FG begins recruitment of 500,000 graduates

•P.35 •P.21

Bad loans threaten 34% of UBA, GTB, Access, Union, other banks' profit in 2016 L

By Babajide Komolafe AGOS — Bad, or non-performing

loans may wipe off as much as 34 per cent of profits in the banking sector if indications are anything to go by.

Analysis of the first quarter 2016 operating results of the banks has revealed that ten banks may have to make

provision to the tune of N174 billion this year in respect of NPLs, representing 34 per cent of their possible

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 63046

**

profitability for the year.

Nigerian banks are battling with huge portfolios of nonperforming loans (NPLs),

due to economic downturn, which has led to business failures and

Continues on page 21

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N200

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

FG begins recruitment of 500,000 graduates •For teaching jobs •100,000 youths to benefit in non-graduates’ training programmes •Osinbajo launches school feeding programme today •Meets with govs to review strategic plan

BIG BOSS BIDS BYE

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA— THE Presidency, yesterday, announced the take-off of recruitment of 500,000 unemployed graduates, who would benefit from the N500 billion social investment programme of the All Progressives

Continues on Page 5

The late Stephen Keshi as a Captain (left) and coach of Super Eagles.

DROWNED UNILAG 2: Funmi died rescuing her friend, says relative 6

Mr & Mrs

COLUMNISTS: The Erediauwa Nnamani and dynasty: Like co’s beggarly father, like son Villa trip •P.17 •P.17

Militants rebuff dialogue with FG 5

2 — Vanguard, THURSDAY June 9, 2016

Vanguard, THURSDAY June 9, 2016 — 3

4 — Vanguard, THURSDAY June 9, 2016

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016—5

POCKET CARTOON

DIALOGUE: From left, Minster of Interior, Abdulrahaman Dambazau; Acting President Yemi Osinbanjo and UN Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for Sahel, Toby Lanzer, at a Regional Protection Dialogue of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) on Lake Chad Basin, in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

FG begins recruitment of 500,000 graduates Continues from page 1 Congress, APC-led government.

Also, Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, will today launch Nigeria’s first national home-grown school feeding programme.

Application portal opens June 12

A statement from the Office of the Acting President, signed by his media aide, Mr. Laolu Akande, said the Buhari Presidency would start taking applications via online for positions in the 500,000 direct teacher jobs scheme, through an internet portal, named npower.gov.ng.

It stated that applications were expected to start coming in on June 12, as the portal would formally be launched on Saturday, June 11.

The statement, which

asked young, unemployed Nigerians to visit the website and apply, read: “It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari in his May 29 Democracy Day broadcast to the nation, formally launched the unprecedented social investment programmes already provided for under the 2016 Appropriation by the administration.

“The 500,000 Teacher Corps, nicknamed 'NPower Teach' on the portal, is one of the three direct job creation and training schemes Nigerians can start applying for from Sunday, June 12.

“Others are N-Power Knowledge which will train 25,000 Nigerians in the area of technology, and N-Power Build, which trains another 75,000 in the areas of building services, construction, utilities, hospitality, catering,

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO - 08104802192

T

HE world will only follow a man who has discovered something unique. In other words, if you must lead a people, then you must find something that answers the question of the world.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE- O8084919482 Happiness can exist only in acceptance— George Orwell

W

HEN life takes you in a different direction from your expectations, it is okay to accept the change. Acceptance of an unpleasant state doesn’t mean you don’t have goals for the future. It just means you accept that certain things are beyond your control. The sadness, stress, or pain is there, whether you like it or not.

Better to embrace the feeling as it is. Acceptance doesn’t tell you what to do. What happens next, what you choose to do; that has to come out of your understanding. The power to choose your next action is entirely up to you.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

A

MAN who wants to buy palmwine does not hang about at home until all the palmwine in the market is sold.

automotive vocations, aluminium and gas services. All trainees would be paid for the duration of their training.

“The N-Power Teacher Corps initiative, which will engage and train 500,000 young unemployed graduates, is a paid volunteer programme of a two-year duration.

“Unemployed Nigerians selected and trained will play teaching, instructional, and advisory roles in primary and secondary schools, agricultural extension systems across the country, public health and community educationcovering civic and adult education.

N23,000 to be paid as salary monthly

“Beside their monthly take home pay estimated at about N23,000, the selected 500,000 graduates will also get computer devices that will contain information necessary for their specific engagement, as well as information for their continuous training and development. They get to keep the devices, even after exiting from the

programme.

“According to the plan of the Buhari administration, the N-Power Teacher Corps programme is an invaluable opportunity for young Nigerians to make immense economic and social contributions to the nation, while developing their skills. It will also help to address the problems of inadequate teachers in public schools.

“Also, persons enlisted under the scheme will gain work experience and acquire key competencies through academic and non-academic capacity building programmes intended to improve their competitiveness in the workplace. Their devices will come loaded with knowledge-oriented applications and software that will enable them acquire the skills and capacity.

“Under the N-Power Knowledge scheme, there are three aspects: Creative, Technology Software and Hardware. These three sub-divisions will train 25,000 young Nigerians in all.

“5,000 of them would be trained in Animation, Graphic Design, PostProduction, Script-Writing, all under the sub-division of N-Power Knowledgecreative category.

“The N-Power Knowledge scheme also has a technology category in two aspects: hardware and software. 10,000 Nigerians would be trained, and equipped in the area of software development, including web designer, and another 10,000 in hardware expertise, including repair, maintenance and assemblage of mobile phones, tablets, computers and other devices.

“Also, the N-Power Build category was designed, realizing that the presence of a well-trained and highly skilled youth population in any economy has direct

impact on entrepreneurship/wealth creation, which in turn leads to a decline in unemployment.

"N-Power Build is, therefore, an accelerated training and certification (skills to job/enterprise) programme that will engage and train 75,000 young, unemployed Nigerians to build a new crop of skilled and highly competent workforce of technicians, artisans and service professionals.”

School feeding programme for launch today

The school feeding programme, which is expected to ensure the feeding of over 24 million primary school children, would have each of the children given one meal per day in the first year of its operation.

The scheme is part of the N500 billion social investment plans of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Presidency, even as both the federal and state governments are expected to review the strategic plan for the scheme.

The event is billed to hold at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Some dignitaries expected to be in attendance include governors of Borno, Oyo,

Osun, Enugu and Kaduna states, and other g o v e r n m e n t representatives and stakeholders from 36 states of the federation and developmental partners.

Plan to run till 2020

According to a statement from the Office of the Acting President, the strategic plans will run until 2020 and forms the cornerstone of the nationwide Home Grown School Feeding programme.

The statement added that “the Federal Government is working with key technical partners to capitalize upon global experience and adopt best practices.”

One such partner is the UK’s Imperial College, London’s Partnership for Child Development, PCD, which is providing technical assistance to the Presidency.

The scheme is to help pupils become better students, and also boost the local economies, and create new jobs along the way.

Beside the strategic plan, Osinbajo would also launch the "Global School Feeding Sourcebook: Lessons from 14 countries," a joint Partnership for Child Development, the World Bank and World Food Programme analysis of national school feeding programmes from across the globe.

Militants rebuff dialogue with FG •Blow up another Chevron pipeline in Delta •Foreign refineries to stop buying Nigeria's crude oil •Stakeholders ask militants to dialogue

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, SouthSouth, Festus Ahon, Mike Eboh, Egufe Yafugborhi, Perez Brisibe, Akpokona Omafuaire & Iloaze Blessed-Odidi, with agency reports

W

ARRI— NIGER Delta Avengers, NDA, yesterday, scuttled the hope of early resolution of the current spate of bombings in the Niger

Delta, as it did not only reject the window created for dialogue by the Federal Government, but also blew up another Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL,

crude oil pipeline in Delta State.

This came on a day indications emerged that Nigeria’s crude oil export may drop further in the days ahead, as major refineries across the globe have concluded plans to stop purchase of crude oil from Nigeria due to rising

uncertainties about the country meeting up with deliveries.

The latest attack came as a bombshell to the governors of oil producing states, who met, Tuesday, in Abuja with the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, service chiefs and other functionaries on how to end pipeline attacks in the troubled region.

Government had

Continues on page 11

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

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22-yr-old arrested with 2 guns in Yenagoa

By Emem Idio

Y

E N A G O A — BAYELSA State Police Command has arrested a 22-year-old armed robbery suspect, Festus Solomon, with two loaded locally-made pistols and 11 live cartridges.

It was learned that the cartridges were hidden in a cap inside a Jetta Salon car with number plates EFR 24 AA, parked along the Sani Abacha Expressway in the state capital.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Asinim Butswat, said: “The suspect confessed that they came from Delta State to carry out an operation, with one Kess, surname unknown, and three others. Efforts have been intensified to arrest the fleeing suspects.”

2 docked for online fraud

By Onozure Dania

L

AGOS—TWO unemployed men, who allegedly obtained N240,000 under pretext of selling genuine Iphones through an online platform, OLX, were yesterday charged before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos.

The defendants, Louis Onome, 34, and Alade Olalekan, 33, are facing a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and fraud preferred against them by the police.

The duo, when first arraigned on March 16, pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in the sum of N100,000, each with two sureties in like sum.

However, at the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, defence counsel, Mr. S. N. Oniyide, and D. I. Michael, informed the court that the defendants had made arrangements with the complainants to pay back the sum,and should be allowed to settle the case out of court.

However, counsel watching brief for OLX, the online platform, Mr. Peter Uwalaka, told the count to discountenance such request to deter people from damaging the image of the firm.

Magistrate B. A. Sonuga adjourned the case till July 19 for report of settlement.

MEGA LIVING: Shanties at the Adeniji-Adele, Lagos Island end of the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos. PHOTO:

Bunmi Azeez

Drowned UNILAG 2: Funmi died rescuing her friend,

By Evelyn Usman & Elizabeth Uwandu

Both had submitted completed project works examination as a mark of honour to the departed souls, but the appeal, according to them, was not granted.

However, another student, who gave her name as Gbemi, disclosed that she was supposed to go to the beach with them but decided otherwise because of the exams.

She said: “I heard of the birthday bash. I was tempted to go because it has been long since I attended a beach party.

But I had to stay back to read for my exams.”

F

RESH facts emerged yesterday that late Funmi Odusina, one of the postgraduates students of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, that drowned at the Elegushi beach, died while trying to rescue Adesola Ogunmefun.

They were said to be celebrating the birthday of a friend, Bolu, when a heavy tide swept them away. Funmi reportedly swam towards Adesola, who was drowning, but passed out.

She was rescued alongside the celebrant, Bolu, by local divers who rushed them to Lagos Island General Hospital, where she died.

One of her aunts, Miss Bukola Odunsi, described her death as an act of bravery.

Explaining, with emotion, how the news of her demise reached the family, she said: “On that fateful day, I was with her parents when her mother’s telephone rang. The caller identified himself as a staff of the Island General Hospital and informed her that Funmi was rushed to the emergency unit of the hospital.

“Immediately, she called someone at Funmi’s hostel in UNILAG to confirm the incident. We rushed to the hospital only to be told that she had died and that her body had been deposited in the hospital’s mortuary.

“Since the incident no one has been stable because Funmi was a brilliant student. She graduated from Covenant University two year ago. Saying we would miss her is an understatement.”

Deceased submit projects—UNILAG staff

Funmi Odusina (left) and Adesola Ogunmefun

Colleagues mourn

Meanwhile, when Vanguard visited the Faculty of Law, UNILAG yesterday, it was discovered that they had commenced their final examinations, which the deceased would have been writing.

In honour of the late students, their course mates wore black clothes.

One of the students, who simply gave his name as Nwado, said: “As you can see, we are wearing black to mourn the death of our colleagues. We are supposed to be writing our examination together, but unfortunately they are not with us.”

Some students claimed they

appealed to the management of the school to postpone the

It was also discovered that late Funmi and Adesola had completed and submitted their project works. They were said to be among the first postgraduates students to submit theirs.

Speaking with Vanguard, a senior staff of the Department of Law and Jurisprudence, who spoke on condition of

Inmate escapes in Benin court

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—AN inmate, who was taken to Benin High Court for trial, escaped yesterday at the premises of the court.

The drama started after the inmate and others from the Oko Medium Prison alighted from the vehicle that conveyed them to the court.

It was learned that the prisoner, who is on Awaiting Trial list, took to his heels on getting to the court.

Officials of the prison reportedly went after him, but had not been able to apprehend him at press time. However, Vanguard was told that some warders were combing the area.

A prison official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said some warders had been sent after the inmate.

Meanwhile, spokesman of the Edo Command of the Nigerian Prison Services, Mr. Aminu Suleiman, declined comment on the issue, saying he had not been briefed on the issue.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016—7

08023019505 08034073107

4 cultists die in gun battle with Rivers Police

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT—FOUR notorious cultists in Rivers State were shot dead by policemen, yesterday.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Muhammad, who disclosed this to newsmen in Port Harcourt, said policemen engaged the cultists in a fierce gun battle in Ogbakiri, Emohua Local Government Area of the state, adding that three of the cultists died on the spot, while one passed on later at the hospital from bullet wounds.

Muhammad said the cultist, who died later at the hospital, confessed before he passed on that the group was behind the weekend’s killings of about 27 persons in Aluu, Isiokpo and Rumuji community, where they attempted to attack the Rumuji Police Station.

He said: “The cultists came from the bushes to attack our

SARS annex office at Ogbakiri Junction. Our men repelled the attack. Four of them were killed,” adding that police had beefed up security around all its formations in the state.

On Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, where the Police headquarters is, one of the lanes

the hospital said he was among those that attacked Isiokpo and other areas of Aluu communities weekend.

“Their fleeing gang members certainly escaped with their riffles when they saw their members gunned down.”

I make N10,000 daily—Fake Policeman

By Evelyn Usman & Esther Onyegbula

P

OLICEMEN attached to Iponri Division in Lagos State have arrested a 32-yearold fake policeman who extorts money from commercial bus drivers in Costain area, raking in N10,000 daily.

The suspect, Austine Okwuoke, clad in a police vest and a black trouser, was said to have been into the shady act for close to six months until luck ran

says relative anonymity, described the students as “conscientious fellows,” disclosing that they were among the first students to submit their projects.

He said: “The students were from this department. They had just submitted their completed projects last week. It is shocking because they were one of the conscientious students. All we have to do is to send our condolences to the bereaved families.”

Efforts to speak with the Dean of Post-Graduate School proved abortive as Vanguard was informed that he went for an inaugural lecture.

But a principal staff of the school, who also did not want her name in print, said the Dean and staff were yet to come to terms with the demise of the students.

Her words: “The Dean is unhappy over the development. However, these were part-time Master students, who never took permission from the school before going for a party.

was closed to motorists.

Muhammad added that dynamites and other dangerous weapons were among items recovered from the hoodlums shot dead.

He said: “We recovered large quantities of dynamites.

The hoodlum that made it to

“Before any student is allowed to attend any function outside the school, he or she must take permission. And this permission involves processes before the Dean assents to it.

We are pained that this incident happened.”

against him yesterday.

When he was searched, N10,000, in rough-looking N200, N100, N50 and N20 denominations, was recovered from his pockets.

He was said to have introduced himself to members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, at Costain as a member of a special team on road patrol recently set up by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.

However, during investigation, it was discovered that he was neither a policeman nor a member of any such outfit.

He said he continued with what he described as “a lucrative business” because of the amount he made on daily basis.

When asked how much he

makes, he said: “I make an average of N10,000 a day from commercial bus and truck drivers.”

Confirming the arrest, spokesperson for the state Police Command, Dolapo Badmus, a Superintendent of Police, said the suspect would soon be charged to court even as she admonished members of the public to be wary of his likes.

She said: “The suspect is currently undergoing interrogation with the command. The command, hereby, urges members of the public to be vigilant and not to part with their hard-earned money to anyone who claims to be a policeman, or even wears police uniform, as the leadership of the force abhors any form of corruption.”

Police arrest two persons

Meanwhile, two persons have been arrested in connection with the incident.

Information at Vanguard’s disposal revealed that the suspects were managers of Elegushi Beach. They were reportedly arrested following absence of protective gadgets for fun-seekers at the commercial beach.

Recall that friends of the deceased had accused the beach operators of not having safety kits.

Spokesperson for Lagos State Police Command, Dolapo Badmus, confirmed the arrest but refused to give further details on their identities, saying that investigation was still ongoing.

‘Officer’ Austine Okwuoke

6 die as cultists clash in Makurdi varsity

By Peter Duru

M

AKURDI—FIVE students of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, and a security guard were reportedly killed, while scores sustained injures in two days of bloody conflict between rival cult groups at the institution.

Vanguard gathered from a student, who craved anonymity, that the crisis was sparked off by the killing of a student of the institution, last Monday, by a

suspected cult gang He said: “We believe that last night’s killings of these students is connected to Monday ’s killing of a student by suspected cultists. It looks more like reprisal attacks.”

The armed men, Tuesday night, stormed Chamma Hostel, a private lodge outside the institution, and moved to Block D, Room 2, where they requested to see one Aye. But the occupants of the room, numbering four, told the visitors

that they had no such occupant in the room.

The student said: “Angered by the response and plea of the students, the leader of the gang ordered his men to kill them all, while they were on their knees, begging.

“From there, the gang moved to the security post, where they also shot the security guard of the hostel.

Unfortunately, every one of them died before they received medical attention.”

The institution’s Head of Public Relations Unit, Mrs. Rosemary Waku, confirmed that five persons, including four students and a security man attached to the hostel, were killed.

She disclosed that a cultrelated attack had claimed the life of one student on Monday, adding that it was believed that the killed student belonged to the cult group that came for reprisal on Tuesday night.

Chief Nojeem Abioye

Baale, son remanded in prison for murder

By Abdulwahab Abdulah & Jane Echewodo

A

traditional ruler of Temidire community in Agbado Oke-Odo Local Government Area, Lagos State, Chief Nojeem Abioye, was yesterday ordered remanded in prison custody with his son after he was arraigned for allegedly killing one Rasak Olaniyan Olatunji.

The Baale was arraigned alongside his son before Justice Lateef LawalAkapo over the killing of Olatunji, popularly known as Alhaji Gay , last year July.

The state arraigned the duo on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit a felony to wit, murder contrary to Section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, and murder contrary to Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

When their plea were taken, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the offences.

The deceased, a hotelier, was reportedly murdered during a riot on July 20, 2015 in the Alagbado area of Lagos State.

The judge has subsequently ordered that the defendants be remanded in Kirikiri Medium Prison custody, and thereafter adjourned till June 23 for argument on bail applications.

Meanwhile, an elder sister to the deceased, Madam Ganiyat Olapeju Popoola told newsmen after the proceedings that Alhaji Gay’s wife whose name was given as Idowu, gave birth to a baby boy yesterday morning, contrary to rumours making the round that he had no wife.

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY JUNE 9, 2016

Alleged $40m contract scam: Jonathan’s cousin, wife secure N1bn bail

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—THE Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday granted bail to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin, Robert Azibaola, and his wife, Stella, to the tune of N1billion.

The duo, who were arraigned before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, are answering to a seven-count criminal charge bordering on alleged $40million contract scam.

Trial Justice Nnamdi Dimgba gave the defendants bail in the sum of N500 million each, and two sureties in like sum.

According to the court, the sureties must be owners of landed property within the Asokoro District of Abuja.

FG to issue $1bn Eurobond in Q3 2016 ....To secure $3bn WB, AfDB loan Naira depreciates to N375/$ As depreciation impairs terminal operators’ earnings by 238% —Report

By Babajide Komolafe, with agency reports/ Godwin Oritse

T

HE FEDERAL Government has said it would issue $1 billion Eurobond in the third quarter of this year towards its securing of $3 billion loan from the World Bank and African Development Bank.

The development came as the naira, yesterday, depreciated sharply to N375 per dollar in the parallel market due to increased speculation driven by anxiety over non-release of details of the flexible exchange rate announced by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, last month.

This is as declining value of the naira against the United States dollar and other international currencies has eroded the value of seaport terminal operators’

earnings by about 238% over the past ten years.

Addressing a meeting with international investors in London on Tuesday, Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, said Nigeria might issue a $1 billion Eurobond in the third quarter and that it was close to securing $3 billion of funding from the World Bank and African Development Bank.

According to Kevin Daly, a money manager at Aberdeen Asset Management Plc, who attended the talks, Adeosun said the government was committed to a budget deficit of not more than N2.2 trillion ($11.1 billion), or 2.1 percent of Gross Domestic Product, GDP. Nigeria has sold dollar bonds twice, the last time in mid-2013, when it raised $1 billion of fiveand 10-year debt.

The government has said it

would fund the fiscal gap with about $10 billion of debt, half of it in foreign currencies.

Yields on Nigeria’s $500 million of securities maturing in July 2023, fell five basis points to 7.44 per cent in London by 10:22 a.m. and have dropped 1.2 percentage points this year.

Nigeria’s Eurobonds have gained 8.5 percent in 2016, compared with the average of 10.4 percent for high-yielding emerging-market sovereign dollar-debt tracked by Bloomberg.

Three-month naira forwards dropped 0.2 per cent to 274.5 per dollar, suggesting traders see the currency trading near that level in coming months.

Adeosun said Nigeria would probably post budget deficits for at least three years and that its debt-to-GDP ratio would rise to 20 percent from around 13

$2.1bn arms probe: FG applies for protection of witnesses against Dasuki

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—THE F e d e r a l Government, yesterday, filed a fresh application before the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order for the protection of witnesses billed to testify against the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, retd.

The application, which was brought before trial Justice Ademola Adeniyi, was predicated on section 232 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2 0 1 5 . S p e c i f i c a l l y, government prayed the court to allow the witnesses, mainly security operatives, to give their evidence behind screens.It also urged the court to issue an order directing that identities of all prosecution witnesses should not be mentioned in any record or report of the proceeding accessible to the public.

The government also applied for an order permitting the witnesses to be addressed with pseudonyms in the course of the criminal proceeding.

VISIT: From left, Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf; Director (Policy), Africa International Division of the U.S. Chamber, Leila Ndiaye; President, LCCI, Mrs. Nike Akande, and Senior Director, International Division of the U.S. Chamber, Kyla Holland, during the visit of U.S. Chamber to LCCI in lagos, yesterday. Photo: NAN

percent in that period, according to Gregory Kronsten, an analyst at Lagos-based FBN Quest who was at the meetings.

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, said on May 24 after the last Monetary Policy Committee meeting that a new foreign-exchange system would be announced “in the coming days.”

The central bank was represented at the London meetings by Alvan Ikoku, its Director for Trade and Exchange.

“The director confirmed that in line with the recent MPC statement, it was discussing how to implement a more flexible foreign-exchange regime,” said Richard Segal, an emerging market analyst at Manulife Asset Management. “The central bank said there would be some kind of announcement relatively soon.”

Naira depreciates to N375/$ Vanguard investigation reveals that the parallel market exchange rate rose from N360 per dollar on Tuesday to N375 yesterday, implying N15 depreciation of the nation’s currency.

Meanwhile, the declining value of the naira against the United States' dollar and other international currencies has eroded the value of seaport terminal operators’ earnings by about 238 per cent over the past ten years.

Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa, but growth prospects and per capita GDP forecasts fell significantly lower than expectations According to the report prepared by an audit firm, the terminal operators, who have invested over N200 billion between 2006 and 2015, have lost an estimated N58.9 billion in earnings over the period.

Makarfi meets PDP NASS caucus, says INEC recognises PDP caretaker c'ttee •Says his committee not to serve anybody’s bidding •To reduce nomination fee from N11 for Edo PDP Aspirants •As PDP lawmakers ask Caretaker Committee to address Kogi governorship issue

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

A

BUJA—CHAIRMAN, Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Senator Ahmed Makarfi, yesterday, met with the party ’s National Assembly Caucus at the National Assembly complex, saying the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has recognised his leadership of the party.

Makarfi, who said the committee had already met with INEC, said for the electoral body to invite the committee to a meeting was an indication that it had gained the recognition of the commission. He said, “Yesterday (Tuesday), we attended our first

official engagement after taking over. It was a meeting convened

by INEC. And for us to attend a meeting convened by INEC and make useful contributions, that should tell everybody what that means.''

The former Kaduna State governor who met with both senators and members of House of Representatives, told them that his committee would not do the bidding of any interests. He added that his committee’s assignment was to reconcile all aggrieved members and eventually conduct the national convention.

Makarfi said, “I said it yesterday that we are not representing any block of

interest; we are representing PDP interest and our doors are open, nobody should sit back thinking that we are likely to do this or not do that. We are here for all of you, we are here for all PDP men and women, we are here for Nigerians.''

In a remark during the courtesy visit, Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, said: “We appeal to you to carry everybody along, let all the stakeholders be involved to ensure that we are really democratic. Nigeria expects so much from us and we should not disappoint them. We want to assure you of our support, our solidarity. The task ahead is tough and you have limited time but be rest assured that we will be there

for you to make sure you succeed because the foundation you are going to lay now, will determine the future of our party.”

Also speaking, Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, who commended members of the committee for not demonstrating the attitude of selfish politicians, said: “You told Nigerians unequivocally that you were not elected national chairman but a committee set up in line with the constitution of the party. That showed clearly that PDP is a party that believes in the rule of law. The party has the power to set up any committee, including the National Working Committee. It can even assign the functions of the National Convention to that committee, which was the case with your committee.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016—9

By Victor Ahiuma-Young, reporting from Geneva, Switzerland

ECOWAS court fines Nigeria $3.3m over extra-judicial killings

G

E N E VA — N I G E R I A Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, yesterday lambasted the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, over his threat that the Federal Government would be forced to withdraw the operating licenses of banks and telecoms firms, should they continue to breach the directives to halt further sacks of workers, pending stakeholders meeting next month.

The Director-General of NECA, Mr. Segun Osinowo, who spoke while reacting to last Tuesday’s comments by the Minister over continuous retrenchment in the financial sector, especially banks despite his directive, said the Minister was not only ignorant of labour laws, but also reckless in arrogating the powers of the Federal Government to himself.

He said: “NECA is not informed by the ideological consideration or an interest concentration because Nigerian employers are equally Nigerians and they are interested in the welfare of Nigerians. ‘’The truth about it is that any employer that is worth its salt will not treat its valuable assets, which is human resource with ignominy or as slaves, to use the word of the minister because these are employees that companies have invested significantly on at all times. Left to them alone, they will want keep them so that they can support the companies in realizing their goals.

“NECA’s position is informed on the imperative for social partners and the government.

Talking of social partners we are referring to the trade unions, employers and the government on the imperative for them to follow due process, to follow rule of law, to follow principles and structures in managing labour and industrial relations in Nigeria. ‘’It is only by that we can guarantee consistency and sanity in what we are doing. The only common benchmark that will ensure fairness and equity is for us all, whether ministry of labour as a regulator or as employers of labour and trade union, to subject our action and decision to rule of law, due diligence, structure and appropriate procedure.

“If we all agree that should be the standard for testing our action, we can then subject the action of the minister of labour to those principles which I have articulated, there won’t be subjectivity. What is the rule of law, when an employer wants to carry out retrenchment, there is a procedure in the law that he is supposed to follow. ‘’Second, the ministry of labour is supposed to be a superintending body that will ensure employers do the

By Kingsley Omonobi

A

DISTRIBUTION: Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari (4th left); Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Adamu (5th left), and others, during the commencement of the distributions of reliefs materials to the less priviledged in Bauchi, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

FG's THREAT TO BANKS, TELECOMS FIRMS OVER MASS SACK:

NECA slams Labour Minister Says ‘he is ignorant of Labour Law' needful in line with the law. Did the employer follow the rule of law in carrying out the retrenchment? ‘’Employers will only follow the due process of the law if there is a trade union on ground. If there is no union on ground there will be no party to call for discussion.

“The minister has to show an understanding on this very principles. The Minister should understand that industrial relation is profession on its own.

Anyone commenting on industrial relations must comment from a knowledge perspective. ‘’If I am employer of labour and the law say if I want to carry out retrenchment I must inform or discuss with my union, I will

only do that if I have a union. I think the minister doesn’t seem to understand this aspect . ‘’The second aspect which the minister equally put emphasis on is that there must be Collective Bargaining Agreement, CBA. Again the minister failed to understand that you can only talk about CBA in a unionized environment. CBA are signed with with unions. ‘’If am employer and I want to carry out retrenchment, and I don’t have a union on ground, the issue of CBA cannot not arise.

What we therefore fall back on is the terms and conditions of employment as contained in the employee hand book. The minister has not shown any understanding of this unfortunately.

“The real issue for us is, are the

parties following the law? Are the parties following structure for engagement that is on ground?

When we are talking parties, it includes the minister. The minister cannot act beyond the power that has been given to him by the law. ‘’The minister cannot force on himself the entire sovereign power of the federal government in giving directive. I really find it reckless for the minister at this age and time, will be threatening employers with withdrawal of licence. ‘’The global community is looking at his language and disposition. That is not the way to go. He is arrogating to himself the power of the federal government. He has to be careful in respect of some of these comments.”

Reps reduce age qualification for presidency, govs, senate to 30yrs As Age Qualification Bill passes 2nd reading

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

A

BUJA—THE Bill seeking to reduce the age qualifications for interested candidates to contest for the positions of President, governor and senate in the country to 30 years yesterday passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

The bill, which also makes provision for independent candidacy into the country’s electoral process, further reduces the age qualifications to contest for the House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly to 25 years.

The Bill is an alteration of section 65, 106, 131 and 177 of the 1999 constitution which had prescribed qualification into the office of President to 40 years and above, office of governors

and senate, 35 years and above as well as House of Representatives and state Houses of Assembly to 25 years and above.

In his lead debate, the sponsor of the bill, Tony Chinedu Nwulu representing Oshodi-Isolo 11 Federal Constituency of Lagos State, on platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, noted that electing candidates into public offices was an important aspect of democratic practices.

He stated: “Countries like the United Kingdom parliament decided in 2006 to lower their age of candidacy from 21 to 18, which had existed since the Parliamentary Elections Act 1695.

An age candidacy of 25 would encourage greater youth participation in politics.”

Nwulu stated that many

countries world wide had called for a reduction in age qualification into elected offices, adding that the bill was a demonstration of the growing desire and demand of youths to participate in the democratic process.

According to him, “this desire itself could be viewed as a sufficient warrant for young people to participate, demonstrate a willingness to engage and fulfill the burdens of office.”

On the Independent candidacy, he stressed the need to open up the space forlawmakerstocomeinasindependent candidates.

Hesaid: “Itispertinentnowtoamend the constitution to make room for independent candidates to widen the democratic processes in our elections, and above all to encourage our young ones to fully participate in all elective offices.”

BUJA—THE Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, court has imposed a fine of $3.3 million on Nigeria over the extra-judicial killing of eight citizens in the Apo District of Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.

The regional court ordered the country to pay compensatory damages of $200,000 to each of the family of the deceased killed and $150,000 to each of the injured by a combined team of soldiers and operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS, during a raid of an uncompleted building at Apo Area of Abuja.

The eight Nigerians killed when the security personnel opened fire on them were later found to be commercial motorcycle (Okada) riders who were taking refuge in the uncompleted building as a result of skyrocketing cost of house rent in the capital city.

Those killed are Nura Abdullahi, Ashiru Musa, Abdullahi Manmman, Buhari Ibrahim, Suleiman Ibrahim, Ahmadu Musa, Nasir Adamu and Musa Yobe, while the 11 injured include Muttaka Abubakar, Sani Abdulrahman, Nuhu Ibrahim, Ibrahim Mohammed, Ibrahim Aliyu, Yahaya Bello, Abubakar Auwal, Yusuf Abubakar, Ibrahim Bala, Murtala Salihu and Sanni Usman.

A Non-Governmental Organization, NGO, The Incorporated Trustees of Fiscal and Civil Right Enlightment Foundation, had on behalf of the deceased, dragged Nigeria, the Army and Department of State Service, before regional court to challenge the legality of the killing of the eight commercial motorcyclists and the injuring of others when the securitymen invaded their apartment.

In the judgment of ECOWAS Court delivered by presiding Justice, FridayChijioke Nwoke, Nigeria was found liable of brutal killing of defenseless citizens, contrary to the provision of local and international law on the fundamental rights of citizens to life.

The panel of three justices, headed by Justice Nwoke, condemned the killing as barbaric, illegal and unconstitutional and a breach of the fundamental rights of the deceased to life.

10 — Vanguard, THURSDAY JUNE 9 , 2016

Bank, 2 managers docked over money laundering

By Innocent Anaba

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IAMOND BANK Plc and two of its managers, Lasisi Abayomi and Hillary Ojukwu were, yesterday, arraigned before the Federal High Court, Lagos on six-count charge bordering on money laundering.

Others docked alongside the bank and its two managers are Oni Oil and Gas Ltd and Mrs. Lizzy Chinyere Ikenua.

In the six-count charge by the prosecutor, Augustine Nwagu of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, it was alleged that the bank and its two managers in August 2006, within the jurisdiction of the court failed to verify the true identity of its customer; Oni Oil and Gas Ltd, Chief Onoche Ikenua (now deceased) and Mrs. Lizzy Chinyere Ikenua before opening an account no.

0212010006203 in favour of the company and entering into other fiduciary relationships with it.

Count 5 of the charge read: “That you Hillary Ojukwu being an employee of Diamond Bank Plc, a financial institution, between August and December 2006 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court aided Oni Oil and Gas Ltd, Chief Onoche Ikenua (now deceased) and Mrs. Lizzy Chinyere Ikenua to convert various sums of money (amount yet to be determined) being money derived directly or indirectly from a crime to wit: illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17(a) and punishable under Section 14(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004”.

Lagos @ 50: Nigeria has been brutalised, traumatised —Soyinka

By Prisca Sam-Duru

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OBEL LAUREATE, Professor Wole Soyinka yesterday, described Nigeria as a nation that has been brutalised and traumatised in so many ways, stressing the need to utilise culture as a political weapon to win the battle against what he described as activities of nihilists.

Soyinka spoke during a press conference heralding the Lagos at 50 celebration held at Freedom Park, Lagos.

His words: “Culture is a political weapon. In certain circumstances,

it is more of a political weapon than at other times. I believe that this country was never in greater need of the aggressiveness of cultures. ‘’If we had salves of this country destroyed by some Philistines, who considered themselves messianic, but in actual fact lunatic, lunatic movement, which hate education and culture, their mission, existence is simply to destroy the imagination of humanity and its products. ‘’They kill children, abduct children simply because those children are sent to places where they can expand their horizon,

expand their minds and create, use their hands, heads and voices, they take them away, lock them away in some forest, abuse them, use them, defile them and treat the rest of the nation with total contempt and arrogance. ‘’They are negativists, nihilists and when events like that hit community, a people, they have a responsibility to themselves and to their future to assert, to build, reinforce, augment, to enhance that very objective that remains an object of hate for them. ‘’This nation has been brutalised, traumatised in many ways, but some of us flag the imagination to comprehend and

BRIEFING: From left, Senator Kofo Bucknor Akerele, Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu, Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi, and Senator Femi Okurounmu, during a State of the Nation press briefing on the one year in office of President Muhammadu Buhari. Photo: Dare Fasube

Cynthia Okogwu case: Judge scolds defence counsel over delay

By Onozure Dania

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AGOS—JUSTICE Olabisi Akinlade of an Igbosere High court, yesterday, expressed displeasure over excuses of the defence counsel in the ongoing trial of four men, who allegedly murdered Cynthia Osokogu .

Osokogu was allegedly murdered on July 22, 2012 at Cosmilla Hotel, Lakeview Estate,

Festac Town, Lagos, by her Facebook lover Okwumo Nwabufo and one Ezike Nonso.

The defendants are Okwumo Nwabufo, 33; Olisaeloka Ezike, 23; Orji Osita, 33, and Ezike Nonso, 25.

According to the judge, the defence counsel is delaying the case, which she said, is of interest to the public.

She said that people always think that it is the court that is

delaying the matter, not knowing that it is the defendants’ counsel.

“At the last adjourned date I gave you 14 days to file your written addresses and and gave the prosecution three weeks to respond to all the addresses.

"The first and second defendants, who have been in prison since 2012, are still presumed innocent until proven guilty.”

Justice Akinlade further stated

Ekiti govt shuts Ecobank premises in Ado-Ekiti

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

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KITI STATE government, yesterday, said it shut down the premises of Ecobank Nigeria Limited over the failure of the management of the bank to submit all the documents relating to Withholding Tax charged on interest deposit accounts of their customers like Savings Account, Fixed/Term Deposits among others to the Ekiti State Board of Internal Revenue.

The explanation was given

to empathise with. And so one of the big motivations of my again getting involved in this event, is because of what has been happening to this nation and not only this nation, it is world-wide war, which is a war between culture and philistinism, nihilism.

"And for me, we are part of that war and we should be at the forefront of that war and what is our weapon? Cultural weapon of course. ‘’The soldiers will do their bit, the politicians will do their bit, but we are all engaged in a war against nihilism. And so we are all engaged in a war against nihilist. ‘’When we talk about political issues, it goes beyond unemployment, lack of opportunities, deterioration of our entire community of all those involved, beyond the failure for government to even cater for the basic material needs of the people and there is something called spiritual needs and at the core of spiritual needs is culture. ‘’And those who abuse us, those who hate us, those who destroy culture in any corner of this nation should be countered by the cultural insistence and the cultural aggression of the rest of the nation.

"One thing stands at the centre and that’s imagination, that’s the only thing that stops stagnation.

And I believe politically we are all against stagnation. So, see this as being participation in the great socio-cultural battle that the world is waging against the nihilism.”

by the Special Adviser on Economic Matters to the Governor, Mr Folu Oguntoyinbo, during an interview on radio and television stations in AdoEkiti.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, yesterday, quoted Oguntoyinbo as saying the action by the state government was in line with an order of a competent court of jurisdiction.

“The state government got an ex parte order signed by the

state Chief Judge to shut down their business premises until all the required documents are submitted to the Ekiti State Board of Internal Revenue, EBIR,” he said.

Oguntoyinbo said all the commercial banks in the state were involved.

“Earlier, three bank business premises were sealed, but have since been re-opened because they have complied with the judgment of the court,” he added.

On how soon the premises would be re-opened,

Oguntoyinbo stated that as soon as the bank was able to make available the required documents and give an undertaking that they would pay any amount found against them upon audit, as the state government was flexible on the matter.

He added that the state government would always appreciate corporate bodies and individuals being alive to their civic responsibilities by paying their taxes, rates and levies on time and fully too.

that she was going to give a specific order as to when they are to file their written addresses as the defence counsel could not continue to waste the time of the court.

The judge, therefore, ordered the counsel to second defendant to file his written address on June 17, and failure to do so a substantial cost will be awarded against him, which he must settle from his personal account.

She further adjourned the case to 27 of October for adoption of written addresses.

Cynthia Osokogu’s trial had suffered several adjournments due to the delay tactics of the defence counsel.

The defendants are facing a sixcount charge bordering on conspiracy, murder, stealing, reckless negligence and possession of stolen goods.

The prosecution said the 25year-old Osokogu, who was resident in Abuja, was lured to Lagos, where she was killed.

The offences committed are punishable under sections 221, 249, 285 and 327 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Vanguard, THURSDAY JUNE 9 , 2016 — 11

ONDO GOV POLLS:

Labour grounds activities in OAU over new VC's appointment

By Gbenga Olarinoye

O

SOGBO—MEMBERS of the Non Academics Staff Union, NASU, of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, yesterday, protested the appointment of Prof. Ayobami Salami as the new Vice Chancellor of the institution.

The workers accused the governing council of flouting court order that restrained it from appointing a new Vice Chancellor just as the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Prof. Tale Omole was also accused of engaging in corrupt act while in office.

Also joined in the protest when roads leading to Senate Building of the university were barricaded, thereby restricting vehicular movement, were members of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, OAU chapter.

Speaking with newsmen during the protest, NASU chairman, OAU chapter, Mr Ademola Oketunde, faulted

the governing council led by Prof. Rowland Ndoma-Egba, over the appointment, saying its action was a case of clear disregard for court order.

But reacting, the Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr Abiodun Olanrewaju insisted that the appointment of Prof. Ayobami

INEC warns against premature campaigns

Salami followed due process.

He said anyone who can prove that the outgoing vice chancellor had engaged in corrupt act should approach the relevant agencies of government.

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE—THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday, warned governorship aspirants and political parties in Ondo State to stop forthwith their campaign for the election or face the full wrath of the law.

It has therefore written to the police and law enforcement agencies to bring to book any of the aspirants and parties contravening the 90 days before the proper election stipulated by the electoral law for the commencement of campaigns.

The Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, of the commission, Olusegun Agbaje, gave the warning in Akure at a briefing on the commencement of the conduct of Continuous Voters Registration CVR, ahead of the November 26 governorship election in the state.

Agnaje expressed concern that many of the aspirants and political parties have been juncketing across the state campaigning for the election before the time stipulated by the electoral law.

He pointed out that the commission had written to the aspirants and political parties that have been contravening the electoral law to desist or be ready to face the full weight of the law.

On the November 26 governorship election, the REC assured that the card reader would be used during the election.

WORKSHOP: From left: Country Lead, Africa Health Markets for Equity, Dr. Olamide Okulaja, Country Director, PharmaAccess Foundation, Ms. Njide Ndili, and Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, during the workshop on adoption of safecare standards for quality improvement in Abeokuta.

STRIKE: Ekiti HoS orders senior officers back to work

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

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D O - E K I T I — FOLLOWING the directive of the Head of Service of Ekiti State, Dr. Olugbenga Faseluka, yesterday, asking level 13 officers and above and those on essential services to return to work in spite of the strike, the state police command beefed up security in government offices and provided protection to workers on duty.

The police deployed Armoured Personnel Carrier and several hilux vans in the new and old governor’s offices as well as the State House of Assembly, to prevent labour leaders from gaining access to picket as witnessed earlier.

The anti-riot policemen frisked those entering and conducted thorough search on vehicles entering the government offices, particularly those at the secretariat and new governor’s office.

The labour task force, led by the Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Comrade Ade Adesanmi , in an earlier operation, led labour officials to some government offices and chased out those on duty.

Irked by the development, Faseluka had condemned the action and said extant laws prevented certain categories of workers from going on strike, describing the action as a breach of administrative regulation.

According to a statement signed on behalf of the Head of Service by the Permanent Secretary in the Office of Establishment and Training, Mr Banji Ojo, urged all

accounting officers, officers on grade level 13 and above, Administrative Officers and officers on essential duties to report for duty without fear of molestation.

When called by newsmen on massive deployment of men and officers of the police, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Alberto Adeyemi, said the deployment has no connection with picketing by labour.

Adeyemi said what they did was a routine security action,

which was carried out to protect government property and prevent other nefarious activities on government offices now that the workers are on strike.

“What we did was a routine security work. Workers are on strike and government property must be safe and the only way we can do this is by deploying our men to those offices. We have no sinister mission about this,” he said.

The NLC Chairman who condemned the order by Head of Service, said; “If there is any civil

servant now working despite this strike, then it is a betrayal of trust.

What we are fighting for is for everybody.

“We should also know that if salary is paid today, everybody will benefit regardless of the level. .So, whoever goes back to office when the strike is still on is a betrayer and this is very bad and uncalled for.”

On the police deployment, Adesanmi said; “We won’t stop the police from doing their job, but they should not also disturb us, because we are only exercising our rights."

Militants rebuff dialogue with FG Continues from page 5 announced a two-week ceasefire on Monday to build confidence in the militants for negotiation.

Militants blow up another Chevron pipeline in Delta But in a tweet that blatantly negated government’s goodwill, the militant group said yesterday: “This is to inform the general public that we are not negotiating with any committee. If Federal Government is discussing with any group, they’re doing that on their own.

“At 1:00 a.m today (yesterday), the NDAvengers blew up Well RMP 20 belonging to Chevron, located 20 metres from Dibi flow station in Warri North Local Government Area.”

A source familiar with the location told Vanguard, at about 5.45 a.m., that the affected crude oil pipeline is between Opia and

Dagbolo villages in Warri North.

Confirming the latest attack, a security source said: “Yes, there was an attack this (yesterday) morning by militants on a Chevron facility.

“The pipeline had earlier been attacked by militants using the same modus operandi, which is with the use of dynamite. The attack was carried out at about 1:00 a.m."

According to the Chevron staff, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the company will draft a team of technicians to the spot to assess the extent of damage.

A community source, who spoke to Vanguard shortly after a joint team of CNL, soldiers and private security outfit visited the bombed site, said if the plan of the militants had succeeded, the entire Dibi flow station, which had several crude oil and gas components, would have been set ablaze.

At last Tuesday’s meeting in Abuja, the governors allegedly made a compelling case for the

Federal Government to cease military operations in the area, which was heating up the polity, and asked it to find a middle ground with the militants, among other things.

Foreign refineries to stop buying Nigeria's crude oil The restive situation in the region may lead to a further drop in crude oil export as major refineries across the globe have concluded plans to stop the purchase of the commodity from Nigeria due to rising uncertainties about the country meeting up with deliveries.

This is arising from the fact that a number of oil companies in Nigeria had declared force majeure of crude oil export, while a few others had been forced to suspend or cut production as a result of the bombing of oil facilities across the Niger Delta.

According to data obtained from Reuters, four of Nigeria’s oil

grades, including the largest stream, Qua Iboe, have been under force majeure over the last one month.

Force majeure is a legal clause that allows companies to cancel or delay deliveries due to unforeseen circumstances.

The report stated that despite the fact that ExxonMobil, which declared force majeure on Qua Iboe in May due to an accident, lifted the declaration last week, the unpredictability is too much for some buyers.

The report further stated that refineries on the United States’ east coast were beginning to turn away from Nigerian crude oil, noting that these same refineries had been on a buying spree for Nigerian crude in recent months that averaged 240,000 barrels per day (bpd) in April and May. As a result, the report said differentials to dated Brent for Qua Iboe, Bonny Light and other grades were under downward Continues from page 12

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

Militants rebuff dialogue with FG Continues from page 11

pressure, adding that there were several unsold cargoes for June loading.

According to the report, the reduced demand means Nigeria is not benefiting as much as others from a rebound in Brent crude prices at current rate of over $51, which is partly driven by its own oil outages, stating that the reluctance of the refineries to buy Nigeria’s crude oil was limiting the prices Nigeria could get for its oil, even as there was less of it.

Specifically, the report stated that India’s HPCL was forced last month to cancel a vessel it chartered to carry two million barrels of West African crude due to the Qua Iboe force majeure, while India’s state-run Indian Oil Corporation Limited, a major buyer of Nigerian grades over the past year, had stated in its recent tenders that it would not take grades under force majeure, with Qua Iboe remaining off the list of the company.

Indonesia’s Pertamina, another frequent buyer, the report added, had also chosen not to buy Nigerian grades in its recent tenders, favouring Congolese Coco, Angolan Girassol and Saharan Blend from Algeria instead.

The report quoted oil traders as saying that Pertamina had shifted its preferences since the violence and uncertainty escalated, while Senior Vice President of the company, Daniel Purba, said the company was monitoring Nigeria, but noted that the situation was still currently not affecting crude purchasing.

Commenting on the development, one oil trader on the US east coast said: “When you plan your crude run months in advance and commit buying cargo, you need to be comfortable that the cargo will be there when you go to lift."

Similarly, Elizabeth Donnelley, Assistant Head of the Africa Programme at Chatham House, said: “The nature of the recently re-emerged militancy in the Niger Delta suggests it is here to stay for the foreseeable future.”

Also speaking, Olivier Jakob, Managing Director of PetroMatrix in Switzerland, said “not everybody wants to be caught up in that, so they will avoid it. The refineries will walk away from it.”

In a similar development, senior economist at Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp, Takayuki Nogami, lamented, yesterday, that the recent fall in the Japanese oil

market was a result of supply disruptions in Nigeria and Canada, following the Niger Delta militant activities.

Nogami, in a statement, pointed out that the Japanese economy was on the double at the first quarter and was slow on consumer spending and weak exports which it experienced lately.

According to the statement, a downturn in the US crude inventories was noticed as the company expressed concern over attacks on Nigeria’s oil industry.

Stakeholders ask militants to dialogue

However, Niger Delta activist, Ann Kio Briggs; Ijaw community leader and Chief Favour Izuokumor advised the militant group to embrace dialogue.

Militants should embrace dialogue —Briggs

Niger Delta activist, Ann Kio Briggs, who hailed the two-week ceasefire in a chat with Vanguard before Avengers discarded government’s olive branch, said: “Definitely, it is good news in the sense that in the search for some individuals, they have gone into some communities, including their return to Gbaramatu, despite claims that they had earlier pulled out.

“Therefore, if truly the Federal Government is sincere in what it has said and if the military would obey the Federal Government, because that is another thing, then, of course, it is welcome news.

“If you look at the whole bulk of the Niger Delta, the people have suffered tremendously and you cannot deny the fact that there are a lot of issues on ground about the injustice that the people of the region have suffered and this injustice must be addressed.

“The only way to address

them is to make sure that the injustices are corrected and to do this, the issues of fiscal federalism, ownership and the people being able to develop themselves must be addressed.

“If I was the government, the discussion should not be only with the Niger Delta, but should also take this opportunity to reach out to the Middle Belt and other regions who are agitating."

Buhari has shown commitment —Izuokumor

Activist and Ijaw community leader, Chief Favour Izuokumor, who also hailed the ceasefire, said it was a bold commitment by President Buhari and urged the militants to take advantage of the window to dialogue.

Advising government not to politicize the talks, he stressed the need to invest in the intelligence arm of the nation’s security network to overcome current security challenges facing Nigeria, particularly the resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta.

Izuokumor, spokesperson of Ogbe-ljoh/Warri Kingdom, said: “As the Niger Delta Avengers has failed to toe the line of negotiation, the Federal Government is expected to, without delay, begin to match words with actions by calling all stakeholders and regional leaders to a roundtable to dialogue on some pertinent issues as they affect the Niger Delta people."

Omare denies sponsoring Avengers Meanwhile, a former Commissioner for Environment in Delta State, Chief Frank Omare, has denied online report which fingered him of sponsoring the Avengers and communal crisis between his community, Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016—13

LORI-OGBEBOR TO FG: Look beyond political

leaders for solution to N-Delta crisis L

By Charles Kumolu

AGOS—RIGHTS activist, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, has called on the Federal Government to ensure that the imminent dialogue over the current Niger Delta crisis was not restricted to political leaders and other familiar leaders from the Niger Delta region alone, noting that the consultation should be all encompassing.

She also cautioned that using the same set of people and patterns to find a solution to the conflict would not provide the results needed to end the perennial crisis.

Lori-Ogbebor further denied media reports that she accused a former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark of provoking the current crisis, describing same as misleading.

Briefing newsmen, yesterday, in Lagos, she urged the government to accommodate patriotic, selfless and visionary people with a deep understanding of the narratives in the region so as to achieve lasting peace.

According to her: “It is only a year ago since Goodluck Jonathan handed over power to President

Buhari and accountability is being asked suddenly like what happened in the past. We are hearing rumours of war and stakeholders are meeting again.

We are being asked to dialogue with the Federal Government.

Are we saying that the Federal Government did not take care of us? Are we saying that Goodluck

Jonathan did not look after his people? He did his best. He gave these institutions money but what did these stakeholders do with the money? “ In the meantime, we request these unemployed youths to please put down their guns and let us find peaceful solutions to our problems. And for the

politicians and stakeholders, we ask you to give us peace so that we can redirect our focus to immediate employment and education. There at least seven ethnic nationalities in the region, we must all agree on a cause of action.

There are many of us who cannot be led by selfish and greedy men, who have failed us.”

VISIT: From right: High Commissioner of United Kingdom to Nigeria, Mr Paul Arkwright, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo and Mr Edward Dunn, Second Secretary (Political), United Kingdom, during a visit to the governor in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

....As Ajulo urges FG to involve Clark in dialogue with Avengers

A

By Chris Ochayi

BUJA—THE Federal Government has been advised to involve elder statesman and prominent Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark in the ongoing dialogue with Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, to ensure speedy and amicable resolution of the crisis.

A former National Secretary of Labour Party, LP, Mr. Kayode Ajulo, who gave the advice in a chat with Vanguard in Abuja, was optimistic that the former federal Information Commissioner has the capacity to persuade the militant group to drop their arms.

He argued that Chief Clark who is well respected in the region and particularly, among his Ijaw kinsmen, would apply wisdom in engaging the militants, which according to him would yield fruitful results because of his status in the region.

The Abuja based lawyer, who

expressed concern over the consequences of the attacks on the oil and gas pipelines on the nation’s economy, warned that the government should urgently deploy all measures that would help in ending the destruction of the oil facilities.

He said “I am of the opinion that the best way to resolve the Niger Delta crisis is for the Federal Government to dialogue with the members of the Niger Delta Avengers. The government I think cannot achieve much with use of excessive force.

Students want FG to probe Auchi Poly disturbances

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

E N I N — N AT I O N A L Association of Polytechnic Students, NAPS, has called on the Federal Government to institute a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the recent carnage at the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, during protests by students against the policy of the management of the institution of “no school fees, no

examination.”

It was gathered that several vehicles belonging to staff and the Polytechnic were damaged by the students during the riot and at press time, no fewer than 95 students of the institution had been arrested by the Police in connection with the protest.

NAPS President, Mr Adeyeye Olugbenga, who addressed newsmen Benin, yesterday, in conjunction with NANS (SouthSouth and South- East) zones,

Abe commends Ogoni people on clean up flag off turnout members of the presidential way to show the appreciation of

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G O N I — S E N AT O R Magnus Abe, All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate for Rivers South East senatorial district, Rivers State in the yet to be concluded legislative re-run election, has commended the Ogoni people for the rousing reception given to President Muhammadu Buhari, represented by the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo and other

“And that is why I will suggest that in its resolve to engage them, the authorities should include the leader of Ijaw nation, Chief Clark, who will be of grat value to the engagement with the militants.”

delegation that came for the launch of the cleanup of Ogoni land and other oil impacted communities in the Niger Delta at Bodo town in Gokana Local Government Area of the state.

In a statement in Port Harcourt

by Mr. Parry Benson, his spokesperson, Abe said that the turnout of Ogoni people for the event was high and resounding.

He said, this has gone a long

the Ogoni to President Buhari for the laudable project.

He assured the Ogoni that the project would be realised as the Federal Government and other stakeholders were sincere in implementing it.

He enjoined the people to discountenance rumours being peddled by their detractors that the project was not realizable.

also condemned the rampage which took place in the Polytechnic during which property worth hundreds of millions of Naira were destroyed.

“We call on the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security network to intensify investigation so as to unravel those behind the hurricane that threatened the very foundation of the polytechnic.

“We are aware that some students have been arrested in connection with the rampage.

We call on the Police to do proper investigation in fairness to the innocent ones who never participated in the rampage,” he said.

Insisting that those who carried out the rampage were not students of the institution, he said, “We condemn the rampage and those who hired non students to perpetuate such kind of evil against an institution they ordinarily should protect and guide jealously.

‘No retiree died during Bayelsa verification exercise'

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By Emem Idio

E N A G O A — FOLLOWING report of the death of two pensioners on Monday, while undergoing verification exercise at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Yenagoa, the Director of Bayelsa Ambulance Medical Services, Dr Cynthia Bosbini, has described the report as false.

Debunking the report in a chat with newsmen, yesterday, Dr Bosbini said: “It was in the news, especially on social media that about two retirees died while on queue for the verification exercises but that is not true, we have been here since the exercise started and I must tell you that nobody has died.

“The medical team is prepared and we have six nurses, doctors and other medical personnel here. On Monday about three persons slump. On Tuesday, we had other cases of collapse but most serious of them was Mr. Mbibiri DicksonfromEgbedicommunity.

“Themanwas,however,stabilized via the ambulance with the able hands of the medical team on ground."

A-Ibom govt urged to release white paper on communal clashes

By Chioma Onuegbu

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YO—AKWA Ibom State Government has been urged to release the white paper on the findings of judicial panel of enquiry into the violent communal clash that erupted between Idua Afaha Eduok/Ukpata and Udung Ulo/Using Uso Atai villages in Oron Local Government Area of the state seven years ago.

The member representing Oron state constituency, Effiong Bassey, who raised the matter on the floor of House during, yesterday's plenary, expressed worry that the release of white paper on the communal clash was long overdue.

Basseyaddedthathewastouched by the suffering and continued hardship experienced by the innocent victims of the communal crisis.

Headded,thatofparticularinterest was that of the displaced people of Udung Okung village of Eyo-Abasi group, who were not involved in the conflict but whose village was the battle field of the communal clash thateruptedbetween2009and2010.

14 — Vanguard, THURSDAY June 9, 2016

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016—15

No herdsmen's attack, rape in Nimbo, say monarch, Enugu Police command .No Fulani man can go near Nimbo now, Fulani community in Enugu insists

By Francis Igata

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ONTRARY TO some newspaper reports yesterday alleging that Fulani herdsmen are back to Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani local government area of Enugu state and that five of their women have been raped, the traditional ruler of the community which was attacked on April 25, 2016, Igwe John Akor and Enugu state Police Command said in Enugu that herdsmen are not back to the community.

The monarch said there was no truth whatsoever in the report that anybody was raped in his community, explaining that though soldiers keeping the peace have left the community, there is still a heavy presence of police personnel all over the community.

Also debunking the said newspaper reports, leaders of the Fulani community in Enugu state vowed that under no circumstance would any Fulani herdsman return to Nimbo after the killings that caused so much uproar in April.

Bala Ardo, secretary general of the group, was flanked by other leaders as he spoke to newsmen yesterday, adding that the leaders of the group have in the past few weeks been moving round communities where their members are grazing with a view to creating platforms for dialogue and reconciliation where there is disagreement between them and their host communities.

Igwe Akor denied ever saying that the herdsmen are back to his community and said there has been no further threat to peace in the area since the last incident occurred. He said he was surprised to read such reports in the media.

On his part, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Enugu State Police Command, SP Ebere Amaraizu, also debunked the reports, saying that ever since the ugly attack on the community,

there has been heavy presence of men of the command and that it was not possible in the present circumstance for the marauding herdsmen to return to the community under any guise, not to talk of raping women.

He said the police have already started their investigation to get at the root of the reports by finding out those who fed the press with such false information and what their motives were.

Apart from issuing a statement on the development, the Police Spokesman also briefed some journalists on the matter.

Also reacting to the situation yesterday in a statement, the Chairman of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Transition Committee, Mr. Conel Onwubuya, regretted the new insinuations on the Nimbo matter, saying it was totally false to report that the herdsmen are back to the area.

He recalled the current efforts his administration has been

making and the all-round efforts of Governor Ifeanyi’s administration to ensure that the Nimbo killings would become the last of such crisis between herdsmen and communities in the state.

Enugu House cries out Meantime, the Enugu State House of Assembly, yesterday, cried out to relevant security agencies to quickly flush out rampaging Fulani herdsmen in Ukpabi,Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State if they had returned after theApril 25, slaughter of 46 natives.

A palpable fear has enveloped natives of the community following the alleged return of the herdsmen who masterminded the slaughter in a desperate bid to takeover the agrarian vast land of the community for pastoral grazing.

This followed the alarm raised by the Counsel to Nimbo community, Saidq Nwabueze, at

the resumed hearing,last Monday, of the 17-man judicial panel of inquiry constituted by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State to among other things,unravel the remote causes of the incident and proffer solution that will forestall further herdsmen invasion of any community in the state.

While lamenting the alleged return of the herdsmen when the natives were still licking their wounds,the House,through its Spokesman,Paul Nnajiofor, described as too dangerous,the return of the herdsmen in the community while investigation into the gruesome slaughter was in place.

Nnajifor said,”this is too dangerous. The people are still nursing their wounds. The families of the bereaved have not buried their loved ones either.

How can security agencies be watching these herdsmen return to that community after the decimation”.

Members of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

N24bn poll cash: EFCC quizzes Chime, ex-Enugu Gov over N450m I gave money to my Special Duties Com —Chime

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

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ORMER ENUGU State governor, Sullivan Iheanachor Chime, has been quizzed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in connection with the $115 million cash allegedly disbursed by Fidelity Bank on the instruction of the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, during the reelection bid of the former President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to competent EFCC sources, Chime reported at the Enugu zonal office of the commission in response to invitation to explain his role in the disbursement of N450 million share which the state received from the poll cash.

The former governor in his statement, denied any personal involvement with the disbursement of the said amount as was claimed by Mrs. Rita Chinelo Mba , secretary to the campaign office and his former Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs.

According to Chime, the money was brought by two of his former commissioners, Joe Nmamnel and Mrs. Rita Mba, in company of chairman of the PDP, Enugu State, Ikeji Asogwa, and Prof.

Osita Ogbu.

He further stated that he gave the money to his orderly for safe keep and that only Rita Mba should have access to it to facilitate her work as secretary of the campaign secretariat.

He denied personally disbursing the fund.

It would be recalled that the commission’s South East zone

had on May 4,2016, invited and quizzed the former governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa, former Senator Chris Anyanwu, a legal luminary, Bar. Mike Ahamba , SAN, and Prof.

Chinedum Nebo, former Minister of Power, for their involvement in an alleged N700 million disbursement from the same Dieziani Alison Madueke’s fund.

Chime is expected to report on Monday for further interrogation as further investigation is being carried out on the matter.

Obiano vows to offset hospital bills of Biafra victims It’s medicine after death —IPOB

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By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

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N E W I — GOVERNOR Wille Obiano of Anambra State yesterday pledged to offset the hospital bills of some Biafra agitators injured during the celebration to mark the 49th anniversary of declaration of Biafra nation and Biafra day.

But in a swift reaction to the governor's offer, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, through its Media and Publicity Officer Mr Emma Powerful has dismissed the governor's offer to offset the hospital bills of the wounded Biafra and non Biafra agitators as medicine after death, saying that it is a facesaving measure to win cheap popularity.

Also reacting, a chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, Chief Zeribe Ezeanuna has demanded an apology from the governor over the alleged massacre of the agitators at Nkpor, saying that the soldiers could not have done what they did if he did not sanction their security approach.

Governor Obiano made the pledge at Nkpor town hall when he came to sympathize with the people of Nkpor on the alleged bloody clash between the security operatives and the Biafra agitators in which about 50 members and non members were allegedly massacred and scores injured.

IPOB said “the governor was insulting the families of the dead Biafrans and those that their own are still nursing gunshot wounds in different hospitals and for the purpose of clarity, no gunshot wound victim is still in Anambra State, they have all been taken out of Anambra because the soldiers were combing all the hospitals in the state for them.

16 — Vanguard, THURSDAY June 9, 2016

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016 –17 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Nnamani and co’s beggarly Villa trip

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WOULD not have commented on the recent appearance by a group of political adventurers in Aso Villa if not for the fact that they were described as “Igbo leaders” in some sections of the media. If they had simply gone as All Progressives Congress (APC) members from the South East visiting the President and leader of their party for whatever purposes, it would have passed as a non-event (though I have not seen APC leaders from other geopolitical zones going similarly cap-inhand for special attention of President Muhammadu Buhari).

They called their gathering South East Group for Change (SEGC), probably a name they coined just for the Aso Rock trip, as nothing of such had been heard before now. Led by Mr. Ken Nnamani, a former Senate President, some of the known names included Mr. Osita Izunaso, a former one-term senator; Mr. Ernest Ndukwe, a two-term Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission

(NCC), Mr. Chris Akomas, a former Deputy Governor of Abia State and Chief George Moghalu.

Apart from Moghalu, the rest were in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) when the going was good. They owed the high public offices attached to their names to the PDP, and now that the APC has become the new party with the “knife and yam”, they have trooped over there to reap where they did not sow. They are political opportunists, and it shocks many of Nnamani’s former admirers that he has degenerated to this level after once seeming a strong presidential possibility from Igboland.

Of this lot, only Moghalu is a genuine, thoroughbred APC leader. From 1999, Moghalu has been in the movement that eventually transmogrified into the APC – from the All People’s Party (APP) to the All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP) to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to the APC. He is a true party man; a genuine politician who stuck with the former

opposition party through sun, rain, storms and high winds until it finally became the ruling party.

Buhari told us that the reason he violated the constitutional principle of federal character in the appointment of his inner government, was that he distributed positions to those who toiled and suffered with him over the years as a reward for their loyalty. I wonder how

Under this hostile atmosphere, all that Nnamani and his fellow PDP turncoats could think of was to go to President Buhari, to ask for what?

Moghalu could not qualify for appointment since he had been one of Buhari’s faithful point men in the South East since 2003 when he first ran for president. He was in that movement long before Dr. Chris Ngige decamped from the PDP. Even though no communiqué or media statement was issued after that visit (Buhari, knowing them for the opportunists they were, probably had nothing tangible to tell them). I read a most annoying analysis credited to an unnamed member of the group. This fellow fraudulently claimed that Buhari emerged

The Erediauwa dynasty: Like father, like son

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HIS is neither a rejoinder nor a Biography on Crown Prince (Ambassador) Eheneden Erediauwa, Edaiken N’ Uselu. Rather, it is more of an addendum to the brilliant prompting

by The Guardian editorial at page 14 of its Friday, 14 May 2016 edition.

For cohesiveness, we feel impelled to recapitulate the major highlights of that well thought-out editorial: It properly captures the life and times of the late Benin Monarch, His Imperial Majesty, Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediauwa and proceeds from there to join all people of goodwill in commiserating with the Crown Prince; and the Government and people of Edo State over the demise of the great Oba. The editorial makes it abundantly clear that from very early in life, the just-departed Oba equipped himself with sound education, acquired largely in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. That also explains why he was a tremendous success in all aspects of life.

After his University education, he joined the Eastern Nigeria Civil Service as a District Officer. He later moved on to the Federal Civil Service where he rose to the apex, retiring in 1973, as a Super Permanent Secretary. He had a short stint as Commissioner for Finance in the military administration of Brigadier George Innih in the defunct Bendel State.

He was a man of stoic discipline and wherever he went, he demonstrated high professionalism and exemplary probity. These were foreshadowing to his reign as the Oba of the Benin Kingdom whose time was characterised by peace and tolerance – without sacrificing the rich tradition and culture of the Bini nation.

Like the Guardian, we sometimes get fascinated by small details. It is instructive that the Guardian editorial dwelt exhaustively on the incident, during the infamous Sani Abacha junta, C M Y K

when traditional rulers were hoodwinked into supporting the obnoxious policies of that administration.

The dictator once summoned traditional rulers from across the country to Abuja to extract from them, the support of his proposed tenure elongation. While most traditional rulers remained rather docile, Oba Erediauwa openly criticised the ludicrous plan, even in the face of the killing machines of that era.

The Guardian is right in assuming that the life and times of the departed monarch pose serious challenges for the

These are two of a kind – people who would remain courageous, and glued to the truth, even at the edge of doom Crown Prince (Ambassador) Eheneden Erediauwa, Edaiken N’ Uselu, who is apparently inheriting over-size shoes from his father.

Obviously, the Guardian had no way of knowing that in his life time, the departed monarch prayed fervently, and worked assiduously, for his son to be greater than him.

To the glory of God, this prayer is already being abundantly answered.

This is where it becomes imperative to highlight a few points about the Crown Prince, which bespeak him as a man destined not only to make history but also to surpass the enviable records of his departed father. As they say, morning shows the day.

Like his father’s, the academic credentials of the Crown Prince are highly intimidating: During the period 1965-1967, he attended Edo College, Benin City. From 1968-1970, he was in Immaculate Conception College, ICC,

president last year because “some people worked” to ensure that former President Goodluck Jonathan could not get the quantum of votes he got in the South East which assisted him in winning in 2011. Why did those unnamed Buhari miracle workers fail to grab 25 per cent votes for him in any of the five South East States?

The truth was that the Igbos were even more determined than they were in 2011 to see Jonathan returned for a second term, but Professor Attahiru Jega’s Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) and his Card Reader machines were deployed to cut the quantum of votes that could have gone in the former president’s favour in the South East and South-South. There was mass failure of card readers in the two zones, though it was a great success in the Lagos area. But in the North nobody bothered with them. It was “incident forms”/manual all the way, coupled with underaged voters. Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso has openly and without shame boasted about it.

Majority of Igbos never worked for Buhari’s victory, but the auguries went in favour of Buhari, which is democracy in action. They are not asking for the lion’s share of the spoils of APC victory because they are a minority in the ruling party.

All they are asking for is their constitutional rights spelt out in the federal character principle, which is the irreducible minimum of equity.

Majority of Igbos are comfortable being with their South-South neighbours politically rather than the old situation of the two sides

fighting each other for the North’s crumbs. They have no grudges against Buhari and his party. Like other Nigerians, they expect the President to carry everyone along since political contestations are over.

If the South East and SouthSouth decide to work together with Buhari and his APC, it must be based on clearly identifiable indicators of good governance and willingness to give every Nigerian group a sense of belonging. It cannot be under the terms and conditions under which the so-called SEDC members are masquerading with the name of Igbo people and throwing themselves at a leader who has no use for them.

What irked people the most was that this laughable visit took place against the background of a year in which two Igbo girls were forcibly converted to Islam and married off without their parents’ blessings in the North. Buhari sent Boko Haram prisoners to a minimum security prison in Ekwulobia, Anambra. Also, Fulani herdsmen have been ravaging communities in the South East and other areas and for nearly one year, Buhari refused to say or do anything about it. Instead he mobilised the Nigerian Army (instead of the Police) to kill hundreds of unarmed protesting Igbo youth (the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB). And under his one year in office, two Igbos have been lynched in the North for trumped up charges of “blasphemy”.

Under this hostile atmosphere, all that Nnamani and his fellow PDP turncoats could think of was to go to President Buhari, to ask for what?

Benin City.

From 19711972, the Crown Prince a t t e n d e d South Thames College, South West London, England, for his General Certificate of Education, advanced level.

In his determination to build up the necessary intellectual robustness relevant to the machinery and process of service to humanity, the Crown Prince proceeded to the University College, University of Wales, Cardiff, where he obtained the Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics.

Between September 1979 and June 1981, the Crown Prince attended the prestigious Rutgers University Graduate School of Public Administration, Newark, New Jersey, USA, where he obtained the degree of Master of Public Administration, MPA. Still achieving, still pursuing….

Current turn of events around the Edaiken reasonably dictate that his doctoral thesis in International Administration at the University of London is put ‘ON HOLD’, at least for now.

The Crown Prince has had a lot of post graduate training in International Administration, including one year each of Graduate Internship at the United Nations, UN Headquarters, New York; and the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

At the Diplomatic Level, Crown Prince Erediauwa has, during the period 19972012, under Military and Civilian Administrations, been appointed Nigerian Ambassador three times as follows: (i) Nigerian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Sweden, with concurrent accreditation to the Kingdoms of Norway and Denmark and the Republic of Finland; (ii) Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Angola; and (iii)

Nigerian Ambassador to Rome, Italy, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Albania.

Before his Diplomatic Postings, the Crown Prince served meritoriously on the Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC; and on the Boards of many other companies.

The full biography is for another day – post coronation. The courageous stand of the departed monarch during the Abacha regime has many parallels in the life of the Crown Prince. Space will permit us to re-visit only one recent case: Before the last general elections, the Crown Prince visited the seat of power in Abuja for issues totally unrelated to politics. Some unscrupulous politicians harped on the visit to make insinuation and innuendos aimed at creating political gains from the visit. This happened at a time when many other traditional rulers were scrambling to attract the attention of the powers-thatbe, particularly as this involved a political party that was originally poised to win the elections.

Against the wave of popular acclaim, the Crown Prince addressed the press, and issued a stern warning for politicians to desist from using his visit to Abuja for political adventurism.

What we see in all these are two of a kind – people who would remain courageous, and glued to the truth, even at the edge of doom – like father, like son.

The bold insignia, “My GOD MY RIGHT” in front of the new palace building also speaks volumes. The journey has begun in earnest. We salute the Crown Prince. We salute his courage. Edaiken gha t’ okpere… Iseee!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY June 9, 2016 WITHIN a space of one week, five Nigerians were gruesomely murdered by mobs protesting what they called “blasphemy ” offences. The first report came from Pandogari in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, where a 24 year-old man, Modestus Emmaneul, was lynched by angry Muslim youths st on 31 May, 2016 for allegedly blaspheming Prophet Mohammed in an online comment. Three others also lost their lives and lots of property were destroyed.

Before the dust could settle, another mob in a Kano market descended on Mrs Bridget Agbahime, a pastor ’s wife. She was said to have complained over ablutions (preparations for Muslim prayers) being performed in front of her shop whereupon a false alarm reportedly raised a lynch mob on Thursday , June 2, 2016.

These two incidents have

Those barbaric “blasphemy” killings stoked great tension between the Christian and Muslim faithful across the country, thus worsening a subsisting atmosphere occasioned by the forcible abductions of Christian girls and the attacks by armed Fulani herdsmen in various locations in central and southern Nigeria.

We note the swift manner in which the governors of Niger, Kano, as well as Imo State (State where Mrs Agbahime hailed from) rose to the occasion and brought the leaders of both faiths together to douse tensions.

President Muhammadu Buhari has also added his voice to the

pledge by the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the culprits are brought to book.

We are, however, not swept off our feet by these fire brigade reactions which came after the harm had been done and precious lives lost. This is not the first time that cases of alleged blasphemy resulted in mob actions that claimed lives.

The case of Gideon Akaluka, who was beheaded by Muslim mobs in Kano in December, 1994 for allegedly desecrating the Qur ’an, remains fresh in the mind. That this evil continues to

rear its ugly head simply means that the root causes have not been addressed. And there is nothing to show that it will not happen again.

We call on Muslim leaders to go beyond mere verbal condemnations of this atrocity among their youth and inculcate in them the need to report any such cases to the lawenforcement agencies, rather than taking the law into their own hands.

All Nigerians are supposed to be protected by the law, and the law enforcement agencies are expected to sniff out brewing inter-ethnic and inter-religious issues before they blow up into big problems resulting in the loss of lives and property. They must wake up.

We urge Nigerians to strive to understand one another ’s religious sensitivities and avoid anything that could threaten our peaceful coexistence.

OPINION

Buhari's medical trip

By Osahon Enabulele

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HEARD with great shock, sadness, and disappointment the news of a statement issued on Sunday, June 5, 2016, by the Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to Mr. President, informing the general public that President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR will proceed on a 10 day medical vacation to London from Monday, June 6, 2016, during which period he is billed to see an E.N.T. specialist for a persistent ear infection, based on a recommendation for further evaluation said to have been advanced by Mr. President’s Personal Physician and an E.N.T. specialist in Abuja.

Even though the nature of the persistent ear infection/specific diagnosis was not stated in the Special Adviser’s press release, I wish to commend Mr. President for the medical disclosure (a departure from the past) and sincerely sympathise with him, especially at this critical stage of our country’s history and development, and wish him quick recovery.

However, I am very constrained to state that this foreign medical trip flies in the face of the Federal Government’s earlier declaration of her resolve to halt the embarrassing phenomenon of outward medical tourism, which as at the end of the year 2013 had led to a humongous capital flight of about $1billion dollars, particularly from expenses incurred by political and public office holders (and their accompanying aides), whose foreign medical trips (most of which are

unnecessary) were financed with tax payers’ resources.

At various times in my previous publications and public lectures, one had strenuously advised Mr. President to make a clear public pronouncement on his resolve to show leadership by example with respect to the utilization of the medical expertise and facilities that abound in Nigeria by him

There are so many benefits that can accrue to Nigeria if Mr. President stayed back in Nigeria to receive medical care and other members of the Federal Executive Council, particularly in concrete expression of section 46 of the National Health Act which seeks to address the abuse of tax payers’ resources through frivolous foreign medical travels embarked upon by political and public office holders.

Undoubtedly, this latest move by Mr. President at a time the federal government is said to be on a change mission and rebirth of National consciousness and commitment through a backward integration agenda, Mr. President has lost a golden opportunity to assert his change mantra through a clear demonstration of leadership by example, by staying back to receive medical treatment in Nigeria and thereby inspiring confidence in Nigeria’s health sector which currently boasts of medical experts who favourably compare with medical experts anywhere in the world, if not even better.

It is on record that most public and political office holders who seek foreign medical care abroad are handled by Nigerian trained doctors in foreign lands (particularly in the United Kingdom which has over 3000 Nigerian trained medical doctors, United States of America with over 5000 Nigerian trained medical doctors, amongst other foreign countries), most of whom left the shores of Nigeria on account of government’s perennial failure to address the various push and pull factors which have consistently driven this yearly brain drain phenomenon in Nigeria. Available records show that last year (2015) alone, 637 medical doctors emigrated due largely to poor working conditions and health facilities, insecurity, unpredictable and poor funding of Residency Training Programme, uncompetitive wages and job dissatisfaction.

Without prejudice to the expert recommendation of Mr. President’s Personal Physician and the ENT specialist said to have examined and treated Mr. President in Abuja, I consider it a national shame of immense proportions that Mr. President had to be recommended for foreign medical care/re-evaluation despite the presence of over 250 ENT specialists (and professors) in Nigeria, as well as a National Ear Centre located in Kaduna state.

If I were in their shoes I would have advised Mr. President to stay back in Nigeria and explore any of the following options: (1) urgently invite a consortium of Nigerian trained ENT specialists in Nigeria to Abuja to re-evaluate and treat Mr. President; or (2) if it is determined that the medical expertise is not available in Nigeria (and I doubt this), any identified Nigerian trained ENT specialist practicing anywhere in the

world should be invited to Abuja, Nigeria, for the sole purpose of re-evaluating and treating Mr. President; or (3) if it is a case where the health facilities/equipment are unavailable (and this is a possibility) then Mr. President should have used his current medical situation, though unfortunate, to commence the Federal Government’s plan to re-equip Nigerian hospitals with modern state-of-the art health facilities, by ordering for the needed medical equipment to enable the locally available Nigerian trained ENT specialists attend to him, and thereafter use same facilities to attend to other Nigerians with similar conditions.

There are so many benefits that can accrue to Nigeria if Mr. President stayed back in Nigeria to receive medical care and explores the above stated options. Indeed, it will be a win-win situation for Nigeria as Mr. President will not only get managed with the imported medical facilities and expertise (if indeed needed); he would save Nigeria (currently going through a socioeconomic turmoil) the capital flight that would result from his foreign medical trip.

It will also help to improve the state of healthcare facilities and medical practice in Nigeria (particularly through technology transfer).

If the former Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Capt. Ichalla Idris Wada, could patronise Nigerian trained medical experts and medical facilities here in Nigeria when he unfortunately suffered a fractured femur following a fatal road traffic accident in 2013, I see no reason why in 2016 Mr. President could not have stayed back in Nigeria to attend to his ear infection.

•Dr. Enabulele is Vice president, Commonwealth Medical Association.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016 –19

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20 — Vanguard, THURSDAY June 9, 2016

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016 — 21

Bad loans may wipe off 34% of banks’ profits in 2016 Continues from page 1

$133.25

Billions of Naira

defaults in debt repayments by individuals and businesses.

This translates to losses for investors in the banks, as the money lost to bad debtors would have increased Returnon-Investment and dividend payments to shareholders.

The ten banks are UBA, GTB, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, FBN Holdings, Ecobank Transnational, Union Bank, Diamond Bank, Sterling Bank, and Wema Bank.

Audited financial statements of ten major banks for 2015 show that nine of the banks have had to make provisions to the tune of N345 billion in respect of non-performing loans (impairment to credit losses), in 2015. This represents 87 per cent of the total profit of the nine banks declared for 2015.

Analysis of the 2015 audited financial statements of ten banks revealed that, apart from Wema Bank which made money by recovering bad loans, the nine banks recorded sharp increases in money lost to bad loans.

In 2014, investors in the nine banks lost N144 billion to bad loans. This, however, rose by 140 percent or N201 billion in 2015.

Investors in FBN Holdings and Ecobank suffered 65.5 per cent or N224.5 billion of the money lost to bad loans in the nine banks, while investors in FBN Holdings lost N119.3 billion in 2015, up from N25.9 billion in 2014, just as investors in Ecobank lost N105.2 billion, up from N44.4 billion in 2014.

However, investors in the top five banks namely UBA, Access Bank, GTBank, Zenith Bank and FBN Holdings suffered 48 per cent or N166.5 billion of the total losses.

CURRENCY ING US DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

By Favour Nnabugwu

B

ANK of Industry, BOI, has announced a profit-after- tax of N44.697 billion for the 2015 financial year, rising by 761 per cent from N5.19 billion recorded

0.28 0.73

$50.97

0.61 SELL-

196 196.5 197 282 .4164 283.1369 283.8573 222.4404 223.0079 223.5753 201.0875 201.6005 202.1135 1.8297 1.8344 1.8391 0.3141 0.3241 0.3341 274.1395 274. 8389 275.5384 29.8321 29.9087 29.9852 52.2583 52.3916 52.5249 29.9008 29.9771 30.0534 276.7716 277.4777 278.1837

CBN Exchange rate as at 08/06/2016

C M Y K

loans

Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive, FBN Holdings, Mr. U.K Eke, whose company accounted for 35 per cent or N119.3 billion of money lost to bad loans, attributed the huge losses to, “sharp decline in global oil prices, the volatile macro-environment, and fiscal/ monetary headwinds which have resulted in marked reduction in domestic output.”

A CBN staff report said: “The

sharp increase in bad loans was due to a host of external and internal factors. These include low and volatile oil prices; uncertainty about severe fiscal imbalance at the sub-national level of government; weak output growth; and eroding investor confidence.”

The report revealed a sharp increase in bad loans in 2015,

Continues on Page 22

Bank of Industry records N44.7bn profit after tax in 2015

$51.17

BUYING

Y

Factors driving bad

$3,118.00 30.00 $ 19.28

By Yinka Kolawole

In 2015, UBA lost N5.1 billion (up by 59 per cent), GTB lost N12.2 billion (up by 72 percent), Access Bank lost N14.2 billion (up by 21 percent), while Zenith Bank lost N15.7 billion (up by 20 per cent). Others are Union Bank, N9.9 billion (up by 106 percent), Diamond Bank N55.6 billion (up by 109 per cent), and Sterling Bank, N8.2 billion (up by 11 per cent).

1.05

Top global biscuit, confectionary brands merge, enter Nigerian market

in 2014.

This was contained in its 56th annual report and accounts for 2015, presented at its annual general meeting held in Abuja. The bank also posted operating income of N70.765 billion, representing an improvement of 161 per cent from N27.108 billion in its 2014 financial year.

In addition, the bank’s profit before tax rose by 232 per cent to N47.23 billion from N5.71 billion recorded in 2014; interest income rose to N26.72 billion from N23.35 billion in 2014, while its shareholders’ fund grew to N206.55 billion from N162.188 billion recorded in 2014.

Commenting on the results, Minister of

Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Okechukwu Enelamah, commended the Board for its sustained impressive performance since its inception fifteen years ago.

He applauded the bank for having disbursed N83.5 billion to over 700 enterprises that generated almost 400,000 direct and indirect jobs during the 2015 financial year.

Elenamah charged the bank to brace up to the increasing responsibilities that are being assigned to it in Nigeria’s economic development process especially, the implementation of the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP), the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) and the Government’s Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).

He extolled the leadership, management and staff of the bank for their unalloyed commitment to taking BOI to greater heights, by embracing its core values while assiduously pursuing the bank’s vision, mission and mandate.

He charged BOI to intensify efforts at mobilizing suitable financial and non-financial resources from within and outside Nigeria for the transformation of Nigeria’s industrial sector in accordance with the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) that emphasizes processing and adding value to Nigeria’s vast agricultural, solid minerals and petroleum resources ,among other areas of our resource endowments and comparative advantage.

The minister added that as one of Africa’s leading policy based Development Finance Institutions (DFI), the bank will continue to play active roles in Nigeria’seconomic development.

In this regard, the Minister noted with delight that sequel to the recent signing into law of the 2016 National Budget, BOI has started implementing the N140 billion Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) which is an aspect of the Federal Government’s N500 billion Social Intervention Package.

ILDIZ Holdings has merged its core biscuit, chocolate, and confectionery businesses - United Biscuits, Godiva Chocolatier, Ulker and DeMet’s Candy Company, to form a new global company, “pladis”.

The new entity unites internationally recognized brands McVitie’s, a leading biscuit brand in Nigeria with a heritage in the UK and Europe; Godiva, a leading premium chocolate brand worldwide and; Ulker, the leading biscuits and confectionery brand in Turkey and Middle East. Together they form a $5.2 billion business, positioning Pladis as a global leader in the category.

Murat Ulker, Chairman of Yildiz Holding, said, “We are bringing together some of the world’s best loved brands and combining their 350 years of experience to form a new family company. We will be a global leader in biscuits and confectionery, and bring ‘bites of happiness’ to every corner of the world.” He said that the company is named after the ‘Pleiades’ constellation, a group of seven stars visible from anywhere on earth.

With 36 factories in 13 countries, pladis will employ 26,000 people and be led by a senior leadership team comprised of Cem Karakas, CEO, and Ali Ulker, Vice Chairman focusing on innovation and quality. The company will operate on a regional basis, with each region responsible for the manufacturing and commercial activities of the full Pladis brand portfolio.

Pladis CEO, Cem Karakas, commented, “We have significant growth ambitions for pladis with the aim to outperform the category standard year-on-year.

This is supported by our capital position and the strength of our manufacturing as one of only two companies in the world that produce such a broad range of biscuits and confectionery. As one global family, we can be more agile, allowing us to innovate around our products and develop more brand synergies - which are already benefitting our business”.

With the buy over, A&P Foods Limited, producers of McVities biscuits in Nigeria, automatically becomes a member of Pladis. Established in 2002, A&P Foods is a major player in the biscuit and confectionary categories in Nigeria.

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

An entrepreneur undertakes personal research on how to satisfy customers and solve problems

,

Bad loans may wipe off 34% of banks’ profits in 2016 Continues from Page 21 which rose to N649 billion last year, and as a result, the ratio of bad loans to total loans rose to 4.8 pe rcent, implying the industry may soon exceed the regulatory threshold of 5.0 per cent.

According to the report, 18 of the 22 banks recorded increases in bad loans.

Furthermore, the number of banks that exceeded the regulatory limit of five percent for ratio of bad loans to total loans rose from three in 2014 to eight in 2015, with three banks exceeding 10 per cent. The report reveals that the ratio of bad loans for the industry relative to total loans rose to 4.88 percent, which is 1.2 percent less than the regulatory limit of 5.0 per cent for the industry.”

Bankers’ Committee expresses concern

Worried by the threat of the huge loan losses to bad loans in banks, the Bankers’ Committee, comprising the CBN and chief executives of banks, at its meeting in March, discussed and debated measures to combat the challenge.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, Director, Banking Supervision Department, CBN, Mrs. Tokunbo Martins, said, “We did discuss it. We spoke about debt factoring. It is not something that has been done yet. But there was a discussion around that. But the most important thing is that banks are conscious of it. They are preserving capital.

“They have enough capital as we speak to absorb these risks as they come, and they are not distributing much of their capital as they would have in the past, in anticipation of the risks that might crystalize, knowing in their mind they need to have enough capital to absorb the risks as they happen.

One of the reasons why we have insisted on large capital ratio is for a time like this.

So the banks have adequate capital to withstand the shock we are experiencing today.”

Banks still losing money to bad loans

But the banks are still losing money to bad loans. This is reflected in the first quarter 2016 results of the ten banks, which indicate they lost N43.52 billion or 34 percent of their profits to bad loans in the first three months of this year. This implies the ten banks might lose up to N174 billion in 2016.

According to Q1 2016 results, five of the banks, namely UBA, GTB, Access Bank, Union Bank and Wema Bank, were able to reduce losses to bad loans, while the others, namely Zenith, FBN Holdings, Ecobank, Diamond, and Sterling Bank, recorded increases.

During the quarter, UBA lost N1 billion to bad loans (down by 57 per cent) while GTB lost N3.4 billion (down by 2.8 per cent).

Access Bank lost N2.4 billion (down by 39 per cent); Union Bank lost N1.4 billion (down by 42 per cent), and Wema, N0.3 billion (down by 43 per cent).

Others are Zenith Bank, N2.6 billion (up by 24 per cent), FBN Holdings, N12.8 billion (up by 212 per cent), Ecobank, N13.3 billion (up by 55 per cent), and Diamond Bank, N8.8 billion (up by 35 per cent).

C M Y K

,

BUSINESS

What business owners can learn from Jack Ma

By Yinka Kolawole, with agency report

J

ack Ma or Ma Yun is a 51 year-old Chinese business magnate and philanthropist. He is the founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group, a family of successful Internetbased businesses. As of May 2016, his net worth according to Forbes was estimated to be $23 billion.

Alibaba’s Chinese retail websites have more than 350 million users, with over 100 million shoppers daily, according to Ma. “This is not a small company. But we are of the small business, by the small business and for the small business. We believe the Internet is a ‘treasure island’ for small business,” Ma recently told a business community in the US.

Rejection is something Jack Ma is familiar with and it does not seem to faze him one bit. He failed his university entrance exam three times. He applied to 30 jobs when he was looking for work and was rejected by all of them, including a job at KFC where 24 people applied and they hired everyone but him. He wrote to Harvard for

a total of 10 times and was knocked back every single time. Ma learnt that rejection sometimes comes with benefits. “After being rejected so many times I thought, ‘Wow, maybe God wants me to do something for myself and not work for others.’

Take initiative

Ma gives the following interesting tips on his success: Learn basic skills At an early age, Ma developed a desire to learn English, so he rode his bicycle each morning to a nearby hotel to converse with foreigners. He would guide them around the city for free to practice and improve his English. He did this for nine years. He became pen pals with one of these foreigners, and she nicknamed him “Jack”, because his real Chinese name was too difficult to pronounce.

Never give up

Jack Ma, Alibaba founder.

Tips to make your start-up fly W

e may well be going through a new revolution of business start-ups at the current time and there are a number of reasons for this. For example the global financial crisis has eased considerably, creating more confidence and the emergence of alternative funding methods which means there are new sources of start-up capital available. But this explosion in new businesses has another, not so welcome, effect. It means that competition for customers is intense so you really have to stand out if you want your startup to succeed.

The following are tips that could help you to do just this.

Prepare to adapt It’s a fast moving world today, faster than it’s ever been, so the motto for organisations of every size has become “adapt and survive”. This means keeping a very close eye on both the way your own particular market is evolving and also, what your competition is doing. The idea isn’t to copy their every move but

more to carve out a unique niche for your own operation.

So flexibility is key in every area and this means that even if you have a written business plan and a have clear picture of how you expect things to pan out over the next few years, it should never be written in stone. This sounds potentially scary but the good news is that, as a smaller business, you can be more nimble and react far quicker than larger operations who may also be your competitors.

Efficient finance Money may not actually make the world go round but it’s certainly essential for any business to succeed – and it’s not just earning the income, it’s also about handling it efficiently. There are some obvious first steps to take, such as investing in quality online accounting software and establishing definite payment terms with clients and suppliers.

Most importantly, businesses need to manage their cash flow. The software allows you to support multiple currencies and email invoices online, allowing you to get paid faster.

Then there are a number of other considerations to take into account.

For example, organising making payments or issuing invoices into two or three batches each month will be a far more time-efficient method than handling each one individually.

Feedback It may sound obvious, but the best people to let you know how you’re doing are your customers, so it’s vital that you use their opinions to shape and refine your company.

There are a number of ways to get their feedback. For example most people will willingly give up a couple of minutes of their time if you call them and ask them to answer a quick questionnaire, especially if you say the aim is to provide an even better service for them. Social media is also a good way to get feedback, either by inviting comments or just by seeing what people are saying about your service. Then, when you’ve received the feedback it’s up to you what you do with it. Remember, not all will be useful but the elements that are could help to take your business to even higher levels of success. *Secrets of entrepreneusrhip

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

— 23

The heroine of Nigeria’s democracy — Kudirat Abiola: 1951- 1996 completely for granted, having forgotten those who worked hardest and sacrificed the most to make it happen.

It certainly bears remembrance that in 1993, Nigeria elected M.K.O. Abiola as president in a historic election that was set to end years of military misrule. His victory was annulled by General Ibrahim Babangida, who was overthrown by Sani Abacha, a far more brutal dictator who once promised to continue ruling Nigeria, even if there are only 100 people left.

By Morenike Taire

H

UMAN rights activists and secondary school pupils- mostly femaleconstituted the audience at the official commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the death of Kudirat Abiola, who died from the lodgement of a single bullet into the middle of her forehead while seated in the back of a Mercedes Benz in June, 1996.

For the average pupil in oneroom of the several in the Moshood Abiola crescent expansive home of Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola, winner of the June 12 1992 elections, which have been converted for office use- it was all pure history; pure legend.

Here was this larger than life female character on the screen, which lived long before most of them were even born. She was courageous and privileged, yet full of private insecurities and presented with a myriad of challenges. She was both human and superhuman. She was of another age.

Pro democracy struggle

Kudirat Abiola Hafsat- who had immortalized her mother through KIND (Kudirat Initiative for Democracy, a nongovernmental organization which aims at removing barriers to women’s public participation in governance)arranged a viewing of a documentary which chronicled some of the darkest days of Nigeria’s polity: The years

Political, justice, equity As women activists contend in a power struggle that seeks to redistribute power in such a way as to create balanced representation by the genders, it is useful to remember that there is more than one way for women to contribute to political justice, equity and democracy; and it has been proven decades back by Kudirat Olayinka Abiola, who paid the ultimate price for the civil rule we enjoy today.

Twenty years down the line, one would expect every women- rights activist in the country to roll out the drums to celebrate Alhaja Kudirat; but alas she has mostly been forgotten- buried in the rubble and ashes of a struggle which was won, and then wrecked.

It is a divine intervention of sorts that her first daughter,

I don’t like to be compared with men – Joke Pg 24-25

NGOs accuse Nollywood of fueling rape •say FMWASD exists on paper

By Caleb Ayansina

A

BUJA— The National Council of Child Rights Advocate Nigeria (NACCRAN) and a Women/Child Rights Activist have decried the level of ignorance about issues relating to the rights of women and children in the country.

The Coordinator, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

INSIDE

There is no reason to believe she would have succeeded

following June 12, 1993.

The Supreme Price, as it is appropriately named, had previously been aired across Africa last year and has won several major local and international prizes; yet it cannot be said to have reached the audience it ought to have: the masses and the leadership of the Nigerian people who take their democracy

Abacha had arrested and detained Abiola, leaving Kudirat- one of the latter ’s many wives- to carry on the so called pro democracy struggle.

Clearly, her killers followed the money, as Kudirat threatened the very source of the dictators’ wealth by calling on the International buyers to shun Nigeria’s oil. There is no reason to believe she would have succeeded, but the opposition was not taking any chances and diligently did away with her.

The documentary showing, which was directed this time by Tunde Kelani, ought to be shown more often, to audiences which are less appreciative of its essence. And the question remains- who killed Kudirat Abiola.

Trend Alert: Ladies in agbada!

Pg 24

Chapter of NACCRAN, Mrs Margret Udoh and A United States-Based Child Rights Activist, Dr. Funmilayo Ogunleye-Hancock said it was so unfortunate that those who are supposed to champion the cause were the one’s violating the rights of women and children in the country, hiding under the guise of culture and religion.

The duo, who were speaking in a press conference in Abuja, noted that as a nongovernmental organization and individual, they had been trying their best to speak out to stem the tide of the violence in the country, but the situation is over whelming.

Citing Yerima’s case; a lawmaker who married a minor among other several cases of

sexual violence against children by adults, Udoh noted that this signifies that the country is in a mess, adding that some mothers even covered up for their husbands who molested their daughters to avoid stigmatization.

Child right laws She explained that though 23 states had ratified and adopted child right laws in the country, two of them only domesticated it, revealing that the enforcement part of it is nothing to write home about.

In her remarks, Dr. Funmilayo Ogunleye-Hancock maintained that the issue of violence against women and children are global issue but

the difference between Nigeria and other western countries like United States of America (USA) is that laws are respected and properly enforced, as nobody is above the law.

Also, she added that perpetrators of such acts would not be covered up in the name of religion or culture, as “everybody speaks out, nothing like stigmatization”.

Hancock, who is also a member of NACCRAN, said the violence against women and children in Nigeria seems to be daunting and unaddressed, because the government through its ministry of women’s affairs and social development which is supposed to be championing the programme

Continues on page 24

24—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

NGOs accuse Nollywood Continues from page 23 merely exists on paper.

The Ekiti State-born women rights promoter insisted that for the government to make meaningful impact in the society, it must embark on a sincere entrepreneurship programme for women, while promoting laws that guarantee their rights and privileges in the society.

Hancock, however, blamed the Nigerian film Industry (Nollywood) for the increasing number of rape cases in the country.

Tool to fuel rape in the society She noted that Nollywood should have been used as a tool to get rid of the menace or reduced to the barest minimum in the society, lamenting that the reverse is the case as it is now being used as a tool to fuel rape in the society.

In a lot of our movies these days, we intend to add rape scenes in them, which is not helpful, and I don’t like that, because if we are talking about getting rid of that situation, we shouldn’t be fuelling it. It just like almost every movie that I watch, there is always a rape scene, and I think we are

promoting that further because the more you watch such scenes, the more it goes in your heart.

“If it is something that we are trying to get rid of, we will express so in our movies, because in most movies, they do them without repercussion that is the thing that bothers me most, it is one thing to show a woman is raped, it is another thing to show there is a repercussion.

“But in these movies, they are raped, and the victims are also penalised, we see a lot of such movies these days, but the movie industry can help out in this situation because many people watch movies.

“Even if the government is not able to do much to help, our movie industry should be able to quit promoting fraud and rape. The fight against rape should be taken seriously,” she noted.

Hancock disclosed that her intention of being a member of Nigerians in Diaspora was to find out what are the needs of the nation, and how can those in the Diaspora help, particularly in the area of children, poverty as well as proffering solutions to the problems.

I don’t like to

– Joke Omotunde, former US C

By Funmi Ajumobi, Prisca Sam-Duru & Vera Anyagafu

J

OKE Omotunde, recently retired as the Information Specialist at the Public Affairs Section of the US Consulate which she joined on March 1991 exactly 25 years 3 months ago when the Consulate was known as United States Information Service under United States Information Agency.

Aunty Joke, as she is fondly called by friends and colleagues, would be remembered as one who built a very strong link between the Nigerian media – both print and electronic, with the US Mission in Nigeria. In this interview, she spoke with Woman’s Own extensively on how she doesnt like to be compared with men and her conducive work experience at the consulate which she said she will relish for a long while.

How do you feel at the moment?

I’m really sad that I am leaving. I’m going back to the world not to start looking for employment but I’m leaving this whole placeUS Consulate. You know when you are going to work and you are sure there will be light or internet and everything that you need to do your work is made available. Why won’t you work hard? Why wont you be dedicated. In the last 25 years that I have worked at the

Consulate, I’m able to compare the two sides.

That is, the Broadcasting Çorporation of Oyo State where I worked for 10 years before I joined US. I remember then that we had to queue up for the driver to take us on assignment, queue for camera and just everything and sadly the situation is still the same today because now salaries are not even being paid.

But I’m leaving a place where salary is a priority to them. At the beginning of the year they give you your payment date and it is never even an hour late. That way you can plan for your future.

Passion for the job I’m leaving a place where the Ambassador is traveling on a trip with you and you have the same ticket and sits on the same section with you, sometimes I even sat in front while he sat at the back.

Here every government official travels on economy class. There’s no discrimination, we stay in the same hotel. Where does that happen?

What was your relationship with the media like?

One thing I appreciate the media for, is the passion for the job. I’ve been in the media before and I can imagine my salary not paid for months, how will I survive? And you don’t want them to

Trend Alert: Ladies in agbada!

S

OME find it curious, even outright weird, but the ubiquitous trend of ladies sporting the traditionally male wears of agbada and kaftan has not only taken root but appears to have come to stay. Once the preserve of unfashionable tomboys, it is now a trend every fashionista wants to identify with.

What makes this trend unique is that it has never been before, and right now, it’s hotter than hell…

Do pregnant ‘n’ chic, like Tiwa

Like the trendsetter that she truly is, sweetvoiced songstress Tiwa Savage was one of the people to be spotted introducing the girl agbada trend while she was carrying her son, . The agbadas were the reason why many fans had no inkling their adorable idol was out of shape for months and months.

2face and Annie

Ditch the pants, like Jennifer

And this is official- Jennifer Obayuwana knows how to escalate every trend several notches, and the agbada trend is no different.

She has been seen to be sporting agbadasbut without the pants.

Thereby proving beyond reasonable doubt that the agbada can be hot with the right accessories. Or without.

Keep it simple, like Kate

Veteran actress Kate Henshaw has always rocked every trend effortlessly, and it has everything to do with her natural class and

Juliet Ibrahim simplicity. It is no wonder then that when she stepped out in the agbada trend, it was with the signature simple and chic.

Steal the show, like Toyin

You might think she goes overboard with her style every so often, but that is exactly why the fans of Toyin Lawani, who has often called herself a style guru, fawn all over her. And so when she

took a hold of the agbada trend, wonders happened…

Do ethnic, like Juliet

Ghanain actress and producer Juliet Ibrahim might have many roots but when it comes to doing the agbada, there is no blurring her love for all things ethnic and African…

Be the missus, like Annie

Lucky better half of crooner 2Face Idibia has come under not a little criticism from feminists about doing little more than being the celebrity wife, but seems she has had the last laugh with matching her agbada outfit with hubby’s, on a recent Lagos red carpet.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016 —25

be compared with men

Consulate Information Specialist

•Joke Omotunde take brown envelopes, I mean they are human beings and I know its not the fault of the owners.

I appreciate those media who have

programmes that are very beneficial to us.

For instance, Peace in the Niger Delta region.

You all know about Dawn in the Creeks, US partnered with Jeta Amata. We travelled to Nembe with speed boats to launch it.

Imagine an American Ambassador risking their lives for us. What I’m trying to say is that the programmes are helpful to us.

Considering the kind of job you did, what were the qualities that helped you thrive within these 25 years?

I think it’s my upbringing. Right from the beginning, my mother, Iya Adinni, never had any formal education and as a muslim, was given to marriage to the person her parents chose for her. But she was very hard working and while married as the 2nd wife, she worked even harder and it is this same mother of mine that is sister to retired supreme court

Practicing broadcast journalist

m

e

a t e s g n

been working with us, I know its a calling because of what you are contributing to the society but I always advise that if you cannot cope any longer, don’t debase yourself. All of you should look for something else to be doing aside. I didn’t have to do any other thing because my salary was very regular. There is no other place I would have worked that I would have been more successful than here.

Is there anything for which the US will always remember you?

Yes, its the network of media contacts that I have established. There’s no Radio or TV station, no newspaper house today that does not know about the US Consulate or me. How did this happen? When I came in, it was difficult to place Worldnet and Voice Of America (VOA) programmes on national broadcast stations.

Toyin Lawani

These were educative programmes, introducing children to computer and English Language. So at that time, it was difficult to place these programmes because they were mainly government TV/Radio stations. But I came in and went round, being a practicing broadcast journalist. I went to my friends and for the fact that I read Mass Communication and most of the stations were managed by my class mates, it was easy for me because I already met the Momoh, Sola, Mo Abudu, Coker, etc. So it was easy to place those programmes there and not long, they became very popular and by the time Indepenedent braodcast began, they too wanted quality content for there programming so they placed those programmes. They have remained our contacts till today. You know the US Consulate have so many

I love cloths, shoes everybody knows that and nobody can beat me to that and that is why I’m endingup having an Ankara shop

judge, Justice Folarinwa Babalakin. Their father believed that women should be kept at home. So, my mother thought to herself that if this same justice Babalakin who was a lawyer by then, could marry an educated woman, then any woman can be educated.

So, she started struggling to make sure that all her children whether male or female are educated but she concentrated on the

women. Just to make ends meet and send us to school, my mother worked from morning till night. She also sent me to her brother who brought me up.

So I will say I imbibed her strength and hard work. Again, I don’t like to be compared with men, like whenever they say, ‘oh that area is for men’, that is where I want to be. They used to call me a woman like a man. As small and short as I was, I was the Head Girl in my school right from form 3. Women should stop believing that there’s something that men can do that they cannot do. See President Hillary Clinton is coming up now. Before I graduated, I insisted that I stayed in Print option alongside males. We were just three females in print while others rushed to broadcast. Another quality is being upright and my husband has been supportive of me and we complement each other.

You look so young and agile at 60, whats the secret?

The grace of God has been much on me. I will also say that I am not a typical modern day woman. Fine, I love clothes, shoes everybody knows that and nobody can beat me to that and that is why I’m ending up having an Ankara shop. I was lucky to have met my husband in the university and I have been dedicated. With all sense of modesty, I don’t do artificial.

Negative challenge My hair is natural. The best I can do to it is to add attachment to make it last.

No bleaching cream, I use only Vaseline.

Was there no challenges at all?

The most negative challenge here at the Consulate is that your supervisor changes every two years. Once there’s change, you have to try to adapt to what or how he works and while he’s trying to settle down, its time for him to go.

The one that stays long stays for three years. I personally, have been very very lucky, there was not a single supervisor of mine whom I had any misgiving with. Also here, there’s constant updating on the new media because here, its everyday you keep on learning and my brain is saturated. They teach you one thing today and next day they are changing your system.

After here what next?

I want to have time to socialise, go to parties and dance. I can work outside Nigeria for the United States as you have heard at my retirement dinner, I have been granted a special U.S. Visa which enables me to move in and out of Nigeria to the U.S. without having to go through the stress of applying for a visa every time I need one. In other words, I am available for any engagement that involves fostering the bilateral relationship between Nigeria and the United States.

26— Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

For democracy to be legitimate, women have to be represented In this interview, Alhaji Olalekan Abiola, son of late Kudirat Abiola, speaks in commemoration of her 20th year remembrance, saying the Nigerian government still owes the entire Abiola family 'justice' in this interview, Alhaji Olalekan Abiola, son of late Kudirat Abiola, speaks in commemoration of her 20th year remembrance, saying the Nigerian government still owes the entire Abiola family 'justice'.

By Anino Aganbi

I

T’s been twenty years, How has Mrs kudirat Abiola’s passing been on those she left behind?

The past wenty years have been very difficult. We never got justice regarding her killing. As far as the Nigerian government is concerned, no one is responsible for killing her. Nobody is in prison for it. So as far as the Nigerian government is concerned, they have not done anything to give us justice. Apart from that, losing a mother is never easy. She has like 20 grand children now and it would have been nice for her to have met them. We miss her guidiance, presence, advice and everything. We just thank God. Can you tell us about the Kudirat Initiative for Democracy(KIND) Because she fought for an idea

that Nigerians as a people, have a right to determine our government, we have a right to determine who governs us and we should have a democratic system. She fought against dictatorship, against tyranny. So this is her initiative. The Kudirat Initiative for Democracy is just to promote that idea, no matter what happens in going forward, Nigerian people must be consulted as to who rules them, must be consulted about the policies that are going to be implemented upon them and things like that. It is very important that no one should be a dictator over another no matter who they are.

Would you say this initiative had a significant role to play in the lives of Nigerian women?

A nation is made up of men and women. You cannot have a good

nation that women are not represented. When my father won the election and he was locked up, my mum had to step up because this was not a struggle for Nigerian men alone. It was a struggle for Nigerian men and women. In the economy, if things are going well, then things are going well for both men and women; and if things are going

The Kudirat Initiative for Democracy is just to promote that idea, no matter what happens in going forward badly, things are going badly for both men and women also. Both people need to be together and need to strive well to bring the nation to where we want it to go.

Nigeria’s failure in involving women in democracy…….

•Olalekan Abiola It has taken so long for the tree of democracy that she and other women sacrificed so much to seed begin to show the promise that motivated them to take a stand.

Yet, even now, it is still glaring in its failure to include women in elective positions. In this one thing, we reveal a flaw in how we understand and practice democracy. If power was understood as primarily a tool to be used to serve all people, women would be encouraged to

Will you risk your life for a national cause

By Josephine Agbonkhese

A

s Kudirat Abiola is remembered in history once again, Woman's Own, in awe of her courage, went to town to ask women to what extent they would give their lives for a national cause they believe in.

He who fights and dodges the bullet lives to fight another day Kofo Olaosebikan, brands services expert Yes, I can go the extra mile for my country on a cause I believe in, but not in a do or die way because he who fights and dodges the bullets lives to fight another day!

A cause is worth dying for doesn't translate into "go under a trailer, commit suicide and your cause would come to be". To me, it means hold on tenaciously to what you believe in, fight for it as if your life depends on it, but be careful and take precautions.

Remember the Biblical Esther. She sent the people of God words to go on a 3-day fast for the cause she believed in.

That was a precaution. And then she faced it squarely and

proclaimed.....if I perish I perish! God honoured her tenacity.

Kudirat was a symbol of absolute loyalty Oluyemisi Alatise, President, Inner Wheel Int'l Yes, I will go the extra mile on whatever cause I believe in. For example, I believe in fighting the cause of women and girls and I'm doing that passionately.

Kudirat Abiola was an example of absolute loyalty and submission to her husband's wishes even at the glaring face of death. She would have been Winnie

•Oluyemisi Alatise

Mandela of Nigeria. I salute her commitment to stand up for her husband and what she believed in.

Patriotism is a sensitive issue in Nigeria Mary Ekah, Journalist I will not give my life for any cause in Nigeria of today. In fact, I really need to be sure that cause is attainable.

At the time Kudirat Abiola took the risk, she took over the election's annulment and democracy, I personally would never have taken such risk.

The thought of the military and their excesses would have been enough to deter me.

Patriotism in Nigeria is a

•Mary Ekah

serious issue because if you're not careful, you might just end up wasting your life over nothing and nobody will attach any value to you.

It's so bad that I don't even bother going out there to vote because during elections I see it as a waste of time.

Even when you believe in someone that he/she could bring a change and you want him to come into power with that belief, your going out to vote may still not even count.

So why bother yourself when you're sure that even if your candidate wins, the powers that be won't allow him work.

•Kofo Olaosebikan

play their part. The absence of women reveals the fact the current wind of change has not altered the fundamental perception of power as an instrument, not of service but of domination. Unfortunately, when used in this way, every one loses as the cycle of divide and misrule that Nigeria has witnessed time and again will simply continue producing poverty, conflict and misery.

Women in senate…..

Reflecting on the fact that the national assembly has only 6% of women, we need to be aware that Africa’s largest economy lags behind all but one other African country on this and gives a ranking of 177 out of 193 countries.

Husband’s household Today, let us remember that when Chief Abiola was in detention, when many prodemocratic leaders had fled the country, Kudirat Abiola kept the flag flying. She led the marches, sold her properties to support her husband’s household and to finance the movement. She gave interviews on national and international media channels. She was gunned down on the streets of Lagos, Nigeria. Our leaders need to be fair to Nigerian women. Parties should put in place mechanisms to ensure 30% women’s representation at local government level.

The government is a good level to begin fostering gender equality since it has a purview over primary health care as well as primary and secondary education, issues of particular concern to women. Democracy came at a price which women and men paid and should be made to work for everyone.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016 — 27

,

& YOU In 1994, Ma heard about the Internet. In early 1995, he went to the US and with his friends’ help he got introduced to the Internet.

The first word that he searched on the internet was ‘beer’. Upon seeing all different types of beer on the net, the second word he searched was ‘China’ and it returned no results. This gave him the idea to begin his first internet business. In April 1995, Ma, his wife and a friend collected $20,000 and started an Internet company. Their company was dedicated to creating websites for small companies. He named their company “China Yellow Pages.”

When the company is good, change the company.

When the company is in trouble, be careful

Within three years, his company had made 5,000,000 Chinese Yuan which was equivalent to $800,000.

Trust yourself In 1999, Ma gathered 17 of his friends in his apartment, explaining to them his vision to use the Internet to help smallbusiness owners sell goods and services. When he first had the idea of starting Alibaba, he gathered 17 of his friends in his apartment and spoke for hours about the vision that he had.

When he finished speaking, all but one of his friends present told him it was a stupid idea. Jack thought about his idea for that entire night and the next day, he decided to start his company. With $50,000, Ma started Alibaba with his friends. By 2015, the company’s sales reached $390 billion.

Take responsibility In order to start an e-commerce website with a payment system in China at the time, Jack Ma needed a license from the Chinese government. Obtaining a license proved difficult and doing so without one would be illegal. After listening to a leadership panel, he phoned his staff back at his

apartment and told them: “Do it, now, immediately. If something’s wrong and the government isn’t happy about that (Alibaba), if one body has to go to prison, Jack Ma goes to prison,” he said.

Don’t wait to innovate Many small-business owners pick the wrong time to innovate, says Jack Ma. When people on his team say the company has had a wonderful year, Ma knows it’s time to change: “Repair the roof while there is still sunshine,” he said.

“When the company is good, change the company. When the company is in trouble, be careful. Don’t move.

Just like if the storm comes, don’t go up and repair the roof.”

Learn from others' failures It’s all too common to hear about business successes, but for Ma, it’s the mistakes that business owners should really learn from. “A lot of people fail for the same reason. If you know why people fail and you learn from that, you can make a correction.”

Be passionate If you’re just in the business for money, you’re going about it wrong.

Ma emphasized the need for passion in what you do, and agreed that fervor is a hallmark of successful smallbusiness owners. “If you talk about money, money, money, nobody wants to make friends with you. If you don’t have any friends, you are not making a fortune,” said Ma. Customers come first Business is filled with uncertainty, said Ma, but your focus on the customer should never waiver. “The ones supporting you are not the shareholders. Not government. It’s the customers, the people, and the employees. Focus on the customer.

Focus on making employees happy.

And focus on integrity to everything you’re committed to. That is the only thing,” he said.

Build strong leaders If a business is to continue after the owner has moved on, the younger generations must understand and embrace its vision and values. “Give them the chance to make mistakes.

Listen to them. Respect them. Make sure the young people are not following you, they’re following the vision and value (of the business),” said Ma. Make no enemies Ma’s main philosophy when it comes to dealing with his competitors is that, he doesn’t see them as enemies but people that he can learn from. “A real businessman or entrepreneur has no enemies.

Once he understands this, then sky’s the limit”.

As a result of dwelling on positive thinking, organisation performances have been impacted negatively

,

Positive thinking no longer enough for organisation's growth “Embracing vulnerability is your path to wholeness”…Rosalene Glickman

W

ith the current realities and a superior business uncertainties, what input to brings about success in your “just be organisation today might not bring positive” the same success tomorrow. An that with idea, thought, or belief that we have t i m e been used to in the time past and everything that has worked may not work for will be BY ‘UJU ONWUZULIKE us in the same manner it did in the okay. Off time past. But that does not mean course, I that those ideas or beliefs that quickly worked in the time past are not advised him to call back that his necessary, they may still be subordinate (who had trust in him) and necessary, but are not sufficient for proffer step by step solutions and never today’s world. They could be parts pretend there was no problem. The truth of the ingredients needed for is that it is totally impossible to grow any success in your organisation, but organisation by mere wishful thinking or are not sufficient ingredients. In a by being positive without having a strong bid to improve our individual desire to commit plans to actions. So, are performances, we have been we saying that positive introduced to positive thinking is not necessary in this thinking. We have been age and time? No, positive thought amongst other It is thinking is valuable, and useful, things to be positive and however dwelling only on things will be okay, avoid totally positive thinking as a magical negativity, always alienate impossible way to achieve result in this ourselves from any ever changing business world to grow negative thoughts or could only do more harm to feelings, and always a n y organisations than good. The believe that situations will belief of most organisation is organisation improve over time. A very that positive thinking is always pertinent question to ask by mere in there best interest, but that ourselves is: can our wishful is not always the case. We have organisational problems been thought to always see the simply varnish because we thinking brighter side of the business have positive thinking alone and most of the times, we mindset? Is positive ignore the treats and the warning signals thinking enough in this ever changing for optimisation. Martin Seligman, who and turbulent world? wrote Learned Optimism said, if the cost of failure is high optimism is the wrong Positive thinking strategy. As a result of dwelling alone For years, the motto of the on positive thinking, organisation productive world has been “Think performances have been impacted Positive.” Even countries are not left negatively; bad debt has increased and out, with or without clear cut game the road map to organisational success plans, they are always positive that has been reduced to mere wishful challenges like terrorism, thinking or “business as usual”. unemployment, unfavourable We all remembered when foreclosures economic situations etc will one day were off the charts in America. What did become things of the past. The reality you think that happened? Many people is that without being definite of what bought homes when they did not have to do whether as a country or an the money to pay for them. They organisation challenges and issues suppressed their doubts and concerns, will continue to rear its ugly head. I and eventually were hit with remembered speaking to a young foreclosure. In addition, the global entrepreneur who was having serious financial crisis that we had came as a challenges driving sustainable result of questionable strategies that business. During our meeting, my were used by some Wall Street first question to him was: what do you executives. Those that questioned the think will happen to your business workability of those strategies and who given the current situation? He also expressed doubt were labeled quietly answered, “I am positive that negative thinkers. Indeed, positive things will improve in the future”. thinking has not been enough. The Having said that, I quickly asked him; world and indeed the business world do you have clear cut strategies of require a more realistic style of thinking what to do? His answer clearly showed that empowers individuals and that he has left the success of business organisations to be their best and at the to chance or fate. In another end deliver targeted results. situation, a senior person in an organisation (in my presence) has Email: uju.onwuzulike@mclgroup.net also told his subordinate who had some official challenges and required

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28—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

By Dayo Adesulu

F

ORMER Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, NUC, Professor Peter Okebukola has said that Nigerian universities deviated from the initial agreement NUC had with Vice-Chancellors in 2004 when it introduced postUTME to screen candidates via oral interview and written essay.

Just as the Deputy Director, Distance Learning Centre, University of Ibadan, UI, Professor Oyesoji Akanmi also stated that scrapping postUTME is against the university autonomy, saying, ‘’ The development will place admission burden on the 40 federal universities."

Though many stakeholders who spoke with Vanguard expressed joy with the scrapping of post-UTME, some others have reservations, adding that it will not address the problem of admission deficit encounter yearly.

Okebukola who was the Executive Secretary NUC when post-UTME was introduced in 2004, said that it was a tough battle fought under the leadership of Professor Chinwe Obaji as Minister of Education to get approval.

While expatiating on reasons for the introduction of postUTME in 2014, he explained that the NUC and the vicechancellors discovered that more than ever before, they needed to admit into the universities, secondary school leavers who have at least two characteristics.

Cognitive competence The first characteristic, he noted, is to ensure that admission seekers attain minimum cognitive competence in the relevant subjects in the discipline they wish to study. The second was to test their competence in written and oral English, critical thinking and ability to present ideas in a logical sequence befitting of undergraduates in Africa’s most-expansive and well-regarded university system. ‘’JAMB’s UTME targets only the first characteristic; while the university-level screening should measure the second,’’ he said.

He, however said: ‘’We got the blessing of President Olusegun Obasanjo and the National Assembly to do the following: (a) maximum charge to candidates for the exercise should be one thousand naira, (b) candidates should be C M Y K

COURTESY VISIT: Vice Chancellor, University of Benin, UNIBEN, Prof. Osasere Orunmwense (middle), flanked by visiting professor, Humphrey Rang, with principal officers and the planning committee members during a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor.

Post-UTME: Varsities deviated from 2004 agreement — Okebukola •No, scrapping post-UTME violates varsity autonomy—Aremu •Places admission burden on federal varsities screened not with the kind of test used by JAMB but through other mechanisms.

The screening, he noted was agreed upon by all vicechancellors to be through oral interview and essay which JAMB assessment does not cover, adding: ‘’Up till about 2009, these guidelines were largely followed leading us to get very good quality candidates for our universities.’’

According to him, since 2010, both guidelines were ditched by most universities, stressing that universities were conducting the same tests as JAMB, charging at least five times the agreed-cost and not conducting oral interviews and essay screening.

Intuitive sense The goal of the post-UTME, he explained, shifted from selection of the best candidates to using post-UTME to make money. ‘’Since universities have derailed, it makes intuitive sense to close the post-UTME shop,’’ he added.

The former Scribe expressed joy in the scrapping of postUTME, adding that it now takes the universities system back to the original model of post-UME which NUC initiated in 2004 while he was serving as Executive Secretary.

Meanwhile, in his reaction, the Deputy Director, Distance Learning Centre, Prof Oyesoji Aremu said that scrapping post-

federal universities.

According to him, scrapping post-UTME would place more burden on the 40 federal universities, adding that more than 80% of candidates yearly make federal universities like University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ahmadu Bello University, University of Benin, and University of Nigeria, Nsuka their first choice.

Determination of admission policy (including PostUTME), regulation of academic activities among other activities, are functions of Universities’ Senates and not that of the Ministry of Education

Quality assurance

UTME would not address the problem of access to the universities, but will rather place admission burden on

He warned that if candidates are forced on the universities, it will make a mockery of the expected quality assurance which the policy of Post-UTME is all about.

While lamenting the scrapping of post-UTME which he noted negates the question of university autonomy, he explained that the Ministry of Education through its agency, National University Commission regulates the universities, adding, ‘’university autonomy especially in federal Universities is a function of University Senate and each Governing Council. ‘’Thus, determination of admission policy (including Post-UTME), regulation of academic activities among other activities, are functions of

Universities’ Senates and not that of the Ministry of Education,’’ he said.

Prior to Post-UTME, he noted that most federal universities have been conducting another layer of assessment of candidates in form of interview and interaction. This, according to him is to ensure Quality Assurance given the fact that UTME has been compromised in terms of quality of the candidates who seek admission.

His words: ‘’The scrapping of post-UTME would also unsettle the candidates and their parents emotionally and in some, give false illusion that they can get admission with 180 Cut-off Mark, a benchmark that is practically impossible given the huge number of applicants.

In proffering a solution, Aremu disclosed that the way out is for the Ministry of Education, through NUC, to call a stakeholders meeting to reappraise the problem of access to admission. He said: ‘’University admission should be deregulated. It should be a question of quality of education provided by each University.

Government should also reevaluate JAMB with a view to making the body and its evaluation interventions much more acceptable to the end users. Open access to education through Distance Education should also be re-invigorated and less discriminatory."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016—29

Lagos education budget 1/3 of FG's —Ambode

By Amaka Abayomi

T

HE Lagos State government has disclosed that its N113.3bn education budget (representing 27.11% of the state’s budget) is about onethird of the N369bn budgeted by the Federal Government for the entire country; just as it assured of its commitment to the implementation of the one meal a day programme.

This wàs revealed by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode at the grand finale of activities to mark this year’s Children’s Day celebration and to commemorate his one year in office, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

Speaking on the theme “Stop Violence Against Children”, Ambode,who spoke through his deputy, Dr. Idiat Adebule, promised that anyone who perpetrate violence against children in any form be it physical, sexual, psychological, deliberate neglect, kidnap and child trafficking would be dealt

with according to the according to the dictates of the law.

Governor Ambode commended the improvement in the education sector as exemplified by the results of the various co-curricular activities locally and internationally, noting that it has been a source of joy to the State Government.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Adesina Odeyemi, reminded students that education remains the veritable means of attaining greatness as education helps to prepare individuals for life challenges, therefore there was the need for them to strife hard to make parents and entire community happy through their performances.

Speaking on the meal a day programme, Adebule said efforts are on-going to perfect the programme aimed at increasing the nutrition content of school children meals to keep them healthy and encourage more pupils and students to stay in

school.

According to her, “the State Government has made provision for it in the budget to show her commitment, but is awaiting the intervention of the Federal Government since it was designed to be funded by the Federal and State Government on 60:40 ratio counterpart funding.

She added that, in fulfilling her promise to lessen the burden of parents in the academic pursuit of their children and wards, the government has paid N561,346,100 to WAEC for examination and administrative fees of 44,005 SS 2 students who sat for the last Mar/May 2016 WASSCE in the state.

Also, the government through the Teachers’ Establishment and Pensions Office has paid N934,644,082.39 as monthly Pensions for Pensioners on it payroll and N67, 665, 560.77 as gratuity and accrued pensions to 47 pensioners including deceased beneficiaries.

UNIBEN develops software for CBT

By Dayo Adesulu

U

NIVERSITY of Benin, UNIBEN has developed indigenous software for the conduct of its Computer Based Testing, CBT for all examinations in the university.

Explaining the effort of the institution on ICT, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. F.F.O. Orumwense said ‘’The software for CBT was indigenously developed by the University of Benin ICT Unit, making the university the first University in Nigeria to develop and use it to conduct the examinations.’’

According to him, The enhancement of the ICT Unit has also been extended to various units and departments of the university with the provision of the E-learning multimedia teaching programs which will aid the advancement of teaching and learning process.

He said that the innovation has further prompted the university to approve the establishment of a paperless senate meeting and result presentation powered by online application using Intranet connectivity.

Orumwense disclosed that the administration of the university has linked all faculties, units/ hostels with fibre optics for the

enhancement of internet connectivity 24/7, adding, ‘’the unit is also equipped with a video conferencing room with latest infrastructure that can conveniently seat 20 people.’’

The major administrative sectors, he explained has been approved by Management for computerization of the Registry and Bursary Department for seamless operations as well as to enhance the service delivery and the growth of the university.

Meanwhile, he said that in compliance with the spirit of computer based entrance examinations being advocated by JAMB, UNIBEN has effectively keyed into the initiative as its PostUTME and PUDE examinations are now full computer based.

The computer based test software, he added has been used to conduct the 2015/2016 Jamb examination which received commendations from staff as well as relevant stakeholders and observers. ‘’The ICT Unit has helped to conduct examinations in other institutions within Nigeria. The Ekehuan Campus was not left out in the entire technological enhancement; it received support from the university administration and global com.

Babcock varsity soars to excellence globally

By Tare Youdeowei

A

AWARD:

From left, Fassai Olanrewaju (Sound Sultan), musician; Dr. Funmilayo Doherty, President, Safety for Environmental Toxicology and Polution Mitigation (SETPOM); Timothy Iwuagwu, Chairman, Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria; Ms. Dorathy Bassey, Head, Public Affairs Dept, Petroleum Resuorces; Mr. Fyneray Mbata, Safety and Health Manger, MTN Nigeria during the conferment of Envrinment Ambassador Award on Sound Sultan by SETPOM to mark World Environmental Day, in Lagos.

World Milk Day: Peak invests in students

By Elizabeth Uwandu

I

N its quest to celebrate the World Milk Day, Peak Milk has invested in students practical ways of preparing delicacies with milk.

Pooling over 4,000 students from 10 schools in Lagos at Lagos Television, LTV, Agidingbi, the Marketing Manager, Peak Milk, Mrs. Dolapo Otegbayi, said “We are here to talk about milk and its importance to children.”

She said that the objective is to inform the world various things we can use milk for apart from the common usual things we use it for.

According to her, World Milk Day, which has been observed on June 1st each year since 2001, is a day established by the

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Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to recognise the importance of milk as a global food.

She explained that the day was intended to provide an opportunity to bring attention to activities that are connected with the milk industry.

Physical performance Otegbayi who noted that milk is one of the vitamin sources, pointed out that it also helps in developing growth in children and physical performance.

She said “Apart from the common ways of consuming Peak Milk, it could also be used to prepare other meals like

replacing the water you use in preparing wheat. Peak milk is one of the cheapest sources of protein that we have around. It helps in calcium and general development of children.” She noted that if we do not start talking about the importance of milk in our meal, a time will come when milk will be missing in our meals.

“Countries in Europe which consume milk constantly have average height of 5.7. Kenya also is not left from the countries in Africa that have benefited from the consumption of milk.”

Peak recognizes pocket of Nigerians that is why we have various prices ranging from N30, N50 etc.

PROFESSOR of Accounting and Finance at the Department of Accounting, College of Management and Social Sciences, Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, has charged Ph.D Accounting students of the institution to build character and as well focus on their dreams.

Prof. Akintoye gave the charge in his welcome address to Facilitators from Federal, State and Private Universities and students of Babcock University School of Postgraduate Studies during the PhD Seminar week.

Academic performance He said that the programme, PhD Accounting, approved by the National Universities Commission( NUC) in 2015, was conceived with the aim, as much as possible, to raise the bar of academic performance and prowess in Accounting research, adding that the institution is keen in piloting high impact research designed on a path of academic integrity and excellence in Accounting education.

Continuing, “We are not just one of the private universities who are desperate, thereby reducing our standard from globally acceptable basic minimum, but one where

excellence is our watchword and global best practices are our benchmark”. Akintoye said.

He opined that things have gone so bad in some higher institutions in Nigeria,making it almost impossible for those who are battling with the menace in Federal and State Universities to ever think that anything good can come out of 'Nazareth' - Private Universities, but affirms that the institution will continue to leverage on its conviction and the academic scholarship of prominent scholars from Federal, State and Private Universities to advance the course of academic destiny of upcoming scholars.

He further informed the PhD Accounting students that there is no doubt that the journey to success and personal development is always lonely and long, where one even doubts self whether he/she is on the right track or not. He nevertheless praised the courage and perseverance of the PhD. The Senior Vice President/ Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor IhehanyichukwuOkoro, The Provost, College of Postgraduate Studies, Professor Yacob-Haliso and The Dean, School of Management Sciences, Professor Patrick Enyi, while thanking the facilitators, all applauded this model introduced by Professor Akintoye on honouring the invitation of the University to champion this program.

30—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

Public schools shine at debate on technology

By Tare Youdeowei

F

WINNERS: From left, Chairman of the day, Mr Mustapha Mustapha; Father of the day, Alhaji Abdulfatai Adeshina; Red (Orchid) House ownerl Alhaji Abimbola Quadri; Yellow (Marigold) house owner, Alhaji Lukman Malumah and Proprietor, Ar-Rahman Monterssori School, Magodo, Mr. Abdukabir Sulaimon, with Marigold House, winners of the inter-house sports competition of the school.

Drug discovery: Don urges Africans to explore use of herbs

By Dayo Adesulu

P

ROFESSOR Humphrey Rang has challenged African governments to look inwards by exploring the use of natural plants (herbs) which are in abundance in the region in knowledge of drug discovery.

Rang, a Professor of Pharmacology said this at an International Symposium/ Doctoral colloquium with the theme: “Drug Discovery in a Changing World” organized by the University of Benin, Benin City. The professor who is regarded in academic circles as the father of modern day pharmacology intimated his audience on the phases associated with drug discovery.

He went down memory lane to when drug discovery began in the 18th century which was based mainly on plant products just as he acknowledged the changing nature of the world which he said was a source of inspiration to himself and his colleagues to carrying out more researches.

Complex processes Complex processes in drug regulation professor Rang said was a major challenge to the industry.

He said “Regulations surrounding drugs are not too accommodating and even in the advanced world, it’s a big challenge. Also, the current state of drugs discovery is an extremely slow process because of its expensive nature. This is not usually an encouraging venture to governments across the world especially in developing countries”.

He urges Africans to make a global statement by standing up to the challenges of drug discovery because of the abundant resources that would make Africa the home of drugs,

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stressing that with the right will from government and given their intellectual capacity, the continent would go places.

The erudite professor advised swift authentication of products while also encouraging young and aspiring pharmacologists to think outside the box and be persistent even as he charged them not to be discouraged by the setbacks associated with pharmacy practice but instead be challenged by the undeniable importance of the profession which is primarily to

save lives.

The two-day epoch making event which attracted dignitaries from the medical and pharmaceutical professions was rounded off with a doctoral colloquium which availed post graduate students the opportunity to know more about grants, funding and researches.

Highpoint of the event was the display of researches and innovations by members of the university community-to the delight.

Peoples Forum awards scholarship to indigent students

By Simon Adewale

T

WENTY Indigent students of Issele-Uku origin have been presented with 2015/2016 Rev. S.W. Martins Memorial Educational Scholarship by the Eminent Issele-Uku Peoples Forum.

The official presentation of the award was performed by the Regent of Issele-Uku, Prince Dominic Egbune in a brief, but impressive ceremony witnessed

by Prominent Chiefs and elders of Issele-Uku at the Oligbo Royal Palace, Issele-Uku in Aniocha North Local Government area, Delta State.

The Twenty indigent students comprise of Nine (9) for the Senior Secondary (SS1) and Eleven (11) for the Junior Secondary (JSS1) ,all drawn from the three Public Secondary Schools in Issele-Uku which includes Pilgrim Baptist Grammar School (PBGS), IsseleUku Technical Collage and Martins Collage.

The Rev. (Dr.) S.W. Martins Scholarship Fund was instituted

by Eminent Issele-Uku Peoples Forum made up of Sons and Daughters of Issele-Uku based in Nigeria and America with the objective of working towards Human and infrastructural

development of the Town in line with the developmental efforts of Late Rev. S.W. Martins.

Speaking at the occasion, the representative of the forum, Mr. Frank Mordi said that the scholarship is not automatic, adding that for a child to be qualified for the Scholarship award that child must be indigent and be able to pass the qualifying exams.

Human capital development In his remarks after the presentation of the Cheques to the awardees, the Regent of Issele-Uku Kingdom, Prince Dominic Egbune commended the Eminent Issele-Uku Forum for their dogged efforts towards the human capital development of the children of the poor in the society, which he noted goes a long way in immortalizing the Late Dr. S.W. Martins whom he said brought unparalleled development of Issele-Uku in all areas of human endeavour.

The Regent called for the sustainability of the scholarship scheme, adding that it will be of great benefit for the indigents in the town while appealing to other sons and daughters of Issele-Uku to key-in into the project with a view to sustaining it.

OR the reward of one academic session scholarship and the winning school getting funds for a project, Jibowu Junior High School has come first with 23.8 points out of eight schools which vied for the position, at the recently concluded Concept Nova Debate Competition.

Concept Nova, one of Nigeria’s fastest growing information technology service and software development companies, had junior high schools; Eletu Odibo, Akoka, Aje Comprehensive, Mobolaji Bank Anthony, Onike Girls, Wesley, Jibowu, Herbert Macaulay, pitted for and against the topic, Technology: Reducing the Quality of Human Interaction, where they showcased their prowess and mastery of English language at ECWA hall, Yaba, Lagos.

Speaking on the essence of the debate and the focus on junior secondary school students, Executive Director, Concept Nova, Mr. Chukwuma Ochonogor revealed; “Our organisation has a strong societal outlook, it means that not only do

we look to the success of our organisation, we recognise that the success of our society as well, is of paramount importance. The most pertinent aspect is the education of our young ones because they are the future leaders, they are the ones that will propel us in the future and take care of us when we grow old, they need to be properly groomed and educated.

“We chose junior secondary because it is the formative years when they are going from being children to forming an opinion as to what their life would be. As was revealed from the quality of interaction submitted in the debate, these are young adults that have a good appreciation of society and now is the best time to impact them.”

Expressing delight the teacher of the winning school, Jibowu Junior High School, Arise Morenike said; “I am very happy we won. I am particularly happy because they are JSS 1 students and they were able to do this. I trusted them and I am so happy. and proud that I trained them and they won. It is the joy of every teacher that when you go for competition, your children, no matter their age, win.

OIS canvasses for ‘emotionally literate' teachers

By Amaka Abayomi

I

N its bid to improve the academic performance of students, Olashore International School, OIS, is canvassing for emotionally literate teachers that will be well equipped to deal with students through the students’ Social and Emotional Aspect of Learning, SEAL. This was the main focus of the Olashore Teachers Training Programme for Olashore st Partner Schools. Themed “21 Century Challenges and Remedies in Teaching And Learning’, the training programme is a geared at creating a forum where teachers from partner schools can share ideas on improving self and effectiveness.

Highlighting the relevance of SEAL, one of the facilitators and a Bradford College trained teacher, Mr. Jatto John, who is

Olashore Master Teacher in Physics department, said to be emotionally literate is to be able to handle emotions in a way that improves your personal power, quality of life and the quality of life for the people around you.

He said “SEAL can affect a student’s academic performance both positively and negatively. It will be good for a teacher to have a reasonable insight into the background of the child in order to manage interactions.

If a child knows that you empathize with him or her, they pay more attention during classes, and positive responses will be seen in the child’s academics. In order to manage students’ behavior, certain skills should be employed such as Self-awareness, emotional management, empathy, motivation, and social interaction.”

NECO releases Cowbellpedia qualifying results

T

HE National Examinations Council, NECO has released the results of the 2016 Cowbellpedia Mathematics Qualifying Examination, conducted on Saturday, 19th March, 2016. There are four perfect scores from three schools.

A total of 46,698 students, comprising 4,892 (junior category) and 22,443 (senior category), sat for the qualifying exam in 235 centers across the country. This year’s enrolment is forty per cent above last year’s figure, with three states recording the highest enrolment growth. These states are Kaduna, 214 per cent; Kebbi, 164 per cent; and Sokoto, 146 per cent.

From the 46,698, enrolment figure, 108 students (54 each for junior and senior categories) are to proceed to the second stage, which is the Television Quiz Show. This figure is made up of the top 20 for the two categories; and 34 best scores, based on one per state.

The second stage, which will be in a quiz format, will be further sub-divided into preliminary, semifinals and finals. The show will serialize into 13 episodes and will be aired on 14 television stations across the country.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016—31

Sudden cardiac arrest prevention tips

How to prevent sudden cardiac arrest leaking or narrowing of the heart valves, amongst others.

By Sola Ogundipe

F

OLLOWING the sudden death of former Coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi, as a result of cardiac arrest, the need to adopt preventive health strategies as well as heart-friendly lifestyle becomes paramount.

Medical experts describe cardiac arrest as a condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It often occurs with no warning, and if this happens, blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs.

Sudden cardiac arrest usually causes death if it's not treated within minute.

The immediate cause of sudden cardiac arrest is usually an abnormality in the heart rhythm (arrhythmia), which is the result of a problem with the heart's electrical system.

Unlike other muscles in the body, which rely on nerve connections to receive electrical stimulation to function, the heart has its own electrical stimulator.

Interruptions in the electrical stimulation can be serious enough to lead to a sudden stop in heart function (sudden cardiac arrest). Most of the time, cardiacarrest-inducing arrhythmias don't occur on their own. There is usually a trigger.

Signs and symptoms These include sudden collapse and loss of consciousness and a lack of pulse or breath. Other signs may include fatigue, fainting, blackouts, dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath,

Cardiac arrest is preventable with healthy lifestyle weakness, palpitations or vomiting.

Complications When sudden cardiac arrest occurs, the brain is the first part of the body to suffer because, unlike other organs, it doesn't have a reserve of oxygen-rich blood. It's completely dependent on an uninterrupted supply of blood. Reduced blood flow to the brain causes unconsciousness.

There are a number of heart conditions that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest.

They include coronary artery disease, heart attack, an enlarged heart, and

Risk factors Because sudden cardiac arrest is so often linked with coronary artery disease, the same factors that put a person at risk of coronary artery disease may also put that person at risk of sudden cardiac arrest.

These include: A family history of coronary artery disease, smoking, High Blood

Pressure,High blood cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, drinking too much alcohol.

Other factors include a previous episode of cardiac arrest or a family history of cardiac arrest; a previous heart attack; a personal or family history of other forms of heart disease, such as heart rhythm disorders, congenital heart defects, heart failure, etc.

The incidence of sudden cardiac arrest increases with age, and being male .

Men are two to three times more likely to experience sudden cardiac arrest.

Healthy lifestyle: There's no sure way to know someone’s risk of cardiac arrest, so reducing the level of risk is the best strategy. Go for regular checkups, get screened for heart disease and live a hearthealthy lifestyle. Don't smoke, and use alcohol in moderation. Eat a nutritious, balanced diet, stay physically active. If you know you have heart disease or conditions that make you more vulnerable to an unhealthy heart, discuss with your doctor who would recommend appropriate steps to improve your health.

What to eat: A heart-healthy lifestyle includes, heart-healthy eating, and regular exercise. Heart-healthy eating includes fatfree or low-fat dairy products, such as skim milk, fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, trout, about twice a week.

Add fruits, such as apples, bananas, oranges, pears, and watermelon; legumes, such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, blackeyed peas; vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, and carrots.

What to avoid eating: Avoid eating a lot of red meat, palm and coconut oils, sugary foods and beverages, saturated fat—found mostly in foods that come from animals; trans fat (trans fatty acids)—found in foods made with hydrogenated oils and fats, such as stick margarine; baked goods. Also reduce your salt intake.

Maintaining a healthy weight is important for overall health and can lower risk for sudden cardiac arrest.

Managing and coping with stress, relaxing, and cope with problems can improve emotional and physical health.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

I

RECENTLY discovered that my girlfriend was cheating on me. It is so painful and I am shattered by this. I never expected this at all. She just is not the type you expect this from. She was really smooth and acted normally. It was a friend that saw her leaving a hotel room holding hands and cuddling with some guy. I thought we had a good sex life.

She never complained. I feel so bad. I just feel like killing myself – Olumide I am sorry about that. It is a very painful experience but you will recover from it. Some things are not meant to be and sex might not be the issue here. There is no single reason why people cheat and all affairs are not preventable. There are lots of men and women today who are sexually satisfied and happy with their relationships but still cheat.

Sometimes people cheat out of curiosity, a sense of adventure, loneliness, anger, revenge, emotional neediness, economic hardship or just for fun’s sake.

So don’t blame yourself. As for the pain you feel, just take things one day at a time. When you wake up in the morning, prepare for work as usual and go to work.

When you are not working, distract yourself by doing things that give you joy. With time the pain will end and a new beginning is always around the corner.

Take care – Uche I have been having quick ejaculation for a long time, infact, I cannot remember ever really enjoying sex. I also have weak erection and can only have erection during the first round of sex. I have pile and I don’t know if that is the cause - Enyinna It is normal that men find it a bit harder to get a second erection soon after climaxing. The body needs a little time to recover and reproduce semen but of course there are products that can help you perform better. Infact I will recommend a combination of products that will stop your quick ejaculation, give you fast and hard erections for subsequent rounds of sex in addition to performance stamina and a larger

penis. For this you need a combination of Libimax Plus and LS Delay Spray. Libimax is a supplement that will give you strong erections, fast recovery time after ejaculation, a bigger penis with constant use and prolonged action. The LS Delay Spray further ensures you last longer before ejaculating. So get these two products and your problems will be history – Uche Hello. I wrote you last year about how my 47 year old wife lost interest in sex after the birth of our last child. You gave us one drug called G Female or something. It was helpful and we had good sex whenever she took it. We later lost your number and couldn’t order more. I just found it now and we need that drug again. Thanks – Joseph You are welcome. Call the numbers below to get it or order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com – Uche I don’t enjoy sex. A friend said you have something called a vibrator that can help me. Is it true? How does it work and which one do I need? Nancy A vibrator is a rubber-like or plastic device powered with batteries or electricity, which vibrates to stimulate a woman’s genitals in a manner that gives sexual pleasure. Some vibrators look like real penises while others are more abstract in shape. What matters most though is not the look but the pleasure it can give. For you I will recommend the Ovo K2 Rabbit vibrator.

Sexual pleasure and orgasms are guaranteed with this sex toy. Get an arousal gel as well to make it even more enjoyable. Ask for the Liquid Sex Orgasm Gel – Uche That’s it for today. The names of the people featured here have been changed for privacy. Adults in need of the above novelties and treatments can call us on 07086754515 or 08171912551 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com. We deliver to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries email us at custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

32 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

LEISURE

YOUR LUCK TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 LIBRA: Expect challenges both at home and along your business line. Protection of your image should top your priority list today. Be less aggressive.

SCORPION: Moon in Cancer does not favour your being careless with legal-related issues. And if need be, you may tarry a while before putting your hands on agreement papers. Think of the future.

SAGIT TARIUS: Moon in Cancer highlights your finances. Money, movable possessions and other interconnections may bring you under tension temporarily.

Be wise with money.

CAPRICORN: Moon in Cancer star sign will bring you to the limelight and if care is not taken, you would be at the center of controversy. Be less aggressive.

AQUARIUS: WHAT you were able to sweep under the carpet yesterday at work may come up unexpectedly now.

And it’ll take exhibition of maturity on your part to avoid trouble. Don’t allow health-related issues to degenerate.

Think future &legality.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

R

IGHT from ages man has continued to look for ways of clothing his nakedness. Nakedness does not just mean not wearing clothes alone. It includes covering our evil deeds,

God is watching wicked acts, ways and sins etc.

As it was the days of the biblical Adam and Eve, so it is today.

When we commit heinous crime, we run for cover under the stone,

TERROR MUDA

under the water and under the dark, hoping and praying that we will not be caught.

We live a lie. We forget that air bear witness to our cruel act; the sun by our shadow

in “Never say goodbye”

takes our photograph, and our conscience convicts us daily.

Beware, God is watching. Your sins will find you out.

Think about it!

By Kola Fayemi

PISCES: UNLIKE yesterday when friends were willing to make sacrifices, their mood may be a bit difficult to understand. This is not the right time to take hard decisions about your love life.

ARIES: TODAY’S Moon placement will bring you under the fire of enthusiasm along your business line but you must guard against avoidable mistakes. Try to be more family minded.

TAURUS: WHAT started yesterday may climax today.

It is wrong to arrive at a decision in haste today.

Unnecessary argument can’t help.

GEMINI: BOTH astrological aspects and Moon in Cancer are warning you to be very careful with money.

And your new ideas concerning financial issues are not sound enough.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

CANCER: The Moon in your star sign at hard angle to Mars may give you wrong ideas and induce you to take actions capable of prompting others to resent you.

LEO: Moon’s aspect may today induce others to work against your interest but the whole thing’ll not stand the test of time. Do away with secretive deal at work and take good care of your health.

VIRGO: A particular affair may come to the head now; and you will either enjoy the excitement or over-react and complicate things. Don’t allow friends to control your life. Separate friendship & money.

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,

Characteristics of Gemini Gemini’s element is air while it’s quality is mutable, belonging to positive group of the zodiac. It is ruled by Mercury. The air element means you have characteristics of the Zodiac sign known for high quality of intelligence.

The air element, also makes you a humorous person who knows how to cool off pressure through ribs cracking jokes, especially when with those you can consider intimate allies.

Mutable connection indicates innate ability to experiment with new and bright ideas that often times lead to change. In fact, Gemini born people strongly believe in the popular saying that “variety (and/or change) is the spice of life.” Mutable is equally related to education, travelling, communication and commercial activities. Thus, you’re a person with many personalities.

And if you are not annoyed, everybody loves your charismatic approach. But once you lose your patience, tongues go wagging unnecessarily and some people would wrongly accuse you of unreliability.

Mutable aspect influences you to have special interest in education and soundness of the mind.

Geminians in general are not as crafty as many think, although you can become an adept at the game of deception.

Literary Gemini gives you ability to write and express yourself whichever way you want. Influence of Gemini makes . Influence of Gemini makes you a person with dual (double) personality. In fact, it is possible for you to exhibit different faces of your inner personalities at different places.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016—33

NIGER DELTA: Patronise local contractors,

employ youths, FG tells companies S

By Godwin Oghre

APELE—THE Federal Government, yesterday, urged companies in the Niger Delta region to offer employment to the youths and patronise local contractors of their host communities, as a way of reducing crisis in the already charged region where bombings of oil facility by militants have reached unprecedented scale in recent times.

Minister of Environment, Mrs Amina Muhammed, represented by a senior official of the ministry, Mr. Onyetenu Emeka, who gave the charge at the Sapele Power Plc, Sapele, Delta State, said, “It is only when the companies in the area employ the youths and engage the services of host communities contractors that they can easily attain their target in a rancor free environment.”

The government position was handed down during a stakeholder forum, between the management of Sapele Power Plc and its host Sapele/Okpe community, titled, “Power Expansion Project Stakeholders Open Forum.”

The community is made up of five quarters, Etamua, Ogodo, Ayomanor and Oton quarters.

The government also advised them to eschew violence and be peace lovers, noting that “the company is being upgraded to boost power generation that will ensure regular power supply to the people of the area.”

Meanwhile, Managing Director of Sapele Power Plc, Mr. Omo Odjegba, as well as the Chief Consultant of the company and Project Director, Environment Impact Assessment, Prof. Reginald Onyeanwu, assured the people that the company will provide regular power supply to the area,

noting “We are currently working with our original equipment manufacturers to replace the obsolete parts and we shall generate 1020MW when the upgrade is completed.

In five years, we shall be generating 1500MW, without remarkable environment hazard to environment.”

VISIT: Representatives of the 27 oil impacted Itsekiri communities with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr Babachir Lawal, during a visit to the SGF in Abuja.

DELTA MONARCH TO OKOWA: Cut down expenditure,

prioritise projects

A

By Festus Ahon

SABA—THE traditional ruler of Oko Kingdom, Oshimili South Local Government Area, Delta State, HRM Eze Obi Osita I, has called on government at all levels to priotize projects and cut down on expenditure in view of the present economic situation in the country.

The monarch in a chat with newsmen at his palace, decried the economic situation in the country, saying that it was a trying period for the country.

He said: “The present economy calls for priotization of projects and expenditures by addressing the more pressing needs of the people. On that basis, governments need to engage professionals in every field and in every department so as to reduce wastages.”

Calling on political office holders to shun rumour mongering, the monarch said, “We should learn to tolerate, bearing in mind that politics is all about development and not a do or die affair.”

On the security challenges posed by Fulani herdsmen, he said, “Fulani herdsmen have wrecked havoc on our communities. Sometimes, you see farmers crying from the farm, either they narrowly escaped being killed or their crops have been destroyed by Fulani herdsmen.

“We have cow market at the Oko Junction, but sometimes they move into farmlands, destroying farm

produce and threaten lives. In those days, people rear cows without this problem. Why is it

that people are disguising as Fulani herdsmen whereas they are in for evil things? I wonder

why some of these herdsmen move about with dangerous weapons.”

....As Gbaramatu chiefs condemn renewed hostilities in N-Delta

G

By Tare Youdeowei

BARAMATU—FORMER Chairman of Benikrukru Community in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, Chief Jeffery Ojogun, has condemned the renewed hostilities in the Niger Delta region. He also appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari not to scrap the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko.

Chief Ojogun who is the Amadiwei of Benikrukru community in a statement in Warri, described attacks on oil

facilities in the region as unfortunate.

The Gbaramatu chief also condemned the invasion of Gbaramatu communities by troops of the Joint Task Force, JTF. According to him, dialogue should be adopted in resolving the renewed hostilities in the oilrich Niger Delta region. He commended President Buhari for ordering a two week ceasefire in the troubled region.

Chief Ojogun advised militants causing unrest in Niger Delta region to take advantage of the two weeks ceasefire

ordered by the President to take their grievances to the negotiating table.

Urging all and sundry to create a conductive atmosphere for the new Gbaramatu royal father, His Royal Majesty, Oboro Gbaraun 11, Aketekpe, Agadagba, The Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Chief Ojogun stated that the people of the kingdom cannot afford another military invasion, saying that the memories of the May 2009 invasion were still fresh in the minds of the people.

OGONILAND CLEAN UP: CODAF urges

accountability, transparency

By Ochuko Akuopha

O

LEH—COMMUNITY Development Advocacy Foundation, CODAF, a nongovernmental organisation, has called for transparency and accountability in the clean up of oil spills in Ogoniland, Rivers State to ensure that the United Nation’s Environmental Programme, UNEP, report was systematically pursued and implemented with clear targets and milestones.

Interacting with newsmen at Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area, Delta State, CODAF’s Executive Director, Mr. Richard Benin, commended the Federal Government for listening to wise counsel and setting in motion, machinery for the take-off of the exercise.

“We salute the courage of President Muhammadu Buhari for keeping to his words on the clean-up of Ogoniland, but the Federal Government should not

turn the flagging-up of the clean-up of Ogoni to a mere achievement of political objectives or make it a white elephant project.

“The Federal Government should use the process to restore hope to the people of the Ogoni and Niger Delta region, many of whom have turned out to become environmental refugees in other communities while their sources of livelihood have been severely impacted."

SGF assures oil communities of govt's support

A

BUJA—SECRETARY to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr Babachir Lawal, has assured oil producing communities of government’s resolve to alleviate their sufferings within available resources.

Babachir spoke while receiving representatives of the 27 oil impacted Itsekiri communities of Delta State who paid him a visit to demand for the commencement of the second phase of the clean up of their area in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.

The SGF said the current administration will pay serious attention to any community that had genuine complaint, adding that theirs which was an ongoing project would definitely be classified as one of the top priority projects.

Spokesman of the group, Orugboh Emmanuel, had said that the Itsekiri community had been denied their means of livelihood as a result of the unwholesome environmental practices of the Warri Refining and PetroChemical Company Limited.

NDDC boss inspects projects, assures contractors on payments

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT— ACTING Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, has inspected work on the 3.65 kilometre Okrika-Borokiri Road project in River State being handled by the commission.

Semenitari who spoke at the project site yesterday, said that the contractor handling the job had assured that it will no longer be abandoned.

She said that the commission had effectively mobilised the contractor for the job.

“This is a project that is indeed top priority because it connects several communities to the Rivers State capital, Port Harcout. It is one of the projects that can take traffic off Aba Road and East West Road. You will find people living in Okrika, Akpajo, Eleme or even Gokana and Khana commuting to Port Harcourt through the road with ease."

34—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

Foundation's director lauds Ekweremadu

Okorocha’s plot to hijack Ohanaeze Ndigbo uncovered

By Francis Igata

By Tare Youdeowei

E

NUGU—INDICATION emerged yesterday that Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has put machinery in place to take over the apex Igbo socio-cultural group,Ohanaeze Ndigbo ahead of the 2019 general elections.

President of Ohanaeze Youth,Okechukwu Isiguzoro, told Vanguard reliably that the ongoing construction of Ohanaeze Secretariat at No 7,Park Avenue,GRA,Enugu bankrolled by the governor, was part of the carrot dangled at Ohanaeze leadership,led by President General,Chief Enwo Gary Igariwey whose tenure was said to have elapsed but was clinging to power to ensure he produced a successor from Imo State extraction, in conflict with the rotation in alphabetical order of leadership enshrined in the constitution.

The pan-Igbo group had adopted a single four years tenure in alphabetical order among the seven states that make-up the body which includes; Anambra, Abia, Delta, Ebonyi,Enugu, Imo and River States,primed to rotate its President General in order to entrench fairness,cohesion and equity.

T

HE DEPUTY Senate President, Dr. Ike Ekweremadu has been commended by the Executive Director of Ikeoha Foundation in Enugu, Mrs. Cindy Ezeugwu, for the senator's effort to reposition the place of students in rural areas of the state to be at par with their colleagues in the urban secondary schools.

Mrs. Cindy Ezeugwu made this remark during the presentation of 100 laptops to selected 45 secondary schools across the state at the celebration of Senator Ike Ekweremadu's 54th birthday.

She noted as the Chairman of the Foundation, the Senator was of the view that the donation of these laptops will assist the students in the rural areas to prepare for the same JAMB Computer Based Examination with their colleagues in the urban schools.

Incumbent Chief Igariwey,who hails from Ebonyi State is supposed to handover to somebody from Enugu State based on the constitution.

Isiguzoro further revealed that Governor Okorocha’s desperation was to install a

U

MUAHIA—A bloody clash was averted, yesterday, morning in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, when members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, engaged workers of the state transport company, Abia Line Network over control of a strategically located small motor park in the city.

But for the intervention of the Chief Security Adviser to Governor, Capt. Awah Udensi (rtd]) blood would have freely flowed as the NURTW members were ready for a total show-down with Abia Line workers, especially the General Manager, who rushed there to see what was happening.

Trouble began when Abia Line stationed its vehicles to load from the park which was previously

at it,Ralph Uwechue,late, was from Delta State. He served as President General and handed over to the incumbent Chief Igariwey from Ebonyi State.

Before Uwechue from Delta,it was Dozie Ikedife from Anambra State who handed over to a Delta

Police recruitment: 9 forgers nabbed in Enugu on alteration of First Leaving Headquarters, Abuja in the

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—THE Enugu State Police Command, Tuesday, arrested nine suspects over alleged falsification of results in the ongoing nationwide recruitment exercise into the Nigeria Police Force, NPF. This was against the backdrop of an early warning from the Commissioner of Police, representing Force

ongoing recruitment exercise in Enugu State, Peter Ogunyanwo, urging prospective candidates to be cautious and resist any act of falsification of documents especially declaration of age, birth certificate as well as alteration of First School Leaving certificate, FSLC. A statement made available to newsmen in Enugu, yesterday, by the Police Public Relations O f f i c e r, P P R O , E b e r e Amaraizu,Superintendent of Police, said the offences border

Certificates, birth certificates and other documents.

“We had warned them earlier that anybody coming for this exercise should desist from forgery. These nine were caught with forged documents. They will be prosecuted according to the law upon conclusion of investigation.”

It would be recalled that the Police Service Commission had last March, announced intention to recruit 10,000 policemen into the Force, but over one million qualified applicants applied.

We’ll do everything to reconcile with aggrieved PDP members — Umahi

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIKI—THE National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party,

Bloody clash averted in Umuahia over control of motor-park

By Anayo Okoli

puppet as President General from Imo extraction who would do his bidding ahead of the 2019 general elections.

“The frequent visits of Ohanaeze leadership to Imo Government House is a confirmation. Is Imo State the only member state of Ohanaeze? Look

occupied by a private company, but they were confronted by members of NURTW, who claimed that the park belonged to them.

There had been instances of previous clashes between the two at Okigwe Park, Ohiya Park and other places, because of alleged “tactical support from a top official in Government House,” who usually favoured the union for his personal interest."

PDP, in the South East zone, Mr. Austin Umahi, yesterday, said the party was working to ensure that aggrieved members of the party were brought back without delay.

The Chairman, who stated this during a zonal inaugural meeting of the party in Enugu, assured that the party would do everything possible, including kneeling down to ensure speedy process of reconciliation and return of aggrieved members.

He said: “What we need to do is to meet with our members, who have left the party and bring them back because they were actually wronged. Where we need to apologize we will apologize; where we need to retrace our steps, we will do, and if we need to kneel down we will; if we need

to carry wine, we will do just that.

“We must go from door-to-do to bring back our members and also engage in real and lasting reconciliation. This PDP in the South East zone is re-branded, re-invigorated and repositioned to meet the people's yearnings.

According to him, PDP was the only party with a well articulated agenda to protect the interest of the Igbo man in the country.

Umahi further noted that the objective of the meeting was for the party to seek ways of addressing significant issues behind those who had left the party because of certain anomalies in the past and find suitable ways on how to immediately bring them back.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On death of former Super Eagles' coach, Stephen Keshi

A

frica has lost one of its best football legends.

Keshi is a great leader of men, both on the field of play and outside. As a coach he set a standard that will be difficult to beat.

Keshi, the Big Boss, sleep well, and may your soul rest in peace. -Mr. Samson Robinson, Worker

O

h death, where is your sting? Keshi is not dead, but will live in our hearts forever. Adieu Big Boss, the trajectory of your life echoes in eternity! May the light of Most High God locate him and lead him home.

-Miss Ify Kelvin, Student

I

t is painful, death should not be allowed to have power over humanity at all.

Keshi, my hero and coach, I know he had overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony.

May God grant him passage to eternal glory. -Mr. Nelson Nwamara, NYSC Member

S

ometimes, we inspired and encouraged you.

Other times, we criticized you and even called you names. But you were always the Big Boss. You always knew what you wanted and you were never afraid to say it and to pursue it. -Mr. Daniel Okoji, Student

K

eshi is immortal. I will not shed a single tear for him. Instead, every time I hear his name, or see a picture of him, I shall punch the air proudly, thump my chest like a true Nigerian and shout: Ahoy Big Boss, respect forever! Miss Ogbonna Chidinma, Student

T

his death could have taken one of our numerous corrupt politicians, not this young devoted hard working fellow. He won the African Cup of Nations trophy as a captain and a coach and World Cup qualification. A great achiever, indeed! -Mr. Vitus Efosa, Instrumentalist

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016 — 35

Army denies reports of invasion of Kogi assembly complex •Says those who follow G5 are ‘fake’ soldiers

By Boluwaji Obahopo

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OKOJA — The Nigerian Army has refuted the story in some national dailies that soldiers from Army Records, Lokoja, invaded Kogi House of Assembly when they allegedly escorted G5 members of the House for sitting on June 1.

Spokesperson of Lokoja Army Barracks, Lt. Col. Baba Ochankpa, said those who ‘escorted’ the G5 (if there were any) were fake soldiers, unknown to the Army command. Ochankpa said the presence of the fake soldiers at the assembly complex must have been mistaken for the real troops who had been combing some parts of the state capital a day before the incident, following intelligence reports that some herdsmen were coming to attack the state.

He said: “The command wishes to categorically state that there is no iota of truth in the allegation as the operation was a cordon and search operation conducted in line with aid to civil authority role laid down by the Nigerian constitution. The operation was as a result of security report at about 10:30 pm on May 30, about the presence of a group of unidentified gunmen dressed in military uniform, suspected of being political thugs, with the

intent to disrupt the peace and cause mayhem around the state assembly complex.

"Troops in aid of civil authority role in the state, moved swiftly to the scene and discovered that some political thugs had gained entrance into the complex but quickly brought the situation under control and restored normalcy. The cordon and search

operation by the troops was strictly a proactive measure aimed at mopping up the area in search of arms and ammunition and ensuring there was no breakdown of law and order in the state. The allegation of invasion by troops is, therefore, a calculated attempt to smear the good work the command has been doing, in

line with constitutional provisions and hence not true in its entirety.

“The command wishes to restate the apolitical nature of Nigerian Army personnel and reiterate that it will continue to work with other security agencies in the state to uphold the relative peace in Kogi State, in line with its constitutional mandate and the vision of the Chief of Army Staff.”

From left: Prof. Vincent Asor, President/Chairman, Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria, CPN, Mr. Raphael Omosola, National President, Nigeria Information Technology Professionals in Civil and Public Service and Dr. Adesina Sodiya, Vice President/Vice Chairman of Council of CPN, at the opening ceremony of 2016 IT Professionals Assembly yesterday in Kaduna State. Photo: Emeka Aginam

Kogi Tribunal Judgment: Bello pays tribute to late Audu

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By Boluwaji Obahopo

OKOJA - GOVERNOR Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, yesterday, hailed the tribunal judgement delivered by the

panel of judges handling petitions on the state’s governorship election which upheld his victory, and paid glowing tributes to the late chieftain of the party, Prince

IBB still alive, says aide

By Wole Mosadomi INNA— FOR the second time in less than two months, the rumoured death of former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida has once again rented the air through some social media postings but with a swift reaction from his Hill top residence in Minna, Niger state that he is still alive, hail and hearty. One of the social media sites had, yesterday, indicated that the former military president had died in Germany and that he would be buried in Minna his home town today by 2pm.

Reacting to the rumour, spokesman of the General, Alhaji Mahmud Abdullahi, described the development as a figment of lies by the authors who are only out to spread falsehood about the man. He said, “General Babangida is an international figure whose identity cannot be hidden whether alive or dead. I can tell you categorically that Gen. Babangida is alive and had crossed over from Germany to Switzerland two days ago without any problem and infact, he spoke

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with many in Minna today, (yesterday). I can also tell you that nobody will hide his death from anybody. If IBB drops dead today, it will not take more than five minutes to announce it and the burial rites.”

On April 24 this year, Gen. Babangida while reacting to his death reports told journalists that the rumour did not shock him neither did it bother him because death is the end of any human being.

Abubakar Audu. The death of Prince Audu, in the middle of the governorship election, made it possible for Bello to emerge as the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the election.

According to him, the victory is a further call to give good governance to the people of the state. The governor’s reaction is coming on the heels of appeal by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Empowerment, Sports and Student Affairs, Adeola Eseyin, to youths in the state to join hands with the governor to make his administration a success.The governor ’s aide urged the people to see Bello’s victory at the tribunal as a continuous reaffirmation of a ‘divine’

mandate, and enjoined youths and students of the state to continuously support him.

He said: “This victory should be sounded at every nook and cranny of Kogi State that the divine victory is not just a victory for Yahaya Bello Adoza, but a victory to all the youths of this state, especially those who most need re-tooling, rejigging to meet the demand of these modern and technological times.

"It is also victory for all the market women who need a conducive environment to trade their goods, commuters who need a hitch-free road to ply and to all our artisans, that a new direction that better life has come."

VCs urge TETFund to support private varsities

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

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OS—THE Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, AVCNU, has urged the federal government to allow private universities get support from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, to improve their involvement in the areas of research, staff and library development.

The association noted that private universities, now 61 out of a total of 143 universities in the country, had come to stay, with

important roles to play in confronting the educational challenges of access, quality and relevance which had been the lot of the nation.

In a communique at the end of the 31st annual conference of the Association at the University of Jos, Plateau State, the association observed that Nigerian universities were rated low in global rankings due to poor research, poor teaching and learning infrastructure, as well as security challenges, primordial tendencies and the

inability to take full advantage of advancements and convergence in Information and Communication Technologies, cognitive sciences and biotechnology.

The communique, signed by the secretary-general, Prof.

Faborode, cautioned against unnecessary strikes in the universities because of the negative impacts of such action in attracting and sustaining foreign faculty, and students in particular.

Aisha Buhari distributes relief materials in Bauchi

By Suzan Edeh

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AUCHI—The First Lady and wife of Nigeria’s President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, has officially flagged off the distribution of relief materials to less privileged persons in Bauchi State.

Presenting the relief materials to the beneficiaries at the multipurpose sports hall in Bauchi, the First Lady said activities of insurgency in some states of the North eastern part of the country had destabilized a lot of people and crippled their farming as well as other activities, coupled with the recession in the economy which resulted to hike in prices of materials, including food items.

She said: “The weak and vulnerable groups in the society are always dear to our hearts.

The distribution of the relief materials is an indication of our avowed committed and concern for the welfare of these groups.

This event we are performing today is aimed at bringing succour to the less privileged who will benefit from the distribution of the relief materials."

1, 259 apply for 2016 healthcare Awards

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HE Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Awards, NHEA, has received over 1,259 nominations from different healthcare organisations, individuals, NGOs, and Foundations nationwide.

Nominations for various award categories are still ongoing.

The jury is expected to shortlist the nominees for the various award categories on June 17, 2016. Online and offline nominations are ongoing, and winners will be announced at a grand ballroom ceremony on Friday, June 24, 2016 at Eko Hotel & Suites Victoria Island, Lagos.

Over 85 organisations and individuals have been nominated so far including Swiss Biostadt, Pathcare, Clinix, MeCure, St Nicholas, Nordica Fertility, Cathem Eye, Business Day, Thisday, Vanguard, Channels TV and among others.

NHEA, the Oscar of Nigerian healthcare is organised by Global Health Project and Resources (GHPR) in collaboration with Anadach Group, USA.The award is aimed at recognizing and celebrating the achievements of personalities and organizations who have contributed immensely to the growth and development of the Nigerian health sector.

36—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

DIRECTORS' CONFAB: From left— Group Managing Director, Arco Group, Mr. Alfred Okoigun; former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) and Executive Director, Sahara Group, Mr. Tonye Cole, at the Institute of Directors, loD, annual directors’ conference in Abuja.

BRIEFING: From left— Relationship Manager, Mrs. Onwuzumm Ada Jane; Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ben Ofikwu; Chairman, Chief Abraham Ogenyi, all of Sportswatch Worldwide Concept Limited, SWCL; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Christian Chinyeaka, and Coordinator of the tournament, Mr. Obinna Ibe, during the Muhammadu Buhari Peace and Unity Initiative briefing and dinner to launch the initiative's first national tournament in Lagos. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

From left— Manager, Sanusi Fafunwa branch, First City Monument Bank, FCMB, Limited, Mrs. Toyin Rufai (left); Zonal Head, Victoria Island, Mrs. Omowunmi Kalejaiye (right), with pupils during the Exclusively Children Exhibition organised as part of the bank's activities to celebrate children’s day in Lagos.

UNION BANK: From left— Director, Transformation, Union Bank Plc, Mr. Joe Mbulu; Justice Philomena Lot; Chief Judge of Plateau State, Justice Pius Damulak; Speaker, Plateau State House of Assembly, Mr. Peter Azi; Executive Director, Public Sector, Ibrahim Kwargana; Head, Group Corporate Strategy, Lola Cardoso, both of Union Bank, and former Plateau State Deputy Governor, Ignatius Longjan, at the unveilling of a Union Bank branch in Jos, Plateau State.

WAKAA THE MUSICAL: From left— Fashion designer, Ms Lanre DaSilva Ajayi; representative of Bank of Industry, BoI, Ms Uche Nwuka; Executive Producer, ‘Wakaa The Musical,’ Ms Bolanle Austen-Peters; Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Ms Nonny Ugboma, and Head of Business Development, Mixta Nigeria, Mr. Tunji Osinulu, during a briefing in Lagos on the MTN Foundation-sponsored Wakaa The Musical show in London.

GIDI BLUES: From left— Producer, Gidi Blues, Femi Odugbemi; Regional Director, M-Net West Africa, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu; Nollywood stars, Hauwa Allahbura, Gideon Okeke, and Rn'B crooner, Bankole ‘Banky W’ Wellington, during the premier of Africa Magic-sponsored Gidi Blues in Lagos.

FOOD PROVISION: From left— Portfolio Manager, Pernod Richard Nigeria, Lola Oladunjoye; a beneficiary, Mrs Sise Fatu; MD, Pernod Richard, Mr. Oliver Fages, and Coordinator, FoodBank Nigeria, Mrs Yemisi Alfred-Adenlewo, when FoodBank and Pernod partnered on presentation of foods items to Surulere communities in Lagos.

DENNIS ASHLEY: From left— Chief Executive Officer, Landmark Africa, Mr. Paul Ownuanibe; Medical Director, Dr. Chima Oti; Director, Dr. Oge Ilegbune; Director, Dr. Austin Obichere, and IT Director, Dr. Obi Igbokwe, all of Dennis Ashley Wellness Centre, during the official opening of the centre in Lagos.

FCMB:

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016—37

Lighting up Nigeria: The investors’ nightmare (2) The first part of this piece was published on Tuesday

By Adeyinka Giwa

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Thirty days of simple hopes

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By Anthony Kila

NCE upon a time, there was a land wherein it was common practice for everyone to be happily affected by, and even actively participate in any kind of religious festival or event around them. It did not really matter whether it was a Christian, Muslim or Egungun festival, everyone in the various communities enjoyed the events and they all rejoiced with their associates, colleagues, neighbours or family members who were part of that creed even though they were not. The only difference between say a Christian and a Muslim on Christmas day was who paid bill because everybody celebrated and those that belonged to the celebrated faith hosted or sent refreshments to those that did not.

All that was way before terms like diversity, multicultural, multireligious and tolerance became trendy in Europe and America. The land where such peaceful and joyous communion reigned was Nigeria and the period, not long ago, was before the Christians started seeing Satan everywhere and saying “I reject it” or “I am strong” and Muslims started feeling the need to wear long beard, dress like middle easterners and competing for Sundays with Christians.

Humanity in all religions By the way, it must be said that what guided the behaviours of the peaceful religious era in Nigeria was not tolerance but wisdom. Those Nigerians were wise enough to see humanity in all religions; they were capable of reminding themselves that they all worshiped the same God via different formats. They were wise enough to believe that all religious festivals and events were to be celebrated by anyone alive and that whoever is alive, regardless of his or her professed creed can reap the blessings and hopes that the prayers and rituals of the celebrated religion can bring.

As Muslims all over the world start their thirty days of fasting, part of our simple hopes is that everyone everywhere should wish all the Muslims they know or meet a blessed Ramadan (Ramadan Mubarak) and a noble Ramadan (Ramadan Kareem).

We also hope that those fasting and indeed those around them will truly discover a fuller meaning of Ramadan, which as we are often reminded is one of the five pillars of Islam. I personally also like to remember that according to Islamic theology, “the night of power” (Lailut ulQadr) was during the month of Ramadan.

That was the night the holy Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God, was revealed.

Muslims believe that the month of Ramadan is filled with blessings, heaven knows that Nigeria and indeed the world needs a lot of it right now and it is our fervent hope that everyone can share from C M Y K

the blessings that these fasting and prayers will bring. Due to the nature of Ramadan, there are some blessings and some simple hopes that Muslims can help Nigerians fulfill in the next thirty days.

Fasting is intended to teach Muslims to reflect and practice self discipline and selfrestraint. It will be great blessings for Nigeria if in the next thirty days our Muslim public officials can really follow the requirements of Ramadan and truly refrain from looting or wasting the country’s treasury they have the privilege and duty of managing for all. Imagine how blessed we shall be if for the next thirty days all the Muslims in the country, from the policemen on our roads to politicians and other public officers from our local governments way up to Abuja decide to fully follow Ramadan and truly refrain from asking and taking bribes. Imagine what will happen if because of them Nigerians of other religions followed suit.

Ramadan is also a time Muslims are asked to remember and reflect on the suffering of the poor. In the next thirty days, those Muslims charged with the duty of managing the affairs of the country have the opportunity of individually reflecting on the plight of the poor, they have the challenge of bringing together other Muslims in the same spirit to come up with cogent plans to truly deal with

This country needs its Muslims to start giving more of their time, energy and intelligence to help deal with its many problems and weakneses the situation of the poor. What a blessing it would be for the country if matters of health, education, unemployment and infrastructures are treated by those truly moved by the spirit of Ramadan.

In the next thirty days of fasting, Muslims are also asked to be generous, as a people, one thing Nigerians, rich or poor, can rarely be accused of is tightfistedness, on the contrary the practice is to be generous to a fault. Unlike elsewhere though, Nigerians tend to be generous only to individuals, without stopping that, it might just be great if as a people we start being generous also to causes, institutions and principles.

This country needs its Muslims to start giving more of their time, energy and intelligence to help deal with its many problems and weakneses. The country needs people who are willing to serve and to give just because they believe and because they are generous.

During the next thirty days, our simple hope is that the Muslims from today take the lead to bless Nigeria. Ramadan Kareem to all.

NDEED, power generation companies in Nigeria are owed, according to Adesina, “an estimated N100 billion in accumulated debts for power generated from November 1, 2013 till date”. Of this figure, Egbin is owed N44 billion for power generated from December 2015 to date and another N22 billion in past debts, bringing the total amount to N66 billion. “These huge debts owed generation companies”, lamented Adesina,”have put them in a cash liquidity crisis that has reduced their ability to pay gas supplies, and hence threatens to completely undermine the Electricity value chain and its ability to continue to serve customers.”

The issue of gas, however, goes beyond generation companies’ inability to pay for the quantity supplied. Dallas Peavey Jr., Chief Executive Officer of the power station laments the persistent shortage of gas supply despite the huge investment the owners have made to boost the capacity of the power plant. This, he said, has heightened continuing challenges in ending daily blackout in the country since private investors took over the station.

Against the backdrop of the many challenges facing the power sector in Nigeria, government, through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) under the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) 2015, sought ways of reducing the heavy burden on private sector investors in the sector by reviewing the tariff. Even with initial opposition from the Nigerian public and organized labour unions, the new tariff regime still took effect from February 2016.

Babatunde Fashola, Minister for Power, Works and Housing made a concerted effort to explain to Nigerians, the rationale behind the new price regime. “The truth is that tariff is about price and if the raw materials like gas, power plants, spare parts, labour have gone up the price of the finished product cannot be the same,” said Fashola.

Incentive to produce He stressed that “if the price of the product is not right, there is no incentive to produce more of it. This can only result in scarcity and high prices. It is simple economics. Without the right tariff there will be no power because it is now in the control of entrepreneurs.”

That was very instructive but as convincing and logical as Fashola sounded in this regard; the Senate directed that the new price regime should be suspended, apparently in sympathy with the consumers. But then, in the long run, the Senate, the labour and other pressure groups urging consumers not to pay the tariff may not be helping the consumers at the end of the day. If power is underpriced, Investor would not only run at a loss, but may lead to a situation where they will not be able to generate and take power to the consumers- a total power sector collapse, a much dreaded situation that could take the economy to its tethers end.

Yet as serious as the issues of debt and cost reflective tariff are to the sector, these are not the only critical challenges confronting the investors.

Transmission is another. While some observers say there has been some noticeable reduction in system collapse in the transmission network post privatization, other analysts are concerned that the numbers of collapses are still too many to call for worries, citing 2016 where system collapses by mid-year had exceeded the ones experienced in 2015.

The reality on ground today is that the investors in the power sector are agonizing and wondering if they took the right decision in the first place.

Prior to take-over, they had looked forward to: realistic tariffs, stable exchange rate and steady supply of forex to fund required investment, a ¦ 100 billion subsidy support from the Federal government; a supportive and enthusiastic banking sector and security of gas pipeline for regular supply.

The realities on ground today are however almost the exact opposite of what the investors had looked forward to. Tension in the Niger Delta has drastically reduced gas supply thereby significantly reducing levels of power generation, hitting an allth time low of 1,816 MW on 29 May 2016, huge tariffs losses due to MDA’s indebtedness and non or partial implementation of cost reflective tariff.

Contrary to expectation, there is no federal government subsidy, but CBN

If the price of the product is not right, there is no incentive to produce more of it intervention fund at a higher and unattractive rate, over exposure of banking sector to loans from power sector and floating forex rate, ¦ 198 to the dollar in MYTO vs ¦ 298/330 to the dollar, compounded by inflation at 13% rather than 8 percent in MYTO. All these sum up to one disturbing fact: All generation companies have been operating at a loss since privatization. Unless some drastic measures are taken by the government, the nation may be heading to a major energy crisis of grave implications to the economy.

So what’s to be done? Adesina, in a paper he presented at the Lagos Business School recently, broke his recommendations for a way out of the logjam into two. One, Sector funding.

Here, the Egbin Power Plc. Boss advocates full implementation of cost reflective tariffs, otherwise subsidies be provided to cover shortfall; immediate payment of all MDAs’ debt, full funding of TCN or it should be concessioned to ensure improvement in grid stability and easy access to fund by investors.

The second leg of the recommendations was captured under regulating reforms. Here, Mr. Adesina wants the regulator to be consistent and fair, respect for contracts legally consummated, legislative measures – including initiatives like mobile courts, to discourage power theft.

38 — Vanguard, THURSDAY June 9, 2016

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016—39

APC PRIMARY: Party exposes plan to kidnap delegates •They'll be induced to take oaths — Erhahon, spokesman

By Gabriel Enogholase

Therefore, no amount of money should be big enough for them to sell the destiny of their people.

“As an insider, my recommendation at all times is that APC should elect a candidate that is a true party man; a candidate that will be accessible and any candidate who perpetuates thuggery, violence and fraud now can never be a good governor and that the

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ENIN – THE state chapter of the party has raised alarm over what it claimed yesterday was the plan by some desperate party leaders to kidnap delegates to shrines where they are to induce them to take oaths in support of a particular aspirant.

The kidnap attempt which would also be followed by intoxication and seduction according to the state publicity secretary, Mr. Godwin Erhahon is being planned to occur a day or two to the governorship primary.

He, therefore, warned delegates to avoid such meetings whenever they are summoned and report all cases of threats to their lives to the Department of State Security Service (DSS) and the Police.

Erhahon, who fielded questions from journalists in Benin yesterday on recent developments within the party said, “there are plans to call delegates to meetings a day or two days before the primary and from there, they will also kidnap them and put them in hotels from where they will take oath, give them money and whatsoever and then return them to the venue of the primary already intoxicated and seduced.

Ogbemudia goes for third party candidate

By Emmanuel Aziken

P •Erhahon: Edo APC publicity secretary “But I can assure you that God will not allow that to happen. I am also advising the delegates that whoever calls them for such meetings, they should avoid such meetings. It is also good for them at their local levels to identify the heads or officials of the DSS so that when there are threats to their lives, they should

be able to meet them. They should also report to the Police where these things will be recorded.

“My advice to the delegates is that those who nominated them for election and those who eventually elected them in 2014 entrusted their own political destines in their hands.

••As APC inaugurates Screening C'ttee says no to interference

By Omeiza Ajayi

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HE national leadership of the APC has inaugurated a seven-member screening committee to verify the political and academic credentials of its 12 aspirants who are jostling for the governorship ticket of the party.

Inaugurating the committee Wednesday in Abuja, National Organizing Secretary of the party, Senator Osita Izunaso warned those with partisan interests against meddling with the mandate of the committee.

He said in line with the tradition of APC; its leaders decided to take the screening away from Edo State to avoid unnecessary distractions and avoidable interference.

The committee which is headed by Prince Chibudom Nwuche has Senator Caleb Zagi, Hajia Aisha Aliyu, Kizito Martins among others as members.

Izunaso said by the schedule of activities of the party; the committee had since swung into action.

He said; “We do not want any interference with your job; that is why we are not doing the screening in Benin. It has

party’s structure and organs will not be safe in his hands.

“Any aspirant who believes that the only way to win is to subdue, suppress, victimize and crush party officials who is against him now that he is an aspirant must be avoided by the al the delegates. I am also very happy that at the National level, we have a leadership that is not infested with the madness that is ravaging Edo APC.”

always been our tradition to do the screening outside the state.

“Your job is extremely critical.

It is now the duty of political parties to screen candidates. If you give us a candidate who is not qualified, and he or she goes ahead to clinch the governorship, if the rival parties go to the tribunal, the party with the second highest votes would be declared the winner”.

According to him, any aspirant who does not appear before the committee stands automatically disqualified.

The party also used the occasion to inaugurate an

Appeal Committee, which would handle issues thrown up by the activities of the screening committee.

ROSPECTS for a third party option in the Edo governorship contest may have been opened after the General Sam Ogbemudia led Edo Mass Movement, EMM yesterday initiated moves to sponsor a viable candidate outside the platform of the two major parties.

The EMM at the end of its meeting yesterday inaugurated a ten-man committee headed by Col. Oyema Ebose (rtd.)— to identify two viable political parties outside the PDP and the APC for possible collaboration with the EMM ahead of the election.

Besides, the committee which is to review present activities of the EMM is also to identify three candidates who can be so sponsored on the platform of the party so chosen.

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HE Coalition of Women Vanguard, a women political group in Edo State has thrown its weight behind the PDP governorship aspirant, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, saying his imminent governorship would bring great benefit to Edo women.

The group in a statement issued in Benin, yesterday, said the group is now focused on

The committee is to submit its report to the EMM elders’ council at the end of the month, sources at the meeting told Vanguard yesterday.

PVCs mop up, criminal — OSAGIE

By Gabriel Enogholase

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ORMER Minority Whip House of Representatives, Mr. Samson Osagie has described the alleged cloning, collection and purchase of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) from delegate as criminal and called on law enforcement agencies to

prosecute those involved.

Osagie, in a statement in Benin yesterday, lamented that at this time and age some desperate politicians even in an intra- party contest have resorted to this underhand tactics to manipulate the election by dispossessing delegates of their legitimate

‘Ize-Iyamu 'll benefit Edo Women'

By Gabriel Enogholase

•Ogbemudia: Leader of EMM

sensitising Edo women to support, nominate and vote the most credible, reliable and dependable aspirant in PDP. The statement was signed by Miss Tessy Uwadiae, State Coordinator and Mrs. Otoide Orobosa, Secretary – General.

“We sincerely believe that if by the grace of God Pastor Ize-Iyamu wins, Edo women will experience the benefit of true democracy. Pastor Ize Iyamu is a

grassroots mobilizer, a bridge builder, a distinguished politician with vast experience in governance.

“We want you to support, nominate and vote Pastor IzeIyamu for women and youth empowerment, better and safer Edo State that will attract more investors, infrastructure development, agricultural and improved educational standard in the state.

property and handing same to touts or Agberoes to replace validly elected delegates of the party.

He warned that democracy is seriously on trial with the attitude of the agents of those desperate aspirants.

He wondered why an aspirant will engage in the mopping up PVCs when same is required by their owners to vote in the general election.

He advised delegates to beware of giving their PVCs to agents of aspirants who were now on the prowl looking for PVCs to buy as if they are commodities for exports.

He said, “Such aspirants with this mercantilist bent will certainly not govern well if they were to win by hook and crook.

The National Leadership of APC must resist this undemocratic practice as it portends grave consequences for a free, fair and credible process of nomination.

40 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

By Samuel Oyandogha

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HE most celebrated court case in Yenagoa and perhaps in all of Bayelsa State this year has been the ongoing trial of Yunusa Dahiru, alias Yellow, the alleged abductor of 14 years old Ese Oruru.

Yunusa, who was arraigned on March 8, before the Federal High Court, Yenagoa, by the Nigerian police prosecution team led by Kenneth Dika from the Force Headquarters, after being taken from Kano to the State on a five count charge of criminal abduction, illicit sex, sexual exploitation and unlawful carnal knowledge of a minor could have been on bail and out of the Okaka Prison wall but for his inability to perfect the condition ordered by the court.

The charge against the defendant read: “That you, Yunusa Dahiru, a male, resident in Opolo-Epie area of Yenagoa in Bayelsa State, conspired with the duo of Dankano Mohammed and Mallam Alhassan, between August 2015 and February, 2016, to commit an offence of abduction and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 27(a) of the Trafficking in Persons (prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.”

Count two: That you, Yunusa Dahiru, abducted Ese Oruru by means of coercion, transported and harboured her in Kano State and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 13(2)(b) of the Trafficking in Persons (prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.”

Count three: “That you, Yunusa Dahiru, induced Ese Oruru by the use of deception and coercion to go with you from Yenagoa to Kano State with intent that she be forced or seduced into illicit intercourse and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 15(a) of the Trafficking in Persons (prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.”

Count four: “That you, Yunusa Dahiru, procured Ese Oruru and subjected her to sexual exploitation in Kano State and

EDITORIAL Innocent Anaba ( Head) Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri Dayo Benson (Supervising Editor) 08056180119 dayobenson@yahoo.com

Ese Oruru and Yunusa

Ese Oruru : State vs Yunusa, the case so far thereby committed an offence punishable under section 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.”

Count five: “That you, Yinusa Dahiru, had unlawful carnal knowledge of Ese Oruru without her consent and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 357 of the criminal code Act and punishable under section 358 of the Criminal code ACT, Cap. C.38 laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge read to him in Pidgin English. Justice H. A Nganjiwa, after listening to the prosecuting counsel, Kenneth Dika and Kayode Olaosebikan, counsel to the defendant, on the agreed adjournment date of March 14, informed the court that the priority of the court was the hearing of the case and other motions that may be filed by the counsel.

The court ordered the remand of the defendant in police custody and adjourned till March 14, to hear the bail application.

Prosecution seeks secret court trial of Yunusa At the resumed hearing, the prosecuting counsel, Kenneth Dika, asked the presiding judge, Justice Nganjiwa, to approve a secret trial as the victim, Ese Oruru, was a minor and deserved the protection of the court.

He further objected to the application for bail made by the defence team led by Olaosebikan arguing that if the defendant is granted bail, it would be difficult to get him back to face the trial.

In a 10 paragraphs counter affidavit deposed to by Police Inspector, Debo Waheed, the

prosecution averred that it took the police six months rigorous search before Yunusa was apprehended, arguing that if the defendant is granted bail, he would not come back, especially as he is not resident within the jurisdiction.

But the defence counsel, opposed the application for secret trial by the prosecuting counsel, arguing that the case is already in the public domain and that there is no need for a secret trial.

“Ordinarily the law allows for a secret trial, but you must give the court reasons. Our own

They dug the pit, they should wallow in it. Even if the court allows it, the media cannot be excluded from the trialbefore the trial,” he said contention is that the matter is already in the public domain. The prosecution created a media nightmare for the girl on their own. They dug the pit, they should wallow in it. Even if the court allows it, the media cannot be excluded from the trial, but our own contention is that what they are seeking to prevent has already been created by them from the onset before the trial,” he said.

In a seven paragraphs affidavit in support of the bail application de- posed to by Ayodeji Max-

well, the defence counsel cited sections 158 and 168 of Administration of Crimi- nal Justice, and section 36 of the 1999 constitution as amended and urged the court to grant the defendant bail.

The judge after listening to arguments, by both counsel, adjourned the case to March 21 and ordered that Yunusa should be remanded in prison custody until when ruling would be delivered on his bail application.

Court grants Yunusa bail On March 21, Justice Nganjiwa, granted Yunusa bail, in the sum of N3million with two sureties in like sum, and ordered that he should be remanded in prison custody pending when he is able to perfect his bail conditions and further adjourned the case to April 19 for hearing of the application for secret trial filed by the prosecution.

The judge ordered that the defence counsel must produce the defendant in court for trial, whenever the case comes up, adding that one of the sureties must be a renowned title holder in the community and the other a public servant of level 12 and above.

Justice Nganjiwa said that both sureties must be resident in Bayelsa State and must submit their three years tax clearance certificates, while the public servant must also submit letter of first appointment and last promotion.

Why we are unable to secure Yunusa on bail – Lawyer Though the defence counsel, Mr. Olaosebikan, was grateful to the court over the ruling, the defendant is yet to leave Okaka Prison, after he was granted bail,

as he has not been able to meet the bail conditions.

According to the defence counsel, the publicity the case generated and the bail condition that the sureties must be resident in the jurisdiction of the court is scaring away individuals who would have serve as sureties.

He nonetheless assured that they will follow the legal processes to secure the bail.

“The conditions the court gave us that all the sureties must be resident here, and no thanks to you the media guys, everybody here is against our client, when we get somebody and we are perfecting the bail and once you say it is for Yunusa Dahiru, they would say, that boy that kidnapped our daughter?. That is the problem we are facing, I think there are legal procedures to follow and we will come back to court and make the necessary application,” he said.

Enter UPU for Ese Oruru Interestingly, the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, the apex body of the Urhobo ethnic nationality, led by its National Secretary, Albert Akpomudje, SAN, and the president of the youth wing, Ovie Anthony, along with the women’s wing, not only stormed the court in solidarity with their own, Miss Ese Oruru, but have also indicated interest in the matter.

Akpomudje, who announced his appearance before the trial judge, said he was representing Urhobo interest in the matter.

The lawyer who spoke with Vanguard expressed satisfaction with the handling of the matter by the prosecution counsel, noting that he will write the Inspector General of Police, IGP, to be part of the prosecution team.

He said: “Our interest in this case, like I told the court, is that wherever any Urhobo person is affected in any way, it is the responsibility of UPU to come in and protect that person. I think the prosecution has done well because I felt I was going to take over but what he has done is very good.”

Also speaking, the President General of UPU Youth Wing Worldwide, Anthony, said the UPU decided to wade into the case considering the sensitive nature of the matter and the way the case is being handled.

According to him, “When we weigh the issue and the way the matter is being handled, the UPU as the apex body of the Urhobo people thought it wise that we should come in so that we can argue the case properly, so that another Urhobo daughter or any other person will not be a victim of what has happened to Ese Oruru.”

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

— 41

Nigeria: When lawyers vote

By Abdulrazaq Magaji

N

IGERIANS are interesting.

Lawyers under the auspices of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, are on the stump, canvassing for votes among their colleagues and there is a semblance of graveyard silence from Nigerians!

Few give a hoot about the outcome; fewer even care about how the outcome could affect them. As usual, the refrain in local parlance, is: I no be lawyer. Wetin come concern me for lawyer dem matter?

On the surface, this typical Nigerian reasoning sounds rational. After all, don’t we all tell others not to stick their snout where it will irritate others?

Why, then, is this golden rule being breached? Two reasons, basically! One is the increasing democratization in Africa and, two, events in Nigeria that have shown that so many good things are possible. Truth is, no positive development is possible if lawyers do not key into it. This is why Nigerians, irrespective of their callings, should show interest in the affairs of the NBA. A proactive NBA, the largest bar association in Africa, will add more value to the nation’s fledgling democracy and accelerate Africa’s democratization process. With due respect, past NBA leaders, including outgoing Augustine Alegeh, SAN, operated under unusual circumstances!

Eminent lawyers If in doubt, just sit back, take a long breath and imagine an NBA today under eminent lawyers like Bola Ajibola, Alao Aka-Bashorun, Olisa Agbakoba, and several others.

Luckily, the two gentlemen jostling for the crown are battletested and eminently-qualified lawyers who can recreate those goldens days.

Both are senior lawyers with the added honour of being Senior Advocates of Nigeria.

Both have the needed selfpride and commitment to avoid the indulgences that have been the undoing of many. They are authentic Nigerian patriots who have appropriately been honoured nationally and internationally for service to the fatherland, their communities and contributions to the growth of their profession. What is more, both men are Godfearing.

In deference to the zoning formula of the NBA, the two contestants are from northern Nigeria. J. K Gadzama, as Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama as popularly referred to, became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria at the age of 37 in 1998 and a Barrister at the Lincolns Inn, in

Gadzama the United Kingdom. He is the founder and principal partner of the octopoid J-K Gadzama LLP which he established in 1989.

A 1985 graduate of the University of Maiduguri, Gadzama was called to the bar in 1986 and enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria the same year. He is a recipient of two national honours: Officer of the Federal Republic, OFR, and Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, MFR. It was also in recognition of his activities that he served as chairman of the Legal Team of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. What further endeared him to

They are authentic Nigerian patriots who have appropriately been honoured nationally and internationally for service to the fatherland, their communities and contributions to the growth of their profession his colleagues has been his commitment to the development of the legal profession.

J-K Gadzama is not new to politics of the NBA as he once took a first shot at the NBA presidency. He has also actively participated in the association’s affairs such as serving, at different times, as chairman of NBA’s Section on Public Interest and Development Law, SPIDEL, chairman of the Unity Bar of Abuja NBA as well serving as chairman of the Abuja chapter of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK).

These are no doubt

Mahmoud intimidating credentials even though they do not confer an air of invincibility against a respectable opponent.

Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud, better known as A.B Mahmoud is an Officer of the Order of the Niger, OON, and a 1979 graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He was called to the bar in 1980, six years ahead of his opponent, and joined the services of Kano state civil service two years later. He rose to the position of solicitor general and later as attorney-general and commissioner of justice before he quit in 1993 to go into private practice. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2001, three years after his opponent in the race was so decorated.

Mahmoud is not new to the politics and nuances of the NBA. He is a member of the privileges committee of the association. In 2004, he contested and lost the NBA presidency to Bayo Ojo. He had, in 2002, declared interest for the post only to withdraw.

Since 1993, he has been managing partner of Dikko and Mahmoud Chambers which he set up in conjunction with A.B Dikko, his longtime friend and former attorney general of Kebbi state. Dikko and Mahmoud Chambers is reputed to have enterprising counsels in its offices in Kano and Abuja.

Neither is he new to unionism. In his university days, Mahmoud served as secretary general of ABU Students’ Union, Kongo Campus. Right from those days, he must have nursed the ambition of setting up a law firm capable of handling complex legal transactions.

Mahmoud and Dikko Chambers has fulfilled that ambition. When the chips are down, he can draw on his professed exposure to the diversity of Nigeria from an early age as well as his experience in the public and private sectors to pilot the affairs of the NBA.

LMSJD holds roundtable on court reporting Law, Media and Social Justice Development, LMSJD, last week organised a media roundtable on Reporting Court Proceedings by the Media: Uses and Abuses/Justice Development in FCT Judiciary. The programme held in Abuja, discussed factors militating against effective court reporting by journalists and proffered solutions.

President, Law, Media and Social Justice Development Initiative, Mr Charles Odenigbo, Chief Judge, FCT High Court, Justice Ishaq Bello, President NUJ, Mr Waheed Odusile.

L-R: Justice D. Z Senchi, Chief J-K Gadzama, SAN, Prof.

Paul Oboh Idornigie, SAN,

L-R: Justice S. E. Aladetoyingbo, Justice Salisu Gamba, Justice O. Goodluck and Justice Jude Okeke.

42—Vanguard,THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

*Trustfund Pensions' Customer Relations Officer for North 1 and 11, Maha Longe, addressing the stakeholders atTrustfund Pensions forum in Lagos

Trustfund cautions as desperate marketers swoop on pensioners T

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

HE economic crisis rocking the country has taken a new dimension in the Pension industry as desperate marketers and agents are swooping on vulnerable pensioners with frivolous calls and text messages promising them “better offer” if the pensioners can allow them manage their pensions.

Investigations have revealed

that these agents suspected to be from insurance companies have been inundating pensioners with calls and text messages of larger-than-life offers.

In fact, the frequency of these frivolous calls and text messages came to the fore at a stakeholders forum organised by Trustfund Pensions Plc, in Lagos, where the fund warned pensioners not only

to be wary but also sensitive to the so-called “high yield offers” going round at present.

Trustfund warned that the callers, marketers or agents would disappear once the pensioners had committed their funds for safe-keeping.

Apprehensive pensioners who raised concerns over these enticing offers through calls and text messages by unknown

Labour accuses FG, states of not implementing Pension Act 201411 Section 5 has provided for basis in order to achieve this

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

A

MALGAMATED Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, AUPCTRE, has accused both the federal and states governments of not implementing the New Pension Act 2014.

The union called on all tiers of government to fully comply with provisions of the Act and implement it for all workers, so that the workers can have something to fall back to after retirement.

General Secretary of the Union, Yusuf Lekke Zambuk, who spoke while setting the direction of the 20th Plenary Session of the National Governing Council, NGC, /AUPCTRE Week in Abuja, regretted that this, and other factors had no doubt posed grave challenge to the survival of average workers and others, saying this calls for serious concern.

According to Zambuk said: “The New Pension Act 2014 part

group Life Insurance Policy in favour of each employee for a minimum of three times the annual total emolument of the employee and the premium is expected to be paid not later than the date of commencement of the cover. But as at date, neither the Federal Government, states nor local governments in Nigeria have implemented this policy in favour of employees.

Serving public officials It is surprising, however, that the political office holders enjoy retirement benefits inclusive of medical, car, furniture etc after serving their four year tenure but nothing is being said about serving public officials by the Federal Government, states and local governments.”

President of AUPCTRE, Solomon Adelegan , said the NGC-in-session has resolved that, the engagement between the political class and the organized labour will be on a continuous

basic objective.

Reading the communique issued after the session, President of AUPCTRE, Solomon Adelegan, lamented that despite the provision of bailout funds for payment of arrears of salaries, pension and gratuity to state government by the Federal Government, most of the state governments have misappropriated the funds such that workers are owed two to eleven 11 months arrears of salaries, pensions and gratuities.

He said: “NGC-in-session further calls on the federal government to ensure that all state governments should be called to account for the disbursement of the fund in the spirit of the current war against corruption. Deriving from the above, the NGC-in-session wishes to put the affected States on notice to either immediately resolve the issue of paying outstanding salary, pension and gratuity arrears in their respective States or be prepared to face the anger of the organized

callers, also sought clarifications and explanation on programme withdrawal issues, biometrics, and the controversy between a next of kin and beneficiary, in respect of eligibility to an enrollee’s benefits, among others.

Trustfund Pensions’ Customer Relations Officer for North I and II, Maha Longe, told Vanguard that Trustfund Pension was not unaware of such frivolous messages going around wooing enrollees.

She advised pensioners to be careful not to gamble with their life savings because they were already old with some of them not educated enough to differentiate between spurious offers and outright lies.

Law guiding pension scheme According to her: “They are telling you that your pension being managed by Pension Funds Administrators, PFAs, is not for life but only for five years.

That is not true. Some people have given testimonies that they fell into their offers but they are not satisfied with the outcome.

Some have said that they will not answer such calls.

I want you to know that some of those callers are just agents, aiming for their 10 per cent and just want to devalue PFAs . It is a pity because we don’t want people to go where they don’t belong. The truth has to be told and let the people make their decisions, after all, it is their money.”

She explained that the law guiding pension scheme in the country was clear, stressing that Trustfund package was for life, but such could not be said of the so-called enticing offers, Maha

said, “Your monies with us has security and are invested in a transparent manner. At anytime, you can walk into our organisation and demand for their statements. We have example of someone that has been collecting pensions for over six years. Whatever she is collecting then is not the same as at now. It has tripled in amount. So, how can someone complain that your pension will end after five years? It is not true and our enrollees can see it.”

Corroborating, Sahed Fashola from the Investment Department said: “Our experience is unrivalled and conveys the requisite stability, confidence and trust required in the management of long term savings scheme. This means upon retirement and at a time when members most need their retirement savings, Trustfund Pensions Plc can be counted upon to be there for them.”

It was gathered that as at October 2015, Trustfund Pension paid over N20 billion to pensioners since its inception and has over 40,000 pensioners under its contributory pension scheme paying N200 million yearly to them.

Responding to questions on the eligibility of a next of kin to benefits of a deceased enrollee, Head of Lagos Region. Obafemi Arobadi, explained that there was difference between a next of kin and a beneficiary often requested in the details of a pensioner.

Change in contact address Arobadi said that the purpose of a next of kin was strictly for contact in case of an emergency and quite different from a beneficiary or beneficiaries (as the case may be).

The later - often spouse or children - are those eligible to takeover an estate left by an enrollee. “It is always important to know the difference and keep the data updated with every change in status - be it from single to married, change in contact address, change in phone number and so on. Once anything changes, it is important to come and collect an update form to keep everything intact for seamless collection of claims,” Arobadi said.

He urged all pensioners to keep their documents intact to avoid delays, adding that “a personal email address is most preferred. It is important to ensure that no third-party have knowledge of your pension’s worth. A lot of us cannot remember our Personal Identification Number (PIN).

With your phone numbers registered with us, you can know your pin and account details.”

For PIN confirmation, he urged enrollees with Trustfund to type ‘PIN’ as message on their phones and send same to 07067316236. And for balance, type ‘PAL’ as message and send to 07067316236 for balance.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

By Prisca Sam-Duru

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HOTOGRAPHER and filmmaker, Logor’s recent body of work titled Down The Rabbit Hole is at the moment, making waves at Alara Contemporary Art, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Down The Rabbit Hole, the artist’s maiden exhibition at ALARA Art is part of the ‘ALARA Emerging Artists Series’ which opened last Friday and runs till June 18, 2016.

Deriving his signature from real name, Logo Oluwamuyiwa Adeyemi, Logor, one of Nigeria’s finest artists who works predominantly in black and white has his works, adorning the aesthetically designed Alara while drawing viewers attention to his unique approach to conceptual documentation of the human carnival.

‘Down The Rabbit Hole’, a conceptual installation of light and photography featuring excerpts from Logor's widely acclaimed ‘Monochrome Lagos’ and other works, takes the observer from ‘clash’ to ‘subtlety’, ‘noise’ to ‘calm’.

Logor’s first major project, ‘Monochrome Lagos’, is a unique reflection on the city of Lagos that strips down the noisy colours of the busy metropolis.

The works are a visual digital archive, a unique reflection on an old city, and an extraordinary expose of its idiosyncrasies and aesthetics. Logor showcases the beauty of this extraordinary city in a poetic, mystical, mythical and romantic form, delivering a place to which none has hitherto

Logor showcases the beauty of Lagos in a poetic mystical, mythical and romantic form been or seen. Logor’s is a fresh perspective on a well trod path, presented in enchanting portraiture and landscape photography.

His uncommon perspective on the city of Lagos, led to the selection of his recent body of work ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’ as the debut exhibition in the ‘ALARA Emerging Artists’ series.

Down the Rabbit Hole: Critical reflection on mega city Chicken Wings, Last Train of Sanity, Point of Entry and Exit, Dusty Foot Philosophy, No Smoking of Indian Hemp, Hard Drugs & Illegal Meeting, are some of the titles of works on display.

For viewers who are curious as to why Logor had to go down the ages to unravel mystries in the rabbit hole, he explained that "I

was born in the 90s and Alice in Wonderland from which the title of the exhibition was taken from, happened to be one of the classics I read. Things I read were not neccessarily by choice. ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ is one of the most famous works by Lewis Caroll who was an English writer, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon, and

Artists traverse borders for real identity

By Japhet Alakam FTER embarking on series of trips from Nigeria to various countries of the world, the Trans African Road trip project otherwise known as Invisible borders which started in 2009 will this year explore the various states of Nigeria.

From May 12 to June 26, 2016, the group made up of nine young Nigerians will kick off from Lagos and embark on a Road Trip across 14 states making about 15 stops in cities scattered across all regions of the country on is themed “Borders Within TransNigerian Road Trip Project”.

The team consists of seven writers, film makers and photographers; Zaynab Odunsi, Emeka Okereke, Uche Okonkwo, Eloghosa Osunde, Yagazi Emezi, Emmanuel Iduma and Yinka Elujoba.

With the sole aim to discover their own country and through their encounters and experiences create works that would encourage conversations about the differences, similarities and hoping, as a result, to underscore the borders that are both inscribed and elusive within the country. They will be employing a subjective gaze that will focus primarily on reflecting the voices of individuals, the average Nigerians.

In the statement on the website, “hundred years after the northern and southern Nigerian protectorates was amalgamated into a single British colony, the re-

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markable diversity of the country remains apparent. In 2016, Invisible Borders will aim to map this diversity through a road trip across Nigeria; hoping, as a result, to underscore the borders that are both inscribed and elusive within the country.

It is said that history never returns to a lost state. There is certainly no artistic intervention that can hope to reveal a Nigeria that could have existed without the British. What seems possible, however, is to illuminate the

The artists will move circularly through several Nigerian cities and towns whose history shaped the country multiple histories that continue to exist in a post-colony, through a mishmash of voices: ethnicities, religions, and visions of modernity.”

Speaking during a media chat before they left, the founder and creative director of the project, Emeka Okereke, stated that this was the 6th edition of the project, but it is the first time it will be held in Nigeria . This is also the first time we are getting hundred percent support from Nigeria. As

photographer. What’s interesting about his writing, to me, is the alteration of logic and creation of fantasies and alternate realities.

The idea of altered reality is as fertile a subject for fantasy as it is for science fiction, allowing for epic settings and godlike. protagonists which are perfectly efficient in both the arts and the sciences."

Aside being inspired by the Adventures of Alice in Wonderland, the photographer also draws inspiration from his cultural background having spent the early stages of his life in his home town. His art which he described as a study rather than statement, most often, reflects his state of mind.

Documentary style photography

• Emeka Okereke and his group before they left Lagos for the 46 days trip

corporate bodies like Diamond Bank, Peugeot Automobile Nigeria and Nikon Nigeria and others have come in to make this possible, the artists said.

The artists of the road trip will travel across 14 states, making about 15 stops in cities scattered across all the regions of the country. Photographers, filmmakers and writers invited to participate in the six-week road trip will undertake to produce images and text that reflect impressionistic, yet critical readings of contemporary Nigeria.

“What is foremost is the encounters: we shall meet, converse, dine, play and live with Nigerians from all walks of life, with hopes that the works produced eventually will be apt depictions of those encounters. The physicality of the geographical

enclave is equally of importance – a space, an environment is always a reflection of the people therein.”

This project follows in the tradition of the artistic road trip intervention established by Invisible Borders in the course of five editions. This implies that the artists will travel together in the same vehicle, all the while living, working and interacting with each other. The route will be fluid, allowing for detours, but equally.

Beginning in and returning to Lagos, the artists will move circularly through several Nigerian cities and towns whose history shaped and continue to shape a contemporary Nigerian identity.Each participating artist will be tasked with developing one major body of work as a fol

For instance, Chicken Wings aims to draw attention of the public on how a lot of things that would have impacted the public positively, have been left undone while its been all talks and flexing of muscles, a situation he likens to the flapping of the chicken's wings.

His approach revolves around conceptual and documentary style photography, carried out through his trained eye and camera, which are shrewd observers of the human carnival.

Logor captures photographic narratives from perspectives that are often considered banal and are either overlooked, ignored or taken for granted, by exposing subtle nuances that resonate with his audience enough to hone a paradigm shift on how the subject captured is typically perceived.

In its breadth, freshness and daring, Down the Rabbit Hole achieves a true paradigm shift on how the city is presented and appreciated by a global audience, including local residents who typically rush past the unchanging beauty of this old town.

44 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

Obama congratulates Clinton, to miss Ali’s funeral *As Clinton describes emergence as milestone

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RESIDENT Obama called Hillary Clinton to congratulate the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee on her primary wins, according to the White House.

“The President congratulated Secretary Clinton for securing the delegates necessary to clinch the Democratic Nomination for President,” the White House said in a statement released late Tuesday.

Her historic campaign inspired millions and is an extension of her lifelong fight for middleclass families and children,” he said.

President Obama is poised to endorse Clinton and assume a more active role in the 2016 campaign

— a move which could come as soon as this week, the White House has signaled.

Obama told Democratic donors at a fundraiser in Miami on Friday: “We have to take this election seriously. Because we live in a fascinating media environment. Celebrity and fame is such a driver in this culture — and everything’s so contested.”

Clinton thanked her supporters for helping her reach a historic moment for women - the US Democratic nomination for president.

“Thanks to you, we’ve reached a milestone,” she told cheering crowds at a rally in New York.

Mrs Clinton hailed “the first time in our nation’s history that a woman will

be a major party ’s nominee”.

Meanwhile, the President will not attend Muhammad Ali’s memorial service on Friday as he will be at his daughter’s graduation.

The boxer, who died aged 74 on June 3 in hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, will be laid to rest in Louisville, Kentucky, where he was born in 1942. The good and the great will be among those attending the funeral, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and King Abdullah of Jordan.

Hollywood actor Will Smith—who played the boxer in the Oscarnominated 2001 movie Ali—and British boxer Lennox Lewis will assist with carrying Ali’s coffin.

Egypt plane lands in China after bomb scare

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N EgyptAir plane that made an emergency landing Wednesday in Uzbekistan following a bomb threat resumed its flight and landed in Beijing, Egyptian officials said, the latest in a series of deadly or damaging air travel incidents involving Egypt.

The officials said no bomb was found after the Airbus A330-220 and its passengers were searched by explosives experts. The plane took off for the Chinese capital four hours after it landed in the town of Urgench, about 840 kilometers (600 miles) west of the Uzbek capital, Tashkent.

According to the

•An Eritrean, Mered Medhanie believed to be at the heart of the operation to smuggle migrants from Africa to Europe arrives in Italy yesterday after being extradited.

officials, an anonymous caller telephoned security agents at the Cairo airport to say a bomb was on board EgyptAir Flight 955, which had 135

Nigeria set to establish National Diaspora policy guideline

By Victoria Ojeme

S

PECIAL Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs.Abike Dabiri-Erewa,has disclosed that Nigeria is working on a National Diaspora Policy guideline

geared towards regulating all engagements with the Diaspora.

Dabiri Erewa made this disclosure when Dr Senayon Olaoluwa, Head of Diaspora and Transnational Studies in the Institute of African

Chad sends 2,000 troops to Niger for counterattack on Boko Haram

C

Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, after she spoke to a crowd in Brooklyn after cementing her lead against Senator Bernie Sanders

France releases terror alert app ahead of Euro 2016

T

HE French government has released a mobile phone app to alert the public in the event of a terrorist attack.

The app is being released ahead of the Euro 2016 football tournament, which starts on Friday.

It will alert geo-located users “in case of a suspected attack”, the interior ministrysaid in a statement (in French).

The government said the app was developed after November’s attacks in Paris which killed 130 people.

On Tuesday, the British Foreign Office warned that stadiums, fan zones and transport hubs were possible targets for attack during the football tournament.

Users will be able to sign up to receive alerts in up to eight different

“geographical zones” in addition to their present location.

Alerts will offer a brief description of what has happened as well as advice on how to stay safe.

They will not cause the phone to vibrate or emit any sound in order to ensure that anyone hiding at the site of an attack does not alert the attackers.reported.

As hunger mounts, Venezuelans turn to thrash UNTIL recently, Julio Noguera worked at a bakery. Now he spends his evenings searching through the garbage for food.

“I come here looking for food because if I didn’t, I’d starve to death,” Noguera said as he sorted through a pile of moldy potatoes. “With things as they are, no one helps anyone and no one gives away meals.”

Across town, unemployed people converge every dusk at a trash heap on a downtown Caracas

sidewalk to pick through rotten fruit and vegetables tossed out by nearby shops. They are frequently joined by small business owners, college students and pensioners - people who consider themselves middle class even though their living standards have long ago been pulverized by triple-digit inflation, food shortages and a collapsing currency.

Venezuela’s poverty had eased during the administration of the late President Hugo Chavez.

passengers and crew on board. The agents immediately contacted the aircraft and ordered it to land at the nearest airport, the officials said.

HAD has sent 2,000 troops to Niger to prepare a counterattack against Boko Haram after the militant group seized a Nigerien town, two senior military sources said on Wednesday.

The sources, one at Chadian military command in N’Djamena and another in the Lake Chad region where Boko Haram operates, told Reuters the troops arrived on Tuesday and were advancing on Bosso, a town near Lake Chad that has been the scene of clashes in recent days.

Boko Haram killed 30 soldiers and forced 50,000 people to flee when it took Bosso on Friday, its deadliest raid in Niger in over a year.

“About 2,000 soldiers with tanks went into Niger yesterday.

They should link up with the Nigerien forces in Diffa and advance on Bosso,” said one of the Chadian military sources.

A security source in Niger confirmed that about 2,000 troops were heading to Bosso on Wednesday.

Eritrean leaders should be tried for crimes against humanity—UN

U

.N rights investigators accused Eritrean leaders of crimes against humanity including torture, rape and murder on Wednesday and called on the Security Council to impose sanctions and refer the case to the International Criminal Court.

Atrocities - including an indefinite military national service programme that amounted to mass enslavement - had been committed since the country’s independence in 1991 and were ongoing, the U.N. Commission of

Inquiry said.

There was no immediate response from the Horn of Africa country, but it has routinely dismissed reports

by U.N. bodies and campaign groups of rights violations in the past.

“Particular individuals, including officials at the highest levels of State, the ruling party - the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice - and commanding officers bear responsibility for crimes against humanity and other gross human rights violations,” the UNN stated.

Studies, University of Ibadan, paid her a courtesy visit on Friday in her office.

She explained that the policy when in place, would allow Nigerians in Diaspora to make inputs in policies and programs of the government.

She noted that nothing much could be achieved without a workable policy framework to engage

Libyan forces enter main ISIS bastion LIBYAN forces loyal to a U.N.-brokered government have advanced deep inside the coastal city of Sirte, the main stronghold of the Islamic State group’s local affiliate, officials said Wednesday.

Brig. Gen. Mohammed al-Ghasri told The Associated Press that forces have seized a key bridge inside the city where the extremists used to hang the bodies of their enemies, and are only five kilometers (three miles) from the city center and Zafrana square, where IS killed prisoners convicted by its self-styled Islamic courts.

Sirte is the only IS-held city outside Syria and Iraq, and was seen as a possible fallback option for the capital of its selfstyled caliphate. The extremists are currently struggling to fend off advances on a number of fronts, including in the Iraqi city of Fallujah and the northern Syrian provinces of Aleppo and Raqqa.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016—45

Adoke denies wrongdoing in $1.6bn LG judgment debt

By Soni Daniel

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B U J A — IMMEDIATE past Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, has dismissed as the handiwork of mischiefmakers the allegation that he was involved in the litigation that led to the payment of $1.6 billion judgment debt to the 774 local government areas of the country.

Adoke, in a statement obtained by Vanguard last night, denied any wrongdoing in the judgment, saying that only his office was partially involved as nominal party in the case.

Adoke’s response followed a petition by a group known as Civil Society Network Against Corruption to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to probe Adoke and Ngozi OkonjoIweala’s involvement in the matter, which it described as a scam.

However, Adoke took exception to the group’s petition, saying it was taking undue advantage of the current corruption fight to pour aspersions on innocent persons and institutions.

FEC meeting turns spiritual, as 3 ministers fall ill

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—THE Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting, yesterday, started on a sober note, with a supplication to God to heal President Muhammadu Buhari and three other members of the cabinet.

Recall that President Buhari had, Monday, departed Abuja for London, United Kingdom, to seek medical treatment for an ear infection.

The FEC meeting, which was slated for 12noon, started at 12:10p.m., when the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, entered the filled council chambers, venue of the meeting.

After the opening ceremonies, Osinbajo asked the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammad, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, to pray.

While Alhaji Mohammed asked God for guidance and wisdom, Lawal handed over to God President Buhari, who he said was on “medical vacation” abroad.

He then prayed to God on behalf of the Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan, popularly known as Mama Taraba, saying she had been down but now “recuperating from surgery in the US.” The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu was next on the list. While revealing that Adamu was down with “back pain,” the SGF also prayed

Let fasting be shield against sin

T

HE very essence of fasting, according to the Holy Quran, is piety (taqwa).

Allah Subhanahu-wa-Taala said: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed upon those before you in order that you may attain taqwa,” Qur’an 2:183.

You can only gain taqwa if you abide by the rules of fasting, shun vain talk, backbiting, defamation falsehood and spread love and blessings to others. The Prophet (s.a.w) said: “Fasting is a shield.

Let no one of you— during his fasting day— behave in an obscene manner, or become angry. If anybody abuses or fights with him, let him say: I am fasting,” (Bukhari & Muslim).

So we should ask ourselves, after each day of fasting: Has this fasting made us more fearful and obedient to Allah? Has it aided us in distancing ourselves from sins and disobedience?

Be conscious of your gazes. See

no evil and speak no evil about anybody, but submerge your inner feeling with the presence of God. See Allah. Even though you see Him not, He sees you at all times.

In this part of the world, where crazy wears filled the environment, one needs to be careful never to treat obscenity with a second gaze.

The purpose of fasting is to control the soul and refine it.

The Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever does not refrain from falsehood in sayings and deeds and acts of ignorance, Allah has no need of his abstention from food and drink,” (Bukhari).

Fasting also means abstaining from evil talks. So if anyone abuses you, ignore him and walk away. A fasting Muslim is meek with high level of selfrestraint. The month of Ramadan is the month of Patience. So fasting is called patience because it restrains the soul from

God to heal him, and then he handed the Acting President over to God for guidance.

However, as soon as the members chorused “Amen” and took their seats, an

unidentified voice was heard reminding the SGF that he forgot to include the Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jubril, to which the SGF said: “Yes, let us pray

for him, too.”

Meanwhile, journalists did not witness this part of the prayers as they had filed out of the meeting to commence.

PRAYERS AT FEC: From left— Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal; Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, during a prayer session for President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of Women Affairs, Minister of Education and Minister of State for Environment, at the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Abayomi Adeshida.

Moro sidelined me in N676m recruitment scheme, ex-NIS boss tells court

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—FORMER Comptroller-General of Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, Mr. David Paradang, yesterday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the former Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, sidelined him in anything negative.

With patience, we are able to strengthen our resolve to worship Allah five times daily, cope with life’s ups and downs, restrain our souls from provocations, transgressions and able to subdue the soul’s illtemperament. We are able to overcome greed, stinginess and thus give part of our surplus wealth in charity.

We should also try to purify our hearts and intentions during the month, seek forgiveness of sins and gain nearness to Allah.

“Whosoever reaches the month of Ramadan and does not have his sins forgiven, and so enters the fire, and then may Allah distance him,” the Prophet said.

Let us use this month to renew relationships with Allah and, of course, fellow human beings. It is human to err and relationships may have been broken during the year. We should try and clear any disputes or bad feelings with other Muslims or non-Muslims.

We ask Allah to grant us the ability to change ourselves for the better, during this blessed month, and not to be of those who are prevented from His mercy and forgiveness. Indeed, He is the One who hears and He is the One who answers all requests.

Ramadan Kareem!

the botched recruitment that led to the death of 20 persons across the country in 2014.

Paradang testified before the court as the star witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which is prosecuting the erstwhile minister over alleged N676 million job scam.

Those equally on trial over the alleged recruitment fraud are the former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Mrs. Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia, and a Deputy Director in the ministry, Mr. F. O Alayebami.

They were charged alongside Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited, the firm contracted to conduct the illfated March 15, 2014, NIS, recruitment.

The anti-graft agency had earlier told the court that one of the alleged culprits, Mr. Mahmood Ahmadu, who it said was a director at the firm, was at large.

The defendants are answering to an 11-count charge.

At the resumed sitting yesterday, the former NIS boss, Paradang, told the court that he was shocked when he saw reports in the media that the establishment under him was recruiting.

Paradang was Comptroller General of NIS from June 2013 to August 2015.

Paradang, who was led in evidence by EFCC lawyer, Mr. Aliyu Yusuf, said: “I was

surprised about the recruitment exercise because I was not aware of it.”

At the point of giving names of the board members and a memo containing their response concerning the recruitment exercise, the defence team, Mr. Paul Erokoro (SAN), Chief Chris Uche (SAN), and Mr. S. I. Ameh (SAN), objected, contending that the witness was giving hearsay evidence.

It was their contention that though the letter was certified, necessary fees were not paid as prescribed by the Supreme Court.

They argued that Paradang could not give details of what he was told by others who are not witnesses before the court.

However, the prosecuting counsel, Yusuf, urged the court to disregard the objections, which he said could be raised by the defendants in their written addresses.

Meanwhile, trial judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, adjourned ruling on the matter till tomorrow.

The judge equally directed the prosecution and the defence team to harmonise and agree on documents to be tendered during the trial, in line with Federal High Court Practice Directions.

Justice Anwuli eventually withdrew from the matter, citing personal reasons.

Specifically, EFCC alleged that the defendants defrauded 676,675 Nigerian applicants of N676, 675,000.

Each of the 676,675 applicants were charged N1,000.

46 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

THE WORLD MOURNS KESHI Ghana fly flag at half mast

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*Keshi's family home at Ila, Delta State.

Keshi was a great patriot – Jonathan F

ORMER President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, under whom former Super Eagles skipper and manager won the 2013 Nations Cup for Nigeria, has described the late football star as an inspirational figure, great patriot and worthy ambassador for Nigeria.

Jonathan who stated this in a tribute to the football icon also described Keshi as a dedicated and inspirational sportsman who led his nation to win the prestigious continental football trophy at great moments, both as captain and coach.

The statement signed

by Ikechukwu Eze, the former President’s media adviser said further: “Keshi was driven by a high sense of patriotism and dedication which motivated him to always ply his craft from the front, leading his nation to win the prestigious continental football trophy at pivotal moments, both as captain and coach.

*Former President Goodluck Jonathan decorating Keshi after winning the 2013 Nations' Cup

HANA Football Association has paid tributes to the late Nigerian coach and footballer, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi.

GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi sent a message of condolence to the Nigeria Football Federation and its President, Amaju Pinnick.

He describes Keshi a great man and a noble spirit, whose shining example of dedication to football and to footballers was not only to dedicated Nigeria but to several countries including Ghana.

He says the flags at the GFA headquarters will be flying at halfmast as a token of the Ghana football fraternity’s deepest respect for Stephen Keshi.

He helped Nigerians with his talent --NOC

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RESIDENT of the Ni geria Olympic Committee, NOC, Engr. Habu Gumel and Secretary General, Hon Tunde Popoola were gutted by the news of the untimely death of former Super Eagles Captain and coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi yesterday.

The flamboyant coach who was the longest captain of the Super Eagles and also one of two Africans to win the African Cup of Nations as player and coach died early morning

Wednesday.

Gumel described Keshi as a hero who left an incredible mark on the sands of time in Nigeria, Africa and World.

Quoting Fred Rogers, Gumel said; ‘’anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero’’. ‘’He did much more to help Nigerians with his Godgiven talent. He united Nigerians with his leadership in the Eagles and achieved what most people older could not. We’re devastated but pray for the

well being of his children and family he left behind’’, Gumel grasping to come to terms with the death of the 54-year old said.

Secretary General, Hon Tunde Popoola could not hold his emotions. ‘’What do you mean? How can Keshi die? Why?’’, Popoola, a long time friend of the Big Boss repeatedly asked as tears welled in his eyes.

The secretariat of the NOC at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos was like a graveyard as the staff gathered in groups discussing the death the icon.

*Late Keshi and late wife, Kate

We lost an icon – Amanze Uchegbulam former Vice President, NFF “Big shock that Keshi is gone. Keshi was an icon of Nigerian football. Nobody can talk about Nigerian football without talking about Keshi. He died too early.

It’s unfortunate we lost him. “Keshi played his part, both as player and coach; won trophies for this country.”

Keshi was a Pillar of Nigerian football

—Paul Bassey, Chairman Akwa United “We spoke last week and he never gave an indication of a man who had just

DStv Conference 6 results Niger Potters 54 Kano Pillars 74 Plateau Peaks 59 Mark Mentors 63 Gombe Bulls 78 Bauchi Nets 43

Galadima, TTor or o, Maigari, Lalok oro, Lalokoo react

By Solomon Nwoke

B

ARELY a week the sports world was thrown into mourning over the death of boxing legend, Muhammad Ali, death yet again dealt another blow, this time, on one of Nigeria’s and indeed, Africa’s finest footballer, former Super Eagles Captain and Coach, Stephen Keshi who passed on at the wee hours of yesterday. Reacting to the sad news yesterday many football administrators said he was a great loss to Nigerian football.

Alhaji Galadima said: “ Nigeria and indeed African football has lost somebody who had given so much to the game of football. He did so much for Nigerian football even though he disagreed with the NFF of late, but that

cannot erase his track record.

“We were so close even before he took the job of coaching the Eagles and after he left. His death is a sad news and I think it was as a result of the shock of his wife’s death. Nigerian football must certainly miss him. He was somebody who stood himself out from the rest in the game of football in the country. The NFF and the federal government should immortalise him”.

Sani Toro: “ Keshi’s death is very sad. Keshi had done well for the country, winning the AFCON trophy as a player and as a coach. Government has to do something at this time to ensure that he is given a befitting burial. The NFF has to start work immediately. The NFF president,

Amaju Pinnick and his board members must go his family to console them. I am really devastated by his death. I recall when we went Tunisia ’94 for AFCON he was then the captain and very controversial.

His death is a big loss.

May his soul rest in peace.

Amen!

Kashimawo Laloko: “It’s a very sad news. I have known Keshi right from his school days at Saint Finbarrs College in Lagos as his teacher and as his coach during the hay days of the Principals’ Cup in 1979. I hope the NFF would try and appreciate him because if they wait on the federal government to say do it, it may never happen. We have to live for Keshi. He was a hero and we have to treat him like a hero.

“I wish the family of Keshi very well. It’s the children that we have to look after now. Those children are now ophans and we have to take care of them. What can I say, it’s a pity it has happened and we have to accept it like that. Keshi had served us and we have to mourn him and make sure we take care of his last child. Death is an expected end that must come, we hand over everything to God”.

Aminu Maigari: “ It’s a shocking news. It’s unfortunate that we are talking about Keshi’s death this morning (yesterday). His death is a rude shock to me when I got the news at about 5 am. His death is a great loss to the football family and indeed to Nigerians at large. He was a very good coach and it was

during my time as the NFF president that I approached him to take over the coaching of the Super Eagles and he did very well. We put our heads together to bring the AFCON trophy to Nigeria and from there to the World Cup in Brazil. I enjoyed every bit of my relationship with him. He was a very nice coach, very tolerant, dedicated and very competent in his job. It’s quite unfortunate that we have lost him.

“Keshi will forever remain in our memory because there’s no way that we’ll talk about Nigerian football today that we’ll not talk about him. And as for the children he left behind, the NFF and federal government should come up with something to ensure that they don’t suffer”.

one week to live. Keshi was a true Pillar of Nigerian football, a big loss indeed.

Although he was no longer the coach of the national team, Nigeria will surely miss Keshi”.

It’s unfortunate – Kojo

Former chairman of the defunct Nigeria Football Association Kojo Williams has described the death of Stephen Keshi as unfortunate. “It’s unfortunate. It’s a sad day for Nigerian football. I can’t comprehend.

Too bad. Keshi did his best for Nigerian football. It’s sad the country is losing him now. Too bad.

This world is absolutely nothing

– Barrister Obienu One time member of the Nigeria Football Association, Nwabufor Obienu was so crestfallen when he heard of the sudden demise of Nigeria’s iconic football personality Stephen Keshi that he exclaimed, “this world is nothing”. He said it was hard to believe that Keshi was dead. “I cried when I first heard the news.

He shouldn’t have died now. This world is absolutely nothing. It is vanity.”

Keshi called me last week

– Okpala Former Super Eagles assistant coach under Keshi, Sylvanus Okpala has revealed his last moment with his former boss, saying, “what shocked me most was that we spoke last week when he called me to ask after my family and how we were doing.

“We discussed very well and he sounded very happy. He said he was happy now that he was living a quiet life as he entered the country without much noise. He joked about his new life. “I still can’t get over the shock,” Okpala said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016 — 47

THE WORLD MOURNS KESHI

NFF mourns legend, Stephen Keshi T

T

HE Nigeria Football Federation has expressed deep shock at the death, in the early hours of Wednesday, of former Super Eagles Captain and Coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi.

Family sources said the 54 –year old, who buried his wife Kate only five months ago, had complained of irregular heartbeats and pain in his legs and was being rushed to a nearby hospital in Benin City, capital of Edo State in southern Nigeria, when he gave up the ghost. NFF President Amaju Pinnick was too shocked for words: “This is devastating. We have lost a superhero.”

Pinnick confirmed he had been in contact with the family and would lead a delegation of some NFF Board and Congress members to Benin City on Thursday.

“The NFF Board will meet and decide on the best way to honour Stephen Keshi. We will be fully involved in the arrangements for the final burial rites.”

Keshi won the Africa Cup of Nations as a player and as a Coach. The only person to achieve similar feat was Egyptian Mahmoud el-Gohary, who is also of blessed memory.

The man who made Keshi captain of Nigeria in 1983, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, said on Wednesday morning: “This is too much of a shock. May his soul rest in peace.”

Only eight days ago, the legend had put a call through to the Super Eagles’ camp in Luxembourg, during which he spoke to interim Head Coach Salisu Yusuf and wished him well in the job. The Eagles went on to beat the Red Lions 31. Yusuf was one of Keshi’s assistants when he coached Nigeria between November 2011 and June 2015.

His death came only five days short of a year to his last match with the Eagles – a 2-0 defeat of Chad in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Kaduna. Nicknamed ‘Big Boss’, the flambouyant Keshi captained Nigeria between 1983 and 1994, during which he won the Africa Cup of Nations gold, silver and bronze, and led the country to qualify for its first FIFA World Cup finals.

He captained the Eagles at that first FIFA World Cup in USA in 1994, months after also leading the team to win the Africa Cup of Nations for Nigeria for the first time on away soil (Tunisia).

Alhaji Sani Ahmed Toro, who was chief executive of Nigeria’s football –governing body (as Secretary General) in those glorious days, reacted: “This is a big loss to Nigeria football. Please accept my condolences.”

HE Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung has expressed shock and sadness over the sudden passage of former Super Eagles Head Coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi.

Dalung said the news of Keshi’s death came to him as a big surprise as the former coach was neither sick nor had any health issues before his demise.

“I will formally inform the government of the death of this great Nigerian, and I want to assure Nigerians that government will seek ways to immortalize him. I join millions of soccer followers across the world to mourn this illustrious son of Nigeria, Africa and the world’’, Dalung said.

*Keshi

Sharapova banned 2 yrs M

ARIA Sharapova has been handed a two-year ban from tennis after she tested positive for meldonium at the Australian Open in January.

The ban has been backdated to January 26 - the day the Russian failed her drugs test in

Melbourne - meaning it will end on January 25, 2018. The ban was at the heavier end of expectations and it means she cannot play a Grand Slam until the French Open in 2018.

One particularly damning section of the ITF’s ruling, released on

Keshi’s final wish Continues from BP town. That aside, the Africa Cup of Nations winner as player and coach also want the remains of his wife, who was buried in Benin taken to Ilah and be reburied by his grave.

Ado who spoke on Channels TV programme Wednesday morning, lamented the sudden death of the former national team coach, saying, “he never recovered from the death

Big boss Continues from BP associates.

“He was not ill at all, never showed any signs of illness, but we suspect he never got over the death of his wife,” a friend said. He is survived by four children and his mother.

Keshi, the only Nigerian coach to have won the Africa Cup of Nations, achieved a rare feat in 2013 by becoming only the second person to win the trophy both as a player and a coach.

The only other person to have achieved the feat is Egypt’s Mahmoud ElGohary. Keshi, a product of St. Finbarr’s College, Akoka, Lagos, started his playing ca-

of his wife but he never prepared us for this.

He’s gone to be with his wife he called Nkem.”

Continuing, Ado said, “Keshi lived a good life.

All the children are in the US and our brothers out there have travelled to go and be with them.”

He disclosed Keshi’s last wish: “He asked to be buried in Ilah and the body of his wife which was buried in Benin be taken Ilah and buried beside him. That was his decision.” reer at a very young age at ACB Football Club, and later played for New Nigeria Bank, Stade d’Abidjan, Africa Sports, Lokeren, Anderlecht, RC Strasbourg, and a host of other clubs.

He represented Nigeria from 1982, at age 20, till 1994, most of the time captaining the Super Eagles and scoring vital goals from his position as a central defender.

He also coached Togo and Nigeria at the World Cup, as well as Mali.

Keshi, nicknamed the “Big Boss” for his leadership skills, is the fifth member of the all-conquering 1994 team to die, following Uche Okafor, Thompson Oliha, Rashidi Yekini and Wilfred Agbonavbare.

Wednesday afternoon, read: ‘In the tribunal’s view the answer is clear.

Whatever the position may have been in 2006, there was in 2016 no diagnosis and no therapeutic advice supporting the continuing use of Mildronate (Meldonium).

‘If she had believed that there was a continuing medical need to use Mildronate then she would have consulted a medical practitioner.

The manner of its use, on match days and when undertaking intensive training, is only consistent with an intention to boost her energy levels.

Family Continues from BP legend has gone to be with his wife, Kate who died six months ago.

Spokesman of the family, Emmanuel Ado in a statement released yesterday said that the late former Super Eagles coach has been in mourning since his wife of 35 years passed on, adding that the family is

Buhari Continues from BP on Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigerian football would not remain the same again without the deceased.

Buhari who stated this in a post on his official Twitter handle, @NGRPresident on Wednesday said that the country has lost a great sportsman.

Govt ‘ll immortalise Keshi —Dalung

President General Nigeria Supporters Club, singing the condolence register at the NFA Glass house in Abuja yesterday. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan

Akraka, former AFN president dies

F

ORMER Athletics Federation of Nigeria president Smart Akraka has passed on after a long battle with illness.

Akraka, born April 13, 1934 in Lagos was president of the AFN between 1993 and 1996. He died in his home State Bayelsa in the early hours of Wednesday. He is noted for his uncompromising stance on athletics rules and regula-

tion.

Akraka, was among the first set of Nigerian athletes who participated in the 1958 British and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Scotland. He was a sprinter with a personal best of 10.4secs he did in 1960.

He is survived by children including Maria Akraka who was a former Swedish 800m champion.

consoled by the fact the the father of four has finally found rest.

The statement read: “ “With thanksgiving to God, the Ogbuenyi Fredrick Keshi family of Illah in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, announces the death of Mr. Stephen Okechukwu Chinedu Keshi.

“Our son, brother, father, father-in-law,

brother-in-law, has gone to be with his wife of 35 years, Mrs. Kate Keshi, who passed on on December 9, 2015.

“Since her death, Keshi has been in mourning. He came back to Nigeria to be with her.

He had planned to fly back today Wednesday, before he suffered a cardiac arrest. He has found rest.”

Keshi who passed on early Wednesday in Benin City of a suspected heart attack became the second African after Mamoud El-Gohary of Egypt to win the Africa Nations Cup both as a player and coach.

He made 64 appearances for the Super Eagles as a defender, scoring nine goals and led the team to her first World Cup in the USA in 1994, a couple of months after leading the team to win the Nations Cup in Tunisia same year.

The President said, “Nigeria today lost a great sportsman, football player, coach and citizen.

“President Buhari commiserates with the family of the late Stephen Keshi, and with the entire country, on his untimely passing.

“Nigerian football will not be the same without Stephen Keshi. He gave this country his all. May his soul rest in peace.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

Keshi’s final wish NFF mourns legend, Stephen ge 47 Keshi — Pa

F

ORMER national team coach and captain, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi may have died a sudden death but the former Hawks of Togo handler ensured he left specific instructions

as to where he should be buried and how.

According his manager and close confidant Emma Ado, Keshi instructed he should be buried in Ilah, his home Continues on Page 47

•Keshi

Big boss bids bye!

N

•Keshi

IGERIAN football icon Stephen Okechukwu Chinedu Keshi died suddenly in the early hours of Wednesday in Benin City, Edo state. He was scheduled to return to the United States on Wednesday evening before he suffered cardiac

arrest.

The former international football player and coach had lost his wife of 35 years, Kate, last year after a prolonged battle with cancer. His death from a member of his family as well as one of his close

Continues on Page 47

Keshi has gone to be with his wife – Family T

HE Ogbuenyi Fredrick Keshi family who are still in

shock over the sudden death of their son and hero, Stephen

Okechukwu Keshi has said that the late football Continues on Page 47

Nigerian football won’t be same again — Buhari

BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

•Jonathan mourns •Ghana fly flag at half mast — Pg. 46

F

OLLOWING the demise of former Coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi Continues on Page 47

Govt to immortalise Keshi — Pg.47

•Keshi

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S PUZZLE

YESTERDAY'S ANSWERS

ACROSS 4 Liquid (5) 7 Recover (6) 10 Hill (3) 12 Bordered (5) 13 Invent (4) 15 Flat (5) 17 Suit (6) 19 Discharge (4) 20 Guider (5) 22 Insect (3) 24 Scorned (7) 27 Gain (3) 28 Allude (5) 31 Food-list (4) 33 Remarkable (6) 35 View (5) 37 Record (4) 38 Carp (5) 39 Silence (3) 41 Fruit (3) 42 Hurried (3) 43 Jam (5)

DOWN 1 Brawl (6) 2 Writer (6) 3 Shed (3) 4 Liberate (4) 5 Spoon (5) 6 Uneatable (8) 8 Game (4) 11 Surviving (9) 14 Want (4) 16 Sell (4) 18 Gang (4) 21 Suffer (8) 23 Gull (4) 25 Ascend (4) 26 Deceased (4) 29 Escape (6) 30 Ebb (6) 32 Employing (5) 34 Equipment (4) 36 Hint (4) 40 Firearm (3

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Brief 5, Copied 8, Repel 10, Bearer 11, Used 14, Boring 15, Earnest 18, Den 19, Eat 21, Dead 23, Incur 24, Reef 27, Tin 29, Rue 31, Texture 32, Stored 34, Solo 35, United 38, Molar 39, Recede 40, Petty.

DOWN: 2, Roe 3, Errant 4, Fee 5, Club 6, Peered 7, Dodged 9, Present 12, Sod 13, Dine 16, Able 17, Tacit 20, Tuneful 22, Aver 24, ~Roster 25, Eros 26, Furore 28, Attire 30, Eel 33, Dome 36, Nap 37, Eft.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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