that it was against the backdrop that building software capacities presents immense economic opportunities for nation building.

Intel raises dividend by 7%

I

NTEL Corp. is raising its quarterly dividend by 7 percent to 22.5 cents.

The Santa Clara, Calif., company says the higher dividend will be paid for the third quarter, but did not specify when the dividend will be paid. It's the third time the world's largest chipmaker has increased its dividend in the last 18 months.

Intel is dominant in the market for PC processors, supplying the main computing chip for four out of five PCs sold in the world. But it's facing a new challenge from cheap phone-style chips.

The company said last month that its first-quarter net income fell 13 percent on higher research and marketing costs. Revenue was flat from a year earlier.

S

ECOND National op erator, Globacom has introduced a new roaming package which tends to further unify three African countries, Nigeria, Gnana and Benin Republic. The service offers a uniform local tariff and allows the use of local Glo recharge cards in any of these three countries.

It could be recalled that Globacom is already playing heavily in the telecommunictions market of these three countries.

Tagged UniWorld, the service offering enables both prepaid and postpaid subscribers in Nigeria, Benin Republic and Ghana to enjoy seamless unbroken communication at uniform affordable rates in the different countries.

Unveiling the new roaming service in Lagos, at the weekend, Globacom’s Executive Director, Adewale Sangowanwa, said that UniWorld unifies the 3 Glo network countries by creating a Virtual Home Environment which allows seamless communications at transparent affordable rates across the borders.

Postpaid and Prepaid Subscribers can now re-

charge with local Glo recharge cards in Nigeria, Ghana or Benin while roaming and enjoy all roaming services at very affordable rates. According to him, subscribers who roam across the three countries will be charged the same uniform localized rate irrespective of where they are calling from. Customer ’s bills will be rated in Naira, Cedi or CFA depending on subscriber’s Glo home country.

He said: “With UniWorld, Glo subscribers in our 3 operating countries will enjoy a uniform local tariff across Nigeria, Ghana and Benin denominated in the currency of your home network. For instance, if a Glo Benin Republic subscriber comes to Nigeria, he will pay the same unified uniform local rates as when he is roaming on Glo Benin and vice versa,” Besides the local tariffs for roaming, Glo has also made recharging much easier as all its subscribers roaming in any of the Glo networks can enjoy the flexibility of recharging with local Glo recharge cards in his visited destination.

Okere gets Tech Africa's Personality of the Year award

BY EMEKA AGINAM

C

HIEF Executive Officer of Computer Warehouse Group, Mr Austin Okere has won Technology Africa Personality of the year 2012 award. The award was confered to him last week in Lagos by the Technology Africa, organisers of Titans of Tech Awards.

The annual award recognizes those who are making true difference by their contributions either directly or indirectly in increasing African contents in ICT products and services in the emerging market.

Austin Okere is the Managing Director/CEO of Computer Warehouse Group Limited, one of the fastest growing ICT companies in Africa. He graduated from the University of Lagos in 1986 with B.Sc. (second upper division) in Computer Sciences, and also an Executive MBA from the International Graduate School of Management (IESE), Spain, after a preparatory period at the Lagos Business School, 1998.

He founded Computer Warehouse Group Limited in September, 1992.

He has had 23 years industry experience, cover-

ing roles in Systems Analysis, Sales & Marketing, and Corporate Management, with 20 years as Founder and CEO of the Computer Warehouse Group Limited. He was in 2010 named the "Most Outstanding ICT Personality of the Decade" by ICT Watch Africa. He had earlier in 2003 received the "IT Personality of the Year" Award by the Nigerian IT & Telecom Awards (NITTA), among many others.

His company, Computer Warehouse Group has grown over the years from just a computer hardware supply company to an integrated ICT Group consisting of three companies, Computer Warehouse Ltd, providing hardware and infrastructure solutions; DCC Networks Systems, providing communications and networking solutions, and ExpertEdge Software systems applications and deployment. From an initial turnover of N1.3 million, it now has a turnover of about N16 billion and staff strength of about 550.

Mr Okere is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors of Nigeria and has served in many other professional bodies including Frontier 100.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9,

NSE listing: Obstacles ICT firms must overcome, by Johnson

BY EMEKA AGINAM EVEN with N70 bil lion budget appropriation for ICT in the current financial year, the Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson has said that Nigerian ICT companies will be more attractive for listing in the Nigerian Stock Exchange, (NSE) unless certain bottlenecks including double taxation, right of way, site approval for base stations, among others were resolved with immediate effect.

The Minister who spoke recently at the quarterly Chief Executive Officer's dinner at the NSE held recently in Lagos told the gathering that the Ministry was committed to making the Nigerian ICT firms more attractive for listing in the NSE through creation of enabling environment.

The overaching objective of the Ministry, she said was to increase the contribution of the ICT industry to GDP by 1 – 2 % by 2015, adding that there was need to stimulate demand of hardware, software and services through government procurement.

Short termapproach: As part of short term goals, the Minister said that removing bottlenecks in the development of ICT infrastructure is a major condition for ICT firm to be listed in the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

According to her, Government approvals (right of way, site approval for base stations, illegal taxes and levies, new spectrum allocations and more efficient use finite spectrum resources and critical national infrastructure bill specific to ICT must be given priority attention as way forward. Looking at short to medium term approach, the Minister said that the Ministry was actively working to reduce the price of devices and make more affordabe to drive demand for both software and services, adding that the Ministry was working to making duty and other waivers to curb illegal smuggling Long term low interest rates for device assemblers and lower interest consumer finance for ICT devices , she noted were among short to medium term approach. Also, as part of short to medium term approach, she disclosed that the Ministry would focus on skills and capacity

Mrs Omobola Johnson, Minister of Communications Technology building to increase skills and capabilities of players within the industry. At present, according to Johnson, promising indigenous technology companies may be more suitable for the NSE’s secondary market, adding that this requires taking a longer term view for listing on the main board possibly 2015 – 2017.

Indian example: Government and capital market authorities in other countries, she said have provided incentives to encourage companies to offer their shares to the public, adding that as a developing country with an increasingly relevant and global ICT footprint, India is an insightful example.

Listing conditions: For companies in the Nigerian ICT space who do qualify for listing (i.e. Telecoms), she said that the growth in listings by ICT companies can be driven by a twopronged approach including issues around control, disclosure, costs and market depth were given as key reasons for continued reluctance to list.

Incentives: These reasons, according to her can be addressed by an incentive programme that would encourage standardization and relaxation of regulatory requirements, adoption of international disclosure standards, flexible accounting standard requirements, fiscal Incentives among others.

Johnson also said that fiscal incentives such as offer of tax rebates and credits to listed firm will aid listing on the Exchange and structural Reform will be

enabled by policies and programs that increase market depth thereby strengthening its viability.

Legislative requirements In addition to legislative requirements that will support legislation which compels foreign companies which meet specified requirements to list on the national exchange.

She added that under the incentive program, key considerations should include Incentives to be made available to both foreign and local players across the industry to encourage specialisation and depth. She added that encouragement of investment by foreign players cannot be at expense of the growth of indigenous players.

Under the legislative considerations, Johnson stressed that specific focus on telecoms may incite feelings of being unfairly targeted, without the necessary incentives.

She added that there should be maintenance of a conducive business environment for telecomm companies to thrive.

“Given the current situation and the sector’s increasing appetite for local debt, bond listings could serve as an alternative source of capital for the more established medium to large telecoms players” she said, adding that the this option, while contributing to broadening and deepening the market, would not afford the Nigerian public the opportunity to gain part ownership of these successful companies.

2012—31

32—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012—33

Stories by ROSEMARY ONUOHA

T

HE Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria has said that State governments should key into the Contributory Pension Scheme being regulated by the National Pension Commission to avail its workers of a better life after retirement.

President of the CIIN, Mr. Wole Adetimehin, who said this in Lagos, noted that the situation whereby states have refused to key into the contributory pension scheme is posing a future disaster for retirees.

Adetimehin said “Look at the Pension Reform Act of 2004, apart from the federal level or Lagos state; I cannot point at any other state government that is complying with that Act.” Adetimehin said that some states started it at first but stopped abruptly and have refused to remit moey that they withdraw from workers salary to the Pension Fund Administrators.

Adetimehin said “Ogun State started the contributory pension scheme for its workers initially but allowed it to go moribund after some time. Worst is that they deducted peoples money but they didn’t remit any money to the PFAs. This is one of those things pending in the court.”

Corroborating Adetimehin standpoint is the Chairman, Pensions Operator ’ Association of Nigeria, Mr. Dave Uduanu who said that States and Local Governments in the country are the biggest albatross of the Contributory Pension Scheme powered by the Pension Reform Act 2004.

CIIN tasks states on contributory pension scheme Dave said that of the 36 states in the country, only about 10 are partially complying with the pension scheme even when they regularly deduct monies from workers salaries at source.

According to Uduanu, a greater percentage of the States that have passed the enabling Pension Bill are not funding their employees’ accounts while some that commenced funding stopped several months ago.

He said “The states are

major beneficiaries of the pension scheme. Pension fund investments in state bonds grew significantly by 106 per cent from N34 billion in 2009 to N70 billion in 2010 and currently stands at over N100 billion. With the pension bill for some States serving as a platform to source for pension fund investments in proposed State Bonds, there is the need for these States to buy into the scheme fully by funding the accounts of their employees in order to sustain

the scheme” Uduanu lamented that it is alarming that the acceptance and participation level in the scheme by the respective States and Local Governments is not satisfactory, adding “Of the 36 States in the country, not more than 10 States (22%) can effectively be considered as near full-compliant. I believe that the time is now right to make the scheme compulsory at both states and Local Government levels.”

From left: Managing Director, BD Consult, Mr. Tola Bademosi; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dufil/Prima Foods, Mr. Deepak Singhal;Public Relations Manager, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju and General Manager, Pasta Division, Pure Flour Mills Limited, Mr. Karan Checker at the media launch of Power Pasta Spaghetti, in Lagos.

NCRIB gives reason for issuing operational licence T

HE Nigerian Council of registered Insurance Brokers, NCRIB, has said that an insurance broker seeking operational licence to establish a broking firm in the insurance sector must have ACII qualification as well as five years operational experience.

The NCRIB made the assertion in response to an investor, Mr. Koya OlateruOlagbegi, who claimed that NCRIB has refused to give him operational licence to operate in the Nigerian insurance market.

Head of Corporate Affairs of the NCRIB Mr. Tope Adaramola told Vanguard that the NCRIB will not deliberately deprive any investor of doing genuine business in the sector.

Olateru-Olagbegi has alleged that he has been outside the country for quite some time but came back to start a broking firm, however, some bureaucratic bottlenecks in the NCRIB has made that impossible.

However, the NCRIB has

C M Y K

said that it is not deliberating refusing to issue operational license to Olateru-Olagbegi rather they are waiting for the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, CIIN, to certify if he has the right qualification.

According to Adaramola, the NCRIB will give OlateruOlagbegi operational licence to operate if the CIIN attest that the document submitted by him is equivalent to ACII and that he is fit and proper mentally, morally as well as ethically to operate in the Nigerian market.

Adaramola however revealed that the CIIN has considered the documents of Olateru-Olagbegi but made a non-committal statement regarding his documents, hence operational licence cannot be issued to him on such obscure basis.

Adaramola therefore called on the CIIN to come up with specific pronouncement on the qualification or otherwise of Olateru-Olagbegi.

Meanwhile, OlateruOlagbegi has appealed to the National Insurance

Commission, NAICOM, to avail foreign investors more opportunity to come into the Nigerian broking market.

Olateru-Olagbegi said that he has been practicing as an insurance broker in Atlanta, Georgia for over 20 years even as he is the first Nigerian that started insurance brokerage there.

He said that allowing genuine investors who have practiced abroad for a long time to come and do business in the country will help in building the economy of the country.

While revealing his ordeal in the process of trying to establish a broking firm in the country, Olateru-Olagbegi said “I have a plan to start an insurance broking firm in the last ten years, but the Nigerian insurance brokerage system has not been favourable to Americans. For one reason or the other they don’t want us to come in. And the reason according to them is that they don’t know how to evaluate American education compared to London and India which

they are familiar with.”

Olateru-Olagbegi alleged that the NCRIB has been sitting on his folder for the past ten years and even when the matter was taken to NAICOM, he was referred back to NCRIB. Olateru-Olagbegi who said that he is trying to come into the Nigerian insurance sector to share knowledge with Nigerians said “I have been to NCRIB so many times and they have held my file for a long time. I have been to their seminars, workshops and even attended everything they have done. But for one reason or the other, they said that it is the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, CIIN that will certify if I am qualified.”

He said that he has provided all necessary information to check if he is really qualified but for one reason or the other the NCRIB choose to do things the way they are doing. Having waited so long, OlateruOlagbegi said that his next line of action is to buy into an existing broking firm.

BRIEF

‘Insurance sector not ready for celebrity insurance’

C

ELEBRITY insurance has not taken off in the Nigerian insurance market because the entertainment sector is still developing in the country.

Managing Director of FBN Life Assurance, Mr. Val Ojumah, who made the assertion, noted that such a policy is yet to be designed by insurers because there are still very few people in the whole of the entertainment sector compared to a larger population of the country.

Ojumah said “If you look at the number of people that you can call celebrities, they are still very few in number and insurance works by large numbers where funds can be pooled.”

He said his company might consider such business in the future adding “We at FBN Life are not there yet. We will consider it in the future but at the moment not yet. We shouldn’t be spending our resources on a few people when there are many more people.”

According to Ojumah “One of our calling in coming into this business is to increase penetration. You cannot increase penetration by talking about celebrities because they are such a few when you compare that to the larger population. So, yes we will get there in the future but at the moment the answer is no.”

Insurance operators choose not to report unethical practices – NIA

I

NDISCIPLINE and unethical practices have been thriving in the insurance sector because the operators choose not to report offenders to the appropriate bodies.

Chairman of Nigerian Insurers Association, NIA, Mr. Olusola Ladipo-Ajayi, who said this in Lagos recently noted that operators will choose to complain rather than report defaulters of laid down rules and regulations in the insurance sector.

Ladipo-Ajayi said “The most difficult thing in this industry is that we know ourselves too much.

Everybody complains but nobody is reporting.”

The NIA Chairman said that such attitude is not helping because it is difficult for the NIA to monitor everybody. He said “We are not policemen in NIA secretariat, we are ordinary administrators and insurance people.

34 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2012—35

Time to stop judging Azazi through distorted prisms L

OOKING through Nigerian newspapers over the past few days, it is apparent that the National Security Adviser, Gen. Andrew Azazi (rtd) stirred an infinite spectrum of reactions with a single observation he made during the second South-South Economic Summit in Asaba, Delta State, on Friday, April 27, 2012.

According to the intelligence chief, elements within the PDP helped create the precipitating environment that has facilitated the bloodletting activities of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

Various newspapers quoted General Azazi as saying: “The issue of violence did not increase in Nigeria until when there was a declaration by the current President that he was going to contest.

PDP got it wrong from the beginning. The party started by saying Mr. A can rule, and Mr. B cannot rule, according to PDP conventions, rules and regulations and not according to the Constitution.

That created the climate for what is happening. Is it possible that somebody was thinking that only Mr. A could win, and if he did not win, he could cause a problem in the society?”

Deliberate distortion of facts The ensuing reaction is more of logical confusion, displayed with a complex portrayal of varying degrees of perception, bias and even, deliberate distortion of facts.

Indeed, those in government as well as the opposition: those in support and those who are antiAzazi have all found something to lay hands on in projecting disparate views, at times to equally incongruent audiences. Aristotle (384 BC-322 BC), a towering figure in ancient Greek philosophy, student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great bequeathed the study of logic to human civilisation. Essentially, Logic is the philosophical study of valid reasoning; it examines general forms which arguments may take - which forms are valid, and which are fallacies.

In the litany of reactions that greeted General Azazi’s statement on the culpability of PDP elements in the on-going campaign of violence, efforts have been made to bend logic. In some cases, the bitter nature of truth has led to its firm rejection even by the people who need to appreciate it the most.

These developments notwithC M Y K

standing, some have counselled about the need to look critically at the import of the message, even without giving much credit to the messenger whose penetrating perceptions has caused unease in certain quarters.

For instance, the Arewa Youth

•Map of Nigeria

nation to support him in doing whatever it takes to bring those involved to book,” the youth leader stated, adding that Azazi’s responsibility is not to wage war but to advise.

Commenting on the issue, Christian Association of Nigeria’s Assistant SecretaryGeneral in the 19 •National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoeye Northern States Azazi and Abuja, Rev. Consultative Forum, AYCF, as- Cornelius Fawenu, urged Presiserts that Nigerians must look dent Goodluck Jonathan to disbeyond politics in tackling the miss calls for the removal of the allegations of the National Secu- National Security Adviser, Gen. rity Adviser, NSA, Gen. Andrew Andrew Azazi (retd), over his Owoye Azazi, against the Peo- comment on Boko Haram at the ples Democratic Party, PDP, over Second South-South Economic the state of insecurity in the coun- Summit. try. While addressing reporters in According to Fawenu, Azazi Lagos, AYCF President, Alhaji should rather be commended for Yerima Shettima said that rather being forthright and sincere in his than raising eyebrows over the opinion. comments, security agencies should try and look at the funda- Proper mental issues raised by Azazi. diagnosis Shettima argued: “Azazi’s office is not political. He owes a duty to He noted: “The cure to any ailNigeria. The security issue makes ment starts with proper diagnothe survival of the nation more sis and doctors need not to be important than a political party. afraid of telling their patients the Nigerians are all aware of com- causes of their problems. Azazi ments made during elections by should therefore be commended some politicians who felt that be- and not condemned for his forthcause they lost their chances for rightness. It is the lack of Azazi’s the presidency, they would make kind of forthrightness, to call a the nation ungovernable. We can- spade a spade, that continues to not continue to run the nation like allow impunity to thrive in the a banana republic. In other climes, nation. All honest Nigerians people who make such inflamma- should appeal to Jonathan to retory political comments would be sist any attempt to remove Azazi first to be picked for investigations on the account of his courage to and questioning.” speak the truth.”

Yerima said that rather than casAt the other end of the spectrum tigate Azazi, security agencies is the uninhibited and decidedly should go back to the drawing antagonistic position of those callboard and take a new look on ing for General Azazi’s head. where and when it all began with Those in this group include a a view to tackling the root cause former governor of Kaduna State, of the problem, adding: “Azazi Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe was appointed by a PDP led gov- Musa; the Congress for Progresernment. For him to boldly make sive Change and the Campaign such allegations knowing the im- for Democracy. They even want plications is enough reason for the the NSA to resign because of his

criticisms against PDP, Nigeria’s ruling party. Expectedly, nobody appears to be more livid than the PDP, given the statement ascribed to its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh.

Former chairman of the Ijaw National Congress, Mr. Denzil Kentebe, on Sunday said that those calling for the resignation of the National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoye Azazi, were pursuing selfish and ethnic agenda. According to Kentebe, the former Chief of Defence Staff’s statement was a confirmation of President Goodluck Jonathan’s observation that members of Boko Haram were in his

,

By BABS IYIOLA

month, a major stakeholder, former President Ibrahim Babangida rated PDP undemocratic after its national convention that produced national officers.

Although the party is only toeing the same path it has followed since inception, there are indications that a continuation of certain patterns of behaviour may not help the nation’s increasing political temperature. Socrates, the great Greek thinker once cautioned that an unexamined life may not be worth living but there are politicians who would rather preserve fiefdoms and bury their heads in the sand in ostrich fashion without seeing the import of examining issues from another perspective.

Epistemology, the branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge, in particular its foundations, scope, and validity seeks to make us understand why several persons may see the same object differently and interpret it from very dissimilar perspectives.

As illustrated by the story of five blind men who gave truthful but different description of the elephant as understood through their sense of touch, a man should not deserve to be crucified by others who think that they do not share his opinion.

Nonetheless, there is hope that some people are still working towards resolving the country’s current ugly security situation. At the South-South Economic Summit, the NSA explained the multidimensional challenges in-

What then has the general said that has made the demand for his resignation a common talk?

government.

He argued: “What then has the general said that has made the demand for his resignation a common talk? The President himself said early in the year that there are members of Boko Haram in his government. Are members of his government not also PDP members?”

He said nobody would deny the fact that the sophistication, boldness and level of violent attacks in the country had increased since Jonathan became the President. He further described Azazi as a professional, noting that his job was to advise the President on security issues concerning Nigerians and not to be a partisan PDP member or make pronouncements to satisfy party members.

Nevertheless, the question needs to be asked: was Azazi wrong in saying PDP placed its conventions above the Constitution? To millions of ordinary citizens, he appears to be clear and unambiguous about the undemocratic practices of PDP and the resulting consequences. Just last

,

volved in tackling Boko Haram.

He had said: “The situations that created the problems are not just about the religion, poverty or the desire to rule Nigeria. I think it is a combination of everything; except you address all those things comprehensively, it would not work. It is not enough for us to have a problem in 2009 and you send soldiers to stop the situation, driving all those involved underground. You must look at what structures you need to put in place to address the problem holistically.”

In spite of all the ugly incidents across the country, there is still cause for hope that the strong, resilient spirit of Nigeria will overcome its current challenges.

Azazi has only tried to open up where others in such a comfort zone would rather keep quiet.

Demonising him would not solve the problem and that is why those concerned should ignore the messenger and examone the veracity or otherwise of his message.

That may just be the fisrt step to the path of sanity!

•Iyiola writes from Lagos

36 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY,

MAY 9, 2012

I was under a spell, says man who allegedly axed wife •Court will decide — Police

By ALBERT AKPOR

O

RDINARILY, his frail look will readily counter the offense for which he is being held. But he is stronger and even much younger in speech, albeit his age. Pa Mathew Agbe is 69 and a security guard with the National Museum Benin city, the Edo state capital. Sadly, he may be confined in prison custody for the remaining part of his life, for a first degree murder except the court says otherwise.

Pa Mathew is being held by homicide detectives at the Edo state Police command for allegedly axing his wife of 42 years to death. Although the Edo state born fa-

That I had to conceive a murderous idea at this age when I needed her companion most is something I can not really say

,

ther of one said he could not actually say what came over him that ill-fated day, leading to grabbing an ax which he ended up using on his loving wife, Alice.

But he was able to trace the beginning of the strained relationship between him and Alice, a woman he married in 1970, to the period he was bestowed with the title of Odionwere which in Bini language means, head of his community in security matters. He said his late wife had mistaken the title for one that should be accompanied by cash reward and therefore, made ceaseless demands for money.

“Each time she requested for money and I said I do not have, she would mock me saying I am only Odionwere for nothing, she would say, ‘ Mr. Odionwere who has no money to feed his wife’.

That derogatory manner of calling him Odionwere, Pa Mathew continued , was the beginning of the trouble between him and his wife which eventually led to her death. He was quick to point out that Odionwere as a title may be a mixture of fame and diabolism, insinuating that it could have been mischievously bestowed on him by members of his community in order to undo him.

“Like I told you, I loved my wife so much even though she has only a daughter for me. That child has made us grandparents today. That I had to conceive a murderous idea at this age when I needed her companion most is something I can not really say. We met and got married in 1970 and have lived happily together. We used to have minor misunderstanding but it does not last because of the love we had for each other. The recent deep-rooted hatred and animosity that finally culminated into murdering my wife of 42 years C M Y K

started with the title ‘Odionwere’. I think the title came with evil.” he lamented Continuing, Pa Mathew said, “As a security guard with the National Museum and monuments Benin city, I was contented with the little I get and my loving wife never complained. But from the very day I was bestowed with the title, everything we cherished together fizzled out. My wife no longer respected me; she was always asking for money and each time I said I had none she would make mockery of me and call me names. Go to Okonokpa street Benin where I live and inquire about me, you will hear what people will say. I am not a trouble maker, I am always contented with whatever I have and

,

above all, I had a wife who understood me until recently.

But it got to a stage when I could no longer bear the insult from her. So that day, after she asked for money and I said

I didn’t have, she mocked me as usual. I waited patiently for nightfall when she would have gone to bed. When she was asleep, I went and grabbed her by the neck and pulled her to the ground. While she was struggling to free herself, I reached for the ax nearby and hit her several times on her head and neck. She became motionless with blood gushing out from her mouth, neck and eyes. At that point, I became afraid and quickly I threw away the ax and bent over her begging for forgiveness. But by then , she was dead. It was at that point that I realized I had killed my wife; the only person I cherished in life! Confused, I called out to neighbors that I had killed my wife. That was how the police came into it. I did not mean to kill her, I still believe it was not ordinary and that the Odionwele title came with a spell. I regret my action.”

No matter how pathetic Pa Mathew’s tale might sound, the police, through its public relations officer, ASP Etim Bassey said the law would have to take it’s course. “It is possible that the man was actually under a spell like he claimed but it is not our duty to decide. Only a court of competent jurisdiction can decide to set him free or otherwise,”he stated.

•ALICE -The victim

How I escaped assassin’s bullets in Gbo

BY PETER DURU, Makurdi

T

HE General Secretary of the NKST Synod, Rev. Peter Azuana was yesterday rescued from the jaws of death by officers of the Benue State Police Command after he was attacked by a four-man armed gang at Gboko, Benue State.

Narrating his ordeal to Crime Alert,

Pastor Azuana said he was coming from Abuja with his driver and the Education Secretary of the church, Rev. Samuel Vershima Ker after completing an official assignment. He said they got to Gboko at about 12:30am after having dropped off the Education Secretary. The driver, he continued, drove straight to his house at Mkar and while praying before disembarking from the Toyota Hilux car, he heard his driver scream. “ When I

looked up, I saw some young men pointing a gun at my face threatening to shoot. But miraculously, we escaped by running into the Mkar hills while they disappeared with my official vehicle.

“As we

•The bullet ridden patrol vehicle

•Rev .Peter Azuana

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012—37

69-yr -old fe to death

‘Man of God’ hangs self after inviting deity

By CHINENYE OZOR

A

SELF acclaimed ‘man of God’ in the University town of Nsukka, Enugu State has reportedly committed suicide by hanging himself under a ceiling fan few weeks after invoking the dreaded Adoro deity in his compound to protect himself and family from his enemies.

The deceased who was simply addressed as ThankGod hailed from Mbuke village in Nsukka Local Government Area, and was said to be conducting prayers and crusades for different kinds of people seeking divine intervention over different problems.

Crime Alert gathered that ThankGod had tricked his wife into leaving the family house before embarking on his suicide mission. Few weeks ago, the deceased had invoked the curse of the local Adoro deity against his enemies who were engaged in a land tussle with himself and relations.

It was revealed that his relations consulted the Adoro deity to intervene over the rightful owner of a parcel of land between them

•PA MATHEW The suspect

oko — Clergy ran, we met some young men who rushed towards us after they heard our shout.

One of the young men helped by alerting a Police patrol team in Gboko through a phone call.”

Rev. Azuana who was full of praises for the Police said, “I am surprised at the manner the police responded to the situation, it was unlike the police of the past, what they did in terms of response was astonishing”. They responded to the call and intercepted the gang; I commend them indeed because they swiftly intercepted the gang at Yandev where they engaged each other in an intensive gun dwell.”

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Ejike Alaribe who showed journalists the bullet-ridden police patrol vehicle said, the officers on patrol overpowered the gang, arrested one of them who was shot on the lap and recovered the snatched Toyota Hilux.

Alaribe said the Police was currently on the trail of other fleeing members of the gang promising that they would soon be nabbed.

C M Y K

By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

A

middle aged woman, Afusat Ogunrinde, has told an Oshodi Grade ‘B’ Customary Court in Lagos that when she traveled, her husband, Ibrahim, woke up her first daughter, Sidikat, in the middle of the night and asked her to take off her pants and face the wall.

Afusat said on her return from travel, the teenager (Sidikat), who she had for another man, complained that Ibrahim made sexual advances to her, adding “I didn’t initially understand what was happening. All I knew was that my husband was always at loggerheads with my daughter.”

Urging the court to dissolve their 17year-old marriage, which is blessed with three children, Afusat said she had to send her daughter packing due to the development and noted that her husband threatened to kill Sidikat.

She said, “When I sent Sidikat away to another place, three streets away, he still looked for her and beat her up. He has gone weird of late. He beats me up and would not stop until I get wounded. One night, he came back home drunk, gave me a knife and asked me to kill him. I had to run out of the home to save my life. My life is endangered and as far as I’m concerned, this marriage can no longer stand because it has already

and ThankGod, following which the deceased also reacted by invoking the curse of the same deity against his family members, even as he asked for the deity’s protection.

A family source told Crime Alert that while performing the rituals of invoking the curse of the deity against his enemies, a live tortoise dressed with stripes of red cloth was parading the compound while the chief priest of the deity made his incantations.

The Chief Priest later rounded off the rituals by firing shots of canon guns into the air.

When Crime Alert visited the home of the deceased, some people stood, hands akimbo in front of the gate to the building as both his wife and mother were not around when he allegedly hanged himself.

When Crime Alert tried to find out if the relations had reported the matter to the police, some of those around said it was the duty of the deceased’s close relations to do so.

The deceased was developing a gigantic up-stairs before his tragic death was alleged to be very rich.

His body was yet to be buried as the time of filling this report.

o t s t n a w d n ‘My husba ’ r e t h g u a d y m o t e v o l e k a m nts housewife seeking divorce — lame

broken down.”

Narrating her ordeal, she said they stay in a one-room apartment and there was a day, in the middle of the night, that she suddenly heard Sidikat yelling for help. Afusat said when she woke up, she saw her husband (Ibrahim) close to where Sidikat slept.

In her words: “When I challenged him, he told me he was pursuing a rat and that the rat climbed his feet and ran towards the place where Sidikat slept. I took the matter up with him and since then he became more quarrelsome with her.”

Sidikat, who also appeared in Court, when asked to state her own part of the allegation said that her stepfather (Ibrahim) had sexually harassed her, adding “all what my mother said is true.

When I refused to give in to my stepfather ’s advances, he started persecuting me.”

According to the teenager, at a time her stepfather would pour water on the bed, when she was fast asleep, in a bid to put her in a bad light by accusing her

of bed-wetting all because she did not allow him to sleep with her.

Responding to the allegations, Ibrahim told the Court that he took Sidikat as a daughter and would never try such a thing, adding “it looked like I was persecuting her because I wanted the best for her.

Trouble began between me and her when she and my first child altered their school report cards and I tried to correct them. I beat both of them and I was surprised that she rebelled and despised me. Since then, we have been living like cat and mouse in the house.” Ibrahim admitted beating his wife, saying that the reason he beat her was to make her stop cheating on him and denied making advances to Sidikat.

Meanwhile, the acting Court President, Mrs. R.I. Adetola, after hearing both parties warned them to maintain peace pending the determination of the suit.

The matter was adjourned till June 16, for further hearing.

38—V ANGU ARD, WEDNESD AY, MA Y 9, 2012 38—VANGU ANGUARD, WEDNESDA MAY

Her fiance made a pass at me

Dear Bunmi, I’VE been with my boyfriend for two years now and I really believe he’s my soul mate. He loves me and treats me like a princess. The only problem is that he’s very jealous. I daren’t keep in touch with male friends as it’s just not worth the interrogation. Socialising with men even in a group is a no-no.

My friends are getting fed up with me as I hardly ever go out without him. As a result, I see less and less of them.

I’ve always assured him I’d never cheat on him, but this hasn’t helped his insecurity. How can I prove he can trust me?

Kemi, By e-mail

Dear Kemi, You’re asking how you can prove your trustworthiness as if you’re the one at fault here.

By the sound of it, you aren’t to blame at all.

You’re bending over backwards so as not to make waves. Yet the problem isn’t you, it’s your boyfriend. He may be your soul mate, but he’s jealous when he

has no reason to be. It might have been acceptable for him to be a bit wary at the start of your relationship, but after two years together, he ought to be feeling secure.

You say he loves you but it’s a possessive type of love. You’ve cut off your friends and given him far too much control over your life, all to make him happy. The answer is not to carry on tiptoeing around him.

It’s to make him realise the reason he gets so

edgy are nothing to do with you or your actions.

Perhaps in the past other people had let him down - maybe family, friends or previous partners have betrayed him - so he’s extra wary in relationships. Or perhaps, he doesn’t feel he’s good enough for you, is scared you’ll find someone better, so he’s overly anxious all the time.

He has to learn to trust you. Tell him lovingly but firmly that he’s seeing things wrongly. It

was other people who let him down in the past, not you. Then work towards getting your social life back. Make contacts with lost friends, male or female and go out with them once in a while without him tagging along. This won’t be easy. He will get anxious and insecure so much you might be tempted to back down so as to avoid friction. But don’t give in. Instead, aim to build a relationship based on trust rather than jealousy.

I want to show him my gratitude Dear Bunmi, MY boyfriend of six months is fantastic and the sex is great. I love him so much and appreciate all he’s done for me. He is a fantastic lover and I would like to take him to dizzy heights on his birthday in two months, in appreciation of all he’s been to me. Do you have any saucy tricks up your sleeve I could try out on him?

Grace, By e-mail

Dear Grace, Some of the problems you readers want me to solve leave me speechless at times! I had to pass your problem to a male psychologist who pleasures me that every man on the planet loves to lie back and be pleasured. He then suggests you learn a few hand moves to surprise your man and send him straight to sensual heaven!

According to him: “Try experimenting with the pace you go at, and use

a little oil for extra lubrication. Then remember to pause a little after every few strokes to keep him on the edge of orgasm. Alternatively, use a different grip.

Place your open hands each side of his tackle, with your palms facing each other. Then slowly move them back and forward, in opposite directions.

Once he starts to respond, slide your hands up and down his tackle.

It’s guaranteed to drive him wild!”

How could a trusted friend be so dishonest?

Dear Bunmi, I WAS transferred to the Abuja head office of the company I worked for but kept my flat in Lagos - so I visited very often and whenever I did, my best friend, Steph, who I’d been friends with since secondary school, always linked up with me. We were so close that we were thought to be inseparable.

You can imagine how confused I was when the lady who sells jewelries and expensive fabric to me from time to time, phoned that I should please settle my bill as she wanted to travel out to buy new stock. I told her I wasn’t owing anything and she said I should come down to her shop as soon as I could.

When I got there, she C M Y K

showed me items collected by Steph purportedly on my behalf over the two years I’d been away. The items ran to over one million naira! I was shocked. The poor woman said she gave the items to her because we were always buying things from her.

When I called at my friend’s house, she didn’t deny collecting the items in my name.

She said she did it because she was cashstrapped but would go to see the poor woman right away to arrange payments. She never did. I became alarmed as she expertly started dodging both of us that in the end, I gave the woman the go-ahead to have her arrested. I still can’t get over her betrayal and her bad-mouth-

ing me to our friends that I tried to intimidate her because I had financial muscles. I feel so sad and depressed.

Kikelomo, By e-mail

Dear Kikelomo, Why do best friends betray? It could be down to pure convenience your friend rides on the back of what you already have. More nastily, she may be jealous.

She first admires you because you’ve got what she hasn’t - when she has chance to steal, she does. Or she may rate you so low, she assumes that what you have, she has a right to take.

All these reasons make best friends' betrayal extra hurtful because it shatters trust.

You’ve let your emotion-

al barriers down with this woman, told her your desires, doubts, fears. You’re not only angry with her but angry with yourself for trusting her. Your path to recovery from this betrayal is to realise this is her problem, not yours. She has behaved badly and you’re well rid of her.

Let the woman she owes money deal with her in the ruthless way traitors like her deserve.

Having said this, you may also have to face an unpleasant truth - that your friendship was built on your need for admiration or approval.

Next time, choose an equal friend, and not one who feels you’re so above her that she’s resentful, or far below her that she can treat you like dirt.

Dear Ibie, Either way, you’ll be risking your friendship. If you tell the truth, your friend may well believe her man’s denials and cut you off. But if you don’t come clean and she

,

My man is a control freak

Dear Bunmi, LAST Christmas, I stayed over with one of my friends and slept on her sofa. Next thing I knew, her boyfriend was leaning over me and kissing me. Of course, I pushed him away - but ever since, he’s been calling me and texting me, asking for us to meet up.

And once, when I was around having a meal with them, he even started rubbing my leg under the dinning table!

But now they’ve announced they’re getting married this September, and I don’t know whether or not to tell my friend what her man has been doing. If I do tell her, she might not listen. But at the same time, I don’t want her to make the biggest mistake of her life.

Please can you help? I just don’t know what to do.

Ibie, By e-mail

learns about his behaviour later, she’s likely to be even more outraged.

So what to do? Next time you’re having a heart-to-heart, ask your friend what she’d do if she knew someone’s man was cheating, if she would tell, then as you discuss the issue, it’s likely she’ll ask if it is her you’re talking about.

That’ll mean you can open up. But the initiative will have to come from her - so even if she doesn’t like what she hears, she can’t blame you for it.

Alternatively, you need to confront this love rat.

Make this an e-mail, not a conversation, so you have something in writing. Let him know you hate his behaviour and he should stop, that next time he makes a pass at you, your friend gets to know about it. Almost always, when challenged, the cheating partner moves on to his next victim if he’s a chronic philanderer. The big question though is: would you risk losing a friendship rather than see a good friend marry a love rat?

Only you can make your own decision.

Let him know you hate his behaviour and he should stop, that next time he makes a pass at you, your friend gets to know about it

,

I caught them having sex in the office!

Dear Bunmi, SOME few weeks back, I forgot my shopping at work and dashed back to retrieve it. But when I popped back to my department, I found our supervisor having sex on his desk with one of the typists who is equally married.

Since then, the atmosphere between the three of us is awful and I don’t know how to handle the awkwardness. Do you?

Janet, By e-mail

Dear Janet, You don’t have any-

thing to be embarrassed about. You didn’t ask your workmates to have sex on the desk and it’s not your fault you caught them. The bad atmosphere is obviously down to the fact that they feel guilty for what they did and are scared stiff you are going to spread it round the office.

If you want to clear the air, it is simple - have a word with the typist and re-assure her that you’re not going to spill the beans to anybody. Whatever you do, don’t apologise - you have nothing to feel bad about. The problem is theirs.

Share your problems and release your burden.

Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

Vanguard Vanguard,,

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 TAURUS: You’ll tend to become both creative and persuasive to the administration of others. Then those who’ve been resisting secret love may slip suddenly and become excited.

GEMINI: Even if opposition persists, supports you are getting from the influential people will be enough to see you through. Yet, the more cooperative you are the better.

CANCER: Your creativity quotient within your working arena will today be enhanced. You’ll be blamed if you keep official issues secrets from your challenges at work.

LEO: After a few tension soaked days, you’ll have the needed opportunity to look through windows of the world and have your way as well. Magnetic and/or magic days is predicted for lovers today.

VIRGO: Even if you continue to work under pressure via increased workload, you will have good results to show for your efforts today. Be steadfast.

WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY,, MAY 9 9,, 2012

LEISURE

YOUR LUCK TODAY

— 39

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

I

S laziness a sin?

If you are still doubting this, let me illustrate: Supposing you have a child and you spent all your resources on him. You trained him from primary school

The sin of laziness (1) to the university level and at the end he got his first degree. Thereafter, you send him back to read for his master and PHD (Doctor of Philosophy) de-

TERROR MUDA

oil company. Yet, he refused to work grees. whether in your firm At the end of it all, or any other one. you asked him to Now has this son of come and work in yours not sinned your firm. Alterna- against you? This is tively, you secured how we are to God, employment for him our Creator... in the bank or in an

in “Never say goodbye”

By Kola Fayemi

LIBRA: Promise made to genuine personalities should be kept if not because of today but for better tomorrow. Be reasonable and clean.

SCORPIO: Those of you willing to let go hard feelings at work are for a progressive day to the betterment of your finances. Let go yesterday, move ahead.

SAGITTARIUS: Once again, you’ll have the needed opportunity to assert yourself to the administration of others. Both love and financial success can be yours with efforts. Reason with your tried and trusted friends.

CAPRICORN: You can make it a successful day with positive approach on your part. You will be in a better position to defuse tension within your working arena. Try to be more ambitious.

AQUARIUS Yes! You’re not scared a bit even, when opposition and/or competition come your way but, if you give in to diplomatic approach, you’ll fare better today.

PISCES: Pressure that came your way suddenly will give way unexpectedly, today, to the betterment of your course.

The more financially ambitious you are today, the better for you. Be steadfast.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

ARIES: You sincerely believe in intelligent argument or discussion. And if you allow your ability to be diplomatic come to play today, you’ll be better for it. Enjoy your love life.

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

What’s my horoscope?

Dear Joshua, Kindly tell me how the planets lined up when I was born and the day of the week I was born but don’t publish my date of birth.. Please tell me my full horoscope Anonymous, Nigeria.

Dear Anonymous, You were born on a Sunday.

YOUR HOROSCOPE DATA Day of Birth = Sunday Sun Sign = Scorpio. Sun in Zero Degree of Scorpio Moon Sign = Libra: Moon in 5th Degree of Libra Mercury in 12th Degree of Scorpio Venus in Zero Degree of Sagittarius Mars in 1st Degree of Aquarius Jupiter in 29th Degree of Cancer Saturn in 10th Degree of Scorpio Uranus in 27th Degree of Cancer Neptune in 25th Degree of Libra Pluto in 26th Degree of Leo North Node in 8th Degree of Capricorn South Node in 8th Degree of Cancer No planet in earth spar sign, one in available, two in fire, three in air, four in cardinal, fixed and water star signs hosted five planets each.

PHYSICAL INFLUENCE = 50% NON-PHYSICAL INFLUENCE =50% PLANET AT HOME = NONE ANALYSIS OF THE HOROSCOPE DATA You are both an intelligent and emotional person. And as there was planet at home when you were born, too many ideas will always struggle for prominent place in your mind, thus decision making is difficult but most times, your intelligence comes to the rescue.

Certainly, you appear to other as a gentle person who can be mistaken for soft fellow but your inner-self is the personality with a steel like will power.

You are the consistent type who may find it difficult to change once you have made up your mind as indicated by distribution of the planets as written out in paragraph two of this exercise.

One major challenge you have been battling for a very long time is constant worries, some times, necessarily and the other time, uncalled for, as indicated by conjunction Mercury and Saturn formed when you were born.

Placement of your natal Sun (basic self head) and Moon (your sub-conscious self) in Scorpio and Libra respectively are indications of your being mainly Scorpio born person and partly in Libran. And that is to say basic characteristics of both Scorpio and Libra are highly pronounced in you.

Then, you are spiritually gifted; if you don’t develop it is another thing.

VIRGINIA

Commen3

dadadekola@yahoo.com

by Lawrence Akapa

40—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

Group wants indigene as FUPRE's VC

BY FESTUS AHON

U

G H E L L I — CHAIRMAN of the Urhobo Educational Advancement Network, Mr. Leo Agbonifo, has urged the Federal Government to appoint a substantive ViceChancellor and Registrar for the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, OLD BOYS: From left— Justice Gboye Gbolagunte, new President, Birch Freeman High School Old Boys’ Association, BIFOBA; Mr. Feyisola Dinyo, and Mr. Francis Van Lare, immediate past President, at BIFOBA Annual Home Coming & School Hall Fund Raising Ball in Lagos.

Firm takes anti-malaria campaign across borders

BY KENNETH EHIGIATOR

D

ETERMINED to free Africa from the devastating effect of malaria scourge on the continent, Reckitt Benckiser, makers of Mortein, has extended the reach of its malaria prevention campaign beyond the shores of Nigeria to other African nations.

The first leg of this Africawide campaign entails a tour of Kenya by Nigeria’s celebrated singer, Omawumi Megbele, who serves as the campaign Spokesperson for the Mortein’s malaria prevention initiative.

The campaign is part of activities lined up by Reckitt Benckiser to commemorate this year’s World Malaria Day globally observed on April 25 of every year.

While in the East African country, Omawumi held enlightenment sessions with pregnant mothers on the dangers of malaria to unborn babies and the family.

C M Y K

in the wake of the crisis, he appealed for the constitution of a new one that would facilitate the appointment of a VC and Registrar for the university.

He noted that prolonged absence of a substantive VC and Registrar in the university may worsen the already slow growth of the institution.

... as FUTO raises alarm over trespass on property by communities

BY TONY EDIKE

E

SYNOD: From left— Senator Adegbenga Kaka, former Deputy Governor of Ogun State; Sir Emmanuel Awofala, Baba Ijo, Remo Diocese, Methodist Church Nigeria, and Bishop Babatunde Taiwo, at the Diocese's 21st annual synod.

Effurun, FUPRE, Delta State.

Agbonifo, who fielded questions from newsmen, insisted on the appointment of an Urhobo indigene as Vice Chancellor of the new university that had been engulfed in crisis.

Lamenting that the Governing Council of the university was dissolved

NUGU—THE Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO, has condemned in strong terms the trespass and encroachment on the university ’s landed property by some natives of the host communities.

The university authorities described the action of the host communities and other misguided individuals, whom had continued despite all the administrative measures adopted to prevent it, as “callous and criminal.”

They added that it portends great danger to the university and its continuous existence in the area.

In a statement by Chief Vita Abba, FUTO’s ProChancellor/Chairman of Governing Council, the council decried “the devastating nature of the encroachment by the host communities and other trespassers typified by massive erection of illegal structures on the large expanse of the permanent site of the university for commercial purposes.”

The statement read in part: “The Council appreciates the efforts of the

management of the university in drawing the attention of the Federal Government, Imo State Government, other relevant government agencies and the general public to this unfortunate development in the university with a view to restraining the host communities from unlawfully encroaching on FUTO’s landed property.

“The Council warns the host communities and all other trespassers on FUTO landed property to quit and demolish such illegal structures, as the university will not hesitate to take appropriate action.”

Mitee urges multinationals to invest in host communities

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

P

ORT HARCOURT— MULTINATIONAL companies doing business in Ogoni area of Rivers State have been enjoined to develop the culture of giving back to the communities where they operate.

Former president, Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, Mr. Ledum Mitee, made the appeal during the presentation of Information and Communication Technology, ICT, centre built by Reynolds Construction Company, RCC, to Ogoni people in Bori.

He said the ICT centre would go a long way in building capacity among people of Ogoni area.

Items at the centre were 13 laptops connected to the internet through VSAT, powered by an 18.5 KVA generator.

He said: “It also places some responsibilities on us to challenge any other company that is operating here that they must live

up to the standard these people have set and, in fact, higher, depending on what they are doing here.

That is why it is significant that we are here today.”

Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of

Assembly, Leyii Kwane, lauded the firm for the donation, noting that it would help the area catch up with the ongoing ICT revolution all over the world.

Project Manager of RCC, Mr. Sharon Simcha

said the centre was one way the firm could say thank you to the area for its peaceful operations in the area. He said the firm had never been harassed in its five years of doing business in the area.

He said: “I feel bold to

mention that the company has not recorded any form of violence or intimidation during it’s over five years of operation in Ogoniland by any person and this is due to the purposeful leadership of those at the helm of affairs in Ogoni.”

Lagos sets up regulatory unit on masts installation Planning and Develop- with UFRU, which would compliance with the state ment, SURP, Law 2010, be headed by Mr. Joe laws and regulations on

BY LAJA THOMAS

L

AGOS—LAGOS State Government is set to address the issue of indiscriminate erection of masts and towers by telecommunications operators and Internet Service Providers, ISPs, in the state.

Already, the government has concluded arrangements to empower the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development to regulate activities of the operators through the Urban Furniture Regulatory Unit, UFRU, to address anomalies created by persons and organisations who erect such masts and towers without regard to the State Urban and Regional

among other extant laws.

Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Olutoyin Ayinde called on the public, telecommunications operators, ISPs and other organisations involved in the use and installations of masts and towers in the state, to cooperate

Igbokwe, in its assignment.

He, however, stressed that UFRU does not regulate telecommunications activities in the state and as such cannot grant licenses or allocate frequencies, but only backed by law to regulate masts and towers installations and ensure

Physical Planning and Urban Development.

According to Ayinde, owners, users and operators of masts and towers, including parabolic antennaelikeVSATandothertypes of antennae and similar structure, should register with UFRU for the purpose of sanitising the environment.

‘Nigeria stronger than any crisis'

L

AGOS—AN economist and a former university don, Prof. Joe Umo, has reaffirmed his faith in Nigeria, saying the nation would remain united despite the religious, political and economic challenges.

Umo, who made this

assertion in his remarks during his 70th birthday celebration in, Lagos said: “I am confident that Nigeria would remain a united nation. The labour of our heroes would never be in vain. We are stronger than nepotism, tribalism,

religiousity, ethnic bigotry and xenophobia.”

Umo, a former Commissioner of Commerce and Industry in Akwa Ibom State, thanked God for keeping him, adding that he would continue to contribute to the development of the nation.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012—41

Kogi has taken off — Gov Wada GOVERNOR Idris Wada of Kogi State was 100 days in office last Saturday. Besides attending to matters of state and receiving felicitations from political associates on that day, the pilot in the Kogi Governor’s Mansion took time to field questions from a team of visiting journalists on his experience in office thus far. Excerpts:

BY BEN AGANDE

C M Y K

Outside party ranks *Gov Wada believe in ensuring that we have an improvement on our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). One of the things we are doing is to close loopholes for leakages and improve present poor methods of tax collection. We have a committee that is looking into that now to see options of improvement.

,

AFTER 100 days what challenges have you faced in the governance of Kogi State?

You are aware of the initial challenge of swearing in.

There were a lot of legal battles in terms of people not showing sportsmanship in accepting that an election was conducted.

It was free, fair and credible.

The other challenge is finding ways to satisfy the many demands of our people. The state is on the threshold of transformation and there are so many things to do in order to ensure that we are on the path of transformation. Expectations of the people are very high.

They expect that I will deliver very quickly on the promises I have made. They are expecting that I can just switch on the button and all the problems will be solved. There is also the challenge of putting together a strong team that would help in administering the affairs of this state. We have diverse people in twenty one local governments so we have to balance the political calculations. I am making a lot of progress. We have a lot of consultation on going to ensure that we constitute our cabinet.

Some of these processes you cannot hurry. I come from a background of methodical management and I am applying that in the way I am running Kogi State.

Are you distracted by the several legal issues in the courts?

No, I am not distracted. I have trust in our legal system; I have trust and believe in my legal team and I have the biggest trust in Almighty God. It is his choice that I am the Governor of Kogi State today and He will see me through whatever challenge there is. I am confident that by the grace of God we will overcome all the challenges. But I am not distracted at all. I remain focused in the pursuit of the transformation of Kogi State.

In comparison with some states, Kogi State’s allocation from the federation account is quite small. What are you doing in terms of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to augment earnings from the federal purse?

The federation account revenue we get is not up to our requirement. Therefore we

security agencies in the state.

That they work together as a team in synergy. They felt challenged and we are on top of the situation now. Our policy is that anywhere these improvised explosive devices are found being made, apart from dealing with the people, we knock down the house.

Whoever rents their property to criminals also is a criminal. You have to be careful who you give your house to.

As per other crimes such as armed robbery, since I came in, I have confronted such issues very quickly, very directly and very decisively. We have mobilised the police, we have given them vehicles to aid mobility and we have given them a lot of financial support to ensure that they are well mobilised to check crime.

Of course the election that brought you in was fraught with a lot of rancour, what reconciliatory steps have you taken to reach out to opposition within and outside party ranks?

revenue without really depending on the federation account, that is the goal, that is the line we are walking.

With the state of insecurity in the country now do you believe that state police could prove a panacea?

I will not toe that line for state police. For me, Nigeria is a

I am confident that by the grace of God we will overcome all the challenges, but I am not distracted at all. I remain focused in the pursuit of the transformation of Kogi State

We have programmes of ensuring that we have at least two cottage industries per local government. We are locating the industries in such a way that industries are located where the particular product is of strategic advantage. For example if you want to produce cornflower, it should be in a place where you can grow corn.

Tourism is another avenue for additional revenue. We have a five star hotel which is on the verge of completion. Within the next two to three months, I believe it will be completed.

If we improve tax collection, from our present system to a digitalised system to allow for electronic payments, give people tax cards, I believe that we will get more revenue as a state. Our programme is such that by the time this administration leaves in four years, Kogi State should be able to sustain itself in terms of

,

developing country, we have many challenges, and this new wave of terrorism is a new challenge. We should not panic into taking actions without examining them thoroughly.

The beauty of democracy is that people are free to express their opinion on matters. I am of the view that we are not ready for state police because we have situations where political tolerance is not at the level it should be. There is a very big chance of misuse of state police against people who do not share your own political views and things like that. I think the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is quite capable combined with the State Security Service (SSS), the military and perhaps other relevant security apparatus in the country. I think we just need to examine the genesis of this problem. Dig deep into it. It is a sophisticated level of crime, it is strange to

our land, Nigeria is a cultured country, we have multiplicity of culture, so we need to go back to our roots.

When I was young, if there is a dead person on the street, no child is allowed to pass on that street. If there is any stealing in the classroom or any were in the house, there is a stigma to the family. We have a culture, we have a base of discipline of understanding and pride. So these kinds of crimes are strange to our land.

I think we just need to examine it deeply, use intelligence, remain focused and come up with credible and lasting solutions to address the problems. Let us not rush into state police because some people are saying so now without going to the root of how it all started, where it is going.

Let us analyse it and bring up our capabilities into play and deal with the problem. So at this point, I am not convinced that we need state police.

Do you feel embarrassed as Governor of Kogi State that bomb factories belonging to terrorist groups were found in your State?

I felt very embarrassed, I was shocked. Kogi is one of the states in Nigeria with the image of a peaceful state with humble, disciplined and nice people all over the country and suddenly we have bomb factories in Okenne.

It was very embarrassing, I was shocked. But then, I have always faced challenges all my life, I saw it as a challenge so I worked very closely with the

We have done a lot. First thing I did was to constitute a 17-man reconciliation committee to go round all the aggrieved parties, appeal to them to join hands with us.

Only one person can win in a primary. The same approach I have done after the election to the opposition people. I say Kogi state belongs to us all, I am just here for a short time.

Come let us work together and move the state forward.

Everyone who has a good idea should please bring it forward, let us use it to develop Kogi State. This thing is not about me or any individual, it is about Kogi State. I put Kogi State first in any thing I do.

I have personally gone to see most of the people who participated in the primaries.

These are the people in the frontline of being aggrieved and we have formed the opinion that the best way forward is to try and unite our party. Since I became leader, I have worked hard in that direction. But one thing, I have insisted that there must be discipline and loyalty within the party.

At a point, some governors insisted on the release of the federal government’s Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) to states. What is your take?

I think it is prudent financial management to save for the rainy day. Even our personal finances, you don’t just spend all the money you have. So I support the federal government in establishing a sovereign fund for the country.

I think it is good a prudent move.

42—Vanguard,

WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

EDO GUBER: Revolution coming — Edebiri

is

CHIEF Solomon Edebiri, is the gubernatorial candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State. Edebiri was thrown up as the consensus candidate of an alliance of ten political parties in the state, styled as the Coalition of Progressive Political Parties, CPPP. Edebiri an engineer is also the national chairman of the Peoples Progressive Party, PPP. Ahead of the forthcoming gubernatorial election, he spoke in an interview with Vanguard on the issues of his campaign and his plans for the state. Excerpts:

O

N what platform are you contesting presently?

I am the consensus candidate of 10 political parties which we call the Coalition of Progressive Political Parties.

Part of the agreement in the coalition is that the coalition will support a candidate and it was also agreed that the coalition will chose a party among the political parties involved in the coalition to use as platform for the election on July 14th.

Basically, we took that decision in December when we entered a formal Memorandum of Understanding, (MOU) and

by January, I was adopted as the consensus candidate of the coalition and by March, we eventually agreed to run under the platform of All Nigeria People’s Party, (ANPP). I have also picked up the nomination form at the ANPP headquarters to contest the election.

How do you react to mutterings among some coalition partners especially the Congress for Progressive Change, (CPC) where members have disowned the coalition?

We just recently removed Comrade Ehrahon as the chairman of the Coalition of Progressive Political Parties and the reason we did that was simple.

When you violate the document you co-authored, it shows that you have evil intentions, that means you have malicious intentions and you do not have good intentions from the beginning. That is exactly what was displayed by Comrade Erhahon.

When we started the coalition, CPC was with us in full but along the line, the incumbent Governor started looking for opportunity to infiltrate the group and some of the members of the CPC actually sold out and they are now being sponsored by the Government House.

You are the National Chairman of PPP, what exactly are you looking for in the Edo State Government House?

I am contesting to guarantee the people of Edo State their future. The state at the very moment is in a state of decadence and so much C M Y K

showmanship that people are not being told the truth.

The problem we face now is that you come to Ring road and everyone says it is well with Edo State. But nobody cares to go to Egor, 2nd Circular, 3rd Circular, Saint Saviour Road, Upper Sakponba area, nobody cares to go to all these places.

Nobody wants to go to Ekiadolor where we have College of Education, nobody wants to go to Owan and check.

I just returned from Owan, there was no facility or infrastructure there.

Nobody is asking what happened to Bendel Pharmaceuticals which was producing when Edo was created in 1991.

Nobody is asking why Bendel Printing Press was converted to a magistrate court? Nobody is asking why Edo Line is under lock and key since last year and about 800 workers sent home.

But we see Ring road looking good everyday, they buy jeeps and give to people, Edo money

,

BY GBENGA OKE

stand anywhere and say it because Omo N’Oba is a very careful person. He will not bring his chiefs down in front of outsiders. He might go behind and warn such chiefs but Omo N’Oba is not in a position to tell the world that the Esogban of Benin Kingdom is speaking wrongly. He can’t do that. The Omo N’Oba is the highest most respected individual in Benin Kingdom, for us after God, it is Omo N’Oba. We respect him very highly and he cannot say, Solomon should be the candidate, he cannot say Airhiavbere should be the candidate.

But it was reported that Omo N’Oba has endorsed Oshionmhole’s candidacy?

There was a programme in the palace and the Esogban had the opportunity to speak and he said what is on his mind.

What was in his mind is not what was on the mind of Benin people. And he cannot be taken to have spoken on behalf of

I am contesting to guarantee the people of Edo State their future, the state at the very moment is in a state of decadence and so much showmanship that people are not being told the truth

is being shared and the student union leaders in the state are being cajoled to sing praises of the sitting governor. We should be building the future for youths but instead, we are destroying them.

That is what we are saying that people must be properly educated so that they do not be mislead because at the moment, they are being misled. The other day, it was reported that Chief G.U Edebiri said Oshinomhole is doing very well, everybody expects that because he who plays the piper dictates the tune.

It was said that Chief Esogban endorsed Oshiomhole in the presence of Omo N’Oba . What will you say to that?

No it is not true. We should be very careful because Omo N’Oba will not do that. I can

,

Omo N’Oba. If the Oba wants to speak, he will speak for himself. Oba is a very vocal person, he will say whatever he wants to say. The newspapers reported what Omo N’Oba said when the PDP went there.

It was said that he endorsed Oshinmhole and refused to endorse Airhiavbere?

The Omo N’Oba will never endorse anybody, he did not refuse to endorse Airhiavbere.

Airhiavbere is Omo N’Oba’s son, Oshionmhole came from an environment where he can be said a descendant of the Benin kingdom, so he is also a son of Omo N’Oba. I am also a son of Omo N’Oba, we are all subjects of the Omo N’Oba. If you have seven children, are you going to kill one for another? Are you going to throw three away and say four are only your children? A father

*Edebiri:Omo N'Óba is our father no matter how bad the child is, he will still take that child as his own. As far as I am concerned, the father will share love among all his children but people watching from outside might love one than the other in different ways and that is what people are meaning to say that Omo N’Oba has endorsed Oshinomhole and did not endorse Airvbare, that is not true.

How will you describe the 9 year rule of the PDP in Edo State?

The reason why a lot of people are saying Oshinomhole is doing well is because of the woeful performance of the PDP for 9 and half years. The presence of government was not even felt and government was there but nothing to show for it. And that is why when Oshinomhole came with his showmanship, people can say yes, government is working. I give it to him because he tried to prove that government can do something.

He is doing his own best because you cannot give what you don’t have. His own focus is to up-root roads and remake it and that has been the most important focus for him but Igbinedion never brought anything.

However, while Igbinedion was in office, the Benin people had over five persons in top federal offices like Orosanye, Ifueko. It was then we had Goubadia but in the era of Adams Oshinomhole, people should name how many Edo people are in top federal positions?

How do you intend to turn

Edo round if you become the state governor?

First, we have to revive all these industries and I will give you an example. If you revive the pharmaceutical company, you will employ like 200 people. If you revive Edo Line, you will employ like 1,500 people.

If you revive Agbede Wareke farm, you will create nothing less that 5000 jobs because it was a huge farm. When I spoke with the people there, I was told the farm when it was functioning employed 2,300 people, so we will revive it and put it on a larger scale and it will employ like 5000 people at the end of the day.

All these factories, we are going to revive them and create new ones, that is the idea because we will use our first term to revive all these dying industries while we start creating the new cities we want to create in Edo State so that we can remove a number of people from the urban areas back to the rural areas. Edo State is just like a two city state.

Go to Delta State and check.

Once you leave Benin City, you get to Auchi. Ekpoma with the university still looks like a village setting. Uromi is nothing to write home about.

There are so many things that are wrong but the people are handicapped and cannot speak and some few people are enjoying the loot and you say all is well. How can all be well?

I traveled to Siluko and coming out of the place was a disaster.

A trip that should not have taken me more than 30 minutes took me two hours.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012—43

C M Y K

44—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY

9, 2012

WATER CRISIS:

As borehole becomes ticking time bomb?

With a population of well over 140 million people, less than 30 percent of Nigerians have access to potable water. While it falls under the purview of governments at all levels to provide this essential of life, through the Ministry of Water resources, the reverse is the case,as citizens have over the years resorted to providing for their domestic use through the construction of boreholes. But this alternative source of water for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes, appears to constitute a looming danger for Nigerians. CHARLES KUMOLU writes VERY intending property owner in this part of the world considers it a necessity, given that government at all levels have failed to provide potable water for its citizens.

An attempt to ignore providing it in an apartment, literarily translates to denying occupants of that apartment or residents of that community access to potable water.

Hence, construction of boreholes has become a norm for most families, governments and communities in Nigeria.

From the dry Savanah belt of the North, to the mangrove forests of the Niger Delta, borehole is the word for every property owner.

Although, the practice had existed before the eighties, findings by VangaurdFeatures,VF, reveals that the construction of boreholes became prominent in Nigeria in the 1980s through the government and international support agencies like UNICEF, UNDP, EU, DFID among others.

Since then there has been an astronomical increase in the number of wells and boreholes constructed , as over 60 percent of Nigerians depend on groundwater for their water supply for domestic, industrial or agricultural use.

With a lot of people accepting this as a better alternative to the failure of government to provide water, the news that the construction and consumption of borehole water, poses severe danger to Nigerians, VF investigations, can reveal, is

already sending shivers down the spin of many a Nigerian.

Looming danger: Raising the latest alarm, was the Lagos State, governor, Babatunde Fashola, who expressed concern over the proliferation of boreholes in the state, saying they constituted long term environmental problem.

The governor, at the inauguration of one-milliongallon-per-day capacity World Bank assisted Mini Waterworks at Iponri, said the residents of the state were better off with more Water works than more boreholes in their different

,

E

A borehole in an urban area State Water Corporation (LSWC) had also raised an alarm, through its Group Managing Director ,Mr. Shayo Holloway, of an imminent bore hole drilling induced landslide in the state.

He said that water from shallow bore holes was salty and dangerous for human consumption because it could cause typhoid fever, hypertension and high blood pressure.

“Domestic bore holes are affecting water production because it pollutes the water when it is abandoned and refuse dumped into it,”he stated.

Further investigations, also revealed that UNESCO had since warned against the use of groundwater as borehole water as it is known , for public water supply. Consequently, it had been discouraging

Even the policy makers support the practice of constructing borehole, because the public water system has failed every where

houses. He said the state, through the water corporation would soon address the environmental risk posed by the increasing number of boreholes in the next few weeks.

He urged Lagosians to make use of domestic connections to their homes wherever there is a waterworks, saying government would continue to build waterworks to bring water close to various homes in the state.

He said, “Let us shut down those boreholes because they have long term environmental impact and environmental damage to our state and our people.”

Besides Fashola, the Lagos

,

governments across the globe from the use of ground water.

While, it was gathered that some countries had heeded to this alarm, by providing alternative source to groundwater, Nigeria has continued to glorify and celebrate the practice of getting water through borehole, thereby increasing the fears posed by construction and consumption of borehole water.

Depressing questions: Therefore, it was not a surprise that VF discovered that questions such as:What alternative does government have in the face of the reported looming dangers; why has has public water works failed across

the country; why has government continued to pay lip service to the issue of providing quality water; among others. These questions have continued to dominate public discourse in the face of this current alarm about Nigeria’s only source of potable water.

Access to potable water According to the Chairman, Nigeria Institute of Drillers, Engr. Kalejaiye Awobandu, “this issue is coming up because there is no access to potable water, it affects the whole nation. I hope it would not be a surprise to you that even the policy makers support the practice of constructing borehole, because the public water system has failed every where. Government has even turned their eyes against reviving the water boards. They are more concerned with siphoning money through borehole construction for c o m m u n i t i e s . ’’This might look good to some people, but that is wrong. The government should resuscitate the dormant water works and rebuild them and not digging boreholes,’’ Tracing how water crisis brought about the borehole phenomenon in Nigeria, he said, “Since independence until the 1980s the government was providing potable water to communities that had water boards, the taps were flowing,.Even at the local level treated drinking water was provided to the people of Nigeria, overtime with increasing population, poor planning and corruption, the professionalism of the Ministry of Water Works was killed and buried.

“Due to the government's

inefficiency especially at the State and Local government levels, Nigerians have resorted to digging water boreholes for to for all purposes. That is how we found ourselves in this mess that you cannot open your tap and drink good water, yes boreholes cannot be said to be a properly healthy means of potable water.”

Underground pathogens and pollutants: A World Water Day report by Principal Policy Strategist at Africa Political and Economic Strategic Center Mr. Emeka Chiakwelu, also gave credence to Awobandu's position The report observed that, “gradually the governments are joining the people in digging water boreholes and even appointing commissioners who channel funds for the project. Most of these boreholes are exposed to underground pathogens and pollutants especially E-coli that is responsible for stomach upset that comes with diarrhea and massive lose of fluids.

Laboratory analysis In the underground, the water might also be exposed to natural radionuclides and nature’s occurring hazardous metals (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn, and Tl) these heavy metals as they are called are toxic with carcinogenic properties. Therefore it is highly recommended and intrinsic that water from the boreholes is sampled for laboratory analysis and biochemical analytical before consumption.”

It therefore recommended that: ‘’The government should resuscitate the dormant water work plants and rebuild them.

Then start providing tap Continues from page 45

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012—45

As borehole becomes ticking time bomb?

Continues from page 44 drinking water and not digging boreholes.’’

Also, the Executive Secretary of Environmental Action Initiative Mr. Leornad Aromeh, acknowledged that drilling and sinking of boreholes by individuals, had exposed many to hazards, adding that what is required for the government to declare an emergency on the water sector.

“The people that raised alarm about the health and environmental dangers of boreholes construction in this country, should bury their head in shame. We have a society where people provide their own electric power, roads, houses and water, while the government does nothing but encouraging corruption.

It is a saddening situation, that the Ministry of water resources only exists for no reason, because the water boards are not working, so my take on the matter is that government should focus on making water available for all, I hope you know that provision of potable water is part of the MDGs, and this is 2012, Nigerians are still thirsty,” he stated.

As far as he is concerned, past and present governments at all levels, are responsible for the prolification of boreholes in the country and its inherent

A borehole in a rural community on the issue, he restrained from blaming the government generally on the matter, arguing that Nigerians have been too docile to challenge why things are not working properly the way it should.

He said: ‘’Why do we always blame government. We have to blame ourselves for not challenging the government to fix all the moribund water schemes. When the people failed to challenge the government, because they are comfortable with using dangerous borehole water for

,

The government should resuscitate the dormant water work plants and rebuild them. Then start providing tap drinking water and not digging boreholes

dangers, adding that they(governments) have been paying lip service to the issue.

“Boreholes could lead to landmines, earthquakes or tremor in the foreseeable future.

It is easily contaminated by leaky contaminants, heavy metals and micro organisms.

When pollutants spill, leak or are inadvertently dumped on the soil surface, they easily seep through the soil and pollute the aquifer - the layer of rock or clay holding groundwater. More vulnerable are boreholes in areas of mining and oil drilling activities. Worse still, Nigerians are not known to purify water from boreholes before consumption. Cases of toxicity arising from drinking untreated water from boreholes are rife, so, you can see that the failure of governance is responsible for what we have today.” he noted.

However, when VF sought the view of a Public Health expert, Dr. Callistus Agobudoh

,

many purposes. But I must commend you people for raising this awareness on the dangers of borehole water, the statistics are there for you to know that most deaths in this country are from waterborne diseases,” he stated.

Agobudoh’s anger about the danger inherent in the absence of potable water in the country, was also strengthened by United Nations IRIN humanitarian Information Unit's statement.

The UN report observed that “Guinea worm and onchocerchiasis( River blindness) are endemic waterborne diseases in certain parts of Africa’s most populous country (Nigeria) of more than 120 million people. UNICEF had decided to emphasise water and environmental sanitation after realising that the occurrence of diarrhea, a major childhood killer in Nigeria, could decline by 15 percent if water quality was improved, Ackers said in the

FCT, Abuja. Increasing the quantity of available water would lower the incidence of diarrhea by 22 percent. In combination with improved hygiene, the incidence could further drop by up to 35 percent while adding safe disposal of feces would lower this by 40 percent.”

Re-examination of water crisis Regardless of this, the pertinent question in many quarters remain; is Nigeria prepared to re-examine the issue of potable water supply?

Responding to this poser, the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe at a recent forum, said, “Nigeria is taking the lead, with other countries along the Chad Basin to sponsor the studies from water transfer from the Congo to recharge the Lake Chad.

So far, Nigeria has committed US$5million for the studies.

The consultants have almost concluded the studies and the report is ready for the presentation to the summit of head of states of Lake Chad Basic Commission. The T.Y Danjuma Foundation and other s i m i l a r organisations are working hard to ensure the provision of potable water to the Nigerian populace, saying they had so far, r a i s e d US$5million out of the US$10 million targeted for the purpose by 2015.’’

In addition, Ochekpe said, “because of cli-

mate change, we don’t expect that the volume of water that we have will increase. Actually in some places there is high evaporation, but the world over, the strategy that is being put forward for all countries to adopt is the integrated water management. In Nigeria, we already have an integrated water management commission that is supposed to serve as the regulator in terms of the use of water.”

But the Country Representative of Water For All Project, C h i e f Nebolisa Uwadiegwu, punctured the claims that the govern-

ment is meeting up with the water needs of the nation, arguing that what the government had always done is to initiate studies on water crisis and abandon the result of such studies.

Uwadiegwu said: “The minister works for the government and you would not expect her to say that Nigeria is not doing enough to addresse the challenge posed by availability of potable water and the borehole drilling that I believe is a looming danger.

We work with this people at different fora both locally and internationally. The truth is that this nation is not serious about such matters. They are comfortable with attending the conferences and being signatory to international agreements that they would revive and provide water schemes, by the time they come back, they would sink boreholes indiscriminately in their communities.”

Continuing, he said, “A look at the global water situation will convince all on the need to study, understand and invest more in the more abundant ground water resources for both the rural and urban areas of Nigeria.”

46 —

V anguard, WEDNESD AY, MA Y 9, 2012 WEDNESDA MAY Vanguard,

New govts in France, Greece, reshape EU austerity policy F

RANCE’S Socialist pres ident-elect Francois Hollande may use a summer audit of state finances to water down his generous campaign promises rather than risk a backlash from financial markets against stubbornly high deficits and rising debt.

Advisers say he could even freeze some spending if the review turns up any nasty surprises, soothing investors who are worried he has become the figurehead for a fight against German-imposed austerity in the euro zone.

Hollande, due to take office next week after toppling President Nicolas Sarkozy in Sunday’s election, dismayed analysts with his campaign spending promises, such as hiring 60,000 school staff and creating 150,000 state-aided jobs.

France already has one of the highest levels of public spending in Western Europe, at around 55 percent of GDP, and has not balanced its budget since 1974.

Political leaders in Athens are struggling to form a coalition able to enact cuts that were a condition for new loans from the European Union and International Monetary Fund.

Trouble within the far bigger

•In-coming president Francois Hollande set for a meeting. eurozone economy of Spain, where the banking system is loaded with bad debts requiring more state aid, is also likely to vie for the EU leader’s attention. British Prime Minister

Gunmen attack govt headquarters in Libya

L

IBYAN leaders yesterday banned the glorification of late Col. Muammar Gaddafi as gunmen attacked the office of the Interim Prime Minister in Tripoli.

The wave of freedom of speech unleashed by th demise of the gaddafi regime has reached a new height with

Israeli PM forms Unity govt with Kadima

I

N a surprise move, Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, has called off plans for early elections and formed a unity government with the centrist Kadima party.

The recently elected head of Kadima, Shaul Mofaz, will be named deputy prime minister in the newlook government, officials said, adding that the accord would be formally ratified later on Tuesday and presented to parliament.

David Cameron meanwhile remains fiercely opposed to any increase in EU spending — which the European Commission says is the way to deliver quicker growth.

•Benjamin Netanyahau and Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz.

“A broad national unity government is good for security, good for the economy and good for the people of Israel,” said a statement from the prime minister’s office, quoting Netanyahu.

bookstores filled with a range of book on democracy, Libya’s modern history and other materials that were meant to glorify the Gaddafi era.

Many of these books were banned under the rule of the late Muammar Gaddafi who was removed from power last year. The country’s interim National Transitional Council is contemplating a similar path of restricting freedom of speech, after it passed a new law that criminalises the glorification of the former regime and its leader.

But reports from Tripoli yesterday said former Libyan fighters demanding unpaid stipends have attacked and surrounded the headquarters of the interim government. The attack left three dead and several others wounded, according to an interior ministry official. A defence ministry spokesperson confirmed there were dead and injured, but he did not know casualty numbers.

Santorum endorses Romney as GOP candidate

F

ORMER Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum endorsed his one-time fierce rival Mitt Romney on Monday, a move that may help the party’s presumptive White House nominee win over religious conservatives.

Santorum said in an unusual late-night statement that the two have differences, but that he came away from a meeting with the ex-Massachusetts governor impressed with Romney’s “deep understanding” of economic and family issues central to the campaign.”

Above all else, we both agree that President (Barack) Obama must be defeated. The task will not be easy. It will require all hands on deck if our nominee

is to be victorious,” Santorum said.U.S. President Barack Obama used his first rallies of the 2012 campaign on Saturday to attack Republican Mitt

Romney for learning the “wrong lessons” as a business executive, and promised to move the economy forward if he wins a second term.

Annan warns of civil war in Syria

U

N-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan said on Tuesday his peace plan could be the “last chance” to avoid civil war in Syria, where a truce has failed to end 14 months of bloodshed that monitors say has killed nearly 12,000 people.

Annan told the UN Security Council he had particular concerns that torture, mass arrests and other human rights violations are intensifying.

Regime forces “continue to press against the population,” the envoy said, despite a putative truce that started on April 12, but attacks are more discrete because of the presence of UN monitors, diplomats said. Annan briefed the council on his efforts to get President Bashar al-Assad to implement his sixpoint peace plan, which he said was possibly “the last chance to avoid civil war.”

Capital market probe: NSE faults OkerekeOnyuike's claims

H

OWEVER, SEC in a swift reaction said “a number of claims made by the removed Director-General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange in today's proceedings at the Public Hearing were false and deserve quick refutation and rebuttal so that the investing and general publics as well as the public records do not retain such falsification.

On the May 20, 2011 judgment of Justice Idris Mohammed of a Lagos High Court, Onyiuke claimed that the SEC only appealed the award of N500m to Okereke – Onyiuke in damages.

“This is entirely false because the appeal filed by the SEC was against the judgment. The appeal challenged both the substantive judgment, as well as the award of N500million which was not sought for by Okereke – Onyiuke. Given the fact of this appeal therefore, her claim to being the DG of the NSE is clearly false “She also claimed that the SEC and CBN approved what she called the “Offer Prospectus” for “Private Placements” which have remained unlisted on the NSE. This again is entirely incorrect.

At no time did the SEC ever approve offer documents for vendors of private placements.

We decry this recourse to deliberate falsification of facts by Okere – Onyiuke under oath. We invite her to deposit proof of this fabrication in the public domain.

As a matter of fact, the SEC had placed a number of “buyer beware” advertorials in key national daily newspapers, advising the investing public that private placements were beyond the regulatory purview of the SEC. The point she deliberately refused to make is that Public companies also make private placements for which the SEC must approve as opposed to private placements by private companies.

“This deliberate lie was consciously fabricated by Okereke – Onyiuke to hoodwink the general public to the wrong conclusion that the SEC Nigeria was negligent in discharging its regulatory functions in the capital markets.

She also sensationally claimed that the SEC was not performing its market development responsibility. Nothing can be farther from the truth. The subcommittee system which has been revitalized by the SEC is a market – wide development initiative which is intended to confront areas of deficiency in the market. The recent investor outreaches in Sokoto, Port Harcourt and Kano, as well as ongoing capital market awareness programmes in secondary schools and universities, and market wide capacity building in collaboration with sister regulatory agencies and multilateral financial

institutions, are instances of market development effort undertaken by the SEC. “On the NSE’s trading platform, all her claims were false. It is within the forte of the NSE to offer a detailed refutation of these. What is material for us, from a regulatory point of view, is that appropriate machinery has been set in motion to overcome the challenges posed by the platform bequeathed by Okereke–Onyiuke through wholesale replacement. Contrary to the misinformation offered by her, the platform has a lifespan which lapsed in December 2011.

It is not a renewable or upgradable technology like she claimed.

“But more significantly, Okereke – Onyiuke, before her removal, had initiated the process of acquiring a loan of $20 million from African Export – Import Bank, AFREXIM Bank for replacing the NSE trading platform. This is the same platform that the current leadership of the NSE has concluded arrangements to procure from the same supplier at $10 million !

“On succession planning, Okereke – Onyiuke claimed that she had a succession plan in place. Contrary to this, it is common knowledge that she kept vacillating on succession and delaying her exit despite having spent 10 years in office as Director General and 26 years in the employment of the NSE in senior managerial cadre. The SEC intervention was the only way to cut short her reluctance.

It was the only way to put paid to the regime of unaccountability and financial recklessness which she had instituted to the point that the exchange was on the verge of bankrupt”.

Akpabio tasks new PDP exco

A

KWA IBOM State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, has charged new State Executive Committee of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, to work towards a hundred per cent victory for the party in the forthcoming local government election.

Speaking through his deputy, Mr. Nsima Ekere, at the inauguration of the new executive, weekend, the Governor urged the executive to ensure that the party wins the 31 local government chairmanship and 329 councillorship seats in the election.

He reasoned that the PDP needed to win the local government poll as such a victory was the first step in the march towards the party’s success in the 2015 general elections.

Akpabio commended the new executive for the successful conduct of the primaries for the nomination of chairmanship and councillorship candidates barely two weeks after its election and assumption of office.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012—47

30 years after, Eko Soroptimist recounts gains, pains •Seeks new generation of selfless women

BY JOSEPHINE IGBINOVIA

W

HAT started thirty years ago with only about 25 women; among whom were the late Chief (Mrs.) Adetoun Bailey, Otunba Ayora Bola Kuforiji-Olubi, Architect Gillian Godwin, Amb.Audrey Ajose, Chief (Mrs.) Bjorg LawalSolarin and Lady Ololade Oki, has metamorphosed into a notable platform for rendering selfless services to vulnerable women and children.

The second Soroptimist Club inaugurated in Nigeria, Soroptimist International (S.I.) of Eko, Nigeria, an affiliate of the Soroptimist International of Great Britain and Ireland, has in the last three decades carried out projects varying from health to education, provision of social amenities, financial empowerment, peace-building, environmental cleanliness, etc.

Notable amongst these is the awarding of scholarships to bright, indigent girls.

Ikuenomore Modupe Juliet, a National Diploma student of Science Laboratory Technology at the Yaba College of Technology, who has been on the club’s scholarship scheme since her second year in secondary school, shared how her mother had been the only one shouldering the responsibilities of her and her four siblings until the club stepped in and gave her a scholarship.

“Being a part-time student, I presently work at Sanor Medicals, a laboratory owned by the current president of the club, Mrs.Norma Onomakpome. I still get paid even though the club still caters for my educational needs”, she told Woman’s Own. Two other beneficiaries from the Economics Department of the University of Lagos, Faith Shakiru Iyabosola and Alaka Olaide Tawakalitu, who are now in their final year, also narrated how they got help from the club.

Faith Shakiru Iyabosola said she lost her father three weeks after gaining admission into the institution, and she had to plait people’s hair to fund her studies since her mother didn’t have the wherewithal.

“Everything however changed when I was put on scholarship by the S.I.Eko. From school fees to accommodation and welfare, they’ve been there for me”, Faith said. As the club recounted its victories while celebrating its 30th anniversary recently at the Lagos residence of one of its own, former Minister of Commerce & Tourism(1993), Otunba Ayora Bola Kuforiji-Olubi, the reunion of founding, old and new

members brought back memories of the club’s survival, gains and difficulties.

As she recounted the early days of the club, Otunba Ayora Bola Kuforiji-Olubi, who presided over the club from 1986 to 1987, emphasised the urgent need for membership growth if the ideals of the club must be sustained.

“Twenty-five of us chartered the club in 1981, and about seven have passed on. In any organization, if you do not cater for the future, then the organization will die. That is why we have a concerted drive to invite young people to be members of the club so that they can carry on the legacies we leave behind”, she said.

Current President of the club, Mrs.Norma Onomakpoma, who had just been re-elected after the 2010-2012 tenure of Mrs.Tokunbo Okupe, to head the club after having presided over it from 2008 to 2010, however regretted that younger members find it tough to give of their time because of having to cater for their rather young families.

According to her, apart from giving of her resources, every Soroptimist also needs to dedicate time because Soroptimism demands “yourself, your time, your money”.

“That not withstanding, we always ensure that projects are properly carried out because that is the heart of our club”, she was quick to add.

Like we all say, life isn’t always rosy. Hence, like many service clubs however, S.I.Eko has had

its own fair share of economic burden.

“Economic situation has made it difficult for us to achieve some of our objectives. There’s so much stress in the society; traffic and security are problems. We used to have grand balls to celebrate the appointments of new presidents, but we don’t have them any more. And those balls were the nights when we would raise fund for most of our projects. Now, even the philanthropic and corporate bodies are so tired of giving. This has affected the club a great deal that we now rely on our pockets to execute projects. That aside, we’re still achieving! The Braille centre we set up a few years ago at the University of Lagos for example, is a proof! We’re also doing so many other things”, Mrs.Beatrice Fisher, one of the earliest Presidents of the club said.

The second ever President (1982-1983) of the club, Architect Gillian Godwin recalled how the recession in 1985 affected the club adversely, regretting how they experienced a terrible time when the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) came up, and how money disappeared!

Mrs.Gillian who also served as the National President of Soroptimist International of Nigeria from 1990-1991 however tasked members of the organization on the need for team work, adding that togetherness was the most potent path to progress, irrespective of constraints.

REV.(MRS.)SEUN DADA (pstordadaseun@yahoo.com;

Satan’s strategy for destruction

T

O cut the story short, Balaam arrived but blessed Isreal instead. Balak was angry with him, yet God was also angry with him. Why? The secret desire for reward that nearly compromised the plan of God for Isreal.

Also, Balaam was tempted to get the reward he was offered, so he finally yielded to the point of teaching Balak how to ensnare Isreal to sin, so that God would curse them Himself. He returned to his home after having gained a reward for teaching Balak to ensnare Isreal to sin. He ended his life as an ally of Midian, fighting Isreal (Numbers 31:8; Joshua 13:22).

Peter, speaking of Balaam, said he loved the wages of unrighteousness (2 Peter 2:15-16).

Jude said he went into error for reward (Jude 11). John the Revelator said he taught the wrong doctrine for reward (Rev.2:14).

In today's Nigeria, how many ministers of the gospel can beat their chests and say that REWARD is not the driving force for their ministry? How many believers can say that selfish reward is not their motive for most of their relationships?

When Satan met Eve in the garden, he offered her a reward.

When Satan met Jesus, he attached a reward to each temptation. When Satan meets you, he will always dangle the carrot of a reward - usually rewards that tally with your innermost desires.

Members of SoroptimistInternational, Eko, cutting the anniversary cake in unison at the event in Lagos.

OTEH VS OKEREKE-ONYIUKE:

Documents against me doctored — Okereke-Onyiuke Continues from Page 5

commissioning of the world class electronic trading floor of the NSE. According to her, the NSE is a member of the WFE and we participate in every activities of the WFE, except voting.

“The NSE is an affiliate of the WFE and not a voting member.

We are not yet a voting member because the amount needed to qualify to vote is a hundred times more than the amount to be paid for being an affiliate member.”

NSE, SEC stealing ideas from my document She disclosed that the current NSE management and SEC have done nothing new in driving the market forward, noting that both SEC and NSE are acting on recommendations in the document put forward by her management team between 2008 and 2010.

According to her, the NSE had commissioned a committee to drive the rebound of the market in 2008, with the committee concluding their work by 2010 and presenting a document which the NSE was prepared to implement. She said the document was stolen

by SEC during the illegal invasion of the NSE in August 2010, which led to her illegal removal from office.

“The current NSE management and SEC have not done anything different or new, they are only acting on recommendations in the document submitted by the committee I commissioned to proffer solution to the recovery of the capital market. The Chief Executive Officer of the NSE, Oscar Onyema, should be made to bring the documents,” she said.

We never shared money at the NSE She denied culpability in claims that she and members of Council of the NSE, shared money belonging to the NSE, saying that the NSE only allocated funds to Council members to enable them travel and visit other stock exchanges to learn and expand their knowledge base on effectively

supervising and governing the exchange.

Ikhazoboh was indicted in Cadbury’s saga She further stated that the Interim Administrator, Mr. Emmanuel Ikhazoboh, who was appointed after her removal, was personally responsible for auditing the accounts of the NSE for six years.

She also disclosed that Ikhazoboh was indicted along with his accounting firm, Akintola Williams Deloitte and Touche, by SEC for their role in Cadbury ’s financial misappropriation saga.

She declared: “Ikhazoboh was responsible for auditing the accounts of the NSE when he was working for Akintola Williams Deloitte and Touche.

He later rose to become a partner in the same firm. He was responsible for auditing the NSE’s account for six years.

ADuring this time, he did not find anything wrong with the account, why would SEC in 2010, claim something was wrong with our accounts and appoint someone responsible for auditing the account to take over?

“It would be recalled that Ikhazoboh was personally indicted by SEC along with Akintola Williams for their role in the Cadbury financial misappropriation issue.”

Meanwhile, it should be noted that Chairman of the committee, Mr. Ibrahim ElSudi, condemned Oteh’s refusal to appear before it, saying it is an attempt to undermine the powers of the legislature.

Director-General of SEC, Ms. Arunma Oteh, had written a letter to the committee, informing it of her inability to appear before it. Her inability to appear, she said, is as a result of a meeting of the Nigerian Economic Management Team, of which she is a member.

El-Sudi, who read her letter to the committee, frowned at her absence, saying the legislature is independent of the executive and should not be hindered from doing its work by any activity of the executive or other arms of government.

WEDNESD AY, MA Y 9, 2012 WEDNESDA MAY

MIDWEEK SERMON

with SAM EYOBOKA s a m .e y o b o k a @ gmail. c o m

Adeboye tasks men on building crime-free society

By OLAYINKA LATONA

G

ENERAL Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adebo-ye, has urged the menfolk in Nigeria to always seek divine guidance in their quest to build homes and eventually a society that are filled with the fear of

God and are crime-free.

Pastor Adeboye made the call at the national headquarters of Redeemed Christian Church of God, Ebute Metta in Lagos dur-ing a special prayer meeting de-signed primarily for the men-folk tagged; “I shall be the head”.

According to the cleric, if the head of homes harbour the fear of

God and take wise decisions under the direction of God, families and ultimately the nation at large, will experience divine peace. He added that men are captains and the head of their homes, pointing out that the head is most important part of the human body which

R

How to make wealth without stealing—Cleric

F

OR those who believe that salvation is synonymous with poverty and others who think that one cannot be rich in a country like Nigeria without stealing, Pastor Kola Oyeyemi of the Chapel of Uncommon Grace Ministry has a word of advice, saying that one can actually be rich without corruption, reports JAPHET ALAKAM. The man of God who has been teaching kingdom principles recently launched a book in Lagos that addresses the issue. The book, Wealth without theft: You can be rich without stealing; dwells on how one can become successful by kingdom principles.

According to Oyeyemi, who is a marketing manager with a telecom outfit, the value system in the country is upside down with people believing that until

you steal you will not be wealthy.

He pointed out that the prevailing global economic condition is the result of the craze for money. “Money, the Bible says answereth all things. The holy book did not condemn money; rather it condemns the love of money which makes people to do anything legitimate or illegitimate to get money,” he added.

Continuing, Oyeyemi explained that “wealth is first a thing of the mind before the pocket. Your account, home, property are physical dimensions of wealth. One can still have all those things and still steal because the person’s mindset is poor.”

He attributed the problem to that of mindset, pointing out that if you are not wealthy in the mind no matter the millions you have you are still poor.

about their challen-ges.

Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the General Over-seer on Administration/Person-nel, Pastor Funsho Odesola advised parents, especially men to live up to their respon-sibilities as directed

by God and not abandon their fatherly obligations to their wives.

Lamenting that lots of parents have entrusted their children’s destiny into the hands of maids or teachers, Adesols said good parenting calls for time, coun-seling and guiding children on the right path, noting that chil-dren will learn wrongly from the society if they were not rightly directed by their parents.

Re: No Oritsejafor, I don’t agree

By KENNY ASHAKA

*Presentation of annual award for Best Graduating Accounting Student of the University of Lagos by the Ituah Ighodalo Foundation. L-R: Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, (president of the foundation), Mrs. Ibok (mother of recipient) and Ms. Favour Ibok (recipient).

carries lots of responsibility. He therefore advised young men and would be husbands to think very well before they making the decision to head a home.

“Being the head entails a lot of responsibility because you are the one who will make the deci-sion for the family and if any-thing goes wrong at home, the blame will be on you. When there is a problem with the brain the whole body is adversely affected,” he said.

Adeboye said men ought to seek divine wisdom, have faith and learn how to use their tong-ues positively, especially in praising God, noting that most people face challenges because they don’t praise God but only complain

EADING Aisha UmarYusuf ’s article with the above title in a national newspaper was quite intrigu-ing. I was not disappointed for obvious reasons. I am aware of the anti-CAN and anti-Christ-ian sentiments; but using her position as a columnist to resort to name-calling such as “mur-derous cohorts” and “distant terror-masters” on personalities that are far older than her, is certainly not one of the prin-ciples behind the maintenance of a column.

She wrote about southern voices being on the rise against negotiating with the Boko Haram sect “when people are after peace and an end to blood-shed”. She also asked if we must mar our search for peace with regional sentiments.

Unfortunately, however, her postulation on this issue cannot be used as a basis to measure if the voices against negotiation with the sect are regional. Her position also pre-supposes that everybody in the North, incl-uding Christians on whose be-half the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor has been speaking, are Musl-ims and pro-dialogue. This is a wrong and a quick-fix approach to the measure of support for dialogue with the Boko Haram sect.

To avoid any doubt, Christians in the North are opposed to a dialogue that would negotiate them to be in a Sharia state which is what the Boko Haram is demanding. It is, therefore, not a regional sentiment for Nigerian Christians to aver that they are against dialogue with the sect.

If she acknowledges the fact that southerners’ call on the govern-

ment not to dialogue with Boko Haram is increasing, that can only mean one thing: the decision to dialogue is unpopular. If she also agrees that not all northerners can be swayed by opinions such as hers, then the truth is that there are northern Muslims who are also opposed to dialogue with the Boko Haram sect, but are merely maintaining silence on account of envisaged attacks from the sect and writers like her.

What Pastor Oritsejafor, as the leader of Nigerian Christians has done, therefore, is to state a fair summation of the opinions of Christians, whether in the South or North. What is wrong with that?

Christianity promotes democracy and abhors systems that have now thrown the Arab world into chaos.

While the CAN president and, any Christian for that matter, will not support violence or terrorism as a means by groups to achieve their aim, it is worth reminding the Aishas of this world that the origin of militancy among Niger-Delta youths was the prolonged crim-

,

48—V anguard , —Vanguard

ment to negotiate with Boko Haram in so far as their demand is the imposition of Sharia in Nigeria.

As to her rhetorics and sentiments about the COCIN Church, Jos and the allegation of a Christian in the passenger seat of a suicide bomber, I am consoled that Boko Haram, in spite of all the theories

by Aisha and her cohorts, rose to claim responsibility for the attack.

Excuses often made by columnists to justify certain actions of fundamentalists in their midst, to say the least, are most unfortunate.

They must be made to understand that the Boko Haram case represents the tangle between Muslims, Christians and the State. In the past, politics have always struck at religion. In this instance, however, it is religion striking at politics. In this particular case, the sect would want us to believe that the focus of their intent is faith. Nigerians are beginning to realise that it is beyond the matter of faith. Can you negotiate your faith away? In as much as they may want Nigeri-

,

In as much as they may want Nigerians to believe that their action is sacred, the streams of profanities betray their real intentions

inal neglect of the area that produces the nation's wealth. They did not talk of imposing canon law on southern states neither did they negotiate through a third party.

Even at that, there were northerners who opposed late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s negotiation with the Niger Delta youths and the amnesty deal. What is now wrong if Christians oppose a proposal by an Islamic sect to impose Sharia?

Whatever name you call the Niger Delta youths today is immaterial as the deal is already benefitting Nigerians, including the North, a region now advocating for additional revenue allocation.

It only needs repeating the fact that the CAN president, on behalf of over 70 per cent of the nation's population, would not want the Federal Govern-

ans to believe that their action is sacred, the streams of profanities betray their real intentions.

According to Martin Luther, “Reason is the greatest enemy that faith has. It never comes to the aid of spiritual things, but …struggles against the divine word, treating with contempt all that emanates from God”.

In the world of the faith, “whatever is not of faith is sin”. (Romans 14:23). In this line, ignorance is inflamed, rumours abound, people they regard as unbelievers are slaughtered and bigotry takes a deep-seated stand. This is the impulse of passion that is running through the sect members and writers like Aisha and which makes their actions and write-ups know no law of logic.

Or how else can one describe the comparison of Major Gen. Zamani Lekwot’s case with the dastardly acts of the Boko Haram sect by Aisha. For her in-formation, Gen. Lekwot, a gentleman soldier who worked hard for the unity of Nigeria was a victim of high-tech mili-tary politics.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012—49

US rapper opens BB StarGame show G

RAMMY-nominated rapper J Cole showed little sign of jet lag when he opened the new season of Big Brother Star Game in Johannesburg last Sunday night.

The 27-year-old Germanborn star from North Carolina, US, was in chirpy mood at his arrival press conference yesterday morning.

He was refreshingly open in talking about his time in prison, “stalking” hip-hop mogul Jay-Z, and even about rumours of him dating sex kitten Rihanna, saying: “Oh, that’s good publicity; just keep it coming.”

There have been many famous stories about how some of music’s biggest stars were discovered and JCole’s story charms.

Jermaine Lamar Cole is no different to a character in one of the many gangster-turnedstar movies shown on US cable networks.

Over the years, he has been writing songs and always wished that one day his idol

[Jay-Z] would hear his music.

He used to camp outside Jay-Z’s Roc Nation offices carrying discs of beats he had created. While he was doing odd jobs, he decided to upload some of his music to social websites .

One morning when he switched on his phone he found an SMS from Jay-Z’s record label inviting him to meet Jay-Z’s associates.

The result was his debut album Cole World: The Sideline Story. It includes collaborations with Jay-Z (Mr, Nice Watch), Trey Songz (Can’t Get Enough), Drake (In the Morning) and Missy Elliott (Nobody’s Perfect).

The album received a Grammy nomination for best newcomer at this year ’s ceremony - he lost out to Bon Iver.

Asked about his thoughts on the Big Brother franchise, Cole said he was a “fan” of the show but would never join a celebrity house.The contestants will compete for $300000 over 91 days.

•J Cole

M.I returns with Beef

BY OPEOLUWANI AKINTAYO

A

•M.I,

FRICA’S Rapper No.1 crooner, M.I’s new video, “Beef ”, has hit the air, in a manner that has caused a wild jubilation amongst his fans.

The video produced by Chocolate City, opens with M.I sitting in-front of a large screen TV while he watches an elderly man dishing out some proverbial words at his stubborn son. Sounds more like an Afro beat tune with M.I’s subtle rap lines coming on underneath at intervals.

The video features a certain

Gbenga Adeyinka tours Europe

BY OPEOLUWANI AKINTAYO

A

CE comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka is currently busy touring the whole of Europe. Adeyinka’s manager told E-Daily that the comedian is on a working tour in Europe. According to him, the reputed comedian left the country on Monday, April 30, for Europe.

The comedian’s first port of call was Paris where he had a show before travelling to Germany where is expected to hold a couple of shows.

From Germany, Adeyinka would be storming Switzerland, and also Italy where is expected to round off his European tour.

He is due to return to the country Adeyinka next week.

C M Y K

young boy, stubborn in nature who goes around making trouble and stealing from other people. His parents, especially his father seems to have been fed up with his bad character that he laments over him all the time.

The boy literally goes about looking for beef in the market but ends up not buying one as he has no money, an act which puts him on the black

list of everyone he comes in contact with.

Literally, the song may not be explanatory to the common mind. But it seems M.I has a lot to say and explain to his fans who are yawning for the deeper meaning of the song.

The four minutes twenty four seconds video features M.I, Kele the troublemaker, Uncle Festus and the angry Market Woman.

Native attires set to rule Yoruba movie awards

MADONNA: Beastie Boys’ Yauch was one of a kind M

ADONNA said Adam Yauch, the Beastie Boys rapper who died Friday, was one of a kind and that the group was important to her musical history.

The singer says the seminal hip-hop group was “integral to the musical revolution that was happening at the time.”

Yauch’s representatives confirmed that the rapper, also known as MCA, died Friday morning in New York after a nearly three-year battle with cancer.

Madonna says she was sad to hear of Yauch’s death and asked God to bless his family.

The Beastie Boys opened for Madonna on tour in the 1980s, and the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last month.

Adam “MCA” Yauch was the gravelly-voiced rapper who helped make the Beastie Boys one of the seminal groups in hiphop. And his good-hearted nature led him to humanistic causes and made him beloved in the industry. He died Friday morning at 47 after a nearly three-year battle with cancer.

In a span of more than a quarter century that covered four No. 1 albums and more than 40 million records sold, the Beastie Boys played both prankster and pioneer- a simultaneously goofy and groundbreaking act that helped bring hip-hop to the mainstream.

The demure, gray-haired Yauch wasn’t the most boastful B-Boy; he was the thoughtful one and a steady source of the trio’s innovative spirit. A practicing Buddhist, he led the group in performing concerts to benefit Tibet and, as a filmmaker, he helped create their imagery.

T

HE movie industry is agog as celebrities, movie stars and fashionistas gear up for the maiden edition of Yoruba Movie Academy Awards (YMAA) billed for the ancient of Abeokuta, Ogun State next month.

According to the organisers, the official dress code for the event is strictly native, a trendy traditional attire synonymous to Yoruba culture and tradition, and as expected, movie practitioners, guests and top celebrities in the industry are keeping their exclusive design options close to their chests, as they visit their respective fashion designers and stylists in a bid to outshine each other at the prestigious event that will also feature a uniquely designed traditional red carpet in true Yoruba style.

As indicated by a top Yoruba actress, this glamorous celebration of creativity in the Yoruba movie industry is long overdue, as Yorubas are known to be pacesetters in fashion and stlye. “If the dress code is native to baaad gaan, they will see native to crazy gaaan,” she says.

A top fashion designer famous with most movie stars said she has been inundated with orders for dresses, shoes, bags etc for the awards and she hopes and prays that she will not disappoint her numerous customers, who are relying on her exquisite designs to stand out at the star-studded event.

•Madonna

50—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012—51

C M Y K

52—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012—53

54 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

Wigan slap £10m price tag on Moses

L

IVERPOOL and Tot tenham have been told by Wigan that Victor Moses will cost them £10million.

Moses, 21, has arguably been Wigan’s best player this season as Roberto Martinez’s side battle against relegation from the Premier League.

Liverpool had been showing interest in Moses prior to his move from Crystal Palace, but earlier this year agent Tony Finnigan ruled out a move away from the DW Stadium, insisting his client was happy at the club.

But Wigan insist they will not let the player leave the DW Stadium on the cheap and will insist on a fee in the region of £10m.

“You cannot stop players going to the next moment in their career and the potential of Victor is incredible,” Martinez told theDaily Mirror.

•Moses “As long as the club gets the right price and the player gives everything they have got for Wigan, then our chairman Dave

Ranieri in West Brom link

W

EST Brom have reportedly held talks with former Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri over the vacant managerial spot at the Hawthorns.

Albion are busy looking at potential options to replace the outgoing new

Hazard hints at City move

L

ILLE playmaker Eden Hazard has hinted that he will be playing for Manchester City next season Hazard, 21, has already openly stated his intention to move to the Premier League amid speculation linking him with Europe’s top clubs.

That has led to reports of a bidding war between City and Manchester United.

Both clubs were represented when Lille played Paris Saint-Germain last month with United scout Martin Ferguson, brother of Sir Alex, watching alongside Patrick Vieira, City’s football development executive.

And when Canal+ mischievously asked whether Hazard prefers red or blue, the question drew a non-committal response from the Belgium international.

“I like both,” he replied. “They’re both nice colours. I think they both suit me.

Lukaku eyes loan move

“It’s the blue that I’ll be wearing next season.

Definitely the blue.”

England coach Roy Hodgson this summer and it seems the 60-yearold Italian, nicknamed ‘The Tinkerman’ from his days at Stamford Bridge when he regularly rotated his starting line ups, is on the list.

It is claimed that Albion’s sporting and technical director Dan Ashworth met Ranieri near Birmingham airport late last week for preliminary talks.

Deschamps uncertain over future

D

IDIER Deschamps wants to remain in charge of Marseille but has conceded his future is up in the air following a poor Ligue 1 campaign.

OM sit 10th in the table following a goalless draw at St Etienne on Monday night, following which Deschamps was forced to field more questions about his future.

“I do not have to answer this question,” Deschamps told reporters.

“I am employed here. It will be left in the hands of the president (Vincent Labrune) and (owner) Margarita Louis-Dreyfus.

“They will decide my fate, I do not know anymore than that. If she (Margarita) wants to see me, then she can. She is my boss after all.”

Arsenal close to landing M’Vila

A

RSENAL are clos ing in on the €22million signing of the highly rated Yann M’Vila, a new transfer fee record for the Gunners.

The 21-year-old is expected to move to Emirates Stadium this summer and a report in the Metro claims the deal has been provisionally agreed be-

R

OMELU Lukaku has no regrets about joining Chelsea but reiterated he was looking to go out on loan next season.

Lukaku, who turns 19 this month, admitted his £18million move from Anderlecht to his boyhood idols last summer had not worked out as expected.

Whelan will never stop them from moving upwards.

“It happened last year with Charles N’Zogbia and it would be unrealistic of us to think we will never lose players.

“Victor has the quality to go as high as he wants to. We sometimes forget he is only 21 and we don’t want anyone to feel stale here.

“He is enjoying his football and if he attracts admirers from outside the club, that’s because he is doing well and Wigan are doing well.”

•M’Vila

tween Arsenal and Rennes.

The report also suggests that manager Arsene Wenger had prioritised more cover in the holding midfield position, in a bid to help provide support for the current incumbent Alex Song. ong has been in impressive form this season but Wenger’s team have been criticised for a lack of midfield cover in front of their defence, with the Cameroonian the only current experienced member of the team who is comfortable doing so.

The report says France international M’Vila chose a move to north London over an offer from Serie A side Inter Milan.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012 — 55

Veterans mourn Yekini

F

ORMER WAFU President and member of the Nigeria Football Association Chief Jonathan Ogufere has described Rashidi Yekini’s “exploits as yet unmatched in the annals of Nigeria Football….”

Chief Ogufere, President of Association of Sports Veterans, Nigeria was speaking in Lagos in reaction to the passing away of one of Nigeria’s greatest foot-

ballers.

Chief Ogufere said “ ……Yekini scored 41 goals in his career, 13 of them in the Africa Cup of Nations, making him the second highest goalscorer only to Ivorien Laurent Pokou who holds the record of 14. “ We remember that he emerged in the National scene in the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations in Algiers under Clemens Westerhoff, where he

Kanu Bags Unijos Honorary Masters Degree Continues from B/Page

Hayward Mafuyai who announced this at a pre-convocation press briefing said the honor is in line with the new thinking of government to confer honorary degrees on only deserving people.

He said the University’s Senate unanimously approved the conferment of the degree on Kanu whom he described as a deserving Nigerian and the most decorated African footballer. ”This is in recognition, not only of his outstanding achievements in the field of sports, but also for his exemplary contribution towards the rehabilitation of many indigent Nigerian children with debilitating heart conditions through his Kanu Heart Foundation. This has

enabled many of them to recover and return to pursue their education”, he said.

Professor Mafuyai said the award was to honour a youth who has striven to be exemplary as a footballer and became even more exemplary with the heart foundation which had offered treatment to many who would not have been able to afford the treatment.

He said the university was focussing on the youth because “we have not done enough to honor our own young men and women”.

Kanu is being honored alongside two bodies, the Carnegie Corporation of New York and TY Danjuma Foundation who would receive the Distinguished Philanthropic Award of the institution for kind heartedness.

Bocande joins Yekini Continues from B/Page

can Football president Issa Hayatou called the death another blow to African football after Rashidi Yekini died on Friday.

The Nigerian, who scored his country ’s first goal at a World Cup finals in 1994, passed away at the age of just 48.

The dreadlocked Bocande never played at a World Cup but he did play a major role in engineering Senegal’s run to the last eight of the 2002 finals in Asia.

He worked as assistant coach to Frenchman Bruno Metsu as the Teranga Lions stunned the world by reaching the quarter-finals.

C M Y K

“We knew that he was suffering,” said Senghor.

“Bocande revived Senegalese football. He gave everything to Senegalese football through his talent and his commitment.”

On the pitch, Bocande enjoyed his greatest success while playing for Metz, with whom he finished top scorer of France’s Ligue 1 championship in 1985-86.

Ironically, the Senegalese died in Metz after undergoing a surgical procedure in the French city.

He also played for Paris Saint-Germain, Nice and Lens in France, while participating at three Africa Cup of Nations finals for Senegal.

was the saving grace as we progressed from the 5-0 thumping in the opening match against the host Algeria to qualify for the final and this continued till 1994 when we won the Nations Cup in Tunisia and he was not only crowned the highest goalscorer but was also voted the African Footballer for that year.

“Yekini went further to score Nigeria’s first ever World Cup goal in that historic win against Bulgaria in the USA in 1994.”

Upset at CBN Open

A

MAJOR upset was recorded yesterday at the on-going 34th edi-

•Late Yekini

tion of the annual Central Bank of Nigeria Senior Open Tennis tournament holding at the tennis courts of the National Stadium Surulere Lagos when Sara Adegoke defeated ladies singles defending champion Abiola Akewula 6/2, 3/6, 6/0 to progress to the next round of the competition.

Also victorious in the women singles category was last year’s runnersup Blessing Samuel who outclassed Elizabeth Olatunji in straight sets 6/1, 6/, just as Blessing Anuna beat Kelechi Njoku 6/2, 6/2 to advance to the third round.

18 Eagles gear up for Peru Continues from B/Page

Also, all invited players of Heartland of Owerri and Warri Wolves, who have crucial CAF Confederation Cup games to play away from home were also given a reprieve by Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, who said there was no need to rush them to camp, when their teams will be travelling out of the country midweek. The players concerned are imposing defender, Azubuike Egwueke, Sunday Mba and skipper Chigozie Agbim all of Wolves, while Obinna Nwachukwu and goalkeeper Dan Akpeyi are of Heartland. The players are now expected in camp latest Monday next week.

But players of Sunshine Stars of Akure, who have a crucial CAF Champoions League game this weekend at home in Ijebu-Ode

against a Malian side are in camp and trained with the rest of the squad on Tuesday morning.

They are skipper of the side Godfrey Oboabona and striker Izu Azuka.

The other players who trained are Okemute Odah, Hamza Ikenna Onwuemenyi, Juwon Oshaniwa, Barbabas Imenger, who is suffering from a slight knock on his knee and was exempted from training on Tuesday. Nura Mohammed, Gbolahan Salami, Kalu Uche, Henry Uche, Samson Pius were also in full swing during training that was supervised by Keshi himself along with his assistants.

Compleing the 18man list of players who made the training are Marcel Obioha, Hassan Hussein, Emma Nwachi, Ugonna Ozochukwu, Papa Idris, Gabriel Reuben and electric wing-

er Ejike Uzoenyi. Keshi told both old and fresh players that there are no sacred cows in his selection pattern as only the

best 17 players will be selected for the trip to Lima. “Prove yourself on the pitch and you will be on the plane to Peru”, he said.

Keshi: Mikel, Utaka for Eagles Continues from B/Page

out of favour since he made the final squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

“For Mikel Obi, he is on the books for players I am looking at for the month of June and like every other player I have been monitoring, for instance John Utaka is doing very well in France and nobody is talking about him,” Keshi told MTNFootball.com.

“The young boy at VVV Venlo, Michael Uchebo (also interests me), he scored at the weekend and he’s on

my books for the June games.”

Utaka has rediscovered his form after he returned to the French Ligue 1 from England as he has fully established himself at title-chasing Montpellier.

Keshi has been equally delighted with the form of winger Victor Moses, who he capped in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Rwanda in February.

“Victor Moses has been in a devastating form and I am happy because it’s good for the National team,” saluted the Eagles coach.

City stars to get N63m each

Blues tempt Didi with final offer

Continues from B/Page

deal on his current salary of £100,000-a-week.

But Chelsea are prepared to hand the 34year-old the option of a further 12 months if he continues to deliver next season.

They are hoping that compromise will be enough to convince Drogba to turn his back on a £200,000-a-week move to China and finish his career in London.

A club source said: “Everyone is keen to keep Didier but the own-

Roberto Mancini’s squad are on the brink of making history with just one victory separating them from a first topflight title since 1968.

And if the incentive to beat fierce rivals Manchester United to the top prize wasn’t enough, mega-rich owner Sheikh Mansour will dip into his pocket to provide his stars with some extra motivation.

According to The Dai-

ly Star, Sheikh Mansour is prepared to lose £4.5million in bonuses if City beat Queens Park Rangers at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

City are level on points with United going into the final round of Premier League fixtures.

But Mancini’s men have a much-better goal difference than their rivals, and know a win will see them lift the coveted trophy regardless of United’s result against Sunderland.

Continues from B/Page

er won’t be held to ransom.

“He has to be realistic with his demands if he wants to continue playing at the highest level.”

The Ivorian international, who becomes a free agent at the end of the month, has been promised a £20million package to play in China until 2014.

Even if he agrees to stay Chelsea will try to sign Napoli striker Edinson Cavani or Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Higuain.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

Bocande joins Yekini F

ORMER Senegal striker Jules Bocande died on Monday, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has announced.

Bocande, 54, had been unwell for months after reportedly suffering a

Bocande

stroke and died following surgery in France.

“I’m totally devastated,” said FSF president Augustin Senghor. “It’s an enormous loss for Senegalese football.”

Confederation of Afri Continues on page 55

Blues tempt Didi with final offer

City stars to get N63m each

IDIER Drogba will be given one last chance to sign a new Chelsea contract.

The striker has already rejected a new one-year

Kanu Bags Unijos Honorary Masters Degree

D

If they win EPL title

Continues on page 55

BY TAYE OBATERU

T

I

T’S hardly like they’re short of cash, and now each Manchester City star has been promised a whopping £250,000 end-of-season bonus… but on one condition – they lift the Barclays Premier League title.

Continues on page 55

•Drogba

•Toure

Keshi: Mikel, Utaka for Eagles

N

IGERIA coach Stephen Keshi has revealed that Chelsea ace Mikel Obi as well as France-based striker John Utaka are set to return next month.

Mikel has yet to feature under Keshi, who was appointed in November, while Utaka fell

Continues on page 55 TODAY'S

HE University of Jos will this Saturday (May 12) honor former Green Eagles Captain, Nwankwo Kanu with a honorary Master of Arts Degree for his achievements in the field of football and philanthropy.

Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor

•Kompany

18 Eagles gear up for Peru

Continues on page 55

S

UPER Eagles preparations for the May 23 in ternational friendly against Peru in Lima, started on Tuesday at the Practice Pitch of the National Stadium in Abuja, with all the players invited in attendance safe for the injured duo of Solomon Jabason and Shehu Maijema.

•Mikel

PUZZLES

•Utaka YESTERDAY'S

Continues on page 55 ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Consecrate (5) 7 Atmosphere (4) 8 Whole (6) 9 Excite (5) 11 Noise (3) 13 Lump (3) 15 Paradise (4) 16 Vegetable (3) 18 Location (4) 19 Biased (7) 20 Cheese (4) 22 Rip (4) 23 Agreed (7) 25 Swerve (4) 27 Parched (3) 28 Lake (4) 30 Finish (3) 31 Performed (3) 33 Scoff (5) 36 Useless (6) 37 Imitated (4) 38 Humorous (5)

•Kanu

QUICK CROSSWORD

DOWN 1 Sensational (5) 2 Ban (3) 3 Bird (3) 4 Observe (3) 5 Pig-pen (3) 6 Handle (5) 10 Deer (4) 11 Earn (7) 12 Denied (7) 13 Broadened (7) 14 Ordained (7) 16 Cede (5) 17 Cash (5) 18 Fixed (3) 21 Spoil (3) 24 Press (4) 26 Follow (5) 29 Jockey (5) 32 Concealed (3) 33 Stitch (3) 34 Newt (3) 35 Beam (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Lasso 5, Secure 8, Addle 10, Deride 11, Eros 14, Desire 15, Recover 18, Per 19, Tub 21, Need 23, Melee 24, Boor 27, Den 29, Pen 31, Devoted 32, Amused 34, Seer 35, Thirst 38, Ashen 39, Neatly 40, Royal.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 2, Ape 3, Sailor 4, Odd 5, Seed 6, Chosen 7, Extend 9, Deleted 12, Rep 13, Sire 16, Ergo 17, Ruled 20, Beneath 22, Edge 24, Brazen 25, Opus 26, Resent 28, Domino 30, Nee 33, Dray 36, Her 37, Sea.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

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

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

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

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470; Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.