PDP govs in stormy meeting with Obsanjo

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 61946

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Obasanjo blasts Atiku, Tinubu, Alams, Salisu Buhari

Lagos govt seals Orji Kalu's house

•Says they failed Nigeria

....Fashola orders it re-opened

P.8

11

No money to meet ASUU's demands, says OkonjoIweala 9

PDP govs in stormy meeting with Obasanjo •Blame party's crises on Bamanga Tukur •Obasanjo to lead delegation to Jonathan •Kudirat: Lagos appeals Al-Mustapha's release•P.10

SAVE PUBLIC EDUCATION PROTEST

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR, BEN AGANDE & HENRY UMORU

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AGOS—QUAR RELLING governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, confronted one another into the wee hours of yesterday, trading accusations of backstabbing and betrayal. They, however agreed that the problems of the party lay at the doorsteps of the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

Continues on Page 5

COLUMNISTS:

ROTIMI FASAN •P.19 DEAR BUNMI •P.40

Mr & Mrs

PROTEST—

The Joint Action Front (JAF) in solidarity with unions in the Education sector; Nigeria Union of Journalists,NUJ; students and parents held a nationwide protest, yesterday, in Lagos to save public education. The protesters as captured by Shola Oyelese.

UN, UK denounce Borno mosque massacre

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POCKET CARTOON

SUMMIT—From left: Chairman, Development Policy Centre, Ibadan, Professor Akin Mabogunje; former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof Isaac Adewole; at the Annual African Sustainable Development Network Summit in Ibadan, yesterday. Photo: Dare Fasube.

PDP govs in stormy meeting with Obasanjo Continues from Page 1

PDP governors from the two divides of the Nigeria Governors' Forum, NGF, met for the first time under one roof in the banquet hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, with former President Olusegun Obasanjo as mediator.

President Goodluck Jonathan was not at the meeting, and at the commencement of the meeting, was said to be in talks with senior party officials in his residence within the villa.

Obasanjo and the governors, it was learnt, are expected to have an en-

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Greatness is going against the unusual or the ordinary.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

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OTHING will help you find compassion within yourself and for others like coming face to face with people who have much less materially and way bigger problems than you. Turn within and ask your higher knowing to show you where you lack integrity, love, trust, compassion, forgiveness, and acceptance. Then ask yourself to heal. Be patient with the process. Sometimes small shifts happen over time. Allowing your own process to unfold is an act of love in and of itself — Erin Lanathan Here are some uplifting nuggets to remember and practice as you go about your daily activities. If you don’t feel love for yourself, just act as if. Act lovingly towards yourself and do things that nurture you, make you stronger, and make you appreciate yourself and how you live your life. Exercise, meditation, helping others freely, and eating a healthy diet work really well for most people.

Erin Lanathan shared a beautiful insight that when you feel hurt by someone else, remind yourself that they are just like you. They hurt, feel fear, have insecurities, and feel the need to forgive and let go. They are no different from you and me. At times, we all react to the programming in our minds.

As you commit to feeling unconditional love and compassion for self and others, you will begin to transform the programming in your brain. All you need is awareness. Just be aware. Remember, others are on their path just like you are on yours.You are both just doing the best you can. of service in the world.

larged meeting with Jonathan subsequently, during which the issues which were being discussed in the second round of the meeting at press time yesterday, will be thrashed out as part of a final reconciliation.

There were suggestions that part of a final reconciliation would lead to Governors Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State and Jonah Jang of Plateau State, who head different factions of the NGF stepping down.

Obasanjo to lead govs' delegation to Jonathan At the end of what was said to be the first phase of the meeting, which ended at about 3.00 a.m. yesterday, it was agreed that President Obasanjo will lead a delegation to President Jonathan and First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, to stress the need for less meddlesomeness of the First Lady in the affairs of the states, and particularly in Rivers State.

The governors, Vanguard learnt, did not spare Obasanjo as they accused him of allowing the party to drift into its present state of rudderlessness.

Governor Amaechi, who was suspended from the party was also at the meeting, Vanguard learnt. It was the first time that the gover-

nor was involved in a caucus of the party since his suspension, which followed his election as chairman of the NGF last May. Also present at the meeting was Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, who was supported by the party for the NGF chairmanship but trailed Amaechi by 16 to 19 votes in the contest.

Following the end of what sources described as the first phase of the meeting early Tuesday morning, the governors resolved to take a break to continue last night during which issues articulated at the earlier meeting would be properly addressed.

Speaking hopefully on the progress towards reconciliation, the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, PDP-GF, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State said the meeting had sent jitters to the opposition in the country. He spoke to State House correspondents, yesterday, afternoon when he came to brief President Jonathan.

Govs trade blames Sources at the meeting told Vanguard that once the meeting got under way with President Obasanjo as chairman, he urged all the governors to express their feelings, and one by one, the governors charged at what they described as the drift in the party. One source said the governors raised their voices at one another and also pointed at the highhandedness of the party under Tukur.

The problems in Rivers State were also brought up and the governors expressed concern at the situation where the First Lady and appointees of the president had been empowered to disorganize political harmony in the state. Obasanjo, according to one source, calmly brought the governors under control as he guided them to pour out their feelings.

Some governors at the meeting also hotly countered Amaechi and his supporters over his insistence on contesting for the NGF chair as they described it as an affront to the party. The governors were said to have likened Amaechi’s insistence on contesting to what they described

as the insistence of Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal to contest for speaker of the House of Representatives despite its being zoned to another part of the country.

In raising their resentment of the party under its present leadership, some of the governors quarreled with the habit of the National Working Committee, NWC dissolving the state structures without consultation with the governors.

The governors were also said to have raised their opposition to the proposal of automatic ticket as recently mooted for the president and governors by some party elders including the Board of Trustees, BoT chairman, Chief Tony Anenih.

At the end of the meeting, Obasanjo was said to have summarized the issues affecting the party as the NGF; issues with Tukur and the alleged meddlesomeness of the First Lady.

It was thus resolved that a delegation of the governors or President Obasanjo should visit the first family to impress it on the First Lady to moderate her political involvement in the polity and focus on mobilization of women. The delegation is also expected to urge the first family to discourage the practice of political lackeys flocking to them for political patronage.

What the delegation will tell Jonathan “The situation whereby aspirants are flocking to her (Patience Jonathan) to seek her consent and blessing is unacceptable to most of the governors and we want her to stop trying to impose lackeys as the next governors in the states,” one governor told Vanguard, yester-

day.

Following Obasanjo’s summarization of the issues, the meeting was suspended to continue last night during which the issues raised would be frontally tackled.

Preparatory to last night’s meeting, six governors supportive of Amaechi met at the Kano State Governor's Lodge in Abuja where they exchanged notes before proceeding to the Villa for the continuation of the meeting.

Addressing State House correspondents after meeting with President Jonathan, yesterday, Governor Akpabio said the progress being made by the party in reconciling all aggrieved stakeholders in the party was commendable and had sent jitters down the spine of the opposition party.

He said: “All the steps being taken at the moment are steps in the right direction to ensure cohesion and bring back all the party faithful. Particularly, the body of governors will come together to work as one for the interest of Nigeria and the interest of the PDP. “I do know that all the governors of the PDP are working towards the success of the party. I am not aware of any five aggrieved governors but one thing I can assure you is that there are jitters in the camp of the opposition with the meetings of PDP governors and the national convention that is coming up because as soon as the PDP puts its house in order, you know the result. The result is that Nigerians will follow because that is a truly national party in Nigeria. That is the only party without cleavages of ethnicity or tribalism and that is the only party without a godfather.”

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Wailing as remains of NUJ accident victim is interred

BY OLA AJAYI

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BADAN —TEARS flowed uncontrollably, yesterday, as the remains of Mr. Tunde Oluwanike, one of the three journalists that died in an auto crash on Osu-Ilesa road penultimate Friday were interred at his residence in Awotan, Ibadan.

The deceased, aged 43, was the Chairman of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Chapel of the Oyo Nigeria Union Journalists (NUJ), Ibadan.

While delivering the sermon entitled, “Where will you spend eternity?” at the church service, Pastor Samuel Ige, Assistant Pastor in charge of Province 3, Redeemed Christian Church of God, said: “Death is a must for all of us.

No prayer, holiness, righteousness can prevent death when it comes. Where are people like Daniel, Isaiah and other men of God. All gone."

Making reference to Acts 5, where Annanian and Saphira died after lying to the Holy Spirit, he warned the gathering to remain upright because death will not announce when it is coming.

He said: “Brother Tunde lived well. Though we are sad that he has left us, we cannot querry God. But what matters is that we should always strive to do His will. If the bell should sound today, can you answer the call?”

Two of the survivors of the accident, national treasurer of the NUJ, Alhaja Fatimat Abdulkareem and the Oyo NUJ Chairman, Gbenga Opadotun are still at the University College Hospital, Ibadan receiving treatment.

Dignatries at the burial service included the Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, represented by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo; the NUJ President, Mallam Garba Muhammed, the representative of the state Police Commissioner Mohammed Indabawa, members of the NUJ from the various chapels, among others.

Ajimobi disclosed that the government had risen to the occasion and would continue to help the bereaved family.

The NUJ president said: “Oluwanike died in active service for the union, while urging everyone to continue to pray for the family of the deceased and the injured in the hospital."

6 feared dead in fresh Tiv, Hausa/Kabawa communal clash

BY PETER DURU

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AKURDI — NO fewer than six persons were feared dead in a fresh outbreak of fighting between the Tiv and Hausa/Kabawa communities at Gbajimba in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.

Vanguard gathered from an eyewitness that the crisis which started last weekend also left close to 30 persons with varying degrees of injuries while some houses and huts were also torched during the crisis.

According to the eyewitness, the crisis was sparked off by an alleged attempt by some Tiv youths to apprehend an Hausa/ Kabawa youth who allegedly assisted some Fulani mercenaries in a recent attack on Nzorov village.

The source said: “At the peak of the fighting between the Tiv natives and the Fulani herdsmen, we noticed that most of the Hausa/Kabawa people residing in Gbajimba took to their heels.

“Unfortunately, one of the Hausa youths was sighted fighting alongside the Fulanis at Nzorov and when peace returned to the community, members of the fleeing Hausa community made their way back to Gbajimba.

“Regrettably, some of the Tiv youths recognized one of the young men who fought alongside the Fulanis. He was accosted and an attempt by some Tiv youths to arrest him degenerated into a major conflict but the main suspect ran into the Gbajimba Police station for fear of being killed.

“The enraged youths, however, insisted that the Police must produce the suspect to allow them mete out jungle justice on him.

At that point, there was tension

in Gbjimba which led to a major conflict between the two tribes, leaving some six persons dead, close to 30 sustained serious injuries while houses and huts were also destroyed.

“Though we later heard that

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DSP, Daniel Ezeala said the Police were aware of one death arising from the crisis, adding that 27 suspects had been arrested while Police had also beefed up security in the troubled community.

Commanding Officer, Military Special Operation Unit in Mubi, Lt.-Col. Beyidi Gurama (2nd right), displaying some arms, Ammunition, explosives and money recovered from suspected insurgents in Mubi, Adamawa State, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN.

Grumblings in police barracks over N5,500 deductions zIt's meant to assist them own houses— Force Hqtrs

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BUJA — DUE the grumblings by officers, rank and file of the Nigeria Police Force across the country over what they termed forced deductions of N11,000 from their salaries (N5,500 each in

One dead, 7 hospitalised after a meal SUKKA — ONE person has been confirmed dead while seven other members of same family are on danger list at a private hospital in Nsukka following food poisoning.

The eight members of Mr Clement Alumona family in Uvuru, Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State were said to have eaten a meal prepared from cassava flour and consequently took ill leading to the death of one, Bridget, aged four.

According to sources close to the family, Clement’s wife, Veronica, bought dried cassava tubers which were ground into flour which they used in preparing the meal which is usually eaten with soup.

the suspect was moved from Gbajimba to the state Police Command Headquaters in Makurdi for safety and interrogation.”

Contacted, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Deputy Superintendent,

The other members of the family now at the intensive care unit of the Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka, include the head of the family, Clement, 63, and his wife, Veronica.

Others are Evelyn, 12; Christiana, 8; Frederick 6; and Francis who is one and a half years old.

Hospital sources said the surviving family members were taken to hospital, Monday night, adding that they were transfused with two pints of blood each.

However, as at yesterday, the victims were still vomiting and stooling blood.

Dr Oji Chimaroke who spoke on the issue at the hospital, however, said six members of the family had regained consciousness except Veronica.

June and July) by the leadership of the force to acquire shares for policemen in the Police Mortgage Bank, the Force Headquarters has explained that the deductions were meant to assist the officers own houses.

Speaking with Vanguard, Force spokesman, CSP Frank Mba, explained that with the Police having a whooping N8 billion tied down in the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, an amount which many other mortgage concerns have been accessing and benefiting from, the present Police leadership feels time had come for policemen to enjoy the fruit of their labour.

He noted that with the contribution of N11,000 across board (from IGP to constable), which makes every policeman a share holder and part owner of the Police Mortgage Bank.

“Every police officer irrespective of rank is entitled to a loan of up to N15 million at a single digit interest rate not exceeding eight per cent and repayable over a maximum period of 30 years, to build his own house.

“Every police officer irrespective of rank can also get up to N15 million on same terms to renovate his property, purchase a piece of land and purchase a house either independently or through the Police Housing Scheme.”

3 abducted Edo teachers

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN CITY — THE three kidnapped primary school teachers attached to the Orhogbua Primary School, Ekenhuan community in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State regained their freedom, yesterday.

The trio, Mrs Patience Osadolor, Patience Oroghene

and Aisha Momodu, were abducted penultimate week, after gunmen stormed the school in a commando style.

The suspected kidnappers later demanded N60million from the families, but later reduced the ransom fee to N7.5 million.

Consequently, teachers in the state have been protesting round the streets of Benin calling for their release. However, Van-

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013—7

Soldiers attack policemen in Delta zPolice driver beaten to pulp, collapses

BY EMMA AMAIZE

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OKO—PANDEMONIUM broke out, Monday, in Koko, Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State, as soldiers attacked and injured police officers from Delta State Police Command, who were on escort duty with the state Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Anthonia Ashiedu.

The soldiers beat a police corporal, who drove one of the police vehicles, to pulp for allegedly blaring siren in the premises of the Warri North Local Government Council, which is close to a military outpost.

The corporal fainted because of the severe beating and was rushed to hospital for medical attention.

At press time, junior police police officers were spoiling for a showdown with soldiers in the state, saying it has become a tradition for soldiers to attack police officers in the state without justifiable reason.

State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, confirmed to Vanguard when contacted, saying the soldiers accused the police officers of blaring siren inside the secretariat of the council.

He said: “It is sheer brutality. I have reported the matter to the Inspector General of Police and contacted army authorities in the state, but they said they did not authorise the assault.

“They told us that there is no bad blood, but there is bad blood.

Why did they attack fellow uniformed men in such a manner in the course of their duty? We are making a formal report on the incident.

“My stand is that the soldiers responsible for this attack should be fished out and made to face the music.”

A source who spoke to Vanguard said: “The police officers from the B’ Operations Department of the Delta State Police Command were on escort duty with the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Anthonia Ashiedu. It was an empowerment programme for the less privileged by the state government and because she was carrying some

money for the programme, they requested police escort.

The frog jump “As it is usual on such occasion, the siren was on when they entered the premises of Warri North Local Government Coucil and about eight soldiers came from a nearby outpost and asked the police driver, Corporal Ekome, to frog-jump.

“The police officer that led the team came to tell the soldiers that they should stop the confrontation, but the soldiers attacked him, seized his rifle and tore the but-

ton on his uniform.

"With the atmosphere charged, more soldiers joined their colleagues and insisted that the police driver must frog jump, which he resisted.

"The soldiers descended on him, ignoring the appeal from other police officers to stop creating a bad impression of Nigeria security officials in the eyes of the public.

"Some of the policemen wanted to retaliate, but were prevailed upon by the crowd, which watched the show of shame with dismay.

“The commissioner was shocked by the incident as she

stood watching without knowing what to make out of the ugly show of power.”

A junior police officer said: “We are waiting to know what the Commissioner of Police and others will do on this matter. If they sweep it under the carpet, I can assure you that we will attack soldiers in isolated places in the state because this is own is getting too much.

“Come to think of it, the job of internal security is that of the police. If not overzealousness, what is wrong in the police blaring siren in the premises of a local government council? Is that a reason for soldiers to attack policemen?"

Expired drugs worth N25 million, voluntarily handed over by traders at Bridge-Head Drug Market, Onitsha, to National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN W i d o w the late T u n d e Oluwanike, Omolara, and her children during the burial of late Comrade Tunde Oluwanike, y e s t e r d a y, who died recently with some NUJ members on their way from Abuja.

Photos: D a r e Fasube

regain freedom guard learnt that the teachers regained their freedom at about 3 a.m, yesterday.

At press time, it was still unknown whether ransom was paid before their release.

The families of the victims and teachers in the state had earlier appealed to the kidnappers to release the teachers, explaining that it would be almost impossible to afford to kind of money demanded by the suspects.

Members of Nigeria Union of Journalist, NUJ, during a programme held for the late Comrade Tunde Oluwanike at the NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan, yesterday.

Man, 64, arrested for using forged C of O to bail suspects

BY EVELYN USMAN

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AGOS — THE Lagos State Police Command has smashed a syndicate which specialised in presenting forged Certificate of Occupancy, C of O, to bail suspects in courts, arresting its 64-year-old alleged ring leader.

The suspect, identified as Agu Ebere, was reportedly arrested by operatives of XSquad after he reportedly presented the forged C of O to bail a retired Navy Captain arrested over N40 million alleged fraud.

The retired Navy Captain simply identified as Nabu, allegedly defrauded a company of N40 million. He was said to have been requested to get a surety who had property in Lagos, following which Agu was contacted.

Explaining how Agu met his waterloo while parading him before newsmen yesterday, spokes person for the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide said: “The officer in charge of X-Squad suspected foul play and subjected the document to scrutiny at the Lagos State secretariat, Alausa, in the course of which it was discovered to be fake.

"When he was interrogated, he confessed to have been using such device to bail suspects from several police stations and courts at the end of which he collects money from them.”

Braide, therefore, called on Lagosians to be wary of the likes of Agu, calling particularly on financial institutions to subject Cs of O presented as collateral for loans to proper scrutiny.

When approached, the 64 year-old father of five who did not show remorse, said he succeeded in using the money realised from the shady deal to train four children in the higher institution, adding that the fifth child was in his final year.

He said he was not alone in the fake C of O business, informing that he had been into it for several years.

“I have been standing surety for over 20 years. I work hand-in-hand with some lawyers. Anytime there is need for a surety, some lawyers will contact me because they cannot stand as one for suspects.

I usually collect between N30,000 and N100,000 from suspects, depending on the bail conditions.

"I operate in all magistrate courts in Lagos with the C of O but I do not go near high court because they usually carry out verification before admitting any document.”

8—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Zamfara gov, others trapped in Lagos protest

BY LAJU ARENYEKA & EKEMINI EYOH

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AGOS—Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State and other road users, were, yesterday, trapped in Lagos as hundreds of protesters took to the streets in a peaceful protest to lament the deplorable state of the nation’s public education sector.

The placard-carrying demonstrators consisting of delegates from the Joint Action Front, JAF; Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU; Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP; Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, COEASU; National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS; South-West Zone, among others.

The protest kicked off at the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, house in Yaba.

Singing solidarity songs, the crowd moved to Ojuelegba, and occupied the busy Ikorodu Road for several minutes, refusing entry to motorists, including the Zam-fara governor’s convoy.

When the convoy finally made its way through the crowd, there was loud booing and calling of unprintable names.

The protest terminated at Maryland Roundabout, with anxious commuters trapped in the traffic until the crowd was addressed and dismissed.

The JAF Secretary, Mr. Abiodun Aremu, said: “This is just the kick-off point. Our goal is to shut down the country, until government makes education a priority.”

VISIT: From left— Major Pu Lin, Assistant Defence Attache; Mr. Yonghua Ding, Director, Political Section, both of the Chinese Embassy; Dr. Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Media and Publicity; Mr. Zhang Bin, Deputy Chief of Mission; Ms Li Xue, both of the Chinese Embassy, and Mr. Nura Rimi, Deputy Director, Protocol, State House, during Mr. Bin's visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: State House.

Atiku, Tinubu, Alams, Buhari, others failed Nigeria— Obasanjo zSays we're jinxed, cursed; we should go to hell

BY OLA AJAYI

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BADAN—FORMER President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, said his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar; chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Salisu Buhari, and former governors of Delta and Bayelsa states, James Ibori and Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, respectively, had failed the nation.

He said it was sad that after 53 years of independence, there was no leader that could be commended.

The ex-president said this while delivering a keynote address at the fourth annual

Ibadan Sustainable Development Summit, organised by Centre for Sustainable Development, University of Ibadan, in collaboration with African Sustainable Development Network.

The ex-president started in his jovial characteristic manner as he mentioned all those he claimed had failed to justify the leadership confidence reposed in them.

While responding to issues relating to poor leadership in Africa, he specifically mentioned Alhaji Abubakar, Tinubu, Salisu Buhari, Alamieyeseigha and others.

He said: “I wanted someone who would succeed me so I took Atiku. Within a year, I started seeing the type of

EFCC releases Saraki, but...

BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

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BUJA—AFTER spending some time with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, former Kwara State Governor, Bukola Saraki, was, yesterday, allowed to go home but on condition that he returns to the agency’s office on a fixed date.

A source at the commission told Vanguard that the lawmaker was temporarily left off the hook because he had some

health issues to sort out in his family.

The source said: “Yes, we allowed him to go and sort out some issues related to the health of a member of his family, but we have asked him to report back on a specified date.

“As a matter of fact, investigation has not gone half way and we intend to question him the more over certain issues relating to his tenure as the governor of Kwara State and the defunct Societe General Bank of Nigeria, SGBN.

“We cannot disclose the amount of money involved in the investigation, but we will do that as investigation progresses on the matter.”

It will be recalled that after nearly two weeks exchange of words with EFCC, Saraki, Monday morning, surrendered to the operatives of the commission in Abuja.

Saraki was also said to have rendered an official statement to the anti-graft agency in line with the issues raised against him.

man Atiku is. And you want me to get him there?”

On young politicians

He added that during his administration, there were some politicians who were under 50 years in leadership positions.

Obasanjo said: “One of them was James Ibori. Where is he today? One of them was Alameseigha. Where is he today? Lucky Igbinedion; where is he today?

“The youngest was the Speaker, Buhari. You can still recall what happened to him.

“You said Bola Tinubu is your master. What Salisu Buhari did was not anything worse than what Bola Tinubu did.

“I once went to Tanzania because Julius Nyerere recognised Biafra. He told me not to mind his aides and others in government.

“They would say they have one house in town, but their five-year old sons and daughters would have houses all over.

“Some of you who are condemning the leadership would get there tomorrow and it will be a different story.

Only very few are actually good.

In 1979...

“Abacha, my predecessor

got $750 million. Through our lawyer in Switzerland we recovered $1.25 billion and the lawyer still said there is probably still another $1 billion to be recovered. In 1979, we had 20 new ships specially built for Nigeria.”

He lamented that when he came back 20 years after, the national shipping line had gone under.

He said: “The whole thing is not just about leadership.

If we talk about good leadership you should also talk about good followers. If you talk about human rights you should also talk about human duties and obligations.”

Lamenting our inability to produce leaders, who are above board, he said: “We are jinxed and cursed; we should all go to hell. The problem in Africa is that when one person takes over, he would not see any good thing that his predecessor did. Let us condemn but with caution.”

He described the topic, Leadership in Africa’s Quest for Sustainable Development, as very apt and timely.

In his short address, the Vice-Chancellor of University of Ibadan, Professor Isaac Adewole, said it was pitiable that we, as a country, have not been able to raise questions about how 35 people (referring to the Nigeria’s Governors’ Forum) could not conduct credible election in this country.

Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013— 9

No money to meet ASUU's demands, says Okonjo-Iweala

BY WOLE MOSADOMI

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INNA—THERE appears to be no end in sight to the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, in the country as Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala declared, yesterday, that the nation's economy cannot accommodate the demands of the lecturers for now.

The minister spoke while delivering her keynote address at the opening ceremony of this year’s National Council on Finance and Economic Development,

NACOFED, in Minna, Niger State, yesterday.

She said that if other sectors were to be adequately and urgently developed, less emphasis should be placed on recurrent expenditure, especially salaries and allowances of workers.

According to her, “at present, ASUU wants government to pay N92 billion in extra allowances over and above their salaries. Though we are in discussion with them, the problem is that the resources to take care of the demands are simply not there.”

She said that with the

present situation in the country, Nigerians need to make a choice.

She said: “People are supportive when there is agitation to increase salaries, pensions among others.

“But on the other hand, people also turn around to say the recurrent budget is too high and there is no way you can have it both ways and so we have to make specific choices in this country.”

Cause

Okonjo-Iweala noted that the country was still suffering from the impact of the wage increase in 2010, adding that by the time other demands are added, the recurrent budget will be getting higher, thus leaving virtually nothing for capital.

She said: “Do we want to get

to a stage when virtually all the monies and resources we earn are being used to pay salaries and allowances for public servants, who make up a minute percentage of the country’s population?

“If we do, it means that government workers will take up the entire budget of the country with nothing left for roads, water, education and others.”

She, therefore, challenged the commissioners and other stakeholders to use the conference to find permanent solutions to the lingering financial problems in order to move the nation forward.

Challenges

The minister enumerated some of the challenges facing the country to include, over-dependence on oil revenues, the lopsidedness of the public expenditures, the budget formulation process and the need to improve the actual public financial management system.

She, however, said that despite these daunting challenges, there is progress in agriculture, housing and real estate, manufacturing and diversifying the economy away from oil and improving the non-oil tax revenue collection.

Vice President Namadi Sambo, in his speech read on his behalf

by Minister of Economic Plan-

ning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, said some of the reforms in public financial management already taken by the present administration had started yielding results.

Reforms

He said they include reducing recurrent expenditure to sustainable levels, while increasing the fiscal space for supporting capital projects and eradicating ghost workers, among others.

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, who was represented by his deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Ibeto, said that the country must gradually but surely steer away from oildominated and global control to a liberalised agro-based economy, where government and private entrepreneurs actively participate in economic activities.

He urged the participants to use the forum to articulate issues that are germane to the realisation of a deregulation of the downstream oil sector.

Participants at the conference, with the theme Restructuring Nigeria’s Public Finances, comprised state finance commissioners and other relevant stakeholders.

Reactions trail protests by S-African women married to Nigerians

BY VICTORIA OJEME, JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU & LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

A

BUJA—MIXED reactions, yesterday, trailed reports of a protest by South African women married to Nigerians, who were protesting alleged stigmatisation, discrimination, and humiliation by government departments and agencies and officials of the South African government.

While some commentators condemned the alleged discrimination outright, others suggested caution on the part of the Nigerian government before taking any action.

A retired Nigerian diplomat, Ambassador Dahiru Suleiman, called on the Nigerian Government to investigate the claims by the South African women before making any statement.

Ambassador Suleiman, who served in Pakistan, Brazil, Angola, United State of America, Ivory Coast, Poland, Austria and twice in Sudan, spoke with Vanguard yesterday in Abuja.

He said: “In all the countries I have served, a lot of Nigerians go ahead with what is known as arrangee marriage just to remain in that country.

“You also see them making a lot of money, buying big houses and big cars, and when you ask them what they do, they will tell you that they are businessmen.

“Many of them are not doing any legitimate work and they go ahead buying all these things. Let me ask

you, which country do you think will be happy with such people?

“The same thing is applicable in Kenya.

Many Nigerians go ahead to marry old women that they cannot even bring back to Nigeria. Sometimes when I see them I feel pity for them. In all these countries, I noticed that Nigerians specialise in this arrangee marriage.

“That is why I am saying that we should be careful in making statements that we will live to regret tomorrow.”

A former member of House of Representatives and human rights activist, Mr. Uche Onyeagocha described the alleged discrimination against South African women married to Nigerians by the South African government as unfortunate.

Onyeagocha, who represented Owerri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, said that going by the role the Nigerian government played during the apartheid regime in South Africa, the country would have no justification to discriminate or stigmatise their women for marrying Nigerians.

He said: “If the story is true, then it will be most unfortunate. I am sure that the South African Constitution, which is one of the best constitutions in the world today, will not have any room for such discrimination.

“I will urge such women to proceed without hesitation to court to fight against such discrimination.

“It will be wrong for the South African government to discriminate against its citizens because they are married to Nigerian men, given Nigeria's role during the apartheid years.”

10—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Tributes galore at Pa Fashola’s 8th-day Fidau prayer

BY OLASUNKNAMI AKONI & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

L

AGOS—LAGOS State, practical-ly, stood still yesterday, as eminent Nigerians, foreign diplomats, politicians from various political parties, market women and men, well wishers, among others, thronged the Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS, venue of the 8th Day Fidau prayers for the repose of late Pa Ibrahim Ademola Fashola, father of Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lags State.

Pa Fashola died on August 5, 2013, aged 80, after a brief illness at his Surulere residence, while his son, the Lagos State governor, was far away in Saudi Arabia performing the Lesser Hajj, Umrah.

Meantime, various Muslim clerics who offered prayers and gave sermons at the well attended event, preached on the need for men to make humility their watch word even as they urged Nigerian leaders and all those in positions of authority as well as everyone still alive to emulate the life of service to humanity as exemplified by the late octogenarian.

Roll call

The eminent Nigerians, led by Speaker House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, include: Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Governor of Osun State, Abiola Ajimobi, Governor of Oyo State, Governor of Kogi State Captain Idris Wada, Governor of Jigawa, Mallam Sule Lamido, Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, Governor of Kano State, Dr Rabiu Kwakwanso, Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Governor of Adamawa, Vice Admiral Murtala Nyako and Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji.

Also, former Head of state, General Muhammed Buhari, (rtd), the Ex-Vice President, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, former Secretary to the Federal Government, Alhaji Yahyale Ahmed, former speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Masari, and ex-governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Adeniyi Adebayo, among numerous others.

BRIEFING: From left: President, National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, Professor Victor Wakwe; Chairman local organising committee, 8th Annual Scientific Conference and All Fellows Congress of the college, Professor Olusegun Ojo and college Registrar, Prof. Wole Atoyebi, at a media briefing on the scientific conference which begins today at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, yesterday.

Kudirat: Lagos appeals Al-Mustapha, Sofolahan’s acquittal ...says it committed no error in deportation of Igbos

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

L

AGOS—IT is not yet uhuru for Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer, CSO, to late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, over his acquittal by the appellate court as the Lagos State Government yesterday disclosed it has filed an appeal to challenge the court’s decision that aquitted the former CSO and Alhaji Lateef Shofolahan over the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.

LASG’s action is contained in a statement by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, while briefing journalists during his ministry’s monthly media chat on law and order in the state.

The Attorney General, who refused to disclose the grounds on which the state was challenging the judgment of the Court of Appeal, said the state took the decision after one month of thorough evaluation of the judgment and found out that “there are enough and very good grounds for appeal.”

Ipaye said: ”Having carefully reviewed the decisions of the respected justices of the Court of Appeal, it is our humble view that there are strong bases for appeal which the Supreme Court of Nigeria should have an opportunity to consider.

“This step will also ensure that all issues are fully articulated and the victim’s family, the defendants and the society are not deprived of the last window of opportunity provided by the constitution for the resolu-

tion of the case.”

Though, according to him, the notice of appeal filed by the state was yet to be served on the defendants, the processes have been filed before the Court of Appeal, Lagos.

Deportation of Igbos E a r l i e r, Ipaye, who had also spoken on the controversies that trailed the relocation of some Igbo indigenes from Lagos, dismissed the argument that the state acted against the law. He said the decision to transport the affected persons to their home state was based on their request after due consultation with their state of origin.

He said: “A lot has been said about this, and has fueled a lot of speculations and is drawing bad blood.

But this is a simple routine matter which has been happen-

ing to people all over the country, be it Yoruba, Igbo or Hausa, who have no social support living in the state. So, they requested that the government should assist them in going back home where they can find their families and get people to reunite with.

“We have said it that we wrote to the government in question that it should come to the assistance of the people. Since we couldn’t get their response, we worked with these individuals to get them back home. It was really a primary matter of assisting the people involved. It was not a punitive measure or that anyone has no right to

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013—11

Orji Kalu's property in Park View Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos

Lagos govt seals Kalu's house •Fashola orders it reopened

F

ORMER Governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, and Lagos State government, yesterday, disagreed over the reason for the sealing of Kalu’s property in Park View Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Meantime, Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday, ordered the house to be reopened.

While Kalu’s aide linked the sealing of the house to the criticism of Fashola by Kalu over the deportation of 72 residents of Lagos, who are of South East origin, the Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Media, Hakeem Bello, said he believed the action has nothing to do with the alleged deportation of Igbos from Lagos.

According to him; “Fashola’s

C M Y K

administration has no time for trivial matters.”

Emeka Obasi reacts Reacting to the sealing of the Park View house of Kalu, his Special Adviser, Media, Emeka Obasi, said it was done as a revenge for the criticism of Kalu, who is the Coordinator of Njiko Igbo, a group fighting the cause of the South East.

Obasi said the property had been there for several years and that sealing it after just two weeks of his boss criticsing Fashola over the deportation issue was an indication that there was more to it.

Obasi said Kalu was not the only Igbo to have suffered such fate in Lagos State “after the wicked and ungodly act of deporting legitimate residents of Lagos State.”

He added, “Why is it that it is now that the property is be-

ing sealed, barely two weeks after my boss disagreed with the action of Fashola? We maintain our stand and this will not distract us from fighting for the people.

“The action of the Lagos State Government remains unconstitutional because every citizen of Nigeria has a right to live in any part of the country. Fashola should remember that the Igbo community constitutes about 35 per cent of registered voters in Lagos State and they should be treated like they matter in the scheme of things.”

Hakeem Bello comments The Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Media, Hakeem Bello, when contacted, said he could not give any details on the development as he had not been briefed on the matter.

He, however, said that if the owner of the building had committed an infraction against any of the state laws, he or she should be ready to be sanctioned when the long arms of the law finally caught up with the him or her. “ I don’t think it has anything to do with the alleged deportation of Igbos from Lagos.

Fashola’s administration has no time for trivial matters,” he said.

APC faults CPC's boycott of Ekiti rally

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

A

DO EKITI—THE newly registered, All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti State, has expressed worry over how the leadership of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, in the state had failed to turn up for Monday’s rally to herald the formation of the new party in the state.

Members of the CPC, led by the chairman, Mr. Babatunde Ajayi, had staged a boycott on Monday by refusing to partake in a rally organised by the PPA. Rather than participating in the rally, the CPC decided to stage its own rally at the party's Basiri office, at the other end of the town.

Speaking with newsmen on

why they refused to show up at the rally, Ajayi complained that the leadership of the defunct ACN had failed to carry them along.

But countering this position, Public Relations Officer of APC in the state,Mr. Adeleke, said all the merger parties were aware of the rally, expressing fears that the leadership of CPC might be acting the script of fifth columnists to frustrate the party in the state.

He said: “All I am aware of is that the leaders of the ANPP and CPC met with our chairman and other executives in Ado Ekiti on the planned rally, because our leaders are interested in full harmonization of the merger in Ekiti so that the party can take off on a solid footing.

“During the meeting, they reached some agreements which include that our secretariat should be the operational office of the APC. In fact, they agreed to all the proposals brought before them by our leaders. We gave them the date and the venue of the rally . With all these, I don’t know how they were neglected or sidelined.

“Despite the fact that they were aware of the preparation, ACN did not collect a dime from them to organize the rally."

Mimiko urges collaboration with UNICEF on children's well-being

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE—ONDO State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, yesterday, sought more collaboration of the state governments with the United Nations Children Fund, UNICEF, towards improving the well-being of children.

Mimiko made the demand in his office in Akure while playing host to officials of the fund led by its country representative in Nigeria, Ms Jean Gouch.

The governor noted that the future of Nigeria depends absolutely on the level of investment made on the well-being of the children.

He assured of his administration’s continuous support for child-promoting programmes, including provision of adequate healthcare and qualitative education.

Osun pledges N35m towards Obadare's burial

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

O

SOGBO—OSUN State Government has set aside N35 million as its contribution to the burial of a renowned Evangelist and Prophet, Apostle Timothy Obadare, in his home town, Ilesa, this weekend.

Late Obadare, the founder and leader of World Soul Winning Evangelical Ministry, WOSEM, died March 21, this year and will be buried on August, 17 in Ilesa, Osun State.

The state Commissioner for Finance, Economic Planning and Budget, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro, disclosed the contribution of the state government in a statement in Osogbo yesterday.

Dr. Bolorunduro described the late Prophet Obadare as one of the greatest spiritual icons and a sage who made the state proud.

He said the deceased had promoted the state beyond the shores of Nigeria during his missionary duties.

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Verification: Edo teacher can’t read own certificate tificates of primary school teachers in Edo State, as a ENIN CITY — IT was teacher in Asologun Primary drama, yesterday, at the School, Ikpoba Okha Local venue of the verification of cer- Government Area of the state, SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

2015: GDI co-opts Rivers non-indigenes for GEJ

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

P

ORT HARCOURT — A Rivers State political group, Grassroots Development Initiative, GDI, has begun sensitising non-indigenes in the state to join its effort to ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan enjoys overwhelming support of Rivers people in the 2015 elections.

Speaking at the inauguration of the body in Obia/Akpor Local Government Area, GDI Coordinator in the locality, Collins Ononwo, said the group was leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to ensure that the entire Rivers people support the Jonathan second tenure agenda.

He said: “Rivers is on record of being supportive of Goodluck Presidency in 2011.

“Then, we were united as a people. Today, we have the challenge of people nursing antiJonathan agenda. We need to spread our tentacles and the non–indigenes as always must play as much a part as the landlords.”

Mrs. Augusta Odemwinge could not read a sworn affidavit she purportedly tendered as part of her credentials.

The state governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, who paid an unscheduled visit to the state Staff Training Centre, venue of the exercise, said “if you can’t read, what do you teach the pupils, what do you write on the board?”

Chairman of the state Nigeria Union of Teachers, Mr. Patrick Ikosimi, who was also at the screening to monitor the exercise, said that the woman’s failure was “an embarrassment.”

On arrival at the centre, the governor took time to peruse some of the teacher’s credentials and documents presented.

When Mrs. Odenwingie took her turn during the exercise, the governor, who listened to her defence, asked her to read the affidavit she presented, but she stuttered, to the consternation of everybody around.

Ikosimi, who described Mrs. Odemwingie’s failure to read a document she presented as an embarrassment, said the union was in tune with the

state government on the need to sanitise the school system.

He said: “We are committed to partnering the government to reposition education in the state. What this teacher has just displayed is a show of shame; it shows the decadence in the education sector.

“As the chairman of NUT, I had written to the governor that we are in total support of what he is doing.

“He should properly involve the NUT, so that together we can fish out the culprits, who are not viable as far as the system is concerned,” he said.

Emerhor assures people of Delta Central of better deal

A

N All Progressives Congress, APC, senatorial aspirant in the forth coming byelection in Delta Central, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor has assured the people of the district a better deal when elected.

Olorogun Emerhor gave the assurance when he paid a courtesy call on Elder statesman, Chief Morrison Olori, and Olorogun Theo Mukoro, both in Ughelli, Delta State in

continuation of his consultation visits.

Emerhor thanked Chief Olori for welcoming his team to his house, promising that he will not fail the Urhobo people because the time has come for them to take their rightful position in the polity of Nigeria.

He said: “I am not going to the Senate for selfish interest, I will bring development to our land.

I want to assure our people of a

better deal when elected a senator in the forthcoming byelection in the district.”

Welcoming Emerhor and his team to his house, Chief Olori, promised that he was going to work with him in his quest to clinch the Delta Central Senatorial seat, noting that what Urhobos want was a radical politician, who can deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

He said: “Let us settle our differences and leave the past behind us.

“Olorogun Emerhor is the son that the Urhobos need to move it out of the current political marginalisation.

“He has a good name and it is only those that have a good name that the Urhobos will give their votes. I will stand with you in this your quest to represent the Urhobos at the Senate.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013—13

Pirates attack passenger boats, kill 3

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA — GUNMEN, suspected to be pirates, have attacked two passenger boats on the Port HarcourtNembe sea route, killing three persons.

Though the Bayelsa State Police Command confirmed the killing of two persons in the attack, a top official from Nembe Local Government Area of the state, insisted that three persons were killed.

The pirates, it was learnt, struck last Sunday on Port Harcourt-Nembe sea, known as Kilometre 46, a border community between Rivers and Bayelsa states.

While the identity of the vic-

BRIEFING: Chairman, PDP Governors' Forum, Goevrnor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, briefing State House Correspondents on the conciliatory move in the party, following series of meetings Monday night and his consultations with President Goodluck Jonathan on the forthcoming South-West Zonal Convention, at the Aso Villa, Abuja. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida

tims could not be immediately ascertained, a boat driver and some passengers sustained bullet injuries and are now being treated at an undisclosed hospital in Yenagoa.

It was also learnt that another gang of pirates in a separate attack made away with N1.5million and an outboard engine belonging to a passenger travelling on the Nembe waterways.

Valuables such as personal effects of the passengers were seized at gun point and carted away by the bandits.

The troubled indigenes of Nembe have raised alarm over requent attacks by pirates on their waterways and appealed to the authorities to come to their aid by stepping up the security network in the area.

An official of the Nembe council, who spoke anonymously, decried the pirates’ attack on passengers on the waterways.

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Alex Akhigbe, confirmed the incident, saying that the location was not within the jurisdiction of the police command.

Rivers: Govt up to date on workers’ salaries payment — CPS

R

IVERS STATE Government, yesterday, denied claims by the Felix Obuah faction of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, that it was yet to pay the July, 2013 salaries of civil servants in the state.

The state government described the Felix Obuah faction as serial liars, who have consistently sacrificed the truth on the altar of scoring cheap political points.

Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Mr. David Iyofor admonished the Obuah group, its backers and sponsors to desist from misinforming and misleading the public as the Rotimi Amaechi’s administration remains committed to the welfare of workers in the state.

He said, “It is amazing how low these people (Obuah group) can go in the name of playing politics. You can’t stand truth on its head because you want to fish for a reason to abuse and attack Governor Amaechi. Felix Obuah and his co-travellers should stop playing politics with the lives of Rivers people.

“They claimed that Governor Amaechi could not pay workers’ salaries but even before they started peddling their wicked lies, civil servants’ salaries in the state have been paid and the payment is ongoing.

“This can be easily verified both from the banks and civil servants; and the state leadership of Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, the two umbrella unions of the workers.

“As the banks furnished the state Ministry of Finance with the new 10 digits United (NUBAN) Account Numbers from the old 13 digit Account Numbers, payments are being made. Anybody that does transaction with any bank is aware of the recent migration by banks from the old 13 digit Account Numbers to the 10 digit new Unified (NUBAN) Account Numbers.”

Ex-militant leaders tackle Akande over attack on Jonathan

F

ORMER NIGER Delta militants have expressed dissatisfaction over the recent verbal attack on President Goodluck Jonathan by the interim National Chairman, All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Bisi Akande, saying that such attack from a deluded and confused personality was a shame and should be rebuffed.

Akande had in an interview with newsmen in his Ila-Orangun country home during the Muslim celebration, described President Jonathan as an unserious-minded person and running a kindergarten presidency.

The ex-militant leaders, under the aegis of Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative, LPCDI, led by its President, Pastor Reuben Wilson, said though “the confused state of mind of the former Osun State governor had been certified, his recent utterances and attack on Jonathan and the Presidency was shameful, provocative and an affirmation of the deranged group of persons he is leading as opposition leaders.”

LPCDI in the statement , yesterday, said ex-militant leaders in the SouthSouth would deliberate on the growing list of unstable political jobbers and and declared them “persona non granta in the region.”

TRANSITION

C

HIEF JACKSON Otamitie, aged 60, is dead. He died after a brief illness.

He is survived by a widow and children.

The burial has been fixed for September 7, 2013 in Edjophe Town, near Otor Udu, Ughelli South Local Government, Area, Delta State.

Late Chief Otamitie C M Y K

14—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

8TH DAY FIDAU PRAYERS FOR ALHAJI ADEMOLA FASHOLA, FATHER OF LAGOS STATE GOVERNOR IN LAGOS, YESTERDAY. PIX: BUNMI AZZEZ.

From left: Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, Speaker, House of Representatives, son of the deceased, Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Gov. Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Gov. Idris Wada of Kogi State, Gov. Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, Gov. Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State and Niger State governor, Babangida Aliyu, during the 8th Day Fidau prayers for Alhaji Ibrahim Ademola Fashola, father of Mr. Babatunde Fashola, Lagos State Governor, at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.

From left: Ms. Olayinka Fashola, daughter, Ms. Arinola Fuwa, daughter, Mrs. Omolara Fashola, widow and Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, First Lady of Lagos State.

From left: Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Gov. Tanko AlMakura of Nasarawa State, Chief Tom Ikimi and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).

Alhaji Aliko Dangote (right) and Senator Gbenga Ashafa.

From left: Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, Alhaji Adamu Aliero, former Kebbi State governor and Prince Eze Madumere, Deputy Governor of Imo State.

From left: Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Alhaja Fatimah Tinubu and Mrs. Yemisi Tinubu.

From left: Chief Henry Ajomale, Alhaji Lateef Okunnu and Ogun State Deputy Governor, Prince Segun Adesegun.

From left: Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Sen. Ganiyu Solomon, Sen. Gbenga Obadara and Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas.

C M Y K

Otunba Subomi Balogun and his wife.

Cross section of Traditional rulers, at the event.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013—15

UN, UK denounce Borno mosque massacre zAs Nigeria dismisses Boko Haram threat

BY HENRY UMORU & UDUMA KALU, WITH AGENCY REPORT

T

HE United Nations and the United Ki ngdom have condemned the killing of 44 people in Borno State as they prayed in their mosque by the Boko Haram Islamic sect last Sunday even as the Federal Government dismissed the threat posed by the sect while conceding that the sect has destroyed Nigeria’s reputation.

Gunmen wearing Nigerian army camouflage fatigues struck under cover of darkness as residents were saying their dawn prayers at around 5:30 a.m. last Sunday, just as another 12 civilians died in a simultaneous attack on Ngom village just outside Maiduguri, .

While the British Cabinet Minister, Mark Simmonds, yesterday condemned the attack as “contemptible and cowardly ”, UN Secretary General, Ban ki Moon asked for dialogue to resolve the violence.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Interior Minister, Abba Moro, has dismissed the attack in the mosque and the Boko Haram threat as “desperate” and “isolated”.

A report in UN News Centre yesterday said the SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon in statement signed by his spokesperson called on all extremist groups in Nigeria to cease attacks, after 44 people were killed in Borno State, including worshippers reportedly shot to death while praying inside a mosque.

“The Secretary-General strongly condemns the recent violent attacks that have killed scores of civilians in the localities of Mafa and Kondugo in Borno State,” his spokesperson said in a statement.

Ban called on all parties to resolve their differences through dialogue and other peaceful means.

“The Secretary-General reiterated his firm conviction that no objective can be attained through such violence,” the spokesperson stressed.

In his reaction, British Cabinet Minister Mark Simmonds condemned the attack as “contemptible and cowardly”.

“Attacking innocent people in a place of worship is a contemptible and cowardly act,” the Foreign Office Minister for Africa Mark Simmonds said in a statement

Gowon, First Lady to attend prayer retreat

BY ETOP EKANEM

A

Tuesday.

He said Britain “stands with the government and people of Nigeria as they seek to reduce violence in the north east of the country.”

Abba Moro in his reaction told the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme yesterday that, “The security agencies of Nigeria have been able to

push the Boko Haram sect from their major strongholds,”

Boko Haram has destroyed Nigeria's reputation — FG Information Minister, Labaran Maku who spoke

when he appeared before the Bamanga Tukur-led National Working Committee, NWC of the Peoples Democratic Party raised the alarm that the lingering insurgency in some parts of the north where thousands have brutally killed has destroyed the reputation of the country.

DEFECTION —From left: Vice-Chairman, Elders Council of the Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Agboola Alausa; State Chairman, Engr. Adebayo Dayo; a party stalwart, Prince Buruji Kashamu and wife of the former Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Mrs Abosede Ogunleye, during the defection of members of the opposition parties to the PDP in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

....2 top members of Boko Haram, 5 others killed in Adamawa

BY UMAR YUSUF

Y

OLA—TWO top members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, Zakariyya Yau and Muhammadu Bama, alongside five others have been killed in Adamawa State by the Joint Military Taskforce, JTF, enforcing the state of emergency imposed on Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

Zakariyya Yau and Muhammadu Bama, who have been on the wanted list of the military authorities with a N10 million ransom were trailed from their base in Borno State and arrested in Mubi, Adamawa State, according to the Military authority.

The Battalion Commander of the Special Operations Battalion, Lt. Col. Beydi Markus Martins, told newsmen in Mubi, the

operational base of the JTF, that the duo died in the process of arresting them.

Col Martins also disclosed the arrest of suspected Boko Haram members in Mubi last week, five of whom were paraded, while some were still being interrogated by the battalion on the level of their involvement in insurgency in Adamawa State.

The battalion commander also stated that those paraded yesterday were arrested last week when they attacked the Bureau De Exchange in Mubi International Market where they carted away millions in both Nigerian and foreign currencies.

However, some of the currencies recovered by the JTF were handed over to the chairman of the Bureau De

Exchange in Mubi, after parading the suspects, who had used four Russian AK47 guns in their operations.

Items recovered by the JTF included 485 live ammunitions, 28 magazines, Dane guns, bows and arrows, axes, cutlasses, rocket propeller charger, and other dangerous weapons.

Lt. Col. Martins commended the people of Mubi for their cooperation and support, without which the achievements recorded

by JTF could not have been possible. He then appealed to members of Adamawa communities in the state to continue to cooperate with the taskforce.

He also declared that the Nigerian – Cameroonian border is completely secured with the presence of the military in the area.

BUJA— FORMER Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) and First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan are expected to grace a one-day prayer retreat organised by Success Global Ministries tomorrow at Chelsea Hotels and Suites, Abuja.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos yesterday, General Overseer of Success Global Ministries, Dr Chima Okereke, said Gowon will be the chairman of the occasion while Mrs Jonathan is expected to be the Special Guest of Honour.

According to Okereke, “the essence of the prayer is not for personal gain but about the love for this nation. What we are looking at here is beyond 2015, beyond the election.

Apart from the election, what will happen after the conduct of the election and after the president must have been sworn in. That is the major area of our focus. That is why we are organising this prayer retreat with the theme: “Greater Nigeria beyond 2015.”

National political summit postponed to Sept

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

F

OR the second time, Project Nigeria (National Consensus Group) and the Nigeria Political Summit Group (NPSG), the joint conveners of the National Political Summit billed for Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, have rescheduled the event for September 2 to 5.

The political retreat would have been held in July but it was postponed to August 26.

At the parley, key Nigerian leaders of thought are expected to dialogue on the stability and security of the country among others and proffer solutions on the way forward.

The two-day summit is expected to be jointly chaired

by General TY Danjuma and Chief Emeka Anyaoku, while the keynote address is to be delivered by Prof Ben Nwabueze (SAN).

Confirming the new date, Malam Naseer Kura, head, Summit Communications, said leaders of Project Nigeria would hold a parley in Abuja next week to approve the draft modality, selection of delegates and observers for the national political retreat.

16—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Confusion trails Anambra PDP ward congress as factional leaders trade blames

BY VINCENT UJUMADU & ENYIM ENYIM

A

W K A — CONFUSION, yesterday, trailed Monday’s ward congress of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with factional leaders trading blames and claiming success in the exercise.

At press time, the result of the congress had not been released.

While the PDP leadership supervised the congress in line with the decision to recognize the state executive headed by Prince Kenneth Emeakayi, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from its headquarters supervised another congress conducted by Mr. Ejike Oguebego, who is recognized by INEC as the state chairman.

The congress was to elect three delegates in each of the 326 wards.

Most of the political gladiators and their cronies stationed themselves at the collation centre at the Marble Arch Hotel, Awka, to ensure that their lists were accepted by the congress committee headed by the speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Udeh Okochukwu.

However, INEC officials who monitored the congress conducted by Oguebego faction of the party were sighted yesterday at the ANIDS bus terminal as they were boarding a bus back to Abuja.

It was not clear whether they went with the result they collated.

The commission had earlier said in a statement that it would not monitor the congress conducted by Prince Kenneth Emeakayi.

One significant development of the ward congress was that except Senator Andy Uba, other governorship aspirants subjected themselves to the congress conducted by the party.

When Vanguard visited the collation centre, some of the governorship aspirants were waiting for results from the various local government areas and while some expressed happiness with the outcome of the exercise, others said there was no congress anywhere in their areas.

Factional chairman of PDP recognised by the national leadership of the party, Prince Kenneth Emeakayi could not be reached at press time, but one of his confidants said the state executive of the party was satisfied with the exercise in most wards in the state.

According to him, if there

was any problem in some wards, it was not enough to dub the exercise as unsuccessful.

The factional chairman recognized by INEC, Chief Ejike Oguebego insisted that the list of the three-man delegate congress held Monday in the 322 wards of the state by his executive was the authentic one.

APGA not part of merger with APC — UMEH

N

ATIONAL chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, has described as laughable the claims by a group that called itself APGA-APC in Enugu, that APGA is part of the merger of political parties that formed the All Progressives Congress, APC. Reacting to the claims through his Special Assistant (Media), Mr. Stan Okeke, the APGA chairman said that such a group and their members were the faceless characters being used to create imaginary division in the party.

He explained that when the merger talks were on among the various political parties that metamorphosed into APC, their various parties were led to the merger talks by the leaders of these political

parties.

According to him, “in this case, who led APGA to such merger talks? Governor Rochas Okorocha joined the group in his personal capacity, and not on behalf of APGA." He described as treacherous and unfounded, the claim by the faceless group that APGA ever attended any merger talks with anybody, adding that it was instructive that such a group of disgruntled elements were hell bent on using the name of APGA to create the impression that the party was still in crisis.”

Umeh warned that people parading themselves as members of APGA, especially as it’s evident that they were being used to propagate a hidden agenda, would be resisted with all means within the ambits of law and order.

Enugu govt tasks monarch on peaceful co-existence

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HE Enugu State Government has recognized Igwe Joseph Aniebonam Ogbodo as traditional ruler of AmechiUwani, an autonomous suburban community in Enugu.

Former Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani hails from the town.

State Commissioner for Chieftaincy Matters, Emeka Abugu, handed a certificate of recognition to Igwe Ogbodo at a ceremony on Monday.

The certificate is the insignia of authority of traditional rulers in the state and those who do not have it are not allowed to parade themselves as custodian of their people’s culture and heritage.

Abugu charged the new traditional ruler to use his exalted position to foster peace and security in his community to ensure the state government development programmes were not hampered.

He congratulated Igwe Ogbodo for having been found worthy by his people and urged him to strive at all times to justify their confidence.

Igwe Ogbodo thanked the state government for the prompt recognition and pledged to dedicate his life to the service of his people who chose him to serve as custodian of their heritage and culture. He solicited the support of “all and Sunday” to succeed.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013— —17

C M Y K

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013 NIGERIA has some laws Nigerians would wonder why they were made. One of them is the Fiscal Responsibility Act, FRA, a 2007 law that expects prudent management of public finances from governments and their agencies.

The law is observed in breach as cases of outright malfeasance show. The FRA was meant to track and prevent conducts that were likely to result in abuses.

Reports of the Federal Government securing loans for power, education, and rail projects should worry anyone who knows about FRA. Government has chosen areas of our national live that we agree deserve urgent attention, but it is a poor excuse for wanton disobedience of the law. There are many grounds to be apprehensive. The burden of repaying the loan lies on future generations. The other is the penchant of the States and local government councils to go on their own borrowing binge.

When the Federal Government disobeys the law, it provides bad leadership for other tiers of government.

Section 44 (1) of FRA states that, “Any government in the Federation or its agencies

BY ERNEST OMOARELOJIE

O

N Tuesday, July 30, 2013, a bizarre drama played itself out at the Benin City airport when passengers coming into or leaving the ancient city found to their dismay both the entrance and exit points under lock and key. Initial reports had it that the action, roundly condemned, and quickly too, by travellers and observers of the country's sociopolitical events, was the handiwork of officials of Edo State Internal Revenue Board, led by its chairman, Chief Useni Elamah. Indeed, the social media, almost hijacked by agents provocateurs, ceaselessly riled the agency, and of course, the state governor.

But as more clarifications filtered in, it was made clear that the action was the handiwork of the management of the airport, led by its Managing Director, Sunday Ayodele, in an attempt to divert attention from the real issue-tax evasion. The agency is being accused of collecting monies to the tune of over N15 million from its employees under the pretext of the Pay As You Earn, PAYE, tax, without remitting same to the state government.

That much was established two days later when a conciliatory team from FAAN, managers of the airport, led by Mr. George Uriesi, the director, came to Dennis Osadebey Avenue, seat of Edo State government to, in the main, apologise for the incident.

The team which also included Yakubu Dati, General Manager and Ayodele Sunday, Benin Airport Manager, the same man at the centre of the drama, left no one in doubt when it announced its reason for visiting the Governor.

It was made explicit in the words of the Managing Director. "We deeply regret the C M Y K

Wor king Without FRA orking and corporations desirous of borrowing shall, specify the purpose for which the borrowing is intended and present a cost benefit analysis, detailing the economic and social benefits of the purpose for which the intended borrowing is to be applied”.

According to Subsection (2), “Any borrowing requires the existence of prior authorisation in the Appropriation Act or Law for the purpose for which the borrowing is to be utilised”.

How then can the demands of FRA be met in this circumstance? For governments to announce the approval of the loan, they must inform the legislature. The provisions of FRA are meant to ensure that the loans are used

for the stated purposes for borrowing them.

President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who signed this law in December 2007 was the first to violate it in 2009 by borrowing S1b from the World Bank. More subtle violations of the law have gone unnoticed.

The various over-spending of budgets are acts the Fiscal Responsibility Commission has failed to raise to public awareness. The implications for the economy are fairly known.

FRA is vastly ignored. The 31 government agencies, the Act listed, including the Central Bank of Nigeria and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, operate without recourse to FRA. Section 48 (1) of FRA urges government “to ensure that its fiscal and financial affairs are conducted in a transparent manner and accordingly ensure full and timely disclosure and wide publication of all transactions and decisions involving public revenues and expenditure and their implications for its finances”.

Laws are useless if they are not enforced.

The National Assembly should stop fragrant violation of our laws.

OPINION Evading tax responsibility events of yesterday and we will like to find out how to avoid a situation like this arising in the future...". Importantly, if the visit achieved anything at all, which it did, the most significant is that it put paid to speculations that it was the state government that erred in attempting to carry out a legitimate responsibility.

Let me state categorically that even though it is very tempting to celebrate FAAN's conciliation visit and apology as a victory for the state, which indeed it is, the main reason for this piece is to examine the real issues leading up to the face-off, vis-a-vis the seeming reluctance by corporate organisations, particularly federal agencies, to pay statutory taxes and also their tendency to cry wolf when being compelled to do so.

This is the case in Edo State where most corporate organisations, having operated for so long without paying or being compelled to pay a dime as tax to the state government, have come to the erronous conclusion that they are in a tax-free state, a reason for which it is now wrong for anyone to ask them to pay up.

The first point to be made here is that with the inception of the Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole administration, the state did away with the era whereby individual and corporate citizens milk public funds without paying tax. The Governor made this point repeatedly each time he had the opportunity. Yet, many of them chose to ignore the message arguably on the assumption that like previous administrations before it, the statement would end as mere rhetoric. Down the road however, he has demonstrated the

resolve of the state not only to talk the talk but also walk the talk. In so doing, it sealed off many offices in order for them to realise how important it is for them to pay up. Though most of them, like the Benin Airport, usually resort to subtle blackmail in an attempt to paint themselves as being unfair victim of state high handedness, they ended up paying. For others that have not paid, there is no doubt that sooner than later, they will pay because refusal to pay up is both a sad commentary on their status as socially responsible corporate citizens and an affront on the laws that attracts serious sanction.

There are more reasons why corporate citizens cannot afford not to pay taxes. In a nation like Nigeria where states and the federal governments are having a not so rosy relationship arising from unfair balance in matters relating to fiscal distribution, it is particularly imperative as it is one of the few legitimate avenues for raising internallygenerated revenue development. Indeed, since Abuja regularly emptied their monthly allocations, at source, over sundry charges, leaving them with so little, they cannot but place more emphasis on raising the bar on the enforcement of tax payment if they are to execute any meaningful programmes for their people.

Tax is a statutory responsibility as contained in the Constitution. Thus, one would have expected that in particular, our corporate citizens will not find it difficult or out of place to pay, particularly because it is a compulsory creation of the law which prescribed sanctions

for violators or evaders. Albeit, most corporate citizens in Edo State, particularly federal agencies, have conveniently excused themselves from paying taxes. Even when they have consistently deducted PAYE from their employees' monthly salaries, they refused to remit same to the state. Sadly, when challenged, they usually resort to creating the impression that they are being hunted by the state. Some of them go the extra mile of politicising the matter by giving the impression that it is a reprisal act orchestrated by the state government, as insinuated over the airport saga, to avenge the not-too-distant incident in which FAAN ordered back the aircraft conveying the state governor to Awka, the Anambra State capital.

The time has come for Nigerians to be prepared to witness more state governments, with the intention of offering real development to their people, to rise up and legitimately compel recalcitrant corporate organisations to pay taxes. Edo State, in particular, has got to a point of no return because the Oshiomhole administration has been sentenced to compulsorily turn the state around for the better. That explains its resolve in adopting the no-going back attitude on the need to make all defaulting organisations pay their taxes particularly because of the huge amount of money it is being owed. As at the last count, it was being owed over N2 billion in unremitted deductions collected from staff salaries as PAYE. Many of them have, so far, refused to respond to notices served them, but surely, the relevant arm of the state government will be visiting and enforcing payment sooner than later. *Mr. Omoarelojie, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Benin City, Edo State.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013— —19

, S

O Chief Tony Anenih, the BoT chair of the PDP, marked his eightieth birthday last week and provided President Goodluck Jonathan an opportunity he must have been craving to send some verbal missiles at those Nigerians he thought haven’t been particularly friendly to him and his administration. It’s easy to imagine the President must have craved this opportunity given the barrage of attacks he has come under in the wake of his wife-induced battle with Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

The fallout of this is the increasing restiveness of members of his own party, particularly five Northern governors, that have been making the rounds of the homes of leading members of the party and former military and civilian leaders of the country, including President Obasanjo, President Shehu Shagari, Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, although Abubakar claims not to be a politician. The governors took their shuttle diplomacy more seriously after they were pelted with stones and packs of sachet water by sup-

porters of President Jonathan and his wife.

They had gone to Port Harcourt to show solidarity to their embattled colleague who had been hemmed in by Jonathan’s attack dogs led

by Police Commissioner, Mbu Joseph Mbu, Nyesom Wike and Evans Bipi. Huddled together in the damaged vehicle that conveyed them from the airport, the governors ran the gauntlet of anti-Amaechi Riverians who only stopped short of manhandling them. There is no question that would have happened had they had the misfortune of stepping out of their vehicle.

President Jonathan’s supporters didn’t seem to realise nor were they bothered by the import of their action which could very easily have resulted in calamitous backlash against innocent Southerners in the North should these men choose to return the crude complement extended to them in Port Harcourt. As far as the President’s people were concerned, they were out to defend their home front against the invasion of barbarians.

They didn’t stop at humiliating the

,

governors. They followed with warnings of dire consequences to would-be visitors and agitators with plans to protest against the barefaced misuse of federal power.

The condemnation that followed Jonathan, his wife and their supporters’ misconduct must have startled the President to the realisation that he might be stoking a fire he couldn’t put out concerning his ambition to remain in office. He has himself been making barely concealed fence-mending visits, in the last two weeks, to the same leaders of the PDP the five governors had consulted. His veiled attack at nameless and unpatriotic elders making comments likely to cause disaffection and disunity among Nigerians was definitely one of his many incompetent attempts at addressing festering national issues.

A

ccording to President Jonath an, these nameless elders lacked the nationalist credentials of Chief Anenih who at 80 was still looking strong and is at the heart of national politics. For Jonathan, Anenih was a nationalist that

Richard Odibo: Humility to serve humanity

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BY URUEMU ODOMOFOR

OLITICS in this part of the world has for a long time been defined by a devious colour of brute force and gangsterism, a phenomenon that has robbed the game of the finesse, fidelity and exotic qualities of progressive political ideals which are the driving principles of government in the developed world. We have lived for too long under the illusion that politics is a game for social deviants, men and women who have no contract with honour, people of banal value for integrity and rugged products of the world of the occult.

The late Senator Akpor Pius Ewherido was a chip from the mould of the best materials in political progressive drive.

He gave the Urhobo nation the best representation ever because his was a popular mandate. He, therefore, was committed to the social contract he entered with the people by reason of the mandate he operated for two years in the Senate. As Ewherido passed on to the great beyond on June 30, 2013, the Urhobo people of Delta Central have another opportunity to send an equally patriotic Urhobo to represent them in the Senate to help build on the legacy of exemplary leadership of the late Senator.

Sir Richard Odibo, a scion of the Odibo family of Egini, represents a true definition of two key words, so fundamental to the building of the best democratic C M Y K

institutions the world over but unfortunately in short supply in the Nigeria political environment. These words are humility and integrity. Odibo, whose life and conduct in private and public relations with people and groups, can only be defined by the enduring values of pure fidelity to any course he is committed to, has proven over time that we still have men who can resist the power of bribe and corruption to stand for truth and what is right.

After netting a degree in Philosophy from the University of Lagos in 1981, Sir Odibo worked as Administrative Officer at the Delta Steel Company, OvwianAladja in 1982 in the hey days of the company when even SPDC workers found better jobs in the steel plant. He rose to become Principal Administrative Officer before he voluntarily retired in 1992.

He is today Chairman/CEO Odrich Limited, an oil servicing company that is into procurement, marine and engineering services. He also is Chairman of Philard Services, all based in Effurun, Delta Central. He has attended several professional courses in general management, political administration and human resources management, as well as other invaluable courses related to career building. Odibo is an Old Boy of the Government College Ughelli, where he is believed to have ingrained the best of life values and principles in

should be emulated. Chief Anenih in his response didn’t fail to live up to expectation. He made comments that earned him the moniker of ‘Mr. Fix-it’ under President Obasanjo who was part of the birthday party in Abuja. He spoke about the need for Nigerian leaders to come together. Apparently speaking of the bad blood that had flowed freely until recently between him and Obasanjo, his erstwhile buddy, Anenih represented the former president’s presence at his birthday event as an act of forgiveness. In the end, he said what Jonathan couldn’t have expected him not to say on such occasion, namely, that he is the man destined to lead Nigeria beyond 2015. Nigeria is ‘turn by turn’, Chief Anenih said, and so it’s Jonathan’s turn now to lead. It would not matter that Jonathan hasn’t discharged his presidential remit in any meaningful way. He simply must continue in office because it’s his turn.

And any contrary view, as far as President Jonathan is concerned, is unpatriotic and likely to cause disaffection and disunity among Nigerians. Profound thought!

While, as Governor Oshiomhole said in his comment at the birthday party, it’s our culture to respect our elders, and in that vein one would want to wish Chief Anenih many more years- but as a true elder who should be proffering wise counsel from the background when sought. Most people of his age are in deserved retirement not slinging political mud among people of his grand children’s generation. One would be talking differently if politics in Abuja has been edifying. But this is ever hardly so.

Nigeria must be exceptional as a country whose politics is still firmly in the hands of geriatric figures like Chief Anenih, President Obasanjo, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, General Abubakar- all present at the party and pushing their eightieth and ninetieth year on earth. In saner

,

Tony Anenih, Goodluck Jonathan and his trouble-making elders

There are many ‘ethnic’ politicians and ‘elders’ of different hues scattered across different parts of the country; in identifying them, the President must look first to those by whom he is surrounded

As Ewherido passed on to the great beyond on June 30, 2013, the Urhobo people of Delta Central have another opportunity to send an equally patriotic Urhobo to represent them in the Senate to help build on the legacy of exemplary leadership of the late Senator

,

his approach to life.

Sir Odibo as a politician has been consistent in working with the only trusted and vibrant opposition led by Chief Great Ogboru to evolve a stable polity where the Urhobo nation could assume her pride of place, never wavering, humble but resolute in his firm belief in the change project for Delta State.

His dynamic administrative acumen provided the basis for a viable campaign directorate of the Great Ogboru Gubernatorial race for a new political order.

His dedication to the change project, his purposefulness and efficiency in his endeavours, his precision in action, and his sheer guts in mapping out a victory agenda for the Great Ogboru unrelenting challenge to improper political leadership have given hope to many across Delta State.

After the 2007 election that brought Dr.

climes their likes should be in retirement.

Until he was run out of town, politically, by Oshiomhole, Chief Anenih was very active in his politics of ‘turn by turn’, placing expediency over competence in Edo State. This is not the way to leave a worthy legacy for younger generations. The key figures of Nigerian politics are men of the day before yesterday, people whose contemporaries in other societies, except in a Mugabe-type government, have ceased to be active politicians. This wouldn’t matter if they were true statesmen. General Abubakar claimed he first met Chief Anenih in 1964, definitely as an adult. Since he left the police in the late 1970s, it is doubtful if he has done little else but politics.

Now in 2013, his eightieth year, he is still breathing and talking politics. And because he supports Jonathan he is not one of the elders ‘heating up the polity’.

President Jonathan needs to be more sophisticated in his appraisal of national issues. His naivety is many times embarrassing. Where does he place the likes of Chief Edwin Clark, his Ijaw conclave of elders and their uncompromising insistence on an Ijaw president post-2015 in his categorization of unpatriotic elders mired in ethnic politics? Right before him Chief Anenih talked of ‘turn by turn’ politics and the President still looks elsewhere for those he labels unpatriotic elders! How can he live in this gilded house of glass and still throw stones? Of course there are many ‘ethnic’ politicians and ‘elders’ of different hues scattered across different parts of the country and among different ethnicities. But in identifying them, the President must look first to those by whom he is surrounded, politicians, kinsmen and women. Not the least of them, his loving wife whose busybody would be her husband’s undoing.

Emmanuel Uduaghan to power as Governor of Delta State, Sir Richard Odibo was unlawfully arrested and extra judicially incarcerated by the powers that be for months in Abuja. Sheer brute force and executive recklessness were applied on him to break his spirit and resolve to continue with the struggle to liberate Delta State. He survived this heart-rending experience in detention and came home to continue with the struggle.

The mafia gangsterism exhibited by the PDP in putting in place a regime in Delta State, resonated further with arrest of key players in in that election as well as members of the Great Ogboru family. No doubt, Odibo is not in the mould of naïve political desperados who without shame, railroaded Ewherido’s so-called political ‘family’ to ‘endorse’ them to replace the Senator, even when the Senator was just reaching mother earth! Thank God he is not a moneymiss-road overnight politician, who has no single record of support for Urhobos or promotion of Urhobo causes.

Urhobo needs a man of honour, integrity and wisdom again at the Senate. One without any blemish. Even those who may be tempted to challenge Odibo will testify that he is more honourable than them in every leadership index. Let us give him the opportunity to deploy his humility and patriotic energy to serve humanity on this national call for service to Urhoboland.

•Ododofor is a Public Affairs Analyst based in Asaba, Delta State.

20— Vanguard ,

WEDNESD AY , A UGUS T 1 4 , 20 13 WEDNESDA AUGUS UGUST 14 201

Debate of the masses

Why local governments should be given autonomy

BY EBELE ORAKPO

*Bashorun Olainukan...Lives in fear of death

My life in danger, cries out bricklayer B

ASHORUN Olainukan, a 36-year-old bricklayer had always dreamt of one day owning one of the leading block industries in Lagos State. But it will appear that the envisaged day will not come any time soon as the self-acclaimed expert brick maker is presently in a battle for his life and he has in fact cried out to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to come to his aid.

Narrating the genesis of his problem during a visit to Vanguard Media office, the Ikorodu-born bricklayer said he leased a one acre of land from one Alhaji Adegbetan in 2002. According to him, the said property was originally owned by the Agunsanya Family who leased it to the Alhaji Adegbetan to build on pending when they are buoyant enough to make use of it. He said he was fully briefed of this before he borrowed the sum of N450,000 from a cooperative union to pay for the leasing of part of the property.

The contract was witnessed by one Ogunlaja Esq, a lawyer, who according to Bashorun, signed the deal on his behalf.

“Not long after I settled in to work, one of the sons of Pa Ogunsonya (who leased the land to me) by name Jide asked me to vacate the land.

He employed different means to threaten me, including inviting hoodlums to beat me up on different occasions. At the initial stage, I told him that there was no way I could leave the land, not after borrowing so much money from the cooperative to lease and clean it up. I told him the only way to make me leave the property was when the Adesanya family refund the money

I paid for leasing the land.

“When he was alive, Alhaji Adegbite who was also aware of the leasing contract terms, asked Jide to let me be, that I was a bona fide occupant of the land, but Jide would have none of that. Instead he brought in one Kamilo, a native doctor, to live in the uncompleted building, and to destroy my blocks when ever I was not around. I made several reports at the Police Station at Epe but they are yet to call Jide or Kamilo to order.

“In January 2013, Jide and his gang of hoodlums struck again; this time they came to my block indus-

interest in the land were after his life. “Since January 2013, after I relocated from Epe to Ikorodu, I have not slept in my father’s house for one night. I have been living in different hotels out of fear that I might be killed. I have not been able to take good care of my children. As I speak with you, they are scattered among my relations. Is it not when I am stable that I can take good care of them? I want the Epe DPO to return the case file currently in his possession to the Area Command, so that the case can be charged to court”. When contacted on phone, counsel to Bashorun, identified as

Since January 2013, I have not slept in my father’s house for one night; I have been living in different hotels out of fear that I might be killed

‘

try, beat me up and set my Honda car and Mazda truck which I used to convey blocks to my customers ablaze. Again I reported the incident to Epe Police Station. The Baale was arrested because the perpetrators told the Police that they were sent by the community to destroy my properties, and since the Baale represents the community, he was arrested, but was later released,” Bashorun narrated at length.

He told Vanguard Metro, VM, that he decided to relocate the block industry to his home town Ikorodu, when the threats became unbearable, and after he had suffered so much losses. But the trouble did not stop at that as he alleged he had been living in fear as some people whom he suspects to have vested

‘

BY UJU MBANUSI

Oduwole Esquire, told our reporter that he was fully aware of the case and prays his client gets justice at the end of the day. “ The matter was brought to our chambers two months ago, the involvement of the press is very much welcomed because my client had suffered so much in the hands of these perpetrators who constitute a threat to his life. We are charging them concerning the land issue, public assault, damage of properties, and threat to life. So far, the IPO have been cooperative, the Commissioner of Police and AIG have also been supportive. Only the Epe Police appear uncooperative,” he said.

When contacted, the state PPRO, Ngozi Braide, promised to make enquiries on the matter and get back to VM.

’WHY was the Senate against local government autonomy? The House of Representatives recognised the local government as a full tier of government, so why did the Senate choose to become a clog in the wheel of progress?” asked Idowu in the CMS-bound commuter bus.

“I think that was a right move, otherwise Nigeria’s wahala will multiply if the 774 local government councilsaregrantedautonomybecause they will take corruption to the next level,” said Dotun.

“Whatdoyoumean?Ithink the senators were simply backing the governors,” said Idowu.

“What is the work of the local government? Is it not to see to the development of the grassroots as theyaretheclosest to the people. I believe it is in the best interest of the governorstoallowthemwork without hindrance,” said Charles.

Concentration on major roads Continuing, Charles said: “Take Lagos State for instance, the governor is doinggreatbutsomepeopleare still saying he is doing nothing…”

“Because they are simply blind,” interjected Bose.

“No, you are wrong. They are not blind; they are telling you the truth as it concerns them. If you notice, the state government is concentrating on the major roads but thoseinnerroads,the streets, are death-traps. They are supposed to be the job of the local governments but the state seized the whole money and is not doing the job. The local governments are closer to the people and areinabetterpositiontomeet the needs of their people and at the same time, complement theworkofthestategovernment so it beats me how these governors fail to understand that the local governments are there to complement their efforts,” said Charles.

“It is because the local government chairpersons do practically nothing and are

so corrupt. They are only there to steal the monthly allocations. Some of them only workwhentheallocationsare released. They share the money and go home to wait for the next allocation,” argued Bose. ”Are the governors any better? As far as I am concerned, they are all politicians cut from the same rock.

Na the same mama born them all. But the truth is that as long as we, the led, continue to be docile, the politicians will continue to take us for a ride. We need to rise up and begin to demand accountabilityofourleaders.So I vote for LG autonomy because the people can easily get to them and demand accountability,” said Idowu.

“I get miffed when people praise those in authority for doing their job. What were they elected to do in the first place? They should release the local government allocations to them and let them do their work. The whole thing is all about money. The state governors want to control all the money coming to the states,” noted Kate.

“I read in the papers recently that the chairman of Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission said that no federal lawmaker earns more than N1 million per month. It would have been okay if he stopped there but no, like a typical Nigerian politician, he proceeded to add salt to injury.

He said N1 million a month should not be considered too big,” said Iyke.

“Oh really? In a country where salaries are nothing to write home about and lecturers are on strike and yet these people see nothing wrong in collecting such huge salaries and allowances? It’s simply outrageous,” said Kate.

How many professors earn such? What do these lawmakers do anyway?” asked Dotun.

“Ah! What they do? Is it easy to wear African parachute (agbada) everyday, shout, box and wrestle? Na serious work o. So they are hardly working,accordingto my Indian friends,” joked Iyke. “Anyway,theyshouldnot think they will enjoy their wealthwithsomanyable-bodied youths idle,” said Idowu.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013 — 21

PPPRA never remitted N4.423bn to Federation Account, NEITI insists in the possession of the agency since it failed to provide the evidence of remittance of the sum to the Federation account.

Speaking at an interactive session with newsmen in Abuja, NEITI Director, Communications, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, who said there was no trace of such payment, challenged the PPPRA to provide the proof that the money was actually remitted as required by law. Orji, who noted the duty of NEITI was not to fight or destroy PPPRA, said the

By CHRIS OCHAYI

T

HE Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, insisted that the Petroleum Products Price Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, has not remitted the sum of N4.423 billion recovered from the independent marketers to the Federation account.

NEITI while faulting PPPRA over its denials that it was not involved in the audit process where the discovery was made, said the N4.423 billion was still

N4.423 billion was missing and that the agency was in better position to tell the Nigerian public where the money is.

He said, “The NEITI reports further disclosed that the PPPRA could not account for the amount of N4.423 billion, which was paid by the marketers to the agency; the position of NEITI remains that this sum should have been and should be remitted to the Federation account by PPPRA. As at the time of this audit, there was no evidence, bank statement etc,

that this remittance was made to the Federation account. NEITI wants to see proof that these remittances ever happened. This is the crux of the matter.”

According to him, “The attention of the NEITI has been once again been drawn to the sustained media campaign by the management of PPPRA in a futile effort to discredit the content of the recently released NEITI independent audit reports of the oil and gas industry as if affects the agency.

From left: Mr. Edward Ezewele, Executive Director, E2 Marketing Ltd; Mr Dayo Dahunsi, Executive Director and Mr Osamede Umweni, Managing Director, 70th Precinct Ltd during media interactive with Nigeria Application Summit team, in Lagos.

Photo: Lamidi Bamidele

FG ttoo adopt FFull ull Cash Accounting policy Januar 14 Januaryy, 20 201

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

0.35

122.4

2,452.00 -14.00 17.01

0.19

108.25

+1.57

106.09

+2.69

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYA KRONA SDR

154.75 239.2435 205.9568 167.0805 1.5909 0.2943 233.7167 25.2875 41.2612 27.6078 234.9415

155.25 240.0165 206.6222 167.6204 1.5961 0.3043 234.4719 25.3697 41.3945 27.697 235.7006

SELLING 155.75 240.7895 207.2877 168.1602 1.6012 0.3143 235.227 25.4518 41.5278 27.7862 236.4597

CBN Exchange rate as at 13/08/2013

Federal Government yesterday said that it would adopt Full Cash basis of Accounting from January 2014. The Minister of State for Education, Chief Ezenwo Wike, who disclosed this at the threeday training workshop on the International Public Sector Accounting Standard, IPSAS, organised for Bursars of Unity Schools in Abuja also said that the country would adopt Accrual basis on January, 2016.

Chief Wike said that the country considered the importance of the new accounting policy to be introduced that it organized the training workshop so as to prepare the bursars in the schools for the take-off of the IPSAS.

He said, “AS you are well aware, new initiatives and programmes fail and become ineffective when operators are not effectively trained or provided the relevant resources for implementation.

“When we fail to plan, we plan to fail. We definitely desire to make this programme a success in Nigeria. Therefore, failure is not an option and you will be provided the required training and resources to make it a success to enhance our national development and place of pride in the comity of nations.”

The Minister reminded the participants that the International Federation of Accountants, IFAC, and the World Bank emphasized the need to strengthen public sector financial management of emerging economies as an integral part of good governance and effective public service delivery.

Wike said, “The best way to achieve this goal is to develop

relevant competencies which will enhance the management of public sector financial resources effectively, efficiently and in line with international best practices.”

The minister advised them to be very careful when handling tax payers’ money, stressing that little mistake could have ‘expensive implications.’

He explained that IPSAS represented the set of accounting standards governing accounting functions for public sector organizations and that government all over the world as established by the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board, IPSASB. “The objective is to improve the quality of general purpose financial reporting in the public sector leading to better assessments of resource allocation by government with increased transparency and accountability,” he stated.

BlackBerry says it’s open for sale

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ANADIAN smartphone maker BlackBerry, struggling to compete in a difficult market, has set up a committee to look at options, including joint ventures, partnerships or a sale of the company. In a statement released before the market opened on Monday, the company said board member Timothy Dattels, an investment banker and former Goldman Sachs executive, will chair the new committee, which will also include Blackberry Chief Executive Thorsten Heins.

“Given the importance and strength of our technology, and the evolving industry and competitive landscape, we believe that now is the right time to explore strategic alternatives,” Dattels said in a statement.

BlackBerry pioneered on-your-hip email with its first smart phones and email pagers. But it has struggled to compete against the likes of Apple Inc and phones using Google Inc’s Android operating system and its new BlackBerry 10 smartphones have failed to gain traction. Reuters last week quoted sources familiar with the situation as saying BlackBerry was considering going private to give it some breathing room as it works through its turnaround. BlackBerry shares rose 9.4 percent in premarket trading.

Greece stuck in recession, bailout targets at risk

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REECE’s recession eased slightly in the second quarter but not nearly enough to boost tax revenues to levels the government needs to meet its bailout targets, figures showed on Monday.

The data follows a magazine report saying Germany ’s central bank saw risks to the rescue package aimed at keeping Greece afloat and expects the euro member to need more aid in 2014 after it scraped through the last aid review. As Europe’s largest economy Germany has funded a chunk of the bailout but there has been resistance from German voters who are also facing tight budgets. The subject of Greek aid has played into the campaign for elections next month.

22—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Let insurance carry your risk (2) CONTINUES FROM LAST WEEK Cultivate the habit of savings If you can cultivate the habit of savings, it will help you in life. Insurance, which is a way of savings, is there for you too.

Through insurance you can save for the future and for the training of your children (education insurance). The general public should shun the apathy towards insurance. It is one of those services in modern times that can always provide a relief or a solution to some of our problems.

Within the African continent, Nigeria cannot be seen as a country of the poorest set of people. How come that insurance penetration or awareness in some African states are a lot better than Nigeria? It is only because of our mindset here and not due to poverty, so we should de-emphasise poverty, but pro-

mote insurance education and awareness.

An improved insurance sector In recent times a lot of efforts are being put by insurance operators into widening micro insurance penetration.

That is, conscious efforts to

C M Y K

spread insurance to the grassroots, the people on the streets, the market people, the artisans, and so on. People are being grouped into corporative societies and credit facilities are being offered to buy some of the equipment’s they needed for their trade and such equipment’s are b e i n g brought back to in-

By Dr. Wole Adetimehin, Immediate Past President, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, CIIN

surance firms providing the facilities to give insurance covers. It’s quite attractive, and is really gaining ground in the East, Lagos and Ondo

States as well as in Abuja. It is not that the insurance sector has started promotion, where people are told to buy this and get that, No. Rather, it is sorts of suasion whereby you make people appreciate insurance.

If you go to the banks, you cannot get credit facility with

ease. But insurance firms are coming up to say, we can offer you facility, we can be partners in your business and you will get added protection by coming back to buy insurance, and you are secured.

Secondly, a lot of efforts are also being put into product development that will really address our cultural values. For example, when our aged people die, we spend a lot on funeral rites.

However, insurance has developed products that are being packaged to cater for funeral expenses. Also, it is common knowledge that we value the best education for our children, so a number of policies are there to take care of our children’s education. But at the same time, the prospective buyers should begin to have a change of mind by addressing priorities that could be rewarding to their lives and families in their budget planning. Insurance has done quite a lot by making the products attractive and bringing added values that will attract the public. But the public reserve the right and decision to say “I want to buy it”, and one of the things they could do is to reorder their priorities.

They need to reorder their priorities and cultivate the habit of savings and believe in the protection of their assets. It’s high time, we begin to get our priorities right and appreciate the value of insurance.

BRIEFS

Capital Express furnishes archives

T

he flag officer commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas has commended the management of Capital Express Assurance Limited for donating and furnishing an archives’ building for the Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Navy Town, Ojo, in Lagos.

Ibas made the commendation at the official commissioning of the building recently at the school premises in Ojo. Ibas who dedicated the building to the glory of God and benefit of mankind enjoined the school management to put the facility to judicious use, noting that data and records are important to any organisation Also speaking at the occasion, wife of the Chief of Naval Staff and National President of the Nigerian Navy Officer’s Wives Association Mrs. Vivian Ezeoba thanked the management of Capital Express Assurance Limited.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Capital Express Assurance Limited, Mrs. Bola Odukale said that the donation was part of the corporate social responsibility of the organisation towards uplifting the educational sector and development of the Nigerian child.

According to her, “Education remains the catalyst that will propel our country to the next level; therefore our company will continue to partner with schools that have embraced insurance as a way of life.”

She maintained that Capital Express Assurance will continue to support schools because “Qualitative and functional education is and will remain the only permanent legacy parents or guardians can pass on to the children to ensure their future,” she said.

In a related development, Capital Express has promoted fifty of its staff cutting across managerial and officers cadre in the organisation. While five of the staff became managers, eight became assistant managers, 20 became senior executive officers while the remaining 17 became officers from the assistant officers cadre. Odukale enjoined the promoted staff to rededicate themselves to duty while urging those who were not promoted during this exercise to work hard as promotion will surely come at the right time.

According to her “The organisation is being restructured to ensure that the customer remains king in all its customer service deliverables” She stated that the organisation is committed to becoming the largest life insurance office in Nigeria while maintaining that only a dedicated workforce can make this happen.

Law Union & Rock Insurance committed to ERM

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aw Union & Rock Insurance Plc has developed its Enterprise Risk Management to ensure that the risks underwritten by the firm are professionally carried out.

The Managing Director of the firm, Mrs. Toyin Ogunseye, said the company had put in place an ERM committee which reviews and approves the company’s risk management policy.

“This includes the review of risk appetite and risk strategy, retention levels, classes of insurance, reinsurance and other risk mitigation mechanisms,” she said.

The managing director said the firm assures the adequacy and effectiveness of risk management and controls; oversees management’s process for the identification of significant risks across the company as well as the adequacy of prevention, detection and reporting mechanisms among others.

Ogunseye noted that the firm has continued to operate professionally and also improved its services to attain a leadership position in the Nigerian insurance industry. She stated that Law Union & Rock strictly adheres to good corporate governance structure.

The firm, she explained, has an established governance committee, which has oversight responsibility to review and report to the board on matters of corporate governance and board composition.

She said the committee also provides oversight review of the company’s internal systems for achieving compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, particularly as it pertains to good corporate governance.

The committee, Ogunseye added, established the criteria for board and board committee memberships; assess the contribution of current directors in connection with their renomination and make recommendations to the board among others.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013 — 23

Youth identified as tool to deepening insurance …As SA Life embarks on awareness creation Stories by ROSEMARY ONUOHA

T

HE need to continually sensitise the youths on the importance of insurance has been identified as a strategic factor in the deepening of insurance penetration in the country.

Hence, the Nigerian Insurers Association, NIA, is gearing up to the challenge.

To this end, the Life Offices

Committee of the NIA said it is working on rolling out a campaign to sensitise children and youths on the need for insurance.

Accordingly, the Committee called for the impactful awareness campaign in schools to sensitise the nation’s future leader of the essence of insurance.

Chairperson of the Committee, Mrs. Bola Odukale, disclosed this in a report presented to the NIA.

Odukale stressed the need for a continued enlightenment of the insuring public through impactful advertisements, especially at the grassroots and in schools.

It will be recalled that the NIA Chairman, Mr. Remi Olowude had earlier pledged to promote insurance awareness through sponsorship of insurance essay competition among schools.

In a similar development,

Standard Alliance Life Assurance Ltd, one of the nation’s life underwriting companies, has picked the challenge of sponsoring a television programme anchored by Almond Finance and Wealth Report which is geared towards deepening awareness for insurance in Nigeria.

The company said that the move became necessary because it is concerned about making Nigerians across the

From left: Mrs. Bola Odukale, MD/CEO, Capital Express Assurance Limited; Mrs. Theresa Ibas, member, Nigerian Navy Officers Wives Association; Rear Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas, flag officer commanding, Western Naval Command and Mrs. Vivian Ezeoba, wife of chief of Naval Staff and president, Nigerian Navy Officers Wives Association, during the official commissioning of a building donated to Navy Secondary School Ojo, by Capital Express Assurance Limited, in Lagos.

different class divides know much about insurance and its importance to their lives.

According to the Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Nelson Egboboh, the sponsorship of the programme which is aired on MITV and Silverbird Television, both on local and DSTV channels every Sunday and Thursday respectively shall cover the next thirteen weeks from the second week in June.

According to him, “A situation where below two per cent of 160 million Nigerians subscribe to insurance is discouraging and unacceptable. This is why programmes of this nature must be supported by insurance companies to help Nigerians come to grasp with the value of insurance in their lives and businesses.

“We at Standard Alliance Life Assurance Ltd believe that Nigeria with such a huge population ought to be the biggest market for insurers in Africa if only the people are fully aware of what they stand to benefit by subscribing to any applicable form of insurance.”

Egboboh explained that the desire of the company to ensure that no form of losses suffered stop Nigerians from still living their lives fully and the need to enlighten the public on the crucial role insurance plays in the economic stability of any nation informed the organisation’s decision to throw its weight behind the insurance awareness deepening television programme.

NIA, IMF chart means for insurance growth T

HE Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are exploring means to harness and turn the potentials of the insurance industry into economic growth for the country.

Director-General, NIA Sunday Thomas, who disclosed this in Lagos, said the representatives of the Association’s governing board led by Professor Joe Irukwu, has met with the representative of the IMF, Dr

Rodoyo Wenrhan to discuss how the nation can maximise greatly from the enormous insurance potentials.

He said the parties hope to work out how to sustain stability on insurance contributions to the economy.

He said: “The representatives of our Governing Council led by Professor Joe Irukwu, has met with the representative of the IMF, Dr Rodoyo Wenrhan, to explore the potentials of the insurance industry as an economic growth driver in

Nigeria.

“Among the objectives of the mission was to ensure stability is sustained within the system.

The representative of the IMF stated that the outcome of the meeting is expected to be published with recommendations made on how to move the insurance industry forward” It will be recalled that the insurance industry is said to have within the last three years, recorded a growth of one million subscribers.

According to the Commissioner for Insurance Fola Daniel, the number of insured in Nigeria was 500,000 as at three years ago, but presently stands at about 1.5 million, out of a population of over 165 million.

Daniel noted that the Gross Premium Income (GPI) has also increased from N157 billion in 2010 to N250 billion in 2012, adding that the

increase in the ratio of premium to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) moved from below 0.5 per cent to nearly one per cent. He said increase in local capacity has moved from less than 10 per cent to 48 per cent, adding that the commencement of implementation of Section 50 of the insurance Act 2003 has improved financial assets of operators.

SEND YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS TO insuranceandyou@yahoo.com

24 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

African Business rates GTBank top in financial services industry UARANTY Trust Bank (GTBank) Plc has continued to consolidate its position as a foremost African brand through adherence to high corporate governance principles, strong financial performance and the introduction of innovative products and services.

These efforts and the bank’s numerous achievements in the last 12 months, recently led to its recognition as the top Nigerian company in the banking industry according to African Business’ Annual Rankings Magazine. The rankings, which incorporates companies that are listed on African stock exchanges, also includes those that are listed on other bourses elsewhere in the world and global giants listed on two or more of the Johannesburg, London, Sydney and New York exchanges.

On the recent recognition, Segun Agbaje, Managing Director/CEO, Guaranty Trust Bank plc, attributed this achievement to discipline, a defined operating strategy, hands on knowl-

edge about the Nigerian market and the passion of GTBank employees, who constantly strive to give 100 percent above customer expectations every single time.

According to the Managing Director, ‘We are a proudly African and truly international institution and are committed to the ideal that our stakeholders should be better off for partnering with us. This principle influences our operations, products, service style and company culture’ Guaranty Trust Bank Plc was also recently adjudged the African Bank of the year in Morocco and in its bid to further consolidate its position as the most service focused and profitable bank in Nigeria, it recently upgraded its internet banking platform to make it more secure and to serve customers better and also its innovation of the social banking platform on Facebook, which allow customers to bank anywhere in the world.

PARTNERSHIP: From left: Head, Retail Banking, Diamond Bank Plc, Jude Anele; Manager, Savings, Women’s World Banking, Jennifer McDonald; Executive Director, Diamond Bank, Uzoma Dozie; CEO, Women’s World Banking, Mary Ellen Iskenderian at a press conference on Diamond Bank’s partnership with Women’s World Banking on the development on the Diamond BETA Savings Proposition.

S&P rates Skye Bank B/B, issues ‘stable’ outlook A

LEADING global rating agen cy, Standard and Poor ’s (S&P), has assigned ‘B/B’ counterparty credit and ‘ngBBB/ngA-2’ national scale ratings to Skye Bank Plc. The rating agency said the stable outlook assigned to the bank reflects the bank’s business and financial profile which it said would remain broadly unchanged over the next 12 months. It also forecasts that the positive economic prospects in the country will further support the bank’s C M Y K

earnings growth.

“Our ratings on Skye Bank reflect its anchor of ‘bb-’, as well as our view of its “moderate” business position, “moderate” capital and earnings, “moderate” risk position, “average” funding, and “adequate” liquidity”, S&P said Skye Bank has a modest, but profitable franchise, which accounts for about 5 per cent of the Nigerian market, with a little over N1 trillion(US$6.9 billion) in assets.

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URRENCY notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in the denominations of N200, N100, N50, N20, N10 and N5 are currently not readily available on demand in banks in the Lagos area. Even the currency notes in denominations of N500 and N1000 given out by the banks are not clean and do not have a few new notes in the packs as has been the practice in the past.

When one enters a banking hall and asks for currency notes in denominations of N200, N100 or N50, the usual answer is that the bank has not seen such notes from the CBN recently. One bank advises that one should come on a Monday because that is when the bank receives deposits having currency notes of denominations of N200, N100 and N50 from churches. In one instance, a bank was rationing N200 currency notes in lots of 5 per person.

At another bank, I was able to obtain ten units of N200 currency notes which I subsequently had to share with two other persons who needed change for their customers. I recall that on the last occasion that I obtained N100 currency notes from a bank, I was given a pack of 100 units from which I retrieved about 60 units which were presentable.

My experience shows that while the CBN is withdrawing old currency notes from circulation new currency notes are not being issued as replacement. The cash-lite policy is meant to encourage the use of electronic means and cheques in financial transactions.

There are a number of platforms for making payments by electronic means and it would appear that each platform has it own telecommunications service. The result is that there are situations in which a bank branch is unable to access a payment platform and the person making the payment is advised to come back the following day in order to obtain a receipt of the transaction. In the case of one particular payment platform, it appears transactions are initiated at the central offices of the banks and there is a definite time-lag between when the sender approaches a bank branch and when the payment reaches the receiving bank. This leads to a situation in which it is preferable to withdraw cash from one bank and make a payment directly into an account at another bank.

The difficulties with our telecommunications system centre on the disappearance of local telephone services provided by Nigerian Telecommunications Plc, NITEL. The cable systems which NITEL had in place should be the backbone of our data transmission.

However, even before NITEL went out of business, parts of the underground cable system linking the telephone exchanges in the Lagos area had been vandalised and telephone services lost in some neighbourhoods. The lack of telephone lines would delay the de-

ployment of point-of-sale terminals in our local shops. For example, it should be possible for one to buy, say, N320 worth of medicines at a local pharmacy and have the payment made by electronic means.

However, the greater part of our transactions are outside of banks and shops and for which transactions currency notes of denominations of N200, N100, N50, N20, N10 and N5 are needed. For example A4 size photocopy is readily available at N5 per page. Also, a newspaper vendor would find it difficult selling his consignment if most customers come along with N500 currency notes to purchase a N150 newspaper. Significant economic activities that are affected by a lack of currency notes are the payment of fares on public transportation, the purchase of cooked food from food vendors and the purchase of foodstuffs.

The tendency would be for transport fares to be rounded up to the value of

,

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Cashlite and cashless …CBN to the rescue

The CBN has talked about the cost of printing currency notes and of managing their distribution

,

notes that are readily available and a N120 fare may go up to N150 as N50 notes are still available. Food vendors have always adjusted the size of a food unit as the cost of their inputs rise.

They may now be able to increase prices with smaller size increases in food units.

The CBN has talked about the cost of printing currency notes and of managing their distribution. However, we should also talk about the cost to individuals when the CBN does not make currency notes available. As indicated above, personal expenditure on food and transportation will increase which will eventually lead to increases in other goods and services. The suspicion is that all of these difficulties are linked with the desire of the CBN to print currency notes of N5, 000 denominations. If the public is against this CBN proposal, is it not because the N5,000 currency note would pave the way for devaluation of the naira against the US dollar? Is it not possible to run the Nigerian economy without further devaluation? The CBN should ease the burden on the public and make currency notes in denominations of N200, N100, N50, N20, N10 and N5 readily available.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013 — 25

DIARY

Select ICT events z ITEXPO West 2013. Holds 27-29 Aug 2013 in Las Vegas, USA.

EDITED by Adekunle Adekoya

zDesign & Manufacturing Midwest 2013. Holds 10-12 Sep 2013 in Chicago, USA.

Cross River blazes trail with Tinapa ICT hub

z Middle East Telco World Summit 2013. Holds 23-24 Sep 2013 in Dubai, UAE.

BY EMMA ELEBEKE

C

zP & T EXPO COMM CHINA 2013. Holds 24-28 Sep 2013 in Beijing, China.

Preview

New inventions shaping life and living

,

Beatfirst aspirin wristband

The BeatFirst Aspirin Band is a special wristband that stores medication. Having a heart attack? Chewing an aspirin could save your life. The Aspirin Band provides immediate access to medication when it is needed most.

Research shows that taking an aspirin during a heart attack can greatly increase one’s chance of survival. The question is: If you or your loved one had a heart attack right this moment, would you be prepared? Do you have aspirin nearby? In your house? In your car?

At work? At all times? We have invented the BeatFirst Aspirin Band, a silicone wristband with pillstorage chambers, to provide you with immediate access to medication – such as aspirin – for when you need it most.

*SIGNS OF CONVERGENCE: From left: Mrs. Lolia Emakpore, Director, Policy and Competition, NCC; Mr. Chris Okoyomoh, Director, Monitoring and Enforcement, NBC; Mr. Emeka Mba, Director General, NBC; Dr Eugene Juwah, Executive Vice Chairman, NCC; Mr. Patrick Areh, Director, Management Services, NBC; and Mr. Tony Ojobo, Director, Public Affairs, NCC…as new NBC DG visited NCC .

Immigration lists cancelled passports on internet

BY ADEKUNLE ADEKOYA

T

HE Nigeria Immi gration Service, NIS has uploaded on its website a list of passports which it said it had cancelled, in a renewed bid to stem the use of false identities and travel documents of compromised fidelity.

Information from the upload indicate that 1,288 such passports have so far been cancelled by the NIS since 2005, adding that the list will be updated regularly.

The NIS said that the epassport “has become a major tool in the fight against trans_border criminality as the e-passport contains the biometric details of holders, thus making it easy to detect persons traveling under false identities or compromised travel documents especially as the service

I N S I Nigeria as dump D ground for all E devices C M Y K

is poised to introduce the PKD at our borders which has been approved by the Federal Government.”

The upload is seen as a major step towards greater use of ICT tools in the delivery of its mandate.

David Paradang, Comptroller-General of Immigration in his maiden address during a parade marking his ascension to the top job had said that the Nigeria Immigration Service will “rely on cutting edge technologies that are practicable in our environment to transform the Nigeria Immigration

,

z CRM-expo 2013. Holds 24-26 Sep 2013 in Stuttgart, Germany.

Service”. He promised that the technologies will not be substandard but will be sustainable and well tailored to the challenges and needs in migration management.”

Conscious of the service’s role in managing the nation’s security challenges, Paradang added that his Service “ will work with other security organs to manage and solve Nigeria’s peculiar security challenges.”

The CGI called on all officers to come together, remain focused, imbibe discipline, be incorrupti-

Ever since, the service has taken giant strides in the use of ICT in its processes and operational procedures, notably the introduction of online payment for its facilities

3-D digital press enters Nigeria

LG gives tech edge to women with Pink Service

ble and conform with global best practices, adding that under his watch, NIS staff will be well motivated, well provided for, standing shoulder-toshoulder with any immigration official anywhere in the world.

In a related development, the agency has also issued an alert on online job scams underway to defraud unwary applicants.

Ekpedeme King, a Deputy Comptroller of Immigration who is also Service Public Relations Officer, NIS warned the public to be wary of such.

“It has been brought to the attention of the Nigeria Immigration Service that some unscrupulous Nigerians have continued to post advertorials on the internet calling for submission of applications for recruitment into various cadres in the Nigeria Imil Continues on page 27

ROSS River State Governor Senator Liyel Imoke says the newly inaugurated ICT hub in Tinapa City, Calabar, was aimed at providing young men and women with capacity and intellect to compete globally with their creative mind and innovation.

The Governor, also stated that the centre apart from serving as an incubation centre for talented youths, it would stimulate a technology driven economy in the state and the nation in general.

He also stated that the centre, which is a joint partnership between the state and Federal Government, when completed would not only place Nigerian youths on the global pedestal in terms of technology competitiveness but is expected to transform the state into a non oil economy.

On how to use the centre, the governor explained that users of the facility would comprise a new generation of Nigerians who would take advantage of its contribution to a revolution that will take the country to global level.

While commending Information Technology Development Entrepreneurship Acceleration, IDEA initiative, Governor Omoke underscored the need for private sector involvement, believing that it would drive the development of not only their products and services but the economy in general.

Also speaking, the Chairman, House committee on Information Communication Technology, ICT, Hon Nkoyo Toyo, said the centre would be a huge asset and major booster to the det

Continues on page 27

4Afrika scholarship program: Microsoft targets 1,000 African students

26— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

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Nigeria as dump ground for all devices

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ITH the contin ards rely heavily on the ued explosion in International Electroservice offerings pow- technical Commission ered by ICT, it is little (IEC) and its Internawonder that devices of tional Special Committee all nature from all na- on Radio Interference tions are finding their (CISPR), the European ways into Nigeria, and Committee for Electrothe market, unguarded, technical Standardizaunprotected, even large- tion (CENELEC), and ly undiscerning gobbles the European Telecomthem up, turning anon- munications Standards ymous start-ups into in- Institute (ETSI).

As a result of the applistant millionaires in their cation of these standards, countries.

Our compatriots also no less than 68 different get into the game by name brands of handsets traveling abroad, usual- have been approved for ly to some South East use in Nigeria by the Asian tiger economy, NCC, as at October 17, walk into a factory that 2012. The information is tickles their fancy, and there on the NCC portal, after due negotiations, accessible to whosoever load containers of the needs it at the click of a product they have cho- mouse, or even on a handheld sen and redevice. turn here Be guided.

But we to market That will be don’t love t h e m . ourselves.

Again, the better than If we do, undiscernbuying just any no single ing, unproNigerian tected mardevice glued will apply ket here rew a r d s together from for forex f r o m them many South East C B N , times over. travel out, In the Asia that will load case of ICT in the long run and containers products, full of especially return poor handsets hand-held value for mon- that offidevices, cials of they are ey N C C expected to be type approved by the have never set eyes on, let telecoms regulator, the alone approve. But what Nigerian Communica- do we have?

Our ICT markets are full tions Commission before they are marketed to the of phone brands and tablet devices that are not public.

For those who may not type approved by the know, NCC is empow- NCC. I exactly don’t ered by the Nigerian know how things should Communications Act work, but shouldn’t the 2003 to establish and Standards organization of enforce standards for all Nigeria (SON) be the telecommunications agency enforcing NCC’s equipment in operation standards at the ports? Or in Nigeria to ensure that should NCC open offices they operate seamlessly in the ports and help and safely within the worsen the congestion Nigerian telecommuni- scenarios therein?

Amid all these, I have cations environment.

According to the regu- just a word for the ordilator on its website, “all nary Nigerian. If you equipment manufactur- need to buy a new handers, vendors and opera- set, ask people who seem tors, including customer more savvy (technologidevices such as mobile cally, that is) than you and phones and wireless be guided. That will be adapters, must therefore better than buying just ensure that their equip- any device glued togethment conform to the ap- er from South East Asia plicable standards as that will in the long run mandated by the Com- return poor value for monmission before bringing ey. As to our importers them into Nigeria.” who go bring these junk, For the avoidance of what goes round will doubt, and since the come round — they and wheel cannot be re-in- theirs will become junk to vented, NCC’s stand- this nation someday.

Lagos based printing firm has raised the bar in the digital printing market by introducing the Kodak NexPress 3D printing machine.

By printing from computer to image, the new solution enables the company to increase its printing portfolio capacities especially in the personalized printing sector.

Saves 60% cost In a product showcase on Monday in Lagos, the chief Executive Officer of the Company, Andrew Esuabanga explained that the new solution can save 60% of the total production as against old machine press that does not address the issue of wastage.

“Many of machines before now could not manage colours. It achieves multiple prints.

More applications, fine print quality can be achieved with this solution. We are the first to bring it in the West African market. In the old press, wastage was a challenge but with this new hardware, wastage is eliminated” he explained.

Shorter print time The ability of the

3-D digital press enters Nigeria

zThe 3-D Kodak digital press solution to offer shorter lead times for print, according to him is also a unique feature of the product..

“The press we have invested in is a high calibre variable data production machine that can print to various substrates including paper, card, plastic, metal, pearl, closs, semiglass, linen, magnetic, synthetic, yellum and many more” he added.

The machine, according to him also has great capability for security print including cheque book, photobook production and high premium marketing media.

Low hanging technol-

ogy With the robust solution, he believes that quality does not only come from abroad but can come from home.

He assured that the deployment of the machine will further discourage a lot of Nigerians from traveling to foreign countries in search of quality print.

This solution saves cost.

It is low hanging technology that should be embraced by Nigerians, he said.

“This press has given us the opportunity to highlight to our customers what digital print can do for their print and printed marketing

material. Never before has 3-D printing and high gloss added so much value to print.

Along with speed, personalization and quality we are venturing into new territory here in Lagos,” he said.

While sharing his experience, Fentun Curley, the Managing Director of FC Exports Limited said that Multinational Concepts is a great example of how investing in digital press can really breathe new life into print. With the solution, he said that the company was getting creative and unlocking the potentials of personalized print.

— Emeka Aginam

Engineer nets N5m in Glo's Recharge to Stardom promo

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HE first set of who emerged winners in the ongoing Glo “Recharge to Stardom” promo were on Saturday presented with cheques ranging from N5million to N1million, N25,000, and N10,000 each.

The winners who were full of gratitude to Glo for organising a special promo for subscribers on its 10th anniversary said that it was “great joy” being a subscriber on the Glo network.

Timothy Asianya, a young communications engineer from Enugu became the first person to win N5million in the promo while Simon Anyanwu, a businessman from Port Harcourt and Julius Okomayin, a pensioner from Edo state won N1million each. Twenty five other lucky subscribers won N25,000 each while cash prizes of N10,000 were presented to another twenty five lucky subscribers.

Speaking at the prize presentation to winners before a mammoth crowd during the Glo Slide and Bounce concert held at Oriental Hotel in Lagos, the winners said the prizes will have a positive impact on their lives.

Asianya who stated that he simply continued to recharge his phone before winning the N5million prize expressed his abso-

e”.

RECHARGING TO STARDOM: Winner of N5 million in the ongoing Glo “Recharge to Stardom” promo, Timothy Asianya (second left) collecting his cheque from the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Hon. Disun Holloway, Senior Manager, Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement of the NCC, Lawrence Abang and the Assistant Director, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Fidelis Ajibogun during the prize presentation, in Lagos. lute confidence in the transparency of Glo promos as he had seen and interacted with winners in previous promos.

“I am overjoyed, happy and thankful to Glo. My Mum found it unbelievable that I won but I had no doubt in my mind because I had seen and interacted with the winner of a Toyota Venza in a previous Glo promo”, he said.

The story of Pa Julius Okomayin, a pensioner, was touching and it demonstrated that age or lo-

cation cannot prevent anyone from winning in the promo. He had worked as Secretary to the Onojie of Ekpoma for the past 25 years, Okomayin was on his way to Lagos to collect his pension when he received a call from Glo that he had won the sum of N1milion.

“I have been using Glo for the past 10 years and I always replace my line every time I lose it. I never knew I could win this kind of money. I pray that Glo will continue to grow so they can create more

opportunities for more people in Nigeria”, he said.

Prizes were presented to the winners by special dignitaries that included the Lagos state Commissioner for Transport, Comrade Kayode Opeifa, Edo state Commissioner for Information, Hon. Louis Odion, the Lagos state Commissioner for Tourism and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Hon. Disun Holloway and the Delta State Commissioner for Oil & Gas, Delta state, Hon Mofe Pirah.

,

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013—27 economy. We need to drive that change in collaboration with the ministry of education with Universal Monitory Fund. ‘‘The performance of

Cross River blazes trail with Tinapa ICT hub Continues from page 25

velopment of the nation, since its future depends on human resource based on ICT. On his part, the Minister of ICT, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, represented by Dr. Asairy Daura, said the centre was aimed at creating job and empower youth, while Cross River established TKC as a vision of ICT in Africa and the world, and described the centre as a convergence of different visions.

Also speaking, the Secretary General Institute of

Software Practitioners of Nigeria, ISPON, Mr. Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, said the centre is designed to have a 250 seater capacity for different kinds of training, an incubator, industrial pavilion that will house about 25 companies, software engineering institute, and a software development Centre.

According to him, the second phase of the Centre with cutting–edge infrastructure which will be commissioned in three months is expected to roll out a 300 seater call Cen-

tre, data Centre, eight 2,400 seater training auditorium, digital library, software testing laboratory and virtual offices supported by hi-speed internet broad band and un-interupted power supply.

He assured that teachers at all level of institution of learning would be adequately trained in the programme to ensure knowledge drift to every community across the state with the provision of a lab top each to all teachers on completion of their training exercise

to realize the vision of becoming an ICT hub.

The Special Adviser to governor, Mr. Odo Effiong, explained that the knowledge city when completed will help the country connect to businesses and also encourage software production and other related issues. ‘‘We need to create the culture of innovation because Innovation is problem solving. In problem solving in this case, mostly on software creation, we need to create a new way of doing things that will pave way for knowledge

Immigration lists cancelled passports on internet Continues from page 25

migration Service as well as demanding for some amount of money to be deposited into certain bank accounts for the recruitment”, according to NIS. “The Comptroller-General of Immigration wishes to reiterate that the NIS is presently not carrying out any recruitment exercise at any level. Therefore, the CGI calls on members of the public to be wary of the antics of these few fraudsters to

ZTE completes NPSCS project, hands over to govt A CHINESE firm that specialises in security communications, ZTE Nigeria has said that it has completed the National Public Service Communication System (NPSCS) contract awarded it, adding that the impact of the project is already being felt in the management of security operations.

Brielle Gao, Deputy Managing Director of ZTE said this in Lagos during a

parley with ICT journalists, emphasising that the project was of the same standard with what it had done in other parts of the continent, including China, its home country.

“ZTE is a global security solutions provider. One of our best-selling solutions is the security solutions we provide to the world. This system is called the global trunk key system. It has been successfully imple-

mented in more than 40 countries around the world including Nigeria.

All the solutions that we have provided for Nigeria is the same provided all over the world. In China, it is the same thing. If you go to Ghana, Senegal and some other African countries where we have this security communications project, all the projects are the same,” she said.

Speaking further on the project, Gao said “We have built a completely secure security platform for the Federal Government across the 36 states. The project has about 700 BTS (Base Transceiver Stations) as one of its major components. The BTS will provide the platform for the whole country. The implementation was slightly delayed because of securing land for the BTS and Customs,” she said.

that vision and the impact on the host community is what observers will be looking out for in the years to come,’’ he stated.

On local content status of the project, Gao said the project was implemented by both the Chinese and local engineers, adding that more than 1,000 security personnel from all the security agencies in the country have also been trained both at home and in China about how to run the security equipment.

avoid falling prey to them.”

NIS added that Nigerians will be duly informed whenever the Service hopes to commence recruitment, in the manner prescribed by Federal Civil Service Rules and Regulations as well as other relevant statutes to ensure fairness, equity and that only qualified persons that meet our contemporary needs are recruited.”

NIS said that it embraced the use of ICT in its operations with the introduction of the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens card (CERPAC).

“Ever since the service has taken giant strides in the use of ICT in its processes and operational procedures, notably the introduction of online payment for its facilities, in other words e-revenue collections by the service popularized this mode of revenue collection, leading it to become a Federal Government policy.”

28—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

LG gives tech edge to women with Pink Service

By Prince Osuagwu

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From left: GM, LG Service, LG Electronics HQ, Mr. Dongjun Bae; Managing Director, Fouani, Nigeria Limited, Mr. Mohammed Fouani; LG Pink Service Technician, Miss Titilope Sukurat Okuniyi and General Manager, LG Service, LG Electronics West Africa Operations, Mr. Weolwoo Choi during the official unveiling of LG Pink Service in Lagos.

HE constant cam paign for more women to participate in the technology field seems to be yielding fruits. Besides raising women’s interest, the call is also reshaping the way corporate organisations engage female clients.

Last week, digital device and Electronic maker, LG Electronics, for instance, reacted to this call and in the process established two cardinal programmes that are women- friendly.

First it launched specialized customer initiative for its female customers and also at the same time provided opportunity for young women to delve into the engineering field, usually dominated by men.

It called the initiative the ‘LG Pink Service’.

This new customer service initiative is aimed at providing technical assistance across LG products to female customers at their homes. The Pink Service, as unveiled by LG, will allow female customers to be served by women technicians at their homes, as an alternative to a male specialist visiting customers’ homes to advice on products and future care.

Unveiling the programmes, Managing Director, LG Electronics West Africa operations, Mr. Deog Jun Kim said that besides solv ing cus

tomer ser vice issues the company wanted to use the initiative to forge new trajectories that will lead the business to newer frontiers.

He said that “in the light of this, we have adopted this new programme, the LG Pink service, a new approach to customer service that optimizes both people and processes, creating long-term cultural change and measurable results”.

To ensure that a high level of customer-service is maintained, LG have selected the technicians with the highest skill-set to operate in the Pink Service programme.

However, the company promised that all the technicians would be continuously reviewed to safeguard and ensure that a high-level of customer-service was maintained across all markets.

Adding to the promise, Managing Director Fouani Nigeria Limited, Mr. Mohammed Fouani noted that at LG, there was primal objective to meet consumers expectations through forwardthinking initiatives “LG has always put the needs of its customers at the forefront, from producing the latest innovative technology to customer service; and this was the motivation behind developing our Care & Delight services as an extension to the differentiated customer-oriented services LG provides".

Phase3 Telecom links Main One on connectivity edge

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AIN One and Phase3 Telecom have created a unique connectivity edge that gives the education, banking, security, and government sectors as well as other organizations in Oyo state enhanced broadband access.

Their Broadband Expansion Project officially commenced early this year and is stretching out to different parts of Nigeria. Both companies recently kicked off an awareness campaign in Ibadan where they both emphasized the importance of their unique Fibre Optic networks. Phase3 Telecom has in recent times been emphasizing the Open Access Network as a model that would help enhance reliable and affordable high speed broadband connectivity and has taken steps under a private sector framework to support Main One in achieving this.

“Fibre Optic Broadband helps small businesses

expand and thrive and it will help to create more jobs – directly and indirectly – and boost the nation’s economy as a whole.

This awareness creation event aims at providing a better approach to business growth in the SouthWest.

Through greater customer intimacy and insight, we find ways to better meet the unique needs of Nigerian businessmen.

Phase3 Telecom’s Fibre Optic Network infrastructure enables a unique Open Access Model for improved broadband delivery in the country.” stated Otuya Okecha, who spoke at the Ibadan awareness creation event.

As a major step towards making robust and reliable broadband capacities available to businesses in the South-West, Main One, in partnership with Phase3 Telecom, has commenced provision of Open Access Broadband Services in the South-West region of Nigeria.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013— —29

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30—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013—31

4Afrika scholarship programme: Microsoft targets 1,000 African students

BY EMEKA AGINAM

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ICROSOFT Corp. in recognition of the International Youth Day, has disclosed that no fewer than 1,000 talented young minds from Africa are expected to benefit from 4Afrika Scholarship program in the first phase of the pilot program beginning November this year.

Similarly, in the coming year, Microsoft also an-

nounced that it would provide 4Afrika Scholarships to 1,000 youth to pursue associate degrees in computer science and business administration with the first participating higher education institution, University of the People, an online university dedicated to the democratization of higher education which is affiliated with the United Nations, the Clinton Global Initi-

ative, NYU and Yale Law School ISP. For talented African students: The program introduced today by the global software giant is part of its 4Afrika Initiative, through which it would provide mentorship, leadership and technical training, certification, university-level education and employment opportunities for promising and talented African

students.

Although the number will increase subsequently, the first set of 4Afrika Scholarship students, the software maker said will begin classes November this year.

However, mentorship would be provided by Microsoft employees from around the world, and employment opportunities will include internships and both parttime and full-time jobs

within Microsoft as well as with the company’s more than 10,000 partners across Africa.

Helping millions of Africans get critical skills: Through the company ’s 4Afrika Initiative and YouthSpark pro gram, Microsoft has committed to for entrepreneurship and employability.

To help redress gender disparity in higher education in Africa, the company is actively encouraging young women to apply.

Program to level playing field for talented African minds: Speaking with Vanguard Hi-Tech at the weekend through a conference call, Patrick Onwumere, director of youth enablement, Microsoft 4Afrika reassured that Microsoft was committed to empowering smart students from Africa including Nigeria with IT knowledge needed to face the 21st century society.

According to him, “Together with participating education institutions, Microsoft’s goal with the 4Afrika Scholarship program is to level the playing field for talented young African minds who might not otherwise have the resources, enabling them to get the education and skills they need to thrive in technology-related fields.

Designed to ensure globally competitive: “The 4Afrika Initiative was designed to help ensure that Africa can become globally competitive, and investing in our highly motivated youth is a critical step toward making that a reality.”

As part of the requirement for participation, he disclosed that students wishing to apply for these first 4Afrika Scholarships to attend Univer-

sity of the People must be at least 18 years of age, have a high school diploma and proficient English, as all its coursework is English-language.

Applicants, according to him, must also have access to the Internet to be able to participate in the online classes.

Connectivity: To help address the connectivity issue, he assured that arrangements are being made to make available working space in its Microsoft Innovation Centers in Tunisia, Tanzania, Uganda and Botswana for successful applicants near those locations.

In addition, Microsoft he said was working with various partner hubs across Africa to make similar arrangements for students in other locations.

University education: Also speaking, Shai Reshef, President of University of the People, said that Broadband will make the process more earlier especially in African countries where access still pose a challenge.

“Nigeria is no one in the list our important markets. The idea is to help talented students who are in financial needs. Every applicants can through University of People admission process. Some can also go through Microsoft scholarship scheme. University of the People works hard to ensure that university-level education is a possibility for the masses, and through the 4Afrika Scholarship program, Microsoft is helping us extend that possibility even farther in Africa “We are proud to be working with Microsoft to help create amazing opportunities and open new doors for Africa’s youth.”, he explained.

Accenture to improve Innovation through SAP centre

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LOBAL management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, Accenture has restated its commitment to provide cutting-edge innovation through its SAP Innovation Centre for West Africa A the SAP Innovation forum 2013 held recently, the LEAD SAP Innovation Centre and Capability, Mrs. Rita Govender said that Accenture Innovation Centre enable SAP innovation, using end-to-end business-centric to demonstrate Accenture’s thought leadership as to what the people, process and technology can do.

She said that with Innovation Centre, clients can envision the art-ofthe-possible and develop a roadmap to sustain their Innovation Agenda in the areas which are

currently top of mind (Analytics, Mobility and Cloud).Govender further explained that Accenture through the SAP innovation Centre extend a leading edge technology platform and cloud infrastructure to all clients who want to validate their assumptions through “try-before-youbuy” proofs of concept.

Speaking further on the Innovation Centre experience, Govender said that with Accenture Innovation Centre clients have the opportunity to experience Accenture thought leadership on key industry and technology trends,Deep technical and industry experience to facilitate broad, thought-provoking discussion, dedicated time awayfrom the regular workplace to drive action planning.

32—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Good local governance: Still a mirage in Nigeria —Mero Asagba CONFLICTS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA (3):

13 years of civil rule in perspective Akinlade in this third edition of the discourse, blames the persistence of conflicts in the north on government’s failure to ensure orderliness, security and welfare of the people

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HE implication of the above scenario is that Easterners who are Christians came to be seen as enemies of the Hausa/ Fulani race because they executed the first coup that killed prominent Northern political and military chiefs. In 1975, the coup that banished Yakubu Gowon government was plotted by Hausa Muslims, while Murtala Muhammed was assassinated by Sukar Bukar Dimka, a Christian from the minority group in the North. This fractured the relationship between Hausa/Fulani and Northern minority, considering the fact that, Gowon was a Christian and Murtala Muhammed was a Muslim. The North again, resorted to the pre-Ahmadu Bello unification of the North era. It is now understood, why conflicts in the North take tribal and religious colourations. Hence, Hausa/Fulani versus northern minority/ southerners. Today, Northern Nigeria especially states with multi-ethnic colourations are vulnerable than any other region in the country, for the above reasons.

Nature of conflicts in Northern Nigeria in 13 years of civil rule: The nature of hostilities that have consumed invaluable lives in Northern Nigeria since 1999 can best be understood when classified, as they were induced by the following: •State: These conflicts are functions of actions or inactions of government and its agents. The inaction of government for instance has made poverty to ravage the land. The people in turn, visit their frustration on innocent citizens, who are also victims of socio-economic injustice.

Socio-economic injustice The millions of “almajiris” in the North find violence profitable as it provides avenue for looting of people’s property. In fact, the protracted conflicts in Jos, Plateau State, are a product of the division of Jos into the Jos North and Jos South local government councils by Babangida led government.

Indigenes opposed it, settlers, Hausas favoured it. The escalation of crisis in Yelwa Shendam in 2004 was blamed on Plateau State Governor, Joshua Dariye by President Obaasanjo as the governor took to international travel while his state boiled.

Also, the purported rigging of election in Jos North by the State Government, led by Jonah Jang, precipitated the December 2008 upheaval in the state, where violent conflict is now protracted.

•Community: In this case, “people of different communities and in most cases with inseparable boundaries, due to proximity are pitched against one another” on issues like ownership of land, location of government project, chieftaincy matters and political C M Y K

Map of Nigeria

benefits, especially “our turn syndrome” as well as ethnic rivalry. The conflicts in Kaduna especially Kafanchan were partly over traditional rulership. As Maier aptly observes “another source of tension has been the long-standing demand by the Christian minorities to be ruled by their own chiefs instead of the Muslim emir”.

The heinous violence that followed the 2011 Presidential election in most Northern states in Nigeria was predicated on the view that, the north ought to produce the occupant of the seat of President till 2015.

Equally, indigenes/settlers crises in Plateau State are better understood within communal context.

•Religion: This refers to conflicts that have religious undertone. Actually, most of the conflicts in the North may not strictly qualify as religious as popularized by the press. Most of the crises are tribal but the various ethnic groups belong to different religious groups as stated earlier.

Meanwhile, an example of religiously motivated crisis was the impasse over the planned introduction of Sharia in Kano, Kaduna and Bauchi in 1999/2000.

Unfortunately, there was no crisis in Zamfara, where it Another source of tension has been was first introduced in 1999. Activities of the long-standing demand by the Boko Haram, which Christian minorities to be ruled by is the gist of the moment, also their own chiefs instead of the deserve a mention.

Muslim emir Little was known about the group before 2009, when they thereby putting pressure on its neutrality. struck hard on Police stations in Maiduguri The obvious cause of conflict from NorthBorno State. Although, they came under West, North-Central and North-East, is heavy military fire of the Federal joblessness on the part of the youth. Rather Government under late President Musa that address this trend, more workers are Yar’Adua, as a large number of them retrenched as seen in textile industries, including their purported leader banks and some privatized companies. If Muhammed Yusuf was captured alive, northern Nigeria must know peace, the were summarily murdered. It was in 2010 scourge of “almajiri” must be addressed. that, they re-appeared stronger, more At this point, a bit of understanding of dangerous and determined on the scene “almajiri” is necessary. as they hardly fail to make headline in the “Almajiri” are male children that find their news. Army barrack, Police headquarters means of sustenance at the mercy of people. and United Nations building all in Abuja They have no hope of the next meal and were visited with horror. Also, Borno, Yobe, they have no access to good clothe Bauchi, Kano, Gombe, Kaduna, Plateau including foot wear and shelter as well as and Taraba States have so far experienced parental care. They are kept with Mallam their abyss as they attacked markets, (Muslim scholar) who in most cases find it churches, mosques, relaxation centres and difficult to feed his family. They are kept other public gatherings. The group which with the mallam as early as four years in allegedly worked for Ali-Modu Sheriff for some cases, while their peasant parents the 2007 Governorship election before they mostly go back to their states and hardly fell out of favour preaches restraint from come to check the progress of such children.

Western ideas including education as The Mallam, who is constrained by source of corruption and advocate the economic tsunami gives plates to the introduction of Sharia in the north, as an children in the morning after little teaching instrument of social justice and social of the Qur’an to go beg for alms from which reform. they will feed. The practice continues for Retaliatory or reaction: This refers to as long as possible. those conflicts that are in response to the To be continued

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BY AKINLADE, M. T.

killing of the kinsmen of the Hausas/Fulanis, in other regions as well as those propelled by the Fulanis over the killing of their cattle by those whose farm land were destroyed by their cattle, while looking for grazing land. In fact, this is the main cause of violent conflicts involving the Fulani race and this has been the case in Benue, Nasarawa and recently between the Gwari and Fulani in Abuja.

Reprisal attacks are common in Kano and Plateau states, by both Hausa/Fulani and minority groups.

Why conflicts persist in the North?

The persistence of conflicts in Northern Nigeria along ethno-religious, communal and political lines, which have been responsible for past conflicts despite the acknowledgement of armed conflict as a cog in the wheel of development and progress of the region and the country at large has continued to alarm the minds of patriots. The following are some of the reasons for the continuous surface of such conflicts: Governmental Failure: Obviously, the persistency of conflicts in the north implies that government has failed in its duty of ensuring orderliness, “security and welfare of the people” (Federal Government Nigeria, 1999) which the constitution said shall be the primary responsibility of the government. The federal and state levels of government have not been proactive enough in their bid to nipping the scourge in the board. Regrettably, accusing fingers are sometimes pointed at government,

,

In this concluding part of the discourse, Mero Asagba canvasses autonomy for local government councils

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E say that 80 per cent of the total cause of HIV/ AIDS transmission is through sexual intercourse, yet in its treatment, moral issues are not presented. “For example, if a young growing boy or girl is meant to know that he must abstain from sex until after marriage and have the fear of God, HIV/AIDS will take a mild toll. The educational strategy is also important here. The Millennium Development Goals must also be discussed. We found out that over 90 per cent of Nigerians are not aware of what these goals are. I go around and ask so many professionals, including doctors, they don’t know. The respect strategy is necessary because we have to respect the rule of law and the organizational strategy is also crucial. It’s also crucial that every Nigerian be represented effectively, because the so-called representatives we have are not representing anybody but themselves.”

Faulty federalism: The author also picked holes in the type of federalism practiced in the country, which he was hampering democracy at the grassroots. At the local level, we had expected democracy to be high but it is least there because of over-concentration of power at the centre. “I support autonomy for local councils. This will engender devolution of powers, setting the right priorities and the right people to be in power, which will bring the dividends of democracy closer to the people.”

Asagba wrote: “Local government constitutes a training ground for democracy, wherein elected representatives would ‘learn the ropes’ before going on to service at a more senior level, and local citizens would learn about exercising their democratic rights in the context of issues which are relatively simple and understandable.

Local government institutions constitute the strength of free nations, it is the level at which the democratic ideal is most likely to be fulfilled. The citizen is more likely to understand the issues under consideration locally than the increasing complex, technical matters that predominate at the senior levels of government.”

He urged leaders to cater for the wellbeing of the people and stressed the need for quality education because an illiterate is a time bomb, noting, “while in power, the major assignment those entrusted with power should be to reach the people. It should be serious work for those entrusted with leadership in this country. The schools also have a major role to play in the education of the citizenry.”

32 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013 — 33

Nsofor brings back maximum power

Agbim, Oboabona all set for Bafana N IGERIA pair of Chigozie Agbim and Godfrey Oboabona have made it clear that they are ready to face South Africa in Wednesday’s Nelson Mandela Challenge in Durban.

Sunshine Stars captain, Oboabona and Agbim, who is on the books of Enugu Rangers, agreed that the Bafana Bafana will be keen to upset the African champions at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Oboabona said the game is just not an international friendly but “a match of prestige” while Agbim reckoned tagged it a grudge tie.

“Yes it is a friendly match but at the same time it is a match of prestige for the two countries. I am not expecting an easy game because they will want to beat us because we are African champions and that will be big news if they do. But we will do our best and by God’s grace come out with a good result,” Nigeria centre-back, Oboabona, told supersport.com.

Agbim, who is likely to start the game from the bench, said in clear terms: “They will be tough. Remember we came to South Africa and won the Africa Cup of Nations this year and that will be on the back of their minds. So I’m sure they will be motivated to want a win against us. But we will do our best to protect our nation’s record against them.”

Nigeria expect the trio of John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses and Fegor Ogude to join their squad at their Southern Sun Elangeni and Maharani hotel lodgings in Durban on Tuesday.

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ictor Obinna Nsofor is making a comeback to the Super Eagles after almost two years and the Lokomotiv Moscow Striker is ready to unleash maximum power for the Super Eagles Nsofor is happy to link up with his team-mates who have since become African Champions in his absence and he says he’s ready to contribute to making the team even stronger.

ARS: 12 teams emerge for national finals After three weeks of scintillating football showing, the interstate championship of the on-going Airtel Rising Stars National U-17 tournament finally came to an end with qualifying matches concluded at the Lagos and Ibadan zonal centers.

The Lagos and Ibadan zonal qualifiers were decided at the Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium, Surulere Lagos and the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, formerly Liberty Stadium, Ibadan respectively.

At the Lagos zonal championship, a total of 64 matches were played by 76 teams consisting of players from soccer academies and secondary schools in Lagos and Ogun States.

Meanwhile, following the successful completion of the inter-state championships in designated centres across the nation, 12 male and female teams from Kaduna, Abuja, Ibadan, Enugu, Lagos and Port Harcourt will now converge for t h e

•Oboabona

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wara united Football Club of Ilorin are hopeful that the continental ticket for next year ’s CAF Champions League would not elude them this season.

•Tshabalala

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Tshabalala: ‘We’ll beat Eagles

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to make the nation proud’

afana Bafana midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala has said that his team’s objective is to make the nation proud.

South Africa take on 2013 African Cup of Nation winners Nigeria in the annual Nelson Mandela Challenge on this evening at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

Despite Nigeria’s superior record over the hosts (out of seven meetings, the S u p e r Eagles have won five compared to just one for SA), Tshabalala i s confident

“Nigerians should pray for the boys to be in good health; if they are in good health they will be able to give Nigerians what they like to see, which is good football,” Keshi told News Agency of Nigeria.

He went on to assure that the Super Eagles will approach the game with all seriousness, even though the match is just a friendly encounter.

“Every match is important for us, especially against an important opponent like Bafana, so we won’t travel six hours from Nigeria to South Africa not to be committed to victory.”

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that Bafana can come out on t o p .

“There is an objective that needs to be achieved, which is to do well and make the nation proud, once again it is an opportunity for new players as well to play for the national team,” said T s h a b a l a l a .

“It’s a tough task, playing the number one team in Africa, they have good players but on the other hand we have good players here and we have what it takes to compete, for us it’s not a friendly game.

“It’s an honour for us to participating for the national team in the Mandela Challenge, we will do our best

and make sure we reign v i c t o r i o u s . ” The 28-year old added that it’s always a pleasure for him to represent his country and that all the players called up deserve to be part of the squad.

“It’s always a pleasure and an honour to be given a chance to play for the national team and whenever I get a chance I make sure I do my best, this will be no different.

“Having been called up to the national squad shows that you are a good player, they have been doing well for their respective clubs,” concluded Shabba.

Welfare officer of the club, Tunde Ogunlana gave the assurance that the “Afonja warriors” have the potential to pick a continental ticket at the end of the 2012/2013 Globacom Premier league. He based his ○ ○ ○ hope on the recent performance of the team and the motivation from the state government.

Speaking with sports journalists immediately after his team defeated Heartland Football club of Owerri in an away encounter, the seasoned football administrator said “ I want to say that for this season maybe you have not been watching our matches, this is the best away records we have had so far. I have been in Kwara United for 16 football seasons so I know what I am saying. Most times we win at home, draw away or lose away but now you can see us winning at away. We have even lost our home match nevertheless, but we play like a team now and I believe that with little motivation and push we will get there”. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

•Keshi

Kwara United will pick continental ticket

K

good football N

•Nsofor

— Ogunlana

Keshi: We'll play IGERIA’S coach Stephen Keshi has promised that the Super Eagles will play ‘good football’ against South Africa in the Nelson Mandela Challenge.

The African champions take on Bafana Bafana at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Wednesday, and the Super Eagles coach has assured that his players will give a good account of themselves in the game that is expected to help Nigeria prepare for next months’ crucial World Cup qualifier against Malawi.

“As someone who has been in the team, it will not be difficult to fit in again. A lot of the Players are my friends, and apart from that, it’s a family thing and this is another opportunity to announce myself ” I am excited to be back and it’s almost two years.”

“I want to thank the coach, Stephen Keshi for giving me the opportunity to return to the Super Eagles”

34—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14,

2013

Good local governance: Still a mirage in Nigeria —Mero Asagba CONFLICTS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA (3):

13 years of civil rule in perspective Akinlade in this third edition of the discourse, blames the persistence of conflicts in the north on government’s failure to ensure orderliness, security and welfare of the people

T

HE implication of the above scenario is that Easterners who are Christians came to be seen as enemies of the Hausa/ Fulani race because they executed the first coup that killed prominent Northern political and military chiefs. In 1975, the coup that banished Yakubu Gowon government was plotted by Hausa Muslims, while Murtala Muhammed was assassinated by Sukar Bukar Dimka, a Christian from the minority group in the North. This fractured the relationship between Hausa/Fulani and Northern minority, considering the fact that, Gowon was a Christian and Murtala Muhammed was a Muslim. The North again, resorted to the pre-Ahmadu Bello unification of the North era. It is now understood, why conflicts in the North take tribal and religious colourations. Hence, Hausa/Fulani versus northern minority/ southerners. Today, Northern Nigeria especially states with multi-ethnic colourations are vulnerable than any other region in the country, for the above reasons.

Nature of conflicts in Northern Nigeria in 13 years of civil rule: The nature of hostilities that have consumed invaluable lives in Northern Nigeria since 1999 can best be understood when classified, as they were induced by the following: •State: These conflicts are functions of actions or inactions of government and its agents. The inaction of government for instance has made poverty to ravage the land. The people in turn, visit their frustration on innocent citizens, who are also victims of socio-economic injustice.

Socio-economic injustice The millions of “almajiris” in the North find violence profitable as it provides avenue for looting of people’s property. In fact, the protracted conflicts in Jos, Plateau State, are a product of the division of Jos into the Jos North and Jos South local government councils by Babangida led government.

Indigenes opposed it, settlers, Hausas favoured it. The escalation of crisis in Yelwa Shendam in 2004 was blamed on Plateau State Governor, Joshua Dariye by President Obaasanjo as the governor took to international travel while his state boiled.

Also, the purported rigging of election in Jos North by the State Government, led by Jonah Jang, precipitated the December 2008 upheaval in the state, where violent conflict is now protracted.

•Community: In this case, “people of different communities and in most cases with inseparable boundaries, due to proximity are pitched against one another” on issues like ownership of land, location of government project, chieftaincy matters and political C M Y K

Map of Nigeria

benefits, especially “our turn syndrome” as well as ethnic rivalry. The conflicts in Kaduna especially Kafanchan were partly over traditional rulership. As Maier aptly observes “another source of tension has been the long-standing demand by the Christian minorities to be ruled by their own chiefs instead of the Muslim emir”.

The heinous violence that followed the 2011 Presidential election in most Northern states in Nigeria was predicated on the view that, the north ought to produce the occupant of the seat of President till 2015.

Equally, indigenes/settlers crises in Plateau State are better understood within communal context.

•Religion: This refers to conflicts that have religious undertone. Actually, most of the conflicts in the North may not strictly qualify as religious as popularized by the press. Most of the crises are tribal but the various ethnic groups belong to different religious groups as stated earlier.

Meanwhile, an example of religiously motivated crisis was the impasse over the planned introduction of Sharia in Kano, Kaduna and Bauchi in 1999/2000.

Unfortunately, there was no crisis in Zamfara, where it Another source of tension has been was first introduced in 1999. Activities of the long-standing demand by the Boko Haram, which Christian minorities to be ruled by is the gist of the moment, also their own chiefs instead of the deserve a mention.

Muslim emir Little was known about the group before 2009, when they thereby putting pressure on its neutrality. struck hard on Police stations in Maiduguri The obvious cause of conflict from NorthBorno State. Although, they came under West, North-Central and North-East, is heavy military fire of the Federal joblessness on the part of the youth. Rather Government under late President Musa that address this trend, more workers are Yar’Adua, as a large number of them retrenched as seen in textile industries, including their purported leader banks and some privatized companies. If Muhammed Yusuf was captured alive, northern Nigeria must know peace, the were summarily murdered. It was in 2010 scourge of “almajiri” must be addressed. that, they re-appeared stronger, more At this point, a bit of understanding of dangerous and determined on the scene “almajiri” is necessary. as they hardly fail to make headline in the “Almajiri” are male children that find their news. Army barrack, Police headquarters means of sustenance at the mercy of people. and United Nations building all in Abuja They have no hope of the next meal and were visited with horror. Also, Borno, Yobe, they have no access to good clothe Bauchi, Kano, Gombe, Kaduna, Plateau including foot wear and shelter as well as and Taraba States have so far experienced parental care. They are kept with Mallam their abyss as they attacked markets, (Muslim scholar) who in most cases find it churches, mosques, relaxation centres and difficult to feed his family. They are kept other public gatherings. The group which with the mallam as early as four years in allegedly worked for Ali-Modu Sheriff for some cases, while their peasant parents the 2007 Governorship election before they mostly go back to their states and hardly fell out of favour preaches restraint from come to check the progress of such children.

Western ideas including education as The Mallam, who is constrained by source of corruption and advocate the economic tsunami gives plates to the introduction of Sharia in the north, as an children in the morning after little teaching instrument of social justice and social of the Qur’an to go beg for alms from which reform. they will feed. The practice continues for Retaliatory or reaction: This refers to as long as possible. those conflicts that are in response to the To be continued

,

BY AKINLADE, M. T.

killing of the kinsmen of the Hausas/Fulanis, in other regions as well as those propelled by the Fulanis over the killing of their cattle by those whose farm land were destroyed by their cattle, while looking for grazing land. In fact, this is the main cause of violent conflicts involving the Fulani race and this has been the case in Benue, Nasarawa and recently between the Gwari and Fulani in Abuja.

Reprisal attacks are common in Kano and Plateau states, by both Hausa/Fulani and minority groups.

Why conflicts persist in the North?

The persistence of conflicts in Northern Nigeria along ethno-religious, communal and political lines, which have been responsible for past conflicts despite the acknowledgement of armed conflict as a cog in the wheel of development and progress of the region and the country at large has continued to alarm the minds of patriots. The following are some of the reasons for the continuous surface of such conflicts: Governmental Failure: Obviously, the persistency of conflicts in the north implies that government has failed in its duty of ensuring orderliness, “security and welfare of the people” (Federal Government Nigeria, 1999) which the constitution said shall be the primary responsibility of the government. The federal and state levels of government have not been proactive enough in their bid to nipping the scourge in the board. Regrettably, accusing fingers are sometimes pointed at government,

,

In this concluding part of the discourse, Mero Asagba canvasses autonomy for local government councils

W

E say that 80 per cent of the total cause of HIV/ AIDS transmission is through sexual intercourse, yet in its treatment, moral issues are not presented. “For example, if a young growing boy or girl is meant to know that he must abstain from sex until after marriage and have the fear of God, HIV/AIDS will take a mild toll. The educational strategy is also important here. The Millennium Development Goals must also be discussed. We found out that over 90 per cent of Nigerians are not aware of what these goals are. I go around and ask so many professionals, including doctors, they don’t know. The respect strategy is necessary because we have to respect the rule of law and the organizational strategy is also crucial. It’s also crucial that every Nigerian be represented effectively, because the so-called representatives we have are not representing anybody but themselves.”

Faulty federalism: The author also picked holes in the type of federalism practiced in the country, which he was hampering democracy at the grassroots. At the local level, we had expected democracy to be high but it is least there because of over-concentration of power at the centre. “I support autonomy for local councils. This will engender devolution of powers, setting the right priorities and the right people to be in power, which will bring the dividends of democracy closer to the people.”

Asagba wrote: “Local government constitutes a training ground for democracy, wherein elected representatives would ‘learn the ropes’ before going on to service at a more senior level, and local citizens would learn about exercising their democratic rights in the context of issues which are relatively simple and understandable.

Local government institutions constitute the strength of free nations, it is the level at which the democratic ideal is most likely to be fulfilled. The citizen is more likely to understand the issues under consideration locally than the increasing complex, technical matters that predominate at the senior levels of government.”

He urged leaders to cater for the wellbeing of the people and stressed the need for quality education because an illiterate is a time bomb, noting, “while in power, the major assignment those entrusted with power should be to reach the people. It should be serious work for those entrusted with leadership in this country. The schools also have a major role to play in the education of the citizenry.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013—35

Be committed to evangelism, Olutola tells Christians

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RESIDENT, The Apostolic Church Nigeria, TAC, and Chairman Lagos, North, Western Area, LAWNA of the church, Pastor Gabriel Olutola, has urged Christians across the country to be committed to evangelism irrespective of the amount of resources within their reach, reports WILLIAM JIMOH. He stated this during the launch of the church’s N220 million ultra modern press and

office complex built by five elders without any contribution from the church, describing it as an action worthy of emulation by all. “I am proud to identify with these men because they have a vision, they guided it and saw it come to reality.

This is what God is ready to do through all Christians most especially on issues that relate to the pro-pagation of the gospel which is the core purpose of putting the factory in place,” Olutola stated.

Makinde holds final seminar

U

MUAHIA---RETIRING Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr. Sunday Ola Makinde was in Umuahia as the head of the church to preside over the church's annual seminar at the Methodist Training Institute, Mission Road, Umuahia, reports ANAYO OKOLI. The conference was attended by all the bishops of the church and other clergies, and deliberated on the progress of the church.

The Umuahia conference was significant because it is the last to be presided over by Makinde who retire this year.

The conference ended with a service of award at the Wesley Cathedral, Umuahia, where prominent Nigerians, including Chief Ikechi Emenike, who built and donated a Methodist church to his people in memory of his father.

When the retiring Prelate paid a courtesy visit to Gov. Theodore Orji, he thanked the governor for the assistance he has been rendering to the church.

Speaking on the impact the printing press would have on the society, he noted that beyond using it for the spread of the gospel, it will also serve as a source of employment opportunity for both members and non-members of the church.

“For proper operation and other activities in the factory, the board of the press has embarked on the recruitment of tested and seasoned professionals who will drive every process of its operations to achieve predetermined goals of which employment genera-tion is one,” he stated.

In a keynote address, Overseer Ephraim Ojo, chairman Board of Directors, TAC LAWNA Printing Press Limited noted that the new press which is complete with modern printing machines, other equipment as well as a speed master, can print over 15,000 copies of materials within an hour.

Also speaking, the church's administrative secretary, Pastor Isaac Fakunle said the project is part of the church's effort to ensure that Nigerians have an opportunity to develop themselves intellectually, scripturally and spiritually.

*RCCG General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye and wife, Pastor (Mrs.) Folu Adeboye at the just concluded 61st annual convention of the church.

*Candidates praying, waiting for their ordination.

Winners of Mike Okonkwo essay competition emerge

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UT of the 2,135 entries for the Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition for Secondary Schools in the country, Folatomi AlliBalogun of Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls, Lagos has emerged the overall winner of this year ’s competition.

According to the competition's chief examiner, Prof.

Akachi Ezeigbo, a professor of English at the University of Lagos, apart from scoring the highest mark of 80 per cent at the second stage of the competition, Folatomi, “writes with confidence and her ideas and diction are apt and quite appealing.

"Any reader of the work will detect surface modesty in her expression, but underneath lies great sophistication of thought which comes out effortlessly in her presentation. It is obvious that the skill

she has shown in both stages of the competition is the result of her own effort,” she stated.

Mark Nwanbiankea of Lagos State Senior Model Collage, Badore came second with a score of 75 per cent; and was closely followed by Samuel Edet of Government Technical College, Calabar, Cross River State who clinched the third position.

Folatomi Alli-Balogun will receive a price of N100,000.00 and a Laptop for herself and three sets of Internet-ready desktop computers with printer for her school.

Mark Nwanbiankea will receive N75,000.00 for himself and two internet-ready desktop computers with printer for his school; while Samuel Effion Edet will receive N50,000.00 for himself and a set of internet-ready desktop computer for his school.

A consolation price of N20,000.00 will be given to

the two remaining finalists of the completion.

All the prices will be presented to the winners at the 14th Mike Okonkwo annual lecture on September 5 at the Shell Hall of Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

The national essay competition was introduced as part of activities marking the birthday of the presiding bishop of TREM, Dr. Mike Okonkwo to contribute towards improving the standard of education in the country in addition to exposing students at that educational level to topical issues that affect the state of the nation.

Since its inception 14 years ago, various topics that offer solution to the issues in the Nigerian polity have been treated. The topic for this year is; "Overcoming the Nigerian Security Challenges: A panacea for national growth and development."

Former Head of State and patron of The Bible Society of Nigeria, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) presenting a long service award to the retiring General Secretary/CEO, Rev. Fred Odutola while his wife, Mrs. Wuraola Odutola (r) looks on.

BSN introduces waterproof bible

T

HE Bible Society of Nigeria is set to introduce Waterproof Bible into the Nigerian market.

A sample of the Bible, in a transparent bucket of water, was shown to guests at the 9th annual luncheon of Special Members Forum at Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos recently.

The Bible is a product of research and a response to the need of Nigerians, especially

...Ajiboye repaces Odutola

B

*Folatomi Alli-Balogun (1st) C M Y K

*Mark Nwanbiankea (2nd)

*Samuel Effion Edet (3rd)

those in riverine areas. With this innovation, Christians are assured of the safety of their Bibles not only in dry, but also in wet season.

BSN is determined to break any known barrier that makes the Word of God inaccessible to Nigerians. For example, there are now Braille Bibles for the People with Visual Disabilities (PVD), Bible in cassettes, talking Bible and Bible in different Nigerian Languages.

IBLE Society of Nigeria has named Rev. Dare Ajiboye as its General Secretary-designate.

The national president/board chairman of the organization, Dr. Aaron Nuhu announced this at the 46th national board meeting in Jalingo, Taraba State recently.

According to Dr. Nuhu, Rev. Ajiboye would replace the outgoing General Secret-ary/CEO, Rev. Fred Odutola who will retire on July 31.

Rev. Ajiboye was until his elevation, assistant general secretary oper-ations and programmes.

Like his predecessor, he rose through the ranks having joined the organization in 1995 as personal assistant to the fifth general secretary, Mr. E.O.I. Adebakin and later personal assistant to the sixth general secretary, Rev Gaius Musa of blessed memory.

Ajiboye, a prolific writ-er, holds a post graduate diploma in business administration, an MBA and a Master’s degree in Theology.

36 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013 — 37

38—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013— —39

C M Y K

40—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

How can I forgive my fickle husband?

Should I go for this fling?

Dear Bunmi, One of my childhood friends lives in a different state. But we communicate all the time on our mobile. A few months ago, we got chatting and she sent me a picture from her mobile of a friend of hers that wants to come to Lagos for a few weeks. She wants me to show him around.

I’ve since talked with this man a few times and sent a photograph to him from my mobile. Now our talks get more personal and he’s hinting we should get together

when he gets to Lagos.

He’s a very attractive man.

The problem here is that he has a girlfriend he lives with and I am married with a baby.

Should I go for this affair? He has just two weeks to stay in Lagos?

Janet, by e-mail.

Dear Janet, Why don’t you get a grip on your emotions? You have a young family and you know next to nothing about this guy. You’re likely not only to get hurt, but also seriously

upset other people.

Try asking yourself what is missing in your life that means you’re looking for someone new to make you feel special.

Have a heart-to-heart with your husband now. You don’t need to tell him what you’ve been up to— but you do need to tell him you don’t feel loved.

Then get your marriage sorted and stop chatting with strange men! Your family is too young to give up on your marriage.

Intimacy with my ex is humiliating Dear Bunmi, My marriage broke down two years ago and I moved to my parents’ house. The two children of the marriage live with my ex and I see them most weekends and during the holidays.

Most times, my ex refuses to talk to me or even look at me but he manages to make love with me every time I go round to see the kids. He tricks me into thinking he has feelings for me, then turns round and says it means nothing. I feel dirty and used.

He currently has a girlfriend and he uses her to taunt me.

How can I stop all this abuse?

Dupe, by e-mail.

Dear Dupe, Your ex sounds like a very nasty piece of work. You’re the mother of his children and someone he once loved. You deserve respect, not contempt.

Your ex has been using you because you let him do it.

Deep down, you want to believe he still loves you. Well, he doesn’t— this is not the way to treat someone you

have feelings for. He’s robbed you of your self-confidence and you need to hold your head up high and win back your pride.

When next he tells you about his girlfriend, just turn to him and say you don’t have the time as you are busy, then leave.

You also need to get busy.

Find yourself a job if you don’t

have one or be self-employed on a small scale. You need to get out and meet people then you’ll begin to realise that you are worth more than he is.

You also need to have a frank discussion with him about the way he talks to you.

Tell him you won’t tolerate it.

By standing up for yourself, you’ll begin to gain back your confidence.

I hate being on top Dear Bunmi, I enjoy love-making with my boyfriend. But lately, he’s been encouraging me to be on top as it is his favourite position.

The problem is I don’t want to be in charge— it doesn’t feel right and I’ve got no rhythm. What can I do?

Fatima, by e-mail.

Dear Fatima, The ‘battle for bottom’ is a common bedroom farce.

There are lots of reasons some woman duck out of tak-

ing turns at the leading role— shyness, laziness, lack of confidence ....

Then there’s the issue of preference. Some women are submissive, which is fine by men who want to dominate.

But other women like a bit of both, so they need to be versatile.

Men are visually-stimulated and your man probably just wants to look at your body.

But just to be sure, next time you’re on top, switch positions and let him know how you like things to be done to you!

I shut my friends out when I’m in love Dear Bunmi, I’ve discovered that when I’m in a relationship with a guy, I always lose myself.

Once I fall in love, everyone and everything else ceases to be important. Invariably, the guy dumps me because I suffocate him and then I have to grovel to get my friends to forgive me for ignoring them.

I’m well aware of doing it and try to stop myself but it doesn’t work. I’m currently single and want to solve this before getting a new boyfriend and start the whole process again.

Precious, by e-mail.

Dear Precious, We all tend to disappear off the face of the earth when we first find someone we think is delicious. That’s normal.

What’s not normal is letting any man kidnap us from our career, friends and family, over and over again.

I think your problem is twofold. First, it sounds like you’re not just looking for a loving relationship but an escape from the life you’re in. If you loved your job, your friends and everything about your life, you wouldn’t be so quick to drop them the minute some guy came along. Look at changes

you can make to your life that will make you happy.

The second issue is that age-old problem psychologist call “abandonment.” Looks like someone you love abandoned you (a partner or a past lover?) or you saw it happen to someone. This may explain why you feel you need to cling so tight.

Now that you have recognised this flaw in your relationship, you need to talk openly about this with trusted friends and ask them to give you a wake-up call whenever they feel you’re once more stepping out of line.

Dear Bunmi, I am a married woman of 43 with four children. I used to be the legal secretary of a company until I was inched out in a bitter board-room brawl. As to be expected, my confidence took a bashing on top of which my savings dwindled.

At first, I had the sympathy of my husband. When he began to complain about the quality of food he was getting, I explained to him that now I wasn’t earning a salary I couldn’t augment the housekeeping he was giving me.

He became cold and distant and sometimes refused food until I found out he was having an affair a couple of streets from us. I confronted him and he was really hurtful, saying he had to eat decent meals once in a while.

Well, as God would have it, some factions broke away from my old company to form a brand new one and I was invited as an executive director.

I was able to raise the money they asked for and the com-

pany is now doing well. My self-confidence is back.

What has gone really is how I feel about my husband.

He has started being nice all over again but I really hate him. I never knew he could be such a fickle man! The kids want me to let by-gone be bygone. But he let me down when I needed him most.

Joke, by e-mail.

Dear Joke, Hurts like yours take a long time to disappear but you must work at it. It was cruel of your husband not to support you when you were down on your luck, but he must have panicked too, thinking of the financial implications of your wage loss.

Why don’t you have things sorted out with him? Tell him how much he hurt you and maybe you might be able to understand why he behaved so badly and with time, you will be able to forgive and forget. Good luck in your new adventure!

‘

Most times, my ex refuses to talk to me or even look at me but he manages to make love with me every time I go round to see the kids

Is intimacy okay now I’m pregnant?

Dear Bunmi, After trying for a baby for a couple of years, I’m finally pregnant and my husband is so excited about the news. But he wants us to continue making love as frequently as before.

My doctor sees nothing wrong with it, but I just don’t feel turned on as I used to.

Will this change as my pregnancy advances?

Queeneth, by e-mail.

Dear Queeneth, You bet! At first though, you might feel too sick or paranoid to think about intimacy. But according to a gynaecologist,

’

after three months, your energy levels and libido can return with a vengeance.

During pregnancy, your body contains higher level of hormones. These can create a heightened feeling of sensuality.

Intimacy during pregnancy can be more stimulating and satisfying than ever— with some women experiencing an orgasm or multiple orgasm for the first time.

As a matter of fact, a lot of men have confessed to having the most fun sexually, with a pregnant woman! You might need to experiment with positions, though. Good luck!

Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos. or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013— —41

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42

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Vanguard Vanguard,,

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

YOUR LUCK TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

LIBRA: BETTER than yesterday as you will be at a more comfortable place today and suddenly discover that your hope is alive. Venus bring you money.

SCORPIO: ROMANTIC Venus at positive angle may bring matters-of-the heart related temptation through friends. But your best bet now is moderate ambition.

SAGITTARIUS: The best bet for you is to consolidate on progress you made yesterday and look for best way to pacify your new friends.

CAPRICORN: EVERYBODY needs other people’s co-operation just like you today but you will not be compelled by situation to dance to others’ tune; meaning that you can do things your own way and rightly expect success.

AQUARIUS: THOSE of you willing to give others the needed co-operation will be in better position to consolidate on progress you have made recently. Don’t allow sex to distract you.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

T

ODAY, climate is the new chorus.

There seems to be a general agreement that the weather has changed drastically from what we used to know.

The truth is that apart from the change in the weather, we hu-

Change, is it? mans too need to change. It is not enough for us to be saying it, we must be the change. If you do not want to change, who do you want to change? We must be the change we talk about. It is only

when we change that we can change others. Our attitude to governance, our idea of leadership, our attitude to transparency must be seen to be above board. You can’t be

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye”

asking your followers to tighten their belt while everyday your own waist and cheecks are getting fatter.

If you want to effect a change in others, first change yourself.

By Lanre Kehinde

PISCES: WATCHOUT for minor and avoidable but costly mistake within your working arena, especially if you are in charge of other people’s money. If you develop new romantic liaison today, it may not last.

ARIES: AS the saying goes “time waits for nobody” it’s important you guard against unnecessary procrastination capable of putting you at tight corner tomorrow. Be loving.

TAURUS: IT’S better you conclude what you’ve been doing for a while rather than starting something new you don’t know when to finish it. Be more family minded.

GEMINI: IF careless remarks are made by you today, it would back-fire at resumption of work tomorrow morning. Those who are eager for romantic attention will have their dream coming true. Be more love

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

CANCER: IF you wait too long before an important (financial) decision is taken, you may find yourself keeping date with what you don’t bargain for.

LEO: Placement of the Moon influences your associates to become more self-assertive. If you take good advice you’ll fare better. However, it’s important you don’t forget your tomorrow with others.

VIRGO: BETTER than yesterday and luckily for you, opportunity to rectify mistakes made yesterday may come today to the betterment of your finances. Don’t try to buy love with money.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

What about me?

Dear Joshua, You have done many people’s horoscope; what about me? I want you to kindly analyse my star and tell me everything about my self. Please take note that I value my health and career than any other thing.

Adedamola, Oyo. Dear Adedamola, What space can take will be given to you hereunder. Scorpio and Libra that hosted both your natal sun and moon are members of very strong star signs-health wise.

Scorpio, in particular, has unusual survival ability. That is to say, even when health related challenges come, your survival endowment will always see you through.

Your major challenge is from your constant worries about too many things, especially on career related issues. Business miscalculation can be another source of health related challenge. You will agree with the fact that both constant worries and business miscalculation can affect one’s circulatory system.

Other things to watch-out for include: Urino-genital organs, minor accident (fire), bones dislocations, a few other times, skin infections and, of-course, fever. Always take care of the stomach. Please take note that all these are mere warnings as there is nothing fatalistic about them; a good guard, though.

Oil related Neptune was the closet heavenly body to the sun when you were born at positive angle to Pluto in Leo. Thus, having things to do with oil along your career/business lines is not by accident.

Then preponderance of water element and fixed quality in the distribution of the planets when you were born are favourable to commercial involvement with anything liquid.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013— —43

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44—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Christians united against advocates of Nigeria's disintegration— Omobude

Orubebe urged to contest 2015 Delta guber

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HE Church is united in prayers against anyone that is planning Nigeria’s destruction in 2015. Dr. Felix Omobude, President of Pente-

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—THE people of Tuomo community, Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State, under the aegis of Godsday Orubebe Project 2015, have called on the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, to contest the 2015 governorship election in the state.

A statement by its interim Chairman, Chief Akpola Ekperi and three others, after a meeting at the Tuomo residence of its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Peres Oloye, said: “The call became imperative considering the laudable achievements made by Elder Orubebe as a minister in the President Goodluck Jonathan administration.”

Noting that the minister was steadfast in his disposition in delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Niger Delta region despite incessant criticism from some persons in the area, the group expressed satisfaction with the pace of work on the dualisation of the East West Road.

They also mentioned the building of acquisition centres across the region, the expansion of OhoroBomadi Road and other numerous projects in the region.

They said: “Orubebe, as a man of God, has the capacity to transform Delta State. We, therefore, urge all well meaning Deltans to key into the project.”

costal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, and the General Superintendent of Gospel Light International Ministries (New Covenant Gospel Church) has

said, adding that a leader needs his people behind him to succeed.

Omobude spoke at the 70th birthday thanksgiving and cel-

Women groups raise alarm over sexual harassment in varsities

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—FEMALE-child rights groups in Edo State, yesterday, lamented what they described as disturbing cases of sexual harassment suffered by female students in Nigerian universities and polytechnics in the hands of lecturers.

The groups advocated laws to check the problem they described as embarrassing.

The Dean of Faculty of So-

cial Sciences, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Prof.

Agatha Eguavoen, called on relevant authorities to include character-moulding subjects in the country’s school curriculum from the early stages.

They noted that while the process of character reformation could take time to achieve, starting the process itself had become unavoidable.

Speaking during the inauguration of Campaign Against Sexual Harassment in Benin,

CASH, the Initiator, Dr. Rosaline Okosun, bemoaned the role of university lecturers in the upbringing of undergraduates, male and female, placed in their care.

Okosun, in a paper she presented at the event, commended the role of the media in the fight against sexual harassment in Nigeria’s ivory towers, and accused lecturers of making lives unbearable for undergraduates, through unbearable demands.

Shareholders in court over constitution of BoT

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WO major shareholders of Dys Trocca Valsesia & Company Limited, Olawole Alakija and Mrs. Dora Alakija have dragged the Managing Director of the company, Stephano Onnis and others before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, challenging the purported appointments into the board of the company.

Other defendants in the suit are Guido Giachetti, Ernest Aisubeogun, Anthony Kalu, Deloitee Corporate Services Limited and Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC. The plaintiffs are contending in the suit that the first defendant (Onnis), while acting as the sole Director of DTV and without owning a single share, purportedly reconstituted the Board of Directors of the com-

pany and appointed other persons as Directors without following the procedure laid down in DTV’s Articles of Association and the Companies and Allied Matters Act, CAMA. This they claimed Onnis did even while there was pending requisition by members to reconstitute the board of DTV. The plaintiffs further averred that the defendants (apart from CAC) have been fraudulently expending the company's funds on businesses not in line with its core interest and over inflating of bills and invoices.

For instance, the plaintiffs alleged that Deloitee Corporate Services Limited was paid N105 million to file Form 7 at the CAC, which cost just N200.

They are, therefore, seeking an order setting aside all ac-

tions taken by Onnis and other purported Directors so far and an order restraining them from further parading themselves as Directors of the company.

Meanwhile, Deputy Managing Director of DTV, Adetokunbo Alakija, has petitioned the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Philips over alleged abuse of judicial powers by a Chief Magistrate in the state, Mrs A. Shonubi.

Alakija in the petition by his lawyer, Mr Deji Sasegbon, SAN, is praying the Chief Judge to investigate the circumstances under which Magistrate Shonubi curiously struck out a criminal charge against two Italians, who were accused of making false statements to the police.

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

ebration of Dr. Obiora Ezekiel, Founder of Christian Pentecostal Mission International, CPM, at its headquarters in Lagos.

Speaking on the occasion, the celebrant, Dr. Ezekiel, said: “Bible defines politics as conversation. Until our leaders learn to converse with Nigerians, the politics of grab-grab will continue to replace politics of buildbuild.”

Omobude said: “We are praying that anyone who plans for the destruction of Nigeria in 2015 will not see that year. We are praying and Heaven will take them out one way or the other.

“Nigerians must know that the country is ours. Only a man God has ordained can be in power and not by any claim to birthright.

“The greatness of a leader is in his people. This was how the founding fathers of Nigeria executed their lofty ideas. The present generation needs the dream of the first generation of leaders. It is the lack of these factors that leads to abandoned projects, dreams and visions.”

Omobude mentioned leaders such as Obafemi Awolowo, who made it possible for him to get education through the free education scheme, as worthy examples. He said that there was hope for the country.

Ezekiel tasked Christians to be the Bible people read. He paid glowing tributes to his wife, Dr. Mercy Ezekiel, who is the National and International Coordinator of CPM, saying “she is my God-sent pillar.”

At the event, the General Overseer, TREM, Bishop Mike Okonkwo, advised Anambra politicians to go back to the drawing board and make a wise choice on gubernatorial candidate, saying fielding more than two candidates will not do the state any good.

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

On ‘deportation' of Igbo from Lagos

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F every Governor starts sending nonindigenes out, then where is the constitutional right to move around, associate and do business in any part of the country as a citizen? The signal is a bad one. Every thing should be done to resolve this.— Miss Harlis Udoh, Student.

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F it is true, the deportation is wrong.

This is happening within Nigeria. As long as someone is a legal and bona-fide citizen of Nigeria and since we all have the choice of doing business wherever we deemed fit, this is wrong.— Mr. Ismaila Abiodun, Businessman.

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really do not think that it is lawful for the state government to allegedly detain a person for more than a month, especially if it is not clear whether or not that person is really a destitute. These are Nigerians we are talking about, for Christ sake.— Miss Lucy Amuzie, NYSC Member.

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HE truth is that Igbo are the biggest investors in Lagos. That is the truth.

That on its own destroys the question “ whether the Lagos State government was right to have allegedly deported Igbo from the state?”— Mr. Kalu Anya, Movie Producer.

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F you don’t have a business in Lagos, or at least an address or someone who can identify you here, you can as well pass for a dangerous person or criminal.

The greatest dangers to Igbo in Lagos is the homeless Igbo in Lagos.— Mr. Nelson Nwamara, Writer.

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ROM what I heard, there was an exchange of correspondence for the ‘integration’ not ‘deportation’ between Lagos State Government and Anambra State Government, through its Liaison Office in Lagos, dated April 9, 15 and 29, 2013.—Miss Sophia Osuji, Student.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013—45

Peter Okocha declares interest in 2015 Delta guber under PDP

BY GBENGA OKE R PETER OKOCHA has declared his intention to run for the governorship of Delta State come 2015 on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Okocha in an interview with Vanguard, yesterday, said that his desire for seeking to serve as governor of Delta State was borne out of passion for service to humanity.

According to him, "Delta State deserves not just policies and programmes to foster inter-ethnic integration as this has been long achieved in the 60s and 70s, but justice in the allocation and distribution of political goods, gains, benefits because injustice and inequalities create and nurture hostilities.

“My mission in the Delta State project is to create relevant institutions, processes and behavioural disposition and values that would make for physical infrastructural development, human resource development, accelerated industrialisation and mechanised agriculture, thereby, making the state a major player in the development aspirations of Nigeria".

Keyamo guns for Delta Central senatorial seat

BY EMMA AMAIZE

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Furore over new CMD for Irrua hospital

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ATIONAL Movement of Nigeria, yesterday, called on President Goodluck Jonathan and the Minister of Health, to call the Chairman of Irrua Specialist Hospital Board of Management, Chief Boyelayefa Dedekem, to order and ask him to allow the rule of law and due process take place in the choice of a new Chief Medical Director for the hospital.

The movement also condemned the manner in which the out-going Chief Medical Director, Prof.

Akpede, was sent on compulsory leave before the minister ordered due process to be followed.

Speaking in Lagos, National Publicity Secretary of the movement, Mr. Okharedia Ihimekpen, said that the actions of the board of the hospital were not only constituting an embarrassment to government but creating undue tension in the locality, which the teaching hospital is situated.

VISIT—From left: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Mrs Omoluru Aigbokhae Eriye, President, and Mrs Patricia Ebhomoye, 1st Vice President, during visit of executive members of the National Council of Women's Societies, Edo State chapter to the Governor in his office, yesterday.

Burutu people petition Jonathan, minister over alleged sale of land M

EMBERS of Burutu community in Delta State have petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan and the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, over the alleged sale of their land occupied by Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA, in Burutu.

The community, in a letter by its lawyers, M.E. Ukusare, alleged that one Chief Kenneth Donye, Chief Executive Officer, CEO of Akewa Global Services Ltd., was laying claim to Burutu community property, which he (Donye) said had been bought by his company from the Federal Government.

The Burutu people said that

there was never a time their property was sold to the government, group or individual and wondered why Chief Donye, who was among the people that challenged the move by the Federal Ministry of Transport to auction the property currently occupied by over 1,000 indigenes and non- indigenes of Burutu, should now turned around to claim to be the buyer.

The letter stated that Donye had, through a letter to Chairman of Burutu Community and copied to

President, Burutu Youth Forum, intimated them that his company had bought 21 units of property in Burutu Port Yard, from the Federal Government.

Guestioning the legality of the purported sale of the property, the community, however, implored President Jonathan and the Minister of Transport to “call Chief Donye to order as it was impossible for an individual to lay claim to more than three quarter of the entire Burutu community. “

'Ogboru responsible for crisis in DPP'

BY FESTUS AHON GHELLI—FORMER acting National Chairman of Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, Sir Olisaemeka Akamukali, has blamed crisis rocking the party on the governorship ambition of Chief Great Ogboru, describing him as a defacto professional governorship aspirant.

Olisaemeka, while reacting to an advertorial by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said; “his (Ogboru) fight with Senator Pius Ewherido was that he thought that late Pius wanted to be governor while he is the defacto professional governorship candidate of the party.”

INEC had in the advertorial warned Sir Akamukali and Chief Henry Olori to stop parading themselves as acting National Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the party in Delta State respectively.

He, however, said; “I am happier as a National Auditor of All Progressive Congress, APC, than being acting National Chairman of

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DPP. DPP is a sinking ship.”

He added that the then National Chairman of the party, General Jeremaih Useni handed over to him as his deputy to carry on with the affairs of the party, when he (Useni) resigned to contest for the senate in Plateau State, Akamukali said: “Yes, the issue of the authentic chairman of the party came up and it is now an issue before a Federal High Court in Abuja.”

On the crack in DPP, he said: “Great Ogboru want to be governor at all cost in 2015; quote me. Great was with us in the NEC meeting of the then DPP with other members, it was agreed that DPP should merge with APC; the only person who had a different voice was General Useni that he wanted to go to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, but at the end majority carried the day.

“We were now asked to draft a letter to APC and ask APC for admission. We drafted the letter; had a committee of 12 people;

Great opposed to Senator Ewherido being a member of the committee; I over ruled him.

That was where our problem started. The letter of the committee that was submitted to Dr Lame; the secretary of the merger committee then, was handed over to Dr Lame by Great Ogboru and Ned Nwoko.

“Meanwhile, Great went to Chief Tom Ikimi, he is still living and said that they should promise him the ticket for 2015.

He went to Bola Tinubu and asked for the ticket for 2015; they told Great that we were not talking about ticket. What we were talking about is to build a viable opposition.

“They knew from past experience that why merger fails is because before the merger is even actualise; people will start talking about what they will get, because everybody will agree that most Nigerians did not give APC a chance; most of them believed that APC will fail."

ARRI—ACTIVIST and lawyer, Mr Festus Keyamo, yesterday, announced his intention to run for the vacant senate seat in Delta Central Senatorial District in Delta State, created by the recent death of Senator Pius Ewherido.

Keyamo, believed to be mobilising the Delta Forces United to join the newly registered All Progressives Congress, APC, before now, for governorship race in 2015, said he had not abandoned the ambition.

He said: “The senate seat presents a unique and humble opportunity for me to bring to bear my enduring enthusiasm and skills for the supreme benefit of my people in public office, and to set the tone for the quality of leadership that is to come.

“That is why I am running for the vacant senate seat in Delta Central. Moreover, if the people give me a pass mark, they will eventually decide whether to push me forward, or withdraw me from the guber race”.

Group urges support for Jonathan in 2015

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ORT HARCOURT – A RIVERS State political group, Grassroots Development Initiative, GDI, has began sensitising nonindigenes in the state to join its effort to ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan enjoys the overwhelming support of Rivers people in the 2015 elections.

Speaking at the inauguration of the body in Obia/Akpor Local Government Area, GDI the Coordinator in the area, Mr. Collins Ononwo, said that the group was leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the entire Rivers people support the Jonathan second tenure agenda.

He said: “Rivers is on record of being supportive of Goodluck Presidency in 2011.

Then, we were united as a people. Today, we have the challenge of people nursing anti-Jonathan agenda. We need to spread our tentacles and the non–indigenes as always must play as much a part as the landlords.”

46—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Anambra: Guber aspirant pledges to equip vigilante groups

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

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BUJA—AN All Pro gressive Grand Alliance, APGA, aspirant for the November 16, 2013 governorship election in Anambra State, Francis Idigo, has promised to strengthen and equip the vigilante services in the state with modern security gadget to complement the efforts of the police, the army and the civil defence, if elected governor.

Idigo spoke in Abuja, after picking the party’s nomination form.

While regretting the level of crime and insecurity in the state, vowed that his administration would do everything humanly possible tackle criminal activities in the state.

He said: “You know it is not good to discuss security matter openly, but we need to go the modern way in security enhancement.

We shall provide our security personnel modern gadget in terms of communication so that we have rapid responds squad to attend to any security issues whenever they arise.”

Sack looms at Imo varsity over waivers

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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made it clear that “all those who were converted and whose conversions were put on hold, are required to apply for appointment to the posts the deem themselves qualified for”.

The Acting Registrar referred to a recent advertisement for aca-

demic staff vacancies and stressed “the need to provide an opportunity for those, who would have had their appointments terminated based on the deemed irregularities, having been done in the absence of council or waiver from government”, to re-apply.

The above mentioned group of people should please apply formally so as to be subjected to due process. Failure to comply would lead to the termination of their current appointments.”

WERRI—THERE are strong indications that smoe academic and non-academic staff of Imo State University, IMSU, Owerri, may lose their jobs, following a directive from Governor Rochas Okorocha, that staff employed without appropriate waivers be disengaged immediately..

The Governor through a memo, GH/PL/S.164/XXII/331, addressed to the Vice Chancellor of the institution and signed by his Principal Secretary, Dr. paschal C. Obi, directed that staff employed without appropriate waivers be disengaged immediately.

According to the memo, “I am directed to refer to the above subject matter (Disengagement of staff employed without appropriate waiver) and to convey the directive of the Executive Governor of Imo State, Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha, for the immediate disengagement of all staff, both academic and non-academic, engaged by the Imo State University without appropriate waivers.”

While warning that “this is the last and final directive on this isLAUNCHING: From left: Nitin Anand,Vice President, Data Devices, Digital NPD Airtel sue”, the Governor equally di- Nigeria; Nick Imudia, Vice President, Nokia West & Central Africa; Chris Brown, General rected IMSU management to Manager, Nokia West & Central Africa and Inusa Bello, Chief Sales Officer, Airtel, at the “take urgent steps to implement” launch of Nokia Asha 501 and 210 in Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau. his directive.

In a move to implement the directive, the Acting Registrar of IMSU, Mr. A. N. Igbojekwe, has written all heads of department and deans of schools on the issue of appointments.

The memo dated July 29, 2013, “The decadent situation which areas. is as a result of long neglect had “Government is not averse to MUAHIA—GOVERNOR virtually seemed an up hill task criticism most of which are poTheodore of Abia State, has because of the enormity and ex- litically motivated to undermine said his administration has con- tremity of disrepair for which gov- and disparage the image of govtinued to pay special attention to ernment is now spending a for- ernment perpetrated through the infrastructural development of tune to rectify. Aba is not the only vulnerable interest groups. It is Aba, the commercial nerve centre area that witnessed abandon- important to remember that of the state after long years of ne- ment of the past but its residents Mbakwe wept in Aba and tried glect by previous administrations. were hypnotised to have believed his best but since after him no In a statement by his Special deceitful propaganda with which other tangible attempt had been Adviser on Public Communica- the city was held down for a long made in Aba before we came into tion, Mr. Ben Onyechere, the gov- time. power. ernor said: “Since the inception “In any case government has “In spite of all the natural and of my administration I have never not claimed to have repaired all human induced impediments lost sight nor waivered in my re- the roads neither has it said it can government is determined more solve to revise the infrastructural repair all the roads but has fruit- than ever before to continue the decadence in Aba for which rea- fully embarked on a prioritization ongoing rebuilding of the roads son the city’s commercial activi- agenda with the target to start as well as activating the power ties were almost grounded to a halt rebuilding the important roads plant which was newly build in because of impassible access which we have done from where other to alleviate the roads.” we are spreading into the remote infrastructural deficits.”

Why we’re paying special attention to Aba—ORJI

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2015: Cleric makes case for youths

BY IKENNAASOMBA

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AGOS—AHEAD of the 2015 general elections, Nigerian leaders have been enjoined to give the youths a chance in governing the country, as they are the leaders of today and not tomorrow. Chairman of Reconciliation Evangelical Ministry, REM, AbuleOsun, Lagos, Eld. Emeka Nwobodo, made this appeal while speaking at its 2013

Choir Day with the theme: “The Power in Praises.”

Decrying the continuous craving to remain in political offices by leaders who have attained the age of 70 and above Nwobodo, challenged them to have a rethink and step down for capable youths who can steer the affairs of the country.

He said: “The greatest foolishness of today’s leaders is to sit tight to power all for the

selfish interest of amassing wealth for themselves and for their generations unborn.

Every citizen must put in his best during his youthful days, and when you are 70 years and above, what are you still doing in power. Step down for the next generation, because I strongly believe that there are so many youths that can transform this nation into a better place for all of us.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013—47

VISIT: Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko (2nd right); Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju (right); Country Representative of UNICEF, Ms Jean Gough (left), and Chief of UNICEF, Lagos Field Office, Mrs. Sara Beysolow-Nyanti (2nd left), during a visit by the UNICEF representatives to the Governor's Office, in Akure.

FLAG-OFF: From left, representative of Lagos State All Progressives Congress, APC, Interim Chairman, Chief Henry Ajomale; Engr. Adekunle Olayinka; APC chieftain, Alhaji Akanni Seriki; APC chieftain, Alhaji 'Tunde Isiaq; Lagos East lawmaker, Senator 'Gbenga Ashafa, and APC chieftain, Hon. 'Tunde Temionu, during the official flag-off of the new APC, at Senator Ashafa's Constituency office, Ikosi-Ketu, Lagos, yesterday.

BIRTHDAY: Alhaji Sinari Adaranijo, (OsupaAdinni of Lagos) and Mrs Adaranijo, at the Lagos City Hall, in Lagos, flanked by friends, from left, Justice George Oguntade, Otunba Subomi Balogun, Justice Olorunnibe, Prof. Ibidapo Obe and Brig.-General Mobolaji Johnson (rtd) cutting the 80th birthday cake of Alhaji Adaranijo. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye

MEETING: From left, Dr. Chima Okereke, General Overseer (GSM) briefing the press, in Lagos, yesterday; Glory Orji, Publicity Secretary, and Mr. Femi Blanket, Coordinator, Success TV, on Global Success Ministries' Breakfast Meeting with the theme: 'Greater Nigeria Beyond 2015,' billed for August 15, at Abuja. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye

SEMINAR: Senator Solomon Ewuga (at the podium) declaring open a one-day seminar organised by the Police Assistance Committee of Nigeria, PAC, in partnership with Senate Committee on Police Affairs and other security agencies in Abuja.

COMMEMORATION: From left, Project Coordinator, Foodbank Nigeria, Mr. Paul Achem; Alhaji Dauda Sadeeq; and Chief Imam, Zumratul Islamiyyah Central Mosque, Ajegunle Branch, Alhaji Isa Adaraloye, during the presentation of food packs and drinks by Foodbank Nigeria in collaboration with Nigerian Bottling Company, NBC, to commemorate Ramadan Kareem, in Lagos.

INTERNATIONAL DAY: From left, Comrade Onalo Abukah, Coordinator United Middle-Belt Youth Congress, UMBYC; Comrade Popoola Ajayi, Publicty Secretary, Southern Nigeria Ethnic Nationalities Alliance, SONENA; Comrade Obi Goodluck, United Nations Youth (Nigeria Chapter)and President, Ohanaeze Youth Lagos Chapter, and Comrade Linus Okoroji, Coordinator, Humanity Services Project, at the United Nation International Day of the World Indigenous Peoples , with the theme: 'Self -Determination is a Natural Right,' organised by Oodua Nationalists Coalition, ONAC, and Coalition of Nigerian Civil Right Groups, CONRIG, in Lagos. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi

SCHEME: Sen. Magnus Abe, exchanging pleasantries with beneficiaries CONVOCATION: Mrs. Tina Peter, Supervisor, Welfare Napims; Balafama Jacks, of Mrs. Abe’s free wrappers scheme for women of Rivers South-East Sena- Engr.Tamunonimi Jacks, graduand of Political Science, Covenant University, and Mrs. Akpevwe Jacks, at the convocation of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State. torial District.

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48—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Why Jigawa Govt revoked allocation of houses to civil servants

BY ALIYU DANGIDA

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JANG'S NGF MEETING—From right: Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Martins Elechi; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio; Deputy Chairman and Ondo State Governor, Dr. Segun Mimiko; Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Chief Yomi Awoniyi; Factional Chairman of Nigeria Governors' Forum, NGF, and Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang; Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji and others, briefing the press after the Jang-led NGF meeting Sunday Night in Abuja.

UTSE— FACTS have emerged that the decision of Jigawa State Government to revoke allocation of houses given to some civil servants at the Abubakar Rimi Housing Estate was sequel to request by two federal government agencies, who want to purchase the houses for their staff.

It was learnt that the Federal University Dutse, FUD, and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, intimated Governor Sule Lamido, to provide them with accommodation for

NMA urges FG to revamp primary healthcare centres

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

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AGOS—NIGE RIAN Medical Association, NMA, yesterday , urged government

to revamp the nation’s Primary Healthcare Centres, PHCs, with a view to making healthcare services available to people at the grass roots.

The body also advised Nigerians to place premium on their health by going for periodic medical checks.

Making the call during

a free medical mission organised by the body of doctors, NMA, for workers in Lagos State, Chairman, NMA, Dr. Francis Faduyile, said revamping primary healthcare had become necessary as the incidence of non-communicable diseases had become a public health concern, leading to untimely deaths.

He maintained that resuscitation of PHCs would guarantee quality healthcare services for Nigerians at the grassroots, saying “breakdown of healthcare services at PHCs in the country has led to unnecessary congestion of patients at secondary and tertiary centres, thereby resulting in the drastic reduction in quality time spent on each patient during consultation.

"Nigeria can only eradicate communicable and vaccine-preventable

diseases if it strengthens the nation’s PHC.” He said: “A strong PHC system is central to improving the health of all and reduces health inequalities among different groups. It covers a wide range of health and preventive serviceshealth education, counselling, disease prevention and screening received in the community from a general medical practitioner or practicing nurse.

"The services are coordinated in a way that more specialised services can be provided when needed.”

Continuing he noted that the medical mission was aimed at offering free medical care to Lagosians who did not have the time to seek medical checks, attend to pressing medical problems, especially from indigents who cannot afford the cost of medical treatments.

their workers because of their presence in the state.

The governor was said to have told the two agencies that its government had unallocated houses for sale at Fatara Estate at the cost of N14m, N16m and N8.6m.

The two agencies was said to have unanimously agreed to procure the house at that rate and Governor Sule Lamido, was said to have directed for the immediate stoppage of allocation to those that had not made any financial commitment in the house.

It was said that top government officials rejected the allocation due to what many described as “too expensive and low quality in building.”

Vanguard gathered that two weeks ago after the weekly executive council meeting, the state government announced the revocation of the sale of the houses allocated to occupants of Fatara Housing Estate who had not paid their 30% (N2.6m) initial deposit.

The unexpected announcement threw the occupants of the estate into confusion especially as it was done during fasting period.

However, those affected have started parking while new allotees have started bringing court summons to the old ones.

An occupant, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed they were the pioneer residents of the houses when government was desperately looking for people to occupy the houses.

"But now see what the government has done to us", he said, describing the action as inhuman and capable of discouraging workers.

Academy trains 105 youths on wealth creation Resource persons inBY JONAH NWOKPOKU

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AGOS—WEALTH Academy Global Initiative, WAGI, has trained no fewer than 105 youths on advanced marketing skills, wealth recipe, brand positioning among others aimed at creating wealth.

At the one-day free empowerment and skill acquisition seminar in Lagos, participants were exposed to online business opportunities.

cluded Gregory Azemebor, a business consultant; the Administration Manager, Vanguard Media Limited, Victor Gotevbe; Dr. Godwin Okonkwo, a chartered marketer and chairman, Lagos State chapter of Actors Guild of Nigeria, Don Pedro Aganbi.

Speaking on the power of visioning in starting a business, the chief speaker, Azemebor, advised youths to exploit

the value of information, and harness the immense opportunities that abound in the country.

He challenged the youths to try and start businesses no matter how small, stressing that “it is small opportunities that blossom into big opportunities. Many people cannot start business because they don’t want to start small. They only forget that big opportunities abound in small opportunities.”

Vanguard , WEDNESD AY , A UGUS T 1 4 , 20 1 3 —49 WEDNESDA AUGUS UGUST 14 201

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WEDNESD AY , A UGUS T 1 4 , 20 13 WEDNESDA AUGUS UGUST 14 201

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013—51

US assures on painless visa process

BY VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU

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IGERIANS, who seek to migrate to the United States under its various visa categories, would henceforth, worry less over visa procurement, as they have been assured of a smooth and successful visa processing.

The assurance was made by the U.S Consul General, Jeffery Hawkins, during a meeting to usher in United States binational commission’s build-up dialogue with the Nigerian

government. The development would ensure that every Nigerian who intends to migrate to the U.S for various reasons are given special consideration, given the fact that both countries have maintained consistent and cordial bi-national relations in various key areas of their economies.

Hawkins who indicated that Nigeria was the United States’ most important partner in Africa, given its demonstration of a high degree of friendship, trust and cooperation for

tangible progress on critical issues of both countries’ mutual interest, added, “For Nigerians who wish to visit the United States, my goal is to ensure that the visa application process comes as painless and pleasant as possible. This is because we have invested in new staff, installed new equipment and overhauled our processes, so as to provide Nigerian visa applicants with the best of visa services.”

He also stated that, “The wait time for non-immigrant visa appointment is now just a

US consul general, Jeffrey Hawkins

fraction of what it once was, in order to ensure that Nigerians are not kept waiting for more than they would want to.”

The consul general who expressed the need for applicants to desist from submitting f r a u d u l e n t documentation, the number one reason for denial visa, implored all intending visa applicants to ensure that they provide the consulate with authentic and stipulated visa requirements in order to avoid visa denial or ban as the case may be.

In other words, applicants who submit

fraudulent documentations to the U.S Consulate for their visa processing would have to accommodate the sad end that such singular action would cause them.

It is important for applicants to note that the U.S consulate has several detective devices to ensure that they process only documentations from the right Nigerian issuing authorities.

In view of the foregoing, therefore, applicants who provide fraudulent documentations and or uncompleted embassy stipulated requirements in relation to required visa types, are bound to either have their visa application returned or denied.

1.5m Nigerians grow US economy

I

T is estimated that more than 1.5 million Nigerians resident in the U.S, and about 31,000 United States citizens resident in Nigeria, have invested enormously to the growth of the economies of both countries.

This number of Nigerians reportedly migrate to the U.S yearly, as immigrants, tourists, students and workers, and presently. Nigeria has about 7,000 of its bright young populace pursuing higher education in various academic fields in universities across the U.S. The engagement may have contributed to the U.S government’s proposed invitation of a very special set of young Nigerians with track records of leadership and services to their communities to visit the U.S in 2014, through the Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders platform.

Under the platform, selected fellows will be moved to top American universities for trainings in entrepreneurship,

management and leadership. This is expected to be seconded with internship and job opportunities at top companies in Africa.

These commitments to an extent confirm the fact that both countries are seriously engaged in efforts aimed at promoting cordial binational relationships to achieve good and productive ideas, which in turn they both would benefit from.

United States consul general in Nigeria, Mr. Jeffrey Hawkins, told Vanguard, “Each year, a handful of young officers at the Consulate mentor and support 15 young Nigerians who have ideas for community service projects. Subsequently, the United States Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative, CYFI, and the results regularly astound me, because the Carrington fellows have touched the lives of tens of thousands of their fellow Nigerians, and they have themselves developed into more capable and confident leaders.”

52 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Keita wins Mali presidential election I

BRAHIM Boubacar Keita is to become Mali’s new president after his rival conceded defeat in the second-round runoff elections.

Ex-Finance Minister Soumaila Cisse said he had congratulated Keita on winning the vote and wished him good luck, the AFP news agency reported on Monday.

Cisse’s concession, hours after he complained the election had been marred by fraud, will deepen optimism for Mali’s recovery.

“The general feeling here is that people are actually happy that this has come to a peaceful end, and that Mali finally has a president,” he said.

Keita, a former prime minister, inherits a broken nation and must still negotiate peace with northern rebels.

“This is the symbol of the new Mali. Of a Mali, now

Mali's new President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita

S/African police complete probe in Pistorius murder case Jubilant Malians celebrates the victory of I.B. Keita confident of its success, first round with nearly 40 following the line that the percent of votes on a ticket voters have wished for and to restore order after a have wanted. I believe it March 2012 military coup is Mali that has won.” allowed separatist rebels said Keita on Monday. to seize control of the No official results have northern two-thirds of yet been released Mali. following Sunday’s runoff Cisse said on Monday but Keita was believed to that the vote had been have won by a wide tainted by intimidation. margin.

However, international Keita swept the July 28 and local observers said

that, despite small irregularities, the process had been credible.

LASHES have erupted in in central Cairo when supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi came under attack, even as they

marched to the interior ministry.

Supporters of the new military-installed government hurled stones at the marchers

and threw bottles at them from balconies yesterday, witnesses said. This is even as Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowds.

Pro-Morsi protesters throwing stones at security forces in Cairo.

R

OBERT Mugabe has vowed to press on with his policy of forcing

Al Jazeera’s Rawya Rageh, reporting from Cairo, said Morsi supporters had taken their protests to key government buildings in the centre of the capital.

“There were scuffles at least at three different points between protester groups after Morsi supporters surrounded some of the government buildings. They have been throwing bottles and rocks to each other,” our correspondent said.

A few thousand proMorsi protesters were taking part in the march when the scuffles began.

Local residents taunted them, calling them terrorists and saying they were not welcome before throwing stones at them, the Reuters news agency reported.

Morsi’s supporters also responded

Netanyahu recovers from surgery

I

SRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to leave the hospital Sunday afternoon after he underwent a hernia operation overnight.

The surgery went off C M Y K

without complications, his spokesman Ofir Gendleman said in a tweet.

Netanyahu, 63, was taken to Hadassah Hospital-Ein Karem in Jerusalem after he complained of pain

Saturday. A CT scan confirmed the hernia, his office said.

The weekly Sunday morning cabinet meeting has been postponed as Netanyahu recovers.

Netanyahu, known

OUTH African police have completed their murder investigation into global track and field star Oscar Pistorius, who will

Mugabe vows to continue with indigenisation policy

Clashes erupt as Morsi supporters march

C

S

throughout Israel by the nickname “Bibi,” leads the right-wing Likud Party and has been prime minister since 2009. He served an earlier term as prime minister from 1996 to 1999.

all companies to cede economic control to black Zimbabweans.

“Indigenisation” was one of his main campaign issues for last month’s election, which he officially won.

Mr Mugabe, 89, denies opposition claims that the voting was rigged in his favour.

He says black Zimbabweans need help as they faced discrimination during white minority rule, which ended in 1980.

His policy of seizing most of Zimbabwe’s white-owned farms is widely seen as having caused the country ’s economic collapse from 2000-2009.

appear in court next week to receive detailed charges for the Valentine’s Day shooting of his girlfriend.

The double-amputee, known as “Blade Runner” for the prostheses he wears in competition, is due in court on August 19 for a hearing that will likely be brief and procedural. He was released on bail in February after being charged with murder.

Police said on Tuesday they had used forensic experts, ballistics experts, psychologists and technology experts to investigate the February 14 death of Reeva Steenkamp, who was shot

by Pistorius through a closed bathroom door at his upmarket Pretoria home.

“It is expected that he will be served with an indictment and that the matter will be postponed.

The prosecution, in collaboration with the defense team, will agree on a trial date,” police said in a statement.

New Czech PM resigns

T

HE Czech government led by PM Jiri Rusnok has handed in its resignation, after failing to win the confidence of parliament.

The move paves the way for an early election, likely to be held by October.

The cabinet of technocrats was formed by President Milos Zeman last month, despite opposition from the main parties, who accused him of trying to increase his own power.

Mr Zeman accepted the resignation but said Mr Rusnok would stay on for now. The government will act in a caretaker capacity until a new one can be formed. The previous

prime minister, Petr Necas, resigned in June after a senior aide was charged with bribery and abuse of power.

Two former MPs, an exminister and the current and former heads of military intelligence were also detained in the largest anti-corruption investigation in the country since the fall of communism.

Under the constitution, the president has a second chance to appoint a prime minister. He could also decline to name a replacement for Mr Rusnok before the next elections, scheduled for early 2014.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013 —53

2013 Guber:

The game takes shape

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

M

ANY stakeholders, including his enemies admit that Governor Peter Obi has done much to reinvent the oddities that once shadowed governance in Anambra State.

The phenomenon of godfathers, bad governance and decrepit infrastructure that was the story of Anambra has mostly been eviscerated under Obi. However, not totally. One area where Governor Obi has not been able to firmly plant his touch is the system of politics that originally gave Anambra a bad name.

So in his final days as governor of Anambra State it is not surprising that the culture of intrigues and bad politicking that have been the hallmark of politics in Anambra State remains unending.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which has not had a recognized executive for more than 10 years few days to its gubernatorial primaries was still engulfed in a crisis of identity.

The PDP state executive recognized by the national secretariat of the party with Ken Emeakayi was denied recognition by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which in a letter said it only recognizes Ejike Oguebego as state chairman.

The party, which presently parades as many as 14 aspirants cleared to contest the August 24 primaries, it is feared, could also fall into the perennial crises that have bedeviled the party after

•Anosike:

•Ubah:

•Ngige:

•Soludo:

•Anenih:

•Uba:

The Emekayi executive had last month reached an agreement with the aspirants to abide by the results of the primary and for the losers to support the winner.

However, given the desperate ambitions of most of the

faction of the party to wrest control from the national chairman, Chief Victor Umeh was forced to reconcile with Umeh last month, leaving most of those who had been following him in the dust.

Obi who is not eligible to contest again having won twice is believed to be supportive of handing over to somebody from Anambra North Senatorial district, the only section of the state yet to produce a governor for the state.

Despite his support for Anambra North, Obi is not openly showing his inclinations on who he will want as a successor.

It had been assumed that Obi who has till now aligned with the PDP on national issues including the official position on the crisis affecting the Nigerian Governors Forum, would decamp to the party prior to the election. He has, however, lately shown a knack to sustain his legacy and it is not surprising that a couple of aspirants on the platform of APGA are said to be Obi’s men.

14 aspirants originally indicated interest to contest to succeed Obi on the platform of the party. The 14 include former Governor of the Central Bank of

Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, former Minister of Transport, Prince John Emeka, former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief Paul Odenigbo, a member of the House of Representatives, Rep. Emeka Nwogbo, another member of the House of Representatives, Rep. Uche Ekwunife; the incumbent Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Oseloka Obaze and lately, Mr. Willy Obiano, who left his position as an Executive Director of Fidelity Bank to fight for the position.

,

the culture of intrigues and bad politicking that have been the hallmark of politics in Anambra State remains unending

every gubernatorial primary; to wit the exit of failed aspirants to other parties.

Among the aspirants cleared by the party to contest the primary are Senators Andy Uba and Emma Anosike; Iyom Josephine Anenih; Dr. Obinna Uzoh; Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu; Barrister Mike Oloye; Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo; Chief Ugochukwu Okeke; Amb. Jerry Ugokwe; Patrick Nduka Ugbomo; Agape Ifunanyachukwu Dike- Kramer; Dr. Alex Obiogbolu; Charles Odunukwe; and Walter Ubaka Okeke.

Virtually all of them have in the past contested the gubernatorial primary and at the end resorted to other parties to actualize their ambitions at the general election.

,

aspirants, only few expect any of them to abide by the agreement.

The ward congresses organized by the PDP on Monday further reinforced the impression that Anambra PDP has not left its bad ways. The congresses were marred with plots resulting in many party members not seeing the ballot.

The congresses to pick three delegates from each of the 326 wards in the state according to some sources, were hijacked by some party godfathers who according to custom wrote down the names of their preferred delegates.

Not even Obi’s All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA is left out in the intrigues. Obi who had allegedly been sponsoring a

Nomination process Obi had initially been suspected of supporting the former government scribe and later, the incumbent before the advent of Obiano. Obi is, however, not expected to make the choice of the APGA candidate alone as Umeh, the national party chairman would be a decisive factor, given the fact that Umeh controls the nomination process.

Soludo who quit the PDP to join APGA, some allege, is being backed by Umeh for the position and some allege that was one of the agreements reached between

•Ekwunife:

•Okonkwo: Umeh and Obi when they reconciled at the end of last month.

However, given Obi’s increasing deployment of political craft, it is still difficult for many to see Obi support a rich and independent minded man like Soludo as his successor.

The choice of the party is expected to be made this weekend at the gubernatorial primaries.

The newly registered All Progressives Congress, APC is expected to make its decision between former governor of the state, Senator Chris Ngige and his immediate predecessor as senator representing Anambra Central, Senator Annie Okonkwo.

Many in the hierarchy of the APC are said to be in favour of Ngige given his fame and success as a former governor and are hoping to use the Anambra election a leeway for the newly registered party into the Southeast.

Labour Party which was the platform used by Senator Andy Uba for his 2010 gubernatorial campaign has virtually submitted its nomination to the controversial moneybag, Chief Ifeanyi Ubah.

54—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Jonathan:

North should wait till 2019 — Ameh Ebute

SENATOR Ameh Ebute was merely one of the senators in the democratic experiment pushed by former Military President, Geneneral Ibrahim Babangida in the botched Third Republic until, he, in 1993 teamed up with some other senators to unseat the then president of the Senate, Senator Iyorchia Ayu. His stay in office was, however, very brief as within months, General Sani Abacha struck to dismantle the country’s then nascent democratic institutions. Following that, Ebute, in a daring rebuff of Abacha summoned a session of the Senate in Lagos to give legitimacy to the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Bashorun Moshood Abiola. For his action, he was thrown into detention alongside one of his fellow senators, Senator Ahmed Tinubu. On his release, Senator Ebute from the Idoma speaking area of Benue State in northern Nigeria laid low and reverted to his legal practice in Abuja. In an interview session with newsmen in Lagos, Senator Ebute divorces himself and his people in the North-Central Nigeria from the increasing agitations against another term for President Goodluck Jonathan, who he claimed has performed excellently. He gives reasons the consolidation of three parties into the All Progressives Congress, APC will fail and warns his distinguished colleague, Senator Tinubu to beware of his new friends in the North. Excerpts:

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

W

HAT do you say to fellow stakeholders from the North who are saying that it is the turn of the North to produce the president?

My advice to them is that they should wait until President Goodluck Jonathan completes his second term since by divine providence, the zoning has automatically fallen on the SouthSouth.

So, the North whose definition I am not too sure includes the Middle Belt, should wait until the person God has given the presidency has completed his term. As soon as he completes his second term one can now argue that the turn should now come to the North and that North, should include all the zones in the North, not only the North-West. We have other zones in the North, but some people are now arguing or defining North as if it means only the North-West.

So do you say that when Ango Abdullahi speaks, he doesn’t represent you?

I am not a member of the Arewa Consultative Forum or the Northern Elders Forum. Whether he is speaking for Arewa Consultative Forum or Northern Elders Forum, it is left to Ango Abdullahi and I don’t know anything that is happening within those organizations.

Daily press conferences But I assure you that apart from the members of the Northern Elders Forum and Arewa Consultative Forum, there are millions of other northerners that believe in the administration of Goodluck Jonathan. So, when one person representing a few people being funded by the governors and holding press conferences virtually everyday, he is putting up his own ideas, you cannot say that the ideas are supported by everybody within that zone.

I agree that he must be speaking for some people, but

•Ebute: I was in detention with Bola Tinubu in 1994 they are not the majority in that zone.

So you don’t support the assertion that the North is disenchanted?

Why should the North be disenchanted? I am part of the North and that is why I ask whether I am part of the North

2013:

that Bola can go into marriage with these people.

We were there in Alagbon Close when Abiola was arrested and there was hue and cry and the whole of Alagbon Close was full of people and we thought that Abiola was going to join us in detention when he declared himself the president. One hour later, people started wailing that Abiola was being taken to Abuja and that was what led to the end of his life and I don’t think that the Yoruba people have forgotten that incident to hobnob or have a marriage with people who will likely treat them the same way again. I don’t know.

Which people are you referring to?

You know them. You know the people that constituted the CPC, that is Buhari’s party. Buhari was the chief adviser to Abacha when Abacha was Head of State. As chairman of PTF, they were very hard on us. I am not saying that because of that they shouldn’t become leader again, but I am warning Bola Tinubu that what happened to us in 1994 could happen to him again, that he should be careful because he is my colleague.

Do you see General Buhari as a leader of the North?

From the way the 2011 election votes were cast, I now agree that Gen. Buhari is a leader of his zone, that is the North-West zone.

He is in full control of his NorthWest zone politically.

What of your own area?

No, no, he is not in control of the North-Central.

Who is the best man for Anambra?

BY HARVESTER CHARLES

W

they are speaking about? Why should the North be disenchanted? We started this presidential system in 1979 when President Shehu Shagari was the president for four years.

He entered the second term when the military took over from him. The head of the military that

took over from him (Buhari) was from the North, then one year into office, another northerner, IBB took over from Buhari and was in office for nine years. Then from IBB, you had Abacha who was in office for five years and Abacha died and Abdulsalami was in office for another one year and yet, nobody complained.

The people who were at the helm for 16 years were all northerners and there was no Boko Haram and nobody organized anything to distabilise the polity.

So why should the North be bitter for the eight years that President Goodluck Jonathan is going to be in office? If Nigerians could be patient when these people I have mentioned were in office, then why shouldn’t they be patient when other persons are in office? Does that mean that the presidency belongs to them?

Nigerians say no, the presidency does not belong to any particular zone.

Do you see the APC as a threat to your party, the PDP? If I go into the history of Nigerian politics, you will agree with me that the merger will not work. I was in detention with Bola Tinubu in 1994 after I reconvened the Senate in Lagos after Abacha had taken over and (Senate) urged Abacha to hand over to Abiola and we were arrested and I was in detention with Bola Tinubu in Alagbon for 50 days. Bola knew what happened and I still know what happened and I am surprised

ITH the Anambra State governorship election slated for November 16, this year around the corner, the question that begs for answer is, “what will be the position of Ndi Anambra in 2014 and beyond?”

So many players have started jostling for the number one

position in the state but it is left for us Anambrarians to decide whether this is going to be business-as-usual or the time to tell them enough is enough.

Let me not waste so much time talking about what some people have taken gubernatorial elections for. Even those that should be vying for councillorship positions now want to lead Ndi Anambra I

wouldn’t be laying all the blames on them because had Senator Chris Ngige and Mr. Peter Obi conducted the council elections, the reverse would have been the case.

Considering what is going on in Anambra state today, I sincerely believe that another opportunity has presented itself for us to correct our mistakes and it is left for us (Ndi Anambra) to

decide carefully what will happen in our state for at least the next four years.

Looking at the lengthy list of gubernatorial aspirants we have in our state at the moment, it’s left for us to decide who the cap fits. Because of time and space I will just have to talk about two frontline aspirants for each Continues on page 55

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013 —55

Opposition regroups against Saraki’s dynasty in Kwara 2015:

TO snatch political power from the Saraki dynasty in coming elections beginning with the forthcoming local council polls, opposition forces are regrouping in Kwara.

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

T

•Saraki North.

Speaking on why they came together, the BOT Chairman, Dr Aluko said: "The Kwara Citizenship Development Initiative is an initiative of people of my age and those closer to my age. It is not a political organisation, the purpose is to create awareness so that people don’t sleep on their rights.

"I have been practising Medicine since 1961, in my days when I was in school, I started from the Middle School here (now GSS, Ilorin)before going to Barewa College. I must say even until I finished my medical training, my parents did not pay a kobo.

•Aluko "So the good people of Kwara thought that the society has done so much for us and the time has now come for us to pay back to the society. In my days we were even given pocket money every Friday. Today, where has that money gone to?

"Nigeria is not a poor country even before the advent of petrol, because of the greed, corruption at the highest level, what we regard as things that should be given to the society are not given to the society, and members of the board of trustees felt that we cannot just fold our arms and continue to watch. The time has come for us to pay back what the society has done for us by

creating an awareness, by making people to realise that the government they deserve is what Almighty Allah usually give to them. "The question of people

,

HEY met last weekend under the aegis of Kwara Citizenship Development Initiative (KCDI) to strategise ahead of the elections.

Apart from former chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC, Justice Mustapha Akanbi, who chaired the opening ceremony, most persons at the parley were opposition politicians.

They were drawn from the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) now All Peoples Congress (APC). Also present were some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members including Engineer Sunday Adebayo Babalola, a former gubernatorial aspirant and brain box of the KCDI, who was allegedly shortchanged in the last PDP governorship primaries.

KCDI leaders said the group is out to wrest power from Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who took over political power in the state even when his father, Dr Olusola Saraki, was alive.

On the board of the nascent KCDI are: Dr Amuda Aluko, Tafidan of Ilorin; Dr Sarah Jubril; Captain Taiwo Popoola and Engr.

Babalola while members of the National Executive Council are Hon. Yekini Alajagbusi, Hon. Saka Salawu, Dr. Ibrahim A. Jawando and Chief James Bola Okunola.

The membership of the BOT and NEC cut across the three senatorial districts -Kwara Central, Kwara South and Kwara

KCDI leaders said the group is out to wrestle power from Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki who took over political power in the state even when his father, Dr Olusola Saraki, was alive

imposing X and Y on the community should no longer exist. People should be able to choose their leaders and I bet you, God will guide an individual to vote right as long as they are

Who is the best man for Anambra?

Continues from page 54

senatorial zone instead of talking about those who think that Anambra State gubernatorial election is for clowns.

In Anambra South senatorial district, we have Senator Andy Uba and Ifeanyi Ubah. In Anambra Central, we have Senator Annie Okonkwo and Senator Chris Ngige and in the North, I don’t think they are serious yet since they are waiting for us to give it to them forgetting that this is a struggle for men and the survival of the fittest.

Come to think of it, what is Senator Chris Ngige, Senator Andy Uba and others in the National Assembly eyeing the position like Hon Uche Ekwunife

trying to tell us? Is it that they can no longer represent us in the National Assembly? Have they fulfilled the promises they made to us before we voted them in as our representatives?

While Senator Chris Ngige is busy making promises that he wants to come and complete what he started, let him first of all complete the one he is doing at the Senate.

In the case of the remaining two aspirants (Senator Annie Okonkwo and Ifeanyi Ubah), I cannot really understand what Ifeanyi Uba thinks he is doing. I would advise him to consider starting up a charitable organization.

Talking about Senator Annie Okonkwo, before he represented

the Anambra Senatorial zone in the Senate, four senators have represented the zone. It is only in his time as a Senator that the zone felt greatly the impact and presence of governance.

Okonkwo is an entrepreneur extraordinaire, who has through a period of active twenty years in business sown, grown and invested his wealth, time and talent with rare skill. He has a reputation for trust, integrity, hard work and dedicated commitment to the common good. He sets his vision and provides maximum financial networking and moral support to his well trained and highly motivated executives and staff.

Okonkwo has over 2,000 Nigerians and expatriates under

conscious of their rights."

Advising Nigerians to resist imposition of leaders, he said: ' I am saying this with all emphasis that it deserves, imposition should be a thing of the past, people should be allowed to choöse who is going to lead them.

"I will give you an example, when I was a young medical officer, I was posted to Katsina, now the capital of Katsina state where I met Alhaji Musa Yar ’Adua, the father of late President Umaru Yar Adua, he was then the Minister for Lagos Affairs.

"I am sure if you go down the memory lane, Musa Yar ‘Adua hasn’t gotten a parcel of land nor a building in Lagos and this was the lot of the people who governed this country at that time.

They governed with the fear of God but what do you see today?

Whether we like it or not, everything that has got a beginning must have an end. A day is coming we will be answerable to Almighty God. "Nigeria is not a poor country, and yet we have people suffering in abject poverty. The majority cannot even boast of two square

his employ. He ensures that staffs are motivated to be the best and their families look into the future with smiles.

Apart from been a successful businessman and a philanthropist before he joined politics, he has never being involved in any form of looting both as a businessman and as a Senator. I strongly believe that in our quest for change and development, we must do a new thing in order to achieve a new result.

He is the Chairman, Clemco Industries Ltd, a commodity merchant and bulk distributing company.

*Harvester Charles, a novelist, wrote from Awka.

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meals in a day. People are really hungry, it shouldn’t be. By the grace of God as I have said, this organisation is non- political, we have people from SDP, PDP APC and so on and so forth and on lookers, people who are not even interested in politics. The major thing we are trying to do is to create awareness, to educate our people for them not to sleep on their rights."

The leader stressed the need for sustenance of democracy in the country because "all over the world, military government is no longer fashionable, if you don’t have democracy what do you have? I don’t think there is anything that is better than democracy provided that we stop imposition of leadership.

Look if you have a good leader, what is corruption, what is kidnapping?, everything will varnish because he will be a symbol for everybody to emulate.

Corruption is from the top, I am appealing to journalists to expose those that should be exposed so that Nigeria can be a peaceful and prosperous country for all of us to enjoy.

56—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14 14,, 2013

Good sitting posture ensures optimal health

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

M

R. Kenneth Ego, 42, has not just been sitting for years. Just like every other employee attached to his or her technology, he has been hooked over desktops, laptops among others, and this has taken a toll on his body. He spends seven to 10 hours or more a day.

Are you sitting comfortably? For many of us who spend the majority of our working day in a desk chair, experts say sitting down can send you to an early grave. According to them, the more time you spend sitting each day, the greater your chance of dying within the following three to 15 years.

Studies have shown that sitting posture plays an important role in ensuring good health. Proper posture, according to experts, keeps bones and joints in the correct alignment so that muscles are being used properly.

However, people are said to suffer from pain and dysfunction because they have forgotten how to use their bodies. Also, studies have shown that changing posture is the key to a healthy spine. Stress and poor positioning can bring on aches or exacerbate injuries among workers faced with heavy computing, constant travel and long meetings.

Occupational hazards According to Dr. Richard Deyo, a Professor of family medicine at Oregon Health and Science University, USA, regardless of occupation or lifestyle, backaches affect about 8 in 10 at some point in their lifetimes.

For the majority who work in an office and at desk jobs, while sitting for most of the day seems pretty low risk compared to other occupational hazards, sitting in the same position all the time can stress the structures of the spine, and may result in injuries to the back, neck and even the wrist. It is important to find an office chair that is ergonomically designed to support the lower back and promote good posture. An ergonomic chair cannot only prevent injury and pain in the back, but it also

• A health-friendly office chair must be adjustable for height and tilt. It must not also put pressure on the back of the thighs or knees and there must be a back rest shaped to support the lower back. maximizes your function at w o r k .

When looking for the right ergonomic chair, it is important to find one suited

to your needs. With so many ergonomic office chairs on the market, its important to research them, since there is no single

chair that could be labeled the best.

There are specific features that should be considered when looking for

a desk chair, such as adjustable seat height. Your feet should be flat on the floor with your thighs at a horizontal position, and your arms should be even with the height of the desk.

Having an adjustable armrest is also beneficial, since users can rest their arms and relax their shoulders, which can eliminate significant tension while working. You should also look for a chair with a seat that has sufficient width and depth to support any user. While working, you should be able to sit with your back resting against the back of the chair. In addition, the back should also be adjustable so that it can tilt forward and backwards.

One big issue about working at a desk all day is that many chairs are not designed to support the lower back. Support for our lumbar spine, or our lower back, is very important.

Orthopaedic experts say our spinal curvature has an inward curve in the lumber spine, and sitting for too long without supporting it will lead to slouching and straining the structures of the lower spine. An ergonomic chair must offer lumber support and adjustment, so the user can fit the chair to the inward curve of the lower back. Additional things to also consider are the seat material: is it comfy? An ergonomic chair with a swivel on the chair can help you reach different areas of your desk without strain.

The only solution is to provide workers with fully adjustable chairs that can accommodate a maximum range of people (typically around 90 percent of the population; workers falling in the ranges of 5 percent of the shortest and the tallest will need custom-made chairs).

HIV/AIDS could be tamed in Nigeria — JUNAID

BY OKEY NDIRIBE

A

mechanism has been set in motion towards ensuring that students of colleges of education in the country are given basic training on how to handle the HIV/AIDs pandemic which is still ravaging many parts of the country.

This was disclosed in Abuja recently by Professor Muhammad Junaid, Executive Secretary of National Commission for Colleges of Education, NCCE, during a chat with journalists.

Junaid further stated that since 2007, the Commission has consistently organised training workshop for teachers in Colleges of Education in different parts of the coun-

try adding that so far, over 300 teachers have been trained on “Family Life and Emerging Health Issues” FLEHI, as part of the teaching curriculum.

According to him: “Only recently, NCCE organised a 12-day training workshop in Lokoja, Kogi State, for over 20 master trainers drawn from both public and private Colleges of Education in the six geopolitical zones of the country.

The goal of the workshop was to strengthen the capacity of teacher educators in the various colleges.”

Throwing more light on the origin of the programme he said that in 2001, the Federal Ministry of Education established an HIV/AIDS unit

• Prof. Mohammed Junaid.

and in 2003 it approved FLEHI as part of the teaching curriculum for Colleges of Education throughout the country.

“This was done in order to equip NCE graduates with the knowledge and skills for teaching of FLEHI at the basic education level. The decision was to respond to the growing danger posed by the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the country and the need to find a lasting solution to the problem.”

In order to accelerate full implementation, NCCE began in-service

training for teachers in 2003 adding that in 2007 18 master trainers were trained by an international resource person, Professor Constance Macaffee, in collaboration with Action Health Incorporated, AHI, Lagos.

According to him: “College lecturers require capacity building so as to transfer the necessary knowledge and skills to students on the implementation of FLEHI curriculum. Therefore, we have to build the capacity of teacher educators in order to successfully im-

plement the progamme.

The expectation, therefore, is for the master trainers to step-down the training within their institutions. It is our hope in the Commission that with the efforts being made towards fighting HIV/AIDS, sexually risky behaviours among young people in their first years of schooling will reduce drastically.”

“NCCE embarked on this training programme because of the realization that the major source of HIV/AIDS infection is due to lack of knowledge. .

Hypo, Lagos promote hygiene among mothers

T

O mark the first phase of 2013 Maternal Newborn and Child, MNCH, Week, MultiPro Enterprises Limited, Makers of Hypo Super Bleach in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Health administered free doses of the Pentavalent vaccine, which protects against Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Hemophilus Influenza and Hepatitis B. Speaking at the grand finale of the MNCH programme recently, the Deputy Governor of Lagos state, Mrs. Orelope Adefulire, represented by

the Permanent Secretary for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA, Mrs. Riskat Akiode commended the Hypo for its continuous support to the survival of children in the state.

On his part, the Sales Manager, Hypo, Mr. Jude Nzeata, noted that Hypo was partnering the State on the MNCH programme for the second year running as part of efforts to promote hygiene and maintain healthy environments.

"This is in line with the values the organisation holds, which is to ensure that Nigerians, especially mothers

and children, have access to a healthier life.

"Hypo is well known for promoting hygiene. We believe a hygienic lifestyle will help build a healthy nation. We have reached out to over 200,000 mothers and their children in 287 Primary Health Centres and 200 temporary fixed posts across Lagos State".

The high point of the event was the crowning of the Baby Prince and Princess of the First Phase of the 2013 Maternal Newborn and Child Health programme.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013—57

Al-Mustapha’s release may be divine Dear Sir,

I

WOULD be grateful if you allow me to use your widely read newspaper to appeal to Nigerians, especially those who feel that the former Security Officer to the Late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, deserves hanging for the gruesome murder of Mrs. Kudirat Abiola, to leave the matter to Almighty God. His release may be God’s making because of many vital and useful information at his

said it would not only enable the posterity to know the past movers and shakers of the world, it would also serve as a compass to the clueless leaders.

If Mustapha had been hanged, who knows whether his death would have been a relief to those who have things to hide about the elections of June 12 and the subsequent events that followed.

It was God that exposed Alhaji Lateef Shofola for the

,

We should not forget that AlMustapha was an insider whose accounts about the whole drama would be difficult to ignore

disposal that may be of benefits to Nigerians and posterity. The late General Sani Abacha died under mysterious circumstances. Abiola’s death too, was hardly different from Abacha’s death. What Nigerians have been doing is to speculate on how they met their sudden deaths. We should not forget that AlMustapha was an insider whose accounts about the whole drama would be difficult to ignore.

A scientist who knows the importance of history once advocated it’s reintroduction in our university curriculum. He

,

role he played in leaking confidential documents and information about Alhaja Kudirat who gave her employment. AlMustapha played a great role in exposing ex-General Oladipo Diya by surrendering the video about what transpired between him and his boss during the so-called fathom coup that shocked the whole Nigerians.

As a former Concord’s staff whose lives has not been the same since Chief M.K.O. Abiola’s death, I use this medium to implore Al-Mustapha to write his own account about June 12 elections and the ac-

tors who worked against the declaration of Chief M.K.O. Abiola as the winner no matter their tribal or ethnic origins.

This will go a long way in shedding light on the whole

events and enable the future generations to know whether we are ancestors they can be proud of.

James O. Adeyemi, Abule-Egba,

The current face of aviation sector Dear Sir,

S

INCE assuming office as Minister of Aviation on July 4, 2011, Princess Stella Oduah knew she had a herculean task at hand. To leave a mark on the sands of time, she sought and got the Federal Government to inject an initial N300b intervention fund into the sector.

Many would not forget in a hurry how foreign airlines who swindled Nigeria to the tune of about N3.7 billion yearly were called to order by the Minister. From reports of the stakeholders, the Minister discovered how foreign airlines like British Airways swindle Nigerians by charging non-competitive fares. The Nigerian air travelling public lauded her for standing her ground in the air dispute and for stopping within her first six months in office, the exploitative collections. .

In defence of the BASA between Britain and Nigeria, Stella Oduah also reviewed the agreement in favour of Nigeria’s biggest carrier, Arik Air, which was hitherto prevented from getting arrival and departure slots at UK airports for its daily flights between Abuja and London Heathrow.

Concerned about these undesirable practices, Princess Oduah has been insisting that solution lies in setting up a new national airline. She is at the moment negotiating $500m Chinese loan which the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria, FAAN hopes to use to procure 300 brand new air crafts for our domestic airline operators. Some of the policies the minister is implementing included the Aerotropolis venture which will result in the infrastructure developments

Still on power sector state?

This is a state that is so crisis

Now that the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, has become a house divided against itself, it should be a very big opportunity for the All Peoples’ Congresss, APC, to resolve every teething problem without rancour.

It is time for the APC to take advantage of the political situation in the country to warm itself into the heart of Nigerians.

Mike Segun 08081643926

Power sector crisis

The Federal Government is not serious about attracting investors that will develop the economy.

While it seeks public- private partnerships in infrastructural development in one breadth, its policy somersaults and flippancy have sounded the death knell for such investors.

Apparently, APL is a victim of such government’s fickleness. NEPA that signed

the agreement has been renamed Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, but the repeal of the NEPA Act doesn’t nullify the agreement.

,

Division in PDP

The argument that those who signed the agreement between APL and NEPA were not legally qualified to do so is morally reprehensible, defective and smacks of deception and corruption.

It is appalling as well as an indication of incompetence and recklessness by those saddled with managing the nation’s affairs. One can only

It is high time President Jonathan called his wife to order and curbed her excesses. The First lady allegedly confined a State Governor and residents to house arrest just because she was in town for the wedding of a relative. It is high time Nigeria’s laws are reviewd

,

Since NEPA was an establishment of the Federal Government and PHCN is inheritor of NEPA’s assets and liabilities, the agreement should be honoured if the country is keen on presenting itself as honourable.

Henry 08039821540

imagine many other resources and infrastructure that have been signed away under the veneer of privatisation.

Felix 07057464301

Yobe Massacre

Why the senseless and barbaric killing of students in Yobe

educationally disadvantaged that the Federal Ministry of Education had to give the state two (2) as cut off mark while other states had up to 140 as cut off mark.

Those militants should be apprehended and made to face the law. Such barbaric acts should not be allowed to continue in such a state and in a democratic setting. Enough of this madness.

Musa writes in via email

First Lady excesses

and

her

It is high time President Jonathan called his wife to order and curbed her

around the airports that will make most of the airports in Nigeria viable due to the improved commercial activities.

Also, the memorandum of understanding, MOU the Ministry signed with the China will result in the construction of 11 new airports out of which six will be for perishable exports.

In order to ensure speedy customs clearance, the Ministry of Aviation through the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA deployed emergency airfield lighting on the 2.7 km runway at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The Nigerian airspace which was once considered unsafe has become most sought-after as a result of new rules and strict adherence to safety regulations. Already, Princess Stella Oduah, says the Ministry is considering reducing the age of domestic aircraft that could be certified to operate within Nigerian air space from an average 22 years to 15 years.

She is also working assiduously to reinvigorate the agencies under her watch – the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN. The turn-around maintenance of 21 airports across the country has also been a monumental success.

Olaiwola Alao excesses. The First Lady allegedly confined a State Governor and resident to house arrest just because she was in town for a wedding of a relative.

It is time Nigeria’s laws are reviewd. This cannot happen elsewhere; it is only in Nigeria that this culture of impunity can happen.

The River State Commissioner of Police, Mr . Joseph Mbu should be redeployed and sacked from the police force immediataely, since he has turned to a political policeman. Reasons, why state governors are calling for state police force.

Anonymous 08020582233

SAYINGS OF OUR ELDERS 1.You have to know when to stop and let go of somethings for they say "a stubborn fly follows the corpse to the grave"

Simon

Adewale08056180103, Lagos State .

Send us your Sayings of Our Elders. They must be African sayings or proverbs. Biblical or English proverbs are unacceptable. You will be paid N100.00 for every saying published.

Address your sayings to: The Co-ordinator, Sayings of Our Elders,Vanguard Media Ltd., PMB 1007, Apapa,

58 — Vanguard,

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Pandemonium at Seme border •as Customs officer kills villager, injures two others

BY UJU MBANUSI

A

TRIGGER-happy Customs Officer has reportedly shot dead a villager at Seme, border area of Lagos and injured two others. The deceased identified as Friday Poku was driving into Nigeria in a red Volkswagen Jetta car with registration number GGE 81 AH along with three of his friends when the incident occurred.

The incident came barely three months after a similar one which claimed the life of a middle-aged man occurred.

The shooting sparked off instant protest as angry youths in their hundreds set burnfire with used tyres in the middle of the road preventing other road users from getting access to the border. Most of the customs officers posted to Seme border took to their heels for fear of being attacked by the angry youths.

An eye witness told Crime Alert that the deceased who was in a Jetta was flagged down by some customs men who were operating illegal check point at Gbetrome area of the border.

Though, the witness could not say what transpired between the deceased and the customs men, he said they were shocked when the officer pulled out his service pistol and fired the victim twice at close range.

Fleeing Customs men The victim who had earlier alighted from the vehicle slumped and died on the spot while his friends attempted to apprehend the fleeing customs men, sustained bullet wounds as the security men fired at them.

“Nobody knew what transpired between the victims and the customs men. All we saw was that the officer pulled out his pistol and fired twice at the deceased. The team fled the area when they saw the victim slump down in a pool of his blood. They ran away in different directions leaving the victims by the side of the road.

As the number of the angry youths increased, they allegedly headed towards the customs barrack, not too far from the border post.

“The angry youths barricaded the major road chanting war songs. It took the prompt intervention of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Seme Division, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Mu’Azu to bring normalcy back to the area.

Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko, CG Customs The body of the deceased was taken away by the irate youths who demanded that the Comptroller of Customs hand over the killer officer to them for peace to reign in the area stating that they were ready to put an end to the unprovoked attack on villagers by customs

men who would always claim that their victims were smugglers. The angry youths shattered the glasses of the police patrol van while the DPO tried to pacify the crowd on the need for dialogue, “ the witness narrated.

The Chairman of the Youths

at J5 park, Seme opposite where the incident occurred and who identified himself as Dosu said they were not ready to sweep the killing under the carpet. He alleged that the killing of villagers was becoming one too many on the part of the customs who fire directly at villagers and later claim that the victims were shot at because they are smugglers to cover their tracks. “Enough is enough of this wanton killings. We want the Comptroller to hand over the killer to the police to investigate the matter. Why is it that the officers involved in the incident have not gone to make statement at the station since the matter is homicide. Why is it that the vehicle belonging to the deceased was taken away by customs and not the police.

This is to afford them the opportunity to conceal vital evidence that might unravel the situation that led to the death,” he added.

Police sources at the Command headquarters, Ikeja

stated that Friday Poku was shot and killed by some customs men at Gbetrome area of Seme. It was also stated in the report that the deceased was driving a red coloured Volkswagen Jetta car with registration number GGE 81 AH. The Custom’s Public Relations Officer, PRO, Seme Command, Deputy Superintendent of Custom, Ernest Ollotah however, said the Comptroller has set up a panel to investigate the matter.

Though, he said he was not aware of any killing, he however, stated that the command was investigating a case of an attempt to disarm some customs officers by some smugglers who fled the area after they were repelled by security men. This claim is at variant with the police report.

“I am not aware of any killing but we are investigating an attempt to disarm some of our men by smugglers. However, we will make the out come of the investigations known to the public, “he stated.

Drama in court as lawyer, client quarrel over pre

BY ONOZURE DANIA

A

mild drama unfolded at the Surulere Magistrate court, Lagos, after a woman alleged to have presented a dud cheque to her lawyer as payment for his legal services attempted to out smart him.

The woman, a staff of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, Mrs Nnena Christiana Olusile appeared in court with a new lawyer, prompting the Magistrate, Mrs R.B Lawal, to query why she changed her lawyer who was also present in court without informing the court.

The relationship between the woman and her lawyer, as gathered, went sour following the former’s alleged refusal to pay him for his legal services on the case at hand which bothered on stealing and obtaining items worth N300,000. Mrs.Olushile, a resident of 16, Michael Akinwunmi Street, Alakuko, in the outskirts of Lagos, was alleged to have specialized in hypnotizing sale’s girls and carting away goods in the shops.

However, nemesis caught up with her in August 2012, when she reportedly went to a boutique located at Akerele area in Surulere Lagos, where

Accused in an altercation with lawyer after the court session she met a 20-year-old sales girl and allegedly made away with goods worth N300,000 without paying a dime. It was also alleged that immediately she left, the sales girl realized that she had been duped and immediately contacted her

boss.

Policemen from Bode Thomas Station in Surulere that were contacted launched a manhunt for Olushile before she was arrested February this year. The Investigating Police Officers who hinted that the

arrest did not come easy, said “ the only thing the girl told us was that she did not suspect anything from the way the woman carried herself and her familiarity with the environment.

She said the woman even called her husband on phone and the assurance he gave her made her

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Local government councils in Niger donate 50 vehicles to the Police

—59

Enugu Police boss tasks policemen on professionalism

Donated vehicles

BY WOLE MOSADOMI, Minna

I

n its efforts to beef up security in the state, Niger state government through its 25 Local Government Councils has donated 50 Toyota Carina vehicles to the State Police Command.

Each of the Councils purchased two of the vehicles to complement the 50 brand new Toyota Hilux vans with inbuilt security gadgets donated by the state

government to the police command and other security Agencies in the state last year.

The State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Yusuf Tagwai on behalf of Chairmen of the Local Government Councils who handed over keys of the vehicles to the State Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Desire Nsirim said each of the 40 Divisional Police stations in

esentation of dud cheque release the items. The phone number she left, coupled with the information that she is a PHCN employee were the only leads we had to trace and arrest her.

“When we arrested her, she denied ever engaging in any criminal act and at a point, we were afraid whether we had arrested the wrong person. But, the Divisional Police Officer ordered two of our female colleagues to take her inside to establish whether she had tattoos on her body as the sale’s girl earlier disclosed. That was when she owned up that she was the right person. But she said that the goods she bought were worth N70,000 as against the N300,000, the girl claimed.”

Drama in court Following threat of possible dismissal initiated through a query by her office, after report of her arrest was published in the dailies, she reportedly sought the services of the lawyer, Alonge, who was said to have answered the query, thereby averting the perceived dismissal threat. The case, as gathered, was charged to court where Alonge stood as counsel to the accused and her husband.

Along the line, things reportedly fell apart and the centre could not hold for the duo.

The reason for the rift was made public after the Magistrate observed the change of guards on the accused part, when her case was mentioned.

The presiding Magistrate who could

not hide her displeasure, insisted that the former lawyer, Alonge be paid his fees before the new lawyer would be allowed to appear before her.

“You cannot properly appear yet because he said they are still owing him, I don’t like clients to owe lawyers because that is their office. I don’t like clients jumping from one lawyer to another. I am aware that this matter was published and I tried my best to grant the accused bail in a very liberal term, I hope she is aware that there is a criminal charge on her head,” she said.

On his part, Mr Alonge, explained that “I called the counsel this morning and told him in her presence that she called me a rogue and all sorts of names, which made me to formerly withdraw the matter.

I want it to be on record that they are still owing me. I have to take up the case before the new lawyer comes in to the matter, I insist that my fee be paid. It all started when she presented a dud cheque to me and I reported to the police prior to today’s hearing, “he stated.

The court therefore, advised the lawyer to take the case to the Special Fraud Unit,SFU, Ikoyi.

the state will be allocated one of the vehicles, the six Area Commanders, one each while the others will be stationed in the office of the Commissioner.

He commended the State Police Command under the present Commissioner for its proactive steps in tackling crime in the state since the change of baton of administration to her over a year ago. “It is on record that since the arrival of Mrs. Nsirim as the CP in Niger State, the state has been peaceful because the wave of crimes have gone down drastically across the state,”Alhaji Tagwai remarked.

He charged the command to be more proactive and further bring the wave of crime especially places identified as dark spots to the barest minimum.

The state commissioner of Police, Mrs. Nsirim thanked the Local Government Councils for their support but asked them to further help in the area of fueling and servicing of the vehicles in order to put them at their optimal use in patrolling the nooks and crannies of their various councils. He warned the various DPOs in the state not to turn the vehicles into their personnel use but instead use them for the purpose of patrolling towards waging war against all forms of criminalities in their areas.

Abubakar Adamu Mohammed, Commissioner of Police

By CHINENYE OZOR, Nsukka

O

FFICERS and men of Umuabor Division of Nigeria Police Force, Enugu State Command have been charged to be professional in the discharge of their duties.

This charge was given by the Enugu State Commissioner of Police Abubakar Adamu Mohammed, when he led some key officers of the command on a visit to the area as part of his tour of divisions and formations under his command.

He noted that the newly created Umuabor Division from Nsukka Urban Division is one of those divisions that was graciously approved by the Inspector- General of police in order to take policing closer to the people and maintained that their personnel must leave above board as they will be interacting with members of the public from the grass root.

He, however, assured of his administration’s readiness to partner with the people in order to prevent crime and criminality in the area.

Earlier,the Commissioner of Police with his key officers had visited Umuabor Development Centre where he was received by the administrator of the centre, Kelvin Ezeugwu and some of the key traditional rulers in the area accompanied

Enugu State

by the member representing Nsukka East in Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Chinedu Christain Nwamba as well as other dignitaries.

In their various remarks, both the development administrator, the traditional rulers,the representative of Nsukka Local Government Chairman as well as the member representing Nsukka East in the House of Assembly spoke in the same line and expressed their joy in the visit of the Commissioner of Police to the area pointing out that arrangement has been concluded to commence construction of a modern police station with barracks at the permanent site in due course.

Permanent site The police boss thanked the people and assured that he will continue to partner with members of the public even those at the grass root to ensure that crime is prevented and urged them not to relent. He was accompanied by the Commander Mopol 3 Enugu, Csp Mamman B.Giwa, Commander Counter Terrorrism Unit, Sp. Ibrahim Danazumi, the representative of the Nsukka Area Command, Csp Geoffrey C.Eze and Ebere Amaraizu, the Police Public Relations officer, Enugu State; amongst others.

60 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Lagos International Table Tennis Classics All Stars League: Goldashe FC protest gets ITTF’s world ranking status exclusion T W HE International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has said that the first Lagos International Table Tennis Classics will help players to garner point for world ranking.

The ITTF-approved tournament is the highest prize money tournament to be staged in Africa and it is organized by the Main Organising Committee of Lagos International Sports Classics in collaboration with the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF).

According to member of the ITTF Board of Directors, Olabanji Oladapo, the tournament has been sanctioned by the world table tennis ruling body and for this, players are expected to use the competition to amass point for their ranking in the world.

“The Lagos Classics is an ATTF / ITTF approved competition. Hence, it

offers Nigerian players in the top three an opportunity to score points and be ranked by the ITTF. Other players that are coming will also use the tournament to improve on their world ranking. So players that will participate in the competition must ensure that they put in their best.

Also, it is because of the status of tournament that attracted some of the top stars to confirm their participation for the competition,” he said.

The ATTF Vice President added: “Egypt’s Omar Assar participating in Lagos Classics is a boost to the newly introduced competition. Since it is an ITTF approved event, he is coming for the prize money and to score points, which will improve his position in the ITTF ranking.

Okagbare Continues from BP Fraser Pryce in London three weeks ago and setting African record in the process.

She ran 10.79 seconds.

But on Monday she could not re-enact her pre-games effort in the 100m and dropped to the 6th position. Nigerians at home gnashed their teeth, officials and coaches here mourned and Blessing simply anchored the sorrow by some pathetic weeping and wailing that touched everybody here.

It was a night of disappointment, anger, frustration, regret and pity, a paradox of some sort. Blessing cried all night. But so determined to make Nigeria proud, she went back to train about four hours after the 100m disappointment. She trained at night and that amazed all officials including the sports minister, Bolaji Abdullahi who appears overwhelmed by her patriotism and determination to win more medals for Nigeria.

However, after training, Blessing continued

weeping. But the good news now is that she has stopped crying and training strongly to make a good show in the 200m that starts on Thursday.

“Blessing has stopped crying,” Ogba said yesterday evening. “It was good she cried out her feelings. She is in good shape and things will unfold. God gave us and we need to be grateful and thank Him for that achievement.

The Long Jump affected her but now she is back,” Ogba said.

And now that Blessing has stopped crying, it is perhaps the right time to wipe away the disappointment of the 100m with another medal in the 200m. Two medals in one World Championships will be a record in Nigeria and a performance that will make her celebrate and dance like the queen the group, Abba described in their song DANCING QUEEN. Yes, Blessing’s dance steps may produce the sound louder than her wailing. Another medal can create that.

ITH a 35-man squad set to hit South Africa on Wednesday, August 14 for an international football friendly against a crack All Stars Club of Johannesburg, officials and members of Goldashe United FC of Port Harcourt have expressed displeasure with their counterparts in Lagos and Abuja for being excluded in the nation-wide all stars league.

The recreational outfit who are currently champions of the all stars in Rivers State, said their unhappiness stems from the fact that their counterparts from other states of the

Delta Speaker hails Okagbare

•Aruna Quadri

British coach Continues from BP recorded the races and played them back, analysing every move.

Blessing had complained of pains in the morning of the final.

Her plan on Sunday was to only jump two times and rest her body for the 100m final on Monday.

Her first jump was a 6.89m effort but United State’s Brittney Resse had jumped 7.01 in her second jump and Blessing knew that she had to do more. That put pressure on her and she had to complete the six jumps, hitting a 6.99m effort that won her the silver. But the jumps had their toil on her and experts here say it could have been better for the Nigerian if the Long Jump event and the 100m were spaced out in the World Championship programme.

“I think the Long Jump affected her but there were other technical things. You saw how she started and what happened midway into the race,” Mike said.

“I have discussed with AFN President, Chief Solomon Ogba for them to know which event to concentrate on any time a programme of a

federation were regularly invited by Lagos and Abuja for zonal championships and the annual all stars league.

Speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt last weekend, the President of Goldashe United FC, Warisenibo Fubara Kingsley Hart described the situation as unfortunate, wondering what may have informed the decision to sideline his organization from a league which, according to him, had no pecuniary interests but solely intended to encourage social interaction among retired footballers, keep fit and stay healthy.

championship clashes like we had here,” Abdullahi said. He has repeatedly said that Nigeria should celebrate the silver that Okagbore won on Sunday.

“Blessing cried all day after that race. Ogba brought her here. It was so painful to her. What pained her most was that the winner of the silver medal, Muriella Ahoure of Ivory Coast ran 10.93, a time that she could easily return,” the minister said, adding that “but she is fine now and ready for the 200m.”

Jamaica’s Shelly Anne Fraser Pryce won the race in 10.71 and Carmeliter Jeter of USA placed third with 10.94.

Blessing who just three weeks ago broke the 14 year old African record placed 6th with 11.04.

Abdullahi would like AFN to produce many top class athletes so that the pressure of doing well would not be on only one athlete. It is a job that the National Sports Commission which he heads would have to play a major role in achieving.

Financial allocations to AFN, for years, have been meagre. Ogba says that “Abdullahi wants to change that.”

T

HE Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon (Engr.)

Victor Ochei has applauded Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare for winning a silver medal in the long jump event at the on- going IAAF World Championship at the Olympic Stadium, Moscow Russia.

Hon Ochei posited that Okagbare’s attainment is the product of perseverance and commitment, which are necessary ingredients for

achieving enduring successes in various endeavours, adding that it could not have come at a more auspicious moment more so, as it ended Nigeria’s fourteen year medal drought at previous editions of IAAF Championships.

According to him, “this feat is instructive, as it symbolises the doggedness with which Nigerians at home and in the diaspora are known for.''

Mikel Continues from BP 1989 during a World Cup qualifying game against Angola in Lagos. “We pray for the repose of his soul and for the family he left behind, we missed him badly but God knows best”, Keshi said before Monday evening training session.

The weather here in Durban can be funny. In the mornings, its bright and warm but by even time it drops very low to about 18 degrees but the players are used to such weather and don’t see it as a hindrance to their game against Bafana.

South African Coach, Gordon Igesund has already said his wards are battle ready for the

African champions, when he exchanged warm plesantries with Keshi at the nearby Southern Sun hotel, where the Bafana Bafana is camped. The atmosphere looked charged with many South Africans saying they are eager to end Nigeria’s dominance over their teams at all levels and there could be no better time than now that they are African champions.

Keshi simply waved it off by saying its only football that will be seen on Wednesday and not war and his wards are ready to honour Nelson Mandela and defend the national colours of Nigeria.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013 — 61

Chelsea place E50m tag on Luiz B

ARCELONA have been told to double their opening offer for Chelsea centre-back David Luiz if they want to sign the Brazil international this summer.

After rejecting a bid worth a potential €25 million, the Blues have placed a valuation of €50m on the versatile defender.

Such a fee would represent a new highwater mark for a defender, exceeding the €42m Paris SaintGermain paid to beat Barcelona to the signature of Thiago Silva last year. The Spanish champions have spent the entire summer attempting to solve the problem left by that transfer market failure.

Seeking a defender with sufficient physical and technical ability to strengthen their porous backline while contributing to their possession-based tactics, Barca initially attempted to recruit Thiago Silva again only to be rebuffed by PSG before suffering the ignominy of losing the race to sign Marquinhos from Roma to les Parisiens.

The subsequent bid for David Luiz - with €20m guaranteed and a further €5m dependent on performances - was less than the 26-yearold’s purchase price from Benfica and was quickly rejected.

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EW reports sug gest the Portugese outfit are ready to sell after coming into conflict with the talented youngster over his contract renewal.

The club have relegated the 21-year-old to the reserves, with Spurs now weighing up a cut-price bid.

Atsu first started attracting Premier League attention from Liverpool as the saga started to unfold regarding a new deal at the Portuguese champions.

Andre Villas-Boas is also said to be a big fan of Atsu, having worked with him during his successful tenure at the side.

Spurs are still facing the prospect of replacing Welsh wizard Gareth

•Atsu Bale, who’s been heavily linked with a move away from north London.

The winger was also given his first league debut at Porto by Villas-Boas before he left for Tottenham in 2012.

Al Nasr withdraw interest in Odemwingie

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EST Brom striker Peter Odemwingie’s proposed move to Al Nasr is off, according to

•David Luiz

Downing ready to fire for West Ham S

TEWART Downing is ready to be thrown straight into the action for West Ham after the winger completed his £6million move from Liverpool.

The 29-year-old passed his medical on Monday medical on Monday night after the Anfield hierarchy agreed to take a massive £14m loss on the fee they paid Aston Villa two years ago.

Messi withdraws from Argentina squad

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IONEL Messi has re turned to Barcelona after ongoing injury problems ruled him out of Argentina’s friendly clash with Italy.

Messi had been called into the national squad by coach Alejandro Sabella, however he has failed to overcome the muscle problem that saw him miss Barcelona’s pre-season tour of Asia and will not play a part in Wednesday’s international friendly clash.

The reigning FIFA World Player of the Year struggled with a hamstring injury in the latter part of the 201213 season, and the Span-

Spurs to launch surprise Atsu bid

•Messi ish giants will be hoping that further recuperation will allow him to be fit in time for the opening game of the Liga campaign.

Speaking to the Hammers website, Downing himself said: ‘I’m very excited. It’s a great opportunity for me being here, it’s a great club and I’m really excited to get going.

‘I’m ready and I’m fit for the first game against Cardiff City. I’ve played a decent few games for Liverpool in pre-season, so there will be no problems on that front.

‘It’s all happened quickly, but I’m really excited and hoping to play a part on Saturday.’

Following the £15.5m capture of Carroll earlier this summer, Sam Allardyce has now spent £21.5m signing two players who cost a combined £55m when they went to Anfield.

Downing played all but nine of Liverpool’s Premier League games last season but failed to recapture the form that had brought him 34 caps and persuaded Kenny Dalglish to sign him. He also lost his place in Roy Hodgson’s squad — his last appearance was against Norway in May 2012.

•Downing

reports.

The Dubai side have pulled out of the deal because they have become increasingly frustrated with the Premier League club’s reluctance to meet with them, despite submitting two bids for the striker.

The latest deal on the table was one that could have risen to over £1.5m but Al Nasr have now ended their interest in the Nigeria international. That leaves Odemwingie in limbo, after his public flirtation with QPR on the final day of the January transfer window failed to secure a move to Loftus Road.

He is still training with the reserves and has been told he doesn’t figure in manager Steve Clarke’s plans.

The signings of Nicolas Anelka and Matej Vydra have pushed him even further down the pecking order at The Hawthorns and he looks likely to start the new season on the margins.

Gustavo - ‘I’d like to play for Gunners’

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RSENAL have final ly been given a transfer boost after reported target Luiz Gustavo has welcomed a move top Arsenal, should the Gunners look to complete the deal.

The defensive midfield-

er has found himself further down the pecking order at the Allianz Arena after new manager Pep Guardiola brought in Thiago Alcantara from his former club Barcelona.

Gustavo has been told by the Bundesliga champions that he can negotiate a move away from the club, and the north London side are close to finalising a £14m deal that would see the Brazilian move to the Emirates.

C M Y K

62 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

Pope Francis (R) receives a football ball from Italy's national team captain Gianluigi Buffon (L), next to Italian Football Federation (FIGC) President Giancarlo Abete (2nd R) and Italy's national football team head coach Cesare Prandelli (C), at the end of a private audience with players of Argentina's and Italy's national teams, at the Vatican yesterday. Argentina's national football team will play a friendly match against Italy's national football team tonight.

AFP PHOTO

Pope Francis (C) receives an olive tree from Argentine forward Lionel Messi (L) at the end of a private audience together at the Vatican yesterday. AFP PHOTO

Adepoju drags K ot ok o, Ismaily Kot otok oko, to Lagos

BY PATRICK OMORODION

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ORMER Super Eagles midfielder, Mutiu ‘Head Master ’ Adepoju has confirmed hi readiness to contribute to development of football talents in the country through the establishment of “a world class football academy” that could compare with the best in other parts of the world.

Disclosing this in Lagos yesterday, Adepoju who is the CEO of Lagos International Football Tournament (LIFT), said, the “Academy will organise various youthfocused programmes for the development of young football talents, facilitate exchange training

programmes with professional football clubs in Europe where young Nigerian soccer stars can improve on their skills and attitude.”

He added that “LIFT will also use the academy to bring into Nigeria,professional coaches and managers from the best leagues around the world to impact tactical skills and knowledgein Nigerian coaches and footballers.”

As a prelude to the Football Academy which would come on stream in a matter of years, as a departure from the poorly run Academies which dot the country, Adepoju said his organisation will float an Lagos International Football Tournament which will debut next month featuring Ismaily FC of Egypt, Ashanti

Kotoko of Ghana, Kano Pillars and Eko Football Golden Stars.

“The teams will be divided into two pools of two clubs each (with) teams in each pool playing against each other in a straight knockout format. Winners from the two pools will play the final while the losers will play for the third place,” he said.

•Adepoju

Vanguard , WEDNESD AY , A UGUS T 1 4 , 20 1 3 —63 WEDNESDA AUGUS UGUST 14 201

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14 , 2013

Why Okagbare failed in 100m — British coach STORIES BY ONOCHIE ANIBEZE, Moscow

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Mandela Challenge: S/Africa vs Nigeria

Stomach bug stops Mikel •Keshi says no tension •Kick-off: 6.30 p.m.

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HELSEA midfield star, John Mikel Obi, will not be available for today ’s Mandela Challenge against Bafana Bafana in Durban, South Africa due to a stomach upset he picked up while on

•Keshi

tour with his EPL side.

Late on Monday, Chelsea doctors wrote to the NFF asking that the player be excused for health reasons. Keshi obliged and said yesterday that he will not want to push Mikel too much because of the September 7 World Cup qualifier against Malawi in Calabar.

All the other 19 players are already in Durban for the game, including Mikel’s Chelsea teammate, Victor Moses.

Keshi also on behalf of the team prayed for the soul of his late national teammate, Samson Sochukwuma Okwaraji, who died on August 12, Continues on Page 60

PUZZLE

Continues on Page 60

Okagbare: Tears stop, training begins

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•Mikel

Sudoku TODAY'S

OULD Blessing Okagbare have done six Jumps in a day and on the following day do two highly competitive 100m races and ended up well?

Mike Afuleka, a track and field coach with England is among those who strongly felt that it was a difficult thing to do.

Mike took time to analyse the races Blessing ran from the heats to the final and pointed out two errors that slowed Blessing down. He was analysing the races to sports minister Bolaji Abdullahi when Nigerian journalists came in and Abdullahi invited the journalists to hear out the coach who

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

•Okagbare

EEPING AND WAILING AND MOURNING AND GNASHING OF TEETH was a popular track by the Mighty Diamonds in the 1980s. The title of the Mighty Diamond’s album is Right Time That song captured the mood of Nigerians here after the 100m final in the ongoing 14th edition of the World Championships on Monday night. Blessing Okagbare, the brightest Nigerian athlete for now has been the face of the Nigerian sports from the Beijing Olympics in 2008 to the last games in

London and to the ongoing World Championships. She shoulders the weight of the country and when she failed in London, it amounted to Nigeria’s failure. BAD for a country of 160 million.

She wiped away the London sorrow with a silver medal here in the Long Jump but badly wanted a great show in the 100m, the more glamorous event. She ran good races before the Moscow games, even beating Olympic champion Shelly Ann

Continues on Page 60

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Correspond (5) 5 Entice (6) 8 Lamp (5) 10 Discount (6) 11 Distant (4) 14 Lessen (6) 15 Gigantic (7) 18 Marry (3) 19 Consume (3) 21 Eft (4) 23 Satan (5) 24 Peruse (4) 27 Record (3) 29 Sheep (3) 31 Alms (7) 32 Gain (6) 34 Long (4) 35 Image (6) 38 Cancel (5) 39 Modern (6) 40 Whinny (5)

DOWN 2 Expert (3) 3 Sticky (6) 4 Strike (3) 5 Asterisk (4) 6 Benumb (6) 7 Result (6) 9 Polite (7) 12 Not many (3) 13 Discourteous (4) 16 Spindle (4) 17 Devastation (5) 20 Tauten (7) 22 Fade (4) 24 Mend (6) 25 Surmounting (4) 26 Violate (6) 28 Triviality (6) 30 Trap (3) 33 Nipple (4) 36 Merriment (3) 37 Silence (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Become 5, Stir 8, Beach 9, Man 10, Noon 11, Hill 12, Given 13, Spread 16, Live 18, Zone 20, Ave 22, Sin 23, Opt 24, Open 25, Race 28, Encore 30, Tough 32, Over 33, Aide 34, Eye 35, Scare 36, Mite 37, Pretty.

How to Play Sudoku

DOWN: 1, Bemuse 2, Contrive 3, Menial 4, Penitence 5, Scherzo 6, Thin 7, Roll 8, Bog 14, Disregard 15, Ant 17, Via 19, Opponent 20, Apt 21, Enforce 26, Endear 27, Heresy 29, Roam 30, Test 31, Hie.

TWO WEEKS TO LIVE

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lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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