OKONJO-IWEALA'S MOTHER: Operatives in contactwith kidnappers

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61774

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

10 students, FG to pay nine others die off 54,000 in Ogun auto PHCN staff crashes

with 7 & 6 s. g N400bn •P OKONJO-IWEALA'S MOTHER:

....Five others killed by gunmen in Borno 49 10& P •

Operatives in contact with kidnappers

BY EMMA AMAIZE, REGIONAL EDITOR, SOUTH-SOUTH, AUSTIN OGWUDA & FESTUS AHON

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•Kidnappers reduce ransom from $1bn to N200m •She will soon be released — Delta Police •Anxiety mounts over her health

SABA— FOUR days after the kidnap of Prof Mabel Kamene Titi Okonjo, 82 –year-old mother of the Minister of Finance, Dr.

Continues on page 5

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THE HUB•P.19 OCHEREOME NNANNA •P.19

Mr & Mrs

MAHAMA IN ASO ROCK—From Left: Vice President Namadi Sambo; President Goodluck Jonathan and the visiting President John Mahama of Ghana at The Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. State House Photo.

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POCKET CARTOON

Okonjo-Iweala's mother: Operatives in contact with kidnappers Continues from page 1 Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala at Ogwashi-Uku in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State, a contact has been established with her kidnappers who have now reduced the ransom being demanded as a pre-condition for her release from $1 billion to N200 million.

According to sources, the reduction in the ransom, followed the negotiation between Onyema, one of the sons of the abducted woman and the kidnappers.

A highly-placed security source confided in Vanguard, yesterday, that negotiation had commenced with the kidnappers because of the fragile health of the retired professor of sociology, University of Nigeria, UNN, Nsukka, who hails from Obomkpa in Aniocha North Local Government Area of the state and pressure from higher quarters.

Vanguard learnt that information on negotiation with the kidnappers was being hoarded even among the key security agencies involved in the

operation to secure her release.

“I told you that the information is hoarded, so why are you asking me who is doing the negotiation and what amount, I do not know”, the source said in an answer to a question.

Two of the agencies are on one side, while one is on the other side because of allegations of mistrust.

Police confident on Okonjo’s release Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, who spoke to Vanguard in Asaba, yesterday, after a meeting with his Divisional Police Officers, DPOs, sounded confident that freedom will soon come the way of the queen mother of Ogwashi-Uku. Asked the reason he exuded so much confidence, he said: “You know already in the state, the synergy is there, the police, military and SSS and we are working together to make sure that Mama is rescued unhurt.”

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

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HERE are certain things that happen in peo ple’s lives that are decided by the invisible hand of God; believe in the Almighty and let Him decide the way of your life.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

We don’t realize that, somewhere within us all, there does exist a supreme self who is eternally at peace —Elizabeth Gilbert

T

His words: “We do not want to go into sensationalism. As far as we are concerned, we are beaming our light everywhere. We are looking at the whole place because in any palace, there are supposed to be palace guards - that is local security before you

know that anything that has to do with kidnapping, there is always an insider factor. It has always been there. Just like armed robbery, it is either they give information to people to come into the house when there is large sum of money, same thing with kidnapping”, he said.

O attain inner peace, Ramon Sasson, a moti vation speaker and writer says we should learn not to take everything too personal. Some emotional and mental detachment are desirable. Try to view your life and other people with a little detachment and less involvement. Detachment is not indifference, lack of interest nor coldness. It is the ability to think and judge impartially and logically.

Don’t worry if again and again you fail to manifest detachment. Just keep trying.

Let bygones be gone. Forget the past and concentrate on the present moment. There is no need to evoke unpleasant memories and immerse yourself in them. Practice some concentration exercises. This will help you to reject unpleasant thoughts and worries that steal away your peace of mind. Find quiet moments to connect with your higher self, to connect with the Divine. Even a few minutes a day will make a change in your life. Inner peace ultimately leads to external peace. By creating peace in our inner world, we bring it into the external world, affecting other people.

OATH—Alhaji Ya’u Jama’a (l) and Alhaji Aliyu Datti taking their oath as National Population Commissioners before President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. talk of that of the police.

“And so, we are looking at the obvious flaws and then, take the necessary action. But everything that has to do with the kidnap saga, investigation is still on. We do not want to jump the gun, but certainly, in the past, we have been able to rescue about 30 people without payment of ransom”, he added.

He mentioned the sister of the Minister of Niger-Delta, Elder Godsday Orubebe, who was kidnapped in Warri; son of the Secretary to the Delta State Government, Comrade Ovuozorie Macaulay and many others.

“I am sure the strategy we are putting in place will yield dividend, but all the same, if you hoard information, it becomes difficult because most times, people are not patient with us. Particularly, there must have to be trust. If there is no trust, how can we move forward?

“If you trust that we will actually rescue, then you do not have to chicken out with information because we

Aduba disclosed that it was a difficult thing, but the police have extended their dragnet within and without.

Investigations by Vanguard also showed that the kidnappers and security agents appeared to be drawn in a battle of wits, as both sides strategically study the operational moves of the other to avoid being caught unawares.

Why two policemen were detained On the two policemen that were arrested, he said they were supposed be on duty at the time of the incident but they were not there.

He said they have to explain why they were not on duty at that time, adding that the police have nothing to hide and he was in the state to do a thorough job.

According to him, he was with the monarch, Obi Chukwuka Okonjo, three days before the kidnap, at his Ogwashi Uku home, and he did not complain about secu-

rity.

“His only complain was on the issue of bail and I assured him that it will be sorted out with the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of the area”, he said.

A source said that the kidnappers decided to postpone contact with the Okonjo family as a result of heavy deployment of policemen, army and other security operatives around the palace and the community immediately after the kidnap By yesterday, it was, however, observed that the heavy security presence in the last few days around the home of the Okonjos in Ogbe-Ofu quarters has been relaxed, leaving a few policemen in the compound.

No visitors allowed But the policemen refused visitors access to the compound, saying, “no visitor is wanted here”. Only the workers fixing interlocking stones in the compound

were seen working yesterday.

In Ogwashi-Uku town, where there was uneasy calm on Sunday and Monday over the kidnap of the queen mother, people were seen going about their normal businesses, yesterday.

Worry over Okonjo’s health A reliable source said the biggest worry of the Okonjo family now was the health condition of the victim, which could be quite fragile at her age.

The governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has reportedly deployed resources and reached out to a lot of persons and groups that could help with information on the kidnappers and their whereabouts, but in all, the security agencies are working round the clock.

Also, yesterday, traditional chiefs that make up the Obi-in-council met behind closed doors at the palace grounds in connection with the kidnap of the Obi’s wife.

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

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LL workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, totalling about 50,000 and 4000 unregularised staff will be paid off as part of the full privatisation of PHCN’s assets, the Federal Government and organised labour have agreed.

The implication of this is that PHCN workers that will be absorbed by new owners will have a new condition of service in line with agreement with Labour.

Vanguard gathered that government needs over N400 billion as against less than N200 billion earlier earmarked by it to settle the workers severance pay which terminated on June 1, 2012.

Similarly, the government has agreed that the total accrued gratuity as at June 30, 2012 shall be paid to active PHCN workers in accordance with the defined benefit scheme stipulated in PHCN 2010 conditions of service.

This is a major u-turn on the part of government which had agreed that the Pension Reform Act, PRA, 2004, had abolished gratuity.

These were parts of the agreement reached, Tuesday night, after over eight months of protracted negotiations.

Payment of gratuity had been the crux of the unresolved labour issues that had pitched organised labour against government, stalling the privatisation of PHCN assets and government reform agenda in the power sector.

Roll call at the meeting The meeting held at the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, office was attended by the SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu; Minister of State for Power, Hajiya Zanab Ibrahim Kuchi;and Acting DirectorGeneral, Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, Mr. Benjamin Dikki (on the government side); President-General of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, Comrade Peter Esele; Deputy President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, representing Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, President of NLC; President-General of Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies, SSAEAC, Comrade Bede Opara and Deputy President of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, Comrade Isaac Abegye, representing Mansur Musa, President of NUEE (on Labour side).

The agreement The agreement released at the end of the meeting read: “This

PHCN: FG shifts ground, agrees ...Needs N400bn for severance pay

Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, SGF.

Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, NLC President

Comrade Joe Ajaero,Deputy NLC President

Comrade Peter Esele, President-General, TUC.

agreement is made this 11th day of December 2012 between the Federal Government of Nigeria, FGN, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on the first part and the Nigeria Union of Electricity and Allied Companies SSAEAC both herein referred to as labour unions within the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN; the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the

in series of discussions and negotiations with a view to resolving the said labour liabilities. At the meeting of the parties held today, 11th December 2012, the parties agreed on the specific heads of claim to be deliberated upon in respect of the aforesaid liabilities, as set out in details below.

“The parties have agreed that the following items will constitute the heads of agreements which will be implemented by the FGN in final resolution of all claims by the labour unions in the PHCN in relation to the said labour liabilities. Total accrued pensions as at June 30, 2007 shall be paid in accordance with the defined benefits scheme stipulated in the PHCN 2010 conditions of service.Twenty five per cent is payable to exiting staff of PHCN while 75 per cent shall be paid into retirement savings accounts.

Total accrued gratuity as at June 30, 2012 shall be paid in accordance with the defined benefit scheme stipulated in PHCN 2010 conditions of service.

Fifteen per cent pension contributions shall be paid from July, 2007 through June 30, 2012 in accordance with the provisions of the pension reform act 2004.

“Severance shall be paid as 20 per cent of total accrued benefits (being the sum of accrued pensions as at June 30, 2007, accrued gratuity as at June 30, 2012 and 15 per cent pension contribution from July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2012.

Repatriation allowance shall be paid as five per cent of annual pensionable emolument. Long service award shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of PHCN 2010 conditions of service. 13th month salary shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of PHCN 2010 conditions of service. Three months salary in lieu of notice shall be paid to all active employees of PHCN that have

served for more than 10 years and one month salary in lieu of notice for employees that have a period of less than 10 years in service.”

extant PHCN Conditions of Service.

They argued that contrary to the views of government, the Act was not against the payment of gratuity.

Supporting the unions’ position, Sumonu in a report submitted to government urged the authorities to consider the unions’ demands because the Pension Reform Act 2004 did not abolish the payment of gratuity as a separate component of retirement benefit.

The chief negotiator noted that the Act never abrogated the conditions of service of PHCN which was signed in March, 2010, and asked government to pay gratuity to workers in the sector in accordance with the staff conditions of service.

According to the report, on the computation of severance package and benefits accruable to workers, the report recommended “five weeks salary for every completed year of service on basic salary, subject to a maximum of 18 months.”

This is against the unions’ demand of “five weeks salary for every completed year of service, computed on total emolument and not subject to any ceiling.”

,

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG & KUNLE KALEJAYE

Severance shall be paid as 20 per cent of total accrued benefits (being the sum of accrued pensions as at June 30, 2007, accrued gratuity as at June 30, 2012 and 15 per cent pension contribution from July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2012

,

Trade Union Congress, TUC, all of the other part and represented here in by their responsible officers hereinafter indicated.

Whereas: The FGN is currently pursuing a policy of reforms in the power sector in Nigeria in line with the Power Sector Reform Act 2005 and other extant policies of the FGN. Pursuant to the said reforms and subsequent privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCH, by the FGN, it has become imperative to settle the labour liabilities of the current staff of PHCN. Since May 2011, the two parties have been involved

Chief negotiator’s recommendations It would be recalled that government appointed Chief Negotiator/Conciliator in its faceoff with PHCN workers, Comrade Hassan Sumonu, in his recommendations to the government in October, advised that workers be paid their gratuity, but in line with PHCN’s conditions of service.

The Chief Negotiator/ Conciliator had dismissed argument by government that PRA 2004 abolished gratuity in PHCN or any other sector, saying there was no reference to gratuity in the act.

The disagreement on the modality for the payment of the workers’ pensions and gratuity was the major problem between the Federal Government and workers of PHCN. While agents of the government had contended that the workers were entitled to pension and gratuity up to June 30, 2004, and thereafter the provisions of PRA 2004 should apply, the unions on the other hand argued that gratuity should be paid in accordance with the

Govt shifts ground Before the agreement,

SUCCESSOR DISTRIBUTION COYS AT A GLANCE zAbuja Electricity Distribution Plc; zBenin Electricity Distribution Plc; zEko Electricity Distribution Plc; zEnugu Electricity Distribution Plc; zIbadan Electricity Distribution Plc ; zIkeja Electricity Distribution Plc; zJos Electricity Distribution Plc; zKaduna Electricity Distribution Plc; zKano Electricity Distribution Plc; zPort Harcourt Electricity Distribution Plc; zYola Electricity Distribution Plc

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012—7

PHCN Successor (DISTRIBUTION) Companies Name

License Type

to pay off 54,000 staff cent of the total equity share.

It was consequently agreed that the matter should be resolved in accordance with the National Council of Privatisation, NCP Act.

Unbundling of PHCN

government had insisted that the new Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, which took effect on July 1, 2004, must be applied to PHCN workers and that gratuity ended with the take off of CPS. But the workers insisted that PHCN in-house pension scheme should be applied and the PRA did not abolish gratuity.

In this agreement, government agreed to extend the payment of workers’ gratuity to July 1, 2007. Government will calculate 15 per cent contribution from government and workers from July 1, 2007 up to June 30, 2012, and paid in accordance to the CPS. While 25 per cent will be paid to the workers, the remaining 75 per cent will be paid into the workers’ Retirement Saving Accounts, RSAs. On the issue of severance benefit, before the SGF took over the negotiation, government was saying it would pay 20 per cent of basic salary, while the unions disagreed.

However, it now agreed that the 20 per cent should now be calculated based on the total value of gratuity and pension.

Contrary to earlier government position, three months’ salary in lieu of notice will now be paid.

Pending issue However, Vanguard gathered that on the issue of 10 percent equity share that should be reserved for workers, government had argued that it should be 10 percent of its equity holding it. But the unions have insisted that it should pay 10 per

,

Comrade Bede Opara, President-General, SSAEAC.

After the enactment of the Electricity Power Sector Reform Act, 2005, PHCN was subsequently unbundled into 18 successor companies.

PHCN now comprises: 1)Three hydro and seven thermal generating stations with a total installed capacity of about 6,852MW, with available capacity of 3,542MW (as of 31st July 2010). Each entity has been incorporated as a single-asset generating company; 2) A radial transmission grid (330kV and 132kV), owned and managed by the Transmission Company

It now agreed that the 20 per cent should now be calculated based on the total value of gratuity and pension; contrary to earlier government position, three months’ salary in lieu of notice will now be paid

,

of Nigeria, with the responsibility of undertaking the system operation and market settlement functions, respectively; and 3) Eleven distribution companies (33kV and below) that undertake the wires, sales, billing, collection and customer care functions within their area of geographical monopoly.

According to the reform/ privatisation agenda, competitive tender would be carried out to receive bids from core investor groups (inclusive of competent generation asset owner/operators) for a minimum of 51 per cent of

equity in the following successor thermal generating companies: a) Afam Power Plc; b) Sapele Power Plc; c) Ughelli Power Plc; d) Geregu Power Plc; and a separate concessioning process for the following successor hydro generating companies; e) Shiroro Hydro Power Plc;f)Kainji Hydro Power, Jebba power station is part of Kainji Hydro Power Plc. Competitive tender will be carried out to receive bids from core investor groups (inclusive of competent distribution asset owner/ operators).

The bids will be considered against certain specific criteria that seek to address the strategic policy objectives summarised above.

These criteria, first, are the payment of 51 per cent of the value of the company as determined and incorporated in the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO); second, given the levels of investment contained in MYTO proposals on the reduction of Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses over a five-year period (note that a bidder who passes the technical evaluation and offers the highest ATC&C reduction proposal shall be designated the preferred bidder); and, third, proposals for investing in expanding the customer base and customer access/ coverage area of the various successor distribution companies.

Before the agreement Meantime, before this agreement, organised labour in the sector had picked holes in the recent bidding of PHCN assets handled by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and its supervisory agency, the National Council on Privatisation, describing it as not only flawed, but highly compromised.

Under the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies, SSAEAC, labour contended that the bidding results announced by the BPE was a confirmation of what the unions had largely predicted that the whole essence of the privatisation exercise was to transfer PHCN assets to some few rich Nigerians, mostly fronts of government officials.

Abuja Electricity Distribution Company Plc

Distribution

Benin Electricity Distribution Company Plc

Distribution

Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc

Distribution

Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc

Distribution

Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc

Distribution

Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company Plc

Distribution

Jos Electricity Distribution Company Plc

Kano Electricity Distribution Company Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Plc

Yola Electricity Distribution Company Plc

Site-Location

Capacity

The Managing Director Abuja Electricity Distribution Garki, Lafia, Company Plc Wuse Zone Lokoja, Min 4AbujaTel: 09 523 6889 The Managing Director Benin Ado-Ekiti, Electricity Distribution Akpakpava, Company Plc No 5 Akpakpava Aku Street Benin-City Edo State Tel: 052 259 532; 254 119Fax: 052 259 873 The Managing Director Eko Festac, Ijora, Electricity Distribution Islands, B Company Plc24/25 Marina LagosTel: 01 263 7073; 263 1470E-mail: ekozonecustomercare@ nepaekozone.orgwww.phcnekozone.org

Distribution

The Managing Director Enugu Aba, Electricity Distribution Abakaliki, Company Plc No 12 Station Awka, Aba Road Okpara Avenue Enugu Tel: 042 250632Fax: 042 253622 The Managing Director Abeokuta, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Dugbe, ijebuCompany Plc Capital Ode Building115 Ring Road Ibadan Tel: 02 231 7016 Alimosho, The Managing Director Ikeja Ikeja, Electricity Distribution Ikorodu Company Plc Secretariat RoadAlausa Ikeja Tel: 01 773 3155 Bauchi, The Managing Director Jos Gombe, Jos, Electricity Distribution Makurdi Company PlcNo 9 Ahmadu Bello WayJosTel: 073 459834

Distribution

The Managing Director Kano Dala, Dutse, Electricity Distribution Funtua, Kati Company No 1 Niger Street P.M.B. 3089KanoTel: 064 645329

Distribution

The Managing Director Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company PlcNo 42 Obiwali Road Rumuigbo PortHarcourt Tel: 084 487 0003Fax: 084 237 605

Distribution

Borokiri, Calabar, Diobu,

The Managing DirectorYola Electric- D a m a t u r u , ity Distribution Company PlcNo 2 Jalingo, MaidAtiku Abubakar Road Jimeta YolaTel: ug 075 6265193

PHCN Successor (GENERATION) Companies Name

License Type

Afam Power Plc

Egbin Power Plc

Capacity

Generation

The managing Director Afam Power Plc Afam Power Station Complex Afam Rivers State

987.2MW

Generation

The Managing Director Egbin power Station Complex Egbin, Ikorodu Lagos StateTel: 018117030

1,320MW

Kainji Hydro Electric Plc

Generation

Sapele Power Plc

Generation

Shiroro Hydro Electric Plc

Generation

Ughelli Power Plc

Site Location

Generation

The Managing Director Kainji Hydro Electric Plc Kainji Power Station Complex Kainji Niger State

760MW

The Managing Director Sapele Power Plc Sapele Power Station Complex Sapele Delta StateTel: 054 342640Fax: 054 342642

1,020MW

The Managing Director Shiroro Hydro Electric Plc Shiroro Power Station Complex Shiroro Niger StateTel/Fax: 066 690100

600MW

942MW

The Managing Director Ughelli Power Plc Ughelli Power Station Complex Ughelli Delta StateTel/Fax: 053 251883

PHCN Successor (TRANSMISSION) Company Name

Transmission Company of Nigeria

License Type

Transmission

Site-Location

Capacity

The Managing Director Transmission Company Of Nigeria PHCN Headquarters Plot 441 Zambezi Crescent Maitama AbujaTel: 09 413 5614; 413 5559

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY,, DECEMBER 13, 2012

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ATIONAL vice president of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, in charge of South West, Bishop Francis Wale Oke yesterday, commended the Nigerian press for its vibrancy in reporting and exposing the various ills in the society.

The PFN leader also charged President Goodluck Jonathan to be more courageous to take a decisive decision on the security challenges destroying the nation, appealing to political leaders of the North to exercise constraint and stop playing politics with the blood of Christians.

They should allow peace to reign so that they can have a one Nigeria to rule over in the future, maintaining that no Nigerian should be exposed to untimely death.

He said, “And we want to speak to the political leaders in the North, that this violence is destroying the economy of the North. People that are sustaining the economy of the North are fleeing the area, because their lives are no longer safe. What they (the leaders) think they are gaining on the short term is bitter nothing, on the long run, is a major loss”.

He, therefore, appealed to the northern leaders to have a rethink, noting “if we let Nigeria be, then there can be a Nigeria we can go back in the future, but if we bring Nigeria down, then there will be no Nigeria to go back to in the future.”

Bishop Oke was speaking at the corporate headquarters of Vanguard Media Ltd during the 12th edition of Vanguard Media Christian Fellowship end-ofyear thanksgiving and prayer service with theme: The Change: From Glory to glory.

Oke said the press especially, Vanguard Newspaper, has been in the vanguard of uplifting the nation through its investigative reporting especially from the military era till date.

“I feel very important to bring the word of the Lord and you have led me into the secrets of the greatness of Vanguard newspaper because indeed Vanguard newspaper is a great newspaper in this nation today. I have read my own copy today and when they supply me my newspapers they know Vanguard will be right on top because they know I will request for it.

Vanguard, a vibrant, dynamic newspaper “Vanguard is vibrant, dynamic and well packaged. It has come of age, so user-friendly and very easy to read. When I was reading Vanguard today, I said this is a 21st century paper, and I declare that the Lord will take Vanguard from glory to glory”. Bishop Oke said the first thing he noticed was the humility of the executive chairman,

Wale Oke chides politicians...says stop playing politics with the “blood of Christians” stressing: “If a media house like this will set a date and time to bring its officials together, to give thanks to God, there is no way, that newspaper will be waxing stronger by the day” .

Oke who said the Nigerian Media have been in the forefront to ensure a better Nigeria and vibrant in the fight against corruption as well as the menace of the Islamic sect called Boko Haram.

He urged the media not to rest on its oars in speaking out against the evil that is currently ravaging the nation, writing and broadcasting the truth until the least person in the country is protected, adding that the Media as the watchdog of the society, should speak against evils and ills in the country.

In his words: “I want to commend the Nigerian press and Vanguard Newspapers, in particular, because Vanguard is in the forefront. Nigerian press today is very vibrant and outspoken and it is at the forefront of the fight for a better Nigeria and we thank God and are very proud of the Nigerian Press.

“The same way, you fought in the Abacha days, fighting corruption, evil and fighting violence, particularly the violence that has been unleashed upon our nation today by the Islamic sect known as Boko Haram, that is killing, maiming and burning down churches, particularly in the Northern part of this nation.

“The press has been very loud and outspoken in fighting this menace and I want to thank God for you because this is where our part really cross the Church is committed to praying, not only praying but speaking.

Bishop Oke, however, lamented that the violence in the North did not add to the value of the nation, but destroying the economy and has succeeded in discouraging many investors from coming to the country.

The PFN Vice president also commended the Church for its steadfastness in praying for the peace and tranquility of the nation and discouraging retaliation whenever they come under attack.

“The Church has been praying, although some people are wondering whether it is going to retaliate or resolve to carrying arms or gun.

Of course, the scientists are in the Church who can manufacture guns and bombs but we are not going to reply with violence,” he stated.

Lauds Oritsejafor on Boko Haram He appreciated the courage of the CAN president, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor for his courage in speaking against the current evil.

“I want to particularly salute the courage and the tenacity and the boldness of Pastor Oritsejafor. His

Bishop (Dr) Francis Wale Oke, with Vanguard staff during the 2012 End of the year / Thanksgiving prayer organised by Vanguard Media Christian Fellowship at Vanguard canal Apapa, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

emergence as CAN president is so timely at this particularly time, when the Church needs a vocal, courageous leader that cannot be bought; a leader that cannot be intimated; a leader that will rather take his life in his hands to be able to defend the Church and at every opportunity he keeps speaking about the evil and the menace of Boko Haram,” he said.

Bishop Oke used the opportunity of the programme to pray for Mr. President to be courageous in decision making in order to overcome the various challenges confronting the nation.

“We are praying for Mr. Presi-

Haram, and “the Lord will continue to protect you in Jesus name. So Media don’t stop speaking, you are doing a good job, don’t stop speaking until, Boko Haran is silenced. Don’t stop speaking until the last innocent citizen in Nigeria is protected. Don’t stop speaking. At every opportunity when they do their evil, speak. Let not the news be killed. Let not the news be buried.”

Bishop Oke added: “at every opportunity when they do their evil speak. “let not the news be killed, let not the news be buried and when any leader of note, whether Muslim or Chris-

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BY SAM EYOBOKA, BOSE ADELAJA, OLAYINKA LATONA & PROVIDENCE OBUH

We are praying for President Goodluck Jonathan that the Lord will give him wisdom and courage to deal with this matter decisively so that 2013 will be peaceful for Nigeria

dent for God to give him the wisdom and courage to lead Nigeria to a greater height,” he noted, stressing that the man has a few years to stay in power and after which Nigeria would still remain.

The bishop acknowledged that the job of the journalist was precarious, because “if there is a crisis, you have to cover it, if there is war or riot you have to be there to cover it and if they are throwing stones and tear gas, you have to be there.

He therefore appealed to the Nigerian Media to be up and doing in joint battle against Boko

,

tian speaks against Boko Haram, please help us amplify the message so that the whole world will know that the violence is totally unacceptable.

Prayer for Jonathan “We are praying for President Goodluck Jonathan that the Lord will give him wisdom and courage to deal with this matter decisively so that 2013 will be peaceful for Nigeria. My prayer is that there will be no bomb blast in 2013 and Nigeria will be saved from the North to the

South; from the East to the West”.

He later made another passionate appeal to the nation’s media, pointing out that the Church is facing a major crisis, and “I know Pastor Oritsejafor very well, a very elegant man of integrity with the heart of God. If Pastor Ayo gives you his word, he will deliver; a very courageous man who cannot be bought.

“I am so glad that the Church in Nigeria today has a voice. You cannot shut out Pastor Oritsejafor, every opportunity he will speak, and we need a voice like that so that everybody will know that the Boko Haram madness is not acceptable.

“Now, we cannot fight with bombs but we must fight with words and speak; so my appeal to us is this: you have been doing a good job, so let us please rally round this fight, because of the future of Nigeria, because of the future of the Church, because of the unity of this nation and come to think of it, the North is being decimated day by day.

“A lot of our brethren in the North are returning home. I was in Ogbomosho recently where I met a man who escaped being killed in the North, for no other crime, but for being a southerner and a Christian. The man escaped but lost five daughters who were killed while the parents watched. Every body from the South, is being labelled Jonathan’s children. It is politics mixed with bitterness and religion—can you imagine that”.

“Just imagine five daughters slaughtered like goats before your eyes. Please let’s not keep quiet, and it looks to me like the northern leaders are playing politics with the blood of Christians. They cannot claim they don’t know who and who are behind Boko Haram”.

Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY,, DECEMBER 13, 2012—9

Police nab 5 pipeline vandals

BY IFEANYI OKOLIE

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HE Inspector General of Police special task force on anti-pipeline vandalism, yesterday in Lagos said it has arrested five members of a pipeline vandal syndicate who have been siphoning petroleum products from the system 2 B pipeline in Ikorodu, Lagos.

The suspects identified as Muritala Kareem, Musiliru Ashiri, Ahmed Lamidi, Jelilat Olailikon and Elizabeth Folorunsho were arrested on December 5, 2012, when the task-force operatives, who were on a routine patrol along Konu village in Ikorodu area of Lagos State intercepted a DAF truck with registration number XA813JND loaded with 100gallons of PMS in 50 litre cans.

Confirming the arrest, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Friday Ibadin, who is in charge of the Task Force, said it was their determination to reduce to its barest minimum the rate at which these vandals steal products from Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, that made us doubled surveillance in target areas. “It was during patrol on December 5, 2012 that we stumbled on these suspected vandals.

FRSC, Lions Club partner on road safety

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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HE Federal Road Safety Commission, Alimosho Local Government Area, in collaboration with Isheri Platinum Lions Club, has launched a comprehensive campaign towards ensuring a safe motoring environment in Nigeria and Lagos in particular.

Speaking at the Embermonth rally, with the theme: “Continuous drivers education, a key to reduction in crashes,” at Iyana Ipaja Garage, Lagos, state Sector Commander, Ezebong Akpabio, noted that road safety is a shared responsibility because of road trauma is an immensely complex problem that can not be solved

by FRSC alone.

According to Akpabio, who was represented by deputy Corp Commander, Adeoye Irelewuyi, Head of Operations, Lagos command; “To meet the decade of action target of reducing deaths and serious injuries by 2020, we must focus on this four key areas; safe road, safe speed, safe vehicles and healthy people.”

CARNIRIV—Ekere (rhythm of tribes) performance during the ongoing 2012 CARNIRIV held at Carnival Village in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday.

Alleged N4.7bn scam: Babalakin plotting to flee—EFCC

BY INNOCENT ANABA, ONOZURE DANIA & MICHAEL OLADEPO

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AGOS—ROTIMI Jacobs, the lead counsel of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commissions EFCC, alleged that they got security reports that Dr Olawale Babalakin, was planning to elope outside the country.

Jacob, while responding to the complaints by Babalakin’s lawyers, that armed men from the EFCC, are laying siege on the premises of the hospital, said that the alleged siege was meant to put the agency on alert to avoid a similar incident in the past.

He said one of his lawyers Mr Abiodun Layolu, told him that he had to get the permission from Babalakin to see him.

He added that Babalakin, asked Layolu, to give him guarantee that he was not going to be in detention, he also asked that if he goes to a private hospital, if he would be arrested and Layolu said he would be arrested if he goes to a private hospital.

He then asked the EFCC, to assign a police officer to him.

Jacob, said “he is giving us conditions, I can even show the court his text messages on my phone.”

Meantime, the arraignment of Babalakin and four others

by EFCC over an alleged N4.7 billion fraud, schedule for yesterday, took a different turn at an Ikeja High Court, when the lead counsel, Chief Ebun Shofunde SAN, announced his withdrawal from the matter.

Before the new twist, Shotunde, who was at the last sitting informed the court of Babalakin’s admission at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital LUTH, over an undisclosed ailment.

He had told the court that he had earlier forwarded a letter to the registrar of the court which contained a medical report by one Dr Charles Harmon about Babalakin’s health.

He had also informed the court presided over by Justice

Adeniji Onigbanjo that Babalakin’s health deteriorated immediately after he appeared before the EFCC office in Abuja on November 26, 2012 for questioning.

He also asked the court to adjourn the matter to allow his client recover from the undisclosed sick-

ness.

But at the resumption of the matter yesterday, Sofunde, announced his withdrawal from the defence team, saying that it is on a personal reasons.

He said his decision to withdrawal was contained in an application dated December 4, 2012, where he informed the court that his reason was personal.

He however told the court that if his client wishes to challenge his withdrawal, he may decide to tell the court his actual reason for withdrawing from the matter.

Justice Onigbanjo in response promptly granted his request for withdrawal and stood the matter down as the EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, had earlier requested that the matter be stood down as he was attending to a sister case filed by Babalakin at the Federal High Court, Lagos seeking to stop EFCC from arraigning him But when the court resumed hearing on the matter, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde SAN, who took over from Sofunde informed the court of two applications pending in the court dated December 11, 2012 seeking for adjournment of the trial and for the court to admit the defendant to bail.

I want to be Lagos gov — Ikuforiji ...seeks media support on traffic law

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AGOS—SPEAKER of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Adeyemi Ikuforiji, yesterday expressed willingness at having a shot at the governorship of the state in future.

Ikuforiji made the remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, in Alausa, Ikeja.

“To tell you that I don’t want to be governor of Lagos State in future, I’ll be telling lies. “ I want to be the President of Nigeria; but the scripture tells me that it is only God that

crowns. “ I am an ambitious person, but I believe in the Almighty.

“You can have the ambition, but because I am a Muslim, and because I know that tomorrow is not mine, I know it is only the Almighty that knows what tomorrow is like. “ I think that two- and- a- half years is too long for speculation,” Ikuforiji said.

Recounting his political journey, the Speaker said it took him 30 months to become the Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly.

“Today, I thank God that I was

Man seeks divorce...says my wife beats me regularly

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AGOS — MR Adewale Sunday, 40, who alleged that his wife beats him regularly, has urged the Agege Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve the marriage to save his life.

Sunday, a factory worker, alleged that his wife, Funmilayo, 37, battered and beat him at the slightest provocation in their five years of marriage.

He alleged also that his wife threatened to kill him.

“She slapped me in front of my younger brother and when my brother confronted her, she threatened to slap him too.

“She told me that I should always behave well, else, she

can kill me,” he alleged.

Adewale also accused Funmilayo of having extra-marital affairs.

“I did not make love to her for about five months before she told me she was pregnant.

“I told her to abort the pregnancy but she refused and threatened to kill me if I do not accept the pregnancy.

“She and her pastor named the baby and told me the names, thereafter.”

Responding, Funmilayo, a cleaner denied the allegations and explained: “Trouble started when I was pregnant. He asked me to abort it and I refused.

“He left the house when my child was one month old; since then, I have not heard from him,” she also alleged.

not the Speaker in 2003 because I had more time to study the system to know what it entails.

“My tenure as the speaker of the assembly has witnessed unprecedented growth and development of the institution.

“With that, I will give it back to Him because I am a believer and that is the honest truth. I don’t play politics with the peoples’ mind”.

Ikuforiji explained that when he came visiting Nigeria from his US base in 2003, his intention was to contest the chairmanship of his local government area, Epe. Meantime, the speaker also yesterday urged media to further enlighten the people on the benefit of the traffic law, restricting the operation of motorcycle, popularly called Okada in the state.

Commercial motorcycles were restricted from 475 out of the 9,000 Lagos roads by the traffic law.

He said, “this is one area where the Fourth Estate of the Realm needs to intervene. I have often said it that I always get misunderstood by my friends in the Fourth Estate and there is no way we can move forward without the media.

“Like this issue of the traffic law our people need to be educated and further enlightened. Okada is not banned but only restricted, he added.

10—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

Anosike, others docked over Daily Times' asset tripping

BY INNOCENT ANABA

F

IDELIS Anosike, his brother Noel and their company, Folio Communications Limited, were, yesterday, docked before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, over alleged advance fee fraud, money laundering and fraudulent conversion of the proceeds realised from sale of assets belonging to Daily Times of Nigeria.

The accused persons, who are facing a fivecount charge, are being prosecuted by the Federal Government.

At the hearing in the case, the Anosike brothers entered the dock after the matter was called, but the reading of the charge to them for their plea to be taken was stalled following the preliminary objection by their counsel, challenging the service of the charge on them.

The case was subsequently adjourned till February 14, 2012 for the proper arraignment of the accused persons in court.

The accused persons, according to the charge, were alleged to have conspired to commit felony by obtain N25 million from Education Trust Fund under the false pretence of utilising the money to set up Electronic Library for Daily Times.

According to the charge, the said representation was incorrect while the offence contravened Sections 1 (3) and 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act, 2005.

Fidelis in the third count of the charge, was said to have laundered another £300,000 (about N75 million), which was realised from the sale of Daily Times property at Cold Harbour Lane, London, United Kingdom.

The said £300,000 was paid into the personal account of Fidelis in London, while he later transferred the money to Nigeria and converted same to personal use.

10 students, nine others die in Ogun crashes

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA—EMOTIONS ran high, yesterday afternoon, when a truck rammed into a school building in Itori, Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State, killing no fewer than 10 students, while 50 vehicles were damaged.

Also, no fewer than nine persons lost their lives in two other separate accidents along Abeokuta-Ibadan and LagosIbadan expressways in Ogun State.

An eyewitness, who was part of the rescue team before the arrival of officers of Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, told Vanguard that it involved students of Itori Comprehensive High School.

According to the source, the students had just closed for the day and were heading for their homes when the truck rammed into them.

Vanguard learnt that the truck, with plate number LAGOS YZ 628 AKD, was said to be coming from Abeokuta, the state capital, when it veered off the median and ran into the students.

Confirming the incident, Itori Sector Commander of FRSC, Mr. Fatai Bakare, however, said only five students were confirmed dead.

He said the driver lost control and veered off the road before it fell on the school pupils.

Vanguard also gathered that the inability of the local government to assist the injured angered the residents and parents of the victims, who then went on rampage.

The residents of the area unleashed violence on motorists caught up in the ensuing traffic, vandalising about 50 vehicles.

Meantime, corpses of victims have been taken to the nearby morgue of the local government, while several injured students were reportedly rushed

to Ifo General Hospital.

Four on Abeokuta-Ibadan road

According to an eyewitness, four persons died when a Toyota Camry, marked Lagos MUS 948 AR, and a Mazda bus, marked Lagos JP 602 AAA, collided at Olodo village along Abeokuta-Ibadan Expressway.

The source added that sympathisers had to use axes, saws and other sharp objects before the corpses could be freed.

Confirming the accident, Sector Commander of FRSC in Ogun State, Ayobami Omiyale , attributed the crash to dangerous driving and over-speeding.

Five others on Lagos-Ibadan

In another accident, yesterday, five persons lost their lives in an auto crash that occurred at Ogere village, old toll gate, along Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Muyiwa Adejobi confirmed the accident, saying it was caused by a cement-laden

ACCIDENT: The truck that ran over students of Itori Comprehensive High School, reportedly killing 10 and injuring others, yesterday.

PHOTO: Daud Olatunji.

Okada riders, police clash in Lagos over traffic laws

BY EVELYN USMAN

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ROTEST by commercial motorcyclists, otherwise known as Okada riders, over the new Lagos State Traffic Laws, turned violent, yesterday, in Majidun area of Ikorodu, as they clashed with

a team of policemen.

The Okada riders numbering over 300, reportedly took to the street at about 8am, wielding dangerous weapons. In the process, they reportedly attacked a Lagos State Bus, LAGBUS, and also set bonfire on the road.

Hoodlums may take over Nigeria— Afenifere

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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KURE—AFENIFERE, a pan-Yoruba socio-political group, yesterday, challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to rise and act fast to stem the spate of insecurity and the wanton destruction of lives and property or face the possibility of hoodlums completely taking over the country.

Secretary-General of the group, Bashorun Seinde Arogbofa, said the rate at which kidnappers abduct prominent Nigerians and the

truck.

He said the truck fell and blocked the road after Ogere in Remo axis on the way to Ibadan, as against the insinuation that the victims were killed by robbers operating on the road.

Also confirming the incident, Federal Road Commander in Ogere, Mr. Godwin Sangbana, said the accident occurred when an articulated vehicle heading to Ibadan lost control and rammed into three commercial vehicles.

According to him, the corpses were deposited at a nearby hospital.

Boko Haram menace had not only put the lives of people at risk, but also scared away prospective investors.

Arogbofa listed the recent abduction of the mother of Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the wife of former Governor of Western Region, Gen. Oluwole Rotimi (rtd), as examples, which had brought bad publicity to the country.

According to him, “nobody is any longer safe in the country. Just a few days ago, it was the elderly Prof (Mrs) Okonjo that was kidnapped; only yes-

terday it was the wife of Gen. Oluwole Rotimi, former governor of Western Region.

“In the Northern part of the country, the Boko Haram is in charge and kills with reckless abandon.”

The group asked the President to act decisively before the menace gets out of total control, while expressing concern over the President’s various reactions to insecurity in the country.

The group warned that criminals may take over the country if the government fails to act decidedly.

Passengers were forced to trek long distances before boarding buses to their respective destinations.

An eyewitness said on sighting a team of policemen approaching, the commercial motorcyclists began to hurl stones at them while fleeing in different directions.

In the process, one of them reportedly abandoned his bike and jumped into a lagoon, apparently to avoid being made a scapegoat.

Aside the protest over the new traffic laws, which bars commercial motorcyclists from plying 475 of the state’s over 9,000 roads, Vanguard gathered that another reason for yesterday’s protest was not unconnected with the seizure of several motorbikes by some policemen during Tuesday’s protest.

Effort to reach the command’s spokes person, Ngozi Braide proved abortive.

Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY,, DECEMBER 13, 2012—11

Delta tackles EFCC over alleged Ibori’s $15m bribe money

BY AUSTIN

OGWUDA

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S A B A — D E LTA State Government, yesterday, said there was no truth in the additional affidavit filed

by Economic and Financial Cries Commission, EFCC, legal team to the effect that if the $15 million was eventually refunded to the state, it would find its way to the private pockets of the former governor, Chief James Ibori, presently serving jail sentence abroad.

State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chike Ogeah, in a statement in Asaba, said: “It is imperative to explain the additional affidavit

by EFCC on December 10, 2012. EFCC, in the additional affidavit alleged that if the $15 million was paid to Delta State Government, it will be paid back to Chief Ibori.

“The truth is that like every other elected governor, Chief Ibori was paid his pension entitlement and other benefits alongside his deputy under existing state law.”

Tourists storm Rivers for CARNIRIV

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S the people of Rivers State celebrate the centenary anniversary of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, with this year ’s edition of CARNIRIV, tourists and visitors from across the world have moved into the city to share in the rich cultural displays at the carnival.

Speaking at the event, Director-General, Rivers State Tourism Development Agency, RSTDA, Dr. Sam Dede, explained that “the main difference between CARNIRIV and other carnivals in the country is that CARNIRIV is mostly a display of the indigenous culture of the Rivers people. The costume, dance and music on display are indigenous.”

Other activities lined up for the carnival include International Aquatic Fiesta on December 12.

Bayelsa to sack workers in N-Delta Varsity

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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E N A G OA — B AY E L SA State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has said that the state will reduce the workforce of the state-owned Niger Delta University, Amassoma.

The governor dropped the hint while inaugurating an eight-member Governing Council for the University headed by Prof Turner Isoun, a former Minister of Science and Technology.

Dickson noted that his vision was to make the university autonomous and self sustenance to run professionally, adding that the institution over the years had employed more workers than it required leading to bloated wage bill.

He said: “This is unsustainable for the government. The new Governing Council must look into this issue. The university, apart from being autonomous in finances and administration, should be able to sus-

tain itself with little support from the government. That approach is to fund the institution from within and that, to me, is a more sustainable way to get the best for

the university.

“The university, from a report you will soon read, is in a situation where you have a lot of staff you really don’t need. Perhaps, the reason is that the uni-

VISIT: From left: Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, President, Christian Association of Nigeria; Dr. Simon Dolly, National President, Youth Wing of Christian Association of Nigeria, YOWICAN, and President, National Council of Muslim Youths Organisations, Southern zone, Alhaji Kamal Akintunde, during avisit to the CAN President, in Warri.

N-Delta better under Yar’Adua —Activist

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—NIGER Del ta activist, Mr Paul Bebenimibo, yesterday, lamented that the ministers appointed from the region

by President Goodluck Jonathan, were not truthful to the President as regards developmental projects in the area.

He admonished the President to assess critically, the performance of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe

and the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, particularly as regards the growth of the Niger Delta and if found wanting, they should be sacked.

Bebenimibo, who noted that more efforts were made when President Umaru Yar ’Adua was alive to implement the Niger Delta Master plan than “now that we have a SouthSouth man as President,” attributed the lapses to what he described as the failure on the part of ministers from the zone to contribute their quota and inform the President on the

true position of things.

He said: “People of the Niger Delta are still suffering and that is capable of resurrecting insurgency. We are aware that Mr. President cannot do it all, but he has a Minister of Niger Delta Affairs who does not tell him the truth, particularly as regards the East-West Road. Our people are not happy with the performance of Mr President as it has to do with the East-West Road.

“That road was awarded during the President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime and up till date, nothing had been done to improve it.”

Over 120 militants surrender arms in Delta

BY EMMA ARUBI

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A R R I — E X- M I L I TANTS of the Niger Delta Liberation Force, NDLF, of the late John Togo, yesterday, surrendered their arms to Delta State Government with a promise never to return to criminality.

Leader of the NDLF, Peter Perebowei, now a born again Christian, said: “We are now prepared to work with the state government to ensure peace and tranquility,” adding that anyone caught henceforth in

versity employed but the university does not pay. The university employs and the burden is passed on to the state.

And that is not sustainable and acceptable to me.”

any criminal act was on his own.

The former dreaded leader of NDLF, John Togo, was killed by operatives of Joint Task Force, JTF, last year during a battle at his camp near Ayakoromo, in Burutu Local Government Area of the state, and his corpse is still lying at Warri Central Hospital morgue.

The arms surrendered by the repentant militants to the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Mr. Ovuozorie Macauley and Chief Security Officer, CSO, to the state governor, Navy Com-

modore John Kpokpogri (rtd), were nine AK47m; seven GPMG; six AK47 riffles; two G3M; one FM riffle; one G3 riffle; one RPG; one FM magazine and a laptop computer.

Ammunitions submitted include 188 metal link (NATO); 111 × 7.62mm; 28 × 7.62mm special; 60 ×2.5mm pistol ammo respectively.

Receiving the arms and ammunition in the presence of top military officers in Warri, Macauley, charged them to change their ways from criminality as they had sworn to an oath before God and man never to return anti-social vices.

Oritsejafor urges youths to shun bloodshed

BY EMMA AMAIZE

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ARRI—PRESIDENT of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayodele Oritsejafor, yesterday, said no true religion would encourage its believers to kill fellow human beings. He, therefore, urged Nigerian youths to turn away from bloodshed.

He said: “The greatness of Nigeria is in your hands. True religious ideology will never encourage young people to take up arms against their fellow beings. Young people must realise that Nigeria belong to all of us.”

He made the call while playing host to a delegation of National Council of Muslim Youths Organisations, Southern zone, led by Alhaji Kamal Akintunde, which visited him in Warri, Delta State.

He condemned the spate of bloodletting perpetrated by the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, and warned them to stop further killing of innocent people.

“Fundamentalists and terrorists live among us and they are not spirits. Nigeria is a country with hope for tomorrow, hence I am urging the youths to say no to violence,” he added.

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY,, DECEMBER 13, 2012

LP moves to reclaim seat in Bayelsa House

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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E N AG OA — LEADERS of Labour Party in Bayelsa State have announced their decision to resort to legal battle to reclaim the only seat won by the party in the state House of Assembly during the 2011 general elections, currently occupied by the Deputy Chief Whip of the House, Mr Tonye Isenah.

Isenah, who won the Assembly seat to represent Constituency 1 of the Kolokuma-Opokuma council in the 2011 assembly poll, however, resigned from the party in January 2012 and joined the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Leaders of Labour Party, in a statement, yesterday, in Yenagoa by the state Secretary, Mr. Jonny Ben, resolved to constitute a legal team to challenge the resignation of Isenah in court.

Abuja-Lokoja Expressway dualisation ready by 2014

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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BUJA—MINISTER of Works, Mike Onolememen, yesterday, assured that the dualisation and rehabilitation of Abuja–Lokoja Expressway would be ready by March 2014.

Onolememen gave the assurance during an inspection of the approximately 250km expressway, which is one of the major roads in and out of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. He commended the construction company, Dantata and Sawoe, on the pace of work.

Onolememen ordered that the road, which has attained 46 percent completion, be opened for motorists from December 15, for the yuletide period, to avoid the usual traffic gridlock on the road.

The visit took the minister to three other sections of the road: Section II, starting from Sheda Village Junction, Abaji, awarded to Reynolds Construction Company (Nig) Ltd, with 47.20 percent completion; Section III, the 49.362km road from Abaji-Koton Karfi, awarded to Bulletin Construction Co. Ltd, with 15.50 percent completion;

and Section IV, from Kotonkarfi-Lokoja, awarded to Gitto Contruzioni Generali Ltd, with 19.430 percent completion.

The minister directed the contractors to speed up the

pace of work and resurface potholes on the existing road.

He assured the contractors that Federal Government had taken care of the problem of funding of the project, which was a challenge at a point in time.

According to him, the assurance is hinged on the fact that the project was now under Sub-

sidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P. He said President Jonathan was committed to the completion of the road by the first quarter of 2014.

The minister said: “In terms of quality, the work is going on according to design.”

AWARD: Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio, flanked by Prof. Jerry Gana (left) and Ambassador Jerry Ugokwe, after being presented with the Nigerian Pilot Governor of the Year 2012 award, in Abuja.

Room for talks with oil firms still open —Diezani

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INISTER of Pe troleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, said, yesterday, that there was still room for compromise in talks between the Nigerian government and multinational oil companies, as the country seeks to overhaul its oil industry.

“I think there is room to bridge the gap a little more,” Alison-Madueke told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of OPEC ministers in Vienna.

She said: “Discussions are ongoing. We are hoping that we may be able to reach more of what a lot of the multinationals or the independents consider a win-win situation.

“We will continue those talks over the next few weeks and we hope that we come out with everybody feeling a little better about it.”

After years of delay, President Goodluck Jonathan, in July, sent a new bill to the National Assembly to overhaul the country’s oil industry.

Multinational oil firms have, however,

criticised the proposed increases in taxes and royalties, and warned that the new legislation might curb investment.

“We have increased government take which we felt was actually extremely negative and punitive towards the Nigerian government,

with the prices of crude going up and the intake to government going down in terms of revenues.

“However the multinationals and the independents obviously feel that it will be extremely punitive towards them in terms of new investments. So, we are still looking at those figures with them,” Madueke said.

Ijaw laud Lakemfa’s election as OATUU scribe

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JAW Monitoring Group has described the choice of Comrade Owei Lakemfa of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, as the elected Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity, OATUU, as a pride to the Niger Delta region.

A congratulatory message by Comrade Joseph Evah on behalf of the Ijaw group, said: “Lakemfa is a post-independence thinkthank that built the workers union in Nigeria, adding that the injustice in the Niger Del-

ta where he was born contributed to his strong desire to eradicate poverty among Nigerian workers.

“This honour is a confirmation that our son from Ijaw- land is a global citizen and labour struggle in Africa and the world at large will benefit from this icon of human rights and press freedom.

“We are proud that Owei Lakemfa, a journalist, labour historian and radical trade unionist extraordinaire, symbolizes Niger Delta’s love for freedom, hardwork and human value for mankind.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 —13

Fuel scarcity worsens in Imo

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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WERRI—VEHI CLEowners in Imo State are in for very hard times this yuletide, following the crippling fuel scarcity that has hit the state for weeks now.

Already, the pump rice has since risen to over N120 per litre in Owerri, while the price, according to some drivers interviewed, is higher and ranges from between N125 and N140 per litre in the hinterland.

Vanguard investigations showed that several filling stations in parts of the state have either run out of premium motor spirit or selling above the official pump price of N97 per litre.

The mega station operated by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and all the other franchise stations of NNPC in Owerri remained without the product for days.

Although no staff of the mega or franchise stations wanted to be quoted, they, however, reasoned that they were there to serve the public.

Majesty Magazine honours royal fathers

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ROYAL father, Oba Sikiru Obatula, the Enioluwafe I, of Ojodu town, Lagos State, is among eminent traditional rulers and chiefs to be honoured for their contributions to the development of tradition and culture in the country.

The ceremony, organized by the African Royal Majesty Magazine, is holding at the Lagos Country Club, GRA, Ikeja on Friday December 14 and is expected to be graced by eminent personalities, royal fathers and captains of industries.

According to the publisher of the Magazine, Mr. John Thompson, the award programme is in appreciation of the enormous contributions of traditional rulers towards the maintenance of peace and harmony in Nigeria.

C M Y K

2 injured as hoodlums attack Anambra revenue agents

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—TWO persons, yesterday, sustained injuries when people suspected to be hoodlums from various communities around the commercial city of Onitsha stormed Aba motor park at Upper Iweka area and attacked accredited Anambra State government revenue agents.

Armed with dangerous weapons, the suspected hoodlums allegedly invaded the motor park in the early hours, chanting war songs and started brutalising the revenue agents who were in the park collecting revenue for the state government.

Chairman of Association of Anambra State Park Agents, Chief Albert Ibekwe, who spoke with reporters after the incident, accused some local government officials who wanted to take over the parks of masterminding the destruction.

According to Ibekwe, the hoodlums, who attacked the parks, came with some members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, who

chased everybody away from the parks.

He said: “The problem is that Ogbaru local government youths are fighting each other for the control of the park.

“We have it on good authority that officials of the council are supporting some of the youths to take over the parks

of our members in the area.”

He accused the local government officials of printing receipts in a bid to sack the original park agents, alleging that they had gone to the extent of securing bail for the two suspects earlier arrested by the police in connection with the crisis in the area.

He also said that a top official

AWARD: From left: Dr. Celey Okogun, CEO, Novelpotta Y & R, Mr. Rajesh Agrihotri; Corporate Marketing Manager, LG Electronics West Africa, receiving an award on behalf of LG Electronics; Mrs. Esther Fagbola, Assistant Public Relations Manager, LG Electronics West Africa, and Mr. Azuka Onwuka, at the Brandhealth organised, 2012 Most Trusted Brand Award in Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe.

Please recognise our monarch, community begs Obi

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—THE people of Ishiagu community in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, have pleaded with Governor Peter Obi to recognise their traditional ruler, Chief Augustine Nwankwo, who was selected last year.

In a peaceful demonstration at Government House, Awka, the people, operating under the

aegis of concerned citizens and stakeholders of Ishiagu, observed that some other traditional rulers who were selected after their monarch was chosen unanimously, had since been issued with certificates of recognition by the state government.

The letter they wrote to Governor Obi read: “We the concerned people of Ishiagu community are worried that long after the Igwe of Ishiagu, Au-

gustine Ozoemena Nwankwo was elected and enthroned, certificate of recognition by the Anambra State government has not been issued in his favour.

“The Ishiagu community, under the umbrella of Ishiagu Community Union, started the process of election of new Igwe in February, 2011, as a result of demise of the former traditional ruler, Igwe J.E. Okeke in 2007.

Spate of kidnappings worries lawmaker

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ARRI — THE wave of kidnapping in Delta State has been described as unfortunate, shameful and disgusting.

Reacting to the reported kidnapping of the mother of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iwala, last Sunday, and the reported kidnapping of two expatriate staff of a road construction company handling DeltaBayelsa-Rivers states axis of the

East-West road, in Ughelli, Mr. Daniel Reyenieju, who represents Warri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, said: "Kidnapping as an act being adopted by some of our young men, and now assuming the status of a way of life and ‘profession’ is most deplorable and despicable."

Speaking to Vanguard, yesterday, Reyenieju said: "By such acts, the perpetrators are

not only bringing shame on our collectivity as a political unit, but will further scare away both local and foreign investors, even to the point that trans-national construction companies handling road projects could be scared away from our area."

The lawmaker further appealed to the public to assist the Delta State Government and the relevant security agencies in tracking down those involved in these acts of kidnapping.

Cleric predicts transformation of Nigeria

BY PROVIDENCE OBUH

A

BEOKUTA—NATION AL President, Chaplains Fellowship of Nigeria, CFN, Archbishop Lawrence Afilaka, has predicted that in no time, Nigeria will experience transformation.

Speaking during the CFN

of Ogbaru local government went to the police station and secured bail for the two suspects earlier arrested by the police in connection with the mayhem in the park, while those of Idemili North local government area were supporting Nkpor youths to take over all the motor parks in the area.

2012 national conference and convocation in Ogun State, Afilika said: “Nigeria can be transformed, and I see Nigeria transforming, if Ghana was transformed and many other countries that we hear about, why not Nigeria?”

He added that the success-

ful Ondo State election was an added value to the country, calling on other states to emulate good governance to enhance national development.

He said: “Until Nigeria reposition, and prepares itself, it cannot become the magnificent picture of great change.”

Ukwa-Ngwa people want Aba State

A

BA—THE people of Ukwa-Ngwa in Abia have reiterated the need for the creation of the proposed Aba State.

The people, who gathered under the auspices of Aba State Movement, spoke at a solemn assembly on Tuesday at the Aba Town Hall to seek the face of God for the forgiveness of their past misdeeds.

Speaking to newsmen at the event, the Coordinator of the Ministers Prayer Network, Rev. Mosy Madugba, said the essence of the gathering was to seek God’s forgiveness and mercy.

“We are here today to seek God’s face for the forgiveness of our sins and for Him to show us mercy because it is said that if God be for us, nobody can be against us.

“This is why as a people we have come together to pray to God for our past misdeeds so that he will hear our prayer and heal the land,” Madugba said.

Apostle Leonard Abraham, the Secretary of the solemn assembly, said that bloodshed contributed to the lack of progress in the area.

He explained that at the end of the prayer, the glory of Aba would be restored for the residents to start enjoying the town again.

14—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

Total refutes claims on Egina project

BY YEMIE ADEOYE

L

AGOS—TOTAL Up stream Nigeria Limited, second largest operator in Nigeria’s upstream oil sector has debunked claims of seeming lack of transparency in the award of its Egina oil Field located 150km off the coast of Nigeria.

The field which is being developed by Total Upstream Nigeria 24 per cent in partnership with NNPC 10 per cent, CNOOC 45 per cent, Sapetro 5 per cent and Petrobras 16 per cent, is the third deep offshore development of Total in Nigeria. The field is currently under development and the production is scheduled to begin by 2014/2015.

The Company in a statement issued in Abuja and made available to Vanguard, said the contracting process of the Egina project was not what it wished to discuss on the pages of newspapers.

US-based group offers free medical care in Edo

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN CITY—THE Immanuel World Outreach Ministries, a United States of America- based philanthropic organisation, has provided free medical service to Ore and Amagba communities in Ovia North East and Ikpoba Okhai Local Government Areas of Edo State.

The group also donated a water tank and mosquito nets at the male ward of Benin Central Hospital, just as they also donated face mask to five hundred commercial motorcycle riders in Edo State.

Coordinator of the org a n i s a t i o n , Rev.Emmanuel Ojo, who presented the items, explained that it was a yearly pro gramme initiated with a view to give back to the society “ where we grew up from and to also touch the lives of the less privileged.”

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Pension funds: Senate orders arrest of Maina

BY HENRY

UMORU & JOSEPH ERUNKE BUJA—FOR failing to appear before it to explain his roles in the controversial pension money, the Senate, yesterday, directed the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, not only to immediately arrest but bring before it today Chairman of Pension Task Fund, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina.

The Senate, through its Joint Committee probing the management of pension funds, had on Tuesday, requested Maina to appear before it to clarify his roles in the controversial case of management of pension funds.

But chairman of the Pension Task Force was visibly absent at the committee’s sitting yesterday, a development that got members of the committee angry.

Maina’s non appearance stalled further deliberations on the matter.

Having discovered that Alhaji Maina was absent after a role call of persons invited to appear before the committee, members wondered why he chose not to honour invitation extended to him.

A

At this point, Senator Kabiru Gaya, PDP, Kano South, said: “I think we have the rules and we have the power. We have the power to request the police to arrest Maina and bring him before us here.”

Speaking on the issue, chairman of the Joint Senate Committee, Senator Aloysius Etok, PDP, Akwa

Ibom North-West, said “on this note, we request the Inspector General of Police to arrest him and bring him here tomorrow by 11 am. ”We have sent the warrant of arrest to the Senate President to sign to be forwarded to the Inspector General for necessary action. ”Fore the benefit of fair hearing,we want to give Mr.

WORKSHOP: From left: Deputy Registrar, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN, Tunde Fadare; Faculty Member, CIBN, Mr. Habila Amos; Registrar/Chief Executive, CIBN; Dr. Uju Ogubunka and Deputy Group Chief Inspector, UBA, Mr. Usmon Isiaka, during the workshop on consumer complaints management in Nigeria banking industry in Lagos.

Strike: LUTH doctors to challenge tax deduction in court

BY CHIOMA OBINNA &

GABRIEL OLAWALE

L

AGOS—RESIDENT Doc tors at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital will be challenging the controversial tax deduction from their salaries. A source, who is also an executive member of the Association of Resident Doctors, LUTH-ARD, disclosed that they had already contracted a lawyer, Mr. Bamidele Aturu, to get across to the Chief Medical Director of the hospitals on what their grouse was and challenged them in court.

Also, the national body of the resident doctors has called on Lagos State Government to stop taxation on allowances of doctors, blaming the state government on the crisis rocking the hospital.

The source, who pleaded anonymity, stated that the association was also writing an official letter to the Chief Medical Director on the implications of what will become of everything once it came to litigation.

He said: “We have decided to challenge the basis of the

Maina a fair hearing before all of you here. Those invited to be here today and who are also not here,we will invite the IG to bring them here.”

The committee had on its Tuesday sitting, disclosed that a total of N195 billion unspent pension funds for the last five years could not be accounted for.

law. We have contracted a lawyer, Barrister Bamidele Aturu who will get to the Chief Medical Director, CMD, by tomorrow (today) on what our grounds are and we hope to challenge all these in court.

“However, we intend to write the CMD of the implications of what will become of everything once it becomes litigation. Here nothing works in LUTH. Here, he is going to look for money to contract a lawyer to challenge such things that will lead to more people dying.

“Our position is that it is not in the position of LUTH to continue to make health workers poorer and think they will make better services on quality of research, patient’s treatment “It is only in LUTH they are doing it for now. Meanwhile they are making efforts to start it in other places but people are resisting it.”

Questioning the basis of the law, he queried: Why must call duties, which to a simple lay man, is an overtime that you can decide to

pay or not be taxed? The agreement from when call duty started is that an average doctor does like 90 units, but because it was not going to be taxed, we say 40, now the government woke up one day and said they are going to tax call duty without consulting anybody.

“Why must teaching and hazard allowance, which is about N5,000.00 be tasked?”

Reacting to the strike, the national president of the association, Dr. Lawal Akinlade, who condemned the decision of the state government to tax allowances, which include Call duty, Teaching and Hazard allowances, said the strike will only end when the government stopped the deductions.

He called on the state government to review some of the allowances of the doctors currently being taxed by the state government to save lives.

Akinlade argued that allowances including call duty health hazard and teaching should not be taxed.

Nigerians lose N1bn to wonder banks in 3yrs

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

L

AGOS—The Deputy Governor, Financial Systems Stability of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, yesterday revealed that 560,000 Nigerians lost the sum of N1 billion to activities of Wonder Banks between 2009 and 2012.

Moghalu made the disclosure at the 11th edition of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE’s Annual Essay Competition for secondary and tertiary institutions in Lagos.

He said this was as a result of low level of financial literacy among Nigerians.

Moghalu also reiterated that over 70 per cent adult Nigerian were still unbanked.

To this end, he called on the federal government and managers of schools to inculcate financial literacy in schools curriculum, saying NSE’s initiative of organising the essay competition would go a long way in arming Nigerian youths with information on how to beat financial fraud.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012—15

Reps suspend debate on 2012 extra budget

BY OKEY NDIRIBE

H

VISIT: Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State (7th right); Air Marshal Alex Badeh, Chief of Air Staff (7th left); Dr. Wale Ahmed, Commissioner for Special Duties (6th left); his Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs counterpart, Mr. Ademorin Kuye (5th right); Major Tunde Panox (rtd), Senior Special Assistant on Security(right) and other members of Air Staff during the Chief of Air Staff’s courtesy call on Governor Fashola at State House, Marina, Lagos, yesterday.

UK repatriates 40 Nigerians

S

OME 40 Nigerians arrived in Lagos from Britain, yesterday, in the monthly repatriation exercise, Mr. Lawal Isah, Head of Immigration at the Nigerian High Commission in the UK, has said.

The repatriation of the Nigerians is jointly organised by the Nigerian High Commission and the UK Border Agency.

Isah told newsmen in London that the returnees were in two after having served various prison terms.

He said two officials of the high commission and the UK Border Agency usually accompanied the returnees.

It will be recalled that a similar exercise last month also saw 40 Nigerian being repatriated from the UK and Ireland.

Senate probes N107bn inflated East-West road contract

BY HENRY UMORU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

A

BUJA—SENATE has ob served variation in the East-West Road contract amounting to N107 billion. To this end, it has asked the Ministry of Niger Delta and the contractors handling the project to explain.

Senate, through its Committee on Public Accounts, which began a public hearing, yesterday, to examine the intervention of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, on the various Federal Government projects across the country, said there was need for further explanation from both the ministry and contractors, as it was not convinced on the expenditures made.

It observed that Sections 1 and 2 of the of the road, which

were awarded to Setraco Nigeria Limited in 2006 at the cost of N138.7 billion had been reviewed upwards to N245.7 billion.

Technical Director of the company, Dr. R. Chaudhuri, explained that the amount was to cover the construction of both sections of the road of about 87km.

He said Section 1 of the road was initially awarded for N64 billion, but had to be reviewed to N112 billion, following redesigns and insufficient materials from the bill of quantities.

He said the company had been paid N62 billion out of the N65.5 billion approved, leaving a balance of N3.5 billion and that Section 2 of the road had an original amount of N74.7 billion but had to be reviewed upwards to N133.7 billion.

... as contractor vacates project site over insecurity workers, insisting on not re- ago on East-West Road site at

BY EMMAARUBI

W

ARRI—SETRACO Con struction Company, handling the East-West Road project in Delta State, the multi million naira Trans-Warri – Ode-Itsekiri Bridge and other roads, has pulled out its

turning to site until the security situation in the state improves.

Vanguard learnt that the management of the construction company had recently held a meeting over the security situation in the state following the abduction of one of their foreign staff two weeks

Community tasked on sanitary

U

GHELLI—TRANSITION Committee Chairman of Patani Local Government Area, Delta State, Dr. Chris Ekiyor, has tasked the people of the area to collaborate with the council to evacuate debris occasioned by the recent flood, which ravaged the

C M Y K

area.

Speaking during the special environmental sanitation exercise in the council, Ekiyor said his administration will provide the council’s Environmental Department with necessary equipment to put the area in good sanitary condition.

Ughelli. The company noted that armed men also killed military personnel attached to the company and abducted another foreigner in the process.

Speaking to Vanguard on condition of anonymity, sources at Setraco said they had been asked to vacate all project sites until further notice, adding that they were all working under serious threat, though the source admitted that there was no such threat at the Trans-Warri sites.

Armed men and kidnappers appear to have resumed their nefarious activities in Delta State in the wake of the yuletide season, even as security had been beefed up in various parts of the city, which had led to gridlock in recent times.

He added that only N39.58 billion had so far been paid for the job, even as work done in both sections had reached 65 percent completion.

The third section of the road, covering 99km, he explained, was awarded to Reynolds Construction Company, RCC, at the cost of N56 billion, saying the amount was further reviewed from an initial N44 billion.

Members of the committee, after examining the details of the submissions, noted that with 87km costing N112 billion, the value of 1km came to about N1.3 billion.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Ahmed Lawan, while contributing to the issue, wondered why the contract would be varied for over 100 per cent.

He said: “We would like to know why the contract is reviewed by about 100 percent after the contract was awarded.

Did the contractor not do his work well before bidding for the job?

“This is difficult to understand and we will need further explanations on this. The Ministry of Niger Delta should come up with details of the designs to show what design was done to warrant such an upward review.”

Responding to this, Chaudhuri said he would need to get the design papers for the committee to show the reasons why the contract sum had to be increased.

An accounting officer with SURE-P, Mr. Okogwu, explained that so far, about N8.14 billion had been released as intervention funding for the East-West Road, saying the payments for the contracts under the SURE-P projects were fast-tracked.

OUSE of Representatives, yesterday, suspended debate on President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for the approval of a supplementary budget of N161 billion for 2012.

The debate, suspended

by Speaker of the House, Aminu Tambuwal, when he observed that chairmen of relevant committees, who should brief the lawmakers on the implementation of the 2012 budget, were absent at yesterday’s plenary session, continues today.

Tambuwal said input from the House Committees on Petroleum Resources (Upstream and Downstream) and Finance and Appropriation were crucial.

If approved, the supplementary budget will bring the subsidy budget for 2012 to N1,041, 881,608,594 trillion.

Activist lauds Uduaghan over DESOPADEC appointments

W

ARRI—A WARRIbased Niger-Delta activist, Mr. Matthew Itsekure, yesterday, commended Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State over the recent appointments into the Board of Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Committee, DESOPADEC. Itsekure said: “The appointment would drive the process of development and prosperity capable of delivering the dividends of democracy at the grassroots.”

According to him, the calibre of persons Uduaghan picked, Mr. Michael Diden and Mr. Kingsley Otuaro as commissioners representing Itsekiri and Ijaw nations, respectively; Rev. Sam Ken and Mr. David Edun as chairmen transition committees of Warri North and Warri SouthWest local governments, were commendable.

16 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

VANGUARD'S 2012 THANKSGIVING SERVICE Vanguard Newspapers held its 2012 end-of-year thanksgiving service, organised by Vanguard Media Christian Fellowship, yesterday. PHOTOS: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

From left: Mr. Fred Odueme, Asst. General Manager, Brand; Mr. Sam Amuka, Publisher, Vanguard Newspapers; Bishop (Dr) Francis Wale Oke and Mr. Mideno Bayagbon, Editor Vanguard Newspaper.

Mr. Bayagbon (right) and Bishop Oke.

ABOVE: Bishop Oke praying at the company's press.

LEFT: Vanguard staff.

Elder Emmanuel Obuh, Co-Cordinator, Vanguard Media Christian Fellowship (middle) and other staff.

From left: Mr. Badmus Jelili, Mr. Sunday Awevia and Mr. Seyi Ayalade.

Cross section of Vanguard staff.

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From left: Mr. Sam Eyoboka, Pastor Innocent Nwankwo and Mr. Amorighoye Miller.

Cross section of staff.

Bishop Oke praying for Vanguard staff.

Cross section of staff.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 — 17

T

I

t is often easier to stroll the shores of hindsight, with the advantage of being able to cobble together a more finished perspective about the events of history. But if we can attempt a time travel back into the unfolding events which defined our lives, we must accept that those young officers carried on their shoulders huge boulders of the historical process. These were young officers mainly in their twenties, who were suddenly thrust unto the stages of history. Of course, we all know now, that military intervention has done a lot of damage to our historical evolution, but we needed over three decades into the future, to definitively confirm that fact. So TY Danjuma’s generation emerged from the civil war with sureties and some legitimacy to play significant roles in the building of a post-war Nigeria. The legitimacy received a boost, when Murtala Muhammed came to power in 1975; the major commanders of the civil war were now at the head of the Nigerian state. It was no coincidence that TY Danjuma became the Chief of Army Staff. He was the quintessential officer who brooked no nonsense and had the real bearing of the military officer.

Murtala’s death in an attempted coup only reinforced the TY Danjuma myth; he was the military commander who C M Y K

T Y Danjuma: 75 garlands for the General TY Danjuma was always spoken of as a man of honour, not only in his personal life or in the ways that he related with other people, but also in his business affairs. It was therefore in c h a r a c t e r, almost like Ted Turner, the General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma founder of CNN, that TY Danjuma will put the entire Nigerian bourgeoisie on guaranteed the military regime and notice, by giving a huge part of his was going to, as we eventually learnt, wealth away in a mind-boggling lean on Obasanjo to perish any thought of staying in power beyond 1979.

A man of honour

T

Y Danjuma retired early from the military but found a new métier in life as a businessman. He built tremendous success. This has nothing to do with our moral qualms about whether an individual should become so rich. It was not illegal in the frames of the capitalist choice that the Nigerian ruling class foisted on our country. What was unusual was that

An angry 'outsider'

I

t is also interesting to add that TY Danjuma was for a long time an angry man. He was angry about the way that members of the Northern elite treated him, almost like an outsider.

His response was to turn his back on the North; the North which made him in the first place and in whose name, that he had entered Nigerian history.

For a long time, he sponsored the Middle Belt Forum, which opportunists like Jerry Gana rode into positions of relevance. But in recent years, the remarkable turn around, is how TY Danjuma has become a hero for the younger people in Northern Nigeria. He is seen as a leader with a sense of fairness able to rally all. There is a sense in which TY Danjuma’s life has turned full circle; back to source.

It was the reason that Northern Governors and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), effusively celebrated his seventy-fifth birthday, a few days ago.

I have only ever met TY Danjuma for about five minutes on a queue to enter a plane in Abuja. He was as impressive in height as he was in the

He was angry about the way that members of the Northern elite treated him, almost like an outsider; his response was to turn his back on the North; the North which made him in the first place and in whose name, that he had entered Nigerian history

philanthropic gesture. Today, the TY Danjuma Foundation is the most richly endowed in our country, touching the lives of people in various areas of life.

,

fame that his exploits as a soldier and businessman have brought him.

Happy 75th Birthday General TY Danjuma!

Oscar Niemeyer and Dave Brubeck: Remarkable exits

,

The Danjuma myth

Historically, capitalist wealth was controversial, with many leading capitalists making their money in ways that revolt morality. But what they had done was to make their wealth serve worthy social purposes outlasting the owners. TY Danjuma is the first to put a huge chunk of his wealth into socially relevant use in contemporary Nigeria.

,

HIS week, General Theophilus YakubuDanjuma’s 75th birthday ceremony occasioned an outpouring of generous tributes from many people and a harvest of advertisements for Nigerian newspapers. By all standards, TY Danjuma is one of the most remarkable personalities in the history of Nigeria’s coming into being, especially in the context of the convulsions which marked the early years of our post-colonial experience.

It is testimony to his staying power and remarkable ability to re-invent himself in several changing circumstances as well as his doggedness of character, that General Danjuma remains a very relevant individual in Nigeria’s fractious ruling class setting of politics and economy. It was therefore not a surprise that the occasion of his seventy-fifth birthday, became an opportunity to reinforce the dominant place he occupies in the firmament of the rich and powerful.

It was Marx who said men make their history, but do not choose the condition. The TY Danjuma persona must be properly situated within the context of the developments of the nineteen sixties. Those were truly tragic periods in our history and the gravity of the situation which faced the contemporary historical actors continue to define our lives today, just as much as they continue to generate heated passion and controversy. The outline was as profound as it was dramatic: independence; a regionalised and fractured political elite; vicious rivalries that bred disillusionment which led to what eventually ended becoming a sectional coup that wiped out members of the political and military elite from certain parts of the country; a counter-coup which had a revanchist content; subsequent degeneration of the situation into a horrific civil war in the aftermath of massive killings of the Igbo in the North. Nigeria’s fate was being molded in the crucible of events which sucked in young military men of the period.

TY Danjuma was one of those young officers; he was subsequently to become a notable commander in the war.

O

N Monday, this week, the great Brazilian architect, Oscar Niemeyer died at the age of 104. He was my favorite architect of all time and certainly one of the greatest that ever lived. He designed the new Brazilian capital, Brasilia, and was one of those who designed the UN Headquarters, in New York. On his 100th birthday, four years ago, he got to the office to meet a surprise birthday celebration, which he promptly waved aside, saying there was work to do on a new project to design new forms of housing for the working people in Africa and Latin America. He was a life-long

The late Dave Brubeck

The late Oscar Niemeyer Communist who dedicated his life and knowledge to building socialism and was an opponent of military dictatorships and imperialism.

On the same day that Niemeyer died, the world of Jazz music also lost Dave Brubeck, a day before he would have celebrated his 92nd birthday. I grew up into consciousness listening to the great Jazz classics, but Brubeck’s famous song “TAKE FIVE”, impacted directly on my life as a broadcaster. It was the song which sign-posted the Educational Service of Radio Nigeria, all those decades ago. I listened to it everyday as we

Between Niemeyer and Brubeck, is a huge ideological and geographical gulf; but they were united through giving our world of their remarkable talents in the fields of architecture and music

,

were obliged to join that service at certain hours of the day. It is a song that I still play regularly. Between Niemeyer and Brubeck, is a huge ideological and geographical gulf; but they were united through giving our world of their remarkable talents in the fields of architecture and music: two art forms that define very powerfully, the essence of our humanity!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 THINGS are getting out of hand with our public accounting system. We are unwilling to do a thing about it because the money involved is the public’s, and where it is for pensions, the expectation could be that pensioners, should have helped themselves to public funds in service.

Millions of pensioners who this laxity imperils are of little concern to the authorities.

What can possibly explain the disappearance – a euphemism the Senate uses for stealing of N195 billion of pension funds? How could this have happened over five years during which we trumpeted accountability and transparency to dazzling dins?

Senators do not queue for pensions. They do not know how it feels to have put in many years of poorly rewarded service, only to face a dimmed future in old age. Many of those who are perishing on pension queues did their duty to Nigeria faithfully.

While they were at it, government was deducting a portion of their poor salaries as pension. They are not paid. Some die on the queues, others finished their service only to discover they were not on the pension list. In all cases the situations are irredeemable or

Missing Pension Funds the pensioner at great costs (bribes included) to his emotions and life is put on the list.

Finally, the money for the pensions is missing.

The matter is treated as an ordinary issue.

Old men and women, ill, blind, bedridden, some borne to the venues of cumbersome verifications, face further destitution, poverty and indignities - their offences being that they worked for governments.

As the Senate hears the latest woes that have befallen federal pension funds, the same depressing stories are reverberating through

the state and local government services.

However, as the matter is treated as cold statistics, without any concerns about the lost lives, and millions more who are losing their confidence in the ability of governments to protect them, the thieves keep plundering the country and suggesting crime as option to others.

The utter mismanagement of pension funds holds grievous consequences for the country beyond the loss of life and the subjugation of pensioners to perils of destitution at their old age. Nobody seems to care about how those still in service perceive their forfeited future. Given a chance, would they not loot the treasures to prepare for their forlorn retirement?

Without those who are stealing the pension funds, and other frauds that the National Assembly keeps discussing as if the law does not provide for prosecution, corruption, looting of public resources would only increase.

The pension funds would be a good take off point to emphatically punish the endemic corruption in governments. Platitudes cannot punish corruption.

OPINION

BY SAMUEL EGUAIKHIDE You can’t make an omelette without breaking an egg-English Idiom

W

HEN Governor Adams Oshiomhole mounted the saddle as Governor of Edo State in November 2008, he met Edo in a sorry state.

Infrastructure was in shambles. The roads were impassable; schools were not even fit for chickens; the state-owned hospitals and health centres were at best death centres; industries were shut and non-functional; unemployment was at its highest level as previous governments had imposed a freeze on fresh employment; workers and pensioners were owed months and months of arrears; water was a scarce resource in parts of the state, especially, Edo Central and the state was bleeding from corrupt practices from those who were at the helm.

What the Governor did was to first plug the loophole of corruption and reversed the trend when recurrent votes outweighed capital votes.

In his four years in office, Oshiomhole has lived up to his promise to the people of the state that the decay in which the previous government left the state would be reversed.

Today, the promises have been fulfilled and the people now see that government can really work for the people. The success story of the Oshiomhole administration is felt in all parts of the state, from Benin City the state

Revisiting

the

Edo

capital to Ososo in Akoko Edo; from Uromi in Esan North-East to Ozalla in Owan West the report is the same: Oshiomhole is working.

Roads are being constructed across the three senatorial districts that some say Edo is now a giant construction site; schools are being rebuilt with red aluminum roofs, PVC ceilings, tiled floors, aluminum windows and white board making public schools in the state comparable to anyone anywhere in the world; flood which used to be a perennial problem in Benin City, the state capital, is now being tackled through a comprehensive storm water master plan; water problem in parts of the state, especially Edo Central where the water level is low and the topography difficult is now being tackled as water now flows in Ekpoma, Iruekpen and other parts of Edo Central which had no water for upwards of 35 years. The water problem is being tackled by the high-tech dando water drilling rigs which can drill for up to 1,500 metres.

In the area of hospitals, the mother and child hospital at Ewohinmi, Auchi, Otuo stands out as standard general hospital which can be compared with anyone anywhere in the country, and work on the 5-Star 120-bed hospital Complex at the Central Hospital would have been completed but for an unfortunate setback.

property

tax

The work the Governor is doing across the state has no doubt attracted comments from far and wide, from the clergy to the experts from the trader to the ordinary man on the street.

To the Chief Imam of Benin, Alhaji AbdulFattah Enabulele, “the new Edo state is working and in all directions, there are landmark changes taking place.”

The World Bank in its assessment of Oshiomhole’s government through its Country Director, Marie Francoise MarieNelly said: “I have done my homework before coming and I have noticed that Edo state’s social indicators are above the national average. I would like to commend you on your performance and to encourage you to continue because you can certainly do even more”

H

er predecessor, Mr. Onno Ruhl had this to say: “We believe that Edo State is one of the states in Nigeria where the willingness to change is the fastest in Nigeria.”

For the traders at the New Lagos Street area of the state capital led by their President, Mr. David Ohenhen: “We appreciate what the Governor is doing in the state and we will give him full support.”

A respected Benin Chief, Chief Nosakhare Isekhure, Isekhure of Benin on his part said:

law “There is no person in the history of Bendel and Edo States that has performed so well as Oshiomhole. For the first time in the history of Edo state, market women pray every day that God will help Oshiomhole sustain the level of development.”

Now to meet the expectation of the people by sustaining the development and even propel the state to a higher level, the governor must have the financial resources at his disposal. The monthly handout from the federation account from Abuja will not do the magic the people want in the transformation of the state.

What is required of a right-thinking government to look at ways of generating revenue internally to fund projects in the state. This the Governor has done.

Now, the Governor has passed into law the Land Use Charge or the Property Law, which is already applicable in many countries of the world and some states in the country.

According to Wikipedia, “a property tax (or millage tax) is a levy on property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state, a county/region, or a municipality.”

Continues tomorrow on pg 18 *Mr. Eguaikhide, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Ekpoma, Edo State.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012—19

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HEN I lived in the North (Niger State to be precise) I got to know the importance of Jama’atu Nasril Islam, (JNI). A grassroots-based organisation, it had (probably still has) a volunteer youth group akin to the Boy Scouts, who wore white paramilitary uniforms with blue berets and trimmings. They were often seen during public events helping maintain crowd order.

I came out of the North with an impression of the JNI as a very peaceful and organised group (though it translates: Society for the Victory of Islam) dedicated to promoting missionary work and education of the Muslim community without posing any problem to others. That the Sultan of Sokoto is its national president suggests very much that it is loyal to the ruling traditional establishment in Northern Nigeria.

Therefore, when the JNI expresses an opinion on any national issue it means the establishment of the Muslim North with the Sultan of Sokoto as the Head is speaking. The reigning Sultan, Alhaji Sa’adu Abubakar III, is easily the most

modernised and urbane leader of Nigeria’s Muslim community; a distinguished retired military officer whose bridge-building efforts across our cultural and religious divides is unrivalled among his colleagues. No other ruler or religious leader has visited and been visited by their peers across the lines as this Sultan.

I went into this preamble in order to situate the recent intervention the JNI made in the wake of the “removal” of some commanding officers in the Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State, after terrorist suicide bombings that claimed between ten and twenty lives in a military church within the institution’s hallowed, otherwise fortified grounds on November 27th 2012. Since terrorists started targeting churches across the North, their ability to successfully gain entry into this fortress and citadel of military learning, as well as their gun attack on the headquarters of the Special Armed Robbery Squad (SARS) headquarters in Abuja, showed just how closer these Al Qaeda-linked anarchists are getting towards severing the frail bond that still ties our nation

,

together – the military and security services.

Every Nigerian genuinely concerned for the continued existence of the nation and the peaceful co-existence of its religious, regional and ethnic components should have been deeply frightened – in fact, alarmed – at the Jaji and Abuja inroads of Boko Haram.

Admittedly, the JNI was one of the stakeholders which openly condemned the attacks. But it was a major surprise that JNI also criticised the removal of the two commanding officers of the relevant units pending investigation.

A

ccording to the statement issued by JNI’s SecretaryGeneral, Dr. Khalid Aliyu in Kaduna: “While reiterating our condemnation of the blasts and emphasising the need for the immediate and thorough investigations into the matter, we want to state that the immediate removal of the two officers does not speak well of the military, which was hitherto known to be

Strains on legislators: The Shaibu example F

ROM the outside, life in the legislature can be alluring. For the legislator, there is a sense of reward as an opportunity is created for him to assist his constituents and help fashion out better public policy.

Legislative life is an adventure, which could be interesting and fascinating. For all those who like politics and public life, the legislature provides a reasonably good exposure. There have been instances in Nigeria where becoming legislators have removed people permanently from the “charge and bail” queue or rather, from the unemployment line into very rewarding ventures.

Despite the rewards, legislative life is not without considerable strains. In Nigeria, the job of a legislator is full time. This leads to the loss or decline of professionalism. Legislators must feel the strain of spending much of their time away from their original occupations.

Essentially, a good lawyer who decides to return to private practice after an eightyear sojourn in politics must play a lot of catch-up with his contemporaries.

Family life gets disrupted. During the campaigns, a husband and his wife were together criss-crossing the entire constituency but after the election, the spouse soon finds that there is no visible role for him/her. Many legislators can only manage a few late evening hours with their spouses and children. Quite often, after the day’s session and meetings, a legislator only comes home after the children have gone to bed and he can do little more than going to their room to kiss them goodnight while they sleep.

Most times, the legislator is vilified and crucified for doing his job well. This is where we must thoroughly sympathise with Hon. Philip Shaibu, Member representing Etsako West Constituency II in the Edo

State House of Assembly because of some deliberate attempts to mess him up.

Hon. Shaibu is the Majority Leader of Edo House of Assembly. A major function of the Majority Leader is that he introduces any Executive measure to the House. If there is any message from the House to the Executive, he also transmits it. In essence, he provides a bridge between the Legislature and the Executive.

It was, therefore, in the line of duty that Shaibu introduced the Land Use Charge Bill, 2012 to the House of Assembly. From time, people have resisted tax payment and hated tax collectors. We are reminded that the great Apostle Paul was, early in his life, perhaps the most hated young man of his time because of his connection with the tax regime.

All the same, the job must be done. The irony of the situation is that right from the time the Bill was introduced, people left its substance and directed their attack on Shaibu. When an Executive Bill is introduced to the House, it is also the function of the Majority Leader to see it through and ensure that it does not die in the legislative maze.

In the course of explaining the import of the Bill, Shaibu threw up a few names, perhaps in an attempt to lift the explanation above the abstract level. That made matters worse. It was like spitting into the mouth of a man who was already intent on vomiting.

It is a normal prayer that God should not allow us visit a house on a day that something will be missing in that house.

Shaibu’s reference to Esama’s property came about the same time that the premises of ITV were sealed up for nonpayment of tax. What a coincidence! That further quickened people’s conclusion that the Bill was targeted at particular

,

JNI and the Jaji postings

Our history tells us that once upon a time, we used regional politics to break the ranks of the military and the nation paid for it with a civil war; we must refrain from allowing religious dichotomies to infiltrate our security services

careful and objective in dealing with sensitive issues of national interest …

“Nigerians may not understand why the two Jaji officers would be removed in connection to the blasts even before any proper investigation, while no immediate posting-out followed the bombings at the First Mechanised Division (of the Nigerian Army) and the Police Headquarters, which preceded it.

“The fact that the two officers, who were swiftly removed, were Muslims, and were replaced by two officers who are non-Muslims makes any discerning observer to be suspicious of the motives behind the whole exercise”.

What happened in Jaji and Abuja were grievous system failures that threatened the security of the nation so much that members of the House of Representatives panicked and feared that even the National Assembly complex was no longer safe. In each case, particularly the Jaji episode, many commentators have been of the view that some insiders might have facilitated access to the terrorists. The first instinct of any genuine patriot should be to sue for “the immediate, thorough investigation into the matter” as JNI put it.

How can a “careful and objective” investigation be conducted with the officials suspected to have failed in their duties (or even complicit) being allowed to stay put on the job?

When the Dana Airline plane crashed in June this year, one of the steps taken was to suspend Dr. Harold Demuren, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) from office until a panel cleared and restored him to office.

I expected JNI to applaud the

The current trend worldwide is that property tax is the only progressive way to go; we cannot want to eat our cake and have it – we want our State to be developed but we do not want to pay tax

,

individuals.

We wonder how many people have seen a copy of the Land Use Charge Law, 2012.

Here and everywhere, property tax is targeted at the rich and propertied class.

The rich get richer and they exert more from society with impunity. Property tax is, therefore, the price that wealth pays for wealth. It is perhaps a way of playing the modern day Robin Hood: Taking from the rich and giving to the poor.

T

he law is very humane. It devotes the entire Section 8 to the exemption of the poor, religious bodies, public utilities, traditional grounds, family compounds, etc., from payment of the property tax.

We see in the Edo State Land Use Charge Law, a bold attempt to solve the nagging unemployment problem facing the State.

Between valuation and assessment; between revision and collection; we see thousands of people being removed from

temporary removal of these officers irrespective of their religious backgrounds until investigations cleared them of complicity or failure to do their jobs. If after such clearance they are not restored then not only JNI but also all well-meaning Nigerians must condemn their victimisation.

The atrocities of terrorists who are pushing for the unconstitutional imposition of Islamic agenda on Nigerians who do not share their faith and Muslims who do not share their alien and unacceptable agenda impose a great moral burden on genuine Islamic platforms such as JNI. They must keep reassuring their targeted Christians neighbours (who are often caught in the act of worship and have largely refrained from reprisal attacks on Muslim targets) that these terrorists and their apologists are not enjoying their tacit support or approval.

Innocent Nigerians targeted, principally Christians and southerners, have endured untold emotional strain, with hardly a week passing without tearful burials of victims of Boko Haram attacks and hundreds lying critically ill with broken limbs. We don’t want to worsen the situation by meddling in the affairs of the military.

We should know the danger of unguarded opinions on military matters. Our history tells us that once upon a time, we used regional politics to break the ranks of the military and the nation paid for it with a civil war. We must refrain from allowing religious dichotomies to infiltrate our security services.

If these officers are found clean they must be reinstated. If otherwise they must pay according to the law.

Meddlers keep off!

the unemployment line into gainful employment.

Besides, by the time people pay property tax on their property, which had hitherto been lying fallow, they will be forced to put those property to use and in the process, thousands of other unemployed youths will be gainfully engaged.

The more things change, the more they remain the same. In his first tenure, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole arrived at a time when the State was virtually comatose.

He tightened the belt to the last hole and he struck water from the rock to get tax money to move the State to an enviable height. He is back on a second term. Apart from wanting to complete the projects already started, he wants to do more.

The current trend worldwide is that property tax is the only progressive way to go. We cannot want to eat our cake and have it – we want our State to be developed but we do not want to pay tax. We want to have good teeth but the dentist must not come near us, Ha, ha!

For the Comrade Governor, this is a familiar route. Lobbying and protestation against taxation are allowed in a democracy. But lobbying must be constructive and positive. All the accusations and counter-accusations would have been more productive, were they directed at making the law better.

What now remains is to mount vigorous enlightenment campaigns that will truly educate the people about the tremendous benefits inherent in the emerging property tax. There is no royal road to geometry.

20 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 — 21

Local importers blamed for inferior products, as China’s investments soar

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FROM LEFT: Mr. Ola Oresanya, Managing Director, LAWMA; Mr. Jide Sonoiki, Group Head, Collections; Mr. Lanre Adesanya, Sterling Bank Executive Director, South; and Bimpe Olambiwonnu, Financial/Regulatory Reporting, during a courtesy visit to Sterling Bank Plc by LAWMA officials.

FIRS generates N659bn in 2011, to review VAT Act

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

A

CTING Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), Alhaji Kabir Mashi, has disclosed that the organisation collected the sum of N659.1billion as tax in 2011 as against N163.3billion it collected in 2004.

This represents 400 percent increase over N163.3 billion collected in 2004 He also disclosed that following the challenges faced

by tax payers in complying with the VAT law, the Valued Added Tax (VAT) Act would soon be reviewed with a view to resolving the challenges.

“Overall, it has been the third highest contributor to tax collection in the last eight years behind petroleum, profit tax and companies income tax”, he said, adding that although VAT was only introduced in Nigeria in 1993, it has become a major contributor to tax collection, providing an average of 16 percent of total tax collection in the last eight

years.

Alhaji Mashi, who was represented at the Nationwide Valued Added Tax (VAT) Enlightenment Campaign for FIRS VAT stakeholders in Benin by the Senior Tax Manager in Benin Office, Mr. Adeleye Adegbenga, said that despite the impressive performance from VAT, there is still significant room for increasing tax collection from VAT, hence the need for interactions with tax payers.

“We are currently in the process of reviewing the Value

Added Tax Act and we will soon come up with a draft VAT Amendment Bill, which will help to resolve these issues. In addition, we are constantly providing specialised training to our tax officers to enable them respond professionally to any queries or requests from tax payers in the tax offices.”

“This is all geared towards providing efficient taxpayers services and promoting improved voluntary compliance by tax payers.”

Mobil lifts Force Majeure on Qua Iboe crude streams

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OBIL Producing Nigeria (MPN) says it has lifted the ‘Force Majeure’ it declared on its Qua Iboe crude oil streams, following an oil spill incident from its operations on Nov. 9. Force Majeure is a legal notice that absolves an oil firm of liabilities for failure to meet supply obligations to crude buyers due to circumstances beyond the firm’s control. The oil firm had declared the notice to enable it carry out repairs on a section of its pipeline that caused the Nov, 9 oil release.

A statement from Mr Paul Arinze, General Manager, Public and Government Affairs, Mobil, Eket branch, said that

crude production has normalised. “Mobil Producing Nigeria, operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC)/ MPN Joint Venture confirms that it has lifted the Force Majeure it declared on Nov, 20.

We express gratitude to all customers, purchasers and Joint Venture partner, the NNPC for their understanding during the production outage,” he said.

…as Total partners three communities in Rivers

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

T

OTAL Exploration and Production, has signed a partnership agreement with Mgbuesilaru, Opobo and Nkoro communities in Rivers State.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Port Harcourt yesterday, Deputy Managing Director, Port Harcourt district, Mr Nicolas Brunnet, expressed optimism that the agreement would further strengthen the relationship between the firm and the

communities.

Assuring that the partnership agreement would guide the firm to contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of the communities, Brunet enjoined the various communities to make good use of the opportunity offered by the deal. He further called on the communities to come up with development projects that could be given attention to under the agreement, adding that the new deal should help consolidate the peace in the communities.

HE Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Deng Boqing, has blamed local importers and government officials for importation of low and inferior products into African market due to greedy and selfish reason.

The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria told the Economic Confidential magazine in an exclusive interview.

While regretting the antics of importers of inferior products, Ambassador Ding said: “China has been hailed as the ‘World Factory’ with its products reaching every corner of the earth, producing products for the high end market and fair quality products targeted for the medium and low end market.”

He disclosed that most of the low quality products come to Africa because “African people, due to limited consumption level and capability, prefer cheap products which propel some African businessmen to import low end and low priced products from China. Secondly, many African importers, when making orders of products from Chinese manufacturers, always press for a lower price, which leaves little room of profit for the manufacturers and thus low guarantee of quality for the products.”

Another reason Ambassador Deng Boqing gave was that “Relevant authorities of African countries, where smuggling and gray customs clearance are quite common, have not conducted effective supervision against the low quality products.

142.0

-0.1

2,453.00

+24.00

18.85

0.09

107.74 +0.41 85.57 CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR 154.76 STERLING 249.0243 EURO 201.1106 FRANC 166.0337 YEN 1.8768 CFA 0.2894 WAUA 237.2954 RENMINBI 24.7726 RIYA 41.244 KRONA 26.957 SDR

237.0149

155.26 249.8289 201.7604 166.5701 1.8829 0.2994 238.062 24.8531 41.3994 27.0441 237.7807

+0.01 SELLING 155.76 250.6334 202.4101 167.1065 1.8889 0.3094 238.8287 24.9336 41.5327 27.1312 238.5464

CBN Exchange rate as at 12/12/20127

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY , DECEMBER 13, 2012

Forbearance to stockbrokers, promotion of excessive risk-taking — Rewane

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

B

Y selecting 84 stockbrokers for bailout package, the Finance Ministry has set a precedence that excessive risktaking will not be punished or in otherwords, issued the stockbrokers with subsidised risk-taking says the Managing Director/CEO, Financial Derivatives Company, FDC, Mr. Bismarck Rewane.

Making the assertion in his monthly economic reviews for December, Rewane asserted that the action would foster moral hazard where some people would begin to feel that another party would bear their risk.

He insisted that if a party has to bear the consequences of its own risky actions, it will act more responsibly, arguing, that “Measures that rein in moral hazard are to be welcomed and will help to reduce excessive risk-taking; measures that create or exacerbate moral hazard (suchas forbearance) will lead to even more excessive risk-taking and should be avoided.”

Rewane recalled that moral hazard played a central role in the events that led to the capital market crisis, saying that this needed to be appreciated to adequately design future reforms and to prevent disasters down the line.

“He said, Finance Ministry has now pardoned the excessive risks taken by the stockbrokers and thereby increase the chance of moral hazard coming into the equation.”

He lamented that the issue of forbearance granted to selected number of stockbrokers indicates that there is no reward for the stockbrokers that have stayed away from excessive leverage or refinanced their debt.

“Stockbrokers that paid off the majority of their debt by selling off their assets are now at a disadvantage to the 84 that received the “clean bill of health”. Not only will these

stockbrokers feel disgruntled but they will also feel excessive risk-taking is incentivised by the regulators.

“Of course Nigeria is not the first country to bailout part of its financial system. And there are reasons to think the bailout is important to the economy as a whole as stated by the finance minister ”, he said He noted that the 26 percent gains recorded so far in the

market shows that market could still recover without bailout to the stockbrokers, adding that what needed to be done was to initiate confidence building measures in the market.

He explained that the idea to bailout the capital market would have been tenable if the capital market was representative of the entire economy, adding that if failure to do bail the market out does not hold any systemic risk.

From left: Group Head, Business Development, Unified Payment Services Ltd (formerly ValuCard Nigeria Limited), Miriam Imevbore; Director, IT & Operations, Unified Payments, Babatunde Okeniyi and Country Manager, West Africa, MasterCard Worldwide, Omokehinde Ojomuyide, during a signing ceremony between Unified Payments and MasterCard on the launch of Unified Payments Go-Live on MasterCard Third Party Processing, in Lagos.

FCMB shareholders okay holding company structure

By PETER EGWUATU

S

HAREHOLDERS of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), yesterday, approved the scheme of arrangement for the restructuring of the bank under a financial service Holding Company (Holdco).

Speaking at the Extra Ordinary General Meeting (EGM) in Lagos on Monday, Chairman, FCMB, Jonathan Long, said the decision to form a holding company was in line with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s directive to banks in September to separate the non-banking subsidiaries from commercial bank, stating that the bank decided to re-organize via scheme of arrangement, the non banking businesses within a holding company arrangement that would deliver and unlock value to the shareholders.

He explained that the new arrangement will see the migration of

shareholders of FCMB to become shareholders of the Holdco, via a share for share exchange; sale of other disposable subsidiaries and transfer of permissible non-banking subsidiaries and investments from the bank to the Holdco.

He further told shareholders that the decision to restructure the bank was in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s directive on regulation 3.

According to him, “ After a detailed deliberations, supported by professional advice from its consultants, the Bank decided to reorganize , via a scheme of arrangement , the non banking businesses within a holding company arrangement that will deliver /unlock value for its numerous shareholders.

This is to ensure that the bank’s competitive advantage and sustained financial viability, in line with its medium term strategy.”

Also speaking, the Group Managing Director, FCMB, Ladi Balogun, said the arrangement was done in such a way that it would benefit the shareholders,

stating that they should continue to support the bank in its efforts to deliver high returns.

He explained that under the Holdco arrangement, the shareholders would also have the opportunity to comment on how the bank is run, noting that the Management would brief the shareholders quarterly.

In his comments, the Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Sir Sunny Nwosu, said the shareholders support the decision taken by the Board, stressing that they would continue to support initiatives targeted at improving the bank.

On his part, the Chairman, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), Boniface Okezie, said the shareholders are impressed with the arrangement, stressing that unlike other banks that have transformed to HoldCo, the arrangement of the Board favours the shareholders.

Finance background enhances female boardroom positions— ACCA

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STUDY by Association of Chartered Certified Accountants has revealed that a background in finance enhances appointment of women to boardroom positions.

The study which was commissioned by ACCA and the ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council) from Cranfield School of Management and titled ‘Women in finance; a springboard to corporate board positions?’ shows that: Proportionally, women appear more successful in attaining executive roles where they have a financial background: 45 per cent of female executive directors are financially qualified and 65 per cent in total have a financial background, while 26 per cent of their male colleagues are financially qualified and 44 per cent have a financial background; More than half of new female NonExecutive Director (NED) appointments have a functional background in finance; The finance function is seen by the three groups interviewed for the research executive search consultants, chairmen and women who have made it to the board - to be more facilitative for women’s progress to the top of corporate organisations.

Helen Brand, chief executive of ACCA, says: ‘What we have sought to understand through this study is why the finance function is such a springboard for women. We are seeing a time of change when it comes to women’s representation in the boardroom – since the Davies Report of spring 2011, we have seen a five per cent increase, equal to the entire increase over the previous decade. Our report shows that more than half of the women appointed in this period have a functional background in finance and the proportion is even higher for female executive directors, at 65 per cent.

The report says that finance is the language of the boardroom and having the ability to communicate financial information establishes and builds credibility; it appears to validate women’s suitability for consideration for a board appointment – a view especially expressed by search consultants who took part in this research.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 —23

FBN Capital Confab: Participants canvass sustainable economic growth

BY PETER EGWUATU

P

ARTICIPANTS at the FBN Capital second investors’ conference had emphasized the need to have a sustainable economic growth and development that will make Nigeria one of the world’s largest economies.

The conference which focused on how the nation can sustain the momentum of gains from ongoing reforms to achieve the push for economic growth had the theme:

Catalysts for growth:

Managing Director/ CEO, FBN Capital Limited , a subsidiary of First Bank Group, Mr. kayode Akinkugbe said the conference, just in its second year had become an event that carries a huge potential to inspire con-

versations and actions that can move the nation forward.

Akinkugbe said the conference was a necessary follow-up to the maiden edition last year. The maiden edition of the investor conference focused on Nigeria’s aspiration journey to becoming a recongnised emerging market.

“We achieved our aim to move the conversation on to considering the enabling factors and practical actionable initiatives that can be taken to boost Nigerian growth.

“Some of these micro economic areas are: capital market, agriculture/agroallied, real estate, power and oil & gas,” he said.

We are quite pleased that the event has become a flagship with respect to providing a platform for solutions to hurdles between the nation and fast paced economic devel-

opment,” he said.

Participants at the conference noted some steps forward by the Federal Government in the policy arena this year and acknowledged the positive changes outside the country. For instance, the Federal Government has substantially reduced the fuel subsidy; introduced a “cost reflective” electricity tariff; and taken privatization in the power industry to the stage of naming preferred bidders for the generation and distribution companies.

A presentation from Olusegun Aganga, Minister of Trade and Investment showed that Nigeria attracted foreign direct investment (FDI) of $8.9bilion in 2011, and was therefore the leading destination in Africa. The Federal Government is aware that the enabling environment has to be

improved, notably Nigeria’s competitiveness. Its Investment Climate Reform Programme is supported by the World Bank and the UK’s Department for International Development. The minister has set a target of $16bn for FDI in 2013.

On trade, he stressed the rapid growth of relatively new partners, noting that south-south trade is now growing by 12 per cent annually.

On its part, JP Morgan recognised the development of the capital markets by including three FGN bonds in its government bond index. Standard and Poor’s (S&P) has acknowledged progress on the macroeconomic front by upgrading Nigeria to BBfor its sovereign, longterm obligations. This brings S&P back into line with Fitch Ratings.

Stanbic records N5.6bn mobile money transaction in one year

BY MICHAEL EBOH & CHINEDU IBEABUCHI

S

TANBIC IBTC Bank Plc, said it has recorded N5.6 billion transactions on its mobile money platform — ‘*909#’, in the last one year.

Speaking at the first anniversary of Stanbic IBTC mobile money in Lagos, Mrs. Sola DavidBorha, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC, said the bank’s mobile money platform is a gamechanger and is playing a crucial role in driving financial inclusion.

She said the mobile money platform is helping in the achievement of parts of its goals which include becoming an end-to-end financial services company.

She maintained that the bank’s achievements in mobile money in the last one year has given it the

right base to build and sustain the momentum of driving financial inclusion and positioning it as a major player in the financial services sector.

Also speaking, Mr. Obinnia Abajue, Executive Director, Personal and Consumer Banking, Stanbic IBTC, said that as at 5th January, the bank’s mobile money platform had 909 customers, adding that it has grown to 693,089 customers and, about 7.7 million online agents transaction, with about 790 agents nationwide and 9,000 registered merchants.

He further stated that the bank’s mobile money platform has recorded N24 million revenue year-to-date, N1.3 billion monthly transactions, N2.5 billion merchant transactions, 30,000 transactions a month, 140,000 transactions year-to-date and N5.6 billion transactions yearto-date.

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY , DECEMBER 13, 2012

Vanguard, THURSDAY , DECEMBER 13, 2012 — 25

26—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

Tax rebate panacea to production of quality goods — Manufacturers M

From left: Brand Manager, Dark Sailor Rum, Mr. Tope Adenle; Category Manager, Grand Oak Limited, Mr. Abiodun Ayodeji; Miss Tayo Wesley, student of Osun State University and Regional Sales Manager, Grand Oak Limited, Mr. Femi Olayemi during Dark Sailor Rum’s Dark and Daring Party organised by Grand Oak Limited at Osogbo. and Investment, Olusegun, Aganga, who declare the summit opened, lauded SON Director General, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, for reduction in the level of substandard products in the country from 86 to 50 percent.

The Minister also charged investors in the manufacturing and service industry to adhere strictly to standards in production and packaging so as to further eliminate fake products out of the economy.

According to the Min-

HE Nigeria Em-ploy ers Consultative Association (NECA) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have been called upon to revive Human Resources policies at workplaces.

The group Managing Director, Kewalram Chanrai Group, Mr. Victor Eburajolo, made the call on the occasion of HR forum organised by HR Derivatives limited, publishers of HR GUIDE magazine in Lagos.

“The labour unions have failed in meeting workers’ expectations on their total welfare. The negotiating power of the worker is gone. HR policies in workplaces are gone! and workers’ loyal-

ister, no country is free from the threat of substandard goods; it is a global trend and, SON is commended for having worked hard to reduce the prevalence of substandard products from 85 percent to 50 percent.

FG urged to resuscitate paper, printing industry

BY LAJA THOMAS

A

N appeal has gone to the Federal Government to give special attention to the paper and printing industry in Nigeria because as at today,

it is a drainage pipe to foreign exchange because of lack of infrastructure in the sector.

This appeal was given

by Dr Rotimi Oladele, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Megavons

NECA, NLC tasked on HR policies at workplaces

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BY ETOP EKANEM

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STORIES BY FRANKLIN ALLI

ANUFACTURERS in the country have identified tax rebate as the solution to the production of quality Made in- Nigeria goods.

The manufactures that gathered at the just ended Nigeria Quality Summit organised by Standards Organisation of Nigeria, with the theme: ‘Less Waste, Better Result- Standards Increase Efficiency,’ appealed to the federal goverment to include the incentive in their policy thrusts.

Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, former NESG Chairman, who spoke the minds of the manufacturers, said quality goods costs money and that they have been spending so much money generating their own energy and other infrastructure.

“If the environment is so expensive, then you might end up producing poor quality goods.

Our manufacturing sector is not competitive because of the impacts of globalisation. To make it possible for manufacturers to produce in a competitive manner, tax rebate is the only way we can get out of this problem so that by next year, will not be shouting and saying the same things again and again,” said Ohuabunwa.

The Minister of Trade

KFC launches fish, shrimps-based products

ty is gone. Unions must get up from their comfort zones!

According to him, even in NECA, they have focused more on advocacy, and do not discuss industrial relations enough.

“We must flesh up our HR policies again,” he said.

Vice chairman, NLC, Mr. Issa Aremu, in his keynote address at the forum with the theme: “Insecurity, Workplace Productivity and Vision 2020”, regretted what he described as “state of serious insecurity” in the country.

He noted that the underlying causes are unemployment, poverty and general discontent, which all boil down to

poor leadership. In his words: “It is a cause for real concern and a matter of regret that serial bombing is now the order of the day in the country. Bombing is now the in-thing in Maiduguri. In Kaduna where I stay, it now takes over an hour for me to get to the office from my house, because of security checks everywhere.

How did we get to this?

To me, economic and social insecurity is fuelling physical insecurity. The millions who are unemployed, the poor who are in the majority and the disgruntled are readily available to create physical insecurity. Call them any name, they consider themselves engaged.

(West Africa) Ltd, during the 25thanniversary of the organisation in Lagos.

Lamenting on the state of the three paper mills in the country, Oladele said, “The challenge facing the industry is lack of raw materials and infrastructure. The three paper mills we have in Jebba, Niger state, Iwopin, Ogun State and OkuIboku, Akwa Ibom, have become moribund They are no longer there to provide the needed raw materials for the industry.

The printing industry is 99.9 per cent import-driven. There is nothing you can point out that came from within. This area needs serious government attention. We know that government cannot do it alone. That is the reason I am also appealing to the stakeholders in the industry, the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria, NPAN, the Booksellers Association of Nigeria and the various publishing and printing organistions to come out and form a synergy to bail the industry out of this doldrum.

UICK service restau rant, KFC, known for its great chicken taste, has added two unique fish and shrimps based finger-licking products, Fish Zinger and Zinger Shrimps to its great taste of menu for its consumers in Lagos and Ibadan.

The Fish Zinger is a whole fish fillet breaded in zinger breeding sandwiched in a fresh sesame seed bun with iceberg lettuce and mayonnaise while Zinger Shrimps is a partially butter fried, tail on zinger breaded shrimps with a golden brown crunchy craving with tender meat inside, served with pepper mayonnaise.

Unveiling the products to newsmen in Lagos, Head of Marketing of KFC, Mr. Vikram Varma, said “Fish Zinger and Zinger Shrimps provide

our dear consumers and prospects more options of spicy, appetizing flavour.

The KFC brand has continuously adhered to the culture of providing freshly made meals that meet international standards and quality.”

The new ‘great news’ offering which has been generating quick and positive responses from the consumers and lovers of scrumptious meals from the KFC brand have expressed their excitements at the introduction of fish and shrimps based meals to the KFC menu in response to consumers latent needs.

According to Varma, Fish Zinger and Zinger Shrimps are exclusive for KFC worldwide, adding that with the opening of the third drive-through store in Gbagada in Lagos State, KFC has now grown to 17 stores in Nigeria.

Smuggling: 5,000 bags of rice worth N50m seized

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HE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said that its men had intercepted a vessel carrying over 5,000 bags of rice valued at N50 million.

Mr. Dan Ugo, the Controller of Customs, Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos.

According to Ugo, the vessel was intercepted on the high sea between Republic of Benin and Agbara around 3.00 am on Sunday by the customs patrol team.

“The seizure was in line

with the NCS’s efforts in trying to reduce smuggling through the Nigerian borders and canals,” he said.

Ugo said that the service had strengthened its operations in tacking the menace of smuggling of rice into the country and was determined to ensure that such dubious acts were checked.

“We will tow the vessel from the high sea, but we have to reduce the contents by smaller boats to fast-track the evacuation.”

Aganga markets real sector to French investors

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HE Honourable Min ister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga has urged French investors to invest in real sector of the Nigeria economy.

He made the call during the Franco-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce and Industry Fund raising event in Lagos.

The Minister said that Federal government is focusing on value addition and investment in the real sector of the economy that will create jobs for Nigerians in the country.

“It is important to understand that we want invest-

ment in the real sector of the economy. We want to deepen investment in the real sector and areas that will create jobs in the country” “This is a new Nigeria; both countries can do a lot together. The Chamber has a big role to play in trade relationship and attracting investment to Nigeria. We want to work with you to facilitate trade and investment. That is my job, if there are obstacles in your way, come to me, my job is to take them away and create right environment for investors”.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 — 27

SSANU strike paralyses varsities

By DAYO ADESULU

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he momentary peace which greeted the Nigerian public universities after the Federal Government acceded to the demands of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has however been short lived as the one week warning strike of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities SSANU has paralysed academic activities in the states and Federal universities.

Speaking with Vanguard Learning, Chairman, SSANU UNILAG, Mr. Olusegun Odusonwo said the one week warning strike which is expected to elapse tomorrow was purported to force the government to include their demands in 2013 budget.

According to the Union leader, since 2009, the Federal and State Government have failed to implement the agreement reached with SSANU adding, “the government is playing pranks with the Union.”

Several months before the warning strike, Odusonwo noted that the Federal Government had promised to include it in their 2013 budget which they failed to do. “What that portend to us is that throughout year 2013, there will be no hope of implementing the 2009 agreement.

H

e pointed out that SSANU is particularly not pleased with the government decision to retrenched fifty per cent of non teaching staff of the universities, arguing that the committee that took the decision does not consist of the stakeholders of SSANU.

•SSANU national President, Mr Sam Ugwoke

•Prof Ruqayatu ”The constituted committee does not consist of SSANU stakeholders but only the academic.”

According to him, when taking such a crucial decision that will affect half of SSANU's Staff, all stakeholders should be involved. He said, “Already, we are not enough considering the nature of our job. For instance, where five persons supposed to work, just one person is working there.”

Odusonwo reiterated that if nothing is done at the end of the one week warning strike, the union will go back to the drawing board for next line of action. He, however urged the government to expedite action in granting their demands, adding that out of the four unions in the university system, only ASUU did not join the present strike, the remaining

three are on strike.

At UNILAG, he noted, the union has been going from one department to another to ensure that members of the union comply with the directive.

S

peaking in the same vein, the Chairman SSANU LASU, Mrs Kole Sessi told our reporter that LASU is in full support of the one week strike which started on Monday. She said that the Vice President and Chairman of SSANU, Southwest, Mr Afred Jimoh had earlier addressed the executives of the Union in South-west public universities to proceed on one week warning strike to draw the attention of the government to the implementation of 2009 agreement. ”As I am talking to you now,

University of Ibadan is on strike, Obafemi Awolowo University is observing the strike, Ladoke Akintola University is part of the strike.

University of Lagos and University of Benin to mention a few are participating in the industrial action.

She said: “We reject the NEEDS assessment recommendation because non teaching staff were not included in the team that took the decision.”

Mrs Kole was specifically bitter with the Lagos State government who according to her, has been owing the workers17 months arrears and refused to pay without any genuine reason. ”If at the end of this industrial action, nothing positive comes out of it, the National Executive Council of the Union will met

Education minister dismisses N6.8bn bribery allegation

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU

M

INISTER of State for Education, Barr Nyesom Wike, has discharged bribery allegations of 40 per cent (N6.8bn) kick-back from 4th quarter allocation of 104 Unity Colleges from principals of schools.

The Minister, through his Special

Assistant on Media, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, said the report was baseless and false; explaining that the capital expenditure for the entire education sector in the 4th quarter was not up to N50bn and the unity colleges could not have gotten the amount quoted.

He also said the budget to rehabilitate some Unity Colleges was below N12bn and it was not possible for 100 per cent of the budget to have been released.

“To begin with, the budget for the special rehabilitation of the entire Unity Colleges is below N12bn, and the actual releases were

less than 50 per cent at the time the false reports hit the website that dwells on blackmailing performing government officials.

“Many of these unity schools got averagely N100m and less than 50 per cent was released so where did the money come from?” he asked.

The Minister had met with Principals of Unity Schools to ascertain the level of implementation of projects in their schools following the federal government’s decision to phase the rehabilitation of unity schools this year.

to determine the next line of action,” she said.

On his part, the Chairman of SSANU, UI chapter, Comrade Wale Akinremi, stated that the purpose of the strike was to compel the Federal Government to honour the 2009 agreement, which includes increase in the allowance of the non-teaching workers in universities. “ The major part of the agreement has not been implemented.

Federal Government has failed by refusing to fulfill its promise.

We have exhausted our patience. We feel government is not sincere,” he added.

SSANU national President, Mr Sam Ugwoke who had earlier stated that the salary aspect and the 65 years retirement for members in the 2009 agreement have been fully implemented, however noted that the issue of earned allowances is yet to be addressed. "What the union is agitating for is the payment of 2009 to 2012 arrears,” he said.

Moreover, he reiterated that the 2009 agreement was due for review in July this year and SSANU NEC met at Makurdi where they deliberated on how to get recommendations from the branches.

Nigeria houses 37% of the world’s OOSC — Report — Page 28

New curriculum, teachers guides crucial to FG’s human capital devt — Page 34

A touch of Trad — Page 32

28 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

Nigeria houses 37% of the world’s OOSC — Report

LADOL Integrated Logistics, New Era Foundation to train youths

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Graduates waiting to sit for a job test organised by a new generation bank

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI

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RIMARY school completion rates in Africa have been the lowest in the world and this remains a concern as half of the world’s out-of-school-children, OOSC, are concentrated in 15 countries, eight of which are in sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria has 9 million (37%) OOSC, which is more than one-third of its primary school-age children.

This is the highest in Africa.

According to the Mo Ibrahim report on ‘African Youth Fulfilling Their Potentials’, current African educational levels are lower than China and India, while only two thirds of those in primary school progress to secondary school - 20 points behind the world’s average that has remained unchanged since 2000. West and Central Africa’s literacy lags behind East, Southern and North Africa.

Proffering solutions to reducing the number of OOSC, the chairperson, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs. Gbolahan Daudu, said the process has started, especially in Lagos State where government has declared primary education free and compulsory.

“That some parents and guardians are not availing themselves this opportunity is not out of poverty but misplaced priority and value system. We will keep on advocating for parents to register their wards in schools as education is of great importance to this administration.

But for the Policy Advisor, Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA), Mr. Wale Samuel, this is a result of inadequate investment in quality education.

“There is very little accounta-

bility in the provision of education services which has resulted in many OOSC kids.

Where investment takes place, corruption always has a way of robbing the quality aspect off.”

Commenting on the teacher pupil ratio, which the Report states is 40:1 in about half of African countries, Nigeria inclusive, Mrs. Daudu said the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and its states counterparts are working towards having smaller classes to enhance the assimilation of knowledge.

“Lagos State is faced with the challenge of influx of people to the state, thereby, stretching the existing facilities. Depending on the space, when getting rid of old structures, we add more classrooms blocks like from 6 to 14 classrooms blocks. This is done mostly in the junior secondary as most parents who send their wards to private primary schools decide to send them to public secondary schools because of cost.”

According to the report, over the next 10 years, the number of school-age children in subSaharan Africa will be twice the number in America and Western Europe.

The more educated, the less employed The Report stated that in most African countries, the most educated people are the least employed, while tertiary educated people have the highest migration rates with more than half of them leaving their countries.

"Though literacy is growing, Africa still lags behind the rest of the world with more educated youths still unemployed", the report

stated.

This is a grim picture considering the number of graduates that are churned out from Nigeria's numerous institutions of higher learning.

This raises the question: Is there hope for the Nigerian youth, knowing that there are no jobs upon graduation?

Speaking for Nigerian students, President, National Association of Nigeria Students, NANS, Comrade Dauda Mohammed, said hope is dimming for the average Nigerian youth on a daily basis because of lack of leadership and good governance which has become the order of the day in the Africa continent.

“The peculiarity of Nigeria’s situation is the fact government has not, in recent time, paid any attention to the growing rate of unemployment. This has been compounded by the orientation of an average Nigerian youth in seeking white collar jobs, thus killing the culture of creativity and self employment.

“This has contributed in no little ways to the growing rate of unemployment in Nigeria, and we should not be oblivious of the threats that illiteracy and unemployment are creating in our societies.

For CSACEFA’s Policy Advisor, there is the urgent need to tailor our education to address the requirements of modern economy.

“The Chinese education model is geared towards growing the manufacturing sector, and for government to achieve this, it need to intensify its effort on grooming technical and vocational education.

Low engineering graduates The Report states that Africa has the lowest share of engineering Continues on page 34

O give Nigerian youths the skills and knowledge that will prepare them for leadership and personal fulfillment, the New Era Foundation, (NEF) a social enterprise founded for youth development and women empowerment, is organising a youth leadership training program, tagged: “Friendship, Inspiration, Training (FIT).

The training is in partnership with LADOL Integrated Logistics Enterprise (LILE) and commences on December 19th 22nd, 2012, at the New Era Youth Camp in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State.

The training which would greatly strengthen the social, ethical, emotional and cognitive competencies of the participants will have youth of between 16-30 years drawn from past winners of the NEF Spelling Bee, who now form the peermentoring group, known as the Council of One Day Governors (CODG). The ultimate prize for winners of the NEF Spelling Bee is to serve as the state governor for a day, hence the name, CODG. They would be joined by the competition’s winners from Ogun State, as well as awardees of Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s Lagos Central Senatorial District Scholarship Scheme.

Executive Director, NEF, Mr. Yemi Osilaja, pointed out, “Our youths require training assistance in developing vital leadership and personal skills. It is very key to expose them to programmes that will give them fundamental skills as well as general knowledge and information that will uplift their confidence”.

Don’t teach chldren by force, says educationist

BY MUSBAUDEEN SHEKONI

T

eachers have been warned not to train school children to learn by force as each child is peculiar and unique. Head of School, City of Knowledge Academy, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Ms. Abiola Lamikanra gave this charge while addressing a stakeholders meeting on the school campus hall.

She noted that a teacher, while teaching in classroom should be able to make himself simple and clear without being unnecessarily difficult.

She maintained that a good teacher is one who suggests solution to difficulties and make the student reason along and not the one who dramatizes and want the student to do so.

“Any teacher who is properly educated, will be confident to impact knowledge,” Lamikanra added According to the educationist, “Many students who are connected to internet are not getting the right knowledge useful for them as many spend most of their time busy with the social media.”

Lamikanra , debunked claims that child training is the responsibility of teachers, insisting that child training is a joint responsibility of both parents and teachers. “How do you want your children to be brought up,” she asked.

She pointed out that CKA, a co-educational secondary institution is established to correct the wrongs in learning, and to provide excellent academic and leadership training for young minds. Lamikanra who lamented the eroding of Nigerian culture in our children, maintained that our children should be taught to have respect for our culture, character and confidence.

She said that at CKA, when a student gets to year 9, he will take what she called ‘check point’ before taking JSS examination which helps such a childkey into international schools standard.

Speaking on education standard in our country, she noted that the sector is not dwindling, pointing out that more private institutions are springing up to breach the gap. Lamikanra said: “With its inaugural academic session which started September, the school aims to instil leadership and ethical behaviour in its students.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012—29

OAU students clamour for sustainable SUG

BY SIKIRU AKINOLA, OAU

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ONCERNED with the non existence of Students’ Union Representatives that will see to the welfare and representation of the students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, selected students drawn from faculties, associations and clubs were brought together by the university management to discuss issues relating to the sustainability of Students’ Union Government in the university.

The union, it would be recalled, was proscribed on February 23, 2011, by the administration of former Vice Chancellor, Prof. Michael Faborode, following a 2-day protest against introduction of acceptance fees in the institution.

Though the students’ leaders who were believed to have orchestrated the protest did not go unpunished as they were suspended and later reinstated, but all efforts and agitations by stakeholders and activists to get the union restored proved abortive.

To re-orientate students towards a new union which everyone will be proud of, the management through the Division of Students Affairs invited faculty presidents to meetings after which it was resolved that a strategic students retreat should be convened in order to educate the teeming students on sustainability of students union as proscription and suspension weaken the vibrancy of the union.

In his address, OAU Vice-

Chancellor, Prof. Tale Omole affirmed his administration readiness to restore the union.

Since inception of his administration, he said, they’ve been committed to restoration of the union but he does not want to be stampeded into doing so.

This, he posited, is to avert a situation where the union activities will be resuscitated and then proscribed again after a short while.

He observed that his administration believes that responsible unionism will not only create cordial relationship within the community but also ensure development and good image for staff and students alike.

Welcoming the students’ representatives to the 2-day retreat, the Dean, Students’ Affairs, Dr. Lateefah Durosinmi, wondered why student unionism is an on and off affair on OAU campus when the union is expected to protect and promote students’ interests, welfares and values.

She said that her office would be open, just and transparent in dealing with all students noting that they expect reciprocity from all students as well.

He flayed those in the habit of selling bed spaces adding that the over N2.7 million recovered from the culprits would be used for students’ projects. He said that those involved in the last closure would be prevented from taking part in the next students’ election.

Prof. Alade Fawole delivering a lecture on student unionism and good governance said that unions are formed so that they can oppose university authori-

ty adding that OAU is famous and great not because of rascality, but because of intellectual radicalism.

He affirmed that the student leaders are putting their lives on hold by closing down campus as it will prolong their stay on campus. He advised students to desist from bad language which are similar to that of NURTW members, noting

that intellects, arguments and debates should be their major weapon in addressing their demands. Decrying those activists who believe that the only way to be popular is by shouting against management, he maintained that radicalism is different from rascality.

He observed: “In our days, we couldn’t fight because you will be sent away. How can we

Unions strike grounds BSU

By MSONTER ANZAA, BSU

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HE on-going one-week warning strike by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU, has grounded academic activities at the Benue State University, Makurdi. Before Monday, the students of the university were already talking about the

news of the impending strike.

The SSANU and NASU are not happy about the non-implementation of agreements reached between them and the federal government in 2009. It Recall that Nigerian universities were shut for most of 2009 following a long three-pronged strike by the SSANU, NASU and ASUU over funding of the educational system, adjustment of retirement age and other working conditions. An agreement was reached between the

Examples: She earns less money by selling fewer products.

He has less energy but fewer complaints.

Fewer and Less are often confused because they are both the opposite of ‘more’. Less refers to quantity, fewer to number. Put in another way, less means ‘not as much’; fewer means ‘not as many’. Use ‘less’ in the context of ‘much’ and ‘fewer’, many. Thus, if you can count the items, use fewer. For example, ‘Taye’s troubles are less than Kehinde’s ‘means Taye’s C M Y K

federal government and the unions which led to the reopening of the institutions. The unions are threatening to embark on an indefinite strike come January should their demands not be addressed.

Meanwhile at the Benue State University, the impact of the strike could not be felt much as the students were already on break. However, the strike disrupted exams for sandwich students which were scheduled to begin on Monday.

•Main gate of Benue State University

troubles are not so great as Kehinde’s while ‘Taye’s troubles are fewer than Kehinde’s implies ‘Taye’s troubles are not as numerous as Kehinde’s. ‘Less’ should not be misused for ‘fewer’.

Fewer – Less

re-enact the greatness of Great Ife? When are you going to desist from militaristic and violent methods? You should always use the force of logic and not the logic of force.”

Recalling 1977 when students were told by the University not to come to the convocation ground, he posited that the students wrote the then Head of State, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo that the university has prevented them from seeing their father and that a good father will find a way of seeing his children.

Generally, we use fewer when talking about countable things and less about measureable quantities that we cannot count. Nonetheless, we do use the word ‘less’ when referring to statistical or numerical expressions.

Examples: He is less than 1.5 metres tall.

I spent less than three thousand dollars on my trip to Canada.

Agbara is less than twenty kilometres to Badagry.

Deadly – Deathly Deadly and deathly have different meanings though both refer to death. Deadly means ‘causing or likely to cause death, fatal’ as in ‘His opponent dealt him a deadly blow’ and ‘Bomb in a deadly weapon’. Deathly means ‘suggesting or resembling death; referring to death’ as in ‘Her face was deathly pale with fear. Deadly also means ‘extreme, complete’ as in ‘We sat in deadly silence’.

zCONTINUES NEXT WEEK. Send reqauests/problems to Gabriel Osoba, Ph.D, Department of English, Lagos State University, Ojo, through Editor, Teach Yourself English, Vanguard Newspapers, PMB. 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or email: editor@vanguardngr.com & gabosoba002@yahoo.co

30—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

By DAYO ADESULU

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IT TLE did the quartet of Chizoba Obasi, Sandra Anazor, Oghenefego Ahia and Aina Feyisayo know that the 2012 National Examinations Council (NECO) examination where they came best in the country will attract national recognition and rewards from LearnAfrica Plc (formerly Longman Nigeria Plc).

Describing the yearly excellence awards as “the first of its kind in scope and coverage,” as it covers all states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of LearnAfrica Education Development Foundation, Chief Emeke Iwerebon, said it was instituted by the Foundation to underscore the importance of excellence in education to national development.

He added that the prizes were designed to encourage hard work, recognize diligent scholarship and promote healthy competition among students, as well as reward teachers for their dedication, and identify some schools that have become the beacons of excellence at the senior secondary education level.

At the national level, Anazor Sandra Obianuju, from Federal Government Girls’ College, Onitsha and Obasi Chizoba, a candidate from Stella Maris College, Life Camp, Abuja tied in the first position; Ahia Oghenefego Matins from Brilliant ChildCollege, Lagos came second in that category and Aina Morenikeji Feyisayo, from Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Lagos came third.

The duo of Anazor Obianuju and Obasi Chizoba who tied in the first position at the National level smiled home with N100,000 star prize, a laptop computer and a plaque; second prize winner received N80,000 and a plaque; while the third place winner went home with N60.000 and a plaque.

Besides, the schools of winners also received free library books from the Learnafrica Foundation, while 37 teachers each received N40.000 and a certificate for their outstanding contribution to the success of students in

*NECO AWARDEES: Joint winners of first position in the last NECOExamination,Miss Anazor Zandra Obianaju of the Federal Govt.CirlsCollege,Onitsha, Anambra State and Mr.Chizoba Obasi of Stella Maris College,Abuja being congratulated by the Chairman, LearnAfrica Plc, Chief Emeka Iwerebon (right) during the LearnAfrica Excellence Award, in Lagos.

Why we reward NECO best students, teachers — LearnAfrica,boss their school at the NECO June-July 2012 SSCE. Two teachers, Mr Jacob Daudu and Mrs Anthonia Mamah, also received the star prize of N100,000 and a plaque each at the national level, having been nominated by their schools as outstanding in their

contributions to the success of the top two candidates.

According to Iwerebon, 111 students, 97 schools and 37 teachers at the state level were awarded for distinguished themselves in the June/July 2012 NECO Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

Fashola's wife preaches entrepreneurship to students

The first category of the awards, the Chairman pointed out was for the best three students at the national level, while the other category is for the best three students in each of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

“The LearnAfrica-NECO

Excellence Awards simply reinforces the drive for excellence already embedded in our books. We are confident that reading LearnAfrica’s tried, tested and trusted books, is a sure path to academic excellence,” he said.

FG approves 1st technical varsity in Oyo State

By MUSBAUDEEN SHEKONI

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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TUDENTS, especially girl children have been encouraged to wisely commit their youthful time and vigour into learning various vocational endeavours that will support or become the mainstay of their livelihood in future.

This advice was given by Distinguished Honourary Guest of Honour and First Lady of Lagos State, Dame Abimbola Emmanuella Fashola, at the 55th Anniversary and Annual November Luncheon & Fund Raising of the International Women’s Society at the prestigious Muson Centre in Lagos.

The International Women’s Society is an association of noble women concerned with providing welfare and empowerment to widows and orphans by sponsoring them in profitable vocations and endeavours.

Speaking at the event, the First Lady stated that, “Girls must grow to become useful women.

Only artisans or skilled women are respected in society.

C M Y K

J

Wife of the High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago, Mrs Dela Obika and Her Excellency, Dame Abimbola Fashola presenting a widow with a donation at the IWS 55th anniversary.

It is a noble thing to be a woman, as our roles as home builders translate to shaping society.

What IWS stands for is most commendable and I am happy to be here” The First Lady participated actively and later helped to present awards to deserving members, widows and students.

Evelyn Akeredolu, the (55th)

President of the International Women’s Society, remarked thus while appreciating members, guests, friends and sponsors alike.

She stated that, “The Society has come a long way and we are unrelenting in our resolve to put smiles on the faces of widows, as well as empower females in need of assistance.”

Special mention was made of her predecessors.

OINING the league of 37 state owned universities already in operation across the country, the federal government has approved the Technical University, Ibadan, Oyo State, as the 38th state universities in the country.

Presenting the letter of recognition to Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Julius Okojie, said Oyo State government had not only demonstrated its desire for the Technical University but also matched words with actions to seeing that the institution takes off in 2013.

Okojie, who admitted that the country was really in dire need of

technical universities, regretted the dearth of industries for practical learning which he affirmed contributed to the continued dwindling of academic standard in the country.

Receiving the letter, Ajimobi said the Technical University, Ibadan, the first of its kind in the country, would not only marry classroom to industry but match theory with practical.

“The curriculum would include courses that are not available in Nigerian regular varsities such as mechatronics, cyberspace security, aircraft engineering and other unique courses.

This university is molded to fit into industrialisation, and we are going to have different industries around and inside the university as we have already reached an agreement with three companies to localise their companies inside the university for practical training.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 — 31

C M Y K

32—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

Poise Nigeria tasks students on commitment to nation building

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A touch of Trad

BY LAJU ARENYEKA www.facebook.com/quadlifestyle

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F there ever was a time to showcase traditional attire, it is in this festive season. And for once, you don’t have to go all out. A touch of ‘trad’ do just fine. A few traditional-ultra-modern trends out in the undergraduate’s fashion diary.

•Bishop collared shirts- Ranging from brocade materials to linen and Ankara, this fashion item that was once restricted to older men in the south-south region of the country, now rests on the shoulders of celebrities and students alike in a variety of styles hitherto unheard of. These shirts can be combined with almost any kind of trousers depending

on the occasion.

•Accessories, accessories: The Ankara material is most guilty of this. Handbags, bowties, buttons, shoe etc made of this material seem to find their way unto English outfits and do fit nicely.

•Iro and Buba: Yep! The old fashioned Iro and Buba is here to stay. Young, petite undergraduates now dress this way for occasions competing favourably with the well endowed owambes!

•Dresses: Dresses have and always will be a fashion item that never goes out of vogue. The trend now is to sew originally English styles with traditional materials.

Mix it up, and have some fun. Follow the example of these corps members in the picture, and don’t be afraid to add a touch of ‘trad.’

OISE Nigeria, an entrepreneurship development school, said it plans to revitalise loyalty to the nation’s building among young entrepreneurs as a panacea to tackling the pervasive corruption in the country.

In a project organised to sensitise young Nigerians on the importance of patriotism, Nonye Cally-Bechi , Head, Poise School of Communication said the aim was to revive the spirit of patriotism in young Nigerians, just as the school believed that this would, among other things, help minimise the level of preference for imported goods as against locally manufactured goods and instill in students self-discipline.

“We need to represent our country in a positive way. There is a brain drain in Nigeria as a lot of Nigerians are going outside to study and seek for greener pasture without coming back to develop their land. Our local products are not selling because people prefer imported goods. The government has a lot to play but ensuring that these responsibilities are uphold depend on us,” Titilayo Odusoga, one of the speakers said at a seminar organised for the students of Ilupeju Grammar School, Oshodi.

From Left: Charles Emelogu; Titilayo Odusoga; John Okpala; Yetunde Tella; Mavi Isibor (CEO, Poise Nigeria); Bukky Ezekulie; Nonye Cally-Bechi (Head, Poise School of Communication); Bayo Olatinwo at Poise Nigeria’s sensitization workshop for students of Ilupeju Grammar sch., Lagos.

Covenant varsity matriculates 1,620

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

B

A touch of trad: Batch ‘C’ corps members at Iyano-paja Orientation Camp produced the clothes they wear with needle.

From left: The Registrar, Covenant University, Dr. Ubong Ntia; Vice Chancellor, Covenant University, Dr. C.K Ayo; Chancellor, Covenant University, Dr. David Oyedepo, his wife, the Vice President (education) Living Faith Ministries worldwide, Pst. (Mrs) Faith Oyedepo at the matriculation ceremony.

C M Y K

ARELY a month after their inauguration, the new management team of Covenant University performed their first major assignment recently as they led 1,620 new undergraduates to sign the matriculation covenant. The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor C.K Ayo told the matriculating students: “We will prepare you with skills that will place you on the same platform as your foreign counterparts. We will love teach and counsel you, but we will be firm in our operations.”

The Chancellor of the university, Dr. David Oyedepo advised the matriculating students to fully embrace all the ideals of the University. “By your admission into this university, you have become part of the divine team to make this world a better place; the team to place Africa on the global map for good and raise the dignity of the black man.”

In the Chancellor ’s matriculation address titled: “Discipline: The Price for Greatness,” Oyedepo posited that there is a seed of leadership in everyone, which requires discipline to grow.

“The greatest need of the 21stcentury is the need for

leadership” he said, “destiny is a non-transferrable responsibility, and responsibility is the price for greatness. We will tend and water the tender plants. But we are not afraid to weed out the bad ones.”

As family, friends and well wishers gathered to celebrate with their loved ones, the matriculating students were ecstatic. Faithful Samuel, a 100 level Mass Communication student, shared her joy with Quadlife. “It’s a wonderful day for me,” she said “I am so excited to be a bona fide undergraduate, and I’m looking forward to graduating with flying colours, four years from now.”

Undergraduate students weren’t the only ones who celebrated the confirmation of their admission status; the event also witnessed the matriculation of 137 post graduate students across the six schools of the university.

Abolaji Famuyi, who just began her Masters Degree in Computer and Information science said: “I’m very excited.

Covenant University is the perfect choice for me because I believe God told me to come here. Also, I work in this environment, so it affords me the opportunity to work and carry on with my education.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13 , 2012 — 33

When students end-of-year party turned into clash with police

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

W

HILE their counter parts in various primary and secondary schools across the country were celebrating their 2012 end-of- theyear party in grand style, this was not the case for some secondary schools’ children in Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government Area, Ajegunle, Lagos, as their party ended abruptly in a brawl with men of Ajegunle Divisional Police Headquarters, last Thursday.

Numbering about 3, 000 students, they gathered on Akerele and Otuniyo Streets in Awodi-Ora area of the community to celebrate what many of them described as a hitch-free first term of the 2012/2013 academic session, which was heralded by an annual InterHouse Sports Competition organized by Awodi-Ora Secondary School, Ajegunle.

According to a student, who resides in the community, but pleaded anonymity, no fewer than 20 public secondary

C M Y K

schools in the community had been invited by Awodi-Ora Secondary School for an interschool relays competition. After the competition ended, some of the students who lived around hired a Disc-Jockey (DJ), who rented the air with musical jibes emanating from his loud speakers.

As the party took-off, he said that most of the students present, took to reckless consumption of alcohol, smoking of Indian hemps, cigarettes and sexual assault of the female folks in broad day light. These acts, he however, said did not go down well with some residents who alerted men of the Ajegunle Divisional Police Headquarters, who stormed the area in a Police hilux van to restore sanity to the community.

“To our surprise, the first team of policemen who stormed the scene of the party were cowed by the students that all was well, and they left, with the students continuing in their rendezvous. No less

•When the Police arrived the scene of the party than an hour later, another team of policemen arrived the scene, in a yellow-marked Danfo bus, but were welcomed harshly by the students, who threw stones and broken bottles at them.”

According to him, the plainclothed armed Policemen, numbering about six were

enraged as the students had smashed the rear windscreen of their bus with stones and broken bottles.

“They came down, shooting sporadically into the air and with canisters to disperse the irate students,” he revealed.

However, when Vanguard Learning visited the communi-

ty, the swift action of the Policemen had scared the students who took to their heels.

The Police made some arrests, while taking away one of the loud speakers and other equipment used by the DJ to liven the party.

34— Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

New curriculum guides crucial to FG’s human capital devt – Prof. Obioma

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

By DAYO ADESULU

A

T a forum in Benin City, Edo State where professors of education from universities across the country sat with lecturers from colleges of education, seasoned teachers from primary and junior secondary schools as well as professionals from the industry to critique the Teachers Guides which the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) is developing in conjunction with curriculum experts, the Executive Secretary of the parastatal, Professor Godswill Obioma spoke on the importance of equipping teachers with teaching guides and how both the 9-year Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) and the Teachers Guides will help in achieving the human capital development goal, which is one of the strategic goals of transformation agenda of the Federal Government.

He spoke about the innovations brought to the curriculum and the guides and how his agency will enhance teachers’ capacity in implementing the curriculum. He spoke on other interesting issues. Excerpts: What is the essence of the critique workshop for the development of Teachers Guides?

Usually, when you develop some manuscript, in order to improve the quality you critique that manuscript from a detached perspective.

In other words, if you are the one that wrote the manuscript you will give it to another competent expert in the same profession to evaluate, to assess, to identify areas of weakness and strengthen them, identify gaps and fill them and add up information or knowledge or contact that may have been left out at the writing stage.

So, this particular critique workshop is a process of improving on the manuscript developed at the writing stage. You will recall that not too long ago, we assembled resource persons, experts in various fields with respect to Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) to prepare Teachers Guides in tandem with the curriculum revised. That has been accomplished. So, the next logical stage is this critique workshop is to improve the quality.

Specifically, what are these invited resource persons expected to do with the manuscript of the Teachers Guides?

They are expected to wade through the document; identify the gaps, to ensure that what was written in Lagos the other time is in harmony with the BEC. Remember that the Teachers Guide is being developed to assist teachers in implementing the content of the Teachers Guide and the content of the curriculum and if there is no congruence, then there is a gap. So the resource persons are expected to close any gap they identify and where there is repetition in the content of the guide, they delete them. For example, unit four of the Teachers Guides present sample lesson plans based on modern teaching approach and those lesson plans were developed from the content of the curriculum and there are steps or stages to be followed in the teaching – learning process. Sometimes the writer of the lesson plan may have omitted one or two steps logically. So the critique experts are expected to identify those omissions and fill them up.

Can we know the pedigree of these resource persons?

We have drawn resources persons from various contexts. Some of them are professors of education in universities, who prepare teachers education for schools, some of them are lecturers in colleges of education who are well experienced, heads of schools, deans of faculties and so on. Some of them are drawn from the industry because there is a link between the industry and the teaching-learning process, for instance, in Vocational Study and Physical C M Y K

Hearing impaired children stakeholders sue for talk in FAOS •as non-stigmatization E

•Professor Godswill Obioma and Health Education and Information Technology. So, we have brough those who practise these professions in the industry. Some of the resource persons are also experienced school teachers those who have, over the years, been teaching these subjects and know where the shoe pinches. Others are policy makers from the various Ministries of Education and those who are expected to supervise what goes on in the school system. Some of them are also from my Council (NERDC) who are curriculum experts, those who are education experts and research experts who will bring to bear their expertise into the critique process. That is how we are composed.

Is the composition of the resource persons based on geostrategic consideration?

In an academic exercise like this, you don’t talk of ethnic balancing. This is what some of us are trying to avoid. In the United States you don’t talk of ethnic balancing so as not to compromise excellence. But I’m sure that in every part of the country, with due respect to ethnic configuration, you can always take experts. Like you said, Nigeria is a huge country. We have not particularly factored in the ethnic configuration in selecting the resource persons but their composition has also satisfied those considerations. We have resource persons from Kogi State, from the east and from the north. My director of Curriculum Development Centre, Dr. Ismail Junaidu, who is actually one of the facilitators of the workshop, is from Katsina State. But what I’m saying is that we must be very careful not to factor in ethnicity as the basis of selecting experts in Nigeria for anything, not just for this on-going development of Teachers Guides because in a large population, when you make a random sample, if it is properly done, the sample will throw up itself to reflect where people come from. But for us in NERDC and for the particular purpose of this critique exercise, our major consideration is your expertise. You can see we have a panel on Arabic and there is a Professor of Arabic Language on that panel. There is a panel on mathematics and there is an associate professor of mathematics among those critiquing it. And there is a lady who is a Team Leader who has a Masters degree in Maths Education. The point I’m making is that the selection is not based on ethnic consideration at all. Nigeria being a huge country, if you make your selection carefully, you are going to have a spread. But if you factor in the spread as a basic factor, you will lose excellence.

What is the timeline for completing the development of the Teachers Guides?

We have a timeline. Our target is t o ensure that the Teachers Guide is completed in terms of production by end of December, 2012. We will soon do the editorial and then we will get publishers to produce them and usually it takes them about a month to do that.

CSTASY and words of encomium have continued to rent the air, as hearing impaired children talked coherently when they presented gospel songs, choreography, debate and identification of objects to entertain guests during the 2012 end-of-the-year party of Favour Auditory Oral School (FAOS), Ejigbo, Lagos.

Swiftly reacting to their amazing performances, teachers, parents and other stakeholders who gathered at impressive event have sued for a stop in the stigmatization, dehumanization and assaults of children with special needs.

According to them, these children must be given a sense of belonging like their peers in the society, since they are also born achievers.

Speaking at the event, a parent, Mr. Patrick Ochuba said the society must learn to accept

children with special needs, most especially parents and relations of these children.

“Parents and relations must not feel that because their children are deaf or dumb, they are handicapped.

"When you begin to feel so, when you denigrate these children and refuse to take them out for social gatherings like their peers at home, you are automatically killing their selfesteem psychologically,” he admonished.

Narrating the story of his first son, who was discovered to be hearing impaired two years after birth, Ochuba averred that children with special needs must not be regarded as unimportant noting that “what they need is special attention as given to other children. Don’t do less or more for them ahead of other children in the home, but appreciate them the way they are,” he urged.

College of Medical Sciences celebrates World Radiography Day

BY STANLEY UCHEGBU, UNICAL

S

TUDENTS and lecturers in the department of Radiography and Radiological Sciences, College of Medical Sciences University of Calabar (UNICAL) in collaboration with the Association of Radiographers of Nigeria (ARN), last week celebrated the International World Radiography Day, themed: “Radiographers care about your protection.”

According to Mrs. Marycolleth Ekpo, a Radiographer at University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) and a lecturer in Radiography department, the day was celebrated to commemorate the 1895 x-ray discovery by Dr. Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen in German. The discovery introduced a new health science in the world which is called Radiology or Radiography.

Ekpo pointed that Sir Albert Cook brought in first x-ray in Uganda adding that with that, Uganda is been put as head in medical science in Africa because people traveled as far as Sudan and Central Africa to come and do x-rays in Uganda.

She said that World Radiology day is an annual international initiative intended to raise awareness of and to stimulate an interest in the profession of Radiography adding that it is aimed at highlighting the importance of Radiography and indispensable function it plays in the health care environment.

Nigeria houses 37% of the world’s OOSC Continues from page 28 graduates in the world graduates in engineering courses are dropping. Blaming lack of adequate facilities for drop, NANS President, Mohammed, said this has led to low level of Africa’s industrialization.

“While the lack of equipment for the study of Engineering and other science related courses may have been part of factors responsible for the decline in enrollment into Engineering courses, I believe that improper funding by government and the low level of industrialization in

Africa is largely responsible for the loss of interest in the in the courses by prospective students.

But beyond the provision of necessary equipments, the availability of research grants and other relevant supports could be the basic requirement for the promotion of interest in the Engineering and other science related courses, more still needs to be done by government and education stakeholders to save African, nay, Nigerian youths from the bleak future they face and help them fulfill their potentials.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012—35

BY DAYO ADESULU

A

LOFOS Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF), a Non Governmental Organization promoting Science and technology capability for youths in Nigeria, held her annual public lecture tagged “DNA: The Biology of Life” at New Era Girls’ secondary school Lagos.

The one-day Science and Technology lecture attracted 400 secondary school students from District IV of the Lagos State Education Ministry as well as the representatives of the Tutor General/Permanent Secretary and Directors of district IV. The essence of the lecture, said Dr Oyinkan Adesakin PhD, a geneticist and Research Fellow at the University College London, was to explain to students how DNA controls majority of life’s processes and assist in the understanding of the human body processes.

Dr Oyinkan, who was the guest lecturer, described DNA as the hereditary/genetic material of life, and how it forms the basis of the gene.

She mentioned how the information in the DNA is

Alofos Foundation sensitises students on DNA processed to proteins , which performs virtually all the biological processes of a person.

Oyinkan explained the genetics of Sickle cell disease, which is due to a mutation in the haemoglobin gene, as well as how the mutation is inherited. She said: “For an individual to have sickle cell, he or she must inherit a copy each of the mutated gene from both parents.” She talked about other issues such as forensics for solving crimes and paternity, while she emphasised how DNA plays a role in these investigations.

In addition, she spoke briefly about the research she is currently carrying out on ‘Alzheimer ’s Disease’ – a deterioration of the brain function that causes one to lose his or her memory, which occurs mainly in the ageing population. She spoke about the use of fruit flies in her research – the flies are genetically engineered to carry a mutation that causes Alzheimer ’s disease, and these flies are then studied to better understand the molecular mechanisms of the

disease.

Also speaking, Professor Olusoga Sofola, Chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees said the event was intended to open a new vista in the appreciation of Science and Technology by young Nigerians adding that the theme “DNA the Biology of Life” serves as a dynamic medium that will make science more interesting and as well expose students to the understanding of the human body processes.

He said: “The students in post primary schools represent the core of the population transmitting from childhood to adulthood, therefore, it is important for any project to pay more attention to science and technology. Today ’s lecture with this group of young Nigerians present a unique opportunity to stimulate wider interest in Science and Technology education in Nigeria.

Alofos Foundation works with several people of goodwill within and outside Nigeria while it provides frame work that will see more Nigerians take interest in Science and

Technology because they recognize its importance in capacity building and national development.”

Speaking on the reason why focus is on New Era Girls’ Prof. Sofola said Alofos Foundation has been mentoring New Era Girls’ Secondary school in science and technology since it obtained an endorsement from the Lagos State Ministry of Education He, however disclosed that the milestone to be achieved is to get more girl students admitted into Science, Technology and Engineering courses in higher institutions, especially Universities.

On her part, the Chairperson of the occasion,

Computer Base Test:

EduERP to the rescue T

HE Federal Government had in the past set deadlines for Nigerian universities to computerise their student administration processes and make them accessible on-line. Many institutions deployed pre-fabricated web applications known

Dr Oyinkan , Adesakin sensitising student on DNA

FCT to receive Best Exam Ethics State of the Decade award

By EBELE ORAKPO

T

HE Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, will receive an award as the Best Exam Ethics State of the Decade (2000- 2010) in Nigeria. This was contained in a statement made available to Vanguard Learning and signed by the Secretary, International Award Committee and Country Director, Exam Ethics Marshals International, Ghana, Mr. Kofi Ashiboe Mensah.

According to the statement; “Research by Nigerian Chapter of Exam Ethics Marshals International indicates that between 1996 and 2012, a total of 59,569,560 C M Y K

candidates sat for post-primary exit examinations conducted by public examination bodies in Nigeria. Out of this number, 7,146,720 candidates were involved in malpractice, translating to an average National Exam Malpractice Index (EMI) of 12.0.

“In FCT, only 3,600 candidates were involved in malpractice out of a total of 424,380 candidates that sat for the exams during the period, an EMI of 0.8 against the national EMI of 12.0. Being the lowest EMI in the country in the 2000 to 2010 decade, this earned FCT the Best Exam Ethics State of the Decade Award.”

Also to be awarded at the ceremony which began on

December 10 and will end tomorrow, December 14, at the Five Star Ramada Coco Beach Hotel, Accra, Ghana, areGovernor Mu’azu Babaginda Aliyu and Princess (Mrs.) Sarah Adebisi Sosan, among others.

A total of 23 awards will be presented in 13 categories some of which are: “Award for Best Practices in University Education shared by three universities: University of Cape Town, South Africa, Cuttington University of Liberia and Presbyterian University, Ghana. The Awards in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) category go to Zenith Bank and 1 – 4CUS Nigeria Limited, an ICT

Prof (Mrs.) Olufunlayo Adeyemi, a professor of pharmacology and Dean of Basic Medical Sciences at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, advised the students to pay more attention to science subjects and work hard in order to reach the top in science and technology professions. She cited the example of the lecturer who was once a secondary school student in Nigeria and is now a geneticist in the United Kingdom. She poured encomiums on Alofos Science and Technology Foundation for its great efforts especially in the area of encouraging girl students to be interested in the sciences.

company that provides educational portals. The Awards for Outstanding Services to Education through the print media will be presented to Rotimi Oyekanmi of the Guardian Newspaper, Collins Edomarus of Thisday Newspaper and Chika Abanobi of Sun Newspapers, while the television category will be presented to Ralph Awornyo of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.

In the radio category, Volta Premier Radio Station and Mrs. Kikelomo Ifekoya of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria emerged winners,” noted the statement.

as College or Education Portals to meet the deadlines.

The access to portals is typically paid for by purchasing a scratch card to allow login.

On the surface, portals solutions are an easy way for institutions to provide an online student registration system with a clear revenue model.

However closer inspection shows most portals to be inadequate in meeting other important requirements of student administration like examination processing, transcripts and many other important student administration functions.

In its desire to address these issues, Datasphir, an ICT company focused on education, embraced a software development model that fitted with its core values of social enterprise and use of free open source software (FOSS) to build an alternative application to the ‘portals’ more closely aligned to institution’s existing administrative processes. Information gathering and other input from staff and students from University of Jos, University of Abuja, Veritas University of Abuja and Uthman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto were important in the design and development that took place from 2005 to 2011. The application, called EduERP, is being released as a FOSS application that is free for download and use from yesterday, Wednesday, November 28, 2012.

36—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

I N S I D E

Lagos govt vows to protect citizens’ fundamental rights — 37

Counsel Corner: — 38

Constitution Review: Matters arising — 39

International Human Rights Day

Human rights violations: A case against impunity

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

“G

OVERNMENT cannot afford to ignore this dangerous trend by which the lives of innocent citizens are endangered or snuffed out by those whose constitutional duty it is to secure the lives and property of the citizenry.”

Those were the exact words of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke SAN, on a day Nigeria joined the rest of the world to mark the International Human Rights Day. Like every other democratic nation in the world, Nigeria, on every December 10, undertakes the hollow-ritual of apportioning blames for its rising cases of extra-judicial killings and flagrant violation of rights of citizens by government agencies.

In acknowledgment of this fact, the AGF, while shifting the blame on the Police, decried that the reckless use of arms by security agents in the country had resulted in 7, 198 extrajudicial deaths in four years across the country, adding that “more recently, the chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, opined that this approximated to the summary execution of well over 2, 500 detainees.”

He said: “although these figures have been stoutly disputed by the police, even the most charitable defenders of the force cannot deny that some dishonourable officers indeed have taken the law into their hands in the most barbaric fashion by killing suspects and innocent citizens.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the constitutional derogation to the right to life which sanctions the use of force to curb an escapee is no blank check to carry out extra-judicial killings. The provision can only be invoked where death arises as a result of the use, to such extent and in such circumstances as are permitted by law, of such force as is reasonably necessary in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained.

“Several factors have been advanced to rationalize the rising wave of police brutalityand extrajudicial killings.

Such reasons include the conditions of service of the Police, especially the poor salary, living condition in the barracks and low self-esteem. All of these combine, it is often argued, to make the Policeman an angry man

•AGF Mohammed Adoke, SAN with arms thus putting him on edge and frequently on the lookout for illicit and corrupt enrichment.

“Nonetheless, government cannot afford to ignore this dangerous trend by which lives of innocent citizens are endangered or snuffed out by those whose constitutional duty it is to secure the lives and property of the citizenry. Most of these challenges appear to have been significantly tackled by the recommendations of the Presidential Committee on the Reorganization of the Nigeria Police which recently submitted its report.

“It is instructive that among other recommendations, the report highlighted the need to embark on a continuous weeding out of bad and unscrupulous elements who on account of arbitrariness and opaqueness in recruitment exercise had found their way into the force.

“Terrorist attacks such as the October 1, 2010 Independence anniversary bomb explosion by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, where 12 people were reportedly killed and the spate of suicide killings by the Boko Haram group are direct attacks on the core values of democratic governance namely the rule of law, the protection

•NBA President Okey Wali, SAN and dignity of human beings; mutual respect between people of different faiths and cultures; and peaceful resolution of conflict.

“However in the fight against terrorism, we cannot compromise on these core values. In other words we should not perpetuate a cycle of violence and brutality in the quest to stamp out the evil of terrorism and extremism.

“As I see it, terrorism is in itself a direct attack on human rights and the rule of law. If we sacrifice them in our response, we are handing a victory to the terrorists. I therefore believe that the following issues are germane to a democratic response to the threat of terrorism namely the protection of individuals and communities; the stabilization of existing conflicts and discontents; the countering of harmful and extremist ideologies; the deployment of adequate response to the economic and social insecurities that contribute to the growth of terrorism.”

Remarkably, since increased agitation over alleged excesses and human rights breaches perpetuated by state organs and officials, the international best practices have leaned more towards the

establishment and empowerment of independent and objective monitoring bodies.

Consequently, following Nigeria’s ratification of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture on July 27, 2009, the Government constituted a National Committee on Torture with a mandate to among other things, (i) Receive and Consider communications on torture from individuals, Civil Society organizations, and government

Continues on page 39

EDITORIAL TEAM Dayo Benson (Editor) Innocent Anaba Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012—37

International Human Rights Day Lagos govt vows to protect citizens’ fundamental rights

BY ONOZURE DANIA

T

HE Lagos state government has promised to protect rights of citizens of the state jealously.

Speaking at commemoration of the World Human Rights day, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, said that the World Human Rights a very unique opportunity for government and the people, to reflect on the collective efforts of to ensure that lip services were not paid to the issues of human rights in the society.

According to him, “the human rights day is an occasion for lawyers to reaffirm their commitment to Lagosians. We shall also continue to offer them the legal services as they may require” noting that government will champion and protect their inalienable rights.

He also gave assurance that any violation of human rights of any citizen of the state

would not go without being redressed.

This according to the Commissioner was because a government can only be said “to be successful when every citizen in the society feels secure in the knowledge that any violation of fundamental rights will never go without redress”.

He remarked that the aim of every successive administration in Lagos state, since the advent of democratic governance, is justice delivery and to ensure that every citizen is guaranteed access to qualitative legal services irrespective of social standing, race, tribe, religion, level of affluence or political affiliation.

He further added that the human rights might be meaningless without provisions of qualitative legal assistance, adding that the state government had been at the vanguard of human rights protection in the state and had instituted several

•Gov Babatunde Fashola, SAN reforms for the purpose of advancing the human rights of every Lagosian.

Also speaking at the event the State Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry

of Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro SAN, said that the government had suggested provisions of Chapter II, Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as

Leaders seek power for self enrichment — Aregbesola

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE,Osogbo

O

SUN State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola has declared that majority of Nigeria leaders mainly strive for power to enrich themselves and members of their family.

Aregbesola disclosed this at a lecture organized to mark the 2012 world human right day in the state titled “corruption as a threat to human right: Challenges and prospects” held at Osogbo city hall.

The governor, who was the special guest of honour at the event disclosed that corruption has become a menace in the Nigerian society, saying it has cripple the nation’s economy than the low pace of production in the polity.

According to him, although taxation is the only means of revenue for government, hence the people must be responsible to government for it to meet the social responsibilities expected by the people.

He, however, frowned at the low-level of production in the economy, maintaining that there is urgent need to tackle the menace of corruption among public office holders.

Earlier in his speech, the guest lecturer, Comrade Debo Adeniran berated tiers of government in the country for allowing corruption to thrive in the system.

He specifically condemned the approach of President

•Gov Rauf Aregbesola Goodluck Jonathan led administration to the issue of corruption, saying the style encouraged the menace to thrive.

“Although President Jonathan want Nigerians to

believe his government is working assiduously to combat the endemic corruption, but a closer look shows that the government’s profligate and wasteful lifestyle constitutes the major form of corruption in the nation.

The 2012 and propose 2013 budgets do not portray the government as serious in its purpose to stamp out corruption and eradicate poverty in the land”, he added.

Adeniran said that the masses could rely on the present government to bring about salvation, saying the key office holders are beneficiaries of the lopsided socioeconomic situations in the country.

He called for a reliable constitutional review to address salient issues in the nation’s polity and emphasized that such constitutional review must focus on tackling the menace of corruption in the country socio-economic system, adding that such review could only be successful through a Sovereign National Conference (SNC).

The activist warned that if the country leadership continue to resist SNC through which peaceful resolution to the nation’s crisis could be solved and the disparity between the rich and the poor continue to widen, then the nation is likely to face a bloody revolution.

amended) that deals with the rights of the people be amended and be made justiciable in the on going review of the Cnstitution by the National Assembly.

Pedro said: “The provision dealing with right of the people to participate in their government is to be found under Chapter II of the constitution. As we all know, by virtue of section 6 (6) (c) of the Constitution, the judicial power of our court does not extend to any issue or question as to compliance with the provisions of Chapter II. ”It is my conviction that if some of the provisions are made justiciable, it will be a step in the right direction and thereby create a win-win situation for the people”, he said.

He stated that every Nigerian has a right to participate in the process of governance and decision making process of government and described it as an essential feature of democratic governance. ”Participation is a fundamental right of all the people.

As we know, decisions made by the people on their own behalf will often be better than those made for them by other people because people know what they need in their own lives. This is in consonance with the African philosophy which is variously expressed as ‘he who wears the shoe, knows where it pinches’, he said.

He also remarked that history was replete with unpopular decisions which had been thrown into the dustbins because of the failure of government to seek the buyin of the people.

The State’s Solicitor General stressed that for any public policy to be legitimate, there was the need for broad consultation and effective participation by the citizens.

38—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

VANGUARD LAW IN PIX NBA holds NEC in Asaba

Feedbac k eedback

Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, recently held its first National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting in Asaba, Delta State under the leadership of Mr Okey Wali, SAN.

Uncle as mother’s next-of-kin Dear Sir, I have read some useful pieces of advice you have given to some people in your column ‘Counsel Corner’.

I would be grateful if you can give your legal opinion on the following matter.

I am 40-year-old male, and I was born out of wedlock. My mother was a Public Servant before her demise late 2005. I was about 33 years old at the time of her death. My relationship with her was not very good though I stayed with her up to her last minute on earth. During that period I was jobless and dependent on her. It was after her passage that I discovered she had named my uncle (her younger brother) her Next of Kin. Consequently, her employers would not have any dealings with me .All efforts made to retrieve her entitlements from my uncle have proved difficult even though he gives me some money whenever I am in need.

What are my chances if I should engage the law enforcement agencies like the EFCC or go to court to challenge my uncle’s rights as the next-of-Kin to my mother? Second, will the time it has taken have any effect on my action in a court of law?

God bless you.

James The issue of the next of kin is as personal as it is confidential. Suffice to say that the choice of who is made one’s next-of-kin is absolutely the discretion of the person who is involved. Normally, but not necessarily legal, a next-of-kin can be your spouse in the case of a married person. However, there are those who would rather opt for their siblings for reasons best known to them. Some may prefer to make one of their children, perhaps , the eldest. What this means is that a next-of-kin is either a spouse or blood relation. There is however no law that says that a mother must make his child her next-of-kin. It is good you admitted that you did not have the best of relationship with your mother while she was alive. Also, you admitted that you depended on her for your sustainance. These and other reasons might have informed her choice of her brother instead of you as her next-of-kin. She probably had more confidence in the prudency of her brother as far as her money and other belongings are concerned. Her employers cannot have anything to do with you for obvious reason, they would only deal with your uncle whom your mother preferred. The issue of next-of-kin is quite different from a WILL that can be contested in a law court. You cannot also involve any law enforcement agent such as EFCC which you are contemplating. Your uncle has not committed any financial crime by taking rightful possession of your mother’s belongings. He is only acting according to the dictate of his late sister. Also, the issue of time it has taken does not arise because if you go to court there is no cause of action as such a suit will amount to wasting or the court’s time.

From left: Mr Okey Wali, SAN; Governor Emmanuel Eduaghan of Delta State and his Deputy, Prof. Amos Utuama, SAN.

From left: Mr Funke Adekoya, SAN; Chief Austine Alegeh, SAN and President, Common Lawyers Association, CLA, Mrs Boma Ozobia.

From left: Former President, Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSSOP, Chief Ledum Mittee and Chairman, NBA Isiokpo branch, Mr Lukman Ihua.

From left: Former Chairman, Uyo branch, NBA, Mr Essien Essien; Welfare Officer, Mr Kelvin Ejelonu, General Secretary, Mr Emeka Obegolu and Mr Aniedi Abotti.

From left: Chief John Ochoga, Hajiya Fatima Kwaku and Chief Godwin Obla.

From left: Mrs Tess Moris-Okeke; Chief Joe Agi, SAN; Dr Ogugua Ikpeze and Mr Mac Enamhe.

From left: Former NBA President, Mr. J.B. Daudu SAN; Delta State Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, SAN; Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduagham andf NBA President, Mr. Okey Wali SAN.

L-R, NBA Lagos Chairman, Mr. Taiwo Taiwo and former NBA General Secretary, Deacon Dele Adesina SAN

L-R, National Treasurer Mrs. Joyce Oduah , 2ND Vice President, Mr. Francis Ekwere, National Welafer Officer, Mr. Steve Abbah and 1st Vice President, Mr. Justy Erhabor

L-R, Former NBA President, Mr. J.B. Daudu SAN, Delta State Deputy Governor, Professor Amos Utuama SAN, Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduagham, NBA President, Mr. Okey Wali SAN and others

Abandoned by husband of 15 years Dear lawyer, I was just going through Vanguard daily and saw your column which I cherish. I work in a tea .......0 .......ching hospital in one of the south-east states. I got married in 1997 without any issue. My husband maltreated me to the extent that I saw a ticket which he bought for his girlfriend and himself to travel.

Because of that, he sent me out of our matrimonial room, told me to be feeding myself and finally drove me out of the house in March this year. This is a man I met as a mere apprentice in 1989 and I used to pay his rent then. My question is this, what is your legal advice on this case? Thanks for your and God bless.

Maureen.

My pieces of advice would be given subsequently due to space constraint.

You can send your questions to dayobenson@yahoo.com or 08056180119 (text only)

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012—39

Constitution Review: Matters arising Introduction ECENTLY, the National Assembly embarked on further amendment of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.

We indeed need to further amend our constitution. It is a notorious fact that no constitution is perfect but the present constitution ab initio is flawed. It started on a faulty note, with a lie if you like by saying that “ we the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria..” Ironically, the same constitution that claimed that “ we the people of Federal Republic” was decreed into existence through Decree No. 24 of 1999 promulgated by the military administration of General Abdulsalam Abubakar.

Again, even though the constitution has been hurriedly amended, there are still some areas that require amendment which was dropped because of the obnoxious quest for third term. The following areas need to be commented upon.

R

Immunity Clause Section 308: Section 308 of 1999 constitution as Amended exempts the President, Vice President, Governor and Deputy Governor from civil and criminal proceedings while in Office. Many political pundits have called for deletion of this section so that the office holders mentioned thereon will no longer be immuned from civil and criminal proceedings.

I personally do not subscribe to the removal of immunity clause from the constitution.

The office holders mentioned therein need all the concentration to enable them discharge their functions without hindrance or harassment.

It is also dangerous for our fledgling democracy to subject such office holders especially to criminal proceedings as that will create an avenue for intimidation and removal of such office holders from office by the Federal Government or presidency. We all witnessed the illegal impeachment of some Governors during President Obasanjo’s administration with fingers being pointed at the presidency as the mastermind of such actions.

Will it not amount to trivialization of the hallowed office of the Governor that a commissioner of police who is an appointee of the federal government has power to arrest a Governor, charge him with commission of a heinous crime and clamp him into jail pending probably for advise from the Attorney – General.

Let us take a cue from what happened to former senate President, Adolphus Wabara.

He was accused of corruption, removed from office and was

discharged and acquitted by the court but he lost his exalted position and humiliated out of office.

Similar treatment will be meted out to such office holders if immunity is removed.

I do not agree with those who argue that corruption will be checked if immunity clause is abolished because it is extremely difficult to successfully prosecute a sitting Governor. I ask the

,

BY UGONNIA PAT ANYADUBALU

Our politicians will also use State Police against their perceived political opponents even intimidate the electorate during voting

,

question, who will have the audacity to testify against a sitting Governor? Let us not forget that the AttorneyGeneral who is an appointee of the Governor has power to enter a nolle prosequi thereby stopping any prosecution against the

•Ugonnia Pat Anyadubalu Governor. I believe that it is easier to prosecute a Governor when he had left office than when he is still in office.

We need to strengthen the House of Assembly so that the members can perform their assigned legislative and oversight functions effectively.

Today, most member Houses of Assembly are merely Governors stooges that lack the will power to question the governor.

Proclamation of state of emergency: Section 305 Section 305 of the 1999

Constitution as amended provides for proclamation of state of emergency and further provides that the president has power to issue a proclamation of a state of emergency only when the Federation is at war, Federation is in imminent danger of invasion or involvement in a state of war, breakdown of public order and public safety in the federation or any part therefore requiring extraordinary measures to avert such danger etc.

There is no place in the entire section 305 that allows

the president to decapitate the elected office holders yet we witnessed during president Obasanjo’s administration the removal from office of some Governors like Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti because of proclamation of state of emergency. The basic principle of interpretation is that you do not read into a document what is not in the document. Today, the bad precedence has been laid and it is regrettable that attempt to correct this bad precedence through judicial pronouncement was frustrated as in the case of Plateau. State v. A.G. Federation (2006)25 WRN 1.

We now need an amendment to expressly add that the proclamation of a State of emergency does not empower the president to remove the Governor or any of elected office holder unless as provided by the constitution.

If this is not done, I bet you that tomorrow, a president may rise, declare a state of emergency in a State and remove the elected office holders in that State citing what President Obasanjo did as precedence.

•To be concluded Mr. Anyadubalu, a lawyer wrote from Lagos

Human rights violations: A case against impunity?

Continues from page 36 institutions. (ii) Visit all places of detention in Nigeria and promptly and impartially examine any allegation of torture therein. (iii) Ensure that education and information regarding the prohibition against torture are fully included in the training of law enforcement personnel, civil or military, medical personnel, public officials and other persons who may be involved in the custody, interrogation treatment of any individual subjected to any form or arrest, detention or imprisonment. (iv) Keep under systematic review, interrogation rules, instructions, methods and practices as well as arrangements for the custody and treatment of persons subjected to any form of arrest, detention or imprisonment, with a view to preventing any cases of torture. (v) Prepare quarterly briefings to the AGF on cases of torture and propose appropriate administrative and judicial intervention. (vi) Propose Anti-Torture Legislation; and (vii) Further develop a National AntiTorture Policy.

Nevertheless, how much of these mandates that have been actualized is still within the realm of imagination, as

cases of Police brutality and extra-legal measures meted against Nigerians everyday remains a reality.

It is equally a reality that over 80 per cent of Nigerians languishing in various prisons across the country today are awaiting trial inmates, despite that section 35(4) and (5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that any person arrested or detained upon reasonable suspicion of having committed a criminal offence shall be brought before a court of law within a reasonable time, and if he is not tried within a period of (a) Two months from the date of his arrest or detention in the case of a person who is in custody or is not entitled to bail; or (b) Three months from the date of his arrest or detention in the case of a person who has been released on bail. The Constitution further stipulates that such person shall (without prejudice to any further proceedings brought against him) be released either unconditionally or upon such conditions that are reasonably necessary to ensure that he appears for trial at a later date.

Lamenting the flagrant denial of these rights to Nigerians, the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, through its National President, Chief Okey Wali, SAN, maintained that “no provision of the Law or the Constitution gives the State

Security Service or the Military or the Police the right to detain suspects ad infinitum,” stressing that “nothing therefore justifies the detention of insurgents by agencies not empowered to detain them.

According to NBA, “Nothing justifies the refusal of the said agencies to hand over the insurgents to the Nigerian Police Force. And nothing justifies the NPF in joining other security agencies in detaining insurgents without trial. Nothing justifies the holding of persons suspected of having committed a criminal offence without trial.

“After all, section 36 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed to be innocent until he is proved guilty.

“We also want to reiterate that Nigeria has an obligation to investigate allegations of extrajudicial executions by security agencies. There is nothing shameful about acknowledging mistakes and indiscretions and pledging to make amends. Denying cases of extra judicial executions and unlawful detentions in the face of overwhelming evidence can only diminish our prestige and respect in the country of nations.

“There is no doubt that extra-judicial execution by the

Nigerian Police amounts to a disregard of the duty to organize the apparatus of the state in such a manner as to guarantee the rights recognized in the African Charter. It is also our view that by carrying out or tolerating actions directed toward effecting extra-legal executions, by not investigating them adequately or diligently, and by not punishing those responsible, the State violates the duty to respect the rights recognized in the African Charter and to ensure their free and full exercise, both by the alleged victim and by his next of kin, and for society as a whole to know what happened.

“We therefore call on the Federal Government to investigate all the allegations of extra judicial executions and torture leveled against the various branches of the security agencies. Impunity will persist so long as cases of this nature are not investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.”

Meantime, as the blame game continues, it is the earnest desire of Nigerians to witness such a time when the protection of their constitutionally guaranteed rights will become top priority in the agenda of those they entrusted with the mantle of governance.

40 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

Edited by MCPHILIPS NWACHUKWU 08026350360 E-mail: chimeena@yahoo.com

Left - R, The host, Chief Newton Jibunoh, the celebrant, Prof. J.P.Clark and others at the event

A scintilating display of The Urhobo dance

An Evening with J.P. Clark I

T was indeed an experience of a lifetime last week at Didi museum, Lagos as the proprietor of the five star gallery of contemporary arts, Chief Newton Jibunoh rolled out drums in honour of one of Africa’s finest poets, playwrights and scholars, John Peppe Clark.

The event tagged , Poetry and Jazz with JP Clark which held in the court yard of the museum according to Jibunoh was packaged in honour “ of one of my best friends, J.P.Clark, for his birthday and what he represents for the art industry”.

It was a well attended event as notable Nigerians, friends, colleagues, lovers of art and former students of the celebrant from all walks of life took out time to celebrate with the host and the celebrant, who no doubt deserves all the accolades heaped on him on the ground of his giant strides in the field of knowledge production and dissemination.

Real night of poetry Interestingly, the event turned out to be one that will be remembered for a long time to come as members of the audience, especially Clark’s huge admirers were treated to a real night of poetry laced with special jazz rendition by the legendary performer, Jimi Solanke.

Notable personalities graced the evening. They include: the celebrant, Prof J.P Clark and wife, Prof. Ebun

Clark, Prof. Omololu Soyembo, Chief Akin Disu, Sam Amuka, Chief J.K. Randle, Erelu Abiola Dosumu, Mr Ben Bruce, Ambassador Clark, Chief Inie Iniakhere, Tam Fiofori, Chief Mrs. Francesca Emmanuel and Sonny Irabor who moderated.

The night kicked off with a special rendition of one of the newest poems

by J.P Clark titled One man and the desert by Adanma Jibunoh, the grand daughter of Newton Jibunoh. In a special tone, the little Jibunoh recited the lines of the poem devoted to Jibunoh’s desert adventure and avid campaign on desertification and global change.

This was followed by a special performance of South Africa’s Zulu dance by the Atilogu dance group and

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By JAPHET ALAKAM

A student of Pachelli School for the blind reciting a poem

Adanma Jibunoh reciting a poem

After the students, Jimi Solanke showed the other side of his life when he took to the stage and presented a special rendition of J.P Clark’s poem, After the Night followed by Lindsay Barret.

This was followed with another rec-

poems by J.P. Clark. But it was the vice Principal of the school, Helen Gordon who brought out the pictorial value of poetry reading with her rendition of one of the famous poems by J.P. Clark titled Casualties.

After this rendition, Jimi Solanke came back with an Urhobo dance which changed the mood of the night as the dance company thrilled the audience with their spectacular dance steps.

In his remarks, Jibunoh who expressed satisfaction with the quality attendance that graced the event said that the moment was his own way of celebrating the birthday of his special friend. He described J.P Clark’s poems “as poems that have always left me in emotional transition between reality and sanity ”, adding that “the poem written for him by J.P. Clark which was recited by my grand daughter is one of the nicest things that has ever happened to me”.

On his part, Prof. J.P.Clark commended Chief Jibunoh for the wonderful honour done to him and thanked all for coming to honour him.

He described J.P. Clark’s poems as poems that have always left him in emotional transition between reality and sanity

thereafter the students of Pachelli School for the blind rendered some of the poems by J.P Clark. The students ably led by their teachers showed the stuff they were made of as they recited many poems to the delight of the audience.

Some of the poems read include; The climate change, The order of our time, The Vulture choice, Night Rain, Victoria Island, One Country and Casualties.

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itation by some guests in attendance.

But the star attraction was the one by the anchor man, Soni Irabor who hilariously exhibited his reading prowess when he read a poem titled Dinner, a poem that talks about Lagos life and its traffic problem.

Jimi Solanke then came up with a jazz hour for the dinner and at the end of the jazz hour, the students of the Grange School Ikeja took over with beautiful rendition of selected

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 —41

Reason for the initiative was a victim of the emergency pro nouncement of the change in the pump price of PMS in January this year.

I travelled to Epe and at the fuel station along the Lekki-Epe Expressway; I bought some fuel at the cost of N65 per liter on my way. After the programme, while returning, I stopped at the same filling station which had begun selling at N141, the attendant was telling me that if I have not heard the pump price of fuel ? They told me that the government have removed subsidy on PMS. I had no other choice but to buy. The next day the NLC started mobilizing Nigerians for the protest against the increase in the pump price of PMS. I took up the assignment to cover the protest march around Lagos. I covered each day of the protest.

Under what circumstances did you shoot some of these pictures? Were there challenges?

There was no challenges really because I had experience covering similar events and even in more dangerous settings. So going into the crowd is much easier for me to shoot really than anywhere else. As a documentary photographer taking sides is not really my job. It is simply to document what is happening at a particular place and time through images.

As at the time you were taking these shots, were you thinking of this initiative? Did it ever occur to you that you might want to exhibit them?

Not at all. I have inspirations from the likes of Nigerian Photographer, Pa Peter Obe, Uncle Tam Fiofori and Pa Ojeikere works. I learnt that you catch a moment for future records. I have opportunity of using Pa Peter Obe’s works as reference during my final year project in school at Yaba College of technology where he covered the Nigerian Civil War. Those things were the benchmark I worked with. It later occurred to me that ‘why not document this moment that captured the people’s protest against a National policy of removal of subsidy that has affected all classes of people. We had the rich and the poor coming out at the sometime to say no to a particular policy with varying points of views converging. It was a moment to cover.

I

Documenting historical moment K

UNLE Ogunfuyi is an award-winning THISDAYLIVE Photo Editor. The Lagos-based artist has produced outstanding images in editorial, documentary, and portrait. Poised to capture images that speak, his artistic effort has earned him the Most Outstanding Photograph of the Year Award at the Nigerian Photography Awards 2012.

With over 10 years of experience in photography, Ogunfuyi’s works are stride-breaking. Having being tutored at the Yaba College of Technology and the New York Institute of Photography, his background in art has given him the leverage to produce competitive works. In this interview, Kunle spoke about his exhibition, Flashback on Nigeria’s Protest: A Lagos Account taking place from January 10 to 17, 2013

How would you describe the attitude of the average Lagosian to a photojournalist?

To shoot on a regular day without a protest march in a place like Lagos Island, you will be surprised that as soon as you bring out your camera to shoot about three area boys will sur-

round you and even seize your camera. But the protest made it easier in that even the masses wanted to be seen because they knew I was recording the message that they wanted to get across to the government through our medium. If you have ever walked into the then rowdy Oshodi market without

Stephanie’s Dry makes case for Women

By PRISCA SAM-DURU

N

OLLYWOOD A-lister Stephanie Okereke is set to storm the Cinemas with another blockbuster movie titled ‘Dry’. The Film which comes after her last successful movie, “Through The Glass” according to the Imo state born actress, film director, model and producer, is a film that xrays activities in the Nigerian Health Care System with the view of addressing some of the pressing issues affecting women.

Dry which the New York Film Academy trained diva says would be out next year, is going to be taken round the entire 36 states of the federation including FCT. The multiple award winner further hinted Vanguard Arts that the whole essence of the film is to educate women on how to go through successful child delivery processes. According to her, “It is a film that we plan taking to the rural areas, and to ensure it gets the desired result, the film will be translated into different languages”.

Continuing she added that “It promises to be released as an exposition of so many things women encounter during child delivery which are hitherto not made public, so as to help us improve on the health system we have already”.

Starring actors and actresses such as Liz Benson, Olu Jacobs, herself and many other Nollywood stars, as well as those from Kaniwood, Dry is not only going to be a film for Nigeria, but promises to travel round other African Countries. It is an entertaining film with some elements of humour that will be presented as a reflection of society in order to bring to light, the plight of women in the world.

“The rate at which women die through child birth in Nigeria is quite alarming and nobody talks about it. In Nigeria and in fact Africa, women are known to be more vulnerable in certain circumstances and this is what the movie sets to address. So, from the content, people will get to draw lessons and find a way to help salvage •Stephanie the condition of women in the country. “ She explained.

obtaining permission from the head of the area boys or the market head before taking pictures, one could be in trouble.

Is there a distinction between being a photographer and a photojournalist?

They both record moments. The photojournalists turn the pictures to news that tell stories. The photographer also covers events for documentation. It depends on how you see it but there is little or no difference. Almost all photographers are essentially documentary photographers.

On the value that Nigerians place on art works, how would you rate the artistic appreciation for artworks in contemporary times in Nigeria?

Art is not just all about painting, sculpture, fabric, ceramics and printmaking. Art is all about human expression and not just for the elite alone. You can find an average Nigerian in his office has some paintings on the wall.

It may not necessarily be the real painting. It may just be the reproduction of the original or a less expensive roadside painting.

Expensive roadside painting

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ost people now have pictures of some monuments or festivals and other things that they appreciate in their collection. But what is most important is for the artist himself to appreciate what he is doing.

Has the socio-economic structure affected the appreciation for art in any way?

That is not absolutely true. If you don’t like something then you don’t like it. If you like an expensive shoe, you can go for it even if you don’t have the cash handy, you can save for it. If you truly love something, you go for it. If you ever have an opportunity to visit Omoba Yemisi Shyllon’s house in Lagos, it is like a museum. He didn’t get every art work there in a single day but gradually.

Some rich people don’t even collect art works at all so it is not really correct to say art is for the rich or only the rich appreciate art works. The harsh economy situation has reduced its patronage of art in the real sense.

42—Vanguard , THURSDAY THURSDAY,, DECEMBER 13, 2012

Bode Adedeji: “Land Act anachronistic and anti-development”.

some state governments have introduced new Land Use Decrees which could circumvent the provisions of the Land Use Act 1987 and attempt to persuade all those who were under 1978 Act to embrace the new law.

“Since the various state governments have grossly abused the implementation of the 1978 Act, such that the law can no longer tackle the problems it was intended to solve before 1978, the Act should be removed from the constitution and abolished,” he said, adding that the country should return to the pre-1978 status.

A Lagos-based Estate Surveyor and Valuer, Mr. Stephen Jagun argued that there would be no meaningful growth in the real sector if land continues to be under the firm grips of state governors.

Title at the land registry

A housing estate in Lagos: Difficulties in securing land cause prices to escalate

Land Use Act: A monster crippling housing development

Emeka Eleh: “Remove Act from constitution.”

••Stakeholders seek its removal from Constitution

BY JUDE NJOKU

M

R. CHRIS Okechukwu works with a Shipping company in Lagos. He bought a piece of land from a family at Isheri Oshun,off the LagosBadagry expressway a few years ago and was in the process of developing it when the Government masquerading under the Law Use Act, confiscated the property.

Okechukwu who got a notice from his landlord to quit his three-bedroom accommodation ruminated over the loss and told Vanguard Features, VF that he would have packed into his own apartment long ago but for the seizure of the land without compensation because he didn’t have a certificate of occupancy, C of O. There are many Nigerians in Okechukwu’s shoes in various parts of the country who have lost their land, courtesy of this 34 year-old legislation.

The 1978 Land Use Act is unarguably one of the most contentious legislations in the Nigeria today. The law which seeks to regulate ownership of land was the brainchild of the immediate past president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo when he first presided over Nigeria as a Military dictator between 1975 and 1979.

In a bid to retain the law in the statute books even after he had left office, the Obasanjo-led Supreme Military Council

The ACT THE Land Use Act vests all land in the territory of a State on the Governor of that State, and vests the Governor with the power to grant statutory right of occupancy to persons.

It prohibits the alienation of a statutory right of occupancy without the consent of the Governor. The Act is made up of eight parts of fifty-one sections. It addresses four important issues arising from the former land tenure systems in Nigeria: The problem of lack of uniformity in the laws governing land-use and ownership; the issue of uncontrolled speculation in urban land; the question of access to land rights by Nigerians on equal legal basis; and the issue of fragmentation of rural lands arising from either the application of traditional principles of inheritance or population growth and the consequent pressure on land.

The Act altered the existing land laws in the Southern part of the country as it removed corporate groups, families and chiefs from the trusteeship of land and replaced them with the State Governor.

While on the one hand urban lands were placed under the control and management of the Governor of the State with a ‘Land Use and Allocation Committee’ as an advisory body, on the other, ‘other lands’ were placed under the control and management of the Local Government in which the land is situated with ‘the Land Allocation Advisory Committee’ made the Land Use Decree an integral part of the Constitution which he handed over to the Alhaji Shehu Shagari-led Federal Government. Since then, the Act which is seen as the greatest clog in the wheel of housing development in the country, has remained part of the constitution, despite sustained efforts by built environment stakeholders to have it expunged and reviewed so as to make access to land for

housing and other developmental initiatives, less cumbersome.

Drawbacks

The Act, as implemented by the government of most states, according to Mr. Joseph Osakwe, a Fellow of the Nigerian Economic Society, has become a source of political and social abuse. Most importantly, it has given rise to unprecedented corruption in the Ministry that processes the

Certificate of Occupancy.

“The level of corruption starts from the messenger that carries applicants’ files and rises to the level of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry. The Governor gives the final approval. In the states, social miscreants who call themselves Omo Oniles particularly in the South-West states, insist on having their share before any meaningful construction work can be done, to the detriment of the land owners.

As a result, the process of obtaining the C of O is not only time-consuming but also unduly expensive. Meanwhile, citizens who have C of O are generally at the mercy of government which frequently uses the document as an instrument of generating revenues, which can be increased at will,” he said.

Continuing, he noted that

“Land has become so expensive because unlike what used to obtain, you could buy a piece of land from either the community, an individual or from even a company and you go and register that title at the Land Registry. Once it is registered, it becomes a bankable document. Today, it is not so; you go and pay the usual fee and you take the document that they give to you and the survey plan to the government who will then issue you a certificate of occupancy, C of O. At the end of it all, it is just double payment, and the C of O is a document that one waits for ages for. The whole process has failed. The Military which promulgated the Land Use Decree said the reason they did so was to make land accessible to more Nigerians than before.

But from our own experience, the reverse has been the case.

Fewer people now have access to land. Instead of the variety of supply that we had, now we have only one supplier, that is the government. Once the supply is restricted, the effect is an increase in price. The principal beneficiary of the Land Use Act is the Governor and nobody else,” he said

Calls for removal of Act from the Constitution F

OLLOWING the ongoing moves by the National Assembly to amend sections of the Constitution that are no longer in tune with present realities, built environment experts and stakeholders have risen with one voice to call for the removal of the Act from the Constitution to make its amendment/review less cumbersome.

Immediate past President of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers,

NIESV, Mr. Bode Adediji who described the 1978 land legislation as anachronistic and anti-development however noted that it is not altogether a bad law. He however faulted its implementation and the lack of political will to review some policies that exhibit certain problems.

According to him, “a situation where two private companies and individuals would seek to borrow money and you have to Continues on page 43

Vanguard , THURSDAY THURSDAY,, DECEMBER 13, 2012 —43

Statecraft in the African Renaissance amidst regime change (3) This is the concluding part of the paper delivered by Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, at the 2012 Achebe Colloquium on Africa held at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island USA. The second part was published yesterday.

Housing estate in Igbogbo Ikorodu under construction: Access to land hampers such schemes Continues from page 42 go to the Governor of a State to get his consent before you can mortgage your property is totally anachronistic and antidevelopment”.

“If a bank trusts me to be able to give me money and I am pledging my property in return, Government , has no business in that transaction,” he said and called on the National Assembly to immediately review the Act. His words: “These areas of deficiency in the Land Use Act Senate president, David Mark are known to the powers that be, Use Act in the proposed review of the especially members of the National 1999 constitution.

Assembly. Why has it taken them so Eleh made the plea in Benin City, long to make amendments to all shortly after he led his group on these, when in the life of this nation, a courtesy call on the Oba of Benin occasions have arisen in the past .“We have already submitted a position where they had to summon an paper on the on-going constitution emergency session to enact some review. We want the Land Use Act fresh laws? What we are saying is this; removed from the constitution because the seriousness of any government in being in the constitution makes it any country could be determined by difficult to amend. It is because that law the passion, attention and time is in the constitution that it has been devoted to look into all documents difficult to amend, “ Mr. Eleh said. relating to the enabling environment As a fallout of the controversial for business opportunities”. legislation, the NIESV President

Apart from Lagos, other State Governors who utilise the Act as a potent weapon to settle political friends and deal with political foes, would also raise fronts against the removal of the Act from the Constitution; it would require at least 23 states voting for the amendment for it to sail through

,

Also speaking on the need to remove the Act from the Constitution so that it would be easy to amend, a Lagosbased private developer, Mr. Kelechi Mbagwu, said the law is no longer relevant in the scheme of things.

Highlighting the bottlenecks developers go through in the process of acquiring land and the title documents, Mbagwu who is the Managing Director of CMB Building Maintenance and Investment Co. Limited, declared: “We don’t see the real use of the Act. It doesn’t make sense and should be scrapped”.

President of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Mr. Emeka Eleh also admonished the National Assembly to seriously consider the amendment of the Land

government in terms of ground rent and tenement rate collection. As it is now, it seems government is shortchanging itself,” he said.

The Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, NIS has also joined estate surveyors in canvassing for the removal of the Land Use Act from the Constitution to foster easy amendment.

Instead of making it a constitutional issue with all its encumbrances in terms of amendment, the NIS President, Mr. Bode Adeaga suggested that it should rather be made an Act of Parliament for easy amendment.

Adeaga said, “We have submitted memorandum on the Land Use Act, titling and mapping, land documentation and boundary issues.

Our suggestion is that the Land Use Act, which vested ownership on the purview of state governments, be taken out of the constitution and made an Act of Parliament in other to simplify the process of amendment”.

He also argued that the Land Use Act undermined surveying profession, stressing that there was no place in it where the role of surveyors was mentioned.

Likely oppositions

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disclosed that only about five percent of land in the country have titles, (this means that 95 percent of land in Nigeria are dead assets). He therefore called for urgent land reforms.

“No nation can develop without reforming its land tenure system to ensure that land owners have the legal and proprietary title to their land,” he said and enjoined the government to take steps that will ensure that land in the country is registered and covered by title to encourage investment and wealth creation among land owners.

According to him, land tenure system should be reformed to attract economic value because land is a major source of income for governments in developed countries. “If all land has title, it will be a major source of income for

Although all the built environment experts and stakeholders who spoke to VF were unanimous in calling for the removal of the Land Use Act from the Constitution so that it would be easy to amend, fears are rife that the various state governments and their chief executives, will use all their might to resist the present move to oust the act from the statute books.

As Mr. Mbagwu pointed out, a State like Lagos which rakes in billions of Naira from land transactions, would do everything to resist any attempt to amend the Act. Lagos sees land as its own black gold hence the various land use laws aimed at maximising proceeds from property owners in the State. Apart from Lagos, other State Governors who utilise the Act as a potent weapon to settle political friends and deal with political foes, would also raise fronts against the removal of the Act from the Constitution. It would require at least 23 states voting for the amendment to sail through and experts fear that it may be hard to garner this figure in support of the expurgation of the Act from the Constitution.

I

NTERESTINGLY, it is only in Yoruba land, and I stand to be corrected, where the problem of abandoned properties did not afflict the Igbos.

They returned after the war to rightfully claim properties they had deserted in flight in the aftermath of the crisis. It is instructive to also recall that, when Lagos State Military Government many decades after the war tried to expropriate Ojukwu’s property in Lagos, it was a Yoruba lawyer who prosecuted the case successfully on his behalf.

In my own home, Ojukwu was most welcome. He and my uncle started primary school the same day and remained lifelong friends until he passed. It was, therefore, a duty to honour him as I did at his funeral when I said: “Ikemba, as he was fondly called was an illustrious Nigerian, a dogged fighter and an accomplished individual, whose footprints and legacies on Nigeria’s political landscape have earned him a secure place in its Hall of Fame”.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I hope I speak for my generation if I say we understand how difficult things were at the time. We salute the men and women who kept our nation together, especially those who paid the supreme price to do so.

Surmounting the challenges The only way we can honour their memory is not to re-open the old wounds, but to resolve that never again will our people’s blood be spilled by their own people in order to harness the diversity of our people and make our union more perfect.

It is by making this kind of resolve that we can gain from that conflict and use the lessons to surmount the challenges that stand in the way of our journey to the promise of our nation.

This is why I have inaugurated the biennial Kuramo conference that seeks to provoke the formulation of a new globlal legal order which in my view will unlock the closed doors inhibit the progress of the African continent.

One of its recent gains is the inauguration of the Lagos Court of Arbitration which will help keep arbitration business and practice in Africa instead of exporting them to Europe.

The Kuramo also seeks to repartriate Africa’s stolen wealth back home, develop a global standard for environmental clean up after oil spillages, reduce the proliferation of small arms amongst many other objectives that I think are laudable.

These for me must be some of the utilitarian values and pre-requisites of Statecraft in the 21st Century in Nigeria, West Africa and every part of the civilized world.

44—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

A BOOK YOU MUST READ

Ile-Ife: City of 201 gods (3) The imagined sacred city, findings of Western explorers,the Ile-Ife and ancient kingdom of Benin connection stories IFA: Divination Rituals and the New Yam Festival

I

N the first three chapters of this book, I alluded to the role of Ifa divination and Ifa priests in various rituals in the sacred city, especially those relating to the resolution of the conflicts between Oduduwa and Obatala. I will devote this chapter to the place of Ifa divination and the Ifa deity in regulating and managing the spiritual and social affairs of the city and will introduce the myths and rituals of Orunmila, also known as Ifa, the Yoruba god of divination; Ifa divinatory practices; and the religious, ethical, and thought systems espoused in the rich Ifa divination texts, otherwise known as ese Ifa or Ifa divination poetry.

By analyzing certain related festivals of Ifa—Odun Egbodo Ooni (the King’s New Yam Festival), Odun Agboniregun (the Diviners’ New Yam Ceremony), and the annual Ifa Festival, together with the sacred narratives associated with them, I will show how the symbols and rituals of Ifa sanctify the sacred city. Ifa has a pivotal role in maintaining and legitimizing the Ooni’s sacred kingship and the lineage identity of Ifa devotees, particularly the Araba, the chief priest of Ifa, just as the sacred kingship legitimizes Ifa’s authority as the spokesperson for the 201 divinities of the Ile-Ife pantheon.

IFA IN THEORY AND IN PRACTICE In traditional and contemporary Yoruba culture and society, the Ifa divination system occupies a vital role in ordering and regulating the social and moral order. In addition to providing a plausible theory and practice aimed at explaining and controlling events, space, and time, Ifa represents a boidy of deep knowledge that deals with the past, present and future all at once. The Babalawo or diviners memorize Ifa as poetic oral texts and recite them on appropriate occasions, especially during rituals to secure healing and good health for clients.

As a prelude to examining the rituals and ceremonies of Ifa in

Ile-Ife, it is useful to discuss the practice,logic and meaning of Ifa. The Ifa divination system of belief and ritual practices derives its authority in Ile-Ife from the sacred kingship and the lineage traditions of the diviners. The ritual and ceremonies discussed later in this chapter follow the archetypal format upon which Ifa beliefs and practices throughout Yorubaland, if not abroad, are based.

The Yoruba consult Ifa diviners on a wide range of personal, social and religious matters: for example, before undertaking an important obligation such as marriage, travelling to a distant place, and whenever they are in doubt.

They use divination in situations of serious illness, especially when the illness is prolonged. Below, I interpret the symbolic and metaphysical meanings surrounding an Ifa consultation. As in the consultation that my research assistant sought in the Araba's house, a client visits a Babalawo to determine the cause of a problem, typically a physical ailment. The client sits on a mat in front of the diviner while the Babalawo lays out his divination paraphernalia, which consists of a divinatory chain of linked half nuts and a tray of yellowish pollen. The client takes a coin, touches his forehead with it, and whispers into it his prayer or request, asking Ifa to reveal the secret behind his problem and to find an appropriate solution. He places the coin in front of the diviner, touching his chain with the coin as if conveying the request to it.

The diviner begins the session by invoking Ifa and reciting the words that begin this chapter. Ifa is showered with presents to assist in the process. The diviner requests that Ifa not mislead his

,

YESTERDAY

Chief Eri, the priestess of Moremi

of Ifa. Each signature stands for an odu (divinatory sign or symbol), and each odu is linked to several verses of oral poems that interpret it. The diviner then recites the odu that appears in the divination castings. The client listens carefully, and after the recitation comments on whether any of the poems is relevant to his illness. At this stage the client may reveal to the diviner the nature of his inquiry. The diviner will interpret the text and, through further questioning, arrive at a definite cause of his client’s problem.

The diviner will prescribe the

The centre of the divining tray, like the centre of the world, is the link to the centre of heaven, the abode of the Supreme God (OIodumare) and the storehouse of sacred knowledge required to discover the “secrets” surrounding the client’s ailment

client. The invocation also allows the diviner to pay homage to the spirit world, the ancestors, the great diviners before him, and the four directions of the Yoruba universe as he moves the chain to the front, back, left, right, and center of the tray, acknowledging all the relevant spiritual forces connected to the process. To cast the divination, the diviner holds the chain in the middle and throws it on the mat, making a “U” shape on the floor, so that four nuts fall on each side. The nuts will expose either convex or concave sides, thus displaying sixteen possible forms of the “signature”

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appropriate remedy, usually a sacrificial ritual and the use of medicinal herbs.

Although the most frequently employed form of divination involves the use of the opele chain, a more prestigious and elaborate form of divination, the ikin, involves the use of sixteen palm nuts. The diviner takes the palm nuts from a beautifully carved divination bowl into one hand. He then attempts to grab with his other hand most of the palm nuts in his first hand, leaving one or two.

He marks the result of the exercise in the powder in the divination tray. When one palm nut is

left in the other hand, the diviner makes two marks, and when two ikin are left, he makes one mark.

When no palm nuts remain, he makes no mark. This process is done several times until the diviner can make four signs on each side of the tray. Each divination session produces an odit divination sign out of the 256 possible signs. The process of reciting the odu that appears to the client is similar to the above divinatory session with the opele.

Below is an example of verses from an odu called Eji Ogbe, which explains how important divination practice is on earth.

Ko sibi ti afefe ki i fe e de Ko sibi ti iji ki i ja a de A d'ifa fun Ojise Olodumare Eni ti Olodumare ran wa sile aye Eni ran'ni nise la a beru A ki i beru eni ta a je fun Olowo ori mi ko je t'Ikole orun bo wa s'Ikole aye Olowo ori mi o re'bi Kankan To fi n se gbogbo ohun ti o fe e se Eni to ba ko'ti ikun s'Ifa Eniyankeniyan to ni eni wo'fa o logbon lori Enikeni to ni eni n wofa n sese ibi O setan to fe e lo s'alakeji Ojo to jade nile koje pada wale omo Ebi iru won nii jese owo o won Enikeni o gbodo so pe Ifa o nii se e Ohun t'Ifa ba so nii fun babalawo lounje Eni to n'Ifa n puro o lere kankan.

There is no place that the wind does not blow.

There is no place that the hurricane does not blow.

Who divines for the messenger

that Olodumare the Supreme sends on an errand?

He who sends you on an errand He [whom) only you will respect.

Your Master never travels from heaven above.

Your Lord does not go out visiting.

Your Lord stays in one place and accomplishes everything he wants to bring about.

Whoever refuses to obey the diviners’ words, Whoever says the client’s work is not good, Should be prepared to see Olodumare in heaven [i.e., be prepared to die].

When the enemy leaves his house, he will not return home.

The family he leaves behind will have to take charge of his affairs.

No one must doubt the stories of the diviners. The stories the diviners tell provide for their daily bread.

The enemy who says the diviners are lying will make no progress in life.

In this powerful narrative the heavenly Ifa commands his devotees to take the work of the diviners seriously and spells out consequences for disobedience.

Ifa diviners see this passage as proclaiming the authority given to them by Orunmila to control, determine, and mediate the affairs of the living. The diviner’s role recalls that of the Holy Spirit, who according to Christ’s promise would guide the affairs of the world after Christ departed.

The Logic and Meaning of Ifa African societies recognize two forms of divination: the mechanical and the mystical. The mechanical form involves manipulating divining instruments or objects to arrive at an appropriate answer and treatment for the client. The mystical form centers on possession by a deity and appeal to a deity. In discussing the !Kung or San divination system, Lorna Marshall has argued that mechanical forms of divination fall into the category of magic and “secular” rather than religious forms because they involve no communication with mystical powers. But although Ifa divination is primarily mechanical, the preamble to an Ifa divination session indicates that mystical powers in control of the cosmos are invoked.

Ifa divination is also premised on the communication process between the diviner and the spiritual agencies responsible for proper divination performances.

Continues on page 45

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012—45

A BOOK YOU MUST READ Continues from page 44

The front of Ifa The back of Ifa, The right side of Ifa, The all-knowing on the left, the center of Ifa, The center of heaven From the dawn of the day to the setting of the sun, Never say it is good when the message is evil Never say it is evil when the message is good.

Never speak in a voice of deceit!

These lyrics are the diviner’s invocation to Ifa, spoken as a prayer to guide his consultation rightly so that an unequivocal truth may emerge. By his invocations, the diviner symbolically dramatizes the creation of the cosmos, the three layers of the Yoruba world. At the core of the divination is the idea that the universe and its events are guided

by Ifa. He is the regulator of events in the universe (Agbayegun), and his divination process and activities bring order to a potentially chaotic universe. That spiritual order is symbolized by the regulating grid of the four cardinal points of the universe plus the center, the fifth and the most central point.

The five important axes of power are replicated in the Ifa divination tray, usually carved out of wood, which represents the universe. The circular tray is a replica or “reproduction, on the human scale, of the cosmos [and] of Creation itself. It is an imago mundi, an image of the original world order." At times in the course of divination, the Babalawo may trace these axes in the yellow powder on the Ifa tray, indicating the connection between the four cardinal points and the center.

The center of the divining tray, like the center of the world, is the link to the center of heaven, the abode of the Supreme God (OIodumare) and the storehouse of sacred knowledge required to discover the “secrets” surrounding the client’s ailment, the hidden forces that have produced it. This is analogous to Victor Turner’s C M Y K

Lokoloko (palace guards) holding whips made of branches during the Olojo Festival

Ile-Ife: City of 201 gods (3) notion of the center “out there;’ a place outside the immediate domain of the client, which nevertheless can be accessed through divination.

The act of touching the divining chain or opele on the four cardinal points and then the center of the tray captures a complex religious symbolism. By this visually significant act, the tray becomes the earthly sacred center from which the diviner makes present the heavenly center and the ultimate storehouse of Ifa's knowledge.”

Ifa divination connects the diviner ’s probing act with the source of the client’s being, the ori (personal destiny). By this process, divination exposes the client’s destiny, the realities that influence his development, and the configuration of sacred powers that governs the world's ceaseless transformations.

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William Bascom remarked that the result is influenced by divine guidance. As in the divination process used by the Ainu of Japan, an invocation and prayer to the mystical forces precede the actual mechanical manipulation of the divinatory instrument. 5 The invocation of Ifa provides an important clue to the logic of the divination mechanism. Here we focus on the Ifa divination’ performance for healing, and our exploration of its three, stagesconsultation, diagnosis, and sacrifice-must begin with the ritual invocation. It is a poetic ritual prayer addressed to the relevant cosmic powers (the gods, ancestors, spirits) that the diviners know could influence the outcome of the client’s diagnosis.

The Ifa ritual invocation that I witnessed in 1991 was intoned as follows:

ings, open-air services, and nightly vigils taking place in the city, a newly emergent form of discourse is pushing evangelical Christian activities beyond the arena of the churches and private spirituality to public spaces, thereby directly challenging the orisa-based civil religion that has been in place. I should add that whereasin the Western world the crisis of modernity often connotes a struggle between religion, and secularity, Ile-Ife's current struggle over the negotiation of modernity concerns which form of religion will control its center and civic life.

This newer negotiation of modernity is driven by generally exclusivist religious movements whose theology subsumes the entire cosmos and its inhabitants under a single divine order, ruled over by a Supreme God. This theology renders implausible the older order, according to which there

Members of these new Christian movements are targeting the sacred authority of the Ooni, and Ile-Ife civil religion more generally, because they realize that debunking the legitimacy of the sacred canopy-the guardianship of religious pluralism-will make it possible to destroy all indigenous non-Christian Yoruba traditions

CONVERSION AND THE NEW FACE OF MODERNITY IN ILE-IFE Today, in Ile-Ife and throughout Yorubaland, newer Pentecostal, evangelical, and "born-again” Christian movements that first emerged in the 1970s and 1980s are challenging the institution of the sacred kingship and the pluralistic order that has existed for over a century. These movements epitomize a new form of modernity encroaching upon Ile-Ife. Amid hundreds of evangelical Christian programs, revival meet-

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exists not only the sacred kingship but also a diverse range of spirits and ancestors. As a result, this shift of sacred power and authority-from rulers and principalities that inhabit the living world to a single divine order inhabiting an invisible world (called heaven)-creates significant tension between devotees of the orisa and members of the new, predominantly Christian, movements. In short, these new movements challenge existing assumptions about what it means to be human in the cosmos and how civil authority is to be understood. Ac-

cording to these new movements, all kings are simply human beings. Thus no king has any inherent religious or earthly authority that gives him power as head of the community, as the chief priest of the local civil religion.

Central to this message is an emphasis on the personal salvation of individual converts. Moreover, unlike indigenous traditions, which were concerned with the temporal domain and a thisworldly proximate salvation, the new movements place significant emphasis on otherworldly salvation and benefits. Kings have become more concerned with their own personal salvation than with the proximate salvation of their people as a whole. Each individual is left to fight for his or her own salvation.

Members of these new Christian movements are targeting the sacred authority of the Ooni, and Ile-Ife civil religion more generally, because they realize that debunking the legitimacy of the sacred canopy-the guardianship of religious pluralism-will make it possible to destroy all indigenous non-Christian Yoruba traditions.

While this kind of exclusivity is often associated with the European and American missionary enterprises of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, I have shown that their accommodationist orientation actually tended to support a role for indigenously based Yoruba civil religion. Rather, native Yoruba are driving this second, far less tolerant, mode of conversion. Although the new Christian movements are part of a global effort to usher in a universal Christian moral and social order, the conversion tactics employed by native inhabitants of Ile-Ife are specifically adapted to their local context. These individuals are able to explore and exploit, to their advantage, their knowledge of the indigenous orisa tradition in order to turn that tradition against itself. They draw upon the indigenous tradition’s

pragmatic orientation - its emphasis on religion’s use value - but claim that indigenous beliefs and practices no longer have such use value because they no longer meet people’s needs.

Thus these new movements often blame disorderly events - particularly those perceived to be obstructing societal progress - on the continuance of traditional orisa religious practices and ways of life, which are regarded as “pagan." Among these events are pestilence, natural disaster, famine, disease (especially the AIDS epidemic), and military coups, all of which are seen as signs of divine anger and Satan’s presence.

Paradoxically, whereas indigenous religions have claimed that they were indeed performing rituals, engaging in calendrical ceremonies and holding festivals to explain, predict, and control natural phenomena, the new Christian movements have claimed that destructive natural phenomena and events are caused by the continuation of these very “pagan” rituals and festivals. Evangelical Christianity’s desire to trump indigenous religious symbols and practices has effectively devolved into a declaration of hostility and war against indigenous traditions. As the cultured despisers of indigenous practices, these new Christian movements aim at doing away with any forms of local knowledge, language, and ethos, even when they do not have any apparent religious connection. For example, by discouraging the use of vernacular liturgy and local dialects, members of these new movements aim to preach a universal message that is ultimately of global, rather than purely local, reach.

CITY OF 201 GODS: Ile-Ife in Time, Space, and Imagination by Jacob k. Olupona will be presented at NIIA, Lagos today at 11 am

CITY OF 201 GODS: IleIfe in Time,

46—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

NUJ PRESS WEEK: From left: Group News Editor, Daily Independent Newspapers, Mr. Habib Aruna; Mr. Femi Falana, (SAN) Guest Speaker; Mrs. Edith Nelson Udo-Udo, Assistant Director, Programmes, Voice of Nigeria; Mr. Femi Adesina, Deputy Managing Director, Sun Newspapers, and Comrade Deji Elumoye, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Lagos State Council, during the public lecture by the state NUJ Council in Lagos. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

AGM: From left: President of Nigeria-British Chamber of Commerce Mr. Thomas Awagu; Deputy President, Prince Yemi Adefulu and Treasurer of the Chamber, Mr. Uwamai Igein, at the Nigeria-British Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting / Luncheon in Lagos.

PRESENTATION: Chief Akin Oke, Chairman, Oyo State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) handing over documents of a new car to Alhaji Hussein Alao, outgoing Chairman of the party in Oriire Local Government, while the donor, Senator Ayo Adeseun representing Oyo Central Senatorial District .

GOTV COMMERCIAL LAUNCH: From left: Mr.Umerah Anthony, Mr. John Ugbe, Managing Director, MultiChioce Nigeria and Mrs. Elizabeth Amkpa, General Manager, GoTV Nigeria, during the GoTV Commercial launch in Benin City, Edo State.

C M Y K

From left: Eyitope St. Mathew-Daniel, Group Head, Banking Services, First Bank Nigeria Plc; Abraham Omessi, General Manager, New Comex Nigeria Limited; Bisi Onasanya, GMD/CEO, First Bank Nigeria Plc; and Hagu Simon, MD/CEO, New Comex Nigeria Limited during the bank’s Customers' Forum in Lagos.

CONDOLENCE VISIT: From left: Eldest daughter of Justice Kayode Eso, Mrs. Funmilayo Eso-Williams; widow of late Justice Kayode Eso, Mrs. Helen Aina Eso; Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Obateru Akinruntan and Olori, Iyabode Akinruntan, during the condolence visit by the royal father to the late Justice Kayode Eso residence in Ibadan. Photo: Shola Oyelese.

From left: Regional Co-ordinator, British Department for International Development, Mr. Adesina Fagbenro-Byron; wife of Osun State Governor, Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola; Regional Programme Officer (DFID), Mrs. Fagboyo Margaret and Director of New Initiative For Social Development (NISD), during the South-West Regional Conference on Gender Responsive Budgeting, organised by DFID, in Osogbo.

THANKSGIVING: Wife of Enugu State Governor, Mrs. Clara Chime (middle) and women of Udi L.G.A. during a thanksgiving service marking the end of the year, organized by the Enugu State Women's Prayer Network.

Vanguard, THURSDAY , DECEMBER 13, 2012 — 47

48—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

Monarch sues PHCN for N50m

BY EMMA AMAIZE

W

A R R I— PA R A MOUNT ruler of Seimbiri Kingdom in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, Pere Charles Ayemi-Botu, has dragged Power Holding Company, PHCN, before the state High Court, Warri, claiming N50 million damages for breach of contract.

Ayemi-Botu in the suit by his counsel, Mr F. Seimode, is contending that he contracted the defendant, sometime in 2011, to install, connect and commission a 300 KVA 33/ 0.415 KVA transformer and in the process, expended so much money as directed by the defendant.

Abia to support persons living with HIV/AIDS

BY ANAYO OKOLI

U

MUAHIA—ABIA State Government, said it will provide support services to no fewer than 12, 603 persons living with HIV in the state as part of its commitment towards reducing and eradication HIV/AIDS. The wife of the governor, Lady Mercy Orji, who announced during awareness walk on HIV/AIDS, said the Governor Theodora Orji’s government has passion for the good health of the people.

Obsequies

M

R. Francis Iwejuo Nwankanma, 82 , of Udo Eziala-Ukwu, Umunkiri Village Mgboko Oke-Ngwa Autonomous Community in ObiNgwa Local Government Area of Abia State, is dead.

Service of songs holds on December 18, 2012 to be followed by interment at his home in Udo Eziala-Ukwu, Umunkiri Village, after a funeral service on the same day, at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Umunkiri.

He is survived by wives, brother, many children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.

zLate Nwankanma C M Y K

From right: Managing Director/CEO Megavons (West Africa) Ltd, Dr Rotimi Oladele; GM/COO, Mr Bayo Faminu and General Manager, Group Finance and Supply during Megavons ( West Africa) Ltd at the 25th anniversary press briefing at the company’s headquarters in Lagos.

From left: Best overall student in theory, Ms. Adeyemi Adeola; Osun Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye Tomori; Director, Nursing Services, Mr. Adelowo Awoniyi, Commissioner of Health, Dr Temitope Ilori at the 2012 graduation of Schools of Nursing and Midwifery in Osogbo.

Chime’s absence normal — Speaker E

NUGU—SPEAKER, Enugu State House of Assembly, Mr Eugene Odo, yesterday said that the prolonged absence of Gov. Sullivan Chime from the state was normal and constitutional.

Odo, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, yesterday, said the constitution was very silent on the number of days a governor or president could be absent from duty. Governor Chime left Enugu about 84 days ago on Septemer 19 and

has not returned to the state since then.

However, Odo told NAN that, there is nothing in the constitution that stipulates the number of times a governor could be absent from office.

He noted that the constitution envisaged the possibility of a governor or president staying away from office, which led to the provision for the deputy governor or vice president who ordinarily stands-in for the former.

“The governor transmitted a

letter before proceeding on vacation and the letter was accordingly read on the floor of the House as against the various speculations written in the media on which of course I’m not ready to join issues with anybody.

“So that is it. As regards what you are saying about the limit or number of days expected to stay, the constitution is very silent on that, so there is nothing in the constitution that stipulates the number of times the governor could be absent”.

Oshiomhole was my classmate in sec school, witness tells court

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN CITY—A university lecturer, Prof Philip Agbebaku, has told the Edo Election Petitions Tribunal that Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State was his classmate at the Blessed Martin Secondary Model School, Jattu, Uzairue, Etsako West Local Government Area from 1963-1965.

Prof Agbebaku, who was a witness for Oshiomhole, told the tribunal at its resumed hearing, that the Edo Governor was known as Adams Aliu when he was in school.

The witness said the governor was then known and addressed as Adams Aliu but was not surprised that the governor is now known as Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, saying that people add to or subtract from their names as they grow old, adding that he (witness) was also formerly known as Sunday Phillip Agbebaku, but later dropped the name ‘Sunday’ from his credentials, saying this did not detract from his credentials.

Under cross-examination on whether the results obtained by the Governor from

Ruskin College, Oxford, the United Kingdom was equivalent to a Secondary School Certificate, Prof Agbebaku, said the courses listed in the certificate were in fact higher than secondary school subjects and were university courses, adding “industrial relations, industrial sociology and industrial economics are all university courses and are far, far higher than senior secondary school certificate subjects and cannot be taught in a school lower than the equivalent of a university.”

Encomiums for retired Justice Okeke at valediction

BY INNOCENT ANABA

I

T was praises galore for Jus tice Okeke, who retired from the bench of the Federal High Court yesterday, as she was described as a courageous and upright judge.

Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta; Lagos State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Mr Ade Ipaye; his Ondo State counterpart, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, SAN; Mr Louis Mbanefor, SAN and Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Lagos branch Chairman, Mr Taiwo Taiwo, lauded Justice Okeke, who they noted discharged her duties as a judge to the best of her ability and made the bench proud.

They spoke separately at the

valedictory court session held in honour of Justice Gloria Okeke at the Ikoyi, Lagos premises of the court.

Justice Okeke, meanwhile

thanked all who contributed to make her stay on the bench a success, particularly her family for the understanding given to her while she sat as a judge.

Ijaws want Delta govt to address neglect in appointments

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-

YOUNG

I

JAWS in Warri, Delta State, have called on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to address his government alleged neglect of Ijaws in political appointments to avoid a looming crisis.

Speaking through former Labour Party candidate for

Warri North Constituency in Delta State House of Assembly in 2011 elections, Mr. Adanse Felix, lamented that no Ijaw had been appointed to any political position by the government.

He recalled Governor Uduaghan position, that, if Itsekiri, a small tribe in the state could become governor of the state, every tribe could, and commended the governor for the position.

Nigerians urged to care for indigents

BY LAJA THOMAS

N

IGERIANS have been urged to spare a thought for the vulnerable members of our society, especially those with one form of disability or the other. This advised was given by Dr. Asabe Shehu Yar’Adua, founder/President, Asabe Shehu Yar’Adua Foundation in a statement to commemorate the United Nations International Day of Persons Living with Disabilities in Abuja.

He said, “I find it increasingly unbearable the pains, agonies and sorrow being inflicted on many families by communal clashes, ethno-religious violence, banditry and other violent crimes in a lot of communities. It beats my imagination the frequent resort to self-help by many in some instances with the attendant human casualties. I am deeply worried by the vulnerable persons, who have suffered varying forms of human degradation as a result of many unavoidable clashes.

“No matter how we look at it, the issue of the disabilities in the society is becoming more and more complex.

They are going through very tough, difficult and challenging times. Their predicament in the face of economic realities, political challenges, social imbalance, cultural barriers and discrimination is depressing and mind-blowing.

“Who should we blame for the unwholesome circumstances of the disabilities in our midst? Who is guilty for the criminal neglect they have continued to find themselves?

How do we appreciable their peculiar circumstances, which sometimes are owing to human foibles and lack of conscience among the few in the society? How often we remember and show them love in kind and cash so that they could have sense of belonging? How many of us do remember the UN International Day for the disabled and demonstrate the essence and significance of the occasion?”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 —49

State of insecurity worries Suswam

BY EMILY OFIDE

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BOKO—GOVER NOR Gabriel Suswam of Benue State, has expressed concern over the growing spate of insecurity that has engulfed the nation.

Speaking at an international Christian Minister’s Leadership Retreat, MLR, organised by the Peace House, Gboko, Benue State, the governor said that the increased spate of insecurity in the country is capable of degenerating into a failed state with unimaginable consequences.

He said: “We appeal that Christians should continually pray for this nation because it is under attack.”

Gov. Suswan also stressed that the word of God is key in transforming Nigeria, saying, “the word of God can transform our nation if Christians show commitment.”

Aka Ikega get new exco

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HE AKA Ikenga Asso ciation, an Igbo speaking organisation, that comprises the core five Igbo speaking states of Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Delta State (Anioma) and Rivers States (Ikwere Etche), held its general election on December 9, in Lagos, where the following members were elected to steer the affiars of the association for the next two years.

They include: Mr. Anayo Uwazurike - President; two Vice-Presidents - Mr. Oscar Onwudiwe and Chief Steve Uwazie; Mr. U.P.E. Nnaji - Secretary General; Mr. Onyeani Nwosu, Financial Secretary; Mr. Okechukwu Onyemobi - Social/Publicity Secretary and Mr. Joe I. Okolo Provost.

From left: MD/CEO, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Aigboje AigImoukhuede; Ajireloja Moses, winner of Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, 11th annual national essay competition, also a 400 level student of Crop Production and Protection of Obafemi Awolowo University, and Mr. Oscar Onyema, at the presentation of the prize to the winner in Lagos, yesterday.

Gunmen kill 5 students in Borno

BY NDAHI MARAMA

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AIDUGURI—GUN MEN suspected to be members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect attacked Government Girls’ Secondary School, Bama, in Borno State, killing five students and injuring three others in the early hours of, yesterday.

An eyewitness and staff of the school said the gunmen came to

the school on three motorcycles and an unmarked vehicle at about 2.35am.

Bama, where the former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Zanna Gana was earlier assasinated in his residence in October by suspected Boko Haram gunmen is 78 kilometres southeast of Maiduguri, the state capital.

It was said that after killing the girls, the gunmen fled towards

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ADUNA—AFTER sever al days of battling to survive the complications that resulted from the November 25, terrorists bombing attack at the Jaji military Cantonment, a senior Airforce officer, an Air Commodore (Names with-held) has lost his life.

Indications to this effect emerged, yesterday, just as a gas explosion at the premises of the Defence headquar-

Bama-Dikwa road on the same motorcycles they used in attacking the school and the nearby village, two kilometers away from the girls’ college.

Another eye witness and resident of Bama, Aisami Modu, in a telephone interview said: “The security guard in the school alerted soldiers and policemen at the military post but the gunmen later fled.

Confirming the incident, the

EFCC arrests Lamido’s eldest son over money laundering

BY EMMA UJAH, ALIYU DANGIDA & ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD BUJA—OPERATIVES of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, arrested Aminu Lamido, eldest son of Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, over money laundering allegations.

He was arrested at the Aminu Kano International Airport, at about 12.30 am on his way to Cairo, Egypt.

Lamido, 37, who booked for the early morning journey to Cairo through Egypt Air got into trouble when he under declared the total sum of hard currency he was

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travelling with in line with financial regulations guiding international travels.

Airport sources told Vanguard that the 2010 Bayero University Mass Communications graduate had declared $10,000 on the counter where officials of the Customs and EFCC were frisking travelers for final clearance.

The source said that a “further search of his luggage shocked the officials who discovered that the suspect had concealed $40,000 extra and was promptly detained.”

An airport source who confided in Vanguard, said Aminu,

Jaji bombings: Air force general loses life to in Abuja caused a stir as As he made for the church, complications ters soldiers and officers who the second bomb went off

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

From left: Marketing Manager, Food & Drink, Mrs. Chioma Afe; winner of One Million Naira, Tomori Oladejo and Corporate Communications Manager, Akomen Omijeh, during the presentation of prizes to the winners in the Bournvita Yummy Life Promo in Lagos. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo, Editor.

heard the explosion became alert and took initial cover before racing to the venue of blast to see what caused it.

Vanguard gathered that the Airforce officer who was the Chief Instructor of the Airforce Faculty at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, had made an attempt to go into the Military Protestant Church, on the day of the blast to try and rescue some of the victims, but unknown to him, a second car containing the other bomb was close by.

throwing him off the ground and injuring him. It was the complications from the second bomb blast that eventually killed him as all attempts by medical personnel to save the officers life failed.

The explosion at the Defence headquarters kitchen which occurred at about 1. 30pm, took place while someone who was on maintenance was refilling a fire extinguisher with gas but unknown to him, there was a leakage.

was held at the EFCC detention facility in Kano overnight for investigations.

Spokesman of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the arrest to Vanguard, adding that the EFCC, Kano State Command would address a press conference on the issue later.

Efforts to get the reaction of the Jigawa State Government on the development failed as the state Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Babandi Gumel, failed to take his calls or respond to Vanguard enquiries through SMS to him.

Meanwhile, a one time member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Nasir Dantiye, has described the arrest of the eldest son of Governor Sule Lamido, Aminu, as very unfortunate.

Dantiye who spoke to Vanguard, in a telephone interview yesterday, said it was the first time the governor’s son was being arrested adding that a similar incident occurred in 2010, but efforts were made to sweep the matter under the carpet. ”Lamido’s second son was arrested in 2010, when the governor then vehemently opposed President Goodluck Jonathan’s interest in the 2011 election only to later throw his weight behind the president,” Dantiye added.

Borno State Police Command spokesman, Gideon Jibrin said that there were attacks at one of the secondary schools in Bama, where five students were feared killed.

He said the gunmen initially attacked the school premises, before being repelled to a nearby village by soldiers and police at about 3am. He however said that no arrests had been made.

We ‘ll redress gender gap —Maina

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN,

POLITICAL EDITOR

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BUJA—THE Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina, has reiterated the government’s determination to see through the removal of constitutional obstacles that negate the enthronement of women in governance.

She spoke at a “strategic dialogue on gender issues and the constitutional review process” just as women activists reiterated their determination to alter the language of the constitution which they claimed is discriminatory against women.

The dialogue sponsored by the United Nation’s Development Programme, UNDP’s Democratic Governance for Development DGD, project took place in Lagos, yesterday.

The DGD country director, Dr. Mourtada Deme, in his speech at the occasion said the dialogue was to ensure that women speak in harmony as a means towards ensuring that unfavourable gender issues in the constitution are suitably addressed.

Anambra PDP: Home for all crises The Anambra State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has for more than ten years been enmeshed in multiple crises that threw up many factions. A move towards solution runs into a crisis of its own.

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

THE group calling itself Anambra State Fresh Congress Group of PDP, had sent out invitations for a grand rally in Awka on December 8, 2012.

Political observers had thought that the rally was to ratify the officials that emerged, and also, candidates that had been in waiting for the local government election since 2002 when the tenure of the local government officials elected in 1998 expired. However, when a day to the rally one of the factional chairmen of the state chapter of the party, Prince Kenneth Emeakayi was sighted at the Federal High Court, Awka with his lawyer obtaining an injunction to stop the rally, it became clear that PDP was at it again. The Federal High Court presided over by Justice M.T. Salihu granted the order of interim injunction restraining leaders of the Fresh Congress group from holding the rally pending the determination of the motion on notice for an order of mandamus brought by the Anambra State chairman of the party, Prince Emeakayi.

Emeakayi had filed the suit against the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Anambra State Commissioner of Police, as well as Pastor Emma Obiora, Mr. Maurice Anolue and Mr. Chris Uche Okoye, respectively who claimed to be the chairman, secretary and chairman of the planning

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50—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

•Ekwueme, Obi: Named among the backers of the peace move

security operatives were deployed as early as 6.00 am on the proposed day of the rally at the Emmaus House and prevented people from

It was no surprise that the new slogan in Anambra PDP was ‘Agha Ebigo’ (the battle is over). Members of the party were therefore taken aback when a group calling itself Fresh Congress Group of PDP emerged shortly after the Abuja meeting and immediately planned a rally in Awka

committee of Anambra State Fresh Congress Group of PDP, urging the court to stop the rally scheduled to take place at Emmaus House in Awka.

Emeakayi also urged the court to ensure compliance with the judgment of the court in suit No:A/171/2011 which defined the leadership of PDP in the state to avoid any breakdown of law and order in Anambra State.

Following the court order,

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entering the place.

The Fresh Congress group had made elaborate arrangement for the rally and sent buses to all the 326 wards in the state to convey members to Awka for the event and booked hotel accommodation for all the expected guests and stakeholders.

Early arrivals to the rally were turned back by policemen who also ensured that vehicles were not parked around the

vicinity. Most of the PDP stalwarts who were to fly into Awka for the event from Bayelsa State where they attended the burial of the younger brother of President Gooluck Jonathan, had to return to Abuja when information reached them that the court had stopped the rally.

Before the botched rally, the Emeakayi’s group had conducted congresses at the state, ward and local government levels supervised by security operatives and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, during which he, Emeakayi, was returned as the state chairman of the party.

Going down memory lane during his inauguration in Awka, Emeakayi recalled that his emergence as the state chairman followed the resignation of the former chairman, Chief Emma Nweze who was elected in July 2010, with him (Emeakayi) as the vice chairman for Anambra south senatorial zone and that members of the state executive unanimously appointed him to replace Nweze when he resigned.

Shortly after that state congress, Emeakayi was

invited to attend the National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of PDP in Abuja as the Anambra State chairman of the party and on his return, he briefed members of the party in the state on the development.

It was no surprise that the new slogan in Anambra PDP was ‘Agha Ebigo’ (the battle is over). Members of the party were therefore taken aback when a group calling itself Fresh Congress Group of PDP emerged shortly after the Abuja meeting and immediately planned a rally in Awka.

Planning a rally That rally was not to be as the court stopped it. Chairman of the group, Pastor Emma Obiora, who told newsmen that his group had spent a whooping N37 million before they were stopped by court, said it was unfortunate that the intention of his group was misunderstood by some people who never meant well for PDP in Anambra State.

Insisting that the Fresh Congress group of PDP was not a faction in the party, Pastor

Obiora insisted that there is no recognized executive of the party in the state saying that the void was what led to the party ’s loss in the 2010 gubernatorial election.

“We are not sponsored by anybody and those who say we are being sponsored by governorship aspirants are only trying to dent our image.

There are however those who support what we are doing and they include Senator Joy Emodi, special adviser to the president on National Assembly matters, Senator Ben Obi, special adviser to the president on inter party affairs, Mrs. Stella Oduah, minister of aviation, Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo, special adviser to the president on technical matters, among others.

Continuing, he said: “There are other stakeholders who support what we are doing and they include Prince Arthur Eze, Sir Emeka Offor, Sir Mike Nwakalor, among others.

Former vice president, Dr. Alex Ekwueme is also in support of our effort.

Our decision to involve the

Continues on page 51

2015: Middle Belt will shine its eyes — Asake, National Youth Leader, MBF Mr. Jonathan Asake was a member of the House of Representatives who came to national limelight at the peak of the impeachment move against President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2002 when he marshaled internal opposition to the move. Now the national youth leader of the Middle Belt Forum, Asake in this interview expresses the framework that will shape the 2015 political contest and what the role of the middle belt will be. Excerpts:

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

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HAT is the thought of the Middle Belt region concerning 2015?

The Middle Belt People, particularly our youths, come 2015 will avoid the very grave mistakes of 2011. What do I mean? Of course in 2011 we went into a blind support of the candidature of President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo without having a roundtable negotiation of the terms and conditions of our support.

The most stupid thing to do is to blindly support anybody’s aspiration without knowing what your people will benefit in terms of appointments or allocation of resources when such a person finally wins and goes into office or when government is ultimately

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 — 51

Forum has been restructured with vibrant officials under the able leadership of Prof. Jerry Gana.

What is your assessment of some Middle Belt persons frequently mentioned concerning 2015, such as David Mark, Babangida Aliyu To the best of my knowledge, Governor Babangida Aliyu has never claimed to be a Middle Belter. I am aware he is among the core Northern governors that are being mentioned in the media to be eying for the presidency in 2015. If however, he wishes to run and wants the support of the Middle Belt, or any other person, we will weigh their qualities against others, whoever stands out we will then negotiate our terms of support with him as I said earlier.

On the other hand, Distinguished Senator David Mark is a bonafide Middle

The Middle Belt people are still going through persecution of various degrees due to the support we gave Jonathan in 2011

formed. The people of the Middle Belt will do what in Nigerian parlance is called “Shine your eyes” in 2015.

The reason this happened is partly because we did not have a standing structure for the forum to negotiate the conditions of our support for President GEJ in 2011. Now the

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Belter and will automatically have our blessing and support if he decides to run for President in 2015, not only because he comes from the region but because he is eminently qualified. Our position right now is that whenever power is shifting back to the North, it must come

to the Middle Belt first. Yes, we are ready to take over power.

After all, the Middle Belt has been making all the kings, we are ready to be king.

God have so placed us stratigically between the North and the South such that we have always had the responsibility of holding the Nation together. If we at any time decide to throw our support to the South, they will win and if we support the North, they will win.

Canvassing support So the Middle Belt is the beautiful bride in the affairs of Nigeria. Therefore if we want to be president, we can canvass support from the South only, we will win or, we canvass support from the North only, we will still win.

The middle belt region largely backed Jonathan in 2011. Do you have any regrets and would you do the same in 2015?

The Middle Belt people are still going through persecution of various degrees due to the support we gave Jonathan in 2011. Why I say we are not regretting yet is because we still have hopes that he will remember that our votes in the North gave him the Presidency and that he still has time to compensate us in commensurate terms. For instance, in the entire North, Plateau and Kaduna States are the only states he got over a million votes. The over a million votes he scored in Kaduna came mainly from southern Kaduna,

Anambra PDP: Home for all crises Continues from page 50 grass root to find a lasting peace in the party is because some of the personalities involved in the crisis that had bedeviled the party in Anambra State for the past nine years cannot sit together to discuss

peace,” he added.

Giving the agenda of the group, he said that “the national chairman should call to order, factions parading themselves as Anambra State executive committee of PDP at all levels; discipline all members and groups who still have court

cases against the party anywhere in the country; set up caretaker committees of the party at all levels for a period of six months to conduct fresh registration of old, new and intending members of PDP in the state and prepare ground from a fresh congress of the party in the state.”

•Asake

a middle belt area, yet Mr. President could not give southern Kaduna a ministerial slot. Even the Zonal ministerial slot he gave it to Jigawa State, making them have two ministers, despite the fact that he barely scored above 300,000 votes there.

Ditto for Plateau that gave him the highest votes in the North, have have they to show for such huge support? Only only one weak ministerial slot.

Now the story in the North east is even more pathetic, in all the six states of the North East zone, Mr president got his votes from those states only in those minority areas that fall under the Middle Belt.

Meaningful appointment It is sad to note that none of those areas had been given any ministerial slot or any meaningful appointment. For instance, the votes he got from Bauchi State came from the Christian areas of Tafawa Balewa, Bogoro and Das Local governments, yet the two ministerial slots went to those sections of the state that did not vote him. Ditto for southern Gombe and southern Borno.

The story in southern kebbi is even more pathetic. GEJ got almost all his votes from Zuru area, and yet when he nominated one of their own, Gen. Ushe for Minister of defense, a mere protest from a

section of the state that refused to vote for him but chose to vote for Buhari’s CPC made him to stand down the appointment till date. To me this is unfair and unjust. This is why I said earlier that the middle belt must negotiate with whoever, including GEJ. Another aspect of our displeasure is the insecurity occasioned by the incessant Boko Haram’s barbaric attacks on innocent Nigerian Citizens, especially minority groups and other non-indigenes residing in the North which persists with impunity. We are very much aware that one of the main reasons for the attacks is to dislodge all those that voted for GEJ in 2011. Back to your earlier question, are we regretting giving him the support? I have said no, not yet.

He still has two years to make things right.

Prominent northerners including many second term governors from the North are reportedly eyeing the 2015 contest. How would you give your support?

The Middle Belt will never support any Governor or any other fellow known to have had a hand in supporting or sponsoring the activities of Boko Haram which have continued to unleash terror on our people and other Nigerian citizen with such utmost barbarism. Going by the series of media reports, we know those that sponsor, support and encourage the activities of these terrorists.

52— Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012—53

Organised Labour’s 100 years of gains and pains

BY FUNMI KOMOLAFE & VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

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00 years ago; precisely, 1912, the Nigeria Civil Service Union was registered. It was the beginning of what is best described as organized labour .

The working class in Nigeria did not get its ‘independence’ from the colonialists on a platter of gold.

Indeed, one would be correct to say that organized labour is older than the political entity called Nigeria by the colonialists.

It was a story of sweat, blood and tears. Workers took the bold steps to confront the colonialists even before politicians who have been the beneficiaries of the struggles of the working class.

The great and selfless leaders of the trade union movement such as Labour leader , N0. 1, Chief Michael Imoudu fought the colonialists not just on the issue of wages but also on racial discrimination and the attainment of Nigeria’s political independence . Not a few lives were lost to the struggle. The killing of miners in Enugu which is popularly referred to as the Iva Valley massacre was one of the numerous sacrifices of the working class to the attainment of Nigeria’s independence.

Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar With independence in 1960, Nigeria became of member of the International Labour Organisation but this did not mean an end to exploitation of labour.

Subsequent Nigerian governments, military or civilian saw labour as a threat. Labour leaders were detained several times by the military government which forcefully intervened in the affairs of the Nigeria Labour Congress.

The military disbanded the united labour centre; Nigeria Labour Congress freely established by union leaders and indirectly established the present NLC in 1978. Trade unions were organized along industrial lines in 1977. Since then organized labour has moved along this line responding to political and economic challenges of workers.

It is to the credit of the Nigeria Labour Congress under the leadership of Comrade Hassan Sunmonu that Nigerian workers got the first National Minimum Wage in 1981 after an 11 day national strike against the government of democratically elected president of Nigeria, Alhaji Aliu Usman Shagari.

Successive NLC president, Comrades Paschal Bafyau, Adams Oshiomhole and Abdulwaheed Omar have improved on the national minimum wage through negotiations.

The Pension reform is also one of the gains of the century . The latest gain being the Employees Compensation Scheme signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan.

There are however losses that cannot be quantified. Workers have continuously being maimed by so-

called investors.

Government has never taken the ministry of labour seriously enough hence, it is incapable of conducting factories inspection which could guarantee safe working environment for workers. The Ikorodu fire disaster in which scores of workers were roasted in a textile factory in 2002 is still fresh in our memories.

The last 1000 years has seen global economic transformation which has had effect on organized labour, we asked key stake holders pertinent questions about the future of the labour movement.

Labour Minister, Chief Emeka Wogu said as labour marks its centenary anniversary, emphasized the commitment of the administration of President Gooodluck Jonathan to organized labour and gave a piece of advice.||” As we brace ourselves to the realities of the emerging global institutional setting and the challenges therein, let me state that I have implicit confidence in the ability of the Nigerian labour movement to surmount the challenges associated with this development and partner with the administration of Mr. President to create an egalitarian society that will cater for the enhancement of the socioeconomic well-being of Nigerians.”

Labour leaders on Centenary Anniversary Successive governments have at different times tried to undermine the labour movement. Why is it so?

Successive governments have been characterised by selfish ends. As I said earlier, labour movement has been characterised by struggles. So, it has become the norm in this country that workers will get nothing on a platter of gold until they rise and struggle.

Luckily, workers have been able to rise up for their rights. Successive govern-

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WHAT is your assessment of organized labour in the last 100 years?

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar : “If you look at the 100 years of the labour movement, you will agree with me that the labour movement in Nigeria has outlived the Nigerian nation. It is the struggle of labour union that put together what we have as an entity called Nigeria today.

The history of labour movement has always been characterised by struggles. In fact, if you remember the pioneers of labour movement in Nigeria, they came to lime light because of the struggles they put up.

It is also worthy to note that that the very first strike that was carried by the labour movement in this country characterised a very significant factor in unifying this country where workers in Lagos, Enugu, Port Harcourt and Sokoto, etc came out united to go on nationwide strike, and that was the very beginning of Nigerian unity.

Therefore, labour movement in Nigeria has been a unified factor. That fire has continued burning. In fact, that brought about the slogan, ‘the struggle continues’.

I meant then was that labour struggle has been characterised by fights, oppression and injustice.

The day government will settle down and work for the welfare of Nigerians, where the rights of its citizens are respected, that is the day the labour struggle will end.

Comrade Issa Aremu, general secretary, National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers and vice- President NLC.

The day government will settle down and work for the welfare of Nigerians, where the rights of its citizens are respected, that is the day the labour struggle will end

ments have always seen the labour movement as a threat. So, they always fight back to undermine the labour movement but the good news is that all these years, they have been unable to break the might of labour movement. I once made a statement in 2007 that I pray the labour movement struggle would end some day because there wouldn’t be need for it. But I was misinterpreted. What

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How relevant is organised labour in the current political and economic dispensation?

I don’t think there is anybody standing doubting the relevance of organised labour represented mainly by NLC. Perhaps we can discuss the quality of relevance but not labour relevance as such. First the test of relevance lies in the objec-

Comrade Issa Aremu tives trade unions set for themselves. The main objective is to advance the material well being of working men and women. Certainly Nigerian workers still make up the 70 per cent bottom poor. Of course no Nigerian worker is listed among the Africa’s new billions of which 11 are Nigerians. That working people remain working poor is however not due to lack of efforts by unions.

To be continued next week

54—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

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cupation.

Criminalising unionism

Senior civil servants rue Nigeria’s high unemployment

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Oil workers tackle states over free trade zones

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HE joint National Executive Council, NEC, of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, has directed their Port Harcourt zone to shut down oil operations of Nine state within the next three weeks should they continue to refuse of free trade zones to join union. The states are Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Imo, Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Anambra and Benue.

A statement at the end of the NEC meeting said, said "NECin-Session expresses deep worry about the continuing anti-labour posture of companies operating in the Onne Free Trade Zone. The NEC-in-Session recalls that at various fora, the Authorities of the Free Trade Zone and companies operating in the Free Trade Zone have been advised by the Labour Minister to respect the constitutional rights of workers to join trade unions. and bargain collectively."

Ivor Takor

Okonjo-Iweala

Public officers' anti-labour posture worries ex-NASU President FEW days ago, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, called on government to sack 50 percent of its employees to reduce the cost of governance. Some have argued that Sanusi, who has never hidden his dislike for organised labour, is just looking for ways to weaken labour. This came not long after the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, castigated workers of the Security and Exchange Commission, SEC, while addressing them on the protest that greeted the reinstatement of Ms Aruma Otte, the Director-General of SEC, where she was said to have told the workers that it is illegal for them to join unions.

A Lawyer and immediate Past President of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, Comrade Ivor Takor, in this piece, expressed concerns over increasing anti-labour posture of government officers, lamenting that most political officials in Nigeria are ignorance of the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No.87), which Nigeria has not only ratified but has also domesticated in its Labour Laws.

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

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AKOR who is also a Past National Treasurer of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in a 7-page discourse, explained that the section provides that ‘Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interest; ..”

Reviewing the working background of our world acclaimed and respected Minister of Finance, the ex-NASU President said “I believe she already knows and ought know that industrial relation practice all over the world, which the International Financial Institutions are just beginning to appreciate, is based on international labour standards.

International labour standards refer to conventions agreed upon

by international actors, resulting from series of value judgements, set forth to protect basic workers’ rights, enhance workers’ security and improve their terms of employment on a global scale.

The intent of such standards, then, is to establish a worldwide minimum level of protection from inhuman labour practices through the adoption and implementation of said measures.

From a theoretical standpoint, it has been maintained, on ethical grounds, that there are certain basic human rights that are universal to mankind. Thus it is the aim of international labour standards to ensure the provision of such rights in the workplace, such as against workplace aggression, bullying, discrimination and gender inequality on the other hands for working diversity, encouraging workplace democracy and empowerment.

According to him, “Freedom of Association and Protection of the

Right to Organise Convention establishes the right of all workers and employers to form and join organisations of their own choosing without prior authorisation, and lays down a series of guarantees for the free functioning of such organisations without interference by the public authorities; The Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, provides for protection against acts of interference by each other, and for measures to promote collective bargaining; Forced Labour Convention requires the suppression of forced or compulsory labour in all its forms. Certain exceptions are permitted, such as war, fire, earthquakes, etc; Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, prohibits the use of any form of forced or compulsory labour as means of polit-

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SSOCIATION of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, has called on government at all levels to prioritize job creation, warning of a looming socio-economic and political upheaval should the trend continue unabated.

At its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting in Lagos, President of ASCSN, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, implored government to open up more frontiers of employment opportunities to engage millions of idle youths who are willing and eager to earn a living.

He said “recent statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, show that unemployment rate in the country in 2011 stood at 23.9 percent as against 21.1 percent in 2010. Given the tendency of public officials to doctor statistics to create favourable image of Government, it is reasonable to assume that unemployment rate in the country is far higher than the figure being bandied about by the NBS. The reality on ground is that thousands of graduates from the Universities and other higher institutions including secondary school leavers now roam the streets without any visible means of livelihood.”

According to him, “the attempt by the Minister of Finance to criminalise the joining of union(s) by workers of SEC is in itself illegal and a violation of their fundamental human right as enshrined in the Constitution. I must concede that I have not gone through the Act that established the Commission. May be there is a section of the Act, which outlaws the joining of trade unions by workers of the Commission, which the Hon. Minister relied upon. Assuming, that such a section actually exist in the Act establishing the Commission, then I submit that the section is inconsistent with the provision of section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and therefore such a section is void and of no effect, to the extent of that inconsistency.”

“The Minister and other functionaries of the federal government may need to know that the coming together of workers of the Commission either through union(s), workers consultative forum or whatever name so call, are doing so with a common goal of protecting their fundamental rights from what they believe is and the general public perceive astyranny in their workplace as well as autocratic and dictatorial management style, if what transpired at the public seating during the Capital Market probe is anything to go by.

The government itself alluded to this school of thought, when during her reinstatement; she was advised to improve on her administrative style and to always follow due process.

I wish to remind government functionaries and other employers of labour that the forming and joining of union(s) by workers of any organisation is a fundamental right entrenched in international conventions ratified and

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention establishes the right of all workers and employers to form and join organisations of their own choosing without prior authorisation

ical coercion or education, punishment for expression of political or ideological views. Workforce mobilisation, labour discipline, punishment for participation in strike, or discrimination; Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, defines discrimination as any distinction, exclusion or preference made on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin, which has the effect of nullifying or impairing equality of opportunity or treatment in employment or oc-

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domesticated by Nigeria and guaranteed in the Constitution.

Finally, when persons are being considered for top positions of government agencies and are being screened for conformity with the requirement fit and proper persons, the issue of their interpersonal relationship and democratic tendency is as important as their qualifications and cognate professional experience in view of the fact that they will also be managing human resource of the organisation.”

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56 —Vanguard,

THURSD AY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 THURSDA

Great needs N3.3m for surgery

BY GABRIEL OLAWALE, CHARLYNE IKPE & BUSOLA LIKOLO

entire forehead with the periosteum of the underlying bone still intact.

A

S little Great Morgan walked into Vanguard Corporate Head Office, Lagos, he looked dejected .even when reporters tried to cheer him up, smile was far from his face. On closer look, the reason for his expressionless face was discovered to be as a result of patches of scars on his face resulting from an accident he was involved in six years ago.

Ironically, the incident has turned 13 year-old Great into a shadow of his old bobbling self, thereby, making him to recoil into a shell of loneliness, rejection and dejection.

Presently, he finds solace in the company of his parents. On the other hand, his friends at school distance themselvesfrom him and even sometimes telling him to his face that he looks scary.

Unfortunately, this has affected his academic performance.

Narrating his ordeal to vanguard seven years after the unfortunate accident, Great said: “I have become a laughing stock in my school.No body wants to play with me’.Sometimes, emotions took better part of him. Great was said to have sustained several injuries including Avulsion injury to the forehead, abrasion injuries to the face, bilateral humeral fracture and closed fractures of the left femur after the unfortunate accident which happened along Ijebu – Ode — Shagamu Expressway precisely on September 11 2005.

According to a medical report signed by Dr. C. A Ilombu for Mr. A. O Ugburo, clinical evolution showed that he was anaemic and the avulsion injury involved the

Master Great Morgan

From the report, the fractures were managed conservatively and soft tissue cover of the avulsed forehead was planned but was delayed as his packed cell volume was 17 percent and the patient would not accept blood transfusion.

Unfortunately, the delay resulted to excessive scarring of the graft site, hypertrophic scar extending from the medial canthus of the right eye down the entire nasolabial fold and the re- contracture and ectropion of the right upper eyelid.

To have his face fixed, doctors have recommended surgical construction of these defects.

An estimated total cost for treatment and tour from the Fortis La Femme Hospital, Greater Kailash, New Delhi, India showed that a total of N3.3 million (20,770 USD) is required to make Great smile again. The estimated fee covers approximately stay of 26 days in India and post treatment consultation

with the doctor -in-charge after return to Nigeria.

Speaking, Great’s father, Mr. Okechukwu Morgan who hails from Ndoni Local Government area of Rivers State said Great and his mother had travelled to his maternal home in Ondo State to spend the holidays. On their way back to Lagos, they were involved in a ghastly motor accident that almost claimed their lives. “Good Samaritans who witnessed the accident were quick to rush them to the general hospital at Shagamu. He was later transferred to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi-Araba, where he was admitted in the emergency ward for three months. At the time of the incident, he was only six years old. He appealed to good spirited Nigerians to help him make his child smile again. He added that till date; “Great still feel pains around his eyes”.

If you are touched by Great’s story please send your donations to First Bank Account number 3004973563, Account name: Ogden Okey Morgan or call 08023066447, 08161694530.

Saint Ives commissions ultra-modern hospital complex in Ikoyi

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EALTHCARE delivery in Lagos will next week receive a boost with the commissioning of another ultra-modern hospital complex in Ikoyi by St Ives Specialists Hospital.

The new hospital complex, which is fully equipped with state- of- the- art facilities will be dedicated and opened to the general public this Sunday.

Chief Medical Director of the Hospital, Dr. Tunde Okewale, said: “We thoughtfully considered some of our patients coming all the way from the Island for treatment, which could be very stressful sometimes. However, we believe that the commissioning of the hospital in Ikoyi would completely ease off the stress.”

Reiterating the commitment of the hos-

pital to providing unrivalled healthcare services, Okewale said the hospital would improve on the services being offered currently at its hospital complex. “The hospital has been providing quality and affordable healthcare for Nigerians and foreigners alike. Guest expected at the commissioning includes; wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dame Abimbola Fashola.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

H

ELLO everybody and welcome. Today is the third and final episode of our new love products discussion for 2012. For those of us who missed the last two episodes, you can visit www.zeevirtualmedia.com and find them under the New Products section or you can watch a video review we recorded where all these new products were discussed in detail, by clicking on the Video Reviews tab. So let us discuss the last of these products and answer a few questions.

The first on this list are lubricants and body toppings.

Lubricants are essential for intercourse. Sometimes women do not lubricate well, which leads to painful intercourse. But with a lubricant, the intercourse will be enjoyable and painless. Today we are introducing Fruitopia Lubricant, Mood Arousal Gel and Tasty Treat Body Topping. Fruitopia Lubricant is a tasty and edible lubricant which is perfect for oral sex and general lubrication. Fruitopia can be used by men or women and is strawberry flavoured. Mood Arousal Gel is a superb lubricant as well designed specially to help women who experience low sexual arousal, lack of sexual enjoyment and lack of orgasms. Massage a little dab of this gel on the clitoris to awaken the senses and facilitate enjoyment. Mood Arousal Gel is available in three flavours.

They are Warming, Tingle and Intensify. So a woman can choose whichever one fits her mood. And lastly, we have the Tasty Treat Body Topping. This novelty tastes like ice cream and is one of those edibles that you can apply on your lover’s body and lick it off. Tasty Treat Body Topping is definitely a fun treat for the holidays.

Next on the list are new sex toys for men. They are Aphrodite life Size Masturbator, Real Skin Two Hole Masturbator, Beyoncé Love Doll and Katy Pervy Love Doll. The Beyoncé and Kathy Pervy dolls are life size blow up dolls that can be inflated for use and deflated afterwards. These toys are all easy to carry and enable men get a bit of sexual release without cheating on their spouses or risking sex with strangers. This is one solution to infidelity that actually works.

And then we have an assortment of novelties for the

bedroom featuring masks such as Festiva Mask, the Karneval Mask and Spandex 3 Hole Hood. Masks add suspense and eccentricity to the bedroom. The woman who wants to play the role of the mysterious spy this holiday, will certainly love these masks.

And for the single woman who does not want to feel lonely this holiday, we have the perfect toy for you. It is called the Inflatable Hot Seat. This toy consists of a vibrator that is connected to an inflatable cushion. So women can inflate the cushion, sit on the vibrator and ride it cow girl style. The Inflatable Hot Seat is a unique toy and the vibrator part can also be detached and used as the owner pleases.

Finally, for men looking to attract a mate this holiday, the Wingman Pheromone Cologne will definitely help you out. This cologne is powerful and draws women to you. The female version of this cologne is called Lure for Her Pheromone.

And that’s all for today. You can view the rest of the new products online. Let us now answer questions from our readers.

My penis is too thin. Please what is the fastest penis enlarger that can give results before Christmas? I also experience premature ejaculation and weak erection - Isaac Isaac get the Max Width enlargement Cream. It gives instant results that last for a few hours. To stop your premature ejaculation, apply Shane Diesel’s Rock Solid Erection Cream and to strengthen your erections for multiple rounds of intercourse, take Xzen 1200 supplement. That’s all for today. The names of the people featured here have been changed for their privacy.

Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can call 08191978308 or 08027901621 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com. Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries, send your emails to custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com.

Happy holidays - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

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World powers condemn North Korea’s rocket launch T

HERE have been w i d e s p r e a d i n t e r n a t i o n a l condemnation of the launch by North Korea of a long-range rocket.

The United States has called the test a “highly provocative act that threatens regional security”.

The UN Security Council was meeting in an emergency session to discuss the launch, which was conducted in defiance of a UN resolution banning Pyongyang from conducting missile tests.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon termed it a “clear violation”.

China, Pyongyang’s closest ally, expressed regret that North Korea had launched a satellite “in spite of the extensive

Korea’s pattern of irresponsible behaviour.

Given this current threat to regional security, the

Mandala’s doctors satisfied with recovery

F

Picture of North Korea rocket launch yesterday. concerns of the international community”.

The Unha-3 rocket, launched at 09:49 local time (00:49 GMT), appears to have followed its planned trajectory, with stages falling in expected

areas. The news of the rocket launch was announced on state TV, with people in Pyongyang saying it gave them “great pride” North Korea says a satellite has been placed

in orbit; the US confirmed an object had been put into space. US National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said: “This action is yet another example of North

Egypt opposition calls off referendum boycott, seeks “no” vote

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GYPT’s liberal and secular opposition said yesterday it would back a “no” vote in a referendum on a divisive new constitution promoted by Islamist President Mohamed Mursi, calling off a boycott as long as safeguards are in place for a fair vote.

The army called off “unity” talks involving rival factions, dealing a blow to efforts to resolve a worsening political crisis over the referendum and rein in street protests that have turned violent.

It would be recalled that the latest convulsion in Egypt’s transition to democracy was brought on by a decree last month from Mursi in which he awarded himself sweeping powers to push

through the new constitution, a necessary prelude to parliamentary elections early next year.

Mursi’s move caused huge controversy, dividing the Arab world’s most populous state and bringing thousands of proand antigovernment protesters onto the streets in the worst upheaval since the fall of Hosni Mubarak almost two years ago.

ALI’s interim president, Dioncounda Traore, has named a new prime minister to replace Cheick Modibo Diarra, who quit under pressure from former coup leaders.

Diango Sissoko, a longtime civil servant, was appointed on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after Diarra announced his resignation on state

ORMER South African President Nelson Mandela is recovering from a lung infection that has kept the 94-year-old anti-apartheid leader in hospital for the last five days, the government said yesterday.

“Doctors attending to former President Mandela have reported that he has made progress during the past 24 hours, and that are satisfied with the way he is responding to treatment,” President Jacob Zuma’s office said a statement.

South Africa’s first black

Supporters of Mohamed Mursi in Cairo The unrest has so far claimed seven lives in clashes between the

Islamist Muslim Brotherhood and the opposition.

ERMAN politicians yesterday passed a law to protect the right to circumcise infant boys in a show of support for Muslims and Jews angered by a local court ban on the practice in May. The ban imposed on the grounds that circumcision amounted to “bodily harm” triggered an emotional debate over the treatment

U.N nuclear agency ready inspect Iran’s Parchin site

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HE United Nation nuclear inspectors would be ready to go to Iran’s disputed Parchin military complex if the Islamic state were to allow it during talks in Tehran later this week, a senior official said yesterday.

The U.N. International

Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) believes Iran has conducted explosives tests with nuclear applications at Parchin, a sprawling facility southeast of Tehran, and has repeatedly asked for access.

Western diplomats said that Iran has carried out

extensive work at Parchin over the past year to cleanse it of any evidence of illicit activities, but IAEA chief Yukiya Amano said last week a visit would still be “useful”.

Iran rejects accusations of a covert bid to develop the means and

television after being arrested as he tried to leave the country for France.

The former coup leaders are opposed to foreign military intervention to drive out Islamists occupying the northern half of the country while Diarra has called for UN backing of such a move.

January: Tuareg fighters launch a rebellion in the

north March: Military officers, led by Amadou Sanogo, depose President Toure, accusing him of failing to deal effectively with the rebellion.

April: Tuareg rebels declare independence in the north as the government loses control of the region. A civilian interim government is formed, but the coup

leaders remain influential. May: Military leaders say they have foiled a counter-coup attempt by supporters of the ousted president.

Bakary Mariko, a spokesperson for the group of soldiers who seized power in a March 21 coup, told France 24 television that Diarra’s resignation was “not a new coup d’etat”

president, who came to power in historic all-race elections in 1994, remains a hero to many of its 52 million people. Mandela, known locally by his clan name of ‘Madiba’, was admitted to Pretoria’s ‘1 Military ’ Hospital on Saturday after being flown from his home village of Qunu in a remote, rural part of the Eastern Cape province.

The government only gave the first concrete details about his condition on Tuesday, saying he had suffered a recurrence of a lung infection.

Germany passes law to protect circumcision after outcry

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Mali’s president names new prime minister

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United States will strengthen and increase our close coordination with allies and partners.

technologies needed to build nuclear arms and says Parchin is a conventional military site.

of Jews and other religious minorities, a sensitive subject in a country still haunted by its Nazi past.

The outcry prompted Germany’s centre-right government and opposition parties to draw up legislation confirming the practice was legal - overruling the decision by a court in the western city of Cologne.

The new law passed by an overwhelming majority in Bundestag lower house said the operation could be carried out, as long as parents were informed about the risks.

“Friends of Syria” group recognizes opposition coalition

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ESTERN and Arab nations sympathetic to Syria’s uprising against President Bashar al-Assad gave full political recognition yesterday to the opposition, reflecting a hardening consensus that the 20-month-old uprising might be nearing a tipping point.

Meeting in the Moroccan city of Marrakech as rebels battled Assad’s troops on the outskirts of his Damascus power base, the “Friends of Syria” group called on Assad to step

aside and warned him against using chemical weapons. At the same meeting, the leader of Syria’s opposition coalition called on the Alawite minority to launch a campaign of civil disobedience against Assad, an Alawite who faces a mainly Sunni Muslim uprising against his rule.

Hours earlier, President Barack Obama announced that Washington would now recognize the newly formed coalition of opposition groups

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Eko 2012: Ogun pays gold Yakmut hails Mobil Sports as model to emulate medallists N30,000 each T

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GUN government on Wednesday paid

a total of N1.2m to all its medal winners at the 18th National Sports Festival, tagged “Eko 2012”, concluded on Sunday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the gesture was in fulfilment of its pledge to Team Ogun before the Games that medal winners will be rewarded on return.

The 15 gold medallists got N30, 000 each, amounting to N450, 000, while 22 silver medalists were rewarded N20, 000 each, totaling N440, 000. The 31 bronze medalists were awarded N10, 000 each which summed up to N310, 000.

•Gov. Ibikunle Amosun The Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Olugbenga Otenuga, said the gesture was a way of thanking the athletes for doing the state proud.

Mikel Continues from B/P midfielder, who is in Japan with his Chelsea teammates to take place in the Fifa Club World Cup tournament, believes that if Nigeria play as a team it will be tough to stop them winning the Afcon trophy for a third time.

“We need to prepare well, be focused and

take all opponents very seriously. We also need to play as a team.

“If it is individual qualities, we have that in abundance. Coach Stephen Keshi has already won this tournament as a player, and I believe he can make history by winning it again as a coach,” Obi adds.

Chitalu Continues from B/P governing body insists former Kabwe Warriors star, late Godfrey Chitalu scored an impressive 107 goals in 1972.

“We have this record, which has been recorded in Zambian football, but unfortunately it has not been recorded in world football,” a spokesperson told NewsDay Zimbabwe.

“Even as the world has been looking at Lionel Messi’s record, breaking Gerd Muller’s, the debate and discussion back here has been why Godfrey ’s goals are not being recognised.

“We have commissioned an independent team

locally to go back into the archives and record minute-by-minute, each of those goals.

“The team that we have put together is going to calculate all of those goals, recording each game and tournament they were scored in.

“We will then send that to CAF and FIFA so that we can show that, while Messi’s record is there, while Muller ’s record is there, the actual record holder in terms of goals per calendar year is actually an African, it’s actually Godfrey Chitalu.”

Chitalu died in 1993 when a plane carrying Zambia’s national team crashed.

Otenuga said it was also to encourage others to make effort to benefit from such gesture in the nearest future.

HE Mobil Producing Nigeria Limited sponsored schools athletics championship is a model worthy of emulation says Alhassan Yakmut, Director responsible for grass roots sports development in the National Sports Commission ( NSC ) The Director who was in Uyo to represent the sports minister at the Civil Service Games said he has always been impressed by the Eket event and he wishes the championship can spread to other states of the federation. “ I was at the eleventh edition of the championship and was very impressed with what I saw, that is why I am wishing more states and

NNPC/Shell Cup 2013: State finalists emerge

T

HE 2013 edition of the All Nigeria Secondary Schools Football Championship for the NNPC/Shell Cup which kicked off in all States across the country on October 30, 2012 has reached the final stage in most states of the Federation, the competition’s National Co-ordinator, Shola Akinwale has said.

According to the revised fixtures drawn up by the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF), State champions are to emerge this week before schools embark on vacation for the

Christmas and New year celebrations. As a result, all States are advised to conclude their preliminaries on or before Friday, 14 and Saturday, December 15, 2012.

Meanwhile, some States have produced the two finalists while others are still in the process of producing their finalists.

Some of the States that have played their final earlier in the week are Jigawa, where Government Science Day secondary school, Dutse lost to Model secondary community school 4-5 on penalties after a goalless score at full time.

Home-based players Continues from B/P Heartland FC Papa Idris — Kano Pillars FC Kwmbe Solomon — Sunshine Stars FC Kalu Orji — HeartlandFC MIDFIELDERS AND FORWARDS Uzoenyi Ejike — Rangers FC Mba Sunday — Rangers FC Sunday Chinedu — Rangers FC Henry Uche — Enyimba FC Oduku Gomo — Sharks FC

Ubale Mannir — Kano Pillars FC Reuben Gariel — Kano Pillars FC Asuquo Philip — 3SC FC Emeka Ezeh — Rangers FC Pius Samson — Ranchers Bees FC Gambo Mohammed — Kano Pillars FC Bunde Moses — Lobi Stars FC Anthony Okputu — Lobi Stars FC FOREIGN BASED Fegor Ogude Valerenga FC Norway

more organizations to look at the model and do same.”

He spoke further on his role as newly appointed Director in the NSC in charge of grass roots

sports development. “ My minister is concerned about developing sports at the grass root level.

Perhaps ‘concerned’ is not the word. I should have said ‘passionate’.

Pacquiao Continues from B/P put forth, perhaps the most unique is the one offered by Pacquiao’s mother, Dionisia Pacquiao. Dionisia, a devout Catholic, blamed her son’s loss on his change of religion.

Pacquiao grew up Catholic but recently converted to Protestantism.

“That’s what he gets for changing his religion,” Dionisia said in an interview in General Santos City.

“Since the ‘Protestant’ pastors came into his life, he has not focus on his boxing.”

Dionisia says Manny has been distracted by

his new faith, and she is not afraid to “face the pastors no matter who they are.”

“Why did they take my son?” Dionisia asked, according to according to Yahoo!

Sports Philippines. “When he was quiet and was a champion when he belonged to his former religion?”

Pacquiao has now lost to Timothy Bradley and Marquez since his much-publicized religious transformation earlier this year. But before fighting Bradley, Pacquiao swore that, if anything, he was a better boxer because of his new faith.

Keshi Continues from B/P should come and battle for shirts ahead of the Nations Cup Championship in South Africa, that starts January 10.

The team is expected at its usual abode at the Bolton White Apartment, Zone 7, Abuja on Sunday, December 16, all players and officials are expected at the time and training will effectively starts on Monday, December 17.

The list of foreign based

players is expected to be named in the week leading to Christmas, as the team is expected to travel by 27 December for the final phase of its camping in Faro, Portugal. Team Scribe, Dayo Enebi Achor, warned that excuses will not be permitted for late arrival to camp of any invited player, because serious business has started for the Nations Cup championship.

Below is the full list of invited players.

Wenger Continues from B/P were shoved out at the quarter-final stage by an outfit that cost peanuts.

Not that the Gunners boss feels there is anyhting to apologise for.

Despite his side only forcing the game into extra-time with an 87thminute equaliser, then missing three penalties in the subsequent shootout, the Frenchman still defended his misfiring, multi-

millionnaire stars.

He said: “It was a typical English cup game on a difficult pitch and overall we lost on penalties but I cannot fault the efforts.

“We kept going until the last minute and in the end Bradford got on top of us.”

Under-performing Arsenal are sat in seventh place in the Premier League, 15 points adrift of table toppers Manchester United.

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Keshi names Fegor, 23 home-based for Afcon Camp

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RSENE WENGER suffered his biggest humiliation as Arsenal boss in the Capital One Cup defeat by League Two minnows Bradford.

Wenger fielded a near full-strength team worth £66.8million and they

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O L I DAY I N G Norwe-gian midfield star, Fegor Ogude, has been called up to join home based professionals as preparations resumes on Sunday in Abuja for the Super Eagles ahead of the Nations Cup championship in South Africa.

Head Coach Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, who returned to the country from the United States on Tuesday also named the usual suspects like Chigozie Agbim, Daniel Akpeyi and new call up Femi Thomas of Enyimba fc all goalkeepers among the other 23 players that Continues on page 60

Continues on page 60

Chitalu, not Messi is highest goal scorer, says Zambia FA Barcelona’s 2-1 win over

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HE Zambian Football Association has claimed Godfrey Chitalu holds the record for most goals scored in

a calendar year, rather than Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.

The Argentine netted his 86th goal of 2012 in

Real Betis last weekend to break Gerd Muller ’s long-standing record, but the Zambian football

Continues on page 60

Mikel tips Eagles for Nations Cup HOME BASED PLAYERS GOALKEEPERS Agbim Chigozie — Enugu Rangers FC Akpeyi Daniel — Heartland Femi Thomas — Enyimba DEFENDERS Oboabona Godfrey — Sunshine Stars FC Egwuekwe Azubuike — Warri Wolves FC Zango Umar — Kano Pillars FC Benjamin Francis — Continues on page 60

TODAY'S

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HELSEA midfielder John Mikel Obi believes that Nigeria has a great chance of winning the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations under coach Stephen Keshi.

Nigeria’s 2013 Afcon campaign kicks off with a Group C clash against Burkina Faso on January 21.

In a chat with the Fifa website Obi says that he picks Nigeria to win the tournament on February

10.

“Ghana and Ivory Coast will also be up there, but teams like Cape Verde and Zambia could pose major threats.

“If Cape Verde could stop Cameroon, they must have qualities to do so. They therefore need to be taken seriously,” he tells the Fifa site.

The Nigerian

Continues on page 60

Mom blames Pacquiao loss on change of religion

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VERYONE has a own reason for Juan Manuel Marquez’s stunning knockout of Manny Pacquiao. Some say it was a lucky punch while others say Pacquiao had it coming.

Of all the explanations Continues on page 60

•Mikel

Eko 2012: Ogun pays gold medallists N30,000 each — P.60

PUZZLE

YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 4 Mark (5) 7 Slender (6) 9 Pro (3) 10 Intelligence (3) 12 Mouldy (5) 13 Peruse (4) 15 Royal (5) 17 Grave (6) 19 Tale (4) 20 Bit (5) 22 Light blow (3) 24 Tied (7) 27 Peak (3) 28 Unwilling (5) 31 Stud (4) 33 Enthusiast (6) 35 Coffer (5) 37 Wander (4) 38 Worth (5) 39 Bribe (3) 41 Circuit (3) 42 Yearning (6) 43 Woodland (5)

DOWN 1 Enfold (6) 2 Oil (6) 3 Pull (3) 4 Settee (4) 5 Really (5) 6 Attention (8) 8 Flex (4) 11 Siren (9) 14 Harbour (4) 16 Insect (4) 18 Loaned (4) 21 Make changes (8) 23 Inform (4) 25 Seep (4) 26 Entrance (4) 29 Nuclear (6) 30 Respect (6) 32 Oar (5) 34 Surmounting (4) 36 Chief (4) 40 Peg (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Fall 4, Rid 6, Rock 9, All 10, Discover 11, Idea 14, Ore 16, Being 19, Deserted 21, Beret 23, Diligent 24, Deter 27, Eat 31, Pier 33, Agitated 34, Tee 35, Held 36, Gag 37, Eddy.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 2, Avid 3, Lack 4, Reverted 5, Pert 6, Raise 7, Old 8, Clean 12, Edged 13, Asset 14, Orb 15, Eerie 17, Liter 18, Girth 20, Delaying 22, Tit 25, Elite 26, Erred 28, Hang 29, Face 30, Weld 32, Eel.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470; Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.