TERRORISM: FG opts for dialogue

C M Y

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61621

**

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

NJC asks •P 6 Jonathan to •The big and the mighty on Big Brother reinstate Salami StarGame TERRORISM: •P.29

FG opts for dialogue •We are now ready for talks— V-P Sambo, Defence Minister

•High rate of insecurity embarrassing — Govs •Police recover 20 bombs from BUK

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI, BEN AGANDE, HENRY UMORU, ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD & CALEB AYANSINA

A

BUJA—IF the stance and disposition of the Federal Government and governors of the 36 states of the country were anything to go by, peaceful resolution of the prevailing wind of insecurity unleashed by a

Continues on Page 5

DONU KOGBARA: Disappointed thoughts•P. 17 Mr & Mrs

PEACE SYMPOSIUM—From left, Representative of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ladi Thompson; Sultan of Sokoto, Sheik (Dr.) Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar 111; Primate (Church of Nigeria) Anglican Communion, Most Revd.

Nickolas Okoh and Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State and Guest Speaker at Nasrul-Lahi-Li-Fathi Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) National Symposium with the Theme: Islam and Peaceful Co-Existence in a Contemporary Multi Religious Society, held at Sheu Musa Yar’ Adua Center, Abuja yesterday.

Lagos govt evicts sacked doctors •P.7

Senate slashes drivers' licence, number plate to N4000, N8,400•P.7

2—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—3

C M Y K

4—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—5

POCKET CARTOON

Terrorism: FG opts for dialogue Continues from Page 1 militant Islamic sect is in the offing.

The Federal Government, yesterday, sent an open invitation to the sect for dialogue with Vice President Namadi Sambo reiterating g o v e r n m e n t ’ s commitment to dialogue with all aggrieved parties in the country. A recent government jaw-jaw with the sect broke down following allegations by the sect that the government leaked proceedings of the meeting to the media.

As a measure of the Federal Government’s readiness, the Minister of Defence, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed said the government was willing, in collaboration with some traditional rulers, to bring the sect to the negotiation table to halt the wave of violence unleashed on the polity by the group.

Aside the Federal Government, the governors were all for a quick resolution of the rising security crises, saying that the pervading insecurity in Nigeria was

a national embarrassment.

Indeed, Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo, in clear terms, pleaded with the sect to return to the dialogue table, stressing “ we are ready for dialogue” just as his Borno State counterpart, Kashim Shettima, warned that if nothing serious was urgently done to address the security challenges, the entire North might become inhabitable in the next five years.

Towards addressing the issue, the governors, who, yesterday, could not discuss deductions from the Federation Account and the Immunity Clause because of poor turnout, will hold a security summit next month.

Meanwhile, the police authority in Kano has revealed that about 20 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) have been recovered at the Bayero University Kano (BUK) in the last couple of weeks.

The Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris told reporters in Kano that the anti-bomb

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

M

ISTAKES are fundamental parts of life.

Everyone makes a mistake at one time or the other. In fact, there is a strong belief that God allows us all to make mistake because there is a benefit in the mistake. Can there be a benefit in mistake? Yes indeed! The lessons you learn are the strength you develop, the pains you endure are the benefits of your mistake. Don’t waste your mistakes, learn the lessons, enjoy the pain and develop the strength. Make it useful for yourself and beneficial to others.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

I am convinced my life belongs to the whole community; and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake.

Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn brightly as possible before turning it over to future generations —George Bernard Shaw.

G

EORGE Bernard Shaw says it is a privilege to help others when you belong to a community. I believe one of the greatest laws of life is to understand our responsibility to a community much greater than ourselves and to learn to sacrifice ourselves for others. It’s fairly easy to serve others with our hands but there are totally different aspects of service that many people overlook. Service is not just helping an elderly woman with her groceries or volunteering in a children’s ward at a hospital; service is something you do with every part of your being. We must also have the ability to listen. I feel that listening is the single best service we can provide to anyone. We must develop an ear that can listen not only to words but can truly hear the strength, compassion, and humility to take action.

Have you done a kind deed today? Have you said a kind word to anybody today? If no, then you are holding back something that could be a very valuable contribution. There are many who are in need of your kindness. Act now!

squad of the command drafted to the institution were compelled by certain exigencies to revert to ‘control detonation’ in order to avoid fatalities.

“After the bomb attack of BUK on April 29, the Command’s Bomb Disposal Unit recovered IED’s, and 14 canned IEDs at the University premises. Likewise, another bomb was evacuated from the Faculty of Sociology May 1, while some other three bombs were recovered at various locations in the University May 8 and were detonated.

FG invites sect for fresh talks Inviting the sect for fresh parley, Vice President Sambo, who made the call at the National Symposium: ‘Islam and Peaceful Coexistence in a Contemporary Multi Religious State,’ organised by NasirulLahi-Faith Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) in Abuja, said “history has proven that even wars that are fought for decades, at the end, are only concluded by dialogue.”

His call came as the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of Nigerian Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, Alhaji Sa’adi Abubakar III, called on the Federal Government to hold those, who issued public threat to cause chaos responsible and make them face the consequence of their action.

Sambo admitted that the nation was facing an internal security challenge and said the government was capable of addressing the situation.

“It is clear today that the terrorist attacks are clearly against all segments of our society and this is uncalled for. I must seize this opportunity to call on the various militant groups to cease-fire and come forward for dialogue.

Government is ready to discuss. History has proven that even wars that were fought for decades were concluded through dialogue,” he said He added that fresh measures had been introduced in the areas of

power, agriculture and infrastructure in order to improve the nation’s economy and enjoined foreign missions in the country to join the struggle against terrorism.

Urging Muslims and Christians to live in peace and tolerate one another, Sambo noted that Islam was not a violent religion as it had been branded by some people.

“Therefore, I find it very thoughtful of NASFAT to organize a symposium at this time in our national history - a time when negative forces are seeking to hijack our efforts to build a united and prosperous nation.

They want to achieve evil ends and portray Islam in a negative and evil light.

Islam is a religion of peace; it is a way of life.

It cannot promote senseless killings and wanton destruction of property.

“We are moving ahead with the transformation agenda which is aimed at eliminating poverty, reducing unemployment and creating wealth. In order to achieve this, we are investing heavily in the power sector, infrastructure and agricultural development in order to provide favourable environment for investment and its resultant value chain.”

Also speaking at the event, the Sultan of Sokoto said those who openly issued threats to cause problem in the country must be made to face the music. He advised religious and community leaders to be mindful of their utterances and desist from actions that are capable of breaching the peace of the society.

His words: “Those who take to the public to issue threat or ultimatum should be held entirely responsible for the consequences of their actions. For the purpose of building the society, leaders on all sides of the religious divide must act responsibly, and shall ultimately be moderate in both their actions and utterances. They must endeavour to resist the urge for exhibitionism; we must as a nation, develop a collective consciousness, where the pain of any member of our society regardless of creed and ethnicity shall be the collective pain of all of us. Peace cannot be fully established without

unflinching commitment to equity and justice; we must try to promote these important values.

Injustice and inequity invariably lead to corruption which in turn breeds poverty. No society can thrive or prosper when afflicted with this virus.”

Also, National President of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, who was represented at the occasion by Rev. Ladi Thomson, said that there was a global resurgence of extremism in Islam around the world and Nigeria was no exception.

However, he said as one of the leading black nations in the world, Nigeria should not allow herself to be torn apart by a terrorist group under the guise of religion.

He said CAN would ensure that families of victims of the recent bombings are pacified, but government must live up to its responsibility and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Welcoming the participants to the summit, National President of NASFAT, Alh. Sheriff Yusuf said more efforts and ideas were still needed to stop the ongoing killings in the country. He added “the people of Nigeria need to be reassured of the visibility of the security agencies and their technical capacity to identify and contain the perpetrators of violence.”

FG ready for dialogue – Defence Minister Relatedly, the Defence Minister, while receiving the Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Roberto Colamine in his office, yesterday, noted that government was committed to the speedy resolution of the crises.

Describing the security challenges as temporary, the minister insisted that President Goodluck Jonathan was determined to make a difference in the governance of the country with the transformation agenda.

The minister said that a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between the Nigerian and Italian governments, which would enhance Nigerian peace-keeping efforts, was awaiting the ratification of the Federal Executive Council.

Earlier, while expressing his courtesy, Colamine called for co-operation and dialogue to resolve the security challenges.

North may not be habitable in the next five years – Borno Gov Also moving for a speedy dialogue, Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, said he was ready to dialogue with the sect for peace to reign in the country.

According to him, it has become imperative and very important to brainstorm with members of the group if the state, the zone and the country must witness development.

He spoke when the national leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led by National Organizing Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha, paid him a sympathy visit over the incessant attacks by the sect on North-Eastern states.

Dankwambo said: “A lot of lives were lost which are irreplaceable, property were destroyed and many more challenges. I want to thank you on behalf of the good people of Gombe State for the concern and to assure our party, the

Continues on Page 15

6—VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

Gunmen kill 7, injure 10 in Plateau

BY TAYE OBATERU

J

OS — SUSPECTED Fulani herdsmen again struck in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State early, yesterday, killing seven people and injuring about 10 others.

The gunmen were said to have struck around 12.30 a.m at RinyamTahoss village when the people had retired to

bed, shooting sporadically into the houses.

Those killed, among them three children, were said to have been shot at close range by the attackers who were said to have been numbered more than 10.

Most of those injured who are now on admission at the Vom Christian Hospital sustained gunshot wounds or deep cuts inflicted with machetes

as they tried to escape into the bush.

It was further learnt that members of the Special Task Force arrived the village about an hour after the attackers had left.

Member representing Riyom Local Govern-

ment in the state House of Assembly, Mr. Daniel Dem, said the attack on his people had continued unchecked, noting: “The attack has become a daily occurrence. Today alone, seven people were shot dead and several others are receiving treatment of

gunshots and machete cuts at the Vom Christian Hospital.”

The attacks have continued despite the series of dialogue organised by the Plateau State Police Commissioner, Mr. Emmanuel Ayeni, among community leaders in the area aimed

at ending the hostilities.

One of such meetings was held, Wednesday, hours before the latest attack.

Last week, an armoured personnel carrier and two security operational vehicles were deployed to the area as part of efforts to check the attacks.

Dana Air in emergency landing at MMIA

BY DANIEL ETEGHE

L

AGOS — DANA Air plane was, yesterday, involved in an emergency landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The aircraft with registration number 5N-SRI was coming from Uyo with 86 passengers on board.

Reacting, spokesman for the airline, Mr. Tony Osidamen, said the aircraft was forced to have an emergency landing due to the discovery of an hydraulic pressure by the pilot while the aircraft was still in the airspace.

He said:’’The pilot discovered an hydraulic pressure on the aircraft and immediately contacted the Air Traffic Controllers at the control

tower in Lagos airport, declaring an emergency landing at the MMIA airport "The aircraft was able to land successfully at the MMIA airport but the rescue services like the ambulances from NACHO Aviance and other relevant agencies to evacuate the passengers came a little bid late as the delay created panic among the passengers.”

Osidamen, however, stressed that the aircraft landed safely but added that it was yet to be towed out of the runway at press time.

He said: "The aircraft landed safely and the 86 passengers were safely evacuated but we are still trying to tow the aircraft off the runway. It landed at exactly 4;59 p.m."

From right: President Alli Bongo Odinmba of Gabon; President Goodluck Jonathan; Prime Minister of Namibia, Hon. Nahas Angula and his Ethiopian counterpart, Meles Zenawi during the opening of 2012 World Economic Forum on Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, yesterday.

Kidnap gang leader kills member, throws body into river zOver sharing of loot

A

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

SABA— DELTA State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, yesterday, pa-

raded members of a notorious kidnap gang, narrating how the leader of the gang shot and killed a member of his gang and shot another on

the neck following disagreement over the formula for the sharing of their loot.

Aduba said that the gang, which had been on

NJC asks Jonathan to reinstate Salami

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA — REPRIEVE has come the way of the suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, as the National Judicial Council, NJC, yesterday, asked President Goodluck Jonathan to reinstate him.

It would be recalled that Justice Salami held sway at the appellate rung of the Nigerian Judicial hierarchy till August 18, 2011, when he was ousted from office by the NJC on allegation that he lied on oath against the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu. According to NJC, “having, therefore, established that the allegation/complaint by the President, Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Isa Ayo Salami,

against the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, regarding the Sokoto Gubernatorial Election Appeal was false.

“Council decided that it is misconduct contrary to Rule 1(1) of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, ninemonths after he was suspended, NJC, after a stormy session in Abuja, urged President Jonathan to go ahead and recall the suspended the PCA. Though the session was held in camera, sources at the meeting who spoke to Vanguard on grounds of anonymity, said some NJC members loyal to the former CJN, opposed recommendation that the embattled PCA be recalled.

The source disclosed that

in the meeting which was attended by the retiring CJN, Justice Musdapher, and his likely successor, Justice Mariam Aloma Muhktar, some of those aggrieved by the alleged indecent conduct of Justice Salami, insisted that the decision be put into vote.

It was gathered that whereas Justice Salami secured the sympathy of 10 members of the NJC, eight others, voted against his reinstatement.

After the voting exercise, the CJN, Justice Musdapher, who is by virtue of his position superintends over the activities of the NJC, endorsed recommendation that Jonathan should re-instate the hitherto sacked PCA.

Reactions to Justice Salami’s reinstatement

In his reaction to the recommendation of the NJC, former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Akin Olujumi, SAN said: “I think it was the most appropriate thing for the NJC to do. All facts had pointed to the direction that the only way to correct the very serious mistake that was made by the Council, was to agree that Justice Salami be reinstated, that indeed is what was done today (yesterday).

Meanwhile, this decision, so far as am concerned, is a clear indication that the NJC is very much aware of the error it committed and has therefore corrected it. So, I think the decision was very much in order.”

Amechi Nwaiwu, SAN said: “If the NJC has in their wisdom, thought it wise to recall the sus-

pended PCA, I think they must have seen reasonable grounds for it. The council is made up of legal luminaries.I believe what has happened is a lesson for the entire judiciary. I will however expect a quick reconciliation process to move the judiciary forward. The warring parties should be brought to the roundtable.

We should think of transforming the judiciary, the criminal justice system, civil procedure system and ways to reform the justice system, rather than the kind of feud that culminated to the decision of the NJC today.

Chief Chukwuma Ekomaro, SAN said: “I will say that I am happy, and not happy about the action of the NJC. In fact, I wish to be indifferent. The quarrel was really uncalled for in the first place."

the wanted list “killed an Army L/CPL Uman Asufa while escorting Petroleum Product Marketing Company, PPMC Manager at Abraka on March 24, this year as well as four Police Inspectors and rank and file in Warri and Abraka areas,” noting that one of the gang members escaped from Warri prison, recently.

“The gang was responsible for most high profile kidnapping in Warri and diligent efforts are on to track down the die-hard animalistic gang and their collaborators.”

Items recovered and displayed at the state Police headquarters in Asaba, yesterday, were three AK 47 riles, $300, assorted jewelries carted away from the couple killed in their Warri Centre market jewelries shop on December 19, 2011, 19 different hand sets, 1416 rounds of live ammunition, among others.

He said: “While Asaba and environs had been crime-free in the last weeks, Warri and environs have continued to record spates of kidnappings and armed robberies.”

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—7

NJC: Will Jonathan reinstate Salami?

BY DAYO BENSON

T

HE National Judicial Council, NJC’s, recommendation, yesterday, that embattled President Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Isa Salami, be reinstated is quite instructive legally and morally. Earlier, the decision on whether or not to reinstate him had divided

NEWS ANALYSIS

From left: Dr. Peter Lamptey, President Emeritus, FHI 360; Ambassador Terence McCulley, United States Ambassador to Nigeria; Dr. Mansur Kabir, Director of Public Health, Federal Ministry of Health and Prof. John Idoko, Director General of NACA during the launch of strenthening integrated delivery of HIV/AIDS services, in Abuja, Tuesday.

Senate c'tte slashes drivers’licence, number plate to N4000, N8400 zLifts ban on issuance of new licences, number plates zBars FCT VIO from e-coding zExtends deadline for number plates by six months

BY HENRY UMORU & INALEGWU SHAIBU

A

BUJA— SENATE Committee on Federal Character has slashed prices for new drivers’ licences and vehicle number plates issued by the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, from N6,000 and N15,000 to N4,000 and N8,400 respectively.

The Senator Dahiru Kuta-led committee in its report on the new vehicle number plates and drivers’ licences yet to be submitted to the Senate said the new price regime imposed by the FRSC was exploitative and arbitrary.

It directed the FRSC to forthwith reverse the prices downward in view of the national outcry that the prices are too exorbitant.

Details of the report which is yet to be considered by the Senate also included the lifting of suspension on the issuance of the new licence and vehicle number plates.

The committee also urged the FRSC to adjust the August 2012 deadline for replacement of new number plates by another six month to enable Nigerians acquire the vehicle number plates at the new reduced prices.

The committee in the report also directed the Vehicle Inspection Office,

VIO, of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja to stop the e-coding of vehicles and collection of N2000 from motorists.

The report further kicked against the overlapping of functions between the Nigeria Police Force, FRSC and VIO, noting that the

agencies need to pull their resources together for the safety of lives on Nigerian roads.

Part of the report reads,

Lagos govt evicts sacked doctors zNew doctors yet to resume

BY CHIOMA OBINNA & GABRIEL OLAWALE

L

AGOS — DESPITE Lagos State Government's claims that it is open for negotiations with the sacked doctors, the affected doctors resident in official quarters have been issued eviction notice.

The eviction notice dated May 8, 2012, and signed

by Secretary, Staff Housing Board for the Head of Service, Mr. L. A. Shoyemi, directed all doctors to immediately vacate their official residence with immediate effect.

The letter stated: "Consequent upon your dismissal from the service of the Lagos State government with effect from May 4, 2012 and in accordance with the Civil Service Rule 13115, (a)'No officer shall continue to occupy state government quarters after the date on which his resignation/dismissal takes effect.'

"I wish to request you to vacate the state government staff quarter allocated to you immediately. In view of the above, you are hereby re-

quested to submit the keys to the quarters to the Secretary of Staff Housing Board to forestall forceful ejection."

It was also gathered that the affected doctors have been given up till 5 am today to vacate the staff quarters.

Reacting to the development, shortly after the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, congress at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, the firstt Vice Chairman of the state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Johnson Emene, criticised the move to evict the sacked doctors from the official quarters, saying they are covered by the tenancy law which the state signed nine months ago.

According to Emene, the state tenancy law states that tenants should be given at least six months' eviction notice, adding that the NMA has instructed the doctors to ignore the quit notice.

Emene told Vanguard that the leadership of the national body of NMA was at press time meeting with Governor Babatunde

Fashola to find a lasting solution to the current crisis in the state.

New doctors yet to resume Meanwhile, the hope of patients to access care after the Lagos State Government claimed that it has recruited over 373 new doctors into the health service of the state after it sacked 788 doctors may have been dashed as investigation yesterday revealed that the presence of newly recruited doctors is yet to be felt as patients have deserted state-owned hospitals.

When our correspondent visited some of the hospitals, no doctor was in sight to attend to the few patients present at the hospital.

At Gbagada General Hospital, nurses and some other health workers who were at their duty posts said attendance had since dropped since the strike began. One of the nurses who spoke to Vanguard said new doctors were yet to begin work at the hospital.

the nation’s highest judicial advisory body.

With this recommendation, the onus is now on President Goodluck Jonathan to do what is expected, considering the haste with which Salami’s replacement was announced when the NJC ordered his suspension from office.

For Justice Salami, the NJC’s long awaited recommendation is a twin victory morally and legally. As a senior judicial officer who had sworn to do justice in all matters before him, he refused to compromise even at the risk of his career. Salami believes in the sanctity of justice and he upholds it.

Legally, rather than buckle and apologise as he was ordered to do by the committee that investigated the stand-off between him and ex-CJN Aloysius

Katsina Alu, he headed for the court.

Though the matter did not go the whole hog in the courts, many, however, believed Salami had a good case.

The Salami versus Katsina-Alu face-off began over the 2007 Sokoto State governorship election petition. The PCA had alleged undue interference in the outcome of the petition between All Nigeria’s Peoples Party, ANPP, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidates.

What followed was an unprecedented crisis that convulsed public confidence in the integrity of nation’s judiciary. It was in the heat of the crisis that the former CJN bowed out of office, leaving behind a judiciary with a tarred imaged.

Incidentally, the current CJN Justice Dahiru Musdapher, who curiously was a party to the suit Salami filed against NJC had come to the rescue when he set up a panel to review the matter.

The CJN’s panel found no wrongdoing against Salami, hence it recommended his reinstatement.

Now that the NJC has spoken, it remains to be seen whether President Jonathan will heed the advice. This, to many observers, is the only path of honour to follow.

FG ready to implement 2009 agreement with NASU —Wogu

BY OKEY NDIRIBE

A

BUJA — THE Federal Government has agreed to implement its 2009 agreement with the Non-Academic Staff of Universities (NASU). This was disclosed in Abuja, yesterday, by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, while delivering his speech at the commissioning of the new secretariat complex of the union built at Wuye District of the FCT. The minister further praised the leadership of NASU for the maturity it had displayed in handling industrial disputes between the union and various public institutions from which it drew its membership.

Wogu lamented over the high social cost of incessant strikes, adding that they were increasingly becoming unbearable to the nation.

In her speech on the occasion, National President of the union, Mrs Ladi Iliya said the new national secretariat would serve as the hub for the struggle to protect the welfare of members of the union.

Giving reasons why the union decided to relocate its national headquarters from Ibadan to Abuja, she said this became necessary after the Federal Capital was relocated from Lagos to Abuja in 1991.

According to her, ”it became obvious to us that with the movement of the seat of power of the Federal Government from Lagos to Abuja, and NASU being a public sector union, it was only a matter of time before the National headquarters of the union moved to Abuja. The movement commenced with the opening of a Liaison office at Gimbiya Street, Area 11, Abuja.”

8—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

They killed Oyerinde in my stead — Oshiomhole

OLAITAN OYERINDE BURIED MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN Thousands of Nigerians witnessed the burial of Mr. NIGERIA BEAUTY CONTEST Olaitan Oyerinde, the slain Principal Private Secretary to Edo State Governor, Mr. Adams HITS 25 Oshiomhole, in Ede, Osun State, yesterday. Pix: DARE FASUBE.

zLabour to protest murder

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

O

SOGBO—EDO State Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, whose slain Principal Private Secretary, Mr Olaitan Oyerinde, was buried in his home town, Ede, Osun State, yesterday, said he was brutally murdered by yet-to-be-identified gunmen because of the inability of the assailants to eliminate him (Oshiomhole).

Oshiomhole, who spoke at the burial service for the late Oyerinde at the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Orientation Camp, Ede, ascribed whatever achievements he might have recorded in Edo State to his late private adviser.

He said: “If we have changed anything in Edo State since we came into office about four years ago, it is probably because Olaitan is a private adviser. It was a struggle between me and NLC which equally wanted to retain him as the Assistant Secretary General of the Congress.”

Oshiomhole pledges to immortalise Oyerinde Oshiomhole, who arrived the venue of the burial at 2p.m. in a private helicopter, pledged to name a street after the slain labour activist and also to take upkeep of the children and widow.

The governor, who described himself as the chief mourner, said Oyerinde, though killed, would continue to live as he had paid the service to live after death.

Oshiomhole, who explained that he appointed him as his Principal Private Secretary due to his courage and diligent attitude to work, said he has lost a son and a compatriot who served him wholeheartedly with the fear of God. He said: “Olaitan Oyerinde will continue to live after death. The killers of Oyerinde have only succeeded in wasting their bullets. The spirit of Oyerinde and those things he stood for while on earth can never be killed. He will continue to live forever as long as

Nigeria remains.”

Extolling the virtues of the late labour leader, Oshiomhole, who called for justice on the murder of Oyerinde said: “He was a fighter to the core.

He was an Edo fighter, though an Osun indigene. He lived a life worthy of emulation by all and sundry. There is nothing anybody can do to convince Oyerinde on whatever he believed in.

He was a great comrade and a freedom fighter.”

Nigerians demand justice However, before the arrival of the Edo State governor, the burial ceremony turned to a protest rally as civil society organisations, students and human rights groups high-jacked the ceremony, demanding justice on the murder of the late labour activist.

Human rights activists, labour leaders and students across the country stormed the NYSC Orientation Camp,venue of the ceremony and gave seven days ultimatum to the Federal Government and the Nigeria Police to produce the killers of the late Oyerinde or face the wrath of the masses.

On the occasion, Lagos lawyer and rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana, in his eulogy, described Oyerinde as a dependable person who was an embodiment of discipline and struggle for freedom, saying “the only thing the government can do is to ensure that justice is done on the death of Oyerinde.”

He said: “Oyerinde was a victim of reckless political killings in the country. He was killed by those who think they can murder truth. He was a soul that represented many things to us. The country is no longer safe for any person. Even President Goodluck Jonathan admitted that he himself is not safe again, so, who else is now safe in Nigeria?

Falana, who demanded immediate justice on unresolved assassination cases in the country, called on security agencies, especially the police to unravel those behind the killing of

Oyerinde, or face the wrath of Nigerians, saying the Federal Government must produce the killers of Oyerinde for continuous peace in the country.

National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar, who also called for justice on the murder of Oyerinde, also gave a seven-day ultimatum to the government to produce Oyerinde’s killers, stressing that labour would protest across the country should the government fail to unravel the killers of the late labour leader.

He said: “Though they have succeeded in killing Oyerinde, they cannot succeed in killing what Oyerinde stood for. The government and security agencies fail to fish out his killers we will be on the street to look for his killers.”

Mr. Adams Oshiomole, delivering his speech. With him are the widow of the deceased, Mrs Labake Oyerinde and her children, in Ede.

A r e g b e s o l a eulogises Oyerinde Also, Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, who was represented by the state’s Head of Service, Mr Segun Akinwusi, said the late Oyerinde would be remembered as being one of those who played no mean role in salvaging Edo State from the abyss of visionless leadership.

While describing the slain labour activist as a paragon of unalloyed loyalty, Aregbesola added that “at a time when it was fashionable to sell out, betray good courtesies and become a torn coat, our comrade maintained a principled stand.”

Senate President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, who spoke on behalf of students, stressed the need for the Federal Government to fish out the killers of Oyerinde, failure of which he said would lead to mass protest across the country.

The Secretary, Ede South Local Government, where Oyerinde hailed from, Mr Lukman Afolabi, said the local government had concluded arrangement to immortalise him by naming an edifice after him in Ede.

Mrs Olaitan (with mic) and her children during Mrs Olaitan...Is that the the service. end?

N L C President, M r .

Abdulwaheed U m a r , leading his delegates to the venue.

Mr. Kayode Komolafe , left, and Mr Femi Falana.

Elder Segun Akinwusi, Head of Service, Osun State.

A cross-section of students and mourners at the ceremony.

Vanguard , FRIDAY, MAY II, 2012—9

Lagos issues new driver's licence for N6,000

Contempt: FAAN MD knows fate May 30

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

BY INNOCENT ANABA

I

KEJA—LAGOS State Government said the issuance of new unified driver's licence will commence next month as all logistics required for its take-off had been put in place.

Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, said this, yesterday, at a briefing in Lagos, as part of activities to commemorate the first year in office in the second term of Governor Babatunde Fashola.

The National Drivers’ Licence is a tripartite arrangement between the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency, MVAA, Vehicle Inspection Office, VIO, and the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC. According to Opeifa, who assured that all arrangements had been concluded to kick-start the scheme, the licence will cost an applicant N6,000.

The commissioner added that in the last one year, though, the physical capture and issuance of driver's licence had been suspended by FRSC, 45, 644 applicants had registered with the ministry for the new licence.

He explained that while MVAA, which is the first contact, was in charge of processing the information of the applicants, VIO conducts proficiency tests on the applicants and only those who were cleared and certified fit to drive after the test are referred to FRSC for physical photo capture and biometrics.

L

From left, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, Lagos State Commissioner for Education; Mr Tunji Bello, Commissioner for the Environment; Governor Babatunde Fashola and Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Deputy Governor, at the fourth anniversary of Climate Change Club for Schools in Lagos State, organised

by Ministry of the Environment, with the theme, ''Our environment, Our Future'' in Ikeja. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi

ALLEGED N7.9M FRAUD:

Ex-Vanguard staff's trial adjourned till May 21

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

L

AGOS—A Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere, yesterday, adjourned till May 21, for trial of former Chief Accountant of Vanguard Media Limited, Mr. Yisa Badmus, who is standing trial alongside Joseph Ezeobi, and

Ogbole Samuel, following an application by the defendants to consolidate the charges against them.

Trial judge is Justice Candide Johnson.

Badmus, in a separate charge before the Ikeja division of the court, is standing trial alongside James Unoka.

Bhadmus' counsel, Mr Moses Jessy, yesterday,

Road accident victims deserve payout from govt — Oyebode

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH & ONOZURE DANIA

L

A G O S — PROFESSOR Akin Oyebode of the U n i v e r s i t y of Lagos , yesterday, said due to deplorable

condition of roads in the country, auto crash victims were entitled to receive compensation from government.

Oyebode, at a lecture in Lagos, called for the setting up of a scheme under which victims of road accidents would be

Lagos Assembly warns butchers over in-fighting

BY EBUN SESSOU

I

KEJA—LAGOS State House of Assembly has warned factional members of the state butchers association to settle their differences, so as not to create problem in the state.

Chairman, House Committee on A g r i c u l t u r e , Cooperative and Rural Development, Mr

C M Y K

told the court that his client was on Tuesday, arraigned before Justice Lateefa Okunnu of an Ikeja High Court on a charge related to the one before the court.

He said a letter to consolidate the charges had been sent to the Attorney-General of Lagos State, Mr. Ade Ipaye.

Ibrahim Layode, gave the warning during a meeting with the association, yesterday, adding that the government would not allow any individual, group or association to cause breakdown of law and orders, that is capable of disrupting peace in the state.

He said: “If both parties cannot come together and resolve their differences, government will not

hesitate to deal with the group and association that may want to endanger the existing peace in the state.”

Factional complains

leader

Leader of a faction of the association, Mr. Rafiu Elewide, said they had been marginalized in the decisions taken by the association.

part of replacement for social security, that was absent in the country.

Also, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Regional Integration, Rev. Tunji Adebiyi, said the state was committed to the safety of life and property on the roads, stressing that same was why his administration accorded priority attention to the construction of good roads in the state.

The governor emphasized that this was why all roads under construction in the state were monitored to ensure standard and that they don’t become abandoned projects.

Oyebode spoke at the 10th anniversary/ annual lecture of Crusade for Justice, a nongovernment organisation.

He said: “I was asked to report this Friday (May 11) at the office of the Chief Judge in respect of the letter seeking the consolidation of the matters.”

At that point, the court asked, "what should the court in view of the credible evidence from the Attorney-General do?

Do we not wait for the AG’s decision before this court would commence trial?"

Ezeobi’s counsel, argued that the second defendant had been in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, since January 10, 2012 after he (Ezeobi) was invited by the commission via phone call, noting that the second defendant was always present in court.

His counsel urged the court to allow him forward a bail application for Ezeobi, since the court would have to wait for the Chief Judge’s decision on the consolidation sought by Bhadmus.

The court noted that it was unwise to allow the applicaton since Chief Judge's decision on the consolidation had not been received by the court.

The court said “it is not unlikely to consider the issue of bail at this particular point in time looking at the consolidation, but it will be wiser to wait for the Chief Judge to decide one way or the other?"

The court, however, adjourned at that point.

AGOS—A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, will on May 30 rule on the contempt proceeding initiated against Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Managing Director, Mr. George Uriesi.

The court adjourned for ruling after hearing argument from counsel to Maevis Limited, FAAN’s concessionaires and FAAN. Maevis had initiated the contempt proceeding against Uriesi over alleged breach of contract for the provision of the Airport Operations Management System platform in four international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt.

Maevis' counsel, yesterday, urged the court to commit Uriesi to prison, contending the alleged disobedience to of the court order by FAAN’s MD was an affront to the court.

But FAAN, through its counsel, described the contempt proceeding as incompetent for not complying with the rules of court, which required that the order of court accompanying Form 48 be signed and not attached.

He urged the court to dismiss the application, contending that the said alleged disobedience to court order must be proven beyond doubt.

FAAN argued that there was a legitimate doubt in the order as the court was not exact in ordering party to maintain the res, (subject-matter).

The authority argued that it did not know whether maintaining the res meant sustaining the suit, since the plaintiff did not seek any restraining reliefs in its suit.

Urging the court to discountenance Maevis' argument, FAAN contended that what it did by terminating the contract with Maevis was exercising its constitutional right and therefore did not violate any court order.

FAAN also challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the contempt proceeding against Uriesi on the ground that the record of court proceeding did not show that there was an order stopping the defendant to terminate Maevis contract.

C M Y K

10—VANGUARD , FRIDAY, MAY 11,

2012

Customs arrest smuggler that ran into Amosun's convoy ...seizes 4 vehicles

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

PRESENTATION: Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko; Mr. Kevin Gager and Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Development and NonGovernment Organisation Matters, Mrs. Bolanle Olafunmiloye, at the presentation of gift to Mr. Gager, guest lecturer, during his courtesy visit to the Governor's Office ahead of Ondo State 2012 Summit on Sustainable Development in Akure.

BEOKUTA—MEN of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, in Ogun State, yesterday, said it had arrested one suspect and recovered four of the smuggled vehicles that broke into the convoy of Governor Ibikunle Amosun during his tour to Ipokia Local Government Area last week.

The Area Controller, Ogun State Command of the Customs, Mr. Bamidele Akande, at a briefing at the Customs Sentry in Idiroko, said his

6 days after, kidnappers free Ogun doctor

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

B E O K U TA — DOCTOR Taibat Otulana of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, OOUTH, Sagamu, Ogun State, who was abducted six days ago by unknown persons, was released on Wednesday night, in Ijebu-Ode. Ogun State Chairman of Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Adewunmi Alayaki, said this yesterday in Abeokuta.

Otulana, who is a C o n s u l t a n t Ophthalmologist and senior lecturer at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, was kidnapped last Friday between Imota and Ijebu-Ode while returning from Ikorodu in Lagos State.

The abductors were reported to have demanded N50 million before she could be released, but later changed their mind and released the doctor after the protest by doctors who shut down the state capital on Wednesday morning.

Speaking with newsmen Alayaki, said:” I want to tell you formally that after the rally we had yesterday, around 8:30pm the woman was released and we have spoken with her and we have confirmed that she has been released.

“We thank God that she was released safe without any physical injury. And, we pray that such will not

recur in our state any longer, at the same time, we just want to implore our security agencies that they should beef up security around Ogun State citizens.''

When asked if ransom was paid before she was released, Alayaki said:” I may not be able to talk about that, because, even if I ask them they will not tell me that. I am not sure if any ransom was paid or not. I cannot talk about that”.

However, the state Chairman of Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria, MDCAN, Dr. Olusoji Jagun, explained that the woman was dropped on the road in Ijebu–Ode about 10 pm before she was found and taken to her house by family members.

Jagun aded that the kidnapped-doctor has been taken to an undisclosed hospital where she was receiving treatment.

He said: “We are excited about her release. She was released between 10 and 11 pm yesterday. She is presently under going medical examination because of the trauma she had past through.

Kidnapping has been institutionalized in Ogun State, especially in Sagamu”.

While condemning the development, the

Ondo ACN aspirants in battle of wits over guber ticket

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE—ATTEMPT by two Action

NBC to ban importation of non-digital TV, radio

BY OLA AJAYI

I

BADAN—THE N a t i o n a l B r o a d c a s t i n g Commission, NBC, has concluded plans to ban importation of used nondigital television and radio sets from the United States and Europe to meet up with the 2015 deadline set by the International Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n Union, ITU, for full digitisation of the broadcasting industry from analogue to digital UHF and VHF by 2020.

The Director-General of NBC, Mr. Yomi Bolarinwa,

MDCAN Chairman wondered why the security agencies could not rescue her within five days that she was abducted.

He said: “Kidnapping is already a burden to us.

Government should double its efforts before it is out of hand. ''It is a shame that since five days when the woman was in captivity, nobody could do anything. Even federal security agency came to us and could not do anything, because there was nothing to work with.”

men arrested one of the drivers of the smuggled vehicles, identified as Mr. Omolegbe Toyosi.

He said the suspect was on admission at the Nigeria Customs Staff Clinic in Idiroko where he is being treated for the gunshot injuries he sustained in his right leg during the incident.

Vanguard learnt that, Toyosi was shot after he allegedly knocked down a Customs officer, Adeyemi Fatai, with one of the smuggled vehicles that broke into the governor’s convoy when he was stopped.

It will be recalled that smugglers drove dangerously in about 30 fairly-used cars of various brands popularly called ‘Tokunbo’ and forcefully broke into the governor’s convoy, which caused a stir and almost leading to a serious accident in an attempt to escape arrest by customs patrol officers pursuing them at Ajegunle, near the IdiIroko border town last Friday.

Gov. Amosun had gone to Ipokia as part of his tour of the local government areas in the state and was returning to Abeokuta, the state capital in the evening when the incident occurred.

Akande said efforts were on to recover the remaining smuggled

said this , yesterday, at a lecture organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists,NUJ, Oyo State Chapter.

To actualise this,NBC added that it would soon put all machinery in motion to get the backing of the National Assembly.

Warning Nigerians against buying electronic sets that are non-digital, he said after the digitalisation of the country’s broadcasting stations, many of the TV and radio sets would not be able to receive signals from the stations.

Congress of Nigeria, ACN, governorship aspirants in Ondo State to outwit one another ahead of the party’s primaries is tearing the party apart in the state.

This is coming as the over 25 aspirants await the decision of the leaders of the party on the primaries where the candidate that would fly the flag of the party in the October 20 election in the state would be picked.

First to fire the salvo was a leader in the camp of Senator Ajayi Boroffice who said that over 5000 members of the ruling LP and PDP had defected to boost the chances of the governorship aspirant.

Mr Jimi Adekanle said that the defectors decided to join ACN because of Boroffice's ambition.

According to him, the popularity and acceptance of Boroffice was making the

number of those defecting to swell daily.

Reacting to the claim in Boroffice camp, another chieftain of the party, Chief Taye Orimoloye, a staunch supporter of another aspirant Dr. Olu Agunloye, said the purported defection was fraudulent and never happened.

Orimoloye described it as an “unwholesome development” and warned that “such fraudulent claims could cripple ACN high fortunes in the South Senatorial District.”

He said: ''The purported rally was not held anywhere in Irele. The rally which witnessed mass decamping of LP and PDP was the one organised by Agunloye’s Omoluabi Platform of ACN and Agunloye himself has visited the area to identify with us several times while Boroffice only come once and not to attend any rally.”

vehicles involved in the incident involving Amosun’s convoy.

He displayed the recovered vehicles which included a Toyota Camry, a Golf 4, a Nissan Almeira and a Nissan Pathfinder jeep before newsmen, adding that the arrested suspected smuggler, Toyosi, would soon be charged to court.

He said: “We have apprehended four of the cars that intercepted the governor’s convoy.''

Ekiti agency threatens banks over waste disposal

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

A

DO-EKITI—T H E authorities of Ekiti State Waste M a n a g e m e n t Agency,EKWMA, has vowed to seal off any defaulting bank operating in the state that has failed to pay the N5,000 monthly waste disposal fee Mean time, the agency has completed arrangement to drag 232 persons to a mobile court for allegedly defying the payment of monthly N500 waste disposal fee to the contractors handling the work in Ado-Ekiti Chairman of the agency, Mr. Morakinyo Adebayo, said this at briefing in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday.

Morakinyo, a former member of the state House of Assembly, expressed disgust over the non-challant attitude by some of the private organisations and individuals over the payment of the refuse disposal fees He, however, pledged that no defaulter would be treated as sacred cows, stressing that the agency had concluded arrangement to drag the defaulters before the mobile court to try the offenders.

The chairman noted that banks operating in Lagos pay with enthusiasm, N50,000 to L agos State Waste Management Agency monthly for the same service, which the banks in Ekiti State had refused to value.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—11

Bayelsa community solicits FG assistance over erosion menace

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

EDO STATE SECURITY APPEAL FUND LAUNCH: Dr. Pius Odubu, Edo State Deputy Governor (left) and Justice O. Uwaifo (rtd), Chairman, Appeal Fund Committee, during the launching of the N10 billion Edo State Security Appeal Fund, in Benin, yesterday. Photo: Barnabas Uzosike.

Insecurity: Blame FG, not governors—Tinubu

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM & GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

B

ENIN—EDO State Government, yesterday, launched its N10 billion Security Appeal fund with the former Governor Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, saying that the Federal Government had failed to tackle the security challenges in the country.

The national leader of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, who decried the Federal Government's poor funding of security agencies in the country, maintained that it would be misleading to describe governors as chief security officers of their states, when in actual fact, they do not have the wherewithal to protect their citizens due to the over bearing nature of the Federal Government.

Tinubu, who was the

chief launcher at the Edo State N10 billion Security Appeal fund, regretted that "the Federal Government had failed to provide state governors with the desired funds that will enable them effectively secure the lives of their citizens.

“States have had to fund from their scarce resources effective policing in their states. In this year’s budget, for example, the Federal Government allocated N921 billion for security, which amounts to a paltry 19.4 percent of the total budg-

etary outlay of N4.749 trillion. Yet, no state or country can attract investments and development without assurances of security of lives and property.

“Hence, I support wholeheartedly your (Edo) initiative to establish the Security Trust Fund to provide funds needed to enhance and ensure effective state policing. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect in view of the security situation in the state and nationwide.

Indeed, the rapidly de-

C-River Assembly indicts task force Force.

Awusa had petitioned on anti-deforestation Task the House of Assembly

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

C

ALABAR—CROSS River State House of Assembly has indicted the state Task Force on Anti-Deforestation, over

alleged fraudulent practices, involving the sale of timber.

The indictment followed a petition written by a timber merchant, Mr. Samuel Awusa, against the conduct of members of the

Chevron opens economic centre for N-Delta devt

BY EMMA ARUBI & AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE

W

ARRI—DETER MINED to improve the living standards of people of the Niger Delta region, Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta, PIND, established

by Chevron Nigeria Limited, has commissioned

teriorating security situation across the country needs to be confronted and prevented. A fund like this will equip the security forces to confront the challenge and equip the Police force with armored vehicles,” he said.

On the killing of Olaitan Oyerinde and the death of three journalists in an accident, Asiwaju said: “I have a message for those who want to distract you from the urgent task at hand and turn Edo State into a theater of war; you have failed. You need not worry because you have the people behind you and with their support, you will overcome the forces of destruction and death.”

its regional office at Ugbokodo in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.

PIND's mandate is to provide support for socio-economic development in the region through dynamic, innovative programmes and multi-stakeholder partnership focused on poverty alleviation and the promotion of peace.

Mr. Dennis Flemming, PIND Project Director, while unveiling the EDC centre, yesterday, said: “Chevron established a $50 million fund that PIND administers and coordinates to support a portfolio of socio-economic development programmes and partnership for a five year period.”

through the Committee on Judiciary, Public Service Matters, Public Petitions, Human Rights, Ethics and Privileges over alleged corrupt practices by the task force.

Meanwhile the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chief Akin Ricketts, has denied media reports credited to the General Manager of the Calabar Free Trade Zone, Mr. Sadiq Kassim, that the ban on logging of wood has encouraged corruption in the state.

Rickets said: “The unsustainable logging, harmful agricultural practices, inefficient use of fire wood for domestic energy, and many other factors, propelled the state government to take action in 2009 to halt the continued devastation of the forest."

ENAGOA—PEO PLE of the riverside town of Anibeze in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, have appealed to the Federal Government to come to their aid by providing a lasting solution to the erosion menace threatening the community.

Anibeze, a predominantly farming and fishing Isoko community, had lost farmlands, fishing grounds, ponds and lakes as well over 50 houses including a primary school compound and sports field to the

erosion menace.

Chairman of Anibeze Patriotic Front, Chief Walter Akeni, who spoke to newsmen in Yenagoa, yesterday, said the situation had gone from bad to worse and that the people were now living in fear as nobody knows whose building would be the next to be swallowed by the erosion caused by the rampaging Forcados River, a tributary of the River Niger.

Chief Akeni, noted with sadness that unless urgent steps were taken to halt the erosion menace, the community may be lost when the dredging of the Lower River Niger commences.

PDP chieftain lauds Uduaghan over Asaba Airport

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—A CHIEFTAIN of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, Mr. Jesutega Onokpasa, yesterday, commended the state governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, over the ongoing upgrading of the Asaba International Airport.

Onokpasa, in a statement, charged Uduaghan not to be distracted by side comments, adding that the airport, if built to international standard, would boost the socio-economic life of the state.

He said: “I commend Uduaghan on the ongoing upgrading of Asaba International Airport and urge him not to be distracted from undertaking the project.

"What is worth doing at all is worth doing well, and there is no point

building an international airport that wide-bodied aircraft cannot land in or take off from.

“In the past, we heard the ridiculous protests by the opposition that the airport wasn’t complete, as if any pilot could possibly land an aircraft in an uncompleted airport. Now that upon the requirements of regulatory agencies, the airport had to be upgraded to stipulated international standards, they are at work again crying fowl over issues they clearly do not understand.

“I hope that by now, Uduaghan has learnt not to take these habitual critics seriously. Rather than accord them the attention they do not deserve, the governor should simply forge ahead with the determination to bring development to the masses of Delta."

Uduaghan mourns ex-Commissioner Enueme

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

S A B A — D E LTA State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has described a former governorship aspirant in the state, late Dr. Joshua Enueme who died recently in Asaba, as an astute politician, who left his footprints on the sands of history, especially as a commissioner in the Olorogun Felix Ibru and Chief James Ibori administrations.

The governor, in a condolence message to members of Enueme's family, by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sunny Ogefere, said: “I re-

ceived the news of the death of Enueme with shock and grief.

“I am shocked and sad over the death of Dr. Enueme, who until recently, was very vibrant and politically active in the politics of our dear state. Enueme was forthright and constructive in his criticisms on government policies even as a member of government or an opposition voice.”

Uduaghan added that the deceased would be remembered as a leader of the Anioma people, who proudly identified with the people and touched the lives of many while alive.

12—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

Agbarho monarch joins ancestors

BY SAM EYOBOKA

B

VISIT: From left: Mr. Mideno Bayagbon, Editor, Vanguard Newspaper; Chief Solomon Edebiri, coalition aspirant for 2012 governorship election in Edo State and Mr. Olushola Ojo, Acting Internal Auditor, Vanguard, during Edebiri's visit to Vanguard Newspapers in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Shola Oyelese.

Anti-terrorism bill: Delta Assembly dares Uduaghan

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

S A B A — D E LT A State House of Assembly is on a collision course with the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan over his refusal to assent to the bill prescribing death penalty for kidnappers in the state, which was passed since 2009.

Uduaghan had, at different fora since the bill was passed by the House, consistently voiced his opposition to meting out death penal-

ty on those convicted for the offence of kidnapping.

The earlier bill, which the governor sat on and refused to assent to, was sponsored by Mr. Daniel Mayuku, and unanimously passed by the House.

The bill provides that, any person on “demand for payment of a ransom in order to effect the release of the person so confined or detained or deprived of his personal liberty, commits a felony and is liable upon con-

viction to be sentenced to death.”

Following the governor ’s insistence not to sign the bill into law, 28 members of the House except the Speaker, sponsored a similar bill entitled: “Delta State Anti-kidnapping and Anti-Terrorism bill, 2012.”

The Bill during the sitting of the House, passed through its second reading and was referred to the House Committee on Peace, Security, with the mandate to

Delta School of Health students on rampage

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—STU DENTS of Delta State School of Health Technology, OfuomaUghelli, yesterday, went on rampage over nonpayment of their yearly allowance of N104,000.

The students were also protesting a N10,000 levy for computer training, N6,000 levy for sports and N4,500 for school uniform and the monthly allowance of N5,000 being paid to 300 level students of the institution.

The students locked out the Provost of the School, Mr. Ben Ogheneroro and other staff, after sacking

the institution’s security guards.

Attempt by the school authorities to use armed soldiers and other security agents to stop the students from carrying out the protest, were unsuccessful.

A student of the institution, who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity, said the state government was owing two years of the N104,000 allowance, adding that all attempts to get the school authorities to take up the case had failed.

He said the school authorities had in the early days of their agitation for the payment of the mon-

ey and the N5,000 monthly allowance, threatened to expel any student seen championing for or demanding the payment of the arrears.

turn in their report in two weeks.

At plenary, members expressed worry over the menace caused by kidnapping, wondering why the issue should be treated with kid gloves.

Ironically the bill which is being resurrected came after the recent kidnap of the younger brother to the Speaker of the House. Also some members of the House had not been spared either directly or indirectly in the kidnapping saga.

Governor Uduaghan on his part had condemned kidnapping but stuck to his gun that he would not allow death penalty for the offence.

An insider in the House, told Vanguard on condition of anonymity that “in as much as we respect our governor, we have no option than to veto him, if he still declines assent when passed. Just watch and see.”

Health workers urged to call off strike

C

OMMITTEE of Registrars of the Health Professions, CRHP, has appealed to members of the Joint Health Sector Unions to call off their on-going strike and embrace the option of further constructive dialogue with the management of the Federal Ministry of Health.

A statement at the end of the Committee’s meeting in Lagos by its Publicity Secretary, Dr. Samuel Ntem, urged the striking unions to call off the strike and continue with dialogue in the interest of the public, who would suffer untold hardship as a result of the strike.

ARELY 24 days af ter the death of paramount ruler of Urhobo ethnic nationality in Nigeria, HRM Benjamin Okumagba, another traditional ruler, the Osuivie of Agbarho Kingdom, HRM Ogheneruemu Arubi Omamohwo II, has joined his ancestors. He was aged 76 years.

Chairman of Agbarho Traditional Council of Chiefs, Brigadier-General Dominic Obukadata Oneya (rtd), addressing newsmen at the palace of the traditional ruler, yesterday, formally announced the transition of the 17th Osuivie of Agbarho Kingdom in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta

State, who joined his ancestors on Friday, February 10, 2012.

Until his death, HRM Omamowho II occupied the traditional stool of Osuivie of Agbarho from June 1991, in addition to being a member of the highest traditional advisory body, the Delta State Council of Chiefs in 1992.

According to Oneya, the late Osuivie’s reign can be said to be one of the most peaceful as he had to his credit the enviable record of achievements in the history of the Osuivieship in the kingdom.

He said the period of mourning had been declared and “we are now faced with the task of a befitting burial.”

Suspected kidnapper of Warri journalist arraigned

BY EMMA ARUBI & AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE

W

ARRI—THE sus pected mastermind of the kidnap of Prince Monday Whiskey, a Warri-based journalist and former Senior Special Assistant at Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, was, yesterday, arraigned before an Orhuwhorun Magistrate Court, Udu Local Government Area of Delta

State.

The accused person, James Okporua, is facing a three-count charge of unlawful kidnapping and armed robbery.

The trial Magistrate, Eruvwo Mesiri, adjoined the case till May 31, 2012 and the suspect remanded at Okere maximum prison, Delta State.

According to the charge, the accused with four others now at large on March 19, 2012 at 7pm forcefully abducted Prince Whiskey from his Orhowhorun residence at gun point.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—13

NYSC DG appeals to Imo govt

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

O

WERRI—DIRECTOR GENERAL, National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Brigadier-General Nnamdi Okore-Afia, yesterday appealed to Imo State government to assist in upgrading facilities in the establishment’s secretariat in Owerri.

The DG, who made the appeal, while commissioning the ultramodern office block built by the NYSC in Owerri, also

pleaded with Governor Rochas Okorocha to furnish the new building.

“During my first visit to the secretariat, I described the office as first century shrines. I am however happy that the new building has changed my impression”, Okore-Afia said.

Earlier in her welcome address, the State NYSC Coordinator, Mrs. Chinwe Ojukwu, described the event as “an important milestone in the annals of the NYSC scheme in Imo State”.

Akanu Ibiam Fed Poly

BY PETER OKUTU

A

BAKALIKI— RECTOR, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana, Ebonyi State, Prof Francis Otunta, yesterday disclosed that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND, had so far approved N1.2 billion for execution of special intervention projects for use by the polytechnic.

He added that the institution had equally got grants amounting to over N300 million from the Secretary to the Government of the

Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, and senator representing Ebonyi South senatorial zone of the state in the National Assembly, Sonny Ogbuoji, as part of their contribution towards the development of the institution.

Prof Otunta, who made the disclosure while briefing newsmen on some of the activities lined up for the 12th convocation of the polytechnic tomorrow, commended the Minister of Education, Mrs. Ruqayyah Ahmed Rufai, for approving funds for the execution of numerous projects.

Omooba Ademiluyi passes on

O

MOOBA Tenidade Ademiluyi, one of the wives of the Alake of Abeokuta, Sir Ladapo Ademola II, has passed on at the age of 90. She died on April 26, 2012, and would be remembered for

her dedication, hard work and meticulous attention to detail. Ma Ademiluyi was born on March 21, 1922.

She is survived by two children, a daughter, Adedapo and son, Adegboyega.

COMMISSIONING—From left: Managing Director, Enugu State Water and Rural Sanitation Agency, Mr Mike Oguama; representative of igwe of Uba-aka community, Chief Cyril Agodom; representative of Enugu State Commissioner for Water Resources, Chief Charles Eze, and Special Adviser to Enugu State Governor on Treasury, Mr Victor Atuonwu, during commissioning of water project in the community, yesterday. Photo: NAN

Attack on varsities: Education minister cries to FG for solution zAs students protest bombings of campuses

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

A

BUJA—WORRIED by recent attacks on universities, particularly the bombing of Bayero University, Kano, where over 15 died and several others injured, Minister of Education, Ruqayyatu Rufa’i, has cried to the Federal Executive Council, FEC, for solutions.

Rufai, at the ongoing Ministerial Platform organised by the Federal Ministry of Information yesterday, lamented that the new wave of attacks deployed by the insurgent group on tertiary institutions, called for greater concern by s t a k e h o l d e r s .

The minister said she tabled the issue at Wednesday’s FEC meeting where government assured that it would work with other security agencies to forestall further attacks and strengthen security in university campuses across the country.

Before the minister could finish expressing her concern over the bomb attack on universities, a group of students, under the aegis of South Western Students Association, stormed the National Press Centre, protesting bomb attacks on universities.

Wielding placards with such inscriptions as “South Western students totally against bombing of campuses and gun attack

on Nigerian students, the students urged the Federal Government to urgently nip the situation in the bud.

Falling standard of education Nonetheless, Prof Rufai lamented the falling quality

of standards in the educational system, saying lack of genuine commitment by parents, teachers and students was responsible for the d e v e l o p m e n t .

She said government was no longer desirous of producing redundant

graduates who sooner than later would storm the streets in search of non-existent jobs.

According to her, the new thinking by the ministry is to churn out graduates that would in turn become employers of l a b o u r .

Vandals destroy PHCN's N5m equipment in Enugu ...throw 35 communities into darkness

BY TONY EDIKE

E

NUGU—FOUR local government areas in Enugu State have been cut off from the national grid, following vandalisation of the second power line installation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, in Udi local government area.

The 3-KV power line built since 1954 to link the four councils with the New Heaven, Enugu power tranmission station, was vandalized by unknown persons Monday, throwing about 35 communities into darkness and disrupting water supply from Ajali water intake to Enugu urban centre.

Power equipment worth over N5 million were carted away in the incident which officials of Power Holding

Comany of Nigeria, PHCN, in Enugu suspected to be a sabotage.

The Udi, Ezeagu, Oji River and parts of UzoUwani local government areas are seriously affected by the vandalism.

Chief Executive Officer of Electricity Distribution Company, Engr. Suleiman Yahaya, who led some security chiefs and officials

of the state government to the scene to assess the extent of damage, expressed shock at the magnitude of damage done to the power line.

He wondered why people should embark on such economic sabotage without minding the consequences on the people living in the affected a r e a .

Onokpite: Family vows to bring killers to justice

Y

OUNGER brother of slain Citizens Popular Party, CPP, chieftain, Chief Ogbe Onokpite, has debunked rumours making the rounds that the family had compromised its struggle to bring Ogbe's killers to justice.

Speaking to journalists

in Lagos, Diemo Onokpite revealed that contrary to rumours, the Onokpite family was still fighting to get justice. He affirmed that it was the same people that killed his brother that were pedding rumours to discredit the family.

C M Y K

14—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

DELTA STATE POLICE PARADE CHILD STEALING SYNDICATE Bizman slams N1bn suit on police ...alleges assault, torture

BY ANAYO OKOLI

U

MUAHIA—LAGOSbased businessman, Chief Marcel Eze, has dragged the Nigerian Police to court, asking for N1 billion as general damages for alleged assault, deprivation of liberty, torture and other dehumanizing acts inflicted on him by police agents in November last year.

Eze , in the suit instituted

at the Federal High Court, Umuahia, presided over by Justice Garuba Muhammed Umar, is praying that his “assault, dehumanization and eventual arrest and detention by the police at the Nigeria Police Zone 9 Umuahia cell from November 16, 2011, when he was arrested to November 21 2011, when he was released, constituted an infringement on his fundamental rights”.

Rehabilitation of roads

BY ENYIM ENYIM

The child stealing syndicate suspects being paraded by the Delta State Police Command in Asaba.

Pix: Nath Onajoke.

The eight-months old baby, Destiny Umeh with his father after the released.

N25m fraud: Court remands 2 bank managers, 5 others in prison

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA—THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, docked two bank managers and five others before an Abuja High Court on a 3-count criminal charge bordering on conspiracy, fraud, forgery and obtaining under false pretence.

Those arraigned before Justice Patrick Afen were Mr Napoleon Obaje Adofu who was the Branch Manager of defunct Oceanic Bank in Karu, Abuja, Augustine Odinawor, Branch Manager, Fidelity Bank, Gwagwalada branch, and a staff of Equatorial Trust Bank, Mr Patrick Onyekachi.

Others include Mr Reuben Omotayo who is a staff of Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, and Mr Abdulmalik Isa Teina, staff of Abuja Geographic Information System, AGIS. They were docked alongside two corporate entities, Yombor Ventures Limited and Aicoor Tao Nigeria Limited, for allegedly defrauding one Mrs Juliet Uzor to the tune of N25.4 million.

Meanwhile, shortly after they took turns to plead not guilty to the charge, the defence counsel, Mr Oluwafemi Adetusi, prayed the court to grant them bail

pending the hearing and determination of the case against them.

He urged the court to take into consideration the constitutional right of the accused persons, insisting that in the eyes of the law, they ought to be deemed innocent until their guilt was ascertained.

He said: “My Lord, with this application, we are relying on the provisions of Section 35 (1) and Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And also we base it on the jurisdiction of this court. We urge the court to grant our prayers by granting the accused persons bail. We also pray that the conditions will be

on the most liberal term.”.

However, counsel to the EFCC, Mr Salisu Majidadi, said he was served with a formal bail application of one of the accused person right inside the court room, even as he sought time to respond, adding that he opposed oral applications by the other accused persons.

After listening to arguments on both sides, the trial judge ruled that applications for bail must be formal and will be ruled upon on May 17.

Consequently, the judge ordered the remand of the accused persons in Kuje prison, pending the determination of their bail applications.

Meanwhile, travails of the bankers began when a N25,460,000.00 bank draft payable to Abuja Geographic Information Systems, AGIS, was handed to them and instead of paying the draft into the proper account, they conspired with their friends who are bankers to open a fake AGIS corporate account and paid the draft into it.

EFCC said its investigations revealed that after the draft was cleared, the accused persons transferred the amount electronically to two company accounts from which they withdrew and shared the funds amongst themselves.

NUJ President laments killing of journalists

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

O

WERRI—THE National President of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Alhaji Mohammed Garba, yesterday condemned the senseless killing of journalists in the country.

According to him, the NUJ has lost no fewer than 25 journalists in 2012 alone.

Garba also announced that NUJ had reconstituted the Governing Council and Academic Board of the International Institute of Journalism, IIJ.

Garba, who stated this while addressing newsmen during his campaign tour of Owerri, also said construction work had started in the permanent site of the NUJ Nationall headquarters.

“Zenith Bank has guaranteed N100 million for the accreditation of the courses in IIJ, as well as renewed the institution’s affiliation with the University of Maiduguri, Borno State,” Garba said.

He said efforts were on to float a radio station in Abuja, adding that veterans

would be engaged in the establishment when fully operational.

Garba said journalists must support the probes going on in the National Assembly by following up the issues already in public domain.

Speaking earlier, the Zonal Vice Chairman (East), Sir Ambrose Nwachukwu, described Garba as “a great leader and a man of honour that has piloted the affairs of NUJ in contemporary times to the satisfaction of all journalists”.

O

RAIFITE people in Ekwusigo local government area of Anambra State have called on the state government to come to their rescue concerning dilapidated roads and collapsed bridge that linked them with other n e i g h b o u r i n g c o m m u n i t i e s .

President General of the town, Chief Raph Nwike,

and lawmaker representing the community in the State House of Assembly, appealed to Governor Peter Obi to save the people from extinction as they found it difficult to interact with other communities.

According to them, dilapidated roads in the area need urgent attention, especially Nwo Edo road, popularly called unity road, linking Oraifite from Nkwo to Nkwo up to Afor Ukwu.

3 NGOs launch appeal fund

T

HREE NonGovernmental Organisations, Project Alert on Violence against Women, Centre for Organizational Development, COD, Nigeria, and Zahara Women Foundation, have launched an appeal fund to save the life of a housewife, Mrs Mercy Nnadi, who suffered third degree burns when her husband, Henry Nnadi burnt her with hot iron for allegedly sleeping with his 65-year- old father.

In a joint statement signed by Josephine EffahChukwuma (Executive Director, Project Alert); Nkiru Okoro (Executive Director, COD); and Rosemary Mukoro (Zahara Women), the groups said

Mercy is still in excruciating pains as a result of the intensity of burns she sustained which have done extensive damage to her body and that “she urgently needs financial assistance to help her get specialized medical treatment like skin graft surgery”.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—15

2013 budget: Reps to inspect FG's capital projects

BY EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

A

B U J A — I N preparation for the 2013 Appropriation Act, members of the House of Representatives, yesterday, moved that all Federal Government capital projects in the country should be inspected within 60 days.

Members of all standing committees in the House are expected to verify the state of abandoned and ongoing capital projects in various states of the federation.

The motion, entitled Need to verify capital projects executed by Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, of government across the nation, was brought to the floor of the House by Leo Ogor, representing Isoko Federal Constituency in Delta State.

Ogor said: “Sec 81 (1) and (2) empowered the President to prepare and lay before each house of the National Assembly an Appropriation Bill.”

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Ikorodu Federal constituency, Lagos, threw her weight behind Ogor when she said there was a lot to learn from Lagos State government that had imbibed the culture of continuity hence “you do not see abandoned projects in the state.”

EFCC to arraign Hembe, Azubogu over SEC's N44m bribery scandal

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA—AN Abuja High Court, yesterday, granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, leave to arraign Mr. Herman Hembe, the former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market and Other Institutions, over his alleged complicity in a N44 million bribe scandal.

Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar, who gave the leave yesterday, said he should appear in court on May 17 to enter his plea to a twocount criminal charge preferred against him by the anti-graft agency.

Besides, the trial judge equally ordered the erstwhile Vice Chairman of the Reps Committee on

Capital Market probe, Mr. Chris Azubogu, to appear in court alongside Hembe.

The court order was sequel to an application EFCC filed against them, pursuant to Section 185(d) of the Criminal Procedure Code, CPC. Moving the said application yesterday, counsel to the prosecuting agency, Mr. Onejekwu Obe, told the court that EFCC uncovered sufficient evidence capable of securing the conviction of the two lawmakers on allegations bothering on bribery, financial recklessness and misappropriation of public funds.

He said: “My Lord, I hereby apply for leave to prefer criminal charge against the above named accused persons who are

sitting lawmakers.

“Further attached herewith are the following documents: a copy of the charge in respect of which leave is sought, as well as the verifying affidavit.

“Other annexures are names and addresses of the witnesses billed to testify before this court; statements of the witnesses; statements of the two accused persons and other documentary evidences which EFCC intend to rely upon in prosecuting this case.”

Justice rules

Ruling on the application, Justice Umar said he was satisfied that the anti-graft agency successfully established a prima-facie criminal case against the accused persons.

Describing the EFCC motion as meritorious,

Justice Umar ordered the accused lawmakers to ensure that they appeared before him on May 17 for arraignment.

SEC's accusation

It would be recalled that the Security and Exchange Commission, SEC, Director-General, DG, Arunma Oteh, had in the heat of the ongoing probe into alleged rot in the Nigerian Capital Market, insisted that Hembe was “unfit” to superintend over the investigative panel, accusing him of bribery and corruption.

Oteh had alleged that Hembe and his panel demanded money totaling N44 million from SEC to fund the public hearing on the unhealthy state of the Nigerian Capital Market.

She alleged that SEC

gave Hembe estacode and a first class ticket to attend a capital market conference in the Dominican Republic but did not travel for the event.

‘SEC offered us N30m'

In a swift reaction, Hembe, who subsequently disqualified himself from heading the probe panel on the basis of the allegations, presented documents to the lower legislative House indicating that it was SEC, with Oteh’s approval, that offered N30 million to the committee, contrary to her allegation that the lawmakers demanded bribe.

In a counter move, the SEC DG responded with a letter detailing requests she said was sent to the commission by the House committee.

Meadowhall trains teachers

A

S part of the activities marking its 10th anniversary, Meadowhall School, through its consult, has organised a training seminar for Lagos State Education District III Mathematics and English Language teachers with the theme, Towards Effective Performance in WAEC/ NECO— a focus on Mathematics and English Language.

Director of the school, Mrs Kehinde Nwani, said: “The training, which formed part of the school’s Corporate Social Responsibility, was imperative due to the prevailing poor performance of students in WAEC/NECO.”

COUNCIL MEETING: From left— Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State, and Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State at the opening of the National Economic Council meeting at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Abayomi Adeshida.

Terrorism: FG opts for dialogue Continues from Page 5 PDP, that we will do everything possible to shun violence; we would do everything possible to tolerate dialogue and call on whoever is ready to dialogue with us in line with the principle of PDP, to bridge the gap of misunderstanding, so that there would be peace, there will be progress and there will be development.”

Indeed, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno warned that if nothing

serious was urgently done to address the high rate of insecurity , the entire North would become uninhabitable in the next five years.

“For now, we have to do it in our enlightened self interest because nobody would stay in northern Nigeria, believe me, in the next five years! Believe me, nobody!! None of us here is prepared to.

Insecurity is national embarrassment – Govs

Gathering on the banner of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, at the Rivers State Governor ’s Lodge, Asokoro, yesterday, the governors described the insecurity situation in the country as a national embarrassment and condemnable.

The governors noted that as part of moves to address the lingering security challenges, an enabling environment would be created for economic development as

well as channel more resources towards the empowerment of the citizenry, especially the youths, women and the vulnerable.

Reading the Communiqué at the end of the meeting, Governor of Rivers State and Chairman of the Forum, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, while pleading for understanding among Nigerians for government’s efforts at addressing the insecurity situation, disclosed that the governors would in

June organize a security summit to brainstorm session on the issue with a bid to nipping it in the bud.

Meanwhile, the governors who were billed to discuss the proposed removal of the immunity clause from the constitution could not do so because less than 30 governors attended the meeting.

Present at the meeting were governors of Rivers, Sokoto, Abia, Ebonyi, Imo, Kaduna, Bayelsa, Cross River; Anambra, Borno; Kogi, Kebbi and the Deputy Governor of Lagos State.

16—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012 — 17

Sweet & SOUR

Donu Kogbara

Disappointed thoughts

’M on a bus in the United States at the moment, travelling from Washington to New York; and the ticket cost me next to nothing, but talk about value for money! The bus is extremely comfortable and has internet facilities and little desks and power sockets attached to each seat, so that passengers can charge their phones, use their laptops and browse or send/receive emails.

When I travel, shopping for baubles is the least of my interests. What I really love is to explore foreign environments and chat to the people who inhabit them and learn as much as I can about different lifestyles, landscapes, cultures, etc.

However, almost every silver lining has a cloud attached to it; and my enjoyment of these trips to distant locations is considerably marred by the fact that my mind won’t let me have peace and allow me to

Why?

B

ecause Nigeria is one of the most disappointing places on the planet! Because we have abundant natural resources, many clever citizens and so much potential but have chosen to settle for crudity, corruption, mediocrity and failure.

Because although nowhere outside Heaven is perfect,

,

I

totally forget about Nigeria while I’m wallowing in the sights, pleasures and fascinations I encounter elsewhere!

Wherever I go, I am inexorably drawn into comparing whatever I am seeing or experiencing with what prevails back home. And it has to be said that viewing the overseas world through a Naija prism is never an uplifting exercise.

President Obama’s Made-in-Canada bus.

As I am driven down a solid unpotholed American highway in a cosy high-tech American bus and pass countless modern American towns, my heart is heavy and tears come to my eyes; I yearn for a day when Nigeria will be like this

nearly everywhere I’ve ever visited is better than Nigeria

,

overall. Because the very few places that are worse than

Nasty thoughts

A

C M Y K

N American professor friend of mine recently met a Nigerian professor neither of us know at an academic function on the West Coast and was very taken aback by a remark the Nigerian made.

The American had tried to strike up a conversation with the Nigerian by asking him how things were going in Nigeria. And he was expecting the Nigerian to either provide a short, polite, superficial response or an intellectual analysis.

But the Nigerian just angrily blurted out the following words: “The only solution to Nigeria’s problems would be to invite every single politician to a Town Hall Meeting in Abuja and then throw a bomb at the venue to wipe them all out!”

My American friend expected me to be as shocked as he was by what he described as “an extremely alarming reaction.” But I shrugged and told him that I

wasn’t remotely surprised because I’ve heard several Nigerians making this kind of comment about Nigerian politicians over the years.

Most Nigerians bow and scrape in front of governors, ministers, local government chairmen, etc. But it’s all eye service based on the fact that these guys control the economy and will, as a general rule, only dish out patronage to those who kiss their feet.

If anyone requires evidence that political praise-singers are being utterly insincere,

you need look no further than the shabby treatment they mete out to these VIPs when they are eventually toppled from their powerful perches.

And you know what? While I think it unhealthy for people to have nasty thoughts about their fellow human beings and while I acknowledge the fact that some Nigerian politicians are decent, most Nigerian politicians are bad and largely responsible for the venom that is directed at them behind their backs and should ask themselves why so many of their compatriots hate them so much.

Unpatriotic? Thoughts

L

ast night in Washington, a fellow Nigerian accused me of having an unpatriotic mindset because I frequently criticise Nigeria. I don’t know about you, but I don’t define a patriot as someone who sweeps rubbish under the carpet and makes positive remarks about seriously bad situations purely to be “loyal.”

To me, a REAL patriot is someone who identifies a problem that is undermining the nation’s wellbeing and image…and keeps making noise about the problem until it is solved.

A bus terminal in the US. Nigeria are so rock-bottomawful that there is no pride whatsoever to be derived from coming from a nation that is superior to such hellholes.

Anyway, dear Readers, I started this week’s column feeling quite cheerful and

e a g e r l y anticipating the journey ahead. But my mood has gradually changed.

As I am driven down a solid unpotholed American highway in a cosy h i g h - t e c h American bus and pass countless modern American towns, well-tended American fields that look like pretty patchwork quilts and neat American factories that make lots of useful things, my heart is heavy and tears come to my eyes.

I yearn for a day when Nigeria will be like this.

Reader’s reaction

L

et me sign off by apologising to the readers whose emails and text messages have not been acknowledged or published.

I am sometimes so overwhelmed by numerous responses and cannot personally attend to every respondent or publish every interesting comment you send me. But please know that your contributions are much appreciated.

In the meantime, here is a last word from Peter Udosen (fazclean_ventures@yahoo.com) who wrote to comment on my high opinion of Henry Seriake Dickson, the new Bayelsa Governor, and my prayers that he will do a great job.

New beginning for Bayelsa?

My dear, never mind, all the beauties of a new bride

disappears over time! I wish him well on your words. But if you will ever believe me, some educated and intellectually sound persons in our clime, make better thieves because they can steal you 'neat' without leaving a fingerprint. In this part of the world, the difference between a thief and a non-thief is that one has been caught, while the other is praying not to be caught.

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

18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012 WHEN in 1987, a presidential order was issued to the Inspector General of Police to fish out a notorious criminal, few days after, Lawrence Anini, the criminal who was terrorising Benin City, was arrested. President Ibrahim Babangida had asked the then IG Mohammed Gambo-Jimeta in public, “My friend, where is Anini”.

Many are awaiting the result of President Goodluck Jonathan’s order to IG Mohammed Abubakar to find killers of Oyerinde Olaitan, Principal Private Secretary to the Edo State Governor.

The order is even taller. Abubakar is to reopen investigation of other assassinations. The long – though inexhaustive list include: . Garba Bello, an official of the State Security Service, murdered in Kano in 2010 with his wife and three children. . Abdulahi Muazu, Head of the Forensic Unit of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in his Kaduna home in 2010, the sixth EFCC operative to die in two years. . Chief Funso William, a Lagos State governorship aspirant was murdered in 2007. . Gunmen, in 1983, fired many shots on the former Speaker of the House of

Find The Killers Or …

Representatives, Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, leaving him for dead. . Chief James Bola Ige was assassinated as the Attorney General of the Federation in December 2001 in Ibadan. . Chief Marshall Harry of the All Nigerian Peoples Party was murdered in 2003. . Chief Aminosoari Dikibo, a PDP chieftain, killed in 2003. . Chief Andrew Agom, former Managing Director of Nigeria Airways, a PDP chieftain, was shot dead. . Ogun State AC governorship candidate Dipo Dina killed. . Dr. Ayo Daramola, PDP gubernatorial aspirant in Ekiti State killed. . Out-spoken pilot Jerry Agbeyegbe was shot

dead on a Lagos bridge. . Mr. Barnabas Igwe, chairman of the NBA in Onitsha and his wife Abigail were killed in Onitsha. . Mr. Victor Nwankwo, a publisher, was killed. . Hajiya Abubakar Rimi was killed in Kano. . Dele Giwa, a journalist, was killed with a letter bomb in 1986. . Omololu Falobi, journalist, was killed in 2006. . 22 December 2006, Chairman of the Editorial Board of Thisday, Godwin Agbroko, was shot dead on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway. . Bayo Otu of The Guardian killed in 2009. . In 1996, Bagauda Kaltho, a reporter with The News, disappeared in the custody of security agencies who later announced he killed himself trying to bomb a Kaduna hotel. . Less prominent Nigerians have been killed, some by the police at checkpoints and others by the unknown killers who prowl the land.

Which of these murders would Abubakar resolve? What happens if he fails to find Olaitan’s killers? Nigerians expect that all crimes are considered unacceptable. It is only when a prominent fellow is murdered that the police spring into action as if their purpose is to wait for such moments.

OPINION

BY CHIBUZO ONWUCHEKWE

Continued from yesterday

S

ENATOR Ike Ekweremadu: This amiable and photogenic Enugu State-born politician is the Deputy Senate President and can occupy Aso Rock, if given the chance. He is dynamic and profoundly intellectual. He also has the resources and broad national connections that can assist to propel him to winning the presidency. However, Ekweremadu is viewed with suspicion among some South Easterners in general and some Igbos in particular. Critics portray him as a self-centered politician and some even describe him as a well-lubricated wind vane.

His friends and associates defend him religiously and contend that he has been misunderstood and unfairly characterised. Further, since he is also from Enugu State, Ekweremadu first has to contend with the wishes of his state governor, who has shown more overt commitments to the 2015 presidential project.

Political observers are still guessing who will be vanquished if and when Senator Ekweremadu gets into a political contest with his state governor who has an intimidating resume of always standing whether the dust settles or not.

Governor Peter Obi: As a two-time Governor, Obi has impeccable credentials to aspire for the Nigerian presidency. He is a dogged politician, has the C M Y K

Ndigbo and 2015: Now is the time (2) needed resources, and can fight the fight. In fact, Governor Obi can fight any fight to a logical conclusion. Also significant is the reported closeness between the Governor and the current occupant of Aso Rock. Yet, Obi’s challenges regarding any quest for the presidency remain daunting. To begin with, the jury is still out regarding the Governor’s handling of the political capital and/or mandate that was given to him by the people of Anambra State in 2003. Obi won the governorship of Anambra State flying the flag of his current party, APGA. Since assuming office, he has not apparently done much to direct or develop the party. In sum however, Governor Obi cannot be taken lightly by any standards. Should Governor Obi decide to enter the presidential sweepstakes, it will be interesting to watch him manoeuvre once more from a state that is filled with political lions, tigers, foxes and lambs. The biggest obstacle for Governor Obi is that, like Rochas Okorocha, he is not a member of the PDP.

S

ENATOR Pius Anyim: This Ebonyi State-born politician shot into political limelight in Nigeria in 2003 when he won a seat in the Senate and subsequently became the Senate President. Anyim

seems to have a rich pedigree. The former Senate President is currently the Secretary to the Federal Government. Most importantly, he is viewed by some as independent minded and trustworthy. However, like other Igbo Senate leaders before and after him, Anyim has little or nothing to show the Igbos for the years he was at the helm. Also, it is believed that any chancy moves on his part can irritate his current boss, President Jonathan, whose second term agenda and plans for 2015 remain unclear. Senator Anyim may find it difficult to bite the fingers that appear to be feeding him.

All things considered, the year 2015 remains a challenge for the Igbos in the Nigerian presidential quest. In the turbulent political landscape of Nigeria, laced with political landmines, achieving the Igbo presidency will not come on a platter of gold. Thus, it is absolutely incumbent on every prospective Igbo leader to make the desired efforts to ensure that no stone is left unturned from now till the Nigerian presidency returns to the South East after eluding the zone for over 50 years. There is no question that the Igbos can achieve this desired objective with a concerted effort, and there may be no better time than 2015.

Concluded *Mr. Onwuchekwe, former chairman of World Igbo Congress, wrote from Houston, Texas, USA.

Vanguard, FRIDAY FRIDAY,, MAY 11, 2012 — 19

, A

DOCTOR I know once opined that persons who grow into adulthood with excessively bowed legs ought to sue their parents.

Naturally I was shocked— until he explained the cause of this very common deformity and how easy it is to correct or prevent it.

I still don’t believe offspring should sue their parents. But the more I learn about rickets—the scientific name for this affliction—the more I understand why my doctorfriend feels so strongly.

Not only is rickets curable and preventable, but in most cases, the recommended treatment is nothing more than regular exposure to sunlight and a diet rich in calcium and phosphorus—the main materials in bones, which makes them hard and strong.

Yet there is hardly any day you will move about Port Harcourt, or other cities, towns and villages in Nigeria, and won’t see a child hobbling about on bent legs—often following behind an indifferent and unashamed adult. I travel the world and I

don’t see it anywhere.

The implications are indicting and depressing.

Scientifically, rickets is due mainly to vitamin D deficiency, arising either from malnutrition or not enough sunlight. But in Nigeria, it is a socially imposed disorder— a deformity which ignorant, callous and irresponsible parents inflict on their own offspring.

It is a sad reality indeed that many parents do not even bother to consult a physician, to find out why the legs of their child are severely crooked. The answer an inquiry often draws is: “That’s the way God intended for it to be”.

As an engineer, I possess only a layman’s knowledge of rickets. But insight from my medical friend, combined with what I have read, suggests that such a rationalisation is a crass perversion of religion— a lame excuse that borders on blasphemy.

Referred to colloquially as “bow legs” or “K-legs,” as was famously used by Obasanjo during Amaechi’s nomination debacle, rickets is the softening

,

of bone in children (and occasionally adults), usually due to poor mineralization. In the absence of vitamin D, the calcium and phosphorus ingested in food cannot move from the intestines to the bones.

Medicinenet.com explains that: “Vitamin D is a fatsoluble vitamin that is essential for the normal formation of bones and teeth and necessary for the appropriate absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the bowels”.

It is thus the job of vitamin D to carry calcium and other minerals to the site of bone formation. If these building materials come up short in early childhood, bone development is impaired.

This causes the long leg bones (femurs) to bend under the child’s weight—creating the characteristic deformity (“marked genu varum,” in medical jargon) we know as “bow legs”.

H

ealth scientists list four major types of rickets, plus two sub-types. An infant

The beauty of silence

BY EDDIE MBADIWE "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt”.-- ABRAHAM LINCOLN

S

OCCER, also known as football is certainly the most popular sport in the world as more than 60 percent of the world’s population tune in (both radio and television) during major World Cup competitions.

Some emerging stars of this highly lucrative game such as Nigeria’s and Everton’s Victor Anichebe sometimes boast of how many goals they will score before a match. Many a time, their target is off the mark. The games master (Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona, readily comes to mind) keep their game plan close to their chest and on the day exceed all expectations and receive the plaudits thereafter. That is the way it should be. That also is the beauty of silence.

Nigeria is the third fastest growing world economy after China and Mongolia - that is what the statistics show. Some Nigerian professionals - Prof. Pat Utomi in the lead are in total disagreement.

Everyday in Nigeria, especially in the cities of Lagos and Abuja, there is a flurry of activities with people crisscrossing from pillar to post, shoving and oftentimes bumping into one another in pursuit of the powerful Naira.

There is so much motion with little movement. Often, false shouts of Eureka! precede deep brain-stormed results. All this effort which sometimes looks like madness has generated very little improvement in the living C M Y K

standards of our people. The muchvaunted transformation in our lives is still many miles away.

Our people moan, whine and gripe and yet there is no solution in sight.

The waiting game goes on but for how long. The quantum of noise in the system is so much. Apart from its nuisance value, it has triggered off allergic reactions in the faint-hearted.

Many have been stressed to death.

A few days ago, I was at a forum where an honourable member of the House of Representatives encapsulated his vision of representation with these words: "To be relevant in the House of Representatives, one has to shout, struggle and maybe fight to be heard”.

To him, there is no place for intellectual and indepth contribution based on research. His assertion makes parliament a joke. I was so revolted by this and wasted little time in letting him know his thoughts were products of deranged epilepsy. His view does not represent Aminu Tambuwal’s Seventh Assembly.

Empty vessels make the most noise and there is no way any sane person can be productive in that cacophony of sounds called din, which this person relishes. Even God himself said: “Be still and know that I am God”. All He was commanding is that we keep calm in order to plan and appreciate beauty in silence.

Each time we hear a government minister or top officials make a public statement it usually is predicated by cuing into the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

You hear this all the time. Whether this is mere sloganeering to ensure job

is born with the congenital form, when its pregnant mother is vitamin D deficient.

Vitamin D dependent rickets, types “I” and “II,” are transmitted genetically, while the vitamin D resistant variety also has a genetic component.

Another name for nutritional rickets, NR, is osteomalacia, meaning “soft bone”. It is the form that afflicts adults and is dietary in origin. Developing largely due to insufficient intake of calcium or phosphorus or both, NR occurs when these minerals are not replenished in mature bones.

“Regardless of the type of rickets, the cause is always either due to a deficiency of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate”. These nutrients are easily obtainable from local foods: Phosphorus from fruits, nuts and green vegetables and calcium from egg, meat and fish.

Vitamin D comes in two forms. Ergocalciferol (vitamin D-2) is found in fungi and certain fish oils. But the most effective anti-rachitic (rickets medicine) is cholecalciferol (D-3). It is produced in oily saltwater fish, such as salmon, herring and tuna as well as in butter, egg, margarine, fish liver oils and milk.

The problem is, vitamin D-3 can only be obtained from these sources in very small amounts—too small to metabolize enough calcium and phosphorus to sustain rapid bone-growth in children. This is especially true of those six to 24 months old: Which makes them more vulnerable than others to rickets.

Ordinary sunlight is both abundant and a highly effective anti-rachitic. It consists of about four percent

,

Let's eradicate rickets

Rickets is a social rather than a biological affliction—a condition which indifferent parents, together with public apathy, have imposed on many of our children

I recommend retreat to a transformed President who will work in silence in the beauty of his room; he will be able to screen all his appointees and show the exit door to those not yet transformed

,

security or true conviction is another matter. Sycophancy is one hydraheaded monster we must all identify and destroy. Transformation is a passion and anyone not soaked in it can never factually project it. You breathe, live, sleep your passion.

A Hebrew proverb says that if a farmer becomes a king, he will still carry a basket on his back. At this point, it is also necessary to draw a subtle distinction between the person, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. The two ‘persons’ initiated Transformation.

T

ransformation can be either positive or negative. The person, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, I know, is passionate about transformation and has good intentions for Nigerja - whether President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan with the retinue of advisers and security operatives, some of whom shield him from reality and even from himself is a transformer, has to be determined. That metamorphosis of two persons to a transformed President has to happen for peoples’ lives to be impacted by this agenda.

ultraviolet radiation, which your skin uses to synthesize vitamin D-3. Ultraviolet-B, in particular, emitted when the sun is directly overhead, is the best source of energy for powering cellular reactions.

Health specialists advise though, that dark-skinned children need longer exposure, to reap the same benefits. The melanin in their cells absorbs much ultraviolet radiation, leaving fewer photons available to synthesize vitamin D. Says Wikipedia: “A sufficient amount of ultraviolet B… each day and adequate supplies of calcium and phosphorus in the diet can prevent rickets.

Darker-skinned babies need to be exposed longer... The replacement of vitamin D has been proven to correct rickets using these methods...”.

Rickets, therefore, can, and should, be eradicated. It is a social rather than a biological affliction—a condition which indifferent parents, together with public apathy, have imposed on many of our children.

It’s time to make amends.

Schools, religious bodies, affected government agencies and civil society groups, such as the Parent Teachers Association, PTA, need to organise a Rickets Awareness Campaign.

Bow-legged adults don’t have to sue their parents. But government certainly must take a lead and act. I have always been an advocate of school meals. The word quality in Free Quality Education has meaning to me.

The sooner it starts to have meaning to those that matter, the better for our children. In the meantime, for God’s sake, let’s eradicate rickets.

When transformation arrives, nobody can hide it. Everyone will know. The daily mien of the people will change. There will be a surfeit of smiles on faces. People will identify with and protect government properties as their own. Security challenges will diminish considerably as people will take their destiny in their hands, smoke out miscreants and secure their communities.

Even strikes and labour disputes will move to the back burner. There will be prosperity in the land.

Genuine volunteering along the lines of Rotary International will work not because of any stipends to be received but because of our collective commitment to a better society. It will naturally follow that corruption will take a dive. The real Nigerian nation where we will all be our brothers’ keepers. That is transformation.

One may ask how all this ties up with silence and beauty. Of course they do.

To plan effectively, one needs an enabling, serene and beautiful environment to meditate in-depth.

That is why all major religions of the world have a RETREAT in one form or the other. I recommend this life of retreat to a transformed President who will work in silence in the beauty of his transformed room. He will be able to screen all his appointees and show the exit door to those not yet transformed.

He may perhaps be able to understand that a country in which anything goes will ultimately become a country in which nothing goes.

As a parting shot, he will probably come to terms with the immortal words of the Iron Lady - former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher who said that: “To be a good leader, you must be a good butcher". You got to cut sharply when necessary. *Dr. Mbadiwe, is a member of the House of Reps, representing Ideato North and South federal Constituency, Imo State.

20—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012 — 21

EFCC urged to investigate N44bn paid by airlines to FAAN STORIES BY PROVIDENCE OBUH

N

IGERIA Airline operators have alleged that the purported remodeling of the nation’s Airport by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) was rather destructive, even as they called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

(EFCC) to investigate the amount being spent on the remodeling process.

They also urged the graft agency to investigate the N44 billion paid by the Nigerian Airlines operators to FAAN through Maevis Nigeria Limited which the Airport authority claimed it has not received.

Speaking on behalf of the body,

Assistant Secretary General, Airline Operators of Nigeria, Alhaji Mohammed Tukur, said “After a critical check on the airports, what we found is not what we are expected, especially in some Airport like Kano, Lagos and Abuja. If a Minister is really serious about this particular renovation, the regional

Procter & Gamble CEO, Robert McDonald (left) handing over the U.S. Secretary of State Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) he received on behalf of P&G Nigeria to Managing Director of P&G West Africa, Manoj Kumar during his visit to Nigeria.

Transport deficiencies hamper India-Nigeria trade

L

ACK of Air and Sea Transport system coupled with lack of banking connectivity are obstacles to doing business between the two countries, says Indian High commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Mahesh Sachdev.

Weakness of an enabling framework,

175.15

+0.20

2,335.00

+9.00

20.42

+0.05

112.76

+0.03

96.38

-0.63

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL SELLING CFA KRONER EURO POUNDS RIYAL SDR FRANC DOLLAR WAUA YEN RENMINBI

0.2883 26.991 200.8036 249.3332 41.2623 238.2841 167.0986 154.75 237.8338 1.9458 24.5221

0.2983 27.0782 201.4524 250.1388 41.3956 239.054 167.6385 155.25 238.6023 1.9521 24.6018

0.3083 27.1654 202.1012 250.9444 41.5289 239.8239 168.1784 155.75 239.3707 1.9584 24.6815

CBN Exchange rate as at 10/05/2012 C M Y K

financial constraints and insufficient leveraging of the Diaspora, the envoy further lamented are also major hurdles.

He made the observations at the Kaduna Trade fair in Kaduna State, organised by Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA) saying, “I want to state clearly that some of the problems to businesses between Nigeria and India includes; the lack of air, sea, banking connectivity, financial constraints and weakness of enabling framework.”

He said Nigeria was India’s second largest trading partner with a volume of trade of $16.4 billion in 2011, adding that it invested $5 billion in Nigeria in 2010, “There are around 35,000 Indians residing in Nigeria and has been participating in different economic activities, ranking second largest employers of labour.”

In the same vein, wife of the Vice President, Amina Namadi Sambo seized the opportunity to call on local and foreign investors to take the advantage of untapped opportunities in the non-oil sectors, such as agriculture, mining tourism and power, soliciting support for women and the teeming youth that are eco-

nomically disadvantaged.

Sambo said that women accounted for more than 51 per cent of the population and about 70 per cent of them were involved in trade, small scale industries and agriculture but lacked the financial backings and the skill to improve their status.

“These explain why about 65 per cent of the 100 million Nigerians living below poverty line are women,” he said.

She appealed to KADCCIMA to set aside a special day for women entrepreneurs and traders to give them a voice and window to showcase their goods and services.

In his address, Former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan added that for the country to improve its economic status, there must be improvements in transportation and resolution of the crises in the labour market and energy sector.

“Apart from crude oil, Nigeria is blessed with vast mineral and agricultural resources,’’he noted.

He said proper exploitation and utilisation of the resources would make them to compete with crude oil in contributions to the national revenue.

Managers and other people involved, especially the engineering department, at the three airports authorities should all be involved.

From all indication, they are taking us back, because when you ask any official, he tells you that they know nothing about what is happening and that is the way they see it.

“Go to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, and I give everybody an assignment, go and see the renovation that is going on there.

Murtala Muhammed International Airport has a map, that map has plan A and B, there is nobody introducing plan A or B; what they did is that they are just starting100 meter, without looking into the map. When you look at the renovation that is going on at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, the Mutala Mutala Muhammed International Airport that we know, any passenger or anybody can go there and see “In the 60’s, during Murtala Muhammed period, we did not find things happening this way. When you come everything was functional, now nothing is functioning.

“The terminal Managers, Airport Managers, International and Civil Servants, I had the opportunity to talk to them and I think the Minister need to know because we hold her responsible for what is happening that she is destroying that terminal. If it is temporary, that when renovation is finished, they will come back and do it again, then it is waste of money, there is no need to remove the old tiles and replaced them with inferior type.

“So I want to use this opportunity to tell the Federal Government the damage they are doing to our airport instead of doing the right thing, because I believe that particular work is not temporary, that is in one area.

“If you go to Kaduna airport the whole terminal building has been destroyed in the name of renovation, so if they have not completed the job on time, an Airport without a terminal, what do you call that, Airfield? By estimate you need about N30 billion in other to build a new terminal.

“If you want to renovate Murtalala Muhammed International Airport, you can easily close the Arabians, then, renovate it first, put all the necessary things. When you finish, then you open and go back to the other C.” The truth of the matter is that they can remove two to three aircraft and ask them to be checking-in through any of the terminals in our country here, especially in GO2O, MM2.

They are part of Nigeria property; part of the property of the Federal Airport Authority, they can reconcile themselves, put a deadline, six months two months, and then make sure you renovate and you transfer the passenger, you can take your passenger, the handling company can move the vehicle to the International.”

22 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

GTBank emerges most capitalised bank on NSE

BY MICHAEL EBOH

G

UARANTY Trust Bank, GTB, Plc, has emerged the most capitalized bank on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, for the month of March 2012.

According to the NSE report for the month of March 2012, GTBank, with a market capitalisation of N397.03 billion,

dominated in the banking sector, while Zenith Bank Plc and First Bank of Nigeria Plc came second and third respectively.

Zenith Bank recorded a market capitalization of N389.32 billion while First Bank recorded a market capitalization of N327.3 billion.

Despite coming tops, GTBank’s share price

dipped by 4.05 per cent from the previous month’s figures while it recorded a year-to-date decline of 5.33 per cent.

The share price of Zenith Bank Plc dipped by 6.98 per cent from the previous month’s figure, while it recorded year-todate gain of 1.81 per cent.

First Bank, on the other hand, recorded month-to-

month decline of 7.04 per cent and year-to-date gain of 12.7 per cent.

With this development, GTBank emerged the third most capitalized company on the NSE, trailing Dangote Cement Plc and Nigerian Breweries Plc. Dangote Cement recorded the highest market capitalization of N1.763 trillion while Ni-

From left: Mr Bona Okhaimo, Regional Manager (South), First City Monument Bank, FCMB; Sir Innocent Iyalla Harry, MD/CEO Rivers State Micro Finance Agency and Mr Sody Peterside, Assistant Vice President, Bayelsa/Rivers FCMB, during the presentation of a Hilux Pick-up van by FCMB to the Rivers State Micro Finance Agency [RIMA] in Port Harcout. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.

Cadbury promises better returns, to pay dividend in 2012

C

HAIRMAN of Cad bury Nigeria plc, Mr. Atedo Peterside, has assured that barring any unforeseen circumstance, shareholders of the company would be rewarded with dividend payout in the current financial year as the management has successfully navigated the company out of the negative zone.

Addressing shareholders at the 47th Annual General Meeting (AGM), in Lagos, Peterside stated that the management was able to pull out of the N3.5 billion negative reserves in 2010 to about N2.20 million positive reserves in the year under review.

Explaining the inability of the company to pay dividend in the year, he said, “In Nigeria, it is illegal for a company to C M Y K

pay dividend if it has negative reserve. We have managed to get out of the negative reserve marginally ahead of 2012. You will recall that some investors refused to buy into our Rights Issue because of the projections we made in the prospectus that dividend will not be paid until 2012. What I will promise is that going forward; shareholders will be rewarded for their faithfulness to the company through the trying period.”

He further stated that on the profit realised during the year would be ploughed back into the business to sustain the renewed momentum and higher profitability.

He explained that the situation where the company’s profit before

tax rose by 160 per cent from N1.953 billion in the corresponding year to N5.083 billion in the year under review was a sign of its keeping to the company ’s corporate global vision and credible platform created by customers for its sustained growth He stated that the group recorded a turnover of N34.111 billion in the financial year ending December 2011, a growth of 17 per cent from N29,170,534 billion recorded in the corresponding year 2010, while operating profit grew by 165 per cent to N4.608 billion.

With this, the company recorded a profit after tax of N3.7 billion as against N1.168 billion in 2010, this representing a 217 per

cent growth.

He added that the company’s gross profit went up by 21 per cent to stand at N11.159 billion as against N9.249 billion recorded in 2011.

“In 2011, the company posted growth in revenue, profit and market share despite operating in a challenging environment made more difficult by disruptions in several parts of the country. The relaunches of our core brands, notably, Bournvita and TomTom re-established our brand portfolio as firm consumer favourites nationally. These results and a sustained improvement across several indices confirm our rebirth among the elite companies of the Nigerian Food & Beverage industry,” he added.

gerian Breweries followed with a capitalization of N737.35 billion.

Other banks in the topten most capitalized category are Ecobank Tr a n s n a t i o n a l Incorporated – N138.34 billion and Access Bank Plc - N135.04 billion.

Market capitalisation is used to determine the size of a company. It is the total market value of a company’s outstanding shares.

Market capitalization is calculated by multiplying a company ’s shares outstanding by the current market price of each share.

According to the NSE report, the total market capitalization of the 259 listed securities appreciated by 3.26 per cent or N377.83 billion in March 2012 to N11.95 trillion from N11.54 trillion recorded in February 2012.

The 199 listed equities accounted for N6.55 trillion, up by 3.34 per cent from the N6.35 trillion recorded in February 2012.

The increase in the Market capitalization during the month under review, according to the NSE, resulted from the listing of

one Federal Government of Nigeria, FGN, bond, two State/local government bonds, two corporate bonds, one Preference stock, some supplementary admission and appreciation in prices.

On the other hand, the increase in equity market capitalization in March 2012 was attributed to appreciation in prices of shares.

The Financial Services sector emerged the most capitalized sector, with N2.043 trillion; Consumer Goods sector followed with a market capitalization of N1.973 trillion; Industrial Goods sector recorded N1.958 trillion; Oil and Gas sector – N188.589 billion, while the Construction/Real Estate sector recorded market capitalization of N124.982 billion.

Others are the Information and Communication Technology, ICT – N65.10 billion; Services sector – N56.436 billion, Healthcare sector – 32.14 billion, Agriculture – 26.895 billion and Natural Resources – N8.068 billion.

Sokoto governor commends Fidelity Bank on CSR

T

HE Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aliyu M. Wamakko, has commended Fidelity Bank Plc for its commitment to the less-privileged through robust Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes Governor Wamakko was speaking at the weekend at the commissioning of two classroom blocks at the Abdul Rashid Raji Special School Sokoto which were renovated by the staff of the Sokoto Area of the Fidelity Bank.

The School has a population of about 2500 pupils comprising the deaf, dumb, physicallychallenged, as well as able-bodied students. The school is said to be the only one in the country with an admixture curriculum that integrates the physicallychallenged and ablebodied students in a symbiotic learning environment.

Wamakko expressed happiness that people and organizations in the private sector had begun

to recognize that the burden of the provision of education should not be left to the government alone. He particularly praised the staff and management for being good members of the community.

In the address of the Managing Director, Mr Reginald Ihejiahi, which was read by the Executive Director, North Directorate of the Bank, Mr Balarabe Mohammed, he expressed happiness that the bank is touching the lives of people through the Fidelity Helping Hands Programme. “Our joy is not only that we have once again made a difference in the lives of the people of this community, but also that to a large extent the vision of the Helping Hands Programme is being realized in the sense that the moment our staff began to work on the two classroom blocks, two other organizations took interest and began to work on the other needs of the school”.

Vanguard Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—23

Unity Bank wins CBN, KADCCIMA awards

T

HE Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industr y, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA) has rated Unity Bank as the most functional bank among participating banks at the just concluded nd 33 Kaduna International trade fair.

Several other banks were among about 60 other organizations that participated in the ten-day business exhibition.

Unity Bank also won recognition as bankers to the Fair, the role the bank has played in the last five years at the fair regarded as one of the largest business gathering in West Africa.

At its special day of the bank at the fair, the Managing Director, Ado Y. Wanka who was represented by Executive Director, North West spoke about the ongoing promo to the banks’ current customers and prospective ones on the chance of being rewarded with cars, LCD TVs fridges and N1million scholarship for their children if you open or grow any Unity Bank Savings Account to a minimum balance for 45 days.

In another development, Unity Bank also won an Operational Efficiency Award in the 2011 Banker ’s dinner get together held on March 3, 2012, organised by CBN at the Civil Service Auditorium Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The event was well attended by CBN and Deposit Money Bank officials. The event was organised to encourage banks to improve on their accuracy and efficacy in the performance of banking operations.

Stories by BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

T

HE Bankers Committee has voted N500 million for the development of skills and competencies in the banking industry for implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

The Bankers Committee comprise of banks’ chief executives and management of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) .

Director, Banking Supervision Department, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mrs Tokunbo Martins disclosed this at a press briefing at the end of the Committee’s 307th meeting in Lagos on Tuesday. She spoke in the company of Director/ Chief Executive, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Aigboje AigImoukhuede, Director/Chief Executive of UBA Plc, Mr. Phillip Oduaza, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Standard Chartered Bank Limited, Mrs. Bola Adesola, and Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, Mr. Ugo Okoroafor.

IFRS is a set of accounting standards developed by an independent, not-for-profit organization called the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). The goal of IFRS is to provide a global framework for how public companies prepare and disclose their financial statements. Banks in Nigeria are required to adopt IFRS by end of this year. Three banks namely GTBank, Access Bank and FirstBank have adopted the new standard.

Martins said that the Committee has decided to ensure that the transition to IFRS is done correctly and have engaged a consultant for this purpose. She said, “We have some processes in place towardshaving a more

From left: Executive Director, Finance and Operations, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, Mrs. Mofoluke Dosumu; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC, Alhaji Umar Ibrahim, and Managing Director, AMCON, Mr. Mustafa Chike-Obi, during AMCON roadshow meeting, in Lagos.

Bankers Committee to develop IFRS competences with N500m transparent and accountable banking sector. To that end, we invited a consultant Ernst and Young, tocome and brief the bankers committee meeting on how they intendto midwife the transition to , because by theend of this year, all banks will be rendering their financial statement to

T

HE Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has reaffirmed its commitment to the war against corruption in the country by certifying 125 chartered accountants as forensic accountants.

“This effort of the Institute is not only timely but also a reaffirmation of its commitment to the war against corruption, fraudulent and other social vices that have impeded the nations match to development”, said Professor Francis Ojaide, President of the Institute. rd Ojaid said this during the 3 induction ceremony for graduates of the Institute’s Forensic Accounting Certification Programme in Lagos.

C M Y K

He stated, “Given the lingering crisis in the financial services sector and the government challenges at all levels, the need for forensic accounting knowledge and experts by regulators, law enforcement agencies and chartered accountants acting as external auditors, chief finance officers and heads of internal control departments of corporate entities cannot be over-emphasized.

“As a scientific process for gathering, analyzing and documenting financial information that can stand the test of time in the courts, forensic accounting is at the heart of the crusade against fraud and sharp practices.

Forensic accounting is the chief mechanism for the global war against corruption, money laundering and terrorism financing.”

arethe competencesand skillsin the industries to get this project moving forward.

The IFRS Academy itself has a large budget but what I can tell you is what we have contributed, the banks and the Central Bank, we contributed N500 million.

Union Bank drags aggrieved retirees to court over gratuity

By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

U

NION Bank of Nigeria Plc has dragged aggrieved former staff who retired from

Anti-corruption war: ICAN certifies 125 members as forensic accountants

BY PROVIDENCE OBUH

regulatory bodies, our self and SECusing IFRS. So they made presentation and the outcome of that is that we all going to work together to make sure that bank is done correctly.

And the banks and CBN have some of money to IFRS academy and the objective of that is to make sure that there

“I therefore warmly congratulate the one hundred and twenty-five candidates who are being inducted today for warmly embracing this new knowledge area being espoused by the institute.

Given the acknowledged credibility of the institute’s certification process, I dare say that these candidates will definitely impact the process of value creation of their employers and clients. I salute and confidently hold them as worthy Ambassadors of Forensic Accounting and Investigations in Nigeria. I charge you all as a new generation of forensic accounting professionals, to continue to consistently act not only in the public interest but also to discharge your duties to the best possible universal standards with great ethical disposition.

the bank between 2006 and 2008 before a National Industrial Court in Lagos, seeking an interim injunction to stop them from carrying out any activity capable of paralyzing its banking activities.

In a charge marked as Suit No. NIC/LA/140/2012, filed by its lawyer, Yomi Adeniran, the Claimant (Union Bank of Nigeria Plc) stated that former members of its staff were paid all their entitlements and other benefits, including their gratuities at the time they left the service of the Claimant.

The bank noted that at the moment, the Respondents have given notice to the Claimant that all the Claimant’s branches nationwide would be picketed if their demands were not met by the Claimant, saying “the threat by the Respondents would definitely paralyze all the commercial activities of the Claimant nationwide and lead to a colossal loss on the part of the Claimant.”

Respondents in the suit were Mr. Victor Adefisan, Mr. Samson Nnabuchi, Mr. J. N. Onuoha (sued on their behalf and as representatives of all members of the aggrieved

retired Union Bank of Nigeria Plc staff 2006-2008), Registered Trustees of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, including Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC).

Adeniran informed the Court that the third Respondent (Onuoha) is yet to be served due to double addresses used by the third Respondent. He subsequently urged the Court to grant leave to the Claimant applicant to be served by substituted means, through courier, and such service to be deemed as proper service.

The Claimant stated that on 29 March, 2012 a letter signed by the 1st to 3rd Respondents was received, demanding that an alleged outstanding gratuity should be paid to some former members of staff of the Claimant referred to as “Aggrieved Retired Union Bank of Nigeria Plc Staff 20062008”.

According to the Claimant, the Respondents stated in their letter that they would resort to “do or die picketing” in the entire Claimant’s branches nationwide thereby disrupting the banking operations of the Claimant, if their demand is not met within 21 days.

C M Y K

24—V anguard, FRID AY, MA Y 11, 2012 FRIDA MAY

West Africa inter-regional trade stands at 10% — UNIDO

BY DANIEL GUMM

T

HE United Nations Industrial D e v e l o p m e n t Organisation (UNIDO) has lamented that among over 70 per cent of trade by the European Union countries is among themselves, the inter-regional trade between the West African sub-region stands at abysmally 10 per cent.

The Country Representative of UNIDO in Nigeria, Patrick Kormawa made the remarks in Abuja at the meeting of the Regional Steering Committee of the West Africa Quality Programme (WAQP)transition phase.

The WAQP is a capacity building programme executed by UNIDO on behalf of the ECOWAS Commission and the UEMOA Commission funded by the EU to provide support to competitiveness and harmonisation of Technical Barriers to Trade and Sanitary in West Africa.

The specific objectives of the programme is to create an environment that facilitates compliance

with international trade rules and technical regulations through the establishment and strengthening of national and regional quality infrastructure that provide effective standardisation, conformity assessment and accreditation that meets international standards.

The UNIDO Country Representative in Nigeria said that interregional trade within North America stands at 30 per cent, Asia 40 to 50 per cent while Latin America stands at 30 perc ent.

He said: "This means that we need more work to ensure that we promote trade within our sub-region and quality standard metrology certification and the rest of the issue that this programe deals with are the prerequisite to promote such trade.

"Trade is a very important aspect in the economic development and we cannot trade in this sub-region if we are not able to bring our products to quality and standard that are required on the international market and even also here in the regional

CASHEW — From left: Capt. Idris Wada, Kogi State Governor; Tola Faseru, National President, National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) and Sontoye Anga, National Public Relations Officer, NCAN, presenting a gift of value-added cashew nuts to the governor, recently. market."

Speaking, the Representative of the European Union, Mr. Manuel Iglesias said that regional integration is not happening in reality in West Africa, adding that the programme will help in the integration process and improve trade within the sub-region as well the national economies.

Eximbank renews $100m insurance initiative

T

HE Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) has announced a three-year renewal of the Bank's Short-Term Africa Initiative (STAI) that provides export-credit insurance for U.S. exporters selling to 18

countries in subSaharan Africa, up to a programme limit of $100 million. The initiative is renewed through March 31, 2015.

The bank also anticipates expanding the availability of its export financing in three

sub-Saharan African countries: Cameroon, Ethiopia and Tanzania.

Ex-Im Bank's board of directors is expected to authorise cover-policy expansions for each respective country in May.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—25

A capital market in coma

BY FRANCIS ATUCHE, former Managing Director, BankPHB

Nigeria’s Response in comparison to U.S. Response As was experienced in the U.S, some banks in Nigeria did not live up to the stress test threshold of the CBN. However, unlike in Nigeria, where the regulator pronounced the outcomes of the stress test 45 days ahead its completion date, the stress testing in the U.S was an objective scoring of the banks’ health with the overall motive of alleviating the burden of banks, reinjecting funds (if need be) into the banks and as such re-igniting banking lending again in order to spur the economy. In addition to pre-maturely instigating the outcomes of the stress test, the Nigerian Central Bank Governor faulted the memory capacity of the initial examiners because the outcome of their test did not qualify the banks for take-over.

(Presentation to the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market) Introduction

T

HE 2008 global financial crisis spared no nation. It impacted every country with ferocious intensity, spiraling into lukewarm confidence and untold economic misery for people across the globe. Yet, for each country, depending on the potency of its unique counter prescription, the aftermath differed vastly. Some countries, either out of misguided intent or for lack of will to look beyond the frails of sentiments, called upon themselves the full wrath of the crisis. Other countries waged war against it, reaching for every imaginable policy tool to confront the crisis. As expected, the latter countries averted the full fury of this global calamity.

The U.S Response As the U.S. considered the survival of its capital market crucial, it tailored its counter policies to methodically extinguish, at every intersection, the threats posed to this sub-structure. With the capitulation of Lehman Brothers and its damning effects on other U.S. financial institutions as well as on the real sector, the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank rallied to the experience of its immediate history.

For a competent regulator, Lehman’s demise proved a scary glimpse of the catastrophe that lay ahead in the face of inaction or flawed prescription.

Therefore, reacting like a savvy regulator that it is, the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank, in collaboration with the White House and the Congress as well as all their respective organs and committees, swung into action, invoking unbiased, evidence based, research driven economic therapies, including the bailout option, interest rate cut and various tax relief measures.

While on one hand, this collaboration facilitated the rescue of such mammoth financial institutions and other strategic companies as Citibank and American International Group (AIG) through bailout funds, on the other hand, it downsized quarterly rates to historical lows, but not to the neglect of such other sectors as automotive industry, which also received bailout funds. In consonance, these efforts and collective measures spared the U.S. economy of predicted disaster, as inflation hike was tamed and job gains accelerated by 3%.

C M Y K

T

Francis Atuche Specifically, to restore liquidity to the financial markets and resuscitate confidence, team USA, including President Obama and the U.S Federal Reserve and other governmental agencies took the following actions: Launched the Toxic Asset Purchase Programme (TARP), which was estimated at US$700 billion for lending to banks in exchange for dividend paying preferred stock; Approved an economic stimulus package worth US $168 billion in the form of tax rebate checks.

Following the outcome of stress test conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank, 10 of America’s

the plans; Authorized ailing banks that required funds to raise new common equity either from existing shareholders or new investors, convert preferred shares held by private investors or the government into common equity or sell additional assets; Approved, upon application, bail-out funds to banks that required further funds after exhausting other capital raising avenues listed above. It is mindful to note that much more important than these collective tactics, was a rather calm, confidence building atmosphere ushered in by Federal Reserve Bank. With terse, re-

First and foremost, the nationalized banks must be returned to their original owners, who are the prime losers in this whole collapse and whose stakes are closely tied to the fortune of the banks 19 largest banks did not measure up and as such required US$75 billion within a period not exceeding 6 months. The US Federal Reserve, unlike the CBN took the following reflationary economic steps as follows: Mandated the struggling banks to orchestrate a rescue plan within 1 month and also within 6 months, execute

served and well intended pronouncements, Federal Reserve Bank deferred any decision to remove CEOs/MDs of wanting banks, to the affected banks’ shareholders whose fate are closely tied to the banks’ fortune, drawing on the simple analogy that those who stand to lose the most will go the extra mile to protect their stake.

HE well thought out, coor dinated responses of the U.S. Federal Reserve, which are reflective, albeit in different dosage, of confidence building policy measures enabled such countries as Canada, Brazil, Chile, South Africa, and the Euro-zone to weather the storm.

Unfortunately, Nigeria did not make this list. So, one wonders what the stress test so executed in Nigeria has achieved. Had the test been aimed at boosting confidence as was intended elsewhere in the globe, how come the outcome of our own therapy has been different?

Rather than resuscitate confidence, our regulator’s strategy viciously attacked capitalism and destroyed value and confidence beyond redemption.

From an initial value of N13 trillion in 2008, the Nigerian capital market fell to N6.3 trillion in the aftermath of the crisis, after which it rallied to N9.0 trillion on June 26, 2009. Since then, despite additional listings of N 2.3 trillion by Dangote Group, amongst other sizeable listings, the market is stagnated at N 6.5 trillion. As such, it appears that the market may have lost at least N 5 trillion.

The reasons are not far-fetched.

Our regulator’s actions were to the contrary, and so were the broad outcomes. Rather than wage war against the looming crisis, it may have ignorantly paired with the storm, to tumble the economy. Without doubts, as the stress tests revealed, some of the Nigerian banks had liquidity challenges amongst other problems, which resulted from a culmination of factors, including but not limited to the sudden global collapse in prices, including crude oil price, the mass exit of foreign investors who due to the global crisis, pulled out of Nigeria

in order to cover their short-falls in their home countries and the simultaneous crystallization of cross country liabilities across the globe.

But given the disproportionately large size of the Nigerian banking industry, which stood at 60% of the market then, and the vast ramification of its demise on the broader Nigerian economy, the banking industry, ought to have been treated with utmost care.

But the Nigerian CBN insisted on taking a rather expensive route.

F

OR 50 years, no CBN Gov ernor had issued far-reaching penalties on banks on the basis of a purported draft stress test report that was never discussed with the audited banks.

Can this honorable house verify the reason(s) the CBN side stepped such crucial due process? The CBN not only abandoned its most urgent mandate to restore confidence in such trying times, it also sent shivers to the Nigerian capital market, striking at the heart of market confidence as shareholders grappled with the possibility of a sudden loss of their stake. For those resilient shareholders and daring investors who nevertheless held their stakes, their confidence was destabilized, and possibly eroded following frequent misguided pronouncements of the CBN Governor, who largely portrayed our financial system as hopeless. Such reckless utterances hit a crescendo when CBN Governor referred to our stock exchange market as a casino and opined that those who placed money there, and initially saw their stock price rise, have lost their money. And as a testament to eroded confidence, despite the over N4 trillion so far disbursed to both recapitalize the rescued banks and also purchase bad loans of other banks, we are all witness to the painful aftermath: a battered economy and banking sector beleaguered in uncertainty, as the country bleeds away all the gains of good policies of the past.

Proposed Solutions As a citizen of Nigeria, I owe it to my country to suggest measures that will ease us out of the current lock-jam in our capital market.

First and foremost, the nationalized banks must be returned to their original owners, who are the prime losers in this whole collapse and whose stakes are closely tied to the fortune of the banks. Such selective victimization on one hand and breach in due process on the other, casts doubt on our ability to regain the confidence of investors. Until the anxiety of investors that another wave of take-over will occur again is extinguished, these investors will not take further risks.

26— V anguard, FRID AY, MA Y 11, 2012 FRIDA MAY

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012 —27

The big and the mighty on Big Brother StarGame

Ola

Chris

BENJAMIN NJOKU

B

IG Brother StarGame kicked off on Sunday night with a big bang!“From celebrities to uber hot Downville housemates and a performance by American Star J Cole, it was definitely a star-bright beginning for the new season of Big Brother Africa.

Seven celebrity housemates entered Upville and are considered the VIPs of the set-up. They're living the life that the Downville housemates need to aspire to.

This year, the contestants are divided into two groups, namely the VIPs and the wannabes. The VIPs have been put into the snazzy Upville house while the wannabes are in the not- so- snazzy Downville House.

This year’s Housemates are from Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

While they sink themselves into the walls of their new homes, here's a Who's Who to tuck into:

Continues on page 31

UPVILLE BARBZ Age: 34 Country:South Africa Babalwa entered Big Brother StarGame because she loves competing in challenges, both physical and intellectual. The model, events manager and hair salon boss from King William’s Town in the Eastern Cape says the fact that she will be pushed to the limit in the house excites her and that she loves winning – “losing ain’t for me!” she says.

Barbz is single and says that she won’t sell her morals

short for money – viewers shouldn’t expect any hanky panky from her in the house, but she’s game for anything else! She loves samp & beans with oxtail and her favourite books are “Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich” and “The Secret”.

She enjoys most reality TV – she’s a huge Big Brother fan – and also likes watching news channels like CNN and Al Jazeerah.

DKB Age: 26 Country: Ghana Comedian, TV presenter, event organizer and talent

manager DKB hails from Accra. He entered Big Brother StarGame because it’s a platform for people from different cultures and socialization to meet and bring the best out of themselves. He describes himself as sociable, kind, trustworthy, entertaining and adaptable and promises viewers “ non-stop entertainment”.

DKB’s role model is Tyler Perry because of the way he’s used his talent to empower black people. He says his Uncle has had the biggest influence on him “because he

has taught me how to be a responsible man”.

GOLDIE Age: 28 Country:Nigeria Goldie is a musician and singer from Lagos, Nigeria who is hoping to use her innate generosity, humility, culinary abilities, style and kind heart to win Big Brother StarGame. Promising that viewers can expect “never a dull moment”, she hopes to use the game as a learning experience and a personal challenge.

When she’s not performing,

Goldie loves reading books, watching Manchester United, playing console games and Scrabble – as well as sewing, knitting, drawing and designing. She likes Mills & Boon novels and supernatural romance books and likes watching E! Entertainment, Sky News and the Crime & Investigation channel. Asked about her favourite musicians, she says “myself, thank you very much!” before including Madonna, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Adele, 2Face, D’Banj and PSquare.

Continues on page 31

INSIDE

Oluchi joins Asa, Nneka on Twitter’s verification list C M Y K

I sing for women —J ROC

Samsung releases new Galaxt Tab2 series

28— Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

*Operation remove shanties and illegally parked vehicles recovered during the operation.

property.

The state Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, said the weapons w e r e recovered by the Joint Task Force comprising in progress in Apapa. INSET: Some weapons of federal security and s t a t e agencies without any arrest.

B e l l o made the remarks during the inspection tour and unveiling of t h e “Regeneration Programme of Apapa Area”.

According to him, the recovered weapons would be handed over to the relevant Evacuation exercise The evacuation exercise, authorities for further which lasted for over 13 hours, investigation and action.

He explained that the commenced at 12 midnight from Tincan to Creek road, ongoing clearing exercise Liverpool and Marine Beach was part of measures by the and environs. As a result of state government to ensure the cleaning enforcement, the security of life and property in usual traffic gridlock often the area, which used to be a experienced disappeared with den for criminals and other motorists driving unhindered undesirable elements.

Bello, who said that the to their destinations. At Marine Beach Bridge, over 10 ongoing clearing exercise trucks were impounded. Also would last for about three during the exercise, different weeks, assured residents that kinds of guns, axes, cutlasses the state government would and other dangerous weapons ensure sustenance on the under the Ijora-Marine Bridge reclamation of the area like were recovered by the Joint that of Oshodi.

He decried the state of Task Force. posed by Several foreign nationals, insecurity believed to be illegal indiscriminate parking of immigrants from neighbouring articulated vehicles and countries, such as Chad, erection of illegal structures Niger were also displaced and shanties before they were respectively unlocked and from the shanties.

However, following the demolished.

Bello, who listed the arms discovery of structural defect on the portion of the bridge, and weapon recovered to the state government has include different types of called on the Federal guns, daggers, axes and Government to direct relevant cutlasses, among others, authorities to carry-out an which, he said, were used to immediate structural integrity terrorise innocent residents, test on the Ijora-Marine expressed displeasure at the Bridge in order to prevent high level of environmental imminent collapse as well as degradation and nuisance likely loss of lives and those living under the bridge

Hurricane Fashola visits Apapa

...Demolishes illegal structures, displaces illegal immigrants, criminals under bridges

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

T

he Joint Task Force, comprising state security agencies and the military, led by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, last Monday swooped on Apapa and its environs, removing over 60 trucks and other articulated vehicles, parked indiscriminately around the area, following the expiration of a 72-hour ultimatum issued by the state government to remove them.

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, had sometime last week, after leading a delegation on a three-day inspection tour of the area, directed the Ministry of Transportation to issue a four-day ultimatum to owners of trucks and other vehicles parked along the expressway to vacate or have their vehicles impounded.

In a manner similar to the Oshodi operation, the exercise began around 12.00 midnight with the Commissioner leading task force officials, military officers and officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, C M Y K

LASTMA and the Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI, officers and other security agencies to dislodge the truckers.

For over five years, tanker and trailer drivers had taken over the expressway and converted same to a parking lot, leaving a single lane to motorists to ply resulting, in most cases, to severe traffic gridlock in the area.

Before now, motorists plying the route end up spending several hours between Berger Yard, Marine Bridge and Wharf for a journey that should last for about 15 minutes. Before now, everyone, apart from motorists, preferred to steer clear of the Apapa area owing to the chaotic traffic situation but today the story has changed for the better.

The state government had earlier lamented the environmental nuisances caused on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, such as repairing of vehicles on the roads, excreting in the drainage and on the roads, blocking of the drainage system with pure water sachets and selling of servicing oil right in the drainage system, amongst others.

illegally had caused in the area.

“The occupants are mostly illegal immigrants who are from Nigeria’s neighbouring countries such as Chad and Niger, among others.

He added that a good number of businesses “have closed down in this axis purely because of the situation of Apapa. With this, no investors will be interested to come to the country.

“This has become a hideout for miscreants and criminals.

During demolition of shanties and illegal structures, dangerous weapon and arms were recovered. I do not have details of the recovered arms and weapons yet”.

Bello said the state programme of action for Apapa Central Business District would bring about regeneration and transformation of the area, including landscaping and beautification projects.

Meanwhile, during the inspection of the area, the delegation which included the state Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, discovered a badly distressed portion under the bridge, believed to have been degraded by the displaced illegal occupants.

He assured that traffic gridlocks and unauthorised parking by drivers of tankers, trailers and trucks would become history, saying the state “is working with the Federal Government to ensure unhindered traffic flow in Apapa and its environs”.

The delegation also discovered huge illegal dumpsites along the rail-line of the Nigeria Railway Corporation by the Headquarters of Western Naval Command, Dockyard Street.

According to the Chairman of the Task Force, Superintendent Bayo Sulaimon: “This action was based on the ultimatum given by Governor Fashola that all vehicles parked indiscriminately, shanties constructed under the bridge should be removed. So after the expiration of the date, we moved in to restore sanity to the area.

“This effort is to make this place look the way it was 20 years ago. Apart from the environmental benefit, there will be safety of life and property within this area”.

Sulaimon added: “There was arrest at the early hours of the day when some occupiers of the shanties attacked our men during the evacuation of the vehicles and the demolition of illegal structures. We had no option than to arrest the men as they intend to halt the exercise.

“We made a lot of vehicular arrest and they have all been parked at LASTMA Yard, Oshodi.

“We met them right on the road flouting the law of the state. We know where we are going and we are getting there”.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—29

Pure Flour Mills enters market with Power Pasta STORIES BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

A

NOTHER pasta brand, Power pasta

from the stable of Pure Flour Mills Limited, a subsidiary of DUFIL Prima Foods Plc has been introduced into the market.

Power Pasta is a spaghetti product approved by the National Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and duly certified by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON). Pre-

senting the new Power Pasta Spaghetti brand to the press at a media launch organised by the company, Mr. Karan Checker, General Manger of the Pasta Division of Pure Flour Mills Limited, said that with the brands entrant into the market.

He went ahead to say that Power Pasta is set to challenge for consumers mind and market share in the competitive Pasta market.

Checker declared that Power Pasta Spaghetti is

set to change the game in the Pasta segment of the Nigerian food sector by changing the perception about Pasta being a supplement or alternative meal, and launching it into culinary menu lists as a staple and regular meal in Nigeria.

Mr. Deepak Singhal, Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer Dufil Prima Foods Plc in his speech described the launch of the Power Pasta Spaghetti by Pure Flour Mills as another remarkable milestone in

the history of the company which is regarded as a leader in the Nigerian food sector.

Singhal explained that the company has invested several millions of Naira into the production of the new product by installing a plant that is equipped with an ultramodern and fully automated production process to ensure best quality product for its esteemed consumers.

Distinguishing Power Pasta Spaghetti from other brands, Singhal

said, “With all sense of modesty, we make bold to say that Power Pasta Spaghetti is Nigeria’s finest

pasta brand made from quality American Wheat providing energy with a distinct great taste and a whole new unique experience for the consumers”.

Unity Bank activates promo in Bauchi

U

NITY Bank Plc has activated a roadshow in Bauchi state to begin a promo tagged; ‘Aim, Save and Win’ promo via a roadshow and market storms.

Earlier, Alhaji Usman Abaji,Unity Bank’s North

East Zonal Director at the enlightenment campaign in Bauchi about the promo, assured the public that the promo has been designed to be very transparent and that the whole idea behind the ‘ Aim, Save and Win’ promo is to reward the bank’s new and already existing customers for their steadfast patronage and also to encourage savings culture amongst Nigerians.

The Unity bank Aim, Save & Win promo activation train has been to Abuja, Lagos Port Harcourt and the train will be moving to Kano city at a later date yet to be announced. The first zonal draw will take place later this month simultaneously in the entire geo-political zone earmarked for the campaign.

Maltina promo: Electrician wins 3-bedroom home

A

27-year-old electrician, Mr Oluwasola Akinsanya, has emerged the third lucky winner of a fully furnished 3 bedroom home in the ongoing Maltina “Sharing Happiness Promo”. The newly built home is an all en-suite 3 bedroom apartment situated at a serene location in the heart of the Lekki axis of Lagos. He was picked at the second draw held in Lagos on May 6 2012 and contacted on phone by the hostess of the draw, Kemi Adetiba on behalf of Maltina.

Akinsanya, who hails from Ode Remo, Ikenne in Ogun State said he was busy fixing some electrical fault on an electric pole for a neighbor when he got a call informing him that he had won a brand 3 bedroom house in Lagos. “I was atop an electric pole fixing electricity for a neighbor when I got a phone call from a lady who told me that I had won a house. The message was so sudden that I almost fell from the pole.”

C M Y K

30—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11 , 2012

Temitayo George set to release second album

BY SAM EYOBOKA

N

OT many Nigerians know that ebony black Temitayo George who emerged 2006 second runners-up at the West African Idols had nursed a childhood dream of becoming a world class performer in the mould of Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson.

According to the sultry singer, as early as 9, she had nursed the dream of being a performer; “at birthday parties I was fond of taking the centre stage, dancing and singing with friends. I believed that one day I was going to perform on a big stage like my idols Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson with lots of adoring fans.”

The 2006 West African Idols provided her first break into the international arena, but certainly it was just a stepping stone as she is currently perfecting plans to launch a follow-up to her 12-tracker debut titled, Love Revealed produced by Edmond Benson, Mosadoluwa Adegboye, Wale Oni and Cobhams Asoquo.

The youthful singer who took the industry by storm in 2006 by her electrifying performance at the 2006 edition of West African

Idols, is already planning to launch her real commercial work after the release of her Love Revealed which she dedicated to the Little Saints in her mother’s Little Saints Orphanage.

Te m i t a y o , who described her brand of music as Inspirational R&B, told our reporter that her debut which was released during February Joy Night was an attempt towards giving hope to the hopeless, and impact positively on the society, particularly ladies who are having undue challenges in their relationship.

“I sowed it as a seed to the Little Saints Orphanage because most of the songs were inspired by my love for them. So I saw it as another good way of raising funds for their education, maintenance and general well being,” she said, adding that she has began work on her second album.

According to her, the incoming album would also be in the form of gospel

L

EADING French brandy in Nigeria, StRémy is poised to kick off a series of hot, exciting and highly entertaining monthly parties which would be held C M Y K

The Avengers hit hitss

Nigerian cinemas

music and inspirational works, assuring her numerous fans across the nations of the world to exercise some patience, pointing out that when she eventually comes out later this year they will not be disappointed.

“I have taken my time to make sure that I come out with the right inspirational songs for my fans who, have actually waited so long for this album. So, I was determined to dish out something that will worth the waiting,” Temitayo George said.

St-Rémy to kick off monthly Gbedu slam jam at different choice clubs, hotels and lounges across the city of Lagos starting this month of May. Tagged the “StRémy Gbedu Slam Jam”, this initiative is one of many still to be unveiled by the brand as it looks to reward its loyal consumers who over the years have stayed true to the truly authentic No1 French brandy.

Rita Lori Hotels, Surulere, Lagos is definitely the place to be on Friday May18, 2012, from 10pm as the international brand invites everyone to come join the exclusive party with DJ Atte on the wheels of steel, and Phenom, Orezi, General Pype and JJC Skills all in the house on a night that promises to be a start of an unforgettable series the city of Lagos and its environs is bound to look forward to on a monthly basis.

St-Rémy has conquered markets around the globe

Movie of the week

Synopsis

Marvel's The Avengers (titled Avengers Assemble in the UK and Ireland is a 2012 American superhero film produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures1, based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. I t is the sixth installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film is written and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson. In The Avengers, Nick Fury, director of the peacekeeping

o r g a n i z a t i o n was brought on board S.H.I.E.L.D., recruits in April 2010 and Iron Man, Captain rewrote the screenplay America, the Hulk and originally written by Thor to form a team that Zak Penn. Production must stop Thor's brother began in April 2011 in Loki from enslaving the Albuquerque, New Mexico, before moving human race.

Development of The to Cleveland, Ohio, in Avengers began when August and New York Marvel Studios received City in September. The a loan from Merrill film was converted to Lynch in April 2005. 3D in post-production.

After the success of the “The Avengers” is film Iron Man in May based on the ever2008, Marvel popular Marvel comic announced that The book series.

Avengers would be released in Top 5 films for the week July 2011.

With the signing 1. American Reunion of Johansson in 2. The Vow: March 2009, the 3. Seeking Justice: film was pushed 4. Jump Street: back for a 2012 5. Man on a Ledge release. Whedon

Mo vie Sc hedule Movie Schedule The Vow: American Reunion: The Hunger Games: Dr Seuss: The Lorax: Osas:

12:20pm, 2:30pm, 4:40pm, 6:50pm, 8:55pm.

11:50am, 2:10pm, 4:25pm, 6:40pm, 9:10pm.

12:10pm, 3:00pm, 5:50pm, 8:40pm.

12:00pm, 2:00pm, 4:00pm, 6:00pm, 8:00pm.

12:50pm, 4:30pm, 8:20pm.

SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, CEDDI PLAZA, ABUJA Machine Gun Preacher: 6:30pm.

21 Jump Street: 2 :40pm, 6:40pm.

Seeking Justice: 12:20pm.

SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, PORT HARCOURT The Vow: The Hunger Games: American Reunion: Dr Seuss: The Lorax: Osas:

11:50am, 2:20pm, 4:40pm, 7:00pm, 9:10pm.

12:10pm, 3:10pm, 6:00pm, 8:50pm.

11:30am, 4:20pm, 9:00pm.

12:50pm, 3:00pm, 5:10pm.

12:30pm, 2:30pm, 4:30pm, 6:30pm, 8:40pm.

SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, UYO

from USA to Vietnam, from Canada to Finland, from Nigeria to Australia. The brand met with immediate success in France and began to be exported to the rest of Europe in 1920s’. As it became readily available throughout the world, the essence of this unique and authentic French Brandy has remained unchanged for over a century, making St-Rémy Authentic the world’s favourite French brandy.

The St-Rémy Gbedu Slam Jam monthly party is proudly supported by Naija FM 102.3 and TRACE Urban TV.

Man on a Ledge: Machine Gun Preacher: The Land: Seeking Justice: I’ll Take my Chances:

12:45pm, 2:45pm, 4:45pm, 6:50pm.

11:30am, 1:55pm, 4:20pm, 6:45pm.

2:00pm, 6:35pm.

12:30pm, 2:35pm, 4:45pm, 6:55pm.

12:00pm, 4:30pm.

GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS, LEKKI The Vow: 10:10am, 2:45pm, 6:15pm, 10:45pm.

American Reunion: 12:25pm, 5:00pm, 7:20pm, 9:40pm.

The Hunger Games: 10:00am, 12:45pm, 3:30pm, 6:15pm, 9:00pm, 11:45pm.

21 Jump Street: 10:30am, 3:05pm, 7:20pm.

Dr Seuss: The Lomax:10:10am, 12:05pm, 2:00pm, 5:25pm.

GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS, PORT HARCOURT The Vow: American Reunion: The Hunger Games: Dr Seuss: The Lorax:

12:20pm, 4:35pm, 8:50pm.

10:10am, 2:25pm, 6:40pm, 10:55pm.

2:20pm, 5:40pm, 8:20pm, 11:00pm.

10:20am, 12:15pm.

GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS, ENUGU The Vow: American Reunion: The Hunger Games: Man on a Ledge: 21 Jump Street:

10:00am, 2:05pm, 6:10pm, 8:10pm.

10:00am, 2:20pm, 4:35pm.

10:00am, 12:40pm, 5:20pm, 8:00pm.

12:00pm, 4:05pm.

12:15pm, 6:50pm, 8:55pm

GROOVE Extra Orezi drops booty bounce musical video

O

REZI needs no introduction as a rising act. He has been doing some massive collaboration where he has continued to prove his mettle.

With his vocal and lyrical presence on Emoti, a collaboration with DJ Debby, Orezi is surely gunning for the top.

This fact is sealed with the collaboration with DJ Jimmy Jatt on the heavily rotated track Komije where Orezi took the shine on the chorus. Now he is here again with a very hot video coming out of the stables of Culbeed Music directed by one of the best music video director in the country

•Orezi I g h o .

The video has appearances from many industry movers and shakers like Karen (winner Big brother

2011), Wande Coal, Bovi (the comedian), Vina (big brother housemate 2011), KSwitch, Igho, Skuki and General Pype.

The video which is already causing a lot of stir in the industry has a lot of bootylicious girls dancing to the rythm, which has raised the u n a v o i d a b l e question of whether it will be banned or not. But going by the words of the CEO Culbeed Music Mr Kolade Ajayi (Ronkay), the censored version of the video is available for local TV channels, signalling that there is no issues to settle with NBC.

Xty Essien-Igbokwe Memorial Foundation hosts children, May 28

C

ORPORATE social responsibility is bound to take a new dimension on Monday, May 28, as the late Christy Essien Igbokwe Memorial Foundation rolls out the drums to celebrate this year ’s May Day with the lessprivileged and physically challenged persons.

Tagged The Festival of Love, the event which is the maiden edition for the foundation, will feature various Cultural displays, Singing competitions, Fashion parade, Arts and crafts exhibition and holds at the indoor hall of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, in Lekki Lagos State from 10am.

In addition to the various side attractions lined up to enliven the children, the event organizers have also included a talk show with the theme. Ability in Disability at the event And chosen as guest speaker at the talk show, is Bishop Peace Okonkwo, wife of the General overseer of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM) and Dr. (Mrs) Stella Okoli of Emzor Pharmaceutical.

Addressing journalists at a media briefing held Tuesday at the Foundation’s office in Ogba, Lagos, Pastor Romeo Obika, the Coordinating Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Foundation said the C M Y K

•Christy Essien “The late Christy Essien Igbokwe Memorial Foundation was set up

to relive the ideals and philanthropic activities of the late Lady of Songs which is, to add value and empower some of the less privileged persons in our society.

This will be achieved through the set up of skill acquisition centers in various states of the federation”.

According to him, the May 28 festival which is one of the several philanthropic activities planed by the Foundation is being organized to show love to the less privileged and physically challenged persons in our society”.

Oluchi joins Asa, Nneka on Twitter’s verification list

BY OPEOLUWANI AKINTAYO

J

oining the likes of Asa, Nneka and footballer, Odemwinge who recently had their Twitter accounts verified, internationally acclaimed model, Oluchi, has also got her account on point.

Showtime gathered this when we caught up with the model on Twitter, where she tweeted about the good news of Twitter authenticating her Twitter account.

The model tweeted, showing her joy and happiness, which means that the operators of the social network, Twitter recognizes her

•Oluchi

personality and contributions to the globe.

My Twitter Account @OLUCHI is V E R I F I E D ! ! ! *Wooohooo*’, she tweeted.

It would be recalled that just recently, Showtime reported that social network, Twitter, had verified

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11 , 2012—31

32—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—33

Failure to address economic problems feeds terrorism— Azazi

BY LUKA BINNIYAT

K

A D U N A — NATIONAL Security Adviser, Gen. Andrew Azazi (rtd), said in Kaduna, yesterday, that citizens are vulnerable recruitment targets for extremist groups due to hardship and the lack of economic opportunity which are the root causes of unrest, dissatisfaction and disaffection.

The security chief, represented by Prof. Soji Adelaja, spoke at the Northern Impact Summit organised by the Arewa Transformation and EmpowermentInitiativewith the theme, Northern Nigeria, the Prosperity Agenda and National Security.

He said: “From a practical perspective, evidence is mounting that some of the root causes of unrest and the feeling of dissatisfaction and disaffection amongst citizens are economic hardship and the lack of economic opportunity.

“This is the case, not only in the north, but all over Nigeria. The failure to address these root causes of unrest tend to create fertile ground for the recruitment, indoctrination, brainwashing and training of terrorists and other insurgents.

“As we have learnt from the recent events in the Middle East and North Africa region, long term failure to address long standing economic problems help erode national cohesion and the ability to advance as a nation.

“Some may think that the prosperity of northern Nigeria is not a national security issue. However, those that are more informed realise that the long term stability and security of Nigeria is intrinsically linked to the socio-economic performance of every single region.

“One glue that holds our

great nation together is the expectation that in the aggregate, we are better off together than in isolation from each other and that the achievement of prosperity is easier when we pursue it collectively.

“Within this framework, we cannot as a nation afford to leave any region behind.

If we solve some of the key hindrances to our economic development, Nigeria will be one of the leading economies in the world in the next 10 years.

“We owe it to ourselves and future generations to finally occupy our rightful place within the comity of nations. Nigeria can ill afford to leave any of its states or region behind in this march towards a long overdue achievement of prosperity.

“I can certainly assure you that the lopsided economic growth is not in the best interest of our national security. I applaud the Arewa Transformation and Empowerment Initiative (ATEI) for recognizing that unique attention needs to be paid to the north; that a credible agenda is critical to the north’s success and that leadership is needed in advancing such an agenda.

“But the process we define to advance our economic ambitions must be based on best practices and what is well proven in economic development.

“No meaningful transformation can happen without clear recognition that there is a problem; without clear understanding of the nature of the problem, without a clear vision of the future, without motivated leaders and followers to implement the plan and without the ability to sell the vision and plan to all partners and stakeholders in the

implementation process.”

It's alien— Sambo

Vice President Namadi Sambo, who was represented by the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Ramalan Yero, in his speech, said: “The recent security challenges in the country, particularly in the northern part is alien to our country and erode culture.

Please let us embrace dialogue, not violence to solve our differences.

“This administration’s concept is to transform the country positively to ensure the security of lives and property of all Nigerians and the transformation of its economic position that will make us one of the 20 most developed countries in the world by the year 2020.”

On his part, Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State said it was regrettable that the north, which boasts of more than 60 per cent of Nigeria’s landmass with abundant natural resources in the agricultural and solid mineral sectors, has been unable to turn such advantages into economic growth and development for various reasons.

North leads in poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, insecurity — Yakowa

Yakowa, who was represented by his Commissioner for Economic Planning, Timothy Gandu, said: “The incongruity in this whole situation is that the north seems to be rather leading in poverty, unemployment, illiteracy and only recently insecurity.

“The stability, growth, unity and economic boost that we all crave for in the north are precariously dangling before our eyes. I urge you all to firmly ensure that the drift in certain sectors of this region is halted.”

Delta Poly commissions ICT centre, lab

D

ELTA State Polytechnic got a boast recently with the commissioning of an ultra-modern engineering laboratory built by the state government coupled with an Information and Communication Technology, ICT, complex built by Petroleum Trust Development Fund, PTDF, at the institution’s permanent site.

Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. H. Eghagha, Commissioner for Higher Education, who

performed the ceremony on behalf of Delta State Government, said: “The Dr. Uduaghan-led government embarked on the construction of the projects to enable the institution produce worldclass graduates who can compete favourably in today’s technology driven society.”

He commended PTDF for the ICT centre, saying “it will, among other things, link the institution to the electronic library as well as

enable students to have access to information from all parts of the world.”

He ordered the contractor handling the construction of the main Auditorium to ensure the completion of the project or face sanction.

Earlier in her welcome address, the Rector, Dr. (Mrs.) Nneka Mogekwu, thanked PTDF and the State Government for the ICT complex and engineering laboratory. She promised to put them to maximum use.

34— Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

exhibitionists. They don’t necessarily have talent. A true doctor has not embraced a vocation. It’s an avocation, a dedication that is made at the innermost part of his mind when he was growing up.

Something must have triggered it.

What is this reality show going to be about?

Would you say acting is an art, science or commerce?

It is my thesis that if you train actors in the act of stage, all the disciplines involved in that will feed television, because they will be skillful.

It’s show business. It’s got to be all. Of course, it’s a science. Just because you are talented doesn’t mean you have the skill. The skill is the science. You have to learn all the sciences. You have to be an informed actor.

You have to learn about life so you must know some sociology. You have to know current affairs, you have to be an observer, what makes a doctor tick. What does a doctor do to be a doctor? Not just wear a coat and say I’m playing a doctor. What takes over somebody’s mental state for them to be insane. This is on the realm of science. You have to have this knowledge so you can wear their shoes, illuminate their concerns and lives. What a true actor is doing is putting a mirror to life.

You have to know how your body works, know the link between your body and your mind. You have to know how to recall memory. These are bearing on metaphysics so it is science.

You have to package these to sell to people. You don’t necessarily have to have a business sense but you have to commercialize because if you do not you cannot draw people’s attention to it. You have got to make money in order to improve the service you are giving to perpetuate it. Metropolitan opera house.

People will travel to New York from all over the world just to go and see the opera so they are planning five, ten years ahead for the bill they are going to run. They draw a budget. Commerce is a very strong engine that runs this business. Without that income they are expecting from local consumers . Above all in our case we have to let them see what our culture is all about, our own perception of life, our own brand of thinking; and

Are great doctors made or born? People have innate talents. I always liken actors/ performers to a rough diamond. It’s just like glass, then you give it to a polisher, they polish it, they work on it.

Men kill one another for it.

Women hate themselves for it.

That’s what a true actor is: innately gifted like the diamond, crafted by nature but until it is cleaned and polished it remains like a piece of broken glass.

You made the analogy of the doctor, but I would say they are rather different, because a doctor was not born with a talent to be a doctor. Maybe someone who is compassionate might then wish to be a doctor...

So, why do you think that is different? If you get a child who is listening to music, she is partial to art, has a special flair, sensitivity to literature, articulate, wanting to engage, wanting to communicate with someone, very young, very voluble and always wanting to entertain- there is something that child wants to say, not so much, “look at me!”. You find some fine doctors, not only the technical training to be a doctor. You have to have fellow feeling. You have to wake up in the morning and say, I want to heal somebody. That’s a talent. They know there’s a difference between a vocation and avocation. Anybody can be an actor. You don’t really have to be talented. There are a lot of people who are C M Y K

,

Are great actors made or born?

Just because you are talented doesn’t mean you have the skill. The skill is the science. You have to learn all the sciences. You have to be an informed actor

,

earn money. We are educating the world, developing our skills and the ripple effects on the economy is immeasurable.

When you have people coming here spending euros, pesos, dollars and the ancillary services that go with that: lighting designer, stage designer, director, stage manager, producers, cleaners, front of house staff, printing.

Commerce is absolutely vital, and support of the arts. The summer is coming, the UK will be brimming with tourists and a lot of them are visiting the theater. They are promoting their culture, bringing money, hotels are doing well. That is what I will like to happen to Nigeria. This acting that we take so lightly, these are some of the things we haven’t really seen clearly because we think it’s, in the main, just an indulgence on some people’s part who don’t have anything practical to do. The business is supposed to be airy fairy and not really structured. I am hoping that in my time we will get more and more interested.

We just had Ujaama from South Africa. How many of our own shows can we take around?

The other time the Fela show had to come from New York...

I would like to change that direction.

What are the differences between acting on stage and film?

A world of difference. Acting is more organic than anything else in the sense of its being organic. You are on stage, you are dealing directly with the audience . In film you learn a bit of lines, they shoot it and if you don’’t get it right they say, take one, take two! Night after night you have to stand up there, you cant afford to forget your lines. You have to get your characterization right.

There are no excuses. Once you are on stage, either you are prepared or not. You can’t say you are sorry, no! It has particular discipline, ability to communicate directly with the audience whatever you are feeling. You have to use your voice in a way you don’t necessarily have to do in film

Taiwo-Ajayi Lycett

Merit Alway —Taiwo Ajayi-Ly

,

T

hough she reached the golden age of three score and a decade last year, legendary actress TaiwoAjayi Lycett is far from retired, let alone tired. Her signature easy elegance still intact, she shuttles between her two homes in Lagos and England, seeing to family affairs, state affairs and of course cultural affairs. Our date- under the century old trees of her Lagos gardenbegins with her decrying the new threat of terrorism on the media.

It was not until the subject of acting was brought up that her eyes were lit up with this incandescent glow. She speaks of the age old profession, as of her upcoming reality show, the realities of acting in every dimension and the reasons she endorses Nollywood.

Excerpts:

Acting is more organic than anything else in the sense of its being organic. You are on stage, you are dealing directly with the audience . In film you learn a bit of lines, they shoot it and if you don’’t get it right they say, take one, take two!

because they are using mics.

I went to a stage play and saw they were carrying mics- that’s a new one to me. You are trained to be able to project your voice very well. The training you get to perform on stage is much more rigorous and that is why I want to teach people on voice elocution, voice production, dance, acting itself. Exactly where to stand- back stage, stage center, etc. people do not have to know these in film. Film also has its own skills. It’s dealing with your face; the camera can almost get into your head and read your feelings. You have to be sure

,

what you want to communicate. It’s all very intimate with the camera because now it is your audience. Everything is subtler, quieter, more deliberate, because the camera cannot bear big gestures and loud voice so you have to scale Taiwo-A up your acting skill to television and film.

Is it possible to be good at both?

Oh yes! If you know how to act you can modulate. If you know how to act on stage you can traverse all these. Radio is another one that people don’t often talk about because you don’t see anybody.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012 — 35

as an actor working abroad as a woman as well as a black person?

It’s started, and it’s working

I had a great time. At the time we were working, ostensibly, there was supposed to be discrimination (laughs)

Is it?

On a level, yes. We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. We’ve got the talent, we’ve opened the door to the idea of a possibility. A lot of them are now trained but generally it’s gloss We h a v e Nigerians all over the world and they are buying the tapes and that’s a level of success. I would like for them to buy some of our Nollywood products because really that is what international Taiwo-Ajayi Lycett trade is all about. I don’t mind buying Hollywood outwards? products but I’d like them to Are we more than America? buy mine as well. Everyday we That is the largest country in are reading how much we owe the world yet they have them. It’s called Balance of dominated the artistic Trade. consciousness of the whole world. What is wrong with Could it be that there are just wanting to- if you likeso many of us so we do not colonize everybody’s views? feel the need to look

I recall in Mind Your Language,there was a lot of that...

Mind your Language was what it was called here. I forget what they called it in England. They had all the racism in that one. That was when they were trying to be inclusive and everything.

When we were working- and I started work in the 60s- when there were not many Africans working on the English stage or television for that matter- it didn’t stop me. I didn’t find any handicap. That was when I had my major experience in the business. I worked all over the country, at the Avant Garde theater in London, Royal Court theater, Sloane square, Mercury Theater in Colchester all of them English plays, no special black characters, but they gave me parts.

So, are you saying that skill and talent will overcome all mountains?

I think merit always wins. I think meritocracy is real.

What do you think of Nollywood?

ys Wins

MATERNAL MORTALITY:

I

cett

Ajayi Lycett

People would not rate it as acting since you cant see anybody.

I would have thought it is probably a very powerful medium. In radio acting you paint pictures for the audience and they can use their own mind to see the picture- nothing more powerful than that. To use your voice to create a situation, a town, a person, C M Y K

so much so that people think they know that person. Have you never heard of a radio play in England about farmers? They believe the farmer exists for some forty years. All of them are trained actors.

What was your experience

Countdown to 2015

n September 2010, at a UN General Assembly summit to assess progress on the MGDs, Secretary General Ban KiMoon launched the Global Strategy for Women and Children’s Health, a plan to save 16 million women and children by 2015. This was followed by the establishment of a Commission on Information and Accountability for Women and Children’s Health, charged with developing an accountability framework to monitor and track commitments made to the global strategy. After the study of the commission, it identified the following core indicators to use as benchmarks: Maternal mortality ratios, under 5 mortality with the proportion of newborn deaths, Children under 5 who are stunted, demand for family planning satisfied, antenatal coverage, anti retroviral prophylaxis amongst HIV positive mothers and therapy for women who are treatment eligible, skilled attendant at birth, post natal care for mothers and babies within two days of birth, exclusive breastfeeding,

three doses of DTP3 immunization coverage and antibiotic treatment for pneumonia.

40% Thirty five countdown countries experienced a decline of forty percent or more in maternal mortality between 1990 and 2008 60% Although maternal mortality has dropped in the majority of countdown countries, sixty percent still has very high or high mortality rates 6 Six countries are now on track to achieve MGD5 ½ About five of all under-5 deaths occur in only five countdown countries: Nigeria, India, China, Democratic Republic of Congo and Pakistan 4 Number of countdown countries with data on postnatal care for newborns within two days of birth

36—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

C M Y K

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 11 , 2012—37 With PRINCE OSUAGWU princeosuagwu@gmail.com

Nokia’s new entry level smart device

N

okia seems undeterred in its desire to connect the next billion, as it just recently unveiled its most affordable mobile phone , the Nokia 103 in Nigeria. Nigeria is the first market to launch this phone, which is designed specifically for people buying their first phones.

The Vice President Nokia West Africa, Mr. James Rutherfoord, said the choice of Nigeria as the lead market for this device underscores the importance of the Nigerian market and the need to empower millions of Nigerians who are yet to acquire a mobile phone. The phones seems to have practical offerings and essential features needed to help the new entrants progress economically and socially without compromising on design and

quality.

Apart from its fresh look and durable anti-scratch cover, the Nokia 103 is designed with long lasting battery life of up to 11 hours talk time and 27 days standby time. Other features include built-in flashlight, FM radio, speaking clock and MP3 grade ringtones.

Nokia said it discovered that of the world’s 7 billion people, 3.2 billion don’t have a phone yet due largely to economic constraints.

And Rutherfoord, feels that “Nokia has deliberately and progressively lowered the entry barrier to the market while continually increasing the capability of our devices and delivering phones with contemporary fresh designs”. Nokia is

Samsung releases new Galaxy Tab 2 Series Nokia 103,

committed to helping to mobilize the next generation – the next billion and beyond – and ensure they have access

to the advantages of mobile technology. With the Nokia 103, Nokia is making mobile connectivity a reality for lower-income consumers

Nik on gives new camer Nikon cameraa highes els highestt DSLR megapix megapixels

Nikon new D3200 & Nikon Wi-Fi adapter

A

t a time when analysts had predicted that no camera manufacturer may need more than 16 megapixels in a digital single-lens reflect, DSLR camera, Nikon has jumped above the prediction announcing a 24.2_megapixel entry_level DSLR, Nikon D3200.

This is coming at the foot of also a recently launched Nikon D800 which spots 36.3 megapixels. The new D3200 camera is a HD_SLR and comes with a DX_format CMOS sensor that shoots full

HD and is being released with an optional WiFi unit supporting image upload and remote viewing/shutter release.

The new Nikon’s 24.2_megapixel gadget, has 6,016 x 4,000 pixel sensor and is an upgrade from 14.2 megapixels which the D3100 has.

Nikon said that the reason for equipping the gadget with such high megapixel was for its ability to allows for incredibly sharp and detailed images, meaning users can get high quality shots even

when having to crop heavily into an image.

In addition to the jump in megapixels, the D3200 boasts a native ISO range from ISO 100 to 6400 and is a touch faster than the D3100. It also features an 11_point AF system and the same EXPEED 3 image processing engine as the Nikon D4, which promises to produce life_like images with vivid colors and smooth tonal gradations while also cutting image noise.

Video recording modes include Full HD at 1,920 x 1,080/30p/25p/24p as well as 720p at 60 frames per second. In addition to the built_in mono microphone, Nikon has also added a 3.5mm mic input with adjustable sensitivity to vastly improve the audio quality of your recordings.

The camera has an improved 3_inch 921k_dot screen with a 160_degree viewing angle and brightness adjustment. The shutter unit is tested for 100,000 cycles and the D3200 HD_SLR has a Nikon F mount with AF contacts, meaning it is compatible with NIKKOR lenses.

A new easier_to_use guide mode is there to teach DSLR new users how to achieve different styles of image – like how to freeze motion, soften backgrounds or reduce blur – and talks them through the process of what to change before giving them the choice to take the photo in the viewfinder or with Live View. A retouch menu also allows for in_camera editing and adding functions like selective color, miniature effect or color sketch.

Also released alongside the Nikon D3200 is the new WU_1a wireless adapter. It’s a clever little device which can be used for image upload and remote viewing/shutter release via a free Android app – with an iOS version due to follow later this year.

Apparently giving Apple a run for its innovations, Samsung has announced the release of new versions of its Galaxy Tab Android tablet computer and two new portable media players. Both Galaxy Tab 2 devices run on Google’s Android 4.0 tagged the Ice Cream Sandwich operating platform.

The devices come with full access to Google Play and are powered by a 1GHz dual-core processor.

They also have built-in GPS, and both front- and rear-facing cameras.

The Galaxy Players also run on Android’s Gingerbread (2.3) flavor instead of the usual ICS. The new Galaxy Tab 2 tablets unveiled by Samsung are available in two sizes. The larger 10.1 x 6.9 x 0.38-inch, 1.28 pound which is about 581 grams.

The device features a 10.1-inch, 1280 x 800 pixel (WXGA) resolution TFT multi-touch display, which supports video playback at up to 1080p HD quality at 30 frames per second. It comes with 16GB of solid state storage, but the unit’s microSD media card slot caters for up to 32GB of expansion.

The tablet benefits from 802.11b/ g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0, as well as USB 2.0 physical connectivity and sports a 30-pin docking connector.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 & Samsung galaxy tab 2 on stand

38—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

Entrance to the Lekki conservation centre

NCF: where man lives in harmony with nature “

You start here. It will take you about one and half hour to go round. Go in straight through this trail. The tour guides seem to have gone in with some students” Evans Airhekholo, an Assistant Media Officer at the Lekki Conservation Centre , points toward the forest before turning is back at me.

To say I was scared was an understatement, but I still stepped onto the boardwalk that enables tourists view the plants and animals of the reserve situated in a mangrove terrain. Hardly I had taken two steps when I heard the chattering of monkeys.

I look under the canopy with little rays of light making it visible to see the troop of monkeys . This made me to beat a retreat for fear of being attacked.

Evans Airhekholo was surprise to see me in his office so soon. “Has there been history of monkey attacking tourists here?” I asked. “ Is that why you came back.?” He asked me before adding “No, they don’t, if you don’t have food with you. That is why we ask people not to feed them.”

With that assurance, I went back to resume my journey by steping on the 2km trail boardwalk that will enable me have a view of the plants and animals of the reserve situated in a mangrove terrain.

As I walk alone, I was regurgitating over my discus-

sion with the media assistant earlier when he told me how the conservation centre came about to be in Lekki Lekki Conservation Centre started in the mid 1980s as a discussion on preservation relics of nature in Lagos state against the backdrop of rapid economic development. In addition, Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) which established the LCC wanted to have a location in Lagos that will serve as environmental icon to showcase its activities in remote parts of Nigeria.

The 78 hectare nature reserve traverses a mosaic of vegetation types, namely: secondary forest, swamp forest and savannah grassland.

,

By JIMOH BABATUNDE

The 78 hectare nature reserve traverses a mosaic of vegetation types, namely: secondary forest, swamp forest and savannah grassland

,

A

I

soon came across a plaque with inscription of direction in the reserve to direct tourists on what to watch out for at each point at a particular time. There was also a rest shop that serves as rest points and picnic spots for small groups.

I later discovered that these rest shops are located at every 250m on the nature trail boardwalk in the reserve.

The arrow pointing to the swamp lookout was fascinating as it says you should look out for crocodile; monitor lizards; crabs and snakes.

Snakes? My fear became palpable again. What happens if a snakes jumps out from no where and nobody with me in the forest. Among these rushing thoughts, one

as John. “The forest is dominated by species of palm trees, because the forest is secondary , meaning that it has been logged in the past.

Many of the large broadleafed trees that previously existed in the forest have been cut down for timber.”

On our way further through the trail, the guide said “ we have come to a junction, you have a choice of returning to the reception, either by turning right via the tree house or move to the nature station.”

I opt to continue as I was curious to see what it looks like to move down from the trail onto bare land. It was interesting to note that that part of the forest receives little sunlight. The guide came to the rescue again with explanation that the little sun light is due to the fact that the canopy there is denser than in other parts of the reserve, “ this is more of typical of primary forest.”

Standing at the nature station and looking around the children’s play area and the hall built for party, you would never suspect that such structure exists, neither would a visitor realise that this forest could abhour such a recreation island in the middle.

Getting fatigued by the trekking, one’s spirit was lifted by the sight of the Tree House constructed in one of largest trees in the reserve.

“The tree is built to give tourists a bird view of the forest canopy.” the tour guide said.

A well protected ladder is ruggedly mounted behind the tree to enable nature enthusiasts reach to tree house to savour the panoramic view

Bird Hide at the nature trail or two monkeys jumped from one tree to the other. It was the jumps that brought me back to ‘life’.

I made up my mind to brace the odds as I moved on and discovered that the swamp area has mangrove trees that have special stilt roots which keep the tree above water and prevent it from being drowned when the forest is flooded.

Near by was the bird hide for bird watching. I took a walk into the house quietly from where I saw a cleared place where crocodile is said to sunbath, but was not lucky to

see any during my visit.

I spent sometime here to snipe at unaware birds that might be wading through the perennial pool overlooked by the hide or those foraging within the vicinity. Don’t ask if I was luck to see any.

As I walk on the trail, I discovered there were lots of palm kernel , some eaten half way and dumped on the trail, some completely eaten.

This was the first question I put to a guide I later met after about thirty minutes of walking in the forest alone.

The guide introduced himself

s I made attempt to climb the 32 feet high tree house is stylishly seated on a stout Dawadawa tree house and one of the most fascinating features in the reserve, I sighted a Mona monkey which are claimed to be sighted often around the area.

Immediately I made my way down the ladder half way , I quickened my steps towards where I heard some human movement which turned out to be that of some school children who visit the centre regularly on excursion.

“This centre has hosted over one million students from across Nigeria.” The tour guide said with happiness on his face .

Approaching the end of the trail boardwalk, I heard intruding noise from the Lekki expressway, this led me to deeper thoughts of what will become of the future of Lekki Conservation Centre to be at par with renowned ecotourism destination by the time development on the ex

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—39

NIGERIA- 1914 TO DATE:

The chequered journey so far BIRTHDAYS are observed or celebrated for various reasons. I suspect that Sam’s birthday is being marked by his friends, colleagues and associates not necessarily because of the quantum of 50 years per se but because there is ample evidence to show that all or part of these 50 years have been well spent far beyond the needs of Sam and his immediate family and friends. I guess the exertions of Sam in the last 15-20 years in the service of “God and Country” are already being recognized and appreciated. The fact that I am familiar with these efforts especially in the last 12 years is the reason why I did not hesitate tojoin his numerous well- wishers today. It also informs my choice of the topic Nigeria - 1914 To Date– A Chequered Journey So Far. This topic may sound over-ambitious for the time and space which could normally be allowed on this kind of occasion. Without being a political scientist or historian many could justifiably question my intellectual competence to handle the subject(s) involved in this broad topic. Be that as it may I feel very strongly about the progress (or lack of it) so far recoded by the Country in the last 98 years, and I would rely mainly on my personal experiences in the last 50 years and what I learn from professionals like Sam Nda Isiah who try to analyze events and is-

PROF ANGO ABDULLAHI

sues concerning the country.

For an objective assessment of our journey as a country of the British imperial powers’ dream towards true nationhood, the obvious starting point should be to take stock of our present position.

It is from the present position we should be able to learn from what went right or wrong in the early part of the journey. And then from lessons of the past and the present we should be able to chart the way for a better future.

The current state of the coun-

try: Notwithstanding persistent reservations about its legitimacy and efficiency, Nigeria has had, at various points in its history, constitutions which provided the framework of its claim to being a Sovereign State vis-vis other countries around the world. The latest in use is the 1999 Constitution. A cursory examination of the 1999 Constitution especially its Chapter II on “Fundamental Objective And Directive Principle of State Policy” would show how the Federal Republic should be organized and operated in the interest of justice, peace, unity and the well being of Nigerian citizens. Weather we are succeeding in the letter and spirit of the provisions of our Constitution is the main subject of this presentation.

52 years of independence Nigeria will observe 52 years of Independence from Britain next October. Like in previous Independence anniversaries, Nigerians will, as usual, debate issues concerning the economic, social and political development being achieved by the country over the past years. Tools for measuring economic development of countries have over the years evolved.

These tools are not themselves perfect and, in fact, may not always have easy universal application at all times. Nevertheless, most countries, especially those with political and economic systems in the image of the so-called Western Capitalist democracies have accepted the current parameters of measuring economic development of countries around the world. The early concept of measuring economic progress relied on the index of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the only tool.

More recent thoughts have argued, more correctly, that GDP alone is not a sufficient indicator.

It has, therefore, become imperative to add new variables and objectives in order to objectively test or assess progress (or lack of it) in the socio-economic development of Countries. By mid 1990s, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) succeeded in introducing a more comprehensive concept it called “Human Development” as a more realistic measure of economic progress. It is the components of Human Development concept which were adopted as “Millennium Development Goals” (MDGs), most countries including Nigeria, have adopted for monitoringprogress

•Map of Nigeria

towards achieving their socio-economic objectives. This shift in concept is justified from experiences in many countries which record stupendous growth in their GDPs while the majority of their citizens wallowed in abject poverty. This is a classicalexample of what is often termed as “economic growth without human development.”

It is against this background we should further examine in some details, the current state of the Nigerian economy after five decades of efforts to develop it. Using these Human Development indices, ie the Millennium Development Goals, various recent surveys conducted by National and International Agencies have concluded, rather sadly, that Nigeria’s socio-economic progress remain very unsatisfactory. Their major findings and conclusions are summarised as follows: •Nigeria is presently grouped among the 20 poorest countries in the world, and among the 30 least developed countries in Sub Saharan Africa.

•Of Nigeria’s estimated 160 million population (projected from 2006 census) about 100 million people live on less than US$1.0 a day. That is an estimated 70 per cent of all Nigeria’sare classified as poor.

T

his unfortunate state of af fairs is as paradoxical as it is embarrassing to Nigerians especially in view of all known indicators that Nigeria would become a great African country within a very short time after independence in 1960. The remaining part of my address will attempt to explain the various factors which alone or in inter-play, brought us to our sorry situation today, and hope that some useful ideas might be incorporated in our future development policies.

Nigeria -1914 to 1960 Like most parts of Africa, Nigeria was also colonized by an imperial foreign power. The present day Nigeria (plus or minus some territories) came into existence with formal amalgamation of conquered territories of the North and

South by the British Colonial Governor - Lord Lugard in 1914.

By this historic action the numerous diverse peoples who constitute the new country willy-nilly began the difficult and arduous journey towards building a modern nation. The justifiable suspicions and mistrust between the diverse ethnic groups were indeed real and palpable. However, over the years, after the amalgamation, through the spirit of give and take by the pioneer leaders and people at large, a national spirit began to manifest to the point when the leaders agreed to

,

By ANGO ABDULLAHI

ing its neo-colonial hold on Nigeria mainly through the following instruments: •Education System: Through their education legacies they succeeded in entrenching a mental condition which to-date continuesto deprive Nigerians of their self esteem, self confidence and self-reliance.

•Political Legacy: They also left behind a political system which to-date perpetuates national instability and the resultant poor governance by few selfish elite.

•Economy: Through the failure of our education and political systems, the British and, now its numerous Capitalist countries allies in the West, have been able to remain in control of the commanding heights of Nigerian economy.

Nigeria - 1960 to-date As already alluded to in the above paragraphs, it was anticipated that political freedom at independence would ushers in new thinking and new policies which together would bring rapid transformation of Nigeria from exploitation and under-development as a former colony. Nigerians were so optimistic about the bright prospects of Nigeria becoming a country where its citizenry will live in justice peace and prosperity as could be found anywhere else in the world. Now that these aspirations have been dashed 50 years after independence the

In the 46 years of direct colonial rule, as would be expected, the British designed and organized how the huge economic resources of the colony should be harnessed and exploited

work together, if only to kick out the British in 1960.

In the 46 years of direct colonial rule, as would be expected, the British designed and organized how the huge economic resources of the colony should be harnessed and exploited. It is fair to assert that the economy of Colonial Nigeria was organized primarily to serve the interest of the imperial power. The incidental benefits to the natives came in the form of residuals of some outmoded infrastructures like the present narrow gauge railway, port facilities and some road transport mainly used for easy exploitation and export of agricultural and mining products as well as imports and marketing of manufactured British goods.

As soon as the British realized that at some point, they would have to relinquish direct political control to the natives, it became imperative for them to plan a long term strategy to ensure continued control and exploitation of their former colony long after attainment of political independence.

The British succeeded in achiev-

,

present generation of Nigerians must be confused as they should be justified in asking the older generations for explanation.

The rest of this paper will attempt to offer some explanations even if many of them are mere reputations and have been subject of endless arguments over the years. I believe Nigeria’s poor development performance could be explained from a number of perspectives including: •Political instability: From 1960 to date Nigeria had not experienced the kind of stable political atmosphere necessary for orderly continuity of good governance for development and growth expected in truly democratic societies. Within a relatively short period of 52 years, Nigeria has had 14 heads of state (an average of three years each), and of this number nine were not elected, and of the remaining five only on two occasions were their election deemed free and fair. The political instability which retarded Nigeria’s rapid development since independence in 1960 is rooted in the following main factors:

40 —Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

group on the fuel subsidy scam with a theme “Kleptocracy Unlimited.”

FG officials speak in diverse tongues

Since the promise was made, no culprit has been charged to court. The only action taken to date is the sacking of the auditing firms of Akintola Williams and Company and Adekanola and Company, by the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The two firms reportedly certified the documents and claims of the marketers before payments were made.

With those indicted walking free, actions of government agencies and different positions taking by government officials indicate that little or no progress may be made on the matter in terms of refund of the money and prosecution. or a start, some members of the House of Representatives during the presentation of the report absolved the then Accountant General who allegedly made the controversial payments of any wrong-doing.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has also picked holes in the report and washed its hands of most of the allegations leveled against it by the panel. In a fourpage letter dated April 27, 2012 with reference number: BPS/DIR/ GEN/DOL/01/028 and signed by its Deputy Governor (Operations), Mr Tunde Lemo, addressed to Lawan, the CBN claimed that there was no time CBN paid any money to the NNPC in respect of subsidy claim. The apex bank also faulted the committee’s report which accused the CBN of creating an avenue for falsification of records of quantity of petroleum products discharged through its forex policy.

Relatedly, Political Adviser to the President, Alhaji Ali Gullack, said on Wednesday that the probe lacked credibility because “it looks like the probe is targeted at some individuals.”

Gullack’s comments are in sharp contrast to those of the Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emordi, who like Abati, said President Jonathan was on the same page with the lawmakers.

According to Gullack, the manner of invitation of persons, who appeared before the panel fuels beliefs the probe was meant to advance the political ambition of some individuals.

“Why did they not invite Rilwanu Lukman? He was the Minister of Petroleum Resources during the period of the probe.

Where is Mohammed Barkindo, who was the Group Managing Director, NNPC at the time?

Where are the other key actors,

F

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR

I

T is now more than three weeks that the Farouk Lawan led ad-hoc committee on the utilization of fuel subsidy released its report to the House of Representatives. The release of the report had in the days following, fueled a nationwide frenzy for the prosecution of the marketers, thier political collaborators and merchants who were demonized for reportedly milking the nation of trillions of naira.

Inevitably, presidency officials had initially sought to be on the right side of public opinion with a pledge from senior presidency and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP officials joining the clamour in the demonization of the subsidy beneficiaries.

However, days after as dusts from the report began to settle, the clamour for the prosecution of those indicted by the House report began to ebb.

An indication that the government may not be in a hurry to deal with the alleged culprits is amplified by the cacophony of voices in which government officials are speaking.

The damaging report

C M Y K

In its report submitted on April 18, the Lawan-led House probe committee submitted that while the sum of N245 billion was budgeted for subsidy in 2011, the

FUEL SUBSIDY REPORT:

The cabal fights back WEEKS after the House of Representatives released the damning report of its investigations into the utilization of fuel subsidy by oil importers expectations for quick government action on the report are increasingly mired in politics.

The cabal is even fighting back! government paid out N2.5871 trillion.

The report said that subsidy fund totaling N1.7 trillion was illegally paid to some government agencies and oil marketers. It identified the agencies as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR). The report also listed the Office of the Accountant- General of the Federation and 72 oil marketing firms as authorising and receiving the illegal payments, respectively.

Given the bitterness of Nigerians over the way and manner that the administration handled the removal of subsidy from petrol at the beginning of the year it was understandable that many Nigerians would call for the prosecution of those indicted by the report.

“Contrary to the earlier official figure of subsidy payment of N1.3

trillion, the Accountant-General of the Federation put forward a figure of N1.6trillion, the CBN N1.7trillion while the committee established subsidy payment of N2.587.087trillion as at December 31, 2011 amounting to more than 900per cent over the appropriated sum of N245billion.

The figure of N2.587.087trillion is based on the CBN figure of N844.944b paid to NNPC in addition to another figure of N847.942billion reflected as withdrawals by NNPC from the Excess Crude Naira Account as well as the sum of N894.201billion paid as subsidy to marketers,” the House report disclosed.

Jonathan’s pledge

Following the nationwide clamour on the issue, President Jonathan on April 22 through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said he would act in the best interest of Nigerians and ensure that any person found wanting is prosecuted irrespective of the

person’s standing in the society.

“Nigerians can be rest assured that President Goodluck Jonathan will act in the best interest of Nigerians in this matter. After the report is properly laid before the Federal Government, President Jonathan will not condone any wrongdoing and he will act in the best interest of all Nigerians,” Abati said.

SNG ultimatum

With all those indicted walking free so far, the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) penultimate Monday gave the government a two week ultimatum ending on May 13, to prosecute the culprit or face mass protests Convener, SNG, Pastor Tunde Bakare, said in Lagos that considering the low confidence Nigerians have in the anti-graft agencies in dealing with corruption in the country, the group would want a private prosecutor to deal with the issue.

Bakare spoke at a press conference organised by the

Continues on page 41

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—41

POL SNIPES

Fari, Afegbua: Where is the NDP carcass?

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

T

HE National Democratic Party, NDP when it was formed just before the 2003 elections became a rallying point for many discontented members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The party as its founders proclaimed at every opportunity, was a purpose built vehicle conceived by aficionados of former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida to accomplish a romantic return to the Aso Villa

by Babangida. As it turned out, Babangida consistently shunned the NDP choristers.

In 2003 when Babangida turned deaf to the passionate pleas of the party officials, the party at the last minute assigned its presidential ticket to Gen. Ike Nwachukwu with Alhaji Habu Fari, the national chairman fixing himself in as the running mate.

The party’s visibility at that time was helped by one of the country’s most articulate political publicists, Prince Kassim Afegbua, the party’s pioneer Director of Publicity. After Gen. Nwachukwu’s run, the baton was passed

Continues from page 40

who were at the vanguard f the subsidy regime? The House of Representatives must probe these individuals before we can truly say they are doing the right thing, otherwise the report will lack credibility,” he said.

Gullack’s comment was against the backdrop of allegations that the President was sitting on the report because implementing it would hurt some loyalists and financiers of the ruling PDP.

C M Y K

Saraki: The cabal fights back Penultimate Thursday, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) in his first response to the development rattled the activists when he disclosed that the President had not okayed any culprit for trial because there was “need to ensure that thorough investigations are carried out by relevant law enforcement agencies.”

While asserting that the report on the investigations carried out by the House had not been transmitted to the executive, the chief law officer of the federation did not mince words in saying that conclusive evidence on the guilt of the subsidiary beneficiaries had not been produced.

The dithering procrastination

*Fari: First Chairman of NDP on to Fari himself in 2007 at the last minute after Gen. Babangida again shunned the NDP’s eternal offer of its presidential ticket.

Fari ran the race albeit unsuccessfully. After he picked up the presidential ticket, the office of

*Afegbua:

Former chairman

the national chairman became vacant and Fari’s longsuffering deputy, Prince Chudi Chukwuani, himself another Babangida apologist assumed Fari’s office.

After the contest Fari positioned himself as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the par-

ty with Chukwuani formally taking the position of national chairman.

But that was not to be for long.

The erstwhile Director of Publicity of the party, Prince Afegbua who by 2007 had risen to become the Director-General of the party,

Who will fight corruption? by the executive in acting on the report has inevitably led to claims of a fight back by the alleged beneficiaries of the subsidy scam.

In the most notable case of what some allege as a vicious fight back by the subsidiary cabal is the case that has been brought up against Senator Bukola Saraki.

Saraki it would be recalled had first blown the whistle on the misuse of the subsidy regime through a motion he brought before the senate last October.

Remarkably, that motion was only brought to the senate floor after some extended delay which no one was able to explain.

In the motion, Senator Saraki had urged the senate to investigate how the N240 billion appropriated for fuel subsidy in the 2011 budget had as at September exceeded that provision and was heading towards N1.5 billion.

In the motion which was supported by at least twelve other senators, Senator Saraki representing Kwara Central Senatorial district had noted thus: “notes that the N20bn monthly allocation, N11.2bn was allocated to Domestic Fuel Subsidy (NNPC) and N8.8bn for Domestic Fuel Supply (Market)

as stated in the Appropriation Act 2011.” ”Although N20bn was set aside for subsidy on a monthly basis in the Appropriation Act 2011, in August 2011 the total figure expended was N165bn of which NNPC was N88bn and Independent Marketers N7.7bn.” “observes that although N240bn was budgeted for the entire year, so far as at the end of August 2011 N931bn has been spent. This is a variance ofN771bn or 700 per cent above budget in the first three months of the year both NNPC and the Independent Marketers did not exceed N62bn monthly, but within the last three months figures have ranged between N150bn and N186bn.”

The senate in upholding the Saraki motion mandated its committee on downstream petroleum to uncover the issues raised in the motion by Saraki.

Remarkably, while the Senate Committee headed by Senator Magnus Abe was still deliberating on the issue, the House of Representatives last January empowered the Lawan committee on a similar assignment. There is a deep

suspicion in some quarters that the subsidy beneficiaries could be fighting back against Saraki who was the first to make a public disclosure of what was going on in the sector.

So, when the Police penultimate bared its fangs on Saraki’s alleged complicity in a bank loan gone sour, it was not difficult for Saraki’s sympathizers to make a connection between the issue and the senator’s role in the subsidy probe.

But then, the matter of Saraki’s quizzing is beside the issue of the allegations raised against him by the police on the alleged illegal write off of a substantial part of a loan given a company, Joy Petroleum plc.

The loan was written off reportedly at the behest of a former top shot of the legacy Intercontinental Bank who remarkably, at one time an employee of Kwara State during Saraki’s time as governor of the state.

Irrespective of the substance of the case, critics point to the fact that the authorities had kept mute on the allegations against the senator until after the clamour for the prosecution of the subsidy beneficiaries.

demurred and led a rebellion.

Afegbua led a faction of the party to wrest control of the party as he assumed the office of national chairman. Afegbua was to engage the duo of Fari and Chukwuani in a media war over the control of the party.

Afegbua was to subsequently distinguish himself as the spokesman to General Babangida successfully running a brief that saw him take political opponents of the General to the cleaners.

Remarkably, while Afegbua was distinguishing himself in articulating the thoughts from the Minna hill top of Babangida, Fari was also reinventing himself in pushing the national chairmanship aspiration of the PDP of business mogul, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur. While the campaign lasted, Fari was all about Tukur, planning strategy and settings for Tukur’s campaign to become national chairman of the PDP. Today, after helping Tukur to successfully push out all other 11 contenders for the national chairmanship of the PDP, Fari, the erstwhile national chairman of the NDP, the chairman of the BoT of the NDP is the Chief of Staff to the national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Tukur!

His one time friend turned foe, Prince Afegbua is also today, the Director of Media to the Oshiomhole Gubernatorial Campaign in Edo State!

So, what happened to the office of national chairman of the NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY? The two men have an explanation for the party’s followers.

So, given how past reports had been swept under the carpet, reported attempts by some powerful forces in the polity to stop the report from being published, and moves to divide the Reps with the goal of getting of Speaker Aminu Tambuwal removed, as well as varying positions of government officials, it is to be seen if the fuel subsidy report would be treated differently.

*Saraki: Is he a target?

42 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

BY FESTUS AHON

I

T'S been over eight months now since Goodluck Jonathan assumed the leadership of this country as President, are you satisfied with the pace of development in the Niger Delta region?

Indeed I wouldn’t use the word satisfied even though we are encouraged by some of his policies towards the Niger Delta. But we want to see a very significant spate of development in the Niger Delta. We want to see an extensive development of the Niger Delta. If the President happens to come from that area, it doesn’t necessarily mean he should be partisan in dispensing public resources.

God has already given us that edge economically by putting the resources that can sustain this nation within the territory of the Niger Delta. So I see no reason why government will not comply with the 30% derivation and give room for infrastructural development for our people. My belief was that the late President, Umaru Musa, may his soul rest in peace, did very well by setting up the Ministry of the Niger Delta. Now we are expecting the ministry in collaboration with other Niger Delta agencies to now harmonize and significantly develop this region which has suffered for over 50years of oil exploration and even despoliation.

Today one of your sons is the President of this country but then not much work is being done on the East/West road?

That thing beats our imagination hollow; that with the resources we have, and indeed with the contribution we make everyday to this nation, the Nigeria state cannot concede to allow us develop, just to create a road, East-West road to link us to civilization, it pains me. I want to use this opportunity to call on the President that he should triple his effort not double it to ensure that, that road is completed so that he could liberate the people of the Niger Delta from backwardness and the state of poverty. Indeed, East West road, is just a minute aspect of the problem; the development of the region is in the master plan, that is the real challenge and we believe that he should do this with pragmatic speed to enable us have a sense of belonging in this nation.

Some Northerners are of the view that the 13% oil derivation should be reduced.

What is your reaction to it?

No state in the Niger Delta has ever received 13% derivation: quote me. Since May 29, 1999 till date, no state of the Niger Delta has received a full 13% derivation. From June 1, 1999 to September, C M Y K

The voodoo about 13% derivation to N/Delta — Mudiaga-Odje Dr Akpo Mudiaga-Odje is human rights activist and a constitutional lawyer. In this interview he speaks on the raging issue of resource allocation to the Niger Delta region, the inclinations of the President towards the region and the permutations of a second term for President Jonathan.Excerpts: 2004, President Olusegun Obasanjo was paying 13% derivation, but left offshore. So for Delta State which has 75% onshore and 25% offshore, Obasanjo was only paying 13% of 75% onshore.

In September 2004, Obasanjo created the Excess Crude oil Account into which he paid the excess money above the bench mark of the budget.

For example, the budget now is based on $72 and it is now $111. The $39 excess times 2.46 million barrels is being paid into what they called Sovereign Wealth Fund or the so called the Excess Crude oil Account. $72 times 2.456 million barrels is now being paid into the account for 13% derivation so what we get is 13% of $72 and not 13% of $111, the actual price in the international market. So how could you say now that we are receiving 13%.

In other words, we are receiving less than 10%. And you are telling us that you want to further reduce the derivation. Government should not even waste its time in listening to such agitation.

As we speak now, no state from May 1999 till date has ever received 13% derivation in full

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

I

T is barely three weeks to the first anniversary of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s commemoration of his second term as governor of Delta State and stakeholders expectedly are rushing to judgment on the impact of the mega projects of the administration.

While one of the founding fathers of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Chief Ighoyota Amori, presently a Senior Political Adviser to the governor, said that the governor was on course, a private legal practitioner and leader of Civil Rights group, demurred.

According to Amori, “the governor is a very focused personality who knows his onions. His developmental strides have taken the state into the next level through his three point agenda. The Asaba international airport, the teaching hospital in Oghara, the dualised Ughelli-Asaba road, Koko Eku Effurun, refinery other major roads across the state the free maternal care, the success recorded in the micro credit scheme, the street light and

*Mudiaga-Odje: Jonathan can contest 2015 because of the manipulation of government towards appropriation, the resources of the people of the Niger Delta.

And again, remember our leader at the bar and one of the finest lawyers of our time, Femi Falana drew attention to the fact again that government receives

money paid for the crude oil in dollars but they pay the money to us in naira; further reducing 10% percent again to about 8%. You can see what I mean. This is exactly the voodoo and policy of government that have manipulated against the people

of the Niger Delta for over 50 years.

So what is your view on the Excess Crude Oil as a legal Practitioner?

It goes without saying it is unconstitutional. There is no where in the constitution where that word is mentioned. If there is, I beg someone to tell me in my little knowledge. There is no where like that. Section 162 says pay all revenue into the federation account. So it is an aberration.

Do you support another term for President Goodluck Jonathan?

There is no question about this. He has the right to do so.

The question that may arise is the nature of the tenure, whether it will go beyond eight or nine years as the case may be. He has the right to go for two terms and if we go by the Supreme Court judgment, it means he will spend eight years. Even if he wins the election if he contests, he will spend eight years because the constitution does not envisage him to get more than what he actually intended to get. So if you look at the judgment that sacked the five governors at the Supreme Court and you apply it, he is entitled to eight years and nothing more. So he is entitled to have a second term if the people desire to vote him.

Dif trok es on Diffferent sstrok trokes fir st anniv er sar firs anniver ersar saryy UDUAGHAN:

*Uduaghan: Delta Gov scholarship scheme and of course the IPP project and human development programme are some of the success stories of the Uduaghan administration.

You cannot take that from him.

He is on course”, said Amori.

But Mr. Oghenajabor Ikimi, the national co-ordinator for the Forum and Human Rights Defence, FJHD noted that governor ’s performance “in candid assessment has not been felt by the downtrodden masses of the State as official corruption, inequality and injustice remains the biggest obstacle to the development of the entire State and as such we state without fear of equivocation that there is nothing to celebrate about.

“We call for the umpteenth time on all well meaning Deltans and indeed Nigerians to henceforth cultivate the idea of asking their leaders questions by monitoring their activities and holding them accountable for their actions and inaction”, he added.

Governor Uduaghan had shortly after his re-election for a second term in office said although running two elections within a space of four months was challenging

as pressure was mounted on him to still go to court over tenure elongation which he narrowly missed.

“It is an electoral process in which I happen to be a guinea pig and that is the way I feel. First, we had a scenario where for three and half years, we were still in the tribunal. The normal process should not take that long and I am happy that it has been corrected now in the new Electoral Law that ensures that after the election, it takes about 180 days within which the case will be disposed off.

“I have to contest another election and another legal issue arose and that is should the time spent in the office before, which was termed illegal form part of my tenure in the office. Of course, we went to court and the lower court ruled that it should be added based on a new electoral law that was signed on the day I was sworn in”, he said.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012 —

I

HAVE consistently advocated in this column for the adoption of common sense economic policies and sensible politics as necessary tools towards the eradication of poverty and the growth of wealth in our country. I have also been preaching the sermon of good management of the country‘s enormous economic resources for the eradication of poverty and the promotion of wealth and prosperity. My conviction is that a sound budget religiously operated could help in bringing joy to the hearts of many Nigerians. As a critic of the Central Bank‘s harsh monetary stance, and as an advocate of liberal fiscal policy of the Federal Government, I remain incorrigibly optimistic that sooner than later, a ‘trial and error‘ method of reforms would succeed. I breathe fresh air from the provisions of the 2012 Budget recently passed by the Legislature and assented to by the President. I discovered that the Budget manifests in its intentions bold measures to tackle some of the endemic problems of the country – twin evils of famine and poverty.

Some analysts perhaps believe that hunger and poverty would persist unless something drastic is done to increase the national income and wealth of the country. Thus the fiscal policy of the federal government could be interpreted as an attempt to increase domestic food production, raise rural income and impact positively on employment. Attention would focus on large scale production of cassava to reduce the reliance on wholesale importation of wheat for bread, which is our staple food. By the end of the year 2012, the total duty and levy

BY TONY EDIKE

S

ENATOR Ike Ekweremadu who has represented the Enugu West Senatorial district since 2003 would ordinarily have been rolling out the drums this weekend on his attainment of the golden age.

However, the natural intervention of the demise of his father curtailed plans for pomp and pumping of hands in the senatorial district.

The five local governments in the constituency include Aninri, Awgu, Ezeagu, Oji-River and Udi. Before the inception of the fourth republic in 2003, a little was heard about the senatorial district in terms of urbanization and provision of modern infrastructure.

The zone which had contributed immensely to the political development of Enugu state remained under-developed despite the emergence of renowned politicians and top military officers from the area.

Although such politicians and military officers, some of who had served as military administrators in different states across the country, were seen as very influential during their time, they were unable to attract basic infrastructure that were needed to uplift the status of the zone.

C M Y K

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:

Sensible policies revisited on the importation of wheat flour would be 100%. Also, the importation of agricultural machinery would attract zero duty and levy (as before).

The seriousness of this intention was recently highlighted by the Minister of Agriculture who envisaged that the transformation agenda in the agricultural sector would create more than 3 million jobs and would also provide about N300 billion to Nigerian farmers. Relying on the speech of the Minister, ‘the transformation agenda sets to create over 3-5 million jobs from rice, cassava, sorghum, cocoa and cotton value chains. With many more jobs to come from other value chains under implementation‘.

In another breath, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina stated that, ‘The programme aims to provide over N300 billion of additional income in the hands of Nigerian farmers. Over N60 billion is to be injected into the economy from the substitution of 20% of bread

wheat flour with cassava flour. We would have enabled Nigeria to be food secure by increasing production of key food staple by 20 million tons; rice 2 million metric tons; cassava 17 million metric tons and sorghum 1 million metric ton‘. he envisaged glorious transformation agenda would be based on active participation with the private sector in the handling of seeds and fertilizers to the farmers – a provision of 50% support for farmers. The private sector would also be empowered to sell their inputs directly to farmers and build their ‘supply chains‘ to get to rural areas; there would also be provision of ‘risk sharing guarantee‘ to leverage loans from banks for seed and fertilizer companies and agro dealers‘.

No analyst who has digested the statements of the Minister on its face value would not be convinced by the elegance of those statistical figures and the confidence behind them.

However, many analysts might

T

shake their heads and utter disdainfully that they are familiar with ministerial rhetoric and paper policy which nobody would execute. The beauty of any budget lies in its execution, which is subject to many factors.

‘The economics of development, according to a commentator, is not very complicated. It rests on sensible politics and good public administration. The failures of the past could be traced to inadequate political and administrative institutions. If the transformation agenda of the Federal Government is to be successful, it has to go deep down - states and local governments have to be carried along or, if possible, dragged along the route of success. Also, the methods of improving agriculture have to be more imaginative and importantly too, innovative. The idea of bringing in the private sector (this time, established companies in produce business) is acceptable. In the past, companies like UAC; PZ, UTC, John Holt, bought agricultural products through their accredited buying agents and maintained their storage depots. Farmers were encouraged through immediate cash payment for their produce.

However, the successful implementation of agricultural transformation policy would depend on gradual process.

The most important point is that efforts should be made to increase production by peasant farmers in the rural areas.

Mechanization of rural farming is of no advantage if the farmers cannot realize immediate cash for its produce. His main concern is planting his main crops on time, weeding them properly and harvesting them promptly and

Giving succour to Enugu West constituents

EKWEREMADU: The people of the zone continued to lament their woes under successive administrations with no good roads, portable water and electricity in most of the communities.

Through the instrumentality of his office, Ekweremadu facilitated the construction of roads, erosion control, water and electricity projects across the five local government areas in his Enugu West senatorial district. Beyond the expectations of many, the Senator extended his constituency projects outside his constituency as many projects were also sited in Enugu East senatorial district between 2009 and 2010. Some of the projects initiated and completed from his first tenure in 2003 to date include construction of Oji-Achi-MmakuNdeabor-Mpu-OkpankuAkaeze road with bridges; rehabilitation of OhaozaraUburu-Ishiagu road; construction of Enugu-Onitsha express road; Ninth Mile-Enugu-Port Harcourt express road; Obollo-AfforEhamufu-Nkalagu road, second Niger Bridge across River Niger; and rehabilitation of Nenwe-

*Ekweremadu Oduma road.

In the area of electricity and energy, Ekweremadu also facilitated the construction of Solar Plants and streetlights in various communities in Aninri, Awgu, Udi, Ezeagu and OjiRiver in addition to construction of Ivo Dam project. Erosion

control projects were also attracted to ameliorate the sufferings of his constituents in m a n y communities whose landed property and farmlands had been ravaged by gully erosion.

Ecological projects attracted and executed in v a r i o u s communities within the senatorial district i n c l u d e d UgbonaboUgbokpalaObeagu erosion control; Rosary High School, Awgu erosion site, Amoli Junction to Enyimba Achi erosion site; Isu Awaa-AgbuduIhe erosion control site; MpuOduma erosion control, NenweOduma erosion site and Amokwe erosion control site.

Over 15major erosion projects

43

getting them to the market at little cost. Introduction of better seeds, fertilizers and simple farm implements would follow to increase productivity, better yields and more income.

Fortunately, we have in the country a large pool of unemployed Agriculture graduates who could be deployed to rural areas to effect the necessary changes.

It is desirable that Nigerians should be encouraged to manufacture simple farm implements which are suitable to the environment rather than resort to importation of farming gadgets which would be difficult and require power to operate, even if these are not subject to any import duty. In the past, the Nigerian manufacturers of simple farm implements had not been encouraged under any agriculture reform programme; this is the time to bring them into the reformation agenda. If the intention is to increase agricultural production, the best place to start is in the rural background where actual farmers are getting old and hoes and cutlasses are still in vogue.

Since it is generally believed that the most direct and effective method of improving the standard of living of a greater number of Nigerians and spreading an appreciative amount of prosperity is to increase agricultural income, the reform programme should not fail. However, it is possible for any progressive fiscal initiative to be jeopardized by a hostile monetary environment. It is good news that the Central Bank is poised to support the policy of domestic agricultural expansion. A warning is – provide enough supply at home before toying with importation. were executed within the five councils through the assistance of the Deputy Senate President.

Mindful of the fact that majority of Enugu people are farmers who are regarded as low income earners, Ekweremadu got the federal government to provide some irrigation and dams in the state. His Aninri local government which is regarded as the food basket of the state got an irrigation project while another was sited at Amagunze in Enugu East. He also attracted another project for Ada Rice in Enugu North to boost rice production.

Many communities also benefited from water projects through the assistance of Ekweremadu who has demonstrated strong commitment towards alleviating poverty among his people.

Ndeabor, Nenwe, Oduma, Ihe water extension schemes and Aku, Obeagu, Udi, Ezeagu, Agbada Ani, Amoli, Isuawaa exit schemes were facilitated by Ekweremadu and executed during the period under review.

He also attracted some water projects to communities which had over the years suffered lack of portable water. *Mr. Edike is a staff of Vanguard Newspapers, Lagos.

44—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

ONDO ACN GUBER

BY DANIEL GUMM & ETOP EKANEM

Y

OU are aspiring for the gubernatorial seat of Ondo State, what will you do that the Labour Party has not done in the state?

Labour Party has been there for three years.

Looking at the amount of money that is coming from the federation account and internally generated revenue to the state, coupled with the fact that LP inherited about N38 billion, what has been done in Ondo State is not commiserate with the amount of money they have received. So ACN can do much more better.

Unemployment is very high. When ACN takes over the state, we will definitely do something about it. We can say that for the past three years, there has been no employment for teachers and promises are left unfulfilled. There is no single industry in the state.

The Labour Party promised to revive some of the ailing companies, like Oluwa Glass, up till now nothing has been done.

Our roads are very bad.

If the government is not able to construct new ones, it should be able to rehabilitate the ones we have. If you go to Akoko in the North, where I hail from, the roads are so bad.

The government is not constructing any new road but just to beautify them.

This is not what we want.

The schools which they are now building called mega schools, are not enough and are far away from the students. You don’t expect children to walk about seven or more kilometres before attending school.

That is why we say the old schools which are nearer to the pupils should be put right.

Because of what we have seen done in Lagos, Ekiti, Osun, Ogun and Edo States, we cannot allow Ondo State to be doing something else. ACN must take over Ondo State.

We have asked the governor to join the Odua group so that we can join hands to construct better roads, have joint thinking and progress that way, but he said no. He wants to be alone, we know what is going on in our state and others, we know what we are receiving from the Federation Account. Ours is much more better than what some others are receiving. Productivity in Ondo is low, that is why

ACN must take over — Ajatta

I count on experience — Abrahams

TWO-TIME member of the House of Representatives, representing Oshodi-Isolo Federal Constituency II in Lagos State, Chief Jaiyeola Ajatta, is now a gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Ondo State. In this interview with Vanguard, Ajatta speaks on how his party, ACN will take over in Ondo State at the 2012 governorship election as well as his programmes for the state. Excerpts:

CHIEF Segun Abrahams, an engineer and business mogul is one of the aspirants on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo State. Abrahams who had in the past helped in enthroning the past civilian governors of the state in this interview with newsmen in Lagos explains why he is entering the fray himself this time. He explains the issues that would define the contest and explores his chances ahead of the party primaries. Excerpts:

*Ajatta: Ondo is in bad shape

*Abrahams: It's over for Labour

BY BARTHOLOMEW not also in the public sector MADUKWE before. Those who are arguing about the need for public sector before are OW will you people who are content respond to with failure, people who claims that you have been part and parcel don’t have sufficient of the system and that political and system has been failing. administrative experience to manage affairs of a How do you intend to state? increase internal When they say public generated revenue in sector experience, all my Ondo state? business was done with The people in government, as a government are used to contractor. Secondly, I have taking money every been advising politicians month, so they don’t think over the years. However, how they can generate public administration money. But, for somebody experience in Nigeria has like me who knows very been a colossal failure and well that we cannot and even if you have that kind should not solely depend of experience, it is the on income from the federal experience of failure. They government because it do not have what we call shows that we are all idle, relevant and we are going to turn developmental experience. around the state.

For somebody like me, a First and foremost, we technocrat bringing are going to train our experience from the private people, our youths, our sector that is called professionals to the innovation, I have the kind relevant needs of our of experience that Chief environment because the Awolowo brought to the first thing is that you must Western Region. He was be able to conquer your not in public administration environment to be able to before he became the survive very well. We shall Leader of Government not allow our environment Business in the region in to dictate to us.

1952. Fashola was not in public administration How do you intend to before, Tinubu was not in plug the leakage points public sector before, I was that breed corruption?

we say there must be a change.

Could you please list your achievements in the House of Representatives during the eight-year stint?

The NNPC road at Ejigbo Local Council Development Area which was very bad, I moved a motion that the road should be rehabilitated. I thank God that my motion was accepted in the House.

NNPC was asked to rehabilitate the road but they said it was not their responsibility. So we took the matter to the Federal Ministry of Works and through my efforts, the Ministry of works rehabilitated the road at the cost of about N1.4 billion. I also moved a motion for a bridge to be built at Ilasa area of Lagos. I concentrated more on what I can do for my constituency. I was able to execute more than 50 projects for my constituency.

Your party is noted for selection of candidates instead of real primaries, how can you muster enough resources to clinch the candidacy in Ondo considering the number of aspirants already?

That is not true. There is no election that is being conducted in Nigeria by ACN that does not fulfill the conduct of primaries. What we know is that every party has to screen every candidate that wants to contest for any position. If someone comes up and says he wants to contest the position of a governor and this person has just been released from the prison, will they allow such a person to go through this election? You assess the aspirants, allow them to go through the primaries, because the primaries are even done openly. So, I will say that ACN allows primaries because no party allows people to come and take position without assessing the type of people they are. ACN has principles guiding it. That means it is progressive.

Like now, we have a lot of people who want to contest. When I got there, there were only few aspiring for the governorship position but today we have about 30 aspirants. We have resolved that we will rally around anybody who will be elected to represent the party. All of us will work together to win the governorship election.

H

When the leader is good, the followers will tend to be good, that is the law of goodness. If the head is bad the whole of the body will be bad, and if the head is good, then most parts of the body will be good, so the little part of the body that remains will be able to trust them. The people I am going to appoint will be people of integrity, people who have the interest of the people in mind.

I

t is alleged that all the noise in Ondo is propaganda and that ACN is not on the ground in Ondo. How do you react to that?

Why did the chairman, deputy chairman, and other key officials of the Labour Party defect to ACN? People are trooping in to join ACN. So, if we are not popular, why are people coming to join us?

Don’t forget that our party has been restructured, and members can be found in all the nooks and crannies of the local government areas of the state. Can you imagine that people are decamping from the government in power?

Why are they not decamping in Lagos and Ekiti? Why are they not decamping in Edo and Osun? So, if this government is popular, will it be losing its members to the party that is not in government, especially in a state where there are no industries and people depend on government.

Are you afraid that ACN may be its own enemy at the end of the day; that it is a divided House that may not stand after the election?

I normally use history for what is happening, to guide us. From past experience; we have never had a divided house in the ACN. In Lagos we did election there without divided house, in Osun there was no divided house, in Ekiti there was no divided house, in Edo there was no divided house, in Oyo and Ogun there was no divide house.

As democrats, our members believe in the supremacy of the party; if the party leaders say these are the people that we choose to deliver the democracy, we will all support them.

Are you saying that the contest is unlikely to lead to exodus from the party?

How would you personally react if another aspirant gets the nod of the Continues on page 50

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—45

C M Y K

46—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

Vanguard AMAH – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Amah Ogochukwu Judith, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Umunna Ogochukwu Judith. All former documents remain valid.

Institute of Management and Technology, (IMT), NYSC and general public please take note.

CLASSIFIED NWAFOR – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Edith Ifeyinwa Nwafor, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu Kenechukwu.All former documents remain valid. UNIJOS and general public please take note.

EMILLIA – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Emillia Njideka O d e n i g b o Ozonnedum, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ibezim Emillia Njideka. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ALIMI – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Alimi O. Aminat, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Marquis A. Omolara.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AGBEDO – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Edith Nwakaego Agbedo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Edith Nwakaego Ali. All former documents remain valid. ESUT, NYSC and general public please take note.

MARTINS – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Martins Irene Nneka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Onuorah Irene Nneka Amaka. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MONSURAT – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Lawal Oluwaseyi Monsurat, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ajiboye Monsurat Lawal.

All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

NWOKEDI – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Chima Frances Nwokedi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chima Frances Ezeibeanu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKEREKE – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Lucky Amarachi Ukamaka Okereke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Onuegbu Ukamaka Amarachi Lucky. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ANOZIE – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Anozie Chinyere Nkiru, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Umekulume Chinyere Nkiru.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MUOLOO – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Muoloo Oluchi Doris, now wish to be known and addressed as Dr. (Mrs.) Nwankwo Oluchi Doris. . All former documents remain valid.

University of Nigeria Nsukka, Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, National Youth Service Corp and general public please take note.

EMESIANI – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Theresa Nkiru Emesiani, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Offiah Theresa Nkiru. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OBIANODO – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adaobi Ukamaka Lynda Obianodo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adaobi Ukamaka Aziagba. All former documents remain valid. Rockview Hotel Apapa and general public please take note.

ALIKPE – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Rita Sewuese Alikpe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Iorkyase Terfa Rita Sewuese. All former documents remain valid. University of Agriculture, Makurdi, NYSC and general public please take note.

SAALAKA– I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Saalaka Erdoo Amina, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Jato Erdoo Amina Anysia. All former documents remain valid. Benue State University Makurdi and general public please take note.

WOGWU – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Princess Ruhuoma Wogwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Princess Ruhuoma Akpevweoghene Usino. All former documents remain valid.

N.Y.S.C and General public please take note.

KUMANE - I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Kate Awenayeri Kumane, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Kate Awenayeri Ejiduobo.

All former documents remain valid.General public please take note

OJEH – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ojeh Rachael Elohor, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adeaga Rachael Elohor. All former documents remain valid .Nakus Resources Ent.Ltd and general Public please take note.

TANGBE- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Tangbe Doris, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Eseimieghan Doris.

All former documents remain valid. Delta State University Abraka and general Public please take note.

OJOBON – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ojobon Eyinmisan Jesse, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. A k i n s e f o l u Eyinmisan Jesse. All former documents remain valid.General public please take note.

OKOJIE – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okojie .I. Patience, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Patience Anthony Akhuetie. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKOLEGBA-I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okolegba Ewoma Joyce, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Olarinoye Ewoma Joyce. All former documents remain valid.General public please take note.

OMATIGHENE-I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Omatighene Uhi Elohor, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Odjebene Elohor.

All former documents remain valid.

Jolotex Nig.Ltd. and general public please take note.

UCHEKWE-I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Uchekwe Gift Nkechi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Odheisa Gift Nkechi, All former documents remain valid. Juwadate International ltd, Jualight Oil Resources Ltd. and general public please take note.

OGODO-I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Grace Ese Ogodo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Grace Ogodo Ebite. All former documents remain valid.

Local Government Service Commission, Asaba and general public please take note.

ADALUMO-I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adalumo Anuoluwa, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ayodele Anuoluwa. All former documents remain valid. Primary Education Board and general public Please take note.

DURU-I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Duru Juliet, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogene Juliet. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

IGENE-I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Florence Igene, now wish to known and as Mrs. Florence Adekunle Job.. All former documents r e m a i n valid.General public please take note.

JAFARU-I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Jafaru Gloria Ojevwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Gloria Ojevwe Koenig. All former documents remain valid.General public please take note.

EYIFOMA-I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Eyifoma Roli, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Menekpo Roli. All former documents remain valid.Warri South Local Government Council and general public please take note.

O G B A I D E I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Zino Hope Ogbaide, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Zino Hope Tedeye.

All former documents remain valid.General public please take note.

EHEGUA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ehegua Ayonomon Beauty, now wish to be known and addressed asMrs Ejigbererimu Ayonomon Beauty. All former document remain valid. General public please take note.

ENOGHASE-I, formerly known and addressed as Omorogbe Osazuwa Stanley Enoghase, now wish to be known and addressed as Omorogbe Osazuwa Stanley. All former documents remain valid.UNIBEN and general public please take note.

ONAKPODHOMA-I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Caroline Ovokareme Onakpodhoma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oboh Caroline Ovokareme.

All former documents remain valid.General public please take note.

OTIOTIO-I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Otiotio Philippa, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Philippa Otiotio Temile. All former documents remain valid.General public please take note.

OLUWATOBA-I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluwatoba Omolayo Bolatito, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Babalola Omolayo Bolatito. All former documents remain valid.General public please take note.

ECHEHUM- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Echehum Lilian Chinyere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ihim Lilian Chinyere. All former documents remain valid. Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and general public please take note.

IBEH- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Chinweotito Patricia Ibeh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chinweotito Patricia Onyegbula. All former documents remain valid. Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and general public please take note.

EJIMADU- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Amarachi Maryjoan Ejimadu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Amarachi Maryjoan Ajoko. All former documents remain valid.

Nursing and Midwifery Council Of Nigeria and general public please take note.

NNAMDI- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nnamdi Gloria Nkemakolam, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogbuji Gloria Nkemakolam. All former documents remain valid. Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and general public please take note.

INOKOBA – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Anthonia Disere Inokoba, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Anthonia Disere Idahosa-Ogie. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EZENOGHA - I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Otejiri Ezenogha, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Otejiri Ibi. All former documents remain valid.General public please take note.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—47

C M Y K

48—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—49

C M Y K

50—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—51

C M Y K

52—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—44

Lagos govt should be people-friendly — Dosunmu

DR. Adewunmi Dosunmu was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the last gubernatorial election in Lagos State. Dosunmu was at one time Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency, NIMASA before his political advent. In this interview, he gives his appraisal of the present administration in Lagos State and other contemporary issues. Excerpts:

BY LAJA THOMAS

H

OW would you appraise the present administration in Lagos?

Well, so far I still hold very strongly to some of the views I expressed during the electioneering campaign, particularly with regards to making the government, people friendly. Government is about the people and it is not about the people in government.

That is what democracy is all about. As you will recall, the principle of democracy is about government of the people, by people and for the people and

every political actor, particularly in the executive arm should remind themselves of this principle of democracy. You can not operate the system as if you are on your own.

All over the world, leaders have shifted their emphasis and focus to the people; here too we should shift our emphasis and focus to the people and we should stop thinking that government is for ourselves, when government is for the people.

One of the ways by which you assess any government, is to see how well that government’s policies and programmes have impacted positively on the

,

*Dosunmu: It's the most expensive tollgate in the world

people.

It is only on that premise that you can adjudge whether the government of Lagos State has really done well or not and you need to go out there to make an assessment of the perception of the majority to know how well have they impacted positively by the various government programmes.

For instance, Lagos State University (LASU) was established to make education affordable to Lagosians; at a point the university was virtually operating free but because of the cost of administration and what

In ACN, what they do is anointment and imposition, a candidate will just be anointed and everybody will go and adopt, PDP as the largest party in Africa has gone beyond the expectation of the opposition parties

have you, they introduced fees and the fees got to a point of about N25,000 or N30,000 before the present Lagos State government increased it to between N190,000 to N350,000.

That is the most expensive public university in this country and when you do the rating of best universities, I am not sure it ranks amongst the best. So what can be responsible for that and how many Lagosians can afford to send their children to LASU? You can now see that we are beginning to feel the negative effect of that policy.

At the last admission in LASU, about 4,900 people were admitted

Our constitution is treated as mere contraption — Ikoh THE President of Ohajia Improvement Union Incorporated, Lagos State, Mr. Ndukwe Ikoh, has recently been in the news on account of his formation of the Mezie Obodo, an interventionist organisation with interests in the South East. In this interview he spoke on the organisation's roles in upholding democracy, security challenges and other issues in the country. Excerpts:

BY DOTUN IBIWOYE

I

S it not possible for a politicians to hijack your organisation and use it for their own interest?

It is possible, and we have considered the possibility. We have put at the core of the leadership of Mezi Obodo men and women who are gainfully employed and cannot be easily swayed.

Those in the group are not

political jobbers. I concede that some people, no matter how much they already have, could still sell out, but we want to think that majority of the membership of the group is not like that.

Our organisation, Mezie Obodo is not a political movement. It means ‘be good to the community’.

What’s your comment on the state of the nation?

Two words, in my opinion,

but only about 1,800 matriculated.

I am predicting and saying it with all sense of responsibility that in the next admission, LASU will not even have up to 500 people that will choose the university.

The issue of tollgate in Lekki, is also one area that I feel the government has not really taken into consideration, the plight of the masses of the people of Lagos state.

I want to tell you, that that is the most expensive tollgate I am seeing anywhere in the world.

Don’t forget that, that is an intracity road; it is not even inter. That tollgate, cuts across Lekki, Eti-

would describe the state of the nation today: confusion and crisis. Confusion in the sense that you’re not sure what would happen the very next day; you wake up one day and find something different from what you’d expected.

The crisis concerns the security challenges the nation is presently grappling with.

Boko Haram has happened, and now it has assumed international dimensions and attracted global consciousness.

Kidnapping is still very much there even though other crimes have dwarfed the attention on kidnapping. High level corruption has subsisted and is on the rise. That is the state of the nation today. Despite the scenario I have just painted, I

,

Osa local government , Ibeju, Lekki and Epe. So people living within that axis, have to pay in and out of their residence and these people are Lagosians, who are also paying taxes to the government. And when you pay tax to government, there are certain things that you expect.

One, infrastructure is the basic responsibility of government, to provide road, public education is a basic responsibility of government and public health.

So I don’t know where they got their own idea about governance from where people have to pay about N 300, daily to move to and from to work. I think we must

still have hopes in the country’s ability to pull through; if not for anything else, but for the fact that we still have democracy here.

*Ikoh

begin to give government policies some human face.

T

he Lagos state government is at loggerheads with the Medical doctors. How do you think this impasse can be resolved.

Well you see in industrial relations, there is something we call collective bargaining, and collective bargaining is a process, whereby all the parties in dispute, will come to a table and agree on how to resolve whatever the issue is.

I remember last year they were on strike for some months and one would have expected that government by now, should have resolved what ever the issues are. But I am surprised that up till now, they are still talking about the same issues. Is it that somebody is not doing anything or is it that the problems, defies all solutions or what because I can not just understand why it has to be Lagos State doctors, every time going on strike. It is very, very sad.

The House of Representatives ad-hoc committee recently revealed the alarming fraud perpetrated in the name of fuel subsidy. What is your take on this report?

The government has taken a bold step by even allowing the probe in the first place. That act has clearly shown that the federal government is up and doing in ensuring the system is rid of corruption. We all know what we went through during the fuel subsidy protest and the protest remains the longest strike the country experienced in recent times. I believe the government is going to do something about it, to ensure that the system is cleansed of corruption and that such abuses do not repeat itself again.

The Action Congress of Nigeria recently labeled the recent PDP convention as undemocratic. Do you agree?

Well, I don’t know what they mean by undemocratic, because consensus is part of democracy as far as I’m concerned. How many of the opposition parties have held this type of convention that PDP held? In ACN, what they do is anointment and imposition.

A candidate will just be anointed and everybody will go and adopt. PDP as the largest party in Africa has gone beyond the expectation of the opposition parties. They were waiting for a convention that will be rancorous, that will lead to crisis; so most of them were disappointed that PDP despite its size, can manage itself.

54— Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

Vanguard CLASSIFIED

NWAOBILOR-I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nneoma Doris Nwaobilor, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nneoma Doris Onyekachi Reuben. All former documents remain valid. Abia State University Uturu, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and general public please take note.

AJUGA- I, formerly known and addressed as Chinyere Ejije Ajuga, now wish to be known and addressed as Chinyere Ejije Peter. All former documents remain valid.

Access Bank PLC, Diamond Bank PLC and general public please take note.

KALU ENYINNAYA- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nkechi Helen Enyinnaya Kalu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwokocha Godswill Nkechi Helen. All former documents remain valid.

Nursing And Midwifery Council of Nigeria and general public please take note.

ONWUGUZO- I, formerly known and addressed as Mr. Onwuguzo Y. Chukwunonye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Yadinma Chinonye Onwu.All former documents remain valid. Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Lagos State Physical Planning and Development Authority and general public please take note.

ANYANKA- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Anyanka Chiwunma Georgenia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chiwunma Anthony Edeh. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKOYE- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Eucharia Nwakaego Okoye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Eucharia Nwakaego Umeghalu.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

E N E IKECHUKWU- I, formerly known and addressed as Ene Ikechukwu David, now wish to be known and addressed as Dunu David. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ACHEGBANU – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Lucy Onyiloko Achegbanu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Lucy Onyiloko JimiBada. All former documents remain valid.

Dudiciary (Court of Appeal) Public Service and general public please take note.

EFFIONG - I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Eno Emerald Edet Effiong, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. A-Knorr Michelle Franklin-Eghomien.

All former documents remain valid; University of Calabar, RSUST and general public please take note.

UKEH -I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Glory Ngozi Ukeh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Glory Ngozi Daniel Udensi. All former documents remain valid. Mainstreet Bank, Adamac Group of Companies, Institute of Management Enugu (IMT), Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), University of Calabar (UNICAL) and general public please take note.

EMOEKPERE- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Jocelyn Ikhuoya Emoekpere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Jocelyn Ikhuoya Abdullahi.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKORONKWO- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss O k o r o n k w o C h i m z u r u m Deborah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ugwa Chimzurum Deborah. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EBU –I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Gloria Ebu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Gloria Maciver.

All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

EZEONYIWARA –I, formerly known and addressed as Ezeonyiwara Chioma Evelyn, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chioma Evelyn Ebulue.

All former documents remain valid. WAEC, School of Nursing/ Nursing Council of Nigeria and general public please take note.

ISIOYE- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Abiola Suliat Isioye, now wish to be called and address as Mrs. Abiola Suliat Sobowale.

All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and general public please take note.

EKE- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Eke Edith, now wish to be called and address as Mrs. Eze Edith.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CLINTON- I, formerly known and addressed as Zakari Sadiq Clinton, now wish to be known and addressed as Zakari Sadiq. All former documents remain valid. West African Examination Council (WAEC) and general public please take note.

OGUNDANA- I, formerly known and addressed as O g u n d a n a Babatunde Olaoye, now wish to be known and addressed as Akinola Oluwalana Babatunde.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

FALOBI- I, formerly known and addressed as Deborah Ibukunoluwa Falobi, now wish to be known and addressed as D e b o r a h Ibukunoluwa Egbewale. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OGOR- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogor Florence Uchechi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. ChukwuChukwuemeka Florence Uchechi. All former documents remain valid. UNTH Enugu, UNIZIK and general public please take note.

ZUBAIR- I, formerly known and addressed as Memunat Unoiza Zubair, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. M e m u n a t Abdulmuminu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AJAYI –I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajayi Folashade Oladunni, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ojo Folashade Oladunni.

All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

NWOKEOGU- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Chinwe Onyinye Nwokeogu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chinwe Onyinye Agoha. All former documents remain valid; General public please take note.

PATRICK - I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Sussan Sirke Patrick, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Sussan Sirke Gabriel-Appah. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AYORO - I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Caroline Ayoro, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Caroline Godspower Mkpae. All former documents remain valid. State Security Services, Federal College of Education (Tech) Gombe, and general public please take note.

ODOBAI –I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Odobai Timiebi Victoria, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Onoita-Lucky Timiebi Victoria. All former documents remain valid. University of Port Harcourt, The Nigeria Police Force and general public please take note.

UWAEZIOZI –I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Uwaeziozi Ugochi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oledi Ugochi. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

OGUJIUBA –I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogujiuba Patience Chinenye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ibe Patience Chinenye.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

SOJI –I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Soji Ruth Ayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okeshola Ruth Ayo. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

OBASI –I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Obasi Anita Ekwutosi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Anita Ekwutosi Philip. All former documents remain valid. University of Lagos and general public please take note.

EZEWU- I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Ezewu Beauty Orhorha, now wish to be called and address as Mrs. Buluku Beauty Orhorha. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MOMOH- I, formerly known and addressed as Momoh Vincent, now wish to be called and address as Ohworuemu Ufuoma Jonathan.

All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

AMAECHI- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Anthonia Adanma Amaechi, now wish to be called and address as Mrs. Anthonia Adanma Eguvwebere. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NWAJEI- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwajei Rosemary Uche, now wish to be called and address as Mrs. Onyemem Rosemary Uche. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MOHAMMED- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Aishat Omolola Mohammed, now wish to be called and address as Mrs. Aishat Omolola Tokunbo-Bakre. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

IGBONAGWAM –I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Igbonagwam Hope Onyeka, now wish to be known and addressed as Dr. (Mrs.) Ogbonna Hope Onyeka. All former documents remain valid.

Nigerian Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (NMCN) and general public please take note.

VANGUARD'S LAGOS OFFICE YOU CAN B O O K YO U R A D V E R T S AT OU R L A G O S I S L A N D O F FI C E — VA N G UA R D M E D I A L I M I T E D (LAGOS OFFICE) K I O S K 4 8 E A S T P AV I L I O N T B S , L A G O S .

ADVERT HOTLINE 01-8737025

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 11 , 2012—55

C M Y K

56—V anguard 56—Vanguard anguard,,

FRID AY , MA FRIDA MAY 11,, 2012 Y 11 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

TAURUS; Monetary Venus makes an ingress into your Star sign with good luck to you. Financial success is closer to you than you can imagine. Give it a big push.

GEMINI; Here is a good day when influential personalities around you will be willing to assist you but you will need to take the initiative. Take good advice.

CANCER; This is your day. The more ambitious you are along your career line the better for you. And friends are willing to give the needed supports.

LEO; Your mind is truly active and if you’re more practical about it success’ll crown your efforts. Reason with your tried and trusted friends.

VIRGO; Coming of monetary and loving into a positive angle to your Star sign is a big plus. On a day like this the more ambitious you are the better. It’s good to be loving

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

M

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

Never be less door neighbour will be your target.

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

TERROR MUDA

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

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

in “Never say goodbye”

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

Think about it!

By Kola Fayemi

LIBRA; The more willing you are to listen to your partners and/or spouse the better for you today. Friends are trying to convince you that the are reliable.

SCORPIO; The more push-ful you are along your career/business lines the better. Embrace new method at work. Don’t neglect your love life.

SAGITTARIUS; Here is a day you are not meant to ignore new ideas that come suddenly. It’s good to take matters of the heart more seriously. Listen to your spouse please.

CAPRICORN; Monetary and romantic Venus is joining mighty Sun at positive angle to your Star and bringing you good influence. Be more ambitious.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

AQUARIUS; Although your being co-operative can enhance your scope, your personal ideas and initiative are guarantee for a bigger do.

PISCES; Those of you who are more consistent will have more to gain. Good ideas on monetary issues will enhance your finances. Be more family minded.

ARIES; Entrance of monetary and romantic Venus into a positive angle is meant to enhance your finances.

The more willing you are to take good advice the better. Be loving.

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

What’s my birthday ruler?

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

According to the date I was born I should be a Libran by my star but most of the time when I read horoscopes written by both yourself and foreign Astrologers Scorpio always applicable to me, why?

Kindly tell me how the planets lined up when I was born and the day of the week I was born but don’t publish my date of birth.

Soji, Epe.

Dear Soji, You were born on a Sunday meaning that mighty Sun rules your birthday. You were wrong to have taken Libra as your Sun sign because the Sun was placed in early degree of Scorpio together with many other heavenly bodies. Then with the Moon in Libra when you were born will equally be influential in your characteristics build up but, you are mainly a Scorpio born person.

You are both an intelligent and emotional person. And as there was no planet at home when you were born, too many ideas will always struggle for prominent place in your mind, thus decision making is difficult but most times, your intelligence comes to the rescue.

Certainly, you appear to other as a gentle person who can be mistaken for soft fellow but your inner-self is the personality with a steel like will power.

You are the consistent type who may find it difficult to change once you have made up your mind as indicated by distribution of the planets as written out in paragraph two of this exercise.

One major challenge you have been battling for a very long time is constant worries, some times, necessarily and the other time, uncalled for, as indicated by conjunction Mercury and Saturn formed when you were born.

Placement of your natal Sun (basic self head) and Moon (your sub-conscious self) in Scorpio and Libra respectively are indications of your being mainly Scorpio born person and partly in Libran. And that is to say basic characteristics of both Scorpio and Libra are highly pronounced in you.

Then, you are spiritually gifted; if you don’t develop it is another thing.

Commen3

by Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—57

Hearing in Gbenga Daniel's N1bn suit for May 31 The court, before defection to the opposition

BY INNOCENT ANABA

A

VISIT: From right— Senator Nenadi Usman; Senator Boluwaji Kunlere; Senator Helen Esuene, Chairman, Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Social and Youth Development and Mr. Michael Fawole, Acting Director-General, Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, CLTC, during an oversight function visit by the lawmakers to CLTC Sea School in Lagos, yesterday.

Non-indigenes endorse Mimiko for 2nd tenure

G

OVERNOR Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State has declared that no amount of propaganda would deter him from serving the people because his government is divine and ordained by God, even as the umbrella body of all non-indigenes resident in the state, The Non-Indigene Alliance, endorsed the his re-election bid.

The group’s PresidentGeneral, Mr. Frank Sheen, led members of the group to the governor’s office to declare support for his second-term bid. Mr. King Adenuga, Chairman of the South-West zone and President of the Ogun State chapter, read the Alliance’s

address in which he eulogised Governor Mimiko for the unprecedented transformation of the state.

Adenuga noted that all the residents of the state, indigenes or nonindigenes alike, have continued to enjoy the dividends of democracy in Mimiko’s administration.

He added that the mother and child hospital in Akure has also continued to alleviate the suffering of the poor because all pregnant women resident in the state, and from the neighbouring states have been enjoying quality maternal healthcare at no cost.

Firm tasks FG on potable water

F

E D E R A L Government has been urged to adopt the new water treatment system called Meckow Aquapur to complement

Conference

V

ICTORY Leadership Institute is set to organise an international leadership empowerment conference on Build the Leader; Build the Church, between May 15 and 18.

In a statement by the convener, Pastor Emmanuel Falodun, the conference, to be held at The City of Light Church, Ijeshatedo, Lagos, is designed for capacity building because the capacity of leaders is the strength of the Church.

its commitment to providing safe drinking water for Nigerians as it works towards achieving vision 2020.

Managing Director of BGV Ltd, Mrs Iyadunmi Gbadebo, said this yesterday in Lagos at an interactive session with journalists.

She said the Meckow Aquapur water treatment system, which was designed and developed by Dr. Leighton James, a research scientist, is basically used for the treatment of non-saline water from surface sources such as ponds, lakes and reservoirs as well as ground sources like wells, boreholes and spring.

Eghosa Old Boys meet

T

HE Lagos State branch of the Old Boys Association of Eghosa GrammarSchool,Benin-City, will be holding its monthly C M Y K

meeting this Sunday.

The meeting will be held at the residence of Mr. Philipson Okonobo at 1004 Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos.

N Ogun State High Court, Shagamu, has adjourned till May 31, further hearing in the N1 billion libel suit by the former governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel against two of his former political associates.

Trial judge is Justice E. Osinuga. Defendants in the suit are former chairman of Ijebu-East Local Government Area, Tunde Oladunjoye and Daniel’s former Chief Press Secretary, Wale Adedayo.

adjourning the matter, had granted Daniel’s application for substituted service on the defendants.

The court also ordered that the defendants be served either personally or by pasting on their known residence or through newspaper advertisement.

Daniel, in the suit, is asking the court to order defendants to pay him N500 million each as compensation over their alleged role in an alleged libelous publication against him.

He is contending that their strained relationship led the defendants to

party and resorted to publication of offensive and injurious articles against him, especially through online network publications, which was calculated to damage his reputation and lower his estimation in the eyes of right-thinking members of the public.

He argued: “The defendants resorted to massive media onslaught against me by publishing false, malicious, and unsubstantiated stories against me with the malicious intent of doing incalculable damage to my reputation.”

Nigerian gynaecologist killed in Cameroon P

ORT HARCOURT—A Cameroon-based Nigerian gynaecologist, Dr. Samuel Ogoke, has been found dead in his home in Garoua, Northern Cameroon. Ogoke, 43, hailed from Ahiara in Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State.

Chairman of Imo/Abia Association in Garoua, Mr. Ibeabuchi Ololo, told newsmen on phone from Garoua, Wednesday, that Ogoke was allegedly killed in his house on May 8.

He said: “Dr. Ogoke’s landlady came to me to complain, Wednesday, that he had not come out. I suspected foul play and went with three other members of our association to his house.

“We saw his doors and windows opened, and on entering his bedroom, all his electrical appliances were on. We saw his dead body. His hands and legs were tied with cello tape,

with wounds on his head and stomach.”

Ololo said members of the association did not touch his body and decided to report to the police in Garoua. He said the police went to Ogoke’s house with a doctor who examined him and said he had died of internal bleeding.

“We have taken his body

U

G H E L L I — MANAGING Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr. Chris Oboh, has called for deliberate steps to reduce poverty in the Niger Delta region and march the citizens, particularly youths and women to prosperity.

Oboh, at a one-day workshop on the Role of Women in National Transformation Agenda, organised for women in Delta State, said: “Much is expected from every stakeholder towards the realisation of set goals.”

Ogoke. It is very unusual because we have not had this kind of experience in the past,” Ololo added.

Ogoke, he said, had lived in Garoua for more than 15 years, practising as a gynaecologist and a businessman. Ogoke was of tremendous assistance to the Dolphins FC of Port Harcourt when they played a CAF Champions League match against Coton Sports of Garoua on April 8.

Tanker drivers to FG: We won't leave Abuja-Kaduna road until...

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

A

BUJA—NIGERIAN Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, and Association of Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, have asked the Federal Government to provide them with ready and conducive parking lot in Tafa town on Abuja-

NDDC boss advocates poverty reduction

BY FESTUS AHON

to the mortuary and will meet soon to decide when to bring his body home for burial,” he added.

Ololo said the police in Garoua had asked them to come back for another meeting. He said Ogoke returned from Nigeria on May 7, where he went to buy equipment and drugs which he supplies to hospitals in Garoua.

“We are still at a loss on what happened to Dr.

Represented by the state Coordinator of NDDC, Dr. Omawumi Urhobo, Oboh stressed the need for projects and programmes that have direct impact on the people, assuring that the Commission was doing its best in that direction.

Kaduna Road before they would vacate the road.

National President of NARTO, Alhaji Kassim Bataiya, said until Federal Government provided the necessary facilities, such as flooring the ground with laterite, mounting of entry and exit gates, among others and make the 15hectare space on the AbujaKaduna Road ready, tankers could not vacate the major road.

Bataiya, who briefed Minister of State for Works, Amb Bashir Yuguda, during an inspection tour of the Abuja-Kaduna Road by the Works Minister, yesterday, noted that it was difficult for drivers to move their tankers without provision for space to park.

He explained that 65 per cent of tankers in this country supply Abuja and

Lagos alone, adding that the owners of those tankers were not based in Abuja, hence could not provide parking space for their tankers.

However, the Minister warned that government would not tolerate indiscriminate parking of tankers on the major roads, which he said leads to heap of refuse on both sides of the major road.

He said: “Government cannot ensure the safety and health of the people of this town and other road users if we have tankers parked indiscriminately on the expressway.

“The problem of Tafa town is not only the parking of tankers, but the dumping of refuse, which is not acceptable to government for safety and the health of the road users.”

Uduaghan urged to honour selfless service

G

O V E R N O R E m m a n u e l Uduaghan of Delta State has been called upon to appreciate those who have rendered selfless service to the government either in the past or present as a sign of encouragement to people.

Former Chairman of Gbekebor community in Burutu Local Government Area, Mr. Alapala Ebitonmo, made this call in Warri.

He said in April 27, 2007, during Uduaghan’s campaign to Burutu council, Mr. Emmanuel Ogidi, then

state PDP Chairman’s boat capsized in Burutu Ports.

He said: “I and my men rescued the boat and the men in it. We returned the guns belon-ging to the mobile police. I was then the Commander of Niger Delta Freedom Fighters.”

58—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11 , 2012

GROOVE EXTRA

DOWNVILLE

Continues from page 27

SEYDOU - ANGOLA Age: 26 Entrepreneur Seydou entered Big Brother StarGame “for the money and the game as a whole”. He says he is willing to do everything to win the grand prize and says, “I am a delivery man – I will make it happen!”

Seydou lists his favourite foods as steaks, seafood and carbonara.

His favourite books are the Harry Potter series and Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons. On the small screen, his favourite show is Chelsea Lately while his list of favourite movies includes Titanic, The Hangover, Pearl Harbour and Any Given Sunday. He says the best place in Angola is the beach in Luanda and says he enjoys the people and the warmth of Africa.

ESPERANCA – ANGOLA Age: 24 Former M-Net Face of Africa Model Search Top 10 Finalist Esperanca loves pizza, “The Oprah Winfrey Show”, “America’s Next Top Model”, Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys and horror movies. Her role model is Naomi Campbell, because she’s always admired her work – and people have told her that they look alike.

Her mom has been a huge influence in her life, supporting her in everything she does.

She entered Big Brother StarGame because she’s always wanted to be in the house and would be proud to represent Angola. She says it’s also a great opportunity for exposure – and the grand prize money doesn’t hurt either!

EDITH – BOTSWANA Age: 30 Edith, a Personal Assistant from Francistown, entered for Big Brother StarGame at the insistence of her friends, who told her she is fun to be around and would make a good Housemate. She says that the opportunity to partner with her sister Eve on the show makes them both feel like stars. Edith says she knows her sister like the back of her hand and chose her because “with her sense of fun and my wild character, we are bound to blast the competition!”

She won’t be compromising who she is to win the grand prize, though. “I will not put on a fake ‘Edith’ just to win,” she says.

She is looking forward to being on screen across the continent and is excited at the chance to become a household name across Africa. She warns viewers to expect her to “bring all the fun back” and says that if she wins, she will use her money to build her deaf and mute sister a house.

OLA (29yr-Nigeria) Lagos resident and interior designer Ola Bakare is an impressive 6’9’ tall. His favourite thing about Africa is that the land has been blessed a great deal, while he also enjoys the people and culture. He says his Dad influenced his life the most because ‘he always worked hard for me and wants the best for me – he loves me unconditionally

Holy Man drops Okurin Meje

G

ABRIEL Ayeni a.k.a Holy Man has dropped a new video, “Okurin Meje’ with potentials of injecting new personality into the afro beat music genre.

According to Holy Man, the single is characterised by a rhythmic sprinkling of Yoruba rap lines common with sensational dance hall singles ruling the airwaves today. However, Holy man insist his song is different.

“I have a song that is unique to me. I have been in this business for years and I am experienced enough to carve out a distinct face for myself and my music which is different from every other song you’ve heard.”

Holy man told this writer that his album Drop it holding C M Y K

twelve tracks will hit fans soon with big singles like Kaki no be leather and Runaway leading the pack.

True, Holy man is not a green horn in the business, having featured music icon Buzz Man from the defunct group Defoclan that also paraded stars like Azadus.

The singles were produced

by AD 10 and Beatman. He is an administration graduate, married and based in Lagos.

I sing for women – J ROC

BY EBELE ONUORAH PCOMING Afro Hiphop and dancehall artiste, J-roc, has revealed his plans to release the video of his wave-making single titled,“Flavour ” which is already enjoying airplay in radio stations and dancehalls across the country.

‘Flavour ’, a smooth sensational track for the ladies was produced by Hcode, the beat monster who is also behind the production of songs by some top artistes like 2face, Vector, Tiwa Savage and Sauce kid. He is also featured in the song.

The track Flavour is the first in a series of singles he has released. His other single MO FE LO, a dancehall music which is also enjoying airplay is the second track in his promo CD. It was produced by one of the world’s finest producers, Nigerian-American producer Mic1one, CEO, LHM records and based in United States.

U

With mentors like 2face, Bob Marley and Wyclef Jean, J- roc hopes to unite all genres of music and bring peace in the music industry through his music.

Speaking to WG, on how he

came up with his hit single “flavour”, the rising act said that he never wrote the song as it was just freestyle. “ I never wrote the song down, the first day I met with the producer, Hcode was the same day the song was made” He had a meeting with Hcode and when he got to the studio, the producer listened to some of his songs and got struck by one of the beats that gave birth to Flavour.

“Flavour is all about the ladies and knowing the things that would put smiles on their faces” Born Obi Austine Obimma, in far away France, to an Anambra State born father and a Congolese mother, J-roc is from a Christian family of six Being the third child of his family, he received his primary education at Pampers nursery and primary school and his secondary education at CMS Grammar school, Lagos, the same school that produced the likes of 9ice and Earnest Shonekan.

The big and the mighty on Big Br other SSttarGame Brother Continues from page 27 CHRIS Age: 25 Country: Nigeria Fashion designer Chris is single and has a degree in Human Kinetics. He entered Big Brother StarGame because he thinks the House is fun – and he’s a fun-loving person. He hopes to bring his own style to the game and make a great impression. He’s looking forward to partnering with fellow Nigerian Ola because ‘he is one of the funniest individuals I have come across and I think we share the same sense of humour. He’s a crazy guy, trust me!’

LADY MAY Age: 25 Country: Namibia Lady May is an awardwinning musician who can’t wait to have Africa’s eyes on her 24/7 on Big Brother StarGame. She sums up what viewers can expect from her in one word: “excitement!”. Lady May says she doesn’t let anyone or anything bring her down and loves people who pick themselves up from life’s knocks and never give up.

She entered Big Brother StarGame for the opportunity to meet diverse characters and come face-to-face with different, unique challenges.

Lady May feels that the house “brings Africa together”. She has watched previous seasons of the show and lists Stefan Ludik and Cherise as her favourite former housemates. If

she wins the grand prize, she’ll spend some of it on ‘making over’ her teeth and invest the rest wisely. She says her “not so perfect” teeth affects her smile and confidence and that giving herself a perfect smile would make her dreams come true.

MAMPI Age: 25 Country:Zambia Zambian R&B star Mampi has made her intentions for Big Brother StarGame clear: “nothing will stop me from getting what belongs to me – I am going all-out”. The “Queen Diva” from Lusaka was inspired to enter Big Brother by her fans. “They know what I’m capable of doing and they know I am a go-getter who will raise my Zambian flag colours high,” she says. She is looking forward to having Africa’s eyes on her 24/7, where she’ll show the continent how much of an entertainer she is.

Mampi says the best thing about Africa is that it’s a beautiful and rich continent with friendly and cultured people.

Describing herself as spontaneous, unpredictable, sexy and as a diva, Mampi likes good listeners and people who are friendly, funny and freespirited.

PREZZO Age: 32 Country: Kenya Musician Prezzo was inspired to enter Big Brother

StarGame because he sees it as a great challenge. He says he is looking forward to being on Africa’s TV screens 24/7 because he loves attention. He hasn’t really seen much of previous seasons of the show and says that if he wins the grand prize, he’ll “cross that bridge when we get to it”.

He says he hardly watches any TV but enjoys movies like “Scarface” on the big screen, listing Al Pacino and Mos Def as his top actors. He’ll eat just about anything – except pork – and his favourite book is “48 Laws of Power”.

ROKI Age: 27 Country: Zimbabwe Harare-born Roki is a musician who describes himself as creative, quick, attentive, productive and soft.

He has been told that his soft heart will be his downfall, but he reckons “it’s just easier to let go of stuff”. He likes caring, hard-working and clever people and dislikes people who are lazy and heartless.

He promises viewers entertainment and says that his family is behind him 100%. If he wins the grand prize, he’d follow his dream and go to Hollywood. Apart from the money and exposure, he’s hoping to open his mind by taking part in Big Brother StarGame and also develop his understanding of all Africa. His favourite Big Brother Housemate from previous seasons is Vina.

Vanguard, FRID AY, MA Y 11, 2012 — 59 FRIDA MAY

Obama gambles with Presidency over same sex marriage P RESIDENT Barack Obama’s historymaking embrace of gay marriage could send farreaching political aftershocks through a presidential campaign defined by voter concerns about the economy but likely decided by slivers of the electorate in a handful of battleground states.

“The politics, it’s not clear how they cut in some places that are going to be pretty important in this electoral map. It

may hurt me,” Obama told Robin Roberts of ABC News in an exclusive interview Wednesday as he announced his change of heart. “I believe marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman,” presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney said as he campaigned in Oklahoma.

A Democratic senator who supports Obama’s re-election as well as gay marriage told Yahoo News that the president could face “significant

electoral risk” if his announcement is merely a check-the-box exercise with no follow-through.

“If the president simply makes an important commitment to equality and moves on, and does not challenge the network of people nationally, activists and others, who favor marriage equality, to speak up from now through the election, he is taking a significant electoral risk,” said the senator, who spoke on the condition that he not be identified by name.

Libya begins trial of Gaddafi supporters

L

IBYA began its first civilian trial of alleged supporters of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime as five men accused of planning to create instability by “terrorist acts” appeared in the dock.

Judge Amer al-Turki did not read out a charge sheet but adjourned the trial, which is being held in the western town of Zawiyah, for a week at the request of defense lawyers. Ali Ashaab Mohammed, the head of the

court, said the men had been arrested in Zawiyah, just west of the capital Tripoli.

“Today ’s case ... is about a group of former regime loyalists. They were planning to conduct terrorist acts and create instability in the country, as well as carrying weapons,” he said outside the courtroom.

“Some of them confessed that they took part in fighting battles in some areas.” The men were

behind bars in the courtroom. Officials said these were the first such civil court proceedings since the end of last year’s war. “This is the first trial (of suspected Gaddafi supporters),” Mohammed said.

An interim government was appointed in November to lead Libya to elections in June but is struggling to impose order on a country awash with weapons left over from the fighting.

•US President, Barack Obama campaigns for the November 6, 2012 election.

Rescuers find bodies of wrecked plane

R

ESCUERS discov ered the shattered wreckage of a new Russian-made passenger plane yestersday that smashed into the side of an Indonesian volcano during a flight to impress potential buyers. All 45 people on board were feared dead.

Due to the remoteness of the crash site and the

steep, rugged terrain, the bodies will be placed in nets and lifted by ropes to a hovering chopper, national search and rescue agency spokesman Gagah Prakoso said.

Heavy mist was hampering visibility, however, forcing the postponement of evacuations until today.

“So far we haven’t

found any survivors, but we are still searching,” he said as teams of soldiers, police and volunteers continued to troop up the slopes. Russia’s first new model of passenger jet since the fall of the Soviet Union two decades ago — was in Indonesia as part of a sixnation tour of Asia aimed at drumming up new customers.

60 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

Keshi pla ys do wn Eagles slide Q plays down

PR defender Taye Tai wo has insisted they will not defend in a “difficult” final English Premier League game at Manchester City on Sunday. London club QPR are two points above the drop zone and would probably need a draw to ensure safety as closest rivals Bolton will be away at Stoke City.

S

UPER Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has said that was not disturbed by the steady slide of his team on the FIFA rankings.

On Wednesday, Nigeria dropped to number 12 in Africa and 63 in the world, the lowest ever placing, in the latest rankings.

However, Keshi has maintained that he was not overly concerned with the rankings as he is preoccupied with building a formidable team since he took charge in November. ”I am not concerned or worried over our continued drop in the FIFA rankings. You know we were not at the last Africa Cup of Nations and we are currently building a new team, so it’s understandable when we drop,” argued Keshi. ”My concern right now is to win matches for my country and build a formidable team that every Nigerian would be proud of. I am not worried by the rankings because I know we will climb the ladder again.”

N

FF President Aminu Maigari will be at the head of Nigeria Football Federation’s delegation to the eighth day prayer for departed Super Eagles’ legend Rashidi Yekini.

The prayer holds in his family compound in Ira, Kwara State in the morning of Saturday, May 12.

Other members on the delegation are NFF 1st Vice President, Chief Mike Umeh, Executive Committee members High Chief Emeka Inya-

•Taiwo

Nadal sstunned tunned b erdasco byy V Verdasco F

ERNANDO Verdas co caused a stunning upset at the Madrid Open by knocking out favourite Rafael Nadal in the last 16.

double against Bayern Munich in next Saturday ’s Champions League final in Germany. A senior Chelsea source revealed: “Robbie is determined to go for glory against Bayern, even though he’s resigned to leaving regardless of what happens in Munich. He has tried to talk to the club’s hierarchy about pre-season training for next season and been given very short shrift. “That convinced him he really is just an ‘interim’ manager, filling the post until a full-time appointment can be made.

“He’s hugely disappointed after the miracles he has worked here since taking over from Andre Villas-Boas in March.

“Two Cup finals is an amazing success after inheriting that mess.

Verdasco triumphed 63 3-6 7-5 to end Nadal’s 22-match winning streak on clay.

It was the first time ever he had ever beaten his Spanish compatriot in 14 attempts.

In their six previous claycourt matches, Verdasco had not even won a set but he soon put that staistic to bed by claiming a lengthy first set on Madrid’s controversial blue surface which again had both men sliding around.

However, despite clearly being well below

his best, Nadal showed his renowned fighting qualities to hit back in the second and square the match.

The second seed appeared well set for victory when he eased into 5-2 lead in the decider with a double break of his opponent’s serve.

However, twice he failed to serve out, producing a string of uncharacteristic errors, none more cringeworthy than a smash into the net which would have brought him within two points of victory at 5-2.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger with (R) Chief Commercial Officer Tom Fox and Emirates' Divisional Senior Vice President Boutros Boutros at the announcement of Emirates as the title partner for Arsenal' 2012 pre season tour.

Family tasks govt to immortalise Yekini

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

NO JOB FOR ROB ... stand-in chief Di Matteo doesn’t expect to keep role

City need to win to ensure they are English Premier League champions ahead of rivals Manchester United.

“We cannot afford to defend for 90 minutes

because this is the English Premier League, where action swings back and forth like a game of basketball,” Taiwo said in a radio interview Thursday.

Maigari leads NFF tteam eam tto oY ekini's pra Yekini's prayyer

Blues will axe me — RDM R

OBERTO Di Matteo expects to be axed

by Roman Abramovich — even if he wins the Champions League.

Chelsea’s FA Cupwinning caretaker boss fears the club’s billionaire owner is ready to dump him and appoint a big-name continental coach in the summer.

But that will not stop the Stamford Bridge favourite going all out for a remarkable Cup

end Taiwo: QPR w won’t defend on’t def against City

F

amily of late Rasidi Yekinni, Tuesday appealed to the federal government and other stakeholders in Nigerian

football to immortalize the late football star who died Friday May 4,in view of the immense contributions the deceased made towards the development of football in the country

and beyond. They reasoned that it was the only gesture that would console them.

Spokesperson of the family, Mr. Lateef Amolegbe, made the ap-

ma and Dr.Shehu Adamu, Kwara FA chairman Busari Ishola, NFF Match Commissioners’ Appointment Committee chairman Kunle Adesiyun and former international midfielder and NFF President’s personal assistant, Nasiru Jibril.

The NFF President was in the United Kingdom when Yekini, Nigeria’s record international goalscorer, died after a brief illness in Oshog-

bo, Osun State on Friday, May 4.

•Maigari

Wigan, Moses to part ways Continues from B/Page the £2.5m capture from Crystal Palace to move on — despite Wigan clinching Premier League survival.

His agent, Tony Finnigan, declared: “I think what Wigan have done is tremendous and shows it was the right place for him to go after Palace. But now I think Victor is ready for the next step.

“He still has lots of improving to do in terms of

scoring goals more regularly. But I think that would come if he was surrounded by better players. That’s what he wants and is why he won’t be extending his contract. I can’t see Victor changing his mind.”

Wigan owner Dave Whelan would be willing to accept a fee of around £10m, with QPR boss Mark Hughes allegedly preparing a bid if he succeeds in keeping his side in the top flight.

Calabar to host Eagles!

Continues from B/Page respectively.

“It is settled. Together with the Director General, Chief (Dr) Ekeji, we looked at all the options available to us and we decided Calabar is the best choice for now. Although work has started on the pitch of the National Stadium, Abuja, it will not be ready to host the match, especially with FIFA wanting us to confirm a venue by Friday,” said Maigari.

Maigari was at the DG’s Office with Executive Committee members peal in Ira, Kwara state while receiving the Kwara state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, during the condolence visit of the governor and his entourage to the family at their Eesa compound on Tuesday.

High Chief Emeka Inyama, Barrister Chris Green, Dr. Shehu Adamu and the General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu.

“We have to express heartfelt appreciation to Governor Liyel Imoke and his cabinet, as well as the good people of Cross River State, for accepting to host the Super Eagles,” added Maigari.

Nigeria take on Namibia on the opening day of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying race on Sunday, June 3 before flying to Blantyre for a Day 2 match in the series against the Flames of Malawi on Saturday, June 9. The Eagles return to Nigeria to clash with the Amavubi of Rwanda in the return leg of a 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifying fixture on Sunday, June 17.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—61

C M Y K

62—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012—63

C M Y K

C M Y

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Mikel misses training S

UPER Eagles mid fielder John Obi Mikel, David Luiz and Gary Cahill did not train with their Chelsea teammates on Thursday ahead of Sunday ’s Premier League finale against Blackburn. But, on a more positive note, Didier Drogba, Raul Meireles and Petr Cech all took part in Thursday morning’s session at the Blues’ Cobham headquarters after missing Tuesday’s 41 thrashing at Liverpool.

Centre-backs Luiz and Cahill are in a race against time to be fit for the UEFA Champions League final a week on Saturday having been sidelined with hamstring injuries.Sunday’s game is their last chance to build up some match fitness ahead of the 19th May showdown with Bayern Munich.

Mikel also missed Tuesday ’s game at Anfield through injury.

Calabar to host Eagles!

T

HE Nigeria Football Federation has confirmed the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar as venue for next month’s 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifying matches involving the Senior National Team,Super Eagles.

NFF President, Alhaji

Continues on page 60 •Keshi

Wigan, Moses tto o par ays partt w wa V

TOPSHOT......Atletico Madrid’s Radamel Falcao celebrates after scoring a goal during the Europa League final against Athletic Bilbao on May 9 in Bucharest. Madrid won 3-0. PHOTO: AFP

ICTOR MOSES has turned down a new Wigan deal and wants to quit the club.

Latics boss Roberto Martinez will try again next week to persuade the 21-year-old midfielder to sign an improved two-year extension to his current contract, which expires next summer.

But with Tottenham, Liverpool and QPR said to be showing interest, the time looks right for

Continues on page 60

•Blues will axe me — RDM — P.60 •Nadal sstunned tunned b erdasco — P byy V Verdasco P.. 60 TODAY'S

Aminu Maigari said on Wednesday evening, following a meeting with the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Chief (Dr) Patrick Ekeji that the Calabar venue will host the matches against Namibia and Rwanda

PUZZLES

YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

•Moses

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Temper (4) 4 Whelp (3) 6 Compassion (4) 8 Count (6) 9 Close (6) 10 Agent (3) 12 Repulse (5) 14 Flat (5) 15 Saltpetre (5) 18 Tart (6) 20 Save (6) 24 Long (5) 26 Rate (5) 28 Spree (5) 30 Tiny (3) 32 Comfort (6) 33 Reflect (6) 34 Tolerate (4) 35 Illuminated (3) 36 Intense (4)

DOWN 2 Fat (5) 3 Fall (7) 4 Go by (4) 5 Tiny (4) 6 Put (5) 7 Scene (7) 11 Equality (3) 12 Massage (3) 13 Untruth (3) 16 Attempt (3) 17 Epoch (3) 19 Better (7) 21 Stray (3) 22 Scoffed (7) 23 Fish (3) 25 Stretch (3) 27 Go in (5) 29 Elicit (5) 30 Healthy (4) 31 Discharge (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 2, Messy 7, Bogus 8, Gloom 10, Stoop 12, Oar 13, Belie 15, Tactful 17, Educed 19, Dot 20, Meddled 23, Raid 25, Dice 26, Opposed 30, Lot 31, Defile 34, Scraped 37, Satan 38, Toy 39, Debit 40, Voter 41, Remit 42, Breed

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Poked 2, Music 3, Esteem 4, Spot 5, Plotted 6, Forum 9, Oaf 11, Paddled 13, Beard 14, Lucid 16, Col 18, Demoted 21, Digit 22, Seven 24, Delayed 27, Pop 28, Desire 29, Actor 32, Fated 33, Latin 35, Rot 36, Dear

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470; Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.