Nigeria in deep financial Crisis - Gov Oshiomhole

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PAGE 2, SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013

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Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 3

PAGE 4 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 13, 2013

BY EMMA AMAIZE, FESTUS AHON & GODWIN OGHRE

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ROM some tallied results of Saturday ’s bye-election in Delta Central senatorial district, Delta state, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Chief Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, seemed to have coasted to an early lead in Sapele, Ughelli South, Ughelli North, EthiopeEast and Udu Local Government Areas.

The Democratic People Party, DPP, candidate, Chief Ede Dafinone, was understood to be leading in Okpe Local Government, but it was believed he was going to lose the senatorial election with PDP’s performance in Ethiope-West and Uvwie .

The former senator, the late Senator Pius Ewherido, won the seat in 2011 on DPP platform and his death, June 30, occasioned the bye-election Former Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, told Sunday Vanguard that PDP trounced the other parties in all the units in his ward and in the entire Ughelli South Local Government.

“In Unit 2, Jeremi Ward 2, we scored 467, the other parties scored zero. We, the leaders, told them clearly who to vote for and they did not make a mistake about it. It is 100 per cent,” he said.

Chairman of the Delta State PDP Campaign Council and Commissioner for Housing, Chief Paulinus Akpeki, was said to have turned the tide against the DPP in Sapele, but the results were not confirmed at press time.

Delta Central bye-election PDP’s Aguariavwodo in early lead DPP chairman, Ezeagwu, protests, says there was no poll

Delta State Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, casting his vote during the election, yesterday

30 pm and voting did not start until about 3.00 pm to 4.00 pm after it finally arrived.

A member of the House of Assembly from the area, Hon. Taleb Tebite, confirmed to journalists at 12.12 pm that INEC had challenges with deployment of materials for the election, but said, “We are waiting for the materials to come so that voting will commence.”

Absence of polling officials

Security

Akpeki reportedly lost three out of the 17 units results that were counted as at 4.00 pm.

However, the state chairman of DPP, Chief Tony Ezeagwu, in a statement, indicating that his party might have lost the election, said, “Today, (yesterday), the Urhobo people were violently denied the collective right to choose a senator of their own.”

“The proposed election to elect a senator is now emerging as a complete sham which we cannot associate with under any guise. The scale of impunity and violence by the PDP, thugs/ cultists and ‘security agents’ is just unimaginable.

“The involvement of state security apparatuses is particularly questionable. We are at a loss why and how such violence and external interference have to be brought into Urhobo in the name of election. We dissociate ourselves from the so-called election”.

Our reporters, who covered the bye-election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Delta Central senatorial district, reported that it was characterized by late arrival of materials, dismal turnout of voters and threatening presence of security men, particularly soldiers, who barricaded roads.

At some of the polling units, accreditation had not been done as at 2.00 pm, while in some

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Voting at Olomu Ward 1 , during the election

others, where voting materials arrived early, some people voted at about 12.30 pm and returned home.

Our reporters who went round the eight local governments in the senatorial district, namely, Uvwie, Udu, Sapele, Okpe, Ughelli South, Ughelli North, Ethiope- West and Ethiope – East, reported that voters, who turned out at the polling centres without their voter’s cards, were turned back by electoral officers.

Late accreditation and thuggery

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n all, INEC seemed not properly prepared for the polls. At about 9.00 am, Sunday Vanguard saw some electoral officials, mainly NYSC members and a policemen, searching for the polling unit at Our Ladies High School, Effurun Uvwie Local Government, an indication that they were not shown the unit before yesterday.

At about 9.20 am, both the PDP and DPP polling agents in Unit 004, Ward 1, Opposite Ovie Palace Gate, Effurun, Prince Emmanuel Edjekohure and Henry Ogedegbe respectively, said there was no problem, as voting materials came on schedule.

Lawyer and activist, Mr.

Festus Keyamo, who is an APC chieftain in Uvwie, told Sunday Vanguard that he voted at about 12.30 pm under a peaceful atmosphere, but he learnt that thugs came to harass people after he left to vote for PDP. In most of the polling units in Udu Local Government, there was no accreditation until about 12.30 pm, but in some units, materials came at about 9.00 am.

In Unit 8, Ward 4, voting started early, a polling agent for one of the parties, Akpos Afon, said, “Everything is going well.”

The DPP agent, Fredrick Akporerhe, also said, “Everything is okay,” while another polling agent, John Emgbeouke, said, ‘It is free and fair, security is okay.”

Coordinator, Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence, FJHD, Oghenejabor Ikimi, said, “As at 11.50 am, there was no voting anywhere in Udu”, but at 12.52 pm, he sent a text message, saying, “Accreditation just began 12.45 pm at the Ovwian town hall, it is chaotic here.”

At Okpare-Olomu, the country home of PDP senatorial candidate, Chief Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, in Ughelli South Local Government, there was no voting material at the polling units between 9.00 am and 2.

n Akperhe -Olomu at about 11.15 am, two of our reporters saw a vehicle fully loaded with voting materials for the 14 units in Olomu and policemen deployed to the area, the NYSC members supposed to handle proceedings were not there.

APC polling agent, Oke Akpomudje said, “We are still waiting for the NYSC members, the presiding officer is not here too, they are complaining of transport. You see, one vehicle was supposed to bring the electoral materials and the other, the officials, but no good arrangement was made.”

A chairmanship aspirant, Engineer Isaac Omafuaire, said, “The people want to vote but we are waiting for the electoral officials, as you can see, they are not here yet.”

PDP chieftain, Mr. Joe Unuame, corroborated the claim that absence of electoral officials was stalling voting at about 11.20 am.

However, fighting broke out later among members of the different parties over the voting arrangement, but with the deployment of more anti-riot policemen, voting later started at about 4.00 pm.

Aguariavwodo voted at about 2:15 pm in Okpare-Olomu, Unit 2. After casting his vote, he commended the people for the large turnout, describing the election as peaceful.

Deputy Governor, Prof Amos Utuama, SAN, who voted at

about 1.05 pm in his country home, Otu-Jeremi, told reporters that the turn out in his area was impressive, though the exercise recorded a slow start.

Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, one of the senatorial aspirants that withdrew for Aguariavwodo and widely campaigned for him, said, “The election is peaceful, free and fair and everywhere is calm except for pockets of violence in Evwreni and Uwheru orchestrated by the APC.” National vice chairman, South-South, PDP, Dr Steve Oru, told journalists, “The election is very ceful and the turnout of voters in some areas is quite impressive.”

But in Ughelli North Local Government, the home turf of APC candidate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor and LP candidate, Barrister Andi Osawota, things were a bit orderly, as ballot materials were dispatched to the various polling units at about 8:35 am, while accreditation and voting began at 12:15pm.

At Ethiope -East Local Government Area, the stamping ground of DPP leader, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, ballot materials were dispatched at 9:55am while accreditation and voting commenced at about 12 noon. Surprisingly, in Kokori, the people were shouting that PDP was their party.

In Okpe Local Government Area, ballot materials left the INEC office in the area to various polling units at 9:30am, and accreditation and voting kicked off at 12:12pm.

Chief O’Tega Emerhor, candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, voted at about 1:30pm in Evwreni Unit 5.

In Sapele and Ethiope West Local Government Areas, security officials mounted water tight security throughout the period of the election.

Movement was highly restricted as early as 6.00am with soldiers blocking major roads leading in and out of Sapele and Ethiope West local government councils.

The major Benin/Sapele dual carriage way was condoned off at Ologbo Bridge boundary of Edo Delta State as well as at Oghara junction in Ethiope West Local Government Area, such that motorists coming from the Benin axis of the road to Delta State were denied entry.

Motorists queued up static position from as early as 6am to 4pm when the road was eventually opened. There was heavy gridlock on the dual carriage way immediately after the road was opened for motorists. Dafinone, the DPP candidate in the election, voted in Unit 1, Ward 1, at about 12 noon. He said the voting exercise was going on smoothly and without hitch. He expressed satisfaction at the conduct of the election, adding that he was sure of victory.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 13, 2013 — PAGE 5

ASUU strike: Don’t force youths to revolt — Bishop Onah

Stop harassing Kenyan leaders, Jonathan tells ICC

BY TONY EDIKE, Enugu

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BY BEN AGANDE, Abuja

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RESIDENT Good luck Jonathan has called on the International Criminal Court to stop harassing the leaders of Kenya and allow them space to deliver on their electoral promises to the people. In a speech at a special session of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Jonathan also called for the review of some Articles of the Rome Statute that set up the ICC which he said are of grave concern to Africa.

According to him, though African leaders have complained of being unduly targeted by the ICC, it has failed to address the concern.

The president said:”In expressing my support for Kenya on its difficulties with the ICC, I will like to acknowledge that five years after the post-election violence of 2007, the people of Kenya have proven to the world that they are capable of expressing their sovereign wishes in a free, fair and credible manner in accordance with democratic norms and values. ”This is a clear demonstration to the world that the people of Kenya are in the best position to determine their own future and deal with their past. ”To further consolidate this, I would like to urge the Kenyan Parliament to hasten its consideration of the Report of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission to facilitate the implementation of its recommendations in order to accelerate the process of national healing. ”What remains is for the international community, in particular, the ICC, to give the elected leaders of Kenya the space to discharge their mandate in meeting the aspirations and needs of their people”.

Publisher of Sun Newspaper, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu (left) and Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, at the Sun Advertising Man of All Times' award at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, yesterday.

PDP TRUCE BID FAILS It’s fight to the finish — G7 Govs

BY HENRY UMORU

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TRONG indications emerged yesterday that there was no end yet to the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, following the rejection by the Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Barajeled faction of the olive branch extended to it by the party ’s National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

According to the Baraje – led PDP, aka ‘New PDP’ (nPDP), with the stage it had reached in the struggle, it had gone beyond putting the issues behind it and joining the Tukurled PDP. The issues involved, among others, is the nPDP’s insistence that President Goodluck Jonathan should not seek re-election in 2015, Bamanga Tukur should resign and governors should have control of state PDP executives.

The Baraje led nPDP has in its fold former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and aggrieved Governors

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HE Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Rt. Rev. Professor Godfrey Onah, at the weekend, condemned the attitude of politicians and public office holders who are not concerned about the plight of youths and the generality of the masses.

Onah, who spoke during the funeral mass for Lolo Josephine Oyima Abba, mother of the Enugu State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Engr. Vita Abba at EdeOballa, in Nsukka Council Area of Enugu State, warned that such neglect

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Sule Lamido of Jigawa State; Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara; Aliyu Babangida of Niger; Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto; Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers; Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano and Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, aka G7 Governors.

“It is grammar Bamanga Tukur and his men are speaking. They are looking for anything to hold on to. How can an illegal occupant of your house now come and say you should take part of the house”, the nPDP said yesterday.

The leadership of the PDP had, in extending an olive branch to the breakaway faction after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) endorsed it as the authentic PDP, on Friday, said: “The position of INEC in affirming the leadership of the PDP under the National Chairmanship of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and rejecting the demand for recognition by our aggrieved brothers has indeed laid to rest all contentions regarding the authentic leadership of our great party.

“However, we wish to state categorically that this is not a time for us to gloat or preen ourselves over victory. We must use this window of opportunity to engender true reconciliations, put all the issues behind us and move ahead as one big united family that we are. ”In this light, we call on all our aggrieved brothers to relegate all personal interests and return to the fold so that we can ward off all external aggressions and forge a common formidable political front. We wish to assure that the PDP as the only true national party is large enough to accommodate all interests and persons as we remain loyal to the provisions of our constitution

as a party.

“We must at this time close ranks and rally around President Goodluck Jonathan and our leaders at all levels so that collectively, we will ensure that our great party delivered on its mandate and promises as enshrined in the PDP manifesto, the ideals of our founding fathers and the Transformation Agenda of the PDPled government for the overall good of our people.

“The challenges of the last few months, rather than detract, have proven that the PDP remains the preeminent party that will continue to win elections at all levels in the country.”

The statement urged all party leaders, elders and indeed all members of the PDP across the board to continue to support President Goodluck Jonathan and his Transformation Agenda.

But, in a response, yesterday, the nPDP, while speaking to Sunday Vanguard through its National Publicity Secretary, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, said,”They are just speaking grammar. When they are ready for the olive branch, we will know.

They know us and we know them. They cannot go to the pages of newspapers and ask that they want from us.

We are not ready for that, we have gone beyond this level. ”They are so desperate, we are not children in this game of politics. If we could fight the military to get the present democracy we are enjoying today, this fight is a childish one.”

The Baraje-led PDP, had on Thursday, suffered a setback following the rejection of its officials by INEC, thereby endorsing Tukur and his National

Working Committee, NWC, as the authentic and recognised PDP, even as a Lagos High Court same day threw out Baraje’s suit against the Bamanga Tukur, led NWC. According to INEC, in a letter by its Acting Secretary, U.F Usman, to the Baraje led group, it would not withdraw the recognition it accorded the Tukurled NWC because, as an electoral umpire, it witnessed the processes that led to his emergence as National Chairman as well as other members of NWC. The INEC’s letter to the PDP faction entitled, “ Notification of Change in the change of leadership of PDP and request for formal recognition”, read , “Commission acknowledges the receipt of your letter dated September 1 and 23 2013 respectively wherein you requested the commission recognition of the Abubakar Baraje faction of the newly elected National Working Committee.

could force the youths to revolt against the leaders.

He cautioned political leaders to retrace their steps, as it would not be possible to quench the indignation of Nigerian youths who may soon run out of patience with the leaders over the poor treatment they are getting from government.

The bishop cautioned that it would be difficult to stop the youths if they were further pushed into frustration.

He threw posers to both the government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, on the reasons behind the over three-month-old industrial action that has paralyzed academic activities.

The bishop said from his interactions with Nigerians, the inability of both parties to end the lingering strike was unjustifiable and inexcusable.

He said, “I know that I have enough persons here and also hopefully enough instruments to carry this message to the ears of the highest echelons of power in this country. ”The common people, the students and their parents, whom I represent, do not believe the explanations the politicians and the academics are giving for the strike; we don’t believe them and we are appealing to them in God’s name to remember we will all end this way (pointing to the dead); let them end this strike immediately. ”I want to ask a question; it is a question not a statement. I am asking the leadership of the government in this country- is it really true that you don’t have enough money to improve upon the quality of education in this country or is it that you are stocking up money in preparation for 2015 in order to buy your way to power or to secure your future indefinitely through corruption?”

‘Nigeria in deep financial crisis’ Continued from page 1 Oshiomhole of Edo State painted a gloomy picture of the nation’s financial situation.

He added: “I have been involved in trying to understand what the reasons are and I have not seen anything yet. Two years ago, it was about the kind of money we were spending on subsidy. In no time, following series of probes and enquiries by the National Assembly and by the Presidency, they have since discovered the kind of money they stole as regards subsidy, all the people that conspired with them and I believe the EFCC is dealing with that. But just as we are dealing with that, now we

begin to hear about the theft of our crude oil such that what is accruing to the Federation Account is not enough to meet budgetary provision.”

Oshiomhole spoke in an interview just as the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAN), on Friday, reconvened to share a total statutory revenue of N1.196 trillion among the three tiers of government for August and September.

The money in the account has been a contentious issue between the federal and state governments for several weeks, with the state governments unable to get their share in full. Oshiomhole’s full interview on pages 20-22.

PAGE 6 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 13, 2013

Sanusi insists on naira for dollar transfers …says he won’t re-visit N 5000 note

BY Gabriel Omoh & Emma Ujah, Washington

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HE Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, yesterday, said that Nigerians must accept Naira for dollar transfers.

Fielding questions from journalists on the sidelines of the 2013 World Bank/ International Monetary Fund , IMF, annual general meeeting in Washington, he explained that there was nowhere in the world where those sent money from abroad were being paid in foreign currencies, as was the case in Nigeria.

His words: “The interesting thing about our country is that we try to be different from others in the world. If you are in the UK and somebody transfers money to you from the United States, in what currency do you get paid in London? Obviously you get paid in pounds.

“There is no where in the world where you go to a bank and because you got a transfer, you insist on being paid in that currency”.

According to him, the CBN earlier directed that customers be paid in the currencies sent to them by their relations resident abroad because the banks were short-changing them.

Effects of US debt ceiling on Nigeria On the impact of the current budget imbroglio in the United States, the CBN governor said that it could affect the global economy, including Nigeria, especially given the fact that the nation’s reserves have been invested in US Treasury Bills and bonds.

He expressed optimism that with several voices of concerns raised across the world for the House of Representatives to see reason, the matter would be resolved shortly, in the interest of the global economy.

His words: “The last two,

From left: Chief Chris Ominimini Obiuwevbi, Chief Christabel Obiuwevbi, Executive Assistant, Government House, Asaba, during a meeting in Agbarhaotor Town Hall on the Delta Central senatorial election, held yesterday. three World Bank/ IMF meetings have been focusing on the European Union- the crises and all that. This year there is a tremendous focus on what is happening in the United States- the budgetary impasse, the debt ceiling issues and the implications if the legislature and the executive don’t reach some kind of conclusion.

“Therefore being forced into what could become a massive austerity programme and the possibility of a default on its obligations- not necessarily a default in their treasury bills because I expect that there will some form of prioritization. I don’t see the United states defaulting on its treasury bills as a first line of defence.

“But they will default in some of their obligations and no one knows exactly how the market is going to react to this. The real challenge for us in emerging and frontier markets is that we hold our reserves in the US dollars, we have invested it in US Treasury Bills and bonds and if there is a slide in those instruments we will suffer loss in the assets that we hold.

“The government

shutdown is more of a domestic issue but the debt ceiling is the one that affects all of us- And so we expect the US to resolve this impasse in the interest of the global economy”.

‘I won’t revisit N5000 note’ On the failed attempt by the CBN to introduce the N5000 currency note into the Nigerian economy, the Mallam Sanusi said even

though he was convinced that it made economic sense to print the higher denomination, he would not revisit the matter.

Said he, “ On 5000 Naira note I have said I would not revisit. I made all the arguments at the time I made them. You have had inflation in double digits for a very long time, this has weakened the purchasing power of the

national currency and therefore means you are carrying much more currency than you need to carry to carry out your transaction.

“You go to an ATM, you want N100,000 you have to take 100 notes, those notes have a cost and printing those notes you are paying for the paper, paying for the security features, paying for transportation and paying for security while transporting them.

And then the CBN is going to pay for destruction of those notes (when they become old and tattered”.

“People got up and made statements, professional institutions, accountants, saying ‘this is inflationary. ” I d o n ’ t know when accountants became economists, I don’t know when changing denomination became the same as increasing money supply, but in a country in which the decisions are not taken based on the soundness of an argument but on sentiments, I can’t help it. If Nigerians would rather carry Ghana- mustgo bags on their backs, that is fine. If they would rather we continue pending money printing these notes, that is fine.

FG plans data bank for river basins

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HE Federal Government has inaugurated the Governing Board of UNESCO Category II Regional Centre for Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM), situated in National Water Resources Institute, Kaduna.

While inaugurating the board in Abuja, the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe, said the Centre has the mandate to conduct training and research on all aspects of Integrated River Basin Management and also to provide data bank for Integrated River Basin Management in West Africa.

According to her, the Centre would also promote, review and develop the institutional framework for the IRBM in the countries of the West African sub-region

including international and regional treaties, conventions and agreements of water laws, water policies and international best practices.

‘How DESOPADEC is developing oil communities’ DELTA State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, saddled with the responsibility of developing the oil and gas bearing communities of the state has organised a twoday training workshop for Ughelli North and Ethiope East Local Government Areas.

Speaking at the venue of

the workshop tagged: “Computer Appreciation and Adults Education for oil & Gas Communities of Ughelli North And Ethiope East Local Government Areas”, the member representing Ughelli North and Ethiope East Local Government Areas in the Board of DESOPADEC, Chief Chris Obiuwevwi Ominimini, said the commission adopted topbottom-top approach to meet the demands of the oil & gas producing communities of the state.

Lar was icon of democracy — Ochekpe

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HE late first civilian governor of Plateau Sate, Chief Solomon Daushep Lar, has been decribed as the icon of democracy.

The Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe, who made the statement in Abuja while offering condolences to the Plateau State Government and the family of the deceased, also described him as “a great hero of democracy, middle belt emancipator, a bridge builder, peace advocate and a foremost political leader in Nigeria. “

Worries over robberies on Ondo expressway

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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EADERS in the four local government council constituting Akoko area of Ondo State yesterday cried to the state government over incessant armed robbery on the Ikare-Owo Expressway.

Rising from their quarterly meeting, the leaders, under the aegis of Akoko Development Group (ADG), appealed to government to save them from the hoodlums.

A statement by one of the leaders, Fola Amure, said the robberies occur at a spot called Onipanu close to Oba-Akoko. ”The same spot has witnessed more than five occurences and mostly by 11am. ” The armed robberies are traceable to some hoodlums and mostly the Hausa- Fulani cattle rearers resident around the spot”, the statement said.

Group to empower 500 women

BY CALEB AYANSINA

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OT less than 500 women, from the women’s wing of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), will soon have cause to smile, as the group said it has mapped out strategies to empower them in the area of agriculture.

The women, selected from all the 36 state chapters of VGN across the federation, are benefiting from small and medium scale enterprise programmes organized, weekend, in collaboration with some commercial banks in the nation’s capital.

Addressing the gathering, the Commandant General of Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Mohammed Usman Jahun, said the programme was designed to complement efforts of government on women empowerment.

“We are having a 2-day capacity building workshop for women, to empower them economically, specifically in the area of agriculture”.

Internet radio

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new internet radio station, 234Radio, has debuted in Nigeria. The station has started web casting with the best of entertainment from Nigeria, UK, Jamaica, USA and other parts of the world.

The station is the brainchild of a Nigerian youth, DJ O’kay Megamixer. O’kay is a seasoned DJ with over a decade experience in radio programming and entertainment across radio stations in Nigeria.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 7

World Bank to cut extreme poverty by 2030 *Announces sweeping changes, to reduce cost by $400m

By Gab Omoh & Emma Ujah, Washington

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HE President of the World Bank, Mr. Jim Yong Kim, has announced sweeping changes to make the institution more alive to its goals of ending extreme poverty by 2030, as well as boosting prosperity among the poor who constitute 40 per cent of the population in developing nations.

In his address, yesterday, at the plenary of the ongoing 2013 annual meetings of the bank and the International Monetary Fund, IMF, in Washington, he announced $400 m cut in the bank’s administration budget in the next three years.

The savings would directly benefit clients, as the organization will work to reinvest these resources toward new financing.

Kim said that for too long, the organization had not followed its own advice and had avoided tough choices.

“That is changing. We are taking our own medicine.

World Bank Group some 16 months ago, I discovered a staff with a tremendous depth of knowledge and experience.

I also found a staff frustrated with the institution. Many wanted their work to have greater impact. They chafed at a bureaucracy that had turned our six regional units into silos, with each one reluctant to share its technical expertise with the others”.

The World Bank boss noted that in addition to savings, the Bank Group needed to reform the way it designs its budget, to align budgets with strategy, to selectively President Goodluck Jonathan (left) arriving AU invest in the future, and to secretariat for the extra-ordinary session of the aggressively explore new

Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa, yesterday.

With him is the Nigerian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Amb. Paul Lolo.

We will show much more financial discipline than we have in the past in order to become more efficient and identify new ways to reduce spending. Just as we tell finance ministers, we also need to plan for the

longer term, shoring up our revenue base, seeking ways to save, and building a stronger foundation for years to come”, he said.

“We can’t revert to business as usual. When I started my tenure at the

Two Nigerians win CNN/MultiChoice African Journalists Awards

By Jide Ajani, reporting from Cape Town

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f the three N i g e r i a n nominees for the finals of the CNN/ Multichoice African Journalist of the Year Awards held in Cape Town, South Africa, yesterday, two won awards in their respective categories.

The two winners are Oluwatoyosi Ogunseye of Sunday Punch in the UNICEF-sponsored Environment Category and Tolu Ogunlesi, a freelance journalist for Ventures Africa, Nigeria, in the Coca-Cola Company, Economics and Biz Awards category.

Ogunlesi’s story was an investigative report on the Eko Atlantic City.

He dedicated the awards to the millions of downtroden people in Nigeria and around the world.

Ogunseye’s story, The Rich Also Cry, focused on pollution in an estate where gaseous metal had created very serious medical challenges.

The third nominee from Nigeria, Geoff Iyatse, who works for The Guardian, was defeated by Ogunlesi.

The overall winner, South Africans, Msindisi Fengu and Yandisa Monakali, emerged for their piece on students’ hostel which looked like prison cells in

South Africa. Last night’s colourful event, held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, CTICC, was the 18th in the series of the yearly event.

Other freelance journalists who won awards were Noicola de Chaud, with a documentary in the Culture Category and Florence Dallu in the Radio General News Category.

All the 16 winners were selected from over 1,400 entries

MINISTER of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala Mohammed, has explained that he sealed off the Adamawa

State Governor’s Lodge in the Maitama District, Abuja because of what he termed abuse of the master plan.

A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Minister, Muhammad Hazat Sule, read, “the FCT

NCS destroys N37.7million poultry products .Says importation of items is killing local industries

BY UDEME CLEMENT

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HE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Oyo/Osun Command has destroyed 5,390 cartons of imported poultry products with the monetary value of over N37.7millon in Ibadan, saying that importation of poultry products, which ought to be produced locally to boost indigenous firms is not good for local farmers in the country.

The Customs Area

Controller (CAC) of the Command, Mr. Richard Oteri, made this known at the dump site where the contra-band items were burnt in Ibadan, explaining that the products concealed by smugglers with other items in different vehicles in attempt to escape security checks were intercepted through intelligence gathering by the Crack-Squad of Oyo/ Osun, led by DSC Olajogun J. A. along old

Eruwa road at Ulugun.

He said, “The importers of poultry products and other goods that are prohibited by the Federal Government will continue to suffer losses until they desist from this criminal act to allow sanity in our economic environment.

Consumption of such products is dangerous to health because of the time the birds were killed,the method of conveyance and preservation system, which can not be determined”.

Ending extreme poverty Kim said that he was determined to end extreme poverty by 2030 which he considered one of the most important goals of his administration,adding that a recent report of the World Bank has shown that children formed one third of those in extreme poverty worldwide.

His words, “for all the people living in extreme poverty, 400 million are

children. What more motivation do we need to accelerate progress toward the goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030? How can we in good conscience not do all we can to lift 400 million children, their families, and hundreds of millions of others out of poverty and into a life of opportunity?”

The bank’s new interim goal is cutting extreme poverty roughly in half by 2020, from its rate of 18 percent in 2010 to 9 percent in 2020, on which Kim said, “If we are going to be on the path of reaching 3 percent of population living in extreme poverty by 2030, we must get to 9 percent by 2020.”

Anambra 2013: INEC raises the alarm over CBN’s cashless policy

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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NAMBRA State Resident Electoral C o m m i s s i o n e r, REC, of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Chukwuemeka Onukaogu, is worried that the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, cashless policy may cause some hiccups during the November 16 governorship election in the state.

Exchanging views with members of the Transition Monitoring Group, TMG, who were on advocacy visit to INEC in Awka, Onukaogu said because of the policy limiting cash withdrawals from banks to N300,000, it would be difficult to handle the ad

Why I sealed-off Adamawa Governor’s Lodge — FCTA minister

BY HENRY UMORU

ways to grow revenue to better serve member countries “If we have high aspirations for the poor, if our work is to be aligned with our goals, we must be as efficient and focused as possible,” he said.

Administration has sealedoff the Adamawa State Governor ’sLodge in the Maitama District of the Federal Capital City for abuse of the Abuja Master Plan. ”All the Governor ’s Lodges in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja are enshrined in the Abuja Master Plan to be for residential purposes but not for political party secretariat as Adamawa State Governor ’s Lodge is currently being used. ”The Governor ’s Lodge, as it is today, is being used as a political party office thereby negating the spirit of urban planning and causing nuisance and disturbance on the residents dwelling in that area of the city as well as inflicting undue pressure on the infrastructure and services therein, contrary to the principles of the Abuja Master Plan”.

hoc staff who, he explained, are expected to be paid cash immediately they complete their job for INEC. “I don’t know how we are going to handle the situation for now because the ad hoc staff expect to collect their money once they complete their assignment for INEC,” the REC said.

He said that training for the staff that would conduct the election will start next week, adding that in view of previous experiences, there would be innovations on the way the INEC staff would operate

so as to shield them from the politicians who often found ways of using the ad hoc staff to rig elections.

Onukaogu also said that because of court cases involving the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the commission has not got the final list of candidates for the poll, adding that once the issue is settled, INEC would ensure that nobody who is not a candidate would be allowed to campaign.

The INEC chief warned that only groups cleared by the national headquarters of INEC would be allowed to monitor the election,

Ndokwa youths advise DESOPADEC commissioners

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HE youths of Ndokwa host Communities of Nigeria Oil and Gas, HOSTCOM, have advised the ccommissioners, Rev Chukwudi Eke and Sir Kenny Okolugbo, representing Ndokwa nation on the board of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development C o m m i s s i o n , DESOPADEC, to ensure that the tricycles bought by the commission were distributed to the youths and members of core oil and gas producing communities.

M r. Sunday Ndidi Enujeke, youth leader of HOSTCOM in Ndokwa

nation, who spoke on behalf of the youths, told newsmen in Warri that the commission has bought about 64 tricycles, also known as Keke-Napep for Ndokwa nation, but there are underground plot to sideline the youths of host communities.

Enujeke, while calling on Ndokwa HOSTCOM youths to remain calm and law abiding, he warned that Ndokwa commissioners must ensure that the tricycles were effectively and equitably distributed among youths and members of core oil and gas producing communities in Ndokwa nation.

PAGE 8, SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 9

All letters bearing writers' names and full addresses should be typed and forwarded to: The Editor, Sunday Vanguard, Kirikiri Canal, P. M. B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos. E-mail: sunvanguardmail@yahoo.com

Payment of support levy in Oyigbo: How authentic?

Dear Sir,

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government. Not even rehabilitation work on the deplorable roads that bedevil the city.

Further more, payment of any levy in the local government area, state or country always involves the participation of all tax payers. Based on that, every household is bound to pay. It should not be restricted to only business outfits. No body is exempted, even the local government workers.

This write-up is particularly directed to the Chairman of Oyigbo local

OME men and women who claim to be staff of Oyigbo local government in Rivers State are currently visiting business premises in the locality, especially around MBANO CAMP axis, demanding from the traders, artisans and others, payment of money they tag: GOVERNMENT SUPPORT LEVY. They also issue threats of brimstone and hell fire for non compliance to those who refused to pay but wanted more clarification on the subject if they ( the collectors) come next time.

According to this set of people who refuse to be hoodwinked, there is no life enhancing project being currently embarked upon by the council to Dear Sir, warrant such payment.

There is nothing wrong in people wish to use this medium to supporting the government financially, commend His Excellency, Dr. especially when there is an important Emmanuel Uduaghan, the project on ground that could impact governor of Delta State, on his positively on the lives of the masses. massive education development in the But before the collection of such levy, state. government should pre inform the The latest of his score on the public through the media. Radio, education sector is the programme television or any other public address which is meant to check truancy of system, the actual amount, purpose school children and put parents/ and probably the accruing benefits to guardians on their toes. This is to be derived from such project. But in ensure that educational excellence is this case, there is no visible project attained. We were impressed with being embarked upon by the local His Excellency's response to a question

government, Honourable Felix Uche Nweke, for him to redress this boiling issue in order to avoid misunderstanding and foster more cordial relationship between the government and the people.

More importantly, we are in a democratic dispensation where people’s rights should be held in high esteem. So it is absolutely necessary that people should understand why they should make any payment to government coffers.

Against this backdrop, I humbly advise the chairman to henceforth stop the collection of the levy in Oyigbo and environs if the order did not emanate from his office or restructure the payment system to involve all residents if it is legal. In addition the public should be told in clear terms why they must pay.

Nkemakolam Gabriel Port Harcourt 0 8 0 7 2 2 5 7 3 6 0 gabchiz56@yahoo.com

Appeal to Gov Uduaghan on transfer of service

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on transfer of service in his media chat through his phone-in programme with Deltans on October 9, 2013. You stated that you are not actually concerned with transfer of service of tertiary institutions if I really got you right.

However, our concern here is that officials of the Ministry of Higher Education are saying that the process of inter-educational institutions transfer are taken to your highly esteemed office hence many who had applied for transfer of service cannot be attended to.

But your response to a question in

the phone-in programme disproved the information that you are the one to approve transfer of service.

We would be full of gratitude if you diffuse this information about your intervention in this transfer matter.

Once more, we join other numerous Deltans to laud your effort at being first in awarding automatic scholarship to first class degree holders and first in a standard educational monitoring team to monitor schools in Delta State.

God bless you, Amen.

Henry Ohwe Jesse town, Delta State.

PAGE 10 —SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013

No, not Tunji Okusanya; he shouldn’t die

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HY am I writing a tribute to someone who was unknown to me until May of this year? And when we first met, I discovered that he was just about old enough to be my second child? Yet, in less than six months, I had become so fund of him that when the news of his sudden death in the Associated Airline crash reached me at Ibadan, my regular refuge from the chaotic life in Lagos, tears came tumbling out of my eyes uncontrollably for hours – as if he was my son. In reality, right from our first conversation on the phone, which started with him calling, he always called me “Daddy”.

Even, when I told him that “Uncle will be more appropriate”, he had replied, “Sir, you are like a Daddy to a lot of us educated young ones around Campus Square. We are proud that you are one of our own; and we read you every Sunday

religiously”.

And, it was the weekly reading “religiously”, as he put it, that brought us together – until cruel death put an end to it in the worst possible way imaginable.

By all rights, I shouldn’t be writing this about Tunji; anymore than I wish to write it about anybody younger than me by so many years.

It just isn’t right. “But, somebody has to do it”. That was what Tunji had said to me the first time he called me.

“Somebody has to do it”.

“But, do what?”. That was my question to him. Then he told me his reason for calling.

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ccording to him, “If you can recol lect, Sir, you published a three part series of articles in December 2011 titled “L AGOS STATE GOVERNORSHIP 2015: CHRISTIAN AGENDA” drawing attention to the marginalization of Christians with regard to the governorship of Lagos State”.

I had to admit that he was right, but I also said that, like a lot of media people, I was only attempting to set an agenda for 2015. He countered by saying that the issue had since developed into a crusade as Christians have decided to

What makes a good citizen? "... Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country".

- Kennedy, John F HAT makes a good citizen?

Someone who is law-abiding, aspirational, patriotic, with a sense of nationhood and belonging perhaps. Or perhaps being a useful individual and part of a collective working towards a common goal, do we often feel neighbourly.

Help others that are less fortunate than us.

Couple of days ago, the national television station held its yearly national programme, called the PRIDE OF BRITAIN. Here the cream of human kindness at its best were showcased where the ordinary people up and down the country do the most incredible act of heroics to complete strangers, loved ones and colleagues. They were awarded for their selflessness and acts of bravery in the face of adversities.

It is very humbling and the beauty of these heroes

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is that they ask for nothing in return when have we, asked Nigerians to act selflessly? I am not talking about the usual handing out of paltry boxes of sugar and bag of rice to an orphanage with the photographer in tow. I am talking about an act of kindness that does not call for anything in return.

For instance, there was a 91 year old lady who goes around fund raising for cancer research and she was able to raise £81,000!

All she wants to do is to help contribute to funding the advancement for the cure and research for cancer.

There was Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani school pupil who campaigned tirelessly for the education of young girls, she was badly injured by mindless bigots for her trouble. Upon her recovery, she has continued to campaign for the education of girls all over the world. There was a young man who invented an innovative way of making maths fun for primary school chil-

press the matter henceforth. He went further to mention that a group Christian Conscience, CC, was already working on the agenda and he had called

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“Steel and death have made terrible ravages among us; and the sad thing is we are not yet at the end of tragedy”. Frederick the Great, Emperor of Prussia, 1740-1786.

(VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p 32).

After the meeting, during which I did more listening than talking, I went home satisfied that all was over.

The phone rang two hours after; and it was Tunji. “Daddy, thanks for coming, but, how did you find the meeting?”

“It was ok, except that if this is going to be a successful endeavour you need to take some measures”, I replied.

“Can I see you later today to discuss those measures, Sir?”

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o cut short the story, I was hooked, by Tunji and his “Daddy” and “Sir” and proceeded to attend the meetings

Nothing can be more dangerous than betraying the dead. For some one who did not expect to make it to 60, everyday on earth to me is an extra dividend

threatened to resign. It was my turn to persuade the young man, quoting the Bible or taking examples from history that achievements go to the resilient. In reality, I needed him more than he realized. Later, when the seemingly impossible Seminar became actually possible, we had more “helpers” than we could use. Typical Nigerian Committee.

So, against great odds, and with the tenacity of Tunji, we had our Seminar on September 26, 2013 – attended by over 2500 Christian leaders. People coming to congratulate me, after the event, were told, “The credit belongs to Tunji Okusanya”.

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hen he also came to me and said, “Daddy, thank you, for making this thing possible”. I said, “Tunji, stop being modest. You made it possible”.

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Then he said, “All my life, I have always wanted to do something for Christ”.

me to invite me to their next meeting – perhaps I might have some advice to give them – as the “owner” of the idea. But, it was more than a request he made; there was an urgent plea; as if he had promised the group to produce me at their meeting. That was how I attended the first meeting; mostly because I was curious to meet this fellow whose words were so charming on the phone. I thought it would be the first and last meeting. Tunji, however, had other ideas.

regularly. Soon, it was decided to organize a Seminar to sensitise Christians and a Seminar Committee was established. Tunji, the engine room, was on the Committee. Inexplicably, I was made the Chairman, and later became the convener of the Seminar. It was a typical Nigerian Committee; seven were chosen, but two, Tunji and me, did most of the work – with Tunji bearing the brunt. And we had hecklers, among our members; on account of which Tunji three times

Nothing else was said because I expected he would see me at WAKA Club 1945 later. But, for once he did not come. Instead, he called to apologise because he and his staff were busy on the Agagu funeral arrangements. He would call in a few days to discuss what else is to be done.

How was I supposed to know that a conscientious fellow like that would actually follow somebody’s corpse to eternal life?

It is not fair, God; it is not fair.

dren. The man who had raised fund to get himself a walking devise and gave all the money to a young boy, because he felt the boy needed it more than he did.

Nothing gets done unless we work on our corner of the world and there lies the rub. We have been so grounded down that we have forgotten how to be human. We have forgotten that

when others will use it? He rather (the rich man) changes his expensive car as often as possible rather than let others ply a functional road. He may have an accident on that road rather than let others use a tarred road. I am sure you can think of many instances and that it is alarming.

This attitude serves no one well, in fact it breeds a nation of misfit and morally deprived individual always self-serving and not working as a collective for the common goal. The only reason a community and a nation works is, when we give of ourselves as an individual and as a collective. We should not always think about what is in it for me rather what can we do to help advance as a nation.

"At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by "I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in."-Mother Teresa Our elders of yore were right, when they say; what is mine is yours and what is yours is mine. They say one hand washes the other makes it clean. We often take it for granted. We often blame everyone but ourselves for being in the state that we are. The solution does not lie on who we

blame but what are we doing to improve our country? What are the legacies we are passing on to our children? Is it that each to his own? We need to lead by example. The question is: what are we doing for others? We are what Nigeria is waiting for and is about time Nigerians put aside a day for volunteering, giving time to help others. Just like the sanitation day why can't we begin a nationwide drive to rebuild our sense of pride and ownership we need to get back our moral obligations where we provide our time for no charge at all.

It might be seen like an alien concept but not long ago we were actually better at caring for one another. I have had emails requesting to help other people, well this is the time to give back and not expect nothing in return. We should have a drive to get Nigerians feeling once again proud to call Nigeria our home.

"If your attitude is to do things which are going to please the community and human beings, then of course you are likely to live a long life. To go to bed feeling that you have done some service to the community is very important" —Nelson Mandela.

Give us good people of good character and good governance "Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, di-

,

We should not always think about what is in it for me rather what can we do to help advance as a nation

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we are tied up in struggle and prosperity. What happens to one person, will affect the other. We often fool ourselves to believe that as long as we are thriving that is all that matters. For instance, in many roads and byways where the roads are filled with pot holes and in need of repair, it often not tarred because the rich man thinks why tar the road

I replied, “Tunji, you have done something for Christ today and He will reward you”.

P.S. As it turned out, I had wanted to tell Tunji that having finished the seminar, it was time for me to leave. I even had the words, taken from the masthead of the WEST AFRICAN PILOT, published by immortal Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, ready for the discussion.

Those at death’s door, like me, would remember those words, “Show the Light and the people will find the way”. Yes, I placed the issue of Christian Governor for Lagos State in 2015 on the political agenda. But, I am not a politician; and don’t intend to be one. So, I was going to tell Tunji that they can carry on without me. I never had a chance.

To, now back out will amount to a betrayal of Tunji. So, I must carry on with this campaign – wherever it may lead me. A friend said “it might be dangerous”. My reply was; “Nothing can be more dangerous than betraying the dead. For some one who did not expect to make it to 60, everyday on earth to me is an extra dividend”.

Please join me in mourning the passing away of Tunji and Tunji, Jnr, Okusanya. May the Almighty grant them the perpetual peace which eluded them on earth. God, this is unfair!!!

P

.S. The articles on Nigerian Universi ties will continue but have been shifted to the EDUCATION pages of VANGUARD on Thursdays.

Please join me there henceforth. It is in everybody’s interest. Thanks for reading our paper.

V i s i t : www.delesobowale.com

agnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy."

- Earnest Benn I hear that in Lagos State, some people are calling for the next governor to be a Christian. They argued that it is about time a Christian gets a go! What nonsense!

In a statement titled; 'The Church and Governance of Lagos State' the chairman of Lagos PFN, Apostle Alex Bamgbala said "Christians have supported the two Muslim administrations in the state since 1999 and it is only fair that they give room for their Christian counterparts to be elected in 2015".

I would rather have a potential governor who is effective and honest with the best interest of its people at the forefront than play sectarian musical chairs. If it is the case, we are barking up the wrong tree and once again staring deep into the abyss. The reason Lagos works is not because the man at the top is Muslim, it is because he is effective and thorough.

Lagos has always been a melting pot and those that want to play politics with the lives of its people , better watch it.Enough of looking for trouble and trying to make people take sides.

This is what breeds mistrust and resentment. It serves no one, in the long run we will be prolonging our misery and storing trouble for generations to come.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 11

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it was persuaded by the plea, the union has since restated that its ultimatum stays. Considering that any responsible societal institution is expected to seek solutions to a nation’s problem it is hard to immediately appreciate the present posture of the NUT. Some labour analysts are quick at drawing attention

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“We will not hesitate to shut down the education system in the country, if the government fails to fulfil or honour the agreement it entered into with the lecturers”.

HOSE were the words of the Na tional President of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Mr. Michael Olukoya, on Thursday September 26, 2013 while announcing his union’s 2 weeks ultimatum to the Federal Government to resolve the ASUU crisis.

The NUT was obviously not ready for a peace-maker role as some analysts would imagine. Rather, it came into the subject on the side of ASUU. This can be deduced from the union’s statement that the current ASUU strike was “nationalistic, patriotic and selfsacrificing”.

The government probably sensed this and hurriedly met with the teachers to plead with them not to complicate the subject. Interestingly, although the NUT’s body language at the meeting gave an impression that

As if some other unions buy this principle of the power of democracy, the idea of solidarity action is gaining ground by the day on the ASUU issue. Already, 2 other powerful unions are warming up to join the strike. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) was the first to show concern. At the end of the

Unlike ASUU members, school heads in Imo now have maintenance budget and their salaries are now regular. Over 70% of them have been promoted with their staff rooms well equipped and decorated

to the fact that a solidarity strike is acceptable in global unionism. This according to them would move the government to take ASUU much more seriously. It would indeed get the attention of the international community and as such, put the Federal Government on its toes.

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union’s National Administrative Council meeting, held in Lagos last weekend, its President, Igwe Achese stated that his union was not happy at the crisis facing the public university system. It therefore threatened to stop distribution of petroleum products across the country if the Federal Government

PhD, Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos,

08116759758

Nigerian history and the morbid obsession with national unity (4)

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LTHOUGH the visit was cancelled even tually, it did not prevent the Kano riots in which scores of Ndigbo were murdered. Therefore, it is very clear that during the colonial period and shortly after independence, the British colonialists were obsessed with maintaining what until now is euphemistically referred to as “One Nigeria” for her own neocolonialist agenda, notwithstanding the centrifugal forces of ethnicity and religion pulling in the opposite direction.

Moreover, nationalists from Southern Nigeria, especially those of Igbo extraction, did not want the country to break up. Consequently, Northern leaders on several occasions successfully used threat of secession as a strategy to get concessions. This blows to smithereens the canard that Northern domination of government at the centre which actually began before independence is justified because the North has always been more populous than Southern Nigeria. It also indicates, as subsequent events that led to the tragic Biafran war proved, that the lousy policy of appeasing the North at every turn was a grievous mistake.

The first military coup of January 15, 1966, which we alluded to a moment ago, is one of the most deliber-

ately distroted and misinterpreted events in Nigeria’s chequered history. For, despite the fact that ringleaders of the bloody putsch, including Maj. Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu and Maj. Adewale Ademoyega, unanimously disavowed ethnicity as a motivating factor in their coup calculus, and insisted that they intended to appoint a prominent Yoruba politician, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Prime Minister if the coup had succeeded, many Nigerians, including so-called “experts,” still believe that the insurrection was an Igbo coup.

Chuks Iloegbunam, in his gripping story about the first military head of state, Maj. Gen. J.T.U. AguiyiIronsi, entitled Ironside, has masterfully refuted the notion of Igbo coup that only a few points will be reiterated here.

First, as we already noted, Nzeogwu and his cohorts intended to release Awolowo, from prison and appoint him (not Dr. Azikiwe) Prime Minister.

Second, in Lagos, the federal capital which had to be taken before any coup could succeed, several of the key positions in the army were held by Igbo officers whose cooperation the coup plotters would need to carry through their plan. Now, the most strategic units of army forma-

tions in Lagos, namely, the Second Battalion and the Guards Company, were commanded by Igbo officers. Thus, if what happened in the early hours of January 15 were truly an Igbo coup, Ironsi, as the most senior army officer in the country at that time, would have mobilised these critical sections of the army to ensure that the conspiracy succeeded instead of using them to frustrate it.

Third, Ironsi, not Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon, as alleged in certain quarters, led the soldiers in Lagos which included Col. Hilary Mbilitem Njoku, that aborted the coup. Maj. John Obienu, an Igbo who commanded the Second Reconnaissance Squadron in Abeokuta, was part of the Nzeogwu conspiracy, but he failed his colleagues at the last minute. Given all this, why would Ironsi and some senior Igbo military officers work to neutralise the coup or Obienu disappoint his coconspirators if the coup were part of the purported Igbo agenda for dominating the country?

Finally, before the coup, Ndigbo occupied a preponderance of key positions in politics, the military and civil service compared to other ethnic groups, a point buttressed by Prof. Chinua Achebe in his book, There was a Country: A Personal History of Biafra, where he

the former main Minister in the Ministry tackled the issue. Is he likely to do better now that he is alone; more so as his other crisis in Rivers State might take more of his time? At this point, it seems rational to bring in fresh hands to handle the subject. Here, we suggest the invitation of Owelle Rochas Okorocha, the Imo State Governor, who is fast becoming accepted as a man with a rescue mission orientation.

Oh yes, the media has of recent become replete with wonderful stories of a complete transformation of Imo’s Education system. It is a man like Rochas who has made Education the biggest industry in his State that is needed right now. Perhaps because he is not matching Governor Akpabio naira for naira in what looks like governance by publicity, some people tend to doubt the miracles of Rochas in Imo. The truth however is that even his political rivals marvel at his initiatives in the education sector. At the last count, Governor Okorocha has in his State ensured free education to the tertiary level; improved subvention of N252 million to Imo State University from N56 million, improved subvention of N98 million to Imo State Polytechnics’, Umuagwo from N45 million, construction of Imo College of Advanced Professional Studies [ICAPS], Young Scientist College and 305 European standard schools in the state. A few weeks back,

the state government under his watch took delivery of 15 container loads of school uniforms, sandals, desks, books and other learning materials that have been freely distributed to school children under the free education programme.

A short trip to Imo State would convince cynics that public schools there now have clean and beautiful environments where several modern facilities abound.

Unlike ASUU members, school heads in Imo now have maintenance budget and their salaries are now regular. Over 70% of them have been promoted with their staff rooms well equipped and decorated. It will be hard for the NUT to get Imo teachers whose allowances are guaranteed to join its solidarity strike. For instance, they now get wardrobe allowance as well as end of year bonus.

There is also the story that teachers are paid before other public servants in the state. As a result, the idea of part-time teaching and part-time-trading that is prevalent in many states is banished in Imo. The Nigerian nation therefore needs the help of Rochas Okorocha, the new ‘Awo’ of Imo education to reveal how he manages education as well as teachers. If this suggestion is followed, Rochas will no doubt encourage all our leaders to follow his own avowed principle of “never to play politics with education”

stated that the Igbo led the nation in virtually every sector. A few examples will suffice to make the case that, given their preeminent position in the country before Nzeogwu’s coup, the Igbo had no good reason to seek drastic change in the status quo. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was President, Dr. A. A. Nwafor-Orizu, Senate President, Maj. Gen. AguiyiIronsi, General Officer Commanding the Nigerian Army, Col. C. Unegbe, Quartermaster General of the Army, among others. The fact that prominent Igbo politicians and military officers escaped assassination during the coup was due to sheer happenstance. For instance, Azikiwe was convalescing in London after an operation for a lung infection when the coup was executed. In the Eastern region,

ly, installation of Awolowo as Prime Minister. However, it led to the collapse of the First Republic. Note that Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa and S. L. Akintola were informed about the impending coup, but none of them considered the mater serious enough to take measures for their own safety. If they had done so and escaped assassination, the coup of July 1966 with its tragic consequences might not have happened.

Interestingly, Ironsi’s government was well received at the initial stage, even by some emirs in the North.

All over the country, people celebrated the end of the rule of corrupt politicians and hoped fervently for a new dawn. Ironsi did what he could given the trying circumstances of that time to repair the damage

decisions, to the extent of eliciting criticisms from fellow Easterners, not just the Igbo.

Take for example the nine-man Supreme Military Council under him.

Aside from Ironsi himself, Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu was the only Igbo, and he had an ex officio status as one of the four regional military governors. The other member from Eastern region was Lt. Col. George Kurubo, an indigene of Rivers State. Of the six civilian members of the federal executive council, two of them, Gabriel Onyiuke (Igbo) and Louis Edet (Efik), were from the East.

Instead of reconstituting the permanent secretary portfolios to favour the Igbo, as one would expect from an ethnic chauvinist, Ironsi reappointed the twenty-three permanent secretaries he inherited from Balewa’s government thus: North 8, Mid-West 7, West 5, and East 3. A Westerner, a Northerner, and an Englishman headed the three tribunals he set up to investigate the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Electricity Corporation of Nigeria and the Lagos City Council.

Twenty-five General Managers, Chairmen and Secretaries of federal corporations were distributed as follows, Western region 12, Northern Region 6, Eastern region 3, Mid-West 1, and foreigners 3. That is not all. Ironsi appointed Lt. Col. Gowon as his Chief of Army Staff, Mallam Hamsad Amadu, a young relative of the Sadauna of Sokoto, as his private secretary, and his personal escort, composed mostly of Hausa soldiers, was commanded by another young Hausa, Lt. W.G. Walbe.

TO BE CONTINUED

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ASUU crisis: Let’s bring in Governor Okorocha

failed to implement the agreement reached with ASUU. Only last Thursday, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), gave the Federal Government seven days to resolve the ASUU strike or face a total shut down of electricity facilities in the country.

The decision of the union was made known by its General Secretary, Mr. Joe Ajaero at a training workshop for labour leaders in the power sector in Enugu, The secretary was emphatic that the union could no longer sit back and watch the destruction of the future of Nigerian students who have remained at home for the past 3 months on account of the ASUU strike.

Thus it is now certain that dangerous dimensions are about to be introduced into the crisis making it obvious that it is time to call on wellmeaning Nigerians to intervene and save the nation from disintegrating.

It will be recalled that the National Assembly, especially its education committees, had in the past waded unsuccessfully into the crisis. The Vice President, Governor Gabriel Suswan of Benue State, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Minister of Labour had all similarly tried in vain.

Of course, the matter is far beyond the capacity of the current supervising Minister of Education. It would in earnest be unwise to leave it with him having failed when he along with

The first military coup of January 15, 1966, which we alluded to a moment ago, is one of the most deliberately distroted and misinterpreted events in Nigeria’s chequered history

troops of the First Battalion surrounded the residences of the Premier and regional leaders and waited for orders to attack.

Before Majs. Emmanuel Ifeajuna and David Okafor could arrive Enugu by road in the early hours of January 15 to issue the orders, Maj. David Ejoor, who was ordered by Ironsi to resume command in Enugu as fast as possible, got there first by plane and withdrew the troops. As the day progressed, forces loyal to Ironsi dismantled the rebellion.

The Nzeogwu-led coup failed to achieve one of its principal objectives, name-

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caused by bickering inept politicians.

Pursuant to that, he attempted to enhance national unity by promulgating the Unification Decree 34, which was later used by certain Northern elements in the army and civil society to justify the vicious coup against him. Now, contrary to the false claim by Isawa Elaigwu and Karl Maier that he unduly favoured the Igbo in appointments and promotions in the military and bureaucracy, Ironsi bent over backwards to accommodate the interests of all regions in his

PAGE 12—SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013

Fashola and the image of the East scum must be removed to disinfect the streets of Lagos. With such an Igbo confidante, Fashola suggests, how could he be against the Igbo in Lagos? Lagos gains from his intellect and service. Lagos gains from his tax. Lagos gains from his acumen.

He has lived more in Lagos than he has in Anambra and has contributed far more to the economic and social life of Lagos than he has ever contributed to Anambra. He made a choice to live in Lagos, and deserves his place in Lagos and in the cabinet of the government of Lagos, as a resident Lago-

,

A

T the Aka-Ikenga dinner celebrat ing the founding of this associa tion of Igbo fat cats in Lagos, Governor Raji Fashola, either out of postprandial volubility, or in a bid to be charming among friends, or even as some have suggested, enhance the political fortunes of his friend and fellow partisan, Dr. Chris Ngige in Anambra, offered what had been termed an “unreserved apology” to the Igbo. His apology was for the apparent mischief of selectively targeting and “deporting” some Igbo to Onitsha in one of the most unprecedented constitutional gaffes in Nigeria.

I still think that the victims of this governor’s act must sue the governor and the Lagos state government and enforce their rights under the rule of law. In any case, Fashola assured the Igbo cats in Lagos with whom he was dining that evening, that he was thoroughly misunderstood, and that his actions were by no means influenced by any antipathy toward the Igbo.

The Igbo, he said, were not in his crosshair. He had nothing against the Igbo he said. Once again, he invoked the loyalty of his fair-haired friend, Mr. Ben Akabueze, a commissioner in his cabinet, as proof of his geniality with, and fairness towards the Igbo. Akabueze, he says, is his sidekick on all important matters and in the most crucial occasions. He did not quite put it this way: he said this Igbo commissioner in Lagos was privy to the sanctum sanctorum of Lagos affairs, which is, the mind of Raji Fashola, where all things happen. Every decision he makes, he first consults good old Ben, including apparently, the decision to forcefully remove the Igbo scum from the streets of Lagos.

Perhaps Ben Akabueze helped him come to that inevitable decision too that the Igbo

ceived on his father’s funeral, a long herd from the Igbo, what we need to really situate in Fashola’s apology is that it is not “unreserved.” Oh, no. It is left-handed charity. How, he asked, could the Igbo not get a handle on their lives, to the point that many are forced to flee their homeland and migrate to their people’s homelands? Fashola implies extreme Igbo poverty and incompetence. No, Fashola, the Igbo are not escaping from Igbo land. They are seeking wider opportunities afforded by the possibility of the wider world. There is often in the minds of the likes of Raji Fashola, the idea that Igbo movement within Nigeria is the result of poverty in the East.

Those among the Yoruba people of the South West who travel a bit more know the difference. It is easy to live in the fierce bubble of metropolitan Lagos, and imagine that the Nigerian world begins and ends in Lagos, and that nothing happens elsewhere.

There has been a false narrative over the years that have consigned the East to some cauldron of poverty, from where the Igbo have emptied into the wider space of nation and beyond. Indeed, seeing many Igbo outside of Igbo land, many are often drawn

It is easy to live in the fierce bubble of metropolitan Lagos, and imagine that the Nigerian world begins and ends in Lagos, and that nothing happens elsewhere

sian. This is the point of all this: that one gesture of kindness to a single Igbo, does not mean anything; does not in fact mean much to the Igbo if they feel themselves generally harassed, targeted, isolated, and ghettoized in Lagos where they have every rights to be as much as any other Nigerian.

My friend C. Don Adinuba, who has waxed quite lyrical in many an instance about what ought ultimately be seen as Fashola’s left-handed magnanimity, may continue to defend his friend, and highlight all the tokenist conducts that elaborate the critical lie; and Fashola may also continue to count among the many cows he re-

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to conclude that the East is empty of people but the hardiest of impoverished survivors, and that in its pitiless and Hobbesian space of poverty and hardship nothing but crime thrives. Well, Raji Fashola played up that tenor again in his speech at the AkaIkenga dinner. It is in the nature of AkaIkenga that no one stood up to respond to Fashola’s wild assertions about the East.

Well, perhaps here is the occasion to discharge that duty for Aka Ikenga, and to teach Raji Fashola to be a bit more circumspect about the things he does not know. First, and he can find this out himself, the East of Nigeria is one of the most economically vibrant regions of Africa. The

mind their actions; that is wisdom.

L

AST month I started a trilogy of columns about paradise and I should have concluded last week but the tragic event of the deadly plane crash redirected my thoughts. I initially was not going to write anything this week but as my deadline draws closer I am drawn to offer a few words of comfort to all those directly or indirectly affected by tragedy. What does one say to comfort anyone when the unthinkable happens? Of what comfort are words and even material things in the middle of a calamity? No sane person can dismiss the tragedy of the living dying while trying to bury the dead!!! What is bad, is just bad and bad barely describes it even! Many reactions trailed the crash and a lot of us drew conclusions that span the realm of the logical, critical and supernatural. I have a few theories bordering on all three aspects but I can't prove the logical. And like everyone else, I can only make assumptions. I can't confirm the critical as there is always general outrage anytime a plane crashes. All religious and supernatural explanations have no basis in reality and our faith is best directed towards praying for those who mourn.

So what does one say or do at a time like this? Its one thing to propound cra-

zy theories when musing but what does one actually say when you come face to face with those who have a lead role in a real life tragedy? Being human, those who mourn have their own theories! Theirs come from a place of pain, sometimes rage at unexpected and unthinkable loss! It would be easy to join in and add flames to a smouldering furnace but that would not be wisdom. May I suggest in my humble opinion that silence is the best gift when faced with an eruption of pain, heartbreak and even anger? Depending on the intimacy of the relationship, anyone in pain needs to talk to someone; they just need to let off steam; they need to cry, to rage, to scream, they need someone or many people to be there, to listen, to comfort. Most of us lose our power in times of pain; we lose control of our senses and we say and do things we regret; things we can't take back. It is unfortunate that some of our close friends and family who should help us control our words and deeds often compound our situation by adding more drama. The sad truth is that words never lose their power, even when they are uttered in times of grief or severe provocation. At a time like this, the bereaved and those around them should set a seal on their lips and

,

At times like these

There is a saying that there is nothing new under the sun and for every tragedy, there are countless greater tragedies! Pain however can't be classified or eulogised with fancy words and one thing I find very unbecoming is the comparison of tragedies. It would be better to stay away than to visit someone who is grieving and start telling them about someone who has

The most inadequate comfort is the only one that is true; the comfort of time! Time will eventually heal wounds, the pain will go dull and not be so sharp

,

a bigger problem than they do. At the point in people's lives when their hearts are broken in grief, no pain is greater than what they feel; belittling their feelings by comparison is at best cruel and at worst thoughtless! Last year on the 3rd of June (2012), a friend of mine died in the Dana plane crash, over 150 people lost their lives and there were countless stories of the families that died. I was most touched by that of the Anyene family, an entire family of six along with three in-laws who all perished on their way to a wedding. If one

scale of entrepreneurial activity hits any first-time visitor with the electric charge of truth. It is a vast workshop. Travelers to the East note something that is often missing elsewhere in Nigeria: a vast indigenous system of industry that thrives and hums like a dynamo. Artisans are at work; professionals are at work; you have a vast pool of the most educated people on the continent creating a very dynamic interaction; expanding the frontiers of trade and production. Perhaps Fashola has not been to Enugu, Owerri, Port-Harcourt, Aba, Onitsha, Asaba, Awka, Abakiliki – the major Igbo cities, or even the surrounding cities of Calabar, Uyo, and Eket, and he’d certainly come to understand that there is no other region in Nigeria as fully developed as the East of Nigeria. That there is vibrancy to life that draws people every weekend to what I call the highlife corridor – Owerri to Port-Harcourt, with its redolent epicurean feel; that for as long as I can remember, through community initiatives, Igbo towns have built roads, schools, hospitals, and every social amenity that connects people.

The first thing Raji Fashola would note about the East, should he dare to visit, is that through Azikiwe’s model of Community Self-Help strategy of development, the Igbo have created some of the most livable spaces in Africa. I travel around the East, and I’m struck not only by the elegant architecture of their country homes, a vast range of styles that I’ve not encountered anywhere else in the Nigeria, but you feel the comfort of highly educated citizens liberated from the general poverty of illiteracy.

It may not be so much from the work done by this generation of Igbo leaders.

But it is the foundational legacy of a culture that seeks continually to better itself through constant movement and re-invention. The Igbo move, not because Igbo land is too poor for them. They always return to it in any case. They move because they are restless questers after novelty. They move because they feel themselves free people, who have no fear of kings, and who consider themselves individually autonomous and unwilling therefore to be bound to any single place or any singular authority. They move also because of what Kenneth Dike described as “land hunger.” This is the reason behind the Igbo movement out of Igbo land. Fashola’s talk about the Igbo situation misses its mark, and once more confounds us.

were to compare tragedies, theirs would have been the worst but it would not have lessened the pain to compare that loss to those who lost one friend or family member. I didn't know the family but I remember them in my prayers as I remember my friend Livi Ajuonoma. At a time like this, a life lost, is a loss that needs to be acknowledged, a pain that needs to respected!

When words of comfort feel inadequate, its time to turn to The Lord and receive succour and strength. The most inadequate comfort is the only one that is true; the comfort of time! Time will eventually heal wounds, the pain will go dull and not be so sharp. We will remember those we mourn with tears today with laughter and eventually give God thanks that we had the privilege of knowing them albeit for a season. At a time like this I pray for the Okusanya and MIC family, The Falae and Alabi families and all the other families who grieve for comfort that only The Lord can give. I end with a song borne of tragedy but filled with encouragement. It was written by Horatio Spafford, a man who was no stranger to grief; at a time when lesser men would have been swallowed up by pain, he wrote what is perhaps the most appropriate hymn for encouragement in times of sorrow.

When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul.

(Refrain) It is well, (it is well), With my soul, (with my soul) It is well, it is well, with my soul.

SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 13

*President Goodluck Jonathan (middle, front row) with conference committee members... will they get it right for Nigeria this time?

BY IKEDDY ISIGUZO,

T

CHAIRMAN, EDITORIAL BOARD

HERE is a time for everything.

For Nigerians, it is time to talk. Ironically, many of those who espoused the position for years that the country could not progress without talking have been caught on the wrong foot - the political side of the talk.

President Goodluck Jonathan has been blamed for many things, deservedly so, in some instances, it is therefore no surprise that he is being castigated for agreeing that we need to talk. The most strident logic for the new aspersions he should endure, for “listening� to the yearning of the people, is that he changed his mind. He had maintained, his professional bashers say, that a National Dialogue was unnecessary.

What is wrong in a man changing his mind, if that could change the fortunes of his nation for the better?

Are we no longer ready to talk?

Did the needs for National Dialogue evaporate because Jonathan suggested that the time was now?

There could be more than a million reasons for rejecting the proposal for a National Dialogue: past dialogues that failed, the exercise being a diversion, eyes on 2015 more than the future of Nigeria and possibly the fears of Jonathan getting credit for a political master stroke that his traducers considered outside his ken.

If we want a reason to support the C M Y K

Prologue

A Time To Talk dialogue, the single reason is that it provides the platform to address issues missed in earlier dialogues, or that we considered untouchable.

It is a chance that all of us should embrace with a lot of broadmindedness, and purpose.

The shock of this dialogue is the political generosity that runs through it. In case we have forgotten, when Senate President David Bonaventure Alechenu Mark said the National Assembly would support a National Dialogue, many thought he was misquoted. The National Assembly conceding its position is noteworthy.

Comparisons between this dialogue and earlier ones can be misleading. The others, except the Justice Oputa Panel, were mainly for Constitution making or reviews.

Oputa Panel examined human rights abuses, it was that restricted.

We are being offered an opportunity to have a profound look at Nigeria, every issue that would finally include the Constitution and its provisions that many blame for the wobbly working of our union. It is an opportunity too great to miss.

The National Dialogue is more

No part of Nigeria is sufficiently satisfied with Nigeria. We should bring all the worries to the National Dialogue, with suggested solutions. We should make every effort to scale obstacles to our participation in what could begin the utilisation of National Dialogue in resolving issues important than what we call it. Our attitude in the presentations that we make would be by far more important than the members of the committees. Our concerns for the future of Nigeria would be juxtaposed against our personal and political interests. The choices we make would be vital to the future of Nigeria.

No part of Nigeria is sufficiently satisfied with Nigeria. We should

bring all the worries to the National Dialogue, with suggested solutions.

We should make every effort to scale obstacles to our participation in what could begin the utilisation of National Dialogue in resolving issues.

We cannot make much progress if we do not die to conjectures, doubts, fears and speculations, about the National Dialogue. Experience may be a deficit this time. We cannot stop talking because past talks were wasted. We have to keep talking until we hit the note of harmony in our diversity.

Nigeria has been running on strings of emergencies for most of its 53 years. No condemnations, excuses, explanations and recriminations are enough anymore to justify the parlous state of our country.

If there is time for everything, for Nigerians it is time to talk about us, about our fears, about our present, about our future. Patriotic zealots who oppose the National Dialogue could have their alternatives, but they should remember that for years they insisted Nigeria must be discussed.

PAGE 14 — SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013

NATIONAL CONFABULATION

Jonathan’s redemption ride •The bumpy road ahead for a nation in distress •Lessons for Mr. President and Nigerians

“Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate” - Former US President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, in his inaugural address, January 20, 1960.

BY JIDE AJANI

B

ecause of his demure demean our, some people have refused to grant Goodluck Ebele Jonathan the needed respect and accord as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Yet, with flickers of brightness and good sense, he comes across, to the sometimes embarrassing astonishment of his critics, as an individual who could be at once calculating and deliberate in his actions – and in actions. In the wake of the near-deafening clamour for a National Conference (mind you, this clamour had always been on just before and immediately after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election), President Jonathan, penultimate Tuesday, announced the decision of his administration to set up an Advisory Committee that would work out modalities for a National Conference. The offer is tempting and irresistible. There have been applause and knocks. However, this report examines the genesis of President Jonathan’s decision to convoke the conference, the challenges ahead and how he can leverage on the genuine potentials of having such a conference with a view to charting a clear departure from past cosmetic engagements and leave behind a legacy that both he and the Nigerian nation can build on.

A PRESIDENT MISREAD

Have you ever been with Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, President and Commander-in-Chief, privately? If you have not, as tens of millions of Nigerians have not, here is a tip.

Most times, especially when he has many personal and state challenges to deal with, he wears a demure demeanour – which some have come to describe as his signature look.

But beneath that veneer, he is deep, very deep in thought, joggling options and pondering how best to handle the challenges of governing the state. An encounter in 2006 while he was governor of Bayelsa State produced this revelation.

Those who work with and are close to him now insist that President Jonathan has not changed.

Indeed, Aso Rock Presidential Villa insiders disclosed that it was during one of those deep moments of meditation and sober reflection some C M Y K

*President Goodluck Jonathan ...Engaged in wide consultations six months (yes, six months) ago, that he was said to have made up his mind “about the convocation of a National Conference”.

According to a Sunday Vanguard source – and contrary to a publication two months ago that the President “ was likely to agree to a national talk shop” – it was during one of those moments that “President Jonathan invited one of Nigeria’s brightest minds to the Villa and held very frank talks with him. “The talks”, the source went on, “centred on how to go about the convocation of a National Conference”. Between President Jonathan and the egg-head, it was resolved that a position paper needed to be prepared, weighing the options, the overriding imperatives and the possible backlash, “especially in a country where interests clash with the speed of light”, the Aso Rock source said. In fact, it was learnt from another insider that a prominent, no-nonsense religious leader was also privy to the thinking by President Jonathan.

Between President Jonathan and the egg-head, correspondences were exchanged. During this period, Sunday Vanguard was made to understand that President Jonathan “bounced” the idea off a few confidants without necessarily betraying the inner workings of his mind.

Interestingly, when some weeks ago, Professor Ben Nwabueze, the octogenarian professor of constitutional

And whereas there were those described as the hawks in the Presidency who attempted to choreograph a repeat of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo-style National Political Reform Conference, NPRC, which was solely set up as a vehicular means for the objective of a constitutional amendment to pave the way for a Third Term in office, President Jonathan was said to have shot it down law, visited Aso Rock and told President Jonathan, in no unmistakable terms, that he should not seek re-election but act the statesman, convoke a National Conference and make that a legacy, the latter simply took it with equanimity. Therefore, when, during his October 1 national broadcast, Mr. President revealed that his administration had set the machinery in motion for the convocation of a National Conference, it jolted critics, sent supporters into a frenzy and set many tongues wagging.

THE PUSH BEFORE THE ANNOUNCEMENT

Sunday Vanguard gathered that before the President made the announcement, he had, in collaboration with some very key members of his administration, engaged in wide consultations. The matter was hugely debated as to whether the National Dialogue or the conference

would be able to sufficiently address and come up with solutions to the present socio-economic, religious, cultural and political challenges on ground in a manner that the National Assembly has not been able to. The discussions were sometimes very animated, especially given the fact that the President made it clear that he was determined to have a credible exercise.

And whereas there were those described as the hawks in the Presidency who attempted to choreograph a repeat of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo-style National Political Reform Conference, NPRC, which was solely set up as a vehicular means for the objective of a constitutional amendment to pave the way for a Third Term in office, President Jonathan was said to have shot it down. “That was why at some point Mr. President ensured that the correspondContinues on page 15

SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 15

Continued from page 14 ences were kept tight”, an Aso Rock source disclosed “Bad as the level of skepticism is, the situation would be made worse should Nigerians discover that the conference was another road show, a stage-managed affair. But it was generally agreed that even if it was merely to provide a platform for honest ventilation of views by Nigerians from different shades of opinion, it would be better than just shouting at each other on the pages of newspaper. In a structured debate or discussion, especially one that is on a face-to-face basis, many would discover that a natural platform for the engagement of contending views is likely to moderate the sentiments that would ordinarily run overboard”, a presidential aide said last week in Abuja.Upon private inquiries, Sunday Vanguard learnt that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, where former Senate President, Anyim Pius, holds sway, was instrumental in the lastminute consultations which led to the final announcement.

Before the final push to make the announcement, it was discovered that the televised presidential chat, held just 36hours earlier, was set up in such a manner that the issue of a National Conference would not become topical. It was not discussed.

CONTINGENCY

It was disclosed that in the build- up to the announcement, it “had been anticipated that some critical segments of the society may not welcome the idea as a genuine confabulation with national interests being the overriding consideration”“In fact”, a source said, “the opposition was not expected to immediately embrace the idea because it would be described as diversionary”. In addition, “the groundswell of opinion preparatory to the acceptance of government in setting up a talk shop pointed in the direction that majority of Nigerians would likely support the move.” So, when a cacophony of voices began to pooh-pooh the sudden announcement, “government was decidedly unperturbed because the negative reactions had been anticipated”, the source said, a seeming reference to the statement credited to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State who said the National Conference was no more than ‘diversionary, a Greek gift’.

STRATEGY

Part of the strategy put in place by thinkers, in collaboration with President Jonathan, was to ensure that the advisory body didn’t suffer any form of character deficit. Therefore, in selecting members for the committee, certain factors were considered. Firstly, just as it was during the heady days of the General Abdulsalami Abubakar transition programme when the Presidency was all but conceded to the Yoruba-speaking South-west zone of Nigeria, the virulence, mobilization and clamour for a National Conference, which was spearheaded by the likes of the late Alao Aka-Bashorun in the late1980s and early 1990s,

*Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo... Organised Political Reform Conference

handle the issue of representation?

In the instance of the late General Sani Abacha Constitutional Conference, an election was held to fill some seats while the maximum dictator nominated members, too – though the mass boycott of that election proved to be its major, nay most critical downside. The outcome of that conference, despite the massive boycott, gave birth to the 1999 Constitution that is in use today. Can the cost of an election be added to the economic burden of the Nigerian state today? Though the Advisory Committee chairman, Senator Femi Okurounmu, has said President Jonathan has not provided “no- go” areas, that in itself would pose a challenge of some sort.

The lessons of 1990 Peoples Republic of Benin are there for people to learn from. After running a racket disguised as democratic governance, Mattieu Kérékou was re-elected as President in 1980. “That year”, according to reports, “in the course of an official visit to Libya, he converted to the Islamic faith in the presence of the Libyan leader, Col. Mu’ammar al-Qadhafi, and accordingly took the first name Ahmed.

During the visit, the two countries signed a major bilateral cooperation agreement.”

The reports continued, “In February 1990, after weeks of unrest and economic disorder, Kérékou convened a National Conference of Active Forces of the Nation to discuss Benin’s future. It became a public critique of Kérékou’s 17 years of rule. On 2 December 1990, a new Constitution was adopted by popular referendum. Members of the National Conference simply paid a discourteous visit to Kérékou and forced him to turn over effective

Jonathan’s redemption ride especially in the wake of the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, was a key consideration. Not unconnected to that, the choice of the chairman of the Advisory Committee was made with full cognizance of the sentiments of the South-west zone. In addition, some members of the committee are known proponents of the restructuring of the Nigerian federation albeit - in an extreme fashion. According to one of those who worked very closely with President Jonathan on the conference papers before it was announced, “the mere fact that the list contained the name of Professor Nwabueze, who had, some months ago, counseled the President not to seek re-election, demonstrates the open-mindedness of the Presidency and its response to criticism. In any part of the world – even in the developed world – such an individual would be described as antiPresident, anti-system and would not even be brought close to any engagement of the government.

But here we are, the professor was named as one of the members but for his explanation that the rigours of the conference would not be friendly to his age, the thinking was that since his twilight mantra had been the convocation of a national conference, it would be nice to have him

Part of the strategy put in place by thinkers, in collaboration with President Jonathan, was to ensure that the advisory body didn’t suffer any form of character deficit on board.

THE CHALLENGES TO COME

Whereas it would be politically intelligent to read meanings that are far from the altruistic to the sudden change of heart by President Jonathan on the issue of a National Conference, the need for a talkshop cannot be said to be unintelligent.

And that is why the words of JFK on the need “not to negotiate out of fear and never fear to negotiate” are apt for this season. However, there are some bumps ahead. Firstly, how would the Advisory Committee

power to a transitional government, which held presidential and parliamentary elections on 10 March 1991, and runoffs on 24 March. It has been called a ‘civilian coup.’

The conference also changed the name of the country to the Republic of Benin.” In the instance of Nigeria, one of the challenges President Jonathan would have to contend with is how the conference would not be hijacked by some political forces and turn it into a trip-wire for him and his administration.

Mercifully, the structures of democracy in Nigeria (and though unimpressive) as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution would make it very difficult if not impossible for a “civilian coup” to occur. All said, Sunday Vanguard was told, last week, that another committee would be set up. That committee would be saddled with the planning of the conference proper. However, it could not be determined, at press time, whether the Planning Committee would be empanelled even while the Advisory Committee is setting out modalities or whether the Presidency would wait for the Okuroumu Comm ittee to finish its work first. No matter. The words of JFK in 1960 should guide President Jonathan and Nigerians.

C M Y K

PAGE 16 — SUNDAY

Vanguard, OCTOBER 13 , 2013

National Conference remains the best option — Prof Osunbor F

ormer Governor Oserheimen Osunbor of Edo State, a professor of law, is a Commissioner on the Board of Nigeria Law Reform Commission. He speaks on National Conference, revenue formula, among other issues.

BY EMMAN OVUAKPORIE On National Conference You referred to National Conference, but I am also aware that many people are talking about Sovereign National Conference, while some are calling for Constitutional Conference. So I really need to know what exactly the people have in mind, whether it is just a Constitutional Conference, a National Conference, an ordinary conference, or a Sovereign National Conference. I participated in the Constitutional Conference of 19941995 under the administration of the late General Sani Abacha. I was one of those who put together the draft constitution that we submitted in 1995. I have no problem with all of these conferences, but to talk of Sovereign National Conference is a concept that I don’t agree with, because we already have a government in place, we have a Constitution in place, there is a constitutional order which is why there are laws, which is why there are institutions. The Supreme Court, the National Assembly, all derive their legitimacy and continued existence from the 1999 Constitution ( as amended); that Constitution does not envisage a Sovereign National Conference. My understanding of what a Sovereign National Conference is all about is that, that entity, that conference will have sovereign authority, which means that its authority will be superior to that of Mr President, will be superior to that of Supreme Court, will be superior to the authority of the National Assembly and the Houses of Assembly. You can see the monstrosity of the kind of thing we are talking about. A Sovereign National Conference in countries that have had such thing, it had the power to dissolve the judiciary, had the power to dissolve the courts. So, when people say they need Sovereign National Conference in Nigeria, are they envisaging an entity that can sack the Supreme Court, because that has happened in some countries? Are they envisaging that such a body can remove the President? Are they envisaging that such an entity can sack the National Assembly? If the conference will not be able to exercise these powers, then it is not a Sovereign National Conference. And my fear is that, if by some means, somebody decides that we are going to have Sovereign National Conference, you will find out that people will go to court to challenge the authority of that conference. If we can borrow from the Egyptian experience, when they had Sovereign National Conference that

National Conference or Constitutional Conference or we need a fresh start, Professor Ben Nwabueze. I was reading an address he presented in Uyo recently; he outlined the items that he would want tabled at the National Conference that he is advocating. If you look at all those items, apart from the issue of referendum that ‘let the people decide,’ all the other items are the matters that the National Assembly can handle in conjunction with the states Houses of Assembly by way of amendment of the Constitution and they are doing some of them now, like devolution of power. There is too much concentration of powers at the federal level.

You are aware that the National Assembly has already decided that many items would be moved from the exclusive list to the concurrent list. In other words, strengthening federalism, strengthening the capacity of the states to go into some of these items that were previously reserved for the federal level, those are the things Nwabueze says we should come and discuss at the National Conference. So, 90 percent of what people want to be discussed at the National Conference can be discussed through the mechanisms recognized in Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, through the National Assembly with the approval of two third of the Houses of Assembly in the states. On the issue of “we, the people,” first of all, I will say people are making mountain out of a molehill.

The question is, do we have a Constitution now or we don’t have?

There is no doubt in anybody’s mind including the advocates of Sovereign National Conference that we have a Constitution.

So, if we have a Constitution, why are you spitting hell? There are so many things that should engage our minds as a country. Even Professor Nwabueze mentioned the issue of justiciability. One of the short comings in the 1999 Constitution is chapter two which talks about the fundamental rights of the people, that

sacked the regime of Hosni Mubarak but left the country’s judiciary intact, the judiciary now declared illegal the body that drafted a new Constitution and also by implication declared unconstitutional and illegal the Constitution that was drafted by that illegal sovereign entity; is that the kind of confusion that we want to bring unto ourselves in Nigeria? If we attempt it, I can imagine that there will be many courts in Nigeria that will declare that conference unconstitutional and illegal and, whatever draft or Constitution that emerges from it would be declared illegal; and, once that happens, we would find ourselves in the situation we were *Osunbor...People don’t respect the Constitution in 1993, when Justice Dolapo Akinsanya declared we said parliamentary system of the Interim National Government of government is not good, we Chief Ernest Shonekan illegal and abandoned that and went for the unconstitutional, and that was the presidential system of government, reason Abacha struck and removed we started it in 1979; all of a sudden, the Interim National Government. So, people were saying the system was the lesson we should draw from this is not good , let’s go back to that if you constitute a body with parliamentary system; must we sovereign powers which we do not continue to move like a yoyo, going have any power to do now, a court up and down. Those who are will declare that entity illegal and operating parliamentary system of unconstitutional, there will be a government and are doing so constitutional void, a constitutional successfully are human beings. If vacuum in Nigeria which any parliamentary system can work in adventurist or opportunist can then those societies, why can’t it work in take advantage of and step in, Nigeria? There are because nature abhors a vacuum. countries that are There is the argument that the operating presidential And my fear is that, if by National Political Conference held system and they are some means, somebody under the administration of former doing so successfully President Olusegun Obasanjo decides that we are going because they want to couldn’t achieve the dream of to have Sovereign National make success of it. If we Nigerians, and that any National resolve to make a success Conference, you will find out Conference held now may go the of our presidential system that people will go to court same way. Do you share that of government it will mindset? to challenge the authority of succeed, because no What has been very lacking in system will work in that conference Nigeria is that people do not respect Nigeria unless the people the Constitution. People do not talks about free health, free housing resolve that we make what we have a respect law and order. The answer is and all of that, how do we make this success. So, I want us to make a that if we keep experimenting, if we justiciable in Nigeria? And there is a success of what we have, we should keep starting afresh, every now and school of thought which says that be patient, because we have never then, because we have made so many those can be made justiciable by an given Nigeria the time for our system, fresh start in the history of Nigeria, enactment of the National Assembly; for our institution to develop and take we have not had the patience to allow so let us engage the National root firmly. what we have to take root firmly and Assembly and see how the well- being What will work for us as a country? to operate successfully, we are always of the ordinary Nigerian can be very impatient…… we started with the What we have now can work. I was enhanced through providing for the reading one of the most outspoken parliamentary system of government, justiciability of those provisions. advocates of whether we should have

SUND AY SUNDA

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Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 17

seen council chairmen mismanage council funds.

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE, BENIN

What is your position on the alleged jumbo pay for lawmakers? Many people believe they get so much and give so little.

ENATOR Domingo Alaba Obende represents Edo North in the Senate. In this interview, he speaks on the National Conference proposed by President Goodluck Jonathan, insisting that nothing good will come out of it as it is meant to keep Nigerians busy. He also speaks on ‘ jumbo salaries’ for legislators, among other national issues.

Excerpts: How do you view the proposed National Conference by President Goodluck Jonathan?

Sometimes, a lot of things that happen come with an agenda. I have always said that the people that sit down to draft the agenda of a meeting know exactly why the meeting is being held. As far as I am concerned, I don’t see anything tangible that is going to come out of the National Conference. If we want to have a Sovereign National Conference, let us have it, but if it is a National Conference that we are going to nominate people or government will select people to go and debate the situation of Nigeria, obviously we can’t get result that is going to be people-friendly. It can never be people- friendly because they have an agenda and it is that agenda that will be driven into the mind of the committee. It is like writing a report before the sitting of a committee. I also look at it as a way of keeping Nigerians busy in the sense that they will set up committees. Very soon, you will see people struggling to be members of these committees and that alone will destabilize a couple of things such that the real issue of governance will be avoided until it is time for election. I don’t think Nigerians should be treated in this manner. If we want to hit the nail on the head, let Nigerians sit down and discuss the future. We have always believed that Nigeria cannot break; yes if there are skirmishes here and there or issues that are not going on well with; if we are talking about federalism in the real sense of it, it is not only in the physical structure, it has to do with everything. If we must sit down to negotiate, I don’t think a National Conference is what we need.

If it is a Sovereign National Conference, for instance, you can find people who could not even speak English but know what they want, they will come there. So, to me, it is like an agenda that is clearly known to those that are setting up the committee.

What is your reaction to the fear that National Assembly members are trying to bring in sentiments into the review of the 1999 Constitution contrary to what the people wanted during the various constituency meetings?

We had public hearings. The House of Representatives members went into federal constituencies and the senators into senatorial districts. What the House of Representatives did is like a Sovereign National Conference where everybody in the local governments was involved. They aired their feelings but, sometimes, what we perceive there is that the right thing might not be the right C M Y K

The Senate has dealt with this over and over again. When you use the term, jumbo pay, I don’t know in which context, but I know what my salary is. I don’t earn up to one million naira a month. It is glaring, the banks are there, and the money is paid directly to the banks. Like the Senate spokesman said recently, let this debate be for the three arms of government, let us organize a debate, we want to know how much they are spending in the Villa. Even CBN that is just an organization, its budget is more than N350 billion a year. How many people do they have as employees and you come to the National Assembly where we have well over 5, 000 management staff, and paying our salaries and over head and we are using less than three per cent of the annual budget while a ministry uses well over eight per cent of the country’s annual budget. And what are many of these ministers doing? For how many years now, have you seen roads being constructed?

So, we are saying that the money going to the Federal Government is too much, and that many of the things it does have to be decentralized.

Let’s send this money to the states and local governments so that there will be nothing that will be attractive at the centre.

What are your expectations from the APC? We call it a new party but you know it is an old wine in a new bottle. We

Why we are sceptical about National Conference, by Senator Obende thing after all. For instance, when we look at the issue of immunity where the House of Representatives came up that immunity clause should be removed; that is what the people said because some of these people have been governed by people who have no idea of what governance is all about; people who believe that to be in government is to steal government money and, of course, the villager, the city man, the sub-urban person look at it that it is because this man has immunity, that is why he is stealing our money, let us remove the immunity so that we can jail him even while he is still governor. That is part of the vexations that were ventilated in the course of this constitution review from different public fora.

Then talk about the local government, I have never been in support that local governments should have financial autonomy; we have two federating units: the Federal Government and the state. The Federal Government has the ministries and ministers, states don’t have control over them and they collect almost 50 per cent of the nation’s budget ; the states have about twenty percent of the budget

It can never be peoplefriendly because they have an agenda and it is that agenda that will be driven into the mind of the committee. It is like writing a report before the sitting of a committee and local government is part of the state as a federating unit. I cannot imagine where the Federal Government would be conducting elections in councils for instance where they can rig and create tension for the state and where the council chairmen will not be answerable to the state governors, I do not see any sense in it.

Administratively, yes they can have it but, financial autonomy, I disagree.

For how many years now, we have

all came from our different parties.

What we are doing now is synergizing. This is a marriage of more than three political parties and we obviously have an internal cleansing to get done, an internal arrangement and that is why you find out that it has been quiet because we feel that when you are arranging your house, it should be a family business.

It is PDP that cannot do their family business in quietness, they go on the pages of newspapers, they even bring their matter to the National Assembly, but we are doing our own to be different. So APC is going to significantly clear some states come 2015.

Are you going to re-contest in 2015?

I did say that to whom much is given, much is also expected. My people gave me votes and I have not disappointed them. I can point out projects that I have done and that I am doing that for the past twelve years in a way that has never been done before. We have realized that the people voted for us and we must do exactly what the people want us to do for.

PAGE 18—SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013

AT 86 Why I am establishing a University of Technology, by Chief E.K.Clark •Foundation to be inaugurated October 21 •On National Conference: Jonathan got it right Chief Edwin Clark, Ijaw leader, elder statesman and politician with great interest in education, in this interview, explains why he is working tirelessly to set up a University of Technology in his hometown of Kiagbodo in Delta State, at the age of 86.

Clark, who served as a Commissioner for Education under the Brig. Samuel Ogbemudia administration in the old Bendel State, says he wants to leave the Edwin Clark University of Technology, which modalities for take-off in January 2014 are being worked out with the National Universities Commission, as a parting gift and legacy to humanity. Excerpts:

BY SONI DANIEL

W

HAT is the motivation for setting up a university at the age of

86?

I really want to give something back to society knowing that God may call me home any day. When I was 85 last year, it came to my mind that I should do something by way of leaving a legacy behind, such that after it has pleased God to take me home, there would be something for

many Nigerians to still use and remember me for. It is better than building estates, which have split many families. I am even trying to reconcile many families, which have been set apart as a result of the sharing family estates left behind by their parents. Some are in court and there is no end in sight despite interventions by elders. There is a case of a brother and a sister of the same parents, who are already at the Supreme Court over their father’s property. So, I feel that it is better to learn from those experiences

that one should have legacies that their children will be proud of and be of benefit to other Nigerians.

So I thought about it and came to the conclusion that leaving a legacy in the education sector would be the best thing for me to do. I also remember that when I was young, I taught as a pupil-teacher; that was in 1947.

I remember that I wanted to go to Government College, Ughelli, like my brothers and when we went before the officials- made up of S. U. Etuk, Mr. Joe Irukwu, who was then the Senior Education Officer for the Delta, and Anthony Enahoro, at the panel for the Government College Warri, they said I was too old to be admitted and I was therefore rejected for my younger brother, Ambassador B. A. Clark, who was Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Prof J.P. Clark. They went to Government College, Ughelli. So I was told to go to Abraka Government Teachers’ College and, when I got there, they said I was too young to be enrolled. So, I had to go and teach as pupil-teacher in 1949. I

When I was 85 last year, it came to my mind that I should do something by way of leaving a legacy behind, such that after it has pleased God to take me home, there would be something for many Nigerians to still use and remember me for later became headmaster of schools. Thereafter, I went to Great Britain to study Law. So, when I returned in 1965, I started practice and was appointed by the then Col. Samuel Ogbemudia in 1968 as the Commissioner for Education. I was very interested in education and I started working to improve the situation for the interest of our people. At that time, there was only one grammar school and one teacher training college in the whole western Ijaw. My governor was very understanding and, through his effort and mine, we

established ten more grammar schools in the area and others in some of the parts that are now in Bayelsa State. Thereafter, we proposed that girls should be given scholarship right from secondary school to the university level. We did the same for the boys. So, I can tell you that I have been following education from my youth.

Unfortunately, we are still disadvantaged educationally and we need to do something to

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SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 19

Continued from page 18 change the sad situation. There have been many private universities going on in the country and none has come to our area apart from the

Bayelsa State University. The Ijaw has no university. That is why the idea of establishing a first class private university of technology in my hometown of Kiagbodo came to my mind. If it pleases God for me to still be alive, I would be happy to see Nigerians from all walks of life coming to study in my hometown and that is my desire to promote national unity and cohesion.

The other side of it is that the University of Benin, which I assisted in founding when I was a commissioner under Ogbemudia, was meant to produce technologists and scientists for the nation. All this shows that I have been thinking of science and technology and I believe that I should set up a university of technology with the help of my associates and friends. I have a foundation known as Chief Edwin Clark Foundation and I am going to be the proprietor of the university. The trustees are men of integrity drawn from all parts of Nigeria. So it is never too late to set up the university and, when I die, others are there to run it for the sake of humanity.

Who is going to provide the funds for the university to make the required impact you have talked about?

Funding can never be a problem for the university, given the fact that it is what has been on the drawing board for some time. I had looked at it before coming to the stage. I have consulted widely and I don’t think that money would be a problem because of the huge goodwill that I have established over the years and the high level of consultation with credible individuals and experts in the field. People from all over the world will certainly support me.

Even if I am gone, the trustees would raise the necessary funding to get the institution running. We are starting with two faculties-Applied and Social Sciences. Some of the buildings are already up. When I said that I wanted to start, some of my boys in the Niger Delta voluntarily sent me materialstruck loads of cement, rods and sand-to get the work started.

Some of them even go there to drop materials without my knowledge. And we are going to launch the fund for the university under the name of the EK Clark Foundation on October 21. I am inviting all men of goodwill, including Mr. President, who is expected to serve as the Special Guest of Honour and my old boss, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, who has agreed to chair the occasion, a renowned personality from the United States of America, the legendary Rev. Jesse Jackson, who is to deliver the keynote address, and some other prominent Nigerians who are my friends and who believe in what I am doing and in one Nigeria. It is not a one-day thing and so money can never be a problem. It will be done little by little.

When will the first set of students start classes there?

Immediately we get the goahead from the National C M Y K

‘Why I am establishing a University of Technology’

Chief Edwin Clark...University will make impact Universities Commission, we will fling our doors open to the first set of students. We have applied and paid all the prescribed fees and some of the NUC officials have been going to the site to see that we have done. Once the launching has been done and we get the green light, we hope to start in January 2014. I want to see the first set of students and personally welcome them to my village and give them my blessing as a lover and promoter of education in Nigeria.

Do you think that you will have the required human capital to run such a specialised institution given the high level of brain drain to other parts of the world?

technological things we require. We will soon sign a memorandum of understanding with the institution and others around the world for the strengthening of the new university.

What is the name of the university and what target have you set for it?

We have put all the things required by the NUC in place.

First, we have met the three mandatory requirements put up by the NUC. One, we have the master plan, we have acquired over 124 hectares of land in my hometown and the buildings are going on, we have provided an academic brief for ten years and the law governing the university.

If it pleases God for me to still be alive, I would be happy to see Nigerians from all walks of life coming to study in my hometown and that is my desire to promote national unity and cohesion First of all, charity, they say, begins at home. I have been making contacts and the people are available for the job. To start with, the University of Benin, which I helped to set up, has agreed to be part of the preparation for my own university. UNIBEN has set

up an eight-man committee of professors to liaise with the upcoming university to see what they can do to make the new one a success. We will depend on them and others to make it work. We have also gone abroad to seek help for the new institution. We have made contacts with the Chicago State University to supply us with some of the

These three documents have already been submitted to the NUC. I personally went there

because of my interest and they were surprised to see me with other key officials of the EK Clark Foundation. They were happy to see us. With regard to the name of the university, the first thing that came to my mind was Niger Delta University but it was rejected by the NUC on the grounds that there was already the Niger Delta University in Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State. I was advised to choose another name. They even suggested

to me that given my numerous contributions to education, the new university could be named after me. I reluctantly accepted that the university be named after me and that is why it is called, named and addressed as Edwin Clark University of Technology, Kiagbodo.

S

o what targets have you set for the university?

I may not be around in the next ten years but I have a dream that whether I am around or not, the university will make its mark in the world. I am certain that all will be well with it. That is my dream and hope. Nigerians will one day be proud of the setting up of the university and through it remember that there was a man like Chief EK Clark. That is my wish and expectation whether I am alive or not.

What do you make of Mr. President’s plan for a National Dialogue? Do you think it can change anything in Nigeria?

It will certainly change everything in Nigeria. I think that this is the greatest thing Mr. President has done in Nigeria.

People had been looking at him as one who does not have the courage to do certain things but, today, he has proved his critics wrong. Many heads of state, including military leaders, did not have the courage to establish a National Conference. Some believed it would take away their powers; others thought it was a challenge to their administrations.

During Obasanjo’s regime, a National Conference was called but nothing happened. So, in the end, the man they thought would not be able to do it has developed the political will and the courage and has done it. That is why some of these people who were calling for the conference are drawing back, saying that he has a hidden agenda. The people of Nigeria are solidly behind President Jonathan and, if there is anything that has soared his rating, it is his announcement of a National Conference. So, we support it. Let us sit down and discuss the basis of our existence

as a country. We believe in one Nigeria but nobody was ever consulted when the amalgamation was done in 1914. So many things have happened and some of the people think that they are superior to others while others feel they are inferior to others in their own country. So let us sit down and talk about revenue allocation and resource control. If I am not around others will bring them up. A situation where you have disparity in the allocation of local governments areas and disparity in representation in the parliament not based on any known parameter is quite unfair. These are the things we should talk about during the conference and no one should be afraid to discuss. To me, Nigerians should be treated as equal partners. To me, every Nigerian should be seen as equal. This is the greatest thing that has happened to Nigeria.

Where did Nigeria derail as a nation?

I am an optimist and Nigeria has not failed so far. We fought a civil war and we are un ited today. There is the tendency for people to emphasise the things we are yet to achieve instead of celebrating our success as a united country.

To many, Nigeria is a failed country because they are not in

government and are not controlling any position. I don’t believe in that. We have done our best, and as far as I know, no African country has done better than Nigeria.

People talk about Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. We must have gone wrong somewhere but we have not failed.

For instance, if the Southwest alone were to be a country on its own, it would have been better than Ghana.

We must be allowed to develop at own pace and make progress as a nation.

This was the situation in the past when each of the regions was allowed to develop on their own. The West had more money from cocoa and that was why Awolowo introduced free education when the others could not because they did not have the same amount of money like the West. States should be able to generate their own revenue and spend for the development of their states in a competitive way. If this is done, Nigeria would be a great country.

The National Conference will create a better avenue for Nigeria to flourish.

POSTSCRIPT

The E.K. CLARK FOUNDATION will be launched in Abuja on Monday, October 21 st by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

The FOUNDATION seeks N50 billion funding for the E.K. Clark University of Technology in KIAGBODO.

PAGE 20—SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013

Nigeria is in deep financial crisis — Oshiomhole • Says cash crunch worst since 1999 • ’My problem with fellow governors over minimum wage’ • Speaks on the challenges of kidnapping, Okada

SIMON EBEGBULEM, Benin City

W

hy was Governor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole of Edo State involved in a solidarity march organized by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja to protest over minimum wage?

He explains, in this interview, the reason, despite being a governor, he kept faith with Labour, his primary constituency. He raises the alarm that the Federal Government is killing the economy of states with irregular Federal Allocations, saying the situation poses danger to the nation’s democracy. Oshiomhole also speaks on the prevalence of kidnapping in his state among several other issues.

Excerpts: C M Y K

The nation just celebrated its independence anniversary, but many Nigerians believe there is nothing to celebrate. Are they right?

We have a lot to celebrate. I think it is important to celebrate. Those who don’t want to celebrate can at least mark the day because it is important in the life of our nation. For the fact that we have the right to govern ourselves, not to be treated as second class humans who are incapable of presiding over our own affairs, we need to celebrate. I know that there are a lot of deficit because of the situation we found ourselves in. Not celebrate the fact that there is no hunger in the land because there is hunger. Not celebrate the fact that all our young people are gainfully employed, no, many people deserve jobs that are not there. Not celebrate the fact that we have attained all our development potentials, no, there is still a huge gap between the rich and the poor.

But as they say, if there is life there is hope. In any event, for all those who are disappointed and I am one of them, this occasion also offers us an opportunity to reflect on what is it that we have failed to do, why are we where we are so that we can make the future better. But no matter how you want to talk about our problem, I am one of those who believe that the Nigerian nation is much more than the sub-total of all the problems that we want to talk about. We have cause to celebrate.

We were surprised to see you protesting with NLC in Abuja over minimum wage. Why was Governor Oshiomhole protesting with Labour?

The mistake people make in life is to forget where

they are coming from. I am conscious of the fact that I coming from the organized Labour, that the asset that I invested in my struggle to reclaim my victory for the governorship of Edo State was my labour struggles and the struggles of my colleagues and comrades in labour. And the promise of democracy is to improve on the quality of lives of the citizens.

The primary purpose of all of us, 36 governors and one President is the welfare of Nigerians. If what we do does not translate to welfare, then our legitimacy can be questioned.

And the responsibility of government everywhere in the world is to protect the weak from those who are extremely powerful. And the logic of the minimum wage is that for those workers who don’t have the muscle to organize strike, the government, the state should make a law to protect the most brutal employer from violating the basic right of the worker; that guarantees him a manageable pay. UK has a national minimum wage although it is hourly rate just like the US. If a government cannot protect the worker, what can it do? So, my point is that I was telling my colleagues that I will never agree with them on that issue and I will not only disagree quietly at the Governors Forum; that I will go publicly to disagree. As we speak, I am hired and employed by the Edo electorate, nobody in Abuja has hand in my election except those who registered here and who came to vote. Yet my salary is not fixed by Edo people even though Edo people pay it. My salary is fixed by the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission

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SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 21

Continued from page 20 which is a Federal Government agency entrenched in the Constitution. So if Abuja fixes the pay of the governor, Abuja fixes the pay of the councilor, Abuja fixes the pay of the commissioner, Abuja fixes the pay of the Chief Judge, Abuja fixes the pay of the House of Assembly members, why should Abuja not fix the pay of the least paid worker? We cannot selectively apply the principle of federalism. If we have become such a federal state, that every state determines its own compensation structure, let’s begin with ourselves. There is no reason I should earn the same pay as Delta because Delta, though younger, is richer than Edo State. I should not earn the same salary as Akwa Ibom, because Akwa Ibom’s revenue, while we are talking about N3-4billion here, is about N35billion monthly. So, why should Abuja fix my pay as Akwa Ibom as if we earn the same allocation? Akwa Ibom people should determine what they pay, Edo people should determine what they pay their workers. My point is, this is hypocrisy; you cannot selectively apply the principle of federalism. When it has to do with the ruling class, we invoke federal principle; but when you have to deal with the labourers, the forgotten majority, you now say, ‘let everybody pay according to its ability’. But that should start with government; that should start with the Chief Judge.

The permanent constituency that I can never divorce from is Labour. I can’t be alive in government and be a party to a group that met to remove the gains that Labour had achieved when I was in organized Labour. The point is none of my brother governors will be surprised because I told them I don’t agree with the logic, I do not agree with the argument and that I was going to publicly disassociate myself from that place. Government missed the point, this minimum wage of N18, 000 was not imposed by NLC; every state was represented but the truth is that many states were represented without necessarily consulting with their governors because the governors did not show much interest in the matter. If we show as much interest in the issue of minimum wage as we show on the issue of the Federation Account, our own representative would not have gone to make recommendation that we cannot live with. There were states whose representatives were ready to propose N40, 000, some N30, 000 and that was because the person representing the state never discussed with his governor or with his accounts people. But it shows that they did not place much premium on that issue. For me, it is about being consistent but don’t be surprised that there are many other things I will join in the protest if I think the welfare of the people is at stake.

This issue of Federal Allocations, many states today cannot pay salaries to workers. What actually is the problem? Is it that the Federal Government is broke?

I don’t know if the Federal Government is broke, but I know there is a serious financial crisis and it is unprecedented in the history of this country. That for the first time since 1999, allocations can no longer come as and when due to states is shocking.

I have been involved in trying to un-

‘My problem with fellow governors over minimum wage’ barrels per day, so the question is what you are doing with the balance of 355,000? You take 455,000 barrels a day to refine, even when your refineries are not working. So, where is the money? If you multiply one hundred and nine dollars by 455,000 barrels per day, you will imagine the kind of money NNPC ought to be paying into the Federation Account. And from some of the figures that have been thrown around, NNPC is owing the Federation Account over N2.3trillion.

And Edo has share of that amount that will run into several billions of naira.

Last month, many states could not pay salaries, but in Edo we were able to pay with our IGR. Even the Federal Government could not pay salaries, I think they paid July salaries around the 14th of August. But we paid August salaries in August.

Oshiomhole...We cannot

selectively apply federalism principle

I don’t know if the Federal Government is broke, but I know there is a serious financial crisis and it is unprecedented in the history of this country. That for the first time since 1999, allocations can no longer come as and when due to states is shocking derstand what the reasons are and I have not seen anything yet. Two years ago, it was about the kind of money we were spending on subsidy. In no time, following series of probes and enquiries by the National Assembly and by the Presidency, they have since discovered the kind of money they stole as regards subsidy, all the people that conspired with them and I believe the EFCC is dealing with that. But just as we are dealing with that, now we begin to hear about the theft of our crude oil such that what is accruing to the Federation Account is not enough to meet budgetary provision. This year’s budget was based on 79 dollars per barrel, and about 2.4, 2.5million barrels per day. Now the bad news is that contrary to all the forecast, nothing is getting better. And it is sad that we are not doing enough to change things for the better, the challenge of government in any part of the world is to deal with the issues. If the economy is not doing well, you do certain things differently and recover. Well, it is no more a matter for debate, we are ten

months into the year and oil has performed very well, at about one hundred and five, one hundred and ten dollars per barrel throughout 2013.

This means that if we have budgetary provision of 79 dollars, we ought to have a surplus of about 30 per cent, which should be in the crude oil account. But rather than having this surplus, we are witnessing a situation where Federal Allocations no longer come as and when due, states can’t pay salaries. In Edo State, like the rest of our 35 states, part of our July allocations has not been paid. About a third of our August allocations have not been paid and nothing has been paid for September allocations. And it is the first time since 1999 that this thing has happened.

NNPC owes us explanation The explanation by NNPC is completely watery. They collect 455,000 barrels per day for domestic refinery, but they also agreed that the refineries are not working, that at the very best, they cannot refine more than 100,000

National disaster Just to say that whether we use the word broke or you deny the word broke, the truth is that there is financial crisis in Nigeria which has very serious national security implication because when we can’t pay salaries, Federal Government can’t pay salaries as and when due, and you can’t pay your contractors and your contractors will begin to retrench their workers, that is a recipe for national disaster.

So I am hoping that NNPC should wake up and meet its obligation to the Federation Account, otherwise the integrity of government is at stake. If I can’t keep my promise, Federal Government can’t keep its promise, all other governors can’t keep their promise, the Nigeria electorate will be so disillusioned and it will be a disaster.

So, I am hoping that NNPC recognizes that it cannot be business as usual and they have few cases to answer as far as I am concerned.

Kidnapping in Edo State is worrisome. What is the problem?

It is not only in Edo State but all over the country. In fact, Edo State is the safest in the South-south. This has to do with our national security and the Federal Government must do much more because they are in control of the security agencies, the army, the police, the SSS, NSCDC; none of these is under the control of the states. The ones we have is the one called vigilante group and it is prohibited by law. So it is important that Nigerians recognize the limitations of any state government. All we do is that from time to time we try to procure vehicles, communications gadgets, pay allowances to officers and men and have been doing very dangerous jobs to protect us, especially officers who lost their lives in security matters.

Having said that, I want to also say that, unfortunately, the media is not helping matters because when you go publishing not just the fact that the person has been kidnapped, sometimes you write how much the kidnappers are also demanding. Even young innocent people are reminded that kidnapping is a lucrative business when they read the amount being

Continues on page 22

PAGE 22—SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013

Continued from page 21 demanded or paid. You also inform the public that people are protesting, carrying placard that the person must be released; I ask myself, are you appealing to the conscience of a criminal, does he have conscience?. Like when you people were writing that Ozekhome must be released, you were just endangering the life of the victim because the people now know this is an important person in the society that the entire community is demanding his release and therefore the stakes are higher for him. So if you are so important the ransom must be higher. So obviously when the media reports things like this, you become part of security challenges and you hike the stake, you enlighten the kidnappers or inadvertently sensitize the younger ones on the kind of reward you get in kidnapping.

What is happening to the law on kidnapping passed by the state House of Assembly?

We do have a law on kidnapping. But what we are trying to sort out is amendment. There are two types of kidnappers. We have the deadly ones, like those who kidnapped Ozekhome.

They killed policemen; they were known to have killed a former deputy governor, so they are murderers, kidnappers and armed robbers. Even under the existing law, death penalty will be their portion if prosecuted. I also know that from my interaction with kidnappers who have been paraded, some kidnap their victims and free them after receiving the ransom.

The issue for me is that should the state kill someone who kidnapped somebody and collected N200, 000, should he have the same punishment with someone who kidnapped and raped someone? Should they get the same death penalty? That to me is the issue. My position is, in order to discourage murder, we should try and make a distinction between those who killed and those who did not kill. Those who did not kill, I think they should have a right to life, but those who killed and if you are caught, obviously you will be sentenced to death and I will append my signature. I have no sympathy for people who have resorted to killing.

So, I am discussing with the House that we should make a distinction, kidnappers who did not kill their victims can bag life imprisonment, or any number of jail terms as the law prescribes, but those who kill, there is nothing to negotiate, if you are caught I will sign your death penalty.

Banning Okada

I tell you this was the most difficult decision I have had to take. I really had to reflect on my oath of office and implemented the essential part of my oath of office which says that I shall not allow my personal interest to override public interest. I am very grateful to the people of Edo State across the 18 local government areas. I think I can boast that so far the only governor that has enjoyed the majority vote in each of the 18 local government areas, I am humbled by that gesture. In democracy, the state should be the most important source of protection for ordinary citizens because the rich can buy their private aircraft, build their private roads, they can fly overseas for treatment but the ordinary man cannot.

Yes, Okada people are my people; they followed me throughout my campaign and supported me. Yes, I earlier said I will not ban Okada and I was honest with that. But what I didn’t know was that I was inadvertently inviting more people to come to Edo and use Okada. They banned

The issue for me is that should the state kill someone who kidnapped somebody and collected N200, 000, should he have the same punishment with someone who kidnapped and raped someone?

Should they get the same death penalty?

Okada in Nasarawa, Delta and many other states and all of them were driving down to Edo because they have a comrade-governor. But I later discovered that it was posing serious security challenges. It was a very painful decision i had to take in the interest of the state.

But we are procuring vehicles and I believe that every bike rider can easily become a taxi driver which is far better. They will become taxi owners; we are working that out with some banks.

People complain about multiple tax in Edo. What is your administration doing to streamline your tax policy?

demobilize during raining season and remobilize during dry season. What you will find a responsible contractor doing could be working on the drainage and if you go to Mission Road you will find they are working on the side drain. So it is not true that we have been slow in the execution of projects; just like my first term, we are still firing from all cylinders.

On flooding, we all know the situation before we came into government, how Benin used to be each time it rained.

But thank God we have been able to tackle it with our Benin water storm project; we have not been able to solve all the problems but we have found solution to many. Today you can no longer see flooding at 5-Junction and many other areas.

Oshiomhole...We must make distinction between killer

kidnappers and others

The challenges of kidnapping, Okada,

by Oshiomhole First, I discovered of late that in some local governments, people masquerade as traffic controllers and are busy detaining people and hijacking vehicles, side by side with the state traffic management agencies.

So you are dealing with local government traffic managers and state in addition with the Federal Road Safety Commission. We held a meeting with local government councils and we said the law is clear, local governments do not have the powers to impound cars and harass road users. I warned that if it continues anybody that is caught will be dealt with according to the law. So if you find anybody who is not from Edo State Road Traffic Management Agency who says he is working for a local government, it is illegal. Even for those who are with the Edo State Traffic Management Board, I have also directed the commissioner that they must discontinue harassing road users. Your duty is to ensure that traffic flows and that is why I feel embarrassed when people refer to them as Oshiomhole police. Oshiomhole does not behave like this. The whole idea is that they should ensure that people park at the right places. I told them if you know that the place is reserved for no parking, mark it so that somebody will not pack. But it is not when there is no sign there and someone parks you now want to harass the person. You must be civil when conducting your duties. We must treat people with utmost respect, but if the of-

fender decides to go to prison by breaking the law, we will send him to prison.

As regards environmental levy, if you go to Mission Road and other roads, you will discover how dirty the places are, so the people operating there have to pay for people to carry the dirt, not paying to government.

There is no way I will use tax payers money to manage your waste, you have to pay to manage your waste. Again, government is a huge organization; there are lots of things that all manner of people do in the name of the state. Some of them are totally illegal. But I think the problem too is that for a long time, Nigerians are not used to paying taxes. You will also understand the fact that our people feel that there is free money coming from the Niger Delta that they think you can share. But, as we are talking now, we have not seen anything from Abuja; last month, part of our money has not come; a month before, part of the money has not come. So we have to look inward to survive as a state.

Flooding/ pace of work in Edo

The truth is that during raining season, you cannot deploy bulldozers.

During raining season, you can’t construct any road. So the contractors

Challenges

Edo was part of the old Midwest, the only region created democratically on the basis of a plebiscite and thereafter every other state was created through military fiat. Our founding fathers believe and I believe, too, that we needed to free ourselves from external control. And if you look back, we can never question the wisdom of those who struggled for the creation of Mid-west Region and subsequently Edo State by military fiat. Even before I got here, a couple of achievements had been recorded.

When we came, the state was too poor to even pay civil servants, the roads were in bad shape, erosion was ravaging everywhere, rural areas, most of them inaccessible. There was no road in Benin that had street lights, none had functioning drainage, side drains. Just last week, chairman of Esan Professionals came to remind me that our first meeting in 2009, few months after my assumption of office, they shared with me their disappointment about quality of education, road network, water supply, etc, they thought I was going to be angry, but I told them I appreciated the catalogue of problems. When they came last week, some of them told me they were able to drive from Irrua all the way to Delta courtesy of the road that we have constructed in Esanland. When we started they said we were only planting flowers, later they said I was not doing anything in Edo North but the latest is that they said all the things I have been doing is in Edo North.

We don’t have much in the state but all we did was to seriously deploy the resources available to us as a state to do the best we can. Yes we have challenges if we had the kind of resources that some states have, we will triple the amount of development that we have here.

SUND AY Vanguard , OCTOBER 13 , 2013, P AGE 23 SUNDA

Must a mistress always come second?

C

OULD getting di vorced be a sign of providence’s better life for you? For close to two years, Kunbi nursed the demise of a marriage that didn’t last four years. “I wasn’t really heartbroken, just angry,” she said “When I met Nelson my ex, I already had this man I was really in love with - but he was married. In spite of that, he took very good care of me. He made me understand that whenever I got married, he would still support me in every way he could.

“When I met Nelson , he had a good job, a reasonably furnished flat and a functional car. He was a bit intimidated by my plush flat and expensive car but I told him he shouldn’t let all that bother him - he would always be the bread winner of the family. Secretly though, I wondered at the type of bread he would be winning with the salary he earned.

Thanks to John, my ‘benefactor ’, I had a showstopping wedding. Settling down was the problem. Nelson’s housekeeping allowance was really • laughable and there were times I actually recoiled at his touching me in the bedroom With hindsight, I shouldn’t have gotten married to him at all. It

was all John’s fault.

He told me that even though he didn’t love his wife, he loved the four children of the union and wouldn’t want any scandal. .: “After I had the only child of the marriage, Nelson wanted another one almost immediately.

I told him I was all for it.

I didn’t tell him I went back to the pill as soon as I stopped breast-feeding. I’d already resumed sleeping with John anyway - I couldn’t give him up. When Nelson suggested his mum lived with us, I dug my heels in. But he went and brought her in anyway and I moved back to my parents’ house. Four

months later, John had moved me into a well-furnished flat - I was back living the life to which I was accustomed.

“The day I saw him with his wife at a wedding, I nearly chocked on my snigger.

She wore mumsy clothes and fitted my image of a dull, buttoned-up wife. How could John, who was really wild in bed, end up with her? He needed someone as equally passionate to excite him me! I never dress frumpily but from then on, whenever John was in the flat, I pull out all the stops to make our sex really sizzling. And he spent more and more time with me. When his

wife thought he was at a -work conference, he was getting down and dirty in my bedroom. Foam, baths saw us exploring each other ’s bodies under the bubbles. Meal times had us sweeping dinner plates off the table so we could bonk there. Thank goodness my son stayed with my mum most of the time to allow me concentrate on my job. If only she knew!

“Yet John still stayed with his wife. Slowly, doubts were eating me up. John said his marriage was dead , that he’d make our relationship formal when the children were older. But what if he was playing me for a fool? We

couldn’t even go out together for fear of being seen. Did he want me for sex and nothing else? I knew I was being silly because he was so romantic - always writing me love notes and buying me very expensive gifts whenever he travelled - all these gestures often crushed the doubts. This wasn’t just a fling for either of us.

All I had to be was patient.

“I was in bed months later when John came to the flat . ‘My wife’s found out about us,’ he said, looking agitated. How? ‘A nosey-parker sent her a text that: ‘ your husband’s fixing a 29-yearold woman’. We had no idea who could have sent it.’ I was shocked but felt a surge of hope. Would she ask for divorce and send him straight into my arms? ‘She confronted me and I admitted everything but she didn’t seem to care,’ John told me sadly.

Was she mad? Inside, I did a jig of triumph. His wife didn’t even care whom he slept with. Why didn’t he move out so we could live together? `I have to stay for the children,’ he said.

“Our torrid affair continued for months. Then one Saturday afternoon, my phone rang and this snooty woman was at the end of the line. ‘This is John’s wife,’ she

snapped. ‘What do you think you’re doing with my husband?’ Her voice was so calm that I panicked, mumbled sorry and cut off the phone. I immediately called John.

‘Your wife just called me, did you give her my number?’ I asked: ‘No,’ he promised. For the next few months, she kept calling me, urging me to look for a man of my own age. But I couldn’t live without John - we had to keep on seeing each other.

“Our sex life dwindled as she continued to threaten over the phone.

I wanted to march down to their posh house and give her a piece of my mind but as luck would have it , their eldest child who was abroad had their first grandchild and she had to go to help look after the baby.

“We’ve had more time together since she left and John has agreed I could have one or two more children with him.

I know he loves me and I love him unconditionally. I was only angty he wasn’t man enough to stand up to his wife in the beginning. If he had , I wouldn’t have endured a meaningless relationship with Nicholas. Better late than never eh? Once in a while, the mistress has her happy ending!”

08052201867(Text Only)

Feel fit, feel fine

E

VEN if you’re not naturally a fitness fanatic you can manage to stay in fabulous shape, have a skin that is smooth and taut and a body that is flexible and youthful.

You find acrobics, running, weight lifting too strenuous. Don’t worry.

The gentle, stretching movements of yoga exercises will help you get into shape, top up your vitality and relieve stress.

With yoga the accent is on a moderate routine as against striving for unobtainable goals.

A fitness regimen that you can’t keep up with will do you no good. The feeling of not being able to achieve your goals will depress you. On the other hand doing what your body can take will gradually increase your enthusiasm and make the programme a lot more sustainable.

C M Y K

The idea is to be a lifelong practitioner on account the body needs regular exercise. If you

The Carmel

can’t find the time to exercise everyday, then at least exercising every other day will do. Don’t

exercise for less than three times in a week.

Here are a few postures of yoga to practise. Re-

member not to overstrain. And if you have a health problem but want to start exercising, then, do consult your doctor before you do.

THE TWIST OVER Technique: Lying flat on your back with feet together and arms spread out at shoulder level, place your right foot on top of your left thigh. Now bring your left hand to hold your left knee and gently press the left leg down.

In all of this try to keep you back flat down on the floor. Hold the position for some 10 to 13 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Benefits: The twist over endows the spine with suppleness and the digestive organs and kid-

neys get gentle but effective message.

THE SINGLE LEG RAISE Technique; Lie face down with chin on the floor and hands by your sides. Now, take a deep breath and lift up the left leg some 90 degrees from the floor. Breathe normally now as you stay in the posture for some fifteen to twenty counts.

Bring the left leg down and hoist up the right leg in the same manner as before. You may go over this with each leg again.

Benefits: The single leg raise tones the leg muscles as well as burns far on the buttocks.

THE CAMEL Technique: Sit on your

heels and arrange the hands next to the feet with fingers pointing backwards. Now lift yourself up and hump up the chest and left the head drop. This is the Camel, stay in the posture for some 15 counts.

Lower the body, rest a while and repeat.

HEAD TO KNEE (STANDING) Technique: Standing straight up with feet together. Now gently lower the trunk till the fore-head is touching both knees and form a ring with your fore-fingers and thumbs around your big toes. Hold this position for about 10 seconds. Straighten up, rest a little and repeat.

Yoga classes at 32 Adetokunbo Ademola, Yoga classes 32 Adetokunbo Victoria Island,at Lagos, 9.10am onAdemola, Saturdays Yoga classes 32 Ademola Adetokunbo Victoria Island,atLagos, 9.10am on Saturdays Victoria Island, Lagos, 9.10am on Saturdays

PAGE 24—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 13, 2013

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

08056180152,

SMS only

Economic crunch: Now’s the time husbands sell off their properties!

T

HE joke on infla tion is no longer on the working class and the poor to tighten their financial belts to the point of being squeezed to death.

According to Laz, a reputable chartered accountant: ‘’A lot of rich men’s net worth have decreased considerably in the last few years, and most of them are worried about the effect on their wives and children. The average ‘ rich’ man is doing all he could to hide his fall in fortune by taking on debt to pay for his wife’s extravagant clothes and trips to visit the kids in schools abroad. I’ve literally had to sit such men who are my clients down and tell them they had to tell their wives to stop spending so much. The ones who’d managed to land second wives with champagne tastes are scared such wives could leave when their financial situation change so drastically.

“The wealthy seldom speak publicly about their finances, in good times or bad. But, my colleagues who provide services to the wealthy’tell me they are getting an earful about their clients’ financial anxieties. That their’ clients are definitely living on less than they did a couple of years ago.

These financial problems - if they can be called that - will hardly elicit tears from the rest of us who truly know where the shoes pinch, but there really is a quiet nervousness about keeping up appearances amongst the rich. The money is there alright, but its buying power is limp!”

And with a lot of political lepers now littering the streets, the fear of inflation and lack of

ready ‘ national cake’ portions is an issue. ‘’Apart from the fear of the spouses doing a runner when they discover that their net worth has collapsed, friends and business associates (more like fair-weather friends) could avoid them when they are broke. And these snubs could trickle down to their children who might not get invited to posh birthday parties if they switch schools!” said Laz. Before you start feeling really sorry for these poor-rich dudes, they have a lot of buffers the average citizen doesn’t have. They are addressing their distress in discreet and often awkward ways. A lot of them, when they were in the corridors of power, were into real estate and shares. Instead of going to their bankers for yet another overdraft they might not honour, they approach .relevant agents and brokers to sell what they could.

According to Laz: “Most of them will approach you to sell their assets and ask how quickly they can get the payments. The quicker such deals close, the happier they’ll be. Other wealthy clients are cutting luxuries that they think their friends and relatives won’t notice.

For instance, wives are selling precious jewellery they rarely wear because friends wouldn’t notice that they’re gone.

If they sold their jeeps or expensive state-of-theart cars, friends and catty relatives will sneer.” And if you ever wondered what a lot of these ‘society’ ladies do with their expensive aso-ebi after the events they wore them for; the good news is that there is a thriving second-hand market at Idumota for instance,

dustbins, etc. If we wanted to know that kind of stuff, we’d phone our own mothers.

where such are snapped up.

According to reports from posh hairdressing salons, stylists grumble about how customers are stretching their expensive weave-ons and extensions to every three months instead of the recommended four weeks.

“They would rather poach some of our workers to give them home treatments for considerably less, than pay our fees. . Some don’t even bat an eyelid when they sit with other sweaty clients at various markets to get the same results they get at posh· salons for next to nothing!”, complained one of the salon owners.

“The drop in wealth,” continued Laz, “has also exposed other personal problems, like bad marriages . “Money - which bought jewellery and .extravagant parties helped smooth over many matrimonial problems and masked anxiety. Now that its power is dwindling, the wives might not be so sympathetic. Personal trainers

have had to ,be replaced with local Calabar masseuse who charge considerably less and gives clinets the same results”.

If things are this bad for most of the rich and mighty who still have to support their various extended families, heavens only know how well lesser mortals will fare. The problem is not the Naira, it is its purchasing power that has reduced all of us to economists desperate to make ends meet!

The rich might feel depressed flinging off plots of lands andjewellery, but what do the working class and poor have to fling - their cooking pots?!

Things your man will never want to hear There are some things men simply don’t want to know about their current squeeze. Here, Damson Synson, a writer gives the low down on

my Angel compared with other women,your hair is beautiful on your cheeks and falls on your neck like jewels Dave Okpako, dave_okpako11@yahoo.com, 08063577548.

Y

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"

You are my angel!

Like the lily among thorns,so my Angel among women,like the apple among trees of the forest so

Have you found a man?

Find a man who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, who will lie under the stars and listen to your heartbeat, or will stay awake just to watch you sleep… wait for the boy who kisses your forehead, who wants to show you off to the world when you are in sweats, who holds your hand in front of his friends, who thinks you’re just as pretty without make up on. One who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares

topics: that put men off romance!

Anything to do with star signs: Going on about star signs has guys mentally pointing a remote control at you to keep mute. We don’t believe in them and women tend to use them to have a go at us. Telling a guy he’s a ‘typical Gemini’ is another way to say, “You’re fickle and untrustworthy.”

Counting Calories: Eating is sexy. Men like women who like food.

Men do not like women who talk about kilojoules or follow food fads. And remember, on a • first date, the phrase “Not for me, I’m on a diet” is about as attractive as “I’m a stamp-collector” .

What your mother’s up to: Most women phone their mothers far more than most men do. That’s fine, but we don’t want regular updates on her health and her spats with neighbours over unruly

What self-help book says: The titles alone Get off Him! Women Who ‘Love Too Much - are enough to provoke male groans. The irony is that self-help books claim to unlock the secrets to successful relationships. Yet, the second a man sees one in your room, he’ll want to bolt for the door.

Read them, if you must, but please don’t parrot that psychobabble at us.

Unfair accusations: You know, like that old cliche, :’You only snog me when you want to have sex.” I think this is a “good example of a selffulfilling,prophesy. A bunch of girls sit around in a bar whinging about men. One of them;comes up with some specific complaint and then the others go home and look for that behaviour in their blokes - just so they can say ‘’Aha, you’re a typical man!”

Your best friend’s gossip: Unless the story is good enough to repeat in the pub - that is, it involves crushing humiliation, extreme insanity, sex with football players, etcetera - your boyfriend isn’t really all that interested in your friends.

Sorry.

Any menstrual details: As an eight year-old, I was sent to a shop by my older sister to buy her a box of tampax, “Ask for super,” she instructed me. Absolutely mortified, and with an impatient queue behind me, I got too nervous to ask for a plastic bag and cycled home (very fast) with the distinctive blue box perched on the handlebars.

and how lucky he is to have you…. The one who turns to his friends and says, ‘that’s her.’

Because a real man will always honor, love, respect, adore and be faithful to one woman.

Chris Onunaku dekris4real@gmail.com 08032988826/08184844015.

Flame of love

Baby, I know we are miles and miles away from one another, but I always believed that as long as our souls are connected to each other, the flame of our love will burn forever. Only souls can resist death, our physical connection is meaningless.

Pasola Fred Obinna pasola2007@yahoo.co.uk+258865872598

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 25

ALLEGED ‘KING OF KIDNAPPERS’ SAGA

Kokori women in nude march for Kelvin

the destruction of their shrine, declaring that ‘Egba’ shrine was as old as Kokori town.”

Our grouse - Spokesperson Spokes person of the protesters, Madam Irerevwo Oyokoko, called for the release of Kelvin and the arrested chief priest, Michael Omonigho, insisting that government should attend to his (Kelvin) demand, instead of arresting him and terrorizing the entire community with soldiers.

Noting that indigenes of other communities in the Niger Delta that carried arms against government were granted amnesty, Oyokoko asked why Kelvin’s case was different.

It took the intervention of the chairman of Ethiope-East for the women to disperse last Sunday, having been assured by a top military officer, who was on ground when the chairman addressed them that they would not destroy the shrine.

Running battle However, they regrouped on Monday and built a wall around the shrine following a report that soldiers were seen with motor-saws supposedly to hack down the tree, which form part of the shrine.

March

BY EMMA AMAIZE,

Regional Editor, South-South

E

VOCATIVE of the “Aba Women’s riots of 1929” in which thousands of women in the then provinces of Calabar and Owerri organized a massive revolution against the policies of the British colonial administrators, hundreds of women from Kokori in Ethiope-East Local Government Area of Delta State, joined by youths, last week, carried out a civil disobedience against government, soldiers on “internal security operation” in the troubled area, their monarch and notable elite.

Kokori is the country home of Delta suspected kidnap kingpin, Kelvin Oniarah, arrested September 25, by a combined team of Department of State Service, DSS, and the army, while staying in an hotel in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.

Like the Aba riots in which thousands of Igbo women congregated at the Native Administration centers in Calabar and Owerri as well as smaller towns to protest against the warrant chiefs and the taxes on the market women, Kokori women protested nude (Eweya) , last weekend, demanding the withdrawal of soldiers on “internal security operation” from the community.

The women, angry that they were prevented from selling in the market, penultimate Saturday, by soldiers who upturned their wares for allegedly selling food items to the boys causing problem for the government, were further infuriated by the report they received when they got home that soldiers broke into the community shrine for the second time and destroyed every object at sight even after the chief priest, Michael Omonigho, had been taken into custody.

Citing the schools in the community, health centre and markets that had been forced to shut down because of the siege to the town by soldiers, who accused of beating up their men, they embarked on a protest, and, stunningly, they preC M Y K

vented soldiers from entering the town for several hours on Monday.

Accusing the soldiers of chasing away their husbands and desecrating their custom and tradition, the women, acting on unconfirmed information that soldiers wanted to demolish the Igban shrine, formed a human shield around the shrine and prevented them from purportedly executing the mission.

Caskets in the palace

They did not spare the leaders of the community, the elite, led by their monarch, Ovie of Agbon Kingdom, OgurimeRime, Ukori 1, who they accused of looking the other way while the community was under siege by agents of govern-

The protest, which went wild, last weekend, started penultimate Saturday when the women returned from the market angry that soldiers allegedly came to upturn their wares, asking why they should sell food items to Kelvin boys, who were fighting government ment and soldiers. Consequently, they carried caskets and deposited them at the palace of the monarch and homes of some prominent sons of the town.

Despite the expressed wrath of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan over the alleged support they gave their suspected kidnapper- son, Kelvin, the women maintained that the community was being marginalized as stated by the alleged kidnap kingpin and asked the governor to develop Kokori.

Women emancipation!

It is like the women are tired of the silence of their men and have taken over the battle for the “liberation” of the town from perceived enemies.

The protest, which went wild, last weekend, started penultimate Saturday when the women returned from the market angry that soldiers allegedly came to upturn their wares, asking why they should sell food items to Kelvin boys, who were fighting government.

They went round the community half naked raining curses on the soldiers that night. The next day, Sunday, the women were joined by members of Liberation Movement of Urhobo People, formed by the alleged kingpin, last month, and they really went fanatical.

Vandalized property

They allegedly broke into the monarch’s palace and vandalized the citadel. The youths, who, penultimate Friday, only laid siege to the palace and held the royal father, PDP senatorial candidate for yesterday’s bye-election, Chief Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, and others hostage, for more than one hour, broke into the palace this time around.

They allegedly vandalized property of the monarch and the residence of a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Akpodiagaga Emeyese. Emeyese, who was allegedly injured in the first attack on the palace, broke his leg and has been hospitalized since then.

The protesters reportedly attacked a hotel belonging to Emeyese and other elite in the town, saying they were the ones that gave Kelvin out to security agents in Port-Harcourt, where he was reportedly arrested after he was tricked there.

According to a source, “Chanting songs of disenchantment with the portrait of the Ovie of Agbon, HRM Ogurimerime Ukori I after placing a casket at the palace gate, the women said the last thing they would tolerate was

On Tuesday, there was report that calm was gradually returning to the community, but the situation changed, Wednesday, as the women, maintaining their children no longer go to school and that soldiers were worsening their plight, while government was not concerned by their ordeal, but interested in uprooting anything Kelvin out of Kokori, marched from the town to Isiokolo, the headquarters of the council on foot to lodge a formal protest.

Led by the oldest Kokori woman, they trooped to Isiokolo, drumming, dancing and raining curses on their monarch who they accused of conspiracy.

At Isiokolo, where they met the Head of Personnel Management, Mr. William Egbukuage, they repeated the call for the release of the chief priest of the community’s shrine, saying he was not a juju priest for Kelvin and his gang, as claimed by those who apprehended him.

They told Egbukuage, who received them in the absence of the chairman of council, that Kokori was indeed marginalized, as stated by the seized alleged Delta kidnap kingpin, Kelvin.

According to them, since 1961 when oil production started in Kokori, the community has practically nothing to show for it.

They also called for the release of all the “innocent farmers, traders and villagers” that were arrested by soldiers on their way to the farm, market and other places.

Egbukuage promised to deliver their message to the council chairman.

Ghana protest

Meanwhile, Kokori people in Ghana, last Sunday, decried the invasion of the community by the military under the guise of searching for gang members of Kelvin, calling for withdrawal of the troops.

Leader of the Kokori community in Ghana and public relations officer of Urhobo Progress Union, UPU/ SouthSouth community, Ghana, Mr. David Ukueku, said the entire Kokori people in Ghana were incensed by the invasion.

PAGE 26— SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013

08116759757

CALABAR

A kingdom without king! *The battle that robs the Etuks of kingship

BY EMMA UNA

F

OR the people of Efut Kingdom in Calabar South, Cross River State, the demise of their king, Muri Munene Ekpenyong Ebuka Ebuka the 1V, in November, 2009, marked the flight of peace from their kingdom as the tussle for succession to the stool has raged ever since.

The tussle has generated so much bad blood, court cases, arrests, violent protests, detention, which have become a regular feature in the kingdom as two princes battle for the exalted traditional stool with no end at sight..

The stool of Muri Munene is a first class traditional position in Efut Kingdom and its occupant serves as the paramount ruler of Calabar South where majority of the Efuts, a third of the native tribes after Efik and Qua, inhabit.

It is a position of power and influence which makes it attractive to blue blood descendants of the eight families that lay claim to the stool. To forestall succession squabble among the ruling houses, the fore fathers of the kingdom put a rotation arrangement in place for the eight clans: Efut Ibonda, Efut Ekondo, Efut Abua, Efut Abua Creektown, Mkpara, Ukere, Isutekong and Efut Ifako.

throne, insisting that it is the turn of their clans to occupy the stool.

The crisis has extended beyond the confines of the traditional institution with gove r n m e n t agents becoming involved albeit with denials.

Sunday Vanguard investigations reveal that although Governor Liyel Imoke is not interested in the case, some top government functionaries are taking advantage of his lack of interest to steer the crisis in the direction they want.

Itam contended that based

The tussle has generated so much bad blood, court cases, arrests, violent protests, detention, which have become a regular feature in the kingdom as two princes battle for the exalted traditional stool with no end at sight The two contenders to the throne, Muri Effiong Okokon Mbukpa, a top business man, and Muri Hogan Itam, a retired professor of medicine and one-time Chief Medical Director of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, are both laying claim to the

‘No crisis in Alaba’

BY ADEOLA ADENUGA

T

raders Association of Al aba International Market says there is no crisis in the body.

“There is no crisis in the market over election because nobody, based on our constitution, has officially written or reported any matter that can suggest there is crisis”, a former chairman of the association and incumbent acting chairman of the Board of Trustees, Edmond Bishop Oruruo, said.

According to him, the leadership of the association is rotated among five states viz: C M Y K

Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi. “The current chairman, Chief Uchenna Igwe, is from Imo while the next chairman will come from Anambra. There were two contenders for the chairmanship from Anambra – Joseph Emeziem and Felix Nwagu – both of whom went for election and Nwagu emerged the winner ”. Dissatisfied with the outcome of the election, however, Oruruo said, Emeziem has gone to court to contest it.

on the rotation arrangement, it is the turn of Efut Ukem clan to produce the MuriMunene. “I happen to be the Muri of my clan. By the virtue of that, I am to ascend to the Muri Muneneship and somebody else whose clan just occupied the throne for thirteen years wants to usurp the throne”, he stated.

According to him, the 1978 Cross River State Edict, as amended in 2004, which spells out the succession processes for traditional rulers, empowers government to intervene in the selection process in the event of a dispute and the “government did just that on September 18, 2012 when it called for another selection of a Muri Munene of the Efut and, on 21 September, out of the eight clan heads in Efut nation, five attended and all the five voted for me and selected me as the MunriMunene of Efut”.

He said the kingmakers did not elect Mbukpa the way he was elected since it was not the turn of Efut Ibonda to occupy the position. “I heard that one day, during an ordinary meeting, the Muri of Efut Abua Creek Town stood up and raised the hand of Effiong Mbukpa that he was his choice for the position of Muri Munene which cannot be because his clan just had its turn with Muri Ebuka Ebuka the 1V.,” Itam said.

Mbukpa has since the demise of Muri Ekpenyong Ebuka Ebuka the IV exercised the responsibilities of the stool.

But irked by this, some rival chiefs, with the aid of some top government functionaries, in April 2012, invaded the palace of the Muri Munene and locked up the place after severely beating up and chasing out Mbukpa from the palace.

This paved the way for another selection process initiated by the Special Assistant to Governor Imoke on Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Jon Eyikwaje.

Meanwhile, Mbukpa headed to a Calabar High Court seeking an ex-parte motion to stop the process but this was not to be as Itam was selected as the Muri Munene-elect.

Mbukpa instituted another court process by asking a Calabar High Court to quash the selection process that threw up Itam.

The case dragged on for about a year until 25 September, 2013 when Justice Elias Abua delivered judgment on the matter.

Abua dismissed the request to quash the selection process, stating, “There is nothing to quash that has been placed before this court”.

Mbukpa has indicated his intention to go on appeal, saying the judge erred by not “addressing the issues we placed before the court and therefore we are going on appeal”.

He insisted that he remained the Muri Munene and as such government cannot install Itam. The appeal put paid to the celebration of the supporters of Itam who had taken to the streets thinking that the last hurdle to the enthronement of their man had been surmounted.

Why rape cases are increasing in Gombe — NGO A non-governmental organization, NGO, Child Protection Network (CPN) in Gombe, Gombe State, has accused the police and government of being indifferent to rape in the state.

The state coordinator of Centre for Community and Health Development, Mrs. Lucy Usen, an affiliate of CPN, disclosed this while preparing for a meeting with stakeholders in the state. Usen said the police had been allowing rape cases to die after the cases are reported, adding that the state government and the police had not done enough in terms of rape eradication. She pointed out that government should have taken advantage of her NGO’s gesture to see that children are fully protected from rapists. The coordinator observed that the kind of support victims were expected to receive from government was not forthcoming.

Usen stressed the need for government to punish perpetrators instead of being indifferent as the situation tends to encourage rape in the society.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 27

08116759757

How to keep Warri spirit aflame – Orubebe, Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs

groups, were a former Minister of Information, Prof Sam Oyovabaire. Mr. Lucky OgheneUmoru, Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, Prince Sunny Omatseye, Dr. Akpo Mudiaga-Odje, Hon Michael Diden, Chris Boyo, Elegbete Moses Odibo, Chief Emmanuel Jones and Barrister Andrew Oru. What everybody were waiting to hear was what went wrong, why and the way forward. Orubebe did not let down on the particulars and statistics.

BY EMMA AMAIZE,

Regional Editor, South-South

The good, bad and ugly

WARRI, a principal nucleus of petroleum-related business, located in the creeks and swamps of the Niger-Delta is a moneymaking city in Delta State, which prides itself as the ‘heart beat’ of the country.

The people that live in Warri are largely Itsekiri, Urhobo, Isoko and Ijaw with other ethnic groups making it metropolitan.

With its enormous natural resources and expanded infrastructural development in the surrounding Uvwie, Udu, Ughelli and Okpe in recent years, linked to Warri with their various road networks, it is unarguable that God, in His benevolence, blessed the municipality.

But in today’s Nigeria, the oil city is talked about more in its unsavory terms. No thanks to the crises it witnessed over the last two decades, ranging from the Itsekiri-Ijaw war, militancy and lately kidnapping. Indeed, a time came that there was no love lost among the people, who, yester years, did not see themselves as Itsekiri, Ijaw or Urhobo, but as Warri boys, living collectively notwithstanding their diversities.

New start

In the last few years, some concerned residents of Warri have made conscious efforts to revive the spirit of the old Warri boys under the auspices of Warri Rebirth Initiative, WRI. President of the group, Mr. Kes Agbosa, said, “The idea for Warri Rebirth Initiative was mooted in the middle of 2009 after we saw the massive response by the ‘original Warri boys’ to a clarion call for assistance to one of our own who was bereaved. By October of that year, the inaugural meeting took place. We have since had six outings, which success dumb-founded us in terms of number and caliber of attendees. It appeared that it is a project that has been waiting to happen.

“Warri Rebirth Initiative is a loose social, non-political organization of Warri ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ striving to attain the peace and oneness known in and amongst all citizens of the geographical expression called Warri between the 1950s and the 1970s with a view to realigning the area for human, social and infrastructural development.”

A principal promoter of WRI, Mr. Patrick Origho, also said, “The aim of this organisation is to endeavour to destroy all seeds of tribal discord among the various ethnic groups in the area and in their place sow those of peace and uniC M Y K

When did water enter the basket?

Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe ty as a vehicle for individual and collective progress and development through social interaction and assistance where necessary.”

… Enter Orubebe

Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, himself a Warri boy, addressed the social group on the topical matter, “Spiritual and Natural Dimension of Warri and its Inhabitants.”

He took a cursory look at what binds the inhabitants

together, which is oil, the major facilities and institutions in Warri, which have been and will continue to be the basis of communal life in the city, factors that can be used to achieve harmony and peaceful co-existence among the inhabitants and the spiritual issues necessary for rebirth.

Present for the function after a church engagement, which was spiced with music from veteran musician, Tony Grey, and cultural dancers from Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic

Starting with what went wrong, he said, “To my mind, we may have had the various crises of the past because we went outside the will of God for bringing us together and started working against each other and that is why our resources have not benefitted us.”

He pointed on that God did not make mistake, did not make mistake in locating the ethnic groups in Warri and, therefore, “expects us to live in harmony and utilize the resources He gave us to improve our society and the lots of our people.”

“God will hold us accountable if we do not harness these endowments and potentials to develop and galvanize our people together,” he added.

Car gifts for Ekiti best teachers

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

A

S teachers in Ekiti State joined their colleagues in different parts of the world to celebrate the World Teachers Day 2013, Governor Kayode Fayemi has commended teachers for uplifting the standard of education in the state.

Fayemi was speaking during the celebration of the day at the Christ’s School Playing Ground,Ado Ekiti. He noted that teachers have impacted positively on education in the state.

Speaking through his deputy, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, the governor noted that this positive trend reflected in the last West Africa School Certificate Examination which saw the performance of students rising from the former 20 percent to 52.

He pledged to assist the teachers in the areas of human capital development and remuneration.

Fayemi listed the areas in which his government has intervened to improve the standard of education to

include the renovation of public schools, distribution of laptops to students and teachers among others.

He presented four brand new cars to best teachers in primary and secondary schools.

The beneficiaries include Mr. Aniyikaye Daniel, a teacher in CAC Primary School, Ara Ijero, and Mr. Omole. Sylvester of the Corpus Christi, Ilawe Ekiti.

Others are the best primary administrator, Mrs. Ibinuwa Yemisi of Saint Luke Ang. Primary School, Ikun Araromi, and the best secondary school administrator, Mrs. Fatuase Lydia Titiloye of Amoye Grammer School, Ikere Ekiti.

The state Commissioner for Education, Mr. Kehinde Ojo, advised the teachers to uphold professionalism and strive hard to put education in its pride of place in the state.

Chief Eleworamo burial, outing service

C

HIEF Jimoh James Eleworamo (JP), the Babajiroro of Odo-Eri in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, is dead.

Chief Eleworamo (aka Ope mi pa) passed on at the aged of 75.

According to burial arrangements, Christian wake keep holds on Thursday, October 31 at his residence, Arogba compound, Odo-Eri, to be followed by outing, thanksgiving service on Friday, Nov 1 at First ECWA, Odo-Eri. Papa is survived by his wife, many children and grand children, brothers and in-laws including Mr James Adedoyin, Jide Odofin, Shola Famakin, Hon. Yemisi Eleworamo, Biodun

Olupinla, Hon. Sam Aro, Ikusagba Oluwafemi and Pastor Olukosi.

Late Chief J. J. Eleworamo

‘Confusion na wa’ hits the cinemas

enneth Gyang’s deeply af fecting dark comedy, ‘ConfuK sion Na Wa’, hits the cinemas on

October 25. The film, which has already won a cache of awards including ‘Best Picture’ category at the 2013 African Movie Academy Awards, will open on wide release across the country.‘Confusion Na Wa’ stars Nollywood great, Ramsey Nouah; AMVCA winner OC Uke and Hausa language movie legend, Ali Nuhu, in his most remarkable role ever. There is also the surprise and amazing turn by Tunde Aladese, notable script writer and head writer on MNET’s soap, Tinsel.The movie’s premise is a simple yet multilayered one. A man loses his mobile phone which is picked up by two young men. They go through his messages, discover that he is having an affair with a married woman and begin to extort money from him. But then their dalliance with a young lady puts them in the bull’s eye of her father’s rage. At the climax of the movie, these disparate characters are united in a bar and every one seemingly gets his comeuppance.

And all these take place in the space of 24 hours. ‘Confusion Na Wa’ is Gyang’s debut and was produced by Cinema KpataKpata, the production company he co-owns with his British business partner, Tom Rowland-Rees. They got funding from the Hubert Bals Fund in Rotterdam.

The script was adapted from a short story by Akpo Kagho while Yinka Edward worked his magic as cinematographer.

MCCN and MBGE pageants

M

ISS Capital City Niger ia and Most

Beautiful Girl in Eko holds this month in Lagos.

The event, put together by Ereon Pageantry, an event company, is aimed at promoting African beauty, values, civilization, decency and dignity of the African girl child. “The two in one pageant would be showcasing cultural export, African fashion designs, comedy, talent exhibitions, choreography, concert, award and much more”, According to a release by the Public Relations Manager of Miss Capital City Nigeria and Most Beautiful Girl in Eko, Miss Blessing E. Iheanyi. “The national queen can be Hausa, Fulani, Yor uba, Ibo, Ijaw, Idoma, or from any part of the minority groups in Nigeria. The aim of this national pageant is to promote African values, culture and civilization and to empower the girl child.

“Preparations are already in top gear for the search for Miss Capital City Nigeria Queen as three national beauty queens would emerge from the 36 states and Abuja”.

The camping of contestants begins October 23 while the grand finale is scheduled for

October 27.

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SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 13 13, 2013 — PAGE 31

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PAGE 32 — SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013

Email: vanguardwoman@gmail.com (08054650907- sms only)

Why do married women retain maiden names?

C M Y K

N the past, a surname change naturally followed every wedding, particularly in this part of Africa. In fact, the name change was anticipated by every single-lady because it was considered the most cogent emblem for one’s status.

However, recent discoveries have revealed a deviation from this tradition as a growing percentage of new brides now prefer to retain their maiden names!

Their daddies’ names, simply put! While some are opting to hyphenate their last names with their husbands' after marriage, some are outrightly keeping their maiden names without taking up their husbands' at all.

Most men are however grossly opposed to this trend as only a few months ago, a 36-year-old Nigerian civil servant asked a Lagos customary court to dissolve his two-year-old marriage over his 35-year-old wife's refusal to change her surname to his.

"She always tells me she is comfortable with her father's name and that she cannot change it," the petitioning husband told the court who had no choice but to dissolve the union in spite of the woman's claim that she still loved her husband.

A July 2013 survey carried out by Facebook also confirmed an increase in the proportion of women who retain their maiden names, revealing that most of them happen to be in their 20s.

"Unlike in the past when every newlywed bride signed for a surname change, just 62 per cent of that age group now chooses to use their husband's family name. For those in their 30s, the number rises to 74 per cent and for women in their 60s it stands at 88 per cent", the survey which analysed the names of women on the social media site who said they were married - and compared them to their husbands' profiles, revealed.

Though the alternative of hyphenating last names with husbands' has reigned amongst older women like screen-diva, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Ndidi

Adobe, W .TEC W.TEC partner on girl-child education

T

‘Yes I do’, but ‘No I won’t’ to daddy’s name toss...

Okereke-Onyiuke, Lola Abiola-Edewo, Abike DabiriErewa, and more, most men still object to it, tagging it 'double-barreling', hence the

‘

While most men attributed the trend to feminism, a few however averred that a surname change might pose difficulties for some women

While most men attributed the trend to feminism, a few however averred that a surname change might pose difficulties for some women professionals...

‘

I

BY JOSEPHINE IGBINOVIA

BRIEFLY

total disapproval of the latest trend- outright neglect of husbands' names.

Foremost sprinter, Mary Onyali, also stuck to her maiden name until recently when she hyphenated her husband's family name, Omagbemi.

Why the trend?

Investigations by Vista Woman, VM, uncovered reasons ranging from fame to profession and family background. For women like Lola Abiola-Edewo who retained maiden names despite marriage to influential families, Mr.Ike Ikeson, an educationist, identified ego and family pride as reasons for ‘doublebarreling’.

professionals who had achieved quite a lot before marriage.

"I don't expect a wellpublished female author to ditch her maiden name because readers will be unable to identify her with her works. That would be suicide!", a Lagos businessman who said he didn't mind the trend said.

Barr.Femi Abiodun, a legal practitioner, however has a different view. He believes the trend is typical of women who are married to men of equal or lower social, economic, educational, or political status. The others, he says, are women from notable families but married into regular families.

To Ifeanyi, a young man preparing to walk the aisle, it shows who is at the driver's seat of the relationship.

"When a married woman keeps any name outside her husband's, she is simply bossing and/or oppressing her spouse. I am yet to see a woman retain her maiden name in any way, shape or form if she is married to a man who belongs to a higher status than her", Ifeanyi stressed.

"I don't blame women who keep their fathers' names or hyphenate both names. If your dad's name could open doors or even break walls and you got married to someone whose name does not even ring a bell, what would you rather do?", Mrs.Titi Babalola, a designer, said.

The question:

As a man, will you let your wife 'double-barrel' under your roof? What if she chooses not to bear your name at all? If God blesses you with a successful, achieving and famous daughter, will you be pleased or sad to watch her toss your name alongside that bouquet of roses? What the heck is in a name, anyway?

HE Women’s T e c h n o l o g y Empowerment Centre, W.TEC, is set to launch the second edition of its technology program for girls.

Designed to empower young girls to ‘Create with a Purpose’ as its theme says, the project hopes to address the importance of new technology and innovation in partnerships, amongst o t h e r s .

Working in partnership with the Adobe Youth Foundation, the charitable arm of America’s multinational computer software company, Adobe Systems Inc., W.TEC plans to train 25 students each from Methodist Girls High School, Yaba, and Regan Memorial Baptist Girls High School, SaboYaba, both in Lagos.

Over a period of two months, the girls will learn the process of short film production which includes script-planning, filming techniques, editing and presentation, Oreoluwa Somolu, Executive Director, W.TEC, hinted.

...as UN seeks ICT empowerment for women, girls

M

eanwhile, the United Nations, UN, has emphasized the need for an improved global inclusion of women in Information and Communications Technology, ICT. In a report released by the Broadband Commission Working Group on broadband and gender and launched by the administrator of the United Nations Development Programme-UNDP, Helen Clark, it was revealed that women were coming online later and more slowly than men.

“Out of the world’s 2.8 billion internet users, 1.3 billion are women, compared with 1.5 billion men. There are currently 200 million fewer women online than men globally, and this gap could grow to 350 million within the next three years if action is not taken”, the report titled “Doubling Digital Opportunities: Enhancing the Inclusion of Women and Girls in the Information Society” stressed.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 33

Email: vanguardwoman@gmail.com (08054650907- sms only)

Nigeria is a goldmine for those who believe

however blame our leaders and fathers for the growing trend in sex work because they introduce most of these girls to it through monetary enticements.

Though, I believe we

– Chichi,

transformational coach

W

ith a committed ambition to reorient teenagers, 29-year-old transformational coach and Publisher of 9ineteen Magazine, Chichi Umeseaka, in this interview, leads us through her vision of ensuring that Nigerian teenagers are rightly positioned for a brighter future. Enjoy!

What stirred the establishment of 9nineteen as a magazine and motivational platform?

Things have become so difficult in this country that young people are no longer sanguine about the future.

A teaming number of teenagers are getting enrolled in sex work, but is this a shrewd approach to economic difficulty?

Economic hardship is no justification for prostitution, drug peddling or any other social vices!

God has given to us all equal opportunities. I am not from a wealthy family and I am still struggling to survive, but I’ve told myself that I must work extremely hard and use the

What would it cost a woman who intends to toe your line of service?

Irrespective of your gender, you can achieve your desired goal in life, as long as you remain focus and committed because like Henry Ford said, whether you think you can or you can’t, you are right! First, believe in yourself but do not be arrogant about it. Believe that you can achieve whatever your mind can conceive, and be firm about what you stand for.

Above all, be passionate.

,,

A lot of our youths are lazy and lousy; they do not want to work but want to live flamboyant lifestyles! I however blame our leaders and fathers for the growing trend in sex work because they introduce most of these girls to it through monetary enticements.

Hence, you see them run abroad at the slightest opportunity! They no longer think any chance for survival exists here! This situation spurred me into researches and from there, I realised I needed to contribute my own quota towards restoring and transform young minds and letting them understand they do not necessarily need a godfather to survive in Nigeria. That was how the 9nineteen dialogue platform was conceived. Nigeria is a goldmine for those who believe and the earlier this is

gifts and talents I possess to become a success in life and also leave a legacy! I think it’s about choices. A lot of our youths are lazy and lousy; they do not want to work but want to live flamboyant lifestyles! I

Do you see education as necessary anymore since jobs are becoming scarce by the day?

I believe strongly in education and selfdevelopment. 9ineteen works in partnership with Lagos and Abia states Ministries of Education, and we often visit schools to motivate our teenagers.

We strongly encourage them to pursue education, no matter what career path they are nursing, because knowledge is never a waste whether there is a job or not.

I advise young ones to pursue education and be optimistic that when they graduate, they will find good jobs.

But if eventually this does not happen, they could start-up their own business and employ others. The truth is that education gives an edge and enhances creativity when venturing into entrepreneurship.

What qualities should young people seek to achieve their goals in life?

One quality to imbibe is passion. You must be extremely passionate and enthusiastic about your dream. In desiring to be an achiever, you have to be focus and devote all your energy to what you desire, ensuring that you are disciplined enough to train yourself daily to become that picture you have in mind. You must also be teachable and open to current developments.

Also, be ready to accept responsibilities; believe in your country and seek ways to help portray it positively.

understood, the better.

BY VERA SAMUEL-ANYAGAFU

have the ability to decide whether we want to make legitimate money or not.

Chichi Umeseaka

Could you let us into your background?

I hold a degree in Mass Communication from the Abia State University and a certificate in Entrepreneurial Management from the Pan-Atlantic University. I’ve over the years worked in communication outfits until I ventured into 9ineteen, a magazine that focuses on growing the minds of teenagers. I’m in late twenties and I’m happily married with three sons. As a mother, I understand the importance of growing the minds of teenagers who happen to be the power engine for growth in any nation. Hence, I’m committed in my efforts through the publication of 9nineteen. I also organise inspirational forums to ensure teenagers remain within gatherings that promote positive values.

PAGE 34—SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013

ECONOMIC PITFALLS AT 53 (1)

Nigeria needs zero to low credit funds to grow manufacturing, agric sectors — Idika Kalu, ex-Finance Minister

BY UDEME CLEMENT Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu, an economist, was a two-time Minister of Finance. He was also, at different times, Minister of National Planning and Minister of Transport. In January 2012, he was appointed to chair the Special Task Force on refineries. In this interview, Kalu speaks on various programmes mapped out by successive governments to transform Nigeria’s economy in the last 53 years, the reforms in the financial sector and the need for government to revamp agriculture for sustainable development.

If Nigeria’s economy is to achieve the kind of growth necessary to move the country into sustainable real growth that would raise our currently abysmal indices of human development, we must look at the growth rate of more than 7 to 8 per cent in agriculture for over five to more years

Y

OU served as Minister of Finance and in other important positions in government. How do you assess Nigeria’s economy at 53 years of independence?

This is the most vexing question. At 53 years of independence, for a nation with the richness and variety of resources, we really should not feel very satisfied at what we have achieved. The growth of the population at 2.5 to 3 per cent remains one of the highest. So also is the unacceptably high mortality rate on the basis of both infant mortality and the mortality of nursing mothers. The extensive presence of morbidity and equally high incidence of diseases, which ought to be totally eradicated by now, example polio and other highly infectious infant and adult diseases are clear evidence of deficiency in the health sector.

Are you saying that the health sector has not recorded major achievements in the last 53 years?

Our health sector is in a very poor shape despite the enormous resources committed over the years. Despite the high growth of health institutions from primary to secondary and tertiary, and few highly specialised institutions for dealing with special diseases, it is sad to note that 53 years now, Nigerians are still trooping abroad for health care. The very ugly incidence of migration and health tourism to many lands, both far and near, to Ghana and as far as India is still prevalent in our country today. The constant and wide spread disaffection within the health services community and the clearly evidence inadequacy of facilities, man-power of various categories are still clear evidence of deficiencies in the provision of health care, not only in the cities but also in smaller towns and particularly in the rural areas of this nation.

The question goes beyond just provision of adequate resources in real terms, but to a proper systematic diagnosis of the size of the problem. We also need to take stock and address the real quantum of resources that would be needed to make impact on modernising and expanding the physical structures and upgrading man-power of different levels and refrain from the tendency to speak loosely about so many billions of naira

Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu voted without actually identifying the real materials, capacity and volume of services that such funds are intended to bring to bear in relation to the problems identified. Now, we also need to go to the other major social sectors in assessing where we are at 53 years of independence.

Another important sector is education.

This sector encompasses training at the nursery levels, which would be greatly affected by the quality of guardianship, families and communities at large in providing the kind of environment for quality education, socialisation, discipline, respect for the environment, inculcating the proper attitude to hard work and infusing the essence of merit and healthy competition from the earliest stages of the child’s development. So that by the time he goes to school, he would develop wholesome habit of learning, be prepared to listen to the teachers and bring to bear those attributes of the rich social and cultural values needed for human-capital development in the society.

We should also make special effort to formally inculcate the essence of our culture, tradition through our local languages, social etiquette, dances, so that we could combat all the undesirable features of primary and secondary education, which go into full blown at the tertiary level, if we are going to be able to change the colouration of our labour force, parents and guardianship of the people who work in public service and those who develop the necessary business etiquette in the private sector. This should be the goals of a totally revamped education sector. Again, it could call for mere talk of billions or even trillions of naira allocation to a systematic and sustained analysis of the real problems of education, facilities, teachers, curriculum and overall administration and supervisor of our academic institutions all

the way up the ladder, from the primary stages.

The banking sector has experienced series of reforms to enhance relative stability and higher productivity. For instance, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) just earmarked N420billion to SMEs in Kebbi State to boost agriculture and small scale businesses. Do you think the sector has done well in the last 53 years?

Over the last seven years, I have addressed the issue of reforms in the financial sector and the banking sector. Particularly after recent reforms, we need to go back and identify the factors that kept the resources availability at a continuously short supply in relation to the dynamic growth of demand in all sectors and subsectors of the real economy, with the consequence of high cost of funds, poor relative allocation of those funds and the continuing tendency for the public sector to dominate the use of credit and the evidence lack of encouragement to the small household, small corporate and non-corporate small scale operators in the economy.

I must emphasise what we usually miss in this analysis namely, that the vibrancy of medium and small scale operators is usually directly linked to the vibrancy and of high demand coming from the high scale enterprises as well. If we do not make resources available, and if we do not provide the appropriate environment for the high scale producers to create the demand for intermediate and primary goods and services for primary goods, materials and services, which are supplied by the small and medium scale enterprises, that by itself limits the growth of those small and medium scale enterprises.

This inter-industry mix or interdependence is really the key to the high growth of both agriculture and manufacturing, as they are all inter-dependent in the demand and supply of primary, semi-finished and final goods, in which each of this

production serves as input supply to these various sectors of the production process.

How could this be done to enhance long-term growth in the economy?

Going forward, the banking sector and the financial sector as a whole must seek ways of making resources both domestic as well as foreign much more available to the producing sectors at zero to low credit funds for basic agriculture, mining and other auxiliary processes, to the medium interest financing for innovative entrepreneurship and venture capital to appropriate commercial credit for agric business and manufacturing industries across the entire industrial landscape, to appropriate maturity and long-term structuring of medium and long-term capital. Again, domestic, foreign, bilateral, multi-lateral, medium and longterm bonds needed to meet the massive fund requirements for all key sectors of infrastructure, such as power, water and all grades of transportation, particularly modern railway system and other key infrastructure should be provided.

If Nigeria’s economy is to achieve the kind of growth necessary to move the country into sustainable real growth that would raise our currently abysmal indices of human development, we must look at the growth rate of more than 7 to 8 per cent in agriculture for over five to more years, and industrial growth of 10 to 12 per cent or higher over the medium term. We must also look at the overall services and infrastructure growth of 8 to 10 per cent, which would be necessary to satisfy the demand from the two real sectors of agriculture and industry.

Could you give us more insight into what you mean by zero to low credit interest funds?

Zero to low credit interest funds are usually grants for low interest funds geared to give special encouragement to essential basic economic sectors such as tree planting and re-planting, resource development that would provide basic inputs to industry, but which production requires high capital. The exploitation of which there after requires medium term and higher interest that are fully covered by the higher rate of returns. This low interest credit funding are needed in agriculture, deforestation, heavy capital requirement for development of mines and exploitation of natural resources development.

How could such funds be allocated?

Such funds could be specially allocated directly from the budget by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), by development financing institutions, both domestic and especially international, and be administered through the CBN, commercial banks, community banks, development finance institutions that are close to farmers, the artisans, rural areas, and to those who are involved in the basic production of these essential primary commodities.

This is the first part of the interview, as the second series with the statistical analysis on the economic indices would be published next week.

Members of Customs Officers Wives Association, during their visit to orphanage home in Ibadan to mark Nigeria’s 53rd Indepence celebration.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 35

‘Some people are out of kill the aviation sector’

BY UDEME CLEMENT Alhaji Mohammed Tukur is the Assistant Secretary General, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON). He speaks on the challenges in the aviation sector against the backdrop of the Associated Airlines plane crash that claimed 15 lives.

OU are a major stakeholder in the aviation sector with many years of experience. How do you assess the sector after 53 years of independence?

The sector recorded remarkable achievements under the tenure of the former Director General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). It was during that period that Nigeria got the Category-One certification, which is an international recognition. Also, despite challenges in some aspects of the system and aside from the Dana plane crash, Nigeria achieved relative safety and stability in the sector during that period as well.

Now looking at the sector under the cur rent NCAA management, would you say that the aviation system is on track?

To be honest, the challenges facing the sector at present are quite enormous. The major problems include the move by the Aviation Minister to discard the existing Civil Aviation Act of 2006, which works in line with globally acceptable standards and replace it with a new policy of her choice, multiple charges.

The issue of Civil Aviation Act of 2006 is a serious challenge because if not carefully handled, Nigeria may lose the CategoryOne certification, which took NCAA great effort to achieve.

Could you explain what you mean by multiple charges in the aviation sector?

The issue of multiple charges is a major challenge facing local airline operators. The charges are so numerous and have significantly affected our operations negatively on daily basis. For instance, we pay five per cent charge for passenger ’s ticket, which is a compulsory payment for every airline operator. This implies that when you buy a flight ticket from any airline, five per cent of the monetary value of that ticket must be paid to NCAA. If you book for a private chartered flight going to Abuja or any destination within Nigeria, you are bound to pay certain charges as well.

Assuming the amount for a chartered flight is N5million, it means you must pay five per cent of N5million to NCAA. Aside from that, what are other charges that airline operators are made to pay to various agencies in the sector?

There are many charges but let me just mention the common ones such as landing/parking fees, passenger’s service charge, on-duty card, payment for car park, navigation charges, access fees, office charges, electricity bills, charges on aviation fuel and many others.

Could you give us the analysis on the charges in terms of statistics on the amount and the agencies saddled with the responsibility of collecting the fees?

Y

Well, let me start with landing/ parking charges collected by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). This money is for every landing/parking that an aircraft makes at various points.

For instance, if your aircraft lands 20 times at different airports, you must pay landing fees 20 times per day. The amount is from N14,000 depending on the weight of the aircraft and is compulsor y. Another one is called passenger ’s service charge, which is from N1,000 and is on every sticker attached to the ticket. We also pay what is called on-duty card charge that is issued by FAAN for you to identify that you are working within the airport. The amount for this card is from N2,000.

There is payment for car park, which is from N200. We have navigation charge and the money goes to Nigerian Air space Management Agency (NAMA). It means that if your aircraft moves from Lagos to Abuja and any airport in the country, you must pay for navigation. That is not all. We also pay what is called access charge.

What is access charge?

Access charge is collected by FAAN before your car is allowed to cross from local airport to the international airport. The amount is between N100 and N200 depending on the type of vehicle you are driving. Assuming if you have a transaction that takes you from local to international airports 10 times, it means you must pay access fee 10 times a day. Apart from access between local and international airports, we also pay for access to the tarmac for a vehicle

Alhaji Mohammed Tukur the Federal Government. After all these charges, the airline must pay staff salaries.

So, how do you improve your margin to stay in business?

You could see from the analysis that the operating environment is not conducive for local airline operators to thrive. This, in a way, contributed to why some airlines suffered cash crunch and closed shop. The situation is terrible and that is the reason President Goodluck Jonathan, after due consideration, granted waivers on importation of aircraft and spare parts into the countr y.

Prior to the pronouncement made by the president, airline operators were paying as much as 10 per cent of the total amount of a new airplane brought into the country as import duty to Customs. For

It is only in Nigeria that we have Aviation Ministry and our own ministry has become so corrupt and must be scrapped to ensure sanity in the system carrying our crew members to have access to the tarmac area.

The amount is about N250,000 for every airline carrier going inside the tarmac. This is a yearly payment that also goes to FAAN. Others include payment for excess baggage charges for carrying any cargo into your aircraft and the money goes to NCAA. This implies that if you carry any cargo into your aircraft, you must pay NCAA five per cent of the amount charged for such cargo. Airline operators in Nigeria are also made to pay charges for aviation fuel. In this case, every litre of aviation fuel attracts charges and, because of these charges, oil marketers have increased the amount of aviation fuel from N180 per litre to about N195. We also pay for office charge, which is from N35,000 every year depending on how big your office is. Electricity bill is another payment. Here they do not give us meters to pay as we go for what we consume but we must pay once the estimated bill is brought. We are also made to pay five per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on the value of every ticket to internal revenue, which is for

example, if you bring in a new aircraft, you must pay 10 per cent of the total amount used in purchasing it as import duty.

After that, if you take the engine of the same aircraft on which import duty had already been paid for repairs outside the country, you are bound to pay another import duty on that engine when you are bringing it back into the country, which is double taxation.

So far, how is the implementation of the policy on waivers granted by the President?

The policy has not been fully implemented despite the pronouncement made by Jonathan. For example, the President granted waivers on importation of aircraft and spare parts to enhance growth in the sector but some people in the ministry are trying to hinder the process just to exploit the airline operators. They would tell you to go to the ministry and obtain a written note from someone on a policy that Mr. President has already made a pronouncement and gazetted. You could see the level of corruption in the Aviation

Ministry. There is no ministry of aviation any where in the world where the citizens are working very hard to develop their economies.

It is only in Nigeria that we have Aviation Ministry and our own ministry has become so corrupt and must be scrapped to ensure sanity in the system.

NCAA should be granted full autonomy to run the industry like what obtains in developed countries. This is the only way through which we would fast track development in the sector.

Personally, I believe she would be the last Minister of Aviation in Nigeria, because there is no Ministry of Aviation anywhere else in the world. FAAN, NAMA, NCAA and all the parastatals should be given free hands to do their jobs as professionals. I commend the Managing Director of FAAN who is doing his best within the circumstance.

The most annoying aspect is that after these charges, which the airline operators are struggling to pay, NCAA recently imposed yet another range of tariff of $4,000 and $3,000 for foreign registered and Nigerian carrier per trip. We believe the new development is a deliberate attempt by some individuals to kill the sector, because the levy is illegal and against global best practice. With the situation on ground, airline operators may be forced to move their services out of Nigeria to places where the charges are moderate and reasonable. If Jonathan does not address the crisis in the sector for us to operate in line with the global trend, Nigeria may become a failed state in aviation after 53 years of independence.

NCAA, on September 23, filed a suit in the Federal High Court, Lagos challenging the reluctance of foreign and Nigerian registered airlines to pay the new charges. What do you think would be the out come of this?

We are not afraid because the issue would be sorted out in court.

The recent charges applies to every airline like Aero, Arik, Chanchangi, IRS and Dana. We are not in any way against the policy of government but what we are saying is that government should create an enabling environment for the sector to thrive and create jobs for the benefit of our economy.

What is the role of FAAN in

all of these?

It is unfortunate that the Ministr y of Aviation is influencing everything going on in the sector, from contracts to policies. FAAN is not even given free hands to operate and award aviation contracts to experts according to international standards. Aviation is different from any other sector of the economy due to its nature. As such, aviation contracts often require experts with highly specialised skills to execute them to ensure safety, because safety is number one priority in aviation everywhere in the world.

Why is the management of FAAN keeping quiet about sensitive issues affecting the sector?

It is quite clear that they would not come out openly and talk because they are afraid of losing their jobs. For instance, work at the Port Harcourt airport has been abandoned and, up till now, nothing has changed in Kaduna airport.

Some people insinuated that work is abandoned at Port Harcourt airport because of the face-off and political rancour between the state governor and President Jonathan. Is the Minster of Aviation also having issues with the Vice President in the case of the Kaduna airport?

That I can not say but the quality of work there is nothing to reckon with. The terminal building is not completed; they left it half way. What is even surprising people most is the fact that the Vice President is not saying anything about the poor quality of work in the Kaduna airport. He enters his town through another state. Now we have eight flights to Kaduna on daily basis, which include two flights from Aero, two from Arik, two from Chanchangi and another two from IRS, yet a terminal building with such number of flights is uncompleted.

Kano airport is worse than Kaduna because, as I speak, there is no counter for people to use.

After launching, it was locked up and even rain has removed the roof. You can see the shameful situation we are in this country.

Work in Enugu airport has not finished till now.

You talked about the Civil Aviation Act of 2006. What is the economic implication should the Act be replaced with the new policy from the ministry?

If not carefully handled, Nigeria may lose the CategoryOne certification that took NCAA time and efforts to achieve. This is because the new policy being introduced by the minister contradicts the Act of 2006, which complies with the aviation regulation globally. The violation of Aviation Act, which the office of the minister spearheads, is not good for our economy. She used the office of Director General of NCAA as a cover to create a new directorate called Directorate of General Aviation (GA), Policy and Procedure Manual. This creation is a contravention of the Aviation Act of 2006, section A153 and sub-section 7(A), which list the directorates of the NCAA as approved by the President and National Assembly.

PAGE 36 — SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013

SUNDAY TRIBUTE

BY TAYE OBATERU

P

ioneer National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and first civilian governor of old Plateau State (now Plateau and Nasarawa States), Chief Solomon Daushep Lar, died, on Wednesday, in the United States after being in and out of hospital for some time. Lar’s pedigree as a consummate politician who identified with and advanced the interest of the down-trodden earned him the appellation – Emancipator.

Encomiums have been poured on him from various quarters since his demise and Sunday Vanguard spoke with some of his close associates on what he would be remembered for.

Excerpts:

‘The Solomon Lar we knew' those who had no access to basic thing of life, especially the minorities in the Northern Region should be given the opportunity to have a say was a vision I shared and that was how the relationship started and we remained close until he passed on.

“Chief Lar was a great emancipator, a lover of justice and a man who was very selfless. He was also very modest. As example, the main building in this compound (his Jos residence) was bought second han and each time he was told the building was no longer befitting, he would say, ‘the house is Solomon Lar and Solomon Lar is the house.’

He invested in the life of others and when you invest in others, you are leaving a lasting legacy. Chief Lar had three surviving children but at the time of his death, he had 167 dependants whose fees he was paying in schools. Some are orphans and others whose parents cannot take adequate care of. Some are in primary

He Made Many of Us

—Chief Samuel Mafuyai (Second Republic Aviation Minister who later served as Commissioner for Education in Lar’s cabinet after the NPNNPP accord broke down).

He Had 167 Dependants in Schools — Ezekiel Major

Adeyi (Executive Secretary of Solomon Lar Foundation)

C M Y K

“I am his son; not in terms of biological relationship, but

He Was Very Humble

—Da Bitrus Pam (Friend)

”I knew Chief Solomon Lar way back when he was in (secondary) school. I was already working in the school and we became friends. He was very humble and he touched many lives and I am one of those he touched. When I retired from work, he had just become governor and on his own,

The late Solomon Lar

,,

“If some of us became something in life as public servants, the truth is that Baba Lar (as many called him) had a hand in a lot of that. If people from very humble backgrounds like some of us came and we were known, it was because of his involvement in who we became. How can we forget that? It is difficult to forget Baba Lar. “What some of us learnt from Baba Lar, if nothing else, is that he was not concerned about himself. He was more concerned about other people; with the society itself and with the individuals. For instance, if you had problems and you went to him, he did not have to know you well before he would assist you. He would go out of his way to help.

Surprisingly, if he didn’t have, he would to and borrow to come and help the needy. We do not know him to have amassed wealth or built mansions all over as we hear of some people. He was not concerned about that. If people emulate him, Nigeria will be a better country.

“After from his selflessness, he was one who never bothered about what your religion was, what tribe you belonged to or even you political party. Once he was in position to help, he would help. That is the kind of person he was. Some of us who worked under him will forever be grateful to God for his life.”

people benefitted from the programme.

“He was a brave politician.

Remember how he led others to present a letter to Abacha when he was trying to succeed himself. It was from there that the G-18 started, then G-34 and the emergence of the PDP which he served as chairman.

There are so many things for which he would not be forgotten. You cannot talk of the contemporary democracy in Nigeria and you will not mention Lar if you want to be honest.”

He was a brave politician. Remember how he led others to present a letter to Abacha when he was trying to succeed himself. It was from there that the G-18 started, then G-34 and the emergence of the PDP which he served as chairman in terms of ideological commitment which developed into a strong relationship.

Chief Lar was a man I came to discover loves justice and loved Nigeria. On his part, he discovered that I was somebody who understood his vision and whom he would work with in terms of moving the country forward. We got to know each other in the Second Republic when I was the Plateau State Secretary of the

Da Bitrus Pam

Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) while he was the state governor on the platform of the National Party of Nigeria (NPP). He was more of the de facto leader of the NPP then and our first contact was after the 1979 election and there were talks on accord. The UPN came to discuss with the NPP on how to secure support for Chief Obafemi Awolowo to emerge as president at the Electoral College since Shagari, the candidate of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) did not meet the constitutional requirements to become president.

“We had the meeting at the Plateau Hotel and the way I spoke then as a young man must have caught his attention and we have, since then, been working together, discussing how the oppressed will be librated. His philosophy of emancipation which was to ensure that

Chief Samuel Mafuyai

or secondary schools and others in the university. He was still settling people’s bills even when on the hospital bed in the US. That was the man.

“There is no home in Plateau or Nasarawa States (the Old Plateau State which he governed) that will not have something to say about Baba Lar. When he was governor, the 48 state constituencies felt his impact. If you didn’t have a school, you had a hospital and if you didn’t have either you had a scholarship. All the 48 constituencies had children in schools on scholarship. All the government schools you see all over the two states were established by him. He was the one who initiated the part-time degree programme in the university and got all the NCE teachers in the state service to go for their degrees funded by the state Ministry of Education. Many other

Ezekiel Major Adeyi

he approached me and asked if I would still want to serve and I said, ‘by all means.’

“So he appointed me as a member of the Plateau State Civil Service Commission and I served there until the military interrupted the administration. He remained very humble even in public life. Even as governor, he never looked down on anybody. He was much younger than me but he still respected me. He did not change as many others are wont to when they get to certain positions. Lar was not like that. He continued to be very friendly. “He was completely detribalized and didn’t bother where you came from or whether you were a Christian or Muslim.

Everyone was his friend and his humility touched many of us. He touched many lives and many people will tell you this.”

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 37

No vacancy in Aso Rock until 2019 – Sergeant Awuse • ‘The questions G7 Govs must answer’ C

hief Sergeant Awuse is a top Rivers State politician, popularly called, “Political Bulldozer”. In this interview, he bares his mind on the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying those calling on President Goodluck Jonathan not to contest for another term are troublemakers who want to stop Mr President from exercising his legitimate right.

He takes on the `G7 Governors’, accusing them of chasing out PDP members who formed the party at the beginning in their various states. Excerpts:

BY GBENGA OKE

T

he splinter group in the President from performing his Peoples Democratic functions.

Party (PDP), led by Alhaji How do you mean?

Baraje, has severally called on They are the ones causing President Goodluck Jonathan insecurity in the country to be a statesman and not because members of this party contest for another term. As will understand that the a frontline politician from the amount of money the South-south, should the President has devoted to President heed the advice? securing this nation in order Essentially, whoever that is for us not to have a war would calling Mr President not to have been enough to do major contest is ignorant. I can say activities for the masses. without any fear that most of These are activities they have these people asking Mr put together to ensure Mr President not to contest are the President fails. Now they people behind the problems believed they have pushed Mr Mr President has had since he President enough, they have became President. All the tried to weaken his presidency security challenges Mr and this is the time for them President had, they were deliberately put together in order to give them room to say •Sergeant Awuse... Critics should leave PDP what they are saying. I call agenda is to scuttle the PDP victory in them ignorant people in the 2015, it is very clear and we know it sense that they are part of the now. So I think the party leadership party, they know the rules and should put proper disciplinary action regulations of the party, they in place and expel all of them because know that under the law, the they are hobnobbing with the President has the right to opposition to bring down the contest elections and, as a government. convention, a sitting President should have the first right of t what point do you think these refusal by himself not other problems erupted and seem to people gagging him in order be getting out of hand? to make a point that does not Those in opposition to the President exist. Let us put all these sponsored the January riot that nearly consumed this nation, and they are things in real perspective, the President was sworn in, in May 2011. to launch the final attack. But as far as that they are selfish. Some of them are going in deeper everyday to remove All the characters that are today we know, they do not have any governors in various states. Can we the legitimacy of the presidency? Today running around were the same people legitimate right to ask Mr President not talk about how they have performed. we now know them and we are asking who the President assisted in their own to contest election. I can say very The PDP as a party has an agenda, them that if you do not want peace in individual elections, some of them clearly that Mr President will contest and the President articulated the Nigeria, they alone will carry the were not even supposed to have run the 2015 election, it is not a question agenda into what we know today as consequence when it happens. As far “Transformational Agenda”. For you to as we are concerned, some of us still for election. The President gave them of body language anymore. be part of the PDP, you must be take it to be a family matter but some a helping hand because he is the Commander-in-Chief of the country. t is clear that the President will implementing the Transformation of them have gone too far for us to For them to now form what they call contest the election and the people Agenda in your individual state at your continue to wait and observe them a `New PDP’ which does not exist and parading themselves as alternate own scale and based on your resources. destroy the party. They should leave is not recognized by the PDP President by insulting the Presidency, How many of them have followed the the party if they feel so bitter; imagine Constitution, neither is it recognized by insulting the party organs, by Transformation Agenda or tried to do them dictating what the president by the Constitution of the Federal insulting the Bamanga Tukur-led PDP something for their people? They want should do., And the president has been Republic of Nigeria, I think one can will go no-where, they will crumble to be President, but they cannot be on the path of negotiation with various label all of them as troublemakers; because the foundation of their President when the seat is not vacant. groups in Nigeria, but that is not even people who want to bring disunity to argument is weak and in some cases The man has the right to second term satisfactory to them. What they want is Nigeria, people who want to gag the not even tenable. The second point is and he will do the second term. If the Continues on page 38

,,

All the characters that are today running around were the same people who the President assisted in their own individual elections, some of them were not even supposed to have run for election

I

C M Y K

A

PAGE 38—SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013 Y

‘G7 Govs have many questions to answer’ Continued from page 37 that Mr President should go. They should be mindful of how they dictate to the president; there are no two presidents in Nigeria; there is only one and that one president is carrying the mandate of Nigerians and would carry the mandate of Nigerians in 2015 because we know how far they can go.

I can assure you that most of them will find themselves out of any political arrangement if they don’t stop what they are doing.

T

T

alking about the South-south, we have seen some personalities from the zone arguing that it is not by force to support the aspiration of President Goodluck Jonathan for another term while some of them have joined the splinter group in the PDP. Also, in an interview, we heard Governor Uduaghan saying opposition to Mr President’s aspiration should not come from the South-south. What is your take on this?

Well, it is unfortunate that Governor Amaechi is being used as an example of those who are fighting Mr. President who, in the circumstance we found ourselves, is his own brother. When an attack is made against somebody and you target the head, it means you want the person to die, that is the meaning.

C M Y K

•Sergeant Awuse

What they are doing to this government is because Jonathan is from the minority. They cannot do this thing if Jonathan is from one of the major ethnic tribes in Nigeria. But they should remember that the same minority is the one sustaining this country

,,

he impression is that Mr. President is contesting a third term. Do you agree?

I don’t understand what a third term is. The lawyers and the court have established that the president has the right to contest a second tenure, nobody says the president should contest third tenure. Those making the claim should come to Nigerians and tell them when was the first tenure done and when will the second tenure finish? We do not know of any third term because the Constitution of Nigeria does not allow it. This is a first term government and I can assure you that nobody will stop Mr President from contesting his second. The only person that can stop him is God and I know that God has already shown his path of justice and we know the president will win this election.

What they are doing to this government is because Jonathan is from the minority. They cannot do this thing if Jonathan is from one of the major ethnic tribes in Nigeria. But they should remember that the same minority is the one sustaining this country. Since independence in 1960, we know those who had been piloting the affairs of this nation in whatever form, military or civil. So those calling for anarchy if President Jonathan contests election do not welcome everybody in Nigeria. But we are in Nigeria, we are going to run the election. We should understand this is the first time the minority area of the Niger/Delta is getting to that seat, we lay the golden egg and all our environment devastated in order to sustain Nigeria. I am sure sooner or later, all of them will come back to their senses.

To me, Amaechi is an ignorant person in the sense that he should not be the one to talk to Nigerians that the position of the court which has declared that President can run is wrong.

Why? Because he is a product of the court, both first and second tenure, and, for him to say that the South-south that has the presidency should relinquish it in order for him or his group in the South-south to produce the vicepresident is the most unreasonable political decision any politician can make in any countr y. President Jonathan is not running election because he is from the South-south, we don’t want to take it that way. What we are saying is that South-south is part of Nigeria and the zone is entitled to that office. If the whole of the Southsouth votes for the president and other parts of the country did not, will he win? Jonathan is not a president for the South-south, so if he continues to call for the president’s head, it means he is one of those trying to destabilize Nigeria.

And their aim is to weaken the president so that he can beg them. But the president will never beg anyone of them, he will not concede anything that will weaken his presidency, the president will never allow them to manipulate him. I believe the reason they are angry is because the president has begun to sit up and say to them that ‘I am the President of Nigeria and my mandate is to rule Nigeria, my mandate is not for any of the governors to begin to gag me to make sure I fail.

Whatever they are doing, I should

stand firm and carry out my legitimate function which I was sworn in for’.

P

art of the crisis rocking the party includes what the nPDP calls lack of democracy within the party largely caused by the way Alhaji Bamanga Tukur had handled the affairs of the party .....

What do you think has been emanating from the leadership style of Bamanga Tukur that is making them to complain?

Some governors complained that the party leadership has taken away from them the state chapters and there is face-off in majority of the states including Adamawa where the Chairman hails from ...

Let me give you a good example of Rivers State. The party structure can only be returned to Amaechi if the courts say so. I am not in a position to talk about the court proceedings now because I am not a lawyer and the case is at the Court of Appeal. When Amaechi became governor without campaigning for one day, without being voted for and without even being in Nigeria, the court handed over executive power to him in Rivers State, we know the comments he made.

He said, “Judiciary is the best thing that has ever protected and looked after the interest of Nigerians”. Somebody was cheated out in an election and he decided to go to court, the court gave him relief, that court is now very bad and very corrupt. How much money did he give when Supreme Court gave him what he never asked for? These are issues of what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. I can tell

you that nobody will give him any party structure except the court says so. And let me ask him who he listened to even before this crisis broke out? There is no way the basis of settlement is to hand any party structure to your enemy when your enemy is not the one who won the election. Nobody can argue that. Felix Obuah is not the chairman of the PDP in Rivers State.

Anybody who argues to the contrary should go to court. That is why I say Amaechi is ignorant and he does not understand what politicking is all about. Politics is deeper than collecting public money and using it anyhow.

Politics is beyond being a dictator and it is only in Rivers State that a governor can spend up to 30 percent of the capital vote without reference to anybody. What that means is that he can award contracts anyhow. Is that democracy? He should stop looking for trouble, he should stop making us look stupid when he is the one that does not understand what he is doing.

His collaboration with other politicians outside our zone should not give anybody sleepless nights because if election is conducted today in Rivers State, Jonathan will be returned even with more votes than he had before because he is a Niger/Deltan and because the zone deserves the right to that position. And if by fighting, you think you can take it, be rest assured that you are not the only war monger in Nigeria, we are also equal to the task and Mr. President has come to stay. I don’t see any vacancy in that position come 2015 and there won’t be anyone until Mr. President finishes his second term in 2019 and vacancy will be declared by the Constitution and the party.

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reconciliation process has been put in place for both parties laying claim to the PDP. Do you see this reconciliation settling the crisis once and for all?

Reconciliation of what? I just told you they took on the president to weaken him. What is it they are going to talk that have not been said. If the condition precedence is that Mr President will not run, then there is no reconciliation. Nobody will even listen to such talk. Who and who are we reconciling? Reconcile Amaechi and the President or reconciling Wamakko and the President or Nyako and the President? When did the trouble start? So the only way Mr President will become acceptable to them is if he says he is not going to run. Are they the ones who put him there? Most of them even struggled to become governors. People like Wamakko would not have become the governor of Sokoto State because he was not in the PDP; all the people who were in PDP before him, he has done everything to destroy them, that means, ab-initio, he is not a PDP man.

Nyako was in his field doing his farming after leaving the military, they went there and brought him against the wishes of those who actually put the PDP together, so what do you expect from him? He is doing his second term tenure and he wants to destroy the party.

They will destroy themselves because the president is going no where and the position is not vacant until 2019.

We are not talking about Niger/Delta issue now and if they want us to talk about it, we will use another Southsouth person to fill the position of president after Jonathan. We have sustained this nation, what is our own payback? So Jonathan should be chased out of the position in order to make them happy, it cannot be.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 39

INTRIGUING EXPERIENCES

THE MOVING STORY OF A FORMER MINISTER

BY JIMOH BABATUNDE

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R. Franklin Adejuwon means different things to different people. He was Minister of Agriculture in the government of the late General Sani Abacha. Before then, he served as Commissioner for Home Affairs in Lagos State under Mike Akhigbe and Raji Rasaki military administrations.

Adejuwon is at home with tourism and aviation, helping in the setting up of the National Tourism Board and drawing the nation’s Tourism Master Plan, a feat he achieved in collaboration with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation under the Obasanjo military government.

He clocked 70 recently and, as he was being celebrated by his family and friends in faraway Las Vegas, United States, he took time out to share his life story and experiences.

Excerpts of interview: On what it feels like to be 70 I don’t see any difference. The only difference is that you thank God that you are able to hit the age of 70 which to many of us would have been impossible going by what one went through in life.

We have to thank God that one is able to hit it at last.

On the memories of growing up I have quite a lot of memories and I don’t know how I can explain everything.

My early life by the records passed to me by my mother, I must have overstayed by nine months in the womb, that is nine plus nine months; so my age should have been over 70 if I came direct. I came in through serious circumstances and I don’t want to say too much about this. It is all within me and the family.

I started very well. When I was young, I had a lot of health problems. At the age of six months, I had small pox; at that time, any family that had it was an abandoned family, the person was seen as evil and such person is discarded in the society. By the special grace of God, I was able to overcome that but my mother went through a lot of problems.

I grew up and started schooling; my education was relatively fast; my primary was very fast. I grew up as a very big rascal anyway, but my rascality C M Y K

•Dr. Adejuwon and wife

I was a lone ranger in Abacha cabinet •’How the late ex-Governor Onabanjo saved my life’ •The encounter with Enahoro that changed his career •Speaks on his childhood as a hunter and the church organist’s son in the masquerade terror gang The seniors in the group then were mature and they used to pursue girls and any girl that did not give in, we would be asked to fight them was positive, so many people liked me for that. I became famous right from a child.

On schools attended I finished at Emmanuel Anglican Primary School, Ado Ekiti. One of my colleagues is Prof. Jide Osuntokun. Primary school was an interesting adventure for me, because I started out as a hunter. I used

to have traps that I used to hunt for rats.

What actually drove me away from that adventure is that one morning, as I was about looking whatever my trap had caught, I encountered a very big snake which had eaten up my catch and decided to pursue me. From that day, I left that adventure. That was the end of that.

Terror group It was also a very interesting life to be part of the masquerade group; we called them Ara Orun, those from heaven. We had a gang then and I was one of the youngest in the gang. The seniors in the group then were mature and they used to pursue girls and any girl that did not give in, we would be asked to fight them.

We will come in under the guise of masquerade and beat them up; but one day nemesis caught up with us generally. It might interest you that my father, who was an organist in the

church, did not know his son was part of the gang.

Every Sunday, the bishop will be talking about people coming in masquerade to beat up people in the girls’ schools not knowing that the son of the organist was one of those beating up the girls.

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he costumes we used to wear as masquerade then were highly inflammable. One day we were caught and they put fire on one of us. You could imagine how I escaped. I had to pull off and managed to get a wrapper somewhere to dodge back home. My father did not know what happened. That ended my adventure in the masquerade.

Prisoners let loose In Ado Ekiti, there was a pool built by prisoners. They fetched water there every day and it was also a fish pond. Every time the prisoners finished working, there we will go there to catch their fish. They noticed that we were

doing it; so when our group went there to catch fish at about six one evening, the wardens let loose the prisoners.

Some of us were caught that day. I was also lucky, I escaped; those who were caught were imprisoned for a day. So growing up was all full of rascality.

I had admission to Christ’s School. My brother also had admission and my father did not want both of us to go there, so I went to Oyemekun Grammar School.

It was one of the best schools in Ondo State at that time and some of my class mates are here (at the occasion marking 70 th birthday) today: Chief Familugba, Prof Kole Omotosho, we used to call him mosquito then, because he was very tiny at that time, Engr.

Adejuyigbe.

During our time, there was nothing like science subjects.

The best we could do was rural science; you could not imagine my set of 57-61 was an exceedingly good set. Many of us went out and finished as engineers, doctors, planners.

We took science after we had finished secondary school.

We excelled in it and our set was one of the most dynamic and pragmatic. We are together up till now, those of us that are alive.

In secondary school, everything went well up till class three when I started having financial problem and, by and large, I struggled, people will not know what people went through in our areas at that time to get things done.

When I finished secondary school, we had the opportunity of going for Higher School Certificate (HSC). I wanted to do law, but my father wanted me to improve on his job as a teacher.

Parting ways with dad Unfortunately for me, I took the exam to the Ohio University educational system in Nigeria at that time, which is now Olunloyo College of Education, and I was one of those who passed and given scholarship.

At the same time, I had the option of going to Christ’s School for HSC, or Hussy College, even Ibadan Grammar School, but my father insisted that I should go to the college of education. Since I didn’t want to go, I rebelled and got out of the house.

I had actually been independent from the age of 16plus, which was the time I

Continues on page 40

PAGE 40 —SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013

INTRIGUING EXPERIENCES

‘But for ex-Governor Onabanjo, I would be dead’ Continued from page 39

on with my education very well. I knew what I went through and I knew what I came for. Some my colleagues at that time were running after Bulgarian girls.

I did not think of anything like that but how to pursue my education and catch up with my colleagues.

left home and started exploring life myself.

I got a job as a teacher at Ayede Ekiti Primary School. From there, I moved to Ago Iwoye as a teacher in the Modern School. Meanwhile my class mates at Oyemekun had already advanced in their HSC. So I got so upset with myself, asking why such should happen to me. I went ahead to take three papers in GCE A Level. I read for it for nine months and passed the three papers straight away.

From there, I moved to Lagos. I got a job at Bojsons, and then started exploring the chances of going further in life. I had admissions in the universities but there was no money to go then. I was living in Agege and working in Isale Eko. So it was really a tough life.

Scholarship Then came the issue of scholarship for foreign students by the governments of United States, Canada, Russia, Britain, Bulgaria, among others.

I put in an application and, good enough, I had a scholarship to go to Soviet Union to read economics. My mother was in Ibadan on her sick bed in one of the Aladura churches.

I thought I should go and tell her, because, at that time, none of my parents knew where I was. As a matter of fact, I got to Europe; my father did not know I was alive until three years later when I sent my picture home.

Fatal accident As I was going to Ibadan to tell my mother, our vehicle had an accident in Sagamu that claimed the lives of about seven people. If not for the then governor of Ogun State, the late Chief Bisi Onabanjo, I would have been dead.

He was the one that saved my life.

He stopped along the way when he saw the accident and went under the debris of the car where I was pulled out and taken to hospital at Sagamu where I was treated.

I had head injury. All these stitches you see on me were the marks from the accident. I remember there was a girl sitting close to me in the vehicle from Saint Theresa College I was trying to toast. She was trying to give me guinea egg before the accident. Her head was severed from her body.

So in the process of treatment for this accident, I lost the scholarship, because, at that time, they will lead you to the plane, give you your passport and you board. The Soviet government used to bring their planes to take us.

My then girlfriend, now wife, was also involved in the scholarship, because I was waiting for her all along.

She had to leave me to go. I was dejected thinking that was the end of life. I lost hope completely.

Silver lining About two weeks later, I was still on the sick bed when I was called that I had another letter from the Federal Ministry of Education giving me anC M Y K

Adejuwon other opportunity to go to Bulgaria to do industrial economics.

I got the letter, though still very sick, but I prepared myself for the journey.

So, on the day of the trip, I had no money to even get to the airport to meet my friend, Mr. Jinadu, who brought me to Lagos.

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was living with him then. I could not tell him I had no money, I had only a pair of patched trousers. So, I got a friend’s bicycle that I rode to the airport. Along the airport then was a bank where I parked the bicycle.

I got to the airport in my bandaged head and, knowing that the officials of the Ministry of Education will not allow me travel in that condition, I took my seat as they were about giving out our travel documents.

Then there was no direct flight, we needed to travel to Ghana before jetting out. As the officials were coming, I told the person next to me my problem and that he should help collect my document, I left there.

When he got his documents, he told the official that I had gone to the toilet and he was asked my name; he told them and he was asked if he could keep the passport for me and he collected it. That was how I managed to enter the plane.

Trouble in the plane Once I got into the plane, I told myself that it was only death that could get me out. We took off. Mid-air, the two engines of the propeller plane packed up. We thought that was the end of life again. The pilot battled to revive one of the engines and he managed to land in Ghana from where we took off straight to Bulgaria.

We landed in Bulgaria late at night and, as soon as the Bulgarians saw me, they knew this one was already dying; so they rushed me to a quarantine hospital where they started treating me.

It took about almost eight weeks before I was released to the other students.

That was how we started. I moved

‘I want this course’ After my preparatory, I realized there was something they called geography of tourism. I was interested. So I went to the university to find out about it; that was the first time I knew geography was split into many areas.

My best result in A Level was geography, so I went to the Bulgarian government that I wanted to change my course. They said they were not allowing foreigners to take that course as it was meant for the communist children, because it involved the spending of foreign exchange as they needed to send you abroad.

As for other courses like medicine, engineering, they said they were ok, but geography of tourism, foreign re-

best that the government allowed me to change my course and, as soon as he got home, signal went to our embassy in Moscow and then Bulgarian government. That was how I got the course.

On career growth It was very interesting. In the first place, I did very well that by the time I finished my second degree, I had already landed three scholarships in Bulgaria. I had the Afro-Asian; I had the federal and the Bulgarian scholarship.

So, after I finished, I had many options. First of all, I was invited for PhD programs in some universities and I had some jobs in Europe before I left. I was in Switzerland, I was in England before I decided ‘let me come back home and find out’ what was going on.

At that time, University of Ife had linked up with me. We have had some exchange. I had brought some professors from Bulgaria to Ife and they had also come to Bulgaria. So, University of Ife had already started planning for me to come and start the Environmental Resource Unit.

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As I was going to Ibadan to tell my mother, our vehicle had an accident in Sagamu that claimed the lives of about seven people lations were meant for their children. But because they liked me, they said if I could convince my government to request for change of course, they could do that.

I started pursuing it, got in touch with our ambassador in Soviet Union overseeing Bulgaria, who said he did not have the power to do it.

Encounter with Enahoro As God will have it, Chief Enahoro, then a minister, was on tour of Eastern bloc. He was coming to Bulgaria. As soon as he came; I went to meet him in his hotel.

I told him ‘this is my problem sir and my intention for wanting to study geography of tourism’. Enahoro asked who gave me the idea; I said geography was my best subject and that our country has a future in tourism.

He was the first person to tell me that tourism was the industry of the future. He promised to do all his

y the time I came to Nigeria, I landed four jobs straight away.

University of Ife, Federal Ministry and a firm working for the World Bank, Messer Vehan Dasan, a consultancy firm. They were multi- disciplinary.

They were mainly focused on World Bank project. This job I got under three hours. I saw their advert looking for experts in different fields; so I went there, along Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, and the man said ‘ you are lucky that the senior partner is just from New York and he will want to see you’.

So, I saw the man. He interviewed me and said I should see him at three in the afternoon. I went and came with my documents at the appointed time; all I got was a letter of appointment straight away. That was how I started.

They gave me a big house, a car and so many projects.

So, we started with town planning. I did about 44 town planning in Nigeria and then went into regional planning.

I went into storm water drainage of Lagos with my own basic area being the usefulness of the storm water drainage for internal waterways for Lagos.

We created Tin Can Island. Our own position was to drain Lagos gravitationally; it was to get the canals from the lagoon straight away to the airport. That was my own project and getting to the airport, people can now use the inland waterways straight.

But we were only able to get it up to FESTAC. That was what opened up FESTAC. By the time we got it up to FESTAC, because we were using the Westminster dredger, we created the bridge at Mile Two as government had started preparing for FESTAC 77 then.

We linked up Mile Two with FESTAC and by the time FESTAC 77 was approaching, government had already started eyeing me.

Meeting Obasanjo I was in Morocco working on a resort

Continues on page 41

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 41

INTRIGUING EXPERIENCES

Why I can’t forget Obasanjo — Ex-Minister Continued from page 40

could it be because he worked with the military in Lagos?

Not necessarily. I think it was my work that took me to federal level, because I did not bargain for that too. After my tenure in Lagos, I was handling projects for the World Tourism Organisation as a member of the International Institute of Scientific Experts in Tourism. The Federal Government wanted to pursue what I had started in Lagos and in the National Tourism Board; so they looked for me. I did not expect to be a minister under that regime of Abacha.

But when I came back from England, I went to my sister’s place only to come back to my house to see a lot of people. I thought maybe someone had died among my relatives only for my wife to say they had announced my name as one of the ministers. I said

when I was called upon by Obasanjo, who was visiting Morocco then, to come and work with government; moreover, they felt having used federal scholarship, why should I be working in another place? I fought against it because I never wanted to work with government because of the bureaucracy. I wanted to help my country, but not as a civil servant. Anyway, government invited me to prepare a blueprint for tourism; tourism was just under the Nigeria Tourism Association at that time. It was a quasi -government body, it had no serious relevance.

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o, I prepared the blueprint. It was it that government used to get me in; General Shua was my minister. I wanted to bolt out at that time too because my company gave me another job to head the regional planning in London. I wanted to use that to go out, but I was stopped.

That was how I started the Nigeria Tourism Board and then moved up, but, to be fair, government gave me all the support. Obasanjo, as then Head of State, gave the ministry the mandate to give me anything that will enhance my job. I was given a house which was unusual, because I came in as a Senior Research Officer.

They did all that for me to remain.

That is why I can’t forget Obasanjo easily, because once he believes in you, he will support you. People might find fault in him, but, from my side, he did everything to make tourism grow in Nigeria.

On how he became commissioner I was in Tourism Board and when politics came, they translated the position of Chief Executive, which I was holding, to political position. When things turned that way, we professionals didn’t like it. They brought in a junior colleague of mine to be in charge and I took a sabbatical to allow them sort out things. When this was going bad, the minister, Alhaji Jega, at that time, had to call me and started pleading that I should come back, but, in the process, the military took over. I was abroad in Utah, US, delivering lectures when my wife called that they were looking for my CV at home.

I told her I was not interested in government work again; I just wanted to pursue my profession internationally. But when she kept bordering me, I asked her to release the CV. Later she called and said it was like they were about giving me an appointment in Lagos State, that I needed to come back home.

I came back and that was how I found myself as a commissioner. The governor, Mike Akhigbe, called me and was happy that I came back home as he had read about me. He wanted me to join his cabinet.

I ended being a commissioner for six years in Lagos State and everything went well. I was the first Commissioner for Home Affairs and Tourism. We tried to make our own mark in the state which, hitherto, remained the landmark C M Y K

Adejuwon

of tourism.

We did a lot of projects. Lagos State was the first to establish a tourism policy in the country and it was launched

by President Babangida. We also went into socials. I started the Sun Splash which was a hit. I then moved to taking over all the water fronts. At that time, the governor was such a wonderful person who loved tourism, probably because of his background as a naval officer; he also gave me full support.

Though we never had money in my ministry, we were prominent than other ministries because we were always introducing new things, things that could boost the image of the state quickly. So, I took over the waterfront from Ozumba Mbadiwe to Lekki.

I schemed up the area, because, before you get to 1004, it was all markets, rubbish along the coast. When I took over the stretch, Governor Raji Rasaki had been appointed.

He will say Bar Beach commissioner, ‘ what do you want to do with this?’ I will tell him, ‘Don’t worry sir; you will see in future. Just give me the right to take over’. He did and that was how we did everything.

I told him, ‘Give this land to the people at no price, let them invest their money and, after they would have invested their money, they would not take their investment away and the state will start enjoying’. That is what is happening today on that corridor.

We also created the awareness of cruises, the usage of waterways. I bought a boat, called Eko Touris; it had the capacity to carry 500 people.

Throughout my five and a half years after we had bought it, there was never a weekend it did not work.

We will cruise with it to Badagry with live band; diplomats liked it and they were always using it.

On his appointment as minister,

I was always against anything I knew was going to cause more problems for the nation. I was blunt and anytime we finished any executive council meeting, my colleagues will come to me saying ‘Dr. Adejuwon, we don’t do like this here’ ‘for what?’

So we listened to 9pm news and it was shown again. I wanted to reject it but one of the military boys called me very late in the night telling me not to go out of the country as they had been monitoring me right from when I left England.

That was how I got to Abuja.

On his experience working with the government of Abacha I later found out that a lot of sycophants were involved. When you look at the other side of it as a Christian, one needs to open his mind. I was in the cabinet more or less a lone ranger, but I was one of the most respected by General Abacha.

I was always against anything I knew was going to cause more problems for the nation. I was blunt and anytime we finished any executive council meeting, my colleagues will come to me saying ‘Dr. Adejuwon, we don’t do like this here’.

On any regret in life

I, honestly, will have regretted and will not regret anything, because I got to where I am by the grace of God. My early life was rough and tough. So there is no reason I should be looking down on anybody , there is no reason I should be ambitious for anything.

So, anything I did, I did it from my mind and from the way God directed me. There was never anytime I lobbied for any appointment in my life. All that came my way came through my professional recognition and I don’t think there is anything to regret.

All I need to do is to continue to give glory to God for all He has done for me. I was so shy and two I had been moving with a lady before who I got so much involved in but I had lose her because my father wanted me to be a teacher. She did not want all those things as we had already planned our lives to something. I saw that I could not be useful to her as she was mature and I had no future at that time.

So that did not give me all the sense of pursuing girls, but a friend, Foluso Jinadu , was the one who actually did the whole work. He was always leading me there in the evening and that was how we started.

I think love and relationship was completely natural. She had better options than me who had only a pair of patched trousers and without future.

I mean she just got interested in me, we loved each other and so, by the time I got the scholarship line, I told her because she had finished at Saint Anne’s College and was already in agriculture.

I told her ‘you are a brilliant lady and these chances are available; why don’t we pursue it’, and she got scholarship to study medicine in Soviet Union.

While she was there, we were communicating and I asked her to move to Bulgaria when I got there.

Again we had to pursue the government to do so and the Bulgarian government supported me because they knew I was doing very well and was not running after their girls like most Nigerian students. They wrote to the Federal Government of Nigeria and it was granted and so we moved her to Bulgaria.

She was to do medicine which she started quite alright. Then the two of us sat down saying if she was to do medicine, how would we take care of our children? So she agreed to change.

That was how she ended up studying veterinary medicine.

On words of wisdom from his father There is one that my father used to tell every one of us. My father grew up as an educationist, but you know teachers don’t have money. My father was one of the early students of Saint Andrew’s College, Oyo. He graduated in 1934 and was one of the people that established education in the whole of Western Region with the likes of Papa Alayande.

One thing he was always telling us was, ‘Live your life the way God has created you to live it, don’t ever let me be in my grave and have a reason to lower my head in shame that my son has done this.’

PAGE 42 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 13, 2013

Surprise as chemical weapons watchdog wins Nobel Peace Prize

BY EMMANUEL EDUKUGHO,

with cable news report T was with shock and surprise that the world received the announcement of Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) as winner of the Nobel Prize for Peace 2013 by the Nobel Prize Committee in Sweden on Friday. Nobody expected, even in the wildest imagination, that OPCW will be awarded the prize, against virtually all speculations by pundits, media organisations and bookmakers across the globe.

In the first place, OPCW was neither shortlisted nor nominated for the award by anyone or organisation as entries for all the six international prizes – each year-given to people who make important discoveries or advances in chemistry, physics, medicine, literature, peace and economics, had closed since February. So, OPCW was not on the table, until the shocking announcement in Oslo by the committee that the anti-chemical weapon agency was the winner, taking the international community by surprise. Therefore, it was absolutely the decision and choice of the Nobel Prize Committee. Analysts and keen observers of the process believed the choice of OPCW

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Chemical weapon inspectors at work in Syria was basically a recognition of the organisation to rid humanity of chemical weapons which is increasingly becoming a scourge to peace and development of mankind, especially with the latest use of chemical weapons in Syria.

Chemical weapons had been used in the heat of the ongoing civil war in Syria in the Ghouta area of Damascus on 21 August. Over 1,000 people, including children, and women were killed in the attack.

At that time of the massacre, Syria had not signed the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) or ratified the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC). These con-

ventions outlawed the production and use of such weapons.

Damascus vehemently denied using chemical weapons blaming the rebel forces for the attack. But the US insisted that the Assad regime carried out the attack and President Barack Obama was determined to strike Syria and destroy its massive stockpiles of chemical weapons and save humanity from imminent danger. Russia, an ally of Syria and arms supplier to Assad, was defending the Damascus dictator, fighting a civil war that has killed about 200,000 people with over 2 million refugees. With military threat by US forces looming over Syria, Assad gave up and

agreed to place his chemical weapons under international control. This development made impending military strikes by US, France and some other western allies a very hard option.

A UN report confirmed that Sarin gas was used.

Syria undoubtedly has the largest stockpiles of chemical weapons in the world. It is only now that the UN monitors have been allowed to enter the country and to destroy the weapons.

The Nobel Peace Prize to OPCW was seen as motivational and respect for the organisation as a number of countries still have chemical weapons including even Russia and America.

The award will make OPCW redouble its efforts in getting rid of chemical weapons and discovering all the stockpiles secretly kept by many countries.

According to Paul Schulte, an ex-UN Disarmament Commissioner who spoke on CNN, Russia and Egypt helped to stockpile the chemical weapons in Syria. It will be embarrassing if OPCW did not successfully complete its work to rid the world of chemical weaponry.

OPCW was established probably less than 30 years ago while just 189 countries have signed the convention prohibiting the use of chemical weapons in the

world.

With this Nobel award, the organisation would be stronger and the message sent is that it should work harder.

The Nobel Prize Committee flayed some powerful nations like Russia and USA for not completely getting rid of their own chemical weapons.

History shows that it was Adolf Hitler who first used nerve gas during the Second World War against Jews in which about six million were gassed to death in several concentration chambers and camps in Europe. Then came Saddam Hussein of Iraq, when he unleashed weapons of mass destruction on a section of his people during the Iran/Iraq war of 1990. The OPCW is the global agency charged with getting rid of chemical weapons and overseeing its destruction. The award may not be directly linked to the efforts of the UN or OPCW in Syria, but to its long standing work to rid the world of weapons of mass destruction. Chemical weapons are substances such as poisonous gases and other harmful chemicals, rather than explosives, which can be used to kill or injure people on a large scale.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 43

BY LUKA BINNIYAT

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HOUGH Governor Mukhar Ramallan Yero of Kaduna State promised to continue the legacy of his late boss, Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, in his early days in office, last year, it would appear that he has suddenly changed his mind.

From all indications, it appears that Yero has been unable to integrate the Yakowa bloc of loyalists and the formidable structure of former Governor Ahmed Makarfi into a solid camp ahead of 2015.

The southern part of the state, which has consistently voted for the PDP, now looks at the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC, as a veritable substitute to the PDP, after mounting allegations of marginalisation.

While there is no arguing the fact that Yero’s mentor, Vice President Namadi Sambo, is the butt of jokes arising from his poor public image and miserable outings at the polls in the last three elections in the state, it would appear that Yero may not be able to do better than his master.

But the governor is all the same trying to arrange his own political structure. And he appears to be doing so by diminishing the Yakowa legacy, and taking out the Makarfi camp.

This is based on several actions of Yero against some of the pillars that Yakowa left behind to unite a brutally divided state on the account of religion and ethnicity.

First of all, Yero brought in amendments into the Appropriation Acts to delay some of the popular projects of Yakowa in the north and south of the state. Some of the ongoing rural road projects which had lifted the spirits of benefitting communities were removed from the amended laws.

Yakowa recruited a tactical politician as his Secretary to the State Government in the name of Alhaji Ismaila Yakawada. The man was part of the political machine of Makarfi. The former governor is not on the same political page with Sambo who has never won an election even in his local government area (LGA) since he left his Kaduna governorship job in 2009 for Nigeria’s number two seat.

It was Sambo, who allegedly brought his former accountant, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, to become the Kaduna State Commissioner for Finance, in 2007. Sambo later chose him to become the deputy governor when he, Sambo, became Vice President and his then deputy, Yakowa, became governor. Thus, after the demise of Yakowa, he automatically became governor, all this while never contesting any election.

Many Kaduna State residents believe that Sambo remains in power through his godson, Yero.

KADUNA SPEAKER’S IMPEACHMENT

The coup that swept away the late Gov Yakowa’s men *The VP, Yero’s connection

•Hon. Usman Mua’azu Gangara With Makarfi still popular in the state ahead of 2015, it was a matter of political wisdom that Yero and Sambo found ways to firm up their grip on the state.

The emergence of a parallel PDP, or the Baraje camp, however, exposed the poor control that the governor and vice president have on major stakeholders of the PDP in the state.

Thus the sack of the Kaduna State cabinet, made up entirely of Yakowa’s appointees, after the ousting of Yakawada (SSG) much earlier, was a prelude to more intrigues in the state that is almost 50-50 Christian- Muslim. As at the time of writing this report, the state had been without a cabinet since the emergence of the nPDP. The latest development was the removal of Yakowa’s anointed leadership of Kaduna State House of Assembly.

Last Tuesday, 19 of the 34 members of the House announced the removal of their Speaker, Hon. Usman Mua’azu Gangara (Giwa East Constituency), replacing him with Hon. Shehu Tahir (Giwa West) after a battle of wits that started with the demise of Yakowa in December, 2012.

The members were less than

The sack of the Kaduna State cabinet, made up entirely of Yakowa’s appointees, after the ousting of Yakawada (SSG) much earlier, was a prelude to more intrigues in the state that is almost 50-50 Christian- Muslim the 23 required under section 92 (2) (c) of the Nigerian Constitution to effect the sack of a Speaker or a deputy Speaker.

Gangara and his supporters said that their removal was the handiwork of Yero.

Shortly after his enthronement, the new Speaker spoke like a man who had just overthrown a sitting government, giving assurances and threats at the same time, before announcing sweeping changes.

Tahir told his colleagues: “Today marks another milestone in the history of Kaduna State House of Assembly.

What transpired is a clear manifestation that democracy is driven by the will and voice of the majority. Your action was informed by the urgent desire to transform and re-invigorate this honourable

House for maximum result. . . I have viewed and accepted the challenges of the office of the Speaker and assured you that with your support and cooperation I will not let you down. However for the House to succeed, members must resolve to take their constitutional mandate with the utmost seriousness it deserves.

“Finally, all Special and Standing Committees are therefore dissolved while new ones will be reconstituted in due course”.

Shortly after, the Gangara group stormed the Kaduna office of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) to air their own side of the story.

Gangara, who came with all his principal officers, insisted they were still in-charge.

“It would be recalled that there have been insinuations of impeachment in the House since August 14, 2013. I as the Speaker and honourable members have always taken the path of honour not to allow the fragile peace in the state to be disrupted, and we shall continue to ensure the pursuance of peace in Kaduna State”, he said.

“We want to categorically inform you that the purported sitting by some members of KDSHA is a nullity.

“The House has since suspended its sitting until further notice. We therefore urge our people, especially our teeming supporters, to remain calm, and ignore the impunity going on in the House.

“I remain the Speaker, and my deputy, and all the principal officers are still in their positions”.

In his contribution, the Minority Leader of the House, Dr. Shehu Usman Adamu (Maigana Constituency), alleged that Yero and Sambo had a hand in the Speaker’s sack.

“We have been told through unconfirmed sources that the governor met with these members and insisted that he could not work with the Speaker, his deputy and us.

It was reported that his boss (Arc. Namadi Sambo) may also have a hand in it”, he said.

But the Director General, Media and Publicity to the Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Maiyaki, when contacted, dismissed the allegations as a tissue of lies.

“The governor believes in the neutrality of all arms of government, and is able to work with anyone. These allegations are wild, mischievous, and misleading. He is a very gentleman that would never dabble into the affairs of the Assembly in that manner ”, he said.

The public, never entirely convince by the denial, were later proven right when the governor embraced the new Speaker through a congratulatory message.

A statement by Meyaiki said the “Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Yero, has congratulated the new leadership of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Shehu Tahir, and his deputy, Peter Adamu.”

According to him, Yero commended the members of the House for their maturity in resolving issues amicably, adding that “the maturity exhibited is an indication of the Assembly’s determination in the quest for the stabilisation and advancement of democracy in our dear state”.

He assured the leadership of the Assembly “of his administration’s readiness to cooperate with the legislature in implementing policies and programmes that would improve the living standards of the good people of the state.”

Gangara had escaped impeachment last August, when only 16 of the 34 members signed for his removal.

PAGE 44—SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013

Edo Central should produce Oshiomhole’s successor, by Inegbeneki

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM Chief Francis Inegbeneki is a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Edo State Inegbeneki is a political leader that has seen it all it terms of the politics of Edo. In this interview, he hails the move to convoke a National Conference by the Federal Gover nment. He expresses optimism that the APC will kick out the PDP come 2015, just as he declares that in Edo State the PDP exist only on the pages of newspapers. He also speaks how Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s successor will emerge.Excerpts:

T

HE Federal Government is now disposed to the call for National Conference. What is your take?

It is a good move but I believe?

President Jonathan wants to use it to help himself ahead of the 2015 presidential election.

Majority of his party members have abandoned him and Nigerians are disappointed with him, so the man is looking for a popular decision now to make Nigerians change their perception about his government. Nigerians have always wanted a National Conference to discuss our problems and that is why we hailed the move. But the President should do his job; agreeing to a National Conference will not help his ambition in 2015 because Nigerians have made up their minds that they want a change.

Do you think the APC has what it takes to oust the PDP at the federal level come 2015 and in Edo State in 2016?

Today, the truth is that the people of Edo have since dumped the PDP and embraced the performing APC government led by Oshiomhole. If you recall the result of the last election, ACN won in all the 18 local governments, it was like a revolution. For the PDP to win in Edo again, it is going to be difficult unless the people don’t want development. PDP cannot win in Edo anymore because they played God for over eleven years in this state.

And at the federal level, with the in-fighting in the PDP, which appears to be war without end, that is a big advantage for us.

The other day I heard some people saying APC is not a national party, that they cannot win an election. I laughed because I knew they were deceiving themselves. APC is a national party, you have it in the North, East, South-south and South-west. With the fighting in the PDP, we are going to see another revolution, just as it happened in Edo State, at the federal level and that will afford Nigerians the opportunity to experience another government in power. People are saying that 2015 will be bloody, but I don’t

think it will be bloody, it is going to be a smooth revolution and the revolution has already started within the PDP. For a former Vice President to walk out in a convention with other governors is a bold revolution that has started and the APC will benefit from it and take over at the federal level. It would have been difficult to oust the PDP if there is no internal crisis within them and that their usual boast that they will rule this nation for another fifty years would have happened. But what we have seen today the center can no longer hold, the APC will kick them out in 2015.

A

nd for Edo State, there is this fear that finding Oshiomhole’s successor might tear the party apart. We are aware that some people have started meeting and consulting ahead of 2016 in the state, but the truth remains that every politician has ambition. We are expecting that more people will still indicate interest in the race for governorship and that is part of democracy. But no matter what happens, at the end of the day the leaders will decide who succeeds Oshiomhole. No one man can decide who becomes the governor in Edo State any

that position but I want my people to send me to the Senate, I am not power drunk. And if my people decide to send me, I will not reject it, I will run and if I run, I will make sure that Esan gets the right representation in the Senate. I will work for my people and not my pocket as some people are doing today. I am not going there to look for money because, by the grace of God, I am a successful business man. Senator Ugbesia has not done anything for Esan people since he entered there and we are hearing that he wants to go back for third term. The only time Esan people enjoyed good representation in the Senate was during Senator Osariemen Osunbor’s tenure, when he was there every Esan man was proud of him. But the man there now is only representing himself and not Esan people. What we have today is a sleeping senator and Esan people want change come 2015.

There is this claim that Edo Central wants the governorship after Oshiomhole. How true? s an Esan man, I believe it is the turn of Esan to be A governor of Edo because we

No matter what happens, at the end of the day the leaders will decide who succeeds Oshiomhole. No one man can decide who becomes the governor in Edo State any more more. Though Oshiomhole must also have a hand on who succeeds him, it will be with the understanding of the leaders.

Gone are the days that one man decides who become governor in that state. Yes I am aware that some groups have built structures in all the wards in the state due to their ambition, but that does not relate to victory and I believe that any structure outside the one led by Oshiomhole will not succeed in this state. It is not who started the race that will win.

Senatorial ambition I have used my influence to assist many politicians in Edo and I have not run for any political position, I believe power comes from God. Yes, the news is everywhere that I want to contest the senatorial seat; youths from my area have been asking me to contest. I am eminently qualified to contest

have not had it for so long. In the state today, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, from Edo South, ruled for eight years; Chief Odigie Oyegun, from Edo South, ruled for about one year and half. Governor Oshiomhole, from Edo North, is going to complete his second term in 2016 while Edo Central has already ruled for one year and six months in the person of .Osunbor. So, in the interest of equity and fair play, we should be allowed to produce the governor. And I am aware that we have always enjoyed good relationship with the Binis, I believe that they will partner with us and assist an Esan man to become governor.

You were a member of the PDP before joining the APC. What makes you think the APC is a better political party than the PDP? I have seen it in APC when I joined the party. I was the Director General of the

Chief Francis Inegbeneki Herbettar Okonofua Campaign Organization; you will recall that we were barely six months in the ACN, but, because we were more on ground than the people we met in the ACN in my senatorial area, she won the senatorial primaries. If it were a party controlled by a god father as it is in the PDP, that wouldn’t have been possible. So there was internal democracy in the ACN which is being carried to APC. I left the PDP due to lack of internal democracy and once the APC continues like that they won’t have problems.

You used to be one of the foot soldiers of Chief Tony Anenih, the current chairman of BOT of the PDP. What happened? es, I was very close to Chief Y Anenih, most of things I learnt in politics were from him.

Chief Anenih is a political tactician and with due respect, I want to say that today he stands out as one of the outstanding political elites this country has produced. But of course he is now an elder, there are things he used to do that he can no longer do. I learnt a lot from him. I am someone who is very close to the people and chief knows that and that is why each time there is an election, I will be briefed properly and, even today in APC, the leaders consult me because they know how popular I am.

And because they know my influence in the PDP, I was feared; even today in the ACN. I can talk to my people and they will listen to me. You can see that when I left PDP with my supporters, the party lost steam.

But it seems you APC leaders in Edo Central are still finding it difficult to win elections in the area due to the influence of Chief Anenih? rankly speaking, Edo Central has been the center F of the PDP in this country, the Mecca of the PDP in Nigeria before the coming of Oshiomhole. Those days when you visit Uromi, you will see three or four governors in Chief Anenih’s house; some of them even had rooms in his house, so the party was being run from Uromi then. And that is how PDP became a house hold party in Esan because Chief Anenih used his influence to empower our people in several places. After Chief Enahoro’s political leadership in Esan land, Chief Anenih took over and he was in charge until the political tsunami that took place in Edo with the coming of Oshiomhole.

There is no doubt that Anenih still has a lot of influence in Edo Central but its seriously dwindling because Oshiomhole won in all the local governments in the state during the election.

Senator Ugbesia was able to win because of the internal crisis in ACN in that area then, there were protest votes against the ACN candidate; if not, Okonofua would have won. But I want to assure you that if we go into an election today, from what we are hearing that the PDP senator in our area wants to go for third term, which is very strange, if that happens, it is good for us, we are going to push PDP out in Edo Central in 2015 senatorial election.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 45

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

Senator Mudashiru Oyetunde Hussain representing Osun West senatorial district was a twotime member of House of Representatives between 1999-2007 representing O s h o d i - I s o l o federal constituency, Lagos State. He returned to his home state of Osun and contested for the Senate in 2011.

Hussain is a member of Senate Committee on Appropriation and vice chairman, Senate Committee on Sport. He was in Ilorin where he spoke on some national issues.

Excerpts of interview:

A

S politicking towards 2015 general elections gathers steam, what is your advice for politicians?

Let me be honest with you, we, the politicians of nowadays, have not been fair to the electorate, because it is glaring that we have failed to provide leadership, and the large chunk of the blame goes to the ruling party at the centre. The way many PDP gladiators and foot soldiers are threatening fire and brimstone suggests what to expect in 2015.

Come to think of it, the speculative ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan has torn his party apart, because it is believed in some quarters that in a ruling party, once a presidential aspirant gets the party ’s ticket, he is as good as winning the race.

Where is the position of the electorate there? On daily basis, Prof. Attahiru Jega’s INEC is under attack by the politicians of the ruling party.

The Offa rerun has given us a pointer to the evil machination of the stakeholders in 2015.

As far as I’m concerned, 2015 promises to be interesting because there will be no dull moment, and I have no doubt that evil politicians will be shell-shocked.

How will the APC resolve the issue of its presidential candidate amidst many interests by members of the party?

Despite the fact that APC is still at its formative stage, you can see the enthusiasm of the people, you can see relief, and contentment; that assures us that we have offered the people a credible alternative.

Though the PDP might be saying they are unruffled, check the hearts of the people on that platform, you will feel

2015

How APC presidential candidate will emerge – Senator Hussain trepidation and palpitation.

On how to choose our presidential candidate, that won’t be a problem, because the way an individual’s interest was buried for collective interest in the formation of the mega party, is the way our collective aspiration will prevail in the choice of our presidential candidate.

Do you support joint account between state and local governments? What is your take on local government autonomy?

Whoever chooses to speak on the issue of joint account of state and local governments must be well schooled on what led to the operation in the first place. The failure of most local government councils to pay salaries of their teachers, and workers was part of the reason. In Osun State, during the administration of Chief Bisi Akande, some local governments recorded zero allocation, meaning that immediately allocation arrived, it was used to pay half of workers salaries, so nothing was left to offset the balance talk less of execution of projects. So, the local governments were in perpetual debt. Besides, in a federal structure, we can only have the centre and component units, that shows we can only have the centre and states, local governments are bye products of states. I am one of the senators who support joint account between local governments and state governments because some of our local government chairmen and councillors are not mature. If allocation goes to them directly, there will be an overwhelming abuse. Let the status quo remain for now.

How do you see the current revenue allocation formula and sharing? How would you want it to be for equitable sharing?

What I am about to tell you now must not be seen as the opinion of an opposition politician, but a realist whose interest lies in true federalism.

Ordinarily, all component units of a federation ought to have something in form of revenue contribution, and this could happen if all states are allowed to take possession of what they have as resources.

In Nigeria, some states could dwarf Niger Delta oil with

Senator Mudashiru Oyetunde Hussain agricultural produce; some states could develop on tourism, some states could grow on taxation and levies, and so on, but because of the lazy structure, and defective leadership, we are compelled to practice ‘feeding bottle’

some projects out of the 17 percent given to the 774 councils recognized by the Constitution, what has the Federal Government to show for 54 percent? Do the maths, and think on my stand point.

What have been your

The way many PDP gladiators and foot soldiers are threatening fire and brimstone suggests what to expect in 2015.

Come to think of it, the speculative ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan has torn his party apart federalism, where all states go to Abuja cap in hand, begging the Presidency for everything.

On how I desire the sharing formula of the present conjecture called allocation sharing, it will be a good play seeing the states and local governments getting more share, while the centre gets less. Check it out, all the 36 states share 26 percent, and they still have things like infrastructure to show, some local governments are struggling to commission

achievements as a member of the National Assembly visa-vis the people of OsunWest that you represent?

When a legislator begins to spell out achievements like the executive, it further reminds us of our defects, and our own brand of democracy.

Under normal circumstances, a lawmaker is to represent his constituency, and give voice to his or her people in every piece of legislation that should be pushed forward,

but it is quite obvious that our constituents are demanding some results different from lawmaking and oversight functions. In the light of this, I must say that in the last two years, I have attracted some projects to my constituency in Osun. For the past two and a half years of being a member of the Senate representing OSUN west senatorial district, I was able to contribute immensely in terms of robust debate on national issues that affect my senatorial and Nigeria in general such as how to improve the well-being of the Nigerian youth in orher to reduce unemployment and poverty in the land. I sponsored a bill which is ready for second reading (the bill is seeking gender equality in the society).

I initiated a lot of federal projects in various local governments within my senatorial district such as building of schools, sinking of boreholes, erection of solar energy poles and of course distribution of 500kva transformers not mindful what I did to better the life of individuals, especially in the area of securing federal job appointments. I have also empowered quite a number of women and youths with various working tools and cash.

How do you rate the performance of the APC led government in Osun?

Before the APC led government took over, our people were made to contend with economic blunders, which rendered Osun to a civil service state, another name for a failed state, a situation that compelled Governor Aregbesola to seek a new window of economic opportunities in the state through his six-point integral action plan known as ‘O’ Concept. Through the concept, the issue of capital flight was addressed. Another landmark was how the APC government led by Aregbesola removed Osun from the list of perpetual debtors and insolvency. As a matter of fact, the way he bought back the suffocating loan bequeathed to him by his predecessor was good to be described as financial surgery. Today, Osun has become a bride for investors, and it is on record that the state has the lowest unemployment rate, according to the field work of Federal Bureau of Statistics.

PAGE 46—SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013

Jonathan deserves a second term

BY BEN NANAGHAN VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF The many reasons the president should seek re-election

M

ANY state governors in Niger ia have now abandoned their primary responsibilities and veered into political opportunism and ego massage.

If not, why have the governors, especially from the North, arrogated the duties of the INEC Chairman to themselves. They now decide who should or should not contest an election. The rebellious governors are gallivanting from state to state to concretize their individual presidential ambitions.

But Nigerians have seen through their smokescreen. We now know that behind this facade are four former military presidents and a former vice president.

The plan is to mobilize former ministers, former presidents, the political ‘movers and shakers, the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the entire nation against Jonathan’s constitutionally guaranteed second term ambition.

But in all this, the Senate leadership has remained inured and non-partisan.

While the Senate has shown party discipline and decorum on both sides of the aisle, the House of Representatives has highlighted shameless display of party indiscipline, wheeling and dining with

,

VIEWPOINT

There are so many reasons for the war against Jonathan.

The greatest obstacle to his 2015 bid is his minority status

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political opponents for the sake of lucre.

There are so many reasons for the war against Jonathan.

The greatest obstacle to his 2015 bid is his minority status.

The founding fathers of an independent Nigeria never imagined the emergence of a minority president especially from an obscure and unknown town like Otueke, which unfortunately again is in the smallest state of the federation.

This has emboldened the rebellious seven governors to try to push Jonathan out

of his constitutionally guaranteed ambition.

Another very powerful group fighting the president’s second term ambition is the cabal of very powerful former military presidents and their converts and beneficiaries.

Cabals are a universal phenomenon, a deep rooted and entrenched clique of Mephistophelian manipulators who use their tremendous power and wealth to control governments and para-governmental agencies. They hold sway and force governments to make policies and decisions that favour them.

In Nigeria, the cabals work invidiously through former military rulers, former ministers, state governors, members of the National Assembly and top government officials.

Jonathan has dared the cabal in the oil and power sectors and the results are there for all to see.

And because of the president’s strides in the energy sector, the same people are chanting war songs to scuttle Nigeria’s nascent democracy. They have openly called for a Nigerian Arab Spring, a massive rebellion against Jonathan, impeachment, outright war and disintegration.

And of course the same cabals would have secretly planned various covert means of taking over power violently.

We are aware the R7 governors with presidential ambition went to the former lead-

ers to seek better strategies to frustrate Jonathan out of his second term plans.

Do northern politicians expect him to solve all the problems they created these 41 years with the speed of light?

The North should realize that the Niger Delta youths will make Nigeria ungovernable whenever a northern president emerges.

Jonathan is by section 137 subsection 1B of the 1999 Constitution entitled to contest the 2015 presidential election as long as he has not been ELECTED TO THAT POSITION ON TWO PREVIOUS ELECTIONS. At the PDP special national convention held in Abuja in August 2013, the president admitted that “critics never want to acknowledge” his achievements which are there for all to see.

Since Jonathan’s arrival, petroleum products deregulation has ceased to be quarterly affair. The government sponsored long fuel queues to justify deregulation are no more part of our culture. Electricity has moved from the hitherto jinxed 3,000 MW to 4,500 MW in 2012 and the Federal Government has privatized the energy sector.

And after almost 30 years of wobbling and fumbling, the comatose Nigerian Railway has put its trains back on track.

Let us not also forget Jonathan’s efforts to encourage grassroots education by establishing over 120 Almajiri schools for the “Talakwas” of northern Nigeria.

Let us not frustrate these wonderful promises and dreams.

The president deserves a second term in 2015. *Nanaghan lives in Lagos. E-mail: bennanaghan@yahoo.com.

Alabukun: The happy life of a pioneer

BY PRINCE AMOS UYO TRIBUTE IN BRIEF The life and legacy of a rare entrepreneur He was the formulator of the popular analgesic powder called “ALABUKUN”, and the father of Chief (Mrs) Stella Odesanya – the writer of this tribute- and Chief Folake Solanke, SAN. ACOB Sogboyega Odulate, the Blessed Jacob, sat at the work table in his laboratory, writing the notes which contained the formula for what would ultimately be known as his famous patented medicine, Alabukun Powder.

This was in 1918. It was early in the evening of another hectic day at his place of work, a functional combination of office, consulting room and laboratory-cum workshop. His single-minded pursuit of the goal of establishing an indigenous medical/pharmaceutical brand was legendary.

He had displayed the same purposeful determination when, at the age of 14, he decided to uproot himself from his ancestral town of Ikorodu and he had embarked on an exploratory journey which took him three months on foot to establish a domestic and commercial base in Abeokuta. His very modest, but cherished “headquarters” was built in the Sapon area of Abeokuta, a mere walking distance from the site of his future three-storey landmark home in IjemoAgbadu.

With the day’s work finished, he supervised the ritual of tidying-up of the office, a task in which some of his children were willing and excited participants. Soon it would be time to join his friends for a few games of tennis at the Abeokuta Tennis Club, and then go off to his home to join his wives and children for dinner. His face, which could sometimes bear the disconcertingly combined countenance of both a firm disciplinarian and a mirthful father in equal measure, was today aglow with joy. He, a black man and member of the Yoruba ethnic group had triumphed against the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that the British colonial author-

J

ities had placed in the path of ambitious “natives”. He had penetrated the fortress of British-dominated commercial enterprise in nascent Nigeria, to become one of a very small group of Nigerian entrepreneurs in the colony. He had reasons to smile.

From the modest, but gradually escalating, proceeds of the sale of Alabukun Powder, Alabukun Mentholine and other locally made products – all produced by him – the Blessed Jacob was able to realize his overarching desire, which was to underwrite all the expenses associated with sending his children to the land of the erstwhile colonial rulers, Britain, to further their education. One after the other, his offspring went off to study at Durham, Newcastle, USA and London to qualify as educationists, medical doctors, lawyers and engineers. They returned to Nigeria to join the pool of highly educat-

,

TRIBUTE

The enduring success of the Alabukun brand is now interwoven into the fabric of modern Nigeria medical history.

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ed and successful professionals for which Abeokuta has been particularly famed in Nigeria history. Alabukun’soffspring have prospered and have made immense contributions to Yorubaland and to Nigeria in their various professions and spheres of endeavour.

The enduring success of the Alabukun brand is now interwoven into the fabric of modern Nigeria medical history. The Alabukun Powder in particular is displayed and sold in thousands of pharmacies, markets and roadside stalls all over Nigeria. In many states in Nigeria, Alabukun powder is considered to be the

obligatory cure-all for almost every ailment. In neighbouring countries such as Benin Republic, Ghana and Cameroon, the eye-catching Alabukun brand is to be seen advertised everywhere. Alabukun products are sold in several towns and cities in the USA, the UK, in Europe, Brazil, Jamaica and, yes, even as far away as China. You can buy Alabukun products on-line, off-line, under-bridges and overexpressways.

Just last year, 2012, the descendants and family of the Blessed Jacob marked and celebrated the 50th anniversary of the passing on of this towering man. In a manner in which he would have been proud, the celebrations were modest and without fanfare. None of the governors of the various states in South-west Nigeria in which the Blessed Jacob made huge contributions was present. Both Ogun State and Lagos State were in no way officially represented at this significant anniversary. However, we owe nobody any grudge because for a particular reason the family had decided to make the anniversary a low-key affair.

Happily, his children, his grandchildren, great grand-children and great-great grandchildren as well as the descendants and relations of the multitudes of his beneficiaries, patients, friends and employees, were all there to celebrate the history of this under-appreciated icon.

And so, one year after this 50th anniversary, what are the physical edifices and buildings that can serve as a present and future testimony to his legacy, to his industriousness, to his trailblazing entrepreneurship?

Even then a befitting memorial indeed a legacy, solid, towering structure such as a house have severally suffered from uncaring and insensitive official arm.

First to go was the magnificent family residence in IjemoAgbadu with its unique granite-hued frontage and castle-like grounds which for more than half a century housed living quarters for family and friends alike — DEMOLISHED! Secondly, was in 2013 the first two-level building in Abeokuta,Sapon the original birthplace and home of the Alabukun brand was – DEMOLISHED!!

Thirdly,in 2013 the storey-building that

the Blessed Jacob built on the east side of Ikorodu Road and which for decades was the most significant landmark on that road before one reached the landmark Ikorodu Roundabout was also pitifully – DEMOLISHED!!!

This sad history of wilful disregard and disrespect for the legacies of those who came before us and who contributed so much to the nation that we today call Nigeria is abundantly exemplified in the tragic fate of Alabukun’s properties. We, the descendants of the glorious Blessed Jacob are so grateful and proud of his life. The education that he bestowed upon us, the wonderful example he showed in his personal and business life his immense generosity and kindness of spirit, these are what we and our own descendants will never forget.

For those who find themselves in power today, and for those who were in power when all of the destructive acts described above were committed, we have only this to say: The act of destruction of the physical properties of those who did so much to make our nation great can never desecrate their names or their legacies. It is those who permit such destruction who should ask themselves this: “Is this the way to honour the past? Are we proud to announce to the world that we allowed history to be corrupted and eroded like this?”

Finally, sad as we may feel about this story of demolition as chronicled above, we, the descendants, especially his children, are proud and grateful to God that our magnificent patriarch, Papa Chief Jacob Shogboyega Odulate – ALABUKUN – The Blessed Jacob – left us a legacy that can never be forgotten in the history of Nigeria. In life and in death he stands up in the development of Nigeria.

What a man! What a hero! What a legacy!

For more information on the life of this great man, I refer you to the book “Reaching for the Stars” an auto biography of one of his children – Chief Folake Solanke, SAN. *Odesanya is a recipient of the national honour of MFR.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 47 sameyoboka@yahoo.com

08023145567 (sms only)

ASUU strike is more spiritual than physical —Bishop Umunna money now, yet we can’t properly use the money for the benISHOP (Prof.) Leonard Umunna, the General Over efit of all. We must borrow a seer of the Bible Life Church (a.k.a Favoured Church), leaf from countries that are was born on June 25, 1954 at Umuoma Okpofe in Itu, doing well. We have left our Ezinihitte Local Government Area of Imo State. An entreprefoundation as a nation. The neur, administrator, musician and philanthropist, Umunna is Bible says if the foundation is also a teacher, educationist, instrumentalist, author, and a destroyed, what can the righsocial commentator. teous do? Rebuild it. That is He holds a post-graduate diploma in business administrawhat we must do; we must retion, master’s in education, doctorate degree in divinity—GMF build our foundation as a naand Literature—USA. He is a Fellow, Strategic Finance and tion.

Admin Institute, Visiting Faculty London College of Theology The country has been expeand currently, General of GM Chaplaincy and professor of riencing aviation mishaps.

Christian Leadership. He oversees one of the single largest Plane crashes have been too congregations in the world. many. Is it also a spiritual or Last week, the cleric celebrated his 50 years on the pulpit. physical problem?

During the period, he has been able to demonstrate God’s There is nobody in Nigeria love on the less-privileged, as he has assisted many people to that is not experiencing the move from zero to hero. pain of the downward In this interview, Umunna speaks on several national iseconomy. No one is doing well sues, recommending that we must go back to the good old without the help of God. It is days of professional teachers who were trained to impart qualnot well with Nigeria in the ity education to the young ones. Excerpts…. physical realm. Nobody should blame the aviation inhave more vernacular than dustry or its handlers because

BY SAM EYOBOKA English Language.

The dwinit is a systemic problem. The How would you describe bad economy has affected evyour state of mind as you cel- dling economy has also afery aspect of our economy. We ebrate your 50th anniversary fected the sector. Let us go back to the drawing board are all on our knees pleading on the pulpit? where our teachers can be rewith God to have mercy on us I feel excited and joyful. The and on our country. We need anniversary was reminiscent trained in line with 21st cenleaders that can take us to the of the day I gave my life to Je- tury knowledge and revive the Promised Land. We left the sus Christ and the day I was TC II so that our children in Basic 3 can write well.

It will foundation the British laid for called to ministry. I am grateus and now we are pursuing ful to God for keeping my life amaze you that many secondNigerian factor. till today. I have died several ary school leavers can not Are your biological children times and God brought me write a simple sentence in English Language. toeing the same path with back to life to complete my asWhat is your response to you?

•Umunna... There is nobody in Nigeria that is not signment on earth. Everything All my biological children experiencing the pain of the downward economy I have today is from God; not the lingering ASUU strike? my making. are doing well in their different enWhat challenges have you deavours. In fact, none of my children faced over the years? is lagging behind in terms of 21st cenIn my recent book, Forward tury knowledge and information in the Only, I enumerated several world. All are leaders and ministers of challenges I have faced in the gospel. My last child completed ministry. The challenges are 18 years in April. too numerous. In all my chalWhat is your take on the National lenges, I have had no regret.

Conference proposed by the presiAssassination attempts too dent? many, threatening situations There is nothing President Goodluck The ASUU strike is not just physical, progress in all sectors. But along the Jonathan will do now that will not be too many, but none of these has defeated me. Since I gave my life to Je- it is also spiritual. I cannot talk about line things went wrong. Initially, we held suspect because of the way he sus, I have never looked back. the political aspect because the presi- aimed for the skies, but, suddenly, we started and the way the People’s As a stakeholder in the education dent has spoken in that direction. It is crash-landed and we have not been Democratic Party (PDP) is being run. sector, having established schools and more spiritual than physical. Some able to take off again. That is the stage President Jonathan may have good inoffering scholarships to people, could people want to use physical measures we are now, but we can take a lesson tentions, but it is difficult for people to you share your thought with us on the to arrest spiritual matters. We should from our past. Look at our power sec- believe him because of their past expestate of the nation’s education sector? emphasize on solving the leadership tor. Many a time I have asked people riences. Nigerians have seen it before Concerning our education sector, we and corruption problems; and the in charge of the power sector to take a and it did not produce any good outmissed it. We left the TC II behind, no country will be better for all of us. We lesson from those who presided over come, so we must understand the reaproper evaluation before examination. have left the major thing and are now the old Electricity Corporation of Ni- son for the skepticism being expressed.

That is the more reason why we say The TC II teachers made serious im- concentrating on inconsequential geria (ECN) and find out what is people of integrity should champion the wrong? If we know exactly what is go- cause, and initiate moves that can pact on our education. We have ne- things. glected them and we are employing Can you say Nigeria has made ap- ing on, then we can improve on our bring corruption to its barest minimum. graduates with degrees but without the preciable progress in the last 53 years? technology and reduce our electricity There’s no nation that is free from corskills on educational development of Any body saying we have made no challenge that has crumbled our ruption, but the problem is the level. our children at the basic level which progress is making a big mistake. We economy over the years.

But whether he is having ulterior mothe TC II teachers were better trained started well when we got indepenThe problem is that we have left our tive or not in this present project, it dence from the colonial masters. We real foundation. Why is it that things can be honed to better use if we put to impart in those days.

Today, in the education sector, we recorded an appreciable level of have gone so bad now? We have more people of integrity to run it.

B

We left the TC II behind, no proper evaluation before examination. The TC II teachers made serious impact on our education

,,

PAGE 48—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 13, 2013

ASSOCIATED AIRLINE CRASH:

Adeboye prays against disasters

By SAM EYOBOKA & OLAYINKA LATONA

A

PPARENTLY sharing the grief of the Ondo State Government and the Agagu’s Family in particular, for the recent double tragedy, General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye led a mammoth crowd of worshippers at the Redemption Camp to pray against any further tragedies in the country.

At October Holy Ghost Service which was dedicated to Youths and titled; ‘The wonders of exploits’, Pastor Adeboye prayed God to wipe away tears from all those who are currently in sorrow.

He urged all participants to rise and pray to God to have mercy on the nation. “Have mercy on Nigeria. Put an end to tragedies in this nation and in all the nations of the world,” he urged. ”In all our families in the country and all the nations represented here and indeed all countries of the world, let there be no more tragedies. Please God, let there be calm in all the families of the world,” Adeboye stated. ”Put an end to tragedies in the world and in all the nations of the world,” he urged and the congregation echoed the prayer points fervently. Continuing, Pastor Adeboye hailed the youth for devoting quality time to

*Pastor Enoch Adeboye profitable Kingdom ventures by engaging themselves in soul winning through their various ministrations across the country, stressing that soul winning is a cardinal ingredient of doing exploits.

He was particularly excited by the choir

ministrations of the night as well as those preached, saying that there is tremendous hope for the future of the church in particular and the nation as a whole.

Adeboye, however, picked holes in some aspects of the ministrations, noting “as a coach it is extremely difficult to satisfy your coach who will always want the best out of his students.”

Activities marking this year’s youth convention which ended yesterday included a variety of sporting programmes such as chess, scrabble, squash, volleyball et al, and trophies were presented to regions that excelled during the programme tagged Exploits competition.

Highlight of the night was the presentation of trophies to the wife of the General Overseer, Pastor (Mrs.) Folu Adeboye who bagged the award of Commander of Exploits while her husband, Pastor Adeboye was presented with an award of the Grand Commander of Exploits.

Human capital dev. drives national transformation

By SAM EYOBOKA

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IRECTOR-GENERAL of Institute for National Transformation, INT, Prof. Vincent Anigbogu has said that there can not be true national transformation until there is a concerted effort at developing the nation's human capital.

He noted that a World Bank assessment in 1998 in 192 nations re-vealed that human capital contributes as much as 64 per cent towards economic development as compared to physical infrastructure which contributes 16 per cent and available natural resources which is responsible for 20 per cent.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos ahead of an international conference on national transformation titled; Come, let us build the broken walls of Africa' and scheduled for Monday, October 28 to November 1 at the Sheba Event Center, Ikeja, with renowned speakers like Dr. Myles Munroe, Dr. Vishal Mangalwadi, Pastor Andriy Kuksenko, Prof. Korman and Pastor Sunday Adelaja as speakers, Prof. Anigbogu said globalization is a reality and no longer a cliche.

He averred that its impact on the continent is already profound to the extent that there are over 600 million mobile phone users in Africa, more than US and Europe, adding that Africa has been tagged by many international experts as the next frontier in global economic development in the next 25 to 40 years.

"But to achieve, Africa must intentionally develop and deploy responsible leaders with integrity, compassion as well as excellence and strategically disperse them in the seven spheres

*L-R: Prince Tunde Akindele, chariman Board of INT, Prof.

Vincent Anigbogu, Director-General, INT and Pastor Remi Morgan, chairman Local Organising Committee. of society: education, government, business, media, social (family), religious, and entertainment.

"Such leaders, besides possessing the requisite character traits, should demonstrate competency in strategic leadership and quality management skills adequate to leadAfrica in a globalized world," he stated, adding that the INT envisions a transformed Africa by 2030.

According to him, leadership development has remained the passion of the institute, urging every well meaning African to join the campaign for to sharpen the leadership qualities of the urgent generation of African leaders while developing the leaders of tomorrow. He insisted that the continent must raise value-based, no-excuse leaders who will transform their families, organizations, communities and nions to their highest level of performance and achievement.

Giving reasons for the establishment of INT seven years ago after a 14-day training on principles of national transformation from an expert on national transformation, Dr. Sunday Adelaja, Prof. Anigbogu said human capital development is the greatest bottleneck in the development of Africa.

Since 2007, he said INT has been working across the continent with a view to installing noexcuse-leaders of responsibility, integrity, compassion, and excellence, who will proffer performance instead of pronouncements; expertise and competence instead of title and position; be involved in pioneering bold and innovative initiatives towards national development instead of seeking handouts and aid; offer compassionate hands to their people instead of dictatorship, control and abuse; and leave lasting legacies in their life times instead of failures, excuses and shame.

According to him, the institutes operates in seven nations including Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, US, UK and Ivory Coast and has perfected plans to launch many training programmes in basic leadership course, specialized course for private and public organisations; history makers training; Oak Seed executive leadership course and top executive leadership course.

He maintained that about 1,200 had undergone some of the outlines programmes since March 2008, pointing out that INT had also launched collaborative graduate degree programmes in transformational leadership studies with Beulah Heights University in Atlanta, Georgia, and a masters and doctorate degrees in transformational leadership with Regent University, Virginia Beach, Virginia both in the US.

Christ Redeemer Welfare Services empowers 800 indigent students

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HRIST Redeemer Welfare Services (CRWS), an arm of The Redeemed Christian Church of God recently gave scholarships and bursary to some 800 indigent students drawn from across the country to enable them continue their studies, reports OLAYINKA LATONA. Speaking during the presentation ceremony, the Special Assistant to the General Overseer on Admi-nistration and Personnel, Pastor Johnson Odesola said the gesture was to contribute the church's quota to the development of the nation, noting that government alone cannot develop the society.

He maintained that the RCCG aims at bringing up children to embrace God and engage in community development.

His words: “Participants are drawn from across the country.

We have people from Kano, Maiduguri and Yobe as recipients of this year's awards.

Huge amounts were budgeted for the scheme. We provide them with needed educational materials while their spiritual lives will be taken care off by their local pastors. One of the things churches and ministries can do is to help the less fortunate.

"Church leaders should join hands to complement government efforts in getting education to the grassroots. The church com-munity should take active role to better our community and it should not be limited to the area of education alone,” he maintained.

Odesola therefore urged churches in the country to make their impact felt in their communities.

Advising the beneficiaries to utilize the opportunity given to them appropriately, Pastor Brown Oyitso, Pastor-in-charge of Province 23, urged them not to be swayed by the spirit of the age, explaining that teenagers are being compromised by the devil and the society.

He said RCCG has resolved to take care of less privileged in the society, pointing out that the gesture is an aspect of the Corporate Social Responsibility prog-ramme as given by God to the General Overseer.

Besides offering scholar-ships, RCCG through its outreaches, render assistance to thousands of orphans, the less-privileged, widows and other needy persons across the country.

Cleric charges FG to tackle insecurity

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IGERIAN govern ment has been called upon to tackle the issue of insecurity in the nation, reports EBUN SESSOU. The call was made by the Archbishop Diocese of Lagos West, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Bishop Olusola Odedeji at a one-day synod with the theme; “Revive thy work, O Lord”.

In his address, Bishop Odedeji explained that if there

is going to be any meaningful transformation agenda as proposed by the present government. According to him, “the military, police and other paramilitary bodies must be properly equipped with modern weaponry."

On the recent ASUU strike, he said that inability on the parts of the Federal Government and ASUU could lead to face off between the two parties.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 49

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OBERTS Liar don was a guest-minister at a church. Suddenly during the service, the Holy Spirit drew his attention to a woman.

Then he told him something unusual. He told

him to go and slap her.

Liardon obeyed. He went to the woman and slapped her. There was a loud gasp in the church as she burst into tears.

Surely, it could not have been God who told Liardon to slap this woman. There is certainly no biblical precedence for it. However, in the same bible, God says: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.”

(Isaiah 55:8). So, yes indeed, God can give any directive he wants to his sons.

How could Liardon tell it was God who spoke to him? He must have had a relationship with God. He knew God’s voice. If a longstanding friend phones you from abroad, once you hear his voice you can tell it is him.

Some months later, Liardon was ministering in another church, and he recalled the strange incident of God telling him to slap someone during a service. Out of the blue, a woman came forward and said she was the one. Then she gave her testimony. God had called her husband to ministry and she did not like the idea. She resisted and resisted until that fateful morning, she surrendered and told God on her knees: “Slap it out of me!” When she got to church, the visiting minister, Roberts Liar-

GOD IS TALKING TO YOU (4) don, came forward and slapped her.

The voice of God How can we identify the voice of God? God is a God of peace. His signature tune is peace.

Therefore, the voice of the Lord is not the voice of anxiety, but of peace.

The psalmist says: “I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints.” (Psalm 85:8). It is the devil that speaks of fears and worries.

God says: “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10). When we are worried or anxious, it is more difficult to hear God clearly. Since Jesus is our Prince of Peace, expect him to speak his peace into your heart at all times. Jesus says: “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27).

What does the voice of the Lord sound like? It is not insistent; it is a still small voice: “Behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earth-

The voice of the Lord is not the voice of anxiety, but of peace quake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” (1 Kings 19:11-12).

The inner witness God often speaks to us through other people.

This makes it important to listen to others. James counsels: “Be quick to listen, slow to speak.”

(James 1:19). As God’s prophet, Jeremiah pleaded with Israel: “Please, obey the voice of the LORD which I speak to you.” (Jeremiah 38:20).

But most times the speaker does not even know he is being used to deliver God’s message. But you, the hearer, should know.

As the person is speaking, something inside you sparks, and you just know that what he is saying is what you need to know from the Lord.

This is called an inner witness and it comes from the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. The Holy Spirit uses his inner witness to confirm or underscore something that

is being communicated to us.

You may need godly counsel about a situation you are facing. You have talked to different people and obtained different views but remain unsure as to precisely what to do. Then as one particular person is talking to you, you simply know it is God using him to talk because there is an inner confirmation. What he says hits the nail on the head and speaks directly to your heart. That is the power of God. That is God talking to you.

Internal promptings Internal promptings are strong urges to do or not do something. You cannot explain why you feel that way, but you do.

Sometimes the intensity builds up inside you until you obey the prompting. At other times, you just happen to do something, which turns out to be precisely the right thing to do. Such promptings come from the Lord.

I had a nasty quarrel with my older brother and decided to stay away

Orubebe outlines virtues of praise at Blaze of Fire harvest

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LAZE of Fire Ministries a.k.a. Fountain of Life Chapel, Sapele, Delta State recently celebrated her annual harvest/thanksgiving service, in a colourful manner.

The guest preacher at the occasion was the Minister of Niger Delta, Elder Godsday Peter Orubebe who is by his calling, a man of God. Elder Orubebe held the congregation of about 5,000 people, spellbound with his oratory power, indepth knowledge of the Holy Bible, songs, dance and above all a keen display of humility.

The theme of the service for this year was “Come, let’s praise the Lord” which the guest speaker paraphrased to “The wonders of praise.”

In his words; “ wonder comes like an enigma.

“Praise,” according to him, is not an emotional thing, rather it is a divine activity. Praising God is glorifying Him which must be a prologue to

view, thanksgiving should be a daily affair.

Earlier, Pastor (Barr.)

Tsewo Edema had before the arrival of the guest preacher and his entourage taken the congregation through a session of dancing and

adoration.

At the end, the chief host, Rev (Mrs) Blessing Edafiadjeke allowed for the ceremony to close without the church’s usual group dancing except the Itsekiri group and the youth group

from him. But one day, I developed the urge to go and see him. I resisted it, not wanting to revisit the quarrel; but after a while, I relented and went to his house. When my sister-in-law saw me, she shouted: “Praise the Lord!” “What is that all about?” I enquired.

Then she said: “I fasted and prayed today and asked the Lord to bring you here. This quarrel must end today.”

Be open to internal promptings. They are invariably calls to the righteousness of God. Indeed, that is the means of their identification. Never resist internal promptings to pray about something or about someone, even if you don’t know why. Jesus says if we do, we will know. (John 7:17). God is often in search of prayer-warriors. He says: “I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land.”

(Ezekiel 22:30). Let him find you.

Checks in the spirit A check in the spirit is an internal alarm that goes off, making us feel leery or cautious about something or someone.

It slows us down, mak-

which were extraordinary.

However, in order for the usual order to be achieved for the combined attendance of all the ministry’s branches from the headquarters, Oghara, Jesse and Warri members Dr. Blessing Edafiadjeke, one of the hosts promised the next

ing us look into something more carefully and urging us to pray more for God’s direction.

Sometimes it is designed to keep us from being misled or being taken advantage of. Other times, it protects us from physical danger.

Kenneth Hagin received an offer to move to another church. He was excited because they were offering him a lot more money than he was then earning. But every time he sat down to write an acceptance letter, he was dissatisfied with the draft and would tear the paper. Then miraculously, the Lord appeared to him. He said to him: “When I told you not to take the job...” Kenneth Hagin interrupted him to find out when exactly he told him not to take the job. The Lord replied: “Every time you tried to draft the acceptance letter, I checked you.”

Don’t ignore the check in the spirit: it is the Lord. And don’t ignore it when God uses others to provide the check.

Women are particularly sensitive spiritually.

Therefore, don’t ignore the checks of your wife.

She might say: “I just don’t feel good about you doing business with that man.” Don’t insist she must give you chapter-and-verse reasons. A man and his wife are one; so God can speak to the husband through the wife. He warned Pilate through his wife not to have anything to do with the persecution of Jesus, but Pilate did not listen.

Don’t be like Pilate.

To be Continued.

Sunday for continuation and for the sharing of the Cake of Wealth to the members.

True to the promise all members came back last Sunday gorgeously dressed for dancing to the glory of God, usual annual group (ethnic) display and the sharing of the cake.

BSN calls on FG, ASUU to embrace dialogue *Elder Godsday Orubebe

dancing while praising God." He gave the example of David in the Holy Bible and advised all Christians to dance while praising God, adding that by so doing Christians use their bodies to praise and please their creator.

He gave the analogy of the breeze and wave in the sea which bring the seafoods resting at the bottom of the sea to the seashore to the Creator who as a result of praises opens all ways to such seekers.

“When you praise God, all ways will be open to you,” he said. In his

G

ENERAL Secretary/ C h i e f Executive Officer of Bible Society of Nigeria, BSN, Rev. Dare Ajiboye has appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), to call off the lingering strike and embrace dialogue with the Federal Government, reports OLAYINKA LATONA. Ajiboye, who stated this at a press briefing in Lagos, expressed sadness over the prolonged strike, lamenting that students have suffered adverse effects of the lingering industrial action.

He therefore called on the Federal Government to honour the pact it entered into with ASUU as

a matter of priority, explaining that invoking the ‘ no work, no pay ’ labour policy against the protesting lecturers will not solve the problem.

Ajiboye urged government to explain its inability to meet the demand of the striking lectures.

In his words: “BSN is appealing to the Federal Government and ASUU to call off the strike and; for the Federal Government to be given a chance to fulfill its obligation. The frequent ASUU strikes have become a bad omen to public education in the country. The two parties should consider the interest of the students and end the strike.

“We must find a

common ground.

Negotiation is a give and take and people should negotiate based on mutual respect,” he stated.

Ajiboye also called on Nigerians to strive to build a great nation, noting that leaders only cannot build the nation.

Rev Akozo, 27 others get CAN award

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HE Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Ago-Okota District, Lagos State, has bestowed on Rev. (Dr.) Bright Akozo, the General Overseer of Victorious Saints Chapel, Okota and 27 other ministers of the gospel with Integrity award.

The award which was bestowed on the 28 ministers for their outstanding expolits and faithfulness in the vineyard of God, was held at Okota

Baptist Church, Ali-Dada, Ago Palace-Way on Saturday, October 5.

Rev. Bright Akozo

PAGE 50—SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013,

I have no regret being an ar tist — Angela Isiuwe

,

BY JAPHET ALAKAM VISUAL

F

OR the average young girl, especially one who grew up in a university environment, the choice of arts as a profession will be the last thing in her mind, considering the nonchalant attitude of government to arts and the level of arts appreciation in the country, but to Angela Isiuwe, that is not so.

The 1992 graduate of Auchi Polytechnic who had participated in many group exhibitions and recently concluded a successful joint exhibition with her husband has described art as a call she will never ignore. “ Painting to me is a call I will never ignore. It is my life, my voice by which I could be recognised.”

Angela who is a full time studio artist and one inspired and nurtured by mutual love, creative affiliation and geared towards bringing a breath of fresh air to the increasingly vibrant Nigerian art scene with her husband, Emmanuel a painter also, said that unlike other people who stumbled into arts, her choice of arts is divine, “I could’nt say I stumbled into art, I consciously went into art after secondary school, having grown up in one of the higher institutions, Abraka, where my father was a lecturer. I know what art is, so I decided from primary school

Painting to me is a call I will never ignore. It is my life, my voice by which I could be recognised

,

Angela Isiuwe, with one of her work entitled Age of Innocence that I am going to read art and thereafter went to Auchi Polytechnic for 5 years to study art. But after graduation I studied under Sam Ovraiti and consequently I branched out of regular art and now I do more of minimalist art,

lineal art.”

The amiable mother of five, who recently had a successful exhibition with her husband at Didi Museum paid a visit to Vanguard office with two art works , one of which is titled Age of Innocence,

a painting of a young girl covering part of her body. Speaking about the work, Angela said, “looking at the painting you could see the lady still covering a side of her

body. I can say that it could get to a time when shyness, innocence would leave her and there will be no need for the wrapper. As time goes on, when the innocence and shyness have cleared, there will

be no need for the wrapper.”

Contnuing she said that the message is simple , it is telling young girls to cherish their age of innocence. “I have an 18 year old daughter who is in a hurry to become an adult and I remind her that the time is very short, time of innocence is very short that she should enjoy it. After some time, she will not do some of those things as a child. She will become an adult, age of innocence has passed. From that painting I am telling children that are growing up, to

enjoy their youth while it lasts, enjoy your innocence while it lasts.”

Angela who renders her paintings in evocative swift lines also has a word for upcoming artist.

To her, “Art is about passion, if you are doing something you love with passion, if you are doing arts, you don’t look at the money first.

It has taken me years, I graduated in 1992, and yet it has not been so rosy, but being consistent and being passionate about it. I don’t think that I regret being a full time studio artist. In fact, if I am to be born again, I will still like to be an artist. There is a lot of joy in it.”

Femi K uti, Yink a Da vies tto o thrill ffans ans at Muson FFestiv estiv al Kuti, Yinka Davies estival

By JAPHET ALAKAM & IYABO AINA

Oruwari, London based soprano and other soloists.

MUSIC

M

usic lovers from in and around Lagos will be thrilled with an all round entertainment as The Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) rolls out drums for a double celebrations of its annual MUSON festival and her 30th year anniversary.

The 2013 MUSON festival which is the 17th in the series tagged: Celebrating perfection in the Arts will kick off from October 17th to 27th, at the company’s multi-event centre, Onikan, Lagos.

Addressing the press in preparation for the festival, the acting Chairman of the MUSON board and festival committee chairman, Mr. Kitoyi Ibare-Akinsan disclosed that this year year’s festival will be unique as it coincides with the 30th celebration of Muson, and to make it memorable the organisers have lined up a lot of activities.

One of the key event is the MUSON Jazz festival, which will feature the toast of Jazz and Jazz related music, Afrobeat King, Femi Kuti and Afro Jazz Diva Yinka Davies who are billed for the stage on October 19.

MUSON is said to be founded as a result of interaction of some friends who love and appreciate classical music. These distinguished Nigerians stimulated interest and awareness of Nigerians, especially in Lagos of the

richness and elegance of classical music.

MUSON’s core activities are in the areas of training and inspiring professional musicians and anyone interested in learning how to play any instrument, organizing classical concerts and staging the Annual MUSON Festival.

Foundation donates books to primary schools *Femi Kuti(1st frm right)Yinka Davies (3rd frm r) and other members of the festival committee

Other festival activities include – My kind of Music, slated for the first day and featuring Dr. Mrs. Femi Akinkugbe, Mr. Stefano de Leo, Ms. Evelyn Oputu and Amb. Patrick Dele Cole OFR. for ‘The MUSON Jazz festival’, while another show tagged ‘The Classical Concert’ fixed for October 20 and featuring Manami Sano, Ulf Klausenitzer and Thomas Kanitz.

This will be followed by ‘The Youth Concert’ on October 24 with 12 finalists in the musiquest competition. ‘MUSON Day’, comes up on October 25 with Latin American Music, Tango

and more.

On October 25, there will be Latin American music, Tango and more. A stage play of Rasheed Gbadamosi’s ‘Echoes of the Lagoon’ is scheduled for October 26. The play is being produced by Dr. Tunde Azeez’s Silent Torch Productions. The cast include Joke Muyiwa, Nobert Young, Ola Rotimi Fakunle, Hafiz Oyetoro and Laide Adeyiga. It is sponsored by Chevron. The MUSON Festival closes on October 27 with a gala concert sponsored by Total featuring the MUSON symphony orchestra, the MUSON Choir, Victoria

A

Non Governmental Organization,NGO, Ovu Foundation,has donated over thirteen thousand note books and writing materials to primary schools in Ovu, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State.

Presenting the note books and writing materials to the Chief Inspector of Education, Ethiope East, Mrs. Kehinde Oderhohwo, on behalf of the primary schools at Urhodo-Ovu Primary School, the president of the foundation, Dr. Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, said building solid for the educational advancement of the people is one of their priorities and that donation of note books has been on since the past four years.

D r. Rim-Rukeh who said that the foundation is working towards putting up an electronic library at the Ovu junction, explained that this year’s book presentation was peculiar, as it was the first time the foundation is

coming into partnership with the National Youth Service Corps on Community Development Service Project in ensuring that the teachers and pupils are in good learning environment.

Responding on behalf of the primary schools, the Ethiope East Local Government Area Chief Inspector of Education, CIE, Mrs. Kehinde Owe Oderhohwo, the President General of Ovu Development Union, ODU, Barr. Joseph Ukukor and the representative of Ethiope East Council Chairman, Hon. Sunday Eromedoghene, said the foundation has done wonderfully well, for the donation of the note books and writing materials to the pupils.

They said Ovu Foundation is worth emulating, as according to them, their promotion of education in the area has in no small measure raised the standard of education in the area.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 13, 2013, PAGE 51

Odun Omo Olowu: celebrating culture at its best CULTURE

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he atmosphere at the ancient kingdom of Owu was filled with festivity as prominent Nigerians gathered at the Gateway Secondary School, Ita-Iyalode, Abeokuta for Odun Omo Olowu, a new yam festival celebrated by Owu people.

The Odun Omo Olowu has a routine that is followed annually, which was precisely what happened this year except for the additional programme of dedicating a church built by the monarch.

It started with activities such as road show, the popular Ayo games, visits by the Olowu to traditional and historic places, special jumat service and sports all culminated into the grand finale, which took place on Saturday October 5 with all the glamorous cultural and traditional beauties that made the Odun Omo Olowu a standout.

The event proper was set aglow with cultural displays, which started with a lineup of Owu warriors, dressed in black traditional war attires each bearing lifeless guns in his hands and dancing to catch the interest of the Olowu, who was flanked on his right by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and on his left by his wife, Olori Bosun Dosunmu.

Ostensibly ecstatic the way he looked, Oba Olusanya Dosunmu waved his irukere to the performing troops from

,

BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

his high seat as they danced and sang their cultural war songs, just the way it used to be in the early days of Owu warriors.

There were also the masquerade dance, female harvesters’ dance, the Isan dancers shows and the king’s cutting of yam into slices, an activity that was rousingly applauded and the yam slices passed round to attendees to share. The Isan dance was a dance of nine men dressed in traditional attires. The men who appeared from both sides of the high stage danced round a pot wrapped round with white cloth and nine thin rods (Isan) bearing spirals on it. Each dancer danced round the stage and returned it into the pot and disappeared until

Kingdom and in whose reign the new yam festival was rebranded as Odun Omo Olowu.

The royal father’s arrival on the celebration ground was welcomed with very loud ovation, songs and praises. This year’s celebration was not an exception as the it burst into thunderous applause with arrival of the Olowu and paramount ruler of Owu Kingdom, the Olowu Kangunere, Amororo II, Oba (Dr.) Olusanya Adegboyega Dosunmu, at about 1.00pm.

Accompanied by the 18 Obas and their Baales from across the various towns under his rulership ; the paramount ruler ’s majestic step-by-step dance towards the red-carpeted high stage became a

Ostensibly ecstatic the way he looked, Oba Olusanya Dosunmu waved his irukere to the performing troops from his high seat as they danced and sang their cultural war songs

they completed nine, indicating the number of years the king had spent on the thrown.

T

his year’s edition of the festival had come and gone but the glitters that came with it would never be wished away in a hurry. It was the 14th of such festival to happen in the Owu Kingdom, Abeokuta, Ogun State but nineth to been held under Dr. Olusanya Adegboyega Dosunmu, who is the Olowu and Paramount Ruler of Owu

,

thing that thousands of people present fell on one another to have a glimpse of.

Already on ground to welcome him to the colourful ceremony were the crèmes de la crème of the Owu Abeokuta community, including former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Bola Ajibola, SAN; former Military Governor of old Ondo State, Brigadier General Ekundayo Opaleye; Chief Emmanuel Osunbiyi; Chief Bolu Akin-Olugbade

The Olowu and Paramount Ruler of Owu Kingdom, Oba Olusanya Adegboyega Dosunmu, cutting a tuber of yam indicating that his people could eat yam for the year. and several others. His traditional chief warrior (Balogun of Owu Kingdom) and former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo joined him later.

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lad in an elegantly em broidered agbada made of white and black stripes material and a pair of shoes to

match with his splendidly beaded white crown, the 81year-old monarch was greeted with explosive songs and drumming composed by ladies dressed in Aso Oke with white lace on the top and men dressed in same stuff with traditional eleti-aja caps, respectively, as he made his way one step after another towards his high seat on the stage.

Dissecting Group dynamics in corporate administration

BY PRISCA SAM-DURU REVIEW

D

r Fabian Ajogwu’s C o r p o r a t e Governance & Group Dynamics is a 420 page work that examines the existing models of corporate governance in Nigeria with the aim of determining whether they are capable of dealing with the complexities of group structures especially in the banking and financial services sector.

The book with a forward by former President of the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria, Dr Christopher Kolade, deals with issues ranging from theories and standard models of corporate governance, roles of professionals in corporate governance, international financial reporting standards, the relationship between risk management and corporate governance.

Corporate Governance & Group Dynamics, Dr Fabian Ajogwu, Centre for Commercial Law Development, Lagos. 420 pages.

In discussing the modern corporate governance questions and premise after a review of existing corporate governance works, the author, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria

(SAN) and a fellow of Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria, carefully examines different theories of corporate governance, comprising the agency theory, economic theory, transaction costs, motivators’ theory and stewardship theory, in the context of today’s company administration.

On investigating the subject of corporate governance, the author poses crucial questions, such as What is the corporate governance impact, where a significant shareholder in a group wears several hats. For instance, shareholder, creditor, supplier, manager and franchisor in relation to the company or companies?; Are existing models of corporate governance in Nigeria adequate to cope with the complexities of group structures especially in the banking and financial services sector, etc.

While capturing the concept of corporate control and

separation of ownership in addition to management within groups, the author also, discusses the control factor between parent and subsidiaries in relation to their impact on governance.

In chapter 5 of the book, the author examines board responsibility and its effectiveness in governance.

He critically xrays also, board accountability in companies operating within groups with the aim of enhancing corporate governance through board committees.

Dr Ajogwu goes further to analyse private equity and shareholder control mechanisms, while looking at corporate governance against the background of debt and equity. In leu of this, he focuses on the role of institutional investors with the benefit of lessons from the banking and financial services sector in Nigeria.

These are the main trust of chapter 6.

Chapter 9 of the book gives

adequate attention to issues relating to corporate accountability and the acceptance of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), the elements and advantages of IFRS, challenges of its adoption in Nigeria and the actual adoption. he book concludes with the finding “that corporate governance within groups is better observed when the respective boards of the parent as well as the subsidiaries are accountable to their respective shareholders and stakeholders, and take responsibility for the direction of the specific enterprise that they are by law responsible for.

The learned Senior Advocate couldn’t have ended the book on a better note than making prescriptions on the rules that should govern parent subsidiary relationships in different countries as well as in the same country, appointment and removal of directors and management and how to manage conflicts of interest, by outlining the rights and duties of parent and subsidiary companies in groups.

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PAGE 52—SUNDAY VANGUARD,OCTOBER, 13, 2013

H

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SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013 — PAGE 53

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

T

he Senate chamber in the morning of Tuesday, October 8 was lively as senators had just returned from the Independence Day anniversary break. The mood was convivial despite the disaster that befell the country penultimate Thursday when the Associated Airline Embraer 120RT Brasilia plane, conveying the corpse of a former governor of Ondo State, Chief Olusegun Agagu, from Lagos to Akure for burial, crashed shortly after take-off, killing 15 out of 20 people on board.

But shortly after the presiding officer and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, started the legislative rituals for the day, Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Hope Uzodimma, stood up to move a motion on the plane crash.

There was graveyard silence.

The mood turned sober.

Uzodimma chronicled the air disasters in the country that claimed the lives of Nigerians as a result of negligence by those saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that the air space was safe.

According to him, Allied Airlines (cargo aircraft) crashed on June 8, 2012 in Accra, Ghana killing about 10 people on the ground; a Dana plane crashed on June 3, 2012 and claimed the lives of 153 people on board, while the Nigeria Police helicopter that crashed on March 23, 2012 killed the Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG John Haruna, and three other officers on board.

He also said that the Odenegene Air Services (OAS Helicopter) crashed on a flight to Akure in 2012 killing all on board while the Augusta 109 helicopter that crashed in Bayelsa State killed the former National Security Adviser, NSA, General Patrick Azazi, the Kaduna State Governor Sir Patrick Yakowa, two naval pilots and two aides to the governor.

The senator said the country witnessed another mishap where Taraba State Governor Danbaba Suntai’s aircraft crashed in Adamawa State while attempting to land in October 2012 with the governor and others sustaining serious injuries.

There was yet an averted crash of Kabo aircraft conveying Sokoto pilgrims on October 4,

When is the next plane crash?

*The ill-fated Associated Airlines plane 2013 and another averted the same day by the Maxi aircraft conveying Taraba pilgrims. In all, Uzodimma said, within two and a half years, the country lost about 200 Nigerians.

Aviation Minister Stella Oduah’s statement that the Associated Airlines plane crash was inevitable drew the ire of

good physical infrastructure was a good thing but did not constitute reform of aviation as reform has to do with the people that manage aviation and the processes.

He added going by the comments of the aviation minister, she had indirectly told Nigerians that the airports were painted

,,

C M Y K

Adetumbi blamed the air mishap and several others before it on poor aviation regulations and enforcement, adding that the provision of a good physical infrastructure was a good thing but did not constitute reform of aviation as reform has to do with the people that manage aviation and the processes

the senators during the plenary while considering Uzodimma’s bill and this led to the resolution by the upper legislative body to summon her and the chief executives of the parastatals in the aviation sector.

The fury of the senators was visible when commenting on the motion.

Senator Olubunmi Adetumbi, APC, Ekiti North, rhetorically asked, when is the next crash?

Adetumbi blamed the air mishap and several others before it on poor aviation regulations and enforcement, adding that the provision of a

sepulcher, and also questioned the rationale behind the plan by the government to float a national carrier when it had failed to regulate efficiently the sector.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe wondered why air crashes had persisted in the country even after the sack of former Director-General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Harold Damuren, saying that, in 2009, an engineer from the airline had submitted a report to NCAA that they were filing wrong reports, adding that the fact

was made public only when the engineer moved from Associated Airlines to Capital Airlines.

To Senator Oluremi Tinunbu, what the aviation minister said was to frighten Nigerians who fly. She said, “The aviation minister could say that we can’t avoid air crashes. Is she supposed to frighten us whenever we go on air travel? That is the question the Senate Committee on Aviation is supposed to answer. I think we should stop playing politics with the lives of Nigerians.”

Also contributing to the motion, Senator Ali Ndume said that, going by the contributions of the senators, what they were doing was lamentation and that they were not elected to lament, adding that resolutions taken by the Senate were not implemented.

But Senator Smart Adeyemi said that the problem with the aviation sector was corruption and that the Associated Airlines plane that crashed, based on what people had told him during his investigations, was on test flight.

Adeyemi said that the plane departed Lagos for Akure on test flight and that it was under repairs before then and was supposed to carry only engineers for the flight test and not passengers.

Senator Ita Enag, PDP Akwa Ibom North-east called for a thorough investigation into the matter and said that laws

on aviation in the country were not enforced, saying the minister had concentrated more on infrastructure and ecstatic while professionalism and suitability of aircraft had been neglected.

Senator Abiye Sekibo, PDP, Rivers East said that what was needed was beyond window dressing and urged the Committee on Aviation to find out the air worthiness of planes flying in the country, adding, “each time you board an aircraft, you know that you are in a coffin and you thank God if you make it.”

The Senate Leader, Chief Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, said that a state of emergency should be declared in the aviation sector, while the activities of the minister and heads of parastatals especially with regard to safety regulations should be questioned.

The senators adopted the motion to summon the minister of aviation and chief executive of parastatals to appear before the chamber to explain the true position of aviation and the reason behind air mishaps in the country.

The presiding officer, Ekweremadu, commended his colleagues for transcending ethnic and political divides in their contributions. He blamed the insurgence of air disasters on the regulators of the sector, adding that the Senate would have no other option than to summon the aviation minister and heads of parastatals.

PAGE 54 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 13, 2013

Stephen Keshi is a good coach: But he must learn to be a good ‘father’

BY MARCELLINUS OFFOR IGIRIGI

A

S I set out to write this little piece many titles stormed my mind. Because, it has to do with genuinely concerned thoughts about the Super Eagles and their coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, I chose a direct caption.

The subtitle is not as misty as if to say that we are unaware that Keshi is a responsible husband and father of a proud Nigerian family.

But he got another extended family: the Super Eagles. To these guys he must learn, not just how to teach the tricks of football and the joy of winning, but how to redirect the stray and bandage the wounded. The charismatic José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix (of Chelsea) is eulogized, even by opponents, for bearing the weaknesses of his players and protecting them before the prying eyes of the public.

Looking back a bit, it’s hurting that the unfortunate absence of the Super Eagles from the AFCON 1996 in South Africa was heavily retrogressive in all sectors of Nigerian Football. Yes, few went to the Olympics in Atlanta and got us the soccer gold, but the NFA collapsed. The rising profile of our players ran down while many were frustrated into early retirement.

Had the Nigerian league been up to standards, I don’t see while Daniel Amokachie, Sunday Oliseh, Okocha etc should release the throttle when they did. It tickles my fancy to watch Zé Roberto, Nelson de Jesus Silva (Dida), Gilberto Silva, Clarence Clyde Seedorf and the multi talented Ronaldinho (Gaúcho) among so many others still very active in highly technical Campeonato Brasileiro.

These guys are still competing and boosting the image and popularity of the entire country.

However, it was a Brasilian born Italian journalist who drew my attention to the soccer prodigy personified in the one and only Mario Barwuah Balotelli when, in questioning the glaring absence of Joseph Yobo at the Fifa Confederations Cup held here in Brasil, I told him that the Eagles Captain has some ‘grouse’ to settle with his coach.

Whatever is the content of the grouse, I couldn’t offer him. He gasped in utter consternation.

What unsettled grouse could keep an in-form captain from his army, away from an International duty? He simply told me that the Italian coaches and the entire Federation know what they want from Balotelli: “a bola na rede” – put the ball inside the net.

Kabisa! And he has not let them down. Any other Balotelli ‘insanity’ outside the 18-yard box is in powder content, and thus, can be dissolved. Ok? Mesut Özil, no matter the reason behind his sale by the President of Real Madrid, C M Y K

•Keshi remains, in a recent opinion sampling in Spain, the only Madrid player Barcelona fans would love to have in their ‘pukuse’ dancing Catalan Club.

Yet, this is the man accused of incurable night-crawling. But the German Football Federation would have none of those gabs, neither the professor at the Emirates, Arsene Wenger.

It is on record that Mesut made more passes than any player in Europe in the last season. His left foot has a magnetic apparatus to which balls surrender with total obeisance. His passes have dept and reach targeted death-ends.

What about soccer vision? His eyeballs define it. That’s where nature lavishes gifts to a seeming little body frame which distinguishes the mid-field maestro’s unequalled sublime soccer savoir-faire. Ronaldo may be the king in Real Madrid.

Certainly, Özil was the kingmaker. And, for African traditional culturists, the kingmaker is the one that matters. Remove him; the king is ‘mumu-fied’.

Sometimes I query myself: what crimes do the Super Eagles players commit? The only thing I can point at is this ransom for money which was even engrafted during Keshi’s era. Mario Balotelli, Wayne Rooney, David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Cristiano Ronaldo, and our beloved Luís Soares are stars in the game of soccer and represent the youthful energy and craze of their prime. Sometimes, we’re overawed at what they do on and off the pitch, nevertheless, we enjoy their classy entertainment and pay to watch their ‘atilogwu’.

•Yobo Don’t be surprised I added beloved for Soares. Am living in South America where football is a carnival and its artists called ‘carnavalescos’. In fact, football is a show of a sort where every art has colour, and every colour has value.

Consequently, looking at the Nigerian puritan posture, I am forced to ask: when has football training camps turned into seminaries, nunneries or monasteries where you hone out monks and other celibate men and women? No one should make the mistake of trying to sanctify indiscipline, worse, in the public purview. This article does not. The point is that professionals should be employed to manage a highly professional vocation like footballers, and by extension, all sports.

Time has gone when sports are called mere ‘passatempos’ (hobbies). Today, every form of sports means wealth, national pride, good public image and surely, enviable career. Keshi is professional enough to imbibe and inculcate in the Super Eagles the spirit of solidarity and the time-tested African ‘Ujamaa’ spirit marketed to the world by Julius ‘Mwalimu’ Nyerere. This is what we expect ‘Father ’ Stephen Keshi to do with his family in the National Outfit.

After all, who is so sinless as to cast the first stone?

That’s brings me to the issue of creating and breaking records.

Keshi is a fellow Nigerian. We don’t like to create good records but to set ablaze the entire building where good records are saved. Now, we are happy that

the national team gaffer is setting good ones for himself. He is the second African to win the Nations Cup as player and coach, and has age and ability on his side. He has attended to most AFCON both as Assistant and Manager.

Please, Messrs Paul Bassey and Onochie Anibeze, tell him not to set Yobo’s (nay, Nigeria’s) record ablaze. The world is watching this ugly drama, this vain administrative I-go-showyou-pepper. It’s a little above witch-hunting. We are interested that one Nigerian player is honoured in the Fifa records as embracing the tape of 100th mark of international appearances.

Please give it to Yobo. “We are the him o.”

No one should forget in a hurry the 100th appearances of the Uruguayan predator Diego Forlan and the Italian mid-field conductor Andrea Pirlo at the last Fifa Confederations Cup in Brasil. They were celebrated in the world media with well publicized interviews by Fifa itself. In fact, the timings were remarkable because both did so with goals to consummate their international team spotlight.

However, no Nigerian should forget, at least so soon, that Forlan celebrated national team centenary show with a piercing one-time shot that shook the inside of Enyeama’s net. That rocket from the Uruguayan boot could have as well been launched from NASA. So in every setting, records are created, broken and celebrated. Unfortunately, we shun these types of records in Nigeria. They call it the Nigerian factor, the ‘Naija haram’.

Thus, I refuse to believe that

17 organisations for Corporate football tourney

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EVENTEEN organisations have been invited to participate in the maiden edition of the Nigerian Corporate Champions Cup. The organisations, according to the organiser,Corporate Soccer Limited are,Guinnes Nigeria plc, Exxon Mobil,Total, MTN Nigeria, Etisalat, Brila Fm, Eko Hotel, Nigeria Brewries, Shell Petroleum Development Company,(SPDC), SPG Nigeria (Oil and Gas) and Banwo and Ighodalo among others. Managing Director, Corpo-rate Soccer Limited,

Onome Obruthe informed that eight out of 17 organisations that first complete their registration will participate in the tourney scheduled to hold at the Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium from November 22-24, 2013. He also informed that the winner of the Nigerian Corporate Champions Cup will be fully sponsored by the organiser, Corporate Soccer Limited to represent Nigeria at the African Corporate Football competition slated for Dakar, Senegal early next year. Obruthe also informed that the Lagos State

Football Association (LSFA) has been duely informed of the forthcoming football tourney aimed at fostering unity and friendship among private organisations and to put the country on the world map . ”The response has been so good despite the fact that this is the maiden edition and we hope to give the participating corporate organisations the best to leverage on and I enjoin them to confirm there participation early enough so as to have adequate and proper planning,” he said

Joseph Yobo is still the Captain of the Super Eagles as he was not invited for the Fifa Confederations Cup even when the coaches knew well ahead about the genuine absenteeism of some regulars. I refuse to believe that Yobo is not in any socio-political quagmire as he is not even considered for friendly games. Be it said that Keshi has revealed Oboabona/Omeruo combination at the central defense. But I refuse to believe that Yobo can’t even break-in if any of the Os is unavailable.

I thank Keshi for the revelation called Egwuekwe, but I sincerely refuse to believe that he’s better than Yobo, and with due respect, in all aspects of soccer. I weep and refuse to agree to the plot that Yobo may be schemed out from filling an important lacuna in the national soccer history after Okocha and Kanu unbuckled their boots - as the first and only Nigerian to have successfully completed his century appearance in the national colors.

I refuse to believe that it’s only Keshi’s Ouija that is blowing off Yobo. But whoever is rocking the boat, a true Nigerian history is on the abyss. I refuse to agree that Yobo can’t even break into the bench of the present crop of Eagles. When the coaches talk about inviting a Captain and benching him, it flies in the face of TRUTH. Surely, it happens all over the world. After all, we know who captained the final match against the Kalusha-led Zambian Chikpolokpolo in Tunisia ’94. We know how the Trophy was lifted.

Please let’s stop all this “politicagem”, as Brasilians would say.

I make this little contribution in honour of Nigerian soccer fans whose spirit selected Keshi. I make this case in respect to the Vanguard and some sports journalists who stood solidly behind the coach against NFA’s endemic ruckus.

I move this motion in honour of the Late Pini Jason (God rest his soul) whose revealing articles (February 19, 26/2013) on the straying NFA drew the world’s attention while Nigerians were still on honeymoon with the AFCON Trophy.

Doubtless, the Eagles must give Keshi and his crew unalloyed respect as the father of the house. Keshi himself as a good father should not treat his players as common roadside panhandlers in front of a giant Shylock. These Eagles need neither mafia players nor coaching cabals. All we are saying is that we are Nigerians.

Let there be one family. I take refuge in the old Warri cliché: monkey no fine but him mama like am. Like Keshi, so also like Osaze, Yobo and others. We like them all. Let Yobo break this seeming jinx. Let Keshi create records. At the end, Nigeria wins.

Brasil, here we come!

•Mr. Offor Igirigi, cmf, is a Nigerian Claretian Missionary living in São Paulo, Brasil.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013 — PAGE 55

Devt: Ajunwa plans athletics academy A

TLANTA 1996 Olympic Games women long jump champion, Chioma Ajunwa, has pledged to set up an Athletics Academy to groom athletes who would represent Nigeria at international competitions.

Ajunwa made the announcement at the celebration of the International Day for the GirlChild.

The theme of the celebration, held at the National Stadium, Suruere, Lagos is: “Innovating for Girls Education.”

Ajunwa’s gold in the long jump event was Nigeria’s first medal in the history of the Olympics. She still hold the African long jump record of 7.12m She said her plan was to discover and nurture a good number of athletes who could develop their potential and compete favourably in various athletics events.

“My vision is for us to have a number of competent athletes that can represent us in track and field events, we cannot be putting all our eggs in one basket. We will be going to schools to scout for kids that are talented in this sport, put them in the academy and begin to nurture them from the grassroots to stardom.

Nigeria has come of age. We have to face reality and stop being sloppy about sports development in the country. I want to identify with athletics

•Ajunwa development,’’ she said.

The long jump medalist urged students to create time and develop their talents in any sport

Gebrselassie roots for Walya Antelopes E THIOPIAN long distance legend, Haile Gebrselassie will be a happy man if the Walya Antelopes can beat the Super Eagles of Nigeria over two legs and qualify for the World Cup next year in Brazil.

Gebrselassie has won two Olympic gold medals and five world champions gold in the 5000m and 10000m. He will be watching the Walya Antelopes with the hope that they will upset the highly rated Super Eagles and qualify for the World Cup. But that seems like a long

Okocha thrills Heineken UCL fans in Bars

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T was a thrilling night of fun and excitement for several football fans who engaged former Super Eagles captain, Austin ‘Jay Jay ’ Okocha, on digital platform, Twitter, on match day two in the UEFA Champions’ League group stage round of matches last week.

International premium lager beer, Heineken, since 2006, has been rewarding its consumers with exclusive premium viewing experiences of UEFA champions’ league football, in the Heineken Champions’ Planet in Victoria Island, Lagos. This season, Heineken is bringing the unique experience to 100 premium bars to be closer to its consumers in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Abuja.

On the evening of Day two at

Rumors Bar GRA, Ikeja, football fans engaged football legend, Austin ‘Jay Jay ’ Okocha during the proceedings of Arsenal’s home match against FC Napoli at the Emirates Stadium. Celtic FC and FC Barcelona tie at Celtic Park in Glasgow and the Chelsea’s fight back against Steaua Bucharest.

hard road, unlike in athletics where Ethiopian athletes continue to dominate the long distance races in world athletics.

Gebrselassie says he wants his country to be in Brazil and it will prove that his country is not just about athletics. “We are not just a country of runners. It would be something wonderful for Ethiopia if our footballers to go to the World Cup,” said the great athlete who was in Nigeria as guest during the Lagos international half marathon in 2008.

Last week, the 40-year-old Gebrselassie crossed the line in 1hr 1min 6sec after he had broken clear of Kenya’s Emmanuel

•Gebrselassie

Bett in the Great Scottish Run half-marathon in Glasgow, Scotland.

Friends of Rugby 7s invitational tourney ends

T

HE Independence Rugby Sevens Invitational Tournament which is to commemorate Nigeria’s 53rd Independence anniversary ended yesterday at the Onikan stadium, Lagos.

The tourney which was the fifth in the series witnessed international participation with clubs from the United Kingdom, Ghana, Egypt and South Africa.

Tournament co-ordinator, Olatunji Fasimoye said, “we decided to make it bigger this year by reaching out to more International teams and from all regions in Nigeria. Sixteen clubs participated at this year’s tournament which began Friday. The Cup winner and runner-up were awarded with prices and trophy.

Also, the most valuable player, highest point/try scorer, and fair play award were awarded accordingly.

Federations too poor to pay organizing secretaries — NSC T

HE National Sports Commission (NSC) disclosed in Abuja that the sporting federation’s inability to pay the salaries of organising secretaries necessitated the changes it carried out on Monday in

•The Okocha brothers, Austin and Emma, with the Heineken brand manager, Mrs. Kehinde Kadiri at Rumors Bar GRA Ikeja on match day two of UEFA Champions League.

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of their choice. She also advised them to be disciplined and determined, saying that those were the virtues crucial to the

success of an athlete.

“In spite of the family challenges I encountered, I was able to make a lasting impression on my career because I was disciplined and focused. Today, through sports I have been able to make a name for myself, my family and the country and as I speak I am a graduate of UNILAG,” Ajunwa said.

According to her, sports will give youths an opportunity to travel round the world and become celebrities irrespective of their background.

She charged youths to be serious with their education and sports, stressing that these were interwoven as they could in the long run have something to fall back on.

the secretariat of the national sports federations. The NSC had earlier ordered the various federations to hire their own organizing secretaries as the those of the under the employment of the NSC will be withdrawn.

“We decided to redeploy the secretaries from the commission to the sports federations because some of the federations complained of their inability to recruit qualified personnel for the job.

“Initially, they were complaining that they didn’t have the type of autonomy they desired and we decided to give them free hand to get the best hands wanted.

“They later came back and said apart from not being able to get qualified personnel, they couldn’t also pay for such

hands. “But because we have NSC workers who are dedicated and trained in the sports business, we decided to send them to help the federations achieve their goals and targets,” said Julius Ogunro who is special assistant to the Sports minister Bolaji Abdulahi.

The federations had also been unable to employ personnel to fill the vacuum left by the NSC staff, with many of them crying back to the commission to help them out. Ogunro said there was no ulterior motive behind the NSC move to redeploy the secretaries.

“It was all done to enhance the productivity of the federations.

“It is not a case of this arrangement not being the case in the past, the important thing is that we now have secretaries in the federations.

Yobo: Letter from Brazil

BY MARCELLINUS OFFOR IGIRIGI

D

EAR Messrs Paul Bassey, Onochie Anibeze, Patrick Omorodion and Vanguard, I address this short piece to you as my humble contribution to your unrelenting efforts in seeing that our dear Soccer does not die in the hands of many many many detractors. I would like Keshi to read it, outside its publication. I am sending the article both in PDF and Word F. It is partly in recognition to your continuous and unrelenting positive attitudes for the development of Football, in fact, sports in general in Nigeria. Being my read-athand paper while in Nigeria, the Vanguard has become my screen companion here in Brasil. I may not have bought all your opinions, especially those of Paul Bassey, I think we agree in most of the issues. The most important thing is that we have good intentions for our Football.

1. The retention of Keshi as the Substantive Manager of the Super Eagles.

2. The invitation of Joseph Yobo even if it’s for 10 minutes on the pitch as Patrick suggests. But I think Yobo needs more. Brasilians give wide coverage of soccer in the world and they talk a lot about the Turkish League. In the present Eagles, Yobo has more to offer. I need to be differed.

3. Keshi needs a stronger technical bench. But the argument remains, how would you get money for a ‘European technician’ when you couldn’t pay your Nigerian coaches?

4. All hands must be on deck to support the Eagles for the common project: Brasil 2014.

Once more, thank you for your efforts. Keep the fire burning.

See you guys in Brasil 2014.

Bless you all.

Dear readers, Mr Marcellinus Offor Igirigi, CMF, wrote from São Paulo, Brazil. He was reacting to my column of last week where I pleaded with Keshi to help Joseph Yobo make history like it’s done in other climes.

Some others in Nigeria called me names while one of them, even alleged that his friends told him that Yobo paid me to write my opinion. Read more from Igirigi on Page 54 — Patrick Omorodion

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2013

Presidential visit: Jonathan urges Eagles to make Nigeria proud

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WORLD CUP QUALIFIER:

Can Eagles peck Antelopes today? ...as Keshi, Bishaw ready for battle of wits •Match Time: 2pm

By BEN EFE

S

UPER Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has hinted that his team will give nothing away in terms of tactical approach to today’s high-wire World Cup qualification match between Nigeria and Ethiopia in Addis Ababa.

The Ethiopians are known for their sleek passing game and untiring runs and propped up by home support and favourable climatic conditions, they are hoping to bring down the African champions and put one leg in Brazil 2014. However, Keshi stated before departure yesterday in Abuja, they have plans to keep the Ethiopians from dominating the game.

“We have our game plans. And as long as we don’t lose the match that will be Ok for us. We just have to keep calm, no matter how they are going to provoke us we have to concentrate. My players’ expressions on their faces will tell you how high their spirits are for this game.

We will see what happens,” said Keshi.

Nigeria Football Federation technical department director, Emmanuel Ikpeme also spoke in the same vein.

“It is going to be a highly tactical game. But I don’t see the Ethiopians having an edge over us. Our players are good and you can’t take it away from them,” he said.

Meanwhile Ethiopian coach, Sewnet Bishaw stated that he has studied the videos of the Nigerian game against Kenya and Malawi and has an antidote to stop the Super Eagles from spoiling the day for his team.

“I have analyzed video clips for Nigeria playing both Kenya and Malawi and I can tell you we have changed our plans as I put my cards close to my chest.

“I believe we have had good preparations. I will conduct the last training session and let the boys relax ahead of the big game.”

On paper the Eagles are favourites to triumph over the two leg encounter, but an upset in Addis Ababa will certainly put the Super Eagles on a tightrope.

So far their qualification campaign has been devoid of the uncertainty that usually surrounds the Eagles in their quest for international glory in past encounters.

Nigeria have lost to Ethiopia only once, a 1-0 win in 1993. It was during the qualification play off for the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations. On the other hand, Nigeria have had the most of the East Africans, winning five times in seven encounters.

The only drawn gameis the 2-2 draw the Eagles played against Ethiopia in 2011 during the qualifiers for the 2012 Nations Cup. The Eagles failed to make it to the Nations Cup that year.

Results Burkina Faso 3 Ivory Coast 3 Argentina 3 Mexico 2 Friendly S/Korea 0 Today’s Matches Ethiopia v Nigeria Tunisia v Cameroon

Algeria Senegal Peru Panama

2 1 1 1

Brazil

2

2.00pm 6.00pm

PACING.... Super Eagles midfielder John Obi Mikel battles for the ball with an Ethiopian player, Getaneh Kebede during a previous encounter. Mikel is set to play a commanding role from the midfield in today’s crucial World Cup qualifying tie in Addis Ababa.

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday paid the Super Eagles a visit during their training for today’s World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia and wished the Eagles beat their hosts to put themselves in a good steed to qualify for Brazil 2014.

President Jonathan who was in Ethiopia for the African Union head of government extraordinary meeting in Addis Ababa stated that he was optimistic that the Eagles will make the World Cup, because the team have shown character.

“Surely you will make it; the spirit is there. I wish you success. It is a determining match. Definitely we have been going to the World Cup, but this year we are not just going to the World Cup, we will make an impact. The world will begin to know that we have arrived as a nation. We will give you all the encouragement required. Thank you for what you are doing for us,” Jonathan said.

Nigeria Football Federation president, Aminu Maigari assured the President that the Eagles will make good their qualification for the World Cup. “I assure you that we will be able to deliver and we will deliver. We will do our best. We have a good team. Goodluck Jonathan is the only President who has created time amidst his tight schedule to be with the Super Eagles twice. This is the biggest motivation and we will make you proud. We will be in Brazil,” he said.

The Eagles arrived in the early hours of Saturday aboard a chartered Ethiopian Airlines flight and were received by Nigerian delegation, who have been on ground in Addis Ababa as well as top officials of the Ethiopia Football Federation (EFF).

CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1.W. African country (7) 4.Verify (5) 6. Galt (5) 7. Igbo boy’s name (5) 8. Blastoma (3) 9. Motorbike taxi (5) 10. Nuns (7) 13. Go (3) 15. Baked food (3) 17. Meditate (8) 19. Decrees (6) 22. Brings up (6) 24. Divert attention (8) 26. Farm tool (3) 27. Perfect (5) 29. Trails (7) 32. Range (5) 33. Muslim clerics (5) 34. Command (3) 35. Sum (5) 36. Roof part (5) 37. Derive from (7)

DOWN 1. Stairs (5) 2. Serious (5) 3. Eko city (5) 4. Flower part (3) 5. Weird (5) 11. Nigerian state (3) 12. Simple (5) 14. Animal doctor (3) 15. Arrogance (5) 16. Fishes (4) 17. Infant Lion (3) 18. Bowl (4) 20. Sour (5) 21. Solidity 23. Colour (3) 25. Bovine animal (3) 27. Fool (5) 28. Endures (5) 29. Fashion (5) 30. Greek market-place (5) 31. Gush (5)

SOLUTION on page 5

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