FG's N3.1 trillion revenue traced to oil baron by Vanguard Media Limited

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Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016

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LAGOS COLLAPSED BUILDING

Doctors battle to save 13 survivors By Olasunkanmi Akoni

T least 34, construction site workers, including a woman and child,

died while doctors are battling to save the lives of 13 others who sustained severe injuries after being brought out of the rubble of a collapsed five-

storey building under construction at Lekki Gardens in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State. Lagos residents woke up to

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State pays obeisance to the Crown Prince of Benin Kingdom, HRH Prince Eheneden Erediauwa after his official installation as Edaiken N'Uselu, yesterday.

the sad news, on Tuesday, after a down pour. According to reports,, the building caved in at about 4.am, trapping occupants, mainly construction workers. The incident came on the heels of the collapse of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, SCOAN, building of 2014, killing over 100 people, mostly South Africans. 98 percent of the victims in the Lekki incident, it was gathered, are also non-Nigerians. They are from Togo, Benin Republic and northern part of Nigeria. Though Lagos State government has come out to say saying approval to construct only four-storey was issued to Lekki Worldwide Estate, owner of the collapsed building, it was gathered that officials of Lagos State Building Control Agency, LABSCA, had earlier issued a “stop work” to the developer after discovering some lapses. However, before the suspension of rescue operation,18

dead bodies had been removed from the debris on Tuesday, while,12 more bodies were evacuated Wednesday afternoon. Four other bodies were recovered late in the evening of Wednesday, making a total of 34 deaths. Spokesperson, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye, said apart from the 13 people rescued on Tuesday, no other person was removed alive from the rubble the next day. General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Michael Akindele, corroborated Farinloye’s statement. Survivor recounts One of the survivors, who was brought out from the rubble around 6 pm, on Tuesday, Mr. Tunde Kusari, said he is an iron bender working at the site when it collapsed. Kusari, who managed to speak with Sunday Vanguard before he was taken away for medical treatment, narrated: “I thank God for sparing my life. I was sleeping on the second floor of the building when it caved in on us. Most of us were waiting for our wages to be paid by the contractor. “I cannot explain how I managed to survive. It was dark down there, we were just shouting `help, help’. But the voices kept going down as the clock ticked. It’s a miracle I survived. I really thank God”. Residents and sympathizers blamed the high death toll on the inability of rescue workers to conduct a 24-hour-mission. “If the rescue team had continued with the mission on the first day without suspending work, probably, more trapped victims could have been brought out alive. Rescue teams need to be more alive to their responsibilities. If this had happened in a more advanced clime, the casualties wouldn’t have been this much. We need to buckle up next time because disasters will always occur”, Mr. James Okeyson, a resident stated. The search and rescue operations at the scene of the collapsed may have ended, but the activities of sympathisers, which caused the death of one rescued victim will continue to be a source of worry to the state Emergency Rescue Team, ERT. The ERT consists of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, its Lagos State counterpart, LASEMA, Lagos State Fire Service, the Red Cross and the Nigeria Police.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that one of the rescued artisans would have survived but for the ignorant move of a sympathizer. Sources said that seconds after the un-identified artisans was rescued, the victim demanded for water but ERT officials declined his demand. Unfortunately, the sympathizer overheard the victim calling for water and, ignorantly, away from the knowledge of the emergency officials offered him water, which the rescued victim accepted. Knowing the implication, it was learned that an ERT official, with the assistance of the policemen, chased all sympathisers around away and rushed the victim to the ambulance at the scene. Sources said that few minutes after drinking the water, the rescue victim died. Efforts to revive him proved abortive. Confirming the collapsed building incident, the LASEMA GM, Akindele, and NEMA South-West Coordinator, Mr. Yakubu Sulaimon, absolved the ERTof being responsible for the high death toll. He said the crowd at the scene was their greatest challenge in the search and rescue operations. “So it is not true that we were responsible for the high death toll”, they said. “The greatest challenge we had was on the first day because 98 percent of the victims were not Nigerians. We have people from Togolese and Benin Republic”, Akindele said. The General Manager added: “Emotion carried over as if the sympathisers could do the job better (search and rescue operations) which they could not do.” Sulaimon, on his own, said, “The crowd tried to deny our officials access into the building but the officers of the Nigeria Police were able to address the issue. “We also experienced human traffic because at 7 am, residents were already at the scene trying to observe how the rescue officers were conducting their exercise”. The incident has raised the issue of incessant building collapse without definitive step adopted to check the trend. No doubt, Lagos has witnessed several incidents of building collapse with devastating effect. Apart from the Synagogue building collapse of 2014 the which claimed over 100 lives, the Lekki collapse ranked in terms of number of casualties recorded in the last two decades in the state.

Former Captain of Nigeria's Super Eagles signing autographs for pupils during a visit to Brickhall School in Abuja

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016 — PAGE 5

MADE IN NIGERIA

$16BILLION SHOCKER FOR BUHARI

FG’s N3.1 trillion revenue loss traced to an individual By Jide Ajani

PPARENTLY believ ing that he had heard and seen the worst of how corrupt practices have brought Nigeria to her knees, President Muhammadu Buhari, last week, almost lost his cool when it was brought to his attention that a whopping $16 billion - at the official exchange rate of N196, this comes to N3.136 trillion; while, with the parallel market rate of N315, it comes to a whopping N5.04trillion) of the nation’s crude oil revenue loss could be traced to some sharp practices by some individuals in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. The quantum of funds in question are revenue that ought to have accrued to the Federal Government of Nigeria through oil-lifting deals which are now subject of intensive investigations. Specifically, one of the arrow heads of the crude oil lifting scam, who has been invited and interrogated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, at least twice before, has been granted administrative bail, and “who is alleged to be warehousing a sizable chunk of the money, drew the ire of Mr. President”, an Aso Rock Presidential Villa source disclosed. Sunday Vanguard learnt that even visiting South African President, Jacob Zuma, was caught in the cross winds of Buhari’s reinvigorated mode of anti-corruption, as he ordered that every kobo of the stolen funds must be recovered. Similarly, information suggests that the government of the United States of America is helping in

the provision of intelligence on how to trace some of the stolen funds from Nigeria. Benin Republic and South Africa have both become safe havens for Nigeria’s stolen funds investigations have revealed. $16BILLION Sunday Vanguard learnt that once the revelations were made to Buhari, he ordered that EFCC must ensure that the looted funds are recovered. According to Aso Rock insiders, the funds were “supposed to be proceeds from some of the crude oil sold on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria by these people and for which they were said not to have made the necessary returns to the coffers of the country”. Continuing, one of the sources said: “You needed to have been there. You needed to have seen Mr. President. He was almost moved to tears at the colossal fraud that had taken place in the country. “He became dejected because at a time when the nation’s resources had gone down badly, at a time when the foreign reserves are also not as much as would be befitting of a nation with vast potentials, such a huge amount of money can be traced to the illegal activities of some people. “But Mr. President has ordered that every kobo must be recovered. Whatever it takes, he has made it clear that those funds must be recovered.” Records of the oil-lifting schedules, timelines of transactions as well as proceeds that were meant to have accrued to government, the source

said, “showed that some people just constituted themselves into a parallel government and were just making away with the nation’s resources.” TRACING STOLEN FUNDS Sunday Vanguard learnt that, as part of its bilateral agreement on intelligence sharing and anti-money laundering surveillance, the government of the United States is collaborating with the Buhari administration on how to trace some of the stolen funds domiciled in other countries - Benin Republic and South Africa have been identified as safe havens. Part of the visit of South African President Jacob Zuma was said to be on the apparent reluctance “of the South African government to repatriate some funds stashed in the country.” It was discovered that whereas the Federal

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, testing one of the caps produced for him by an Aba - Abia State based designer and Chief Executive Officer of AIDEC Designs Limited, Mr. Adiele Ekeke in Abuja yesterday. Government has relaxed its forex policy, there has been a heavy movement of cash (in dollars) from Benin Republic back into the system in Nigeria. The simmering diplomatic row between Nige-

ria and South Africa, sources disclosed, has more to do with the seeming unwillingness of the South African government to repatriate alleged stolen funds that have been traced to that

country. “This was part of what President Zuma came to resolve with Nigeria during his visit last week,” Sunday Vanguard said.

Fayemi challenges working women to add value to society By Emmanuel Aziken

HE minister of solid minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has called on women to take position in the public space as a step towards resolving the crisis of values in the country. Dr. Fayemi spoke as guest lecturer at the an-

nual Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) lecture. The lecture themed, “Crisis of Values: Reclaiming our Society,” delivered by Fayemi, had in attendance, some of the country ’s leading women in the professions among whom were Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, chairman of First Bank, Mrs.

Nike Akande, chairman of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, Mrs. Mobolaji Johnson, the immediate past minister of communications, Dr. Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, activist and former Ekiti First Lady, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, the immediate past First Lady of Lagos State among many others.

Robbers attack bank, cart away Automated Teller Machines By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa

RMED men, suspected to be renegade militants, in the early hours of, yesterday, launched a daring attack on a bank (names withheld) at the university town of Amassoma in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, and carted away some Automated Teller Machines. The invaders, about 12 in number, and armed with sophisticated weapons and dynamites, reportedly stormed the riverside community at about 12.35 am through the waterways. Sources from the community told Sunday Vanguard that, though men of the Amassoma Police Division engaged the hoodlums in gunfight, the invaders overwhelmed the policemen.

It was gathered that the gunmen shot their way to a new generation bank, located some distance away from the waterfront, causing the security guards to scamper for safety. “The armed men threw dynamites at the walls of the bank, bringing down its fences. They gained access to the bank premises but were unable to get in after much attempt,”an eye witness said. “They therefore blew up the walls holding the ATM machines and made away with them.” The community, it was further gathered, had lately come under armed robbery attacks. “We are now under threat from thieves, rapists and robbers. Painfully, this is the town where the Niger Delta University is situated, thereby exposing students to more danger,”the eye witness added.

“Overtime, students have constantly faced attacks from robbers.” The spokesman for the Bayelsa Police Command, Asinim Butswat, who confirmed the development, said, though the armed bandits attacked the bank with dynamites, “they did not cart away the ATM machines.” His words, “On 12 March, 2016, at about 0035hrs, unknown gunmen in three speedboats invaded Amassoma Police Division. “Shortly afterwards, the hoodlums attacked a bank, damaged the ATM machines and attempted to enter the bank, but were repelled by a reinforced unit of policemen. “No life was lost and money was not stolen. Efforts have been intensified to arrest the fleeing suspects. Investigation is ongoing.”

Noting the excellent contribution of women in the professions, Dr. Fayemi said the women could well harness their potentials to lift the core values of society. He said: “Women across the African continent, and here in Nigeria, have done an excellent job of pushing for access of women in decision making. The case they have made is that the implications of women being excluded from decision-making are serious. It means if women do not have a voice where key decisions which affect their lives are made, then their capacity for full development and equality is severely limited. Women’s involvement in decisionmaking contributes to redefining political priorities, placing new issues on the political agenda which reflect and address women’s gender-specific concerns, values and experiences, and provides new perspectives on mainstream political issues. Without the active participation of women and the inclusion of their perspectives at all levels of decision-making, the goals of good governance and inclusive, transparent democratic processes cannot be achieved.

PAGE 6 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016

CAN warns Emirs against forceful marriage of Christian minors •Pastor publicly insulted by Obasanjo emerges new Chairman By Luka Binniyat

HE Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in the 19 Northern States, yesterday, frowned at cases of Christian minors in the North, forced into marriages to adult Muslims with the knowledge of Emirs. The group, also known as “Northern CAN”, equally kicked against Nigeria’s membership of the Coalition of Islamic Countries Against Terrorism. These positions were taking after the emergence of Reverend Yakubu Pam as the new Chairman of Northern CAN. Pam, then Chairman of Plateau State CAN, had drew the ire of former President Olusegun Obasanjo during a reconciliatory meeting convened by Obasanjo in Wase, Wase Local Government Area, LGA, of Plateau State between Christians and Muslims in the heat of ethno-sectarian clashes that engulfed the lower plateau in 2004.

Pam had observed at the gathering that Obasanjo was not fair to the Christian side in his comments. A furious Obasanjo had responded: “You idiot! You are talking absolutely nonsense…you are Chairman of CAN; CAN my foot!.”. Pam took over from Archbishop Peter Jatau, yesterday, as the new Chairman of the more than 40-year-old association. The new spokesman for the association who was one time Secretary-General of the Kaduna chapter of the CAN, Reverend Joseph Hayab, said that the Ese Oruru case was one of numerous cases in the region. He said, “Church leaders expressed concern because reports reaching us from different states showed that innocent underage Christian minors have been kept in different palaces under the guise that they will change their faith and are ready to be married out without the consent of their parents.

From left Chief (Dr) Seinde Akinsete, Chairman, board of Trustees, Eye bank for Restoring Sight Nigeria; Chief Emeka Anyaoku, President, Metropolitan Club; Mrs Dakore Akande, Eye Bank Ambassador and Mr Folusho Phillips, Chairman, Fund Raising Committee at the breakfast fund raiser for Eye Bank for Restoring sight Nigeria held at Metropolitan Club, Lagos. Photo Lamidi Bamidele. “The Church leaders are saying government must be up to its responsibility of tackling the issues without playing politics with them. We are saying, government, wake up and live up to expectation.” The Northern CAN, according to him, also frowned at Nigeria’s membership of Islamic Countries Fighting Against Terrorism. He said: “Though Christians in the North, who are mostly victims of terror attacks over the years, abhorred terrorism in its entirety, we needed more clarifications from the government of the day of our membership of any coalition against terrorism.”

L-R: Jimi Taiwo, Regional Director, Family Care, Cussons Baby; Sampson Ekpeyong, National Sales Manager, Family Care;Mrs Eraromena Grant, mother of the baby; Oritsejolomisan Nina Grant baby; winner of Cussons Baby Moments 3 Competition; Alex Goma, MD Family Care; Oluwaseun Ayeni, Brand Manager, Family Care, Faith Okoli, Marketing Manager,Baby & Beauty, and Toby Adetunji, Assistant Brand Manager, Cussons Baby, during the Cussons Baby Moments 3 Competition grand finale. Photo By Akeem Salau.

Nigeria Police partners Binggo, UAC Subsidiary for K-9 Dogs By Kingsley Omonobi Abuja

NSPECTOR General of Police, Solomon Arase, said at the weekend that the Nigeria Police Force has entered into a partnership with Binggo, a subsidiary of UAC Nigeria, for the production of feeding materials for speciallytrained Police dogs to be used in fighting terrorism and other forms of security challenges in the country. He spoke at the unveiling of the Binggo range of feeding materials presented to the Police Dog Center at the new Dog Breeding Centre in Dei-Dei, in Abuja. According to IGP Arase, the breeding Centre, which is first of its kind in the sub-region, is capable of producing over 200 dogs per annum, and meant to complement the technical and human assets of the police and other security agencies to address the challenges facing the country. The IGP alongside the

Interior Affairs Minister, Lt. Gen. Abdurahman Dambazau, and Chairman Police Service Commission, Sir Mike Okiro, then inspected the various facilities at the center, including the official Binggo dog food, saying that the Centre would make the Force self-reliant to locally bred police dogs in a cost-

effective manner while saving the nation some foreign exchange. Binggo Dog Food having been adopted by the Police as the official dog food, is produced by Grand Cereals Ltd., a leading producer of animal and edible feeds brand like Vital Fish Feed, Vital Poultry Feed and Grand Pure Soya Oil.

Grand Cereals Ltd. Marketing Manager Grand Cereals, Mr. Tope Banjo, said, “Binggo Dog Food provides quality nutrition for your dog’s making them smart, healthy and active.” It comes in Chicken flavour and packed in 15kg adult and 5kg puppy bags.

Ondo medical varsity targets N1 billion for devt By Dayo Johnson, Akure

HE new University of Medical Sciences UNIMED, Ondo is to raise N1billion to grow the institution and execute major developmental, projects. Speaking with Sunday Vanguard ahead of the institution’s inauguration and first matriculation, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Friday Okonofua, said over 234 students had been admitted. The fund to be raised,

according to him, will be known as the “ Friends of UNIMED Fund” and in two fold. Okonofua said the move was to build a multitude of friends for the university who see themselves as joint owners and will be willing to make regular contributions for its development. He added that it will be managed in a transparent, effective

and accountable manner for specific identifiable projects on research, service delivery and development of the institution. According to the Vice Chancellor the idea is to generate a cohort of friends for the university who will make regular, small and determine financial contribution towards the implementation of specific projects.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016 — PAGE 7

Ibru:

A man of diligence By Emmanuel Aziken,

Political Editor

enator Felix Ibru, who died, yesterday, at the age of 80, was a pioneer of sorts in several areas of human endeavour. He excelled not only in his studies and professional calling, but also in the public space where he used his office to push through some of the country’s enduring legislations on public probity. Before the recent rush for the Senate by former governors, Ibru had shown how one could harness experience garnered from executive office with legislative duties to project public policy. The new pension regime in the country, the new public procurement framework and the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, were some of the memorable legislative accomplishments pushed through by the late Ibru in his one term in the Senate between 2003 and 2007. Though well accomplished, he was a man who certainly did not take his successes to the head especially as he aged. With a remarkable bouncing

gait, he was a man who reached out to all classes of men around him. While easily remembered as the first civilian governor of Delta State, the renowned architect also had a litany of other firsts to his name that have been subsumed by his political strides. The second son of the famous Ibru family from Agbara-Otor in Delta State, the late Felix was Head Boy at Igbobi College, Lagos in 1955 and, following his secondary education, he proceeded, on scholarship, to the Nottingham School of Architecture, Britain and qualified as an architect in 1962. He became the first African President of the British Council with responsibility for Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire. It was in that capacity that he was granted audience by Her Majesty, the Queen, in 1962. Following a master ’s programme in architecture at Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, in Israel, he

Continues on page 8

Ex-Delta gov, Felix Ibru, dies at 80 By Festus Ahon & Ochuko Akuopha, Ughelli

he first civilian go vernor of Delta

State, Olorogun Felix Ovuodoroye Ibru, is dead. He died in Lagos, yesterday, at the age of 80. The cause of the death was hazy at press time, but family sources said he had been battling ill-health in the last five years. The late Ibru became governor on January 2, 1992 but was removed from office on November 17, 1993 after General Sani Abacha coup which overthrew the then interim government of Chief Ernest Shonekan. He also represented Delta Central in the Senate from 2003 to 2007 and later led the Urhobos as PresidentGeneral of the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU. A family source, who could not confirm the cause of Ibru’s death, however, said the former governor, who hailed from Agbarha-Otor in Ughelli North Local Government Area, died at about 1pm in a Lagos hospital. Meanwhile, the news of the death, which filtered, yesterday, into Agbarha-Otor at about 3pm, threw the community into mourning. When Sunday Vanguard visited the

•Okowa, Uduaghan, Omo-Agege, Ogboru others pay tribute community, people were seen in groups discussing the death. Deltans, including Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, described Ibru’s death as a big loss to the political class. Okowa commiserated with the Ibru family over the death. The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Ehiedu Aniagwu, described the deceased as a patriot and political icon who led the state in her embryonic stage. He said: “Senator Ibru will be missed by all whose lives he touched in many diverse ways in his very fulfilled and achievements-laden life”. Uduaghan described Ibru as a statesmen who spend most of his public life in the service of the common man. The former governor, in a statement, recalled the deceased’s giant strides as governor and senator, saying his wise counsel and patriotism will be missed by Deltans and Nigerians. The senator representing Delta Central, Ovie Omo-Agege, in his reaction, said: “It is with great shock and sense of great loss that I received the news of the passing of Olorogun Felix Ovuodoroye Ibru.

“He was a great son of Urhobo who served the Urhobo nation meritoriously as Urhobo Progress Union President General and Nigeria as senator”. Olorogun John Oguma, on his part, said this is not the best of time for the Osadjere family of OvworOlomu, saying: “ Felix Ibru’s death is a big loss to us in the Osadjere family in particular, Urhobo nation, Delta and Nigeria as a whole.” National leader of the Urhobo Nationality Council, Olorogun Jaro Egbo, said: “We are shocked at the news of the demise of the first civilian governor of Delta State, Olorogun Felix Ibru. “This is great loss to Urhobo nation where he served as President General of UPU, to Delta State where he served as the first civilian governor and to the nation where he served as senator. “The Urhobo nation will miss the counsel and advice of the elder statesman”. Senator James Manager, representing Delta South, in his tribute, described Ibru as a “great statesman, very effective administrator, a man who brought a lot of dignity to governance, a man of his words.” Manager, who served under the deceased as Commissioner for Youth, Sport and

Social Development, said Delta, under Ibru, would have gone far ahead of other states but for the coup of November 17, 1993, “which swept everybody away and therefore brought to an end a very purposeful era.” The senator added: “He was one of the most hard working senators even though he was one of the oldest and he excelled in the committee on establishments that was given to him. All the assignments that were given to him he excelled in them. Senator Ibru excelled as a governor, he excelled as a businessman and excelled as a lawmaker and also as a community leader.” The Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Monday Igbuya, also mourned Ibru. Igbuya lauded the deceased’s great concern for the unity of Nigeria, the growth of democracy and development of Delta State. Majority Leader of the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon Tim Owhefere, in a tribute, said the death of Ibru was a sad development. He described the former governor as a” front line politician who nurtured the modern day Delta into what it is today as our first governor.” UPU, which Ibru led, said the Urhobo had lost a good soul. UPU Interim Public Relations

Officer, Chief Josiah Ntekume, in a statement by the Urhobo apex leadership organ, said, “The passing of Ibru came as a shock to the Urhobo nation. A good heart has stopped beating. A good soul has has ascended to heaven. We part in pains with our beloved former governor and UPU President General.” On its part, the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, ILT, described the truncated governorship administration of the late Ibru as unrivaled in the annals of the state, saying his demise is a loss to Nigeria. Secretary, ILT, Edward Ekpoko, in the group’s statement, said, “Since his time as governor, successive governments in Delta state has been in the hands of ragamuffins. He had respect for competence and he was a pacesetter”. Chief Great Ogboru: “In private life, business and public service, Olorogun Felix Ibru left worthy imprints in our peoples’ hearts and history. Like every Ibru, he was iconic and held in very high esteem by our leaders and people world over for his deep wisdom and positive contributions to Nigeria’s develop ment and humanity in general. His exit is a shock for me. Nigeria has lost a great force for national unity, peaceful ethnic coexistence and good governance. This is a sad day for the Urhobo Nation in particular.”

PAGE 8—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016

Ibru: A man of diligence Continued from page 7 returned to Nigeria in 1963 and was appointed the first resident lecturer in architecture at the Yaba College of Technology. Following his movement into private practise, the late Ibru was involved in the design of many of the nation’s notable landmarks. He had a particular knack for educational and sporting facilities. He was involved in producing the master-plan of the Universities of Benin, Lagos and that of the Ogun State Polytechnic. He was also involved in the design of some major landmarks including the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Lagos, Oguta Lake Resort, The Diette-Spiff Civic Centre,

among others. The late Ibru, however, came to national political reckoning in 1991 when he won the governorship of the newly created Delta State. That accomplishment, though, was after a failed attempt to win the Bendel Central senatorial seat in the 1983 general elections. As governor, he is remembered for his administrative skills and as one who would always live up to his words. Senator James Manager, who served in the Ibru cabinet as Commissioner for Social Development, Youth and Sports, recalled that the late governor was dubbed “talk na do”, a colloquial for one who did what he said. Even though he was in his late 60s when he entered the

Senate, he, by most considerations, outperformed many younger senators in the discharge of his duties as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service Matters. The present pension regime for public servants, though conceived by President Olusegun Obasanjo, found traction through Ibru’s dedication to the bill that swept off the former pension laws. Ibru was also instrumental in pushing through the new public procurement laws of the Federal Government and the NEITI Act, two legislative initiatives which, when implemented, would clean up public finances. Ibru’s inclination to political tact was famously shown in the uprising by South-South

senators of the Fifth Senate against their leader, Senator Victor Oyofo, in August 2004. When Oyofo helped to kill a bill pushed by Senator Martins-Yellowe, dedicated to maintaining the environment, many South-South senators, including Senator Manager, were enraged and it took the discretion of Ibru who “instructed” Manager to avoid an open confrontation with Oyofo on the Senate floor. In the end, Ibru’s bent for peace succeeded when the South-South senators, hosted by Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, quietly signed a resolution ousting Oyofo as Chief Whip. However, Ibru who saw himself as a father figure, did not append his signature to the resolution. He served only one term in the Senate and did not seek a

second term in 2007 but his legacy in the legislative branch remains enduring. Ibru would also be remembered by the about 50 constituents he helped to position in public service jobs. A former Senate staff of Ibru said, yesterday, that, after helping an applicant to find a job, he also often provided provisions to kick start them in their new engagements. Following his Senate stint, he was elected PresidentGeneral of the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, a job he also carried out with aplomb. Ibru was, undoubtedly, an accomplished architect, businessman, governor, legislator and community leader whose legacies, like his bouncing stride, would endure in the hearts of many of those who knew him.

Military, police raid in Ekpan: I am prime target -Community leader By Egufe Yafugborhi

HIEF Newton Agbofodoh, the Unuevworo of Ekpan, has said the Friday military - police joint raid on Ekpan in Uvwie local government area, of Delta State was targeted at him after three of his sons were arrested and his home

vandalized. Security operatives, speaking through Brig. Gen. Farouque Yahaya, Commander, 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, and Alkali Usman, Delta Police Commissioner, said the raid, simultaneously carried out in Ebrumede and two other Uvwie suburbs, was to mop up

illegal arms, but Agbofodoh countered that it was instigated by his face-off with the state government. The Ekpan chief stated, “In early hours of March 11, 2016,

soldiers and police men, without a bench warrant, invaded my house. “They claimed it was an arms mop up operation. They didn’t find one incriminating

object breaking into my house but they vacated my home carting away N1.4m cash and five 32" LG plasma televisions. They took my wife’s box of jewelries worth N13million”.

NDDC contractors protest alleged non-payment for contracts executed By Jimitotal Onoyume

ONTRACTORS handling projects for the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, have lamented the delay in payment for jobs executed for the commission. Speaking in Port Harcourt, under the aegis of Contractors Association of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, President of the body, Mr Joe Adia, who was flanked by some members of the body, said some of them finished their jobs over four years ago and had not been paid. According to Adia, some of their members had died from frustration arising from the delayed payment.” We borrowed money from banks to do some of the jobs. Some of our members have died from frustration”, he said. He also said they had made several effort to meet with the acting Managing Director of the Commission, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, to discuss the debt owed contractors and how they could be paid but she allegedly kept avoiding them The group’s leader said they wrote several letters to Semenitari but got no reply. He said when they wrote another letter recently threatening to embark on protest, they were invited by the Department of State Security, DSS. Meanwhile, the NDDC acting Managing Director has said she was making efforts to

get those who had done their jobs very well paid, adding that she did not need to see anyone to be able to discharge her duties creditably. But she said she will not hesitate to see every group if time permitted her. Semeritari, D who spoke through the Head, Corporate Affairs of the commission, Mr Chijioke Amu-Nnadi, said she had set up a committee to investigate claims.

L-R: Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi(left); his Deputy, Kelechi Igwe(right); Commissioner for Power, Emma Uguru and Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Ali Odefa, during the commissioning of street light at the Ezzamgbo -Ebonyi State University section of the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway.

Fuel crisis to end in 2 days, Kachikwu assures Nigerians By Michael Eboh

he Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu , yesterday, assured Nigerians that the fuel crisis that appears to be crippling the nation’;s economy would end within the next two days, while he promised to work with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in addressing the foreign exchange challenges confronting major oil marketers. Speaking during a tour of petrol stations in Abuja, Kachikwu apologised to Nigerians for the pains brought about by the scarcity, while he stated that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, deploys 300 truckloads of fuel to Abuja on a daily basis, while supply has also been increased across the country. He said, “We have enough coming in. Obviously the two days of strike hit us very badly but we are flooding in, getting an average of 300 trucks a day into Abuja; it’s going to take a bit of

...To assist oil marketers access forex

while for the queues to finish but we are hoping that between the next one-two days we should have the queues all disappear because we are continuing to pump in, while a lot of the stations are open 24 hours a day. “I apologise to Nigerians for all the pains; nobody wants to see people spend two hours on the fuel queue. The president is very bothered about the sight of people

waiting for fuel. “ He said talks had begun with the CBN to help major oil marketers in Nigeria access foreign exchange to import petrol into the country.” He said, “We are doing everything we can; NNPC is taking the whole nation on its shoulders while majors are really not bringing in product; but we are working long term solutions

to majors to now begin to go back to importation lane and be able to service their own outlets rather than us servicing our outlets, independents, majors and servicing everybody; its a lot of wear and tear on our capabilities as a status. “Long term obviously we have got to systemically look at how do you prepare this nation in circumstances where there are emergencies to be able to respond; we are obviously not getting that as well as we should.

Diplomatic Shuttles Not Solution To Nigeria’s Economic Woes, Says Achigbu to do the needful because of the oil developing alternative energy By Abel Kolawole he Federal Government has been challenged to take T advantage of the crash in oil price to begin an aggressive diversification of the economy. At a breakfast meeting with select entrepreneurs in Lagos, Mr. Chibuike Achigbu, an engineer and chief executive of Chimons Ltd, a top oil and gas player, said successive governments refused

windfall and the country is paying dearly for those economic management lapses now due to the crash in crude oil prices. According to him, the failure to leverage the gains of the oil windfall in the past to build a strong manufacturing base, makes our economy less resilient to the shocks of an unpredictable oil market. He said the situation is likely to get worse as most developed economies of the world are fast

sources. Engr. Achigbu said that even with the fall in oil price, the sector is not a closed shop but unfortunately, the investment choices in that sector have not allowed the potentials to be fully developed and tapped in order to shore up the earnings from the oil and gas sector of the economy. He said that the emphasis on oil exploration and crude marketing narrows the value chain of that sector.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016 PAGE 9

ESE:

The Nigerian child as an endangered being • 12 states fail to endorse kids rights

•Ese

By Funmi Ajumobi

he abduction of Ese Oruru from Bayelsa to Kano State and three Lagos schoolgirls from their hostels generated so much heat in the polity. Meanwhile, Nigerians can heave a sigh of relief that the children are back home. The two cases, which demonstrate the abuse of the rights of children are minute, considering what Nigerian children go through daily in the hands of abductors, molesters, evil men and sometimes in the hands of parents and relations. This is

because many of these cases are not reported and, if reported, for fear of stigmatisation, they don’t see the light of day. For instance, the case of Ese happened since August 2015 but did not come into the public domain until February 2016. The Ese and Lagos schoolgirls’ cases are a reminder to government, caregivers, parents, adults and everyone involved in the care of children that there are lots to do to protect the rights of the Nigerian child. The review of the Child Rights Act, domestication and implementation by all states should be a priority if government and other stakeholders truly want these vulnerable children adequately protected. At the moment, 24 of the 36 states of the federation, namely, Abia, Akwa-Ibom,

Anambra, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Niger, Oyo, Ebonyi, Edo, Bayelsa, Ekiti, Imo, Jigawa, Kwara, Kogi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Plateau, Rivers and Taraba, have domesticated the Child Rights Act while Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara States remain reluctant to pass it due to religious, cultural values and outright misconception. Kano State, in particular, finds nothing good in domesticating the Act. Even then, the states which have domesticated tend to pay lip service to the implementation of the Act. This is obvious in the insignificant difference in the lives of children in the states before and after the passage as against the highly anticipated gains that motivated, to a great extent, the passage of the bill into law. Recent

cases of the abuse of children show that it is time government begins to lay emphasis on the need to accelerate the implementation of the law, not just at the national and state levels but also at the local government level while persuading states which have yet to domesticate the law to do so. The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most rapidly and widely ratified international human rights treaty in history. The Convention changed the way children are viewed and treated, i.e., as human beings with a distinct set of rights instead of as

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PAGE 10—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016

What fate for the Nigerian child?

Continued from page 9 passive objects of care and charity. The unprecedented acceptance of the Convention clearly shows a wide global commitment to advancing children’s rights but what we see today is not near expected results. Article 1 of the Convention on the Rights of Children states that, a child means every human being below the age of 18 years unless under the law applicable to the child, maturity is attained earlier, while Article 21 states that parties shall respect and ensure the rights of each child within their jurisdiction without discrimination, irrespective of the child’s or his or her parent’s or legal guardian’s race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status. Article 20:1. adds that a child temporarily or permanently deprived of his or her family environment, or in whose own best interests cannot be allowed to remain in that environment, shall be entitled to special protection and assistance provided by the state while Article 20:20 says states parties shall, in accordance with their national laws, ensure alternative care for such a child. In the meantime, Article 20:3 provides that such care could include, inter alia, foster placement, kafalah of Islamic law, adoption or if necessary placement in suitable institutions for the care of children. When considering solutions, this Subsection says due regard shall be paid to the desirability of continuity in a child’s upbringing and to the child’s ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic background. Article 39 wants states parties to take all appropriate measures to promote physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of a child victim of any form of neglect, exploitation, or abuse; torture or any other form of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; or armed conflicts. Such recovery and reintegration shall take place in an environment which fosters the health, self-respect and dignity of the child.

The Ese episode

Many things have been said concerning the alleged Ese abduction. Some people said it was the result of lack of parental control and / or poverty. Even

lawmakers from Bayelsa State in the House of Representatives said the full weight of the law must be applied on all those involved in the abduction, while saying they were determined to work with other stakeholders to review and domesticate the Child Rights Act. The reactions like these are commonplace. But they are hardly followed up with concrete actions. It is time Nigeria government knows that, realizing the rights of the child is the foundation for a prosperous society and a sustainable future. And that breaking the cycles of intergenerational poverty, violence and environmental degradation requires a future of healthy, safe, protected, welleducated and well-cared for children. When children do not have the opportunity to reach their potentials as they grow into adulthood, it is not only these children but also all of society who suffer the consequences. When we respect, protect and fulûl the rights of all children and invest in their cognitive, emotional, social and physical development, we are investing in the foundation of a sustainable world of progress.

Underage marriage

According to a UNICEF report, underage marriage hinders human progress by perpetuating deprivation, inequality and disadvantage across generations. Child marriage is associated with early pregnancies, poor sexual and reproductive health, higher maternal and infant mortality rates and lower education levels for girls. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals SDGs, agreed on, at the last year UN General Assembly, and the broader sustainability agenda, go much further than the Millenium Development Goals, MDGs, which is set to address the root causes of poverty and the universal need for development that works for all people. This agreement by world leaders, including President Muhammadu Buhari, marks an important milestone in putting the world on an inclusive and sustainable course which, if truly followed, will meet citizens’ aspirations for peace, prosperity, and well-being, and preserve our planet. The relief now is that Mr President has shown Nigerians and the world that he is ready to make sure SDGs are achieved in Nigeria by appointing a former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Hon. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, as his Senior Special Adviser on SDGs. Orelope,

many people say, is the right person for the job because she is a woman that will not leave any stone unturned in making sure SDGs work in Nigeria, following her efforts to curb child abuse while in the corridors of power in Lagos State. Lots were achieved during his tenure as Deputy Governor in terms of advocacy like translating the Child Rights Law into a simplified version for every child to read, printing of the Yellow Card in different languages for all to understand and Red Card as red alert for everyone that child abuse is a no-go area in the state, and inaugurating the Child Rights Implementation Committees to implement the law. So Nigeria is on the right path to protecting children from all sort of abuse.

It is time Nigeria government knows that, realizing the rights of the child is the foundation for a prosperous society and a sustainable future

Now that Ese is back home, what is the lesson for parents and the Nigerian child? What does the law say about the action of Yunusa, the girl’s alleged abduction who also allegedly forced her into marriage? According to reports, Ese was 13years old when she was abducted and taken to Kano by her alleged abductor. From the picture she took before she was abducted, compared to her looks at the moment, the difference is clear that the Ese her parents knew before is no longer the same.

Family connection

Running away with a teenager without parental consent is mischievous for the fact that issues bordering on marriage deserve understanding and consensus of both sides. The issue is that many parents are not aware of the rights of the child. Many do not think it as anything to be respected, they see it as something that will affect moral and cultural beliefs. The sooner Nigerians accept the Child Rights Act, the better for the protection of children from all forms of abuse. Parents need to stop the excuse of economic hardship to abuse children’s rights. Children are not to be exposed to dangers. The Oruru family must be commended for their doggedness despite the unpleasant roles played by some individuals and state institutions to deprive them of their right to have access to their child. However, parents must always keep tab on their wards and understand who their friends are. Parents should also know that the evil of this nature is not perpetrated by strangers but close friends known to the child and the family. Yunusa, according to the father, had been close to the family which showed that Ese was well known to him and he knew

how to get her, though one will not subscribe to the statement that they had been lovers. How can a 13-year-old be a lover? It is abuse of the girl’s rights and capitalising on her ignorance. What Ese needs most, now, is rehabilitation, support and encouragement to forge ahead. According to reports, Yunusa got a rousing welcome for being a hero who came home (Kano) with the head of a lion. Is there anywhere in Islam that promotes marriage without the consent of parents? Maryam Uwais, a Muslim woman from the North, attempted an answer to this question in her statement, entitled, “Senator Yerima and Constitutional Review”.Uwais’ words: “As a Muslim woman from the North, it is certainly not mandatory in Islam that girls must be married off as minors; so to keep insisting that this practice must remain sacrosanct, given the background of the needs in northern Nigeria, is incongruous, even under Sharia. Where a practice is determined to be merely permissible and not mandatory, it is considered practicable and entirely feasible within Islamic jurisprudence to discourage or prohibit it, where it is found to be so harmful to individuals and to the community. Countries such as Yemen, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Somalia and Bangladesh, with majority or Muslim populations, have set a minimum age for marriage as 18, in the acknowledgement that there are serious social, physical and mental health risks associated with child marriages. This progressive step became necessary, given that these indisputable facts placed a heavy burden on the accountability and Godfearing leadership in many Muslim countries, to protect the vulnerable in their midst”.

Why then is it that culture in the North is superior to the Nigerian law?

Uwais answered: “Indeed, the overriding objectives of the Sharia include the promotion of human dignity, justice, compassion, the removal of hardship, the prevention of harm, the realization of the lawful benefits of the people, and the education of the individual by inculcating in him a sense of self discipline and restraint, which aims are by no means exclusive. All else may be adapted to achieve these ends, which measures may encompass matters of concern not only to law but also to economic development, administration and politics. For those that reflect, the hardship that these little girls experience, where married off and divorced soon after, so wantonly, is certainly unacceptable within the faith. “As a Muslim woman (without pretensions of scholarship) forever striving for knowledge, research into these matters has revealed that in matters of social interaction (mu’amalat), there is a lot of latitude in what is permitted, unless it is expressly prohibited by a clear text. The rules are certainly not so definitive. What is also evident is that the ‘best interests of the child’ is a paramount consideration within Islam, along with the principle of public good (maslaha or istislah). The operational rules are not defined (probably deliberately, in my humble view) and the determination of such issues is best left to the experience, custom and context of the particular society. The Qur’an provides that the predominant consideration in matters relating to children would depend on the point at which they can be said to not be ‘sufaha’ (mentally immature) anymore, in the context of that particular community. Facts are that nearly half of all the children under five years of age are malnourished in the

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SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016 PAGE 11

•Folake Marcus

•Akinlami

•Maryam

'The ills of child abuse' Continued from page 10 North-east zone, with women and children in the nutrition ‘highburden’ states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara suffering the most from malnutrition, wasting and stunting. This singular factor remains the underlying cause for 53% of under-five deaths. If the child is stunted in its first 1,000 days, that condition is irreversible, so the future of these children, and the larger population, is permanently short-changed. The health and nutritional needs of mothers, new-borns and children are closely linked, with young mothers accounting for a majority of severely malnourished children. Multiple health risks arising from child marriage include the sexual exploitation (including forced sexual relations) that she is subjected to, as well as limited access to reproductive health services, despite the real and present danger of contracting diseases such as HIV/AIDS, STIs (sexually transmitted diseases) and the debilitating ailment of VVF/RVF (VVF-a tear in the flesh between the vagina and the urinary passage, usually due to prolonged labour, resulting in uncontrolled urine or feces in the case of rectovaginal fistulae-RVF), including the abandonment that comes with such ailments. Nigeria, with 2% of the world’s population, has 10% of VVF patients. Three-quarters of those with VVF/RVF are young girls who are not yet physically mature but have suffered trauma in their first pregnancy. Statistics show that stillbirths and deaths are 50% more likely in babies born to mothers younger than 18, as against babies born to mothers above that age. Each day, 144 women die in childbirth in Nigeria, with the North-East alone accounting for 5 times the global rate of maternal mortality. The lack of information and access to support ultimately results in psycho-social and emotional consequences, domestic violence, abandoned (street) children, with the attendant deprivations of their rights and freedoms, whose wellbeing is severely compromised. The prevalence of the abuse of the right to the exercise of divorce by Muslim men has only compounded the situation, leading to so many negative social deviations such as substance abuse

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(that has become so rampant), commercial sex work and the complete loss of values in the entire family set up. Community loses out. Many of these adolescents are married off to men much older than they, and because of the associated power differentials, this singular factor impedes communication between them, with the girl having no negotiation skills in crucial decision-making that may affect her life. Having lost out on these critical life opportunities, these married adolescents can never aspire to living as meaningful and productive members of society. Not being able to participate actively in the community translates to their losing out completely on benefitting from economic activity and earning a decent income. Many of these girls remain excluded from community life, having been separated from peers and family members by marriage. Depression sets in. A life of diminished opportunities. The community loses out completely; the economy cannot improve where half its population is stuck in this rut”.

Poor rating

According to Uwais, children of young, uneducated mothers are less likely to attain high levels of education, perpetuating cycles of low literacy and limited livelihood opportunities, saying marriage, therefore, ultimately deprives societies of the intellectual and financial/livelihood contributions of girls, and of their offspring. “It is no wonder then that the North continues to portray such poor ratings in almost all aspects of human endeavour. On September, 2015, countries adopted a set of goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years. For the goals to be reached, everyone needs to do their part: governments, the private sector, civil society and people like you,” she stated. Folake Marcus-Bello, FMB, a lawyer and the convener of We The Women Initiatives, also spoke to Sunday Vanguard on child rights. Marcus-Bello described as pathetic and heartrending what is happening to Nigerian our children. “The first problem I identify is that the concept of the family has been eroded, whether religiously, socially, economically, financially, and as wide as you can think”, she said. “

Everywhere you turn, there is child abuse unchecked going on all around and about us, from children being used as house slaves (maids), exposed to indecent adults at bars and restaurants, to the so-called religious houses where children are labelled as witches and wizards for daring to be different

Although some states of Nigeria have passed the Child Rights Act, how many Nigerians, both the parents and children, know the content? Ogun was the first state to pass the Act into law and, in my time as the Honourable Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, I ensured adequate advocacy and caused the law to be translated into Yoruba and Egun, and the government of the day distributed these extensively working in conjunction with NAPTIP and we were able to be strict”. She blamed parents for not devoting adequate time for their children. The former Commissioner said: “Every one is chasing one thing or the other that is not lost, from being in religious prayers over night and dragging the children along, to abandoning the children to house maids and nannies while chasing the so-called money and connections. There is a need to re-orientate ourselves and make an enabling law to reorientate the family so that the traditional family set-up, at least the mothers being around the children and to develop a relationship of trust whereby the children can totally and completely trust their mothers in order to open up at all times.

Three demons

“There is a lot of rape, incest, and all sorts of sexual perversion happening everywhere. There are three demons which the world worship: Sex, money and technology. Everywhere you turn, there is child abuse unchecked going on

PRO- CHILD RIGHTS ACT STATES

Abia State. Akwa Ibom State Anambra State Benue State Cross River State Delta State Niger State Oyo State Ebonyi State Edo State Bayelsa State Ekiti State Imo State. Jigawa State. Kwara State. Kogi State. Lagos State. Nasarawa State. Ogun State. Ondo State. Osun State. Plateau State. Rivers State. Taraba State.

STATES YET TO DOMESTICATE CHILD RIGHTS ACT Adamawa State Bauchi State Borno State Enugu State Gombe State Kaduna State Kano State Katsina State Kebbi State Sokoto State Yobe State Zamfara State

all around and about us, from children being used as house slaves (maids), exposed to indecent adults at bars and restaurants, to the so-called religious houses where children are labelled as witches and wizards for daring to be different. Thankfully, some state governments are responding and taking seriously child abuse in all its ramifications”. On the Ese alleged abduction, the woman actist had this to say: “I was quite disappointed to see that the man in question is a young man and so the following questions are important. Is this the real man or the fall guy? If this is the real man, then this takes me back to the issue of advocacy on the Child Rights Act. Do not get me wrong, ignorance of the law is no excuse, but it would seem as if this is just the normal boy-girl relationship and an elopement. But these things have to be thoroughly investigated. “Ese does not know her right as a child and may have not been raised morally to know when a boy should meet a girl .Ignorance can also be pleaded on the part of Yunusa. But there are many questions begging for answers. “Children in Nigeria are also exposed to men too early through hawking, unsupervised access to the internet and television and movies and programmes that are rated above their age. The Nigerian child has to be raised to be confident to know her rights so that he/she can know when to say NO. We must not becloud our thinking that it is only the girl-child that is affected, the male child is also in danger”. Taiwo Akinlami, a consultant to UNICEF on child protection, also offered an insight into the Ese episode vis-a-vis child rights. Akinlami said, “There are many elements in his (Yunusa) acts of commission or omission, which constitute different offences against the state and, by extension, against the child. It is important to note that Yunusa is said to be 18 years old while Ese is said to be 14. “The facts of the case revealed abduction, trafficking, child sexual abuse and exploitation. It is important to also note that according to the Child Rights Act, 2003, which is the domestication of the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), 1989), a child is anyone below the age of 18. Section 31(1) (2) (3) (a) & (b) of the Child Rights Act, 2003 provides —(1) No person shall have sexual intercourse with a child. (2) A person who contravenes the provision of Subsection (1) of this Section commits an offence of rape and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for life. (3) Where a person is charged with an offence under this section, it is immaterial that—(a) the offender believed the person to be of or above the age of eighteen years; or (b) the sexual intercourse was with the consent of the child. “It is clear from the provisions of the law that Yunusa is suspected to have committed an offence. If tried and found guilty, he is liable to life imprisonment by the virtue of the provisions of Section 31(2) referred to above. It is important to note that the law is very clear as to the issue of consent. Therefore, the reported statement of Yunusa that Ese was his girlfriend and that there was a mutual agreement to sexual relationship will not hold water as a form of defence. Noting that a child is anyone below 18 years, it is impossible for a child to give consent to sexual relationship either to a fellow child or an adult”.

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THE OONI OF IFE WEDDING The wedding between Zenat Obanor and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, took place, yesterday, in Benin City, Edo State. The ceremony as captured by Barnabas Uzosike.

His Royal Highness, Omooba Oluropo Ogunwusi, father of the groom, Ooni Enitan Ogunwusi, and the bride, Zenat Obanor

The families of the bride and groom.

From left: The bride, Omooba Oluropo Ogunwusi, and his Olori.

The bride sitting on the laps of Omooba Oluropo Ogunwusi after being presented as the wife of the Ooni.



The bride and Ife chiefs

Both families dancing with the bride



From left: Chief Williams Obanor, the bride’s father, and his wife

A Bini cultural group

An Ife cultural group

From left: Chief Obayuwana Obanor, the bride and Princess Folasade Ogunwusi-Fadairo

The bridal car

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016, PAGE 13

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PAGE 14—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016

16-yr-old Ifeoma, like Ese, was forcibly converted to Islam —Nicodemus, embattled father

•Ifeoma...renamed Aisha

•The Nicodemus family

By Favour Nnabugwu

hen in October 2014, Sunday Vanguard interviewed Mr Ndubuisi Nicodemus on the alleged forceful conversion of his daughter, Ifeoma, to a Muslim, he was not sure if he did the right thing. As Sunday Vanguard was about to publish the interview, he called to beg that his family was under the threat of being killed, hence we should not go to press with it. Meanwhile, the successful removal of Ese Oruru from his abductors has given him the courage to cry out. Ifeoma, renamed Aishat, according to the father, left home in May 2014. Aged 16, she was said to be going to SS3 when she left her parents and four siblings to live in a Muslim community 21 months ago in protest against the authority of her mother to question her for returning late to the house that particular day in 2014. Her father told Sunday Vanguard, way back in 2014, that he was at home in Zaria where he lived with his family when a man came to inform him that his daughter had converted to Islam and was now bearing Aishat. The father, 44, from Ebonyi State had relocated from Abakaliki to Zaria in 1992. According to him, he had observed some strange

behaviour in his daughter three months before, but thought it was a phase in her life that would pass. “l observed that my daughter changed character about three months before she left home. She became very aggressive over little things unlike her because l had warned her about the kind of friends she kept who were mostly Muslims but she would not listen” . The father lamented, “I sensed that she was under a spell because l knew my daughter and how she used to behave until she practically changed, but it didn’t cross my mind that her change of behaviour had any link to any other religion, apart from the one she was brought up with. We brought her up in a Christian home and taught her the tenets of Christianity” “They charmed my girl. Even when l go to her, she says she doesn’t know me. All she does is she’s supporting them now. She practically left home to stay with Muslims. She takes permission to come and visit us, her family”. Recounting how it all began, Nicodemus said: “It all started in May (2014) when she came home late and her mother scolded her. She then left the compound for our neigh- bour’s place. We live among the Hausa who are majorly Muslims. So, we learnt that one Abdullahi took her to Mallam Khalil who worked with Ahmadu Bello University in Samaru. The next thing we heard was the conversion of our daughter to

They charmed my girl. Even when l go to her, she says she doesn’t know me. She’s supporting them now

Muslim. “When we approached Khalil for the release of our daughter, he told us she had traveled to Sokoto. We reported the case to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Zaria, and they wrote to the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State and the Dept of State Security (DSS) for assistance. The Police Commissioner, Shehu Umar, sent some of his men to Zaria, to ensure that the girl was released t us. “But on getting to Zaria, the man (Khalil) had gone to the Sharia court in Zaria to obtain a court order, granting him the custody of the girl. This order was granted without the court consulting her biological father. “Later, we were told that our daughter had been moved from Zaria to one school called Da-rul Islam in Kaduna where new converts are usually taken to. “Now when we approached the school in Kaduna alongside CAN representative, the authorities told us to go and get a written request to that effect because there was a written order from the court before our daughter was admitted. The school later appealed to us to come and take our girl because she was giving them problem. But we need the court order to do that. “Even with the intervention of the Commissioner of Police , the court refused to order her release and, instead, transferred the case to Upper Sharia Court in Zaria. “For more than a year now, we have not set our eyes on our daughter. We are against this injustice that keeps our child in the custody of another man. “We call on the authorities, including Kaduna State government,

to come to our rescue. They have aborted our daughter’s education. She has also been kept incommunicado as we no longer hear from her. She remains a Christian and not a Muslim as they claim. She is just a 16year-old girl and that makes her a minor. I want my daughter back so she can continue her education.” Ifeoma’s mother, Angnes Nicodemus, corroborated her husband’s story. She alleged that her daughter was said to have been married out to a Hausa-Muslim without their consent. “I was told that our daughter has been given to one Hausa boy as wife without our consent as parents. I was made to realise that the boy is working inside ABU though I don’t know whether as a staffer or not. This is modern oppression and slavery.” Angie’s went on, “We have been doing everything we could legally. You can imagine how you will feel as a mother when your child is missing. But my daughter ’s case is different because, for more than a year now, she has been in the custody of another man. No contact, no phone call. This is rather unfortunate.” The police, through its Kaduna Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Zubair Abubakar, confirmed the story but declined to comment further, saying: “You know the case is still in court and I’m not permitted to comment until the court decides.”

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016, PAGE 15

Nigeria is sliding into economic recession under Buhari’s watch

—Olisa Agbakoba

•Sa ys anti-corruption sa ving•Says savingmone ogramme is wr ong moneyy pr programme wrong

By Ikenna Asomba

arely 10 months into the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (2006–2008), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, takes a critical look at the state of the nation. Agbakoba, who argues that Nigeria was already sliding into recession, given its equal negative growths in two quarters, however, advises Buhari on how to save the nation. Excerpts: 10 months into the administration of President Buhari, there is this argument that the administration doesn’t have an economic team or policy, thus the slide into current economic crisis. What’s your take? This has been the argument. But it is not true. The administration has an economic policy and it is referred to as Strict Monetarism. It is an economic policy where government uses its money to control goods. This is a very difficult policy to use, because there are other major elements that must be present. So, what government has done is to slow down economic growth and development on a wrong premise. However, it is conceptually correct in the sense that government, with this policy, has to block all the loopholes and corruption areas. In doing so, everybody will agree, for instance, that the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) losing billions or that there is money missing in several ministries is not good news for us. So, all Nigerians would honestly applaud government’s anti-corruption drive, as well as C M Y K

the raking of about N3trillion through the Treasury Single Account (TSA). Nevertheless, not to use the money is what surprises me. Buhari’s anti-corruption savingmoney programme is, in my view, used the wrong way. The administration saving money by blocking loop holes and not spending it, internationally, is making the country slide into recession. Now, if this continues, we are likely to see depression, where growth becomes absolutely negative. The National Bureau of Statistics, probably for obvious politically correct reasons, may not have used the word recession, but if you are following very carefully, and taking a proper diagnosis of the nation’s economy, the fact is that Nigeria is in recession already. If you carry out your research accurately, recession is two equal negative growths in two quarters. So, we have to be extremely careful. Do you think the administration understands these enormous challenges? I think it does. The first good news is that the government’s understanding of the horizon of the business environment is the most keen of all governments since 1960. It is good news the government understands that nobody will come to invest in Nigeria if the business environment is constrained. If it takes you as an investor about six months to start a business, why would you come in? If you have to pay kick-backs before you do business, why would you come to Nigeria to do business? If you are not sure that government gives you

concession to do business and the same government breaks it, why would you come here to invest? So, it is a good thing that the Vice President is going to head this new business environment committee, with the Minister of Trade, because Nigeria is 168 out of 190 in the league table of countries with favourable business environment. This is terrible. Nigerians must applaud people like Alhaji Aliko Dangote for putting their money here, because the environment is a very bad one. I would assume that for government to put this committee in place, means they want to make the Nigerian environment conducive for businesses. This will make investors come into Nigeria to invest massively. What do you make of the calls for the Federal Government to devalue the Naira, looking at the huge dollar to naira parity in the interbank and the parallel markets? The devaluation debate has really caused a big problem in the country, that everybody claims to understand the debate. The fact is that investors would not come into the country, if they feel the naira is being held down. Although the President has said that he won’t devalue, the fact is that we already have devaluation. Looking at the exchange rate of the pound to the naira, as well as the dollar to the naira between two years ago and now, we will understand that the argument should not be about

devaluation. Rather, it should be about revaluation of the naira. The naira requires to be revalued. In revaluing the naira, all Nigerians would agree that we want to see the naira stronger. The CBN super-regulation of the naira-dollar parity is not ideal. The CBN has no business trying to shore up the dollar against the naira.

If we revalue the currency, Nigeria will definitely be an attractive destination for investment

This is the first mistake. The second mistake is the CBN’s creation of an official window for forex, as if they are the only ones whose contribution matters in ascending the forex. The President said correctly that if you want to school abroad, you must be ready to foot the bills, because government can’t support you. I wonder why that error is being made. The general principle of foreign exchange reserve is that everybody puts its hands in the basket. For instance, Dangote is going to have his refinery on stream in 2017/2018 at Epe area of Lagos State. He (Dangote) is not going to sell his product in naira but in dollars. I, as a lawyer, will also have the possibility of earning in dollars, but I am excluded from the window, because I am not a trader. The only traders are the licensed banks, or the Bureau De Change (BDC) operators. This act makes the black market to thrive. People now go to the black market because they want to make profit. So, the correct approach is to abolish the official window and allow all Nigerians, in public and private sectors, to harness the resources. For instance, China that has over $1 trillion in foreign reserves, it is not government’s money, rather, it is the money collectively generated by the national resources of China. In that way, the pressure of the dollar on the naira will lower. Also, if you go to the United Kingdom, you can go to the money shops to buy foreign exchange. Nobody is going to ask you, do you have the Bank of England license? This, I think, is the way to reflate. If we revalue the currency, Nigeria will definitely be an attractive destination for investment. What can be done to moving the economy forward? I think government’s economic policy is still developing, but there are critical milestones. Like I said earlier, the administration is running a very stringent economic policy, known as Strict Monetarism. The highlight, so far, seems to be plugging leaks and cutting budget in order to boost the anti-corruption campaign. However, there are critical nuggets to salvage the economic crisis. The first is getting the Financial Services Sector (FSS) aright. This would involve limiting the role of the CBN and creating a Financial Services Agency (FSA). CBN is currently overburdened. CBN should focus on lending, interest rate and exchange. Again, it is what is referred to as Quantitative Easing (QE). Tied to FSS, the role of CBN should be to keep inflation in check. Nigeria is technically in recession with her 10 per cent growth rate dramatically reduced to three per cent. To carry out QE, central banks create money by buying securities, such as government bonds, from banks, with electronic cash that did not exist before.

The new money swells the size of bank reserves in the economy by

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PAGE 16 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016

Why northern states want Islamic Bank loan, by Gov Badaru Abubakar

Jigawa is a civil service state; once salaries are not paid, the groundnut seller in town will quickly feel it. We have continued to pay salaries despite the shrinking resources. What we did as soon as we came into office was to plug some holes through which people were siphoning money from government. Through the biometric exercise we conducted, a lot of ghost workers were discovered. It means that some people were making themselves rich every month by collecting salaries of workers that did not exist. We have been able to block that. The state government supported some local governments last month to the tune of N226 million for them to pay salaries; that’s to show you how bad the situation is. A lot of my colleagues can’t even pay salaries, so we still consider ourselves lucky to be able to do so. Before we arrived here, people said the only place where life exists in Jigawa State was Dutse. How do you intend to extend this life to other part of the state? That is not true. In 27 headquarters of local councils, we have streets. We have roads. We have businesses. In fact, there are more businesses in Hadeija than Dutse. It is not true because we are not blowing our trumpet. There is a lot of misinformation. Some people said I never stay in the state. Contrary to that claim, I am the only one that come to the office at about 9:05 a.m. except I am not in the state. Whenever I am in the state, I come to the office around 9:05 a.m. daily.

•‘My agenda to create sustainable economy for Jigawa’ By Wale Akinola

op on the agenda of Governor Badaru Abubakar is to create a sust6ainable economy for Jigawa State. To achieve this, he needs resources. That is one of the reasons he is collaborating with fellow governors from across the North to negotiate a loan facility from the Islamic Bank. Abubakar speaks on the loan issue in this interview and what he has been doing in the last 10 months of his administration to turn the economy of what he called “a civil service state” around. What is your government doing differently from the previous administrations in the state? Since we came into office, we have managed to shrink spending. The budget for Government House has shrunk by 70 percent. Hospitability spending and virtually all other expenditures of the state have shrunk. Contrary to what used to happen in the state when some people would charter flights amounting up to N20million every month, we do not charter today. We do not spend close to one quarter of that amount. I came from the private sector. I know for us to change the situation of our people, you have to change the economic dynamics of the state. If you check our internally generated revenue (IGR) profile, we are generating little or nothing. It is nothing to write home C M Y K

about. Hence we are making efforts to change the unfortunate situation. We are trying to change the economic dynamics of Jigawa State by creating a sustainable environment for businesses. We believe the only way to do this is through agriculture where we have comparative advantage. We have invited Aliko Dangote who is doing massive rice production in a part of the state. There are others, who are into tomato production. We also believe in empowering the people, but the structure we inherited is not sustainable. Our major focus is to create a local economy that will, in the near future, support the state. Oil has no future; prices will continue to fall. New technologies are coming up and will always ensure that oil is not sustainable. We are also looking at enhancing our IGR through taxation. We must ensure that necessary taxes are collected and properly remitted to government coffers. Before now, many people defrauded the state. Since you assumed office, how have opposition parties been cooperating with your administration? Well, it will interest you to know that I am the only governor, who still left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmen of local governments in their positions. About 25 of them, chairmen and two caretaker committee chairmen, we

There have been issues around the GOAT programme this administration put in place for widows in the state. Critics have attacked the programme and described

inherited from the past administration. When I came in, I told them to continue with their work contrary to the expectation of even members of the opposition. Again, I am the only governor who has not accused my predecessor of embezzlement. There may be allegations here and there, but you cannot say somebody stole when there is no proof of the allegation. Unless the law court declares someone guilty, you cannot do so on the basis of hear-say. Also, I inherited N16million only from my predecessor. We met huge liabilities. I inherited N16million from my predecessor with many works in progress in a shrinking economy and shrinking oil prices. I have continued with the projects on ground. I am not the kind of person who believes in initiating new projects and abandoning the ones that were started with my predecessor. We are working for the good of our state and our people. I will rather complete the projects and let somebody take the credit rather than lose the people’s money or allow the resources to waste. You said you inherited almost an empty treasury. With the sharp drop in monthly allocation from the Federation Account, how have you been meeting up with payment of workers’ salaries?

Again, I am the only governor who has not accused my predecessor of embezzlement. There may be allegations here and there, but you cannot say somebody stole when there is no proof of the allegations

it as a misplaced priority. What actually informed this initiative? It is because people do not understand how to solve problems. This has been done in other climes. Personally, I have tried it in other vocations. But it is a kind of prestige to give our people loan. For people who are into sewing, you give them sewing machine. That is a perfect model. But if you give out 20 or more sewing machines, nobody will be able to make N100 from it. But the GOAT programme is good. In many countries, it has proved very successful. We recorded 70 percent success in the GOAT programme we did. We put monitoring and evaluation mechanism in place to measure the impact. If you evaluate all empowerment programmes in this country, you discover that the success rate is less than 20 percent. Some beneficiaries sell the empowerment materials given to them the same day they collected them because they cannot sustain them. Critics have raised another issue that you have abandoned all the programmes and projects of the last administration. In this light, what is the status of the Dutse airport? That is not true. I am the only governor in this political dispensation that met the chairmen of local government areas elected on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in office and worked with them until the expiration of their term. I am also the only governor that continued totally the projects that

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SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016, PAGE 17

‘My agenda to create sustainable economy for Jigawa’ Continued from page 16 the previous administration started. But what I do not subscribe to is a situation whereby the state government will pay for a plane carrying 60 passengers three days a week. The last administration was paying N27, 000 per passenger. And it paid for 60 passengers for three days a week to support traffic development. And this traffic development has been in existence for over one year. How can you develop a route for over one year and cannot sustain the route? Despite this, you continued taking public funds to sustain the airline so that people will say aircraft is landing in Dutse. All the projects in the airport are going on. The lighting is going on. Other projects are being executed in the airport. Sincerely, work is going on in the airport. If the planes are no longer landing, what are you going to do with the airport? Planes are landing. But my administration will not support the idea of using taxpayers’ money to subsidise flights. The route has been there for more than one year. And the route is not developing. Sometimes, the plane will bring only one passenger and the state government had to pay for 60 passengers three times a week. That is what has been happening. All the shout is about subsidy. I did not stop any plane from taking off from the airport or landing. The airport is active. Even last week, Alhaji Aliko Dangote landed there. A lot of people are coming and going through the airport. We do all our airlifting from the airport. We intend to airlift all our pilgrims this year through the airport. But when there is no traffic, I cannot create one. I do not see the magic that will lead to traffic by subsidizing an airline just for it to come to Dutse and go. But, first, we have to develop the economic activities that warrant the movement of people? When we create businesses or develop some tourist attractions that create air traffic, then we can go back and start developing air traffic. I will not allow the airport to deteriorate. It has been built already. I will not allow it to waste away.

Continued from page 15 the quantity of assets purchased—hence Quantitative Easing. Like lowering interest rates, QE is supposed to stimulate the economy by encouraging banks to make more loans. The idea is that banks take the new money and buy assets to replace the ones they have sold to the central bank. That raises stock prices and lowers interest rates, which, in turn, boosts investment. Second, the Federal Government can salvage the current economic crisis through job creation and stimulating small businesses. How do we achieve this? If we get the FSS right, job creation and stimulating small businesses would naturally fall in place. Jobs can only be created when we have a vibrant manufacturing and real sector. Currently, the manufacturing sector is in a comatose state with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) constantly complaining of the need to reduce the cost of doing business. Small businesses are hindered because of absence of capital. They cannot easily access loans from banks. Interest rates are high and banks are shy to lend because of the problem of bad debts, exacerbated

C M Y K

•Gov Badaru Abubakar But, certainly, I cannot spend public funds to support an airline that bring only one or two passengers into Dutse. Even in Hadeija, they have choice either to come here or go to Kano. But most of us are already married to Kano. We have one or two brothers or sisters there. What we intend to do with the airport is to create economic activities that will develop air traffic. If that happens, there is the possibility to continue, even if it will require another six months to pursue traffic development programme. Second, we are discussing cargo export with DHL. We have already sent people to Kenya to find out how best we can achieve this. Third, there is already a proposal on aviation school. We are also looking into it. Beyond the issues you raised, what is the plan of your administration to industrialise Jigawa State considering the potential of the state to produce tomato, rice or sorghum in large quantities? After Kano, the second factory of Aliko Dangote will be in Jigawa for tomato processing. We have decided to allocate 500 hectares for tomato production. But, right now, we have 200 hectares for this purpose. We also have farmers, who have started cultivation on the 200 hectares. Already, the state government is subsidising the transportation of tomato to Dangote’s tomato processing factory in Kano. This will enable us to learn how to produce and understudy the best practice. At this initial stage, it will not be difficult for farmers to transport what they produce to the Dangote tomato processing factory because the state government has subsidised the transport. Already, the farmers have collected the seeds. Besides, they have attended training and are now working hand-in-hand

with Dangote Tomato Processing Factory. We have put in a request for a portion of land for tomato production. Finally, we are doing that with sorghum and others. Even sorghum, we are discussing with Cadbury to see how we can package the whole value chain. We will bring in extension workers and provide them with certified seeds, farm implement, fertilizers and training on credit. That is why I said we are trying to do what will move our administration forward… For all the programmes you have outlined, security is central. But you have not discussed your security agenda. Considering the spate of terrorist attacks in the North, how do you intend to ensure security of life and property? The issue of security is basically federal. What the state can do is to support the security agencies. We have been supporting them. We have good relationship with traditional rulers. And our information system with the traditional rulers is superb. The traditional rulers report to security agencies any new person that comes into their territories. You should have asked whether it is by miracle or chance that Jigawa is surrounded by Yobe on one side, Bauchi on other side and Niger Republic at the top and we remain peaceful. I do not know what to say really. We are doing so well in security. We are also investing so much in security. In your remark, you said you never accused your predecessor of corruption and stealing. Are you saying there was no incident of stealing and corruption under the previous administration? I said I have not accused my predecessor of stealing. I have to establish the facts before I can make allegations. I have not accused him because there is no proof, though there are allegations. But the court has to prove that he was involved in acts of corruption and stealing. Actually, there are allegations, but the court has to rule that they are complicit. All these people say they are thieves. It is not the gutter

‘Anti-corruption savingmoney programme is wrong’ Nigeria’s state-owned public enterprises are often ineffective, China’s model appears very effective

by inefficient regulatory environment. Third, there is an urgent need to review the public/private sector economy. Public sector economy is not properly defined in Nigeria. Whilst Nigeria’s stateowned public enterprises are often ineffective, China’s model appears very effective. The privatization escape route that Nigeria is often eager to employ has not been successful. In fact, none of the privatized entities in Nigeria could serve as a model. It is urgent, therefore, that Nigeria reviews her public/ private economy. Government must control the overarching sectors of the economy. There is need for a strong public/private sector framework. It is important that despite current challenges, Nigeria is still rated as the 20th largest economy in the world. Reviewing Nigeria’s public/private economy

•Agbakoba would go a long a way in turning potentials into reality and move the economy forward. Again, the Buhari administration must look at the issue of meeting the funding gap. Like I said earlier, the devaluation debate is between regulation and deregulation. The regulation logic would encourage the CBN to dictate the exchange value. In this case, devalue it. This is the position favoured by the IMF. The contrary view, which I feel is

language that we should use. Even though they are thieves, the court has to prove it. That is why I have not accused him. The Northern State Governors’ Forum decided to borrow from the Islamic Bank. When eventually accessed, what specific areas do the northern states plan to inject the loan facility? As of today, every state in the North decided what area it would want to use the loan for. In Jigawa, I inherited a discussion from the Islamic Development Bank with respect to a facility of $232 million. It is meant for infrastructure development. For us to really grow our agricultural sector, we need to develop out infrastructure and the road networks that will help the farmers. That is what I inherited. First of all, we are not in a hurry to collect money. We have to evaluate our situation first. After due evaluation, we can then arrange our loan based on what is coming in so that we can service easily. We are all rushing for the loan because it is almost interest-free. I know different states want to use the loan for income-generation activities. For

instance, we discuss about the development of solar power generation. It is a highly capital-intensive project. But in the long run, it will pay back. A lot of us have seen opportunities in solar energy. A lot of us are talking about the initiative. We will go to analyse our position… Early marriage of the girl-child is still a critical issue in the North at large. It is indeed prevalent in all parts of the

northern states. What is your administration doing to promote the education of the girl-child? The education of the girl-child is completely free in Jigawa State. It is completely free from nursery to the university. In addition, we have some classes, where we bring every girl-child and train her. We set up these classes to enable us access the parents of these students. Sometimes, the parents have some economic challenges and, as a result, children are given out at early age. We are training them as a strategy to access these families gradually so that their daughters will go to school. Most of them do not even go to school because of tuition. But we have taken it off.

more reasonable, is to deregulate the environment and allow market forces to determine the exchange value. Also tied to this is that the CBN should allow free flow of forex. CBN should expand the space and allow all Nigerians to participate. Currently, the centralized system on this issue excludes critical stakeholders from Dangote to the ‘Mallam’ on the street. The problem with forex is that CBN does not have enough, but if we expand the space, we would be surprised that many Nigerians can participate and increase the stock. All that is needed is to create a legal framework to encourage this participation, subject to money laundering rules. To salvage our plight amid the current economic crisis is diversification. This is already notorious in the face of the post-oil economy that we are witnessing. The roadblock, however, is the massive infrastructural deficit to serve as a backbone. We must return to ‘receivable financing options. The proposal that Nigeria pledges her oil to receive loan from countries like China should be revisited. We need to fill our huge deficit gap by receivable financing. It is only such huge

receipt of funds that could plug the serious infrastructural deficit that impedes diversification in Nigeria.

PAGE 18 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk 08056180152, SMS only

Why have scary special network feeds become a national pastime

fter some nudges from wellmeaning friends, I finally activated the WhatsApp site about two years ago and instantly declared it a brilliant find. It was exciting, new and loads of fun as more and more friends joined, sharing jokes an photos of very interesting nights out and other social events. Sadly, over the years, this onc3e amicable social network, like so many others before it, has turned sour. It has become a place for others to vent their frustration with the world and everyone in it. ‘I’m all for sharing views and expressing opinions, but when did it become Ok to frighten and annoy me? Too many people post things with little or no thought for their impact on others. Most of my friends are aware of my phobia for anything that has to do with sharing morbid details about the dead. Yet I get gory details of burnt bodies and innocent people being decapitated by bloodthirsty ‘jihadist’ who carried on their dastardly acts with relish. The most unfortunate bit is that the details often jump at me before I have the time to quickly delete! And lately, the religious posts get more and more bizarre! Muslims tell you with glee how they’ve successfully given their lives to Christ, whilst Christians let you know the joy they felt when they discovered Islam was the best thing to ever happened to them! Almost after all these postings, you are urged to send the posts to a lot of your contacts within a certain period of time or you face the wrath of God! Really? Years back,

when chain-letters sprout like a bad rash, they were posted into various homes where recipients were warned not to ‘break the chain’ if they didn’t want to more or less rot in hell! One particular chain-letter was so bad that the number of gullible public member that fell for it was mind-bugling. At the end of a chain letter, you append your name and the list of the recipients you were forwarding them to. When a national paper got its hands on a copy of the letter and the long list of those who’d received and forwarded, their names were published and it took a long time for the celebrities amongst them to keep a straight face in the public. Now chain-letters are being replaced by electronic feeds. Shola, a 40-year- old dentist, who finally had a longed - for baby said she was shocked by the message she received on her platform. ‘“I don’t know how this machochist had gotten her hand on my details, but as soon as I brought my baby home, her messages popped on my screen,” she said, “she’d managed to get from a friend, the information I wasn’t breast-feeding my baby and I was continually informed that by refusing to breastfeed my baby, I was ensuring the child would be aggressive and sick, while these were followed by images that claimed you’re a selfish mother if you didn’t breastfeed. Yet none of these holier-than-thou militant views knew I was medically unable to breastfeed my child. When I informed a few of them, most replied they meant ‘no offence.’!

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

Father's advice to his son about marriage(2)

• My son, don’t be carried away when you start making

“Does ‘ no offence meant’ make it Ok? Should we accept that it’s more acceptable to give offence and apologise later than not cause offence in the first place? As a mother of a longed-for child, all I want is for my child to be safe and happy. I don’t want him to fall foul of internet bullying.” So how do we stop this? By respecting one another for a start, but that is easier said than done. Efforts by our ‘hard-working’ legislators to gag the social network users have led to more vitriolic posts of their activities. In the meantime, any post ordering me not to ‘break this chain’ forwarding messages to more people who’d be in the least interested in the junk is promptly deleted. Emotional blackmail won’t work here. We must not make ours a society that has made disrespect a national pastime. Enough of embarrassing feeds tagged to very respected personalities who often disclaim such embarrassing twits. Thank goodness the ‘delete’ button has made

it easy to discard rubbishpromptly! Excessive Boozinz: The Good News And The Bad ... For those who enjoy a tipple, the glass is both half full and half empty it seems. Adult drinkers are up to 24 per cent less likely to suffer a heart attack than teetotallers, research reveals. However, they are at far more at risk of developing cancer. And they are also at greater danger of seriously injuring themselves. Those who exceed the safe drinking levels of 14 units a week for a woman and 21 units for a man are more likely to die early, the Lancet study found. Overall, there are no benefits to drinking even modest amounts, Canadian researchers say. They urged health officials to help adults cut back. Their study looked at 114,970 men and women from 12 countries including Sweden, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, India and Turkey. They used the term ‘current drinker ’ as a broad description covering both adults who had alcohol only once or twice a week and those who had several glasses of wine a night.

more money, instead of spending on those tiny legs that never knew how hard you worked to get it, spend it on that woman that stood by you all along. •My son, when I threw little stones or whistled at the window of your mother father’s house, to call her out, it was not for sex, it was because I missed her so much. • My son, remember, when you say your wife has changed, there could be something you’ve stopped doing too. • My son, your mother rode the bicycle with me before I bought that tortoise car outside there, any woman that won’t endure with you in your little beginning should not enjoy your riches. • My son, don’t compare your wife to any woman, there are ways she’s enduring you too and has she ever compared you to any man? • My son, there is this thing you people call feminism, well, if a woman claim to have equal right with you in the house, divide all the bills into two equal parts, take one part and ask her to start paying the other part. • My son, I didn’t send your sisters to school because I was

Researchers tracked the adults for three years and found that current drinkers were 24 per cent less likely to have suffered a heart attack over that time than those who did not drink alcohol at all. But they were 51 per cent more at risk of developing cancers - including breast, ovary, liver and stomach - and had a 29 per cent chance of injuring themselves, through falls, for example. When the researchers examined the data more closely, they found adults with a ‘high intake’ of alcohol - above the Government’s recommended weekly limits - were 30 per cent more likely to die early. They concluded that alcohol did not give any long-term benefits. ‘Our study shows that current drinking is not associated with a net health benefit,’ they said. Dr. Andrew Smyth, of the Population Health research Institute at McMaster University, in Ontario, added: ‘Our data support the call to increase global awareness of the importance of harmful use of alcohol and the need to further identify and target the modifiable determinants of harmful alcohol use.’ Other experts said the findings that drinkers had a lower risk of heart attack should be treated with caution as there may be underlying factors adults who enjoy a drink tend to be more comfortably off and in better health than teetotallers, who include reformed alcoholics. Recent evidence has shown that even adults who stick within the guidelines are

increasing their risk of cancer, as well as liver disease, heart attacks and strokes. Some experts say the public should be clearly told there is no safe level of alcohol and drinking only a modest amount still carries a risk. Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chairman of the Alcohol Health Alliance, said: ‘This international study confirms our present understanding in the UK, namely even moderate alcohol consumption increases the risk of common cancers without conferring protection against heart deaths. It is extremely concerning that alcohol-related cancers are on the rise and our surveys show that the public are not aware of the risks they face.’ In For A Penny... (Humour) Every night of the week, Jack would stagger home after the bars closed and every night of the week, his wife would be waiting on the doorstep, ranting and raving. “Oh Doris,” she confided in her friend the next day. “I’m so fed up with this, it doesn’t seem to matter what I say, he just goes on getting drunk.” “Well maybe you’re reacting in the wrong way,” replied Doris. “Why don’t you try being nice to him and see what happens?” So the following evening, Jack arrived back drunk as usual, but this time his wife remained calm. “Come and sit yourself down,” she said, giving him a kiss, “and I’ll make you a nice cup of coffee.” After he’d drunk it, she whispered seductively: “shall we go up to bed now?” ((Might as well,” he replied. “I’ll be in trouble anyway when I get home.”

foolish like many to think a female child won’t extend my family name, please don’t make that mistake, the kind of female achievers I see nowadays has made the male-gender an ordinary tag. • My son, your mother have once locked up the cloth I was wearing and almost tore it because she was angry, I did not raise my hand to beat her because of a day like this, so that I can be proud to tell you that I never for once beat your mother. •My son, in our days, our women had more of natural beauty, though I wouldn’t lie to you, some had minor painting of their appellation mostly on their arms, the ones you people now call tattoo, but don’t forget that they didn’t expose any part of their body like your women of nowadays. • My son, your mother and I are not interested in what happens in your marriage, try to handle issues without always coming to us.

Chris Onunaku, dekris4real@gmail.com 08032988826/0818484015 #KriSpiratiOn2016.

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016, PAGE 19

The return of the ‘Prodigal Husband!

T was a busy time at the office and I’d left specific instructions with my secretary not to be disturbed except she thought it was absolutely necessary. So, when she peeked tentatively into my office and 1 scowled in disapproval, she quickly mouthed that Ini’s husband was at the reception area. Ini, my very good friend’s husband? What the heck did he want? After frequent visits, to his home-town, the result of his clandestine visits had finally surfaced some few months ago. And who should let the cat out of the bag but some of his “ respected” relatives who thought it was about time Ini knew her children had a half-brother. Without any warning of the impending bombshell, Ini was furious after the ‘meeting’. But her in-laws pompously warned her to get a grip on herself her husband wouldn’t be the first man to stray from the straight and narrow. What was more, the son had a right to his father’s home - the home that was more Ini’s than her husband’s. For the next few weeks, Ini made life unbearable for Charles, her husband, that he virtually relocated to his town to savour the joys of new fatherhood. The last time I saw him, he was unrepentant. He said I should have a word with my friend to be realistic. That a child was involved here and if he didn’t have any feelings for its mother, he wouldn’t sleep with her. That he’d heard Ini refer to her mistress as a

village illiterate. For my information, he went on with his lecture, the girl was not an illiterate but a successful trader and a princess. Over the years, I’ve learnt the wisdom of a still tongue, so I said nothing. Not even to my friend when I next saw her. Now he was in my office. To inform me he was finally leaving my friend to live with Cinderalla? I found him sitting forlornly at the reception, looking like a stranger. He’d aged too. He sprang to his feet as soon as he saw me and I ushered him to my office. “I know I’ve no right to pounce on you without an appointment”, he said “God knows I wasn’t even expecting you to see me. But you’ve got to speak to Ini. Please you’re one of the few people she’d listen to. Please beg her to take me back. I want to come home and I need this second chance badly.

“I know I’d been so stupid. Ini has always turned a blind eye on my affairs. Springing this child on her was a mistake. I was misled by those nossy village people. I’ll never embarrass her like this again ... “ I sighed. That was one very big task! Ini had felt humiliated by Charles’ latest stunt. But she’d quickly recovered. She’d never really allowed the grass to grow under her feet and had latched on to one of her exes. A top politician, he’d gotten carried away by the spoils of office and seldom gave lni the time of day. Now that he’d been swept aside by his party, he was feeling out of sorts when he tentatively called 1nL He couldn’t believe his luck when she agreed to see him. And he couldn’t show his gratitude enough showering her with cash gifts and a brand new car! I was a bit envious,

believe me. But it was the tonic Ini needed. “If my own husband didn’t appreciate my curves, Emma (the boyfriend) does. He always tells me I looked amazing and we’ve even made love a few times in his bathroom - we didn’t want his wife finding wet, rumple sheets when she came home,” she said. “I thank my stars for finding Emma at the right time. Although I felt bad about my husband’s betrayal, I quickly put it at the back of my mind to enjoy once again the chance of a passionate and intimate affair. What I hadn’t had in recent times. He has given me what Charles hadn’t been able to give for sometime now attention and lust!” I had met Emma before, didn’t think much of him even now. Maybe the excess cash he has to throw around is the aphrodisiac! But I suspected it wouldn’t last, especially when lni realised Emma was falling in love with her. Thank goodness she never let on about Charles’ betrayal or he might be wanting to move in! In spite of her bravado, I knew she loved her husband. Was this the right time to cash in her chips? Give Emma the chops now her husband was virtually grovelling? I promised Charles I’d have a word with Ini and he looked so grateful that I really felt sorry for him. I was surprised though by the ease with which Ini agreed to take him back. “You know I love him”, she said simply, “and I still prefer him to Emma. Let’s face it, I’ve

always cheated- more often than he had. I was only lucky I’d mastered the art of discretion. His being caught in the loop had made us even. And if I take him back, those stupid village men of his would think me a wonderful wife standing by my marriage even though nothing could be further from the truth! I know he would be lost without me. I just wondered why it took him so long to come rushing back to the cushy life he had with me. Maybe his new ‘wife’ had almost taken him to the cleaners!” Charles beamed from ear to ear when I later saw him at their home. He’d been pathetically grateful when I’d told him that it’d taken all my wile to wear lni down, but that she was now ready to take him back. Now his sparkle was back as he cracked his silly jokes and poured celebratory wine. So, how was Ini able to tackle Emma’s shove art of the door? “He took it badly when I told him we had to cool things a bit”, Ini said, as soon as her husband was out of ear shot. “I felt really guilty and I quickly lied that someone had squealed to my husband about us. That Charles was a violent man and I wouldn’t want his political career to be rubbished by an irate husband. We could still be together. I counselled him, but we had to be discreet. I mean, now that I’ve found a cushy landing, thanks to my husband’s indiscretion, l intend to make the most of it ... “

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PAGE 20—SUNDAY

Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016

DSS Humbles Ekiti 'Honourable' Legislators

he operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have been very busy in recent times. They have been "fingered" in many "developments" all over the country. One can say the agency is fighting for relevance as the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are daily taking the shine away from other security agencies. In this new political dispensation though, the DSS has "reformatted" and has found far wider roles than it had ever did before. The upper week was busy for the operatives as they stormed the Ekiti State House of Assembly complex in the state capital of Ado to "disturb the peace" of a few "nouveau" legislators. They had come on this particular afternoon with a mission to demystify a few "honourable" members of the house. In Nigeria, being elected as a house of assembly member or councillor confers the right to use the word "honourable" as title. Over here, the meaning of the word bears no relevance to the personality of the title holder. We hail them as "honourable", even if they had snatched ballot boxes to gain victories in elections. It matters not if the "honourable" was handpicked by a "godfather" or he muzzled himself in. Anyway, the DSS decided on this particular hot afternoon to deny four Ekiti legislators their freedom, among other, to eat pounded yam when and where they chose. They were whisked away for questioning, not in lawmaking but some knotty "qualities" they parade. The members of the public, especially the constituents of the arrested "honourables" are worried about the development whereby their representatives were whisked away just like that and transported to detention in Abuja. As you and I know, the constituents are just an infinitesimal part of the bigger story. The development in the house of assembly has no doubt set panic among other "honourable" colleagues who are expected to be "picked" up for one reason or the other. They are looking over their shoulders, double checking their front doors are locked and also got travel packs ready so they are not caught unawares. I do not know the details of the arrests of these legislators and since I am not a legal expert I cannot really comment on if the invasion of the house and the arrests were illegal or not. However, as a law abiding citizen I wonder if in established democratic societies, where rule of law is respected, would other means of arrest have been considered? Then I asked myself - are we back in the

military era, when citizens can be picked up at random. I query what has happened to the old style of invitation for questioning? Does the DSS have information that these legislators would have absconded if invited to report for questioning? Does this justify the need to rush in and arrest them on the floor of the House? Was there any thought of "innocent until proven guilty"? These and many questions have been running through my mind, since I read about this invasion. At a press conference, the Speaker of the House, Kola Oluwawole, who probably ran away or hid when the DSS operatives came calling, alleged they came in commando style, shooting into the air and bringing down every door that stood on their ways. It cannot be independently verified if shooting actually took place on the said day in or outside the chambers. If, however, the DSS operatives were shooting as alleged, one wonders if it was not a case of killing an ant with a sledge hammer. Some might justify the DSS' position that the allegations against the legislators couldn't have been taken lightly. There has been various allegations bandied about, ranging from being accomplices in murder cases, financial and electoral frauds, lack of basic requirements to

The main concern of observers right now is the fear of openness in the trial of these men. The manner of invasion of the house and the arrest has seriously cast doubt on the sincerity, transparency and neutrality of the agency contest for legislative positions as prescribed by the constitution, and many more. The main concern of observers right now is the fear of openness in the trial of these men. The manner of invasion of the house and the arrest has seriously cast doubt on the sincerity, transparency and neutrality of the agency. In effecting the arrests, the DSS should have steered clear of any controversy so as to command the confidence of the public in the fact that law would take its normal process. No matter the facts available in support of the charges against these legislators, the public should not be made to feel these men are being witchhunted.

This impression may be too late to correct though, as the colleagues of the detained "honourables" put the blame on the party ruling at the Federal level, the All Progressives Congress (APC). They alleged that APC, in opposition in Ekiti State, is using the DSS to do the job of intimidating the legislators into signing impeachment notice against the state Governor Ayo Fayose. Speaker Oluwawole said he and his colleagues "got it on good authority that the script now being acted by the DSS is part of the APC and President Buhari’s clandestine plot to cripple the Ekiti State Government by arresting and detaining top functionaries of the government," because of his "critical stance on the Buhari-led government." Seeking maximum impact, the legislators "dispatched" themselves to Abuja last week. They left Ekiti State before daylight with just two "instructions" from the coordinator. Firstly, they must whip up as much sentiments as they can to portray their colleagues as victims of political choices as members of People's Democratic Party (PDP) house of assembly. Secondly, while doing this, they must divert attention from the facts of the allegations against these "honourable" legislators The legislators visited the National Assembly to urge senior colleagues to put pressure on DSS to release the "honourable" gentlemen. Nothing has come out on the visit yet. In another vein, some of the legislators claimed on live television that they were being pressured to sign impeachment notice against the governor for a token sum of "one million dollar". This is a serious allegation that should be investigated by security agencies. The executive arm of the state government had not kept quite on this arrest. Unfortunately the officials who have spoken seem to be reading from the same "manual" as the legislators. However, the reaction of Governor Fayose to the drama is classic. He did not engage in his usual Buharibashing, as response. Instead he took to the streets to demonstrate to his people "dignity in labour". This was supposed to be demonstrated by his supposed dexterity in driving trucks. He got behind the wheel of one and to the "amazement" or befuddlement of his people he wrote on social media “We must be proud of our profession. I sell trucks, I did haulage, I can drive this truck to Lagos. I did this before I became governor.” So? You may ask. You wonder if this is a clever way to cover up his fears while trying to reassure his people that he is still in charge. But whatever his intentions may be, it should be clear to Fayose that events in the state can move very fast, and if care is not taken, he too may be consumed. If the allegations of monetary inducement is true, he should be asking himself just one question - how far can these "honourables" go before they "cave in", take the money and start the fire to roast him? It may not be too long.

hope your faith is being lifted up as you read this column. My prayer is that God Almighty with whom nothing is impossible will surprise you. Remember, the five-week programme for Divine Intervention is still on at Laughter Foundation Christian Ministry, Lagos. Also, the next Holy Ghost Night for April is for children but don’t be left out. I’ll give more information in this article. Are you lonely? Are your worried about something? It is quite natural to feel so. Is your case that of one who is married and has not yet been blessed? Is yours a health challenge? Is yours an endless wait for a life partner? Are you working like an elephant and eating like an ant? Whatever it is, the Bible has words of encouragement for you. Our authority is found in Matthew 11 verses 28: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. “. Therefore, whatever we are passing through, it is not beyond God our Creator to resolve. Sometime in 1995, I went to the United States and I bought some baby things. Suddenly, my pregnancy positive result changed to negative, but I still kept those things. Even though the spiritual challenges were many, I remained steadfast in prayer. I have decided to use myself as an example to keep your faith alive and let you know that I have had a similar experience. Prayer can never be too much. Indeed, I borrow the theme of a recent programme of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), “ Pray Until Something Happens”. Pastor Olowoyo, of Victory Chapel Magodo, further suggests, “ Praise until something happens”. A combination of both is necessary. To you, it may seem that nothing is happening, but God is definitely working on your behalf. I continued to worship at Laughter Foundation Christian Ministry and attended programmes of RCCG, especially the Holy Ghost Night, regularly. You just have to find time for God. Don’t be too busy not to find time to attend prayer meetings that focus on your challenges. I return to the issue of the clothes I bought in America. Once in while, I would bring the clothes down and begin to declare, “ These clothes, I have bought you, I will never give them to anybody. My own children from my own body will use them”. The point I am making is what are you saying to yourself? You need to call yourself by the name given to your unborn baby. If it is health challenge, you need to declare to yourself, “ God did not create me with hypertension or diabetes. The word of the Lord says in Exodus, 15 verse 26, `I am the Lord , the one who heals you” ( Good News Bible”, Or declare , “By his stripes, I am healed”. Confess this and be regular in prayer under a true man of God, even as your continue with scientific steps

Demonstrate your faith which your challenge may require. Back to the issue of my baby clothes. Some needed to be washed and I washed them and made sure they were kept safe and clean. It was not until 2010 that the yoke was broken and my Samuel was born. Do your mathematics and find out how many

Keep faith alive and demonstrate it and that particular challenge in your life will soon be history

years the clothes were when Samuel was born. Please don’t give up. Anyone who is still alive remains a candidate for a miracle as long as you remain steadfast with Jesus. Your miracle is on the way Why do I always refer to Laughter Foundation? The General Overseer of this church, Pastor Oso, is passionate about families having children. He too was married for some years; though not too long, a delay of three years is still a delay in a society that expects to have naming ceremony in your house after a year of marriage. God intervened and today, the family is blessed with five children. I return to the forthcoming April Holy Ghost Night of RCCG for children. ‘Why should I go, after all, I don’t have children and I am not a child?’ Please, perish this thought. I attended several editions of this programme usually held in April. During one of the editions Pastor Enoch Adeboye spoke a word of knowledge, “There is somebody here ,

in the midst of this programme, you are lonely but the Lord said I should tell you that, very soon, you will be here with your own children”. This word of knowledge has been fulfilled in my own life. So, don’t give up, attend and the Lord will hand over your miracle to you in Jesus name. Pastor Adeboye, in one of his sermons, said, “ You can never explain God. When we are talking about God, let’s put science apart”. This is not to say that science should be disregarded; he never said so. What it simply means is that beyond science, God can do great miracles. Pastor Adeboye once told the congregation that he went for a programme , I think in the United States with his wife. After the programme, a woman who was waiting on God for children but doctors had told that her ovaries were not functioning very well, waited patiently till the end of the service. After the service, she simply went to sit on the chair on which Mrs. Adeboye sat and said, “ God, this woman does not need her ovaries anyone, she has had all her children. O Lord, give the ovaries to me and let me have children”. Within a year that she said this prayer, the yoke was broken and she had a baby. I am not suggesting that you begin to monitor Mrs. Adeboye’s movement. My point is that you must demonstrate your faith. Take an action of faith concerning whatever challenge you are facing and the Lord will surprise you. There was also the case of a woman who doctors had told her womb was stuck together . I mean it was as if a glue or gum had held the walls of the womb together and, therefore, may not have children. She remained with God in prayer and thanksgiving . To the glory of God , she had a set of twins. As we continue to trust God, in addition to taking some scientific steps, remember the words of Mrs. Folu Adeboye; wife of the General Overseer of RCCG, “ It is written, a man can receive nothing unless it is given by God”. Medical science cannot state the exact time that conception takes place except if it is assisted pregnancy but God Almighty, the Creator of Heaven and Earth knows the time of conception. Keep faith alive and demonstrate it and that particular challenge in your life will soon be history. I see you testifying soon in Jesus name.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016, PAGE 21

60 YEARS AFTER NIGERIA’S FIRST CRUDE

Oloibiri oil dries up, natives wallow in abject poverty •Tales of woes from Otuabagi, Otuogidi By SAMUEL OYADONGHA & EMEM IDIO, Yenagoa

ike the gold rush of California in 19th century America, the small settlement of Oloibiri, a district headquarters in Ogbia in the defunct Eastern Region, came into limelight in second half of the 20th century when workers of Shell Darcy converged on the town in search of the black gold. However, the explorers made history in June 1956 when they struck the black gold in swampy communities of Otuabagi/ Otuogidi in the Oloibiri District of Ogbia, making the latter district the first in West Africa where crude oil was discovered in commercial quantity. Providence again ensured that the Ogbia kingdom produced the first minority President in history

from the backwater of the Delta in the person of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, an indigene of Otuoke. Interestingly, when the Shell Darcy landed on the shores of Niger Delta prospecting for oil, the local authorities and the natives never took interest in what the multinational was busy working on. This was especially so as the Northern and Southern Protectorates, which Britain later amalgamated to form the country Nigeria, were only interested in their regional agro resources namely cocoa, coal, groundnut and palm oil business, which were then the main stay of the Nigerian economy. However, the direction of the nation’s economy changed for good when the black gold was struck. There was a flurry of activities around the location

While California, 31st state of the American union, grew from a country side to a modern and well planned city on account of the mad rush for the precious metal, the reverse has been the case for the Oloibiri oil field communities

causing the sleepy town to come alive. People from all walks of life trooped to the area in search of greener pasture. The first crude oil well was named Oloibiri Well after Oloibiri community by the prospecting company. While California, 31st state of the American union, grew from a country side to a modern and well planned city on account of the mad rush for the precious metal, the reverse has been the case for the Oloibiri oil field communities. The discovery of the black gold, instead of accelerating the growth of the host communities, has turned out to be a pain to the people as Oloibiri could best be described as an abandoned fishing port after the anglers had left with their catch. The communities, today, lack

the basic necessities of life as the black gold, an exhaustible asset, which then made the area to be called Bioforoama, nicknamed “Eastern Congo”, due to its booming social life, has since dried up and Shell moved to another location regardless of the dislocation caused to the locals. Sunday Vanguard’s trip to Oloibiri was one of disappointment and shock as the expectation of seeing the benefits of oil wealth on the communities was not to be. The people still face basic development challenges and environmental pollution caused by oil spills. The site of the dried up Oloibiri Well 1 has been overtaken by weeds, just as the proposed research institute sponsored by the Federal Government was still at foundation level.

Continues on page 22

PAGE 22 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016

Journey to the league of petro-dollar states

•Gas flaring at Otuabagi Continued from page 21 The Federal Government had proposed to build an oil museum at Oloibiri but the project was not actualized. The foundation stone was laid by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2001. The area is a sad commentary of oil and gas in Nigeria. It shows that Bayelsa was the place where oil was first drilled and exported. “This place should have some kind of national museum. We are not happy the way it is now but we understand that there is an institute that is proposed to be located here”, a native said. “In spite of our peaceful disposition that led to uninterrupted oil production for several decades, development has eluded our community even as Shell which struck oil in the area has also abandoned the well”. Myth The natives, it was gathered, received the Shell Group with open arms and never bothered about what they were doing on their land until they came to solicit their assistance when they encountered mystic powers at the well site. A source told Sunday Vanguard: “I am sure they told you when oil was struck here in 1956, at that time Oloibiri was the District Headquarters of the Ogbia area. When the white man came, at the Oloibiri Oil Well 1, they started putting their things but, at the end

of the day, all the pipes they had sunk into the ground would come out on their own. “Then they asked for the owners of the land, as the land needed appeasement. They consulted with the oracle. “At the end, they said the gods of the land needed libation . They brought drinks, kola, white chalk, alligator pepper, plantain and other things. Yet they still could not get to oil. They will drill and close work for the day, but the following morning, all the pipes and casing that they had sunk in hundreds feet would be outside waiting for them. So, they were wondering how that could happen because no normal human being could have removed those pipes as it was practically impossible. “The natives now brought a soothsayer who said the owners of the land knew what was there. After incantation and sacrifice, the gods said nothing will disturb them again but the situation remained the same. Then the white men asked the elders: `This thing that is happening, what do you want?’ Our people said, ‘Just bring a carton of JJW Peters’, a kind of whisky in those days, `a goat and other things for sacrifice and merriment’. “The Shell officials were amazed about the demands. They said, ‘ You mean that is all you need?’ Our people replied, ‘ Yes, that is all we need’ . The rest is history.”

Sadly, what is West Africa’s first oil well is today covered with rust several decades after it stopped pumping crude and is marked by weather beaten signboard with the inscription, 'Oloibiri Well 1, drilled June 1956, 12,008 feet'

With the demand of the gods taken care of, he said, work went on smoothly with the creek connecting the area to the Oluasiri axis on the Atlantic fringe witnessing high traffic of passengers and cargo boats conveying men and equipment to the location. The area, it was gathered, transformed into a trading post and became the centre of commerce in the central Niger Delta. Sadly, what is West Africa’s first oil well is today covered with rust several decades after it stopped pumping crude and is marked by weather beaten signboard with the inscription, Oloibiri Well 1, drilled June 1956, 12,008 feet. Journey to the league of petro-dollar states The crude from the Oloibiri fields was conveyed through pipelines constructed to link Emago-Kugbo waterside jetty from where the black gold was exported in the late fifties and 1960s, making the latter the first crude oil loading bay in West Africa. It was called the EmogoKugbo Loading Bay. It was from the Emago-Kugbo settlement, which though is administratively situated in Abua-Odual local government area of Rivers State, that the first crude oil from Oloibiri was shipped for export on the 17th day of February 1958. MV Emago, MV Otuabagi,

MV Otuogidi, MV Oloibiri, among other vessels, Sunday Vanguard findings revealed, were used to load crude oil from the pipes laid by Shell to the bay. All the settlements share same characteristics of neglect and abandonment by the Nigerian state. There is nothing tangible on ground to showcase Otuabagi/ Otuogidi axis land owners of the Oloibiri oil fields as the place where crude was first discovered in West Africa. Also, there is nothing on ground to show that Emago-Kugbo is the first loading bay which launched Nigeria into the elite club of oil producing countries. Sunday Vanguard’s trip to the area revealed the inherent contradiction in the nation’s oil industry as Otuabagi and Otuogidi lack all the basic amenities of life. The area could be mistaken for an abandoned farm settlement. Oloibiri is not better off. Though the community has a ring road and bridge linking it to Ogbia main town, most of the structures in Oloibiri secondary school have been abandoned due to their terrible state. The story was not different at Otuabagi where the road leading to the community was riddled with potholes while Otuogidi is not linked by tarred road. What perhaps could have been the quickest route to the community through the state government owned College of Health Technology was not to be as the latter constructed a gate across the road as part of its complex thereby causing the natives to go through Ogbia. But for the concrete bridge built across the Kolo creek to link the community by Hon Nadu Karibo, as a constituency project when he was a member of Bayelsa State House of Assembly representing the area, the people would have been cut off from the rest of the world. Two vehicles cannot pass through the road side by side due to its narrow nature, but the bridge had, nonetheless, lightened the pain of the people. The Oloibiri oil field communities could be described as a paradox of a resource-rich enclave remaining so pervasively poor. The situation in the communities and Emago-Kugbo, Nigeria nay West Africa first crude loading bay, should prick the conscience of the nation. The effects of oil exploration and exploitation are everywhere. Marine life is extinct. Indigenous occupational industries are comatose. Erosion is widespread. Pollution of the very sources of life for the ordinary people manifests in everything from their fishing equipment to the water they drink. The oil company is certainly not helping the situation by its flagrant display of insensitivity.

To be continued

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016, PAGE 23

REFUGEES Failure Of The World Powers' Diplomacy By Patrick Dele Cole (OFR)

early 100% of Western Press have taken up the problem of Lesbians and Homosexuals – so much they have forced the Governments in their countries to change the laws – same sex marriages – all within the narrative of libertarians and equality and non-discrimination. I do not see the same dedication when the issues are foreign affairs and the responsibility of the West for their actions. 9/11 was an attack by seven Saudi Arabians on the World Trade Centre. All flights were grounded; yet six Saudi princes flew out of the US in their private jets. Suspicion was on Saddam Hussein of Iraq, who at that time, was accused of having weapons of mass destruction, of having gassed his own people, just as the Kurds were fighting a war of independence against Saddam and Iraq. That country was subject, like North Korea, to a series of UN sanctions and probes. These sanctions produced no credible effects except to make the middle class in Iraq poorer; encourage fundamentalism and radicalism, driving more people into the arms of terrorists. The UN set up an inquiry as to whether Iraq had any weapons of mass destruction under the Swedish diplomat HANS BLITZ. Meanwhile no propaganda stone was left unturned as the Western Press went after Saddam. He may have been an odious man but he was his country’s leader of choice. The US went as far as to print playing cards of the 52 most wanted Iraqis and dropped these into Iraq. The divisions in Iraq are between the Bathists and others, and between Sunnis and Shiites. Most of the world went along with the Western narrative: no one questioned this narrative seriously. Throughout the period that the UN mission was doing its investigation into the presence of weapons of mass destruction, the US was preparing for war; large areas of countries surrounding Iraq were hosting massive US invasion troops; all the surrounding seas were full of the US and other Western nations’ navies; there was no doubt in the mind of anyone that the US was going to invade Iraq, acting under an enforced UN mandate, obtained by lies and forceful crude manipulation. Saddam was no saint. He was an idiotic buffoon, a power-drunk and despicable man. Earlier on, he had invaded Kuwait in an attempt to revive an old claim that parts of the country belonged to Iraq. It was an unsustainable claim. Saddam’s forces were deservedly thrown out of Kuwait. He was humiliated and half his army destroyed in the desert. Regime change Even so, was the invasion of Iraq by the West – a coalition of 23 countries – against Iraq justifiable? The West spoke of regime change; they called Saddam a blood-thirsty despot, and lied to their colleagues in the UN and the rest of the world about Saddam and weapons of mass destruction. Hans Blitz had found none. But the war machine had already been started and could not be stopped.

The initial action of the West in the Middle East, and their sustained maintenance of their interest there is responsible for the present of migrants problems

Donald Rumsfeld, General Colin Powell and President Bush, Tony Blair etc. were straining at the leech to unleash terror on Iraq with the might of the US. In six days, the war was over. No contest, the Iraqi army, the largest in the Middle East, disbanded. Handpicked leaders were put in power when it became obvious Iraq could not be ruled as a conquered country. Worse than that, Iraq became the home of continuous hit and run guerilla tactics – it was ungoverned and ungovernable. Ineffective elections were held but insecurity and instability continued. Thousands left the country. The West had won the war, but could not win the peace. At the same time the West, having supported the ousting of the Soviet Union, in Afghanistan, helped impose probably the bloodiest regime the world has seen - the Taliban. It was not too long before the Western Coalition were locked in a bloody conflict in Afghanistan which, with Pakistan, had become the training ground of terrorists in their madrassas. It turned out that America’s most hated adversary, Bin Laden, was hiding within plain view in and around Afghanistan/ Pakistan. More troops were dispatched to Afghanistan; another handpicked corrupt leader was put in charge of Afghanistan until an inconclusive election was held bringing a national government into existence there. Thus Iraq, Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan became a continuous theater of war, or a theatre where war was imminent. Winning the war, losing the battle These insecurities could never bring normal life in any of these countries, widespread humanitarian abuses that followed were all a direct result of the West behaving badly in that area. Such behavior continued, with the complete disregard of international law and the establishment of a semi permanent state of war, causing hundreds of thousands to become homeless and refugees. This continuation of freewheeling disregard for international law merely bred more extreme reaction resulting in greater radicalization which feed into the Islamic terrorist and fundamentalist narrative. It is no wonder that each violent Western action feed more violence and more entrenched resistance – one fed on the other, so the west went totally unhinged in Libya, and Syria: net result was more refugees. Syria was bombed almost to smithereens. Again in Syria, Libya and Egypt – the West aimed at regime change i.e. putting leaders favorable to the West – so they killed Ghadaffi, jailed Morsi and now would not rest until Assad is removed from Syria. There is no doubt that in all these countries – Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Egypt etc. - there were people who opposed the leaders. The opposition leaders would prove no better than the

•Patrick Dele Cole

despicable leaders the West has been at pain to push – out. But why? What are the consequences of all these actions? Radicalisation For nearly 12 years these areas have been in a state of war; more and more of their citizens are radicalized; the United States, Russia, Saudi Arabia have proxy wars going on: more refugees – no one is putting pressure on Saudi Arabia – which has a readymade camps to house millions – or Kuwait or any other rich Arab Middle East state to take in their fellow Arabs and Muslims (except Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey). Now, the President of the European Union is asking refugees not to go to Europe. Where is the international obligation of all countries to take in and look after refugees? Those in Greece are to be repatriated back to camps in Turkey (camps or prisons) where they would stay awaiting entry formalities in Europe. Nato ships would man the oceans and seas to drive back any boats carrying refugees. The United States takes no refugees: it has a penal colony – Guantanamo Bay – to try people who had not been proven to have committed any crime. They are captured war officers i.e. prisoners or war – why can the US not try them under the Geneva Convention in the United States? Under which international law is there a classification of – “enemy combatants”? Its alright to put Muslim Arabs and Afghans in a prison camp next to Cuba but their presence can never contaminate the US criminal justice system!!! Migrant problems The initial action of the West in the Middle East, and their sustained maintenance of their interest there is responsible for the present migrant problems. The faceoff between the West and Russia, between Sunni and Shiite is working itself out in the Middle East. A Western press so eager to stamp out slavery, to allow lesbians marry lesbians, homosexuals to marry homosexual, have such scant sympathy for the women, children, men uprooted from their countries because of the massive bombings,

arm supplies of their own governments. What is causing the division between Russia, China and the United State? Is it ideology, if so, which one? All three seem to be successful capitalist economies, in fact, if not in name. Did they inherit a historical antipathy, but so did the French and the British; Germany and Poland etc. Perhaps it is that Russia succeeded the Soviet Union and so occupies the old position of USSR in a bi polar world. This is hardly so: it was the US which destroyed USSR, thus paving the way to perestroika, Gobachev and ultimately Putin. Is it the struggle for world dominance and Power? Or are they all suffering from structural rigidity? Maybe, even if all profess to want globalization but China, Russia seem more closed than the US. If all three were to be less antagonistic, less bellicose, they might find solutions to world problems: the world would be an easier and more peaceful place. They could mediate between North and South Korea, the Middle East, Latin America and so on. If all three had an entente cordial – what does this say to people seeking freedom under authoritarian rule? Would such a cordial not reduce the unregulated traffic in arms in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and the rest of the world? The West and Russia need great Statesmen who must realize that no matter what happens the Middle East is lost to them, if not now, soon enough. These Statesmen must construct a platform of peace, not a ferocious encouragement of wars. President Nixon saw the power of China long before anyone else and sought to bring that potential state of war to one of respect and peaceful coexistence between China and the West. I thought Obama would have done the same – he is intellectually able to do so, but his political enemies, for all kinds of reasons, including racism, would not allow him to bring peace to the Middle East, the Far East and the rest of the world. He broke the glass ceiling in Cuba. He must wean his war mongers and turn them to peace mongers. Ironically the US stands to gain more from peace than war. But for now, the inescapable conclusion is that the refugee problems belong to the West and Russia. General Colin Powell, once memorably said about Iraq “if you break it, you own it”. The West must accept responsibility for their actions in the Middle East, and the refugee debacle.

PAGE 24—SUND AY Vanguard , MARCH 13, 2016 —SUNDA

AGATU(2) AGATU

The Nasarawa killing fields By Abel Daniel

he battle between the Agatu in Benue and Fulani herdsmen appears to be an extension of the war on the Agatu communities in Nasarawa State. The Agatu in Nasarawa have suffered endless attacks from suspected Fulani marauders since September last year. What attracted public attention to the Benue killings was Governor Samuel Ortom’s noise over the issue unlike Governor Almakura of Nasarawa who hardly visists the troubled Agatu communities in his state. There are reported cases of killings in Agatu farms, raping of women and destruction of farm produce by suspected Fulani militias. Nasarawa, over the past four years, has not known peace as a result of the alleged Fulani attacks on several tribes and villages. Meanwhile, the Eggons, Tivs and Alago communities have had their own share of the alleged Fulani attacks which left hundreds dead. The immediate past governor of Benue, Gabriel Suswam, in one of the joint security meetings with C M Y K

Almakura, blamed the killings of the Tivs and the Agatu in Benue on the Nasarawa government, saying it harboured insurgents. “ We are convinced that the Fulani militants are being harbored in some communities from where they attack Tivs and the Agatus and withdraw to hide. We also believe that this large number of Fulani militants do not come through the air but by land, and how can over 500 people move through

We are convinced that the Fulani militants are being harbored in some communities from where they attack Tivs and the Agatus and withdraw to hide

land and anybody deny that they do not know?”, Suwam had said. What however bothers many is the sophistry of the weapons used by the assailants. During the Eggon-Fulani clashes that led to the mysterious disappearance of the Ombatse chief priest, popularly known as Baba Alakyo, one of the police officers deployed to Awe local government told our correspondent in Lafia that the Fulani militias were being camped in a particular location but the police were not instructed to attack the camp. Another police officer once narrated to Sunday Vanguard that when officers were deployed to Agbashi, an Agatu community, during an attack, they ran into militias in large numbers, with sophisticated weapons and wearing red beret. The officer quoted the militias as telling them to mind their business as they did not have anything to do with the police. Months later, Agbashi fell under attack by suspected Fulani hardsmen who invaded the town at about 5,00 in the morning and destroyed almost all the

•Deserted houses leaving only the police station and the only primary school in that community. Almakura could not hold back his emotion when he visited the community to ascertain the extent of damage. Till date, that community has remained a ghost town. The recent attack on the Agatu in Nasarawa was the havoc wreaked on Odenyi Magaji, Loko in Odege local development area of the state by the Fulani militia. Several people including women and children were allegedly killed during the

attack. The Agatu have consequently been fleeing their ancestral homes. Only last month, a joint security meeting between Benue and Nasarawa states was held in Lafia where Governors Ortom and Almakura as well as stake holders met to brainstorm on ways to end the incessant clashes between Fulani herdsmen and the farmers in the two states. Unfortunately, however, Agatu, communities in both states have continued to witness bloodbath.

SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016 PAGE 25

...All about the North

By Sam Eyoboka

ADUNA State governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad elRufai, who, in January 2013, allegedly insulted Christianity in a tweet and received bashing from adherents has, again, stirred the hornet’s nest as Christians, across the state, are voicing their opposition to an executive bill before the state House of Assembly, allegedly designed to restrict all forms of religious preaching in the state. In recent weeks, the social media has been awash with reactions from Christians who have kicked against the Religious Regulation Bill, arguing that it is at variance with Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution which presupposes that every Nigerian has a right or freedom of thought, conscience and religion and a right to change religion. The Religious Regulation Bill, designed to replace the Religious Regulation Edict of 1984, is geared towards regulating Christianity and Islam as it seeks to create an inter-faith Ministerial Committee to be appointed by the governor and exercise control over Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, and the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN. Highpoints of the bill include: *The ministerial committee shall issue licenses to religious bodies. *Without such licenses, you cannot preach. *No external preacher can preach in Kaduna without a permit. *The committee has the power to refuse to issue licenses No criteria are given as to what will qualify one to have a license issued to him or for one to be denied a license. While the law does not regulate traditionalists in the practice of their beliefs, they are to have a representative on the committee which C M Y K

Row in Kaduna as el-Rufai moves to license pastors, Muslim clerics regulates the Christian and Muslim religions. The bill empowers JNI and CAN to keep records of churches and mosques including data of preachers. (The law does not stipulate what ‘data’ is required to qualify for license). The law criminalizes the use of religious CDs, flash drive and other communication gadgets except in churches, mosques or other places of worship or personal houses. The implication is that you cannot listen to Christian tapes in your car or at any place except your house and in a church. If you preach without a license, you are guilty of an offence punishable by two years imprisonment. If you hold any Christian gathering even in a church and use loud speaker (microphone) after 8.00 p.m, you are guilty of an offence punishable with two years imprisonment. If you listen to a message in your car, you are guilty of an offence punishable by two years imprisonment. If you hold a crusade or any programme or any other kind of programme and use a loudspeaker at the said programme as long as it is not a church, you are guilty of an offence punishable by two years imprisonment. The bill criminalizes the abuse of religious books and makes it punishable by two years imprisonment. (It does

The law criminalises the use of religious CDs, flash drive and other communication gadgets except in churches, mosques or other places of worship or personal houses

not define what ‘abuse of religious books’ mean. It criminalizes the use of derogatory terms in describing any religion and makes it punishable by two years imprisonment. It does not define what ‘use of derogatory terms in describing any religion’ means.) Every preacher will have to obtain one year license (renewable every year) or risk two years imprisonment. If you invite any external preacher (i.e. preacher from outside Kaduna State), such a person must be licensed for the duration of his/her stay and the body issuing the

license has the right to reject the external preacher if it feels he is not qualified to preach in the state. Mr. John Achimugu, who represented •Gov el-Rufai...In Christians in the eye of the storm 2005 when President Olusegun Obasanjo set up that law. the National Political Reform “So because it was not a law Conference and in 2014 at that was passed by President Goodluck parliament, there wasn’t Jonathan’s National anything like public hearing Conference, shared his or people coming to perspectives on the bill with understand the existence of Sunday Vanguard. The Kogi the law or being aware of its born lawyer, who practices in existence because of the way Kaduna, is an advocate of it was made as an edict at freedom of worship, not only that time. So the current bill for Christians but for all seeks to regulate religious people. preaching in Kaduna. And the “The bill that is before the regulation is to be done by four Kaduna State House of bodies. Assembly, from its title, seeks “The first one is the CAN and to replace the Religious JNI Committee, members of Regulation Edict of 1984. I whom will be appointed by have been in Kaduna for CAN and JNI from the Izala and longer than that. That law has Dareka groups of Islam. The been only in existence on the members are constituted from pages of the statutes. It has CAN and JNI. And all the power never been implemented. they have is to issue license to And because it was not preachers and also to keep implemented, many people records of places of worship were not aware of that law till within the state and list of this bill came up,” Achimugu preachers. That is all the power stated, noting that, even they have. If you look at the through the religious crisis surface of it, it would appear as that engulfed Kaduna from if the control of regulation is the 80s to 2000, nobody has Continues on page 26 ever been prosecuted under

PAGE 26 — SUND AY Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016 SUNDA

‘Attacks on Agatu a ploy to take over minority lands’ By Marie-Therese Nanlong

he Conference of Autochthonous Ethnic Communities Development Associations, CONAECDA, has expressed concern over the continued attacks on minority groups in the Middle Belt by suspected Fulani militia, saying such action cannot be justified. The group stated that the attacks, carried out by presumed Fulani armed bandits against Agatu communities in Idoma, Benue State and the massacre of hundreds of innocent civilians by the bandits, were targeted at eliminating the local population. In a statement by the Secretary-General, CONAECDA, Suleiman Sukukum, the group lamented that for the past three years, Benue has experienced widespread

Their activities are destroying the centuries-old relationships between many communities and the Fulani and creating a dangerous scenario and precondition for genocide of entire communities Fulani attacks. The statement read, “We are disturbed that the Federal Government is continuing in denial of the realities of the violence being unleashed by these Fulani bandits. These bandits are largely sponsored to achieve specific objectives; obvious among which is the elimination of the local

•An Agatu community after an attack population and the occupation of their lands. “Their activities are destroying the centuries-old relationships between many communities and the Fulani and creating a dangerous scenario and precondition for genocides of entire communities. We are aware from reports sent to us by our member communities that these bandits go into villages and kill in the hundreds. “The only response we receive from government is ‘ give them your land’ .We cannot sit and watch this trend continue without government taking action. We believe if these attacks were against some ethnic groups,

they would have taken arms to declare war; we have the capacity to do more, but we are committed to peace. “The peaceful disposition of our communities should however not be taken for granted. It is the duty of government to protect its citizens, it is not its duty to excuse the blatant lawlessness of the Fulani or to reward their violence by promising to take our lands and give it to them as grazing routes and reserves as the President and the Minister of Agriculture stated recently.” The group sympathized with the Idoma people and called on them to remain

law abiding despite the provocation and urged the Benue State Government, the Federal Government and all public spirited individuals and groups to come to the aid of the IDPs. “We wish to reiterate our position that government at all levels must stop rewarding violence and listen to the plea of the sedentary farming communities, neglecting it is too risky a gamble for our beloved country. We are aware that these bandits are pursuing a plan which all Nigerians including the Fulani most work together to bring to an end,” the statement stressed.

Row in Kaduna as el-Rufai moves to license pastors, Muslim clerics Continued from page 25 given to CAN and JNI Committee but that indeed is not true. “The second body responsible for the regulation is what they call the Inter-faith Ministerial Committee consisting of nine persons. The chairman of that committee will be appointed by the governor upon the recommendation of the secretary to the government of the state. Other members will come from security agencies with CAN and JNI having a nominee each on that committee. And that committee has the power to grant approval upon the recommendation of the local government screening committee to grant approval for the issuance of license to an applicant who wants to be licensed as a preacher. It supervises and controls the JNI and CAN Committee. That is where you now know that the power of regulation is actually domiciled in the Inter-faith Ministerial Committee. “From the name ‘Inter-faith Ministerial Committee’, one would be tempted to think that that would be a body constituted from both Christians and Muslims through JNI and CAN, but that is not true. The members of the Inter-faith

Ministerial Committee are appointed essentially from government and security departments. The name interfaith is a deception as far as I’m concerned. If it is inter-faith, it will be nominees of CAN and JNI just as the CAN and JNI Committee as I earlier refered to as the first body that does the regulation through the issuance of license. But the JNI and CAN Committee cannot issue a license to any preacher unless there is the prior approval of this Inter-faith Ministerial Committee that is essentially a government committee. “Then the third body is the Local Government Screening Committee consisting of about six to seven persons with CAN and JNI nominating one member each. The traditional institution nominates one. Anybody wishing to be licensed has to apply to the local government where you want to be a preacher. Upon his application, the screening committee will consider the application. They might reject it or recommend it to the Interfaith Ministerial Committee for approval. They can only screen and recommend. That’s the duty of the Local Government Screening Committee.” The lawyer further argued that the very serious issue in it is that the law does not stipulate the

factors the Local Government Screening Committee must take into account in considering an application. “So you will find from the very clear pages of the bill that the process for either recommending or rejecting is purely subjective. There are no objective criteria specifically laid out on the basis of which the screening committee can either recommend or reject an application. The danger to it is this; what if you are in a local government and all the members of the local government screening committee are Christians and they say we don’t want the preaching of Islam in the local government and they reject your application. The law does not provide a remedy for you or

any fora where you can seek a redress of your grievances as to why you are denied a recommendation for the issuance of license. There is no remedy for you,” he pointed out. Also reacting, the Zonal Chairman of CAN, Bishop David Bakare, described the proposed law as “satanic” and “anti-God”, not just for the Christians but also inadvertently for their Muslim counterparts for various reasons. According to Bakare, who

doubles as the National Vice President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, el-Rufai should remodel the Ahmadu Bello Stadium to accommodate the number of preachers who will fall victim to the legislation because the bill stipulates that offenders will be tried by customary and Sha’ria courts and there is nothing in the proposed law that says a Christian must be tried by a customary court. The bishop argued that the composition of the licensing committee shall be by the governor and made up of two members each from CAN and JNI while five other members could be security officers who are bound by the tenets of their personal religions, stressing: “Security officials in this part of the nation are mostly Muslims and are duty bound to vote against any Christian preacher they don’t like his face.” Similarly, Christian lawyers in Kaduna, after a meeting, voiced their opposition to the proposed bill. They said Section 4(1) of the proposed bill is discriminatory as it failed to recognize other religious groups that are not members of CAN and JNI. “The proposed bill is vague as to its application on use of tapes, cassettes or other recordings of unaccredited

preachers outside Kaduna State and where they can be played. Moreover, it has restricted the use of Christian materials to only designated places (excluding cars, reception venues, schools, etc.) The composition of the proposed Inter-faith Ministerial Committee could easily generate disapproval of the society or a section of it”, the lawyers said. “Finally, the proposed bill contravenes the express provisions of the Sections 38 & 39 of the 1999 Constitution

which protect the rights of citizens to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and expression”. Asked if there were consultations before the bill was drafted and transmitted to the House, a lawyer, Mr. Maxwell Kyon, said: “Ordinarily, you would expect that a bill on such sensitive issue may have some sort of publicity. If not for some of us

who have made it public in the social media, it wouldn’t enjoy any publicity at all. I think with the call and some other persons who either agree or disagree with the bill, we are hoping that there may be some sort of consultations by the House of Assembly in terms of public hearing before the bill is passed into law”.

C M Y K

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016, PAGE 27

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MARKED FOR DEATH

Village elder beheaded, Chief Priest shot dead BY SIMON EBEGBULEM,

Benin-City

here is tension in Aruogba in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State, following the killing of the Chief Priest (Ohen-Ogba) of the community, 81-year-old Pa Clifford Omosomwan, by unknown assailants, penultimate Thursday. The situation is reminiscent of the January 2015 incident which saw the assistant head of the community, Pa Goodluck Uwumahongie, in his 80s, being beheaded during a crisis in the community over the sale of land. Over 10 other members of the community also lost their lives to the 2015 incident, while several houses, vehicles and motor cycles were set ablaze. Uwumahongie’s killers were said to have made away with his severed head which is yet to be found even though the victim has long been buried. Sunday Vanguard learnt that some youths at war with elders in the community had listed ten of the elders to be eliminated and the latest victim, the Chief Priest, was on that list. Ironically, Omosomwan was said to have attended a meeting of the community, penultimate Wednesday evening, where the issue of how to stop the killings in the community which, Sunday Vanguard learnt, was caused by the struggle for the leadership of the Community Development Association (CDA). A youth leader, killed last year January, is yet to be buried. The reason the family has decided not to bury him is unknown. The deceased Chief Priest was said to be an upright man who had always stayed on the path of truth on the running of the community which apparently pitched him against some section of the youths in the community. It was said that his killers arrived at about 1am that Thursday. They shot through his window which forced the old man to wake up. As he rose to find out what was happening, the intruders shot him. The bullet reportedly pierced the door opposite his room and hit the occupant of the

Room where Chief Priest was shot

•Chief Priest Clifford Omosomwan

•Assistant Chief Priest Chief Idubor room. Fear gripped other elders of the community forcing many of them to flee to neighbouring communities. Widow of the deceased, Madam Christy Omosomwan, narrated: “On the fateful day, I was in my room and he

•Madam Christy Omosomwan

The deceased’s son-in-law, Wilfred Ariagbonse, in his room. Around 1 o’clock in the morning, I heard gunshots. Then I came out of my room. When I got to my husband’s room, I called him but there was no response. I started crying”. Asked

Chris tian yyouths ouths plead ffor or R Christian Reev. King BY ANGELA OKPE

igerian Youths for Christ, over the weekend, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and Lagos State Governor Akiwunmi Ambode, to commute the death sentence passed on the founder and General Overseer of Christian Praying Assembly, Rev. Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, a.k.a Rev. King. The youths, who rose from an emergency meeting in Calabar, Cross Rivers State, said their call was based on the biblical injunction on giving an offender an opportunity to repent. They contended that in spite of

C M Y K

complaints of irregularities and denials by the police during the course of investigating the case, Rev. King had gone through traumatic ordeals that must have made him to repent and turn a new leaf. “It is on record that until his conviction by different courts of our land, Rev. King maintained a studied position of not guilty. From all indications, members of the public had already passed death sentence on him without considering whether he was guilty or not. It is, therefore, our considered opinion that in those years he was made to pass through the judicial processes, he must have communed with his God

Uwumahongie’s killers were said to have made away with his severed head which is yet to be found even though the victim has long been buried

and punishment for sinners only lies in the hands of our creator who knows all about the affairs of men”, the youths said. “Moreover, we should take cognisance of the well known lapses in our judicial process and even at that, many developed countries of the world are shying away from outright condemnation of suspects to death and Nigeria should not be an exception. Our position in this matter should not be misconstrued as bordering on dogmatism. It is a prayer for forgiveness based on the facts surrounding the case”.

if he had any quarrel with anybody, she stated: “At times they do quarrel in their meetings, but it is usually resolved. That day, they had a meeting but we didn’t hear of any problem. He came back home and later went to bed. Last year, a similar thing happened and they said he was among the elders listed for killing in the community”. Narrating also, an in-law to the deceased, Wilfred Ariagbonse, said: “It was around 1am that Thursday, when we heard gunshots. By the time I got up and looked from the window of my room, the tenant there was shouting that he had been shot too. We ran out and, before I got to where my in-law was, he was already dead. We don’t know what is happening any more. We are no longer safe because that was how they killed a community leader here last year and cut his head. We now live in fear, we don’t even know who the next person will be. We believe it is the same set of people that killed the assistant community head last year that killed my in-law. He was a truthful man and you know people don’t like the truth”. The Assistant Chief Priest of the community, Chief Idubor, also spoke. Idubor said: “It was shocking, we held a meeting that very day and we closed around 5 o’clock in the evening. The deceased bought us some drinks and we ate. Nobody expected it; only that there was a slight argument between him and another community leader, but it was resolved there. In the night, we heard that assailants broke the window and shot him dead. “Before this time, Edo State Commissioner of Police invited us to his office and we begged him to help us to settle the crisis in the community which started as a result of the CDA leadership. Even the Airport Police, we also begged them to assist us because we discovered that most of our youths now belong to one cult or the other. It is the CDA of a thing that brought us to where we are. Everybody wanting to become the Chairman of the community is what led to the fight as at last year. And we have the feeling that the same people who killed one of the elders last year did this particular one again. The Chairman of the CDA who was killed last year has not even been buried up till now. And we are still worried why the family has not buried him. The fear is that those youths, some of them are cultists and that is the problem. We the elders don’t drag land with the youths, we don’t drag positions with them in the CDA, but I don’t know why some of them have singled out some elders to eliminate. We are so scared of our lives now, I no longer sleep at night because I am the number two in the community.”

Aide faults call for EFCC’s probe of Warri S-West LG boss

HE recent call by a group on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to investigate the first tenure of Chairman, Warri South West, Hon. George Ekpemupolo, has been condemned and described as malicious. The condemnation was contained in a statement by Hon. Andrew Tangbe, an aide to Hon. Ekpemupolo, the Chairman, in Warri. According to him, “The recent publication by some association calling on the chairman of Warri South West to account for his first tenure in office by drawing the attention of EFCC is satanic. “ I make bold to state that the accountability of public resources is the priority of every public officer, this means the chairman is not afraid to give account of

his stewardship to the good people when the need arises. “It is on record that Warri South West was the best local council on infrastructural development during the first tenure, which won commendations from Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies on their tour to Delta State LGs. “Also, despite the present dwindling of the allocation,it is on record that only our local government that didn’t apply for bail out fund in the entire state, and have been up to date with salaries of staff. “The records are there for all to see. We warn mischief makers to steer clear of the council as we will not be distracted”.

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Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016

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10-month-old Mark battles to live! •N eeds N4m ttoo ffill ill hole in the hear •Needs heartt

By Ikenna Asomba, Bunmi Araba, where he was admitted and placed Kolades are, therefore, calling on kind-hearted on oxygen for seven days. Nigerians to come to their aid. Owoeye and Ebun Ajewole

en-month- old Mark Obaloluwa Kolade is in dire need of N4 million to undergo an open heart surgery. Mark, born on March 25, 2015, at the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke-Imole in Ikotun area of Lagos, at birth, had no complications, as he was discharged with the mum from hospital. However, the mum, Mrs. Kolade, was taken by surprise one and a half month after Mark’s birth, when he developed chronic cough and his breath came in spasms. Since then, the couple has been seeking medical help to save the life of the young Mark. They immediately took him to the paediatric cardiology unit of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-

Clinical evaluation indicated that the infant has a symptomatic congenital heart disease, which was confirmed by echocardiography to be a moderate sized ostium secundum artrial septal defect shunting left to right. What this implies is that Mark has a hole in his heart and the paediatric cardiologist in charge of his case, Prof. C.A.N. Okoromah recommends further cardiovascular evaluation and an open heart surgery to correct his heart defects in order to forestall irreversible and life-threatening complications. For the surgical intervention, Mark’s parents are struggling to raise money for the drugs he has been taking to prevent his heart from failing. But they cannot afford the huge sum required for the surgery because of their poor financial situation. The

Kumuyi assures on God’s unlimited power, announces Deeper Life Easter retreat

he General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Folorunsho Kumuyi, has assured all would-be participants at the church’s national Easter retreat of God’s special intervention in all spheres of their lives. Pastor Kumuyi, who expressed optimism that God would visit his people in a mighty way, announced that the event with the theme, ‘Experiencing the Power of His Cross’, would take place from Thursday, March 24 to Sunday, March 27, 2016 at the Deeper Life Conference Centre (DLCC) on KM 48, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. He also said that the programme would take place simultaneously in all the state, region and local government camp grounds within Nigeria, other locations in Africa and beyond. In a statement he personally signed, Kumuyi, who has devoted all his life to the preaching of the gospel and to the liberation of the repressed and oppressed across the globe

through the unstoppable power of God, assured that just as the curtain of the temple (in Jerusalem) was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth shook and the rocks split the moment Jesus breathed his last on the rugged cross, even so shall all participants have their life challenges torn asunder and uprooted at the retreat. “All around us, we hear stories of anguish, terror, sadness and of hopelessness. Frustration is written on the faces of many people; there are dashed elevated expectations, misery and confusion. It has become clear to many people that there is no solution from man. We hear about kidnapping, assassinations, bare-faced wickedness, and we experience insecurity and extreme poverty. Many people who placed their trust and hope in earthly authorities have had their hopes dashed. The world,we can safely say,is in turmoil. These are the fulfillments of the scriptures. Yet, in Christ’s Cross lies the ultimate solution to the temporal and eternal challenges

of mankind. The Bible remains our compass in these perilous times. We are comforted by the assurance that the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits,” Kumuyi said. The cleric also advised all people, especially Nigerians not to be despondent to the point of seeking solutions to their problems in wrong quarters, saying “The point at which we are in the country demands divine intervention. That may not be quick in coming unless we all intercede for Nigeria and resolve to do things in a better, different way. We need not shed innocent blood in our desire to make it in life. The awesome power of God that resurrected Jesus from the dead is still very potent to deliver those who put their trust in him.”

The Deputy Speaker's largesse for 60 Anioma students By Abel Kolawole Delta State House of Assembly Deputy Speaker, Hon. Friday Ossai Osanebi, through The Friday Osanebi Foundation, is giving hope to intelligent Anioma students in tertiary educational institutions. Already, exams and screening test have been taken for this year's scholarship scheme for Anioma 100-level students. According to reports, all is set to disburse the first tranche of the scholarship to 60 candidates.“ This is part of the promises the lawmaker made during the 'thank you tour' to his Ndokwa East constituents after the 2015 polls. He also said that he will construct schools in wards of the constituency to actualise the dream of raising giants in

•Cross section of students during the screening test various spheres of human endeavor via quality education. “ Umueze Primary School,Ossisa, Iselegu Primary School, Niger Primary School, Asaba -Ase, Ibrede

Secondary School, Mixed Secondary School Okpai, Aboh Grammar School, Aboh are among the schools passing through the transformation touch of the Empowerment Master.“According to the Project Monitoring Department of the Office of the Deputy Speaker, schools in Wards One, Two and Nine are 95% completed and to be commissioned in a couple of weeks, while, for those in Wards Four, Five and Seven, construction work began in February and is to be completed in two months time.

Help to save Mark. Your little contribution will go a long way in giving the infant and parents succour. Your donation can be made to First Bank account, Kolade Mark Obaloluwa, 3101673989. For further enquiries, call the father, Mr. Kolade, on 08035292932 or Sunday Vanguard Editor.

'Staff union did not seal Delta House of Assembly' The Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Henry Ebireri, has counselled journalists against misinformation, rumors and lies. “The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) did not seal the Delta State House of Assembly. Members were never chased out by anybody. Nobody scuttled Tuesday’s sitting,” he said in a statement in Asaba while describing the story as false. He also said the Speaker was a responsible leader. “If some journalists in Nigeria and abroad choose to go into the gutter, we will not do the same,” the statement said. Meanwhile, the Speaker, Rt. Hon Monday Igbuya, has criticized the State Chapter PASAN for allegedly presenting incorrect information to the House. He also advised PASAN to get tits facts right on special duty allowance.

400 Ilaje students get scholarship Dayo Johnson, Akure OVER 400 indigent secondary and tertiary educational institutions in Ondo State have been given scholarship by the Ilaje Regional Development Council IRDC in the oil rich area of the state. The students in the higher institutions were given N50,000 each while those in secondary ?received N20,000 each. The gesture was to complement government efforts to provide quality school education to the people in disadvantaged communities. “Cheques were distributed to the students of the mandate area of the council at Igbokoda,headquarters of Ilaje local government area. “Speaking at the ceremony, the IRDC Chairman, Prince Henry Ehinmola,“said the scheme was initiated as an annual event different from that of the NNPC/ CHEVRON which scope of beneficiaries extended beyond the IRDC mandate area.““The Chairman of Ilaje LGA, represented by one of his supervisors,Jossy Ehimore, said the programme was laudable.

The smar V re smartt TTV revvolution BY EPHRAIM OSEJI

he most impressive TV innovation at the 2016 CES came from LG. The long time peddler of wild wacky and crazy expensive living room technology showed off a 4K OLED TV that is as thick as four credit cards. Nothing will be as revolutionary as the invention of TV except for the world’s first Curved OLED TV. Commenting on TV trends, General Manager, Home Entertainment Division, LG Electronics West Africa operations, Mr. Steve Ryu, said: “We are fully committed to bringing next generation technologies to the Nigerian market.The nextgeneration display technology and the advanced ultra-thin depth of 4.3mm come with a unique curved design which represents a new era in home

C M Y K

entertainment. It must be seen to be believed”. After a strong showing at CES 2016, there is little doubt that OLED is poised to become the dominant format for tomorrow’s UHD TVs. However, despite OLED’s ability to render images in striking detail, its adoption by the public has been slowed by higher price tags that have warded off all but the wealthiest consumers. LG and other companies pushing OLED continue to invest heavily in R&D in the hopes of developing less expensive screens, and these efforts are yielding impressive results with OLED prices recently dipping below USD 2,000 for the first time. The drop in prices and surge in 4K content is likely to lead to a boom in OLED popularity. However, bendable screen prototypes as well as OLED displays for monitors and mobile phones indicate that the format has the potential to shake up more than just the TV market.

L-R: Mrs Funmilayo Opatola (Proprietress) Professor Christopher Agulama (dept of Philosophy University of Ibadan), Mrs. Ndukwu Mercy (Proprietress, Winners Schools, Ketu, Alapere) and Mr. Phillips Opatola (Proprietor) at the 4th biennal inter house sports competition organised by Prospect College, Ketu, Lagos.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016, PAGE 29

By Emeka Aginam

-commerce appears the way to go, particularly with the younger generation seeming eager to embrace new ways, but issues of trust and safety threaten growth. At the just concluded, Nigeria Summit in Lagos, the Ag Chief Executive Officer of Konga.com , Shola Adekoya Konga.com revealed how his company is using an innovation, KongaPay to tackle these issues. Driving e-commerce ecosystem in Nigeria, KongaPay example Despite barriers hindering electronic commerce growth in Nigeria and the rest of the world, the system has received significant attention in the country as buying goods online with smart devices is fast becoming an essential part of life for many people in Nigeria. This is even as absence of adequate basic infrastructural, socioeconomic factors, regulatory environment, trust, amon others have combined to create a significant barrier in the adoption and growth of e-commerce in Nigeria. While Konga has continued to drive e-commerce ecosystem in Nigeria, latest study on five countries in Sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria has revealed that 63 percent of respondents are unbanked, while 52 percent use mobile money through agents. Pricing For many consumers, buying goods from the physical market appears more affordable. But speaking at the summit during a panel discussion on ‘Meeting the Needs of Consumers,’ Adekoya told the gathering that in contrary popular notion, buying online is cheaper. “We are way cheaper than the

How KongaPay is tackling pay on delivery issues to drive e-commerce in Nigeria local market. You can test it, just pick up a few phones, laptops, etc. When we were doing deals we found out that we even have some customers from these local markets trying to buy from us to resell.” On how e-commerce is able to offer more value on pricing, he explained, “I know for a fact that we are cheaper than a lot of the offline and local markets because we buy in bulk and we are particular about giving value to the customer. Our margins are very thin and tight just to make sure we deliver value to the customer.” Managing trust While issue of trust continues to loom large on online shopping globally, Konga.com has put measures in place to manage it. According to the Konga.com boss, “Trust is a very big item on our agenda. We always monitor customer feedback. So, there are few ways we manage trust issues. First of all, we have a whole team of agents working on trust and safety. “We follow up with merchants, and we follow up with even the shippers. We have a whole team dedicated to making sure that our customer experience is right. ” Pay on delivery As part of the solution to trust issues on e-commerce, many consumers prefer to pay for their goods and services on delivery. So there is a system in place that ensures

that consumers can pay the courier with cash or with their ATM/Debit card upon delivery of their order. Konga buyer protection program Speaking on this, the Acting chief executive officer of Konga.com further explained that if a consumers pay on delivery with cash, his company may be unable to fully protect them under the Buyer Protection program. “When you shop on Konga, you can choose to pay securely in advance with KongaPay, with your ATM/Debit card, or on delivery with cash or POS. “If you choose to pay in advance with internet banking or your ATM/

Trust is a very big item on our agenda. We always monitor customer feedback.

Alcatel OneTouch battles market share with IDOL 3 series B attle for market share among smart phone makers in the android series is intensifying by the day as a result improved innovation. Just recently, Alcatel OneTouch which is associated with churning out innovative products released IDOL3 series, an Android phone that could give the standard fare a run for their money. One thing is clear about the device. It offers the same unique features like other big names in the market. Features There are a lot of features that the Idol 3 has to offer android faithful s . The device is packed with an an octa core processor and and 1080p display screen powered by a faster octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor, along with 2GB RAM. The device comes in 16GB and 32GB storages. It also features a MicroSD card and a 2910 mAh battery. It is both slim and of a lightweight design, stereo speakers on the forward-facing, a 13-megapixel camera and a great support for LTE . Camera The device has advanced technology on both the front and rear cameras. A next

generation sensor supports 13 megapixels of camera prowess for shots in the dark, indoors or for macro close-ups. From the user experience point of view, the device is loaded with good camera that can compete with high end phones in the smart phone ecosystem. Alcatel’s app lets you control focus and exposure manually. Similarly, the front camera is a 5-megapixel unit that works just fine for selfies and video chats. Pros One of the most fascinating features I observed about the Idol 3 is its display. The display makes Idol 3 great for outdoor use as it has an adequate amount of brightness. Cons

At this moment, we cannot say that there is one, but then, the part where the Idol 3 does not equal the best inits class is in raw performance. Although the Qualcomn Snapdragon 615 processor is sufficient for a whopping number of everyday tasks, it may not be able to keep up with phones running on higher-end chips. Bottom-line The device is a trustworthy and dependable device. It has reliable battery life and enough display for consuming media, reading, browsing and social networking, among others. One major thing Alcatel OneTouch has done with the device is that it has succeeded in ensuring that average Nigerian is able to use a premium product at a relatively good price.

•Shola Adekoya Debit card, Konga can protect you 100% with our Buyer Protection program. When you’re covered by our Buyer Protection program, you can shop with complete confidence and ultimate peace of mind. If something goes wrong, we help make it right with a refund, repair, or replacement”, he said. However, looking at the way ecommerce is working in Nigeria, pay on delivery is not really working well for the e-commerce giants as many consumers will always give one excuse or the other not to pay on delivery because of change in their economic status. The end result is return of the goods. This is where the introduction KongaPay has changed the game because it addresses the challenges associated with pay on delivery. How KongaPay works With this system, the e-commerce giant has collaboration with banks

and operators, by developing secure, flexible mobile financial platforms that help build an interconnected and transparent financial ecosystem. There is also an incentive for the buying public as by using KongaPay, each consumer gets a five percent discount on each and every purchase made on Konga.com. Speaking to newsmen shortly after the summit on a number Konga.com activities in the ecommerce space, Adekoya highlighted that KongaPay is a secure payment method that allows its customers pay for goods without using debit cards. The system, he said gives consumers five percent discount on any product bought. “As a customer, if you are able to use KongaPay to make payment, it just gives you this extra guarantee knowing that your money is there and you’ll get it back in an instant. So one of the benefits of KongaPay is that to do refund is so easy because we haven’t consumed the money. The money can be refunded immediately”, he explained. Noting that the market for ecommerce in Nigeria is still untapped, he pointed out that, “We deliver better value online.” Challenges Adekoya said that regulatory environment, education, awareness, and trust among several factors rank high among the challenges confronting e-commerce in Nigeria. He noted that beyond these challenges, the truth of the matter is that the market for e-commerce is growing with many more Nigerians embracing it. For industry watchers, e-commerce in Nigeria or elsewhere can only be successfully built on trust and safety, which are the two components that would allow for a seamless exchange of goods, services and most importantly payments.

Huawei seeks global partnership to build 5G

head of the 2020 fifth

generation , 5G commercial launch, Chinese original equipment manufacturer, Huawei said it was seeking global partnership to build and expand the mobile industry ecosystem to become more resilient to and ensure the success of the latest technology. According to the technology giant, as a driving force to lead 5G innovation, Huawei has continued to extend the global partnership initiatives with more than 20 carriers, including CMCC, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, NT T DOCOMO, Telefonica, TeliaSonera and Etisalat, and 10 industry partners, spanning continents in

Asia, Europe, and North America. The technology firm said it believed strongly that customeroriented innovation with an open partnership was the foundation to create the next generation of wireless technologies. It added that over the past years, it had established joint innovation programmes with leading operators, and conducted lab test and field trials with a broad spectrum of 5G enabling technologies. At the just concluded Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona, Spain, in partnership with foremost tech firms, it showcased technologies such as 5G New Radio Access Technologies.

Pre-registration for Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 edge begins

FTER months of speculation, Samsung Electronics West Africa has begun preregistration for its long line of Galaxy devices. The smartphones on offer are the alluring Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge available in 32GB with expandable memory slot of 200 GB. Meanwhile, Samsung is giving out free back cover to all pre-registered customers who make a purchase from any authorized Samsung retail store nationwide. Additionally, the 50 pre-registered customers to make a purchase at select stores will also get a free Samsung virtual reality device, Gear (VR).

Speaking on the new development, Emmanouil Revmatas, Director of Information Technology and Mobile, Samsung, said that Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge represented the new galaxy of unlimited possibilities. “Samsung did not just redefine these devices but also re-imagined what they could do based on the feedback from the people who use them, and what they need most from the devices. Our customers are the inspiration for any innovation. “These devices do not only look great but feel great as well and comfortable to hold. They are sleeker with smoother edges and lines,” added Revmatas.

PAGE 30 — SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016

Why Buhari should stop wasting his/our time “The culprits will not go unpunished. I have been Militar y Gover nor, Petroleum Minister, Military Head of State and headed the Petroleum Trust Fund. Never have I heard the words “Budget padding”.” President Buhari, Febr uar y 23, 2016, in Abuja. It is one of the axioms of management carved on stone by the management guru Peter Drucker, that nothing is more wasteful than doing diligently what should not be done at all – especially when the step to be taken is based on anger – which might not even be justified. Reading that statement credited to Buhari again, one is immediately struck with the irony involved in the historical precedents the President cited. Budgets by military governments at Federal and State levels were never debated nor were they passed to another body to approve. So, if there was padding, nobody would ever know. A budget passed in secrecy and not subject to verification by anybody cannot be compared to one that is in the public

domain. So, if that is the basis of Buhari’s anger, he might as well forget it. It is like comparing what happened in smoke-filled rooms, presided over by a powerful mafia, with what happens in an ordinary board room in which the directors were free to query the Chairman. There is simply no comparison. Furthermore, the President needs to be very careful about who he has in mind as “culprits” – because when the entire 2016 budget process is analysed, he might discover like Pogo, the cartoon mascot in America, who declared, “We have found the enemy; and he is us.” Strictly speaking, there is no way any fair inquiry into the snafu (Situation Normal All Fouled Up) enveloping the 2016 budget would fail to indict some highly placed individuals in the Presidency as well – as this article will demonstrate before we are through. Buhari might find himself embarrassed twice. He had declared his embarrassment with

Women hold up half the sky “No country can ever truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and deprives itself of the contributions of half of its citizens” - Michelle Obama

ast Sunday was mother’s day in the UK and Last Tuesday,the world celebrated International women’s day and this year ’s theme : #PledgeForParity. In many countries,the progress to achieve gender parity has been very slow and in some countries, it is non existence. You would have thought that, as women play a crucial role in all aspects of life and living, they would be accorded their worth and value. I mean, if women were paid for being mothers alone, they will be very,very rich indeed. We have many formidable,capable and highly educated women in Nigeria. At the same time we have many girls and women who are denied the opportunity of an education and a way to lift themselves out of poverty. Having an education does not guarantee parity. In the C M Y K

workplace, a woman who does the same work as a man is more likely to be paid between 25 -50% less in pay. The World Economic Forum predicted in 2015, that they estimated that a slowdown in gender parity and the progress wouldn’t close entirely until 2133. Women have a while to wait and that is a gross injustice. In the global gender gap index league table of ranked 145 countries, with Iceland holding on to the top position for the seventh consecutive year. Other Nordic countries – Finland, Sweden and Norway – fill out the top four. Rwanda ranks sixth and it is the highest-rated developing country in the world, achieving a greater level of equality than the UK, the US or Germany. The UK is ranked 18th, coming in below South Africa, Namibia and Nicaragua. It scores very highly in health and education, but a lack of women in parliament means it scores poorly for political empowerment. Nigeria did not fare well, and it was 118th in the

respect to the “padding” of the budget. He might soon discover that the real culprits are not the hapless civil servants he thought were responsible, but that the seeds of “padding” were sown by some of those he brought into government with him. More to the point; it is hoped that Buhari realizes that he heads a democratic government, and the sooner he forgets about those halcyon days, marvelous, that is for an autocrat, the better. In a democracy, any allegation against any individual, even by the President, must be proved beyond reasonable doubt especially if punishment is imposed. His threat to punish people must be accompanied by the promise to operate under the rule of law in imposing the punishment. And, he should never forget that those punished have recourse to the courts to protect themselves. It is mostly because Buhari might be heading for the quick-sand of governance that this piece is being written to warn him about the dangers ahead – if he pursues the ego-satisfying quest for punishment instead of, for instance, reprimand. One needs not be a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, to appreciate the fact that Buhari’s case against any prospective “culprit” had been severely damaged by the utterances of two of his Ministers – the Ministers for Finance and Information. On December 21, 2015, Mrs Adeosun had declared, categorically, that, “There can be no padding of ranking and it can do better. I am sure there those who are not concerned that Nigeria did not make it higher in the ranking. They should be concerned, we all should be. We all have to share the responsibility of lifting our girls and woman so that they can live up to their full potential. so if Rwanda, South Africa and Namibia, can so why can’t Nigeria? According to the World Bank,if, young Nigerian women had the same employment rates as young Nigerian men, they would add 13.9 billion Naira in annual GDP. It makes sense, you would think that Nigeria, should work towards mandatory education for all girls, just as it is for boys. Girls are often not given that opportunity as in our society we often write off the girl child. In a nation of 180 million people,women make up 49.5% of the population so there is no better place for parity. It is common in our culture to place more value on boys than girls. You can see that, in that way we react at the arrival of a baby boy; that of jubilation and in contrast,the arrival of a baby girl is often greeted with muted commiserations from friends and family. If the truth be told, the mother is often made to feel a failure if she does not provide the family with a male and a heir. The odds are already stacked against the female and Nigeria is not alone. The sad fact is one-quarter to onehalf of girls in developing countries become mothers before age 18 according, to

budget when revenues are so thin…”. While Lai Mohammed, on February 20, 2016, was emphatic that the budget was not padded. Let’s give him the floor. “A lot has been said about the budget. Let me tell you that nobody can ever accuse the government of padding any budget. The total of all Ministries put together has not exceeded N6.08 trillion that was

If Buhari punishes anybody on account of “padded budget” and the individual(s) head for the courts, our President will be courting embarrassment for the third time on the same subject. Correction please, it should be fourth time submitted. It is factually incorrect to say the budget was padded.” If Buhari punishes anybody on account of “padded budget” and the individual(s) head for the courts, our President will be courting embarrassment for the third time on the same subject. Correction please, it should be fourth time. The first occurred when he had to eat humble pie and apologise to the nation about the mix-up on “missing/replaced budget”. To be candid, Buhari is seeking to prolong a matter

The Gender in Nigeria in 2012 report indicated that young women ages 15 and 24 are more likely to have experienced physical abuse. Most men are more likely to justify physical l abuse and this happens on a daily basis in Nigeria the United Nations Population Fund. The focus should therefore be on health and human rights of girls and women.Only then, we can begin to seriously make the pledge towards gender parity. Let us do away with soundbites and the rhetorics, we need commitment and actions. We need to change our mindset in the way that girls and women are treated in our society. The wife of the Vice president,Mrs. Osinbajo, highlighted this concern in the service to Mother’s Day at the Aso Villa Chapel at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, that she regretted that girls who are supposed to be mothers of tomorrow were no longer safe in the country. “The girls are under threat “ Mrs. Osinbajo said that many girls in the country are passing through difficult times as they are being sexually abused,

which it is in his interest to bury as soon as possible. However, if there is still any doubt in the President’s mind about forgetting the matter and face more important issues, there are two more related events which place the blame for the mess right in the Executive branch – especially, the Presidency. Vice-President Osinbajo had achieved great things in some areas – particularly, law and education. But, even the V-P, an old Igbobi College student, must be noble enough to admit that budget preparation is not one of them. Put in charge of the economy, in the absence of a cabinet, for five whole months, the Professor committed the first blunder which set the ball rolling for the fiasco that followed. In a paper titled “The economy-where we are today ”, delivered at a retreat which ended on November 6, 2016, he announced that the Federal Government was working on the 2016 budget which would be between N7 and N8 trillion. Given that the 2015 budget was N4.4 trillion that meant an increase of 59 to 82 per cent increase. That was startling enough. But, the 2015 budget had derailed on account of declining crude oil prices. Financial and budget experts were looking at N3.6 trillion revenue for 2015. Thus the VP’s announcement amounted to 94 to 122 per cent increase over abducted and killed. that Nigerians must joined hands to help the girl-child. She said, “What do you teach them because they cannot give what they don’t have? The mothers of tomorrow cannot be mothers if they don’t have what it takes. I fully agree. The Gender in Nigeria in 2012 report indicated that young women ages 15 and 24 are more likely to have experienced physical abuse. Most men are more likely to justify physical l abuse and this happens on a daily basis in Nigeria. We often downplay this and we normalise this crime. the sad fact, is domestic abuse is not seen as a crime nor is it treated as crime. How can we say we value our women and treat them like punching bags or fail to recognise their contribution to our nation? Until we have an open conversation and a public information drive,then I am afraid, we can not begin to make any progress in creating a better Nigeria. From my mail bag on BLINKERED MAJORITY published March 6, 20162 OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: “Hope this meets you well. I write to congratulate you on your Article on page 20 of today’s SUNDAY VANGUARD. THANK YOU FOR THIS “bull’s eye” of an Article. It was a bold, straight,unedited message from a balanced mind. I really thank God for your incisiveness. I would just add

expected 2015 performance. It was scandalous – especially as the price of crude continued going down and the average for the current year was known to be heading for a figure lower than that of 2015. In the end, the budget presented was N6.08 trillion – still 69 per cent higher than the actual for 2015. Certainly based on advice, but Osinbajo inadvertently unleashed the series of mistakes serving as the inducement for padding -- if ever there was one. SAY GOODBYE TO FREE MONEY – SAI BABA. “This largesse, N5,000 for the unemployed, I have got a slightly different priority. I would rather do the infrastructure, the schools and boost agriculture.” Buhari, Febr uar y 29, 2016, PUNCH, page 1. Three weeks ago, in my column on Monday, I had carpeted Mr Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the VP, who had paid glowing tribute to Buhari for budgeting N500 billion for a salad bowl of free money to be given out. The ill-advised and ill-planned set of programmes were called the “most revolutionary by any President in histor y ” by unnamed “economic historians” who must have a poor grasp of economics. Thank God commonsense is returning to Aso Rock. Now that Buhari has dumped the nonsense, what will the propagandists have to say? That Buhari is now wrong? They dare not.... that I can well believe that Yunusa and the Girl had been in an illegal liaison that went awry. The publicity has ruined the Girl for life. I would advise that for the sake of the unborn they should marry and she can leave the Baby with her parents ,continue and finish her Education and go back to Yunusa when she would have the Marriageable age. Just a suggestion. Sincerely Hairat Balogun.” Dear Mrs Balogun, Thank you for your email. Nigerians fail to grapple with the fact that we are failing our young girls. So pleased that we on the same page and we can only hope that there are more people with similar views so as to form a ripple and a shift in our society’s consciousness. The truth is, that it sometimes feels like a lone voice in the wilderness. They say, you educate a woman, you educate a generation. Empowering women will help our economy and improve the health of our nation. It is important to strive and give our young females the opportunity to reach their fullest potential and not consign them to early marriage and poverty. I hope that Ese is given the chance to return to school and complete her education. If she does go back to school,and on completion, she will be a different person and Yunusa may have to get an education himself if their relationship is to survive. As I mentioned, the real victim here is Ese. Thanking you for taking time to write to me. Kindest Regards, Denrele Animasaun.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016, PAGE 31 eloquently made by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe who outlined the self-protection rules made by the legislature as if the members have constitutional immunity from being prosecuted for crimes. No stranger as the rule reportedly states has a

Is Ekiti House of Assembly a hallowed chamber?

he fight against corruption is obviously not yielding the desired result not because it is selective as some politicians often allege; rather it is complicated by a number of challenges. One of them is that it is a one-man fight. President Buhari is no doubt alone in the battle. Impunity which oils corruption is still quite discernible here and there. Corruption is itself aggressively fighting back and with ease, it is exploiting the technicalities entrenched in our judicial system. Civil society is not helping matters as no one seems ready to take the pains of reforms. Those who argue these days that the current pains are different from the change they voted for probably want a society that works without institutionalizing the modalities that can make things work for society. As a result, those who complain about selective prosecution

hardly ever ponder to know what the so called selected victims did or are doing- a good example being the case of Ekiti State where the pursuit by security operatives of persons suspected to have committed crimes has been tagged the ‘invasion’ of the ‘hallowed’ chambers of the State House of Assembly. Last Wednesday, I watched on national television with delight the debate on the subject by the Senate. The motion which was moved by Senator Biodun Olujimi, (Ekiti South) was quite judgmental notwithstanding that the Senate was yet to be briefed on what actually occurred in the so-called hallowed chambers of Ekiti some 8 days back. Some Senators looked genuinely worried that if the alleged Ekiti invasion was not nipped in the bud, it might spread to other states and indeed, the National Assembly. The case for intervention was

PhD,Depar tment of Philosophy, University of Lagos 08116759758

President Buhari: The bigger the head, the bigger the headache (5)

s I was saying last week, given the large amount of money set aside in the budget for the comfort of President Buhari, his family members and the top echelons of the presidency, he is not on a moral high ground to put pressure on members of the National Assembly to drop their silly plan. Hence, another headache for Buhari is his gradual but steady loss of the much-needed moral authority that can compel positive attitudinal change among high-ranking public officials, including legislators. Sometimes I sympathise with the President, because he might genuinely be interested in changing Nigeria for the better. But the physical and mental infirmities associated with increasing old age, entrenched military habits of thought, and conflict of interests between him and key members of the Northern establishment who fanatically supported his presidential ambition - all these constitute real obstacles for the President on the road to actualising the kind of change we need at this time. On top of that, he still has to grapple with the daunting challenges of increasing poverty, unemployment, preventable diseases, deepening economic and security issues he inherited from his predecessor. Unfortunately, APC leaders

and government officials, instead of honestly acknowledging that they grossly underestimated the enormity of problems left behind by the immediate past administration and did not have any well thought-out plan to deal with them, are still blaming former President Goodluck Jonathan for every bad thing happening in the country right now and insisting that Nigerians should continue to be patient with Buhari because it “ would take a minimum of eighteen months to revive the economy.” Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, recently reminded us that the President promised change but Nigerians want magic. The change would come, he says, but it would follow a process and it would be enduring. Things deteriorated in the sixteen years PDP was in power, and this is the ninth month of the present government. Adesina claims that Nigerians want everything to change for the better immediately, but that is unrealistic. Furthermore, “Nigerians have always complained, and we should learn to stop complaining and believe more. What government needs at a time like this is cooperation and support. If you have elected government because you believe it can bring change,

If our legislatures are to be seen as hallowed chambers, it will not be enough to ward off all invaders including the security operatives; our law makers must reduce their heavy dose of political rascality right to enter a legislature without the permission of the presiding officer. As the intriguing debate carried on, one contributor reminded his colleagues that ‘what comes round, goes round’ adding that what happened in Ekiti was wrong though it happened to the ‘right’ people. It is at this point probably necessary to inform those who and you have not allowed it to isolate what the problems are and articulate what the solutions would be, and you begin to have all these complaints, I think it is not natural. There must be realistic expectation, and realistic expectation will demand that people are patient, supportive and encourage the government. This government is working for the people. Rather than complaining, let us cooperate, support and encourage.” Femi Adesina is a thoroughbred professional doing his job to the best of his ability. However, I disagree with the “sermon on the mount” he delivered at Radio Continental for the following reasons. First, it is not completely right to blame PDP alone for the deterioration in quality of governance since 1999. Of course, as the ruling party at the federal level until May 29, 2015, PDP bears the biggest burden of blame for mismanaging the country in the period under consideration. But politicians in other political parties, including those that came together and formed the APC three years ago, failed in their responsibility to use the National Assembly as a platform to ensure that PDP Presidents performed their duties creditably. Instead, federal legislators from these parties connived with their PDP counterparts to despoil the country. Besides, unless one is operating with the false assumption that corruption, mediocrity and ineptitude exist only in the PDP, the decay in governance was not restricted to the federal level. Before the last elections that swept the PDP out of power, many non-PDP states and local governments were poorly governed. Thus, when Buhari and his lieutenants blame PDP for everything that has gone wrong in the country since 1999, they conveniently ignore the role politicians

may not know what makes Ekiti legislators the right people. At the beginning of Governor Fayose’s tenure, only 7 legislators were empowered to chase away 19 of their colleagues including the speaker thereby forcefully entrenching minority rule. Everyone condemned the act but the legislators boldly held-on like super humans carrying out all legislative functions as if they had the constitutional right. At the 60th anniversary of the Ibadan Bar which held at about the same time, eminent personalities condemned the spate of impeachment of speakers in Nigeria by minority legislators, saying it was a bad omen for the sustenance of the nation’s democracy. Indeed, the Chief Justice of Nigeria Mahmud Mohammed described the development as an affront on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Are we saying the usurpers should face the music now? Not exactly; as that would make a good topic for another day. Are we saying Ekiti legislators are the worst in Nigeria? Again, not exactly considering that their colleagues in many states of the federation have acted similarly at different times. Of course, there is no difference between Ekiti legislators and their Kogi counterparts whose otherwise hallowed chambers having been also desecrated is about to be taken over by the National

Assembly. In Kogi, a minority of only 5 legislators sought to over-ride 15 others including the Speaker, Jimoh Lawal whom they claimed to have removed. How can 5 be bigger than 15 when we are no longer in the Jonathan era where 16 was bigger than 19? No one can answer this question without first seeking to know why it is always so easy for legislators to ignore due process whenever they choose to remove a Speaker they willfully elected earlier. That would perhaps throw light on why a handful of legislators are always able to muster a contingent of security operatives to protect the minority against the majority. But before then, it is obvious that our desecrated State Houses of Assembly cannot be described as hallowed chambers. In earnest, because our law makers themselves donot know what a hallowed chamber is, they often convert hotels and any location of their choice into a venue for a formal legislative meeting. For instance, only last Tuesday, March 08, 2016, a total of 18 out of 26 members of the Ondo state House of Assembly removed their Speaker Mrs. Jumoke Akindele and her Deputy, Mr. Fatai Olotu. That would ordinarily have been seen as fair because it was supposedly the wish of the majority but the event held not at the assembly but at a place identified by the media as one of the lawmakers’ quarters in Akure metropolis. Again it held at

about 10pm! Interestingly, it is not only jurists and writers that are appalled by the bizarre disposition of our law makers. Luckily, some legislators are sad over the development and have publicly said so. For example, when 5 legislators of the Kogi House of Assembly purported to have removed their speaker, a voice of reason came up from the Conference of Speakers of State legislatures of Nigeria condemning the episode. In a statement by its chairman, Hon. Ismaila Kamba, the conference said the flagrant disrespect of the rule of law should not only be frowned upon but condemned as an illegality capable of setting a bad precedent and if not reversed could cause chaos and anarchy. If our legislatures are to be seen as hallowed chambers, it will not be enough to ward off all invaders including the security operatives; our law makers must reduce their heavy dose of political rascality. Otherwise, the legislature will expose itself to attacks. It is thus wise to spell out the exact location of a hallowed chambers and what sanction to meet out to those who meet outside of it and at odd hours. Second and more importantly, if the security agencies must obtain the permission of the presiding officer, before a legislator is arrested, from whom would they obtain such permission if it is the presiding officer himself that is to be arrested?

from other political parties played in entrenching corruption, impunity, nepotism and mediocrity at the three tiers of government. In addition, Femi Adesina is blaming Nigerians unfairly for expecting magic from the new government. Now, responsible leadership is about service delivery, not

in office, with no sound economic blueprint for rebuilding the economy, it has become fashionable for public officials with more than enough resources to escape the brutal effects of expanding jaws of poverty to blame Nigerians for having “unrealistic” expectations from government. They are condemning Nigerians for trusting Buhari, for believing he is a man of his words who would not deceive them by making promises he knew he cannot or would not fulfil. Anybody who accuses Nigerians of complaining too much, of expecting President Buhari to perform magic should go and re-read or listen again to the campaign speeches of Buhari, Osinbajo, Bola Tinubu, and Lai Mohammed. The President promised, inter alia, that Boko Haram would be defeated by the end of December 2015; but Boko Haram is still carrying out wanton destruction of lives and property mostly in the North. APC promised that if the party wins the presidency, the federal government will give free meals to pupils in public primary schools nationwide and pay unemployment benefit of five thousand naira to twenty-five million jobless Nigerians. It also pledged to eradicate fuel queues and smash the wicked cabals responsible for fuel subsidy fraud and recurrent fuel scarcity in the country. Not only has none of these promises been fulfilled, the President himself has disowned some of them. Many Nigerians now think that during the electioneering campaigns, chieftains of APC completely obsessed with capturing power from the disorganised PDP were willing and prepared to say anything, promise everything, to actualise their objective. Now that Buhari has won, the party is in serious dilemma because it cannot deliver on the promises, an object lesson to the effect that it is very easy

for politicians to promise heaven and earth when seeking for votes but much more difficult for them to deliver on those promises after they assume power. In a sense, Femi my friend is correct. Most Nigerians are gullible; they tend to believe what they hear repeatedly from a “big man” or “thick madam,” especially if the individual in question is from their ethnic group or belongs to the same religion with them. That is why APC’s propaganda machine was effective in making Buhari’s supporters believe that he is the messiah to rescue them from the existential condition E.M. Forster described as the “slough of despond.” When Femi Adesina accuses Nigerians of complaining too much even when the government is trying “to isolate what the problems are and articulate what the solutions would be,” he forgot that the same invalid argument was used to justify the unnecessary delay of Mr. President in forming his cabinet. At that time, we were told that Buhari was taking his time to select the very best and avoid making mistakes in his choice of ministers. Judging by the antecedents of some of the people in the ministerial list when it was eventually announced, the five months delay was in vain. Similarly, it is still quite possible that very little will change in the lives of suffering Nigerians after Buhari and his team have “isolated our problems” and “articulated solutions” to them. Consequently, President Buhari must be prepared for more headaches from now until the end of his tenure. After all, he went round the country asking Nigerians to put the load of being President on his head, when he should have continued looking after his farm in Daura quietly out of public scrutiny. Concluded.

Anybody who accuses Nigerians of complaining too much, of expecting President Buhari to perform magic should go and reread or listen again to the campaign speeches of Buhari, Osinbajo, Bola Tinubu, and Lai Mohammed about wishful thinking or uncritical belief in the exaggerated reputation of a single individual. Buharimaniacs should be reminded of the Igbo proverb that says, “He who brings faggot-infested firewood to his house has invited the lizard for a visit.” Has Adesina forgotten so soon the fantastic promises made repeatedly during the presidential campaign rallies nationwide by Buhari and prominent members of the APC, and how they completely dismissed Jonathan as “clueless” and “incompetent,” with the pledge to bring about rapid improvement in the economy, security and job creation if Buhari wins? Because Nigerians are yet to experience the rapid improvement promised by APC after about nine months

PAGE 32—SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH, 13, 2016

Are you the kind of woman he sees as relationship material? BY ONOZURE DANIA

id you know that most men decide if a woman is “girlfriend material” within a few seconds of meeting her? And here’s what is even more

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Everything that you do after a man gets that initial impression about you is run through the “she’s just a friend” filter and this can make being in the “friend zone” almost inescapable. Especially if you’re looking to get involved with a man for more than just a fling. Have you ever been friends with a man and wanted

something more but had not been able to or known how to turn it into something more? If so, then there’s something you should know about how to trigger that special emotion inside a man’s mind that gets him “feeling it” for you. It’s called emotional attraction

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DISCLAIMER!

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016, PAGE 33

rexmarinus@hotmail.com

Killing Biafra

confess: the title of my essay today is not original. It was first penned by the now late Agwu Okpanku, Classicist and journalist trained at Ibadan and Cambridge, in his column, “The Third Eye,” published in the now defunct, Enugu-based newspaper of the 1970s, Renaissance. Agwu Okpanku was a fierce critic of the post war attempts by the Federal Military Government of Nigeria, under the leadership of Yakubu Gowon, to erase all evidence of Biafra from national memory. When Agwu Okpanku wrote “Killing Biafra,” he was simply reminding the triumphalist power of that moment, about the indelicacy as well as the futility, in decreeing oblivion. Biafra was an independent republic. For three years it fought for its sovereignty. It had symbols; it had documents, and it had a material presence which the Federal Military Government’s policy was working rather too hard to erase, in uninformed attempts to force “one Nigeria” down the throat of former Biafrans. So, for instance, the Uli Airport, which could have been preserved for its historical significance and value was bulldozed; the Bight of Biafra suddenly became “Bight of Bonny;” material evidence that had any hint of Biafra were seized

and systematically destroyed, or kept sealed – until Babangida established the National War Museum in Umuahia. It would have been tolerable if the former Biafrans felt a welcoming sense of justice and acceptance to “one Nigeria.” But, no. A lingering sense of alienation remains from Nigeria’s mishandling of the policy of the “The Rs” announced at the end of conflicts. In actual fact, at the end of the war in 1970, Sam Ogbemudia as military governor of the Midwest had quickly made contact with the now late T.E.A Salubi and Dr. Nwariaku, one of the great Biafran scientists, and a key figure of the Biafran Research and Production (RAP) department whose innovations in war production gave insight into the capacity of the black mind, and quickly made a case at the Council of States for the Gowon administration to urgently gather these scientists, rehabilitate them, and use RAP as the basis for Nigeria’s industrial revolution. Ogbemudia was strenuously opposed by his colleagues in the council: nothing of such should be done with “the rebels,” he was told. Post war federal policy, not surprisingly, was at odds with reason, and it was soon clear to those who had fought for Biafra that the Federal Military Government’s policy

of “ reconciliation and rehabilitation” was no more than a hollow pact calculated to disarm the Biafrans. Since 1970, the mindless and tragic exploitation, and the strategic policy of neglect has left areas of the former Eastern region bitter, frustrated, and alienated. The Federal government, using its divisive politics and narrative of sectionality have tried to emphasize regional differences between what it has often falsely described as the “Niger Delta” and the South East. The fact that much of Igbo land falls into what is geographically the Niger Delta has been obscured by the convenient geo-political narrative of difference that has long been promoted by the selfinterested powers, who have used the ploy to exploit and contain any upsurge of defiance from the East in the last forty years. But a new generation, many born in the war and after it have seen through it all: how come, many of them now ask, that the areas from which much of Nigeria’s oil wealth was exploited have benefited very little from the exploitation of the resources in their region? The direct benefits of what should have been an oil economy went in the enrichment of people outside the region. Not even many Nigerians have benefited from this product, oil, now in its dying phase as an economic factor. One of the significant aspects of the old East is its contiguity. What happens in any part of the region is quickly telegraphed to the other. Gas flare in Izombe is felt in Port Harcourt. Oil spill in Eleme is quickly felt in Asa and Aba. If an explosion happens in Eket, you will quickly feel its reverberations in Owerrinta, or Ohambele or Bori. It is fifteen minutes from Aba to Ikot-Ekpene on a good

road, and to Uyo, less than 45 minutes. Only a bridge separates Itigidi from Afikpo. Asaba and Onitsha are just like St. Louis and East St. Louis, as with the other, linked by the Eads Bridge across the Mississippi, one in Missouri, and the other in Illinois, yet inexorably linked. From Yenegoa, Degema, through Elele to Owerri is as much distance as from Owerri to Enugu, and it is such contiguity

The growing Biafra question is looking most certainly to define the Buhari presidency. The president looks all set to entangle Nigeria in a long and unwinnable conflict that threatens to snowball into another civil war if improperly handled that makes the Eastern areas of Nigeria a powerfully attractive economic belt as well as a disaster waiting to happen. The interconnections and linkages is most probably the factor that is driving the new Biafra and the Niger delta movement into a single defiance movement. The growth of this single movement quite frankly poses a security threat to this nation that no president should, or can ignore. It requires a strategic and comprehensive response; that much is true. Whatever response to this movement however must begin from the framework that the new Biafra movement is the result of both political and economic frustration and alienation. It did not begin with this administration, but it is growing exponentially, and is

compounded by what seems to be the President’s tunnel vision; his unwillingness to address this question like a statesman not much rather like a belligerent soldier. Thus far, the president’s response to the Biafran agitations, which is currently at its peaceful stage, is egodriven, and frankly immature, and does not lend itself to the kind of thoughtfulness and diplomacy required of a president whose duty above all else is to secure peace by all means necessary in a fragile multi-ethnic nation such as Nigeria, in order to achieve common prosperity. The growing Biafra question is looking most certainly to define the Buhari presidency. The president looks all set to entangle Nigeria in a long and unwinnable conflict that threatens to snowball into another civil war if improperly handled. Last week, the president lost a great opportunity to address it and scale it down. He was confronted with this question in an Al-Jazeera interview, about Biafra and the administration’s authorization of the killing of unarmed Biafrans by soldiers. The president refused to see recorded evidence available to AlJazeera of the killing of unarmed, peaceful protesters asking for a “Biafran referendum” in Aba. He snapped at the interviewer who asked if it is not better to meet with them than shoot them. “Why Should I meet them?” the president asked, bristling. This president puts himself in an actionable position in justifying the use of maximum force and the killing of an unarmed civilian population protesting peacefully within their rights. The president’s claim that their agitation for

SocialEtiquette

clothes are allowed whilst in the treatment room, you will be offered a white robe and slippers, some spas will give you disposable undies as well. You are expected to remove your bra and wait with your robe on. During your treatment you will be covered with a large towel so that only the facial parts of your body will be exposed. I highly encourage you to go in with an open mind, relax and feel rejuvenated, the experience will be well worth it. When it comes to jewellery or valuable items, it is expected that you remove all and remain with just your bare essentials.

With Janet Adetu

info@etiquetteconsortium.com JSK Etiquette & Image Training Janet@JSKEtiquette JSK Etiquette Consortium

Spa Etiquette (1) The spa is a wonderful place to visit when you are stressed out or you want to be pampered to regain vitality after working too hard. Services offered help relieve tension, pain, skin disorders and many more. The focal points a spa attendant will focus on are the back, shoulders, legs, feet and face. Extra beauty therapy areas are the hands, nails and the hair. Unfortunately not many women have had the opportunity to pamper themselves in a spa. I must admit making a decision to visit the spa is a mission, which involves time dedication after a firm decision. I recommend you go with a friend if it is your first time. There may be a lot of suspense when visiting a spa for the first time as you can only imagine what to expect. A few have had the notion that you have to parade yourself naked therefore would rather opt out. Well if that is your

thought please have no fear. It is important to determine why exactly you would like to visit the spa for. If you have been experiencing chronic fatigue and exhaustion with body pains here and there, a visit to the spa will relax and rejuvenate you. From the moment you walk through the doors of a good spa, the music playing makes you feel calm, serene and light headed. With all this in mind don’t forget you have to maintain your elegance at all times. Like every other public place there is a recommended code of conduct which we term Spa Etiquette that you should align with each time you visit.

Make a Choice with Spa Services

You have finally decided to have the much needed spa treatment where do you go? Always choose a spa that

Biafra is intolerable, is itself intolerable under democratic rule. What the president is doing is deliberately pushing a currently unarmed movement towards an inevitable armed conflict, and a widening of the field. The images of the shooting of civilians is a great recruitment tool for the Biafrans, as more and more people once indifferent to it are quietly joining from deep anger at these images. This president, we use this column again to plead with, should not push Nigeria into another civil war, by his actions or inactions, because there is no greater threat to the security of a nation than a deep sense of injustice and alienation felt by a great number of people. President Buhari fought in the last war and must certainly realize that there is no such thing as a “cake-walk” in war. It is important that president Buhari’s advisers tell him that it is still early and possible to contain this Biafran movement peacefully, and prevent its next inevitable phase, the armed phase, which will happen if the young leaders of this movement begin to feel that no one is listening to them; and that they have no other option than to defend themselves militarily against the government’s use of force. We must never arrive at this moment, Mr. President. Therefore, it is important that all parties, from the federal authorities to the new Biafrans, show good faith and meet and listen to each other. President Buhari ought to take the initiative to meet because he is the president – the adult in the room. Otherwise, he might just have a great, complex situation unfolding in startling ways before him. It is not possible to “kill Biafra” with threats. We have said this before. It needs repeating.

Prep- Time

offers a service you need first along the line you may be enticed by other services they may have to offer. Whatever treatment you decide on whether it is a facial, a massage or other, make sure the treatment is explained properly to you and you know the difference between the types of facial treatment or massages as explained. Make that important decision for yourself and be happy with it.

Appointment Etiquette

When it comes to booking an appointment at the spa

there is no such thing as 5 minutes late, you will run the risk of losing your booking. In fact protocol requires you to arrive at least 15 minutes earlier. The reason for this is so that you can release your mind and prepare to be in the right mood.

about you. Arriving early also allows you to prepare for your treatment by getting undressed and in the right attire. Always make a note of your appointment and purpose to arrive on time. It sets of a good first image.

fter all the purpose of your being there is to relieve yourself of all tension and stress as well as to pamper yourself so enjoy the moment. If it your first visit you will be asked to fill a form, which is basically about your health essentially for the attendant to get to know a little more

Spa Etiquette

Dress

There is no hard and fast rule about what you should wear to the spa the choice is solely yours, however when inside the rules are to be followed. Don’t be afraid it is all for your comfort and relaxation. It is true no

It is not usual that you may be asked to take a shower before treatment. I suggest that you take a shower before you go to a spa, so that you do not waist any more time whilst there. Have a glass of water preferably with slices of lemon inside. Don’t bother about removing any makeup if you are having a facial as this will be done for you during the treatment. Watch out for the remaining Spa Etiquette tips coming your way in our next article. Happy Reading! Enjoy your “Pamper Me Day!”

PAGE 34—SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016,

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016, PAGE 35

PAGE 36—SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016

Ciara lived up to expectation — Darey By Kehinde Ajose

I’m not dating Falz, Funke Akindele cries out N By ANOZIE EGOLE

o doubts, the relationship between superstar actress, Funke Akindele and lawyer turned singer, Falz, has been fruitful, since they hooked up on the TV series ‘Jennifer’s Diary. At least, the duo coming out of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award (AMVCA 2016) with an award each, Falz with Best Actor in a Comedy and Funke Akindele with Best Actress in a Comedy, is enough proof that they have a goose laying golden eggs for them. However, there have been a sneak of a rumour that the two jesters are into each other and a recent edition of the series didn’t help matters as they snuggled up to each other in a scene some have seen as ‘more than an act’. Catching up Funke Akindele at the AMVCA last weekend, the actress denied any hint of an affair with Falz and explained how she met the Karishika crooner “I was listening to his rap one day and liked the way he raped. So I met him during Dr Sid’s wedding and we exchanged contacts. So, we got talking and one day I invited him over to my place and he came with his manager. I cooked for him and we all ate. While we were discussing, I asked him if he would like to be featured as my boyfriend in the latest edition of Jennifer’s Diary and he responded positively. Apart from work relationship, we have nothing between us. We work together and enjoy ourselves, that’s all.

arey’s Love Like a Movie 3 was one of the most anticipated shows of this year. The spectacular concert made headlines with the involvement of international RnB star Ciara who thrilled her Nigerian fans to dazzling music performances . In the process, she was also taught how to dance our popular Nigerian dance steps .The organizer of the show, Darey told Potpourri that Ciara lived up to expectation. “It feels good to know that everyone came out. I thank everyone for the support. Ciara fits the profile of the show and she lived up to our expectations. For the remaining part of this year, I will be releasing more videos and music”

I’ll love to rap like Phyno — Ikechukwu

By Tofarati Ige one are the days when you need to have an American or British accent to be a successful rapper. The times have changed and the local lyricists have become the Lords of the Manor. Potpourri ran into ‘Wind Am Well’ rapper, Ikechukwu, recently confirmed this much to us. Responding to a question on whether he thinks indigenous rap has taken over the entertainment arena, he said, ‘Yes, indigenous rap has taken over. Not because it’s stronger than universal (English) rap, but it’s easier to understand; especially for the mass market. As a matter of fact, if I could rap like Phyno, I’d be rapping a little more like him. But I am who I am anyway. Indigenous rap is definitely dope, and it’s rocking right now, as well as opening more doors for a lot of people.’ Shedding light on what he has been up to recently, Ikechukwu stated, ‘I’ve just been taking a little time off; working on some stuff outside entertainment. I’ve also been taking some classes in Film Editing…I’ve taken a big dive into the movie world and TV. It’s like a 360° turn because that’s where I started from initially. I’ve done a couple of movies and TV series including Gidi Up.’ Ikechukwu, who is getting set to mark his 10th year anniversary in the industry, revealed that he would be celebrating the milestone with the release of a mixtape, a golden album, and a concert.

•Funke Akindele

•Darey and Ciara

Why indigenous rappers are more successful — Jesse Jagz •Jesse Jagz

Why I’m calling for donations — Emma Nyra By Tofarati Ige

ormer MMMG signee, Emma Nyra, has come out to F clear the air regarding the donation she’s calling for on her website. For the naysayers who went to town that she

•Ikechukwu

•Emma Nyra

must be broke, the ‘Elele’ songstress says she is only being driven by her love for children. In her words, ‘I have a Foundation called Nyra Phoenix Foundation and it’s mainly for children that I work with. That’s where the money goes to. I really love children a lot, and I felt like there was a need to do more because a lot of them just get food donations, and not monetary donations which they really need to buy some material things.’ Speaking on what she’s currently up to, she said, ‘I just released a new single, ‘For My Matter’ remix with Patoranking, and I’m really happy about that. I’m also working on my own label, Nyra Nation under Nyra Empire.’ On her experience managing her own label, she opined, ‘I find it much better than before because I’m free to do whatever I want to, make my own money, and not worry about if I’m getting paid or not; I like it a lot.’

STOP PIRACY NOW! STOP BUYING PIRATED MOVIE AND MUSIC CDs, DVDs. IT IS KILLING THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. STOP! C M Y K

BY KEHINDE AJOSE

hocolate City act, Jesse Jagz is a top rate Nigerian rapper who has been able to carve a niche for himself, not only as a versatile rapper, but also as one to watch. The rapper who also doubles as a music producer in a chat with Potpourri opens up on why indigenous rappers are more successful “The rap scene in Nigeria is blossoming, the top five artistes in Nigeria are probably rappers. When it comes to Lagos, Indigenous rappers are more successful because of the cultural heritage and the way the Yoruba language is being adopted in their music. I have also adopted the Yoruba language in some of my new songs. All these things have to be put into consideration.”

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016, PAGE 37 Onikoyi68@gmail.com

Tonia Ferrari releases stunning pictures for new movie

urvaceous Yoruba actress, Tonia Ferrari Okoro once caused a big stir when she released some juicy pictures last year. The pictures brought to light how endowed this lightskinned actress is and the social media went crazy, finding all sorts of superlative adjectives to describe her. If those pictures of last year were captivating, the ones she has decided to take this year in preparation for an upcoming movie, is nothing but whimsical with a feel of sensual bliss. Ferrrari doesn’t really bare it all but the pull of her magnetic attraction is as alluring as it is disarming.

•Tonia Ferrari

Olamide, Phyno, others excite at Lagos launch of Guinness’ #TheSpecialOne

•Tonia Ferrari

ollowing successful launches across different cities F in Nigeria, the iconic beer brand, Guinness, introduced their latest innovation, Guinness Africa

Zaria Mimano ups her ante in humanitarian works

lthough, she is not a Nigerian, the Kenya national, who is of A Ghanaian mother and born and bred in the United Kingdom, is a great lover of Nigeria and is connected and very conversant with our

tenacious terrain. Despite having all at her beck and call to live life to the fullest, the committed law graduate is rather a reserved one, who derives pleasure in being compassionate to the needy, just as she’s always engaged in finding a way to solve problems. According to a quote that if you judge people, you don’t have time to love them, on that note, Zaria gives no audience to what may have gotten people into unwanted conditions, rather she lends helping hand. This disposition made her floated a foundation years back through which she has been coming to the aide of many around the world. She floated a non-governmental organisation through which she has maintained a sublime focus, clarity on the needs of people and the most recent is her involvement as a rarefied visionary in a campaign to provide clean water to many around the globe. She is known to give all credits to ‘I AM THAT I AM’. Discharging her humanitarian services, Zaria, may have embraced a new task through her foundation, Zaria Mimano Foundation, as she has just collaborated with European Union and United States of America, to ease trouble of many as regards providing clean water for them around the world.

Christians Got Talent set to hold April 3rd C

hristians Got Talent, an initiative of Flaming Sword Ministries, Lewis Street, Lagos, created to discover and develop young Christians God-given gifts in various spheres of entertainment is set to hold on Sunday, April 3rd 2016 This third edition, according to the ministry, is going to be bigger, better and laced with more activities, not only to give participants more exposure and hype but also to provide them with greater opportunities to make their talents count in the industry. Participants who get rated as prospects and who emerge winners, according to the ministry stand a chance of winning a recording contract, media exposure, training, mentoring under an established artiste/artistes and cash gifts. The last edition which held at the church’s ministry on Lewis Street, Lagos Island, was a massive success as participants ranging from six years to 25 years showcased their talents in such areas as comedy, choreography, acting, singing and instrumentation. To participate in this year’s edition, intending participants are required to register by visiting the church to obtain the participation form at no cost. C M Y K

Special to the people of Lagos. ‘The Go Karting’ track at GET Arena, Lagos was transformed into a colourful, and vibrant space playing host to the launch event with over 3,000 guests excited to meet #TheSpecialOne - Guinness Africa Special. Burna Boy, Ycee, Kolasoul, Magnito, Simi thrilled guests, with Bovi and Jimmy keeping the crowd hyped and energised anticipating the excitement of the night. Super star DJ Spinall brought down the roof with his music line-up, Godwin Strings stole the night with his amazing talent, while Osa 7 used live graffiti to bring alive the famous Eyo image that is synonymous with the people of Lagos. #TheSpecialOne party had earlier toured the cities of Port Harcourt, Abuja, Enugu, Benin and Ibadan. Made of Black ambassadors, Olamide and Phyno were present and in their element and the crowd went wild, especially when they performed Iranu Abacha together. Olamide even lost his shoes to the excited crowd! Olamide and Enimoney also took the fun a bit higher when they performed Oyadab getting everyone to pose with their Guinness Africa Special. Speaking at the Lagos event, the Portfolio Manager for the Guinness brand, Liz Ashdown said Guinness Africa Special is the first new innovation from Guinness in 10 years and was created to satisfy the needs of young Nigerian consumers who constantly crave for something special and relevant to them. According to her, “This product is special because everything from the packaging to the liquid, to the advertising is truly African. The natural extracts were grown in African soil. The Ankara harp and pattern on the packaging proudly projects African routes and the beer has been tailored to young people’s tastes and at a price they can afford at just N200!”

PAGE 38—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016

How wewe grew Edo economy How grew Edo without over-borrowing economy without — Obaseki over-borrowing

•On 2016 gov. race: My vision

—Obaseki

SIMON EBEGBULEM, BENIN CITY Mr Godwin Obaseki is the Chairman of the Edo State Economic Team and one of the people aspiring to occupy the Osadebey Avenue after Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s tenure in November 2016. In this interview, he bares his mind on why he wants to govern Edo, saying that with the foundation laid by his boss, Oshiomhole, he will take the state to the next level with his expertise in the financial sector. Excerpts: efore becoming the Chairman of the Economic Team, where were you? I was born in Benin where I had my primary and secondary education. I finished from the University of Ibadan, got a job as a stockbroker in Lagos and started operating in the capital market in the mid 80s and then worked in the International Merchant Bank. From there, I veered out to financial advisory AVC Fund, where I managed a large commercial paper portfolio and also did advisory work in helping to establish some banks in Nigeria at that time. Thereafter I went for my graduate school work in the United States, had my master’s degree and came back to establish my firm, Afrinvest. And since 1994 when I established that firm, we have pioneered several innovative financial instruments. We have been the cutting edge of financial services in Nigeria and then I got into the Council of the Nigeria Stock Exchange and participated in several reform projects in the capital market and in the entire economy including being a member of the presidential committee that worked to set up what we call the National Pension Commission today. To answer you specifically, I have been in the financial services industry in Nigeria for the past 30 years and I have been involved very deeply in the financial landscape of Nigeria. How has it been working with Governor Oshiomhole as Chairman of the Edo Economic Team? It has been quite a rewarding experience. And then looking back seven and a half years later, it has been fulfilling and quite an interesting experience. Overall, our expectation is that, with proper leadership, human capacity to manage resources efficiently, we have enough resources internally, if properly harnessed, to kick-start our economic growth. If you look at what we have done in seven and a half years, the level of improvement, the level of infrastructure we have built, the order we have brought into the politics and polity of Edo, when you compare our accomplishments with the amount of financial resources we have utilized, then you will appreciate how much we can achieve as a country. Specifically, the total amount of money we have spent to improve infrastructure is less than 50% of

C M Y K

the amount involved in Dasukigate. It is less than the amount spent on Abuja airport road; I am talking about us having constructed almost a thousand kilometres of roads, we refurbished almost 50% of our primary school infrastructure and 30% of our secondary school infrastructure; we have built a world class General Hospital and refurbished all our General Hospitals; spent over N30billion draining Benin-City so that we can build roads and you can see the quality of the roads. But, more importantly, our procurement process has given us quite a lot of advantage. We made sure we got value for money from all the works we did. Even our opponents sometimes claim bogus sums to say we spent three times of what we actually spent. So, in their mind, we would have borrowed over N600m because that is the value of what they would have created from what we have done. The economy of Edo has improved significantly since we took over in terms of GDP ranking; we have moved to be among the top ten states in Nigeria; in terms of IGR, we are among the top five. In terms of attractiveness to business, our ranking is quite high; you can see businesses trying to locate Edo because of the quality and nature of infrastructure which we have created. In terms of human resource development, we are working on that. Having refurbished our school infrastructure, we have now moved to the next stage of giving high quality training to our teachers. The outcome is becoming obvious, going by our ranking in NECO and WAEC exams. There is quite a bit of work to be done especially in our technical colleges and then vocational schools and so, I believe we have started well. Before the coming of Oshiomhole, why didn’t people like you come to help the state? I have always been concerned about policy issues and, during the PDP administration, some of us took interest and tried to understand what was going on and engage Governor Lucky Igbinedion at that time. In our group in Lagos, we invited him once or twice and he actually came once to address us on the state of things in Edo. At that point, some of us were even nominated by him to be part of an Economic Advisory Team under the chairmanship of the late Aret Adams. The late Chief Aimuwu was a member of that team but we couldn’t do much with him because we were just confused about what was going on in the state. We just couldn’t understand why they felt that the issue, at that point in time, was how to raise money to set up few factories. In fact, one of the officials at that time threw away series of feasibility studies which we did and said our role was to go and raise money for them to carry out projects. With that kind of orientation, that group dis-

banded because we just couldn’t work with them, but that raised real concerns and issues in my mind that state policies had been reduced to a couple of transactions which we found out later they went ahead with and we could see what the outcome is today. So when Comrade Oshiomhole said he was going to run, I saw in him a great advocate, someone who could convert our frustrations into development. I saw someone who was not contented lamenting the decay we all saw but someone who could have the courage and the boldness to promote and foster the changes that we required and that is how I got attracted to him. I got close to him because I had worked with him briefly at the presidential committee on pension reforms. Even though we were on the other side of the divide, he didn’t trust us coming in from the financial industry and he saw that the whole purpose of our being involved in the pension reforms was because we wanted business for ourselves, to the detriment of workers. So, having worked closely with him gave me confidence in his ability and closeness to know that he understood the macro and micro economic issues that were required to transform not just the financial system but also the economy of Edo as a whole. With that background, I was confident that, if he was supported to embark on his gubernatorial ambition, he will make a good governor. That is how it started in 2006 when I met him at a friend’s birthday party, and we talked about his ambition, his concerns, the need to help raise awareness and resources, and we agreed that we would support him and, a few weeks later, we started the work. Many Nigerians supported him through the electioneering and he won but he was deprived of his victory and he went to court. But as professionals and people who believed in his cause, we hung around and continued to support him in our own little way to pursue the case in court. Later, we began to prepare his mind for governance. I had the opportunity of meeting with him in a flight. He called the next day and asked us to set up a team in Lagos to help create a blue print for his administration. That team was made up of fellow professionals in Lagos like Aisue Ighodalo, Uyi Akpata, and some other professionals but he then included people like the late the Professor Iyayi, Didi Adodo, Professor Osarhenhen and a host of other people who met in Lagos. Even though we did all these, when he took over, it was so different; we didn’t believe that the state had really decayed to the level it did, we did not believe that our school in-

frastructure was in such a decayed state. Going on inspection with him one of those days, I was almost in tears like if this is what the school system looked like when I was growing up, I could not have gone to school. But this was just the surface. We took a tour after inauguration round the city to see what the situation was. Most parts were just impassable; the roads were bad and what was even more worrisome was the way government was being run. What we met was worse than what we expected. You have never been in politics, what inspired you to run for governorship? Having been part of the whole policy infrastructure, the whole policy machinery over the past seven and a years, even though it was on advisory basis and I have been working probono because I felt that, given what I have been endowed with, given God’s grace, given the almost unmerited favour from God to accomplish all I have accomplished in life, I felt

The economy of Edo has improved significantly since we took over in terms of GDP ranking; we have moved to be among the top ten states in Nigeria; in terms of IGR, we are among the top five

that I should pay to serve, not be paid to serve and, from that stand point, one was able to use the experience from the private sector to begin to understand how government functions and why government functions the way it does in Nigeria. I was also privileged to grow in a home of civil servants; so I understood what the structure of the civil service ought to be and, to my greatest surprise, what I found was that the way government ran when I was growing up was not totally different from the way it now runs. I began to understand why things had become so bad, why things had fallen apart so much. So my experiences in the private sector helped me to make that comparison, to understand how the private sector functions in relative to what was going on in government and the last seven years has helped me deepen my understanding of governance. The opportunity of just having an Economic Team, working with all the MDAs, observing EXCO proceedings have given me the unique opportunity to understand the inside of government and how government functions and why government is not able to accomplish most of its goals. So, with that knowledge and experience, we have done a few test runs with Oshiomhole. How do you build roads despite the fact that you don’t have your core of quality engineers in the Ministry of Works? How do you build your infrastructure when you do not have the tools in the various ministries and Ministry of Urban Planning? What I find is that there are private sector tools that will be very useful in government. Planning was at the core of government when I was growing up. Budgeting was a very important tool, but most of these have been diluted in government. So with the benefit and understanding of how these things work in the private sector, I have been able to understand the priority in the private sector, how it got broken and where to begin to fix it. But, in the meantime, we also had the benefit of the experience of Comrade Oshiomhole on how to execute transactions, policies and projects even when the super structure of governance is broken down. So, we had to build roads, whether we had qualified engineers to help us to design roads in the Ministry of Works or not. We had to get our bills of quantity right for our schools and our government buildings; we had to procure the services of consultants to help us understand the lay of the land of our environment to do the mapping to determine what we needed to do before we build roads. But there is this fear that you may embark on excessive borrowing if elected governor and that may plunge the state into debt? First of all, a lot of people, their understanding of finance and financing is not very sophisticated and they see borrowing as permanent indebtedness. Meanwhile, government, all over the world, usually spends money they don’t have to

Continues on page 39

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016, PAGE 39

On 2016 gov. race: My vision Continued from page 38 create money that the society needs. That is why when you go to Europe and America, you find out that government continually issues municipal bonds, government bonds, treasury bonds; these are instruments by government to borrow and finance its operations but you are limited. Government just doesn’t borrow indiscriminately, they only borrow to the extent they have the capacity to repay. And how does government derive the capacity to repay? It is ability to impose taxes and levies. The total indebtedness of Edo and the figures can be paid under two or three years from our current tax revenue if we don’t do anything. When you say we are borrowing and over-borrowing, how does government get money to spend? It is only in Nigeria where states go to Abuja and earn salaries, local governments go and earn salaries. What happens is that government organises itself, it has a whole string of levies and taxes to use to generate revenue and, in anticipation of that revenue, it makes commitments to build roads, schools and infrastructure that can help the society to generate more economic well-being. Now, what this administration has done is to change that to make sure that the bulk of the resources that accrue to government is used to provide goods and services for the people. So, first, Edo has not over-borrowed; second, government doesn’t have money. Government money is what you call the tax payers money and no responsible financial in-

C M Y K

We believe that if we can create Edo, as a production hub, attract people to come and produce here, then we should be able to have access to all the major markets in Nigeria •Obaseki stitution will give you money if you do not have the capacity to pay tax on one sole factor on how you govern yourself. If you don’t have transparent, accountable governance, nobody is going to lend you money or they would lend you limited amount of money. So, Edo has not over-borrowed in the last seven years; if anything, we have looked for ways to internally grow our economy. Today, where many states cannot pay salaries, we are able to pay and we are not paying salaries from borrowing, we are paying salaries because there is economic growth. Because of the infrastructural development, we are the bride of investors; people want to come and produce in our state; people want to come and grow things and participate in the agricultural plans in our state and people want to come and do solid mineral mining in our state. So, with all of these economic activities growing, we can see that our revenues in Edo will contin-

ue to grow and, therefore, we will not need to over-borrow or put so much financial pressure on the balance sheet of the state. The problem is that you don’t the collection of technical skills in financial management which you have in the private sector in government and, as you begin to bring them in and educate people, they will now begin to understand that bond is not bondage. My vision for Edo The Edo project, which is the house that we started seven and a half years ago, will tower above many in this country and so we have taken time out to lay a very solid foundation in terms of ensuring that we have restated the whole idea that government is about the people; that there must be governance, there must be prudence in the management of government resources because these resources belong to the

people. You can’t just dip your hands in the treasury and take people’s money and do whatever you like with it. You have to have a sense of accountability; you have to show the people and tell them what you are doing with their money. In specific terms, what I will do differently is to extend the plan to the next phase which is to begin to introduce more of the economic elements into the plan; to begin to sell what we are doing to the outside world, so that we can attract investment and investors to create jobs. We have to send children to school, we have to create an economy that will employ them and the only way we can get employment for them is to encourage and attract the private sector to come. Will they come? They will come because they see that we are governing the state properly. They will come because they will see we have built infrastructure which will help reduce their cost of doing business. We are the only state that has actively encouraged electricity because electricity is a core plank required for production and industry. I am going to redesign our agricultural cadastral so that we can make land an asset available to investors who want to do agriculture. We will organise an agricultural value change such that we can get large commercial farmers to come in and support our small scale farmers with modern technology, with modern tools of farming so that their yields can be improved. So, this out-grower arrangement, which is change government extension services, we will see how we can combine our grower framework to extension services working with the private sector to ensure that we can move our peasant farmers into modern day farming and boost agricultural production. We also want to make sure that we extend that value

change such that we can begin to process what we produce and add more value before we take them into the market. How is that going to happen? We are going to have industrial layout close to agricultural concerns and I believe that, if we can put between 100 and 200 thousand hectares of land by the way we have 20 million hectares of land, if we can put 15 to 20% of that land into active use and properly organised agriculture, we should be able to create jobs in their hundreds of thousands. Then we look at industry, because of the location of Edo at the core of Nigeria, we are three hours away from every major market in Nigeria, that is, like eight hours from Kano, the farthest. We believe that if we can create Edo, as a production hub, attract people to come and produce here, then we should be able to have access to all the major markets in Nigeria. I am confident because we have refurbished our educational system, we are going to create more technical schools, more colleges of agriculture, and we will partner under the TEVET arrangement, the private sector, with government to train youths so that you can move them into jobs very quickly. We will have school of agric that will be closely affiliated to large commercial farms so that we can have a basis for training and you know that when you attend any of our colleges, it is already affiliated to an industry and there is likelihood to get a job when you finish. So those are the things I will do differently while continuing to extend what we have started, but we have to focus more now on how to create jobs and economic wellbeing for our people. We want to use what we have started, the infrastructure we have built, the governor’s framework that we have, to now move forward to ensure we have economic growth.

PAGE 40—SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016

•Inset: Ibe Kachikwu

Dispute over NNPC restructuring plunges economy into chaos BY MICHAEL EBOH & GRACE UDOFIA

he economy was plunged deeper into crisis last week due to a strike action embarked upon by workers of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, over the planned restructuring of the NNPC. The cause of the crisis: The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu unilaterally announced a restructuring of the NNPC without consultations with the workers and the National Assembly. The announcement was met with stiff opposition from the two labour groups in the NNPC — Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN-and the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG- while the National Assembly also kicked against it. After series of dialogue and engagements, the workers suspended their strike action, while the Senate and House of Representatives backpedalled and expressed their support for the initiative. Major arguments and disagreements over Kachikwu’s pronouncement centred on the legality or otherwise of the restructuring exercise. Specifically, Mr. Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, called for the suspension of the restructuring until the Board of the NNPC is reconstituted. Falana stated that since the board had not been reconstituted by President Muhammadu Buhari, Kachikwu had usurped the function of the Board and had been running the affairs of the NNPC like a sole administrator. He also noted that Kachikwu’s occupation of the position of the Group Managing Director of the NNPC and the Minister of State had compounded the illegality. Falana said, “It is pertinent to C M Y K

Our economy is somersaulting in different directions and we really need to sit up and it is the job of the government to ask itself how what it is doing will it affect us in the next six months point out that the reforms being carried out by the NNPC Group Managing Director (GMD) are illegal in every material particular. Section 2 of the Nigerian National Petroleum Act stipulates that the affairs of the corporation shall be conducted by the Board of Directors of the body. To that extent, it is the board of the corporation that is saddled with the responsibility to carry out the reorganisation of the body. “The board of the NNPC shall consist of the Minister of Petroleum Resources; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance; the managing director of the corporation and three other persons appointed by the President. The minister shall be the chair of the board. By virtue of Section 3 of the Act, the managing director of the NNPC shall be the chief executive and shall be responsible for the execution of the policy of the corporation and the day-to -day running of its activities.” “It is an anomalous situation whereby the minister, as the Chairman of the NNPC board, is supervising his own activities as the GMD of the NNPC. Whereas the GMD is required to carry out the decisions of the board chaired by the minister, Kachikwu has become the executor and regulator of the affairs of the corporation. The Federal Government should take advantage of this crisis to put an

end to the incongruity.” Also, in a report obtained from Reuters, analysts are of the view that reorganizing and creating additional companies from the NNPC would not necessarily make them more profitable and could instead increase operational costs and make oversight more difficult. According to the report, as it stands, the NNPC receives far less government oversight than its global peers, adding that the president has a task greater than just stopping NNPC from falling back into bad habits, by transforming it into a costeffective, profit-driven, transparent institution. The report said, “Besides producing crude oil, NNPC also makes national petroleum policy, generates its own budget, and regulates the petroleum industry: all clear conflicts of interest and practices unheard of elsewhere in the world. Buhari must take these important oversight roles away from NNPC (or its successor companies) and address their deeper ills before time, inertia, and powerful elites long pampered by patronage conspire against him.” Also commenting on the issue, Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Abdulrazak Namdas, said the unbundling or restructuring of the NNPC is illegal, unconstitutional and usurped the powers of the legislature. Namdas who noted that the NNPC was established by an Act of Parliament, argued that there was need for an Executive Bill for the corporation to be restructured. He said, “NNPC is an Act and we feel that anything that will be done on NNPC should be brought back to the National Assembly. We also urge Mr. President to send Executive Bill to the National Assembly as soon as possible.” On the other hand, Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum, Mr. Tayo Alasoadura said

Kachikwu did not contravene any law in the restructuring of the NNPC. Alasoadura, who lamented that the legislature was not consulted before such critical step was taken, however, stated that the explanation given by Kachikwu indicated that the decision to restructure NNPC was to reposition it for optimal performance. He said Kachikwu was only carrying out an internal restructuring to better position the corporation to serve Nigerians better, adding that the restructuring would help cut down losses being experienced by the NNPC in recent times. He said, “He is working in the best interest of Nigeria. Now that the price of oil is going down, if we do not restructure, we might run into more problems as a country. Why we invited him was to be sure that the law was not contravened and we are convinced.” However, one day into the strike, workers of the NNPC met with Kachikwu and other NNPC

officials and they suspended the strike. At the end of the meeting, Kachikwu agreed to set up a committee with representatives from the Unions and Management to look into the new NNPC structure with a view to considering any suggested amendments where necessary. In spite of the seeming resolution of the crisis, the chaos that resulted from it is yet to be abated as fuel scarcity worsened across the country, while power supply hit significant lows. Power supply dropped to about 1,300 megawatts, from about 4,300 megawatts the week before, while massive queues of vehicles witnessed at almost all the petrol stations in Abuja. The queues spilled over to major roads, causing massive gridlocks across major roads in the states, with many people spending hours in the traffic. One oil marketer who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the large queues were expected, as it would take a minimum of three days for normalcy to be restored in products supply across the country.

GMA pledges to stop corruption in maritime sector

he Global Maritime Academy of Nigeria, GMA, Ogoni-Olomu, Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, has pledged to groom the manpower capable of stopping the corruption in the Nigerian Maritime sector. In a lecture delivered by the chairman of the 7th matriculation/convocation ceremony, Mr. James .N. Okonkwo, congratulated the the Global Maritime Academy for helping to build the manpower that will man the maritime sector and save it from the rot (corruption) which has eaten deep into it. Okonkwo urged the over 400 matriculating students to study hard and be useful to themselves and their families, especially in helping in the fight against

illegal oil bunkering, sea piracy and collaboration of some corrupt security agents with pipeline vandals, among others. Okonkwo also charged the graduands not to compromise their standards especially by corrupt politicians who might want to influence them. He noted that ,"There are prevailing challenges of corruption which you will be faced with. Some people who feel the only way to get what they want is through corruption may want go influence you. Rector of the Global Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Engr. Isaac Aikoroje noted that the Academy ’s expectation is to transform the students from their present state within the next two years of the National Diploma programme in various disciplines of the instution.

SUNDAY Vanguard,MARCH 13, 2016, PAGE 41

Our problem with NNPC restructuring, by NUPENG STORIES BY UDEME CLEMENT

ith the worsening fuel scarcity facing Nigeria’s economy amid forex crisis, it appears effort by government to revive the economy is not yielding positive results. In some areas of Lagos, fuel scarcity is biting very hard as transportation fare has increased by 50 percent. When Sunday Vanguard visited some areas of Lagos metropolis, it was observed that many filling stations were under lock and key, while the few outlets selling underdispensed the product to the detriment of customers. From Lagos-Ibadan-Expressway, to Ikorodu road, Alapere, Western Avenue, Oshodi up to Greek road at Apapa areas monitored by Sunday Vanguard, the only stations founding selling products were, Capital oil, Total, Mobil, Conoil and Fort Oil, while others were locked with only areas boys selling with jerrycans in front of their premises. At Cele area of Oshodi-Apapa road, area boys were seen collecting money from people before allowing them access into the only filling station selling fuel there. In an interview with Sunday Vanguard, the South-West Chairman, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, spoke on the move by the Federal Government to restructure Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), persisting scarcity of petrol and forex crisis in the country. The move to restructure NNPC shows that government is already yielding to the call by many experts to demystify the oil and gas sector of the economy. What is your take on this? This is our problem with this

•Commuters groan as fuel scarcity bites harder government. It is wrong for government to conclude arrangement on restructuring of NNPC without carrying relevant stakeholders along. Government did not consult us. In fact, we only heard it suddenly in the media that government has concluded plan to restructure NNPC, that was why we had to disagree with government on this issue. If they had carried us along at the initial stage, we would have offered meaning suggestions to what government should do about restructuring the Corporation to ensure that workers are not thrown into the labour market. NUPENG in collaboration with Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria PENGASSAN suddenly called off the nationwide strike embarked upon to prevent government from restructuring NNPC. What informed your decision? Well, we have suspended the strike because they still rushed to meet us. We had to let government realise that they needed to carry us along in the whole exercise. For instance, they did not pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) that has been in the Senate since 2008, but they suddenly decided to take one aspect of restructuring NNPC, and they did that without wide consultations with stakeholders in the sector. The lingering scarcity of petrol has taken another dimension as the product is now being sold in some areas of Lagos at the black market rate of about N250 per litre, instead of the official pump price of N86. What measures should government put in place to tackle this problem? Well, if you have been following the trend, your will realise that fuel scarcity has

officials of CBN may be investigated on this issue. Do you think government is taking the right decision? When government is talking about forex scarcity and probe, they should also turn attention to those people who stole from the country’s reserves. This is imperative because many people stole huge sums from the reserves and stockpile the dollars in their houses. Such individuals and organisations must be investigated.

•Tokunbo Korodo

This is our problem with this government. It is wrong for them to conclude arrangement on the restructuring of NNPC without carrying relevant stakeholders along in the entire process been a recurring phenomenon in Nigeria. The reason is because NNPC imports about 75 percent of the product, while oil marketers import only 25 percent. Also, NNPC does not have the capacity and the facilities to distribute the product adequately to end users.Therefore, after importing fuel, NNPC still makes use of independent oil marketers to distribute the product across the country. As such, the independent oil marketers often capitalise on this to sell the product above the official pump price. So,

what government can do to curtail scarcity are, to tackle pipeline vandalism and fix the distribution facilities of NNPC, in order to prevent independent oil marketers from selling the product above the official pump price. Also, NNPC should create the same template for major oil marketers and independent oil marketers to get fuel at the same rate. For example, exdepot price of N77 applies to major marketers and NNPC depots, while the private depots price is between N95 and N100, and independent marketers often load product from private depots. So, major marketers have many opportunities that independent marketers do not have. Another thing is that the forex crisis now has affected importation of fuel, because the independent oil marketers who ought to import at least 25 percent of the quantity of fuel required in the country cannot get forex to carry out the importation. Talking about scarcity of forex, government said top

The CBN recently disclosed that about $20billion in Nigerians domiciliary accounts are lying fallow. Should such funds be utilised especially now that forex is scarce? For such individuals it is easier for the authority to let them know that they cannot get their money back in hard currency now. But the issue is, CBN through the commercial banks knows that such amount is in domiciliary accounts of some Nigerians. But those people who stole from the country ’s reserves and are keeping the money at home, why can we know what amount they have without their disposal? So, like I said earlier, something must be done about such individuals. So far, why will you assess the administration of President, Muhammadu Buhari? The reality is that Buhari meant well for Nigeria. He came with a good intention to reposition the nation’s economy, but from the look of things, his strategic plan to revamp the economy is bastardised. That is why I talked earlier about carrying stakeholders along in what he is doing. He should have carried the stakeholders along from the beginning, but his problem is over confidence.

Bank failure: W/African monetary zone warns on systemic crisis

ollowing incessant cases of bank failure within the West African sub-region, regulators have been trained on new techniques for examining banks on risks associated with credit/default risk, foreign exchange risk, interest rate risk and liquidity risk to fit into the current trend in the dynamic financial environment. Speaking at the training organised by College of Supervisors of the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) in collaboration with West African Institute of Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), a senior Economist, Mr. Kemoh Mansaray, from West African Monetary Institute (WAMI) explained that lack of adequate supervision is part of the reasons there is bank failure in the sub-region. “The training was designed to enhance efficiency in examining banks to ensure stability of financial institutions within the region. The training drew supervisors from the Central Banks of Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone

because strengthening the supervisory framework in Nigeria alone will not cover the entire region. For instance, we have Zenith Bank and other Nigerian banks with subsidiaries in countries within the subregion. So, bringing supervisors from the sub-region became imperative to boost the entire West African sub-region”, he said. Also speaking, the Director, Administration and Finance, WAIFEM, Mr. Euraclyn Williams, said, “Risk-focused banking supervision (RFBS) entails development of a supervisory plan that is relevant to the organisation’s changing risk profile. The risk of bank failure snowballing into contagion that might culminate in eventual collapse of an economy necessitates the need to put in place a robust banking regulatory framework to avoid systemic risk. This requires overhauling the financial oversight frameworks and changes in the supervisory frameworks of countries in the sub-region. We need the existence of rule of law that ensures

enforceability of contracts, existence of regulatory agencies, which must be operationally independent and sufficiently funded to carry out their duties. Others include the need for banking and other financial sector supervisors to work closely to achieve co-ordinated supervision through timely information flows, facilitated by enhance information technology. He went on, “The significant supervisory challenges presented by the growing number of financial conglomerates, as different agencies are responsible for each traditional segment of the financial industry. Hence, an effective mechanism should be put in place to coordinate supervision of such conglomerates. Capital adequacy is vital because capital serves as a risk-absorbing buffer to enable banks be prudent in risk taking. So, it is essential for supervisors to monitor the level of bank capital consistent with risk exposure in banks. We must establish explicit deposit insurance schemes in our subregion to mitigate deleterious

consequences associated with systemic crises. We should build capacity of supervisory agencies

in credit analysis and risk management in banking organisations”.

From left: Brand Manager, Pepsodent, George Umoh; Category Manager, Oral Care, Unilever Nigeria PLC, Bunmi Adeniba; President, Nigerian Dental Association of Nigeria, Dr Bode Ijarogbe; Vice President, Brand Building, Unilever Nigeria Plc, Robbert-de Vreede; during Pepsodent World Oral Health Day Media Briefing in Partnership with Nigerian Dental Association at the Protea Hotel, Ikeja

PAGE 42—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016

MARRIED man asks his wife for a temporary divorce in order to contract an arranged marriage abroad for the sake of a residency permit. A brother pays for a fake visa in order to go to the United States. A gentleman agrees to impregnate his sterile brother’s wife so the world would not know he cannot have children. Another Christian goes through certain “innocuous” rituals for the sake of a chieftaincy title. At a traditional wedding ceremony, libation is poured to the dead ancestors of the groom. In most cases, the position is the same. “Everyone is doing it.” Yes, but a true believer is not everybody. We are in the world, but not of the world: “Don't copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think.” (Romans 12:2). Integrity tests God makes a spectacle of believers. They used to send us to the lions’ den to see if we would lose our integrity and renounce our faith. Similar challenges still face believers today even if they are more subtle. A man of integrity will always be subjected to trials. Can our integrity withstand, for instance, severe hardship? Job said about God in his adversity: “He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10). How can a Christian get on the bus when there are only three places but 20

PASSING THE INTEGRIT INTEGRITYY TES TESTT people are rushing? How can a Christian clear his goods in the ports without bribing the customs officer? How does the daughter of Zion deal with her fiancé who insists that she must get pregnant before they are married? How do we handle the lecturer who demands sexual gratification as the precondition for passing our exams? A child of integrity is steadfast and faithful to the end, in spite of the consequences. Yes, he is open to reason. (James 3:17). Nevertheless, he is unwavering in his fundamental beliefs. God says if we are established in his righteousness, we shall be far from oppression. (Isaiah 54:14). Therefore, even if we were to lose everything, we must not lose our integrity: “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek (God) with the whole heart! (Psalm 119:1-2). A man of integrity is sustained by an inner spirit of excellence. This enabled Daniel not only to distinguish himself head and shoulders above his peers, but to also be uncompromising of his faith in the

When the choice before us is between sin and suffering then we can know if we are true believers indeed by the choice we make face of persecution. When the choice before us is between sin and suffering then we can know if we are true believers indeed by the choice we make: “Take heed, do not turn to iniquity, for you have chosen this rather than affliction.” (Job 36:21). Salt and light When we come into a place, do we change the atmosphere? That is the prerogative of a child of integrity. Mary took a jar of costly perfume, used it to anoint the feet of Jesus, and the house was filled with the fragrance. (John 12:3). Is a place divinely enriched by our presence? If not, then we are not kingdom citizens. People should talk differently because a believer is around. They should be uncomfortable behaving in a certain manner, or talking in a certain way, because we are there. Jesus says: “Let me tell you why you are here. You are here to be salt-season-

ing that brings out the God-flavours of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.” (Matthew 5:13). What does a man do to make a woman lose her integrity? He tells her lies, humours her, flatters her, tells her silly jokes, and tries to seduce her. “My sister, you look good enough to eat today.” Are you flattered by this kind of banter, or are you offended by it? A true believer should not encourage or entertain loose talk or “coarse jesting.” (Ephesians 5:4). We should let people know in no uncertain terms that we don’t appreciate that kind of talk. Do we do what we promise to do? Do we tell people we are coming when we are going? Saying what we don’t mean is common practice even among Christians. We tell people we will pray for them when we know we won’t and don’t. We promise to help

Awosika to Nigerian women: Stick to God’s formula BY OLAYINKA LATONA CHAIRMAN, Board of Directors, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika has called on Nigerian women to ensure they carry out their responsibilities as God’s vessels and use their talents to glorify God and bless their communities. Speaking during the third edition of Inspiring Change Conference with Adesunmbo Adeoye with the theme: “Yes I Can”, Awosika who was the guest speaker at the conference, urged participants not to join the multitude in doing evil but rather position themselves as vessels of honour at home and in their various businesses. According to her, all men will give an account of their stewardship to God. Whatever you do daily, "use your talent to glorify God and mankind. Ensure that you stick to God’s formula and plans. Though it can be tough, most people might be against you, do not be disturbed because it pays at the end,” she said. Awosika further admonished mothers to know themselves, know their roles as mothers in the home but understand that operating within the order of the home as instructed by God can only bring a happy home. “No matter what you think I am, in my house, my husband, in spite of my achievement, is the head of the home. Whatever I am today, I can kneel down before my husband in front of 10 million people and it would mean

*Senior Pastor, Royalty Christian Centre, Pastor David Adeoye, convener, Inspiring Change Conference, Mrs. Adesunmbo Adeoye and chairman, Board of Directors, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika during this year's Inspiring Change Conference themed: “Yes I Can” at New Oko Oba, Agege, Lagos. nothing to me because he is my husband,” she stated. She further advised mothers to hold their homes in very high esteem and should not put their home at risk in the course of serving God. The convener, Adesunmbo Adeoye explained that the programme is meant to commemorate the International Women’s Day and an initiative designed to impact women and transform the lives of those striving to lead in their diverse businesses, professions and careers. Adeoye advised women, in their capacity as mothers, not to bottle their dreams but do what they are passionate about, adding that every woman has a specific role to play in developing her community. The event also featured

cash prizes and free empowerment tools to women who

have businesse but lacked adequate capital to take their businesses to the next level. In her words: “It is a vision born out of my desire to support entrepreneurial ideas through mentorship. I have been able to achieve a lot in life through mentorship and I believe that if each one will touch one, the whole world will be a better place. "We trained some of these people how to utilize their God’s given potential to become better placed in the society. I prayerfully select those that we need to empower: a single mother, popular fish seller, a young graduate and we believe that the empowering tools will generate more income for them and their businesses will grow bigger," she prayed.

RCCG Centre of Greatness holds free healthcare

he Redeemed Christian Church of God, Centre of Greatness Parish, Kogberegbe Street, Isolo, Lagos holds free healthcare service today. The free medical check according to pastor in charge of the parish, Dan Ogu, will commence at the church premises by 7.30 am with tests to be carried out on blood sugar level and blood pressure. The pastor who ad-

vised church members to always go for check up, assured everybody that will attend the service of the opportunity to ask questions bothering on health issues during the interactive session as qualified health practitioners will be there to attend to them. Meanwhile, the church yesterday held a twelve-hour non-stop Shekinah praise with high-flying choir groups performing.

when we have no intention of doing so. We say we will write when we know we won’t. We say: “I love you” when we don’t. We promise marriage when we have no such intention. We tell a girlfriend to wait for us when we know we are not coming back. These transgressions seem to be minor. But they are grievous in the sight of God. Telling lies The propensity to tell lies is one of the distinguishing features of the kingdom of darkness. The Jews were convinced that they were the seed of Abraham and therefore appointed to salvation. But Jesus gave them a shocking revelation: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.” (John 8:44). Lying is demonic. Of the seven things God hates, three pertain to telling lies. (Proverbs 6:16-19). Lying is natural to “Adamic” man. Thus, Abraham was a liar; his son Isaac was a liar; and his grandson Jacob was a liar as well.

These patriarchs can be forgiven; they were born of woman but not of the Spirit. Lying is an indelible part of the “old man,” but it is anathema to the new creation: “Don't tell lies to each other; it was your old life with all its wickedness that did that sort of thing; now it is dead and gone.” (Colossians 3:9-10). We often tell lies in the bid to get out of trouble. But this reasoning comes from great deception. It is the truth that gets us out of trouble. Jesus says we shall know the truth and the truth shall make us free. (John 8:32). Lies, however, just complicate the situation, with one lie needing another lie to cover it up: “‘Woe to the rebellious children,’ says the LORD, ‘ who take counsel, but not of me, and who devise plans, but not of my Spirit; that they may add sin to sin.’” (Isaiah 30:1). Like the biblical Jews, Christians today don’t seem to appreciate the gravity of our everyday habit of telling lies. I was standing beside an engineer in my office in Victoria Island and he had to take an urgent telephone call from a client. I heard him tell the man on the line he was not in Victoria Island but was speaking from the other side of town. “How can you stand here and tell such a blatant lie?” I asked him. “Oh, that is not a lie,” he insisted. “That’s just business.” Jesus says: “You do not know of what spirit you are.” (Luke 9:55).

CAN rejects allotment of grazing fields to herdsmen BY OLAYINKA LATONA

HRISTIAN Associa tion of Nigeria, CAN, South East Zone has called on the National Assembly to reject any bill intended to allow the creation of grazing fields for herdsmen in all parts of the country, saying, “Federal Government should not create more problems with the idea of grazing fields. ” The Christian body in a statement signed by the chairman of CAN in the South-East, Most Rev. David Eberechukwu and National Chairman, Christian Enlightenment and Welfare Organisation, CEWO, Apostle Joseph Ajujungwa maintained that such a bill at the National Assembly will only create problems in the areas where there is peace presently. Instead of grazing fields, CAN recommended modern ranches, stressing “We reject the bill on the allotment of grazing field in the 36 states of the nation and ask for the building of ranches for the cows and sheep. These ranches will provide schools, hospitals and employment for the teaming youths of the society. "This is what is obtainable in developed countries. The ranches will modernize the work of the herdsmen and Nigeria will be better.” Describing the bill as importation of terrorists in to the nation, CAN said: “The

Church in the South East, South South, North Central and North East call on the National Assembly as a matter of urgency to throw away such a bill. We ask the Federal government to come to the aid of the terrorized communities, which Fulani herdsmen have created more harms than Boko Haram.” The group also called on the governors of the affected states to protect the com-munities under such threat of Fulani herdsmen and also the need for the traditional rulers in such areas to embrace community policing and stop collecting royalty from the Fulani herdsmen. According to the statement, the attacks of the Fulani herdsmen on the innocent citizens of this country have become a nightmare on their host communities, appealing to the security agents in the country to end "the incessant rapes and murder of the peace-loving Nigerians in different parts of the country." "The question on everybody's lips is where do these Fulani herdsmen get the AK47 guns and other sophisticated weapons they carry and does it mean that both Police and the Nigerian Army are not seeing these people?", the statement asked. "We reject the bill on the allotment of grazing field in the 36 states of the nation, and ask, instead, for the building of ranches for cows and the sheep," it concluded.

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016

VIEWPOINT By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

Celebrating a woman of substance HE first pointers that the amazon may after all alter the ungodly T equation in the nation’s pension

industry showed early in her days as the Acting DG of the National Pension Commission, PenCom. Of particular mention was the Pension Reform Act (Amendment) Bill, which sought radical changes in the pension system. The changes targetted a cabal in the pension sector who had appropriated what belonged to the worker, especially those under the Defined Benefit Scheme. However, having served on the Pension Reform Committee, headed by Fola Adeola, Mrs Chinelo AnohuAmazu understood where the loopholes were and how to cage the pension thieves. Being in committee

VIEWPOINT By Abdullahi Shehulah

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

The twists and turns in case against the Senate President ROM the beginning when the Bukola Saraki case commenced F at the Code of Conduct Tribunal

(CCT) last September, there have been indications that it is not just an ordinary case of a government official flouting the law. It is also not just about the fact that the defendant is the number three man in the country. Or that he is a top member of the ruling party and a former governor. The entire case smacks of what Simon Kolawole once referred to as ‘It’s all politics’. And one does not just rush to conclude that the case is simply a political chess game based on extension of power struggle within the All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly the issue of who becomes the Senate President as Saraki has repeatedly claimed. The events surrounding the entire case makes me to shudder each time I think critically about it. First, while one knows about the existence of the CCT, one can hardly remember another case it handled beyond the Bola Tinubu case. And we all know how the Tinubu case began and ended. Tinubu appeared

VIEWPOINT

PenCom: Anohu-Amazu and reward for hard work added to her experience as the pioneer Commission Secretary/Legal Adviser of PenCom in 2004 until her appointment as the Acting DG in December 2012. EventhoughthePensionReformAct 2004 changed the nation’s pension system for good, there were still leakages in the law, which unscrupulous elements capitlised on to deny workers and pensioners of there word for their sweat. For instance, although the Pension

If the PTAD was activated, the alleged pension looting may have been prevented

Reform Act 2004 provided for the establishment of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Department (PTAD) to shoulder the responsibility of administration of the Defined Benefit Scheme (old pension scheme), no one cared to activate the PTAD. If the PTAD was activated, the alleged pension looting may have been prevented. Whilegovernmentmadehugesums of money available to various pension departments for servicing the pensioners, only a little trickled down to the beneficiaries. Also, while the beneficiaries under the old scheme were supposed to be reducing, their numbers kept growing mysteriously. So also did the annual budgetary allocation! There were also ghosts pensioners. These anomalies have been substantially redressed as Mrs. Anohu not only activated the PTAD. She also

ensured its proper establishment under the Pension Reform Act 2014. With the new arrangement, pension benefits of retirees can now go directly into their personal accounts without passing through the Pension Departments where they served as slush funds. Her other giant strides include the approval of regulations to allow contributors access part of their RSA balances to fund mortgage equity stake; micro pensions, minimum pension guarantee implementation, pension protection fund, multi-fund investment structure, etc. She is also building global partnerships for the promotion of the Nigerian pension industry. Under her, the World Pension Summit was held in Nigeria in 2014. It was the first by the global body outside Netherlands and in Africa. It was also repeated in 2015. Pension assets under her watch have grown from N2.9 trillion, which she

As Saraki’s Case Resumes at CCT... before the tribunal when he was in the opposition and the government in power wanted to silence him. Is that the reason Saraki is also appearing before the CCT? How did the Federal Government or those who are purportedly acting on behalf of the government select Saraki as the man for the season at the CCT, among the about 5,000 political office holders who are mandated to fill the Code of Conduct form every four years? Was there a lucky dip in which Saraki’s name won? If there was a lucky dip, who were the other category of people that formed the sampled population? Were they all senators as Saraki is? Were they all former governors? Were they ex-governors now senators? Was Saraki selected among tall political office holders? Or among politicians who are medical doctors? Or was he selected among aspirants to the office of Senate President in June? The criteria for the selection of his form, filled in 2003, are still shrouded in secrecy, thereby strengthening the belief that his form was deliberately selected, targeted and focused upon. The rush to put him on trial, thereby resulting in what may appear later as shoddiness, lack of tact and diligence in the entire prosecution, was also confounding. For example,

the people interested in the prosecution could not wait for a few more weeks for the Attorney General to be appointed just as they shunned the fact that what should be a threeman tribunal has only two members in place. They also refused to fulfil the condition precedent to arraigning a person before the CCT on account of inconsistency in his or her assets declaration. That condition is for the person in question to be presented with the particular inconsistency noticed and be given the opportunity to amend the declaration or stick to the content of the form. It is only in the latter case that the Code of Conduct Bureau can

The entire case smacks of what Simon Kolawole once referred to as ‘It’s all politics’.

refer the matter to the tribunal. This is what Section 3 (d) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act states. The more curious thing about this case is why anytime the trial is coming up or matter concerning any other case arising from the substantive case in the appellate courts is about to be decided, a section of the media,, particularly the ones controlled by a particular group, will become upbeat. Their target is all the operators around the case - judges, lawyers, journalists, legislators and even, the ordinary observers who throng the court premises to follow the issues in dispute. Saraki’s new lawyer, Kanu Agabi, SAN, had been tactically and, in a sinister way, set up against the prosecutor, Rotimi Jacobs, and the tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar. The judicial correspondents of media houses have also been set against the defendants and his team of lawyers. Who is desperate to influence and dictate the direction of this judicial proceeding? Why should some group of people hide somewhere and pervert justice. All these gangster tactics are only reinforcing the arguments that the case is just highwire politics. Again, nobody has explained why

Terrorism could be buried in the home of justice

By Rasheed Ojikutu

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF Taming the terrorist

UR world is going through a hard time. A period that is so O challenging that the game of

knowing who would blink first between those hell-bent on destroying the human race and those working for its preservation doesn’t seem to have a time-out in the foresee able future. The AlQaeda, ISIS, Boko-Haram and all such bloodthirsty groups hovering around the human space seem to be having the last laugh. The heavy toll the terrorists suffer in the hands of the military forces of local and foreign countries notwithstanding, it seems every heavy blow dealt to their jaws, makes their throat hungry for more blood. The source of supply of their human resource also seem frighteningly infinite and this may

Page — 43

be because, the rest of humanity through unjust means of solving societal problems and controversies has inadvertently continuously supply new converts to the groups. There are legions of empirical evidences to support this assertion. Let us take it from the latest diplomatic row between Russia and Turkey over the shooting down of a jet fighter around the SyrianTurkey Border. While the government of Turkey claimed that the Russians violated her territorial boundaries, the Russian countered that the shooting was unprovoked. The reaction of members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation was most damning considering the sordid and sad nature of the situation. Barak Obama, the President of the United State of America simply believed that “Turkey reserve absolute right to protect her territory”. Yes, that is true but evidence from the field,

and that is where the injustice lies, is that a plane alleged to have violated the Turkey Airspace was shot down and by divine intervention, the occupants were able to parachute themselves to safety. Instead, of capturing the pilots, Turkish soldiers continuously fired on the parachutes and in the process one of the pilots was killed. The question is “What exactly is the objective of Turkey? To demobilise an aircraft hovering around her air space or commit blatant murder of those who escaped death by a whisker?”. Naturally, members of the family of the deceased pilot are most likely going to work against Turkish interest in any engagement and also hate leaders, who possessing exceptional priviledges to tell the truth have chosen to hide behind a finger. A group of terrorists recently invaded Paris, killing scores of innocent citizens in the process.

Nobody with his cerebral cortex intact would fault the French Government from dealing ruthlessly with the perpetrators of the dastardly act but why maim innocent children and women in the ensuing reprisal attack? While it is true that the heavy bombs and grenades may be blind to their human targets like the nail of two thousand and fifteen years ago upon the cross, yet, the death of the innocent and unarmed members of the human community should be avoided during such war. The heart bleeds whenever one sees corpses of innocent children and women littering the war site. Just two days ago, The Cable Network News showed the pictures of traumatized and scared children running and crying around a bombed site. No matter the aggravation of the situation, it is better to let go a deadly terrorist than to make life harrowing for a toddler. A Yoruba adage says “Ika ti o ba se, ni Oba

met in 2012, to N5.3 trillion. Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) subscriptions also moved from 5.39 million to N6.89 million. Meanwhile, Anohu-Amazu assured the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, that the 23,000 suspected ghost workers in the federal civil service would not be able to operate their RSAs or receive from their accrued pension benefits. In recognition of her hard work, the Sun Newspapers recently bestowed on Anohu-Amazu the Sun Public Service Award 2015. In her brief remarks, the PenCom DG described her award as “a long journey, insisting that “it isn’t over”. She also moved the crowd when she dedicated her award to “those men and women who toil on in the face of adversity, who remain steadfast and convinced that the truth will always prevail”.

the Saraki case emanated from the EFCC instead of the CCB as provided for by the law establishing the tribunal. The EFCC, under Ibrahim Lamorde, was the originator, prosecutor and provider of the witnesses in this particular case. And this happened when Lamorde felt he had a hold on the CCT and CCB chairmen. Even then, after looking at the charges, one is beginning to ponder over whether the plan is for the adversary to simply enjoy the scenery of seeing Saraki in the dock. They sure are not serious about convicting the man on some of the charges that I am seeing. For instance, charges 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are derived from the property of a company owned by the Senate President. The issue here is whether a property that belongs to a company owned substantially by an individual also belongs to that individual. My take is that what such individual needs to do is to declare his interest in the company. He cannot be expected to equally appropriate the property of the company which is a legal entity as his own. If Saraki had declared Carlisle as a company in which he has interest, he cannot go further and declare the assets of Carlisle as part his property.

* Shehulah is based in Abuja.

nge” literaly meaning “ the king should not amputate the hand for the offence of a finger” The world should avoid the Netanyahu style of attacking the innocent for the sins committed by criminals. Benjamin Netanyahu, the strongman of Israel is one of those creating problems for the world as he tramples like the feet of the impious upon the Holy Sepulchre on the land of the Palestinian, killing and maiming innocent women and children with annoying arrogance all in the name of self-defence. Instead of chiding and clamping “War Criminal” tag on the chest of the violence monger, the world turned her face to the other side leaving the masses of Palestine to their fate.

* Ojikutu is a professor at the Faculty of Business Administration, University of Lagos To be continued

PAGE 44—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 13, 2016

Danger in your tyres – You may be facing a blowout soon By Jonas Agwu

Option 1: Own a quality tyre pressure gauge. As already pointed out, incorrect tyre pressure is the major cause of blowouts and sudden tyre failure. So, correct tyre pressure is a must for any safety conscious motorist. But the big question is, how do you ensure that what the vulcanizer pumped into your tyre is the correct pressure? Only a quality tyre pressure gauge will tell you. A quality gauge will also enable you to gauge your tyres at the right time and to ensure that all the tyres maintain correct pressure before the vehicle is driven. This is particularly important

f you run a check on you tyre pressures now with a quality tyre pressure gauge (not the abused/ overused road side vulcanizers gauge), you will appreciate why the above alarm is sounded. Such a shake may reveal that at least one of your tyres is incorrectly inflated. Very few vehicles, if any, will pass this test. Incorrect tyre pressure is the No. 1 cause of tyre blow-outs, sudden tyre failures and premature tyre wear. Incorrect tyre pressure is an invitation to disaster even if the tyres are brand new! It is a timebomb waiting for the right time to explode. The implication is that each of such vehicles on the road, the occupants are facing grave danger without being aware of it. Flip through any of our daily newspapers and you will be shocked with news of ghastly motor accidents as a result of tyre blowouts. Top military officers, top government functionaries, top business executives as well as ordinary people have lost their lives. Who will be next? No one knows but may it never be you. Types of incorrect tyre inflation There are two types of incorrect tyre pressure. These are over-inflation inflation and under-inflation. Lets us take a look at how they can affect your tyres and cause disaster and what could be done to maintain a proper pressure for your tyres and so prevent or drastically minimize blowout and other forms of tyre failures. Blow-outs? Under-inflation is the cause Under-inflation is the major cause of tyre blowouts. When a tyre is under- inflated, it increases what is known as the ROLLING RESISTANCE (RR) as the vehicle moves. RR generates tremendous amount of heat that could make your tyre explode like a bomb. Such an explosion (blowout) will destabilize the balance leading

to a crash and disaster. Other types of tyre failures? Over inflation is the cause When over inflated, a tyre becomes stiff. This can make it puncture easily. The internal materials used in making the tyre are also subjected to undue strain. This would make them snap, leading to bulges or swells. As the tyre hits a pot hole or bumps, it can easily cut and have a sudden deflation that could cause a crash. Over-inflation also leads to practical contract of the tyres with road surface. This reduces traction and can lead to loss of control when one is on high speed, wet surface, cornering or breaking. Each of these conditions can lead to a crash and disaster. Prevention There are two very options to prevention or drastic reduction of blowouts and other forms of tyre failures.

if you are in the transport business or if you are travelling. Never rely on the road side vulcanizer’s gauge. Most of their gauges are outright inferior, have been over used or abused over-time and may have improper measuring units. In fairness to the vulcanizers, however, they may not be aware of these shortcomings with their gauges. Option 2: Instill a high profile automatic tyre monitors. This is a state-ofthe-art device that uses sensors and a wireless device to monitor your tyres on a 24hours basics. It alerts the driver well in advance about an impending tyre blowout or failure. It pinpoints the exact tyre so that the driver will take appropriate measure to deal with the situation. It also effectively takes care of premature tyre wear. What is your vehicle’s correct tyre

pressure? By the end of the driver’s door of your vehicle, or in the vehicle’s manual, you will see specification that shows the size of tyre for your vehicle and the inflation pressure in psi (pounds per square inch), religiously stick to that specification. Do not allow anyone (especially the vulcanizer) tell you otherwise unless you want to gamble with your life. It is instructive to note here that it is not the manufacturer that determines the pressure for your tyre but the vehicle manufacturer. It is the vehicle manufacturer that specifies the size of tyre and the pressure to be given the tyre. He has taken into consideration the weight, speed, number of passenger, artificial inflation by heat and other factors to determine what the proper inflation pressure should be. The specifications you see on the tyres are to enable you match the specification of the vehicle’s manufacturer. In this light, it is equally dangerous to use tyre size different from what the vehicle’s manufacturer specified. Gauge and pump tyres at the right time The right time to gauge /pump is when the tyres are cold. Mornings are ideal. Before you drive out, gauge the tyres and if there is need to pump, slowly drive to the nearest vulcanizer. If you are the type that leaves home very early, weekends maybe the most convenient time for you. When hot, the tyre pressure increases. Any action (gauge, pump) you take when the tyres are hot will be misleading and could be fatal. Unfortunately, most people gauge and pump tyres when the tyres are hot. Never do so. If tyres are hot, leave them for about 3hours to cool down. *Agwu is the FRSC spokesperson

AIYEDE: Ekiti monarch floors opponents in court By Bashir Adefaka

he case instituted against Oba AbdulMumini Adebayo Orisagbemi as the Attah of Aiyede-Ekiti, Ekiti State, by Mr. Ore Fabunmi, has been struck out by the High Court of Justice, Ikole Ekiti. In the suit joined joining Ekiti State Governor, state Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Special Adviser to the Governor on Chieftaincy Affairs, Oba Orisagbemi and head of Attah Esubiyi Ruling House as first to fifth defendants, Fabunmi, also a member of the ruling house, who contested the stool against the monarch, had prayed the court to declare that Orisagbemi was not eligible to be the Attah. The applicant said he was the choice of

the oracle for the throne and that the sitting monarch was not even next to him in the choice. Justice Abiodun Adesodun, striking out the case, said what Fabunmi had asked his court to do was abuse of court process as he had decided two cases on the same issue before Orisagbemi’s installation two years ago. Speaking to Sunday Vanguard after the verdict in Ikole Ekiti, on Tuesday, counsel to the monarch, Barrister Ademola Adeyemi, said: “Before this incumbent Oba came on the throne, there were two cases revolving around the chieftaincy title of Attah of Aiyede-Ekiti, filed against him. Those who filed the two cases against him said the kabiyesi was not eligible to be installed as the Attah. And the court dis-

• Oba Orisagbemi missed the two cases. It was after the dismissal of those cases that Oba Abdul-Mumini Adebayo Orisagbemi was installed. Immediately after

he was installed, one of the people that instituted the dismissed cases now filed another case challenging his appointment as Oba. “So, when we got to court we now filed a preliminary objection that the court did not have the power to entertain the case. Of course the issue that they are raising now had been decided in the previous cases and the court cannot decide this issue afresh again. We argued the preliminary objection and we went to the court today and the ruling was decided in kabiyesi’s favour and the case was struck out.” In his reaction, the apparently jubilant Oba Orisagbemi said the judgement showed that the judiciary remained the last hope of the people.

Rescued school girls and governance in Lagos By Niyi Anibaba

t the time the al-Qaeda outlaw Osa ma bin Laden was killed by a special assault team of the United States (US) military in Abbottabad, Pakistan in May 2011, pundits suggested that were presidential election to be held in the US ahead of the scheduled date in 2012, President Barack Obama, under whose watch the Jihadist was nailed, would easily have secured reelection. Pollsters returned the verdict that although such economic issues as marginal job losses, poverty and oil prices fluctuation were trending as likely voting determinants, Obama’s major feat on the security front would clinch massive popular support for him and his Democratic Party. This turned out to be prophetic because more than a year later at the polls, America’s first black president was re-elected, a strong influencing factor being the role he played in taming insecurity ascribed to Osama bin Laden’s terrorist activities against US territory and the country’s global interests. When keen observers also take a critical look at the security situation in Lagos State, under the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, they can’t but conclude that indeed he has made a difference that is turning out to be a game-changer. It would absolutely count for him when he seeks re-election as it did for Obama.

C M Y K

He has tackled insecurity in Lagos such that as the day follows the night, arrests invariably follow the perpetuation of a crime. We are at the stage where committing felony would be unattractive to the criminally-minded. Now, the background to this observation is the abduction and rescue of the three female students of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School (BMJSS), Ikorodu. It took place at a time the state government was battling a seasonal feud between two factions of the Road Transport Workers Union at Oshodi; communal violence had also broken out in the densely-populated area of Ketu - Mile 12 market, claiming several lives. The Kutu – Mile 12 mayhem lasted days and led to the closure of the popular market. While all these lasted, Ambode shuttled between the hot spots and security outposts. But some scoffed at him and his government on the issue of the students abduction. On Wednesday, March 2, 2016, one leading national newspaper wrote: “Despite the fact that the students were kidnapped on Monday night and the information had been widely circulated, neither the Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, nor his representatives had visited the school as of 8pm on Tuesday. The state government had also yet to make a statement on the abduction.” Many went on to liken the BMJSS development to the tragic Chibok girls tale that saw the kidnapping of more than 200 students in 2014. They have not been rescued since. The school, parents of the victims as well as the entire society are heaving a sigh of relief and hailing the security architecture that has offered such salutary conclusion to what was unfolding as one abduc-

tion too many following the unresolved Chibok riddle. Meanwhile, this pleasant outcome was not a surprise to those who have monitored Ambode’s contribution to a highly motivated and efficient police in the state. His administration has given a crime-tackling equipment worth about N4.765b to the force. These include three helicopters, two gun boats, 55 Ford Ranger vans, 100 4-door saloon cars, 10 Toyota Land Cruiser pick-ups, Isuzu trucks and 115 power bikes. In tow are 15 Armored Personnel Carriers, APC, bullet proof vests, helmets along with Improved Insurance and Death Benefit Schemes for officers. In the offing is the Close Circuit Camera TV Coverage for Lagos and more equipment to assist security agencies to do their job. Even then, the Light Up Lagos Project that has seen all the nooks and cranny of the state with street lights is also designed to complement the efforts of security agencies. Ambode says this is “in conformity with the overall policy thrust of (the) administration built on a tripod… Security, Job Opportunities and Improved Infrastructure.” It is the synergy of technology, intelligence work and political will at play. A government with this mindset is the objective of the ideal state, where government’s sole occupation is to cater for the all-round welfare of the people, through securing them against anti-social elements and the economic vicissitudes of life. Eco-

nomic and social enterprise with political activities and the development of the citizen can only take place where there is security and a body language in government that suggests that crime would not go undetected, unprevented or unpunished. This is the primary aspiration of government, whether they are in Khaki or in politicians’ Agbada. The safe return of the BMJSS girls has delivered two take-aways: Lagos with its burgeoning population of more than 20 million people is safe for business, leisure and habitation; secondly it has a government which, as it partners with the Police, does not take tax payers money and security fund for granted. Just as the governor said on the day the girls were rescued, : “Let me warn that the State Government will not tolerate kidnapping or any forms of crime in the State. Our position is clear and unambiguous, Lagos state has the capacity and the will to go after every form of crime and criminality in order to safeguard lives and property in the state”, it is becoming increasingly clear that anyone who doubts the government resolve to protect the state, would have himself to blame. And at a time when cynicism has been on the rise with the continued missing of the Chibok girls, observers are quick to remind Nigerians that with the right leadership-like the one that was demonstrated in Lagos in the past week by the governor-the country can still get it right. * Anibaba, an economist, lives in Gbagada.

S UNDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, MARCH 13, 2016—45

AFCON Qualifier:

Rufai backs Ikeme to save Eagles F

ORMER Super Eagles keeper, Peter Rufai said present first choice, Carl Ikeme has quality to keep the national team in the game, when they play against Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. Rufai who acquired legend status with the Super Eagles said with Vincent Enyeama refusing to return to the team, it was up to Ikeme to step up and seize the moment. “I sincerely believe that whoever called Ikeme into the team must have done an evaluation of his abilities. And based on this the goalkeeper will definitely do very well, he is a good goalkeeper,” Rufai told footballlive.ng He added that coach Samson Siasia and his assistants will guide the team to qualification. “I am sure and confident

•Carl Ikeme Samson Siasia would do well. Now we should be concerned with the Egyptian match. If that

match is taken out and we sail through we can begin to talk about consistency within the team.” Ikeme who was second choice keeper in his club has won his place back in Wolverhampton struggling to gain promotion to the English Premier League. “I’ve tried to seize my opportunity,” he said. “I felt even when I wasn’t playing I kept my professionalism which was important. “It’s easy to drift when you’re not playing and feel sorry for yourself and blame everyone else. “I kept to myself and kept going, trained hard every day like I would if I was playing and always believed if I got my chance I could perform. At the minute it’s going okay.”

World Indoor: Nigerian athletes off to Portland

IGERIAN home-based athletes are expected to leave today for Portland, Oregon USA where the IAAF World Indoor runs from March 17-20. “The first batch will leave today and they will be joined by those in the USA. We are also expecting Dorren Amata and others from the UK to join the team.

“We have a good record of performance at the indoors and I can only wish that it continues,” said Athletics Federation of Nigeria president, Solomon Ogba yesterday. One of the athletes Nigerian athletics officials are hinging their hopes on, is Stephen Mozia the up and coming shot putter who is in the top six list

of contenders for the gold. His best throw is 21.11m. He has to improve to be on the podium. “All things being equal, he is expecting to do better than his previous appearance in the world indoors.” Also US based Regina George expressed confidence that she will do well with the 4x400m relay team.

Van Niekerk makes sprint history

•Regina George

OUTH African Wayde van Niekerk has become the first runner to break 10 seconds for 100-metres, 20 seconds for 200m and 44 seconds for 400m, the world governing body IAAF said on Saturday. The world 400m champion had previously broken the marks on the two longer distances before running 9.98sec over 100m in Bloemfontein on Saturday. Van Niekerk was helped by a legal 1.5m/s tailwind and the 1300m altitude at the track. Before that, the 23-year-old’s 100m personal best was 10.45s, although that was back in 2011. His 200m PB is 19.94s while

he ran 43.48s in winning the world title in Beijing last year. He will, however, be running only the 400m at the Rio Olympics later this year.

IAAF warns five countries over doping

IVE more countries risk joining Russia on an international athletics blacklist unless they make major changes to their anti-doping programmes, the IAAF has announced. Ethiopia, Morocco, Kenya, Ukraine and Belarus have all been given stern orders to improve by the end of the year although their participation at the Rio Olympics is not in doubt. The IAAF said on Friday that Russia must wait until May to discover if its suspension will be lifted in time for Rio as “further significant work” is still required to achieve compliance with antidoping standards. And president Lord Sebastian Coe singled out other nations, C M Y K

warning: “There are no immediate sanctions — it is just a wake-up call at this point — but serious sanctions, provided for under IAAF rules, will only be considered if they don’t comply with council requirements.”

•Van Niekerk

Benitez vows to keep Newcastle up AFA Benitez is convinced he can lead Newcastle United to R safety after taking over as manager

from Steve McClaren with the club fighting for Premier League survival. Spaniard Benitez, more used to challenging for silverware than relegation battles in previous spells in England with Liverpool and Chelsea, faces a tough job, starting with Monday’s clash with table-

topping Leicester City. “I have to concentrate on these 10 games,” Benitez told reporters on Saturday at his first news conference since being appointed. “I will do my best for us to stay in the Premier League and I am convinced we will. “I am here because I believe these players are good enough. There are little things that we have to change but we have a good team.”

Doping scandal, who’s free?

N our local parlance, they say that, “na only dog wey dem see sh*t for him mouth they chop sh*t. Meaning until you I get caught, you can not be adjudged guilty. That is the bedrock

of corruption in our political life as a nation. When it is clear that people live above their means, they remain innocent before the eyes of the law until proven guilty. Of course they never ever get to be caught because of the clumsy judicial process we operate. However, even though it is similar in sports, doping for enhanced performance in sports does not take long to discover, but again it depends on who you are or from which country. Over the years, great athletes have been fingered to spice their system with drugs but they never get to be caught. Our own Chidi Imoh at a time cried out that American athletes who they compete against were on drugs but nobody listened to him. Some even labelled him a lazy athlete who was making excuses for his failure to win medals at great events like the Olympics or world championships. The USA, a super power in athletics were shocked when Ben Johnson beat their idol and world champion, Carl Lewis at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Johnson did not only beat Lewis but posted an incredible record of 9.79 secs in a race which was later described as the “dirtiest race in history”. An embittered Johnson who said after he was stripped of his medal and world record, that he could still have won the race without any drug, accused the sport authorities of conspiracy, claiming he was punished because he was not a favoured athlete. To prove that drug was a common thing among athletes and you can only get caught when the authorities want to do their work or when someone who is privy to your use of banned drugs squeals, it is reported that six of the eight finalists who ran the 100m race at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 with Ben Johnson either went on to fail drugs test or were implicated for the use of one. Big world sprinters from Linford Christie, Asafa Powell to Tyson Gay and even the erstwhile female phenomenon, Marion Jones have all failed drugs test at one time or the other. For Marion Jones, she was exposed by her former husband and coach, JC Hunter, himself a shot-putter. She painfully said “I want to apologise to you all (her fans) for all this (the scandal). I am sorry for disappointing you all in so many ways.” Other big time athletes like Lance Armstrong in cycling also failed drugs test while the greatest swimmer of all times, Michael Phelps was diagnosed to be on marijuana, also on the prohibited drugs list and sanctioned. Like they say, there are two categories of coaches, those who have been sacked and those waiting to be sacked. This can also apply to drug cheats, those who have been exposed and those waiting to be exposed. Even the great sprinter, Carl Lewis, who Ben Johnson insinuated was also on drugs, once failed a drug test in the US Olympic trials but he was exonerated by the authorities under the term ‘inadvertent usage’’, whatever that means. Athletics buffs say that some athletes who could have also been on drugs quit before the searchlight is beamed on them. On this list include the fashionable Florence Griffith Joyner who posted incredible times in the 100m (10.54secs) and 200m(21.33secs) also at the same Sydney Olympics where Ben Johnson was caught. Another is Michael Johnson who still has the world and Olympic records (43.49secs) in the 400m posted at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. The 200m record was broken by Usain Bolt 12 years after it was set. Johnson did not stay too long on the tracks after those incredible feats. It was not a surprise then when Maria Sharapova came out to announce by herself that she failed a drug test, however, stressing that she has been using the same drug for long before it was included on the banned list without her knowledge. For a tennis player of her repute, that excuse appears too lame and she must face the reality of being a drug cheat. When you put Sharapova’s case side by side the revelations of the drug scandal from her country which has foreclosed their athletes’ participation at the 2016 Rio Olympics, you can adduce that the drug issue has always been there but the athletes, their officials and the authorities of the various sports connive to dope the the athletes and conceal same. Back in Africa, even the feats recorded by Kenyan has been tainted by the revelation that most of their athletes also use drugs. From the Americas to Europe, Asia and Oceania, it is the same story, drugs, drugs and drugs. A list of athletes and the drugs under the prohibitive list of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) are numerous. Except something drastic is done to stem the tide, we will continue to have tainted champions waiting to be exposed.

Adieu Alapa

In five days, the remains of Rev William Omosigho Alapa, aged 73 who was called to glory on November 24, 2015 would be interred in his home-town Ekpon in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State. He was many things to many people, community leader, man of vision, bridge builder, motivator and mentor. Whatever I am today, this great man, worthy brother in-law, contributed greatly to making it possible. Apart from his words of advice to me as a young undergraduate in the 1980s, he helped to boost my spiritual life by taking me to Assemblies of God Church. Uncle Willy, as we fondly called him, you ran a good race here on earth. Take a deserved rest in the bosom of the Lord till we meet to part no more.

46 — SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016

FA Cup: Moses back against Man Utd V

ICTOR Moses is in line to feature for the fourth time in the Emirates FA Cup today in West Ham’s clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford, manager Slaven Bilic has announced. The Super Eagles star sat out the last two matches contested by the Hammers in the Premier League, against Tottenham and Everton, due to a

quadriceps injury he picked up in training. But the good news, especially for the national team handlers, is that Moses trained without suffering any discomfort ahead of West Ham’s trip to M16 0RA. Bilic told reporters at prematch press conference : “Victor Moses, Enner Valencia and Joey O’Brien are all back, Win-

ston is training with us today after a week training individually with the physios.” Moses missed the third round FA Cup tie against Wolves because he was still recovering from a hamstring complaint, started the fourth round game against Liverpool and went the distance against Blackburn Rovers in the last round.

GOtv Boxing Night 6: Rasheed ‘ll see hell – Ghanaian opponent

Victor Moses

FIFA U-17 WWC: Flamingoes thrash SA 6-0

ATIONAL U17 Women’s football team, the Flamingoes yesterday thrashed visiting South Africa’s Bantwana 6-0 in the first leg Fifa U-17 World Cup qualifier in Abuja. Flamingoes captain Rasheedat Ajbade scored four of the goals, while Fajobi Yetunde scored two in the first half to complete the rout out of the South Africans who must now score seven goals in the second leg to make any headway. Fajobi opened scoring in the, while in the 28th minute Ajibade

added the second goal following a blunder by South Africa goalkeeper, Mologadi Maluleka. Another error by the Maluleka handed Nigeria the third goal and then it was a complete melt down as the Flamingoes scored in quick succession to round off the game.

Oliseh

Continued from backpage Another source said: “You know Oliseh, he will not hold back anything, he will give details of how some top officials made sure they frustrated him because they were not the ones who facilitated his appointment. “You should expect him to shoot from the hips.” Oliseh has already publicly tore at his former employers for failing to support him while he was in charge of the Super Eagles. He also complained about how his contract was severally violated and has compiled his unpaid expenses and other entitlements. NFF officials are far from amused with Oliseh’s date with the sports committee, arguing that it is a major distraction for them as they are preparing to face Egypt in crucial AFCON 2017 qualifiers later this month.

Ajbade

Oriental war! Continued from backpage Nana Bonsu has returned from a rib injury which kept him out against Wikki, while midfielder Emeka Eze is expected to return to training this week after recovering from a groin injury. It promises to be a difficult match as hosts Abia Warriors are yet to lose a game out of the five they have played so far. A win for Rangers keep them top of the table with 13 points, while victory for Abia Warriors could shoot them to the top with 11 points, depending on the outcome of the game between Lobi Stars and Pillars.

DJEI Sowah, the Ghanaian opponent of Abolaji “Afonja Warrior ” Rasheed in the forthcoming West African middleweight boxing title duel, has vowed to punch the Nigerian until he starts seeing double in the ring. The encounter, which headlines the sixth edition of GOtv Boxing Night holding on 25 March at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium in Lagos, is viewed by Sowah as an opportunity to avenge the loss of compatriot Alfred “Ahwor” Quaye to Nigeria’s Waidi “Skoro” Usman at the third edition of the GOtv Boxing Night. Sowah, who spoke from his base in Accra, said: “I’m coming to show the guy who calls himself warrior that he is nothing but a pussy cat. I will avenge the loss of Quaye to Skoro and show the world that Nigeria still trails Ghana in boxing. He calls himself a warrior, but when he sees war in the ring, he will become a pussy cat. I will punch him until he starts seeing double.” The Ghanaian claimed to have been watching the fights of his Nigerian opponent and concluded that he is still way below the standards of his previous opponents, whom he defeated. “Ordinarily, he won’t go beyond three rounds. But I want the fans to enjoy the bout. I will prolong the punishment and punch him sufficiently to make him see double,” he bragged. In the other title fight, Olaide “Fijaborn” Fijabi will duel with Republic of Benin’s Djamiou Ekekpo for the West African light welterweight title. Also

lined up is the national lightweight challenge clash between Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph and Hogan Jimoh Jnr., son of former boxer Hogan Jimoh aka Atomic Bomb. The bearded Hogan Jimoh has vowed to show boxing fans that the Atomic Bomb has returned. Three other fights will have five of the boxers discovered at the GOtv Boxing NextGen Search start their lives as professionals. One of the fights will see Michael “Show Rolland” fight Nwoye “Lion” Prince in a lightweight challenge bout. There will also be two super middleweight bouts. One will be between Saidi “Attacker” Lawal and Samuel “Godspower” Elegbede, while the other will feature Matthew “Wizeman” Obinna against the experienced Yusuf “Koste” Moshood.

Wenger Continued from backpage Wenger has therefore instructed his central defenders to be at their best in policing the prolific Nigerian striker with his partner, Deeney when hostilities begin. “They have two strikers who are very efficient in Ighalo and Deeney and we worked very hard to control the game the last time we played them,” Wenger told arsenal.com. “They have a very good understanding between their strikers and the quality between our two centre backs will

be vital on Sunday. “Watford have done extremely well. It looks like the Championship teams that come up now deal very well with the Premier League regime.” Odion Ighalo has failed to find his scoring boots in recent matches, and has played seven games on the trot for the Hornets without finding the net. His last competitive goal was his match-winner against Nottingham Forest in the fourth round of the FA Cup on January 30 at The City Ground.

Ijirigho Continued from backpage the Ministry of Sports and social Development but never enjoyed any legal backing through the promulgation of an act by the National Assembly. This was after it was disbanded in 1995, when a Ministry of Sports was created by the government of Sanni Abacha. During the week Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung announced that the NSC has been scrapped again on the orders of the current President, and the director-general, Alhassan Yakmut posted to a nebulous position in the Niger Delta ministry. “The NSC shouldn’t have been scrapped. Rather it should have been strengthened and equipped for the task of developing sports in the country,” Dr. Ijirogho lamented. “If we dump the NSC that means the country’s sports will now be trapped in government bureaucracy. It will be difficult getting on with development, what we have done is like taking 10 steps backwards.” He argued that it was the NSC’s direct approach that produced results for the country in the 1980’s and early 90’s when it was fully operational. “I was a product of the system and I have seen it all. I remember the time of Pa Isaac Akioye and how he was fully on ground to monitor the athletes and the federations programmes. He knew every coach and top athlete by name. It was the foundation he laid that brought forward the world class athletes that we had,” Ijirigho argued.

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016 — PAGE 47

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 13, 2016

Scrapping of NSC, a step backwards — Ijirigho By Ben Efe

UST when Nigerians are looking forward to a new era of sports development, the vehicle that could have taken the country’s sports to the destination of excellence, has been dismantled and scrapped. These were nearly the thoughts of former Nigerian international Dr. Bruce Ijirigho, who described the recent trashing of the National Sports Commission reportedly on the orders of President Muhammad Buhari as a step backwards. The NSC was revived in 2007 by the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo to replace

Dalung Continues on pg 46

Oliseh to appear before House Committee on Sports UNDAUNTED... Odion Ighalo of Watford is tackled by Aaron Ramsey of Arsenal during the Barclays Premier League match between Watford and Arsenal at Vicarage Road on October 17, 2015 in Watford, England. Arsenal won 3-0.

UNDAY Oliseh will appear before the House of Representatives committee on sports Thursday in Abuja to

FA Cup: Ighalo’ll give us problems — Wenger A

RSENAL boss Arsene Wenger is wary of the threat posed by Odion Ighalo and his strike partner Troy Deeney in this

afternoon’s FA Cup clash between his side and Watford at the Emirates. The pair have plundered 24 goals between them in all competitions in the

Oriental war! T Wenger

League (NPFL) table will heat up this afternoon as Week 6 of the season takes centre stage.

CROSS WORD PUZZLE DOWN ACROSS 1. Sample (5) 1. Governor of Sokoto 2. Niger state town (4) State (8) 3. Observe (5) 5. Assistant (4) 4. Lecture (6) 7. Praise (5) 5. Everyone (3) 8. Upright (4) 6. Use (6) 9. Lantern (4) 10. Inquires (4) 11. Tradition (6) 13. Lagos masquerade (3) 12. Carpet (3) 14. Colour (6) 15. Exclamation (2) 15. Resistance unit (3) 16. Pig’s nose (5) 17. Coax (4) 18. Agent (3) 19. Rollicked (6) 20. Glitters (6) 21. Hatchet (3) 24. Forward (5) 22. Satisfied (4) 25. Nigerian state (6) 23. Nigerian state (3) 27. Boring tool (3) 26. Cry of derision (3) 29. Ghanaian fabric (5) 27 . African country (6) 31. Perform (2) 28. Endure (4) 32. Oshiomhole’s state (3) 29. Child (3) 34. U.S. currency (6) 30. Spoke (6) 36. Vow (4) 31. Adorn (5) 38. Musical quality (4) 33. Baking chambers 39. Inclination (5) (5) 40. Eager (4) 35. Asterisk (4) 41. Damages (8) 37. Possessed (3)

development is making top NFF shots ill at ease A top source at the National Assembly informed that “Oliseh has been invited by the committee on sports. He is to give his own side of his resignation story.”

Continues on pg 46

ongoing campaign, with the Nigeria international accounting for 15 of those strikes.

Continues on pg 46 Oliseh

•As Abia Warriors host Rangers HE battle for top spot on the Nigeria Professional Football

discuss his sensational resignation as Super Eagles coach. The outspoken Oliseh is expected to open “a can of worms” that is the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), according to insiders. Already, this

Leaders Rangers will face high-flying Abia Warriors in Umuahia as they seek to consolidate their leadership of the table. Ghanaian goalkeeper

Continues on pg 46

RESULTS EPL Norwich City Bournemouth Stoke City

0 3 1

Man City Swansea City Southampton

0 2 2

FA Cup Everton

Chelsea

La Liga Barcelona

Getafe

TODAY’S MATCHES NPFL Abia Warriors Enyimba Giwa Ifeanyi Ubah Lobi MFM FC Tornadoes Wikki FA Cup: Arsenal 2:30pm Man Utd See solution on page 5

v v v v v v v v

Enugu Rangers Heartland Sunshine Stars Ikorodu Utd Kano Pillars El Kanemi Dolphins Warri

Watform

West Ham

4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm

5pm

Osas Okoro

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