Jonathan knows about Boko Haram financier in CBN - Soyinka

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‘Jonathan knows about Boko Haram financier’ Continued from page 1 Soyinka also said he worked “in the background” with Australian negotiator Stephen Davis during the Niger Delta militancy crisis, and warned against dismissing his claims on those allegedly sponsoring Boko Haram.

The Nobel Laureate spoke on a day a source familiar with Boko Haram revealed that some of the school girls captured by the Islamist group in Chibok, Borno State, in April, might have been raped to death.

In a statement by Soyinka titled, The wages of impunity, he was appalled by government’s treatment of people linked with the Islamist group with kid gloves.

Soyinka said: “Finally, Stephen Davis also mentioned a Boko Haram financier within the Nigerian Central Bank. Independently we are able to give backing to that claim, even to the extent of naming the individual. In the process of our enquiries, we solicited the help of a foreign embassy whose government, we learnt, was actually on the same trail, thanks to its independent investigation into some money laundering that involved the Central Bank.

“That name, we confidently learnt, has also been passed on to President Jonathan.

When he is ready to abandon his accommodating policy towards the implicated, even the criminalized, an attitude that owes so much to re-election desperation, when he

moves from a passive `letting the law to take its course’ to galvanizing the law to take its course, we shall gladly supply that name”.

Routine raping?

Meanwhile, a source involved in efforts to free the abducted Chibok girls told Sunday Vanguard, in an exclusive interview, yesterday, that some of the victims, who could not withstand routine raping by the terrorists, passed on in the early days of their capture.

The source explained that it was unfortunate that many of the girls would never be reunited with their parents and loved ones because they were no more, contrary to the belief that they were being held up in Sambisa Forest.

He said that the insurgents had also taken more boys and girls than was being estimated, saying that most of the captives were seized unannounced by the terrorists.

The source, a negotiator, said that contrary to the claim in some quarters that President Jonathan had not done enough to secure the release of the surviving girls, it was actually Nigerians who were frustrating the release of the girls.

The source accused some Nigerian middlemen, who were using their proximity to some of the insurgents, to trade with government over the release of the girls.

According to the source, many of the negotiators were more interested in making quick gains from government than seeing to the freedom of the children.

“Throughout our effort to

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

THE SECRET —1

By Richard Eromonsele

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HE secret is that thing that is known about by a few persons. It could be facts, it could be information, and it could also be knowledge. Some of such secrets known to a few individuals are biblical revelations like: Seek ye first His Kingdom and its righteousness and all other things shall be added unto it. The truth is that many of us want the things of the Kingdom without fulfilling the conditions necessary for getting them. This is just not possible. There cannot be right without a corresponding duty. Make God number one in your life and God will also make you number one in His reckoning.

free the girls, many of the middlemen were simply playing games for their pecuniary interests. They would come now and tell you that they have some of the girls and, when you fix a date and time for them, they would never show up again,” the negotiator revealed.

“The main problem in the rescue effort is that most of the middlemen involved are not sincere and are just looking for money.

“What is happening to the girls is painful because efforts to get them out have not yielded any positive result five months after they were abducted by their captors.

“As a father, I really feel bad about the children and their parents but we still hope that those who are still alive would eventually be freed, no matter their health conditions and reunited with their parents.”

‘Wages of impunity’ Full text of Soyinka’s statement: “The dancing obscenity of Shekau and his gang of psychopaths and child abductors, taunting the world, mocking the BRING BACK OUR GIRLS campaign on internet, finally met its match in Nigeria to inaugurate the week of September 11 – most appropriately. Shekau’s danse macabre was surpassed by the unfurling of a political campaign banner that defiled an entry point into Nigeria’s capital of Abuja.

That banner read: BRING BACK JONATHAN 2015.

“President Jonathan has since disowned all knowledge or complicity in the outrage but, the damage has been done, the rot in a nation’s collective soul bared to the world. The very possibility of such a desecration took the Nigerian nation several notches down in human regard. It confirmed the very worst of what external observers have concluded and despaired of - a culture of civic callousness, a coarsening of sensibilities and, a general human disregard. It affirmed the acceptance, even domination of lurid practices where children are often victims of unconscionable abuses including ritual sacrifices, sexual enslavement, and worse.

Spurred by electoral desperation, a bunch of selfseeking morons and sycophants chose to plumb the abyss of self-degradation and drag the nation down to their level. It took us to a hitherto unprecedented low in ethical degeneration. The bets were placed on whose turn would it be to take the next potshots at innocent youths in captivity whose society and governance have failed them and blighted their existence? Would the Chibok girls now provide standup comic material for the latest staple of Nigerian escapist diet? Would we now move to a new export commodity in the entertainment industry named perhaps “Taunt the Victims”?

“As if to confirm all the such surmises, an exgovernor, Sheriff, a suspect in the sponsorship league of the scourge named Boko Haram, was presented to the world as a presidential traveling companion. And

•From left: Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, ex-Ekiti State Governor Olusegun Oni, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief (Mrs) Olufunke Agagu, Otunba Oyewole Fasawe, Chief Pius Akinyelure and Chief Mrs Bola Obasanjo during the inaguration of a foundation in memory of former Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Agagu, in Ibadan, yesterday.. Photo by Dare Fasube the speculation became: was that will guarantee his safety the first place, ending up on his the culture of impunity and can bring others to join list of the inculpated. All I shall finally receiving endorsement him. I know Stephen Davis, I propose at this stage is that an worked in the background international panel be set up as a governance yardstick?

Again, Goodluck Jonathan with him during efforts to to examine all allegations, swung into a plausible resolve the insurrection in the irrespective of status or office explanation: it was Mr. Sheriff Delta region under President of any accused. The unleashing who, as friend of the host Musa Yar’Adua. I have not of a viperous cult like Boko President Idris Deby, had been involved in his recent Haram on peaceful citizens traveled ahead to Chad to labours for a number of qualifies as a crime against receive Jonathan as part of reasons. The most basic is that humanity, and deserves President Deby’s welcome my threshold for confronting that very dimension in its entourage. What, however, evil across a table is not as high resolution. If a people must does this say of any president? as his - thanks, perhaps, to his survive, the reign of How come it that a suspected priestly calling. From the very impunity must end. Truth affiliate of a deadly criminal outset, in several lectures and – in all available detail - is in gang, publicly under such other public statements, I have the interest, not only of ominous cloud, had the advocated one response and Nigeria, the sub-region and confidence to smuggle himself one response only to the the continent, but of the still putative international community into the welcoming earliest, committee of another nation, depredations of Boko Haram whose aid we so belatedly and even appear in audience, and have decried any moved to seek. From very to all appearance a co-host proceeding that smacked of early beginnings, we warned with the president of that appeasement. There was a against the mouthing of nation? Where does the time to act – several times empty pride to stem a tide confidence arise in him that when firm, decisive action, that was assuredly moving to Jonathan would not snub him was indicated. There are inundate the nation but were openly or, after the initial certain steps which, when dismissed as alarmists. We shock, pull his counterpart, his taken, place an aggressor warned that the nation had official host aside and say to beyond the pale of humanity, moved into a state of war, and him, “Listen, it’s him, or me.”? when we must learn to accept that its people must be So impunity now transcends that not all who walk on two mobilized accordingly – the boundaries, no matter how legs belong to the community warnings were disregarded, as slaughter of humans – I view Boko even heinous the alleged offence?

The Nigerian president Haram in that light. It is no surmounted slaughter, entire however appeared totally at comfort to watch events communities wiped out, and ease. What the nation demonstrate again and again the battle began to strike into witnessed in the photo-op was that one is proved to be right. the very heart of governance, “Thus, it would be but all we obtained in return an affirmation of a governance principle, the revelation of a inaccurate to say that I have was moaning, whining and decided frame of mind – with been detached from the Boko hand-wringing up and down precedents galore. Goodluck Haram affliction – very the rungs of leadership and Jonathan has brought back much the contrary. As I governance. But enough of into limelight more political revealed in earlier statements, recriminations - at least for reprobates - thus attested in I have interacted with the late now. Later, there must be full criminal courts of law and/or National Security Adviser, accounting.

Boko Haram sponsor in police investigations - than General Azazi, on occasion – CBN any other Head of State since among others.

“Finally, Stephen Davis Warning the nation’s independence. It “I am therefore compelled to also mentioned a Boko Haram has become a reflex. Those who stuck up the obscene banner warn that anything that financier within the Nigerian in Abuja had accurately read Stephen Davis claims to have Central Bank. Independently we cannot be are able to give backing to that Jonathan right as a Bring- uncovered back president. They have dismissed out of hand. It claim, even to the extent of deduced perhaps that he sees cannot be wished away by naming the individual. In the “bringing back” as a virtue, foul-mouthed abuse and process of our enquiries, we even an ideology, as the corner cheap attempts to impugn his solicited the help of a foreign stone of governance, integrity – that is an absolute embassy whose government, we irrespective of what is being waste of time and effort. Of the learnt, was actually on the same brought back. No one quarrels alleged complicity of ex- trail, thanks to its independent about bringing back Governor Sheriff in the investigation into some money whatever the nation once had parturition of Boko Haram, I laundering that involved the and now sorely needs – for have no doubt whatsoever, Central Bank. That name, we instance, electricity and other and I believe that the evidence confidently learnt, has also been elusive items like security, the is overwhelming. Femi passed on to President rule of law etc. etc. The list is Falana can safely assume that Jonathan. When he is ready interminable. The nature of he has my full backing – and to abandon his accommodating what is being brought back is that of a number of civic policy towards the implicated, thus what raises the organizations - if he is even the criminalized, an disquieting questions. It is time compelled to go ahead and attitude that owes so much to to ask the question: if Ebola invoke the legal recourses re-election desperation, when he were to be eradicated available to him to force moves from a passive “letting tomorrow, would this Sheriff’s prosecution. The the law to take its course” to government attempt to bring evidence in possession of galvanizing the law to take its Security Agencies - plus a course, we shall gladly supply it back?

“Well, while awaiting the number of diplomats in that name.

“In the meantime however, Chibok girls, and in that very Nigeria - is overwhelming, connection, there is at least an and all that is left is to let the as we twiddle our thumbs, face criminal wondering when and how this individual whom the nation man needs to bring back, and persecution. It is certain he nightmare will end, and time urgently. His name is will also take many others rapidly runs out, I have only one admonition for the man to Stephen Davis, the erstwhile down with him. whom so much has been given, negotiator in the oft aborted but who is now caught in the International panel efforts to actually bring back “Regarding General depressing spiral of diminishing the girls. Nigeria needs him back – no, not back to the Ihejirika, I have my own returns: “Bring Back Our physical nation space itself, theories regarding how he Honour.” but to a Nigerian induced may have come under forum, convoked anywhere Stephen Davis’ searchlight in

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LAST WEEK IN BRIEF Resign now, southern leaders group tells Jega The leadership of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly has asked the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof.

Attahiru Jega, to resign with immediate effect following the accusation of ethnic agenda on the Commission’s creation of additional 30,000 polling units in the country.

Jega, on Wednesday, however, said he would not resign, but would conduct the 2015 general elections with his best intention and in national interest. The Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, parading a former vice president, Chief Alex Ekwueme; a former Federal Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark; and Senator Femi Okurounmu, said Jega’s action was not justified.

Jonathan orders removal of campaign banners President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the immediate removal of the #BringBackJonathan 2015# signs being used by his supporters for his second term bid. Like many Nigerians, the Washington Post, in its editorial, noted that the #BringBackJonathan 2015# sign was a parodying of the #BringBackOurGirls# devised by activists to draw attention to the abduction of over 200 school girls in Chibok, Borno State by Boko Haram last April.

Critics queried the basis for parodying the rescue campaign slogan when Jonathan’s administration failed to rescue the girls from captivity. But, Dr. Reuben Abati, presidential spokesperson, in a statement, said the signs were being used without the knowledge or approval of the President.

Jonathan under attack for visiting Chad with Sheriff President Goodluck Jonathan came under fire over the presence of a former Borno State governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, at a meeting he held with Chadian President, Idris Deby, in Ndjamena. The President’s spokesperson, Dr. Reuben Abati, had, in a statement, stated that Jonathan was traveling to Chad to discuss how to combat insurgency in Nigeria with Deby.

Among those who berated Jonathan on the issue were the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC, lawyers and civil society groups. Their anger was that Sheriff was accused by an Australian hostage negotiator, Steven Davis, of sponsoring Boko Haram.

Fashola, Lamido seek freedom for Chibok girls Lagos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, and his Jigawa State counterpart, Sule Lamido, have called for concerted efforts to rescue the over 200 schools girls abducted by Boko Haram. The girls were kidnapped from their hostel at the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State. Fashola challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to find a situation that would lead to the rescue of the girls because the buck stopped on his table.

Teachers threaten strike over schools’ resumption date The Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, threatened to go on strike if the Federal Government failed to put in place measures to protect its members and pupils from contracting Ebola before the September 22 resumption of schools. But the Federal Government said there was no going back on the date since there was no scientific basis for schools to remain shut beyond the on announced by the Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau.

The NUT national president, Micheal Alogba, stated that the union would not allow any of its members to teach until it was scientifically and medically proven that the country was out of the Ebola scourge. The new date drew criticism from doctors, activists and civil society groups who alleged that government was lobbied into announcing it by some powerful school proprietors. The House of Representatives directed its committee on education to take another look at the September 22 resumption date in view of the fact that EVD had yet to be contained in the country.

EBOLA: Wife of late doctor discharged; OAU student quarantined The Federal Government announced the successful management and discharge of the wife of the late Dr. Iyke Enemuo, who secretly treated a primary contact of an American- Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, who imported Ebola into the country, even as it confirmed that a student of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, suspected to have had contact with the late doctor in Port Harcourt, had been quarantined. In a statement, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, said the latest discharge brought the total number of EVD survivors in Nigeria to 12.

Chukwu explained that there was no single case of confirmed EVD in Nigeria.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 7

Benjamin (Black Scorpion) Adekunle dies at 78 •Tributes pour in for the civil war hero

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, OLA AJAYI & JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

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IVIL war hero, Brigadier-General Benjamin Adekunle, is dead.

He was aged 78.

Tributes have been pouring in since his death was announced yesterday morning.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who also served in the Nigeria Army at the same time with Adekunle expressed shock at the death of his colleague.

Senate President, David Mark, state governors and prominent Nigerians have also paid tribute to the oncer gallant soldier.

Obasanjo in shock over Adekunle’s death Obasanjo, in a statement in Abeokuta, said the contribution of Adekunle during the country’s civil war was no-mean effort which would be remembered for a long a time.

According to Obasanjo, “I received with shock the news of the death of my colleague, friend and course mate, Gen. Benjamin Adekunle today. I can recall with fond memories what he was able to achieve as a course mate at Teshi, Accra, Ghana.”

Mark mourns the civil war veteran Senator Mark, in a condolence message through

his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja, Saturday, described the late Gen. Adekunle as one Nigerian who fought vehemently to keep the nation as a united and indivisible country.

Mark, in the condolence message to the immediate family, government and the people of Oyo State, said the retired general recorded great success in his military career.

Recalling the role played by the late Adekunle during the Civil war, the Senate President said, “He (late Gen. Adekunle) led the Third Marine Commando Division with such great panache and determination and precision.

“He was a father, a brother, a substantive army General and a patriotic Nigerian. We are pained at the news of his death.”

Adeyinka Adebayo: A gentleman and an officer Speaking on the demise of Adekunle, former Military Governor of Western Nigeria, General Robert Adekunle Adebayo (rtd), said though the deceased was a very junior officer o him, he was as a gentleman and a very good officer.

“I regret that he died now.

May God grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss,” he added Eziefe: His soul shall rest in peace On his part, former

Ogbomosoland, with his death very shocking and devastating to him.

Soun of Ogbomosoland noted that the contributions of the late army general towards the unity of Nigeria would be difficult to forget.

He called on the Federal Government to find a way of immortalizing him as well as other Nigerians, who had made contributions to the growth and development of the country.

•Gen. Benjamin Adekunle in the 60s Governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife said: “The soul of Benjamin Adekunle, the Black Scorpion with the soul of genuine patriots and believers shall rest in perfect peace. General Adekunle fighting on the Nigeria side was performing a civic duty. I think he did well what he had to do. And it is clear that God was not angry with nor were men. We need such models in Nigeria.”

General Jerry Useni – we have lost a great man Saddened by the news, Lt General Jeremaiah Useni (rtd) said: “ What a pity. We have lost a great man. He was a great warrior and soldier. He

Pavilion collapse disrupts TAN rally

BY WOLE MOSADOMI, Minna

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HE North Central zonal rally, organised by the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), was forced to a halt as the podium where dignitaries were seated collapsed with many of the dignitaries sinking with the steel make-shift podium.

The dignitaries included the host and Niger State g o v e r n o r, D r. M u a z u Babangida Aliyu; his deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Ibeto; and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.

Minister for Information, Labaran Maku, and his Water Resources counterpart, Mrs. Serah Ovhepe, as well as Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, Olajumoke Akinjide, that of Agriculture, Hajiya Asmau Asabe Ahmed and former Minister of State, Power, Hajiya Zainab Kuchi, were also there Similarly, there were a former Information Minister, Professor Jerry Gana, Senators Philip Adudu, Zainab Kure and Barnabas Gemade.

The incident happened about seven minutes after the take-off of the event.

After the opening prayers, President, Nigeria Association of the Blind, Niger State chapter, Isah Umar, had mounted the podium, commending President Goodluck Jonathan for carrying the physically challenged along, just as there was a loud noise from the podium where the dignitaries were seated.

Within a twinkle of an eye, the podium started collapsing along with the personalities on it.

Most of the dignitaries were immediately rescued by their orderlies and carried to their vehicles.

Some of them including the wife of the Niger governor, Hajiya Jummai Aliyu, were said to have collapsed but also carried out of the danger zone.

Scores of people sustained injuries.

The podium collapse led to stampede as people started running for safety.

Aliyu later told journalist

that the incident was a sign of victory for Jonathan come 2015.

Anyim said he was in Minna, venue of the rally, to collect the signatures of people of the zone for the reelection of the President.

Meanwhile, TAN, in a statement, last night, said the ceremony continued as the VIPs were relocated immediately to the rally podium after the incident.

TAN Director of Communications, Dr. Udenta O. Udenta, described the incident as unfortunate but noted that it did not diminish the ceremony.

Kinsmen endorse Mimiko’s defection to PDP

BY DAYO JOHNSON, Akure

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EADERS of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo West Council area, the home town of Governor Olusegun Mimiko have passed a resolution accepting him as the leader of the party following his alleged imminent defection to the party.

The PDP leaders, at a meeting held at the party secretariat in Yaba, Ondo, included Chief Segun Adegoke, Dr Temitayo Fawehinmi, Chief Olabisi Johnson, Prince Ademola Adeyemi, Capt Ademola Ariyo (rtd), Mr. Patrick Sekoni, Hon. Bola Ogundele and Hon Ayo Akinfolarin.

They unanimously resolved to work with the governor and members of the LP when they eventually join the party.

Adegoke, who was Special Adviser on Political Affair under the late Dr. Olusegun Agagu, said, “Ondo West local government welcomes the governor wholeheartedly, we are happy that he has joined us.

His name is Omowalepada.

According to Adegoke, Mimiko was “once of us and has now returned”.

He added, “He was one of the PDP leaders in Ondo Kingdom; he was Secretary to the State government and Minister of the Federal Republic under the party before he joined LP to realize his governorship ambition.”

•Gen. Benjamin Adekunle in the 80s

made great efforts to keep Nigeria united. I ask his family to take heart and believe in God. The country should not forget him. They should remember him. The armed forces have a role to play. Such people should not go unnoticed.”

Col Tony Nyiam In like manner, Col Tony Nyiam (rtd), lamented: “Oh, what a pity! He is one of Nigeria’s greatest heros, a man who fought the civil war and his role made a change in the war; a man who created what some people came to reap. He was a forthright and courageous soldier. He reflects the story of Nigeria – the real heros are overshadowed by mediocres, those who do their best are poor while the pretentious are rich. May his soul rest in peace.”

Gov Ajimobi: He rescued Nigeria Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State described Adekunle’s death as a monumental loss to Nigeria.

According to him, “although Gen. Adekunle has some time now been facing some health challenges, his death at this material time when the country is passing through difficult times, in terms of security and national cohesion is tragic and shocking. The late general was a fine officer-gentleman, a nationalist and patriotic Nigerian who exploited his military expertise to rescue Nigeria from the brink of precipice and ensured that the country remained one

indivisible entity”.

Alao-Akala: Difficult to forget him Also, former governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, said the deceased left behind a legacy of patriotism that would be very difficult to forget in the history of Nigeria.

“The contributions of the late army general to the successful end of the civil war in 1970 cannot be erased in the country’s march towards one indivisible entity.

Akala maintained that the gains made in the past through the efforts of the likes of the deceased were being eroded on the altar of religious and ethnic bigotry.

Oba Ajagungbade of Ogbomosho: Death devastating His royal highness, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi Ajagungbade, the Soun of Ogbomoso, hinted that late Adekunle was his traditional title holder of Ashipa of

Femi Fani-Kayode: He was the greatest In his own tribute, FaniKayode launched into a treatise: General Benjamin Adekunle was the greatest, the most courageous, the most disciplined and the most effective general in the history of the Nigerian Army. He was the single reason why the Nigerian Armed Forces prevailed over Biafra during the civil war. He was a great son of the Yoruba and of Nigeria. He led the gallant men of the 3rd Marine Commando into battle personally and he took no prisoners. He was a man of immense courage that Nigeria refused to honour in life and treated very badly after the war and over the years.

It is my sincere hope and prayer that now that he has gone he will be given his proper due and honored by his country. I loved that man. I loved his courage under fire and I loved the role he played not just during the civil war but also during the June 12th struggle when the Yoruba were being killed, incarcerated, persecuted and tormented by the military government of that day. He stood up to tyranny then and his entire life was dedicated to fighting for a noble and just cause.

2015: Gov Akpabio deserves seat in Senate — Ogidi on behalf of the organisation

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OLLOWING the rapid development and democratic dividends in oil rich Akwa Ibom State, under Governor Godswill Akpabio led administration, a nongovernmental organisation, House2House for Democracy, attheweekend,saidthegovernor deserves a seat in the Senate in 2015. The Director-General, House2House, Hon. Ogidi Ben Bara,describedthedevelopment inthestateasunprecedented,and

called on the governor to contest for the senatorial slot for his senatorial district come 2015.

Bara said: “We have heard and seen the unprecedented infrastructural development going on in Akwa Ibom State, under the distinguished leadership of the peoples’ governor, Obong Godswill Obot Akpabio, since he was elected governor of Akwa Ibom State in April 2007, and taking office on 29 May 2007".

•From right: Mr Udom Emmanuel, Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government and representative of the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, Chancellor Akpabioism Leadership Centre, Pastor Bassey James and Mr Aniekan Umanah, Commissioner for Information and Communication at the Akpabioism Economic Summit Lagos 2014 held at the NIIA, yesterday.

PAGE 8 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

SYNAGOGUE: 17 confirmed dead, 123 critically injured * Lagos launches investigation * T B Joshua alleges terror attack

By Evelyn Usman, Olasunkanmi Akoni, Olayinka Latona and Monsur Olowoopejo T least 17 yet to be identified bodies were, yesterday, recovered from the rubbles of the collapsed six-storey building under construction in Synagogue of All Nations Church, Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos, while 123 victims were rescued.

Among the survivors was said to be a three-year-old girl who reportedly escaped without injury.

In the meantime, Lagos State government said it had commenced investigation into the immediate and remote cause(s) of the collapse with the aim of preventing future occurrence as well as identifying any violation of the state’s building regulatory law.

Tragedy struck on Friday when the building, under construction at the Pastor T.B. Joshua-led Synagogue Church of All Nations, collapsed while labourers were working at the site.

Joshua, yesterday, attributed the cause of the building collapse to terror attack, citing a plane that allegedly hovered in the sky around the building before the incident.

The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi OkeOsanyintolu, who confirmed the number of the dead and the injured, added that survivors were receiving treatment in government hospitals.

According to the LASEMA boss, the rescued victims, comprising of men and women, including young ones, sustained severe injuries and many of

A

them lying critically ill in hospital.

Late yesterday, Osanyintolu said rescue operation was almost completed as the rubbles had been brought to ground zero level, indicating there could be no more bodies trapped in the debris. “We are on top of the situation”.

When asked whether the state government was considering revoking the land title in accordance with the policy on collapsed building, the LASEMA boss could not give a definite response. He simply said the state government had commenced investigation into the possible cause of the collapsed building for appropriate action to be taken.

One of the workers who escaped from the scene, Mr. Muhammed Idris, told his story. He said, “I am unable to reach my friend through his phone. He was at the site. I have called him countless number of times but he was yet to answer his call. I would have been at the site but I decided to stay back.”

On why the structure collapsed, he said, “I cannot say because we do not use substandard building materials.”

Meanwhile, South West Information Officer of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, told Sunday Vanguard, yesterday, that the rescue operation was yet to be concluded and “ we cannot give actual figure of the number of the persons involved.”

Farinloye said: “The number is increasing every minute. At the moment, we

have 17 dead and 123 rescued from the collapsed building. The ongoing rescue operation was done by a combined team from NEMA and the state counterpart, LASEMA, Red Cross and the church members.”

T.B Joshua explains how building collapsed While addressing journalists, yesterday, in a session in which cameras and all forms of electronic recordings were disallowed, Pastor Joshua blamed the building collapse on terror attack after the church showed a clip taken from CCTV footage showing events that took place before and after the six-storey building collapsed.

From the footage, a plane was seen hovering in the sky four times-11:30 am, 11:43 am, 11:45 am and 11:54 am- before the building went down without something extraneous triggering it.

After the plane hovered the fourth time in the sky, the structure collapsed at exactly 12:44 pm.

In his explanation after showing the footage, Joshua said the building might have collapsed as a result of terror attack, saying, “In few weeks, the truth behind the collapsed building will be revealed.

The last time the Boko Haram issue occurred, some journalists and the police were against the church, but, after some weeks, the truth behind the attack was revealed.”

On why he didn’t address journalists immediately on Friday, the Synagogue of All Nations leader said, “I do not want to put fear in the mind of Nigerians. We

AU urges concerted efforts on Ebola ember States of the EVD crisis.

Support to the Ebola The Council requested the Outbreak in West Africa M African Union (AU) have been called upon to Commission to take all the (ASEOWA), and called upon urgently lift all travel bans and restrictions related to the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak, to respect the principle of free movement, and to ensure that all restrictions are in line with recommendations from the relevant international organisations.

An emergency meeting of the Union’s Executive Council held on the 8thof September 2014 at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, to craft a united, comprehensive and collective response to the Ebola outbreak, agreed that any travel related measures should be in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recommendations, in particular the recommendation for proper screening.

Council requested the AU Commission to work closely with Member States, international and regional organizations, and African partners, with a view to mobilizing adequate resources to respond to the

necessary steps for the rapid establishment of an African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ACDCP), pursuant to Assembly Decision AU/Dec.499 (XXII) on the establishment of the centre; and ensure the functioning of the ACDCP by mid-2015, including the enhancement of the early warning systems to address all health emergencies in a timely and effective manner.

To guarantee adequate funding for emergencies, Council asked the Commission to ensure the replenishment of the AU Special Emergency Assistance Fund for Drought and Famine in Africa and called on Member States to make voluntary contributions to the fund.

Further, the Council decided to facilitate the expansion of the mandate of the AU Special Emergency Assistance Fund for Drought and Famine in Africa to include public health emergencies and other calamities.

The Executive Council expressed support for the AU

Member States to respond positively and provide adequate numbers of qualified health personnel for ASEOWA, to assist the affected countries to combat the EVD.

are still battling with the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD. That is why I decided to delay my comment till now.”

He asked journalists present to analyze the CCTV footage and come to their own conclusion as to what might have happened.

Joshua argued that the building of such solid foundation would not have collapsed in the manner that the six-storey building

came down.

He continued, “I was at the mountain, yesterday, where I went to pray. After praying, I slept off. The place is about five minutes drive from here. While there, my members called me to say there was a plane trying to land. I told them not to worry that only a helicopter could land, but they said they were worried as it was coming too close to the building, that maybe

IX aspirants of Udumo to quarters, Ekpan, Uvwie local government area of Delta State, contesting for the Ekpan community youth president, have petitioned Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Inspector General of Police, among others, urging them to probe a senior chief of the community over alleged imposition of candidate.

The petition, filed through Ada Val Arenyeka and Co Chamber, Ogunu, Warri, said the petitioners, Mr. Agagbo Andrew, Mr. Morgan Egele, Mr. Ukuko Joseph, Mr. Sakutu Oghenero, Mr. Alex Adjenughure and Mr. Roland Adjenughure, and copied to the state Police, Delta State Police Commissioner, State Securi-

Attack on NEMA, LASEMA, others He said that none of his member attacked government officials, saying, “We know the importance of the rescue team and journalists. The pressmen are the mouthpiece of the public and I have a lot of regard for the media.”

A cross section of Anioma participants seated during the 2014 Anioma Economic Summit held in Asaba. Photo: Henry Unini““

New Ekiti CP asks criminals to relocate

By Gbenga Ariyibi

T

HE new Commis sioner of police in Ekiti State, Mr Taiwo Lakanu, has warned criminals operating in the state to relocate.

Lekanu, who resumed last week, vowed to chase out criminals from Ekiti.

The police boss admonished the men and officers of the police to protect the ethics and values of the profession.

Lakanu, who spoke with the newsmen shortly after arriving the state, called on the men and officers in the command to embrace professionalism.

At the briefing, attended by the deputy and assistant commissioners of police, area commanders , divi-

sional police officers, heads of units. Among others, he described Ekiti as a relatively peaceful state, promising to put in his best to ensure that crime and criminality are reduced to the barest minimum.’

ty Service, Caretaker Committee Chairman, Uvwie and the Area Commander, Warri, said it was to avert crisis in the area.

The petition explained that Ekpan community, with nine quarters of Afieki, Udumoto, Udumuwori, Egbesaba, Asabiro, Orokpo, Ohorie, Udumolo and Ubrete, had followed due process during elections which saw the immediate past youth president, Mr. Wilson Awana, from Udumuwori as Ekpan community without rancor until a Chief came to impose a candidate on them.

The statement emphasized that the call for government and security agents to wade into the issue became the breach of law and order.

Lakanu disclosed that the Acting Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Suleiman Abba, had issued a directive that the country should be rid of crimes, promising to carry out the order for Nigeria to remain peaceful .

NDCA holds 2014 Business Expo

Aspirants petition Uduaghan, IG, others over Delta youth election

S

it was taking picture “The same jet went around Ikotun. To our surprise, after flying round Ikotun, it now came back on top of this building four times, it’s here they would show you. As we are talking now, there is a surveillance camera in here. We have a role to play, we cannot leave everything to God.”

Olutoyin Sakutu

By EBELE ORAKPO

T

he Nigeria Diaspo ra Connect Associ ation (NDCA), a non-political, voluntary organisation formed by a group of professionals and entrepreneurs in Diaspora, in partnership with Xa! Enterprises, holds its 2014 business expo in Lagos.

According to the organisers, the event, tagged: Health, Wealth & Style,will feature and seminar during the day, to be climaxed with a fashion show, awards and after-party at the Shell Hall of the MUSON Centre, Onikan, La-

gos on Saturday, September, 20.

“This event promises to bring together leaders in the fashion, health and entertainment industries. In view of the recent health issues, and as a prelude to the event, the organisers shall be embarking on a health awareness campaign to be championed by leaders and notable personalities from the fashion, modelling, health and entertainment industries, who shall serve as faces to drive the nationwide campaign,” said the organisers.

Speaking on the aim of the association, Chairman of NDCA, Olutoyin Sakutu, said the association aims to “connect Nigerians in the Diaspora to their homeland thereby creating a platform for sharing knowledge and skills that are needed to support and promote welfare of youths in Nigeria and the Diaspora”.

SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014 — PAGE 9

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PAGE 10 —SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

A tale of two defectors: Fani-Kayode and Ribadu(3)

The health of our people Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.--Jim Rohn have wanted to write about the health concerns of our people for some time, but other issues kept getting in the away and so it had been consigned to the back burner for some time until…now. In my day job, I work with the black community in South London. Part of what I do, is to set various health programmes to encourage black people to access health services and promote better health care.

I strongly feel it is important we have a frank conversation about our health, particularly in light of Ebola and the way most of us have reacted to the outbreak.

It is shocking that in this day and age, people can remain ill-informed and paranoid that they would rather deal with the charlatans and quacks who promise to rid them of Ebola with holy water or salt and water.

It is apparent that Ebola kills and it is virulent and no matter what the pastor or the quack says, salt and water will not ward away

I

Ebola.

Although,Nigeria is not the index source, we should heed warnings of the health officials, who had said that Ebola virus is "spreading like wildfire" Up to 5 September, 2014 people had been reported as having died from the disease in four countries Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. We have to engage the grassroots health promotion and using medium that people can understand with up to date facts and none of these myths and scaremongering. Most of all, we have to be responsible for our health.

If I seem to be on my soap box and preaching to the converted, I apologise. I really wanted to draw your attention to the way we ignore our health and leave to the very last minute to seek help. So we wonder why the outcome is poor. It is bad enough that we have a health care system that is patchy, extortionate in parts and non- existent in other. We should warm to the maxim that; prevention is better than cure.

I spoke recently at a

announcement LUNCH IS READY!!!

Only Macho Man, Fani-Kayode, failed to realize that the only free food is found on mousetraps. He is stuck now.

Both of them are intelligent but not wise.

What a waste of intellect.

IBIBIO IBOM

OF AKWA REGROUP

feel they must be masters of their own collective fates in the future. But, realizing that they would throw away the opportunity to assert their power, they have reached for the man who can, with no fear of serious dispute, be described as the FATHER OF AKWA IBOM STATE to lead them.

This is the second reminder that this year’s Elderly Peoples Day, that means 70-plus, will hold on October 21 D.V. Donations and sponsors are urgently needed.

Remember the old folks. They brought us into the world.

Remember the Fifth Commandment. God will bless you.

not know. It is a fact that some of us are predispose to developing type two diabetes and that delay seeking help can lead to complications and inevitable death. We have been conditioned from very young to admit that we have a problem and very reluctant to tell people our health problem. Recently, I had to deal with a young man who only found out that his father had died of prostate cancer many years back because his educated mother refuse to share that information with him.

Please, understand that this is not a man bashing article, it is instead an appeal that we want our men to take care of their health and we would like them around much longer to see their children grow up. Too many of our men die at such a young age and it is shame that there are many children, without fathers, mothers without sons and it need not be like that.

Here are the facts: Black men have a 50% chance of developing diabetes, but most black men pay little heed to the warnings -- and pay the price. Black men had the highest rate of getting prostate cancer.

Our men are more likely to be dragged to the doctors for a long standing ailment or the discovery of one. It seems (to the men) admitting to feeling unwell is a sign of weakness and it is not manly. They will rather seek spiritual and social intervention before accessing medical

assistance. This delays the diagnosis being made and more likely make the prognosis poor.

They often have to be nagged, pulled, and dragged to see to their health. It has actually been proven that married men are healthier than single men as their wives often pay attention to their health and would encourage them to seek help earlier rather than later. It is no secret that black men often ignore health problems. Some of the reason may include lack of money, lack of concern or fear. We need to educate and address health care disparities in particular when it comes to cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes.

Our health sometimes, is not a high priority and it is often left on the back burner and ignored until it becomes acute.

The saying that we are what we eat is true. What we eat does affect the way we feel, mentally as well as physically. It is important to look at what we put in our mouths and stomachs.

We sometimes choose foods that is very salty, oily and with not enough roughage and too large a potion.

Many people who have been diagnosed with diabetes still continue to cook and eat the same amount of oils, fried foods, starches, carbohydrates, sugars and fats as before.

They know it is not good for them but are unwilling to make the health changes to manage their diabetes.

In fact, some studies show

that black men eat fewer fruits and vegetables.

Come on, how many men have said that fruit and vegetable are for goats! Or give me meat! There is a serious dichotomy in health seeking behaviours, in that women are more likely to know more about their own health , while men are convinced that they are well and there is nothing is wrong with them.

When black men have diabetes, they're also much more likely to develop one or more of the serious complications associated with the disease, these include: amputation, kidney failure, blindness, and cardiovascular disease. There is a shame amongst our men in particular, to admit that they are diabetic and as being healthy is linked to virility.

There is also the case of the myths and misinformation.

The diagnosis is perceived as a shameful secret and has an attached stigma. Diabetes is often recognised by many as a disease of the elderly, the obese and the lazy.

Sometimes, when it is known by other members of the family that one of their own has diabetes, this person is often scolded and blamed for causing the diabetes. This lack of support and understanding can be counterproductive and isolate the person even further.

Some strongly believe that diabetes is caused by sexually transmitted diseases when there is a sudden weight loss.

Fani-Kayode, failed to realize that the only free food is found on mouse-traps. He is stuck now. Both of them are intelligent but not wise. What a waste of intellect

UNDER ATTAH –1 “The stone that the builders rejected…..”

Victor Hugo, the French philosopher, said it all. “Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come.

Unless something extraordinary occurs, the Ibibio people of Akwa Ibom State, constituting about 65% of the church about diabetes in the Black community and I wanted to share that on my page.

Currently diabetes affects 371 million people worldwide, and according to the International Diabetes Federation, around 187 million of them do not even know they have the disease. More than 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. WHO projects that diabetes will be the 7th leading cause of death in 2030. Did you know that over 50% of us know too little about common health issues such as dementia, diabetes, sexual health, cancer or drug and alcohol misuse? We often stick our necks in the sand and refuse to broach the subject

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L

ET me conclude my series on the “dandy duo” who defected to the PDP from the APC (can you spot the difference please?) – each of them bringing with them more liabilities than assets to the parties they join; and increasingly becoming political jesters. For sure, none has ever won an election; none has a political structure of his own. All they bring to a political party is noise and nuisance value. Wait and see. Let me remind our readers about one of Ribadu’s escapades.

Shortly after escaping from Nigeria, in 2009, to avert possible arrest for allegedly taking with him EFCC files, Ribadu landed in London; where he wrote a deposition for the London Metropolitan Police, LMP, accusing ex-governors Attah, Ibori and Tinubu of converting the sale of the V-Mobile

shares of their states to their personal accounts.

It was defamation with respect to Attah and Tinubu and I said so in a three part article in October 2009 – published on this page then. Attah and Tinubu were later vindicated of the venomous lies spun

by Ribadu. Till today, Ribadu had not, as decency dictates, written to the LMP to correct the defamatory statements; neither has he written to Attah and Tinubu to apologise for his wickedness. Yet, when Tinubu offered him the ACN platform to contest for President in 2011, he grabbed the chance. If that is not CORRUPTION, please somebody, tell me what is. The man would say anything, do anything to obtain applause.

As for Macho Man, I knew he was gone the day he went to “have lunch” with President Jonathan – who must have a sense of humour.

GEJ must have smiled to himself as one of his loudest critics in the APC responded to the

,

“A clown is like a man sitting on a throne of ice; wondering when it will all melt away.” Red Skelton. (VANGUARD BOOK ..p 29).

The choice of Attah appears, not only logical, but destined as well. To begin with, Attah is no longer a candidate for any office himself. So he does not stand in the way of anybody ’s ambition for Governor, Senate or even President.

Furthermore, he is widely acclaimed for his fair-mindedness, high moral principles and personal integrity. Such individuals are difficult to get in Nigeria today.

At any rate, contrary to the false propaganda, widely publicized by his political enemies, the people of Akwa Ibom, not just Ibibio, know, better than casual visitors who easily get duped of facts, that Attah laid the foundation for most of what is the economic development of Akwa Ibom today. Let me point out a few.

GSM was rolled out in Akwa Ibom State at the same time as Lagos State and Abuja because of Attah’s unusual foresight resulting in the state investing in V-Mobile.

In one giant leap, Akwa Ibom, a backwater state, was connected to the world before thirty-three other states.

He embarked on an airport project and advanced the project to the point where the first flight landed in Uyo Airport sixteen months after he left office. The first phase of the State’s Independent Power Plant was commissioned

by President Obasanjo before May 2007; Le Meridien Hotel and an

population, organized a welcome home event for Obong Victor Attah, the Governor of the State 1999-2007 – who is an Ibibio. The Ibibio on September 5, 2014, at Asan Ibibio, have regrouped and selected Attah as their leader.

That step is a gamechanger – which yours truly had long anticipated.

In 2007 and again in 2011, the Ibibio had done something which few majority ethnic groups in any state of Nigeria would do voluntarily – they conceded the governorship to someone from one of the smaller ethnic groups. Rightly or wrongly, most of them now feel marginalized and charges of ingratitude can be heard on every lip. Now, they

Black men have a 50% chance of developing diabetes, but most black men pay little heed to the warnings -- and pay the price.

Black men had the highest rate of getting prostate cancer

,

as we believe that the mere mention, means that we are inviting illness. I can assure you that this is not the case. Or we theorise that there are some malevolent forces at play.

So you can imagine how many people have diabetes in our community and do

,

18-hole Golf Course were also well-advanced and he built and equipped a Dialysis Unit, with three dialysis machines and donated the Unit to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital among other major projects, too numerous to list in a short article.

But let me quickly go to the point of this essay.

The PDP and President Jonathan have their work cut our for them. With the Ibibio solidly behind Attah, anybody in search of votes in Akwa Ibom in 2015 would be best advised to start talking to Attah or risk losing the votes in AKS. Unfortunately, the PDP has a tradition of placing all the states’ political structures under the state governors. Akpabio is Anang and the majority Ibibio are no longer ready to follow his lead.

That is the political dilemma – to which there is at least one credible solution.

Certainly, nobody expects me to disclose the possible solution on the pages of newspapers. But, it is there.

ELDERLY PEOPLE’S DAY OCTOBER 21, 2014

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 11

one Chris Giwa as President thereby removing Maigari.

On the day of the election, Maigari had again been arrested. FIFA saw this as an abuse of its rules and imagined that the goings-on at the NFF glass house secretariat were being teleguided by government.

She therefore rejected the election, refused to recognise

,

T

he Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is the title of the apex governing body of football across the globe. One of the standing rules of FIFA is that governments are not allowed to interfere in its management of football. Although Nigeria subscribes to membership of FIFA, it has not been able to obey the non-interference rule of the organization. Soon after the last world cup in Brazil, Aminu Maigari, the President of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) which governs football in the nation was allegedly detained by security operatives under the influence of his rivals.

FIFA bluntly refused the move.

Thereafter, a court order was obtained by a rival faction ordering an immediate election in July but the world football’s governing body rejected this too and went ahead to suspend Nigeria until the status quo was restored 7 days later.

Only 2 weeks ago, a disputed election by NFF brought in

from all football matches organized by FIFA, some Nigerians must by now be wondering what gives FIFA such immense power to now and again cow an independent nation. On its part, FIFA itself must be wondering why Nigeria, despite repeated warnings, continues to flout the same rule. Is our great nation hard

People in the corridors of power in Nigeria would never support that our govt should hands-off soccer because it has turned out to be an effective tool for national unity in the nation

Giwa and threatened to suspend Nigeria if it did not rectify the abuse of FIFA’s rule.

Nigeria has surrendered again. But with the frequency of threats of banning Nigeria

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of hearing? While not blaming FIFA for intimidating us, it is becoming clear that the whole world, FIFA inclusive, needs some orientation about the exact nature and disposition

PhD, Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos,

On the manifold faces of death (1) A

ccording to Sherwin B. Nuland, author of the illuminating book, How We Die: Reflections on Life's Final Chapter, everyone wants to know the details of dying, although few willingly acknowledge that fact. Whether to anticipate the events of our own final illness or be in a position to genuinely understand what is happening to a very sick loved one, or more likely out of our universal instinctive fascination with death, we are existentially concerned with the finality of biological annihilation.

Most people view the phenomenon of death with a profound sense of foreboding and dread, a tantalising secret that is as inescapable as it is absolute. Despite various eschatologies that presume survival-beyond-death in one form or another, death is the annihilation of the possibilities of individual human beings.

We are as attracted to death as moths are to flames because from experience we know that life and death are structurally interwoven. No matter how one looks at it, the mechanisms of life on earth are intimately connected with inanimate matter, such that a sizeable percentage of researchers in the life sciences believe that life is an epiphenomenon, a byproduct or highly organised matter. Nevertheless, the

death of someone close to us usually tends to bring to sharp painful awareness the fundamentality of our mortality, because it forces us to remember that we are all in the same existential boat with respect to the brevity of life.

The sudden death last Sunday of Dr. Chigbo S. Ekwealo, a colleague in the Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos, reminds me once again the ultimate unpredictability and precariousness of human existence. Accounts of his final moments indicate that he probably suffered a massive heart attack from which he never recovered. For me, the greatest indignity of Ekwealo's demise was the dehumanising poor attitude of the doctors on duty at the Accident and Emergency unit of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) that fateful night his life was ebbing away. According to the medical doctor who lead a team that brought Ekwealo to the A & E unit for advanced resuscitation procedures, the resident doctors unfeelingly wasted precious time arguing whether or not he had Ebola, instead of rushing him into the Intensive Care facility and trying everything possible to save his life in consonance with the Hippocratic oath. Ekwealo did not receive any treatment whatsoever at LUTH before he was pronounced dead.

Now, if Ekwealo, a Senior Lecturer in the university, can be treated with such disgusting indifference by doctors in LUTH, especially when prompt action might have made all the difference, it is not difficult to imagine the worst case scenario for members of the general public taken to the hospital for emergency medical care. In fact, since Ekwealo's death, I have heard stories of how patients die after waiting in vain for hours for treatment at LUTH, which is supposed to be a teaching hospital, a centre of medical excellence. The pertinent questions to ask at this point are, what kind of human beings are in medical schools these days and what are they learning there?

What are the criteria for hiring medical personnel in teaching hospitals across the country? To what extent are medical students exposed to the fundamentals of medical ethics and the requisite psychological dispositions appropriate for taking care of the sick? Are our doctors no longer capable of genuine humane feelings, which serve as psychological foundation for effective medical practice?

The major problem with medical practice in Nigeria today is that a significant number of medical students and doctors, including those with high-sounding academic titles and degrees, consider medicine a profession for making money, not a humanitarian vocation for healing the sick. Thus, they lack appropriate humanitarian attitude that motivates

as is done elsewhere? This poser justifies why FIFA needs to understand Nigeria. We are not like others. Nigeria’s mixed economy is based on government being the major player in every business notwithstanding that its businesses are generally not well run. People in the corridors of power in Nigeria would never support that our govt should hands-off soccer because it has turned out to be an effective tool for national unity in the nation.

Whenever Nigeria is to play a football match, the entire country stands behind our eagles and even if for that period only, forgets any feeling of poor governance in the clime. People who think that government is only about remaining in power will no doubt find it hard to leave such a crucial issue in private hands? Suppose the private handlers are in the opposition, will they not use it to organize an impeachment process?

Well, if soccer is that crucial, FIFA must be wondering at this point why Nigeria cannot assist the NFF to organize simple elections. Again, this poser exposes how little FIFA understands Nigeria. There is ample money in soccer meaning that like our type of politics, getting to control it, must take the form of life and death in which the end justifies the means while the winner takes all. For us, election is not a simple matter and we do not conduct it the way other nations do. FIFA ought to have heard how the process

of electing a new chairman for our 36 Governors dismembered the hitherto vibrant Governors’ Forum.

Till date, the faction that is recognised had 16 as against 19 votes by the other.

Someone should let FIFA know that in Nigeria we do not believe in technology assisted voting which disallows multiple voting and other vices like under-aged voting. Our strength lies in the use of security operatives who are masked these days. FIFA should please believe it that our security operatives are most agile at election venues than elsewhere -it is our own panacea for election malpractices; hence one of the candidates at the last NFF election had to be detained to ensure free and fair rigging.

Another crucial issue that FIFA may not have understood is the overwhelming popularity of those who contested the NFF election. As is always the practice in Nigeria, each of them had to be pressurized by large groups of admirers to take part in the election. The few incredible things FIFA regards as unacceptable in the NFF election are in line with our electoral process in Nigeria. For instance, our national electoral body has just concluded a research on the delimitation of electoral constituencies and found that there are more people settling in the war-torn areas of the North East! FIFA should thus try hard to understand Nigeria.

genuine caregivers to do their best for patients at any time. For the average Nigerian doctor, a sick person is an opportunity to make money in blissful forgetfulness of the Hippocratic dictum that "where love of mankind is, there is also love of the art of medicine."

Of course, we recognise and commend humane doctors working so hard for their patients in spite of extremely challenging conditions. Yet, leaders of the medical profession must be alive to their responsibilities, strengthen existing codes of conduct, and apply appropriate sanctions whenever necessary to weed out misfits in the profession, irrespective of who their godfathers or sponsors might be. Given the utter irreplaceability of life, medical practice must be for the very best, since mistakes in that field often leads to

recruitment, promotions, finances, procurement of equipment and daily operations. Such auditing could reveal entrenched gross anomalies in the system, which would require drastic action to sanitise the place. As a hard-core Akokite, the reputation of University of Lagos means so much to me that I must speak out against anything that might jeopardise it.

More importantly, in the present case life is too precious and irreplaceable for anyone to toy with, whether in LUTH or in any other hospital for that matter.

Before the death of Dr. Ekwealo, I was thinking about how to respond to the demise of Prof. Dora Akunyili and Dimgba Igwe, because of my conviction that the death of any influential person is an opportunity to learn useful lessons about life. Prof Akunyili, in my opinion, was

received for her tenacious efforts to eliminate adulterated or substandard drugs and food products from Nigeria. However, one should not take exaggerated praises of deceased persons by prominent Nigerians seriously, because such adulations are hypocritical and hollow. To illustrate: when Gani Fawehinmi died, retired military President, Ibrahim Babangida, and some of his factotums poured encomiums the late lawyer.

Former head of state, Yakubu Gowon, eulogised his bitterest enemy during the civil war, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, when he learnt that the erstwhile Biafran leader had died.

Praises of this kind are empty rituals without genuine emotional significance.

As I indicated earlier, Akunyili was a great public servant deserving of great acclaim. Still, why was she unsuccessful in her quest to be governor of Anambra state? What stopped those praising her now from rallying enough support for her senatorial ambition? The point is that highfalutin praises for the dead are oftentimes empty and meaningless pastime by prominent Nigerians to fulfil all righteousness as a form of cultural correctness and "eye service." Given her sterling performance as a public servant, Akunyili would probably have been a successful governor or senator. But Nigerian politicians in general tend to dislike people of merit, creative imagination and independent mindedness.

Therefore, had Dora Akunyili been elected governor or senator, her excellent performance would have exposed the mediocrity of her predecessors by setting a standard superior to what she met when she assumed office.

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FIFA needs to understand Nigeria

of Nigerians, their country and government.

FIFA has to understand for instance that our leaders hardly believe that her threats are for real judging by the kind of information made available to them by their aides who relish conspiracy theories a lot. Indeed, there is already a story that the threat letters from FIFA are always couched in the Nigerian way of blackmailing people.

When the organization gave Giwa who was claiming to be the new NFF leader a few hours to quit the glass house, it was as if FIFA borrowed the words of impunity of those who play God in our clime. In addition, with all eyes now steering at only the direction of 2015, some people may have since convinced government that the nation’s leading opposition political party is behind the threats from FIFA. Why will government not doubt the authenticity of the threats?

There are in actual fact government officials who contend that the rule against government interference in football should not apply to Nigeria. One of them had argued at a recent forum that it was contradictory of FIFA to disallow a government which sponsors football from getting involved in the management of its own business.

But then, knowing fully well that governments are not allowed to run football why can’t Nigeria allow it to exist as a private sector initiative

Akunyili deserves the accolades and awards she received for her tenacious efforts to eliminate adulterated or substandard drugs and food products from Nigeria

avoidable death.

Going back to the incompetent handling of Ekwealo's case, I strongly recommend that Prof.

Rahamon A. Bello, indefatigable Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, should investigate the matter thoroughly and punish the negligent medical personnel on duty when Ekwealo was brought to the A & E unit. In fact, he should go further by instigating a comprehensive probe of all aspects of LUTH, including

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one of the greatest public servants to emerge in Nigeria. Her appointment as Director-General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) by former President Olusegun Obasanjo is one of his best decisions as Nigerian leader. Since the death of that remarkable woman, prominent and not-soprominent Nigerians have heaped fantastic praises on her.

Akunyili deserves the accolades and awards she

To be continued

PAGE 12— SUNDAY

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Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 13

BY KIERAN MERVYN

T

he Master of Business Administration (MBA) is globally recognised as a scholastic degree bolstered by workplace experience, and is known for attracting executive-level managers and professionals (or those who aspire to be).

Now, a new breed of entrepreneurial MBA student is changing the programme profile traditionally associated with C-suite students. This raises a number of queries about what has prompted this change and why this trend is emerging.

Globalisation fuels entrepreneurial spirit The global marketplace is evolving due to a number of forces, including global u n c e r t a i n t i e s , competitiveness, austerity measures, the redesign of public-service delivery, the impact of network infrastructures, and mobile and wireless computing – all of which lead to enhanced knowledge production and growth of a networked society.

Simultaneously, Nigeria is emerging as a robust location of economic growth and is developing into an economic powerhouse.

With a population of approximately 170 million and rising, analysts predict its economy is expected to grow at least 6% per year between 2014 and 2017.

Nigeria recognises the importance of entrepreneurs in wealth creation; their onceraw talent, now nurtured, can produce taxes that support public services and their delivery. While greater access to financial support, education and skills are supporting national economic development, The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) says that continuing challenges (including a weak transport and communications infrastructure, expensive and unpredictable power grids and security-based issues) are restricting services in areas that are essential to business.

Recently, Nigeria became Africa’s largest economy based on GDP estimates, yet the total unemployment rate hovers around 25% and urban unemployment at approximately 30%.

As Nigerians are often viewed as hard-working with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, those who understand technological advancements and their implications for personal and business growth and development have a greater opportunity to become selfemployed entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs are increasingly capitalising on the knowledge created in the country and developing valuable products and services that enable Nigeria to compete in the global marketplace. Liberalisation of Nigeria’s emerging economy is being witnessed through swift privatisation of public services; however, the economy remains in flux and clearly requires a new type of

ENTREPRENEURS:

The changing face of Nigerian MBA students management practice. This requires an MBA programme that isn’t just geared toward the executive-level professional but that also addresses the needs of the growing number of entrepreneurs entering the global marketplace every day.

MBA programmes delivered through online channels fit neatly with the needs of entrepreneurs by enabling them to get a degree without putting their businesses on hold.

Developing innovative human resources Effective leadership skills are critical for Nigerian businesses to remain competitive and sustainable in the global economy.

number of entrepreneurs entering MBA programmes.

The effects of globalisation, which have allowed sole practitioners and small shops to compete with global companies, and the fact that consumers (if B2C) and companies (if B2B) are now smarter and more knowledgeable about the global marketplace, require business owners to sharpen their business acumen and remain relevant or risk losing it all.

Many entrepreneurs believe they are more likely to succeed if they have a deeper understanding of the fundamentals taught in an MBA programme than if they do not have this knowledge.

For others, it is simply an

Nigeria recognises the importance of entrepreneurs in wealth creation; their onceraw talent, now nurtured, can produce taxes that support public services and their delivery Consequently, learning and leading in this dynamic era and managing an increasingly diverse and knowledge-based workforce require a new type of leader. There is a commercial and societal need to develop technically competent, authentic and innovative leaders with the skills and abilities required to drive growth and development.

Business schools, a popular destination for professionals seeking board-level positions, are witnessing an increasing

opportunity to help them take their idea or company to the next level, and that requires more than what has brought them to this point in their careers.

The ability to become an entrepreneur is an increasingly sought-after ideal. Students seek to determine how to get an idea off the ground to develop start-ups or spin-offs, or they simply wish to understand the entrepreneurial process from different perspectives. There is also a growing desire to

*Mervin...future leaders must be innovative enhance innovation skill sets, and MBA students increasingly want to understand the connection between leadership development and the innovation–commercialisation relationship.

Providing guidance from beginning to end, MBA programmes help students realise their ambitions and understand that there are multiple ways in which people can be innovative, without having to acquire licences or patents or having to work for another company.

The new wave of MBA programmes Today’s entrepreneurs have vision, passion, agility and robustness, and they tend to operate in an always-open, interconnected and fastmoving world. While ecommerce and social media have expanded entrepreneurial opportunity, they also have created a challenge for those who seek to gain the tools and techniques to lead in complex, changing and multicultural organisations and to engage in groundbreaking and often technologically driven developments. Traditionally, business leaders would have to hit the pause button on their ventures to attend a local MBA programme, but the advent of online education has helped close the gap, allowing entrepreneurs to continue business as usual while expanding their knowledge and skills to gain a competitive advantage.

An online MBA programme

provides not only the flexibility entrepreneurs need, but also the opportunity to develop important long-term social and business networks and to learn from peers and faculty from around the world.

In the online classroom, students consider the values, attitudes and behaviours of their international colleagues, explore ways to develop creative thinking around them and learn to create an innovative culture throughout their organisations. MBA programmes provide students with str ategic insights and options for promoting, commercialising or utilising their research, ideas, products or services, and thus broaden their capacity for personal goal achievement. As students increasingly strive to become more innovative and outwardly focused, this sharing of global best practices provides novel opportunities through a blend of formal and informal learning methods, meshed with practical research experience and reflection.

Future leaders must learn how to innovate, and entrepreneurs have the motivation to challenge the status quo. MBA programmes can help foster personal and professional improvement in both areas and are a positive investment for entrepreneurial success. *Mervyn teaches courses in leadership in the online MBA programme at the University of Roehampton, London and is co-director of AM2 Partners Ltd.

PAGE 14 — SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

.....CRIME AND NATIONAL SECURITY

BOKO HARAM: The tough battle to reclaim captured towns O

N Monday, September 1, hundreds of Boko Haram operatives invaded Bama, the second largest city in Borno State.

The attack, coming days after a similar attack on Baga, the headquarters of the multinational Joint Task Force, was rebuffed and the terrorists heavily dealt with by the military as investigations revealed that Boko Haram attack was aimed at making Bama, about 50 kilometres from Maiduguri, the base of its ultimate dream of hoisting its caliphate flag in Borno.

The Defence Headquarters said security forces were repelling the attack and that everything was being done to contain the terrorists, noting: “Bama attack is being repelled. We cannot state casualty situation/figures now. Everything necessary will be done to contain the terrorists”.

Investigations by Sunday Vanguard showed that during confrontation, which lasted for days, aerial bombardment of the terrorists by the air force scuttled their plot to take over Bama as many of them fled into nearby bush while soldiers carried out mop up operations.

While this was the scenario on the first day, the insurgents, who escaped into the bush, re-grouped and came back the next day in large numbers, but this time using the panicky situation that had enveloped the city and the pandemonium to try to infiltrate the military barracks in Bama. This was what led to the air strike at the military barracks and the death of many of the insurgents, some soldiers and civilians.

As the battle to liberate Bama was going on, the military received intelligence that another community, located 15 kilometres from Bama (Kawuri), was the base from where the insurgents mobilized and attacked Bama.

There was a report also they had an armoury in the community.

The military subsequently swung into action and launched a surprise attack at Kawuri. The result was that

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troops killed over 50 of the insurgents while scores of others fled the town.

So when stories started making the rounds that the insurgents had overrun Bama and some people started condemning the military for allowing that to happen without reading between the lines of the Boko Haram propaganda, there was outcry in military circles.

This was aptly captured by retired Air Vice Marshall Christopher Marizu, who said the media had not be fair to the Nigeria soldier who was out there in the sun, heat, rain, terrible environmental conditions shedding his blood to ensure that terrorists did not take an inch of the Nigerian territory.

Rather, the media was awash with reports that Boko Haram had over-run Bama and taken over the city whereas the reverse was the case.

Noting that “ we (senior officers) have friends,

,

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI, Abuja

•The military offensive against terrorists Borno capital using Bama and other communities as launching pad, saying the alarm was meant to cause panic and unsettle the city and the nation.

Military sources told Sunday Vanguard that the insurgents, basking in the euphoria of panic and pandemonium caused in the Michika and Gulak communities as well as the injury inflicted on some officers including Lt. Colonel Adeboye Obasanjo, made for Bintim

,

relations and our boys on ground there and are in touch on a daily basis”, the former AOC, Logistics Command, Lagos, said, “The truth is that as at Tuesday, our soldiers had killed over 700 Boko Haram insurgents during the battle.

“The following day, another 500 terrorists were killed.

What is happening is not what is being reported in newspapers and sometimes I wonder if the media are wishing that the terrorists bring this nation down or what do they seek to gain by running our soldiers down?”

On Thursday, the Defence Headquarters dismissed the allegation by some stakeholders in Borno that Boko Haram insurgents had surrounded Maiduguri preparatory to invading the

The DHQ also said that all members of the armed forces deployed to the North-east had been put on high alert, meaning they were ready for immediate action should the need arise.

This came even as the DHQ admitted that Nigerian air force jets and helicopter gunships were carrying out bombardments on terrorist hideouts and movements of remnants of Boko Haram in Bama, Gwoza, Gamboru Ngala and other parts of the North-east to reclaim the communities, adding that the situation in the areas was being stabilized.

“Highly coordinated air & land operations are ongoing and the efforts are yielding impressive results in the overall move to rid the area of terrorists, “it said.

Some tweets in this regard read, “Alarmist reports on foreign & online media on Maiduguri are clearly intended to cause panic in the city and the nation.

“All facets of security arrangements for the defence of Maiduguri has been upgraded to handle any planned attack or attempt to disrupt the city’s prevailing peace.

“The alarmist reports are uncalled for in view of the efforts & alertness.

“Situation in Mubi, Michika, Bazza, Gulak, Gwoza, Bama, Gamboru Ngala & other parts of the North-east are being stabilized.

“Citizens are nevertheless enjoined to remain vigilant as they go about their lawful business as highly coordinated air and land OPs are ongoing.

“The efforts are yielding impressive results in the overall move to rid the area of terrorists”.

This also explains why attempt by the terrorists to infiltrate Mubi through Madagali, Michika and Gulak in Adamawa State to try to cut off the military’s push to decimate their base in Gwoza received a heavy blow last week following their attack on Bimtim, the home town of the Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh.

During the encounter, about 40 of the insurgents were killed while many others ran for their lives.

Military sources told Sunday

Vanguard that the insurgents, basking in the euphoria of panic and pandemonium caused in the Michika and Gulak communities as well as the injury inflicted on some officers including Lt. Colonel Adeboye Obasanjo, made for Bintim but were routed by a combination of troops on ground and reinforcements from the 1 Division, Kaduna, 3 Division, Jos and TRADOC, Makurdi.

Giving details of what transpired at Bintim, the sources said the terrorists cornered the troops from all angles as the troops mobilized in the city center and a gun battle ensued. Unknown to them, a set of newly deployed soldiers arrived and joined the battle taking them from behind leading to the wiping out of 40 of the insurgents while others fled.

At the end of the battle, the military recovered 17 Hilux vehicles and several antiaircraft guns (AA weapons) and surface to air missiles which were destroyed while some were taken away by the troops.

Other recoveries made by troops include general purpose machine guns mounted on their Hilux vehicles, which were discovered to be powered by generators.

The sources added that after the gun battle troops moved forward successfully pursuing and routing out the insurgents from Michika, Uba and Gulak.

SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014 — PAGE 15

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PAGE 16— SUNDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

DIASPORA MATTERS

Larger display, battery life boost BlackBerry Z3's market penetration

BY EMEKA AGINAM

A

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HILE continually being the most reputed and status oriented smartphone in the mobile ecosystem, BlackBerry has put the company back on solid ground with the recent launch of Z3.

The smart device was introduced recently as part of the phone maker's restructuring mechanism to regain market lead in the smart phone ecosystem.

For one thing, the device has attracted high patronage in the Nigerian ICT markets as a result of major exciting features like larger display, longer battery life among others.

Considered to be a major break through for Blackberry after its recent restructuring, the product has also continued to deepen market penetration as a result of its relatively good price.

Apart from good body design and build which make the phone stand out among other series, a close monitoring of market activities in the major ICT markets in Nigeria recently showed clearly that the price tag of about N38,000 gives the phone reasonable value for money.

Performance Powered by 1.2GHz dual core processor Qualcomm MSM8320 chipset, the performance of the device is good. The battery capacity can be achieved up to 384 hours of standby time and talk time up to 15.5 hours.

When used to play music, the operating time was 84 hours, and when used to play a video in particular, the operation time can reach 10 hours. In a show of its performance, the BlackBerry Z3 supported accelerometer sensor, proximity, and light sensors.

Camera: With 5MP , the camera of the phone is good with decent clarity and is capable of capturing HD videos.

The BlackBerry Z3’s astonishing Time Shift camera feature lets you capture a group shot where everyone is smiling with their eyes wide open. You can also use Story Maker to bring a collection of photos and videos together, along with music and effects, to produce an HD movie that you can instantly share on YouTube.

Design and packaging: Offering the best messaging experience with instant access to the messaging hub, the BlackBerry Messenger and a great touch keyboard, the design and form of every Blackberry phone is perfect.

But with its fantastic looks and build quality, BlackBerry Z3 is everything in a smart phone.

Beside, the most interesting features on the BlackBerry Z3

On the 16,300 Nigerians in foreign jails

default operating system is the ability to install and run Android applications.

The Z3 is powered by a dual-core Snapdragon 400 SoC which includes two Krait-200 cores running at 1.2GHz and an Adreno 305 GPU. Battery life Battery life is one of the highlights of the phone. The 2500 mAh battery gives the Z3 a huge boost in terms of operational time Connectivity The BlackBerry Z3 supports tri-band 3G and quad-band 2G. You also get Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, NFC and GPS. Having a large display is great for browsing the web. The stock browser does a good job at rendering heavy web pages and zooming in and out of content is pretty seamless.

BlackBerry hub The ever present BlackBerry Hub lets you access all your work and personal email, BBM, text messages, social media updates and notifications in one place, with the ability to “peek” into the BlackBerry Hub from anywhere, so you’re always only one swipe away from what matters to you.

The Hub can be customized to identify priority messages and to filter the message list by various criteria that you can then activate with a simple pinch gesture.

BBM BBM on the BlackBerry Z3 includes all the latest features of the popular mobile social network. You get BBM voice and video chatting with

screen share and support for BlackBerry Natural Sound, letting you hear nuances and variations in tone in a BBM Voice chat, and making the conversation sound like you’re in the same room.

BlackBerry keyboard The BlackBerry Keyboard learns what words you use and how you use them, then offers them up to you so you can type faster and more accurately.

With user experience, it gives the best typing experience on a touchscreen, complete with multi-language support that lets you type in up to 3 different languages at the same time.

Apps Through BlackBerry world customers can access applications that leverage the powerful features of the BlackBerry 10 OS. The BlackBerry Z3 is also Androi App compatible which means that customers can enjoy some of their favourite Android apps on the BlackBerry Z3.

Instant previews & reply Be more timely and responsive with Instant Previews that bring BBM, SMS and email message to you no matter what you are doing on your BlackBerry Z3.

However, on a user experience, the product is good with its fantastic looks and build quality, strong battery, and can run in android apps.

Most importantly, reasonable value for money.

Juwah becomes CTO Council Chair

T

HE Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah has been elected as the new Chairman of the Council and Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO).

The election took place during the CTO just concluded Annual Council Meeting held in Dhaka, Bangladesh at the weekend.

“We are delighted and honoured to be elected to this position, and we look forward to working with all members to continue to guide Management in its

ICT4D efforts”, Juwah, who will assume this position on behalf of the West African country, said.

Dr Juwah was previously 1st Vice-Chair of the CTO. He has over thirty years of experience in the IT and telecommunications sectors, including over 20 years of the above in top management-level positions. Appointed in July 2010 in his current position at the NCC, he championed the introduction of emergency communication services, mobile number portability, SIM card registrations and broadband access expansion in Nigeria.

T the just con cluded National Conference on Committee for Foreign Policy disclosed that there are over 16,300 Nigerians in foreign jailhouses for drug related offences. This figure, as announced by a delegate, the former Minister of Education, Prof.

Ihechukwu Madubuike, quoting the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), was not such a suprise to Nigerians at home and abroad. Of this number, we were told 3,719 Nigerian women are in Canada alone.

Rewind to 2012, when the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Honourable Abike Dabiri, announced to a shocked(?) nation that there were close to 500 Nigerians, including a septuagenarian grandmother, in Brazilian jails.

This information came to light after the Committee members visited Brazil, met with officials and some of the prisoners. At that time, the committee promised to do a proper head count of all Nigerians in foreign prisons. I thought this was a big challenge to undertake.

The fact that there are thousands of Nigerians in foreign jails is not in contention. It is a known fact that in every country of this world, there is a Nigerian in a dingy cell somewhere. From Brazil to China, to Afghanistan, there are Nigerians launguishing behind bars.

Some are part of the numbers that are official, while many are just statistics in the jail without a record of their imprisonment with any Nigerian High Commission or consulate.

According to information released by the National Conference Committee on Foreign Policy, there are 752 Nigerians in prisons in the United Kingdom, 700 in Chinese cells and 96 in Indonesia jail houses. It is not only in these countries jail houses are Nigerians resident in large numbers. There are so many in United States, many in South Africa, Benin Republic and more worrisome in some of the volatile areas of the world, such as Iraq and Syria.

At the height of the protests to unseat Libya’s Col. Ghadaffi, I watched a documentary on how dangerous it was to be a black person in that country. Among the detained people interviewed on this programme were seemingly Nigerians caught in the

It is no secret that Nigerians go to any length to make ends meet.

This is no surprise. We know in every society, there are careercriminals, who live their lives in and out of the prison systems

war en-route to ‘better life’ in Europe. The thought of thousands of undocumented Nigerians in many of the troubled countries of the world is mind-boggling.

‘Walking’ into prison Let’s “relocate” ourselves to 2012 again, when the Nigerian media was awash with news of the House Committee on Diaspora Affairs’ “expose” of Nigerians in foreign jail. I remember how for many weeks unending we were bombarded with various analyses, both from the “honourables”, government officials, paid government publicists, and self appointed “jail analysts”.

Scare tactics Now come back to present times - 2014. And just like the House Committee on Diaspora Affairs did in 2012, the National Conference Committee on Foreign Affairs has also been giving Nigerians figures of fellow citizens in foreign jails.

You now begin to wonder what the intentions of these committees are. Rather than liaise with government and draw out plans on how to keep Nigerians out of foreign jails, they are using the scare tactics for whatever reason.

It is no secret that Nigerians go to any length to make ends meet. This is no surprise. We know in every society, there are careercriminals, who live their lives in and out of the prison systems. However, looking at Nigerians in foreign jails, one is tempted to conclude that a sizeable per-

centage of the citizens may be behind bars for one avoidable reason or the other.

There are questions that these committees should be asking in respect of the jail birds. What roles are Nigerian embassies playing in keeping these compatriots away from the gates of jail houses? And where possible, what assistance are the Nigerian embassies offering in terms of judicial or otherwise to these citizens? These are the questions that need answers.

Citizens in distress And the above brings us to the type of support systems the Nigerian government has in place for her citizens abroad. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should be compelled to release to the public how the embassies all over the world offer support to citizens in distress. It is pathetic to know that most Nigerians abroad do not know the ambassadors in their respective countries. Most have no idea where the consulate offices are located. This is not unusual because as Nigerians we know that rather than offer help, the staff at these consular offices may complicate issues by their demands or bureaucracy.

Some of the Nigerian embassies are known to carry on in these countries as if they are there not to “protect” the interests of Nigerians. I am aware that for every British citizen arrested outside UK, there is diplomatic agreement that the UK Consular office in the ‘arresting’ country must be informed, so they can provide legal assistance. Do we have something like this in place in our embassies? I doubt.

So the reorientation should start, not from Nigerians at home or diaspora [in prison or free] but with the embassies. The tolerance level of fellow Nigerians by the Nigeria embassies is disgraceful. If there is good relationship between the embassies and citizens with the understanding that offenders can at least get basic legal support from the embassies, there may be a slight reduction in the number of Nigerians thrown to jail abroad on daily basis.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 17

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FTER a long absence from the music scene, Stella D’lyte returned with Superwoman, a single, the diva said she dedicates to all beautiful women, and men who have beautiful super women in their lives. Yes, Superwoman might have been a leaf she borrowed from the American singer, Karyn White but Stella is ready to make her own forest, in which she would be a queen in her own neck of the wood.

Talking about her name ‘D’Lyte’ and what inspired it, Stella said it is Yoruba word ‘Atupa’, ‘Lantern’ in English, “Old source of light.

D’lyte depicts energy, beauty and happiness” Stella herself seems to radiate from inside and outside.

Stella knows she isn’t swimming with the big fishes yet but then she isn’t a rookie because she has been around professionally since 2002. “ I have been doing music from when I was little, I love music. I sang and headed a cultural group in primary and secondary schools, but officially

I don’t need to go nude to be sexy — Stella D’Lyte it’s been twelve years now. I came out with my very first single “KOLO” (Crazy for Love) produced by Teddi Danso (BIGTEDDI), and in 2003, shot a video for it. It gained massive airplay then I had a dancehall version produced by RYMZO. In 2005 I did the remix with Rugged Man, it was crazy, the video registered my name in the music industry and that paved way for me to act in a movie and copresent in NTA” she said.

Behind the facade of a liberated, sexy and promiscuous-looking gal

is a tough girl next door who would rather stay home than club. “I like to sell good quality music with great content. I don’t need to go nude and if I have to be sexy, my dear it’s an effortless thing for me. Yes sex sells so everybody says, but have you asked yourself what happens after people get tired of your brand ? I feel whatever I do, I do it with passion plus brain and great quality contents. I prefer to be known or recognised for good music.

I export Nigerian kind of music to Westerners — Adeh

What

Surulere

was all about — Dr. Sid

D

ENTIST turned singer, Dr Sid, born Sidney Onoriode Esiri, son of late legendary actor, Justus Esiri is definitely having himself a ball with life. Aside his booming career, the singer just married the love of his life, Simi Osomo and the icing on the cake came for him when telecom giant, MTN slammed him with a multimillion naira ambassadorial deal.

The cool-headed singer who confided in Potpourri that he is having a blissful marriage experience said the Mavin crew are all a big family.

Also speaking on his hit single Surulere, the singer told us the inspiration behind the song. “Obviously some people were mistaking Surulere thinking we were talking about Surulere, the area. It does work on two levels” he said We hail the people from Surulere because even I, as an artiste, when I started out in music with Trybe Records, we were based in Surulere. Surulere basically means ‘Patience is rewarding’ and it’s just a song that describes the journey of Dr Sid; Where I’ve been, where I’m at right now, where I’m going to, that’s the idea. We’re trying to create a song that could capture that experience and we also wanted to make a song that people can relate to. When you listen to the song it speaks to something in your soul and hopefully, it would inspire you and motivate you to push and keep working harder”.

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•Dr Sid

•Adeh

BOLAHON Adeola, aka Adeh, may not be at the top of the list as a musician just yet, but the prolific beginner is on to something. Unlike most musicians of today, Adeh plays his musical instrument and he is currently working on a two 12-track album. According to him, they were recorded in South Africa and have South-African, Congolese and core Nigerian languages in them.

Speaking with Potpourri recently, Adeh talks about his music and what drives him as a person and as a musician.

“I was going to say that I am not in any competition with anybody, but one thing I must tell you is that the brain behind my kind of music is not wealth, it is for the music to appeal to people. It is to motivate people.

That is why you have the likes of Kenny Okoye, and Segun Obey in the album. If you listen to the lyrics of the album, they are words to toughen people, especially women. They are just motivationals.

What makes me different from other singers is that I play my instruments and they appeal to people.

There are too many talks in the music. So, for me, I export the Nigerian kind of music to the Westerners” he said.

PAGE 18 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

Behold divas who may have done surgery on their b bs

My features have always been the same — Yvonne Jegede

BY DAMILOLA SHOLOLA Gone are the days humans were completely at the mercy of nature. Now, what nature cheated us out of we could easily get, provided we are willing to go the distance.

And one set of people taking serious advantage of this are artistes who provide us with entertainment to spice up our lives.

A flat-chested artiste could get the boobs or even the backside she desires like a kid would get a candy from a store. All it takes is a surgery or go under the knives, as some say.

Nowadays, you are never sure what is real or not real. We therefore reveal to you some of Nigeria’s divas with boobs that make you wonder whether they are natural or manmade:

I have insured a couple of things, but not my breasts — Cossy Orjiakor C

•Cossy

OSSY Orjiakor has been in the public glare for some time now and even though she is tagged an actress, many of us only know her mostly for her massive boobs that seem to keep getting bigger and bigger.

Cossy is candid about most things but she has never admitted going for plastic surgery to make her boobs bigger, even denying earlier reports that she insured her boobs for N256 million.

In her words; “I have insured a couple of things, but not my breasts. Even if the breasts sag after having children, I’ll rather go abroad to have surgery or insure my breasts.

Insurance is a good thing but the fact remains that you cannot get the money until something goes wrong with the breasts”. Cossy Orjiakor recently starred in Omogoriola Hassan’s raunchy movie 1 million boys.

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I got no fake body parts — Daniella Okeke

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ANIELLA Okeke is an extremely sexy and voluptuous lady with curves that cause commotion anywhere she goes. While she gets under the skin of men, turning them into emotional wreck she makes women stare in awe of her figure.

Her ass is close to perfection and her boobs are just the right shape but one has to wonder if this actress‘ assets, are all natural.

The Lagos Cougar star posted a picture on her Instagram page sometime ago with her massive butt exposed in a white bikini and said “Someone just sent me this picture. Very funny people think I did surgery on my ass! Laughing my big chocolate ass out.

•Daniella

VONNE Jegede was on a long hiatus from the entertainment scene and she came back with a bang with pictures revealing the cleft of her massive boobs in a tight pink dress. Even though these pictures were shot last year and Yvonne Jegede has done a lot more things to bolster her ever-growing career, we still can’t get those pictures out of our minds.

Most of us are still not sure if she’s all natural or she got worked on when she was abroad. The actress however revealed in a chat that her assets are God-given. When asked if she had done implants, she said “My features have always been the same from time immemorial.

The thing is a lot of people have always seen me as that naive, vulnerable girl who likes to cry a lot because those are the kind of roles I used to get before I left”.

She was recently seen with Uche Jombo and Seun Akindele in a movie titled Oge’s Sister scheduled to hit cinemas February 2015.

Yvonne Jegede was also seen on set with Freddie Leonard in a movie titled Yagazee directed by Ernest Obi set to be released soon

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 19

Behold divas who may have done surgery on their boobs

Karen Igho’s implants done for a good reason?

K I wouldn’t know how the boobs job story started — Funke Adesiyan

P

opular Yoruba actress, Funke Adesiyan, is big and beautiful. One feature you cannot miss about this diva is her very large breasts which seem to have gotten bigger than how it was before. When she was asked in an interview whether she had implants done, she said “I wouldn’t know where and why the story (boobs job) came from. Maybe we need to ask those who started it”.

Even though she has said countless times that she had not enlarged her boobs, we are still not sure. Funke Adesiyan is currently into politics and plans to run for a seat in Oyo State House of Assembly come 2015

I’ve never dreamt of going under the knife — Chika Oguine

B

USTY actress Chika Agatha Oguine has starred in a couple of movies including Sons of Zebedee and Sex on the Beach. This lady has very large breasts and we got a glimpse of it when pictures of her wearing a bikini surfaced on the internet. In an interview with Vanguard, she revealed that her boob size was about 44DD. When asked if she had done surgery to enlarge them, she said “I’ve never ever dreamt of going under the knife, whether for my boobs or for my body. I think God has created me perfectly. I am beautiful and I know that. I don’t need to go under the knife to enhance anything on my body. I just need to stay in shape, keep fit and that’s it. I’m good to go” When boobs are this large on a lady’s chest, you start having doubts as to whether they are real or fake C M Y K

AREN Igho became popular after emerging winner at the 2011 Big Brother Africa Amplified Edition. She is loved for her realness and her no-nonsense approach to life.

She revealed to us that she has undergone surgery for her boobs. Her implants were not done for vain reasons though, she had them done after lumps were found and removed from her natural boobs.

Please leave my breasts for me - Waje W

AJE is a successful R&B singer with a voice that resonates within your soul whenever you hear her sing. The Onye crooner just recently celebrated her birthday and she lashed out at critics who keep bothering her about her enormous boobs.

In her words “Please leave my breast for me, stop complaining about it because no be u dey carry am, stick to the signboard wey u carry for chest” Even though Waje might be bigboned, we are still not sure if her boobs have been modified or not

I haven’t done any body augmentation

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— Dencia

ameroonian/Nigerian singer Dencia has transformed in appearance from how she looked before. After the creation and promotion of her new cream, Whitenicious, which she says is for spot removal, she has become a lot fairer advocating the use of the product. Her skin however isn’t the only noticeable difference in her body; it seems the singer has had implants done to make her boobs and her ass bigger. When asked in an interview if she had undergone surgery, she said “No, I haven’t done any body augmentation. Do they look like as if they have been augmented? You are here with me, do they look fake? I don’t have cosmetic surgery”

PAGE 20 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEM,BER 14, 2014

Between my broken marriage and my acting career, by Saheed Balogun By:ADERONKE ADEYERI

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ctor cum producer, Saheed Balogun is a popular face in Nollywood. In this interview with Potpourri, the versatile actor who made it clear he would not talk about his private life took us on a journey through his career, his passion and did an expose on the movie industry.

Who is Saheed Balogun?

Saheed Balogun is a God-fearing person with a humble beginning and a graduate of statistics from Kwara State Polytechnic.

I grew up in the North and that was hectic for me but I survived. My late father was a soldier and my mother, a trader. I am above forty years of age. I am an actor and a producer for decades now. I tend to help people remember their past, shape their present and see into their future through my works. Also, I am a typical Yoruba man from Oyo State.

How did you venture into acting?

Acting for me is an inborn talent because I got the gift from my dad who would make every one laugh at the barracks including the “always frowning and most feared” soldiers. I have only commercialized mine and I am so happy I did. Again, the desire and passion for acting was like a burning fire and I have followed it to the last letter.

Which movie brought you into limelight?

Every one of my movies have brought me into limelight and that is why I have many names. At a time, it was Walata when I did Ologbo dudu by Kola Olotu, later Omo Alhaja, some people still call me Mallam because of my character in a soap years back. (Smiles) I am different things to different people.

What would you have ventured into if you were not acting?

Well, I would have been a known scientist. I like researches and that has reflected in most of my movies. I am the first actor in Africa who has produced a two-cast movie and the first to do a film where every actor and actress wore Ankara in West Africa. I also did a movie where I was the only black man. And also the first to do a three-cast movie. All these put together is a result of rigorous research. My name will forever ring a bell in Nollywood because I have done what many actors will not go close to doing. I will again rewrite history by May next year with a one cast movie.

What are the challenges of being an actor?

Reading and interpreting scripts, pleasing your producer and director, changing characters and not losing your fans base.

Getting roles at times could be challenging. Also, many Nigerians seem unable to differentiate between a character in a movie and in real life. They seem to mix the two up and getting good pay is always a problem. The producers are not smiling and our pay as actors drops day by day.

Why are the producers not smiling?

Nigeria is close to lawlessness. Piracy has C M Y K

dominated the make-believe industry. I spent N21 million on “You or I” and to make my money means selling like 10,000 copies which was impossible.

A candid look at the Yoruba sector of Nollywood reveals that many actors act, produce and direct their films, what do you think is behind this?

It also happens in America where people, who have the ability to act, produce and direct movies professionally go into it. For instance, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly had one person as the producer and director, but it came out as a bomb. But what we have in Nigeria is the outcome of our poverty level. Actors are trying every possible means to cut cost and maximize profits. This often leads to most of our films lacking focus. I will use this medium to plead with my fellow actors to locate their calling and help this industry grow. Also, some actors do this to meet deadline. In a case where the executive producer wants the movie ready in three days and you can’t get a good director within the short notice, the actor will direct the movie and play the lead role himself because he would not want to be in the black book of the producer. Remember, he who pays the piper, dictates the tune.

What do you think is the way out of the mess?

Piracy has to be reduced to a zero level in Nigeria. Everybody in the entertainment world must know where he or she belongs. Actors should refuse to be instruments in the hands of politicians. Recently, Dr Joe Odumakin addressed the Golden Movie Ambassador and I knew we really needed change in many sectors of the industry and this can only be achieved when we are focused. There are some talented actors who you will never find in unbaked or half-baked movies .

Which actor do you doff your hat for in Nollywood?

The only actor I hold in high esteem is almighty God. He is the best writer, actor, director and producer; no one can beat his creativity in the universe.

You have not been doing much acting these days; can we say your broken marriage is the cause?

My broken marriage has nothing to do with this, besides; I don’t need to be in 50 movies to remain relevant in the industry. I am busy with my research so as to come out with a quality and distinct work of art. When I get good scripts, I will be on set. And I am giving the upcoming actors and actresses space.

What was your stand during the Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioner ANTP crisis?

My stand was what God ordained. I am presently the chairman of Golden Movie Ambassador, an initiative that was inaugurated early this year. In this association, we believe in re-branding and re-shaping the movie industry. The crisis of ANTP has nothing to do with me. The executives of ANTP remain our father and we will always respect them.

Don’t you think creating another association is like saying ANTP is not good?

No. Our constitution gives us the liberty to create or become members of multiple associations. We have many associations and the important thing is to belong to any association where your dreams can be achieved.

Are you a member of other associations?

I am the president of Golden Movie Ambassador. So I have to midwife the association to its greater height for now.

How would you rate Nollywood among other movie industries?

We are not there yet. In fact Nollywood is not born yet. We lack focus, we use low standard equipments. We repeat storylines.

Nigeria has only produced one future film this year where a country like Republic of Benin has produced more than twelve feature films. Many things needs to be worked on in Nollywood.

Your memorable day as an actor?

August 26th 2006 was the day I had an accident on my way home from a location and I was already taken to the morgue but my mentor, God brought me back to life.

Apart from your one cast film, any other thing new about Saheed Balogun?

I am working on a movie where I will be celebrating our own Dr. Joe Odumakin. If the US government can recognize her, I think it is good to celebrate her here in my own way. I am doing a story about Nigeria.

The Potpourri team Ayo Onikoyi, Entertainment Editor Florence Amagiya Damilola Sholola Anozie Egole Kehinde Ajose

SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 21

Email: vanguardwoman@gmail.com

How do you get these children?

We pick them on the streets. Of course, people still throw away new born babies. That’s why we went into assisting girls who are carrying unwanted pregnancies. They’re not ready to have children.

They think the best thing to do is to throw the child away.

So, we got the word out there; letting them know we will take them in and the government of Cross Rivers State will also look after their babies. But for those girls interested in keeping their babies, we are helping them get a head start in life again.

Why I focus holistically on women, children

Rather than waste time and resources on teenage mothers, why not embark on a catch-them-young campaign so that you have less of teenage pregnancy?

We’re doing a lot of that also through the Calabar Carnival Queen mentioned earlier. The project of the queen, who, currently, is, Nancy-Olive Aisagbonhi, is to be a role model for young girls. She talks to them about the benefits of abstinence being the best way to avoid teenage pregnancy, and then teaches them how to make correct choices about their sexuality.

—Obioma Liyel-Imoke

BY JOSEPHINE IGBINOVIA-AGBONKHESE

I

n the last seven years of her husband, Senator Liyel Imoke, piloting the affairs of Cross River State, Mrs. Obioma Liyel-Imoke has devoted her soul to advancing the status of women and children across the nooks and corners of the state. “I’m making sure Cross River is fit for women and children,” she would always say. In this exclusive chat with Feminista in Calabar, the First Lady speaks on her work with these two groups which, she says, are critical to family growth and societal development.

Your husband describes you as a wife who genuinely shares his passion for service; in what ways have you actually proved that?

My husband’s obsession is reaching those who need government the most. So, his focus is usually on people who need a change in their lives.

I thank God he has been able to express that passion to me.

Now, it’s about whose life is being touched. Not those who are already very comfortable, but the ones who need to be touched.

Through what medium are you helping to realise this vision?

I have Partnership Opportunities for Women Empowerment Realisation, POWER, which is like the mother of all my projects.

POWER is a holistic way of empowering women and the plan is to help them take their skills to a greater level. We came up with A State Fit for A Child, ASFAC, and in the

You’ve been the mother of this state since 2007. What’s your advice to women?

I’ll just say we owe the world a responsibility to produce children who can hold this country together. I’ll advise mothers to please go back to the basics, try and remember what we were taught when we were growing up. They must begin to learn to inculcate them in our children, especially with regards to integrity and responsibility.

I investigated and found out that girls get pregnant, run from home, put to bed and throw away those babies so that nobody knows. So, to rehabilitate these girls, we launched Mothers Against Child Abandonment process, we realised that a lot of babies were being abandoned on the streets.

I investigated and found out that girls get pregnant, run from home, put to bed and throw away those babies so that nobody knows. So, to rehabilitate these girls, we launched Mothers Against Child Abandonment, MACA. MACA has two

homes which are the Refuge Baby and the Refuge Girls, where we teach life and vocational skills. Most of these girls have returned to school.

To spur them back to school, we thought of giving them a role model. That led to the initiation of the Calabar Carnival Queen, CCQ. I also facilitate a spiritual development programme

called Cross River Pray. Other projects include Breath of Life which is creating awareness on pneumonia; Destiny Child Centre, for the reintegration and rehabilitation of street children and Giving Life Options to Widows, GLOW, for assisting widows.

For how long has POWER been running?

POWER has been in existence for seven years now.

It’s about empowering a woman holistically like I said: financially, health wise, physically and spiritually. But in the process, we realised we can’t do that without making sure children thrive, no matter the circumstance of birth.

By that realisation, we went into a lot of child protection projects as earlier listed and I thank God we’ve been able to save hundreds of abandoned children and assisted quite a number of teenage girls.

Are you saying women are drifting from their primary responsibilities?

I believe this has happened not because many mothers are irresponsible but because they have had to be bread winners in their homes. So, they ’re occupied with putting food on the table. But I still must say it is most important for them to understand that the children God has given to us are more important than anything else and we need to give them quality time and basic moral background to survive.

Your advice for youths It’s a crazy world out there.

So, to every youth, I’ll say it may just serve you better to focus on yourself, the things you need to achieve and how best to achieve them. Like I always tell young people, hard work never kills. So never expect anything on a platter of gold. Don’t ever stand for mediocrity and

PAGE 22— SUNDAY

Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

Myths and facts about sex and sexuality (2)

By Yetunde Arebi

A

couple of months ago, I published a set of information about the several myths and old wife tales surrounding sex and sexuality issues. I did mention that the list was quiet extensive even as many new ones also crop up regularly, due to researches and changes in other factors. While most of us might have heard a few of these myths at Some point in the course of growing up, it is important to note that when myths are not debunked, they may be taken as truth and therefore become misleading information.

Unfortunately, even some adults have been known to deliberately peddle some of these stuff as gospel truth to their children and wards, sometimes under the illusion that they are protecting them. Today, I have compiled yet another set of these myths just to test our knowledge of the true state of things. Younger readers may benefit immensely from this too.

Happy reading!

Myth: The "morning after" pill causes an abortion.

Fact: Plan B, also known as the "morning after" pill, is a medication taken for the prevention of pregnancy when one has had unprotected sex. It can be used up to three days or 72 hours after unprotected sex. The main function of the morning after pill is to delay ovulation or prevent the egg from being fertilized. It cannot affect an already fertilized egg which has been implanted in the uterus. Therefore, it cannot be

used to terminate an already existing pregnancy. The morning after pill is not the same as RU486, a pill that causes an abortion.

Myth: You'll marry the first person you have sex with.

Fact: This is very not true. While your first love or the person you first have sex with may feel like the one you want to be with for the rest of your life, many factors

most of them will not know it.

Some STDs are very common among teens and young adults so it is recommended that a sexually active person should go for testing once a year. For example, all sexually active young women should be tested every year for Chlamydia, which silently affects millions of people, and can leave women infertile (unable to have kids).

However, there are some common STDs that doctors will not carry out in a routine examination unless the patient presents symptoms or specially requests for it.

Myth: Guys are always ready for sex.

Fact: This is mere stereotype

There are some common STDs that doctors will not carry out in a routine examination unless the patient presents symptoms or specially requests for it often make this impossible. The reality is that most first time sexual relationships are romantic but short-lived.

Myth: You can tell by looking if you or someone else has an STD / I would know if I had an STD. Fact: Many STDs, including HIV, often show no symptoms, (e no de show for face) thus, many people who have an STD do not know it until they have been tested. Research has it that about one in two sexually active people will get an STD by age 25 and

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and not necessarily true. Guys may have a reputation for always thinking about sex, but, it does not mean that all of them go through with it or some of them don't prefer to do other things with a female companion other than sex. Indeed, there are hundreds of virgin guys in their 30s and 40s choosing to hold out till their wedding nights.

Myth: Douching is a healthy way to clean the vagina Fact: This is so not true. The vagina is self-cleansing and douching actually does more

Lovers Searching Female •Chioma, 30, beautiful, from Abia state, needs a man, aged 35 and above who is God fearing, for a relationship.

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harm than good. The natural bacteria found in the vagina helps keep it clean and healthy.

Douching can disturb that balance and cause the spread of vaginal infections into the fallopian tubes, uterus and ovaries. Also, douching does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy.

In fact, it may make it easier for a woman to get pregnant because it pushes semen farther up into the vagina and cervix. Wash only the outside of the vagina with warm water and mild soap to keep it clean. Even the natural odour of the vagina makes it the more sexy!

Myth: You can get HIV or a STI from getting a tattoo or through body piercing.

Fact: Any instrument used in cutting or piercing the skin, if unsterilized, can cause the transmission of an infection.

Therefore, the risk of contracting HIV or another blood-borne infection (like hepatitis B or C) if the instruments used for tattooing or piercing are not sterilized or disinfected thoroughly after using them on another client is high.

Insist on proper hygiene when you visit your salon for such services.

You may even demand to see the equipments and how they go about the sterilisation process. Why not?

It's your money and your body isn't it?

Myth: There's no method of birth control that's 100% effective.

Fact: Abstinence, the practice of not having any form of sexual activity is a form of contraceptive and the only 100% effective one at that. It is only logical that if you are not having sex, you cannot get pregnant or get someone else pregnant.

Myth: You're a prude if you want to wait until you're older to have sex.

Fact: Everyone to himself, his life

style and preference. That is what makes us unique as individuals.

Rather than think of yourself as a prude, consider yourself very smart for deciding to wait because many young people who succumbed to having sex earlier sometimes wish later that they had held on a bit longer. The younger you are, the more likely you will not have all the right information about safe sex and sexual health, making the risk of something going wrong higher.

Myth: A girl can start taking birth control pills right before she’s going to have sex.

Fact: It will not work. Birth control pills are made up of a series of hormones that must build up in the body over a period of time to be effective. The pills are meant to be taken in a specific order at about the same time every day. It can take up to one full month (or one full menstrual cycle) for the pill to become completely effective. In fact, doctors often recommend that you use an additional control method in the first weeks of taking the pill. Merely skipping the pills is enough to alter its effectiveness.

Myth: You can't get an STI from oral sex.

Fact: Though not all STIs are transmitted through oral sex, but some are. During oral sex, you can give your partner your STI and you can get theirs too. If your partner has a cold sore (oral herpes) and performs oral sex on you, you could become infected with herpes in your genital area.

Don't forget that you may reach me via the e-mail address: inthesunlovezone@yahoo.com for advice on any of your sex and relationship questions. Do have a lovely Sunday!

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DISCLAIMER!

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 23

08112662589

Caught in the act!

T

HERE is some sort of fascination about being caught when you make love in an unorthodox way. These hilarious escapades show that nothing killa a good bunk like being truly busted! Oscar ’s most embarrassing moment happened years ago when his parents always took the family on holidays. “This time around, we went with another close family, consisting of just two lovely teenage girls and their parents. The eldest was too tempting for words and I was flattered she fancied me.

“A few days into the holidays, we discovered we could be alone when all of them go to the dining room for dinner.

One night, we wound up getting down and dirty back in the girl’s parents’ hotel room. While I was completely starkers and she was lying on top of me with her blouse off, her mum walked in!

Panicked, I jumped out of bed and locked myself in the bathroom, leaving the poor girl alone with his mum, a medical doctor who’s known to me since childhood.

She proceeded to give her daughter a lengthy lecture about safe sex.

Meanwhile, I refused to

come out of the bathroom until she was out of the door!””

Funke had just broken off with John, her boyfriend of three years and was trying to get over the break-up. “I wasn’t all that heartbroken especially when 1 still remained friends with some of his friends”, she said. “I had started fooling around with Kenny, a good friend of John’s and after a night out, we ended up in my place.

We settled in front of the telly with a bottle of wine and started making out right then in the living room. In no time at all, we were both naked and having a good time until John walked in on us! He still had the key to my flat and had decided to let himself in, hoping for a reconciliation. When he saw what we were up to, he went crazy and chased Kenny out of my flat.

“We did make up but the experience was too embarrassing for the relationship to be revived ...” ....

“My boyfriend and I went to this posh nightclub to celebrate his promotion”, recalled Monica, aged 28".

Feeling bold, my

boyfriend dared us.,to make it happen in the bathroom. I went first and he followed shortly after, and we started making out in one of the empty stalls.

Unfortunately, without us realising it, a waiter had cottoned on to what was going on and tipped off the manager, because after a few minutes, he barged in while we were wrapped around each other and demanded that we leave. I lied and said that my boyfriend was helping me get something out of my eye, but the manager didn’t buy it. He escorted both of us out of the bathroom, through the dining area, and then out of the door

with everyone watching.”

Joanne’s escapade took place at the Bar Beach in the days when it was common to hit the spot for a relaxing outing.

“My man and I were having sex in his car, which was parked at the beach”, she recalled.

Afterwards, we were lying in the back seat in the dark, still naked, when we heard an angry tap on the window. We looked up to see two bike policemen peering in at us with a flash light.

One found it really amusing whilst the other one had a disapproving look on his face. He made us dress, exit the car before asking for our IDs and the car ’s

‘particulars.’ We were let go after they made sure we handed over all the cash on us!”

Anthony was on a direct flight to the USA with Chioma, his fiance. “I’ve always found the long flight boring but with Chioma on board, this particular one didn’t look too bad. The plane was half-filled and during the night, we started fooling around with each other.

We then decided to see how comfortable the cubicle of a toilet in the plane could be useful.

After getting up separately from our seats, we met in the toilet and proceeded to have restricted - but very hot sex in the small space.

“Because we didn’t hear anyone outside the door, we kept things going for a \ good 15 minutes, then decided to sneak out one at a time. Giggling, I opened the door, expecting to make a smooth getaway. Instead, I was met by a line of angry passengers. The woman at the head of the line stepped into the toilet, and upon finding my girl in there, she screamed, and my girl darted out. Together we did a walk of shame down the aisle. A few minutes

after, we sat back down in our row, the woman who’d been at the front of the line came and took her seat ... right in front of us!”

When Zainab eventually agreed to go with her boyfriend to his town house, she realised she was about to have one of the most boring moments of her life.

“There was very little to do;’ she said, and to stop me from moaning, my boyfriend decided to give me a tour of the family farm. While walking through the bush, we realised we were completely alone.

We smiled at each other slyly. Then my boyfriend grabbed me and bent me over a bench, and we started having sex.

“Just before I was about to climax, a group of pupils accompanied by their teacher rounded the corner, and the teacher - who had been speaking, stopped, causing everyone to gape at us.

My boyfriend was so shocked, he pushed me into a bush so no one could see me. We both hid there, while the poor teacher cleared his throat and tried to redirect attention to the various tree species in the farm!”

08052201867(Text Only)

Get rid of the flab in your arms

F

the pearshaped woman fat is mostly concentrated in the lower half of body. With the apple-shaped one, the hand is mostly in the upper half.

As to which type a woman belongs to is determined by the genes.

That’s the recent report on the phenomenon of fat distribution in the body.

So what does this mean to the person desirous of shedding too much fat.”

Obviously it must be thus if the fat is chiefly in the torso in comparison to the thighs and legs. It means you’ll have to do a lot more exercises for the top half. If the problem is in the lower half it calls for you to do a lot more exercises meant for the lower half.

Well, in yoga the idea is to exercise a greater part of the body everyC M Y K

OR

day.

In fact, with as few as ten postures almost every part of the organism can be “touched” ensuring an all round state of good conditioning.

My yoga teacher’s approach used to be that you are given as few as three postures to practise diligently. After two month’s practice when the body could then assume the postures with considerable duration (which is what counts in yoga, the ability to hold a posture for the full count) then he would add accomple more to your countine.

The one good thing about this approach was that it ensured that each posture was mastered and not improperly executed. We have discussed the need to keep the thighs and legs well in tone. We know an ex-

ercise like the chair pose works wonders on flabby thighs. We also know that the deep knee bend

* The Bridge

or Vajirasana practised faithfully banishes celulite.

For those women whose

arms are flabby there are three postures prescribed here to deal with the problem. Of course there are other postures that can equally deliver but we shall focus on these three for now.

Let’s start off with the carried posture which is called dhirtyasana in Sanskirt. Sit on the heels keeping your knees apart arrange the hands with palms flat down with fingers Lacking backwards.

As you inhale deeply lift the pelvis and chest high up as possible as you drop back the head.

Retain the pose for says 20 seconds as you breathe deeply. Breathing out sit on the heels again. Besides rendering a good work out in the arms the camel is excellent for strengthening the Pelvis small of the back and the abdominal muscles.

Our second exercise is the Writer’s pose sit on the heels and bending the left arm bring it up.

Bend the right hand downwards and hook fingers of both hands.

This is to be done for as long as it’s comfortable.

Then change hands and repeat. Apart from working up a miracle in the arms I have said it before that it is great against a running nose.”

You can do the writer’s posture for a more forward thrusting posture.

Our third posture is the bungle posture. As you sit with legs wide apart place your hands on the ground behind the back.

Inhale while houting up the waist as high as can be above the ground very slowly and carefully.

As you exhale return slowly to the floor and life that down on your back for a short rest. You may repeat this exercise three times” - Morning and evening.

Apart from the arms this posture brings tone to the legs and abdomen.

P AGE 24— SUND AY Vanguard , SEPTEMBER 14 , 2014 SUNDA

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

08056180152,

SMS only

If the wife earns more, she deserves more privileges! “

W

hat I can’t really stand,” said Biliki “is people running down successful women. A woman makes a little money, they say ... it goes into her head. What these critics do not know is that male tyranny stems from the financial power they have.”

“I thank my stars that I’ll never be totally dependent on any man.

My husband and I share most household chores and hehelps in his own way in the house. If I pay the rent this month, for instance, I might talk a little louder that month, get mad a little more than often, or don’t give him sex if I really don’t want to. The more things I do, the more privileges I take!”

Biliki is a laboratory assistant with a pharmaceutical company. She trained in and got married abroad.

She’s been married for 12 years and has two children aged ten and eight. Childbirth didn’t come easy for her, and if her kids hadn’t been born in the States under the best medical care, she might still be childless by now.

“Nothing comes easy for me”, she explained, “and my marriage is not exactly a hot-bed of passion, but I get by. I am a survivor. There’d been talks about my husband having kids by another woman, but he denied it.

Even if it were true, that is his problem, not mine.

I can look after myself. It is a bit sad that most women these days put themselves in a position where someone else is taking care of them. It is like being a kid. My mum and dad could tell me what to do when they were providing all my necessities. And my man can, of course, tell me

what to do at the point when he’s providing all my necessities and I am not doing a damn thing for myself. I will do, maybe not gladly, but I will do whatever he tells me to do.”

Explaining the current shift in responsibility between husband and wife, a psychologist said that, most couples today realise that the only way they can afford all mod cons in the house and the children’s expenses is for the woman to work.

And many women, having found fulfillment and self-esteem in their careers, are making work one of their priorities.

Armed with new found professional and economic independence, women, naturally, resist having to do all the house-work. Having gained some rights in the world at large, they are less willing to be powerless in their own house. That is all it may be, but what is the general view amongst men on the issue? Albert, an aggressive go..:getter who has a small, but thriving advertising company, told me testily that “In the final analysis,

someone’s got to be on top. Sooner or later, it’s time to make that decision that the two of you don’t agree on and can’t compromise on. You can either walk away from your problems or you can fight. I may not want to walk away from my wife and I sure don’t want to fight with her. But I want her to realize that if we fight, I will win. I am the man, I’ve got to be on top!”

Basil, a 40-year old oil company senior executive, had a mischievous twinkle in his eyes when he concluded that: “I like assertive, and handslapping women. I am going to be in charge of my relationship but an assertive independent woman is the only kind that can help me get where I’m going. She is going to give me all kinds of trouble trying to wear my pants, but she’s not going to wear my pants!”

Sina is 48, and a father of four. He runs his own business and confessed that, but for his wife’s salary, he wouldn’t have been able to cope. “But I don’t let that cloud my sense of asserting my

authority in the house.

Take last week for instance, I came in late from work and didn’t like what I saw.

“My wife looked too contented as she hummed under her breath preparing dinner.

The kids gave me a causal ‘hello daddy,’ and went on with their video games. I’d had a rough day and I took it out on everybody.; “First, I kicked the cat my 12-year old daughter insisted on keeping against my wish and the poor thing scurried off with hostile miaow. `Why don’t you get the blasted cat out of my way as I instructed’. I yelled at my wife. `And look at the state of the house, look how scruffy the kids are. And don’t tell me we are eating beans again.

We had beans last week ..’

“On and on, I went criticizing everybody until my wife’s patience snapped. She threw down the wooden spoon she was stirring the beans with and, in no time at all, we were having an almighty argument. The kids

house.

2. Don’t wait for a man before you start living. You can live a fulfilled life as a single woman.

3. Stay away from alcohol. It has killed others and you are not special

Y

OUR column to express your loving thoughts in words to your sweetheart. Don’t be shy. Let it flow and let him or her know how dearly you feel.

Write now in not more than 75 words to: The Editor, Sunday Vanguard, P.M.B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos. E.mail: sunlovenotes@yahoo.com Please mark your envelope: “LOVE NOTES"

10 COMMANDMENTS FOR ALL THE SINGLE LADIES OUT THERE:

1. Don’t be in a hurry to move out of your parent’s

4. Don’t entertain wrong numbers calling you, especially late in the night. It’s not the right way to find a lover 5. Develop a healthy eating habit. Always take breakfast and avoid sweets.

6. Dress well: impression counts. People will judge you by the way you dress even before they talk to you.

“Darling, if I was horribly injured in a car crash and had to spend the rest of my days in a wheelchair, would you still love me?” `Of course I would, sweetheart;’ she replied. `I’ll always love you.”

He continued: “And if I became impotent and could no longer make love to you, would you still love me?” `Don’t be silly, I’ll always love you,’ she replied. “And if I lost all my money on the stock market, would you still love me?” She looked at him for a moment and then said, `Sweetheart, I’ve told you, I will always love you ... and I’ll miss you terribly.’ rushed to their rooms and I made a show of marching angrily into mine slamming the door for good effect. As soon as I was done, I laughed.

Now, everybody is on their toes. When a husband feels the household is taking him for granted, he should reassert his authority!” ., .

But, can’t husband and wife sort of strike a compromise as to who wears the pants? In other words, can’t husbands lend their wives their pants once in a while, knowing they (the husbands) can always have their pants back if and when they are needed?

Personally, I think it’s about time married couples stopped their power tussle. We’re over a decade into the new millennium for goodness sake. Who cares if it’s the man or the woman that kills the snake as long as the snake is dead!

Does Love Conguer All? (Humour} A very insecure man was anxious to know how much his wife loved him.

Could The Price Be Right? (Humour} Her father went absolutely beserk when his daughter told him she was pregnant.

He stormed off to get his shotgun, loudly proclaiming that he’d make sure the slimy bugger married her. “8ut he can’t dad,” she wailed, “it’s your boss and he’s already married!’ “Well, he’s not getting away with this scot free,” roared the father. “Just wait until 1 get my hands on him.”

Some time later, in the drawing room of his employer’s mansion, the two men came face to face. “Now look Fred,” said the boss. `I’m sure we can settle this amicably. I’ll give you two million Naira if it’s a boy, and a million and a half Naira if it’s a girl.” “And what if it’s twins?” asked the father. “Then I’ll give you four million Naira.”

Satisfied, the father started to leave when he stopped suddenly and said: “But what happens if she has a miscarriage?

Can she try again?”

7. Don’t use sex as proof of love. Sex is not a proof for love; he’ll still leave you after all that sweet sex.

8. Don’t marry someone because of money; else you’ll become one of his possessions.

9. Add value to yourself, get a career. Don’t be fooled that a man will solve all your problems.

10. Respect yourself depending on your dress code.

This will also show what you are, where you come from and many people out there will respect you because of your being decent.

Agree or disagree?

Chris Onunaku 08032988826/08184844015.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 25

How Lebanese, Indians, Chinese rule Nigeria’s economy – Adekoya, LCCI boss *Food security alarm: ‘75 percent of Nigeria’s agric budget goes to the North’

BY AKOMA CHINWEOKE There is growing fear that farmers might not return to farms ahead of the farming season particularly as hundreds of people have been killed in deadly clashes and thousands displaced due to Boko Haram attacks. At the moment, 85 percent of foods consumed in the country is imported. Sadly, agriculture is the only sector that can provide 40 percent of Nigeria’s GDP and 70 percent of employment.

Prince Wale Adekoya, Chairman, Agric Group, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and also Managing Director, Bama Farms Ltd. is a mechanized farmer who knows where the shoe pinches . In this interview, he speaks on how mismanagement of the Agricultural Intervention Fund by those he describes as political farmers and draconian policies have crippled agriculture leaving real farmers jobless.

H

OW do you react to government’s plan to ban rice importation in another four years?

It’s a laudable decision if it could be sustained and if it will not be like the ban on importation of poultry products where 85% of the products are imported into the country through our porous borders now.

Four years is here before you know it, and we have not been able to meet up with the production level to feed our population of close to two hundred million people. The government policy is not the best because the local farmers have not been adequately prepared or supported by government.

Smugglers and the Nigeria Custom Service will be the beneficiaries of this somersault policy.

Government should allow local content to survive before embarking on total ban on the importation. Our farmers are not producing enough to satisfy consumers. 85% of the rice in the market today is imported through our porous borders; if not, the masses will have to suffer government hasty decision as there will be increase in the price of rice.

Government has been talking tough on how it plans to turn around the agricultural sector in line with its transformation agenda. Do you say we are on the right track?

Well, it was a very good development when they started the Agricultural Transformation Agenda which was a World Bank directive that all nations should develop agriculture. But it is a little bit complicated when it comes to Nigeria implementing all the policy. It was a good policy that farmers and we in Lagos Chambers of Commerce really welcomed but it is not implemented the way we want it because there have been so many policies that somersaulted.

Government keeps coming up with this and that every now and then but the main problem is that

Prince Wale Adekoya there has not been backup with funding and you cannot do agriculture without proper funding . Funding is the main key to move the sector forward. It is not about displaying in the newspapers and television that agriculture is having a front role in Nigeria. I always tell people that before you can know if a policy is working, go and look around. Is the food stock price inex going up or coming down or is it stable? If you look at the way the agricultural sector is structured in this country, the government is focusing so much on the northern part of the country where 75 percent of the budget on agriculture is spent.

concentrating in the North and this has been on in the past 30 years where past presidents and Ministers of Agriculture usually come from the northern part of the country? Within the last two years, over N500 billion has been allocated to the agric sector.

The US gave the country ’s agriculture sector 3 billion dollars and I asked then that the money would not go down the drain like the N200 billion intervention fund that was mismanaged by political farmers. Up till this moment we cannot account for the N450 billion, equivalent of the 3 billion dollars claimed to have been spent on the sector as it is

Government should allow local content to survive before embarking on total ban on the importation. Our farmers are not producing enough to satisfy consumers But it is like putting water in a basket with all the insecurity happening there. 80 percent of the food coming to the South is from the North but you can see what is happening between the farmers and Fulani herdsmen and then the Boko Haram crisis where farmers are being harassed. Nobody is farming in the North now and it is affecting the food security of the country.

So, why can’t the Minister of Agriculture take the bold initiative and do some diversification to the South?

Southern land is as good as the one in the North . We can grow some of these crops such as maize, groundnuts and vegetables in the South-west, South-east and South-south. Why

not reflecting and that is why there is high level of unemployment, insecurity because if our youths are fully engaged, they would never think of causing violence or engage in armed robbery because they already have jobs in their hands to keep them busy. Today, in the South-west, everywhere, we have hoodlums called area boys; in the North, Boko Haram; and in the Niger Delta, militants and these are what brings violence because government has not taken its priority serious. They are just targeting some of these big people who have got no business to do with agriculture and therefore see intervention funds as free money. A senator can easily call a governor and tell

him he needs 1,000 acres of land for agriculture and this is something that he does not know anything about. That is why I call them political farmers and how can we move forward when real farmers are not benefiting from the Agricultural Transformation Agenda? 80 percent of the foods we eat in this country is imported . Go to any market in Lagos, you will see all those frozen chicken and turkey coming into the country from Cotonou and other neighboring countries. Our borders are so porous that they have turned Nigeria into a dumping ground for food. 90 percent of the foods you find in most of the big super markets in the country is nothing but foreign goods. Even ordinary fruits and vegetables are all imported. So, what is government doing? Is it part of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda to enrich the foreigners because they are the ones that bring in the goods?

The Lebanese, Indians, and Chinese are the ones ruling Nigeria’s economy. There is nothing wrong to invite private or foreign investors to invest in the sector but what about the local content?

What is your view on the extension of the Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme (CACS) by the Federal Government?

The Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme (CACS)was established in 2009 by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives through a bond raised by the Debt Management Office, DMO, in the amount of N200 billion. It was first lodged in First Bank of Nigeria until two years later when stakeholders and farmers started complaining of non-disbursement. Two years later, commercial banks were invited to be disbursing to farmers at single interest rate of 7 percent but not more than 9 percent.

Today, according to the CBN, N199.6b has been disbursed to various categories of farmers in cash crop, livestock, etc. However, due to the high level of corruption, the intervention fund did not get to the real farmers but political farmers. The fund is not accessible to real farmers because of the cumbersome processing in obtaining the loan. The fund is not meant to assist the real and poor farmers in the rural areas because to be eligible the farmers asset debenture in the farm must be N350 million while farmers in value chain is N150 million. The question is, how many real farmers in Nigeria can meet up with these harsh requirements?

This is why I said the program was designed for political farmers. The loan was supposed to be a revolving one for other farmers to benefit. So, it is a good policy on ground but its implementation is the problem especially with the people assigned to do the job. Another reason the few farmers who benefited cannot honestly pay back is due to lack of infrastructure such as electricity,

good roads to transport farm produce to the city, inconsistent policies of government especially the importation of 80 percent of consumable foods into the country without monitoring, coupled with the bad eggs in Customs who are supposed to patrol our porous borders. Banned and low quality foods enter the country unabated. Virtually all the foods in this country are imported such as rice, poultry products, vegetable, fruits, vegetable oil, fish, etc.

All these affect the local production by our farmers. Most of the big supermarkets import 90percent of the foods they sell to Nigerians. This madness need to stop in order to promote local contents. Bama Farms is a typical example. We benefited from the intervention loan but government policies at the federal and state levels killed our business and passion for agriculture. Lagos State government took our integrated farmland of over 100 acres of land for Lekki International Airport, we were rendered idle and jobless and had to lay off over 100 people as we could not rear our poultry for processing at our factory in Bariga and we are still begging the state government to relocate us on time. The Federal Government, through Customs, allow banned and all sorts of garbage and contaminated foods to enter into the country unchecked. Today, 75 percent of farms are closing on daily basis due to high cost of raw materials and lack of adequate funds to run their businesses. Farmers cannot farm because of Boko Haram insurgency and fighting with Fulani herdsmen.

But the Minister of Agriculture has repeatedly said a lot has been achieved.

To me, the man is like a poster boy because I always challenge him that if you say this thing is working, how many farmers have you really empowered? We have so many women who are rural farmers and 80 percent of our farmers are in the rural areas but the infrastructure is not there.

You cannot go to the bank and get farm loan . If you are lucky enough, the bank would give it to you at the rate of 28 percent, So, how are you going to break even?; that is why food prices are hitting the roof top. It is about time government stopped deceiving us. This is something that we all need to stand up and say this is where we can get most of our youths employed . Let us go mechanized as it is the only way youths can embrace agriculture .

At this critical point in the nation’s history, how can we transform the sector?

The only way out is for government to start listening to the stakeholders in the sector who are the real farmers because I am a witness and I have so many people under me folding up .

Most farmers are folding up across he country because government refused to carry them along in their policy making. You have to go through the real farmers such as the Poultry Association of Nigeria, Rice Plantation Association of Nigeria and so on.

PAGE 26—SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

Advertising plays a crucial role in marketing communications mix – Omoba Adewale *‘How Flour Mills gave us first break’

BY OLAYINKA AJAYI

Omoba Segun Adewale is the Group Managing Director of Integrated Marketing Communications, IMC, a marketing communications group that has 24-7imc, Proview, Hurricane and Mediamatryx as subsidiaries. The group clocked 10 in June and is rolling out drums in celebration this month. In this anniversary interview, Adewale speaks on his group and many other issues in advertising.

Y

OU have been in business for 10 years now. How has the journey been?

The journey has been very interesting and we thank God for everything. Like every other business in Nigeria, we have had our ups and downs. We started off without the luxury of having excess fund pumped into the business. We didn’t have the luxury of money allocated to the business, whereby every month, as managers of the business, you get into your office and read newspapers because you are guaranteed that in the next six months, you have funds to pay your overhead.

What we did was management by evolvement. If it was N100 that we made in a month, we adjust our salaries, adjust our overheads to accommodate that particular amount. It wasn’t that as the CEO I was supposed to earn one million Naira or half a million Naira, when we didn’t have the money to get paid. But generally, as a company, we are bigger than what we were when we began operations 10 years ago and we give God the glory. Our agency has been steady in terms of progress and, I know that one day, 24-7 will handle MTN; one day, Nigerian Breweries will walk into this agency; one day, it will be our turn to drive any of the biggest brands in Nigeria. It is a vision. It has its own incubation period. And we are painstaking about it.

What would you say accounted for your success?

I must first of all credit our success to God . His grace has been and is still sufficient for us.

Another reason for our success is the hardwork of our workforce.

We have people in the agency that have a very strong attitude towards this business. They have been with us since we started this organization ten years ago and have gone through thick and thin and we appreciate them.

We also attribute our success to our desire to ensure that we continue to give our clients the

best. We credit ourselves as an agency that grow brands and not one that manage brands. We have not been over-adventurous.

We have a number of clients that we painstakingly work with. And that is why it is not surprising that some of those clients that started with us in the last 10 years are still with us today. One major client, Flour Mills of Nigeria, has been very wonderful.The client stood by us during our trying period and is still there for us.

That is why we have dedicated over 60 per cent of our workforce to the brand. .

•

Omoba Segun Adewale

You have obviously had some ups and downs. Can you mention some of them?

The major downside is the challenge we face in the industry and the challenges are many.

As a young agency, we have had to struggle, working with local brands, not like ad agencies that have international affiliations, and the luxury of businesses thrown at their laps by their affiliated agencies. As a homegrown agency, we also have the challenge of dealing with companies that don’t have core marketing orientation. Having to convince such clients is not easy. And growing such clients has been quite a challenge. The other challenge was the recession we had in 2008, 2009 and 2010 that seriously affected the industry. During the period, especially in 2009, we did not get even one business, yet we had to continue to survive. We had to do some drastic things to survive, such as right sizing and even taking cuts in salaries by 50 per cent. It was so painful that you work with loyal staff, people who were dedicated to their work and you couldn’t pay them at the end of the month. But to the glory of God, we survived the period, paid all staff salaries that were overdue after the recession and we bounced back. Another challenge is the issue of staff turnover where you have to train staff only for them to move to other agencies. But we thank God that we are growing by the day and consistently and we are now 10 years in business.

Can you mention your greatest moment in the business?

That was when we won the pitch for Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc. Our agency was less than eight months old and we were invited to a pitch with all the biggest agencies in Nigeria then. When we got the brief, we held our hands together and prayed: ‘God, this is the first gift for us and the first break that we envisage. If we win this business, then we believe

Advertising is not dying and will not die. However, the industry is moving from mono solution to 360 degree integrated m a r k e t i n g communications solutions

your hand is in this agency.’ We put everything we had into the pitch. That was the first written brief and the first pitch in the history of our business. All staff, about seven of us, went out of Lagos to do a brainstorming session. We did research and put everything into the pitch. We made the presentation to the then Marketing Director of the company, Mr. Felix Alao,. He was on his way out when we met him and he said: ‘Yes, you guys have only 40 minutes, let’s see what you can do.’ However, ten minutes into the presentation, he stood up and said: ‘Wait. I’m not the only person who is going to see this.’ He went and called the managing director and the people in sales to the boardroom.

And the presentation that was to last 40 minutes lasted over four and a half hours. It was great. It was there and then the man said: ‘I have never seen an expose like this!’ We had a brand tool that we used and we exposed the brand to them. They saw the skeleton of the brand and we told them that what we needed to do was to add flesh to the skeleton.

Less than one week after the pitch, we got our first business. It was fantastic. Another wonderful experience was when we had the opportunity to pitch for a

business in Uganda, East Africa. We pitched against toprated ad agencies in that country and it was a brief we got online. This was a presentation we had to first of all send prior to our going to Uganda, and we sent it online. Three days after we sent it, we were invited by the Board to come to Uganda. That was the first time I flew to Uganda. That was made possible by my mentor who is also the Executive Vice Chairman of IGI, Mr Remi Olowude. He is the Chairman of the company in East Africa. We made the presentation to the whole Board in East Africa. One week after, they notified us that we had won the business. This helped us to move to East Africa and we were able to open offices in Uganda and Rwanda. These two are some of the milestones in our ten years in the business.

And they were very inspirational times for us.

Do you still put everything you have into pitching for a business like you did for these two accounts?

We have no option. If we want to continue to be in business in this industry, we must, at every time, attempt to give everything that we have. And we are very modest in the way we go about it.

We encourage our clients and tell them that what we do is not about managing their brands but growing brands. And we believe that if we have encouragement from the clients, we will give the best we have in growing the brands and their businesses. It is by inspiration and by vision that we have the name 24-7 Communications because we work 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Your presence cuts across West and East Africa. Are there any similarities and differences in advertising in the countries you operate in?

24-7 Integrated Marketing Communications is a homegrown African brand with presence in Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and Rwanda. In West Africa, there are similarities. We have sat down in Lagos and developed creatives for Ghana market. Whatever you can run in Nigeria can be run in Ghana. And what you can run in Ghana can be run in Nigeria. But in East Africa, it is a different ball game.

To operate effectively there, you must have very deep and sound local knowledge. The way we

plan media in Uganda is very different. We also have different creatives – what they want to hear, what they want to see. And our commercials there are different.

There are virtually all international agencies domiciled East Africa. When you run in East Africa, you are running against all the international agencies that are there locally. It is not like that in Nigeria or Ghana where you have home-grown agencies and partnerships with international agencies. So there’s a big and striking difference. That’s why, most of the times, during the course of business, I spend more time in East Africa than I do in Nigeria and Ghana.

From your experience, what should an agency that wants to succeed in business in Nigeria do?

Any agency that wants to succeed in this business must have a vision. And with the vision in mind, you will break the clutter. And you must not be too anxious. For every brand that you have, no matter the budget, you must make personal effort at ensuring you work towards success. Because the more the brand succeeds, the more your agency succeeds. You should have that in mind. And if you keep your head low, work painstakingly, I’m sure very soon success will come.

There is the assumption in some marketing communication circles that advertising is dying. Is that correct?

Advertising is not dying and will not die. However, the industry is moving from mono solution to 360 degree integrated marketing communications solutions.

Advertising will continue to play its role till thy kingdom come.

Advertising will continue to play a critical role in the mix of integrated marketing communications. The only thing is agencies must re-invent themselves to creating solutions for clients along integrated marketing communications.

Sometimes we have agencies complaining that briefs are scanty or not explicit enough.

How should an ideal brief be?

I’m really not one of those people who complain that they don’t get detailed briefs. If a client doesn’t give you a rich brief, develop one with them. The truth of the matter is that we, at 24-7, have a brief template. It’s a question and answer thing. Once you answer the questions in the brief template, then you’ve answered all our queries.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 27

Nigeria needs professional entrepreneurs — Rotimi Oladele

BY NDUKA UZUAKPUNDU

S

OME measured optimism is being expressed concerning the emergence and ranking of the Nigerian economy as a member of the Top 20 League come the year 2020.

Part of that optimism is freighted on the recent grading of the Nigerian economy as Africa’s foremost, following its breasting the tape ahead of South Africa’s.

What the grading has shown is that, in spite of years of mismanagement, distorted planning and unrelieved corruption – particularly during the period of stratocracy, from the mid-’80s up to well into the Fourth Republic, is the remarkable resilience of the Nigerian worker, tax-payer and the economy itself.

Some development economists, like Dr. Kayode Familoni, formerly of the Department of Economics, university of Lagos, Akoka, tend to argue that the remarkable stubbornness with which the Nigerian economy, since the Babangida regime’s structural adjustment programme (SAP), has resisted what is regarded as “an ever-dose of fiscal and budgetary distortion, is a faint tip, under which there’s an iceberg of entrepreneurial spirit yet untapped. Dr. Rotimi Oladele, who’s the Executive Secretary of the Institute of Entrepreneurs, Nigeria, figures that it may require unleashing, with a combined force of unswerving

political and economic determination, the near-limitless Nigerian entrepreneurial acumen underneath the iceberg – if Nigeria, with some fair ease, is to sail into the league of Global First – 20 (GF-20) economies, come the target date of 2020.

There’s a pressing need, said Oladele, for what may pass for an approximation of renaissance in entrepreneurship in the Nigerian economy – not, necessarily, in the political economy or the macro unit, which, sometimes, is mistaken as the sole, rightful beneficiary of trillions of naira in government budget.

It’s dysfunctional, in Oladele’s view, to act on such a marginal or far-from-progressive point.

While Oladele advised against a vertical or horizontal economic planning and implementation, as the main speaker, at the induction of about forty new members of the Institute of Entrepreneur, Nigeria, in Lagos, recently, he offered that the renaissance should be in tandem with the trend in global economic practice for which economic policy makers and entrepreneurs are into the acquisition of what he called “diagonal” skills, in terms of informed, eclectic education, new entrepreneurial behaviour, attitude and practice, which, combined, are an index of a blustery force that propels economic growth or expansion, and micro economic activities.

What

Oladele’s

argument

sustainable economic growth and expansion, the creation or emergence and participation of new entrepreneurial ambassadors of the Nigerian economy. The basic principle of diagonal entrepreneurial skills, it appears, is borne out of the agonising experience of the countries of North America, the European Union and, to some extent, Africa and Asia, on account of the 21st Century’s first, global economic depression – occasioned by the collapse, in 2008, of the United States-based Lehman Brothers.

Rotimi Oladele implies is that it would require an encompassing economic model predicated on diagonal, inter-discipline skill acquisition behind policy-making and execution that accords recognition to army of entrepreneurs yet to be in the potentially rich medium- and small-scale sector of the Nigerian economy. It makes fair less economic sense to have a budget, in trillions of naira, that, for want of a better expression, is almost hairlessly disdainful of how well to ignite a rewarding rejuvenescence in the relationship between the macro and micro sectors of the Nigerian economy.

It makes, besides, far little economic meaning when such colossal budgetary allocations tend to ignore, at the price of

By inference, Oladele’s view is linked to a binding need to have new entrepreneurs who’d drive the Nigerian economy. With diagonal entrepreneurial skills and behaviour pumped into the Nigerian economy, a solid foundation would have been laid, anew, by a countless number of Lehman Sisters, who would be determined to protect the Nigerian economy from the destructive practices and effects of the Lehman Brothers. It’s, perhaps, plausible to argue that there’s a need to have, henceforward, a founding team of Lehman Sisters, Nigeria – with Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala as the captain. The intent should be to test-run a project with an eye to handing the running of the Nigerian economy over to Nigerian mothers, who are, presumably, more entrepreneurial than their fathers

counter-parts. Truth is that they are the less entrepreneurial fathers, who have mismanaged the economy of this blessed country. Currently, the country’s debt profile is, again, on the rise.

Oladele believes that the unsavoury debt peonage that was one of the Lehman Brothers-like experiences of the Nigerian economy, caused by the Babangida regime, could be avoided with a rebirth of the entrepreneurial spirit amongst key players in the macro and micro sectors of the Nigerian economy. Nigeria can be saved from the kind of economic catastrophe suffered by such countries as Iceland, Portugal, Ireland and Greece for which they had to go aborrowing from such multi-lateral institutions as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Oladele’s position as the acquisition of diagonal entrepreneurial skills and behaviour is instructive: it was the lack of entrepreneurial spirit that led, in part, to the collapse of some once-virile and dominant Nigerian business outfits, like textile industries, savings and loans (S and L) merchant banks, airlines, road transportation, print and broadcast media, hospitals, shipping etc. and the attendant loss of many jobs. *Uzuakpundu is a Lagos-based journalist.

Corporate firms tasked on staff background check

BY AYODEJI AYOPO

C

orporate organizations have been told not to employ staff without conducting background screening as hasty recruitment could expose them to fraud. The appeal is apt particularly in the face of fraud and other unethical behaviours now prevalent in corporate organizations across the country.

This advice was given by the Managing Director, Background Check International (BCI), Mr. Kola Olugbodi, who was speaking in Lagos against the background of rampant fraud cases in the country. He urged corporate organizations to outsource such time consuming task to professional organizations structured and equipped to carry it out in order not to cause distraction to their core competencies.

According to him, BCI ventured into background checking business in 2005 after realizing the enormous benefits it will confer on the country as well as corporate organizations in the area of human resources management. The company believes that incidences of in-house fraud and unethical behaviours

would be reduced if not eliminated completely if employees are properly screened and profiled before being given employment.

“Our superior offering of quality service delivery in educational qualification, professional certification, criminal record check, client back-

ground check, risk assessment report and several other areas is uncommon. We have been able to expose corporate organizations to the dangers of employing staff without proper verification”, he added.

Olugbodi explained that BCI has raised the bar of transpar-

Unveiling top 50 Nigeria brands

BY PEACE ONYEUKWU

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FTER a successful outing last year reaching over 32 countries across six continents, organisers of top 50 brands is set to unveil the 2014 edition.

“Our report has been viewed and downloaded across the world; we receive inquires from different countries and individuals on some of the companies that were reviewed and corporate Nigeria generally,”Taiwo Oluboyede, Project Coordinator, said.

He continued: “Nigeria is becoming more attractive to investors, hence the increase influx of multinational brands, so also, home grown. It therefore makes brand

valuation, classification, and rating very important. A recent Wall Street journal commissioned research says Nigeria is top on the mind of investors in America and Europe, little wonder, people across the world are so interested in knowing about the top brands (companies) in Nigeria.

“At Top 50 Brands, we give value to the worth of a brand and we create an independent platform where people can access this information. While brand valuation is relatively new in Nigeria, people are getting to appreciate the fact that a healthy brand drives sales and quite a number of companies are now consciously taking steps to enhance their brand equity. “

ency and integrity in corporate governance and strategically positioned to chart the way forward to stem fraudulent practices that hinder organizational growth. “We make bold to say that BCI is the first African member of the prestigious Association of Professional Background Screeners and also coordinates the African Alliance Group among background screening firms across Africa”, he stated.

“At BCI, the values of our brand are anchored on integ-

rity and trust, placing value on people, adaptability, competence and professional, teamwork and creativity, which overtime has helped to create value for not only its customers but also stakeholders as well.”

He advised corporate organizations to take precaution before committing themselves to staff by carrying out background check rather than wasting time and resources after dubious staff employed casually without thorough screening had duped them.

Participants at the on-going economic and empowerment of Lagos State Government, Ikeja and Shomolu Center, during one of the training sessions

PAGE 28 — SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

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A SURVIVOR’S STORY

How risky surgery enabled me walk again Ayo Adewemimo, 17-year-old sickle cell patient

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

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yo Adewemimo is not your regular kind of teenager. He is not the typical 17-year-old adolescent that relishes boyish acts such as playing hooky from school or indulging in a three-a-side football game on a cold, wet afternoon. And perish any thought of hoping to observe Ayo having the time of his life at an all-night party or sneaking out for a joyride in the family car.

Young Ayo just isn’t the outgoing type.

But that is not to say he doesn’t measure up to his contemporaries. On the contrary, Ayo’s intelligence belies his age. Not only is his academic proficiency well chronicled at Bridge House College, Dolphin Estate, Lagos, his courageous and determined outlook to life also stands him out like a beacon in a dark alley.

Unpretentiously, Ayo announces to whoever cares to listen that he is living with sickle cell disease. “I am a sickle cell patient and, because of that, I had a dislocation on my right hip. And I travelled to India for treatment at Apollo Hospital.”

Diagnosed at the age of two, Ayo, the first of three children –

•Adewemimo

all boys – born to Hakeem and Gbolabo Adewemimo, had the best care imaginable and coped very well with the challenges of being a sickle cell patient. At home, obviously, there was a lot of support; Ayo is comfortable but not spoilt. “I wasn’t treated in any special way. I was like everyone else. I could move around and help myself the little way I could,” he remarked. Outside the home, Ayo had friends that assisted in making him feel better.

“In school, I had a friend, Phillip. He told me that I looked very handsome and I shouldn’t worry because of my leg or if others wouldn’t talk to me, I should feel free to do what I wanted.”

‘God, why me?’

Hakeem, Ayo’s father, admitted that as a sickle cell patient, Ayo suffered a hip dislocation and had to go to India to treat that complication and not the sickle cell disease itself. Regretting his son’s predicament, Hakeem affirmed that the blame was not on anybody, but himself. “Realistically, I blame myself more because I am the donor but, at the same time, I still ask God, Why? Why Me? We

all make mistakes but God has rubbed this one too much on me.

We have people who are lucky not to have a sickle cell child knowing that the chances of having SS from an AS/AS couple is ¼ (AA, AS, AS, and SS).

Why don’t we have the other three and why this one SS? And why must he be the first? I wouldn’t say God was not on my side, whereas luck was just not on my own side,” he stated.

Before taking the decision to go to Apollo Hospital, there

•Adewemimo...after the surgery spoke to a doctor and he said they could do it at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi. I wasn’t too comfortable; I wanted something good and something I could be very sure of the result. I spoke to some people, some said United States, Europe, India but the one that took me to India was when I went on the internet to look for surgeons for hip replacement. I came across Dr. Raju Vaishya of Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi.”

There were times people were a bit mean and he complained about them not wanting to associate with him because he was limping and using crutches and it made him feel they were not on the same level were some attempts to put a stop to the problem in Nigeria.

“At least, we must thank God that we are comfortable. From the day we knew he was SS, I told God that in as much as I have the money, I will keep taking care of him. And that we’ve been doing. Any small thing, it’s straight to hospital and even though the hospital charges so much, we try as much as possible to pay the bills.

Likewise, sometimes, I feel so bad that I say I can’t keep spending all my money on him and that I have his younger ones to also cater for and quickly I feel that I have had an undertaking with God that I will keep taking care of him.

“We have a good hospital at Opebi, Lagos where we normally go once he has an issue. Although it is time and money consuming, emotionally draining, when it developed into complication (hip dislocation), I

Vaishya was trained in the United Kingdom and is a pioneer of the process involving Total Hip Replacement, THR. Ayo’s parents felt he must be really good at it and that was how they got in contact with Apollo Hospital and they were assured they could do it.

At the hospital, the doctors went through Ayo’s medical history which they obtained along with the x-ray, but insisted he had to be of age before it could be done in order to ensure the success. So Ayo had to wait to come of age before going ahead with the procedure.

“Financially, God provide but the emotional part is the serious issue. At his age, I expect him to have started driving but look at him because of his condition, he can’t. He ought to have been doing things that other boys of his age could have done.”

Hakeem said the fact that the doctors had not handled a case

of such before, made no difference to his decision. “I wanted the thing done, it wouldn’t have mattered. Just like the case of Ebola now, if I have Ebola now and they said they have experimental drugs, I will ask them to do it and let’s see because I have nothing to lose.”

A mother’s pain On her part, Gbolabo, Ayo’s mother, painfully recounted Ayo’s travails. “There were times people were a bit mean and he complained of them not wanting to associate with him because he was limping and using crutches and it made him feel they were not on the same level. They didn’t want to talk to him and he couldn’t take part in sports (though was able to make cricket in a little way) which was a major issue and really it was a disadvantage on his own part,” she said.

Ayo is the first of three children (all boys) but the only one with sickle cell, according to the mother. ”It’s really difficult to answer how I was able to pull through with him at the height of this challenge. Of course, it was challenging and frustrating if there’s any other word to best describe the situation”, she said.

“We are all human and sometimes you feel like why?

There were times when he had an exam to write and needed to study. He wasn’t able to do the routine things easily and needed to go the extra mile to do those things and, even when he did, before the exam, he fell sick and this was an exam you didn’t have the power to cancel.

“Sometimes you want to be understanding about what he is feeling and let him realise this was an exam he couldn’t retake.

You want understand how he’s feeling and, at same time, you want to feel like you need to get over this thing and have this Continues on page 29

SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 29

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UNIBEN VC’s ALLEGED POISONING

Market women attack suspects

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM, BENIN CITY

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onday, September 1, 2014, hundreds or market women stormed the palace of the Oba of Benin, raining curses on those after the life of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin (UNIBEN),Prof.Osayuki Oshodin. Oshodin, the first Benin man to head UNIBEN, was allegedly poisoned and spent over two months in hospital in London before his return last month. The women also protested to Edo State Government House, demanding that another Benin man succeeds Oshodin at the expiration of his tenure in November.

The women, led by Madam Blacky Ugiagbe, similarly, condemned what they described as frivolous petitions against the Vice Chancellor by some persons they described as “enemies of progress”. According to them, they intend to fish out those who allegedly poisoned Oshodin by all means, just as they hinted that the suspects would be handed over to the gods of Benin land. The women commenced the protest at about 10am, defying the early morning rain, and singing war songs. “We are mothers in this town and all we want is the good of our children. We are not happy with some professors who, because of their selfish interests, are causing crisis in UNIBEN through petitions which are not true,” the protesters leader, Ugiagbe, said. “Before now, the professors were sharing the money meant for employment in this school but Oshodin came in and employed indigenes from every tribe. Oshodin developed infrastructures and there has been peace in the university for the over four years he has spent. But unfortunately some professors and a former VC are not happy with the development in the university because the money they used to share is now being used to pay people who were employed by Oshodin. And we are aware that some people are already struggling that the next VC should go

Prof.Osayuki Oshodin elsewhere. Our demand is that any Benin man who is qualified must be allowed to be the next VC. This is our land, we were marginalized for over 40 years before a Benin man became VC of UNIBEN. We are asking for equity and justice and anybody who tries to intimidate Binis will not stay in our land”.

Also, the Benin National Congress (BNC), a Benin socio-cultural organization, appealed to the Oba of Benin to wade into the alleged campaign of calumny against Oshodin. In a letter addressed to the Oba, signed by its Director of Publicity, David Ekomwenrenren, it said, “Less than two years after this noble gesture, we learnt that some professors were waging a centrifugal campaign against the person of the VC; and we raised the alarm vide an open letter to Your Majesty to nip in the bud the problem which was eminently resolved by Your Majesty. After Your Majes-

ty’s royal intervention, some of the professors were on the fence on matters connected to the well-being of the university in spite of our effort to forge the cause of unity amongst them. There is no gainsaying the fact that Prof. Oshodin’s landmark achievements in the university of Benin are second to none in the university’s history. The primary objective of our intervention is to solicit your fatherly support for the overall development of the University vis-a-vis the deepening of oneness amongst Benin academics, so that Prof. Oshodin does not become the last Benin VC in the next ten years as anti-Benin elements have decreed. A disunited people cannot prosecute any meaningful struggle to its logical conclusion; hence we are appealing that our brothers and sisters are made united more than ever to launch and succeed in the task ahead. We pray that Your Majesty decree that any Benin that will gang up against Prof. Oshodin or Binis in position of authority forthwith becomes an enemy of the land.”

Meanwhile, some persons alleged that the protest by the women was masterminded by the authorities of the university, an allegation the authorities described as mischief and an attempt to distort the facts. The university recalled that part of the reasons adduced by the women for embarking on the protest was to request that another Benin son succeeds Oshodin and not that they sought for the elongation of the tenure of the VC. “We watch some panellists on TV insinuating that the VC, who has performed creditably well, is seeking for elongation through the women,” the university said in a statement. “That is not only false but wicked because everybody including the Vice Chancellor knows that the tenure of VCs now is five years and there is nothing like elongation.

Besides, the women who protested are not members of the university community and it will wrong to insinuate that the protest was masterminded by the VC. As stakeholders, they have a right to demand and protest any issue and that has nothing to do with the university. Several people have protested in the state on several occasions and we wonder how the protest by market women is being traced to the VC who just returned from a medical trip. We want to remind those mischief makers that the glorious tenure of Prof.Oshodin will end November 2014 and there are no plans for any extension.

Rather than embark on mischief, we urge these prophets of doom and their sponsors to repent before they will be consumed by the fire of the Holy Ghost.”

‘I am walking after risky surgery’ Continued from page 28 thing done. It really made me feel helpless and all I could was to leave it in the hand of God. “I personally know it was stressful for him. I remember when he got out of hospital, there was a time he looked scary and like a ghost. All of a sudden, he lost weight and, due to his peculiar SS case, apart from losing blood, he became so white, so sickly and moreover his was the first case of his kind to have undergone the procedure.”

Landmark surgery In Nigeria, doctors had been apprehensive in performing total hip replacement because the patient was very young. But the doctors at Apollo Hospital took the risk. The hospital discovered that due to the sickle cell disease, Ayo had developed Avascular Necrosis, AVN, of the femoral head of both hips, with secondary arthritis in the right hip.

Neither Hakeem nor Gbolabo could bear to be separated from their son. So in June 2014, they both accompanied him to the Apollo Hospitals in India for the procedure. On July 15, Vaishya,

a professor of orthopaedics who had examined the patient and approved total hip replacement surgery, carried out the procedure.

Leading the surgery team, Vaishya, observed: “Total hip replacement was done using uncemented joint components with ceramic bearings and large diameter head. A special care was taken to prevent sickle cell crisis during peri-operative period, by providing adequate hydration and oxygenation to the patient. The intraoperative and postoperative period was uneventful.”

Moving ahead yo is currently undergo ing physiotherapy and mental support. He has been given six months after which he can walk unaided. He’s taking his drugs at regular intervals and doesn’t need to go back to India or require any specialist.

Several weeks after his landmark surgery, Ayo proudly told Sunday Vanguard that he was moving ahead in life. “I’m about gaining admission into the university. I wish to study IT

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security. In the world today, there are so many cyber theories just like Edward Snowden and Microsoft which went around the world but could not recruit enough IT specialists. So, I intend to make myself relevant.”

Following the procedure in Apollo, he confirmed that he could make some movement which he was unable to do before.

“Just two weeks after the procedure, I could raise my leg to a certain angle from the foot to the knee and up to the hips. It was much better and I do exercises with much strength.

Emotionally, I thank God this has been taken care of and, finally, maybe I will be accepted more by my peers because, before the surgery, I was limping and some kids will call me “Fela” (in reference to the late Afrobeat King Fela Anikulapo Kuti after his encounter with soldiers who threw him out of his burning residence in the late 1970s)”, he stated.

“This was pre-surgical occurrence and it made me miss classes and lessons at school. I wasn’t coping well in school and this led to the dislocation after

which I started limping and required to start using crutches. I felt a little bit unsure while in school and among my friends.

“I remember at a time, I was on crutches but later stopped.

During that time, some friends got my food for me and if I wasn’t in school, they helped me copy lesson notes and later explained the topics to me. The school authority was aware of my situation and I was a day student.”

Ayo, an ardent cricket player, said he copes by just swinging the ball. “I couldn’t run fast and sometimes it’s always like ‘Ayo run faster, faster! You can do this”. All I could get was one point with the bat, I couldn’t run to back and forth and sometimes I hit the ball so hard and would probably get a six.”

Ayo hopes to continue his studies at the University of Dubai. The preoperative pain of hip arthritis is gone after the surgery and now Ayo has started taking his first pain free steps after a long time. Ayo is, confident and raring to take life head on without any pain and disability in the hip.

Lessons Ayo’s travails were just an eye opener, his mother remaked. “All my life that I have known about sickle cell, I never knew it causes hip/shoulder/elbow dislocation and, am sure there are people who have that but are not privileged to be aware of a solution or probably they don’t have the financial means to do it. If not because he (father) went on the internet and probably because we are more enlightened to know and ask doctors, there are people who don’t have the opportunity that he (Ayo) has and their parents will just leave them crippled or put on the wheel chair not knowing there is even hope or there is something they can do about it. That’s the major lesson I learnt because I never knew until it happened to him when he was in JSS 1 going to JSS2 and I asked myself, ‘ which one is this ‘again?’ The usual thing I knew was crisis and malaria which are usually prone to infection.”

In another four months, Ayo should be able to throw away the crutches and walk unaided as he prepares for life in the university.

PAGE 30, SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

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PAGE 32 —SUNDAY, Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

Deluxe treat as Odogun Okphure’s daughter weds

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The new couple, Mr and Mrs Donatus Okpakpo with both parents; Mr and Mrs Daniel Okpakpo Okoro, groom's parents and Chief and Chief (Mrs.) Sonny Odogun Okphure, bride's parents.

t was a big day in the lives of the families of Chief Sunny Odogun Okphure and Mr Daniel Okpakpo Okoro when their children, Enoho and Donatus tied the cord of love between them.

The couple, before their families and friends, made their matrimonial vows at Amazing Grace Pentecostal Church, Palmgrove, Lagos before the reception where their union was blissfully celebrated.

Photos by Shola Oyelese

The newly-wed, Mr and Mrs Donatus Okpakpo

Daughter of ex-CBN chief joined in holy wedlock

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r Dominus Ojero, a retired Deputy Director of the Central Bank of Nigeria, recently gave out his beautiful daughter, Maria, a staff of Fidelity Bank, in marriage to Barrister Uche Menkiti at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Gbaja, Surulere, Lagos. The wedding was a celebration of Isoko and Igbo cultures. The bride hails from Ivori in Isoko South LGA, Delta State, while the groom is from Onitsha, Anambra State.

L-R: Mr Thomson Tene, Mr Peter Arigbe and Mr T T Tene .

L-R: Mr Apollo Oseragbate; Chief Lucky Akhigbe and wife, Chioma.

L-R: Mrs Grace Eyitemi Emesan, Mrs Omobika Akitikori and Mrs Patience Omorhirhi

L-R: Mr Folorunso Omosa, Sir Nurudeen Ohwavborua, Mrs Ogho Jafor and Prof E Ben .

The newly-wed, Barr. and Mrs Uche Menkiti.

At the 20 1 4 Nigeria 201 Media Nit e Out A wards Nite Aw

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th he 8 edition of Nigeria Media Nite Out Awards 2014, held at Time Square Event Centre, Ikeja, Lagos and it was a celebration of professionalism, creativity and hardwork. One of the awardees of the night was Kehinde Gbadamosi of Vanguard who won the Photojournalist of the Year award. Photos by Kehinde Gbadamosi

The couple flanked by the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dominus Ojero.

L-R:Hon Mike Ogwahsa, Hon Talib Tebite and Hon Tim Owhofere, all members, Delta State House of Assembly.

L-R; Hon Tim Owhofere, Chief Fred Mejemite, SA to Delta State SSG and Hon Solomon Ighakpata C M Y K

From Left;Mr Eze Anaba,Deputy Editor, Vanguard,Mr Kehinde Gbadamosi, winner of Photo Journalist of the Year by Nigeria Media Nite Out Award 2014 ,And Mr Fred Udueme, AGM, Brands,Vanguard .

Sponsors of the wedding, Mr and Mrs Francis Ewherido.

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SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 33

MY STER Y OF THE PREGNANT POPE MYSTER STERY

New film reopens one of Vatican’s most enduring wounds OR centuries, the Roman Catholic

Church has tried to bury her story.

But of all the legends suppressed by the Vatican over the years, this is one that refuses to go away. Now, a new film has brought to life the story of the only female pope - and it is being shown this week in cinemas cheek by jowl with the Vatican.

And there are plans to bring it to Britain.

For a church that still treats women as second-class citizens, it is a source of considerable embarrassment and will once again raise the question of whether Pope Joan, as she is called in medieval chronicles, really did exist.

The Vatican claims that she was a mythical figure used by early Protestants to discredit and embarrass Rome.

But the film - which stars John Goodman from Roseanne, David Wenham, last seen with Nicole Kidman in Australia, West End regular Iain Glen and, in the title role, German actress Johanna Wokalek - is billed as ‘a true story’.

And it is a pretty extraordinary story: a woman of devout faith disguises herself as a man to become a priest and is then elected pope.

Only when she gives birth in the street while in a procession in full papal regalia is her true identity revealed - after which, inevitably, she meets a grisly end. What is more, the legend has it that she was English.

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Catholics have long been told there has only been one English pope - Adrian IV in the 1150s. But according to many medieval chronicles, John Anglicus - John the English - reigned from AD855 for two years, seven months and four days before the astonishing revelation that he was, in fact, a she called Joan.

Many of the medieval Books Of Popes, the principal source for the history of the papacy during the Dark Ages, record the tale of a young girl born of English missionary parents.

Raised in Germany at Fulda - the final resting place of St Boniface, who had travelled there from his native Devon to convert pagans - it is said she was clever and spent all her time in the libraries Boniface had established.

They stoned the treacherous mother and child to death When she was 12, she was told she could not continue her studies alongside the boys in her class, but had to marry and have children.

She refused and, donning a monk’s cowl and ankle-length tunic to pass herself off as a man, ran away in the company of what some chroniclers say was her teacher, others her lover.

They headed for Greece, a centre of learning, and Joan is said to have impressed all of Athens with her learning. By the 840s, she set off again - for Rome.

It was there that she caught the eye of Pope Leo IV, best remembered for building the defensive Leonine walls that still surround

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BY PETER STANFORD

The chroniclers who recorded Joan as fact include some of the most distinguished medieval figures, including bishops, archbishops and papal chamberlains

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part of the Vatican. Believing, like everyone else, that she was a man, he promoted her to his inner circle and, as he lay dying, recommended her as his successor.

Popes at that time were often elected by popular acclaim of Roman citizens and, thanks to Leo’s patronage, Joan got the nod.

By all accounts, she was a virtuous ruler, powerful orator and even found time to compose church music. Her downfall came when she became pregnant and ended up giving birth in a papal procession.

Some accounts say that a bishop in her entourage - possibly the father of her child -

tried to convince the horrified crowds that this was an act of God, who had the power to allow men to have babies.

But the Romans were wilier than that and - depending on which chronicler you read in their outrage they stoned the treacherous mother and her child to death, or tied her to the legs of a horse to be dragged through the streets of the city until she was dead.

A minority of writers say she was treated with a crumb of Christian forgiveness and in traditional fashion - was locked away in a convent with her child.

The identity of the child’s father is disputed. A few chroniclers point the finger at the papal librarian Anastasius, who retains a place in church history as an anti-pope who tried to seize the papal throne by force around this time.

Whoever the father was, Pope Joan is a wonderful story and as irresistible for writers and film-makers today as it has been down the ages.

Lawrence Durrell wrote a novel about her, Caryl Churchill featured her in a play, Top Girls, and Scandinavian screen siren Liv Ullmann starred in a 1972 film about her.

But the question is: can the story be true?

The straight answer is that it is impossible to say.

The chroniclers who recorded Joan as fact include some of the most distinguished medieval figures, including bishops, archbishops and papal chamberlains.

None delighted in the tale, but recorded it in the interests of accuracy. But they were not eyewitnesses, and were writing 200 to 300 years after the event. A fatal flaw? Well, yes and no, for many of the popes of the Dark Ages who are accepted by the Church have left no other historical record than these chronicles.

What causes Catholicism to accept these shadowy figures as real but dismiss Joan as a tall tale is the fact she was a woman.

And if she never existed, how do you explain three curiosities of Roman life that survive her? First, there is the small wayside shrine or edicola in a back street between the Colosseum and the basilica of St John Lateran that for centuries has been treated by visitors as marking the spot where Joan infamously gave birth.

The Vatican in the 17th century rebranded it with a statue of Our Lady, but it continues to draw those curious about the woman pope. And then there are the eight incongruous designs at the base of the great baldacchino, or altar cover, in the centre of St Peter’s.

The Vatican’s denials only fuel the rumours. Seven show a woman’s face, topped by a papal crown, in various stages of agony. The final one replaces the woman’s face with a baby’s. Below the face is a swollen belly and below that folds of skin that contract to create the impression of giving birth.

Are these, as most experts suggest, just a bit of mischief by the 17th-century sculptor Bernini? Or does their presence, decorating an altar that by tradition is used only by the Pope, suggest that Joan’s legend is not so distant from the heart of Catholicism?

Finally, there is the peculiar pierced chair in the Vatican Museum. A host of medieval travellers record its use in the election ceremony for popes. Before an appointment could be confirmed, the candidate had to sit in the chair, which has a large key-shaped hole cut in its seat. The youngest deacon present would kneel down and reach up and under the chair through the hole to check its occupant was a man.

Why else would the Church employ what is popularly known as the ‘ball-feeling chair’ if Joan had never existed?

This latest film version of the story, La Papessa, is based on a novel by the U.S. novelist Donna Woolfolk Cross that sold well in Germany. It has had a chequered history, with Madonna, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett and Minnie Driver all having been linked with the project.

The Catholic Church has in the past been quick to condemn films that show it in a bad light - including Angels And Demons, The Da Vinci Code and The Last Temptation Of Christ. However, history has taught the Vatican that when it comes to the legend of Pope Joan, the more it denies the story, the more intrigued people become.

So far, L’Osservatore Romano, the official Vatican mouthpiece, has remained silent about this latest sighting of the English woman who has been haunting it for nigh on a millennium.

*Peter Stanford’s account of the Pope Joan legend, The She-Pope, is published in paperback by Arrow.

PAGE 34—SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

1966 COUP

Ironsi rejected our nominee to replace slain Prime Minister Balewa – Mbazulike Amaechi, First Republic Minister

BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

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Your name has its own place in the history of this country, but, for quite some time, you have been out of the scene. First and foremost, from what background are you coming from?

I am coming from the public background that, aside being an Igbo leader, I was Nigeria’s first Minister of Aviation. When I became minister, I inherited the West African Airways Corporation which included Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone.

When Ghana got independence, they decided to form their own airline.

Therefore the West African Airways Corporation was dissolved and so we started with C M Y K

*Chief Mbazulike Amaechi Nigeria Airways.

At that time, Nigeria Airways had three aircraft: ADC and Boeing.

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, during his second time as president, said he left about 28 aircraft in the fleet of Nigeria Airways in 1979, but that on his second coming in 1999, he met nothing in the fleet….

By the time I left the Aviation Ministry in 1966, I had increased the fleet from three to 18 aircraft including about 10 intercontinental big-body planes. We were then having flights to virtually all the countries across the world including Washington in the US and Europe. And built the Nigerian College of Aviation, Zaria where we trained pilots.

But it must be stated here that the military did havoc to the aviation industry in this country because they sold off those aircraft and even the hanger we built alongside planes spare parts worth billions of dollars. I heard they have even sold the Airways building now.

Your time and now, what is your description of situation of things and what lessons do we stand to learn?

How can I describe the situation? Even though you were not born during our days

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igeria’s first Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi lives in Nnewi, Anambra State. In an encounter with Sunday Vanguard, he spoke on the Nigeria of his days as minister and how, despite the resolve of his colleagues in the Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa-led cabinet to continue the First Republic following the assassination of the Prime Minister, the military, led by General G.T.Y. Aguiyi-Ironsi, sacked the democratic process. Amaechi, the Chairman, Reparation Committee of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, blamed the problems of Nigeria on the first coup and proffered the way out, hanging his hope on outcome of the 2015 general elections. He doubted that subjecting the resolutions of the just concluded National Conference to the endorsement of the National Assembly would bring solution. Excerpts:

It later happened that we heard that the Prime Minister had been killed and so we elected Inua Wada to act as Prime Minister. That is what the arrangement was, really, until the military decided to forcefully take over

in government, don’t you see that what we have now is not a country? This is not a country where people can live to survive. This country is a place ruled by criminals, thieves and people who believe in plundering, looting; from the executive to the legislature and the judiciary.

Have you seen anywhere in the world where they have the situation that we are facing now in this country?

That is what, precisely, the military gave to this country!

Because what you see now is a surrogate of the military madness.

So, people like me, who offered their lives and fought for the independence of this country, went to prison in and

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out for the freedom of this country and, when we got the independence, the people said, ‘You nationalists who fought for this thing should go and run it’. And we were just trying to give that patriotic, nationalistic leadership to the country when the unpatriotic military people struck. They started with stealing in government until the whole wealth of the country was plundered.

During our time there was no oil. Our economy was grown through our strength. We had groundnut in the North, palm produce in theEast, cocoa in the West and rubber in the Mid- West. It was with all these that we, in the regions, set out to develop this country and actually made it a great

one. We started industries gradually and were moving up when the unfortunate military intervention occurred and committed the highest of treason against the country.

Instead of these people sent to life imprisonment, they are still ruling the country directly and indirectly.

Some people still believe General Aguiyi Ironsi was blameable for the collapse of the First Republic as, despite the assassination of your boss, the Prime Minister, Sir Tafawa Balewa, you had one of you picked to be sworn in as Prime Minister but that Ironsi instead went ahead to say the cabinet had asked him to take over.

When the first coup happened and the Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, disappeared, there was confusion. It later happened that we heard that the Prime Minister had been killed and so we elected Inua Wada to act as Prime Minister.

That is what the arrangement was, really, until the military decided to forcefully take over. The military took over and appointed Ironsi. We did not hand over willingly to Ironsi.

We wanted the government to Continues on page 35

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 35

continue with Inua Wada as Prime Minister.

The situation in the country now, what is the way out?

I don’t know if the people in authority now have the competence, the capability, the wisdom, the knowledge to run the country. But let us see what the 2015 elections will bring because this country is dangerously heading towards the precipice.

Even with the National Conference just concluded, is there no hope in sight that the country can be salvaged?

Well, there is hope in sight.

But the other big problem is Boko Haram overrunning the Nigerian Army, taking over their barracks, bombing their locations and formations and hoisting their flags as if they are an independent state within the country.

Worse still is that they are doing this and the military is not able to do anything. It is sad!

Still on the National Conference, what is your fear?

For the president to send the report of the National Conference to the National Assembly, they won’t bring anything out from there. They will not endorse it and the thing might even create crisis in the National Assembly. All classes of people from the country have successfully come together to brainstorm and do something, instead of sending it to a plebiscite, you are sending it to the National Assembly. The people who can correct them to say, ‘No, we don’t want what you have done’ or ‘yes, we love the way you have put these things together’ are Nigerians.

But to send the decision of that wide body to a smaller body like the National Assembly, which does not want to be rejuvenized, who do not want the cake they have been sharing to be taken away from them, will be the end of the road for such a brilliant job done by the National Conference. And the president will not be wise enough to do a thing like that.

I mean, I do hope he will not do such thing.

Chief Richard Akinjide, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, Alhaji Shehu Shagari who later rose to become the president of the Federal Republic, just to mention a few, were your contemporaries.

They were.

Your time, some people are saying, was the last time we had genuine democracy in Nigeria. Going by your own rating of that time, was it the kind of democracy of your dream as founding fathers of Nigeria. If so, why then did the military strike?

The military that struck in C M Y K

the First Republic did not do so out of patriotism. When you hear about the five majors and why they struck, let me keep the records straight by saying they did not strike because there was any defect in the democratic setting of the time that was beyond being managed. They only came to carry out a criminal treasonable action.

In democracy, you talk about election.

There could be error or inadequacy in the electoral process but the point is, the only way of running a democracy is through election.

That is what we were doing.

You said democracy was all about election and that it was what you were doing even though the military cut short the dispensation.

However, when that is juxtaposed with today when everybody is crying for free and fair eection towards rediscovery of Nigerian national integrity and citizens’ good, what is your fatherly advice as one of the few surviving founding fathers of independent Nigeria?

If Nigeria has looked forward to free and fair election and are Nigerians electing their leaders freely and fairly? If elections could be influenced by sharing money, bags of rice and dresses and it is on that note that votes are given willingly by the people that supposedly should use their votes wisely, can that election be said to be free and fair? If elections are conducted where voters are intimidated; where election campaigners are neither free nor have level playing ground, can there be free and fair election coming out of that process?

Are Nigerians themselves ready to ensure that election is free and fair and that their votes, cast reasonably, count?

In Egypt (during the election that produced Mohammed Morsi), an election was held, there was an attempt to manipulate the process but the people stood their ground and said, ‘No, we are not going to allow that to happen.’ And so it was. In the old Ondo State in 1983, Adekunle Ajasin won the governorship election but Akin Omoboriowo was declared elected and the people said, ‘No! We did not elect Omoboriowo and we will not allow him to be sworn in.’

And Omoboriowo was never sworn in. Ajasin, the people’s choice, was sworn in. This is how it is done in all the countries that have succeeded democratically.

But today, Nigerian voters have become docile because the economy is so bad that people are so poor and so they are desperate to live.

Therefore, anybody who is offered a little amount of money sells his conscience and sells his vote in order to survive because of poverty.

*Amaechi ... military did not strike out of patriotism

`Why National Conference report should not go to the National Assembly’

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Continued from page 34

All classes of people from the country have successfully come together to brainstorm and do something, instead of sending it to a plebiscite, you are sending it to the National Assembly

People are very poor. The middle class has been destroyed while some people are stupendously rich while the masses are miserably poor.

Don’t you think Nigerian party system should carry the blame for why democracy has not worked in this country? I mean for somebody to contest for primary, he has to buy form to indicate his intention as an aspirant, which is in the range of N500, 000 ; N2 million; even N10 million depending on the office being sought. After the primary, he still has to spend money to face his opponent in the main election. So, after winning election, he still has to sit down to remve the capital of his investment before now facing the business of government. Don’t you think it is high time money is

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removed from party politics if truly Nigeria and Nigerians are sincerely speaking desirous of workable democracy?

If somebody could spend N1 billion to contest for a position where he will end up legally to earn about six million naira, what do you think he is going to do?

He is going to steal?

You got it! People want to go into position to hold the key to the treasury of a state or country to loot. That is what is happening. Our legislative bodies that should monitor these things are more corrupt than the executive side of the system. And the judiciary people, seeing what is happening there now, are opening their own ways to steal. So, the whole place is a

decaying body.

Nigeria is a decaying body; it is rotten. Somebody wants to be governor of a state, not with the intention to serve because in four years’ time you find him being richer than the state itself. The states don’t even produce any revenue. What they do is wait for federal allocation at the end of the month and share.

Local governments are the same thing. At the end of the month, when they get the allocation, they come to sit for three or four days and you find that the local governments are not working!

In the state, it is one-man affair. In many states, commissioners are appointed but they don’t work. They don’t have any initiative of their own. And you find the governors calling themselves executive governors. It is so bad people spend money and even kill to get hold of that power and this is so because that is the easy way to get stupendously rich without work.

But is there any difference between ‘governor’ and ‘executive governor’?

The Constitution of the Republic says there shall be a ‘governor’ for a state. It never said there shall be ‘executive governor’ or ‘administrative governor’. Governor is simply governor but Nigerians like titles.

PAGE 36 — SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

want more friends for the government. We are satisfied with the progress so far, but we are doubling our efforts because time is not on our side.

How much of synergy do we have between your office, the Presidency and the PDP?

2015: The danger signals from the opposition — Prof. Alkali, Political Adviser to the President

•‘Jonathan is sellable ’ •Speaks on the gains of National Conference

By HENRY UMORU

H

ow has it been having served as the Nation al Publicity Secretary of the PDP and now working directly with Mr President as his Special Adviser, Political Matters?

As you rightly observed, this is a different assignment and I believe that Mr President gave me the assignment based on trust. Since I took over in June, I have been spending my time to understand the work and I am pleased to let you know that we have made appreciable progress.

The challenge of 2015 is a challenge for all Nigerians.

Each and every one of us has a role to play. The president has done his best and, from what you can see, at the moment, we have over 8,000 groups all calling on Mr President to step forward for the presidential election in 2015.

Some of the things we did C M Y K

Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali, a political scientist from Gombe State, is the immediate past National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Political Matters. Alkali, in this interview, speaks his mind on his new office, support groups for Jonathan ahead of 2015, the opposition parties and the 2014 National Conference, among other issues. since I came in are, we want to understand these groups, know them, who they are, what they are doing, how they are doing what they are doing, who is behind them. And for this reason, we set up a committee to go to all the zones in the country and give them forms which we just produced and circulated free of charge so that we can get a proper documentation of the groups. And I want to tell you that even by my own initial skepticism about the level of commitment of

some of the groups, I feel what they have done is overwhelming. I really want to commend t h e m .

We are now working on the details of analyzing the information provided by the groups.

This will help us in knowing how to interface with them as we prepare for 2015.

You also know that we invented the GSG (Goodluck Support Group), an organisation that served as the umbrella for all the groups. It was a group that was formed in 2010, in the run

up to the 2011 elections. I said this sometime ago that most of the groups have remained solidly on the ground and new ones have also emerged. But the GSG has also undergone some changes; and we have a feeling that if we are to face the challenge of 2015 squarely, definitely we need to do some house cleaning. And we are happy that the committee we set up to look at the structure and organisation of GSG has done a marvellous job.

We have also set up other committees for various purposes. For strategic reasons we will keep the details to ourselves.

We will also be reaching to stakeholders both within and outside government, those within and outside the party, to create good will for the office and to sustain them for a long term.

Our clarion call has been that we want more friends for Mr President and we want more friends for the PDP and we

Everything is going on well. There is no problem because I am a messenger, I am doing my own and I believe the party is also doing its own. After all, the overall duty is to make the work much easier for the president, as he faces the challenges of governance of a country as huge as Nigeria, as complex as Nigeria. Other organs of the political system, whether formal or informal, whether governmental or party, subsidiary groups, all are to play their roles.

The Presidency is already working with the party chieftains. If you recall, when the Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, was appointed, I was among the first people to congratulate him, and to assist him to succeed. To me it is an achievement and we are lucky also that things have stabilized now. And with the way things are going, I believe we will be able to face 2015 much stronger.

You said over 8,000 groups so far are rooting for the president. What is the response of Nigerians in the Diaspora as it applies to Mr President and 2015?

Some people just came all the way from the US to let us know that they are also following the events in this country and they are happy with the progress, but they feel more can be done especially in terms information management. It does appear that those persons who are not happy with PDP, they are always ready to do anything, to go all the way to say all kinds of things against the party, not only on the open media, but on the social media. They (people from the US) feel they can also make contributions to support this president. In the past two or three weeks also, here, we have received a number of visitors, they have been in the US, who have also canvassed a lot of support for President Jonathan. And then we are in touch with our friends in Europe especially in Britain.

For now, you are the major marketer of Mr President ahead of 2015. What are you putting on board, on the table for Nigerians to say that yes, Mr President is the one?

The selling point of Mr President remains he himself, his effort to change the face of Nigeria, in other words what we call transformation. Looking at the sectors of the economy in this country, there are a many things that Mr President has done, but we Nigerians take them for granted and we will be reeling them out very soon, so that those who are in doubt will clear their eyes and see these things as facts of life.We believe that he has made a difference in a number of areas in this country and some of

Continues on page 37

SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 37

2015: `Jonathan is sellable’ Continued from page 36 these differences are very profound in the areas of education, energy, health care, transportation, even the media. There was a time there was a lot of crying over the signing or not signing of the freedom of information bill. Now it has come to pass, but people have forgotten that he was the one who signed it. The reform in the electoral system was also very strong, very profound; these things are taken for granted.

You are witnesses to what happened recently. There was an election in Ekiti State, which the PDP won decisively and the opposition honourably accepted defeat for the first time in the history of politics in Nigeria. You also saw Osun State election although we lost out.

But initially those who are used to turning things continued their trait of being bad losers.

But now when they won, they kept quiet. These are major issues that we take for granted, but they are here. Even in the energy sector where people often make a lot of criticism, the transformation taking place in the system is also very much evident. But the effect of all these things will take time to go down, but surely the journey has started.

Ahead of the 2015 presidential election, are you in any way disturbed that there is a

are much wiser, now we are now seeing things much clearer in the sense that if you are in an opposition and you have been fighting PDP, but as you are fighting PDP, you are also desperate to take away some of its members into your fold, it means there is something good in the PDP. For example, the APC is willing to accommodate five governors who came from the PDP and they are now celebrating together, dancing together, it then means there is something good in the PDP. If they can have 37 House of Representative members and celebrate them as victory for them, without going through general elections, then you know PDP has something. Even I can tell you about 10 senators, and privatized them, then you know that there is something good in PDP, otherwise they wouldn’t bother to go through all these.

But you should also understand that if it was the PDP that took away five governors from APC, 37 members from the House of Representatives, 10 or 11 senators, the party would have collapsed. But the PDP did not collapse because the

Looking at the sectors of the economy in this country, there are a many things that Mr President has done, but we Nigerians take them for granted and we will be reeling them out very soon

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strong opposition?

Well, yes and no. Yes because whenever you are facing an election, you are bound to anticipate a lot of things. Remember, apart from the election of Mr President, you also have to contend with the issue of our National Assembly members; you also have to be worried about the governors; you also have to be worried about the House of Assembly members; and you have to go down to the level of the chairmen of local government and councillors.

Whenever you have general elections, everything is open, so it means that you have to be vigilant so that you don’t take things for granted. But what I can say now is that Nigerians

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party is very strong, nationwide; it is exceptionally well s t r u c t u r e d .

In fact, already the party has been regaining its position.

Ekiti is back and even Adamawa is gearing up. The stakeholders in Adamawa have corrected their anomaly. So, along the line, I think we will, perhaps, not disintegrate after 2015.

You said the PDP must be vigilant. In what area?

The price of freedom is internal vigilance, we cannot afford to assume that because we are strong, we can become complacent, we cannot. We have every reason and every duty to ensure that we continue reaching out to our members every-

*Alkali ... Jonathan’s selling point remains himself where they are, mobilizing them, ensuring that we also gain some marriages in our membership drive. In politics it is never over until it is over.

So I believe the leadership and membership of our party are conscious that when you have an opposition, they pose a threat to take over from you, you have to be very mindful of what you do and what you say.

But Nigerians are much wiser; we can see beyond the smoke screen, we can see what is on the ground.

Beyond the fact that the opposition can see something good in the PDP and even came to collect it, own it, we also have reason to say that the PDP has done much better if you compare the states where PDP is in charge with some of the states where the opposition parties are in charge. So virtually all the zones in the country, you will see that wherever you see an oasis of progress, you will see a PDP flag there.

Are you also optimistic that the PDP will win more states as often said by the leadership of the party?

I am very much hopeful on that. Definitely we will go beyond where we are. Some of these states, if you take a good look at them, are basically PDP states in the first place. But some of them, if it was either because of these decamping that you have seen or maybe because of some other factors, we lost the states and then, along the line, things began to

go one kind.

If you look at the number for example of senators from Anambra State, at least two of them are PDP members. If you take a look at the House of Representatives members, about ten out of them are from PDP. If you look at the House of Assembly, until recently, PDP was having over 80 or so members.

Some decided to run away. So who says Anambra is not a PDP state but Anambra is controlled

by APGA; we have so many states like that where PDP is very strong and only waiting for us to come and claim victory.

You are the political adviser to Mr President. What time have you advised him that is convenient for him to formally declare for 2015?

I am sure you do not want me to answer that question. You are also a politician, I believe, somehow.

What is your take on the recently concluded Justice Idris Kutigi-led 2014 National Conference? What does Nigeria, President Jonathan stand to benefit from the exercise?

Maybe two lessons we have learnt from that. And they are interconnected. When the conference was convened, it apparently started in turmoil so to say. Defining their rules, knowing their rules, defending their agenda, selecting their leaders, organizing their thoughts, everything was heading to some sort of chaos and doomsday prophets were

waiting to celebrate that this country was heading for the rocks. But by the time Mr President went to close the conference, you could hear the sound of jubilation, you could see the excitement; you could see in the delegates faces that they were happy; one, that they were nominated to serve in this capacity. Two, they had the opportunity in a four-month period to brainstorm virtually over every sensitive issues concerning this country and, finally, for concluding the assignment of this conference.Two things are important to say on this. One, that the chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi, swore that, throughout, from the beginning to the end of the conference, Mr President never interfered in the affairs of the conference.

Two, the chairman confirmed that all their decisions were done on consensus. A lot of people misunderstand the concept of consensus in politics. In fact, some people feel that consensus is not good politics. They say it is only when you vote, then that is when it is politics.

But consensus is a form of voting. In fact, it is even more profound because it is easier to vote on issues for a minority to appear on one side, for the majority to appear on one side and then for the position of the majority to prevail. And then maybe, for the minority to be decided that or defeated and accept their defeat.

PAGE 38—SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014 sameyoboka@yahoo.com

Obembe tasks youths on integrity

08023145567 (sms only)

Nothing wrong with clerics going into politics, says Okafor

By OLAYINKA LATONA

Y

OUTHS of El-shaddai Bible Church will not forget in a jiffy last weekend as they engrossed themselves in a series of spiritual exercise and several interactive talks, seminars ranging from entre-preneurial development and explosive talk show aimed at preparing the youth for leadership..

Appreciating the church youth pastor and the youths in general, General Overseer of the church, Bishop Olanrewaju Obembe advised them to uphold integrity and allow the fear of God to guide their daily activities, noting that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

The bishop also called on Christians, especially youths, to shun inordinate ambition to make wealth and other forms of materialism that can affect their relationship with God. The clergyman charged Christians to imbibe the virtues of discipline, selfcontrol and perseverance in the service of God. Addressing the youth on issues of love, relationship, dating and marriage, the anchor of Sharing life issues, Dr. Yolanda George-David, advised them to desist from all forms of iniquities explaining that such can make them lose their virtues eventually.

Dr. Yolanda further warned against fornication, indecent dressing, bad characters, urging them to hold on to God notwithstanding challenges or obstacles they might face in life.

She said they should not only be church goers but obey God’s commandments.

To the couples, Yolanda said marriage is meant for submitting wives and loving husbands, calling on men to treat their wives as queens and stand up to their responsibilities at home as heads of their families.

She explained that most marriages have problem because the men do not maintain their position as the decision makers in the home.

The marriage counsellor also maintained that only a forgiving heart has a wonderful marriage.

In her words: “Most men loose their birthright the moment they leave their responsibilities unattended to.

It is wrong for a man to stay at home doing nothing while the wife is going out in the morning looking for how to keep the family. Such a man will loose both his wife and children’s respect. Wives also should be submissive, be a virtuous woman who is a blessing to those around her”.

From one of the suburbs of Lagos State, Senior Pastor of Liberation City, Ojodu, Dr. Christian Okafor's spiritual voice resonates. In the face of the prevailing challenges in the country, his views on various issues were sort and he bared his mind to CYNTHIA ALO. Excerpts; Were there early signs in your life that showed you will play the role you are playing now?

Yes! I started prophesying at the age of eight. I was born in Benin City. There were some circumstances. Before I was born my mother had only one boy, my late elder brother. The rest were girls, about three girls to four ahead of me. To my father, it was like woman, you didn’t come here to give birth to only girls, I am going to get another wife. This was a source of concern to my mother, and she prayed and eventually she became pregnant and when the pregnancy was about two months old, a lot of prophets and prophetesses told her that she was going to have a baby boy and he shall be a servant of God and God will use him greatly and he shall be known all over the world. She bought a portrait of Jesus which she was placing on her womb.

Eventually when she gave birth to me, she called me by the Igbo name, the light of God and the English name Christian.

What is the main thrust of your service to GOD? I function in all the fivefold ministries. I was born a prophet, but as my work and relationship with God progresses, He gave other gifts to me.

Is the concept of casting out demons is real?

Oh! It has never been more real more than it is now. You know, the Bible says though we dwell in the flesh but we do not war by the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal; they are mighty through God; to the pulling down of stronghold. What this implies is that it is the spiritual that controls the physical and the spiritual is more real. So, talking about casting out demons, talking about miracles, we generalised it. So when we see these things happen, we can only know it's God, Jesus cast out demons, Jesus raised the dead, Jesus did mighty miracles and he said we are going to do greater things than HIM. Do you have any regret so far as a man of GOD?

What is your stand on the issue of tithe?

Tithe still remains the standard of God. I tithe. So, it is not like teaching people what I am not doing. It is not by force. I am a tither per excellence, I tithe till tomorrow.

How do you respond when peope talk of the proliferation of churches....

Well, as far as I am concerned, we need more churches. Look at it from this angle, we have very powerful, prayerful churches and evil is till raging; what if there were no churches, you can imagine what would have happened to our country Nigeria. You know that very soon, all these insurgency and other challenges we are going through will be a thing of the past. We should be praying for Nigeria.

Nigeria should pray towards 2015 because I see the Nigerian flag with blood stain and torn into two. Nigeria might not remain one except we pray.

*Dr. Christian Okafor No regret! There is no mission that God gives to you that you will not have one challenge or the other. Even the lions have challenges, because he is the king of the jungle.

The lion too has the flies to

and also in the church I am also their spiritual father and we know when to draw the line.

What is your advice to your fellow men of God? Well, this is the end time and

Nigeria should pray towards 2015 because I see the Nigerian flag with blood stain and torn into two...

Nigeria might not remain one except we pray

wave off. God has been faithful, we cannot regret.

How do you combine your ministrations with your role as a family man?

Both roles are synonymous because I am the senior pastor of Liberation Ministry. I am their father and in my family, I am the father. That makes it easy. The only difference is that, in my family, I am biologically their father and also spiritual head because the Bible says the man is the head

Satan is militating against the Church through different platforms. The only thing they should do is to live in peace and pray together and accommodate one another because a house divided against itself shall not stand.

That is why I shudder when other men of God criticize other men of God. What I tell people is that I was not called into ministry to judge anybody.

God will judge. So, it is not in the hand of anybody to judge anybody, let God judge.

Do you think government is paying much attention to the spiritual role men of God are playing in the country?

It depends on the people the government relates with. I know any nation that will prosper should also work with the spiritual authority because the Bible says in Isaiah 8, the government shall be upon our shoulder. The government it is talking about here is the spiritual government and every time the Church prospers, every time the country prospers it was because of the Church.

So, the government needs the Church as never before. They need to work closely with the Church not just by name but those that are really gifted and anointed in such area.

How do you see involveent of men of God in politics?

As far as I am concerned, there is nothing wrong with men of God going into politics.

After all, people who are not men of God have been involved and nothing changed. So, if it will take a man of God to change it, the Bible says when the righteous is on the throne, the people rejoice. If we have credible men of God who can rule, why not.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014---PAGE 39

A

Nightmares are real and they often betray our weak spiritual conditions. They indicate that we need to be better nourished with the word of God, and walk accordingly. Thus, David plea-bargains with God: “O LORD, do not rebuke me in your wrath, nor chasten me in your hot displeasure! For your arrows pierce me deeply, and your hand presses me down.”

(Psalm 38:1-2).

This does not mean it is God himself who literally presses us down on the bed. But he allows the enemy to do this in order to alert us of the need for repentance and to pay more attention to spiritual matters. One thing is certain, no one presses down on us when we are on fire for the Lord. If they dare, they will get burnt.

In effect, nightmares are clarion calls to spiritual revival. They tell us: “Wake up, wake up, O Zion! Clothe yourselves with strength. Put on your beautiful clothes, O holy city of Jerusalem, for unclean and godless people will no longer enter your gates.”

(Isaiah 52:1).

Open vision There was a recurring nightmare I had been having ever since I was a little child. This continued for the better part of 30 years. I would wake up in the middle of the night and discover that someone, some

touch me. I have Jesus.” Then I started laughing hysterically. I had suddenly discovered practically the power in the name of Jesus for the very first time.

SEEING GOD-GIVEN VISIONS (2) invisible person, was pressing me down on the bed. I would struggle, but no matter how hard I fought, I would not be able to overcome him.

Initially, I was afraid he would someday choke me to death. But later, I realised it was simply oppressive and not life-threatening; so I stopped struggling. After a while, my adversary would leave me alone, but only to revisit me again and again.

Then one day, after I had just met the Lord as a repentant believer at the age of 41, he attacked me again.

I was reading a spiritual book far into the night. So as not to disturb my wife, I was in the spare bedroom. Much later, I switched off the bedside lamp and dozed off. I could not have slept for more than 10 or 15 minutes, when I heard someone open the door. I opened my eyes to see who it was and was shocked.

The person who opened my door was a demon.

At the time, I did not believe demons exist. As far as I was concerned, the devil himself was one big joke. I used to make fun of my Christian colleagues at work. They attributed all kinds of things to the devil, which I deemed nonsensical. But then there I was, on my bed in my flat. I was not asleep and I was not dreaming. My eyes were wide open. Somebody physically opened my door. He did not pass through the wall. And

,

nightmare occurs when an invisible person presses us down on the bed while we are sleeping. Literally, it means someone rides us like a mare at night. According to European myth and legend, a nightmare is a demon or evil spirit that harasses and suffocates people in their sleep.

Somebody physically opened my door. And when I looked to see who it was, I discovered it was a demon

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when I looked to see who it was, I discovered it was a demon.

Scent of a demon How did I know it was a demon? Everything about it was exactly how I had been led to believe a demon would look like. If I could put my finger on it, I would say it bore a striking resemblance to Darth Vader of the Star Wars films.

It was tall; the head practically touched the lintel of the door. It was all black, with a head but without a face or eyes. It was covered in what seemed to be shredded rags.

And, wait for it; it had an acrid body odour, reminiscent of rotten eggs.

Does a spirit smell? Don’t ask me because I don’t know.

One thing I know; the one I saw did. Does a spirit have to open a door to enter a room?

I have absolutely no idea. But the one I saw opened the door.

Indeed, it was in his opening of the door that I was awakened. Can you see a spirit in an open vision with your naked eyes? I don’t know. What I know is that I did.

The demon I saw had no legs. It seemed to glide on hidden wheels. I was mesmerised on my bed as I watched it coming towards me. I was so scared; I couldn’t even move my lips. It came slowly until it got to my bedside table. Then it started to shrink in height gradually until it disappeared completely into the floor. Once it disappeared, I noticed a familiar scene. Somebody started pressing me down on the bed.

Then I decided to cry for help.

Our strong tower The first mistake I made was in trying to form a complete sentence. Instead of just shouting “Jesus,” I tried to say “in the name of Jesus.”

But I discovered that something or someone was also impeding my tongue. By the time I struggled to get through “in the name,” I found I could not continue.

The second mistake I made was to start all over again instead of continuing from where I had been stopped.

But this time I succeeded. On getting to “in the name of Je..,” I heard a loud whoosh, and for the very first time, my oppressor quickly released me and literally ran away.

I became momentarily crazy on my bed. I started shouting. I started boasting, even though I was addressing someone invisible: “You can’t do me anything. You can’t

It was like boasting because you now have a fearsome bodyguard. Or you discovered that your brother is the new world heavyweight-boxing champion of the world, so nobody dares threaten you again in the school-yard.

Spirit of prophecy The prophecy of Joel finds fulfilment in all true disciples of Jesus, just as it did in those in the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost: “It shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.” (Acts 2:17).

When this happens, we are sometimes privileged to get glimpses into the realms of the spirit. This gives us better understanding of some things happening to us in the physical. The in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit situates the battle of Armageddon in our hearts.

It is a battle for supremacy between the forces of darkness and the forces of light. In this battle, a great deal depends on our spiritual fervency. The more attention we pay to spiritual matters; the better we prevail.

In any case, we have a mighty weapon that makes demons fear and tremble. That mighty weapon is the name of Jesus. Solomon says: “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10).

Osun election: We did not collect money from government — PFN

T

HE Osun State Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Rev. Olasunmbo Ige has said the state branch of the Fellowship did not collect any money from government of the state for the purpose of the last gubernatorial election in the state.

He made the declaration at a meeting of all the chapters of the body in the South West geo-political zone; which held in Oshogbo, Osun State on Monday.

Ige, who had earlier delivered a message at the meeting, urging members of the body to return to the message of the second coming of Christ said; “We thank God that the election has come and gone.

“We want to categorically state that we did not collect money from the Osun State government because we

don’t joke with our integrity.

We are committed to the message of the Cross and we will not allow anybody to drag our name in the mud.”

The meeting, which had in attendance about 50 delegates from across states in the South West discussed issues concerning the body and how it could be relevant to nation building.

The national vice chairman South West PFN, Bishop Reuben Oke enjoined members of the PFN to come together and work towards the progress of the country and indeed the Church.

Oke noted that the PFN cannot make any impact if there is disunity among members, noting that the success of the Church lies in the co-operation of all members of the body.

He said: “Our strength lies in the unity of purpose and co-operation among

ourselves. We cannot overemphasise the unity of the body.”

He noted that the year 2015 is a crucial year for the country.

“We are in a strategic period in the history of our country. This is the time for us to close ranks and come together with a heart of oneness. This is the time for us to build our nation and work towards the progress of the church and Nigerians in general” The chairman of the Lagos chapter, Bishop Sola Ore who also spoke at the meeting, urged the leadership of the PFN to begin to focus on grassroots pastors whom, he noted, have been very active in the PFN. “There is a need to begin to look at how the PFN can be a blessing to churches that are small and growing

so that they will be encouraged to continue to participate in the activities of the body.

"Many members of the

PFN want to know how the Fellowship will be a blessing to them. That is what we should be working on in the years to come,” he said.

Akweda assures Ethiope East of full representation

A

Delta State House of As sembly aspirant under the platform of Labour Party, LP, in Ethiope East State constituency, Barr. Ransome Oghenenyerovwo Akweda, has assured the people of the area of his preparedness to give the local government full representation.

Akweda who gave this assurance while speaking to newsmen, said that he decided to run for the position in order to bring government closer to his people and to ensure that his people at the grass root enjoy dividends of democracy.

On his choice of Labour Party to run for the Delta State House

of Assembly election, Akweda pointed out that he was a member of Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, before they moved to Labour Party and that he had no other intention to contest in any other political party apart from the party his leader Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru belong.

While calling on the people of Ethiope East to support his aspiration for the Delta State House of Assembly, Akweda explained that as a grassroot politician who had worked for the party since 1999 till date, he would deliver democracy dividends if given the ticket to represent the party in the Delta State House of Assembly in 2015.

PAGE 40—SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014 japhdave@yahoo.com 08066625505

90% of people in Nollywood have no biz being there — Dudun, filmmaker INTERVIEW

H

e was there in 1992 when ‘Living in Bondage’, the first movie that brought about the industry now christened Nollywood, was made. Although not as a crew member or cast, Joe Dudun one of Nigeria’s proficient filmakers became writer of many TV drama such as Ripples and film scripts; ‘Nneka the Pretty Serpent’ and ‘Oracle’, which contributed to the metamorphosis the industry underwent.

If there is one filmmaker who is unsatisfied with operations and quality of films being churnned out by producers, it is Dudun. He believes that 90% of practitioners in Nollywood have neither the education nor artistic talent to aid the development of Nollywood and therefore, have no biz being there.

Dudun relived memories of his transition from journalism to scripwriting, filmaking and now, to a totally different genre- poetry, at the Association of Movie Producers (AMP) secretariat last week.

He began first as a journalist reporting the arts and received N25,000 per annum as pay. Not finding satisfaction with journalism, he took what he called a bold step into the world of scriptwriting not knowing whether he would get things right. He experimented with contributions to Ripples' TV script.

After successfully scripting a couple of episodes for veteran movie producer, Zeb Ejiro’s Ripples, Dudun hit the jack pot with his first major script, ‘Nneka the Pretty Serpent’. N100,000 way back in 1992 was indeed an amazing reward.

As the industry grew, the movie maker left no stone unturned while ensuring that he remained on top of his game. He added a Masters degree in English to his first degree and that gave him an edge over his colleagues with regard to intellectual depth in screen writing. He believes that practitioners must get education, learn new trends in filmaking and quality marketing strategies to earn their dues.

He however, expressed disappointment that the boom

in the industry opened doors for mediocres who see Nollywood as only a means to make money. This ugly development necessitated another movement causing a navigation into the world of poetry.

Already, the move has birthed, ‘Waiting for Sanity’.

Just like he carved a niche for himself by writing or making movies that speak to issues of national interest with a view to making a change, Dudun entered into Poetry with no less objective.

‘Waiting for Sanity’, the author said, “Is a collection of poems that talks about Nigeria. Basically, I’m trying to look at all the confusion in the country from independence till date. We have challenges of leadership and Nigeria is in

,

By PRISCA SAM-DURU

the right people in the right places, Nigeria will step up in global ranking.

“We’re trying to identify those with a trace of leader-

We have challenges of leadership and Nigeria is in this situation because we’ve hard rulers not leaders. We are waiting for people who will take us to the promise land

this situation because we’ve hard rulers not leaders. We are waiting for people who will take us to the promise land.”

Inspired by events and some people that have shaped the polity, Dudun believed that no matter how bad things have turned, there is hope and with

,

ship to help Nigeria take off on its journey to nationhood. My perspective is that we’re waiting for sanity so we can arrive at our journey’s end.”

Waiting for Sanity is divided into three parts. The first part is ‘Inspired’, and gives premium to inspiration from God

for the poetic outpouring.

“Inspired was written while I was on a flight from Lagos to Abuja. During that flight, I felt relieved from all the troubles in Nigeria.”

It also covers subject of cultural background with folktales and also deals with a call to duty to do the needful. 'Place' is part two and deals with the many places he’d been. Part three is 'Waiting', waiting for the desired sanity that transforms the polity into a most desirable entity.

The collection covers areas of national life, politics, economy, child abuse, corruption, disre-

gard for national dignity and recently, Boko Haram.

Outstanding individuals honoured with poems in Waiting for Sanity which the author explained, will inspire others to rise and do good to lift society, included; Former governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, footballer, Kanu Nwankwo, Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, Barrack Obama, late Mrs. Alaire Alaibe and Sullivan Chime of Enugu State .

While he risks being labelled a mere praise singer, Dudun explained that artistic merits of poems must first be considered stressing that he saw nothing wrong with commending individuals who have made the nation proud.

Splendid creative writing workshop for young talent ends

By PRISCA SAM-DURU WORKSHOP

A

t the just concluded Creative Writing Workshop organised by Splendid Literature and Culture Foundation (SLCF), President of Women Writers of Nigeria, Mrs Mobolaji Adenubi, declared that Nigeria has abundant young writers who should be mentored to win awards.

Mrs Adenubi who is also the founder of SLCF, a creative nonprofit organisation noted that “We encourage young people to think imaginatively, and help them develop how to think, not what to think. Older writers have more opportunities to sharpen their writing craft; hence this writing workshop is primarily for younger writers”.

The event which took place at the King’s College, Lagos, featured Thirty budding writers between ages 11 and 21.

Mrs Adenubi led five other facilitators to teach the Mechanics of Writing. She taught participants literary terms, such as “plotting”,

•Participants at the workshop “character development”, “description” and “points of view”, among others. Other facilitators were,”Femi Morgan, Adebola Rayo, Dami Ajayi, Ndidi Chiazor-Enenmor, Temitayo Olofinlua Amogunla and Oyindamola Olofinlua.

Adebola Rayo, taught ‘My Manu-

script and I’. During her session, a question that continued to ring true was, “Now that you’re done writing a manuscript, what next?” Rayo shared with participants how to become better writers, how to know whether their manuscripts is indeed ready, and other useful information on how to get their works out.

SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 41 japhdave@yahoo.com 08066625505

By UDUMA KALU INTERVIEW

A

s writers gather in Owerri, Imo state for this Association of Nigerian authors (ANA) Imo convention, the chairman of the group, Mr. Chidozie Chukwubuike explains their plans and pains in hosting the annual confab.

EXCERPTS The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Imo State chapter, is planning a convention soon. As chairman of the association, could you tell us what this convention is all about?

The convention is an annual retreat of writers to deliberate on literature and other related issues. It is enshrined in the national constitution of the association. The state branches of the association are supposed to hold conventions in their different states between August and September of every year to prepare and equip them for the national convention which usually comes up between October and November every year. Here in Imo we are not hosting a National convention but we are planning a state convention of international magnitude because we intend to use it to reposition Imo as the nerve centre of creative writing in Nigeria. The theme of the convention is Contemporary Nigerian Poetry: the poet and speaking truth to power.

When exactly is the convention coming up, and what programmes have you lined up to make the event worthwhile? What should participants expect?

The convention is scheduled to hold on the 8 and 9 September, 2014.

We strategically chose that date to

By CHRIS ONUOHA REVIEW

W

hen you ask any young unmarried lady the kind of man she want to marry, “Uhmm... my dream man should be tall, not too tall, handsome, caring, generous, well to do, romantic and above all, God fearing. Yes God fearing!

Life is a drama full of intrigues, but life itself could only be understood when, in a state of labyrinth, yield in to faith which unfolds the true reality of ones desired intent.

Many are the worries of man, far above are the expectations of man, but beneath lies the precious emerald that needs little dig to uplift. In a nutshell, life can only be understood backwards, but must be lived forward.

Ebi Akpeti in her new book God Has a Sense of Humour tries to bring out the unusual travail of young women, both married and unmarried in a collection of short stories genre that tends to give insight of what love and relationship

•Chidozie Chukwubuike

The problem with hosting Imo writers confab — ANA boss coincide with the World Literacy Day. It begins with a Gala Night on the evening of 8 September and continues the following day (9 September) with an opening ceremony to be performed by the Executive Governor, Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha. We shall have a Key-note Lecture and Lead paper presentations by

some of Nigeria’s renowned academics. We shall announce the winners of the 2014 ANA Imo Literary Contest and prizes will be given out to them. The association shall also give out awards to deserving citizens for their contribution towards the development of literature and humanity in Nigeria; such

people as Professor Chudi Uwazuruike, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, Senator Christy ND Anyanwu, Hon. Chief Jerry Alagbaoso, Chief Charles Robin Njoku, Dr. Eddie Iroh, etc. There shall be a public presentation of OGELE, an ANA Imo Anthology of Creative Writing. Before I forget, let me tell you that on

the morning of 8 September we have scheduled a reading campaign, with school children, which shall feature carnival, reading contest, and creative writing workshop. The reading campaign is supported by Yusuf Ali. My dear, in all, participants are to expect a fun filled convention interspersed with artistic and

God Has a Sense of Humour: Ebi Akpeti’s Romantic Sermon should be. It is an incisive counselling nugget for women and men alike who often times, get confused in courtship and marriage issues despite huge counselling done by parents and marriage counsellors.

Ebi’s book is a compelling funny but true-life stories garnered from her life experience and interaction with female friends who somehow inspired her urge to create this sermon-like piece that meant to admonish the yet to marry couples on how to uphold and be well equipped with better information on what to expect and how to overcome.

The 118 pages book published by Authorhouse, Uk, 2014, made of acid-free paper is the fourth publication

by Ebi Akpeti’s Christian literature series. It’s billed to hit bookshops this Septem-

ber.

God Has a Sense of Humour as the title goes is a seven chaptered book that treated these delicate issues with a humorous sense of understanding. The first chapter, ‘A Prison with a Golden Gate’ give us the insight of how ladies in marriage ordinarily threw their men to other women out of sheer negligence and understanding. Remi, in a fun filled romantic marriage with Akin felt she has arrived whence; she has secured the man of her dream. A natural beauty that had everything she desired in marriage including children suddenly turns a care-free sit-in housewife with little or no attention to domestic decency and romance. Her deteriorated personal hygiene and lack of romance pushed her once car-

God Has A Sense of Humour by Ebi Akpeti, Published by Authorhouse, UK, 118 Pages, 2014.

ing husband to divert attention to another lover close by. Out of suspicion, she trailed her husband to his lover ’s place one day and instead of causing an ugly scene with such a big catch, surprisingly, she was cheapened by her husband’s twist revelation of what she had become of late.

As reasons caught hold of her, she worked on herself and was eventually amazed when Akin came begging for her forgiveness.

The need for remorse and apologies is very essential in family conflicts and that’s what Ebi Akpeti preached in this book, to educate couples that recalcitrant approach to issues of life can never be a solution. These stories are for both men and women put in a counselling style and when adhered, will inspire and make every minute of your day fulfilling.

PAGE 42—SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

T

he people started taking vantage posi tions as early as 7am for an event slated for 3pm that luminous Saturday. They came in droves.

Some emerged through footpaths traversing the Sahel forests; others alighted from exotic limousines, decorated buses and cars while many others, including women and children, trooped into the arena by foot but in ecstasy.

As the crowd surged forward, drumming, singing and dancing in acrobatic styles, they stopped at one spot, which served as the point of convergence and began to dissolve into a larger crowd. It was a beauty to behold. Straddling the vast arid land is a monument of pride lying there majestically as if it was transported from above and planted there by superior craftsmen and builders.

On the long stretch of the road measuring about four kilometers, security men, drawn from the army, police, DSS and NSCDC and local vigilance groups, were having a hectic time controlling the number of human and vehicular traffic to the place. Despite the scorching sun, many pushed and shoved on all in a bid to see for themselves the event of the moment and the man, who made it possible. The Sultan of Sokoto, Oba of Lagos, Emir of Kano, Suleja, Katalgum, first class emirs drawn from the five emirates of Jigawa State and many other prominent traditional and religious leaders from the North-west were there in large numbers. On the political side, the Chief Servant of Niger State, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, joined his host, Governor Sule Lamido, at the venue to see things for himself. In the end, a cocktail of religion, culture and politics was woven together and served the attendees on a platter and they savoured it with glee.

The day was Saturday, September 6, 2014 and the venue was the newly completed N13 billion Dutse International Airport, Jigawa State, which Lamido completed in13 months, setting a new record in project execution in Nigeria and carving a niche for himself in a country where major projects are not only delayed for decades but are often abandoned.

Vice President Namadi Sambo was at the new airport to formally inaugurate flights for this year s pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. And it was done in style for obvious reasons. Although such event was not new in Nigeria, the use of the Dutse International Airport for the ceremony meant something more for the governor and his people: History was actually made that day, as the first plane capable of ferrying hundreds of

The metal bird lands in Jigawa

passengers landed and took off from the new facility. Sambo, who ordinarily would have been the cynosure of attention for that day, did not say much and did not appear to be in the mood to make political statements that bright afternoon but did not fail to commend Lamido all the same for putting up the structure. After his speech, he flagged off the pilgrimage for the year and took off but none of the people was ready to depart the airport.

They were waiting for the climax of the day: the airlifting of pilgrims for the first time from Dutse. It was clear that most of the natives, who thronged the airport, had never

departing aircraft was parked. It was difficult to control the people, who were waving, shoving and trying to touch and shake hands with Lamido for the 1many good things he has done for us .

It was clear to the governor s aides that there was nothing they could do to stop the people from reaching Lamido and they obliged the people. They rolled on the governor, praised him and rendered more songs for him in Hausa eulogizing him for taking away their shame and giving them a new lease of life.

In responding to the people, Lamido said that he had not done anything new to warrant the commendation as he was merely discharging the normative functions he was elected to render to the people. He said that he had chosen to quietly work for the people, having known the problems that had been militating against the progress and advancement of the state in the past.

*UP: Lamido flanked by his guests. DOWN: Pilgrims boarding aircraft at the new airport

Then came the high point of the day: Max Air big bird finally lifted off with the first batch of the 530 men and women from the state at 5:38 pm seen an aircraft just as majority of them had never gone close to an airport in their lifetime until that bright afternoon. For that reason, as the Max Air big bird touched down at the DIA at 2:30 pm, the excited natives almost pushed through the barbed wire into the tarmac to touch the plane and feel it.

The dignitaries were happy with the monumental strides recorded

by Lamido.

Although it was a spiritual event meant to airlift pilgrims to the holy

land, some tinge of politics was added to it. Interestingly, it was the leader of Muslims in Nigeria, the Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar 111, who set the ball rolling by describing Lamido s performance in glowing terms and eliciting a standing ovation in the process.

The religious leader described the governor as a pride to the people of his state, having surrendered himself as a servant to the people and not as a ruler as some politicians in the country were doing.

The Sultan s proclamation enamored Governor Aliyu, who did not only give Lamido a pat on the back by also encouraged him to go for higher responsibilities at the end of his tenure.

We are really proud of the achievements of Governor Lamido, who is clearly the most experienced governor in Nigeria today, Aliyu said, adding, ‘I am happy you have done very well and everybody is happy with you.

This is what we call sense of equity. Our party, the PDP, is happy with what you have done and it is my hope that you will seek higher responsibilities after your tenure of office .

Ovation rocked the arena. Fanfare roared and many began to move in the direction of the governor and did obeisance to him.

With the speeches over, the event moved to the tarmac where the symbolic first pilgrim flight was to be set off and the crowd followed the governor and the other dignitaries to the apron, where the

The governor said he had to embark on the building of the airport so as to open the state to the outside world and attract investments opportunities for the state and its people. He thanked the Federal Government for choosing his state for the flag off of the 2014 pilgrimage and said that he would continue to support the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria to do better in airlifting Nigerian pilgrims to the Holy Land.

Then came the high point of the day: Max Air big bird finally lifted off with the first batch of the 530 men and women from the state at 5:38 pm. As the plane took off, the governor waved in happiness that his effort in building the airport had ultimately culminated in the ferrying of the first ever set of pilgrims from Dutse. But as he began to smile, and seeing the mammoth pushing to touch him, he was overwhelmed with joy and he began to shed tears of joy.

Some attempted to lift him on their shoulders and showcase as a hero, who had just achieved a feat, nut were prevented by security men. Soon, the plane fizzled out of the horizon and the crowd began to return home. But there was a snag as neither Lamido nor any of the natives could easily find their way out of the jam-packed airport. As a result, they snarled for the next one hour to get out of the new edifice, which has come to add beauty and pride to the state that was once a barren land.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 43

BY WOLE MOSADOMI

A

lhaji Hamidu Kadi-Kuta was appointed

Head of Service, Niger State about three months ago. He was Chief of Protocol during the immediate past administration.

He also served as Permanent Secretary in some ministries.

In this interview, the Head of Service bares his mind on his appointment, challenges and his vision for the state civil service.

Recently, you were appointed as the Head of Service in Niger State.

How did you receive the appointment? Did you envisage it?

To be honest, I didn’t expect it.

You may not rate me among the super ambitious individuals. I went through the service and put in my best. Anywhere I found myself, I did my best and I never looked beyond my nose in terms of progression. I leave that to God and those who see me perform. I never imagined that I will become the Head of Service one day. For the Permanent Secretary position, I may have prayed and I got it. That I was sure, but Head of Service, I never ever thought of it and I will tell you why. In Niger State until now, that position, you don’t even know how to place it.

Is it a regular career civil service routine post or was it a political position. If you look back, you will see the office as political as far as I am concerned, so when my name was announced as the new Head of Service, I was lost because up till the last minute when my name was called, I was not sure.

How many years to go in the civil service?

I still have 4-5 years to go.

How have you been coping with the new office?

I see the position as an enhanced position to perform better with almost the same routine I have been used to. It is almost the same job a Permanent Secretary will be doing and I have been doing this because I have been there before. I was in that office for nearly five years as Permanent Secretary, Management Service and most of the things I am handling now were based on the circular I issued that time. So I find it easy. One thing with administration is that if you are dispassionate about it, you are not personal or emotional, you have no problem.

Everybody will come with his own issue and you treat it on merit.

My concern is the long standing inactivity of the civil service.

Despite the huge resources invested in the system, we are far away from where we are going.

Not one third of the population of the civil service actually appreciates or understands the concept of the 3:2020 project of the Chief Servant aimed at placing the state as the third best economy in the country by the year 2020. Even some of the Permanent Secretaries don’t have that flair for the future. So all the training we are doing is to now bring them out of the pit because we are getting too far behind compared to other states. In terms of qualifications, I see a lot coming in. I have seen so much training going on but the implementation or application for the overall interest of the system is what is lacking.

Are you insinuating that those certificates are fake or not le-

In Niger, the dead draw salaries — SSG

Alhaji Hamidu Kadi-Kuta gally acquired?

I don’t think so because the schools, the institutions have been sensitized. The system has a way of rejecting fake certificates and I will tell you how we do it. Before you leave for training, there are processes you have to follow. We have a policy and you go within that training policy, i.e., training manual. Once you are in school, you identify with the Department of Establishment that you are o training and the course you are going for has been identified already and the institution you are going is also understood and so you cannot then come back with a certificate either before you end the course because, after the course, you are to defend what you have acquired and we also find out whether your certificates is

After coming back from those courses, are civil servants subjected to examinations to qualify them for promotion and those who don’t live up to expectation, you do away with them or is there any law in the pipeline to flush out those who cannot make it?

Civil Service laws are already there. You cannot attempt an examination more than three times on the same position and remain in service.

Until this administration, promotions were supposed to be mass.

Whether there is vacancy or you are qualified to be there, people just fill the gap, but now, it is not so. You cannot just move en-mass because, one, there must be vacancy and you must have qualified and you must satisfy the conditions laid down for the next grade. We also introduced retreat which is to sit for lectures, sit for examination

Not one third of the population of the civil service actually appreciates or understands the concept of the 3:2020 project of the Chief Servant aimed at placing the state as the third best economy in the country by the year 2020 genuine or not.

We are not talking about the certificate here but the productivity of civil servants after attending courses because it is being said that some of the top civil servants cannot even raise a simple *MEMO. That is what I was saying earlier that one third of the civil servants don’t understand the import of the entire thing. That is the truth and, worse still, the directorate cadre, as we have it now, should be the driver of the civil service, but I can assure you that we still have a long way to go with the top cadre. Indeed, we have a lot of work to do.

and pass or fail; if you pass, you are elevated, if you fail, you are demoted to your previous grade.

This actually costs money especially to conduct promotion exams for all cadres; so what we are planning for now is in-house retreat for the promotion of those concerned and the state Civil Service Commission is capable of doing this beautifully.

How do you differentiate politics from civil service because there are a lot of politicians still serving?

That’s right, but, you see, politicians come from two directions.

We have civil servants who opt to

serve at political level and they are allowed by the rule of the game.

One can easily go in, serve politically and come back. The only thing is that you must apply to be absent on leave for the period of serving. The law allows it even to carry party cards but the only thing is that you cannot contest without retiring or resigning from your post.

What is the numerical strength of the civil servants now and what is the exact requirement of the state?

The numerical strength of civil servants in the state now is put at thirty thousand but the ultimate number of the civil service is determinable by the quality of the population and not by fiat. If you give me the option, I will say it shouldn’t be like that. Let us see, first, how are they, where do they belong and how qualified are they?

We are not going for number but quality of service. For instance now, we have up to 40-50% that we can say are round pegs in round holes and this is not good enough.

And the state government cannot weed out the unproductive civil servants?

We can weed. Why not but the implications are vast. If you weed, what will they be doing in the community? It will then amount to robbing Peter and paying Paul. As far as I am concerned in this state, there is no any other source of employment except the civil service.

Though government is not a welfare organization, it spends more money on paying salaries and other allowances than the development of the state. What is helping us out is the good initiative of the Chief Servant, Dr. Mua’zu Babangida Aliyu, in the introduction of Public Partnership Project (PPP).

Another problem we are facing is that people just don’t want to leave the service. There are people known to have changed their dates of employment and other relevant information in the past simply because they don’t want to leave and they go on changing every time. Some even carry the CVs of their children looking for job in the same system. You know I have been there and I know what I am talking about. They don’t want to leave and they are asking government to take their children again.

They should leave the positions for their children to take over.

One of the problems confronting most of these workers and why they don’t want to leave is the world of unknown especially how to get their pension and their gratuity after disengaging.

I don’t think so. In 2007 when the Chief Servant came in, that time coincided with the new pension scheme; so in Niger State, we are already 4-5years into that implementation. This is the first time in Niger that government dedicates fund every month for the payment of pension and gratuity.

I can also assure you that 60% of civil servants in this state are on the new pension scheme. Only 20% that will soon retire are on the old scheme, so I don’t think it is the fear. What is the fear is that most of the civil servants don’t have an idea of what to do

after service, i.e., post retirement programmes. Most of them don’t think of anything. In fact, most of them see their final package, i.e., gratuity as what to expend on what they want to do which is risky. It is really suicidal because n o matter what they give you when you retire and you have no plans while in service, you are finished.

You don’t have the skill to do business, you don’t have the acumen, you have the society to take care of, you have politics playing around you because another temptation is that the moment a civil servant gets out there, some of them go into politics and the money is gone, and the civil servant will be lost.

Are you then planning to organize a pre-retirement seminar for your people to get them prepared?

That is what we are doing now.

That is the new style because since the assumption of office of the Chief Servant, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, he has always emphasized the need to renew our curriculum in schools to introduce skill and technology. ‘Go there and be self-reliant; when you finish school, you don’t need to come out and be looking for government jobs’, but it is only those who have between 10-15years to serve that can pick up that kind of skill, those who have less than 2years to go, what would they do? The work force now is about 40% of those to retire in the next five years.

We should also remember that in the past administrations, there had not been employment until when the present administration took over. The Chief Servant when he took over looked at some critical service areas and he has allowed it. In other words, what we are dealing mostly with in the civil service are old and retiring public officers who have lost interest in the civil service and who don’t have any skill at all and who you cannot sell the idea to. These are some of the challenges we are facing in post-retirement life.

Ghost workers have always been a problem at local, state and even federal levels; what is the situation like in the state?

That is another challenge which I can also refer to as a disaster and it all goes down to that life outside there. What do I do when I get out there and so let me acquire and acquire by all means?; so ghost workers exist, but serious efforts have been made to flush a lot of them out of service. In fact, as I speak with you, about four thousand have been identified and flushed out. However, we have realized that we have to review the style of flushing out. We go out and tell them to present their credentials to prove that they are civil servants, but still, some of them don’t come thereby making it difficult to identify and catch them. We discovered in the exercise that one person has four to five different accounts collecting money from government. These are people supposed to undergo serious punishments. They will not only lose their jobs, they will also be prosecuted.

About how may many have been caught in that category.

Oh! Plenty. Why I cannot tell you the figure is because the firm handling the exercise is still on and I don’t want to pre-empt their report because they are almost finishing. Meanwhile, those caught are already listed and we know who they are. The first step is to deny them access to funds; they don’t even know what is happening to them now and they are going round lobbying and begging.

PAGE 44 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

BY WOLE MOSADOMI

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lms are for the poor who are confined in the way of Allah-they cannot go about in the land; the ignorant man thinks them to be rich on account of (their) abstaining (from begging; you cannot recognize them by their mark; they do not beg from men importunately; whatever good thing you spend, surely Allah knows” - Q 2:273.

Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) also says- “It is better for any one of you to get a rope, go behind the hill, collect firewood, put it in his back and sell it so that Allah (S.W.T.) will cover his secrets with the proceeds of that firewood.

This is certainly more beneficial for him than begging from people, whether they give him something or not.”

For many years now, the menace of begging involving mostly children in the name of ALMAJIRI has taken over towns and cities especially in the North.

The menace has its negative consequences and implications for human and educational development in the region.

While many Muslims including religious clerics say it is against Islam, some embrace and encourage it.

However, in Niger State, Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu has taken a bold step to eradicate the menace.

While trying to do this, the governor has also provided the opportunity for the growth and *Child-beggars ... Time to quit streets maturing of a functional integration of the traditional quranic schools into the conventional western oriented school system.

Our correspondent learnt that a committee set up by Aliyu and headed by first civilian governor of the state who is now the Emir of Suleja, Malam Muhammad Awwal Ibrahim, for the integration of quranic schools with western education school system had for long submitted its report to the governor with a white paper produced by the immediate past Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ibrahim Sule committee directing that the Ibrahim report be implemented.

Some months ago, another 13-member committee was set up by the state governor to propose a policy framework to ban Almajiris is just an aspect of discourage them from going Having identified the categobegging in Niger. The the assignment, but addressto beg on the streets and ries of beggars to be tackled, committee has the immediate ing the issue which led to that for the disabled, they the state government is to past Commissioner for Almajirinci which are to be exposed to training implement the strategy. An Information, now Commisactually is poverty is another. and rehabilitated. implementation outfit to be sioner for Agriculture, These Almajiris are on the According to him, however, known as Niger State UniverProfessor Muhammed Kuta streets not sal Integrated Quranic Yahaya, as chairman and the Education and Social RehaHead of Service, Alhaji bilitation Commission is to be Hamidu Kadi-Kuta, as He said they had an agreement established to co-ordinate the secretary. policy on begging and the The committee was said to with all the sects in the state that harmonization of existing have made contacts with the way Almajiri is practised is policies such as the integraImams of Jumat mosques in tion of Quranic and western the state, religious groups, not in tune with the teachings of proprietors/malams of quranic education, as well as the process of teaching and schools, Christian Association Prophet Mohammed learning the Quran and of Nigeria (CAN) and several handling all matters related other stakeholders. to the palliative measures to So far, six categories of while these steps are being because they want to go cushion the effects of the ban beggars have been identified taken, those concerned, begging but because they on begging in the state. including the Almajiris and by the committee: the destihave something missing in their malams have an option Secretary of the committee, tute, the physically chaltheir lives and the real source to key into the programme or Kadi-Kuta, in an interview, lenged, settled beggars, is from parents with regards fall out. said government has acceptstreet wanderers (Almajiris), to poverty. Government idea “The state government is not ed most of the recommendadeceptive beggars and is to address the source of the by this step driving anybody tions. political vanguards. problem, get to the root and out of the state and so, He said they had an agreeBetween 2009 and now, there address it accordingly,” the nobody should insinuate that ment with all the sects in the have been a rapid rise in the HOS said. the Chief Servant is trying to state that the way Almajiri is population of Almajiris in He pointed out that one of inflict some pains on the practised is not in tune with the major steps taken is to Niger, according to governlearning and teaching of the teaching of Prophet put in place some cushions ment records.

Islam at all.

Mohammed. that will relief the pains of the In 2009, there were about What Dr. Babangida Aliyu is He said Islam does not dislodgement of the Almajiris 586,521 Almajiris in about trying to do is not only to permit the type of Almajiri and part of the programme is 8,210 quranic schools in the eradicate the menace but also currently practised, saying to ensure state. In Minna alone, our end up by providing the government had analysed the that the schools harbouring correspondent gathered that opportunity for the growth implications of the committhem are identified and their there are 34 quranic/Islamiya and nurturing of a functional tee’s recommendations in needs met. schools with a population of integration of the traditional terms of funding and practiHe said an understanding about 5,338 Almajiris and quranic schools into the cal implementation. has been reached with 90% of them involved in conventional western orient“To start with, we are admalams so that the Almajiris begging. ed school system”. dressing the issue from two would be fed in the schools perspectives. Dislodging where they are so as to WHAT NEXT?

Red card for Almajiris in Niger IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY About N400m is needed to implement the recommendations of the committee and that is as a short term measure.

Kadi-Kuta said the state government intends to go into partnership with the Federal Government over the Almajiri schools built in the state and that SUBEB had taken over some schools, completed and furnished them to make them habitable.

Already, he stated that the state House of Assembly has passed the law on begging on the streets, saying however that the governor put on hold the implementation until the basic items are in place.

Kuta disclosed that the palliative steps adopted by government will be put in place before red card is issued to all the six categories of beggars identified and they include direct feeding of Almajiris in their schools, construction of classroom blocks in each of the 34 quranic schools in Minna, absorption of malams/ alarammas into the teaching staff of the schools and payment of allowances and certification of the m llalams on modern management of their schools as private schools.

SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 45

Enugu: Shylock in-laws (2)

BY TONY EDIKE

Last week we published the first part of this special report(Abia, Ebonyi and Anambra) on the prohibitive cost of getting married in Igboland.

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arriage in Enugu State, like in any part of the South East, is something many young men dread because of the enormous financial burden involved in quitting bachelorhood.

The situation is usually compounded by shylock inlaws who place high bride price on their daughters as a way of recouping from their in-laws the resources expended in training the daughters either in tertiary institutions or vocations.

This is more prevalent in a situation where the suitor is from outside Igbo land as would-be in-laws would regard him as someone who has come to take their daughter to some distance from where she could not be of assistance to her family.

Some young men in Enugu, who spoke on the issue, were of the opinion that the difficulty in financing marriage was the major reason many Igbo men marry C M Y K

late, lamenting that some inlaws still regard marriage as an avenue to punish their inlaws for declaring interest in their daughters.

However, some of them believe that those who were lucky to meet good in-laws usually have fewer hurdles to cross.

Mr. Emeka Ugorji, 45, who is yet to pick a life partner, said he had been nursing the ambition to pick a wife from a community in Imo State but he

my father and mother in-laws would put on during the ceremony. Besides, I was given six different lists of items I will procure for the various groups in their family which runs into hundreds of thousands of naira. Hence, I asked her to look elsewhere for marriage as I was not ready to buy those things,” he said.

Ugorji, who has already commenced a fresh search for an alternative, possibly from

Only a stupid and wicked inlaw will allow his family to impose unnecessary levies on his son in-law was discouraged when his fiancée consulted her parents and was told that he (the suitor) would send her siblings to school in addition to purchasing clothes for all members of the family ahead of the marriage ceremony.

“I was really shocked when my fiancée went home to tell her parents of my desire to take her as my wife. She was told that I must be ready to bear the cost of training her siblings in school and that before the traditional marriage I must procure all the clothes the family members including

Enugu State where the requirements are seen to be affordable, said that he was not ready to “buy a wife”, explaining that any son inlaw that was made to pass through hell to pick his wife would definitely have a sour relationship with his in-laws in the future.

Also speaking, a lady of about 40 years, who is yet to be married in Enugu, told Sunday Vanguard that she would have been hooked before now but for the insistence of her parents that the suitor must be capable of

assisting the family financially.

She said that many men are actually afraid of stepping into marriage because of the heavy burden and difficult conditions usually given by in-laws, adding that this was responsible for her remaining as a spinster since she graduated from the university over 10 years ago.

Some parents, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that only shylock in-laws would insist that suitors should spend a fortune to finance the marriage of their daughters.

“Only a stupid and wicked in-law will allow his family to impose unnecessary levies on his son in-law. There are cases where young men who come to marry in certain

communities run away after receiving the lists of things to procure for the traditional marriage and this is not good for our people. To me, any young man who is interested in my daughter will be regarded as part of my immediate family and, if I can afford it, I will bear greater of the marriage requirements because I believe that both my daughter and son-in-law are fully part of my family. It is wrong for anybody to sell his daughter under the guise of marriage because, if the suitor is made to pass through hell in financing his marriage, he would definitely turn his back on the in-laws and this can breed problem in the family,” said one of the parents.

To be continued next week

*What a fortune has joined together

PAGE 46—SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

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bi Emelonye is a Nollywood celebrated film maker. He’s shuttles between London, where he’s currently based with his family, and Nigeria. He got married eleven years ago to his wife, Amaka, and they are blessed with three kids; two boys and a girl. The producer of the awardwinning movies, “Last Flight to Abuja” and “Mirror Boy”, shares the romantic story of his journey into marriage.

BENJAMIN NJOKU Years in marriage I have been married for eleven years now.

How I met my wife I met her on the set of “Fire Dancer”, a film shot by Tchidi Chikere and in which I was the director of photography in 2001. It starred Genevieve Nnaji, Chidi Mokeme, Zack Orji among others in Omole Estate, Ikeja. One thing led to another, and after one year, she joined me in London.

Ever since then, we have been living happily as husband and wife.

An actress?

She’s not an actress, but she writes scripts occasionally.

Right now, she’s not in front of the camera. Her name is Amaka.

Love at first sight I was driving into the compound where we were shooting a film. When I sighted her at the balcony, I told Chidi Chikere who was sitting next to me, “This is my wife.”He asked me if I had met her before now. But I replied him I had not, insisting that she was going to be my wife. I didn’t just feel it in my spirit, I voiced it.

Chidi is a living witness to that instant feeling of love.

Attraction I don’t know, but naturally, she’s a very beautiful woman. That’s one of the attractions. But there was a connection in the spirit.

Sometimes, some pastors say that they were given a ministry. So, when you see your ministry, you recognise it. You don’t need a second invitation. The moment I saw her, I knew she was going to be my wife; the woman I was going to spend the rest of my life with. I was certain about it and that was the best decision I have ever taken in my life.

Proposing It wasn’t going to be a marriage proposal at that very beginning. At that time, C M Y K

communication was a big problem. She didn’t have her freedom because she was staying with her aunty. There were no mobile phones at that time too. So, it was challenging to build a relationship from afar. But with God on my side, we were able to surmount all those hurdles because it was meant to be.

11 years down the line The journey so far has been blissful. My wife is one of the most supportive human beings. She’s my biggest fan, and we are blessed with three loving kids; two boys and one girl. At the moment, we live a very happy and contented life in London. The challenges are huge because of the industry we belong to, and time constraint. But, above all, we are surmounting every challenge in front of us, and getting better and growing stronger in the Lord.

OBI EMELONYE, NOLLYWOOD FILM MAKER, CONFESSES

‘Fire Dancer joined my wife and I together' doing, she shares in the joy, shares in the money, and also, she shares in the brand.

What I don’t like about her She loves me too much. It’s not always a good thing to love someone uncontrollably.

What she doesn’t like about me I think she complains that I devote too much time to my work. But it’s a path I have chosen to follow in life, and something I was doing before she met me. For instance, I’m in Nigeria now, and she, and my kids are in London. I will spend a couple of weeks here before returing to London. I will keep coming back because this is what I do for a living. So, it’s very difficult balancing that. But she sees it as a disadvantage.

Meanwhile, sometimes, I try to turn it into advantage because she accompanies me to all the celebrity functions that I’m attending. By so

The moment I saw her, I knew she was going to be my wife; the woman I was going to spend the rest of my life with.

I was certain about it and that was the best decision I have ever taken in my life

Disagreement in marriage Naturally, you would have to disagree with your spouse everyday on certain issues.

But it’s about coming to an agreement or agreeing to disagree on a particular issue.

However, marriage is built on dialogue and understanding.

I’m not an advocate of domineering in a relationship. It’s an equal partnership even though I’m more equal than her. I listen to her. She has a voice and I respect her opinion.

Initimacy in marriage Absoluetly. Your dog answers whatever you call him. If yolu want to make your marriage a romantic affair, you can do so. It’s what you make your relationship

that it will be. And after 11 years in marriage till death do us apart, I will continue to to love her. It will continue to be romantic and a joy to psend time with her.

What I cannot do for her in the name of love I will do everything for her; Anything and everything for her. I have donated one of my kidneys to my younger brother. If she needs my heart, I will cut it out and give it to her. That’s the extent I can go for her in marriage.

Why marriages crash Lack of communication is one of the key factors. When there is an issue and you don’t talk about it in the right mood or voice, then things get worse. A distance grows and rife is put between the two of you, and everybody drips apart. But once you able to sort every problem that comes your way without interference from the outside, you stand a great of having a successful marriage. That’s what has kept my marriage going all these years.

SUND AY Vanguard , SEPTEMBER 14 , 2014, P AGE 47 SUNDA

ROW OVER EBOLA AND SCHOOLS RESUMPTION

Did FG breach global norm?

*Pupils ... Controversy over their return to school

By DAYO ADESULU

C M Y K

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oncerns from stake holders have contin ued to mount over the decision of the Federal Government to review the resumption date for private and public schools to September 22 due to Ebola Virus Disease, EVD. To many parents, the decision is not in the best interest of children. They warned that the reopening of schools, which will involve about 80 million Nigerians adolescents, pupils and teachers, is a high-risk strategy.

Parents, who are primarily at the receiving end, want to know the rationale behind the reversal of the initial October 13 resumption date to September 22. Incidentally, the extension and reversal of resumption date is the second major decision Malam Ibrahim Shekarau will take since he assumed office as the Minister of Education.

The first decision was to appeal to polytechnic and colleges of education lecturers to go back to classroom, promising to look into their

The question begging for an answer, however, is: Have the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory put in place the preventive measures in the private and public schools?

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case. Stakeholders are watching to know if he will pass this national test.

Shortly after the outbreak of Ebola in the country, the Federal Ministry of Education held a meeting with the Ministries of Education in the 36 states and the Federal

Capital Territory (FCT) to discuss the way out.

Shekarau, in announcing the decision by government to reverse itself on the resumption date, said measures put in place to curb the spread of Ebola were still intact. The minister noted that any Ministry of Education in the 36 states that has not appointed desk officers on Ebola should do that before the resumption.

At the meeting, he charged the ministries to ensure that at least two staff in each school are trained by appropriate health workers on how to handle any suspected case of Ebola. He told them to embark on immediate sensitization of teaching and non-teaching staff in schools on preventive measures, stating that the training must be concluded before schools resume.

The question begging for an answer, however, is: Have the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory put in place the preventive measures in the private and public schools? Till date, at our international airports, the

only form of test for Ebola is temperature taking. Eight days to September 22, there is no evidence that the order for the training of two staff in each school has been complied with by even the Federal Government schools, leaving those of the states in serious doubt.

In addition, globally, the standard for declaring an Ebola outbreak over in a particular location is two full incubation periods (21 days x 2= 42 days) without a case.

What this implies is that 42 days should be counted after the last Ebola patient is treated and certified okay in a location.

Government, which is supposed to be well informed and guide its citizenry on the Ebola issue, owes the public explanations on why the “42day no Ebola case” has been discarded by the authorities.

While teachers in public schools are excited over the extension of holiday, many school owners and teachers in private schools welcome the September 22 resumption date. The private school owners case is not uncon-

nected with the issue of money. They argued that there is no need keeping the children at home when there is no more fresh EVD case.

A source, who did not want his name mentioned, said, “Some of the decision makers in the government are schools owners. They are the ones influencing the outside proprietors on how to pressurize government on the reversal of resumption date.”

He added that because the proprietors who are not within government seek pleasure in money rather than the interest of the children, they had to concur. The Association of Proprietors of Private Schools in Ogun and Lagos States met recently saying it was not in support of the October 13 resumption date.

Many parents think the statement speaks volume on the reason the Federal Government changed the date.

Another argument of the private school owners is that since Lagos and PortHarcourt are the only affected towns, why should other states not affected by the EVD get holiday extension?

Speaking alongside this view, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, said: “In the last one week, a number of rumours have been investigated and all the cases have turned out to be Ebola-negative. Specifically, the rumours in Kebbi, Kaduna, Lagos, Oyo, Ebonyi, Delta and Sokoto States, as well as the Federal Capital Territory have all been debunked.”

Only last week, the ailing student of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, confessed to have had contact with the Port Harcourt doctor, Iyke Enemuo, who died of the EVD after he secretly treated an infected ECOWAS diplomat, Olu-Ibukun Koye, in a hotel. Although, the student is yet to be confirmed negative or positive, that singular contact with that Ebola patient in Port Harcourt has brought panic to the campus in Osun State.

That is a typical example of how an infected child could bring EVD to school.

Besides, the aforementioned example nullifies the argument that an Ebola free state will always remain free even if other states are not free.

The National Union of Teachers NUT, while speaking through its President, Mr. Michael Alogba, faulted Federal Government’s decision to allow school to resume on September 22, saying, “Students should not resume until there is no single case of Ebola in the country. The Federal Government has done really

Continues on Page 48

P AGE 48— SUND AY Vanguard , SEPTEMBER 14 , 2014 SUNDA

ROW OVER EBOLA AND SCHOOLS RESUMPTION Continued frompage 47 well in combating the scourge but I would have expected them to stick to the October 13 resumption date because we are still at a point where we are worried about the outbreak in Rivers State and the spread to other states.”

He noted that government should have remained more combative in dealing with this issue instead of succumbing to the pressure of powerful school proprietors, arguing: “For our children to go back to school while EVD cases are still being recorded in different states, government should post health officers to different states to keep the states under surveillance.

How many schools have complied with the measures which are supposed to be in place before resumption?

How many have the adequate number of equipment or trained personnel?”

Even the Nigerian Medical Association NMA, the umbrella under which medical doctors operate, faulted the reversal of October 13, saying it would have preferred primary and secondary schools remain close till December or reopen early 2015. According to the NMA, if Ebola should spread to any school, it would “assume another dimension.”

These same medical doctors are the experts whom the

Federal Government rely on should there be any case of Ebola. Why then is the Federal Government insisting on September 22 after earlier agreed on October 13.

In the meantime, the House of Representatives has asked its Committee on Education to interface with the Federal Ministry of Education on the u-turn made by the latter on the resumption date for schools in the country for the 2014/2015 academic session.

Many parents, who lauded the Federal Government for initially shifting the date of resumption to October 13, spoke of its inconsistency when it suddenly reverted to September 22. Most of the parents who spoke to Sunday Vanguard said that if the Federal Government insisted

on September 22, they will not release their children to school because their future was more important to them than the present. “What is three months to the life of my child,” a parent said.

Another parent, who did not want his name in print, said, “Send your children to school at your own risk. Private school owners are only in this for the money. Well, they should be prepared to lose some. No sensible parents will agree that missing a term will leave no damage to the long term education of the child. Better alive and Ebola free than in school and be sorry.”

On his part, another parent, Lawrence Eguakun, said, “Although I am medical doctor, I will not allow my children to attend school until we have zero case of Ebola”.

Similarly, a matron in one of the General Hospitals who identified herself as Mrs Enibukun, said, “Parents are to be blamed if they release their children to schools at such a critical time like when new suspected cases of Ebola are springing up. I am aware the proprietors of private schools influenced this decision which is not in the best interest of our children.”

Mrs Omorodion Joy Osariemen, a teacher in one of the private schools in Ikorodu, said: “As a teacher in a private school, I know I will not be paid if the holiday is extended to December, yet I am not disturbed because the lives of my children are more precious to me than the pay. If the Federal Government insists on the September 22 resumption, let them open schools but I will not allow my children to go”.

The SEPLAT move against Ebola

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hen Thomas Friedman quipped that the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of a business is to make profit, many knew he was being tongue in cheek.

These days, as more and more companies embrace the tenets of CSR, they are becoming more inclined to be perceived as responsible corporate citizens with an eye not just on the bottomline but on their environment and the wellbeing of their sundry stakeholders.

Nigerian firms have not been shy in highlighting their CSR bonafides and nothing has brought out their milk of human kindness like the Ebola scourge.

Companies, from telecoms to manufacturing, oil and gas, as well as consulting, have been contributing cash, large and small, to support government’s ongoing efforts to rein in the Ebola epidemic.

Last week, SEPLAT Petroleum Development Company Plc donated N20m to Lagos State government as its own contribution to the on-going efforts especially to support the Lagos Isolation Centre Speaking during the occasion, Dr. Chioma Nwachuku, GM, External Affairs and Communications, noted that Seplat “appreciates the prompt setting up of the Lagos Isolation Centre and the pivotal role it has played in curtailing the spread of the disease..”

The event, held at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, also had Moses Onuwe, General Manager, Human Resources & Corporate Services, Seplat;

C M Y K

Dr. Wale Hamed, Lagos State Commissioner for Special Duties; and Dr. Jide Idris, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, in attendance.

SEPLAT earlier donated N30m to the First Consultants Hospital in recognition of what Nwachuku said are “great sacrifices that this unfortunate outbreak has brought upon First Consultants Medical Centre – Lagos, the hospital where the EVD was first handled in Nigeria”.

The GM, External Affairs and Communications went on: “Due largely to the professionalism they displayed in handling this difficult case, the nation has managed to keep the spread of the disease reasonably under control, howbeit, at great cost in human and material assets to the hospital.”

Other corporate bodies that have supported the fight against Ebola include Total, comprising the downstream and upstream branches, which donated five brand new Ford Pick-up vans and electronic fuelling cards to the Ebola Emergency Operation Centre, Yaba, Lagos.

Shell donated an ambulance while a statement from the Minister of Health indicated that the Dangote Foundation contributed N152m to support the efforts of the Federal Government as they battle to contain the epidemic.

Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holding and UBA, donated N50m while ANAP Foundation, founded by Mr. Atedo Peterside, informed the Minister of Health it would be supporting affected private hospitals to

*RALLYING AGAINST EBOLA: Moses Onuwe, General Manager, Human Resources & Corporate Services, Seplat; Dr. Wale Hammed, Lagos State Commissioner for Special Duties; Dr. Jide Idris, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, and Dr. Chioma Nwachuku, General Manager, External Relations and Communications of Seplat, during Seplat’s donation of N20m to help in the fight against Ebola. the tune of N100,000 per bed space. Peterside disclosed that the First Consultants Hospital where the index case was managed would be the first beneficiary and that the hospital would receive N4 million since its bed capacity is 40.

Telecoms giant, MTN, has not been left out. Reaching out through its MTN Foundation’s Community Support Project, the telecoms company donated personal protective equipment to Lagos State government.

Commenting on the donation, Chairman of MTN, Mr. Pascal Dozie, said: “MTN recognises the importance of collective effort and the role of the private sector in containing the spread and the impact of the disease and we take, very seriously, our responsibility to provide a service that is essential in a period of national emergency as we have found ourselves.”

Oando, on the other hand, launched, through its Oando Foundation, an

Ebola Education Support Fund for Nigerian children who lost one or both of their parents to EVD and require financial support to continue their education. Explaining their rationale, the Director of the foundation, Tokunboh Durosaro, said, “Oando Foundation knew what the loss of a parent or both parents to EVD could cause to the future of a child.”

As a reader commented on a blog post recently, “if money could kill Ebola, Nigerian companies would have eradicated it by now.”

SUND AY SUNDA

POLLING UNITS’ SCANDAL

Jega’s theory and the dangers ahead zFigures do not lie

The attempt, last Wednesday, by Professor Attahiru Jega, National Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to explain away the inherent incongruity in allocating Polling Units, PUs, to states of the federation with less probability of having more voting population, an exercise that should have been carried out relying on field data, only served to further pour cold water on the Chairman of Nigeria’s election management body. This report will show that based on figures exclusively gotten from the Commission, the less-than-academic explanation of why INEC did what it did falls flat in the face of common sense and reality. Rather than persist on this voyage of embarrassment as the Commission first did regarding the issue of delimitation, a fool’s errand of attempting to carry out the exercise so close to next year’s elections but had to suspend, Jega’s insistence on going ahead with the lopsided allocation of PUs to favour the North is nothing more than a recipe for disaster and another attempt at consolidating on the error of Nigeria’s colonial masters and the military that enthroned the warped demographic logic of claiming that more people live in the desert.

Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PPA AGE 49

BY JIDE AJANI

PULLING WOOL Professor Attahiru Jega’s production line of excuses and rationalization for an agenda that went awry may soon suffer a fatal breakdown. His present challenge is how to explain to Nigerians the logic and workability of putting a cart before a tired horse.

Ordinarily, on the matter of Polling Units, PUs, INEC’s decision to create new ones appeared very necessary and potentially beneficial to the electoral process.

However, on closer scrutiny, the devil is in the details.

When Sunday Vanguard commenced the crusade on the dangers to the credibility of the electoral process occasioned by the seemingly manipulative mentality inherent in creating PUs before meeting some conditions precedent, INEC chose to, at best, ignore the damning observations and, at worst, poohpooh the publications.

But because the real dangers and illogicality of INEC’s decision on the matter were not immediately manifest, Nigerians were not quick to observe the not-so-innocent as well as less than altruistic reasons behind PU saga.

Continues on page 50

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Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

Figures do not lie people who will register as eligible voters in any jurisdiction from the pool of eligible citizens. A comparison of intra-zonal CVR figures, for instance, shows that Zamfara, with an extant voter figure of 1,133,245, had more new registrants namely, 433,452, than a state with more extant eligible voters like Jigawa with 1,510,258, which had only 72,416.

Similarly, an inter-zonal comparison of Enugu and Kebbi will show a similar phenomenon. This kills off any arguments for a resort to population/demographic assumptions without actual field figures, as was put forward by Jega during his

Continued from page 49

PUNCTURING INEC’s LOGIC The questions to, therefore, ask are: How did INEC arrive at its proportions while it was still collecting data in the field regarding actual figures of voters in each jurisdiction? Was it done without reference to actual reality from field data?

The emerging result from the Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, is bringing day light into INEC’s magic.

The first phase of the CVR started on May 28, 2014 and ended on June 3, 2014.

The second phase commenced on June 20 – 25, 2014. INEC’s explanation is that those who had issues with their registration and were expected to return for another round of registration during the CVR accounted for its basis for allocating PUs the way it did. But looking at the table of the result of Phases 1 and 2 of the CVR, the number of those who actually represented themselves for the CVR exercise is no where up to 20% in almost all the states and, therefore, knocks the bottom off Jega’s explanation. (See table titled PHASE 1 and check the subhead, CVR Figures; and check table titled PHASE 2 and check sub-head, TOTAL).

An outcome that should inform voter logistics, one of which is the number of polling units required for each jurisdiction, is being conducted in a maliciously whimsical manner.

As the emergent figures from INEC’s authentication of eligible voters and the continuous registration of voters in different jurisdictions show below, INEC created 1,200 additional polling units in Abuja, and 1,167 new polling units for the whole of the South-east zone, whereas extant data, and now emergent data from INEC’s own field reports, demonstrate again that not only does just four states in the South-east far exceeds the voting strength in Abuja, the number of newly registered voters in the zone is 919,097, while the FCT has just 37,235 times or

How did INEC arrive at its proportions while it was still collecting data in the field regarding actual figures of voters in each jurisdiction?

Was it done without reference to actual reality from field data?

about 25 times more.

From the emerging data above, even though the full national figures have not emerged, the following clear deductions can be made to restate that INEC’s decision-makers who created the new Pus, which gave 21,000 PUs to the North and a little over 8,000 PUs to the South, were only playing what looks like a regional card instead of doing a professional electoral management job.

Even if the final data results in a double voter strength between the Northwest and the South-east, for instance, which is unlikely given the estimated voting population of the states yet to be accounted for in both

zones from the data above, it cannot justify the 8 to 1 disparity in the allocation of new PUs to both zones.

WHY THE HASTE? Emerging data shows that the difference in the number of newly registered voters from the CVR for the four states of the South-east above and the four states in the North-west is not significantly different, even when the data from large voter areas from the South, such as Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan and so forth, have not been taken into account; yet the allocation of new Pus, which should largely be informed by voter increases, has been skewed to appear as if a wide margin

of difference in CVR exists between the North and the South.

Emergent field data from INEC shows that four states (not the full five states) in the South-east have 25 times more newly registered voters than FCT, Abuja; yet, Abuja was allocated more new PUs than the entire South-east zone.

Take, for instance, a state like Zamfara that has almost the same number of new eligible voters and almost the same extant voters as Enugu, but which got about 1,000 new polling units, almost the same as the entire South-east got.

INEC could not possibly know ahead of actual field figures the number of

press conference.

In other words, as many have cautioned, INEC ought to have waited for actual field data before creating new PUs, rather than creating PUs to fit an assumed framework, as others have said before.

In doing so, INEC was climbing the tree from the top or working with predetermined answers, which is proof that those who did the allocations in INEC had preconceived reasons for their allocations.

This is a very sad development for electoral management because it distorts the numbers required for better local planning and offsets the election for local contests such as states and national legislature as well as state gubernatorial elections.

PERTINENT ISSUES Continues on page 52

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Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PPA AGE 51

I am not an ethnic jingoist — INEC boss

BY OKEY NDIRIBE The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, last Wednesday, addressed the media on the Commission’s controversial proposal to create 30,000 additional polling units across the country. He answered questions from reporters who attended the briefing. Below are excerpts of the question and answer session.

D

id the states currently under emergency rule, which have witnessed exodus of residents, also benefit from the newly created polling units ?

Our expectation is that whatever is happening in the states under emergency rule now is temporary. Those who are displaced from their places of abode would definitely come back one day. You cannot say we should not create new polling units when we have information that people registered in those areas simply because they are temporarily dislocated from their communities. This is our stand. The information we obtained from registered voters in those areas is what we are using to create additional polling units. Everybody hopes that normalcy would be restored in those areas before the 2015 general elections.

Will INEC reverse its decision on the creation of the controversial 30,000 polling units?

Frankly, I don’t think that the question arises. We have taken a decision and we have not even implemented it. Many people who have misunderstood our decision did so because of lack of information, some perhaps out of mischief. But we are hoping that this kind of clarification we are providing would make people understand that, in the first place, there is no hidden agenda so that we can make progress.

What is very clear is that many people are taking very hard positions on this matter even though they are illinformed, very passionate and emotive about it. So, all we are saying is that we are here to pass the correct information so that the people can see that there is no hidden agenda.

Various groups from the southern part of the country have called for your resignation or sack from office. How do you convince the nation that you deserve to retain your job?

My response is that when enlightened people receive the information we have provided, many of them would reverse the stand they have taken. Our approach on this matter is to start educating the people. We would also disseminate this information as widely as possible to the various stakeholders in the electoral process. When we do this, the issues would become clearer.

There are, of course, a few mischief makers who want to cause confusion and turn everything in this country into a debate along the North/South divide or into an ethnic or religious contest.

That is not the case as far as INEC is concerned in the proposed creation of additional polling units. If somebody wants to be mischievous, there is nothing we can do about that. Clear

thinking Nigerians would see the facts for what they are.

I believe that all rational thinking people in those groups you have mentioned would change their stand when they get this clarification. What we are trying to do is in the best interest of this country. Anybody can say anything. People are entitled to hold their own opinions. This is not the first time people have called for my resignation or sack. I am not bothered by such calls so long as I remain the Chairman of INEC. Forget about my being sacked, any one of us could fall and die tomorrow. But, so long as I am here, I would do what I think is right.

We did not lobby anybody to get appointed into this position, but we were brought because people knew we would do the right thing. That is what we have been doing, and we would continue to do so.

I have said it before and I would repeat here that I would not wait until I am fired. Any day I feel I can’t do this job to satisfy my conscience, I would leave. I am in INEC to do a national service and I believe that I am making sacrifices. This does not apply to myself alone but all the National Commissioners. Many INEC staff are honest and sincere people who are doing their best in their various

Prof.

Attahiru Jega to collect their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, and how many with incomplete data have turned up for Continuous Voters Registration, CVR? The figure we got after the post-AFIS process was 70,383,427. That is the total number of registered voters in post-AFIS. We arrived at this figure after we removed the names of all those who were involved in double registration in 2011. What we have done in two phases across the country was to distribute PVCs and conduct CVRs. So far, we distributed PVCs in 22 states and FCT, remaining 13 states. We would distribute the remaining PVCs across

I have said it before and I would repeat here that I would not wait until I am fired. Any day I feel I can’t do this job to satisfy my conscience, I would leave. I am in INEC to do a national service and I believe that I am making sacrifices positions under very difficult circumstances and we would continue to do so for our country. Fortunately, if we don’t have the opportunity to serve our country here, we will do it somewhere else.

What is your reaction to the allegation that the additional polling units were deliberately created to favour the North?

When you get the document we have provided here, please go through it thoroughly and you will understand there is no basis at all to talk about favoring any part of the country.

What is the total number of registrants on the voters register after the Commission subjected them to post-automated fingerprint information software, AFIS, and postbusiness rule ? How many voters in the post-AFIS register have turned up

the remaining 13 states.

The rate of collection of PVCs during the first phase was about 57 percent. By the time we did the second phase distribution, the rate of collection had gone up to 67 percent. Nigerians have up to next January to collect their PVCs. How would voters know where to vote if they have been allocated to any of the new polling units you are about to create given the fact that the general elections are around the corner?

I can tell you categorically that it is not too late to create the additional polling units. Our hope is that by the time we finish the Adamawa election, slated for October 11, we would expect our officers across the states to give us feedback information on their readiness to create the new polling units. The Commission will then take a decision.

Once that is done, we would have

November and December 2014, January 2015 and up till the 3rd of February to sensitize Nigerians about it.

There is really no problem at all.

Why is the Commission planning to create additional polling units when it has not concluded its efforts to delimit constituencies across the country?

Creation of additional polling units and delimitation of constituencies were designed to achieve different objectives.

Creation of polling units was done for the last time in 1996. We had wanted both new polling units and new constituencies before the 2015 general elections. Creation of polling units is administrative. It begins and ends within the Commission. But for the delimitation of constituencies, we have to consult various stakeholders including the communities and the National Assembly. It can only come into effect when it is considered by the National Assembly and passed by a joint resolution of the Senate and the House of Representatives. We have done our best in this regard. But we have realized that it is not possible to delimit the constituencies between now and the 2015 elections. So, we have reduced our work in that area but that does not mean we have stopped working on that project. But what could be possibly done is to create new polling units. The purpose for creating new constituencies is to ensure equal representation. For instance, as I speak with you, there are members of some federal constituencies at the National Assembly who represent 400,000 people while some represent about 1.5 million and even others up to three million people.

This means that some constituencies are by far larger than others. How can somebody be representing 400,000 people while another is representing three million people? The idea of delimiting constituencies is to ensure that each person elected to represent a

Continues on page 53

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Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

Continued from page 50

Phase 1

Phase 2

*Look at the larger table on the next page which explains INEC’s distribution based on 85% proportionality and 15% equality (whatever that means) and match it with the states in this micro-table and observe the disproportional nature of the allocation. Also observe the number of prospective voters who re-presented themselves for the CVR in both Phases 1 and 2 as shown in the two other tables and notice the percentage which is less than 20% and, therefore, could not have formed a genuine basis for Jega’s theory as propounded last Wednesday.

On the day of election in a presidential system, the outcome depends on the number of voters who show up and are authenticated. The only significant effect on interstate elections is with the presidential election, and this only becomes significant where there is a major contest between two candidates and a simple majority is needed by one candidate to break other parameters if they are tied. This is why the suspicion of a regional agenda is clearly at play, as this can only be the motivation for this peculiar mess.

Jega’s press conference did not effectively address the following issues: Which of the Register of data was used for the PUs creation: post Automated Finger Identification System, AFIS, or post Business Rule, BR? We know it is post-AFIS! Why use post-AFIS register when

Where there is a major contest between two candidates and a simple majority is needed by one candidate to break other parameters if they are tied, the suspicion of a regional agenda becomes very clear post-BR is being used to produce Permanent Voter Card, PVC, and for the Register used for Ekiti, Osun and the same would be used for the 2015 elections?

What is the total number of those in the post-AFIS and who actually represented themselves in the 1st phase of CVR carried out in 10 states and the 2nd phase with 12 states and how many do INEC project would turn up in the 3rd and final phase involving 12 states ? There would be no figure to give because processing of recently registered voters is still ongoing.

The final question, therefore, would be, would it not have been better and tidier for all the activities that are still ongoing to be completed and actual figures known before creating PUs? The consolation, however, is that Jega is both intelligent and wise.

As was the case when Sunday Vanguard raised the alarm about the administrative hocus-pocus being engendered at the Commission under Jega and which appears to have been addressed (even if not fully but partly), there is the expectation that Jega would do the wise thing so that all his efforts at bequeathing a clean voter register would not be slaughtered on the altar of North/ South dichotomy. It remains his call.

SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PPA AGE 53

INEC TABLE SHOWING ALLOCATION OF PUs S/N a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37

PROPORTIONAL ADDITIONAL/ D STATE TOTAL EXISTING ISTRIBUTION EXCESS BASED ON (e - d) REGISTERED PUs 150,000 VOTERS b c d e f ABIA 1,387,844 2,675 2,958 283 ADAMAWA 1,682,907 2,608 3,587 979 AKWA-IBOM 1,621,798 2,980 3,456 476 ANAMBRA 1,784,536 4,608 3,803 -805 BAUCHI 2,502,609 4,074 5,334 1,260 BAYELSA 590,679 1,804 1,259 -545 BENUE 2,340,718 3,688 4,988 1,300 BORNO 2,570,349 3,933 5,478 1,545 CROSS-RIVER 1,169,469 2,283 2,492 209 DELTA 2,044,372 3,624 4,357 733 EBONYI 1,020,011 1,785 2,174 389 EDO 1,593,488 2,627 3,396 769 EKITI 688,950 2,195 1,468 -727 ENUGU 1,313,128 2,958 2,799 -159 GOMBE 1,208,927 2,218 2,576 358 IMO 1,672,666 3,523 3,565 42 JIGAWA 1,817,087 3,527 3,873 346 KADUNA 3,743,815 5,101 7,979 2,878 KANO 4,751,818 8,074 10,127 2,053 KATSINA 2,928,046 4,901 6,240 1,339 KEBBI 1,459,734 2,398 3,111 713 KOGI 1,305,533 2,548 2,782 234 KWARA 1,125,035 1,872 2,398 526 LAGOS 5,426,391 8,462 11,565 3,103 NASARAWA 1,291,876 1,495 2,753 1,258 NIGER 2,427,081 3,185 5,173 1,988 OGUN 1,796,024 3,213 3,828 615 ONDO 1,472,237 3,009 3,138 129 OSUN 1,318,120 3,010 2,809 -201 OYO 2,487,132 4,783 5,301 518 PLATEAU 2,082,725 2,631 4,439 1,808 RIVERS 2,466,977 4,442 5,258 816 SOKOTO 2,113,698 3,035 4,505 1,470 TARABA 1,279,394 1,912 2,727 815 YOBE 1,203,324 1,714 2,565 851 ZAMFARA 1,802,301 2,516 3,841 1,325 FCT 892,628 562 1,902 1,340

TOTAL

70,383,427 119,973 64,688,014

150,000

30,027

ADDITIONAL PUs WITHOUT DISTRIBUTION BASED ON LOSS TO 85% PROPORTIONALITY & 15% EQUALITY STATES WITH 85% 15% EXCESS

APPROVED NEW PU ALLOCATION

BY STAT E (d+h+i)

g 262 905 441 NA 1,165 NA 1,203 1,429 194 678 360 711 NA NA 332 39 320 2,662 1,899 1,239 659 217 486 2,870 1,164 1,838 569 119 NA 479 1,672 754 1,359 753 787 1,226 1,240

h 223 769 375 NA 990 NA 1,023 1,215 165 576 306 604 NA NA 282 33 272 2,263 1,614 1,053 560 184 413 2,440 989 1,562 484 101 NA 407 1,421 641 1,155 640 669 1,042 1,054

i 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 146

j 3,019 3,498 3,476 4,729 5,185 1,925 4,832 5,269 2,569 4,321 2,212 3,352 2,316 3,079 2,621 3,677 3,920 7,485 9,809 6,075 3,079 2,853 2,406 11,023 2,605 4,868 3,818 3,231 3,131 5,311 4,173 5,204 4,311 2,673 2,504 3,679 1,762

30,027 32,464

25,525

4,502

150,000

I am not an ethnic jingoist — INEC boss Continued from page 51 constituency represents nearly equal number of people.

But doing that is more complicated and controversial than creating polling units.

But the fact that we would not delimit constituencies before the 2015 elections does not mean we would not create polling units. The idea of creating new polling units is to make it easier for us to organise an election and for the voters to find it easier to vote within a short time. That is the purpose of creating polling units. It confers no advantage on anybody. In fact, some polling units existed in the forest in the past. People cooked up figures at such polling units but this is not possible under the present dispensation. But there is the fear that some of the additional polling units about to be created may be fictitious. But this is not possible. We have moved away from that. Every polling unit that would be created would serve a particular population because it is going to be based on the voters register. Imagine the relief somebody who voted in a polling unit with 4,000 voters during the last

election would feel when he goes there in 2015 and meets a population of only 400 people.

Would it not have been better for INEC to wait until after all the PVC distribution and CVR would have been concluded before embarking on this exercise?

What would be the justification for waiting?

Is it not the case that if INEC waits for CVR to be concluded, it would have the final figure of all registered voters in the country and this figure could then be used for the purpose of creating new polling units?

What percentage difference would this make? The percentage difference would be insignificant. If we decide to wait until we conclude the CVR around November, there is no reason to wait and if we wait till November, there would be no time to do it again before the elections. All this talk about waiting is coming from people who don’t want the polling units to be created.

What arrangement did the Commission make for creation of new polling units for displaced persons from the North-east who have

relocated to the South-east in large numbers?

That has been adequately catered for.

When you look at the figures in the table we gave you, you can see it very clearly.

If additional polling units need to be cited where they are needed, it would be done. The problem that arises in this kind of situation is that of availability of figures. Do we have the figure of people who relocated from the Northeast to Onitsha and Aba? If we have the figure, we could sit down and analyse whether the figure of polling units given to the South-east states are adequate or not. That is how to proceed rationally.

If you look at the table I have given you, and check Abia State, you would observe that the additional polling units proposed for that state would take care of this kind of demographic shift you have just mentioned.

If the Commission creates polling units in places where people have been displaced as a result of insurgency and the population of such communities remain sparse during next year’s election, won’t it be possible for politicians to exploit the situation to cook up figures?

This Commission is not in the business

of producing fictitious results and our records have clearly spoken for us. We have done everything possible to prevent people from sending fictitious result. On election days, there would be both local and international observers.

There is no way fictitious results could be returned in 2015 because we are going to use card readers. A voter has to appear in person before he can vote. Do you have any evidence that fictitious result was declared since we assumed office? Let us not be hostages of our fears because if we do that we would not be able to move.

Many of the adverts that you are reading in the papers were sponsored by fictitious organisations with fictitious names.

You journalists should do your investigation and find out those behind all these. Such people don’t want any change or progress and the only way they can achieve their aim is by introducing religion and ethnicity into everything about this country. I can be accused of any other thing but I am not an ethnic or religious jingoist. That also applies to other members of the Commission. My antecedents are there.

PAGE 54— SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

2015: INEC’s secret agenda against the South will fail — Aniete Okon

•‘How National Assembly should handle National Conference report’

A

niete Okon, a second republic senator from Akwa Ibom State, is pioneer National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Okon was also a member of the just concluded National Conference. In this Interview, he takes a swipe at the controversial creation of more polling units by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which overwhelmingly favours the North. He tongue lashes the Chairman of the electoral body, Prof. Attahiru Jega, accusing him of nursing an agenda. He also speaks on the 2015 polls and President Jonathan, the North, the 2014 National Conference, insurgency, campaign support groups among other national issues. Excerpts: INEC recently created new polling units ahead of the 2015 general elections. About seventy percent of it was allocated to the North. How do you react to this?

As far as l am concerned, it is a clear script written by the leadership of INEC to be used as a trump card to subvert whatever the Nigerian electorate may decide at the polls in 2015. INEC, in doing that, created a bank of votes that it intends to use to pander to the desires of the leaders of the North especially in the presidential election. And that arrangement will not fly. It is so completely skewed against the South. There is clearly a flight from sanity somewhere in INEC. How they intend to push that through eventually, will remain one of the wonders of our recent time. INEC’s action is clearly in breach of the democratic tendencies and occurrences any where in the world.

And you will notice that a lot of the new polling units are in places

where we have unrefuted reports that the population there has emptied, either into the Cameroun or other parts of the country. So INEC has created those controversial polling units as a veritable tool to rig elections in keeping with whatever script that has been handed down. The question is: What was the basis to arrive at the skewed and vaunted 85 percent and not 60 or 50 percent proportional distribution?

If as INEC claims that some states were having excess polling units and therefore do not deserve more polling units, what was the justification in allocating additional 121 polling units on the basis of equality of states? Let INEC convince the public that these new polling units are not for the North. INEC has decided to use the Finger Identification System of Registered Voters which is a more unreliable data when it decided to create units. What were they trying to disguise? What were they trying to cover up? The disproportionate allocation to a section of the country belies the reality of the current situation on ground in those areas.

The question remains, with this proposal, are the people in INEC preparing polling units for ghosts or for real humans? You have polling units in places where clearly people have ceased to live normally. These are areas of interrogation that must be put before INEC. It means that there must be some existing collusion.

We noticed that when they conducted election in Yobe, there was no question of disturbance. So there are so many interrogatories.

INEC has really descended into the trenches for the battle in the 2015 elections. The same INEC that said recently that there is no possibility of holding elections in all parts of the country is now readily saying that the elections should hold every

*Aniete Okon

,

BY HENRY UMORU

The question remains, with this proposal, are the people in INEC preparing polling units for ghosts or for real humans? You have polling units in places where clearly people have ceased to live normally

where. And l posit that if the security situation allows for the elections to be held, then the entire leadership of INEC and the insurgents including certain leaders in the North, are complicit in the intrigues that informed this insurrection. We are waiting to see how all these will play out. INEC’s new position is an act of subversion of the security of the country.

You were a delegate to the just concluded National Conference which President Goodluck Jonathan recently received the report of its resolutions. The president has promised to send that report to both the National Assembly and the Council of State. But since there is no provision for a referendum in the Constitution as people have

,

requested, how do we go about implementing those resolutions? l don’t see any problem with the implementation of that conference report. And the National Assembly is not a lifeless body. It carries the vestments of the wishes, the expectations and hopes of the Nigerian people. And it is a institution capable of rising to the yearnings of the people of this country. And there are antecedents which are with us today. The Doctrine of Necessity, which was an inspired construction of the National Assembly to lift the country out of the constitutional cul-sac which the unfortunate demise of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua forced the country into, is a clear and indisputable example. You can see from the

swing of public opinion, the desires of the people across the length and breath of this country, that there are germane issues that must be resolved through a referendum. The president, at the inauguration of the National Conference, made it clear that the National Assembly will be called upon to create the necessary legislation for the holding of a referendum in such areas that have become absolutely necessary for public-based decisions involving directly the populace. l don’t therefore see any impediment to a resort to that process. Referendum has always been an instrument, a tool for managing fundamental political decisions. l believe that in the recommendations and amendments of the conference, there are sufficient and incontrovertible grounds for amending the Constitution.

There are critical issues that will definitely fall within the purview of the National Assembly. And for such issues to achieve the national mandate, they must necessarily be subjected to established procedures. I think there is a healthy presumption that the National Assembly will rise to the challenge and call of duty to help ensure a more wholesome and healthier nation. The question is

Continues on page 55

SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 55

not whether the National Assembly is in a position to accept or reject the conclusions and amendments that have been thrown up by the National Conference. It is that they must now give the constitutional baptism which lies entirely within their province to turn those recommendations and amendments into laws and sections of the Constitution for the well-being of the Nigerian citizenry. These amendments, you will recall, have been authored by a gathering of Nigerians of all works of life and generations.

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has said that President Jonathan should find a way to handle the report of that conference. Many people interpreted it to mean that he indirectly told the president that the National Assembly will have nothing to do with that conference report. Do you understand it that way?

I do not accept that interpretation as conveying the intendments and spirit of the words as allegedly uttered by the Deputy Senate President. For me and also for a lot of people, what the Deputy Senate President meant must be seen as a call that the executive must fully deliver on the conclusions of the conference. And in doing that, they should diligently sieve through the report, sorting out those of them that have to be transmitted into laws to be channelled through their laid down processes and presented as executive bills.

That’s my reading of what Ekweremadu said. Mr President is certainly not going to carry the report of the conference like rough and uncut diamonds to the National Assembly. The report must be in a form that conforms to the normal structure of issues being placed before the National Assembly. And that is that the executive is expected to bring to the National Assembly, all the bills that have been indicated by the resolutions and amendments by the National Conference.

The pro-Jonathan coalition group, known as the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), has severally endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan through its on-going nationwide rallies, to re-contest in 2015 on the grounds that the president has performed well so far. Do you agree with them?

I agree with the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and other support groups like Jonathan Support Group (JSG) peopled by the likes of Prof Jerry Gana and Senator Ibrahim Mantu.

The Political Adviser, Prof Rufai Alkali, recently set up a committee headed by General Adamu Ibrahim with a view to harnessing the various support groups ahead of 2015. What is your take?

I endorse the initiative and direction of Prof Alkali. It falls within his turf to coordinate these disparate groups for the president and to ensure that they sustain the credibility of the president’s bid whenever he decides to come to contest. We don’t want the enthusiasm especially the boisterousness that is evident in the style of TAN to push the campaigns beyond sublime levels. The

decision of the Political Adviser is appropriate and timely. The various groups must be brought into some limits of discipline in their utterances both vocal and print. It is important that they stay on message.

People like you played a major role at the critical moment in the political marketing of President Jonathan during his presidential campaign in 2011. Are you going to be involved in the same project this time, considering the fact that leading players like you in that campaign project lost out in terms of patronage and rewards for your efforts?

I don’t know what you mean by patronage. For me and those who worked with me, our primary motivation was the challenge of ensuring that a new order prevails.

And that the ideology of equality of persons and equal opportunity also prevails. And we’ve been vindicated by a lot revolutionary and landmark developments in the political growth of the country.

Such landmark developments as the National Conference that has institutionalized the equality of persons through revolutionary provisions like the rotation principle that trickles down through the federal, state and local government structures and which has guaranteed the rights of every Nigerian to aspire to elective positions.

The opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) has given indication that it is looking forward to fielding a presidential candidate it considered as credible like General Muhammadu Buhari.

For your party PDP, is it President Goodluck Jonathan or somebody else?

We are settled about who the PDP presidential candidate is. It is President Goodluck Jonathan. But it does not mean that there won’t be pretenders to the ticket of the party at the convention. The fact remains that the president has met the mark. Those other presidential aspirations in the party will not be worth a passing glance. The might pass for nuisance value. In the realms of democracy, nobody seriously will seek to challenge the incumbent who is usually the leader of the party. He enjoys the right of first refusal. The party must out of a sense of duty and mission, offer the incumbent president the ticket and he has the option to accept or refuse the ticket. That is why in our party the PDP, it is a given that Mr President will run for a second term. It is within his constitutional right to do so, and he will also run on his record. I want to say here without fear of challenge, that the president has done well. There have been clear initiatives in areas that appear to have been foreclosed or forbidden.

The president is addressing the challenge of infrastructure and in spite of the threats of insurgency, he is tackling that sector.

Some northern elders have come out to threaten that President Jonathan should not contest the 2015 presidential election mainly on the basis that he has not been able to contain insurgency violence in the land.

Do you have a different view?

My collorary to threat, is that there should be no elections in 2015.

Simple! If they posit that the president should not contest because of the impaired security in

*Okon ... more questions than answers from INEC

`The Constitution Nigeria needs’

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Continued from page 54

We are settled about who the PDP presidential candidate is. It is President Goodluck Jonathan. But it does not mean that there won’t be pretenders to the ticket of the party at the convention

some parts of the country, then if we follow their ridiculous position, it then means that they have a case to answer. If they insist that the withdrawal or surrender by Mr President of his legitimate position is the panacea to the roiling insurrection in certain parts of the country, they have no logic. If they say the president must not contest because of those problems, then it means that the North created that problem of insurgency and insecurity in the country so that they can blame it on President Jonathan. But clearly, he is not to be blamed for those conditions or situation. A proper logical approach would have been for them to call for a the postponement of any election until the issue of insecurity is sorted out and finally dealt with.

Are you insinuating that the North probably created this insecurity situation to scuttle the re-election of President Jonathan in 2015?

Oh yes! If their major recommendation as a panacea for the insurgency to stop is that Mr President should step down and completely disavow his constitutional right to stand for election next year, then they can extend the president’s tenure in office by canvassing that we should

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not do an election. That is the interpretative extension that we can give to their position that Jonathan should not re-contest because of the insurgency.

When people talk about the achievements of Jonathan’s government, they regret that corruption is alleged to be so pervasive in his era. The international community said this much, citing the present ineffectiveness of the existing anti-corruption agencies like the ICPC and EFCC as a compounding factor. Is there no point there?

How has the government paralyzed or made the anticorruption agencies ineffective?

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman, Ibrahim Lamode, recently told the Senate Committee probing the performance of those agencies that the Commission had no more than N2 million in its accounts to carry out its statutory functions. Why won’t the government fund such important agency it had set up?

Corruption can be described as endemic, but it didn’t start now.

What is happening is that it had built up. But corruption had been there. And the anti-corruption agencies can not say that it is the

government that is crippling their efforts. There have been over twenty-five cases of the EFCC particularly against high profile political office holders and so on.

We must raise questions about the preparedness of these anticorruption agencies and their capacities and level of competence in handling obvious cases of corruption. I dare them to come out and say that Mr President barred them from taking anybody to court.

An Australian government negotiator with the Boko Haram, Steven Davis, has blamed the escalation of this insurgency on a former Army Chief of Staff, General Azubike Ihejirika, and a former governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sherrif, as the sponsors. Based on this revelation, the leadership of the APC called on government to prosecute the sponsors of the insurgents at the international criminal court (ICC). Are you in agreement?

The allegations by the Australian, Steven Davis, sounds to me completely zany. Was Davis, by mentioning the former Army Chief, suggesting that the Federal Government was sponsoring insurgency against itself. As far as l am concerned, that allegation was a poorly scripted despatch, because the former Chief of the Army Staff was directed by the president in line with his duty, to quell the insurgency. So l don’t think that the president, from what l know about him, will accept the loss of lives through the insurgency activities, just for the purpose of retaining power over who? Mr Davis story was simply a poorly scripted distraction, and there are no pillars of logic to base that type of position.

PAGE 56—SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

AKA IKENGA, IGBO PROFESSIONALS GROUP, KICKS:

‘Our case against Jega’s 30,000 polling units’ Against the backdrop of the insurgency ravaging the North-east, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, recently created 30,000 polling units in preparation for the 2015 general elections. Chief Goddy Uwazurike, President of Aka Ikenga, Igbo professionals group, who was also a delegate at the just concluded National Conference, bares his mind on the issue among others.

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hat do you make of the dust raised by the Australian hostage and crisis negotiator, Stephen Davis, alleging that a former Chief of the Army Staff, Lt. Gen Azubuike Ihejirika, and a former governor of Borno State, Modu Sheriff, are co-sponsors of Boko Haram?

The issue is a calculated campaign against Nigeria and the Jonathan administration .

I don’t even know who hired him, in what capacity and what was he hired to do. I do not believe the Nigerian government hired him to do a dirty job. The wicked attempt to rubbish Ihejirika is unfortunate.

This was the same person that fought Boko Haram to a standstill. I remember a group of northern leaders said it was going to petition international bodies that Ihejirika was brutal in the fight against Boko Haram before he was retired.

Does it now make sense for somebody to come up with a story that those he brutalised are now his cohorts?.

That was how they alleged that the United States said Nigeria will cease to exist come 2015. America never said that. There was a man, an ambassador, who organised a conference. The conclusion that Nigeria may cease to exist is just the opinion of an individual, not an institution or a state. So those who do not wish Nigeria well turned it to say America said it. Politicians have ways of distracting this administration, they should leave Jonathan alone to concentrate on the war against Boko-Haram or do they want us to stop the war, to start investigating ourselves? All agents of misinformation should go to rest.

What is your stand on the creation of new polling units by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega?

I condemn it without any reservation. Once in a while, I think INEC allows herself to be used by some people that have hidden agenda. What is the purpose of creating additional 30,000 polling units?

I urge Jega to withdraw

them. Let us remain how we are and vote accordingly. It is difficult to understand how the North, that is being gradually depopulated due to Boko Haram activities, should have more polling units than other areas with no insurgency problem in Nigeria. You can imagine Abuja having more polling units than the whole of the South-east. It’s incredible, I don’t know who is trying to deceive INEC. Prof.Attahiru Jega’s name is at stake and I would advise him to learn from Justice Kutigi who chaired the just concluded National Conference. When Kutigi realised his integrity was at stake, he had to stand up to defend his name.

What do you make of the Boko Haram sect taking over some parts of Borno and Adamawa amid the state of emergency declared in the states, declaring it a caliphate?

There is no ammunition in police colleges, you only have the commanders marching up and down. So if Boko Haram comes to attack, who will defend them? Is it the trainee who has no weapon? Because these terrorists invaded a place and escaped does not mean taking over.

In the confusion, they hoisted their flag and ran back from where they came from.

How does that amount to taking over? After attacking the United Nations building in the federal capital territory, Abuja, we did not consider it as taking over. So how did terrorists take over?. They can hit and run but can never take over a state.

Moreover, you don’t fight a war where the people are not in support of it. When you are fighting a war with hostile civilians at your back, watch out. This is what is going on in Borno State. Meanwhile, soldiers are there giving their best while some people are deriding them. The governor was the leader of those deriding the soldiers. Now they are relying on the soldiers they tagged as ineffective forces to save them.

How do you see the just concluded National Conference that had long been clamoured for by Nigerians as the way forward for our co-existence as a nation?

•Chief Goddy Uwazurike The CONFAB was an eye opener, where we looked back, looked at the present situation and put the future into serious consideration. It was a conference where we had the oldest man at 92 years sitting in a conference with the youngest lady being 24 discussing Nigeria’s way forward . Anybody who considered what we did as a waste of time needs to have his head re-examined.

We are talking about a report of 10,000 pages with 22 volumes. Even a fool would go through the report before

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BY OLAYINKA AJAYI

what we did thoroughly. For instance, there is a section in our Constitution that gives room for the husband to beat his wife as far as he does not injure her. We had to condemn such act.

that do not concern the government. Our sittings, sometimes stretched to between 9am and 8.30 pm. We took pains to examine the reports of past conferences. It was our ability to continue that marked the difference. Those who believe we wasted our time should wait for the next conference because this one will go down in history as one that came at a time Nigeria celebrated her 100years of being together.

Do you see the conference report solving the problems

Those who believe we wasted our time should wait for the next conference because this one will go down in history as one that came at a time Nigeria celebrated her 100 years of being together

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passing comments.

Those castigating the conference did not follow the proceedings despite the fact that it was given good coverage by the media. If they had followed it diligently, they would have known that the problems facing us as a nation were tabled and solutions proffered.

So if anybody sits down in the comfort of his home, to tag the conference as a failure, it’s a clear evidence that the person is a failure himself. I can tell you, we had the best brains from all tribes and tongues, all professionals represented their people. We had people who had seen it all, we also had people who are looking forward to seeing more. We did our best, we opened up, we quarreled, we made peace.

In four and a half months, we studied our Constitution and all existing policies of Nigeria. We even looked at things

we face as a nation?

That was the purpose of the conference. I remember some people said we did not gather to restructure Nigeria and many of us laughed. We prepared for the conference and recommended changes. Indeed there would be a better Nigeria if the reports are implemented. From the information we got, the report would be implemented.

There are three stages of implementation: one is the law, which has to do with the National Assembly; two is the executive arm where the President does not need the consent of anybody to act; three is the judiciary where the chief justice will act accordingly.

As a matter of fact,what we have done is to simplify the work of the legislative arm of government. A diligent legislature needs to go through

But critics says the conference focused more on issues of the past rather than ponder more our debt and how to pay it.

The critics should first and foremost read the report which is in three parts: the first details our current situation as a nation, the second shows the recommendations proposed and the third outlines the recommendations accepted. It is when you read the report that you will understand and appreciate our efforts. There is no frivolous legislation or policy proposed, everything proposed has foundation. We discussed even why banks are not lending to people, the issues of social welfare and pilgrimage.

What is your stand on the N200billion loan President Jonathan administration targeted at entrepreneurs?

It a very good idea, there is need to ginger our economy.

If you remember, when United States President Obama came into power, the American economy was comatose and they asked him what he would do to save the economy; he said he had to stimulate the economy. This is the aim of President Jonathan. The only thing is to call on those that will be involved in the implementation to give their best for it to get to the right hands. So it is a joint effort by government and entrepreneurs to make it effective.

People are of the view that government has good polices but setback comes in when it comes to implementing the policies.

There are people who always stand as obstacles to whatever will be of interest to the larger society. There are also people who see government as a source of income.

We also have people who like to derail government policies.

Some already are furious that Jonathan is surviving despite the challenges he is facing while some people do not want to even hear that others are pushing that he goes for second term. If such people have access to such money, you can imagine what would happen to our treasury.

You sound more like a person who supports Jonathan’s administration. Does AkaIkenga support GEJ’s re-run come 2015?

Being the president of AkaIkenga, I am for all. Moreover, he has not declared his ambition to re-run for the office come 2015. When he declares, then we will make our opinion known.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 57

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

Immediate past governor of Imo State, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, recently declared to run for the office of governor which he vacated nearly four years ago. In this inter view, he speaks on his current ambition among other issues concerning the state.

What I forgot at Government House, Owerri —Ohakim

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Dr. Ikedi Ohakim

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OU have declared to run for the governor ship election in Imo and it is eliciting a lot of reactions. Are you surprised?

I am surprised. The massive buy-in of Ndi Imo is unprecedented. It surpasses my imagination and I am quite humbled by the way our people are reacting positively to it.

Some of the aspirants are complaining that you gave them the nod to go ahead and now you have come out to contest.

Was I in a position to ask anybody to run or not to run?

If somebody came to you to tell you that he wants to run for an election, what moral authority do you have to tell him not to run? Can I even tell my son not to run? They came to me out of courtesy and courtesy requires that you encourage the fellow. Some of them came to me while I was still in court pursuing my case. It would be rude to tell a man who has gotten to the level of aspiring to become a governor not to aspire. I don’t think it is proper. It is possible that the situation at that point in time was such that some of them thought I will not be able to run. But politics is the most dynamic thing in human endeavour.

Having said that, I don’t think there is any problem yet.

The aspirants are all my personal friends and political associates and we have one common objective, which is to make our party to get back to power in Imo State. When the time comes, we all know what to do. I don’t think there is any problem.

So why are you so determined to come back?

I want to return to put Imo back to work, to put Imo back to the path of economic prosperity. There have been calls by well-meaning citizens of Imo who have been worried about the economic loss of abandoning the key projects we started that would have laid a solid foundation for a take-off into sustainable economic growth. If you recall, the thrust of my administration was to establish an economy for the state. That was why we went ahead to start some mega projects. But because such things like that take time to mature, some people did not have patience. Some of my colleagues who got their second term after 2011 are just completing some of their key projects. Some will not even complete theirs before they leave in May next year. But some critics do not have the patience. Now, they have seen the difference. The economy of the state is in shambles. In my four years, Imo became a tourist destination. Nearly every seminar or conference facilitator chose Imo as the venue.

And the tourism industry in the state began to experience a boom. Hotel occupancy rate

If we are talking about rescuing Imo from the Okorocha ruin, we need a person who knows what was there before he came in. I handed over to him, so I know where to start in order to return life to the state

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rose from less than 20 per cent to over 90 per cent. Total hotel rooms rose from 2,000 in 2007 to 10,000 by the time we left.

Real estate value rose to over 300 per cent by 2011; but all that has now crashed. We ran a programme that was designed to create jobs. But the administration that took over from us refused to continue from there, thereby denying Imo people of the benefits of that collective vision. By so doing, the administration set both the people and the economy several years back. And you will agree with me that nobody can complete a project better than the initiator.

In the four years we were in office, the economy of the state became very attractive to players in the private sector. At least two airlines were doing two flights each daily to Imo. Today, they reluctantly do one late afternoon flight to Abuja and Lagos. That is not good enough for a state that has a vibrant social and political elite. Since I already had in place a framework for building the economy of the state, I think it would be wrong for me to shy away from coming out since the Constitution permits me to do that. And several well-meaning Imolites believe we should return to take that vision to the next level. I know people will abuse Ikedi Ohakim for coming out again but I am prepared to take every abuse because I know I am doing the proper thing by of-

fering my service to my people once again. No doubt we made mistakes but we have learnt from them.

At another level, I decided to run in order to help our party avoid another rancorous governorship primary election.

My candidature, if I emerge, will put the party in a better stead to win the governorship election.

I am the only aspirant that has a pan-Imo structure that can be put to use immediately and effectively, being the immediate past governor. The legitimate and only constitutionally recognized local government structure is the one I put in place. Ditto for the development centres; not to talk of the various and numerous appointees who were all dismissed unceremoniously by the current administration. We ran an all-evolving administration that recognized the need for human capacity building. We gave 10,000 graduates jobs, and created over 100 autonomous communities and their people are still very pleased with us.

That human structure is still there and ready to be mobilized into action for the party. If the party already has such an existing structure, why should it have to start afresh? All these are votes waiting to be caught. If you put all of them together, they are over 200,000 votes and when you add that to party members and other categories of supporters, you can do your final arithmetic. In politics, you start from the known to the unknown.

Some people may argue that you lost the 2011 election even

when the people or structures you are talking about were there.

We did not lose the 2011 governorship election . We won that election on April 26, but because there was a conspiracy to stop me by all means, one thing led to the other and there was a supplementary election on May 6, 2011. I am sure you have read several accounts of what happened on April 26, when the state returning officer refused to admit the results from Ohaji-Egbema local government area which had already been declared at the LGA level and we got over 28,000 votes as against that of APGA which got a little above 3,000 votes. You know what happened at the supplementary election. Our party members and supporters were chased away by soldiers using armoured vehicles. I do not want to go into details but all I can say is that I am running to prove that if anybody thought Ohakim had been sent to political oblivion because of what happened in 2011, I am sorry he will be disappointed. It is not a do-or-die thing for me and like I said, I may be abused, but my confidence in what I have set out to do for my people remains unshaken.

Finally, I believe my emergence as candidate of the PDP will bring down the political temperature both within the party and in the state. Without sounding immodest, I am the only fellow who will command the respect of other aspirants if I emerge. I acknowledge the fact that at this stage, some aspirants may feel that I ought not to have come out but I can assure you that at the end of the day, they will have no difficulty working me if I emerge. They are all working very hard and are among the best anywhere in the world but do not forget that if the court had given me justice, my tenure would have ended in 2018. Most of them are young and enterprising and the sky remains their limit. Tomorrow is better provided we try to do the correct thing now. If we are talking about rescuing Imo from the Okorocha ruin, we need a person who knows what was there before he came in. I handed over to him, so I know where to start in order to return life to the state.

But you just acknowledged that the other aspirants in the PDP also possess sterling qualities.

Of course they do. But I am saying I am better experienced than all of them in executive governance. We have among the aspirants people who have held offices in other areas and have done so well. But the two are not the same. We are talking of executive governance which the constitution of the country puts enormous responsibilities on.

The PDP is determined to continue to give Imo and Nigeria as a whole quality governance. And it has to make use of its best and in this case and in all cases experience matters. The PDP is returning to rescue Imo from the mess in which Okorocha has put

it.

So, how do you handle the issue of zoning and Charter of Equity?

Of course, I am for zoning and for Charter of Equity. And let me seize this opportunity to correct those who say there is nothing like Charter of Equity. Of course there is a document to that effect and I have a copy. Zoning is a political imperative at this stage of our democratic journey and I support it whole heartedly at all levels. It is also enshrined in the PDP Constitution. And the National Confab, made up of some of the most patriotic and knowledgeable Nigerians, has recommenced zoning of political offices in the country. That is why at the national level, majority of Nigerians are requesting that President Jonathan be allowed to do another four years in order to complete the eight years the South-south is entitled to. If that is not done, it will pose a problem in the future. But if we start with the South-south, then when it comes to the turn of another zone, things will move on smoothly. Apart from that, President Jonathan is doing a very good job which he has to complete. Bringing the matter down home, that is why some of us are saying that we should begin now to lay a solid foundation for the Charter of Equity by allowing Okigwe Zone, where I come from, to do another four years to complete the eight years it is statutorily entitled to.

But Owerri Zone people argue that Okigwe has done a total of eight years, that is putting together your tenure and that of the late Mbakwe and that it has done only about 18 months.

I do not think it is proper for me to argue about Owerri or Mbakwe regime which was in old Imo before the advent of PDP. If you trace the apparent indoctrination over the Owerri zone matter and the avalanche of media reports, you will discover that it is coming from the government in power. You may be surprised to hear this. That does not mean that Owerri people are not agitating. But the orchestration is coming from government because the people there now know that if the PDP is pressured into giving Owerri Zone the ticket, Okigwe will vote Rochas Okorocha and he will continue. If you look at the age of the aspirants from Owerri Zone, they are all in the same age bracket.

Therefore, there is peer-group jealousy among them.

So, they will prefer somebody from outside the zone who will do only four years so that they can return to the ring in 2019.

Another reason for that orchestration is that Okorocha is afraid of my candidature because that is the only one that can bring him face to face with somebody who has a record of performance; that will enable Imo people put both of us on the scale, project by project, quality by quality, income by income, economics by economics and in terms of affinity for democratic governance.

PAGE 58—SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

Behind the scenes of the ex-Enugu dep. gov’s ‘trial’

BY JOHN OGBONNA HE impeachment drama in Enugu State ended with the removal of Deputy Governor Sunday Onyebuchi and the appointment of Rev. Raphael Nwoye as his replacement.

It was obvious from the beginning that the former deputy governor intended to make and indeed succeeded in making huge drama out of a matter that started as a private dialogue between him and his former boss, Governor Sullivan Chime.

Immediately after being served the impeachment notice by the House of Assembly, he and his backers (including a prominent federal lawmaker) quickly appointed a select group of reporters in Enugu to rise in his defence. It has to be admitted that the group did quite a good job.

Onyebuchi kept talking to the press, even as the panel of inquiry constituted by the Chief Judge of the state to investigate the charges against him was sitting.

He granted interviews at the end of each sitting and told journalists even things he could not dare say before the panel.

His gambit apparently was to whip up as much sympathy and cause such distraction and confusion as to compel the public to mount pressure on the House to drop the charges and let him remain in office.

Onyebuchi’s antics could have been considered the natural reaction of a person trying to save his neck but for his employment of name calling and vile references all in the name of pressing

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The truth is that there is an Agric Unit in the Government House where livestock are bred for the use of the Government House. It has been in existence since the Government House was built and had served previous administrations in Enugu

Sunday Onyebuchi his case.

First, he claimed that his woes stemmed from his intention to contest the Enugu East senatorial seat which the Chief of Staff to the governor, Mrs Ifeoma Nwobodo, is also reported to be interested in. He said his removal was plotted to clear the way for the latter as he posed a major threat to her quest. But this claim was as laughable as it was false.

Nobody heard that Onyebuchi was interested in the senatorial contest until his impeachment saga started. And till date nobody in Enugu East has come out to speak in support of the impeached deputy governor ’s alleged senatorial ambition because it simply did not exist much less posing a threat to anyone. A statement by former Senate President Ken Nnamani, the

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highest political office holder from the zone, on this claim, is quite revealing.

In an interview in Vanguard of 29th August, 2014, Nnamani said, “I am from that senatorial zone and the deputy governor is not a threat to anybody’s political ambition. He has never vied for councillorship, he has never vied for election before. All of a sudden, he thinks he has become a threat in a senatorial race, it is most unfortunate. I don’t think there is any relationship between his so-called ambition of wanting to become a senator and his predicament. I don’t see how he could have jumped and won a senatorial seat. Based on what? It is not possible. In a free and fair election, he cannot consider himself a threat to anyone”.

Again, in his defence to the charge of running a commercial

poultry in his official quarters at the Government House (in violation of the laws of the state), Onyebuchi claimed Governor Chime was running a bigger poultry in his own residence.

To buttress this claim, he alleged that, in his capacity as acting governor (while Chime was on medical leave), he received and approved a memo from the Chief of Staff for the release of funds for the maintenance of the governor ’s “ poultry and piggery”. It turned out that there was no such memo from the Chief of Staff and the former deputy governor could not produce a copy when challenged even where he admitted that copies of all the documents he attended to as acting governor were still in his custody.

Indeed, Onyebuchi’s claim that the governor maintained a poultry was amply exposed as untrue by the governor ’s Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife.

“The deputy governor’s claims that Governor Chime runs a poultry in Government House is most unfortunate and surprising. This is because it is patently untrue.

“The truth is that there is an Agric Unit in the Government House where livestock are bred for the use of the Government House. It has been in existence since the Government House was built and had served previous administrations in Enugu. It is neither commercially operated nor is it owned by the governor.

“The unit is manned by civil servants including a veterinary doctor. Funds for its maintenance are provided for in the annual

budget of government. The unit also serves the deputy governor.

As a matter of fact, staff of the unit slaughtered a cow from the unit at the request of the deputy governor on August 4, 2014.”

After his impeachment, Onyebuchi gloated in the fact that his impeachment was not linked to any financial crimes. Much as this is true, it should be noted that while he claimed that he was not assigned any protocol official by government, it was alleged before the panel that he was signing salaries and allowances for protocol officers since 2007.

It was also alleged during the hearing that while he signed money for business class tickets each time he travelled, he bought economy class tickets. It was similarly alleged that there was no record that balance was ever returned.

These allegations escaped public attention because the panel sat in camera. Onyebuchi’s side was, however, the only one being heard as he chose, in utter contempt of the panel, to rush to the press immediately after each sitting to tell his story in an effort to make a mess of the allegations against him.

Indeed, the reportage of the case by a section of the press received knocks from the counsel to the House of Assembly, Nduka Ikeyi, who accused them of reporting” falsehood and conjectures”, adding that there was a deliberate effort to exclude reportage of allegations that knocked the bottom off the deputy governor’s defence. *Ogbonna lives in Enugu.

DELTA 2015: The Andrew Warri challenge

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ext year, Delta State G o v e r n o r E m m a n u e l Uduaghan will retire having served two terms.

For this reason, several Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members are jostling to succeed him. From Delta North to Delta South and Delta Central, aspirants are selling their ideas to the electorate.

While the high number of the aspirants is quite interesting, one is forced to ask who will make the change among the lot. Proper analysis of all the aspirants revealed “old wine in old bottle”. They have virtually either played one role or the other in government without effecting change. Deltans, however, heaved a sigh of relief when a young medical consultant, Dr Andrew Foubiri Warri, made his intention known recently to join the race for Delta governorship.

Although Warri is fresh in politics, evidence abounds that he had risen above norms and followed due processes to

become one of the most sought among Deltans from the 25 local government areas of the state. Politics they say is a game of interests, but for Warri, it is which gave an opportunity to serve the people and work towards a transformed society.

He has shown several sides of his humanitarian achievements which gave him the opportunity to receive numerous awards, including JCI award for medical innovation, Rotary Club of Port-Harcourt humanitarian service award, Eagles entrepreneur award for impact in health care and community development and certificate of appreciation for dedicated service presented at the Houston chapter of the NTO Annang Foundation, US. Andrew Warri commands strong followership in his Ogbobagbene locality, Burutu LGA. His contributions have added to the successes recorded by the ruling PDP in the area. Born on July 15, 1970, he carved a niche for himself through selfless service and as such became the centre of attraction for many

performance and contribution to humanity. As a medical consultant to Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on special medical referral programme, he treated no fewer than 1,300 Niger Delta indigenes within and outside the country. Beside, several homes in the Niger Delta region are beneficiary of his ‘Project Free Medical

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BY EPHRAIM OSEJI

Andrew Warri

years for his uncommon interest and passion to be a CHANGE agent in Delta and across Nigeria as a strong motivator and exceptional growth driver. Andrew Warri represents the ‘New Order’ in the politics of Delta as he is the youngest amongst the people vying for the position, the most adored by youths and a recipient of multiple industries and organizational awards for superior leadership

Andrew Warri represents the ‘New Order’ in the politics of Delta as he is the youngest amongst the people vying for the position

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Service’. In Abuja recently, during a lecture on the importance of “Unity and Campaign for Good Governance in Nigeria”, Andrew Warri indicated the paramount factor that must be followed in ensuring maximum peace and unity in Nigeria.

“Unity means different things for different people; for traders or pressure groups, it is called union, for the peacemakers, its unification, to Engineers and scientist, its integration, to our founding fathers, its amalgamation and to political groups its coalition: Whatever unity means to you, it is the bedrock for growth and good governance in a family, community, groups and a nation. I cannot but agree with the common adage; ‘United we stand but divided we Fall’ Two cannot work together except they agree,”he said.

His statement did not only go a long to unifying Delta Staye which is a semi Nigeria, it also goes a long way to addressing the urgent need for young Nigerians to work towards peace, unity and one purpose in building a nation that will become the envy of many.

Thus, such a man with a clear purpose of overall performance in bettering the living standard of the people should be encouraged to do more even in the face of monumental challenges.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, PAGE 59

Edo 2015: Defectors are no threat to APC – Amanokhan Mr Mika Amanokha is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State. In this interview, he insists that the Governor Adams Oshiomhole - led APC in the state will defeat the PDP despite the defection of some APC members to the PDP. The House of Assembly aspirant for Etsako East also explains why he wants to represent Oshiomhole’s constituency in the House of Assembly.

Excerpts: ome APC leaders even from your local government left the APC for the PDP. Don’t you think it will affect your party come 2015?

Those who defected from the APC are spent forces in the area. If you take a good look at their defection, they moved alone; the youths did not move with them, leaders of the party did not go with them. These are people who can no longer win votes and they know that their value has dropped, so they decided to move. These people are no threat in Edo North. Same thing in other parts of the

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state. Those who moved are people who want Oshiomhole to do their bidding to the detriment of the state and that did not work out. The defections are actually facesaving moves for them.

Why is it that some Etsako people who are supposed to support their son Oshiomhole left for the PDP? That is what people refer today as stomach infrastructure. But the governor said no because if he does that it is the people of the state that will suffer. These are people who feel the governor is spending so much money on projects and not on them. The people of Emei Egba where Momoh comes from have told him that if he left APC for PDP like he has done now, they would not vote for him. They made it clear and it is on record. He and others left due to their personal ambitions and not the interest of our people and that is why they are going to be punished on the day of election.

They accused Oshiomhole of running a government in which only

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BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

One way you can assess a leader is when he is able to lead and hand over the mantle of leadership to credible people

Mr Mika Amanokha the people in his clique are benefiting.

That is blackmail. If you want to kill a dog, you give the dog a bad name first. Oshiomhole is answerable to the people and not anybody.

These same people also accused Oshiomhole of being a dictator, at times they say he overconsults before he takes decisions. Their headache is that Oshiomhole refused to listen to them, they will turn around and say he is surrounded by a cabal. These people complaining tried to form a group around him so as to control him for their selfish

interests, but that did not work out, that is why they are crying today. What they kept suggesting to the governor is anti-people policies and the man said he came to serve the people, and not any group.

Oshiomhole does not believe in any group and that is why you see development today in the state.

2015 elections That elections will be another opportunity for Oshiomhole to show to the world that his works are appreciated by the people. In Etsako for instance it will be an opportunity to further

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shut Dan Orbih up, to tell him that the people really value the infrastructural development in the area. I am sure Orbih will begin to appreciate development rather than his uninformed criticism of Oshiomhole.2015 will be an opportunity for us to celebrate victory over the fall of PDP. Why I want to represent my people?

Hopefully, when the party is ready for primaries, we will tell the people that we intend to create a robust relationship between the state and the legislative arm. We will work with the masses and our youths to find solution to unemployment. We are currently working on a scheme which, by the grace of God, we will activate

when I get to the House of Assembly. It will dwell on artisanship and, once they are through with the training we will establish for them. With that they will be transformed from being unemployed to employers of labour.

Some people are not comfortable that some Oshiomhole’s aides like you are gunning for elective positions in 2015?

One way you can assess a leader is when he is able to lead and hand over the mantle of leadership to credible people.

Now, if most of Oshiomhole’s disciples are running, it is simply because they have gone through the necessary training that can take Edo to the next level. They have acquired the necessary experiences from the Comrade Governor to lead in different capacities. After all, most of those gunning for elective positions, are they more qualified than Oshiomhole’s aides? So, why the complaint if Oshiomhole’s aides are running for elective positions? But this is PDP propaganda just to cause disaffection in the APC, but it will not work.

Osun 2014: Who is fooling who?

BY OLUMIDE LAWAL

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ommentaries have been made concerning the Osun 2014 governorship election convincingly won by the APC flag bearer, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

There were losers who have the right to either raise their voices in favour or against the conduct of the election.

This was the path of honour taken by the Labour Party and its flag-bearer, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, who conceded defeat and congratulated Aregbesola. What a true democrat Akinbade is?

However, the major opposition party in Osun, the PDP, has been crying wolf where there is none. Again, they are entitled to freedom of expression as enshrined in our Constitution. But through their utterances and actions, Osun PDP is standing truth on its head to whip up sentiment. But one is happy that despite the odds put on the ways of the Osun electorate, before and during the election, with the deployment of the so-called federal might, PDP was denied victory.

In order to give a dog

a bad name, to justify hanging it, the Osun PDP has gone to town to wrongly assert that the two officials suspended

by INEC, on one allegation or the other, connived to ‘ rig election’ in favour of the APC. And in a jiffy, a press release was sent out by the Osun PDP to confuse the electorate on the issue.

On the eve of the election, the Electoral Officer (EO) for Obokun Local Government, Anthony Olusegun Eshinoye, was said to have been arrested while allegedly attempting to divert some electoral materials to the residence of a PDP big-wig in the council and he was promptly handed over to law enforcement agents. But what happened thereafter is better imagined. Be that as it may be, one is happy that the public relations officer of INEC in Osun State, Mrs Adenike Tadese, has categorically stated that the suspension of the two INEC officials has nothing to do with electoral malpractices to favour APC, as the action resulted from “administrative lapses” on the part of the officials, who are still under further investigation.

Having tried all kinds

Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of behind the scene maneuver, ranging from a call to change Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ambassador Rufus Akeju, which was effected ahead of the poll, to the issue of deployment of battle-ready security operatives, which failed woefully, Osun PDP has resorted to painting APC as the tormentor and intimidator in the election, whereas that is exactly what the Osun PDP show-cased.

Osun PDP should stop its campaign of calumny against INEC and APC and go to the tribunal to prove its case. If the Osun electorate refused to be cowed into submission by the PDP, is it right for the party to continue to insult the collective intelligence of the people, who stood solidly behind their darling party-APC-and gave it the much desired victory on August 9?

The APC thoroughly

prepared for the election relying on God and the good works of Aregbesola, who positively impacted on the peoples lives whereas the opposition party just wanted power for its sake and to satisfy the yearning of an individual. They forgot that ultimate power belongs to God. But one good thing the national leadership of the PDP did on the election was that it congratulated APC. Ditto President Jonathan. What therefore is the “stolen mandate” that Osun PDP wants to reclaim? Again, the tribunal will resolve the matter.

During the poll, many commissioners, the first civilian governor of Osun, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke, among other APC members, were intimidated, harassed and arrested by the security operatives brought to Osun for no just cause.

So, who were the hunters and the hunted? The slogan of “ we are going to war to capture Osun” by some PDP big wigs fell flat.

The Osun electorate was there for the APC and Aregbesola 24/7 and shall continue to.

If I were Jeleel Adesiy-

an or Musiliu Obanikoro, I would have resigned as minister, following the defeat handed to them by the enlightened electorate who, like the biblical David, messed up these GOLIATHS in their raw and forceful manner of wanting to capture Osun State.

Jonathan should, by now, know that these two ministers are paperweight politicians back at home who could not win their polling units as shown in Adesiyan’s case at Igbira polling unit, Odeomu where his party lost the election.

I will like to appeal to APC teeming supporters to remain like the Rock of Gibraltar behind Aregbesola.

Whatever impediments the opposition may wish to create in the battle concerning the election petition tribunal shall be overcome.

I praise my boss, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, for being a game changer going by the good performance he recorded at the August 9 election.

His experience at an hotel in Osogbo, sometime ago, has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for him and the APC.

Page 60— SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

VIEWPOINT

The ultimate transformation

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VER the last few weeks we have been hearing from the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN). The group has been going from one region to another to collect signatures that would encourage President Goodluck Jonathan to contest an election that is less than six months away.

A couple of weeks ago they were in Ibadan. The event went as a nonevent because even PDP stalwarts who were supposed to be in attendance stayed away, due to their report that they were not properly informed which, in politics, means they were not on the driver’s seat.

However a transformation crept upon us in Ibadan where I reside unannounced at the weekend. I have been a resident of Ibadan for

VIEWPOINT

BY ADEWALE SURAJUDEEN

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF The battle for Kwara

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WO years after the death of Dr. Olusola Saraki, the patriarch of the Saraki political dynasty, his influence still hangs on the Kwara State political landscape like a necklace. Perhaps, only a few diehards would have believed Saraki’s influence would outlive him. There were very good reasons to think the death of Oloye, as Saraki was popularly known, would signal the end of his over four decades reign.

The last decade of Oloye witnessed the emergence of his son, Dr. Bukola Saraki, in the political life of the state, when he was elected as governor on the back of his father’s support. Surprisingly, Bukola later opposed his father’s leadership. It was a political battle that was fierce and furious.

At the centre of the battle was Senator Gbemisola Saraki, Oloye’s daughter and Bukola’s younger sister. Oloye had anointed her as successor to Bukola, for reasons that many believed have to do with Bukola’s deviation from the

VIEWPOINT

Hoisting ethnicity

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the

banner

Other artisans like welders, barbers and even hair dressers are enjoying the new lease of life that the new transformation has brought

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another four hours and that will be the story for that day.

I live around new Ife Road which

cannot be classified as a prime area of Ibadan and so having six hours of electricity in my area for a whole day is a luxury. Such ‘miracle’ would normally draw superlative comments from people on how efficient power supply had become. Things took a different turn and happily for good for us since last Saturday. Let me also inform you that we have a table water factory in my compound which means electricity is my constant requirement because of the need to produce. So under normal condition, we buy at least 10 litres of diesel for #1,600 to power our generator. I made provision for this as usual on Saturday. To last till Monday morning, we also get another 10 litres down for home use on Sunday. However, coming back on Saturday evening, the keg we used to buy diesel was still full. My

operator gleefully announced that they had not used it. What happened on that day is that we have been producing since the morning with IBEDC supplied electricity.

Night came and the story was still the same. To cut a long story short, the light was on 6.00am on Sunday. But while still preparing for Church that morning and just about one hour after light went out, it was restored. It also remained so till 6.00am on Monday when the previous day routine was repeated.

Table water business from production to consumption relies heavily on electricity. You need light to produce and the consumers will not buy if it is not fairly cold.

So, the effect of not having electricity is felt in sales even more than production. But all these changed since Saturday. My

Saraki: A lingering dynasty political orientation of his father.

Bukola was accused of causing a shift from a people-centred political system that was instituted and superintended by Oloye. Bukola’s two terms as governor had redefined popular participation.

Unlike his father who opted for a simple and austere leadership, which placed higher value on popular support and inclusive politics as against ostentatious lifestyle and riches, his son appeared to favour a winner takes all concept of exclusive politics where loyalists feed on piecemeal political favours, leaving the majority as mere spectators.

GRS, as Senator Gbemisola Saraki is popularly known, was to be their father’s attempt to salvage his political system and refocus it to continue to serve the people. Bukola would however not hand back the control to his father. He wrestled Oloye to the ground, splitting the political structure down the middle.

With the resources of the state firmly in his grip, he lured not a few of his father’s associates to his side. The

The political events since the death of Oloye have shown a clear departure from selfless approach to politics. The new order shares no affinity with Oloye’s

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governorship election of 2010 provided the platform for Bukola to finally undo his father. He denied his sister the required support to emerge as governor under the PDP banner. The alternative platform provided by Oloye in the Allied Congress Party Nigeria (ACPN) lacked both the time and resources to win election. Fatai Ahmed, Bukola’s anointed candidate, won the 2010 election and became the governor. Gbemisola garnered enough votes to show that her father

still had a large political following.

In the midst of this was the Action Congress of Nigeria’s, ACN, governorship candidate, Mohammed Dele Belgore, who made a strong showing, benefiting majorly from the traditional opposition voters.

In about two years later, Oloye passed on, putting to an end, an eventful political chapter in not just the political life of Kwara State.

To Bukola, politics of self-denial does not seem to cut.

The political events since the death of Oloye have shown a clear departure from selfless approach to politics. The new order shares no affinity with Oloye’s.

The most significant change in the last two years is Gbemisola’s unexpected rise from being just Oloye’s beloved daughter to becoming one of the most formidable politicians around.

Many are still wondering how come she is so adept at what she is doing.

If her father ’s dynasty is an heirloom, GRS has not only polished it, she has also been

Attah’s reception: A grand deception

BY EZEKIEL AKPAN

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

over 20 years now. Even in the best of times, we will have electricity supply continuously for a maximum of six hours. It could be restored two hours later for

of

ORMER governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, is an honourable man.

When he ascended the office of governor in 1999, it was seen as the return of the aristocrat to his people. Many feared that there would be lack of seam and sync given his blue blood cultivation.

They further noted that his long absence from home, his lack of intimate affinity with the home people and apparent lack of grasp of political chicanery may combine to make him a stranger to the politics of the state. Despite these considered deficiencies, Attah possessing of iron-cast courage and will plunged into the exercise and made the best of his ability of it.

As governor, he also broke new frontiers. During the resource control imbroglio, he fought doggedly redefining the national perception of the Akwa Ibom man hitherto construed to be timid. His dignified and urbane mien may have been part of the reason he was made the Chairman, Nigeria’s Governors Forum. His conduct of the affairs of that office and his

vociferous agitation for resource control gave him a notable standing in national politics.

Unfortunately, Attah misread the attention he received. People applauded him for having the courage to confront the then President Olusegun Obasanjo who had assumed the place of a political deity that all had to worship and pander to. He broke Obasanjo’s myth and earned public plaudits.

But he thought the plaudits translated to political popularity and an intivation for him to contest for the presidency. He girded his loin preparatory to making his son-in-law a governor and himself a president. Working from two flanks at the same time, the centre could not hold. The son-in-law was rejected by the people. At the centre, Attah’s ambition did not enjoy the support of the then president.

But all these did detract the esteem in which many held and still hold Attah. Even when many identified ethnic colouration in the manner he ran Akwa Ibom for eight-years, others still found reasons to excuse him in the uneven distribution of public amenities and political opportunities. They

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Improved power boosts businesses

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VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

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BY LEYE OLAGUNJU

Attah finished eight years as governor of Akwa Ibom State, he was not received by these people who confess love for him today

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readily agree that he did his best in the circumstance given the set of values and people he had to work with.

Attah’s public estimation began to flag when he adopted an adversarial role against his protégé and successor. Many were worried that having attained the almighty septuagenarian status, he should have rid himself of the baggage of pettiness. His unsavoury letter to Governor Godswill Akpabio in which he compared the latter to notorious leaders liker Hitler and Mussolini was an eloquent expose of this fear.

The altercation deepened necessitating many attempts at

mediation. Attah was said to remain implacable further fuelling fears that he carried the baggage of hate against his son.

His public rating nosedived more gravely when some ethnic jingoists goaded him into an ethnic war in which they accused Akpabio of conducting pogrom against Ibibio sons and daughters through incessant kidnapping and killings. It was the most scandalous thing for some one of his pedigree to be associated.

Attah is a prominent son of Ibibio. But he is more a prominent son of Akwa Ibom than Ibibio in view of the fact that he once ruled the state. The state was his primary constituency, not Ibibio. The consistent efforts of Ibibio jingoists to pigeon-hole him and give him the ignoble colouration of ethnic warlord or ethnic bigot is at best a disservice to him and the state.

It is an insult to his long years of learning, experience, exposure, professional integrity and above all age.

Recently, there is the news making the rounds that some people have banded themselves together to pursue an ethnic agenda which they couch as the reception for Attah. And when, I

salesman who will be lucky to sell the first trip of 166 bags came back again on Saturday. It now dawned on me that it is not the rainy season that prevents people from drinking water, it is indeed electricity.

Other artisans like welders, barbers and even hair dressers are enjoying the new lease of life that the new transformation has brought. No longer do you see welders wake up in the middle of the night to weld just because there is electricity.

While others may be going about collecting signatures of people, there is no better transformation than what I have experienced in the last few days. I hope you will not ask me whether I will vote for the man that brought it about. My answer is obvious, I honestly do not need a Buruji or a Kashamu to convince me.

So, let the ultimate transformation continue. *Olagunju lives in Ibadan, Oyo State capital wearing it with so much gait and pride.

She has emerged as a consummate politician with unarguably the biggest and most widely spread group within the PDP structure in Kwara State. GRS Movement as her associates would call it has continued to grow across the state. It is doubtful if anyone else in PDP can boast of quality representation and followership in every ward of the state as GRS. If there was such a doubt, it was put to rest when her group produced about 70 percent of the state executive members in the last PDP state congresses.

Oloye may have died, but in GRS he lives. You could see and feel him all around her. Like her father, she is most at home around the common people. Her bravery would dwarf many of the male politicians in the state. She is a consummate political bridge builder, who has built political alliances with many politicians that matter across the state. These are some of the qualities that stood her father in good stead for several years.

•Surajudeen is based in Offa, Kwara State

asked the purpose, one of them squawked the inanity: “They are receiving him from the National CONFAB”. The audacity of these people is in a breath shocking.

Attah is now to be used in the pursuit of ethnic card. Seven years ago, he was the butt of their jokes, treachery, insults and recrimination. Today, it is convenient to dust him, hoist him as a totem and use him to stoke ethnic acrimony and discord.

Attah finished eight years as governor of Akwa Ibom State, he was not received by these people who confess love for him today.

When he erroneously arrayed salvos against the present administration which drew a rash of criticisms from members of the public, these bigots were no where to be found. When Attah had issues with his membership of Board of Trustees of the People’s Democratic Party, he did not as much as draw a message of solidarity or protest from these people. Even when the man’s wife died, their level of participation was either insignificant or non-existent. What is the value of this reception? This is not the kind of politics those who plan to be leaders should engage in. This is stoking ethnicity to an inflammatory peak.

•Akpan is resident in Uyo.

SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014,

Sarah Jubril on community centre, farms laws Wake up call on norms

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S the wind of positive change blowing across the nation’s ethics and values landscape continues, a moral rearming organization under the aegis of the Foundation for the Advancement of Ethics and Values, in conjunction with the office of the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Ethics and Values, Dr Sarah Jubril, has sent out a wake-up call on Nigerians on route to rediscovery of our age old norms.

The South East- Zonal Coordinator, Dr. Mike Opara, said that the organization has concluded plans to honour some select Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in character and conduct, for it to remain a constant reminder and lesson to other citizens that

VIEWPOINT

BY DAVID EFDEURHOBO

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

A development agent in Delta

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OLITICS should reflect and affect the aspirations and yearnings of the people. That is how politics in the developed countries is practised.

Honourable Faith Majemite’s patriotic zeal has always reflected this position. Her style of politics is such that the living standard of the Ethiope East citizens in Delta State is not only sustained but also improved. She is assiduously committed to the ideals and goals of the average Ethiope East citizen. I decided to project this illustrious daughter of our land because of her overwhelming commitment to the development of the local government. It is the absence of this type of God-sent people in our politics that there is lack of proper development from the local government to the national level today.

This woman of substance,

VIEWPOINT

BY ATTAH ISOETTE ATTAH

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

The case against party deregistration “Arise o compatriots, Nigeria’s call obey. To serve our father’s land, with love and strength and faith. The labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain. To serve with heart and might, one nation bound in freedom, peace and unity.

Oh God of creation, direct our noble cause. Guide our leaders’ right, help our youth’s the truth to know. In love and honesty to grow, and living just and true. Great lofty heights attain. To build a nation where peace, and justice shall reign.

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OFTY platitudes from Nigeria’s National Anthem, which most of our leaders lip-sync on assumption of office, but which they never adhere to in the discharge of their duties. This is again evidenced by the series of actions which has culminated in the un-masking of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s lie that it had engaged Fresh Democratic Party, FRESH, in an unknown Court of Appeal, to challenge the victorious verdict which the progressively popular party got against its de-registration at Justice

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honesty, industry and steadfastness is still appreciated. They include the immediate past governor of Anambra state, Chief Peter Obi, Prince Arthur Eze, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, former Ohaneze leader, HRH Eze Ozobu, Senator Hope Uzodinma, Capt (rtd) Emma Iheanacho, Chief Bethel Amadi, Chief Jerry Chukwueke and chief Chukwuma Nwazunku.

Others include Senators Chris Anyanwu, Igwe Nwagu, Sony Ogbuoji, Prince Offor

Chukwuegbo, Chief Ezenwa Itanyi, Chief Alex Okafor, Chief Obasi Lawson, Chief Leonard Okoye, Chief Kennedy Oparah and chief Chris Oranu, amongst others.

According to the group, their lives have been promoting the nation’s ethics and values.

He said that for a sound national development to be achieved, there is need for all to adopt a new positive social order right from the family, community, ward, council up to the state level, so as to affect the national life. He therefore charged every citizen to always think of how things would positively affect the general society, instead of one’s self only.

As the 2015 general elections approaches, the coordinator wants all at the political party level to seek out persons with high moral and ethical standards, not just one who has connections or financial muscle to buy his way through.

Without closing eyes on other primordial considerations like geo-balance and zoning, Dr Opara appealed to Nigerians from every

state, geopolitical zone or party to go for only one with sound and verifiable values and character.

That the right questions need to be asked whether he was known for accountability, educated, with sound judgment.

According to him, “today you can see the difference between President Goodluck Jonathan and others. He’s well educated, chooses experts for their core areas of assignments and doesn’t stress up anyone he assigns responsibility to. He allows his subordinates to prove their mettle on the job, not to breathe down one’s neck all the time. That is what democracy is all about.

He noted that as we have generals in the army, so is Jonathan a general in democratic norms, ethics and values, pointing out that no one will make any proper progress without the education of the body, mind and spirit.

The group, he stated has therefore planned a sustained series of spiritual reawakening

The transformation of Ethiope East through her political organization tagged, Faith Majemite Solidarity Movement (FMSM), has demonstrated love and humanitarianism in Ethiope East Local Government. The down trodden, who were hopeless before the establishment of this organization, have suddenly become hopeful. School fees of indegent children are taken care of by her. Other persons in various fields cry to her for one particular challenge or the other. She meets the needs of these individuals in the society.

She was born with foresight and doggedness never before seen.

Unlike many politicians, her word is her bond. Whenever she makes up her mind on something she feels the society will benefit from, her friends and associates know it is done. Such is the distinguished feature in her that made her the rallying point of progressives. That is the idea that gave birth to FMSM. They knew in Faith

The greatest strength of this distinguished personality is the manifest joy in serving people and not to display the attitude of disregard and disdain

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Majemite, they would find succor, trust and reliability.

A good politician like Majemite becomes the image of her creator.

A good and responsible, God fearing politician will give high regard for morality, must be law abiding and shun corruption.

The greatest strength of this distinguished personality is the manifest joy in serving people and not to display the attitude of

disregard and disdain. It is an indisputable fact that a fulfilling and meaningful life is created through service to others. To be an effective politician, your followers must have implicit trust and confidence in you. And the very best way for a politician to build trust is to display good sense of character and qualities composed of values, beliefs, traits and skills.

Her transformation agenda to reposition Ethiope East Local Government is borne out of integrity and technical skills to handle those challenging assignments, fiscal matters, policies, plans, projects programs, ideas and initiative solutions to existing problems. Integrity is consistency of actions, methods, measures, values, principles expectations and outcomes. It is doing what is right, both legally and morally at all times. Her demonstration of purpose of love and sincerity of purpose through

INEC, National Assembly: Let justice reign Gabriel Kolawole’s Federal High Court on July 17, 2013.

This sham was uncovered when Fresh’s lawyers, Dr. Fred Agbaje and Barr. Kola Dopamu, obtained a motion on notice filed by the Commission in its affidavit dated July 17, 2014. Fact is that if the party had ever been in court with the agency to defend its victory as INEC had publicly claimed for several months, then a motion and subsequent court summons by the appellate court would have reached the party. There was never any!

The party was still trying to come to grasp with the conflicting crosscurrents of INEC’s disregard for the extant judgment, numerous lies and delay tactics, and sudden reamendment of Electoral Act, No. 6, 2010, which was recently passed by the Senate, after going through the third reading when this appeal ruse was unearthed. Agbaje, legal consultant to FRESH, had written a petition dated June 20, 2014 to the Senate President, protesting the amendment, as an extant judgment relating to the bill still exist.

Senate President David Mark responded to Agbaje on June 26, 2014, that he had referred the petition to the Senate Committee on Constitutional Review for further action. But alas, the bill was passed just a few days after the

response.

Maybe INEC should be deregistered for failing to uphold the tents to which it swore, because the agency can do nothing against the truth. This de-registration exercise targeted Fresh Democratic Party and its founder, Rev. Chris Okotie, who has consistently been the most vocal opposition, commenting on all vital issues on the state of the nation and the well-being of its people, via opinions and commentaries in the media.

INEC’s sudden arousal from slumber should never be honoured by the court. If the Commission did not deem it fit to ensure that due process was followed, then the court should not present itself as an ally of injustice by allowing an argument that negates the rational for the stipulation of a time frame in the first place. Also, the content of INEC’s latest notice of appeal is really laughable and should be scoffed at by an enlightened world.

It is so mediocre that it begs for answers as to the quality of minds that are shaping the nexus of our electoral process.

The re-amendment of the Electoral Act 2010 by the Senate seems to be an attempt at nullifying the judgment of FRESH against INEC. It exhibits the aniconic and poor mentality of our

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VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

As the 2015 general elections approaches, the coordinator wants all at the political party level to seek out persons with high moral and ethical standards

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BY LEKAN BILESANMI

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VIEWPOINT

If military rule, apartheid, communism, with all their failings, could not stand against the yearnings and collective will of the people, then this calculated act of predatory governance and politicking cannot

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legislators. A law or amendment should be the product of serious debate, after all related views are given due consideration. It is not a rubber stamp of the devious interests of a quango, hurriedly conceived and passed to achieve a momentary and transient desire, especially as it does nothing new in improving on the previous version. Their creation only aggravates the plight of the people.

This is why parties like FRESH and all well-meaning Nigerians must rise up to salvage this nation from imminent political and socioeconomic collapse.

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programmes and messages round the country from up to the family and ward units for self rediscovery. The honours award is expected within the week, while a national rally would come up in Enugu next month where every Nigerian was invited as special guests.

The gatherings and other activities, according to Opara were to also raise awareness and support for the bill currently before the National Assembly seeking the establishment of Solution’s Laboratory comprising the Community Transformation Centers and Community Transformation Farms (CTCs & CTFs), which the office of the Special Adviser to President on Ethics and Values is facilitating, which will act as a data/information gathering unit by which to advise Mr. President more correctly and accurately. That the National Assembly supports the reason for the celebration of a National Ethics Day which is slated for March 14 annually. And also for the National Assembly to support the proposal to the United Nations to begin to budget, fund and celebrate International Ethics Day annually. her followers which has reflected in the face of some indigenes remind us what Sir Winston Churchill, a famous British politician who served as Prime Minister twice (1940 - 45) and (1951 – 55), once said” “ A politician must have the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it did not happen.”

Hence, a political career is meant for the people of high integrity and additional skills to achieve results and finding better ways of making life better for the people they represent. This is what Majemite stands to represent in the politics of Ethiope East. What is next for this visionary? It is time to ask women of true competence to take the plunge. The best of us should lead the rest of us.

Therefore, seek elective position; Majemite, seek elective position!

•Efeurhobo, a public affairs analyst, is resident in Agbor

If military rule, apartheid, communism, with all their failings, could not stand against the yearnings and collective will of the people, then this calculated act of predatory governance and politicking cannot.

FRESH will not back-down from its demand for justice. It will not relent, it will not waver, and it will sustain its momentum and go the whole hog till this act of injustice is redressed. The party and well-meaning progressives will continue to stand up against any appearance of governmental insensitivity. It is in the expressions of our anthem and pledge. It is an ideal for which we stand as Nigerians.

Words from our National Anthem express the nationalistic verve which should not just be words spoken to fulfill administrative requirements, but should flow from the patriotic heart of every well-meaning Nigerian, irrespective of religious or political persuasion. They are the words which citizens like the late heroines, Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh, Dora Akunyili; soldiers who lost their lives fighting Boko Haram and many more not only chanted, but lived and died. So that the labour of heroes past like these may never be in vain, our politicians and ruling class should look to people like them for worthy emulation and exemplary lives worth imitating. * Attah contributed this piece from Akwa-Ibom State

PAGE 62—SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

Pistorius free to run, IPC declares Spain was bad luck

Blazing... Blade runner Oscar Pistorius escaped murder charge, will he return to the tracks?

T

HE International Paralympic Committee have confirmed that Oscar Pistorius will be allowed to resume his athletics career despite being found guilty of culpable homicide.

Pistorius was convicted of the charge on Friday, having escaped the more serious charge of murder for the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

The 27-year-old double amputee became one of the biggest names in world sport

by not only dominating Paralympic athletics but also competing with able bodied athletes at the highest level.

Craig Spence, the IPC ‘s director of media and communications, told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Oscar ’s done a great deal for the Paralympic movement, he’s been an inspiration to millions, but obviously his priority now is to see (what) the judge decides.

“Then if he wishes to resume his athletics career then we

wouldn’t step in his way, we would allow him to compete again in the future.”

The IPC’s chief executive Xavier Gonzalez admitted that Pistorius had been a “fundamental ambassador” for Paralympic sport but also insisted the movement had moved on.

“We have been very clear in differentiating our work from what was happening in the life of one individual.

“That will not change with the verdict today. The trial has not had any negative impact on the Paralympic movement.

Since London with Sochi in 2014 we have seen an incredible growth in all aspects of our activities and we look forward very positively to Rio and Pyeongchang.

“Oscar was a fundamental ambassador of the Paralympic movement in the period between 2008 and 2012. Since then the Paralympic movement has many other ambassadors and many other athletes that have been recognised globally and we believe that will continue growing as we lead up to 2016.”

for me — Igiebor S

UPER Eagles returnee, Nosa Igiebor said that his spell in Spain was an unlucky period of his football career.

Igiebor who returned to the Eagles with a role in their bedeviled Nations Cup qualification matches against Congo and South Africa said he returned to Maccabi TelAviv from Spanish side Real Betis, because he needed a new lease of life.

“It was a personal decision for me to return to Israel but there were no problems, it was all fine. I just needed a new environment, a change of environment really because I was unlucky in Spain,” he said in a radio interview.

“I suffered lots of injuries in Spain and went under the knife severally so I thought I needed a new environment to relax my body and do something, that’s why I returned to Israel,” he explained.

Igiebor had the best chance in the game against South Africa in Cape Town in the 36th minute of play, when he picked up the ball just outside the Bafana box, but he fired over the bar.

Other Nigerian players in Israel, include Austin Ejide, Harmony Ikande, Dele Aiyenugba and most recently, John Uzochukwu Ogu, who joined Ejide at Hapoel Beer Sheva last week.

Former champions battle behind tennis stars champions on the sideline.

Djkovic World number One Novak Djokovic was one of the first to add a former star to his backroom staff, by hiring Boris Becker as his head coach ahead of the 2014 season.

Djokovic praised Becker for his Wimbledon triumph, saying the coach improved his mental toughness.

•Nosa Igiebor

Federer Roger Federer roped in his childhood idol Stefan Edberg, also late last year like Djokovic. The duo hasn’t won anything but critics have said that the Swede has played a better game, close to his best, under Edberg. Federer reached the final of this year’s Wimbledon only to be beaten

by Djokovic in a five-set thriller.

T

HE 2014 season has seen a rise in former players coaching some of the world’s best tennis players. There reasoning behind this is usually ‘because he’s played the game and knows the pressure, he is best suited to hand me down some relevant needed advice’ and most top players have joined the trend and it was apparent at this year ’s US Open, with both Men’s finalists having former

Murray Even though Andy Murray has split with former coach Ivan Lendl, the latter did help transform the Brit from Grand Slam pretender to U.S. Open champion and above all, Wimbledon champion. But the two split this year after it seemed their desires and ambitions clashed, especially after Murray’s back surgery last September.

Marin Cilic.

T h e former Wimbledon champion began working with Cilic last year and their pairing has proved fruitful especially after the 26 year-old Bosnian beat Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the U.S. Open on Saturday.

Cilic Goran Ivanisevic is the coach of this year’s US Open finalist

Nishikori US Open finalist Kei Nishikori hired former French

Open champion Michael Chang, in a move that has seen the 24-year-old Japanese player beat world number one Djokovic and become the first Asian to reach the US Open finals. Nishikori paired with Chang, who is the most famous player of Asian decent after being the

youngest man to ever win a Grand slam at 17. Their marriage was expected to only last for five month but now the 24 year-old would like to continue working with the 41 year former champion.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014 —PAGE 63

Eagles lack fitness and finesse — Owolabi STORIES BY EDDIE AKALONU

F

ORMER Nigerian international, Felix Owolabi MON has harped on the need for a physical trainer to be appointed for the Super Eagles to improve their readiness in the remaining games of the African Cup of Nations qualifying series, saying both games played so far against Congo and South Africa were disappointing.

“The matches were a disappointment. The reason the team played badly was because players were not physically fit and they were not hungry to play by all ramifications. They were always at the receiving end most of the time in both games and that’s not the Nigerian team we all know,” he stated.

Owolabi, who is a former Nigeria Football Association board-member and chairman of it’s technical committee, said for the team to return to winning ways, NFF needs to deploy a physical trainer to re-awaken the players, in the same vein that coach Stephen Keshi must design new ways to play.

“It is certain that the team needs a physical trainer. The boys were heavy, sluggish and people have talked about the lack of creative people in the team. That is because, all the ingredients of a good team were lacking. There is therefore a need to ensure physical, mental and psychological readiness.

“These would restore confidence. Keshi again must design different strategies per coming game because we cannot continue losing points while Congo and South Africa gain.

Right now no one can even say we can beat Sudan, so we must sit up now. Before you know it we have a problem of qualification. Let me also note that our players were not hungry to play. That plus not being fit have been our bane. There is need for overhaul of the team before the next set of matches,” he added.

•False Start... Super Eagles midfielder, John Obi Mikel contest for ball possession with South Africa’s Andile Jali during their Nations Cup qualifiers. In Cape Town.

Diack says ‘goodbye’ to athletics 1

AAF President Lamine Diack who opened the Continental Cup in Marrakech, Morocco yesterday said that the event will be his last as he prepares to step down next summer.

“I feel like Morocco is my home but I feel sad that this is my last Continental Cup as President. We have two good candidates for the next edition in 2018, Bydgoszcz (Poland) and Ostrava (Czech Republic), if I am physically capable I will be at the next Cup, but only as a spectator,” said Diack, noting that he will stand down next summer from the role at the head of the sport’s global governing body that he has occupied since 1999.

“I have been involved in the Continental Cup, and its predecessor, the World Cup from

NFF crisis reason for Eagles failings, says Dimeji Lawal

•Dimeji Lawal

E

X- INTERNATIONAL Dimeji Lawal has put the blame of the Super Eagles’ low performance in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers squarely on in-fighting in the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, saying that is expected of a house in disarray

and without a head.

Speaking to Sports Vanguard on telephone, the former Canada’87 FIFA U-17 World Cup veteran said when the head is rusty, how do you blame the technical crew and players for just not measuring up? It’s clear there is no one to chart a part of progress, so the coaches and players ave no one to give them ears. It is therefore affecting them off the pitch and on the pitch.”

Dimeji said Nigeria can only salvage the campaign if the warring parties quickly mend fences and work together for the country. “Yes result is not good right now but I still want to absolve our players and technical crew of blame. This was never a time to rake up crises, on the brink of very crucial qualifiers. Those involved owe us the responsibility to sit up and return football back of course.

the start. It’s an event in which Africa has had success in the past. I remember well the first event in 1977, in Montreal, so I feel very close to this event.”

The IAAF World Cup evolved into the IAAF Continental Cup after a decision by the IAAF Council in November 2008 and the first edition of the new format competition was held four years ago in the Croatian city of Split.

The Cup is the third IAAF World Athletics Series event to be held in Marrakech, confirming its status as the home of athletics in Morocco, following a memorable IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 1998 and then the 2005 IAAF World Youth Championships.

The subject matter, in the wake of the two recently concluded 2014 IAAF Diamond League finals, quickly changed away from the IAAF World Athletics Series to one-day meetings.

•Diack...Showing solidarity with the Chibok girls.

Marrakech currently stages a successful annual IAAF World Challenge meeting and President Diank was asked whether he could one day see an IAAF Diamond League meeting being staged in Marrakech.

“We (the IAAF) trust Morocco and think that Morocco could potentially organise such an event,” he replied.

“At an African level whenever there is something big in athletics you begin by thinking about Morocco. There is no competition that Morocco would not be capable of organising.”

Such words came as encouragement to Abbdelsaalem Ahizoune, President of the Royal Moroccan Athletics Federation and head of the Cup local organising committee, and there is no IAAF Diamond League meeting currently staged on African soil.

“I have to say I was expecting President Diack to say to me, ‘you should look at this, or look at that,’ and he hasn’t done so yet, so I take that as a good sign about the organisation.

“This is a fantastic city that attracts tourists from around the world, it is a city of culture and the people of Marrakech are renowned for their joy. The city of Marrakech deserves this attention,” said Ahizoune.

“For this Cup I am expecting a good attendance. For the African Championships (in August) there were some problems attracting the public, it was the holiday season and athletics is not football. However, this event has a higher profile,” he added.

Marrakech’s Grade Stade, the venue for the Cup, has a capacity of 41,325.

Moses loving life at Stoke

V

ICTOR Moses failed to lift Stoke City yesterday as they fell 1-0 at home to Leicester, but the Super Eagles attacker said he is loving life at Stoke.

Moses said he is enjoying his football with Stoke. He was sent on loan to Liverpool last year and barely saw the pitch. Moses made 22 appearances for the Reds and the majority of them were as a late substitute. Brendan Rodgers gave him little chance to make an impact and Victor Moses was unable to force his way in to the lineup.

“I want to get on the pitch as much as I can, play my football and enjoy myself, that’s the most important thing. The manager has given me a chance by bringing me here and I’m looking to repay that faith by performing well whenever he gives me the opportunity. I’ve settled in very well but that’s credit to the lads, the manager and the whole staff who have been brilliant to me.

“The training is good as well and everybody is working hard and for me personally I’m enjoying the fact I have a chance to play football on a regular basis. I’m really enjoying myself here and I hope I can make an impact, help the team win as many games as possible because the aim is to finish in the top ten once again this season.”

Stoke and Victor Moses have already helped out his parent club Chelsea with a victory last week away at Manchester City. It was one of the early shocks of the season and it was a well deserved win for the Potters. Victor Moses said of the win, “Everyone is buzzing following that win away at Manchester City. It was a fantastic win, but we need to put it behind us and keep that momentum going.”

But it was not so for Stoke. Mark Hughes’ side had been aiming to make it back-to-back wins after a famous victory last time out at champions Manchester City.

Stoke, usually so strong at the Britannia Stadium, lost for the second successive time on home soil after defeat by Aston Villa on the opening day.

•Moses

SUNDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

Eaglets set to battle Ebola frightened Gabonese

N

IGERIA’s under-17 team,the Golden Eaglets landed in Libreville, yesterday for the African Under- 17 championship qualifier and are ready to punish their Gabonese opponents who subjected them to a harrowing travel ordeal,

because of concerns for the Ebola virus running riot in West Africa.

The match was scheduled for Saturday, but Gabonese officials ordered the Eaglets not to fly into their country, after the delegation had boarded an aircraft in Lome, Togo.

However, following intervention by CAF, the Eaglets eventually left Togo on Saturday morning and arrived in Libreville at about 4.45pm yesterday.

“The team left and did arrive in Gabon for the match. The Nigeria Football Federation will not be taking any further action on the matter,” said NFF spokesperson Ademola Olajire.

Gabon, which banned flights from all Ebola ravaged countries, had refused entry to the Nigerian contingent, forcing the NFF to write to CAF, whose intervention lead to the Gabonese embassy granting the Eaglets visas.

Nigeria has rolled back the spread of the disease to a large extent, but the Central African country was still adamant the Eaglets who had certificates of healthfulness stay out of their air space.

Nigeria were runners up in the last African Under-17 Championship, losing 1-0 to Ivory Coast in the final, however they conquered the World in Dubai last year to lift the FIFA under-17 World Cup.

LETHAL WEAPON... Chelsea striker Diego Costa fires home his second goal in Chelsea’s 4-2 win over Swansea at Stamford Bridge. Swansea’s defender Ki Sung-Yueng couldn’t stop Costa from grabbing a hat-trick.

NFF will decide Keshi’s fate — Sports Minister

BY BEN EFE

F

OLLOWING public out cry about coach Stephen Keshi’s handling of the two African Nations Cup qualifiers, Sports Minister Tammy Danagogo has left the Nigeria Football Federation to decide who will handle the Super Eagles for their remaining matches.

The Eagles’ qualification for the Morocco 2015 Nations Cup is in jeopardy, after they lost 2-3 to Congo Brazzaville in Calabar and drew goalless with South Africa in Cape Town. Football enthusiasts including ex-internationals believed that Keshi did not do a good job in those two games.

His team selection and tactics were questioned and Keshi it seems has lost his interest to continue with the job.

“It is up to the NFF to decide who handles the Eagles.

The Minister only requested that Keshi should handle the two games, since there was a vacuum.

“He offered to pay for the ser-

vices rendered by coach Keshi.

But now that the two games are done with, it is squarely at the feet of the NFF to decide,” said Patrick Omorodion who is media assistant to the Sports Minister.

Keshi was negotiating his contract fees with the NFF before crisis engulfed the football house. The new board of the NFF awaiting election, is expected to make an appointment of a coach.

After the match in Cape Town, Keshi hinted that he may have done his time with the national team.

“I’m not sure yet. I was just brought in to help manage these two games. We have finished them now, so we’ll see what happens. If we (he and the Nigerian federation) come to an agreement, yes I’ll stay.

If no, I’ll depart. Let’s see how it turns out when I get home.”

The Super Eagles have one point after two games. They trail Congo (six points) and South Africa (four points) in the Group A standings. The Eagles will play Sudan twice

in a row in October — home and away.

Man Utd

•Amuneke... Eaglets coach

TODAY’S MATCH v QPR

4.00pm

RESULTS Arsenal Chelsea Crystal Palace Southampton Barcelona

2 4 0 4 2

Man City Swansea Burnley Newcastle Bilbau

2 2 0 0 0

Stoke Sunderland West Brom Liverpool Real Madrid

0 2 0 0 1

Leicester Tottenham Everton Aston Villa A.Madrid

1 2 2 1 2

CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1.Taraba capital (7) 4.Exchanges (5) 6.Crest (5) 7.Speared (7) 9.Fashion (5) 10.Weird (5) 11.Donor (5) 13.Domain (5) 17.Crestfallen (3) 19.Face (8) 20.Pianos (6) 21.Much (6) 23.Stayed (8) 24.Frozen water (3) 25.Snake (5) 27.Own up (5) 30. Arise (5) 31. Evade (5) 32. Dotted (7) 34. Lariat (5) 35. Moves like a horse (5) 36.Sowed (7)

DOWN 1. Incarcerates (5) 2. Nothing (3) 3. Command (5) 4. Cue (5) 5. Vapour (5) 8. Dog (3) 12. Nigerian state (6) 14. Ovum (3) 15. Connected (6) 16. Cooked (6) 17. Glare (5) 18. Ill-fated (6) 22. Maiden name (3) 25. Revise accounts (5) 26. Staggers (5) 27. Old fable writer (5) 28. Child (3) 29. Gave in (5) 33. Benin chieftain (3)

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