ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE PDP CRISES: Obasanjo's peace talks deadlocked

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61947

BOKO HARAM:

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

Family of four, P.7 neighbour burnt to Shekau's deputy, Bama killed death in Lagos P.9

ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE PDP CRISES

Obasanjo's peace talks deadlocked •Amaechi, Jang stick to their guns •The door is neither closed nor opened — Obasanjo •Why we don't trust Jang — Nyako

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH & BEN AGANDE

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BUJA —THE trou ble-shooting mission of former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in the internal wrangling rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has ended in a deadlock as he failed to reconcile the squab

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COLUMNISTS:

Is'haq Modibbo Kawu•P.17 OCHEREOME NNANNA•P.19

Josef Omorotionmwan •P.19

Mr & Mrs

NIGERIA FLOORS S-AFRICA—Nigeria's Obinna Nsofor vies with South Africa's Thulani Hlasthwayo during a 2013 Nelson Mandela Football Challenge friendly match between South Africa and Nigeria at Moses Mabhida Stadium, yesterday, in Durban, South Africa. Inset: Nigeria's Azubuike Egwuekwe controls the ball. AFP PHOTOS. Nigeria won 2:0.

State of Emergency as 280 die in Egypt's crisis

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POCKET CARTOON

VISIT—From left: Chairman and Leader of the National Economic Sum-

mit Group, Mr Folusho Philips; Chairman Mobilization Committee, NESG, Mr Kayode Falowo and Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, during a visit by the NESG to the Government House, Ilorin, yesterday.

Obasanjo's peace talks deadlocked Continues from page 1 bling governors Tuesday night.

The second move by the former president to make peace between the governors and President Goodluck Jonathan and his family, it was learnt, was also postponed indefinitely.

Upon reconciling the governors, President Obasanjo was expected to lead a delegation of the governors to meet

with President Jonathan where issues that have bedevilled the party were to be thrashed out.

That meeting has now been put on hold.

Obasanjo at the end of the Tuesday night meeting, however, promised to continue the peace effort, telling the governors that "the door is neither closed nor opened."

Meanwhile, Governor

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Learn from the past, set vivid detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time of which you have any control NOW!

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

R

EMAINING contented throughout your life is a big task but an important one. Contented people have fewer health issues, are more likely to enjoy life to its fullest and do not want for what they do not have. A contented person is not chasing after rainbows or trying to keep up with the Joneses; instead, a contented person knows that the source of contentment is deep within, trusting oneself and loving the life one has— Wikihow Be in harmony with those around you. If you are having difficulties in your relationships, it is important to sort these out quickly. Impoverished relationships are a key source of discontentment and if you have tried hard with some people and nothing improves, it is important to reassess whether or not you will continue to have that disruptive influence in your life.

For those you love and care about, appreciate them, and be more a part of their lives in each and every way daily. Revel in the beauty of loving and caring for people around you.

Even those who cause you pain, forgive them as you move on from them, and let them be the way they are in the world without this causing you angst. a good neighbour. Get to know the people around you and be there for them as much as you can.

Create community wherever you go and show trust to others. Reaching out to all is part of being contented within ourselves.

Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, yesterday, offered reasons why majority of governors in the Nigeria Governors' Forum, NGF, backed Governor Chibuike Amaechi against Jonah Jang in the NGF chairmanship election. He said the governors do not trust Jang to robustly defend their interests before the president.

Amaechi can't step down — Supporters Central to the abortion of the peace process was the refusal of both Governors Chibuike Amaechi and Jonah Jang to step down from chairmanship of rival factions of the NGF. Under a proposal that had been canvassed, Amaechi would have called a meeting of the NGF in which all the governors would have attended and at which he would have tendered a public resignation supposedly for peace to return to the forum.

However, Amaechi and his supporters resisted the move as they claimed that since he won the election, he should not be the one to step down.

Jang who lost the NGF chairmanship election by 16 votes to the 19 votes garnered by Amaechi, was equally unmoving.

Supporters of Amaechi, it was learnt, were said to have argued that the result of

the election should be respected and that the loser of the election should step down.

One governor who spoke to Vanguard on the condition of anonymity, however, insisted that those of them driving the peace process would not give up until peace returns to the fold of the governors and the party.

Another governor who also spoke in confidence decried assertions in the media that Amaechi was asked to step down as he affirmed that there was no unanimity on the issue of the duo of Amaechi and Jang stepping down. He accused colleagues who purveyed the information as having ulterior motives.

“It is not true that Amaechi, who won the election fair and square was asked to relinquish his victory. Nothing like that was agreed throughout the meeting with the former President,” the governor said.

“There was no such agreement and anyone who peddles such a rumour must be daydreaming and propelled by some fantasies."

Another governor noted that if anyone was to be asked to stand down, it was Governor Jang, "who has been parading himself as the NGF leader because of the tacit support of the Presidency."

“You cannot under any circumstance ask Amaechi, who was validly elected by the body of governors to stand down. If those who desire peace are serious, they know the person to ask to step down for peace to reign but certainly not Amaechi,” a third governor stated.

No official position was given by the Presidency and former President Obasanjo after the second meeting, which was described by those in attendance as stormy but frank.

But there were indications yesterday that although the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Chief Godswill Akpabio, had boasted that the opposition was afraid following the move being made to reconcile its governors, the Presidency was still unhappy with five governors of the party, who have been meeting past leaders in the country under the guise of rescuing the party from

drifting further.

It was learnt that the visits being undertaken by the quintet to highlight the anomalies that may affect the party ’s fortunes in the next election, had not gone down well with the Presidency, which sees them as engaging in roles not assigned to them.

It was gathered that an elaborate move was being contemplated to checkmate the five governors and reduce their influence so that the party could make inroads in their states ahead of the next election.

Why we don’t trust Jang, by Nyako Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Jonathan, yesterday evening, Governor Nyako said somebody who contested and won election should not step down for somebody who came second.

According to the governor, though the issue of Amaechi and Jang stepping down came up in the meeting between the governors of the People’s Democratic Party and former President Olusegun Obasanjo, no agreement was reached.

He said before the governors went for the election of chairman of the forum; three criteria were set out as qualities of who should emerge the chairman of the forum.

He stated: “In democracy, when you have an issue you discuss. The election in the Governors’ Forum has become an issue. It should not be an issue. When you say 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, even someone who is in elementary school knows which is higher.

If one group got 19 votes (and) the other got 16, in democracy even in

the eyes of the people in elementary school, they know that 19 is higher than 16. It should not be turned into controversy.

“But beyond the figure, we had already agreed in the governors’ forum, we had already established certain criteria for leadership within us.

“He must be somebody we trust. I would like to have a leader of the forum who when he is with the President in the small room talking about Adamawa State, can put off avoidable crisis for Adamawa State. It should not be someone who will aggravate issues in the eyes of Mr President. That element of trust must be there. If I vote for somebody it must be somebody I could trust.

“We also said it should be somebody who has some degree of chemistry with the President, that the President will be comfortable with. Now if we find that the President is not comfortable with him, can we do a little bit of psychological work to get the two of them having the same chemistry?

“The other one we feel is that he should add some value to Mr. President. If you have a forum leader who is seen to be part of the Presidency, that has become a yes-man of Mr. President, then the governors will say he is not representing our interests. If he is not representing the interest of the governors, he is not representing the interests of the ordinary Nigerians."

On whether Jang and Amaechi should step down to allow for a neutral person to be elected, Nyako retorted that it would be inconceivable to urge Amaechi to step down, given that he won the election. He said that the pressure should rather be on Jang as the runner-up to step down.

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

Two in court over bank robbery

BY IJEOMA NATHANIEL

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AGOS — TWO men, Ubabuike Ezra Monday and Luiz Kehinde Aminu, were yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate's Court sitting in Ikeja for allegedly committing felony to wit: armed robbery.

The defendants were docked before Magistrate E. A. Fabanwo on a three-count charge of robbery preferred against them by the police.

The Police prosecutor, Supol Barth Nwaokenye told the court that the suspects committed the offence on July 6, 2013 at FirstBank Nig Plc, Sabo Yaba branch, Lagos.

He said the defendant while armed with axe and cutlass did rob one Blackberry Curve S920 valued N30,000.00, one Nokia Asha phone valued N12,000.00 and cash sum of N30, 000.00, totalling N72,000.00, all properties of one Kusoro Titilayo.

According to the prosecutor, the defendant also willfully and maliciously damaged two security strong room doors valued N360,000.00 property of FirstBank Nigeria Plc. The case was adjourned to September 11, 2013.

Two herdsmen jailed 9 months for stealing sheep

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INNA — A Minna Magistrate’s Court, yesterday, sentenced two herdsmen, Buba Muhammadu and Yusufu Ibrahim, both 30 years old, to nine months imprisonment for stealing a sheep.

The Police prosecutor, Gunduma Ibrahim, told the court that the convicts committed the offence on August 7 at about 3:20p.m, at Luma Village near Minna.

He said the sheep, which belonged to one Garba Kurmi, was stolen by the convicts.

Ibrahim said the case was reported at the Maitumbi police station on August 6 at about 9:00p.m by the owner.

When the charge was read to the accused persons, they pleaded guilty and also appealed to the magistrate to be lenient with them as they were first time offenders.

Magistrate Hassan Mohammed then sentenced the two accused persons to nine months imprisonment or a fine of N20,000 each.

Women and children protesting against child marriage at the NUJ Press Centre in Abeokuta, Ogun State, yesterday. Photo: Wumi Akinola.

Teacher barks, dies after dog bite in Calabar

BY EMMA UNA

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ALABAR — A 26-year-old teacher has reportedly died after he was bitten by a dog in the village of Wanikade, northern part of Cross River State.

The teacher, Emmanuel Ogana Ikade, a graduate of political science from the University of Calabar was until the incident teaching at Agba Secondary School, Operikwu in Yala Local Government Area of the state.

According to reports, he had late last week gone to see one of his friends who was ill but as he was approaching the house, a dog came after him, leapt at him and bit him on the right leg.

After the bite, he was said not to have sought proper medical attention immediately.

“I saw him with a bandage on Friday and when I asked what happened, he said he had an accident with his motorcycle but the next day when the thing became serious he told me that he was bitten by a dog,” Dave, a friend of the late teacher said.

According to Dave, "the man rather than go to the hospital for

proper medical check up, visited a chemist who gave him some medication which did not help.

"When I asked him if he had visited the hospital, he said a chemist had given him some injection and incidentally it turned out that the chemist is a quack who apparently did not know the

right medication for rabies.”

Three days after the bite, the teacher was said to have begun barking like a dog and was rushed to the hospital by his friends “but when we got to the hospital it had become too late and he passed on after some hours,” Dave said.

Youths protest as truck crushes cement dealer

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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ENAGOA — THE police in Bayelsa State, yesterday, averted what could have been a violent protest by aggrieved youths of Otuokpoti community in Ogbia Local Government Area following the crushing of a cement trader by a truck in the area It was, however, learnt that the driver of the truck reported himself to the police and is being detained.

Vanguard learnt that the ac-

cident, which occurred Monday, was caused by the alleged recklessness of the driver whose truck was conveying sand.

The Otuokpoti axis of Ogbia council area alone has no fewer than seven sand dump sites servicing property developers along the OtuokeAzikoro road.

The deceased cement trader, simply identified as Monday, from Anambra State, according to an eyewitness, was crushed while parking his motorcycle he had earlier

ASCON Oil manager docked over alleged N34.3m theft

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS — A 49- YEAROLD station manager of ASCON Company Ltd, Scott Irikpen, was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate's Court, for allegedly stealing N34.3 million from the company.

Irikpen, who is facing a twocount charge of fraud and stealing, preferred against him by the police, was docked before Magistrate Eniola Fabamwo.

The death of the young man who is said to be the only child of his parents left them devastated.

When Vanguard visited the home, Sunday evening soon after he was buried, there was still wailing by the family members and visitors.

The Police prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent Barth Nwaokoye, told the court that the defendant committed the offence between June and July 2013, at the station located at Owode, along Lagos/ Badagry Expressway, Lagos.

He said the defendant stole N34.3 million being the value of cumulative proceeds of 336,710 litres of petroleum product supplied to the filling station.

Nwaokoye also claimed that the defendant did not remit

the said sum into the company’s account for the product he sold.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened section 285(1) and punishable under section 333 (1)(2)(c), Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

However, when the charge was read to the defendant, he pleaded not guilty.

Magistrate Fabamwo granted the defendant bail in the sum of N250,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to September 16, 2013.

used to convey cement to a nearby town.

According to an eyewitness, “three trucks involved in sand delivery business in the area were sighted moving at top speed, competing along the narrow road over who should be the first to gety to the dump.

“We just saw one of the trucks ran into the Okada and later discovered that the cement dealer was under the carnage.”

The victim was reportedly rushed to the Azikoro community health centre by sympathizers where he was pronounced dead.

Sensing danger, the truck driver was said to have reported himself to the police at the Azikoro Division for fear of mob attack.

The youths were said to have protested against operators of the sand dump and truck drivers in the area.

A truck was reportedly set ablaze but the fire was put off following the quick intervention of the police.

Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, confirmed the incident, saying investigation into the matter is being handled by the Kolo Divisional Police headquarters.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013—7

Family of four, neighbour roasted in early morning fire

BY CLETUS IKOGOR

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AGOS — A WOMAN, her three children and a neighbour were at the early hours of yesterday, burnt to death at Shagari Estate, Musan, in Musan-Okunola Local Council Development Area, LCDA, of Lagos State.

The fire, as gathered, started at about 1.15 am in a three-bedroom flat located on 9, CH street.

Eye witnesses said one of the victims identified simply as Aunty Philo, alerted neighbours with the shout of fire.

But before sympathizers could rush to the flat, the fire had reportedly spread to the entire building, in the process of which the roof fell on Philo, burning her beyond recognition.

Efforts by youths in the area to safe the situation failed.

An eye witness who spoke on condition of anonymity told Vanguard: “We saw Aunty Philo trying to force the burglary proof open but she could not. At that time, we tried to break the wall to rescue her when all of a sudden the roof fell on her.

“When we eventually succeeded in pulling down the burglary proof, we saw roasted members of the family on the floor.

We could not do anything again but had to leave because of thick smoke.”

Identities of the victims were given as Mrs Anwuzia, said to be in her fifties, Ekene (16), Emeka (7) and Nwike (30). The mother of three whose husband was said to be away, reportedly returned from a church programme in Ghana the previous day.

Her husband, a Pastor, was said to have travelled to Aba, Abia State for an undisclosed assign-

ment.

Fire service men were said to have arrived the scene later and succeeded in putting out the fire, but the harm had been done.

Contacted, Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Mr Rasaq Fadipe, confirmed the death of five persons, saying that news of the incident was received at about 1.39 am He said: “We had to mobilise a

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ARRI—THE Ondo State Police Command, yesterday, at Akure accepted to bear all responsibilities resulting from the gruesome killing of a driver, one Mr. Friday, and burning of the brand new truck head he was driving to Warri, Delta State, when six policemen allegedly murdered him, last Wednesday.

According to reports, the policemen are said to have confessed to committing the crime during investigation at the command’s headquarters.

The development was disclosed to Vanguard in Warri by the National Union of Petrol and

Fadipe said the family of four could have been suffocated by smoke from the inferno which prevented them from escaping from the flat before they were burnt.

The inferno, according to him, was also suspected to have been caused by candle, noting: “When we got there, there was no light, which ruled out the possibility of it being cause by electrical fault.

We suspect it could have been caused by candle.”

DEMOLITION: Demolition of illegal structures on Government House Road, Asaba, Delta, State. Photo: Henry Unini

UNIBEN lecturer arraigned over bribe-for-transfer scandal

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

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ENIN — FORMER Assist ant Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Benin, Mr. Isu-Ochiora Okogeri, has been arraigned before a Benin High Court for allegedly accepting a bribe to facilitate the transfer of a female stu-

Police to pay for burnt truck, burial expenses of slain driver

BY EMMA ARUBI

truck of 10,000 water capacity from Ikotun to the scene. On reaching there the fire was still on. Because of the magnitude, we had to mobilise another truck from Agege with another 10,000 litres to compliment the first one, before the fire was contained.

"Unfortunately, we saw the charred remains of the victims.

We saw four of them and later discovered the fifth one. We handed the corpses to policemen who also arrived the scene.”

Natural Gas Employees, NUPENG’s rig move chairman, Comrade Ochuko, saying the agreement was reached between the police and union officials from Warri after a joint meeting at the Police Headquarters, Akure, yesterday.

According to Ochuko, who led the NUPENG team to Akure, they have taken over the matter already to ensure justice and recovery of all losses incurred and adequate compensation to the family of the deceased driver including a thorough investigation and prosecution of the suspected mobile policemen.

All the policemen involved have been arrested and detained.

dent to the Faculty of Law of the university.

The university teacher is being charged on a one-count charge for enriching himself as a public officer by receiving N100,000.00 from one Omoluwabi Elogho with a promise to effect her course transfer to the faculty of law, an offence punishable under Section 98(b)(11) of the criminal code.

First Prosecution Witness (PW1), Edoseghe Oghogho Idahosa who is the head of the intelligence unit in the security department of the university, led by the state counsel, Kenneth Ugiagbe while giving evidence in the case No MCK/94C/2013, said the accused person committed the offence on December 31, 2012.

He told the court that the accused person, who was also a member of Intra-Faculty Transfer Board requested and received the alleged sum of money from the prospective student, who wanted to be transferred from the Faculty of Arts to the Faculty of Law. The witness added that following intelligent reports, his team advised the female student to play along, just as he said that the student informed his team that the lecturer had asked her to bring the cash to him in his faculty office instead of paying the said money into a bank account.

He further told the court that his

surveillance team closely monitored them to the faculty, where the accused person asked the female student to board his SUV and dropped her off near the main gate of the school, where he (witness) ordered the security officers at the gate to stop all the outgoing vehicles, as the lecturer was being monitored.

According to him, “I confronted the accused person over the said money allegedly given him by the female student and pleaded with him that search be carried out on his vehicle. He became shocked and dumfounded. I also cleared the way to enable him park his car at the security office which he rebuffed and sped off. ”The witness further stated that they pursued him with a motor bike to where he went to drop the said money in the exhaust pipe of an abandoned truck in the fuelling station inside the school and drove off from the scene, unknown to him that he was closely monitored.

The security officer also told the court that having engaged the accused person in a hot chase, he was later apprehended near the fire service station inside the campus and taken to the security post for interrogation, where he obliged statement.

The security officer further said N17,000 was recovered from him and the said N 100,000 was recovered from where he had earlier hidden it.

The case was adjourned to August 21.

Two kids abducted in Ilorin, recovered at Seme border

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

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LORIN —TWO kids al legedly abducted in Idi-Ape area of Ilorin in the wee hours of Tuesday have been recovered by the operatives of the Nigerian Police Force at the Seme border between Nigeria and Benin Republic.

Vanguard gathered, yesterday, that the two children, a boy and a girl ages five and six, were allegedly abducted in the early hours of Tuesday in Ilorin when they were sent to dispose some refuse.

After endless search, information filtered into the town that they have been found at the Seme border around 3pm.

The unexpected was said to have happened when the alleged traffickers of the children stopped over at a filling station in Seme border to fuel his car.

Vanguard learnt that it was at this same point that the children regained consciousness and screamed for help and the passersby came to their rescue.

The alarm was said to have also attracted the attention of a police patrol team in the area and some members of the community.

On sensing danger, the trafficker was said to have zoomed off abandoning the children with about four others.

After interrogation, the victims were said to have given useful information which enable the police trace their homes in Ilorin and reunite them with their family.

Vanguard, however, gathered that this development prompted members of the Idi-Ape Quarters to comb the area and descended on some destitute lurking around.

During the raid, a pistol was said to have been found on a man, pretending to be mad.

Contacted,the Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Femi Fabode, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said he was yet to be briefed on the incident.

8—Vanguard , THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

NGE holds confab on economy beyond oil

States threaten LGs' existence, says ALGON

BY MICHAEL EBOH

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HE Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, yesterday, said its forthcoming 9th All Nigerian Editors Conference will focus on diversification of the country's economy from dependence on crude oil.

According to a statement

by Isaac Ighure, the Guild’s General Secretary, the conference, scheduled to hold at Asaba from August 21 to 24, will feature economic experts, ministers, governors and top businessmen, who are expected to proffer viable suggestions.

According to him, the theme of the conference, which will be chaired by Aremo Segun Osoba, is Nigeria Beyond Oil: Role of the Editor, while Alhaji Aliko Dangote is expected to give a keynote address.

Ighure said: “Ministers of Agriculture, Akinwumi Adesina, will speak on The Value Chain Roadmap and Edem Duke, Tourism, will speak on Oil Exhaustible, Tourism Inexhaustible.

“Mr. Aigboje AigImoukhuede, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank; and Prof. Sylvester Monye, Special Adviser to the President on Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, will deliver papers on Financial Institutions In a Non-Oil Economy and Opportunities in NonOil Nigeria, respectively.

“Moderators at the high-wire event include top-notch Nigerians, such as the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Eugene Juwah and Mr. Onyema Ugochukwu, a former Editor of the Daily Times and former governorship candidate on the ticket of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abia State.

“Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, will be the Special Guest, while Senator Anyim Pius, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, will be Special Guest of Honour.

“Host governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, will deliver the welcome address, while other state governors from the northern and southern parts of the country will be on hand to offer their views.”

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HE Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, said, yesterday, that the existence of local governments was under threat by the state governments, claiming the states have taken over their revenue generating functions.

Speaking during a visit to Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Nwabueze Okafor, National President of the association, and Chairman, Enugu South Local Government Area, lamented the breach of the Nigerian constitution by state governments, especially in the area of election of local council officials and disbursement of funds accruable to them.

He said the constitution’s provisions backing the local government are being flouted by the state governments,

making it difficult for the local governments to carry out their development functions.

Constitution’s provisions

Okafor said: “The constitution specified what should be the functions of the local governments. We should ensure that the provisions of the constitution are followed; especially the provision that revenue functions is that of the local government.

“One of such functions is the collection of tenement rates and collection of advert charges and rates.

“You have a situation where all the functions of the local governments that have revenue incentives have been taken over by the states. You see the states cre-

ating agencies to go and collect such funds, even when they know that the constitution has made it clear that this is the function of the local government, even when there is the pronouncement of the Supreme Court.

“In the case between Knight Frank and the Kano State Government, the court stated these functions are in the purview of the local government and that no state legislation can take it away.”

Calls for sanctions

Okafor, who advocated the entrenchment of local government autonomy in the proposed constitutional amendment, decried the unlawful removal and dissolution of local government officials by certain state government.

He said it was against the provisions of the constitution, which states that local council officials must be demo-

cratically elected.

He called for strict sanctions, such as the withdrawal of funds to a local government that is not properly constituted or which is facing undue interference from a state government.

Okafor also called for the review of certain sections of the constitution that impede the functions of local government administration, such as the section that advocates joint account for the state and local government.

According to him, a joint account for both provides a conduit pipe for local government funds to be drained away.

He said: “If the local governments are working and functioning very well, a lot of the challenges we are facing at the moment would have been resolved at that level. If given the necessary tools, local governments will deliver to the people.”

US ENVOY: President Goodluck Jonathan (right) receiving United States of America's President Barak Obama's letter from Wendy Sherman, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday.

MTN group lists 200m subscribers, loses 3.2m

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

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TN Group, yesterday, an nounced that it had attained 200 million subscribers milestone across its 22 operations in Africa and the Middle East.

This is even after cutting off about 3.2 million Nigerian subscribers from its network.

In celebration of the feat, the company announced a R200 mil-

lion initiative to improve the quality of education across its markets in Africa and the Middle East in the next two years.

The cut off of Nigerian subscribers was notwithstanding the impressive impact the region made in the overall revenue standing in its half year report.

The company posted a 22 percent rise in first-half earnings as foreign exchange gains

from international operations.

Nigeria was the biggest revenue earner in the six-month period, although earnings from the country and other international operations were boosted by a 16 percent decline in the South African rand.

However, MTN said it had to cut off 3.2 million users out of its 55.2 million customers in Nigeria in July due to regu-

lations demanding that all subscribers be registered Group President and CEO of the company, Mr. Sifiso Dabengwa, while announcing the development said that as a multinational telecommunications company operating in emerging markets, MTN had been exposed to a particular opportunity of making meaningful contribution to social development.

Vanguard , THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013— 9

BOKO HARAM: Shekau's deputy, Bama killed zSenate watches video of sect's massacre

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI, BEN AGANDE & UDUMA KALU, with agency report

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BUJA—THE Second-inCommand to Abubakar Shekau, the Boko Haram leader, Momodu Bama, has been killed during an encounter with troops around the Bama corridor.

This came even as the Federal Government announced, yesterday, that the state of emergency declared in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states three months ago has been a huge success.

The Federal Executive Council, FEC, also yesterday, ratified bilateral agreements between Nigeria and Niger Republic and another Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, between Nigeria and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Director, Defence Information, Brigadier-General Chris Olukolade, who disclosed the killing of Momodu Bama, said the deceased Boko Haram leader was personally leading the attacks against troops and innocent citizens in Yobe and Adamawa. communities.

Momodu Bama was among the most wanted terrorists with a N25 million bounty placed on his head, while the International Criminal Court listed him as one of those to face trial before it for crimes against humanity.

The defence spokesman said that others, who died in the operation, include Bama’s father, Alhaji Abatcha Flatari, who is also one of the spiritual leaders of the outlawed terrorists group.

17 dead, 24 arrested

Also, during the encounter, 17 other terrorists lost their lives in the shootout, while 24 were arrested with dangerous weapons and several AK-47 rifles recovered in the process.

Olukolade added that Special Forces were continuing the pursuit of the terrorists, while intensifying aggressive aerial and land patrols to ensure better security cover for the communities, especially in the two states.

Security sources said that the late Bama, also called Abu Saad, masterminded the kidnap of northern leader, 92year-old Shettima Ali Monguno in May, and seven French citizens, among other crimes.

The deceased is said to have hailed from Bama in Borno State, the same town where he was killed.

ON DEFENCE: Erelu Olusola Obada, Minister of State, Defence, fielding questions from newsmen on the state of emergency in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Abayomi Adeshida.

Security sources disclosed, yesterday, that apart from leading military operations, the deceased terrorist was also the head of the Administration and Finance Department of the outlawed Boko Haram.

A source said: “Abu Saad also led the kidnap of two Muslim Indians and several other attacks on security forces in Bama, Baga, Monguno and Mubi,” adding that the insurgent took over the position of Deputy Leader after another leader of the sect, called Palasasi, was killed by security operatives.

The Boko Haram is yet to confirm the killing of Abu Saad, although independent sources, who could not confirm his death, say he was truly at the top echelon of the sect.

Boko Haram's videos

The sect's leader, Shekau, who recently released a video (after August 4), admitted that the sect carried out the Bama attack, but kept mum on Abu Saad’s death. He, however, claimed the sect killed several soldiers and was winning the war against Nigerian troops.

Meanwhile, a video on how Boko Haram slaughters its victims was shown to a group of senators during a security briefing by JTF in Maiduguri, Borno State capital.

In the video, captured traders were pinned to the ground with their hands tied behind their back,

while a sect member bent over to run a sharp knife through one of their victims' neck. A stream of blood from the victim, and shouts of Allahu Akbar (God is Great) by the slaughterers followed.

Some of the traders, who were forced to watch the gruesome slaughter of their colleague, simply dug their faces into the ground in submission.

One after the other, the same hideous fate befell each. Not done, the sect members hung each of the severed heads on its torso.

Officers murdered

Also, the senators saw the killing of three uniformed policemen, with their green berets intact. Before the cops were slaughtered, they were made to stand in front of a banner with Arabic inscriptions, while a hooded terrorist, with an AK-47 rifle, read portions of Quran before pronouncing death sentences on them.

Before their execution, two of the policemen slumped.

Although the delegation was forewarned by Borno State Deputy Governor, Zannah Umar Mustapha, who attended the briefing, about the savagery they were about to see, some of the senators reportedly could not watch the full length of the video.

They buried their faces in their palms, while others asked the intelligence officer to fastforward the videos. A retired general, who fought in the Nigerian Civil War, and a member of the delegation, was said to have told his colleagues that not even in the war did he witness such cruelty.

FG on emergency rule

Meanwhile, the Federal Government declared, yesterday, that the state of emergency declared in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states three months ago has been a huge success as the threat to the territorial integrity of the country, prior to the emergency rule, had been checked.

Minister of State for Defence, Olusola Obada, told newsmen that the armed forces and other security services had performed well as several of the insurgents had been arrested and huge cache of weapons seized.

According to her, the operations in the affected states have engendered greater military/civilian confidence as noticed in the collaboration by civilians in the affected areas with security operatives.

She said: “Today marks three months when President Goodluck Jonathan declared the state of emergency in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states. A lot has been achieved in these three months.

“The threat to Nigeria’s unity has been contained. As you know the unity of this country is paramount and Mr. President as the leader of this country has ensured that the unity of this country is preserved and protected.

“The territorial integrity of our country has been restored and the usurpation of the authority of the Nigerian state has been stopped.

“If you will recall, you heard that the insurgents were already hoisting their flags, especially in Borno State.

“We are at peace with our neighbours but the problem is internal.”

She charged them to always

observe the rules of engagement and also the respect for human rights of civilians in their areas of operation She said a number of insurgents have been arrested and will be prosecuted in due course.

Obada said: “We have recovered a lot of arms and ammunition, which shouldn’t be in their hands. The most important thing really is the mobilisation of the civil populace for input to intelligence gathering.

“I believe you will realise that a lot of the civilians now are also providing assistance to the military and security agencies in identifying those who are behind these insurgency in their areas and doing their best.”

She said the emergency rule had generated a lot of international understanding for the cause and appreciation of the peculiarity of Nigeria’s security situations.

... as FG signs security pact with UK, Niger

Meanwhile, the Federal Executive Council, FEC, also yesterday, ratified bilateral agreements between Nigeria and Niger Republic and another Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between Nigeria and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, told newsmen after yesterday ’s council meeting that the Defence Cooperation Bilateral Agreement between Nigeria and Niger Republic was aimed at providing mutual military support, security of their common borders, intervention assistance, military assistance, exchange of intelligence on internal and external security, and joint military exercise and operations.

He said: “The MoU on Bilateral Military Cooperation between Nigeria and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is aimed at establishing a bilateral Military Cooperation within the framewok of our competent authorities as defined in the national legislation.

“It is also aimed at building an enduring defence relationship that contributes to the security of each participant and enhances peace and security across the West African sub-region based on equality and mutual respect.”

According to the minister, the MoU between Nigeria and UK will enhance mutual relations between the Armed Forces of the two countries and contribute to the strengthening of international peace and security.

10—Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

APC: Presidential candidate’ll emerge through guidelines —Ashafa

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

L

AGOS—SENATOR Gbenga Ashafa, representing Lagos East Senatorial District, has explained that the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, will be chosen in line with the party ’s guidelines and the constitution He dismissed claims that the choice of a presidential candidate will throw the newly registered party into crisis.

There are insinuations that the party is currently being rocked by internal crisis over who is to be its presidential flagbearer in the 2015 general elections.

It is being alleged that former Head of State, General Muhamudu Buhari (rtd) has been favoured to be the presidential candidate of the party, contrary to the wish of majority in the party.

Addressing leaders and members of the party at the flag-off ceremony of APC, yesterday, at his constituency head office, CMD, Ikosi, Ashafa said that every strategy had been well structured in the new party and there was no basis for confusion or crisis in the party, adding, “APC is intact.”

Association holds youth camp

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AGOS AREA Youth Association, LAYA, of Mount Zion Lighthouse Full Gospel Church Inc., yesterday, began a four-day Annual Youth Camp, with the theme: ‘On the Wings of Double honour.’

Ending on August 18, it is expected to draw participants from different denominations within and outside Lagos.

The camp is taking place at No. 7, Fasasi Street, Off Achapo, Olodi – Apapa Lagos.

According to LAYA Coordinator, Pastor Daniel Ekanem, the “principal focus of the camp is to inculcate godly values into the youths and teenagers, who are the life-wire of the country.”

CONDOLENCE VISIT: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (right); his Zamfara State counterpart, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar (2nd right), and Abubakar’s entourage, during a condolence visit to Governor Fashola over the passage of his father, late Pa Ibrahim Ademola Fashola, at Lagos House.

Kudirat: Why apex court should vacate Al-Mustapha, Shofolahan’s acquittal—LASG

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

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AGOS—THE Lagos State Government has filed a 14-ground appeal before the Supreme Court to justify why the apex court should set aside the decision of the Appeal Court which discharged and acquitted Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, the former Chief Security Officer, CSO, to late General Sani Abacha and Lateef Shofolahan, of complicity in the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.

Kudirat Abiola was murdered on June 4, 1996, by gunmen suspected to be government’s agents following which the duo of Al-Mustapha and Shofolahan were charged for her assassination.

In separate motions on notice filed against the judgement of the appellate court by the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, the state formulated eight and six issues against Shofolahan and AlMustapha, respectively.

The motion brought pursuant to section 233(3) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), section 27(2 and 3) of the Supreme Court Act, Cap S15, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, Order 7 Rule 1 of the Court of Appeal Rules 2011 and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court, prayed the apex court to set aside the judgement of the appeal court, which set aside the conviction of the respondents by a lower court.

Justice Mojisola Dada of the

Lagos High Court had, on January 30, 2012, sentenced Al-Mustapha and Shofolahan to death by hanging for the murder of Kudirat. However, the Court of Appeal, Lagos, on July 12, 2013, set aside the judgement and quashed the death sentence passed on both Al-Mustapha and Shofolahan.

Appeal Court erred The state argued that the appellate court erred in law by discharging and acquitting the two men when the evidence linking them to the crime was not materially challenged.

According to the state, the contradictions in the testimonies of the prosecution’s star witnesses, Barnabas Jabila (Sgt. Rogers) and Abdul Mohammed (Katako), were not sufficiently substantial to warrant the acquittal of both AlMustapha and Shofolahan,

arguing that the testimonies of PW2 (Jabila) and PW3 ( Mohammed), were detailed, graphic and consistent.

It contended that there was evidence on the record of appeal that the second prosecution witness (Jabila) explained the immaterial differences in his evidence made under examination-in-chief and under cross-examination.

On the second ground, the government stated that the court erred in law when it held that there were material contradictions that rendered the testimony of the third prosecution witness unreliable and asserted that the witness gave graphic and detailed evidence of conspiracy to and murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola adding that his testimony was neither denied nor discredited in cross-examination.

It said: “Section seven of the Criminal Code identifies circumstances where a person may be held liable for commis-

sion of offence”, adding, “there was concrete evidence (both oral and documentary) before the trial court indicating the participation of the second and third prosecution witnesses and the respondent in the alleged crimes.”

The government further stated that both witnesses had testified how they participated in the killing of Kudirat under the instruction given by Al-Mustapha with Shofolahan’s assistance as an informant but later denied and recanted the incriminating testimonies during cross-examination.

“DW1 (Al-Mustapha) provided the logistics for killing the deceased in Lagos. PW3 (Mohammed) was assigned as driver to PW2 (Jabila) because of his knowledge of Lagos and PW3 gave graphic evidence of how he drove PW2 to the scene of the crime and how PW2 shot the deceased severally.”

TUC tasks FG, state govts on measures to check floods

BY KELECHI AZUBUIKE

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AGOS—TRADE Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, has called on the Federal and state governments to put adequate measures in place to check imminent floods in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and three other states as predicted by Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NMA. The other states are Cross River, Kogi, Imo, Plateau, Ka-

duna and Bayelsa.

TUC, in a statement in Lagos, said it was high time Nigerian political leaders took proactive steps to check the challenges of flood once and for all in order to save innocent lives and property.

In the statement by its President and Secretary General, Bobboi Kagaima and Musa Lawal respectively, the body said: “Our politicians are busy quarreling, engaging in fisti-

cuffs and casting aspersions on themselves in the media just because of 2015 elections at a time when many Nigerians have died on dilapidated roads, insurgent attacks, ocean surges and flood. Last year many lives were lost and several states of the federation lost farmlands and livestock to flood, a situation which, from all indications, might lead to food scarcity this year.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013—11

VISIT: From left: Chief G.O. Oparanti, the Ajagunna of Osogboland; MTN's Regional Trade Marketing Manager, South West, Olaleke Fakeye; the Eesa of Osogboland, Chief N.L Odelola; the Ataoja of Osogboland, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun; and the Otun Ajagunna of Osogboland, Chief Popo Bolarinwa, during MTN's courtesy visit to the Oba of Osogbo.

ASUU faults Okonjo-Iweala over N92bn demand by union

BY OLA AJAYI

I

BADAN—THE Academic Staff Union of Universities has described as a misrepresentation of facts, the comment made by the Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, that the striking university lecturers demanded N92 billion as earned allowances in the 2009 agreement.

According to the union, which spoke through the Chairman, University of Ibadan chapter, Dr. Olusegun Ajiboye, the Federal Government and the minister are not telling the truth.

In a statement, the union said: “I want Nigerians to ask the minister where she got her figure of N92 billion from.

There was never a time that ASUU made a demand that is up to N92 billion. I think the 92 billion naira is just the imagination of the Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy.”

Dr. Ajiboye clarified the issue noting that the earned allowances jointly calculated with the Federal Government and ASUU in the 2009 agreement was N87 billion and it covers allowances for three and a half years for thousands of lecturers in Nigerian universities.

He stressed that the N87 billion was a compromise made

by ASUU by scaling down from N127 billion to N87 billion.

The university lecturer urged Nigerians to say no to people whom he said were bent on destroying public institutions.

He said: “This is a government that signed an agree-

ment with us on January 24, 2012 to the effect that they would inject N100 billion as funding into the universities in the first one month and

that before the end of 2012, they would inject another N300 billion. The same government did not put down a kobo to any of these universi-

ties.

“So, it is a sad story that we are hearing now that the government cannot meet a demand of N87 billion whereas the government said that they would keep on putting N400 billion annually for three years consecutively to the tune of about N1.2 trillion. If the government is now saying it cannot meet N87billion, Nigerians should know that this is not a government that can be trusted for anything.

“The total amount of earned allowances for academic staff in Nigerian universities for the three and a half years computed together with the government was N87 billion. And that was agreed based on negotiations because we started from N127billion and it was reduced to N107 billion before we now got to 15 percent of salary payment of each person. It is called earned allowances and it is the sum total of the excess work which academic staff had done for the past three and a half years. You are now telling Nigerians that this is what these people are asking for as if it’s a new thing.

Nigerians should know that it is what the people have worked for and not N92 billion.

It is fallacy and what these people (federal government) are just pushing is propaganda.”

Ogun women protest early marriage

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

B E O K U TA — H U N DREDS of women, yesterday, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, rained curses on persons who marry underaged girls, urging President Goodluck Jonathan to join them in the fight against early marriage.

The women, under the aegis of Concerned Women Forum, drawn from various women groups, market women, religious groups, and civil society groups across the state, staged a protest at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta.

The Senate has been criticised over a bill popularly referred to as early marriage bill which was condemned by many stakeholders. However, The Senate has denied existence of such a bill.

The women carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Give us education, not marriage”; “Child marriage is barbaric, no to it”; “Woe to husbands of underage, they are evil” and “Ogun children, reject child marriage.”

Leading the protesters, the Iyalode of Egbaland, Mrs. Alaba Lawson, chided the lawmakers for the plan to legalise child marriage under the guise of early marriage bill.

She lamented that child marriage, if allowed to be smuggled into the constitution, would deprive the girl child of adequate education, noting that the act had destroyed the lives of young girls in some parts of the country.

Lawson, however, urged the lawmakers to focus their attention on the alleviation of poverty, which she said was

ravaging the country, rather than engaging themselves in the issue of child marriage.

The Egba chief called on Nigerians to vote wisely during the next elections and “shun their N500 and their exercise books.”

“What are the senators looking for? Is that what the country needs now? Child marriage bill has nothing to offer the country."

Why we raided Ogun lawmaker’s house —Police

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

BEOKUTA—THE Ogun State Police Command has explained why it raided the home of the father of a lawmaker in the state House of Assembly, Remmy Hazzan, in Omu Ijebu, alleging that the house harboured cultists.

A statement in Abeokuta by the Police Public Relations Officer in the State, Muyiwa Adejobi, said some of the lawmaker's younger brothers had once been arrested and released by the command for their alleged involvement in disturbances in the area command. The lawmaker represents Odogbolu state constituency in the state House of Assembly.

The Police command had declared a war on cultists and hoodlums in the state, particularly in Ijebu and Sagamu are-

as, with a bid to checkmate their excesses and stop their criminal activities.

The PPRO said: “The command, in collaboration with other security agencies in the state, has commenced the flushing out of hoodlums and cultists in the state for the past one month, and the raids were coordinated by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, 'B' Department Operations of the Command. DCP Mohammed Abdulkadri and 29 cultists out of those arrested, were Tuesday, charged to court.

“The command wants to put the records straight that the honourable’s father ’s house harbours some cultists including the younger brothers of Hon Remmy Hazzan who had one time been arrested by the command for their involvement in many disturbances in Ijebu area in 2012."

APC chieftain, Awe’s murder trial stalled

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

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DO EKITI—THE murder case involving the interim state chairman of All Progressive Congress, APC, in Ekiti State, Chief Jide Awe and others was, yesterday, stalled following the ruling of the chief magistrate's court which sought the harmonisation of the suit with a similar one at the high court.

Chief Magistrate Simeon Ojo of Court Three, who heard the matter, agreed with the oral application by the prosecutor, Mr. O. P. Alabi, the Deputy Director, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, that since Chief Magistrate’s Court One was also hearing a similar matter against the accused persons, there was need to harmonise the matters so that energy is not dissipated needlessly.

Subsequently, the trial Magistrate Ojo ruled that the matter be transferred to Chief Magistrate’s Court One for mention on October 18, 2013.

Adefe passes on @ at 87

D

EACONESS Victoria Adefe of Adefe family of Ile Ojudo in Iddo Ile, Ekiti state and Ile Olubadan Oyetunde in Eleta, Ibadan, Oyo State, is dead, aged 87.

Her burial rites will start tomorrow with a service of songs at her residence; Adefe lane, Olorunsogo Ibadan.

Saturday 17th August, will be her lying in state at her residence after which interment will follow.

She is survived by children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Late Deaconess Adefe

12 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013—13

Soldiers/police clash: I didn’t witness any fight — Commissioner

BY EMMAAMAIZE

D

ELTA STATE Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Anthonia Ashiedu, yesterday, denied witnessing the clash between soldiers and policemen on the sidelines of the recent empowerment programme organised by her ministry in Warri.

However, the policeman, who was beaten to pulp by soldiers for allegedly blaring siren arbitrarily admitted, yesterday, that he did not know that the place he parked was close to a military base.

He spoke on phone with this reporter, who identified himself as a sympathiser from Warri North Local Government Area,

saying that he apologised to the soldiers, who came to him when they insisted he was within military vicinity.

Ashiedu, who spoke to Vanguard on phone, also rebuffed insinuations that the empowerment programme organised by her ministry gave out cash to the beneficiaries.

She said that she did not wit-

BRIEFING: Delta State Special Duties Commissioner, Directorate of Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, Queen Victoria Ikechuku (middle); her counterpart, of information, Chike Ogeah (left), and state Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Mr. Norbert Chiazor, during a Mid-Term media briefing by the Commissioner for MDGs, at the Government House, Asaba, yesterday. Photo: Nath Onojake.

ness any clash between soldiers and policemen, who were on escort duty with her to Koko, Warri in the state.

“It is not my practice to do such a thing if you were there, you would have heard me say it openly to the beneficiaries that we do not carry cash, we only issue certificates.

“I did not go with money to empower anybody, I do not even accept the traditional entertainment of accepting kola nuts; anybody who moves with me knows that.”

Dr. Ashiedu, said she felt distressed by the report that she watched the clash powerlessly, as she was nowhere, near where it happened.

An official, who was in the entourage of the commissioner told Vanguard: “There was no need for the police to have been blaring siren at that time.

“From Asaba to Koko, they did not blare siren because the commissioner does not even want it, so why did they choose to draw unnecessary attention by blaring it when the programme was already on.”

Meanwhile, a leader in Warri North Local Government Area, Sir E.K Gbragada, also narrated to Vanguard: “Whatever happened occurred outside the Warri North coincil premises, where the empowerment programme went on peacefully.

“Certificates were issued to the beneficiaries, everything was completed and the commissioner left for Asaba.”

Grounded crude oil barge: Navy arrests tug boat, 6 suspects

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA — OFFICERS and ratings of Central Command of the Nigerian Navy have arrested the grounded crude oil laden barge in the St. Nicholas River on the Brass Island and the crew of a tug boat accused of trying to pull the barge and its alleged stolen content in Bayelsa State.

The Brass-Akassa corridor on the Atlantic fringe has been identified as a notorious spot for crude oil theft by the country’s security operatives.

The Flag Officer, Commanding the Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Sidi-Ali Usman, yesterday, said that the grounded barge identified as MV LILA, was discovered in Odioma area of the St. Nicholas River while engaged in alleged suspicious movement.

According to him: “On August 10, 2013 at 18:25, a Naval team on routine patrol was attracted to a suspected barge movement from Odioma to St.Nicholas River.

“On approaching the self pro-

pelled barge, it was discovered to have gone aground. The Barge was later identified as MV LiLA.” The Navy authorities explained that based on the conviction that the escaped crew and the unidentified owner of the suspicious barge may attempt to rescue same and its alleged stolen crude oil, laid

ambush and were rewarded with the seizure of a tug boat identified as MV St. Victoria and arrest of its six Nigerian crew.

According to a statement by the Navy Command Operation Officer, Commodore E.O Enemor, “the tug was arrested at two nautical miles off the St.Nicholas River.

“The arrest was effected by NNS Bomadi, a Naval gunboat, due to her suspicious presence within the vicinity of the grounded barge. At the time of arrest, the tug had a six-man crew, all Nigerians.

“Meanwhile, relentless efforts are being made to ensure that the barge is salvaged from its present position.”

Group threatens PSL over debts to local contractors

BY DANIEL GUMM

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ARRI — FRESH tension is brewing in the Niger Delta, following a threat by a group, Concerned Ijaw, Itsekiri and Ilaje Movement for Peace and Development to cripple operations of Prime Sources Limited, PSL, over non-payment of local contractors. PSL consults for Chevron.

In a statement by Ebipade Mark, Edema Gabriel and John Kolami, while commending Chevron for giving jobs to local contractors in the spirit of the Nigerian Local Content,

the group criticised the contractors, Prime Sources Limited, PSL, for frustrating Local Community Contractors, LCC, on jobs executed.

The group said: “We commend Chevron for giving jobs to our local contractors, but we are not happy with its contractors, Prime Sources Limited, PSL. The local contractors have not been paid six months after the commencement of work and this is unacceptable to us.

“We are not comfortable with the situation of our Local Community Contractors, LCC, in respect of refusal by Prime

Sources Limited to pay them for jobs executed.

“We are, therefore, using this medium to appeal to Prime Sources Limited to make payments to LCC with immediate effect.

“We are giving a 14-day ultimatum to PSL (that has even gone ahead to reduce drastically the agreed amount to be paid to the LCC) for payments to be made to LCC. “Urgent steps should be taken by PSL to ensure payment to the LCC to avoid showdown with us and disturbance of peace in the region,” the group said.

Irrua Hospital Board denies meddling in appointment of CMD

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

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ENIN — THE Management Board of the Irrua Specialist and Teaching Hospital, Irrua Edo State, has described the statement credited to a group, National Movement of Nigeria, that it was meddling in the appointment of a new Chief Medical Director, CMD, for the hospital as false, malicious, misleading and without any iota of truth.

The board chairman, Chief Boyelayefa Debekeme, who spoke to Vanguard on phone, yesterday, said that the statement by the group was wrong in its entirety and an attempt by it to rubbish the good works that board has been doing since its inauguration.

Obama invites Jonathan for meeting in New York

BY BEN AGANDE

A

BUJA — PRESIDENT Barack Obama has invited President Goodluck Jonathan for a meeting in New York next month, the United States’ Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Ms Wendy Sherman, has said.

Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, Ms Sherman said Nigeria is a very important country, not only in Africa but in the world, which cannot be ignored.

Reacting to a question on whether the failure of Barack Obama to visit Nigeria during his last trip to Africa was a snub on Nigeria, the American official parried the question while emphasising the importance of Nigerian/ USA relations.

“Our presidents will likely meet soon. I will leave that announcement to the President of the United States and the President of Nigeria.

“But Nigeria is a very important country, not only here on the continent but around the world.”

14 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013—15

FG spends N600bn annually on local debts — REP A

BY LEVI NWABUGHIOGU

BUJA—CHAIRMAN, House of Representatives Committee on Finance, Dr. Abdulmumini Jibrin, said yesterday that the Federal Government spends N600 billion annually to service local debts owed banks.

Jibrin made the revelation at the 2013 international youth day public lecture organised by the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, AFRICMIL, in Abuja.

Jubrin, who delivered a lecture, entitled “Nigeria at 53: The Role and Challenges of Legislators in Making the Nation’s Youth Resourceful and Self-Reliant”, said a situation where the Federal Government borrowed all the money available in the banks made it difficult for youths of productive ages to source for loans from commercial banks because of high interest rate caused by government borrowing.

He said: “Last year, the deficit was so large because what the executive arm of government does is that in budget deficit, they borrow money from domestic banks to balance their budget and we said, increase the benchmark.

“If you increase the oil benchmark, you will not have to borrow so much money from banks. In simple mathematics, when the government goes and borrows all the money available in the commercial banks, private people that want to set up business will have no more money to borrow. It is simple economics.

“So, we said, government, get out of the domestic market and develop a four year plan that will help them to equip the domestic market in 2016. But they will not take that. You know why? They are bunch of lazy people.

“What they do is to wait for government to borrow and give government double digit interest rate. This is how they make their money.

“Last year, we put pressure on the executive, on the Minister of Finance, to tell us how much it costs to service domestic debts , they brought out the figure two weeks ago; about N600 billion was used to service domestic debts, N600 billion shared to domestic banks.

“So, we need to adjust that structure in such a way that the government will exit domestic market so that the commercial banks will be able to give money to young people starting up business.”

Jubril identified leadership, education, health, agriculture, empowerment programmes, oversight function and political

participation as the major roles of legislators in creating conducive atmosphere for the youth to realize their full potentials and contribute meaningfully to the development of the country.

He bemoaned the current decay in the educational sector, noting that the non-challant attitude of stakeholders who now sought education of their wards in private schools as the reason for the abysmal collapse

of public schools.

He said the problem with the sector was not insufficient funds or demands by the academic staff of the universities but culture of corruption by the political class.

S-African women's protest: Senator cautions Nigerians over comments

BY JOSEPH ERUNKE

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BUJA—DEPUTY Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Mohammed Sani Saleh, has asked Nigerians to be cautious in their reactions to Monday’s protest by South African women married to Nigerians over alleged discrimination against them by their people.

Saleh, who represents Kaduna Central in the upper legislative chamber, said Nigeria and its people could not say much on the matter since the alleged discrimination was not being carried out by the South African government.

Speaking to Vanguard in Abuja, Saleh said the situation, as alleged by the South African women married to Nigerians, was not peculiar to the South African people, saying it was even in existence in most parts of Nigeria.

PRESENTATION—From left: Human Resources Executive, MTN, Amina Oyagbola; CEO of MTN Nigeria, Michael Ikpoki and Corporate Services Executive, MTN, Akinwale Goodluck, at the presentation of prestigious Investor in People Certification to the CEO of MTN Nigeria, Michael Ikpoki.

Borno mosque massacre: Mark tasks security agencies

BY HENRY UMORU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

A

BUJA—SENATE President, David Mark, has described last Sunday ’s killing of 56 persons in Konduga village of Borno State as not only inhuman but also barbaric and charged security operatives to review strategies in fighting the insurgents.

He condemned the cold blooded murder of the Islamic worshippers, saying “nothing can be so cruel and callous than this crime against humanity”.

In a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, Mark urged security operatives to review strategies for more effective results and asked the perpetrators to have a rethink.

He lamented the renewed hostilities by the insurgents at a time people were heaving a sigh of relief that the state of emergency declared in the three states on account of the unabating violence was yielding good results.

Mark said: "The continued violence, killing of innocent and unarmed people and destruction

of property by the insurgents cannot be justified or contribute towards achieving whatever their objectives may be. ”There is need for the perpetrators and their financiers to make a u- turn and embrace peace. It is only a mad man that throws stone into the market place or village square without thinking about the

consequences .

The Federal government has open windows for peace and dialogue. These people should take advantage of it and end this violence.”

Mark noted that no religion preaches violence and hatred,saying the insurgents must not hide under any guise to commit heinous crimes.

NYSC warns contractors against breaches of agreement

BY CALEB AYANSINA

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BUJA—THE National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, has threatened to blacklist contractors who failed to meet up with the standards in the supply of capital items for 2013.

The bid for the supply of items required by the agency for the year is currently ongoing, with the agency warning that it would not tolerate any breach of agreement from those selected for the job.

Director General of NYSC,

Brig. Gen. Nnamdi Okore-Affia also expressed dissatisfaction with a situation where some contractors made delivery outside the contractual period.

Vanguard gathered that items bidded for by over 100 contractors include water tankers, utility vehicles, tents, and sewing machines.

Okore-Affia said the NYSC viewed delay in delivery of items with dismay, adding that it would do all it could to ensure fairness, transparency, standard, accountability and value for money in the procurement of goods and services.

Rights violation: IG blasts CID top shots

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

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BUJA—THE Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, yesterday, tongue-lashed zonal and state heads of Criminal Investigation Departments, CIDs, for not doing enough to curb the excesses of their operatives with regard to human rights abuses and shortcoming in investigations.

Abubakar warned that zonal and state commissioners of police in-charge of criminal investigation would, henceforth, be held liable and sanctioned over corrupt tendencies of officers under their control.

Speaking at the second conference for the Nigerian Police heads of Zonal and State’s CID’s in Abuja, the IG said: “The essence of this seminar is to put our heads together to look at security issues facing the country, especially as they pertain to investigations and prosecution".

16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

Drama in court as Police re-arrest Amaechi’s men ...over alleged conspiracy

BY IKECHUKWUNNOCHIRI

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BUJA—IN what appears like a resolute move to clamp down on supporters of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, the Police, yesterday, re-arrested the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Omuma Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Charles Amoefule, shortly after he was discharged by an Abuja Chief Magistrate’s Court.

In the First Information Report, FIR, that was dismissed by Chief Magistrate Anthony Enahoro yesterday, police, alleged that Amoefule, conspired with one Godwin Onwukwe Anyanwu said to be at large, and caused an announcement to be made on two Radio stations in Abuja that the State Executive Council of PDP Rivers State had been dissolved and reconstituted.

It was further alleged that the embattled LG boss, in the said announcement which was made on July 11, 2013, declared himself as the new state chairman of the party, information the prosecution said incited disturbance in Rivers State and resulted to the breakdown of law and order.

According to the Police, the alleged offence which bothers on criminal conspiracy, false statement, false personation, inciting disturbance and criminal intimidation, is contrary to section 97, 164, 179, 114 and 397(b) of the Penal Code Law. Specifically, it told the court that

it was one Hon. Kelechi Nwogu that filed a letter of complaint to the Inspector General of Police, IG, Mohammed Abubakar, on July 15.

Meantime, Vanguard investigations revealed that Amoefule and Anyanwu were surreptitiously bundled out of Rivers State by armed men about a week ago, a development that fueled insinuation that they were kidnapped.

However, it was learnt that they were kept at the Police Headquarters in Abuja for few days and subsequently transferred to Kuje prison.

It was gathered that sequel to threats by Amoefule to drag the police to court for breaching his fundamental human rights, he was rushed before the Magistrate’s Court in Wuse zone 2 last week Friday and compelled to enter his plea to a one count criminal charge, even as Police informed the court that his co-accused was at large.

Similarly, the police dragged his co-accused, Anyanwu, before another Magistrate’s court sitting at Wuse zone 6, where it equally told the cout that Amoefule was at large.

Though Anyanwu’s case was adjourned till August 20, Magistrate Enahoro ordered that Amoefule be brought before him yesterday to enable the court to determine his bail application.

However, at the resumed sitting on the case yesterday, police lawyer, Mr. Usman Jubril, told the court that he was directed to withdraw the FIR against Amoefule,

saying fresh facts uncovered against him would warrant further investigation and his possible re-arraignment at the same court his co-accused was earlier docked.

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AGOS—THE Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has denied forcing passengers to pay for all checked in luggages.

The refutal is coming on the heels of a statement credited to the Consumer Protection Council, CPC, that it will probe the recently introduced luggage charge of Two Thousand Naira paid by Cargo agents.

FAAN has said it is only Cargo agents that are obliged to pay this sum, not passengers.

In statement yesterday, Yakubu Dati, General Manager, Corporate Communication, FAAN, said: “The attention of the Federal Airports of Nigeria has been drawn to a statement credited to the Consumer Protection Council, CPC, on moves by the authority to block areas of revenue leakages .

“The issue in contention is the alleged mandatory imposition of N2,000 on all

checked in luggage at all our airports by passengers. This is far from the truth.”

“The authority in its continuous bid to ensure efficiency, transparency and fair play, only ensured that excessive baggages that are not personal effects which are destined for commercial objectives are not camouflaged to pass through carousels without the payment of the mandatory tariff.”

Dati further explained that traders and importers rather than send cargo through the appropriate terminals prefer to travel with their goods under the

would not hesitate to free the accused person should Police insist on terminating further hearing on the FIR. Following insistence on the part of the prosecution, the court went ahead and struck out the charge. It also discharged the accused person.

LAUNCHING: From left: Chairman, Professor Omotunde Fasanya of Federal University of Technology, Minna, Archbishop of North and Bishop of Kaduna Methodist Diocese, Most Rev.Oche Job, Dr. Rufus Adegboye, Dr. Dickson Diyadi of Kaduna State University and Sir Ini Akpabio, Chairman, Nanet Hotels and chief launcher, at the launching of the Book History of Wesley Methodist Cathedral in Kaduna. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

FAAN faults CPC on checked in luggages

BY LAWANI MIKAIRU

More so, the prosecutor, vehemently opposed granting the accused person bail, just as he urged the court to discard the bail motion and hands-off the matter.

Irked by the shoddy prosecutorial approach adopted by the police in the case, Magistrate Enahoro warned that he

cover of personal effects thereby subjecting airport facilities and passengers to untold hardship and delays. He said the agency is determined to ensure a fast processing of passengers and goods.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013— 17

I

THINK Femi Falana’s well-argued piece on the on-going hysteria in the face of the forced repatriation of 72 Nigerians of Anambra state origin, by the Babatunde Fashola administration in Lagos, has been the most informed analysis of the core issues so far. While representatives of both sides of the deportations locked themselves into a frenzy of heightening ethnic jingoism and posturing to extract political mileage, with an eye to the 2015 elections, Femi Falana provided a convincing historical tour-de-force, about the use of internal deportations of Nigerians as a weapon of political and security control. Falana also laid bare the CLASS CONTENT and CONSEQUENCES of these deportations. But knowing the warped nature of Nigerian ruling class politics and the opportunistic content of the actions of members of the political elite, it comes as no surprise, that they have been successful in reducing the unfolding scenario to a deadpan rehash of old inter-elite rivalries that were played out on the turfs of ethnicity.

So almost on cue, the most chauvinistic vermin crawled out of the darkest crevice of ethnic jingoism. The action of the Lagos administration became elasticized into a demonstration of the hatred that the Yoruba had always allegedly had for the Igbo. In turn, residents of the lunatic fringes of political society reminded us how Yoruba Lagos was, and they would not brook any revisionist reinterpretations of recent history, which acknowledge the shares of the Igbo and other Nigerian groups in the building of Lagos’ economic success. None of these chauvinist groups acknowledged the generations of honest toil by working people from all corners of Nigeria as well as intrepid

Governor Peter Obi, Anambra State

or provision of good governance an enormous challenge. But where Fashola in Lagos got it wrong, is to assume that there can be an answer to the challenges posed to Lagos’ search for development, in the deportations of those that the

The tragedy of the Nigerian space is its very fractured and irresponsible ruling class unable to discover the weight of expectations that history calls upon it to carry

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entrepreneurs who laboured honestly and with purpose, to develop the city that has become without question, the most vibrant in tropical Africa! Those labours were not measured nor given on ethnic scales, but those exploiting passion for political ends now have a field day and in the process, are muddying up the waters of national integration.

But as Femi Falana reminded, there is a deep class content to the removal of the poor; beggars and other déclassé elements, that remain central to the depredations of Nigeria’s inhumane form of capitalism. It is in the nature of capitalist development, that there must exist in society a relative surplus population of tramps, lumpen, destitutes and riff-raff. Underlining that is the historical purpose of capitalism to depress the wages of working people and to hold in hand a mass of scabs to threaten attempts to organize in order to better the living conditions of the working people. In the construction of capitalism in Europe and America, there were titanic battles within this context.

Ours is a neo-colonial capitalist society, where islands of enterprise and economic success co-exist with an ocean of the poor and desperate. Lagos is the most successful island of capitalistic success in our country attracting people escaping the poverty and despair of rural Nigeria, as well as the mass of the young, unemployed in urban areas of other Nigerian states, to its promises.

Lagos therefore is permanently bursting at the seams, making and administration C M Y K

Deportations, ethnic jingoism and political opportunism

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Lagos Police Commissioner, Umaru Manko, described as having constituted a nuisance to Lagos State.

The Nigerian Constitution protects the right of Nigerians to live wherever they so choose. But for those who rule Nigeria, the rights of the poor and destitute are not part of those the constitution protects. It is the class posture of the political elite that we must

Governor Babatunde Fashola, Lagos State.

dispassionately interrogate in order to expose the hollowness of the ethnic posturing in the wake of the deportations from Lagos state. This is because there have been deportations and expulsions of Nigerians even within the same ethnic configuration, as happened in the Southeast, with the tit-for-tat expulsions of workers, in the past few years. Those who steal Nigeria blind are located within the ruling class; it is the same group that steal crude oil; they creamed off trillions of naira in petrol subsidy payments and these elite groups systematically under-develop Nigeria; sowed the despair leading to the dispersal of desperate citizens away from what used to be the comfort zones of ancestral homelands and states.

Politics will carry the expected weight only when the Nigerian state and the political elite genuinely begin to respond to the yearnings of the Nigerian people.

It is going to become a reality only when

our rulers appreciate that the people alone must be the central focus of the development process. If the elite consensus is to build capitalism, then it must be realised that the capitalist mode of production is the most revolutionary social force in human history. It revolutionised society’s productive forces and tore asunder the trappings of the old as it pushed billions around the world towards modernity and even a post-modern world. The tragedy of the Nigerian space is its very fractured and irresponsible ruling class unable to discover the weight of expectations that history calls upon it to carry. Locked into mutually antagonistic ethnic laagers, they fan the embers of hatred from the a-historical settings of these laagers. So a major issue of class discrimination, which ordinarily must so be addressed, problematized and addressed, then becomes a platform to tear the Nigerian people further apart.

I t is significant that the best responses to the scenario have come from individuals forged within the crucibles of leftwing, radical movements in Nigeria. We have spoken about Femi Falana’s illuminating analysis. It is equally significant that Issa Aremu, Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress also made a noteworthy contribution to the debate, by staying within a class prism to expose how these expulsions and deportations target the poor and destitute in our society. Issa, early this week in Ilorin, said the Nigeria Labour Congress will be forced by a combination of these class actions of the ruling class, from the immoral salaries paid to members of the National Assembly; the unending thefts within the executive arm of government to the discriminatory deportations of the poor, to consider a movement of strikes. If the Labour movement can walk the walk and organise such strikes, it would have killed many birds with one stone: deepen consciousness of the Nigerian people about the class character of the deportations; and help remove wind from the sails of ethnic entrepreneurs posturing to extract mileage from the plight of the Nigerian poor. The politics of ethnic chauvinism and the irresponsible opportunism of the past week or so does grave injustice to the Nigerian poor that are being deported around the country.

PDP vs APC: Looking very much the political part

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OO much is happening inside political society, that we need no reminders that Nigeria is hurtling headon, towards the politics of the 2015 elections. Gari ya waye, as the Hausa say; It is political day break in the land. The All Progressives Congress (APC)’s registration raised the din of politics by several decibels.

People are excited by the fact that the PDP now has a reason to look over its shoulders (or more appropriately, look through the torn gaps on its umbrella!), because the putative opposition that it regularly coopts and disperses as it saw fit, since 1999, somehow found the métier to build an inclusive party. It is a Nigerian first, and one that will certainly influence permutations within political society.

So when denizens of the PDP gathered at the International Conference Centre, last week, to celebrate Chief Tony Anenih’s 80th birthday, they were not only celebrating the most consistent political dinosaur of modern Nigeria, they were also fronting a picture of a house able to unite its disparate

forces. The Fixer-in-Chief, Tony Anenih, fixed up everyone that mattered at a birthday bash, showing that in politics, appearance can be everything. And today’s PDP needs appearance. For an afternoon, in utmost respect for Tony Anenih, the godfather of cloak-anddagger, all sharpened daggers trained to the backs and hearts of opponents were momentarily sheathed! When TY Danjuma was found within the same vicinity as Obasanjo, and IBB was as present as Abdulsalami Abubakar, it can only be Chief Tony Anenih that pulled the stunt!

The five Northern PDP governors holding consultations around the country, seemed to have morphed into six, with the latter day inclusion of Kwara’s AbdulFateh Ahmed. But can it be a coincidence that Bukola Saraki is being quizzed for alleged fraud during his controversial eight year administration, by the EFCC? The young man still nurses a presidential ambition (and that seems to be reason the EFCC suddenly found the liver to take him in for interrogation); meanwhile, deluded

followers of Kwara’s tin god Bukola Saraki, say he might end up the presidential candidate of the fledgling APC! Such talk in Ilorin go together with allegations that the chap has been at the receiving end of stoning within the city that he assumes was conquered by his father and bequeathed to him!

Similarly, how will positions in the new APC be shared that will not tear the party at the seams? The moles and sleeper cells embedded within the APC could stir into action, if things are not well managed.

There are rumbles already in Oyo state, while a friend of mine in Ilorin wondered aloud how Lai Muhammed’s ill-concealed ambition for governorship in Kwara will sit with Dele Belgore’s or how Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq can be persuaded to work other party chieftains.

Extrapolate these thoughts into the remaining states and you will get an idea of the task the APC faces. These are interesting times indeed!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013 MINISTER of Health Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu last year announced that more than 90 per cent of Nigeria’s population, 150.3 million (the population of ECOWAS countries without Nigeria), is at risk of malaria infection. His prescribed emergency plan was use of more mosquito nets.

Like all those before him, the Minister summarises the malaria scourge in clichés that belie the ruination from malaria.

“Malaria is a major public problem in Nigeria; Nigeria contributes a quarter of malaria burden in Africa. Over 90 per cent of the country’s 167 million people are at risk. It contributes 30 per cent to childhood mortality in the country and contributes 11 per cent of maternal mortality. I must add that it reduces Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product by one per cent annually. It is estimated that malaria-related illnesses and mortality cost Africa’s economy about $12 billion annually,” the Minister chanted.

So what is the next step? How can malaria be this dangerous - it really is - and all that our health officials do is wait for the next World Malaria Day to advertise mosquito nets to Nigerians? When Professor Chukwu

What About Malaria? assumed office in May 2010, he promised improved health indices.

“My primary task is to ensure that we raise the indices to an appreciable and enviable level. In three months, Nigerians will begin to see sign of changes,” Professor Chukwu said in 2010.

The picture remains one of continuing woes. The Malaria Indicator Survey Nigeria conducted in 2010 showed that about 52 per cent of children aged six months to five years tested positive to malaria. Experts hold that if these children survive, their physical and mental growth would be adversely affected. A combination of malaria infection with poor nutrition ensures that many of those children would

have stunted growth and poor mental development.

Dependence on foreign initiatives on malaria will not work. The World Health Organisation, WHO, formally began proposing to eradicate malaria in 1955.

Today malaria is claiming more territories and there are fears that with climate change, some parts of Europe and North America, now safe from the anopheles mosquitoes, may breed the harmful mosquitoes.

Nigeria needs to commit resources to researches on malaria vaccine. Malaria is not a global challenge. Nigeria bears a huge part of the malaria burden. Few countries would ignore an issue that wipes away a per cent of its GDP which is what malaria does to Nigeria.

Health and environmental officials at state and local government levels should enforce sanitation laws that would deny mosquitoes breeding grounds. The world’s interest is more in selling mosquito nets than fighting malaria.

Our governments should be more committed to eliminating malaria; enough of depressing statistics.

OPINION

BY FRED IKEDIALA

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GUTA Local Government Area of Imo State is one of the two oil producing local government areas in the state. It accounts for a good chunk of the oil revenue that comes into the state coffers on a monthly basis, both from the Federal Government and from the oil companies as taxes.

It also has its fair share of youth restiveness that has come to be associated with oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta region.Every single issue in these areas is a potential source of conflict – Ezeship, siting of NDDC or state government projects, appointments, name it. Politicians employ varied means to exploit the volatile disposition of the youths in these areas to achieve political ends. During the 2011 elections in the state, there were accusations and counter-accusations between PDP and APGA over election results manipulation and the use of things as a means of achieving election victory. This resulted in the repeat of the governorship election in Oguta which was reportedly marred by violence and therefore declared inconclusive. The House of Assembly election which was also repeated and reportedly won by the PDP candidate, Eugene Dibiagwu, was challenged in court by APGA and annulled consequent upon which a byelection was ordered and scheduled for June 29, 2013. The controversy trailing the conduct of that by-election is now in

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Oguta state constituency election: Matters arising the public domain. It was declared inconclusive by INEC. Two days after the election, Governor Rochas Okorocha, as leader of APGA in the state called a press conference where he alleged a collusion between INEC and PDP against APGA. He claimed to have suffered untold humiliation in the hands of the PDP just because he wanted peace to reign, and repeatedly warned: “enough is enough”.

He also claimed to be in possession of a comprehensive result sheet of the Oguta House of Assembly election signed by the returning officer, and wondered why INEC should declare the election inconclusive when, according to him, the results of only eight out of the 129 polling units in the area were outstanding. The Governor alleged that the returning officer was about to announce the results when she received a phone call “from the big Oga above” and immediately declared the election inconclusive.

In a quick reaction, the PDP in the state, through a release by their publicity secretary, dismissed the allegation of collusion but instead claimed that there was no election in a total of 24 out of the 129 units in the LGA. This, according to them, was as a result of the activities of fake security agents trained and deployed by the Governor to disrupt election in those areas.

The Governor and his hirelings, they insisted, wrote and signed results for those areas before the day of the election, and querried if representatives of other political parties had copies of the said result sheet.

The PDP claimed that their candidate was leading in 16 out of the 17 booths whose results were available and described INEC’s action in declaring the election inconclusive as a step in the right direction but called on them to make arrangement as soon as possible for the conduct of elections in the areas where no elections were held.

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s I watched Governor Okorocha complaining on TV, I laughed my head off because the Oguta case is almost a reharsh of the occurrence in Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta during the 2011 governorship election. In that instance, it was the PDP that complained of a phone call which led to the inconclusive declaration by the returning officer as a result of which the governorship results in the state were declared without Oguta and Ohaji/ Egbema. Rochas emerged as governor at the expense and much to the chagrin of the PDP and their candidate because of the non-declaration of results in those areas.

The governorship matter is still in court but I cannot but wonder why a

sitting governor for over two years should still be complaining of being intimidated by a party that is out of power. The Governor is the Chief security officer of the state and he has all the paraphernalia of authority - the security apparatus, financial resources and, above all, the power to capture the electorate with the siting of development projects.

As an Imo indigene, I am aware that just two days to the election in Oguta, governor Okorocha announced the release of N500m to ISOPADEC for the development of the oil producing areas.

Whether or not that amount was really released remains to be verified but granted that it was, why did he wait till the election period before remembering the area. Two little, too late.

Both the PDP and governor Okorocha’s APGA should accept INEC’s position in the Oguta state constituency byelection and prepare for the conduct of elections in those areas where the election body either declared that no election took place and/or that elections were marred by violence/irregularities.

Oguta people on their part, should not allow themselves to be used by politicians to frustrate their representation in the Imo State House of Assembly. *Mr. Ikediala, a political analyst, wrote from Owerri, Imo State.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013— 19

, am gratified to note that majority of the commentators on both sides have been sane, objective and committed to putting issues in their proper perspectives to minimise damage and learn useful lessons. But of course, as in any issue that is politicised or ethnicised, many of the commentators have come out with raised hackles, ready to amplify their Igbo-ness or Yoruba-ness.

Two of such people whom I found of interest were former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State and former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, from Osun State. They are two of a kind, in that despite their scandal-filled past, they were able to exploit the weaknesses in our nascent democratic set-up to mount high political offices. They both came down from their high mounts and became “regular customers” of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which is prosecuting them for alleged theft of public funds.

They have both been in the political doghouse since 2007. They have been trying to claw their

came an opportunity for them to bounce back to the public limelight as Igbo and Yoruba ethnic warriors, respectively.

Kalu was quoted as saying that Lagos is a “no man’s land”. FaniKayode, who rose to fame and fortune through his trademark political yokelry, fired back with two windy articles claiming, in effect, that Igbo people live and thrive in Lagos due to Yoruba magnanimity, and reminding them that their claim is the reason they are being targeted and killed in other parts of the country.

The contribution of these two EFCC suspect politicians did not add any value to the debate except to raise tempers and threaten the peace. It is, therefore, necessary to remind the peace-loving general public where these two have goofed to avoid being misled by them.

It is not true that Lagos is a “no man’s land”. To the best of my knowledge, there is no part of the globe that is not home to, or at least, under the ownership jurisdiction of, people. Even the icecovered, uninhabited Antarctica

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belongs to the major world powers such as America and Russia.

You cannot just walk in there without someone shouting: “Hey!” after you.

Lagos is the homeland of ethnic Aworis and others. It is part of Yoruba land. In a way, FaniKayode is right to claim Lagos is “Yoruba patrimony”. On the other hand, Igbo-land ends somewhere in Delta North. It shares no common boundary with the Yoruba, and cannot, therefore, lay any claim to co-ownership of any Yoruba territory.

Indeed, Igbos are not interested in contesting for ownership of territorial Lagos with the Yorubas. They refer to Yorubas as “Ndi obodo a”, meaning: the indigenes of this land. I have seen an Igbo elder in Lagos pouring libation, whereby he invited “the

Benin Airport saga: The delusion of impunity

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NDER normal circumstances, reasonable people would not expect to be pressurised to remit the money they have collected on behalf of others to their rightful owners. But here, we are apparently faced with a situation that is not normal and where people are perhaps not fully reasonable – the case of Edo State Internal Revenue Service, EIRS versus Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN. Over the years, FAAN deducted Pay As You Earn, PAYE, tax amounting to N14,937,333.98 from the salaries of its staff in Edo State for onward remittance to EIRS. FAAN has been sitting on this money and it was not to be moved by the tons of demand notices from EIRS. Close to the point of frustration, EIRS had to seek help with the recovery of the money.

It approached the State High Court. Sequel to the exparte motion in Suit no. B/RC/51/ 2013 dated May 3, 2013, EIRS secured a court order to seal up the administrative block of FAAN to compel FAAN to remit the deductions. EIRS officials arrived at the Administrative Block of FAAN as early as 8.00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 to execute the Court Order. Having put the Administrative Block under lock and key, the enabling order was conspicuously displayed at the entrance gate.

We invite Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole: “The problem with Nigeria is not immunity but impunity as people often violate the law and get away with it". When the Airport Station Manager, Mr. Sunday Ayodele, arrived for duty and met the Administrative Block sealed up, he immediately took the fight to integrity. He personally shut down the entire airport by locking the airport gates and directing that

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all lights at the terminal be switched off.

This was the height of impunity and an open invitation to treason. But for the careful handling of the situation, it would have easily been blown out of proportion, capable of reducing the type of situation currently in Rivers State to a child’s play.

The Airport Manager attempted to disgrace and blackmail everybody, including himself, the State Commissioner of Police, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, etc, to believe his twisted version of the events on that fateful day.

Coming soon after the grounding of Oshiomhole’s aircraft at the airport, this false alarmist had carefully crafted his design so that when he announced that Oshiomhole had closed down the Benin Airport, it would be seen as a reprisal mission. Ayodele’s behaviour is seditious in every respect. A man who had the temerity to shut down an airport could as well pull down a presidential aircraft, with the President, his ministers and the state governors on board, if he had an opportunity to do so. At the time he shut down the Benin Airport, a Benin-bound plane could have been airborne. To Ayodele, it would have been fair-game if such a plane crash-landed and fell to pieces at the Ugbogui axis of the State.

It is perhaps only in Nigeria that a leader would jet to Benin City after midnight to get an electoral officer to sign and declare a fake result; and ferry the electoral officer to Akure to continue to perpetuate evil. Such evil men should be removed from the system.

Similarly, the continued retention of Ayodele in Benin or merely posting him to another station to continue his trade would be a capital error. He should be sent packing, if

only to serve as deterrence to others.

We are also marveled at how fast the IG is turning the State P o l i c e Commissioners to zombies.

Without getting full details of the case, the IG ordered the arrest of Chief Oseni Elamah, the Executive

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There’s no ‘No-man’s-land’ HE Lagos deportation saga degenerated into a free-for- ways back to relevance. The LaT all between Igbos and Yorubas. I gos deportation saga thus be-

Indeed, Igbos are not interested in contesting for ownership of territorial Lagos with the Yorubas; they refer to Yorubas as “Ndi obodo a”, meaning: the indigenes of this land

gods of Yoruba-land” to share in the drink.

The Igbos are in Lagos as full citizens of Nigeria, empowered and mandated by the constitution to freely choose where they want to live in the country. Lagos is of particular interest to Igbos and other Nigerians and foreigners alike because for about 80 years, it was the political capital of Nigeria. It is still the economic capital of Nigeria.

It was here that Igbo sons like Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and others, joined founding fathers of our nationalism such as Dr Herbert Macaulay and others to fight for Nigeria’s independence. This is where the nation sank billions of dollars in the development of the seaports, airports, flyovers, trunk roads, the giant bridges (including the mighty Third Mainland Bridge), and other great amenities that Lagos used to function as the federal capital before it was moved to Abuja. The bulk of the money used in building and maintaining Lagos came from the oil resources of the defunct Eastern Region (now South East and South-South).

If other great port cities like Calabar, Port Harcourt, Bonny, Warri or Koko had won the contest to produce the capital of Nigeria, Igbos and other Nigerians would be there in their numbers because it is their national commonwealth. Since Abuja became the capital of Nigeria, Igbos have also invested heavily there, emerging as the largest stakeholders in the FCT outside the Federal Government. Igbos are the nation’s foremost indigenous investors.

Igbos in Lagos, like other citizens of Nigeria in any part of

But for the careful handling of the situation, it would have easily been blown out of proportion, capable of reducing the type of situation in Rivers State to a child’s play

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Chairman of EIRS. Initial entreaties to the Police Commisioner for his release fell on deaf ears because “the order for his arrest came from above”. The role of the IG in ordering Elamah’s arrest was also an act of impunity.

T

he case for state and local police is becoming attractive. We shall get there. In some of the advanced democracies where police is a subject for municipalities and counties, police chiefs are elected at large. The people vote – not on political party basis but at large – to decide who should be their police chief. Then, such a police boss can be truly independent. For now, we must contend with what we have – a unitary police force that must obey the master’s voice, from Sokoto to Lagos; Maiduguri to Calabar!

Nigeria, are covered by their citizenship rights. An Igbo man in Lagos has exactly the same constitutional right as the Lagos indigene of Yoruba stock, just as non-Igbo Nigerians residing in Igboland do. The same laws bind us all together. You cannot foul the law and be allowed to go free because of your “Yoruba patrimony” of Lagos. If that were to be so, the EFCC would desist from trying Fani-Kayode for allegedly stealing public funds as Aviation Minister in deference to his “Yoruba patrimony” of Lagos.

If found guilty, chances are that he would be jailed in a Lagos prison, “patrimony” notwithstanding.

We are all under the same law, even though the privileges may differ. The Lagos indigenes enjoy higher official privileges (not rights) than non-indigenous residents (including Yoruba-speaking non-indigenes). Fani-Kayode’s “Yoruba patrimony of Lagos” notwithstanding, there are meetings my brother, Chief Joe Igbokwe will be invited to and FK would be kept at bay because he does not belong. It does not work on ethnic wavelength. The ethnic factor is merely primordial and euphoric.

The bottom line is that both indigenes and non-indigenous residents of Lagos and other places in Nigeria are bound by common citizenship, with rights, obligations and responsibilities under the law. That, however, does not give anybody the licence to stomp all over the place chanting “no man’s land”. It is silly. If you do that, someone will remind you (subtly, or not so subtly) that you are wrong. That which you will not tolerate, don’t dish it out to others.

Take away the dirty role of the Airport Manager and the not-too-clean role of the police in the Benin Airport saga and you will find that the other players clearly deserve commendation: In the face of open provocation, the EIRS officials maintained their cool. Even when Ayodele turned himself to one man riot squad, attacking every journalist and everybody in sight, they were calm.

Again, in narrating his ordeal, Chief Elamah stated how the Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Michael Oghiadomhe promptly got in touch with him. One could dismiss this as “Kukuruku parapo”, but for us it goes to the very heart of good intergovernmental relations. In contrast, it cannot be said that there are not many Rivers State indigenes at the corridors of power in Aso Rock who could have intervened in the Rivers State situation to prevent it from escalating into the proverbial mad man’s big fire when he only struck a single match.

In the early hours of Wednesday, July 31, 2013, the Managing Director of FAAN, Mr. George Uriesi led a most powerful team of his management staff to Oshiomhole, to smoothen out rough edges.

Bright and early on Friday, August 2, 2013, Oshiomhole was already at President Jonathan’s breakfast table where both men finally wrote the footnotes of the Benin Airport saga. You can’t beat that. All’s well that ends well.

In all this, one lesson stands out: Organisations must learn to promptly remit collected taxes to their owners!

20— Vanguard ,

THURSDAY THURSDAY,, AUGUST 15 , 2013

vehicles. After the 2011 flood, the Yahweh drainage was constructed to check further flooding here, but we also need the Governor’s intervention on Arowojobe bridge so that we are not cut off from our neighbouring communities,’’ the traditional ruler pleaded.

Our source of livelihood is threatened — Traders Chief Kehinde Arowojobe

•The collapsed bridge

Photos: Bose Adelaja

Arowojobe bridge: A disaster waiting to happen •Lagos residents seek govt intervention

O

FFICIALS of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, LASEMA and their federal counterparts in the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, should do well to pay a visit to the Arowojobe Village via Mende-Maryland in order to avert an imminent disaster. This is because residents in this ancient community in Kosofe Local Government of Lagos State are presently facing grave danger on account of the precarious nature of the only bridge linking them to neighbouring communities.

“Passing through that bridge is like a suicide decision. But we have no choice since it’s the only bridge that links us to other areas. And that is why we’re appealing to government come to our aid and reconstruct this bridge which has been sinking for over a decade,’’ cried the residents during Vanguard Metro’s visit to the area.

Indeed, the residents have since the destruction wrought by the July 10, 2012 flood intensified their prayers and appeal for for a new drainage channel to be constructed and the community road to rehabilitated before the 2013 rains unleash their fury on them in terms of flood.

Their fear derives from the possibility that the next heavy rain C M Y K

might lead to the collapse of the Arowojobe bridge, thus cutting them off from other communities.They informed that it was against this backdrop that they have made several representations to the Lagos State government through the appropriate authorities.

While still braving the dangers of using the decrepit bridge in their journeys to other areas, residents say in the absence of any other alternative not taking the

,

BY BOSE ADELALA

and resuscitate the bridge have so far proved abortive.

Sadly also, the bridge has become a dumping ground for refuse collectors, a reason for which it is usually overflooded whenever it rains.

As at the time of filing this report, residents fear that the collapsed section of the bridge exposes them to constant danger, apart from denying them access to neighbouring communities. So, they want urgent governmental

I know the Governor is still mourning the loss of his father but we want him to save us from the impending danger and reconstruct the bridge...(which) has been sinking for the the past two decades

risk will only leave them marooned in their rustic community.

They blamed their unenviable situation to prolonged government neglect of their area, notwithstanding some palliative work done before now.

Although some soil tests have been carried out on the sinking bridge, the result has as yet been revealed just as disaster continues to loom large everyday.

Constructed about 25 years ago, the Arowojobe bridge only served the community for about five years before it began to sink. All efforts by residents to halt the slide

,

intervention.

Some of them who spoke with this reporter said they have cried to the government on several occasions and are yet to receive any positive response to end their suffering and put smiles on their faces.

Traditional ruler cries out:

The traditional ruler of the town, Chief Kehinde Arowojobe, who believes commercial activities of the town are under serious threat as result of the present condition of the bridge also called on government to take steps to remedy

the situation. ‘’I know the Governor is still mourning the loss of his father but we want him to save us from the impending danger and reconstruct the bridge so that water can flow easily. The bridge has been sinking for the the past two decades and can no longer hold water. Apart from that, it is no longer accessible to heavy duty

Some petty traders in the community, Madam Baliks Jayeoba and Mrs Gloria Nzeribe, expressed fear that soon it would no longer be possible to pass through the bridge. ‘’Trading is our source of livelihood and this is being threatened as we are unable to access the bridge. And if this happens, how will we be able to train our children or put food on the table. Please help us beg the government to come to our aid,’’ they cried.

Also, a medical doctor Ademola Oladosu, said : ‘’Water easily flows back at the base of the bridge because the pipes underneath are narrow and when it rains, so much garbage are deposited inside the canal’’.

Buttressing Oladosu’s view, Prophet Oluwademilade Akpata of Divine Ewulomi Pentecostal Church of Christ, Cherubim and Seraphim, asked government to come to their aid, ‘’the government carried out a palliative measure in the time past but this is not enough. The Commissioner for the Environment and Council Chairman are aware about our plight which we believe has been channeled to the government.’’

Long queues: Operator sensitises public on BRT e-ticketing

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

E

-Purse Systems, the initiator of the newly introduced elec tronic ticketing for the operations of Bus Rapid Transit BRT, and Bus Franchise Scheme BFS, has embarked on sensitisation and enlightenment programme to major bus shelters in Lagos to educate commuters about the viability of the e-card known as “Lagos Connect”.

One of the major objectives of the initiative is to eliminate man-hour loss in the process of obtaining the paper ticket which often result into long queue.

The e-ticketing system was launched on July 30, 2013, by the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire, who informed that the aim was to gradually revolutionalise and make public transportation in the state a lot better and convenient for commuters. According to Dayo Aderugbo, Managing Director of e-Purse Systems, the campaign was to raise awareness among the commuters about their personalised e-card.

Aderugbo explained that with the cards, commuters can travel cashless on the various bus routes. “Apart from being a cheaper way to travel because commuters will be able to pay as low as N20 for some routes, the card will also reduce loss of manpower currently being suffered by commuters due to double queues at the various bus stops,” he said.

He said that since the launch, e-Purse Systems had embarked on massive campaign to various BRT and BFS stations which include Mile12, Ketu, Ojota, Maryland, Idiroko, Anthony, Obanikoro, Palmgrove, Fadeyi, Stadium, Costain, Leventis, CMS, TBS, Ikeja along, Ikeja Under bridge, Cement, Iyana Ipaja, Egbeda, Ikotun, Igando, among others.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013 —21

Power privatisation under threat as bidder s issue fresh conditions

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

T

he ongoing privatisation of the power sector is facing a threat as winners of the 11 distribution companies of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, have issued the Federal Government fresh conditions before completing the balance of 75 percent of the bid’s value.

One of the conditions given by the bid winners was that the federal government must meet up with established “condition precedent.”

They also requested for additional one month extension to the payment deadline with just about two weeks to the expiration of deadline set by the National Council on Privatisation, NCP, for payment of the outstanding 75 percent bid price. Ten out of the 11 distribution companies with the exclusion of Kaduna Distribution Company, which met with Minister of Power, Chinedu Nebo, said the deadline of August 21 was not feasible.

Other demands of the bidders represented under the auspices of the Roundtable of Distribution Companies, the Disco Roundtable, are that the government must hand over the assets free of all legacy liabilities. It thus asked the government to quicken its payment of severance benefits to employees of the defunct PHCN companies to allow the bidders access finances to pay up its 75 percent balance.

Chairman of the Disco Roundtable, Dr. Ransome

Owan, who led the group told the minister that government’s interactions with labour unions of PHCN have remained a source of concern to financial institutions willing to lend monies to the preferred bidders.

He explained that it was necessary for government to finalise payment of severance benefits of the workers before the stipulated August 21, 2013 long stop date, adding that lenders indeed expect evidence of these payments be-

fore funds for completion of the payments can be drawn down.

According to him, considering this situation, government should consider an extension of the payment deadline to September 21, 2013, perhaps, to allow for government’s

DONATION; Head, Sales Support & Operations, Etisalat Nigeria, Victor Nwaobia (first right) presenting the key to a Toyota Hilux to Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prince Eze Madumere (MFR) (first left), during the Etisalat donation to security agencies in Imo State.With them are, Deputy Director, Network Deployment, Etisalat Nigeria, Adekunle Durojaiye (second right) and Manager, Government Relations, Etisalat Nigeria, Mohammed Suleh-Yusuf (second left).

Ondo youths petition Jonathan over 13% revenue … threaten mass action

BY EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

O

il producing communi ties in Ondo State have threatened to embark on a mass action, if their request for the direct payment of 13 percent derivation funds is not acceded to.

In a letter written to President Goodluck Jonathan and signed by leaders of the communities, they posited that the 13 percent derivation fund belongs exclusively to the oil and gas producing communities, which are the source of the derivation.

They noted that the oil facilities, flow stations and installations are located in the oil and gas producing communities, where oil exploration, exploitation and production are being carried out, leading to monumental degradation, pollution, health hazards among others, causing abject poverty in these communities.

According to the group, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has vigorously applied that the 13 percent derivation fund is not part of state consolidated revenue or that of the local government, adding that the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscals Commission, RMAFC, also agreed with the above position that the fund is not part of the consolidated revenue of any tier of government, insisting that 13 percent derivation fund is a compensation and reparation for loss of fishing rights and loss of productive farmlands. ’’Our position is that the 13 percent being managed by the governors in the oil and gas producing states is an aberration. Thus, it is clearly an implementation tragedy to pay the funds to any of the state government’s accounts.” ” The RMAFC in its submission on the new revenue formula to the 6th National As-

sembly stated unequivocally that the 13 percent fund was not part of fund of any tier of government. RMAFC went further and recommended the creation of state derivation boards for the oil and gas communities access the 13 percent derivation fund,” they stated.

They also called for the setting up of a National Derivation Board that would have an executive chairman, secretary and members, including a member from the RMAFC. In pursuance of this cause, the group stated that they have written to the chairman of RMAFC, Fiscal Responsibility Commission, FRC, and the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative NEITI on the consequences of any further payment of the 13 percent fund other than the rightful and legitimate beneficiar i e s .

“It is illegal, unconstitutional

and inconsistent with the principles of derivation to continue paying the funds to the governors. Your Excellency, we believe strongly that this is a miscarriage of justice and failure of service delivery on the part of the governors to continue to manage the 13 percent derivation fund. Apart from the fuel subsidy fraud, the 13 per cent derivation fund that have been misappropriated and misapplied by governors of the oil producing states is no doubt one of the biggest frauds ever in Nigeria’s socio-political and economic development.”

completion of payment of the severance benefits.

He said: “By March 21, 2013, all the 10 bidders paid the 25 percent down payment and the balance is to be made by August 21, 2013. It is a condition precedent that the DISCOS would be handed over free from all legacy liabilities.

“Our lenders are mindful of this and are reluctant to approve loans and condition draw-down. Therefore, it is vital for full payment obligations to the current PHCN employees be finalised before the long stop date of August 21. Lenders expect evidence of these payments before we can draw down on funds to complete our payments.

“As at now, the discos operate at a loss and buyers would quickly deploy their respective turnaround plans. Therefore, we pray the minister to convene a stakeholders meeting before August 21 to check the progress before the long stop d a t e .

“In addition, the minister should kindly consider the following: Conclude all labour issues and meet all conditions precedent before August 21, 2013, assistance in the release of the subsidy contained in the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) model for each of the discos and adequate funding of the TCN”, he stated. The group also requested for “Extended five to10 years special tax holidays for electricity distribution companies akin to the telecom start-up assistance to mitigate tariff increases and high cost and consider extending the long stop date to September 21, 2013 to allow for the full satisfaction of all condition precedent items of the governm e n t . ” Nebo in his remarks acknowledged that government was aware of the challenges of the preferred bidders and has mulled on the issues before now to allow for a smooth privatisation transition.

120.75

-2.7

2,427.00 -46.00 17.23

0.07

109.67 +0.70 106.53 +0.42 CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYA KRONA SDR

154.75 239.3364 2205.6782 166.4336 1.5784 0.2943 234.3739 25.2776 41.2612 27.5689 234.4772

155.25 240.1097 206.3428 166.9714 1.5835 0.3043 235.1311 25.3597 41.3945 27.658 235.2348

SELLING 155.75 240.883 207.0073 167.5091 1.5886 0.3143 235.8884 25.4419 4 1.5278 27.7471 235.9924

CBN Exchange rate as at 14/08/2013

22 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

BRIEF

Analysts predict 8.7% inflation for July STORIES By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

A

NALYSTS at the Financial Derivatives Company (FDC) Limited have predicted inflation rate of 8.7 per cent for July.

“Our forecast for Nigeria’s headline inflation in July indicated a 0.37 per cent increase to 8.77 per cent (±0.22%) from June’s 8.4 per cent”, they said in the FDC Economic Bulletin for August.

This implies that consumers paid more for goods and services in July than in June. In June the inflation rate dropped to 8.4 per cent, from 9.0 per cent in May. FDC analysts however maintained that slow movement in the base period prices and increase in imported inflation due to deprecation of the naira in July, caused inflation to rise slightly during the month.

The company anchored its prediction on the outcome of its inflation survey in Lagos, which indicted rise in inflation in the state.

The report said, “According to our Lagos urban inflation survey in July, consumers paid slightly higher for some goods and services compared to June.

Urban consumer prices increased 0.76% for the second consecutive month in July to 11.57% from June’s 10.81% due to increased planting activities and supply shortfalls. The increased prices were mainly on food items while the cost of most non-food items remained

C M Y K

P

ROFESSOR of Agricultural Economics, University of Ibadan Professor Anthony Ikpi has called for measures to check the decline in the nation’s export earnings, which dropped by N2 trillion in the first quarter of this year.

He spoke at a press conference on the forthcoming conference on “Creative - Innovative Financing Solutions for Sustainable Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Agribusinesses and Farms in Developing Economies.

The two day conference, scheduled to hold from August 2829, will feature an array of private and public sector operators among which are: Mr. Tony Elumelu, MFR, Chairman, Board of Director, Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko (left), and the National President of Nigerian Heir Holding (HH) Founder, the Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Chukui Wachuku (right), during a visit Toney Elumelu Foundation (TEF) to the Governor’s Office, in Akure. and Christian Azubuike Oboh, Ph.D, Managing Director/Chief rate.

Executive, Niger Delta flat. strengthen the argument for The CBN said, Development Commission “Food prices rose by 0.91% to maintenance of tight mone“Notwithstanding the (NDDC). Others are Mr. Eshiobo 13.07% in July from 12.16% in tary policy by the Central moderation in headline Sam Shola , President, Institute of June. Notable changes in the Bank of Nigeria. At the inflation, there are benign Chartered Economists of Nigeria, index are evident in the higher monetary policy committee risks on the horizon, and Hassan Usman, Acting prices of guinea corn, yam (MPC) meeting of the apex including the possibility of Managing Director, Jaiz Bank PLC. and cereals. Overall, nonbank held last month, the accelerated fiscal releases Ikpi noted that although food prices rose by 0.14% to CBN further tighten money in the later part of the year Nigeria boasts of abundant natural 8.71% from the previous supply by increasing cash reand the effects of the resources that can make the month as the cost of air travel serve ratio (CRR) on banks’ upward review in country a force to reckon with in in-creased due to frequent public sector deposit. Acelectricity tariffs in line the global economy, a good number travel in the summer season, cording to the CBN, though with the Multi-Year Tariff of these resources hardly translate and higher priceof some inflation dropped to 8.4 per Order (MYTO) following to a high export income in a global building materials due to cent in June, government the implementation of the competitive market where increased construction.” spending and excess liquidity full deregulation of the innovation and creative knowledge Further rise inflation as in the banking system poses energy sector. count. predicted by the FDC would major risks to future inflation He said that the N2 trillion decline in exports earnings in the first quarter poses great danger to the country’s fiscal management adding that the danger can however be averted if government is willing to work with industry as a whole. This is withholding tax, PAYE, knowledgeable and creative the Instant Pay Platform of the because we are very willing M i n i s t e r i a l thinkers to re-grow the economy.

Nigeria Interbank Settlement to provide funding, and help Miscellaneous, Land Use Citing developments in the System (NIBSS), thus the industry.

Charge, Business global oil market, Ikpi said the enabling members of the “Most times people think Premises Registration possibility of the country losing its banking public to use the that banks can just jump in, Charge, Capital Gain Tax, share of the crude oil market and various electronic banking but our approach is different.

Tax on Account in Hotels, revenue is real and imminent. platforms of the bank to make We need to first know how, Tax on drinks in bars, Tax ”In other words, the potential/ transactions across the when you tell us how then you on other transactions, probable production lost will country. can leave the financial Vehicle licensing/fine/fees represent a loss in the country’s Recently, Heritage Bank engineering to us”, he said. and FRSC Number Plate economic growth, employmentwas appointed by the Lagos Heritage Bank assumed the fees, among others. With generating capacity, and lower tax/ state government as its license of the former Societe its recent globally royalty revenue which will revenue collection bank Generale Bank, and acclaimed 50-day world decrease net oil exports and lead through the Lagos State commenced operations in record successful to trade deficit.” he said.

Electronic Banking System of March. In line with its deployment of the Citing the example of the Revenue Collection and promise to deliver innovative, Finnacle 10 banking franchising industry in Germany, Monitoring (EBS-RCM) technology driven, cost software as well as other which contributed E60.4 billion in payment platform. This competitive and efficient on-going massive 2012 fiscal year. Ikpi called for follows similar mandates from banking services, the bank investment in building a resolute measures to grow the other corporate organisations introduced zero Commission nimble electronic banking country’s agriculture sector, and and institutions such as the on Turnover (COT) for all its system backbone, Heritage franchising of other non-oil sectors Nigerian Customs Service, customers. This was followed bank has remained at the to activate them to a sustainable Oyo State Government, with a funding model for forefront of effort to level.

PHCN Eko Distribution, Micro Small and Medium establish a robust He said this however requires PHCN Ikeja distribution and Entrepreneurs (MSME), branchless banking and increased attention to DSTV/Multichoice. The which offers concessionary highly technology-driven human capital development and mandate empowers the bank interest rate to operators in the economy, while promoting values, adding that this among to receive from the public on sector. Prior to these, the Bank business efficiency across other things is the aim of the two behalf of the state, payments, achieved full integration into many frontiers. day conference. fees and levies such as

Heritage Bank to develop funding model for entertainment industry H

ERITAGE Bank has pledged to work with stakeholders in the entertainment industry to develop a funding model for the industry Managing Director/Chief Executive, Mr. Ifie Sekibo gave this assurance while responding to enquiries about the bank’s plan for the entertainment industry.

Speaking during an interactive session at the launch of the Heritage MSME Clinic, Sekibo said that one of the objectives of the bank is to develop a document on how to fund the entertainment industry. “But we need to understand the industry first”, he said.

“We have quite a number of people in the entertainment industry. The last time we met with the President of Nollywood, we wanted to found out, how do we bank them? Do we deal with each person, or we take the

Expert advocate measures to check decline in export revenue

Vanguard, THURSDAY , AUGUST 15, 2013—23

Tomato industry at the mercy of importers STORIES BY JIMOH BABATUNDE

T

OMATO Processors Association of Nigeria (TPAN) has decried the amount of money spent on importation of processed tomato paste, saying that the country has become a dumping ground for fake and low quality Asian tomato paste. The association in a statement said cheap imports were causing serious damage to the tomato industry.

While noting that the international standard is 28 percent brix for canning and between 34-36 percent brix for drumming, the association regretted that majority of tomato paste imported, however, doesn’t exceed 26 percent brix, resulting in watery paste.

The company said the spate of importation of adulterated tomato sauce in the name of tomato paste is of grave concern to stakeholders in the tomato industry.

“The trend has further been heightened by the challenge of improper categorisation of the different types of tomato content imported into Nigeria. The tools and techniques required to properly qualify before certifying these products are currently not being used.

“Hence, imported tomato sold in Nigeria is more than 50 per cent cheaper than what it is being sold in their countries of origin.”

TPAN said manufacturers and regulatory authorities should explain why a 210g of supposed 100 per cent tomato paste of 285 brix is sold at between 1.1 euro and 1.8 euro in Europe and the same content is sold in Nigeria at N80.

The government, in the last 10 years, it said, had stepped up investments in the agricultural value chain with the tomato industry benefiting in excess of N20 billion, adding that there has been a sharp increase in tomato importation in excess of 10 per cent annually.

This gain, it said, has

been affected by sharp practices by tomato traders and manufacturers from Asia, who produce low quality tomato.

The association said Nigeria possessed the potential to lead the world in fresh tomato production, adding that when the three big processing plants (Dangote,

Vegefresh and Savannah) begin production, their aggregate output would meet domestic and export demands.

TPAN urged the government to provide an enabling environment for the key local processing companies to utilise their capacity by giving them three to five years mora-

T

HE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, has urged the government to take firm action to curb the outrageous loss of revenue in the oil and gas sector.

The President of LCCI, Mr. Goodie Ibru, urged the government to demonstrate the political will to check the current leakages and impose appro-

mato products 100 percent. Drum tomato can remain at the present five percent until next farming season.

The body said that government should henceforth leave the business of tomato importation of necessary shortfall in demand to local manufacturers and discourage the era of indiscriminate trading.

FIIRO promises industrial growth with R&D

T

INAUGURATION: From left: Mr. Mike Purves, Director UKTI; Mrs. Fidelia Nzekwe-Chinwuko, Director General; Prince Dapo Adelegan, Deputy President and Prince Yemi Adefulu, President all of the NigerianBritish Chamber of Commerce during inauguration of 2013-2015 Council of the chamber.

Sub-standard phones: SON embarks on random market survey

I

N its efforts to ensure total eradication of fake and substandard product in the Nigerian markets, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) weekend in Lagos embarked on random market survey to ensure that consumers in the state get value for their money.

Led by its Director General, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, the SON team was at the popular Computer village where it met

with the Phone & Allied Products Dealers Association.

Speaking with the dealers, Odumodu said SON has the mandate to protect and support businesses to do better, whether the bus iness is into manufacturing or selling. But, he said in protecting businesses in the country there are things to beware of: “one of them is that the products that we sell must be in a position to lay claims

to what is stated on the label.

“Anything that is done to mislead a consumer into making a purchase is in conflict with the law and once that is in place, people like us come to show our faces.”

He charged the dealers to ensure that every product sold in the market has a maker, an importer and codes, adding that failing to follow this “the products should not be in the market.

LCCI urges govt to curb revenue loss in oil sector priate sanctions, just as pipeline vandalism, $894 remains the only oil proBY NAOMI UZOR

torium before liberalising the market.

Among other things, the association asked the government to increase duty on all imported tomato products to 100 per cent.

They asked government not to reduce the current tariff, but rather make duty on all imported to-

he asked that the recommendations of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) report should be implemented without delay.

“Council noted the report of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) which covered 2009-2011. It noted with concern the huge revenue loss from crude oil theft, 10.9 billion USD;

million and various other transparency issues in the oil and gas sector.

“Council further noted the N3 trillion spent on oil subsidy and the huge discrepancies in the records of the key organs of government in respect of disbursements of subsidy claims” he stated.

He said the council lamented the continuous dependence on imported refined petroleum products, noting that Nigeria

ducing country that depends entirely on imports for its petroleum products need, adding that the situation should not be allowed to continue.

“Council therefore urges the government to accelerate action to improve domestic refining capacity of petroleum products, including the quick passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).”

Odumodu said “As I talk to you, there is only one brand here that is registered with us in this market. Out of the six leading phone products in the world, only one is registered here. My message today, is that these products should be registered.”

The Director General of SON regretted that most of the importers failed to follow the organisation’s procedure on importation that requires importers to have SONCAP, which requires people wanting to go abroad to buy products to go through a process of verification of quality based on Nigeria standard.

While explaining that he was in the market for consultation, Odumodu said the cheating of consumers must stop in the country.

“The consumer is king, so what we need to do is to stop cheating the consumers, because when I looked at the label of the receipts issued to consumers they can’t get refund for money once a purchase is made.

HE Management of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) has promised to commercialise the Research and Development (R&D) products of the institute to drive industrial development of the country.

The Board Chairman of FIIRO, Dr. Alexander Andrew Obi,who disclosed this at the inaugural meeting of the board held at FIIRO’s conference hall, said president Jonathan is committed to developing science and technology to drive the development of Nigeria.

He lamented that the political willingness of the past administrations has really brought about the setbacks witnessed by the sector in the past years, adding that government is really anxious to promote the products developed by the various research institutes. Obi said implementation of various research products is very essential for easy accessibility, saying there is a big lacuna between expectation, development of the research products, implementation and the expectation of the people.

“Government should fund research and implement the product of research. Let there be a guiding national policy that would ensure that.

There should be determination from government that things are done properly.

“President Jonathan recognises the need for the commercialisation of FIIRO products, the minister has said it needs to start to address serious unemployment problems in the country.”

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

Global West boss advocates collaboration to combat piracy

BY GODFREY BIVBERE

M

ANAGING Director of Global West Vessels Specialist Ltd, Capt.

Winfred Itima, has advocated collaboration between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and other security agencies in the country to effectively combat piracy along the nation’s waterways.

Itima, who disclosed this in Lagos, explained that Nigeria has a very large expanse of waterways and if the war against sea robbery that has put the nation in

bad light amongst the commity of maritime nations is to be won, there must be collaboration amongst security agencies.

According to him, “NIMASA alone does not have the firepower to deter anybody from attacking any vessel. All hands must be on deck “NIMASA as an organisation cannot even cover the nation”s coastline right now because we only came into this job for about a year. We hope by year end we will have enough vessels to cover the Nigerian coastline which is about

2,000 miles. It is not an easy task for NIMASA but we are surviving. We have other organisations. The one controlling the coasts can do whatever they want to do.”

The Globa West boss noted that a lot of people keep blaming NIMASA but they forget that the agency does not have the necessary military capability to deter such attacks.

In his words, “Every time people blame NIMASA, but NIMASA does not control the military. Safety does not mean that NIMASA will go and get guns to fight.

These guys come with big firepower, where will NIMASA have that firepower to fight them. But it is decreasing you see.

Gradually when they see NIMASA, the Navy and every other agency personnel patrolling, things will calm down, I know.

“If you ask anybody, he will tell you that Lagos outside bar is quiet now. It is not like before where every night you receive calls on armed-robbery etcetera, but now it is getting quieter than before.” On the alleged collection of N486 million from NIMASA

Tanker vessel built from scraps at an uncommissioned shipyard in Lagos

monthly as payment for contract for the provision of platforms to combat crime along the nation’s waterways, Itima denied it.

He explained that what they receive monthly is based on the revenue collected by NIMASA from its intelligence reports, monitoring activities in addition to the provision of platforms.

The Global West helmsman pointed out that there is no specific amount due to his company monthly because the contract stipulates that they will only be paid if NIMASA surpasses the benchmark set for expected revenue to the coffers of the apex maritime regulatory agency.

He explained that at the end of every month, NIMASA sums up the revenue collected and gives his company 50 percent of whatever amount that is over and above the benchmark. He further noted that no official of his company is in the know of how much is collected by the agency but that they depend entirely on whatever NIMASA declares and gives to them every month.

He also disclosed that there were months when they did not get anything from NIMASA because they could not surpass the benchmark, adding that they had to go to the bank to get loan to run their operations.

NCMDL CA raises alarm o o peace at por ts NCMDLC ovver threat tto ports

BY GODWIN ORITSE

T

HE National Coun cil of Managing Director of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) has raised alarm over moves by the dissolved board of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarders in Nigeria (CRFFN) to collect dues despite the absence of a Council In a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, the group’s president Mr. Lucky Amiwero said that the conduct by some persons, who are staff of the dissolved and expired Council, is to course breach of peace in the port through their activities.

Amiwero stated that most of the people who parade themselves as

freight forwarders do not even know what qualifies them as freight forwarders.

He explained most of the so called freight forwarders cannot be called as such because they lack the requisite training that qualifies them to practice as such.

Explaining further, Amiwero said that the law setting up the CRFFN is also defective as only qualified people are suppose to be members of the Council contrary to what was been constituted in the past.

He said “ By the provision of section 4 of the freight forwarding Act, it is only the constituted Council that has the right to perform the Act in paragraph (AJ)

“The Registrar and staff are support staff and not members of the Council of Regulation of Freight Forwarder by the Act and have no such power, which if not checked may constitute threat to our port system.

According to the seasoned Customs broker, the functions of a freight forwarders are quite different from that of a Customs agents adding that most of the people who parade themselves as freight

forwarders are actually Customs agents.

“While freight forwarders are involved in the carriage and movement of goods, the Customs agents treat documents that are associated with imports and exports.

Our ports have limitation for development — Shippers’ Council boss

BY GODFREY BIVBERE

E

XECUTIVE Secre tary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hassan Bello, has said that the seaports in Lagos have great limitation of space for development because of the encroachment of the city.

Bello who disclosed this to Vanguard in his office weekend, noted that this limitation has made it difficult for the necessary development to be made.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NSC explained that this also creates security challenges.

According to him, “Our ports have limitations.

These are old ports sandwiched between towns, that is why the Ministry of Transport is consciously adopting the “Greenfield approach” to building deep sea ports.

These are going to be more efficient, accommodate larger vessels and of course larger cargo “Nigeria Shippers Council’s role is to ensure that these ports are linked with good access roads so that goods are evacuated on arrival at these ports to their various destinations. These ports must be linked with rail, good road network and possibly inland waterways.”

On the ultimatum issued to Nigeria by the United States of America (USA) over none compliance to the International Ships and Ports Facilities Security (ISPS) code, Hassen noted that it is not an ultimatum but timing for implementation of security measures.

Stakeholders decry lack of training for dockworkers

BY GODFREY BIVBERE

S

TAKEHOLDERS in the maritime industry have decried the absence of training for dockworkers who take charge of loading and discharging of cargoes for import/export at the nation’s ports.

The stakeholders expressed their displeasure of the development at a workshop with the

theme “Dock Labour, Decent Work Agenda” organised by the sector’s regulatory agency, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

In his paper on occupational safety in dock work, erstwhile Director of the defunct Joint Maritime Labour Industrial Council (JOMALIC), Dr O. C.

Nathaniel, pointed out the failure of employers of dock labour to engage capacity-building exercises for their employees.

His position was supported by the Director General of NIMASA, Ziakede Akpobolokemi.

The NIMASA’s helmsman was represented by the Executive Director in charge of Maritime

Labour and Cabotage Services, Barr. Callistus Obi According to Nathaniel, “having spent over thirty years in this industry, Stevedores, terminal operators and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) use dock workers; no training.

There is no terminal operator that has budget for training.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013 — 25

•Save education protest in Lagos , Tuesday.

WAEC's exams and growing pains of the education sector

BY AMAKAABAYOMI, LAJU ARENYEKA & IKENNA ASOMBA

T

HE release of the 2012/2013 West African Senior School C e r t i f i c a t e Examination (WASSCE), by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) last week, has once again spotlighted the crisis bedeviling the education sector.

Many Nigerians are accustomed to issues such as examination malpractice and lack of admission spaces into higher institutions, but there are new challenges as well. In this report, Vanguard Learning focuses old and new issues that this development has brought to the fore.

Insecurity and incomplete results The Head of Nigeria National office, WAEC, Mr. Charles Eguridu, told journalists last week that the council was "unable to provide statistics of those who obtained credit and above in five subjects, including Mathematics and English at this time, because many candidates in the north C M Y K

eastern part of the country have partial results at the moment due to security challenges encountered during the last examinations, particularly the loss of scripts."

It would be recalled that three WAEC personnel were brutally murdered by unknown gunmen on their way from Yola to Maiduguri during the conduct of the last exams.

The WAEC Nigeria boss said; "Of course, writing examinations under so much tension must have affected the performance of students, but the Council is working hand in hand with government security agents to avoid the recurrence of such a tragedy in the future."

Examination malpractice Of the 1,671,268 candidates

who wrote this year's May/ June WASSCE, 112,865 candidates (6.75%) had their results withheld in connection with various cases of

47,289 results in the November/December diet.

However, after the National

Continues on page 34

ASUU strike ends soon, says Education minister

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

M

INISTER of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Rufa’i gave hope that the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, over the non-implementation of the 2009 agreement the union entered into with the Federal Government would soon be settled once and for all.

The Minister hinged her optimism on

Too early ttoo prepare for ‘back to school’?

— Page 26

examination malpractice.

The situation last year was not much different as WAEC withheld112, 000 results in the May/June 2012 diet, and

We want to turn around pupils’ dislike for mathematics to passion — Page 33

the success recorded by the Needs Assessment Implementation Committee headed by the Benue State Governor, Hon. Gabriel Suswan on how to resolve the crisis.

“In terms of where we are with ASUU, you know we have been meeting all this while, government is talking with their officials to see that we address these challenges.

Continues on page 26

Internship and the challenges students face — Page 27

26 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

Too early to prepare for ‘Back to ASUU School’? strike

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI

T

HE calendar may still say August, with parents and children still in holiday mood.

But it’s never too early for parents to start preparing for the next school year, especially as saving for ‘backto-school’ may take a back seat right now.

As a new school year draws nearer, many unprepared parents may end up scrambling to find the funds to ensure their children remain in school but “school expenses should be planned to make wards’ return to school smooth,” says the Principal, Caleb International School, Magodo, Lagos, Mrs. Julie Falodun.

Vanguard Learning sought the opinions of parents, school administrators, book and school uniforms vendors on the importance of early planning.

Caleb principal, Falodun, said getting a new school year off on a good start can influence children’s attitude, confidence and performance socially and academically.

“Early payment of school fees and general planning for the children help prepare them mentally for the new school term. Though some parents have paid their children’s school fees and bought the required books, I still advise those who are yet to do so to plan ahead to make their return to the classrooms smooth.”

A school administrator, who declined to have her name nor that of her school in print, advised parents to plan ahead, especially as it concerns school fees so that they don’t end up cashstrapped when schools resume.

The administrator said; “With the number of financial

products and information now available, it’s not hard to set up a little investment for children. Aside that, parents should start saving for the next term the minute they have paid for the current term.

"Depending on how much the fees are, it is good for parents to make monthly contributions towards that so that the total amount doesn’t seem so daunting.”

Though the transition from summer holiday to classrooms can be difficult for both children and parents, getting the school supplies such as uniforms, books and other needed materials early not only puts you one step ahead, but saves you the stress of last minute rush and shortage of supplies from bookstores and school support suppliers.

A visit to different book and school uniform stores across the country by Vanguard Learning revealed that parents were still shopping in trickles.

The operators urged them to take advantage of the early

season and avoid hike in prices of these essential school materials.

“They are coming in their trickles,” said Mr. Chibuike Okeke, MD, Book Affairs Educational Services, PortHarcourt, Rivers State.

Attributing the low patronage to private school operators, who prefer to sell books in their schools, Okeke, however, called on early shoppers to avert a hike in prices by buying their wards' school materials on time.

Agreeing with him, the MD, Almaz Bookshop, Mr. Adebisi Saliu, added that some publishers have increased the prices of their books before now, while others are planning to follow suit.

“It is always advisable for parents and guardians to shop early for the next school year so as to avoid rush and unnecessary increase in the prices of school books when school resumption draws nearer.”

Legsapparel, an Abujabased uniform manufacturing

outfit, is also experiencing low patronage as parents are still in summer mood.

According to its MD, Mrs. Ola Eteng, “though some parents have started preparing for their children, we are yet to experience the kind of patronage associated with near-resumption time.”

Some parents who spoke with Vanguard Learning said though they know the importance of planning ahead, especially if it concerns their children’s education, blamed their shortcomings on the economy.

A parent, who simply gave her name as Shola, said: “The harsh economic times and other monthly bills often just take away from what you would have saved.”

However, Mrs. Chidinma Egbe, whose son’s fees is N80,000, books N28,000 and those of her daughter is N16,000, is neither fazed nor in a rush to pay the fees as adequate arrangements have been made towards her children’s education.

Bookshop: books but no buyers.

Fashola rewards 128 schools with N256m

BY MUSBAUDEEN SHEKONI

O

NE hundred and twentyeight public secondary schools in Lagos State received N2 million each from Governor Babatunde Fashola as reward for outstanding performance in the Lagos Eko Secondary Education Project.

The governor also recognised 24 principals and teachers (12 each) and said they would travel abroad for further training for their hard

work in the implementation of the Eko Project, a World Bankassisted initiative that provides direct grants to secondary schools for infrastructure upgrade and training.

Speaking of the impact of the initiative at the Governor’s Education Award held at the Havens, Ikeja, Fashola said performance in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) has tripled from 10.4 per cent in 2008 to 38.5

per cent in 2012.

The governor also praised the pupils who performed during the event, including Temitope Ejide and Omowunmi Shadare, the two comperes, Innocent Momodu, who gave the welcome address, and others. He said they were proof that the government was making progress in improving education.

“If we give them a chance; if we guide them from the back and steer them in the

right direction, they will not only take care of themselves; they will take care of us. All of the events we have seen today performed by the Lagos State public school pupils represent the face and the emerging character of Lagos State public schools,” he said.

Fashola said the award was instituted three years ago to encourage healthy rivalry among schools.

continues from pg 25 “We do have a responsibility and we are working on that responsibility. We are going to continue meeting with ASUU and we hope that by the end of the meeting, we will go a long way in resolving the crisis.”

Speaking at the mid-term policy review meeting of the Four Year Strategic Plan of her ministry in Abuja, Prof. Rufa’i described education as an important component of the Federal Government’s transformation agenda.

“Education is key to achieving and sustaining the goals of a Nigerian society that must develop its citizens as assets so that they can support the drive for competitive advantage.”

She said that the development of the four-Year Strategic Plan for the education sector was a clear consolidation on earlier efforts by President Goodluck Jonathan through the Presidential Summit on Education.

In addition to access and quality, the minister identified four other issues that must be addressed in order to achieve the set goals.

The issues included strengthening the institutional management of education, teacher education and development, technical and vocational education & training, funding and resource mobilisation and utilisation.

“Besides strengthening institutional framework in the system, a number of steps have been taken to increase access, including construction of 125 boarding and day schools for almajaris, the launch of the Access Campaigns in the North and the South-East geo-political zones to address peculiar enrolment challenges, establishment of 12 new federal universities, nine of which have started academic activities among others.”

“At the tertiary education level, there has been a boom on infrastructural transformation. In each of the institution, all areas of infrastructural challenge are being addressed through the provision of new facilities as well as rehabilitation of existing ones."

She however, admitted that there were obvious challenges ahead despite the modest achievements made in the implementation of the midterm performance of the strategic development plans in education.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013—27

Students and the challenges of internship

BY EKEMINI EYOH

I

T is not uncommon to hear students on their Industrial Attachment (IT) or internship lament over their unpleasant experiences, especially the challenges encountered in the process of finding a firm to accommodate and support them financially.

While it is expected of students to go out and acquire practical knowledge of their chosen fields, it seems also right for firms to make provisions to support their efforts.

Though internship is peculiar to polytechnics, but most universities have followed suit depending on the course of study of the students. The major objective of internship is to help students apply theoretical knowledge and school-based skills to practice before they enter the world of work. The programme came into existence following decree No. 47 of October 08 1971 as amended in 1990. This decree gave birth to the founding of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in 1973/ 1974, which in turn established the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) to bridge the gap between schoolbased knowledge and workplace skills.

Though industrial training provides students with work experience that prepares them for the work place, but the major advantage is that it helps students discover their areas of career interests which they are most likely to pursue.

But despite this advantage, internship isn’t without its hiccups, as students face the challenges of getting firms that would not just absorb them in their core areas of competence, but pay them monthly allowances.

Vanguard Learning investi-

gation reveals that organisations such as banks request for IT students because of cheap labour, others do not wish to accommodate students who beg for placements, while some organisations will ask the students to pay for the knowledge that will be acquired.

Emeka Osinachi, a student of Computer Engineering, Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State, narrating his experience, said; “I spent three months searching for a company to accept me. Three

months down the line and after spending N30,000 on transport, I decided to take up a teaching position in a secondary school.”

When asked if this was relevant to his course of study and will give him the needed knowledge, he said he had no option than to find a means of getting some relevance from what he is currently doing.

Unlike Emeka, Nnamdi Ibe, HND 1 student of Computer Engineering, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, who

EXCURSION: Brainville International School Proprietress, Mrs. Nkiru Okonkwo, with her pupils and teachers on a charity visit / excursion from Warri to Abuja to enhance high academic and moral standards for the nursery and primary school children recently.

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

Examples: She earns less money by selling fewer products.

He has less energy but fewer complaints.

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

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

‘knows someone that knows someone’, had it easy locating a firm to do his industrial training.

Nnamdi said he did not have to go through the ordeal some of his mates had to go through in locating a firm because he ‘knew somebody who knew somebody’.

Nnamdi said; “I met a classmate of mine three months into our internship crying because she could not find a company to accommodate her. I also know of classmates who did not find placements six months into our IT while others had to forge their reports after fruitless searches.”

When contacted, the YABATECH SIWES Coordinator, Mr. Okolie Nwabueze Peter, nonetheless said the schools understand the plight of students and are usually sympathetic when they report back with a record of what is not relevant to their fields.

When asked if the school makes any effort in obtaining placements for these candidates, he answered in the affirmative, saying “we do speak to some firms. I personally take some of the students to some firms but the challenge is, we do not have enough industries to accommodate these students.

To this end, we, sometimes ask the students to talk to their parents if they can help with placements."

Examples: He is less than 1.5 metres tall.

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

Agbara is less than twenty kilometres to Badagry.

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

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

28—Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

Exposure Robotics Academy boosts knowledge application in students’ learning

BY DAYO ADESULU

E

XPOSURE Robotics Academy (XRA), previously known as the Exposure Robotics League (XRL), officially launched for its second year at the Grange School in Ikeja, Lagos.

45 students are attending this year and are being taught by five talented instructors from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US and three talented teaching assistants from Columbia University and the University of Ibadan.

Students have flown from different corners of Nigeria to participate in this enriching, fiveweek program.

This year, there are 45 students representing 14 different states across Nigeria. These

are some of the brightest young minds in Nigeria, regardless of socioeconomic status.

Their experience have been fully sponsored through partnerships with companies such as Shell Oil PLC, Katchey Company LTD, and Interswitch LTD. Relationships with other companies such as Schlumberger Nigeria LTD have helped further bolster the experience of the students.

Through XRL, students are learning how to apply their knowledge of robotics to solve problems in their environments. “This program is a stepping stone for my career as a mechanical engineer,” said one of the students.

“With the advent of robots in our modern day industries, especially in

the engineering sector, it would give me a preliminary concept about robots.” The students are already fully immersed in the program and after one week, they have demonstrated immense improvement.

According to the students, the program has been entertaining, educative and also enlightening.

There will be a festive grand finale to conclude the five week program on August 17th, 2013. The students will compete against one another in one more final bout and demonstrate the skills they have acquired through the program.

Some of them have gone from never having used a computer to writing code.

• Vice-Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Professor Joseph Ajienka; CEO, Whistling Woods Institute, India, Chaitanya Chinchlikar; Chairman, Trend Media City, Engr. Uzo Udemba and other executives at the official launch of African Film and TV Academy, in Lagos.

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ULWS boss speaks against child marriage

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

T

HE President of the University of Lagos Women Society (UWLS), Mrs. M.A Bello, has called on government and well meaning individuals to reject the early child marriage phenomenon in the country. Bello said this recently at the opening ceremony of the Society’s Omele Ariya 2013 summer camp in Lagos.

She said; “A topical issue on the front burner of all concerned citizens of this country is the early child marriage.

This is because this phenomenon affects the C M Y K

overall health of the public, community development and social justice. According to United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 50 per cent of children subjected to early marriage end up with either manic depression or anxiety, another 50 per cent usually resort to use of drugs or alcohol, while 16 per cent have low birth-weight babies; 42 per cent are permanently injured or die from intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence. Another 38 per cent are said to be murdered from refusal to accede to sexual overture

from their partners.”

Continuing Bello said; “We of the UWLS resonate with the position of the UN Secretary- General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon who said in 2008 that there is one universal truth applicable to all countries, cultures and communities: violence against women is never acceptable, never excusable, and never tolerable.

"We are calling on government to put in place measures to reduce exposures and any kind of violence, reformation of discriminatory family law, among others."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013— 29

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013—33

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT "IT has become almost a cliché to remark that nobody boasts of ignorance of literature, but it is socially acceptable to boast ignorance of science and proudly claim incompetence in mathematics." — Richard Dawkins , English Professor of Evolutionary Biology.

Over the years, it has been observed that many students hate mathematics out of fear and if Nigeria must develop technologically, there is need to conquer this fear and the best place to do that is at the basic education level. Thus, disturbed by the dismal performance of students in mathematics regarded as one of the deepest and most powerful expressions of pure human reason, and the most fundamental resource for description and analysis of the experiential world, MR. AJIBOLA OLATOYE, a polymer engineer and Managing Director of Ibadan-based AugustMoon Plastics Limited, decided to help pupils at the foundation level fall in love with mathematics by presenting it in a simple and fun way. He spoke with Vanguard Learning recently. Excerpts:

The Problem: Mr. Ajibola Olatoye on identifying some of the problems of teaching/learning of mathematics at the foundation level, decided to come up with a solution - the AugustMoon Edumodel series.

“It is an open fact that our students are not doing well in Mathematics in both WAEC and NECO Senior School Certificate Examinations. This situation is progressively getting out of control. In the 2009 Nov/ Dec WASSC examination, only 31 per cent got credits in Mathematics. The corresponding NECO SSC examinations result was equally unsatisfactory. These alarmingly poor performances in Mathematics can be traced to students’ lack of interest in the subject for many reasons,” said Olatoye.

Some of the reasons, he noted, are; “unfriendly teachers’ approach, poorly trained teachers, influx of untrained teachers into the profession; inadequate learning environment, inadequate learning materials, lack of adequate exposure of pupils to everyday applications of mathematics; poor teaching methods, the most important and prevalent is the lack of good foundation for both the teaching and learning of mathematics at the basic levels,” he said.

Olatoye believes that once a child fails to get a good foundation in mathematics, he cannot go far in the subject and this has dire consequences which include “insufficient enrolment of undergraduates for technical studies like engineering requiring at least a credit in mathematics and the inability of universities to achieve the admission policy of 60:40 for sciences and arts as a way to train sufficient professionals to drive our technological dreams.”

Olatoye says the “AugustMoon Edumodel series is a practical approach to teaching

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children at their early lives, giving them ample room to express themselves. This is well explained in our book, Child Empowerment Through Practical Scientific Education (CETPSE), a do-it-yourself programme. We hope this will turn our children into practical accomplishers and less consumers of other people’s innovations. It is designed to turn around 180 degrees pupils’ dislike for mathematics to passion for the subject, right from pre-basic to the basic levels of our education system.”

It is said that ‘what you hear, you forget; what you see, you remember; what you do, you understand,’ so he adopted the participatory method of teaching and learning.

He explains;

T

he plastic models: This box contains 45 pieces of plastic mathematical models of figures and symbols in different colours. It enables the child in the nursery and early primary classes to identify figures and symbols; apply them to work out basic maths equations and identify various colours.

D

ouble-sided Learning Board (DSLB) The era of the teacher talking to the black board, at times far away from his pupils without knowing how many of them he is carrying along, is over.

The DSLB turns the pupils into the major actors in teaching/learning mathematics, practically and theoretically.

The teacher can now be likened to the referee in a football match. He calls the shots and allows the pupils to come out, one at a time, to resolve a mathematical problem practically and theoretically.

While a pupil is busy sorting himself out on the DSLB, the rest, on their seats, are equally resolving the same problem in their minds, thus ensuring that everybody is indirectly involved in solv-

We want to turn pupils’ dislike for mathematics to passion —OLATOYE

•Mr. Ajibola Olatoye

•Old method of teaching; teacher seems battle-ready

*Learning mathematics with ease.

,

BY EBELE ORAKPO

We hope this will turn our children into practical accomplishers and less consumers of other people’s innovations

ing the same maths problem.

"If the pupil gets the answer wrong, any other pupil can be called to work it out. This ensures that everybody is involved all the time in resolving these maths problems at this foundation level.

"The pupils themselves demonstrate eagerness to correct anyone of them who provides a wrong answer, either by raising their hands or impatiently rushing to the DSLB, out of the burning desire to provide the correct

,

answer. The sleepy appearing class at the start ends up bubbling with satisfactory expressions on the face of everybody.

I

ndividual Pupil Learning Mini-Board Arrangement "This is a step higher than the DSLB approach. Here, it is arranged for each pupil to have a mini-board with mathematical models, in front of him or her as well as sharpened pencil or a biro so that they can all simulta-

neously work out from the beginning to the end, answers to oral mathematics assignments fired at them by the teacher.

This step equally represents the most critical stage of self decision-making (auto-decision) for the pupil to build up total confidence in his ability to master the learning of mathematics; thus jettisoning completely any possibility of fear for the subject.

It also represents a new beginning for mass production of mathematically inclined young minds; a process which the teacher must handle carefully with lots of patience, understanding and desire to relate with his pupils on one-on-one basis as the learning progresses, knowing full well that his objective is to encourage total commitment to the subject by all his pupils.

This practical approach to learning mathematics may be used as the teaching/learning methods for primary one up to primary two," he said.

34— Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

Stop celebrating foreign certificates to reduce students patronage — Prof. Aje

BY DAYO ADESULU

A

S the rate of students who patronise foreign institutions increase yearly, the Director-General, Nigeria French Language Village (NFLV), Badagry, Professor Samuel Aje has stated that Nigerians should stop celebrating foreign certificate more than indigenous certificate to reduce the quest for it. The Committee of Nigerian Vice-Chancellors once declared that over $500 million is lost by Nigeria annually to foreign institutions.

Aje who condemned the attitude of some Nigerian companies which celebrate and rate holders of foreign certificates higher than their Nigerian counterparts said; “Over the years, we have believed that whatever comes from overseas is better than ours. That is why we have so many Nigerians struggling to go abroad to study.

“Is it compulsory I go overseas before I can do well? Is there nothing I can do around me to bring value to my life and society? Have I exhausted the potentials around me?” he asked.

Giving a brief account of his stewardship as director and chief executive of Nigeria French Language Village from 2003-2013, Aje decried students seeking admission in tertiary institutions outside Nigeria who in the process fall into wrong hands.

The Director-General, who declined to mention some of those illegal institutions said the reason is that the certificates of such students won’t be recognised. According to him, the proprietor of one of those illegal institutions was a dismissed staff of Nigeria French Language Village who was not

Professor Samuel Aje even an academic staff but technical staff.

He said the dismissed staff went outside this country, started a university and took some students there for studies.

“Working in connivance with some agents in Nigeria, if 50 students are supposed to come to French Village, they will

end up taking 40 out, leaving us with10 as many chancellors were made to believe that they are taking their students to French Village not knowing they have taken them elsewhere,” he said.

He disclosed that there were cases of students who went there and spent over two to three years, and when the students discovered that what they were being offered was not worth it, they ran back to French Language Village pleading for restoration.

The professor who lamented the situation pointed out that a student who has been struggling to get between 40 and 45 per cent before going out, now scores between 80 to 85 per cent there. This is what I call miracle marks. He explained that when students come to NFLV, the institution engages them in serious academic activities saying whereas they pay more in those fake schools, they teach them just three hours a day.

*Outgoing students of Krisbethe College, Ipaja, Lagos during their 10th valedictory service/prize giving day 2013 held at at the school premises. Photo: AKEEM SALAU.

Alele-Williams makes case for girl-child education

BY DAYO ADESULU & LAJU ARENYEKA

I

N the wake of the recent controversies facing girlchild education in the country, the first female Vice-Chancellor of an African university, Professor Grace Alele-Williams has stressed the need for quality education for the Nigerian girl.

The Professor of Mathematics, who spoke at the 8th convocation ceremony of Covenant University recently, said that she was very pleased that “many female graduates got prizes for excellence in fields where it was impossible to find women about 30 years ago.

“During that time, there was no way girls could study mathematics because there were no female mathematics teachers, and male teachers weren’t alC M Y K

lowed to teach female students.

"Today, I am very thankful to those who brought about positive changes, who ended those primitive policies that pushed women behind in the past.”

Meanwhile, out of the 1,466 first degrees awarded across the College of Developmental Studies, and the College of Science and Technology, 114 made first class, 76 of which were female; 141 students also graduated from the School of Postgraduate Studies with 111 awarded master’s degrees and 30 doctorates.

The Minister of Power, Prof.

Chinedu Nebo, who was the guest speaker at the ceremony, told the students to take advantage of the quality education they received during their stay at the university.

Speaking on the topic; Transformational leadership and the Quest for global relevance, he

said; “Your parents, lecturers, and God have invested so much in you, go out there and change the nation. Strive to be transformational leaders just like Jesus.

"While a transactional leader motivates followers by appealing to their own self interest, a transformational leader does so by encouraging them to put the group’s interest first. Transformational leaders tend to have no personal ego, but they have institutional ego.

Nebo also advised the graduates to be careful and diligent in their choices and not let their own plans stand in the way of great opportunities.

Also speaking, the Chancellor of Covenant University, Dr. David Oyedepo, said Nigeria does not just need education but the right kind of education.

Speaking on 'Living the Covenant University Dream, Our Leadership Mandate', Oyedepo opined that "our world is full of expert analysts of our multi-faceted problems but what we lack is expert solution providers.

"We do not therefore need just education, we need the right kind of education, raising the right kind of leaders, promoting the right kind of values and graduating the right kind of changes that this part of the world desperately requires today.”

WAEC, WASSCE continues from pg 25 Examination Council (NEC) of the Council reviewed the results, 10,602 of the May/June results were released, and the others cancelled.

When the results of the May/June 2011 examinations were released, 81,573 candidates, 5.29 % of the total population, had their results withheld on the same grounds. For the November/December diet, there were 39,066 cases. The trend goes on and on. 77,168 results were withheld in the May/June 2010 diet, and 51,876 in the November/December diet.

Stakeholders in the education sector have expressed concern over the growing rate of examination malpractice in school leaving examinations such as the WASSCE. Lamenting the menace, the Principal, Caro Favoured College, Awodiora, Lagos, Mr. Mark Okoh, opined that government should take a bold step in providing massive infrastructure, adequate manpower and the enabling environment.

"Government has greater responsibility to play in curbing examination malpractice. Once teachers are provided with the right infrastructure and teaching facilities, there will be no need for students to indulge in examination malpractice because a larger percentage of them must have been imparted with the right academic training to perform brilliantly during national examinations like WASSCE." On the contrary, the Principal, May Day Schools, Isolo, Lagos, Mr. Oke Williams, said government must not solely be blamed for the widespread of examination malpractice as, according to him, parents and teachers have greater roles to play.

"The issue of examination malpractice is worrisome for every stakeholder that wants the progress of our educational system. Government alone can't be blamed because parents and teachers have greater roles to play in shaping the students into better citizens. Teachers, and most especially the parents, must teach their children the right virtues because charity, they say, begins at home. When this is done, the menace will certainly be reduced. However, it's time culprits of examination malpractice are punished to serve as deterrent to others."

Performance Of the total number of candidates that sat for the examination, 889,636 (53.23%) obtained six credits and above; 1,074,065 candidates, (64.26%) obtained five credits and above. In addition 1,225,591 candidates (73.33%) obtained credit and above in four subjects; 1,353,273 candidates (80.97%) obtained credit and above in three subjects while 1,465,581 candidates obtained credit and above in two subjects.

Although 1,689,188 candidates registered, only 1,671,268, (920,416 males and 750,852 females) sat for the examinations. 1,543,683 candidates (91.38%) have their results fully released, while 145,505 candidates (8.62%) have a few of their subjects being processed.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2012—35

Unsung victims of ASUU strike

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

I

T cost about N20 to board a shuttle from one end of Lagos State University to another. On the average, a driver of a 14-seater bus could make about 20 trips per day.

But since the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) began its nationwide strike on July 1, the situation has become less than average for non- academic citizens of university communities.

The state of affairs is the same at the University of Lagos; for once, the line of cabs is longer than the queue of commuters. In fact, the commuters’ queue is nonexistent. ASUU is on strike, most students are at home, but the vendors still have the same mouths to feed and the same bills to pay.

Daniel Ighosunwe owns a photography studio in one of the nation’s striking varsities.

It is doubtful that he has an idea of the 2009 agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU, but he is affected nonetheless. “I have another studio outside the campus, but business on campus is usually better. Since ASUU went on strike, things have been really slow around here. The students constitute

our market. Without them on campus, there is no business.

I sincerely hope that the strike will be called off soon.”

Kelechi Okorie and her sister own a business centre on another striking university campus. She told Quadlife: “We make photocopies, print, and sell stationery. Before the strike, we used to have a lot of customers, but now, we

have just one or two per day.

We don’t have any other source of income; that is why we come here every day. The strike is not just affecting the students, it’s affecting us too.”

Eleven-year-old Rufeeyat Bello helps her mum sell food on campus: “The strike is always spoiling our food.” She says; “Every day we cook, the food will not finish despite the fact that

we cook just about three cups of rice compared to 16 cups we used to cook before the strike.

We are just praying that they will end the strike very soon.”

No doubt, when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. But in this case, the grass is not just the students, but those who depend on the system for their livelihood.

•From left: Engr. Olawumi Gasper, Executive Secretary, LASTVEB, Commissioner for Education, Mrs Olayinka Oladubjoye, Director-General, NECA, Mr Olusegun Oshinowo and Mrs Helen Jemerigbe, Director, TSDP, NECA during the signing of MoU between Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) and Lagos State Government on the development of Government Technical College, Ikorodu as an Industrial Training Fund. Photo by Dayo Adesulu.

G

OVERNOR Babatunde Fashola has commended the skills and enterprise of students who engage in traffic trading stating that it takes high level of mental coordination and expertise to trade in the traffic without hazards.

He said; “I have travelled to many places in the world, but I have not seen where youths trading on the streets run after vehicles with their wares on their heads without falling. The same person who gives change to a buyer is at the same time doing mental sums.

“If you observe the kind of skill level, flexibility and adaptability that is required to carry out those functions, I don’t know how many of us can do it. Let nobody come and tell me that Nigerians are not skillful. Let not anybody tell me that they are not enterprising. If that is not a display of skill and enterprise, I do not know what it is.

"But unfortunately, it is skill and enterprise in the wrong place.

Because trading in traffic only helps to make business difficult. It

C M Y K

slows down movements of goods and services, eventually what should cost N10 ends up costing N20."

Fashola who spoke during the flagoff of the first Enterprise day held at the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association(NECA) House, Agidingbi, Ikeja frowned at street trading urging students to channel such skills appropriately.

He said that one of the things he wants to do on Enterprise day is to take those misplaced skills and energy away from the wrong place and put them in the right place, saying that such students will be more proficient in technical education.

The governor lamented that some people are not proud of their professions. “I have heard stories like: “since I graduated, I do not have a job, but I just manage six taxis. I drive one myself and employ other six drivers.’ If the owner of the six taxis was working in a bank, will he accept to be an accountant in the bank or in his taxi company? He is complaining without realising that he has become an entrepreneur.

"I have heard some people say 'There is no work. But what I do since graduation is to help people fix attachment on their hair and get about N20,000 to

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

BY DAYO ADESULU

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Students who trade in traffic are skilful, enterprising — Fashola fix for an individual and I do five per day.'

"There is unemployment, I do not say there is not. There is underemployment. There is also employment in areas where we do not believe it exists. Find yours."

According to him, there was no difference between Government skills acquisition centres and those run by private people, stressing that government has oversight functions on all institutions to ensure that they meet the required minimum standards including the right tools and equipment for learning and right environment for the students.

He said the most important thing is to equip the youths with the right skills, which is what the school is doing. "If you are good enough, people will come to you because a good thing cannot hide. If you are good, the people who need your services will find you. Beyond that, we are already bringing the people who will need your services to you.”

BRIEF Commandant charges parents to support teachers

BY IKENNA ASOMBA THE Commandant, Command Day Secondary School (CDSC), Ojo, Lagos, Lt. Col Y.D. Ahmed, has charged parents to assist teachers in inculcating the right morals and discipline in their children, towards shaping them into better citizens and ambassadors of their country.

Speaking at the 13 th Valedictory Service, Speech and Prize-Given Day of the school, where 417 students graduated, Ahmed harped that the shaping of children towards better and successful citizens should never be left in the hands of teachers alone, noting that parents have a greater role to play since the children spend more time with them.

“As expected of a school like ours, we are trying our best in the inculcating of good morals hardwork and discipline in our students, as you can see how the students have comported themselves in an orderly manner through out the event.

“Parents must remember that the school can’t do it alone as disciplining and shaping the lives of children is a two-way thing.The school will do its bit and the parents must do their own bit.”

Ghana Education Ministry okays Webster varsity

W

EBSTER University, US, has secured Ghana’s Ministry of Education accreditation for its new campus in Accra, Ghana, and is also in the process of securing approval for the Ghana location from the US Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

A statement said that since 1925, Webster University has been accredited by HLC, a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and one of six regional accreditors of institutions of higher education in the US once approved, Webster University graduates from Ghana will earn degrees recognized by both US and Ghanaian accreditors.

Webster University has selected graduate and undergraduate programs for the Ghana campus based on interest of students and employers in the region.

36 —VANGUARD,

I N S I D E

THURSDAY, AUGUST 15 , 2013

Deportation: Anambra Government is to blame

The Supreme Court’s approach to locus standi (4) — Page 39

— Page 38

NJC vs Gunmi: A case of judgment without Justice?

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

B

ASICALLY, "Lex non deficere potest in justitia exhibenda", is Latin legal maxim which implies that the law cannot fail in dispensing justice.

It is expected that the primary aim of any adjudicating process ought to be geared towards occasioning a harmonious marriage between judgment and justice, an expectation that has gained general acceptability in the principle of "Nemo Judex in causa sua" indicating that no one should judge his own case.

Consequently to achieve the end of justice, the law not only requires that all parties to any given dispute be heard (audi alteram partem), but insists on strict adherence to the principle of "Fiat justitia ruat caelum", another Latin maxim that means “Let justice be done though the heavens fall."

Nevertheless, the recent tango between the National Judicial Council, NJC, and the erstwhile Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Justice Hassan Lawal Gunmi, who retired from office to become an Emir in Zamfara State amid allegations of judicial impropriety, has queried the age long relationship between judicial verdict and justice.

Though by law, the NJC lacks the adjudicatory powers inherent in the regular courts, however, it is statutorily empowered to sanction erring judicial officers found to have compromised standard in the discharge of their official duty.

•CJN Aloma Mariam Mukhtar

•Justice Hassan Lawal Gunmi,

satisfied that the ex-CJ, perverted the course of justice in a case involving a company, Nestello Gateway Group, and the Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari.

While describing the conduct of Justice Gunmi pertaining to the case as most unethical and highly reprehensible", the NJC, said it decided not to take punitive measures against him considering that he had voluntarily bowed out of office.

The council however warned that henceforth, any similar misconduct by any Judicial Officer in the Federation will be visited with severe sanctions."

The said statement which was signed by the Acting Director of Information at the NJC, Mr Soji Oye, read: "The National Judicial Council at its 63rd Meeting which was held on July 17 and 18, 2013, deliberated on the Report and recommendation of

,

Council decided that henceforth, any similar misconduct by any judicial officer in the federation will be visited with severe sanctions

How far it went towards exercising such powers in the case of Justice Gunmi who it accordingly found guilty of judicial infraction, is yet to be seen.

Specifically, the council had at the end of a two days crucial meeting it held in Abuja on July 18, found the ex-CJ guilty of judicial corruption.

The NJC, in a statement it issued at the end of its probe, said it was C M Y K

,

its Committee that investigated the petition forwarded to it by Nestello Gateway Group in Suit No. FCT/HC/ CV/486/10 against Hon. Justice Lawal Hassan Gummi, OFR, the former Hon. Chief Judge of High Court of FCT, Abuja.

"At the end of deliberation, Council accepted the findings of its Committee that Hon. Justice Gummi,

OFR, interfered with execution of the judgment delivered by Hon. Justice Jude Okeke of the FCT High Court, Abuja in the Suit between Nestello Gateway Group and Alhaji Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, a former National Assembly Member and the current Governor of Zamfara State in which execution had already been levied in favour of the petitioner. Council found the interference by Hon. Justice Gummi in the execution of the Judgment as most unethical and highly reprehensible.

"Council also accepted the recommendation of its Investigation Committee that Hon. Justice Gummi was guilty of gross misconduct contrary to Rule 1(i) of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which would have led to his removal from office. "Council, however, took cognizance of the fact that Hon. Justice Gummi has already voluntarily retired from service and consequently decided not to recommend his removal from office.

"Council decided that henceforth, any similar misconduct by any Judicial Officer in the Federation will be visited with severe sanctions."

That decision had since elicited varied reactions from legal pundits, with some waving off the action of the NJC as mere face saving tactics to shield one of their own, at the expense of the legal doctrine of "Impunitas semper ad deteriora invitat", implying that impunity when not severely punished always leads to greater crimes. Gunmi who was appointed a CJ in 2004, had barely two years to retire from office before he decided to take a French leave, about three weeks after the NJC concluded plans to visit

allegation against him.

He left his exalted judicial position on May 13 to replace the former Emir of Gunmi town, Alhaji Aliyu Abara who died on May 7.

Shortly after the Council which is headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mariam Aloma Muhktar, on May 22, declined to bury investigations into the petition against him (a decision sources said could have been championed by the CJN who they said had a personal ace to grind with the ex-CJ).In order to save his name, Gunmi, went before a Federal High Court in Abuja, where he is currently seeking to quash the decision NJC took against him.

It was his contention that having retired voluntarily and no longer a judicial officer, and having paid three months salary into the Federal Treasury in lieu of notice, he could no longer appear before the NJC as the panel lack the jurisdiction to hear any petition against a retired judicial officer.

Continues on page 37

EDITORIAL TEAM Dayo Benson (Editor) Innocent Anaba Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15 , 2013—37

NCC impounds N1.1bn worth pirated items, arrests 82 STORIES

BY DAYO BENSON

N

IGERIA Copyright Commission NCC, has impounded an estimated total of One Billion, One Hundred and Thirty Million Naira (N1, 130,000,000.00) worth of suspected pirated Copyright works and arrested eighty-two suspected pirates involved in the infringement of different categories of piracy between January and July, 2013.

Also a total of thirtyfour (34) anti-piracy operations were carried out at various locations around the Country resulting in the removal of Seven Hundred and Twelve Thousand, Five Hundred and Eightyeight (712,588) units of suspected pirated materials.

NCC Director-General, Mr. Afam Ezekude, disclosed this in a report at the Commission’s Headquarters, Abuja, recently.

Giving a breakdown of the total figures, Ezekude explained that Sixteen Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty Six (16,626) units of Books belonging to different right owners worth Five Million, Six Hundred and Three Thousand, Five Hundred Naira (N5,603,500.00) were impounded while Thirty Three (33) arrests were made.

He further informed that Six Hundred and Ninety One Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty four Hundred units of Optical Discs including CDs, VCDs,

DVDs and MP3s worth Three Hundred and Fourteen Million, Two Hundred and Forty Five Thousand Naira (N314, 245,000.00) were confiscated while Twenty Nine (29) suspected Pirates were arrested.

In the Broadcast category, the DG disclosed that Four Thousand, Two Hundred and Eight (4208)units of equipment used in illegal retransmission of Broadcast signals be-

longing to various right owners worth Seven Hundred and Ninetyseven Million, Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N797,550,000.00) were seized. Twenty suspected Broadcast Pirates were also arrested during the period in review.

According to him the seizures followed sustained investigations by the Commission based on information

received from copyright owners. He implored stakeholders and the general public to help sustain the current antipiracy tempo of the Commission by exposing persons and/or organizations involved in Piracy related activities promptly.

The DG stressed that the value of the materials removed in the course of the anti-piracy operations, which was a sum of N1.1 Billion,

represented income that would have been lost by Government and Copyright owners across the Country to people who indulge in the criminal act of Piracy.

Mr. Ezekude further informed that the arrested suspects had since been charged to court and are presently awaiting trial, while the seized suspected pirated materials would be used as evidence in

courts stressing that Nigeria wss no longer a safe haven for poachers of Intellectual Properties.

While reassuring right owners of the Commission’s determination to bring Copyright infringers and their accomplices to book, he underscored the Commission’s commitment to proactive enforcement and prosecution aimed at protecting Copyright works in the Country.

A case of judgment without Justice?

Continues from page 36 Thus on July 2, the Council, in a preliminary objection it filed before the high court, avowed its resolve to investigate the ex-CJ, saying no court has the power to stop its action.

The NJC, through its lawyer, Mr Phillips Jimoh-Lasisi, SAN, insisted that going by the express provision of Section 158 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, no court in Nigeria is allowed to meddle in its investigative activities.

It contended that since Gunmi did not in his suit, complain that any of its administrative decisions affected his civil rights, but merely raised opposition against his being investigated, the high court, has no other option than to hands-off the case and dismiss the suit in its entirety.

It argued that by virtue of Section 158 (1) of the Constitution, its power to exercise disciplinary control over judicial officers and persons

could not be subjected to the direction or control of any authority or person.

The council further maintained that Gunmi could only invoke the court’s jurisdiction under Section 251(1) (r) of the Constitution if he could establish that an administrative decision

of the council has affected his civil rights and obligation.

Consequently, it urged the court to decline jurisdiction to hear Gunmi’s suit.

Gunmi who had listed the NJC and six others as defendants in his suit, maintained that the council was bereft of the jurisdiction to probe

him since the subject matter of the case is equally pending before an Abuja High Court.

He also urged the court to set aside anything done or purported to be done by the NJC and the probe panel on the ground that he was no longer a judicial officer.

Others joined as

defendants in the suit which has been adjourned for judgment include the chairman of the NJC probe panel, Justice P.O Aderemi, Justice V.N. Nebo, Justice Olatokunbo Olapade, Nestello Gateway group limited, Mike Mbanefo and the secretary of the NJC.

Be active in politics, Obi charges lawyers

A

•Gov. Obi

NAMBRA state governor Mr Peter Obi, has urged lawyers to show more interest in politics in order to raise the quality of governance in the country.

He stated this while speaking as a guest lecturer of Otu OkaIwu, an umbrella body of lawyers of Igbo extraction, adding that the abandonment of political affairs to the least qualified persons has imperiled good governance in Nigeria.

Governor Obi, who spoke on the topic

“Electoral Reforms and the Descent of Values,” warned that unless the elite and lawyers especially, show more interest in Nigeria’s political affairs, governance indices would continue to plummet.

“If lawyers who form a critical mass of the elite are not a part of the change process, this deleterious society will consume all of us,” Obi said. “I commend some of your elders who call me and send me emails to criticize me or query some of my actions. I urge you all to do the same. You must query our stewardship; that is the only way to put us on our toes. When political actors are not questioned on waste and corruption, these vices are bound to continue.”

He decried the level of political activism and participation among Igbo lawyers in particular, saying: “The quality of political representation in the South East is very low. You cannot afford to abandon politics to the least qualified among us. "

38—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

o blame Deportation: Anambra Go Govvernment is tto

BY EMEKA NGIGE, SAN

I

HAD cause to speak on the vexed issue of the relocation of some indigenes of Anambra State from Lagos to Onitsha at a private forum in Lagos last weekend. Based on the facts then available to me I condemned the action of the Lagos State Government (LASG) and also blamed Anambra State Government (ANSG) for resorting to letter writing to President Jonathan each time the issue arose instead of confronting the problem frontally. I had also argued that Anambra State Government should have screened the alleged 72 returnees, identify those from Anambra State and rehabilitate them while returning the nonAnambrarians back to the sender.

Most unfortunately but not unexpectedly, my views were maliciously and mischievously distorted by the media aides of the Anambra State Governor and planted in some national dailies and on the internet.

The sole intention was to pitch me against my elder brother, Senator Chris Ngige who had criticized the handling of the matter by the Anambra State Government and sow discord between me and my brother silk, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN. Let me make it clear that the plot of the Anambra State Government has failed abysmally. Nigerians and Anambrarians can no longer be fooled.

It is noteworthy that at the time I made the said remarks at the private forum, I was not privy to the exchange of correspondences between the Lagos State Government and its Anambra State counterpart. However, after the event, I read the eme- rging corres pon-dences and reports on the strong defence mounted by the LASG. It then became obvious to me that the documents showed clearly that LASG had

by March 2013 intimated ANSG on the planned transfer of the destitute. It is equally

apparent from the documents that it was a clear case of dereliction of duty by the ANSG. The Anambra State Government has no excuse whatsoever not to follow through on the transfer after acknowledging letters from LASG and agreeing on the exchange date. Further reading the letters, I have no doubt whatsoever that the blame for the current debacle rests squarely with ANSG despite its desperation to politicize the matter with the aim of gaining votes from the crisis during the forthcoming Anambra State Governorship election in November.

It is apparent that

•Emeka Ngige, SAN the controversy would have been averted had the ANSG played its part as agreed. What is clearly in issue is that ANSG wrote to

nors Forum election where 16 became a majority against 19 and the Anambra Governor was in the fore-front of this show of shame.

The Anambra State Government should simply apologise to the Fashola Administration for maligning the administration and misinforming Nigerians on the issue and stop this unethical ethnic politics. LASG remains the most friendly government to Anambrarians and Ndigbo in general more than any other State in Nigeria.

Enough is enough !

integration with their families if they are from Anambra." LASG responded with a list of 14 names including their particulars and requested the presence of ANSG officials for a screening exercise at the Ikorodu Rehabilitation Centre.

Anambra State Government never got back to LASG! Anambra Governor now alleges that 72 persons were repatriated instead of only 14. Where is LASG requesting ‘urgently’ for the honour? Where is particulars of the integrity? This is the destitute obviously a very sad claiming to be indireminder genes of Anambra State of the Nigerian Goverso as to "facilitate their

Late Justice Nwodo: A tribute

BY WORGU BOMS

W

ITH deep grief, I received the news of the passing of the Hon. Justice Regina Obiageli Nwodo, who until her transition was a justice of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division.

Justice Nwodo was, before her appointment as a Justice of the Court of Appeal, a Judge of the Federal High court and infact, presided over its Port Harcourt Division. It was while here in the Port Harcourt Division of that Court that I had the privilege of appearing before her.

Calm, humble (but obviously, easily irritated by any slothful, slovenly and ill-prepared Counsel who appeared before her), Justice Nwodo brought dignity and respect to her court and her judicial duties as a Judge of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt as we did not hear, even for once, of any corruption or corrupt practices associated with her. She was conscientious and assiduous in her judicial duties.

As the news of her passing filtered into Port Harcourt Bar, all who knew her, especially members of the Bar who heard the news, were stunned and momentarily speechless. Many did not know that she had been ill, which lack of knowledge heightened the shock and disbelief

•Late Justice Regina Obiageli Nwodo associated with the sad news.

Educated in the universities of Middlesex (LLB 1982) and London School of Economics (LLM 1990), this beautiful and brilliant lawyer started her judicial career in

1985 as a Magistrate in Enugu and made it to the Country’s Court of Appeal before she was prematurely plucked by Death, the Bad Reaper described by the Christian Scriptures as Mankind’s ‘The Last Enemy’.

We at the Port Harcourt Bar and indeed, the organised Bar in Rivers State, mourn Justice Nwodo and will forever remember and cherish her imperishable judicial contributions to our corpus juris

through her judicial activities whilst she served here at the Port Harcourt Division of the Federal High Court.

Our hearts and prayers are with her families and those she left behind.

May they be consoled by the realisation that Regina was respected and admired by all as a virtuous and incorruptible and knowledgeable personality. There is another reason they should especially be consoled: the fact that the pain of the loss is shared by

many.

May the Almighty God, the God of all comforts, heal all that are broken-hearted, teach us that are still alive how to number our days so that we can bring in a heart of wisdom into how we live the remainder of our lives, forgive the departed her sins and admit her to His Glory, Amen!

Boms,Esq. Honourable AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Rivers State.

Only states can legislate on hotel business regulation

B

Y an originating summons taken by the Federal Government as Plaintiff against Lagos State, as the Defendant, the Plaintiff challenged the validity of enactment of the following laws: The Hotel Licensing Law Cap H.6, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003; The Hotel Occupancy and Restaurant Consumption Law No. 30, Vol. 42, Lagos State of Nigeria official Gazette 2009 and The Hotel Licensing (Amendment) Law No. 23, Vol. 43, Lagos State of Nigeria official Gazette, July 2010.

ISSUES. The Plaintiff ’s issues formulated for determination are as follows: “1) Whether the matters pertaining to tourism and other tourist related establishments

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA HOLDEN AT ABUJA ON FRIDAY THE 19TH DAY OF JULY, 2013 BEFORE THEIR LORDSHIPS

ALOMA MARIAM MUKHTAR HON. CHIEF JUSTICE OF NIGERIA IBRAHIM TANKO MUHAMMAD JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT JOHN AFOLABI FABIYI JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT SULEIMAN GALADIMA JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT NWALI SYLVESTER NGWUTA JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT MUSA DATTIJO MUHAMMAD JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT STANLEY SHENKO ALAGOA JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT SC. 340/2010 BETWEEN: HON. MINISTER FOR JUSTICE AND ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF FEDERATION AND HONOURABLE ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF LAGOS STATE

…

PLAINTIFF …

DEFENDANT

JUDGMENT (Delivered By SULEIMAN GALADIMA, JSC)

fall under the exclusive legislative list of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.

2) Whether the Lagos State House of Assembly and the Lagos State Government can enact and promulgate laws on

matters within the exclusive legislative list as set out in Section 4(2) (d) Part 1 Second Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.

3) Whether the Lagos State House of Assembly and the Lagos

State Government can enact and promulgate laws which directly conflict with the provisions of an existing law of the National Assembly and if such enactment law exist whether such can supercede an existing law of the National Assembly.”

To be continued.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013— 39

The Supreme Court’s approach to locus standi (4)

BY LAWRENCE ATSEGBUA

Continues from last week

T

HE National Federation challenged this agreement, maintaining that the IRC had acted ultra vires its authority in concluding such a bargain. The National Federation sought a declaration to that effect and an order of mandamus compelling the IRC to collect taxes owed prior to the two-limit agreed by the IRC. The IRC challenged the National Federation, claiming that it lacked locus standi to bring the action. In their opinions, their Lordships made extremely useful observations on the issue of locus standi. In finding that the National Federation lacked locus standi, the House of Lords highlighted the distinction between the standing of a person to bring a case, and the merits of his case as well as demonstrated that these two factors could not always be assessed independently of each other. As Lord Wilberforce declared: “There may be simple cases in which it can be seen at the earliest stage that the person applying for judicial review has no interest at all, or no sufficient interest to support the application; then it would be quite correct at the threshold to refuse him leave to apply…

But in other cases this will not be so. In these it will be necessary to consider the powers or the duties in law of those against whom the relief is asked, the position of the applicant in relation to those powers and duties, and the breach of those said to have been committed.”

The National Federation’s inability to prove any illegality in the amnesty granted by the IRC resulted in their failure to establish locus standi. Nevertheless, in the same case, Lord Diplock emphasized that: “It would, in my view, be a grave lacuna in our system of public law if a pressure group, like the federation, or even a single public spirited taxpayer, were prevented by outdated technical rules of locus standi from bringing the matter to the attention of the court to vindicate the rule of law and get the unlawful conduct stopped…”

It is worth noting that the judgment in this case also raises the question of whether the issue of locus standi should be assessed as a preliminary issue.

Nevertheless, the position is unlikely to change in the near future because of the explicit provisions in Section 31(3) of the Supreme Court Act 1981 which requires that the issue of locus standi should be

•CJN, Justice Aloma Muhktar resolved at the leave stage. However, it can be seen from the speeches delivered in the cases of AttorneyGeneral Ex rel.

McWhirter v.

Independent Broadcasting Authority and R v. Inland Revenue Commissioners, Ex p.

National Federation of Self-Employed and Small Businesses Ltd that, generally, a liberal attitude is adopted in the English courts towards locus standi.

Such a movement away from the view that individuals should only be able to vindicate their private legal rights is to be welcomed and is long overdue.

A similar movement towards a more liberal attitude towards locus standi

can be seen in the judgment of the Nigerian Supreme Court, in Chief Gani Fawehinmi v. Akilu and Togun in which the Court went beyond the narrow confines of Section 6(6)(b) of the 1979 Constitution by finding that: (1) The law of Nigeria has given every person a right to prevent the commission if a criminal offence, and where an offence is committed to lay a criminal charge against anyone who he sees committing the offence or who he reasonable suspects as having committed the offence in order to uproot crime from Nigerian society.

(2) The limits imposed by Section 6(6)(b) of the 1979 Constitution restricting the class of persons

having locus standi in civil matters have been broadened by the Criminal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code and the other provisions of the Constitution.

As Eso J.S.C. stated: “The issue of locus standi has always been held as one of the utmost importance, by this court for in effect, too, is one that delimits the jurisdiction of the court…

The courts in this country, especially this court, being a court of last resort has duty to safeguard fundamental rights.”

The Supreme Court had clearly moved away from the extremely restrictive attitudes formerly adopted by the Nigerian Courts to locus standi. Such a trend towards a more liberal attitude, adopted both in Nigeria and in England, is the most appropriate for the issue of locus standi. The judgments represent a new philosophy i.e. that an individual has a role to play in public law. An individual can vindicate the rights which he is entitled to have protected under public law, and the traditional concept of locus standi is losing acceptance. However in Adeyinka Abosede Badejo(Suing by her next friend Dr Babafemi Badejo) v. Minister of Education, [1996] 8 NWLR, pt. 464, p.15, the

Supreme Court appears to have resurrected the strict and out dated view on locus standi. The appellant in this case sat for the National Common Entrance Examination and scored 293. She was not invited for interview because she scored below the cut off mark for Ogun State which is her State of origin. The cut off was 296. Students with lower scores were invited for interview because there cut off marks were lower. She was aggrieved with this discriminatory policy and sued seeking to enforce her fundamental right under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 1979.

The trial court dismissed the appellant’s claim on the basis that she lacked locus standi. On appeal to the Court of Appeal, it was held that the appellant had locus standi as her interest was affected. On a further appeal by the respondent to the Supreme Court, the court held that the appellant did not have the legal standing to institute the action.

Kutigi JSC who read the lead judgment held that the appellant lacked legal standing. He stated that the fundamental right of the appellant should not stand above the country, state, or the people.

With respect to his Lordship, the issue of legal standing is not distinct. dependent on the Again, let us suppose question of superiority of that a crime, like murder rights. or any other, was alleged It is not a question of in an Election Petition; whether the right of the and same is proved appellant should prevail ‘beyond reasonable over that of the country, doubt’. What will be the state or people. It is a result? Can the Election question of whether the Tribunal order a fundamental rights of conviction, sentence or the appellant had been committal to prison in infringed. the circumstance?

Every individual Obviously Not! should have standing Now, even if the subject to the discretion Election Tribunal of the courts. The liberal recommends some view expressed in Chief ‘indicted’ persons for Gani Fawehinmi’s case criminal trial, will such is a better view. We recommendation abridge believe that if this liberal the indicted persons’ view is adopted we are right to presumption of now nearer to the innocence achievement of action (notwithstanding that popularis (citizen the Election Tribunal had action). already deemed them Concluded. liable), if they eventually Professor Atsegbua is face criminal Dean, Faculty of Law, prosecution?

University of Benin.

Required proof for criminal allegations in election petition (3)

BY AKINTAYO IWILADE

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T must be adequately realised that Election Petitions are a unique branch of civil disputes that strive to determine whether the sovereign will of the people prevailed or was subverted in an electoral process. Thus, the central focus of an Election Petition is certainly not the criminal conviction of so-called electoral offenders but, the broader determination of whether the declared outcome of an electoral contest was wholly reflective of the majority’s votes or otherwise. An Election Tribunal should therefore only seek to determine the extent to which the popular will is

reflected in electoral outcomes and do clear substantial justice thereof.

This is more so when it is instructively realised that an Election Petition proceeding is never equal to a criminal trial.

The Petitioner can thus never assume a State Prosecutor’s role nor can any Respondent be deemed an accused person standing criminal trial before the Election Tribunal. As such, the evidential ‘inconvenience and complexities’, required of a criminal trial, ought never to have found accomodation in Election Petition proceedings no matter the nature of the allegations forming the claims.

Going further, one may ask what proving an

Akintayo Iwilade allegation beyond reasonable doubt entails? First, a crime must be proven to have been committed and secondly, it is very important to establish that the ‘accused’ was directly or constructively culpable in the said crime committed. The proof must also be established in such manner as to point to no other culpable direction

but the accused’s. What logically follows, or ought to follow, the outlined proof beyond reasonable doubt preconditions, is a conviction by the State.

Accordingly, where the proof is not to be followed by a conviction by the State, the proof beyond reasonable doubt requirement becomes incongruous, illogical and bereft of any rationally sound or even identifiable jurisprudential roots.

This is because civil proceedings (including Election Petitions), are obviously devoid of the fundamental omponents and requirements of a criminal trial; and more so, the eventual outcomes, and procedural niceties of both, are very clearly

40— Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

Movie making in Nigeria died since 1994

El-Rufai, Julius Agwu to headline LABAF 2013

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– Dan Oluigbo

Dan Oluigbo

DAN Oluigbo, popularly known as chief priest, is one of the pioneers of Nollywood who disagrees with the ovation Nollywood is currently enjoying both from within and outside the country. In this exclusive chat with Vanguard Art, the movie maker xrays the industry’s problems and charts a way forward.

Excerpts.

BY PRISCA SAM-DURU & VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU

W

HAT’s your rating of Nollywood?

Movie making in Nigeria has nosedived. The only thing producers are concerned with now is just how to churn out films in order to make profit. Nobody cares about the content of films and how to improve on them.

You sound so dissatisfied.

What’s your agitation about?

This industry died since 1994.

Before then, after we hit it with “Living In Bondage” and I went on to produce ‘Taboo”, Guest Of Satan, I told my colleagues that it is needful that we move up, that is step up the quality of production to be in tune with technological advancement. My suggestion was that if we cannot shoot on 35 millimeters, let us at

up to a million naira and above?

All those things are media hype. Producers are busy pouring out films which are readily pirated and of very poor quality. You don’t expect huge sales and whereby the quantity of film sold is low, how would you expect an actor to go home with a million naira? An actor is paid between 30,000 and 50,000 naira, he comes to the papers and tells you he took one million, that is bull shit, it is not true, we know all that. Even if there are people who are collecting 100,000, is that a big deal?

This is why I said movie making in Nigeria is dead. You can imagine that there is over three to four thousand people marketing films in Onitsha with almost the same number here in Lagos. Whenever a good film comes out, it is pirated. The

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The market for a long time has become so saturated that people are not buying movies

least shoot on digital film which is the high definition. Some of them agreed but sadly, after a period of time, they all ganged up against me, went to marketers, collected money and started shooting the nonsense they are now feeding people with.

The result is what you can see today. A lot of films have been made, actors are there, in fact they keep increasing in number yet they do not have money to feed. They cannot sustain themselves, because at the end of the day, the cost of living is higher than their earnings. You see a so called film maker who has made 50 films, yet he has nothing to show for it. Some of them cannot maintain their cars.

But actors say they take home

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market for a long time has become so saturated that people are not buying movies again.

Also, the Ghanians entered the field and then destroyed everything. They came into the picture and started producing films that are not in tune with our norms and values. Their films are much more adult descriptive than the ones we make. A lot of nudity and all kinds of stuff were introduced, leading to serious condemnation by parents and guardians. That also reduced the quality of films we sold, besides, because of the availability of an excess quantity of films in the market, people prefer to rent films.

Any Plans to help correct the ugly trend?

Well, I can’t join in the rubbish

Taboo, one of the films by Dan Oluigbo others are doing. I will come back to produce films but I must take my time. Now, you know there is shooting high definition of movies, or you shoot on high definition movie or better still, you shoot on 35 mm. For instance, if you plan to produce a film with fifty million naira, you are able to get a crew that is a high definition crew from either South Africa or from London who will come with every gadget.

Shooting on high definition As for the actors, you can get Hollywood actors and pay their local expenses, give them allowance and then pay them later from the sales of the films at box office. This means that you can even shoot a small drama and sell it with that effect. You know, because you are shooting on high definition, the migration to cut that film into a 35mm reel is easy, but if you do it on DV, you will spend so much money to upgrade in a color laboratory, and at the end of the day you have nothing.

Most producers seem to be making their money through cinemas...(Cuts in) I agree. But you see, what I am talking about is an international thing. When you make films at the range I am talking about, a lot of international distribution companies would be interested.

The problem is that the producers do not want to go through the right processes, so everybody puts in some two or three million to get the film out

the following week. Sadly, Hollywood is praising them, as the biggest film industry in Africa and the second largest film industry in the world. You can imagine doing more than ten thousand movies every month in Nigeria.

Way Forward?

I am looking at doing more professional films. I will either shoot on 35mm, or I shoot on high definition. Sony has gone to PS4.

The high definition camera has gone to grade4 which gives you ability to do all kinds of magic.

Now, there are 3D films with which a lot of manipulation is possible because there is high definition.

The films I want to make, if I find funds to make them, by God’s grace, am not even looking at premiering here. If I make my movies I’ll premier in the U.S or U.K and also sell there.

Does it mean no improvement in sight for the industry?

We do not have an industry, let us not fool ourselves, we just have a market place where all kinds of charlatans come together, do whatever they like and get out. We do not have an industry. For instance, up till today, which is about 23 years of film making in Nigeria, we can do not have Nollywood office just like Hollywood has. And because there is no organization, no regulation, no management, there is no future.

I have also discovered from a whole lot of experiments both here and abroad, film making is not all about money, film making is about the concept you want to pass across.

ULIUS Agwu, the comedian and Nasir elRufai, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, will be headlining the 15th annual Lagos Book and Art Festival, running from November 15 to 17 at the Freedom Park on Broad Street in Lagos.

Agwu, who has just published his biography, Jokes Apart – How Did I Get Here?, will open the Green Festival (children) segment of the three day Festival with a mentoring talk and performance skits to a throng of 8-15 year olds. The Book In My Life is the working title of the Comedian’s engagement with the kids.

El Rufai, author of the muchdebated book The Accidental Public Servant, a searing insight into governance in Nigeria, will be interviewed in public by Martins Oloja, editor of The Guardian in what promises to be a very provocative conversation.

According to a release by the organisers, The 2013 edition of the LABAF comes with the theme: Nigeria’s Centenary, The Lagos Narrative. It will feature 10 panel conversations around 20 fictional and non -fictional books on politics, art, romance, the economy, business, religion in the course of the three days.

ReaditLoud holds August edition

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HE August edition of ReaditLoud held last week at the US Consulate, Lagos. The programme featured three works by three different writers in two genres of literature namely prose and poetry.

Opening the floor with Bliss from her collection of poems, Prisca Sam-Duru poetically created two worlds; the first being an imaginary world and the other, reality and creatively made comparisons between the two, leaving the audience pondering which was more desirable.

US officer, Prof. Samuel Eyitayo commended the writer for the abstract life she created which was a product of her imaginations and insisted that it could be translated into reality for a better society.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013—

Roadmap to healthy living unveiled

By CHRIS ONUOHA

I

T was a very big relief to many especially those that have been battling with one illness or the other as a new health book that provides solutions to myriads of problems facing the average Nigerian was presented to the public last week in Lagos.

The new book entitled Dietary Revolution and Herbal Management, a road map to the prevention and management of chronic diseases” written by a seasoned naturopathic medicine practitioner and researcher, Celine Chinyere Nwokeke, can be described as a health guide as well as a message. The coming of the book is timely as it

Engr Pauly Udechukwu, chairman of the occasion addressing the guests will serve the need in contemporary Nigeria and the world for prevention and effective man-

Imoke's wife showcases Cross River art in London L

CRS first lady, Obioma Imoke

leaders to help us progress. If each of us was to sweep our own doorstep, the world would become a cleaner place.”

Wife of the Cross River State governor and founder/Board chair of Partnership Opportunities for Women Empowerment Realization, POWER, Mrs. Obioma LiyelImoke was one of the eminent Africans at the event and one of the speakers too.

In her paper entitled “Development NGOs as Catalysts for Securing Africa’s Future through Women Entrepreneurship” she

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ONDON stool still for Africa, weekend, as African fashion buffs, art entrepreneurs, politicians, designers, super models, and celebrities met in the prestigious Dorchester Hotel, London for the inaugural African Arts and Fashion Banquet to raise funds to support endowed designers from Africa. The banquet marked the end of this year’s edition of Africa Fashion Week London which started two days earlier.

The event hosted by Abujabased celebrity and fashion icon, Princess Fifi Ejindu, who is a patron of Africa Fashion Week London, was also graced by Ghanaian actress Nadia Buhari, singer Misha B, pop star Alexandra Burke, style icon Bianca Jagger, TV presenter June Sarpong and others.

Princess Fifi Ejindu said the banquet was a fundraiser to support extremely talented designers. She told CNN, “We have all the natural resources and all the talent in Africa but we should not leave it to just our

agement of chronic diseases.

In his opening remarks, chairman of the event, Engr. Pauly

envisioned to put money in the hands of a woman. Its vision is to ensure that women meet all their basic needs. In achieving this, it has a mission which is encapsulated in being “the leading NGO in Africa working for the eradication of extreme poverty among women through evidence-driven vulnerability-reduction initiatives, enterprise development and capacity building She also used the opportunity to market Cross River State especially its tourism destinations and brands including the yearly Carnival Calabar.

The famed yearly carnival goes far beyond the gay moments, colourful display and dance on the 12-kilometre walk around the city of Calabar

told the audience how NGOs in Africa are serving as an alternative to government by facilitating developmental process in health, education, agriculture, gender and several other areas of life.

Mrs. Liyel-Imoke spoke passionately about the wealth of Africa and need to harness it. She advocated increased entrepreneurial pursuit in Africa highlighting the critical role development NGOs are playing in securing Africa’s future and the need to empower female entrepreneurs.

She shared her personal experience of how her NGO, POWER, is facilitating support for women in Cross River State and through this, contributing to the development of the economy of Cross River State.

POWER, according to her, was

,

She shared how the carnival has impacted on the personal and state economies.

She said that Cross River State economy is tourism-driven, adding, “the government has created tourism brands on which several economic activities are hinged.

For instance, the famed yearly carnival goes far beyond the gay moments, colourful display and dance on the 12 kilometre walk around the city of Calabar. Beyond the glitter, dance and drama is a huge economic empowerment platform especially for the women of the state that are involved in all segments of the carnival including the production of memorabilia and art and craft which they sell to discerning visitors to the state during that period”.

According to her, vendor booths on the carnival routes create marketing opportunities for local vendors of products that are on demand on that day such as water, hats among others.

Udechukwu commended the author for the book. Udechukwu narrated how Chinyere Nwokeke has been a source of his healthy wellbeing and keeping fit.

According to him, “Chinyere introduced my family and I into herbal foods and we never regretted it since then till now.”

He admonished people to introduce herbal foods into their diet as it is a source of long life.

The book reviewer, Pascal Ogoke, who talked extensively on the usefulness of herbal ap-

41

preciation tasked all to minimize the unnecessary eating of junk foods that kills fast. He said the book presents a plethora of material which will facilitate further research, praxis and theory building, noting that the knowledge of the dynamic but complex connection between diet, blood group and diseases is still at a rudimentary stage.

He pointed out that the author has been in the vanguard of helping people in her personal or professional interests, to make informed decisions that help them live a healthier life through the responsible use of medicinal plants.

The author, a woman with passion for natural medicine and one who has been practicing it since 1994 coupled with her vast experience in midwifery, anthropology and naturopathy said that her concern about the increasing rate at which individuals eat themselves into diseases albeit ignorantly and the desire to contribute her own quota to the health of people as services to humanity informed the writing of the book..

She also stated that she was inspired by her father who through his knowledge of herbal plant helped to cure people freely of their ailment.

An artistic excursion into African folklores

BY FOLU AGOI

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JAPA and Friends, is the second of Englandbased Adefemi Adebajo’s series of tortoise stories drawn from the vast repertoire of Yoruba folklore. Published in 2013, in the United Kingdom, by El Roi Publications Limited, Ijapa and Friends, one of the most recent •Ijapa and Friends; Adefemi Adebajo; story books plotted on El Roi Publications Limited, UK; the hub of trickster 2013;PP. 95; tales - tortoise tales, comprises 14 fables (each as- ‘Chameleon Discovers a Sesigned about six pages), spread cret’. Others include ‘Ijapa across 14 chapters. These are Gate Crashes a Party’, ‘Ijapa inextricably linked by a domi- Gets Caught Again!’, nant character named Ijapa - ‘Monkey Business’ and Yoruba word for tortoise, ‘the ‘Ijapa Mediates a Fight’. cunning and wise tortoise’, The stories, mostly spiced according to the blurb on the up with hyperbolic elements, back of the publication, who is apparently applied for em‘always getting into trouble’ as phasis and embellishment, seen in virtually all the stories humour, dialogues, musical in the volume. backing - songs, drumming They include: ‘Ijapa Meets and other dramatic condithe In-Laws’ - in which Ijapa ments, are set in the animal conceals steaming pottage sto- kingdom, ruled by the lion, len from his future in-laws’ populated by animals kitchen under his cap and gets brought to life through anhis head burnt in the process, thropomorphism - or personi‘The Herbalist’ – in which Ijapa fication, like Giant Ant seen finds his stomach swelling after strolling along with his hands consuming the pregnancy in his pockets and his pipe potion meant for Yanibo, his dangling out of his mouth, barren wife, and ‘Trouble on the later looking around from Farm’ - in which Ijapa is caught under his hat brim to make stealing from his benefactor’s sure no one was watching farm, a plot replicated in him.

42— Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

Turning around your failing relationship

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Behind closed doors(2)

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DEOLA, 34, a Pharmasist, narrates one of her biggest escapades as a single girl.

She says they all still see each other even though the affair ended some years back. Her story: That was how the affair started.

Then, I had not met Sina’s wife.However, about a month later, another cousin of theirs had a party and I was invited because of my very cordial relationship with many of them. Initially, I thought it wise not to attend because his wife would be there but my curiosity took over and I decided to go. She was not really bad at all, at least, for someone that had just arrived from England. We were about the same age but the only difference was her preference for skimpy revealing clothes which made her look more like a carefree, single girl.

She was also bleaching her skin and it looked obvious from the dark patches on her knuckles and around her feet. But, overall she appeared nice.

About three different people introduced her to me. I later gathered that she’d told some of them

that she found me attractive and loved my clothes too. She was very warm and friendly and tried as much as possible to court my friendship. Though I tried to ignore her, I reasoned that being cold to her might not be a good idea, since the relationship between her husband and I could be leaked to her by anyone. So, with the reassurance from my friend and her husband that nothing could go wrong, I decided to reciprocate her friendship.

That was how I became friendly with her. She would send gifts to me and I would return her gesture, of course with her husband’s money. Because she did not have many friends yet at the time, we would sometimes go shopping

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WE have all experienced it at some point. That rush of adrenalin when we are engaged in something exciting or dangerous. Some people live by it and sometimes allow it to take over their sense of judgement, staking everything they stand for. Last Tuesday, we published the first part of our narratives on this issue. Our opening story featured the secret affair of a young, married lady with the husband of her older friend and benefactor.

The cat was let out of the bag when the older woman mistakenly took her husband’s mobilephone out for the day.

So, while the treacherous young friend thought she was chatting with her friend’s husband, the messages where actually being received by her friend seated next to her.

We also began the story of Adeola, our respondent who was in a similar relationship with her friend’s married cousin. Her story is concluded today, just as we take on yet, another similar story from another respondent. Don’t forget that you can also be a part of this column by sending us your contribution if you or someone you know of, have been through a similar experience. Feel free also to send in any story of your choice so long as it is based on a true life experience. Happy reading!

make love, I was a bit reluctant and afraid. All sort of ideas stared running through my mind. What if his mother-in-law returned for some reason and found us in her daughter’s bed? Or, the driver returns with their first born from school? Or, worse still, a neighbour walks in and found us together. But he dismissed all my fears, insisting that the house belong to him and no one could gain entry unless he allowed it.

Well, that was how we made love that day on their matrimonial bed.

It was one of my most enjoyable experiences, perhaps, stimulated by the huge risk we were taking.

We even had time for a quick shower before they all retturned from the hospital. It went on like that for the period she spent in

Once, we met at a party wearing the same fabric, mine having been bought for me by her husband, she could not believe the coincidence but I quickly told her that mine had been sent to me by my fiancé from England

together and on several times we’d both bought the same pattern of fabrics to sew similar styles. Her husband was at least grateful to me for helping to reform her loud sense of style. Once, we met at a party wearing the same fabric, mine having been bought for me by her husband.

She could not believe the coincidence but I quickly told her that mine had been sent to me by my fiancé from England too.

A few months after, I discovered that she was pregnant. The pregnancy was a bit traumatic for her and her mother had come over to their house to look after her. And when she eventually gave birth to the child, a boy, I was also there.

Admission in hospital A few months after the birth of the baby, she took ill again and was admitted at a hospital in Ikeja. Her mother had to come and stay with them to take care of the two children. She would leave early in the morning with the baby to be by her daughter’s bedside. Then wait for the driver to bring the older child to the hospital after school hours, then she will return home in the night with the children.

One afternoon, Sina came to take me out for lunch as usual.

Then, he informed me that he had a surprise for me and took me to their house where he prepared the meal by himself.

When he suggested we should

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the hospital.

I went to their house for our afternoon rendezvous a total of five times. Though I would always feel remorseful afterwards because as I woman, I knew I will not be happy if I caught my husband having an affair wish my friend and even bringing the woman to my bed. But then, what you don’t know cannot hurt you, as they say.

The affair had lasted a year and five months when my fiancé returned from England. I could not risk being caught in such a game, so we had to call it off. I guess the good thing about it was that both of us knew right from the beginning that there was nothing attached to the relationship and were honest about it. We knew we were just having fun and because it was a secret known to only three, four people, we could not even afford to crack jokes about it, so that we would not be discovered.

I think what made it work was the fact that the wife knew that I saw her husband on a regular basis for some reasons which were not very clear to her. But because of the way we were open about it, she did not imagine that we could be romantically connected it any way. She would sometime send her husband to me and I also send them to each other. I must confess that I sometimes felt thrilled that I could pull such a fast one on someone without her knowing. But the feeling usually did not last. I would feel awful afterwards too. We could all sit down and discuss even personal issues

AVE youever had a man tell you he is not happy and wants to end your relationship? And the more you tried to figure out why he was unhappy and “fix” things, the further he pushed you away. You couldn’t understand why in the world he stopped loving and caring for you the way he used to and it made no sense at all. And to add further frustration to the pain, there was really no clear reason why he stopped feeling for you and decided he wanted to leave.

There was no single moment that you knew changed things for him. So it drove you crazy trying to figure out what it really was that had changed the way he felt about you now.

If you are like most women, this situation would have happened to you at least once or twice in your life. Or it may even be happening to you right now. The point is, you know how devastating it can feel. Well, the good news is that there is a whole lot of learning and growth that can take place in these moments whether you believe it or not right now and these are also often the moments that start the process of change and transformation towards a better life.

Did you know that when a man stops feeling it for you, he will often decide he wants to leave without warning or notice? The reality is that a man can just give up on you and your relationship without spending much time figuring out what might be going on, or how to make it work. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

There is one single thing you can do with a man that will concerning her and her family and she would not think that she should hide things from me. I even knew many things she thought were secrets between herself and her husband.

Sometimes, I advice him on how to deal with some issues and also call him to order if he was the guilty one. One thing was sure, I was never jealous of their relationship neither did I desire for a moment to disrupt what they had. I simply did not want him on that level, only as a friend to share things with even as we took care of our attraction to each other. I had my own guy whom I loved and wanted to marry very much and thank God today we are happily married.

The most interesting part of it is that, we all still see till today.

We still discuss, only not as often as we used to before I got married. The relationship really helped me to discover a lot of

keep him from ever questioning his love and desire to be with you. Do you know what it is? It is that magic emotion we call attraction. If you want to know how to get the passion back in your relationship and recapture that intense attraction he used to feel that brought you together in the first place, then you need to read this.

To help you get the most from these moments in your life, and make sure you take away the lessons you were meant to learn, consider for a minute how you have dealt with situations like this in the past. You may have done some or all of the following with a man when your relationship was falling apart and he still said he wanted to leave.

You tried to rationalize the situation and tell him how good you think your relationship is.

How he is wrong for not wanting it or seeing all the amazing things about it.

You were sweeter and more affectionate, hoping he would reciprocate and open back up to you but all you did was annoy him the more.

The more hurt you felt, and the more he saw this, the less he seemed to pay attention to you and your feelings, or care. As a matter of fact, he may have become colder and more distant the more he saw that you were hurt.

You spent countless hours trying to talk about what you were both feeling and work on things, but that only pushed him further away, no matter how much reasoning or understanding you did when it came to him, his feelings, and how to help him be happy and to recognize any of these responses in your past? things that I never knew before or never even thought possible.

The human heart can be very evil if it wants to be. No wonder the Bible described it as desperately wicked such that no man can know it. Had it been that I did not have a relationship of my own, nor have a focus about what I want for my life, perhaps, I would have derailed and some wicked thought would have taken over my mind. Then I would want to take over the hapless lady’s home and life.

Dear readers; comments,opinions and views on this issue are very much welcome. Please send contributions to: The Human Angle, Vanguard Media Limited, P.M.B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos. Email Address: thehumanangle93@yahoo.com hoping to read from you soon.

43—Vanguard , THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

Nsukka, Lagos residents lament high cost of kerosene

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SUKKA—RESI DENTS of Nsukka in Enugu State and Lagos have decried the high cost of kerosene, which costs between N145 and N170 per litre as against the official pump price of N50.

Mrs Joy Ugwuja, a civil servant, criticised its dealers for selling the commodity above the official price.

“It is unfortunate that owners of filling stations have continued to exploit residents by selling kerosene that many families depend on to cook and light their lamp at exorbitant price.

“For the past two months kerosene has been selling for between N145 and N170 and relevant government agencies have done nothing to call petroleum marketers to order.

“To compound the situation, public power supply is not there; we sometimes stay for three to four days without seeing electricity,” she said.

Group faults media report on Soludo

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

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WKA—A group, Ikemba Front, has denied media reports that the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, was plotting to stop former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Prof.

Chukwuma Soludo, from emerging as the flag-bearer of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State.

A statement by its National Coordinator, Mr. Okobi Nnabuenyi, described the alleged PDP meddlesomeness in the party’s affairs as an affront on the leadership of APGA and the entire Igbo land.

His words: “The news that PDP leadership at the highest level is plotting to influence the choice of APGA candidature in the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State is simply despicable and, therefore, totally unacceptable to the entire members of our great party.

“APGA is in contest for who becomes governor of Anambra State from March next year when our dynamic leader Mr. Peter Obi would be concluding his tenure.”

Fulani herdsmen ravage Imo communities O

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

WERRI—SEVERAL com munities in Imo State have cried out over the palpable tension now brewing in the state, following serious security threat posed by the cattle rearers.

At the last count, some communities in Ohaji/Egbema local government area and Irete, Owerri West local council area of the state have at different times been attacked by cattle rearers.

Ugly stories filtering from the communities said rape, destruction of farmlands, cash crops and brutalisation of farmers by the herdsmen had been the order of the day.

Consequently, Irete youths yesterday, stormed Government House, Owerri, to protest the continuing robbery, rape and destruction of crops by the herdsmen that grazed their cows in farmlands in the affected areas.

They particularly mentioned the case of one Mr. Chibuzor Okorie, who was mercilessly beaten by the Fulani herdsmen for kicking against the destruction of their farmlands.

According to the letter addressed to Governor Rochas Okorocha by Irete community and signed by Victor Owuamanam, the aggrieved villagers enumerated the gory activities of the herdsmen in

their area.

They lamented that government had done little or nothing to effectively check the activities of the rampaging herdsmen and their cows in their community.

The angry villagers urged government to step in and stop the herdsmen from rearing their cows

in their farmlands.

They warned that if government failed to check the herdsmen, the villagers would be forced to kill any cow seen in their area, as well as be prepared to face the consequences therefrom.

Reports coming from Ohaji communities said of attacks on

defenceless villagers that occasioned serious harm and rape of their women.

Some Imo citizens who spoke to Vanguard on the issue wondered why the Fulani herdsmen would come from their ancestral homes and unleash unimaginable acts of terrorism on Imo peo-

VISIT: From left: Mr. Obina Orji, Special Adviser on Media to ALGON President, Mr. Emeka Nkwocha, Advert Manager, Vanguard Newspaper, Hon. Nwabueze Okafor, National President, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON/Chairman, Enugu South Local Government, Mr. Victor Omoregie, Corporate Affairs Manager and Rev. Udo Ibuot, Chief Sub-Editor, during the ALGON national president’s visit to Vanguard Newspapers Head Office in Apapa, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

ITC franchise owners decry N60m debt

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA WERRI—FRANCHISE owners of vehicles in the fleet of Imo Transport Company Limited, ITC, have raised alarm over the N60 million debt owed them by the management consultant currently running the establishment.

The position of the franchise owners was made public by the National Chairman, Franchise Owners Association, Chief B. C. Igwe, after their meeting in Owerri.

Igwe said the N60 million accrued to the franchise owners from the 80 percent of the net cash realized from their franchise buses, lamenting that the management consultant currently running the ITC had allegedly refused to pay the bill.

However, several efforts made by Vanguard to get the management consultant, Mr. Emeka Duru, to speak on the issue failed as his aides continuously claimed he was not on seat.

Chief Igwe said franchise owners were getting their legitimate earnings regularly without hindrances before the takeover of the establishment by the present ITC management consultant.

He further alleged that the consultant had been extorting money from franchise bus owners through commuter manifest, cargo courier and promos.

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Speaking also, the Association’s Secretary, Mr. Uzoeshi Moses Chidera, disclosed that more than 3,000 ITC buses belong to individuals, who

chose to invest in the transport company.

“It is very sad that we can no longer get our money as at when due since the inception

of the present management.

“Many of us have not received our money since December last year,” the Secretary lamented.

FG tasks surveyors on policy implementation

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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BUJA—THE Federal Gov ernment has charged surveyors in the country to come up with an articulate policy that could engender uniform and reliable geo-spatial information on disasters.

Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, gave the charge at the 50th Conference of Surveyors organised by the Office of the Surveyor General of the

Federation, OSGOF, in Gusau, Zamfara State.

He said that it was imperative for government to have such a policy to accurately predict disasters in the country.

Onolememen said stakeholders in the surveying sector would have to take a look at the laws of surveying in the country and develop a well documented and articulated policy for implementation and management of new

technology in Nigeria for optimal management of scarce resources.

The Minister, who was represented by the Minister of State for Works, Amb. Bashir Yuguda, said the 2013 Survey Coordination and Advisory Board on Training Conference, acronym CORS, was one of the innovations present day technology offered surveying, mapping and allied professionals in this era.

FAAN boss gets Productivity Merit award

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BUJA—THE Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mr. George Uriesi, will be conferred with the prestigious National Productivity Order of Merit, NPOM, award by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan today.

The event, which will take place at the NICON Luxury Hotel, Abuja, will also witness the conferment of the award to other notable Nigerians who have made significant contributions to the development of the country in their various fields of endeavour.

Mr. Uriesi is being recognized with the award, because of the significant improvement he has brought into the management of Nigerian airports since his appointment as the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria in October 2011.

His management style, which has given the staff of the Authority unprecedented sense of belonging, has enhanced service delivery at all airports managed

by FAAN. This is aside from his transparent commitment to the implemen-

tation of government’s Transformation Agenda in the aviation industry, including infrastructural development, through the airport remodelling project and other new policies such as aerotropolis and perishable cargo export at designated cargo airports in the country.

Mr. Uriesi holds a BA (Hons) degree of the then Bendel State (now Ambrose Alli) University, Ekpoma and began his working career at ADC Airlines, after his NYSC at the then Nigerian Airports Authority in 1992.

44—Vanguard , THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

PDP'll lose Rivers without Amaechi — Dep Speaker

Aniocha Caretaker C'ttee denies report of free-for-all

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

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ORT HARCOURT—PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, has been told that it would lose Rivers State come 2015 without Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Deputy Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr. Leyii Kwanee, said this in Port Harcourt, when he was joined

by Rivers Youth Leaders to mark his birthday, Tuesday.

He challenged Rivers youth to support fairness and justice, stressing that “it is a misnomer that a man, who has done so much for the state and its people is being persecuted by self-

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EMBERS of Aniocha North Local Government Transition Committee in Delta State have denied reports that they were engaged in a free-for-all over funds allocation.

In a statement, yesterday, they said: “It is pertinent to state that on the said Monday, August 5, funds allocation, which was reported to have caused the fracas, was not part of the agenda.

The meeting as usual was cordial and ended with pleasantries.

“The council Chairman and the councilors exchanged the usual postmeeting pleasantries.”

They said that the said report was not only malicious, but its source was the handiwork of mischiefmakers and interlopers bent on denting the impressive resume of the leadership in Aniocha North Local Government Area.

ish persons bent of derailing his outstanding legacy.

“They are talking of 2015. My advice to the leadership of PDP

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—FORMER Secretary of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Chief Andy Osawota, has joined the Delta Central Senatorial District by-election race.

The seat became vacant, following the death of Senator Pius Ewherido, who repre-

sented the district on the platform of Democratic Peoples Party, DPP. Addressing members of the United Mandate for Unity, UMU, who paid him a courtesy visit, Osawata said his interest to run for the senatorial race was borne out of his desire to transform and ensure good governance in the area.

Peoples Movement disagree with MPROD on Uduaghan Uduaghan siphoned funds from Alanza Moemeke for Delta

BY EMMA AMAIZE

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ARRI—PEOPLES Movement, a group of leaders in Delta State, has disagreed with Movement for the Protection of Rights of Deltans, MPROD, on its allegation that Governor Emmanuel

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA SABA—CHAIRMAN, Ika South Local Government Caretaker committee, Delta State, Mr. Andrew Obiazi, has called for collaborative effort in tackling the security challenges facing the area, lamenting the recent bank robbery in Agbor and the kidnap of his driver, whose whereabouts remain unknown.

The council boss, yesterday, at the council’s secretariat during the flag-off of the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, where beneficiaries were empowered, called

on everyone to give useful information to the security agencies, to assist in the fight against insecurity.

He said: “Ika South has its share of security challenges because of its location and the growing urbanisation.

“Just recently, a bank in Agbor was attacked by a gang of armed robbers, while on July 5, the driver attached to the Chairman of Ika South, Mr. Anthony Anozor, was kidnapped.

“Till date, there is neither trace nor contact about the driver. In the same event at Alihame Junction, a policeman was killed and

the state treasury through ghost companies and cronies, describing same as mischievous.

The group, in a statement by its Director of Communication, Mrs. Ibifuro Tatua, challenged MPROD to prove its charge against the governor.

MPROD had, in a petition by

several others injured by the hoodlums.”

Items distributed to the beneficiaries of SURE-P tagged Empowerment for Change, include 60 clippers, 40 generators, 40 dryers, 30 sewing machines, 23 deep freezers 200 bags of fertilizers, among others.

Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Mr. Newworld Safugha, commended the council chairman for the purchase of quality materials and rated the council the best in the state so far.

He cautioned the beneficiaries not to sell the items.

North; Ogheneovo Onoseme, Delta Central, and Brisbe Benifa for Delta South, alleged that Uduaghan squandered N8 billion from the (South-South) Crude Account on frivolous parties, talk shows and seminars, while monthly security vote was increased from N600 million to N2 billion with nothing to show for it.

However, Peoples Movement said: “These are the handiwork of the governor’s political enemies, who are bent on tarnishing the name and good image of the governor and to distract him from his focused and principled leadership style.

“The petition is misconceived. It is extremely contradictory in a number of areas, thus exposing the ignorance of the architects about the true state of affairs in Delta State.

“There is state presence in all the communities. Uduaghan is not misappropriating state funds. He wants the best for the state.”

He noted that the group worked tirelessly for Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in 2011, adding “I believe you have the potentials to give me victory with the support of our amiable governor, Dr Uduaghan and others.”

Earlier in his address, National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Charles Emorka, said: “We are overwhelmed with the brilliant decision of our national leader, Chief Osawota, to go to the Senate and our visit is to formally declare our support for his senatorial ambition.”

Honour

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EIRS Holdings has honoured Africa’s youngest billionaire, Uganda’s Ashish Thakkar; Malawi’s inventor, William Kamkwamba, and Nigeria’s music entrepreneurs, Peter and Paul Okoye (P’Square).

The organisation’s Chairman, Tony Elumelu, told newsmen that Heirs Holdings had announced a fiveyear endowment of The Future Africa awards prizes.

He said that the endowment would help brilliant young African minds to understand “that they have a duty to stimulate this continent’s economic and social development .”

The honourees will be hosted by Elumelu at the Heirs Holdings office tomorrow.

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

He is strong and remains in control at a time the Rivers people are more than ever averse to propaganda.

“They know who is who and who is sincere in the cause of the Rivers man.”

Former DESOPADEC scribe joins Delta Central race

Ika South raises alarm over insecurity

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at the national level is to disregard those who are feeding it with wrong information that they are high and mighty and can do without the governor.

“PDP belongs to all of us.

And the governor is the leader.

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

On ‘deportation' of Igbo from Lagos

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AGOS State is getting overpopulated. But that does not mean that some people should be deported.

What the Lagos State Government should have done is rehabilitation and job creation.— Mrs Chinyere Anyambuba, Businesswoman.

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HAT if all states begin to deport non-indigenes, which state then can Nigerians go to without feeling like a stranger? Maybe they want some Nigerians to be using visa in entering the state. Just maybe.— Mr. Ogbonna Chibuzor, Student.

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AN Lagos State Government tell us their reason of pushing Nigerians out; dumping them in Anambra State and with the recent one in Osun State? It, therefore, means that Nigeria is no more one country.— Mr. Iyoke Emmanuel, Businessman.

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HE deportation is wrong. They are Nigerians. But if we look at what the Lagos State Government has said so far on this issue, one will have to agree that it is proper to get people without a home back to their states.— Mr. Izuagie Usman, Lawyer.

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T is all about the policy of the state government. Why I said so is that in times past, we have seen some state governors say they won’t give job to non-indigenes of their state. So everything started from there.— Miss Ani Chioma, Student.

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REATING a mega city is not by sending people out of Lagos State. To an extent,the government erred by deporting some people to Anambra and Osun states. After all, Lagosians also reside in other states.— Miss Awodi Deborah, Broadcaster.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013—45

N-Delta groups urge FG to review amnesty programme

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Oru gets endorsement for senate GHEILI — THE Urhobo Network has thrown its weight behind Olorogun Andrew Oru’s ambition to represent the Urhobos in the Senate.

A statement by the National Convener of the group, in Ugheili, Delta State, Chief Okiemuta Onomiefen, said “nobody from any quarter will impose just anybody on us this time. We had a good sense of belonging and genuiness in the person of late Pius Ewerido but God called him at a time we needed him most.

“This time, we want people like Olorogun Oru, who had stood for justice, equity and fair-play and agitation of the Urhobo nation. We don’t want old brigade politicians, who have no other job than coming to act a script written by some selfish people, who lack the cohesive ability of promoting the course of the Urhobos".

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BY DAYO ADESULU

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BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

ENIN CITY—SOUTH South Professionals and the Niger Delta Youth Coalition, NDYC, have urged the Federal Government to undertake a holistic review of the amnesty programme with a view to ensuring that “idle minds” among the repentant militants were not used by desperate politicians to derail the country’s democracy.

The groups, while commending youths from the Niger Delta region for shunning the planned protest in Abuja, called by the Leadership and Cultural Development Initiative last Monday, following their demand for the removal of the Managing Director of the Pipeline Products and Marketing Company, PPMC, Mr Haruna Momoh over alleged scarcity of kerosene, regretted that some exmilitants were being used by politicians for their selfish interest.

In a joint statement by Mr Emmanuel Kumbowei and Mr. Solomon Edentale, the two groups admonished youths against making themselves available tools for politicians, pointing out that it was regrettable that some of the ex-militants, who had been granted amnesty with the tax payers money were the ones causing confusion.

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Govt appoints acting DG for French Village

VISIT—From left: Mr Cyril Ogodo; Olorogun Otega Emerhor; Chief Margaret Unukegwor and Dr. Lucky Oteheri, during a visit to Chief Unukegwo in Sapele, Delta State.

NOSDRA acquires vessel to combat oil spill in N-Delta

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

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ORT HARCOURT – TO meaningfully battle incidences of oil pollution in the marine environment, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, has acquired its first shallow and deep water intervention vessel since its establishment in 2006.

The 19-metre pollution intervention vessel, christened Recovery 1 was unveiled in Port Harcourt, Rivers State by the Minister of Environment, Mrs. Hadiza Mailafia, raising hopes among industry stakeholders of a cleaner and safer operating environment.

The minister acknowledged that while impact of oil spills on the

producing environment had been colossal and retarded the local economies of the host communities, NOSDRA has since coming on board demonstrated meaningful material capacity to meet its mandate of leading response management through containment, recovery and remediation in impacted environments.

Mrs Mailafia said: “In 2012, I visited the Bonga spill and was worried that we do not have a boat of this capacity to do our work. The investment in this spill fighting vessel will go a long way to strengthen Nigeria’s bid to be the preferred hub of regional incident command centre under the Global Initiative for West,

Central and South Africa, WACAF." The minister, however, noted that no amount of facility or capacity acquisition by NOSDRA would be substantial enough to check increasing oil spills aggravated by pipeline vandalism, oil theft and associated activities, adding that the lasting solution rest on the proposed NOSDRA Amendment Bill 2012.

She said: “When this bill is passed into law, deliberate oil spillage would become a criminal offence. It is only then that our efforts would become holistic, otherwise it would remain superficial in yielding the desired result of zero tolerance to oil spills in the Nigerian environment.”

Delta Central senatorial seat: Group drums support for Aguariavwodo

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ATIONAL President, Urhobo National Youth Council, UNYC, Mr Monday Oyeghe, has said that the desire by youths and stakeholders in Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for a credible candidate with legislative experience such as Chief Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, will ensure victory for the party in forthcoming Delta Central senatorial election.

It will be recalled that the seat became vacant due to the untimely death of late Senator Pius Ewherido.

Oyeghe spoke when Emmanuel Aguariavwodo senatorial campaign team paid a courtesy call on Chief Tom Amioku, Chairman, PDP Delta Central Senatorial district to inform him of his desire to represent the Urhobos in the National Assembly.

He warned that if the PDP makes the mistake of fielding a wrong candidate, the party would lose the senatorial race woefully as majority of the youths and stakeholders want a fresh blood with credibility and open door policy.

Speaking on the occasion, Aguariavwodo explained that he was the best aspirant to represent the Urhobo nation in the Senate, as he has the experience as a former member of the House of Representatives and has a network of friends both in the National Assembly and Federal Government, adding that with same, he could get the job done.

He said if he was given the privilege of representing the Urhobo nation, he would

ensure empowerment of the youths and women, adding that the PDP slogan would now be, “PDP, empowerment to the people.”

He noted that although nobody was perfect, he had done his best and was still prepared to do more at the national level, a terrain he was familiar with and had a lot of friends to ensure that Urhobo nation in particular and Delta State in general were not marginalised Responding, Chief Amioku, said “this is the type of people we want.”

He said Aguariavwodo was known for his humility and philanthropic activities, adding that it was time credible people like him present themselves for election, so as to move PDP forward.

OLLOWING the completion of the second tenure of Prof Samuel Aje as the Director General of the Nigeria French Language Village Ajara, Badagry, Lagos.

Dr Matthew Alawode, a Senior and pioneer staff of the institution has emerged acting Director-General.

Until his appointment as the Acting Director General, Dr. Alawode had been the Deputy Director General, Nigeria French Language Village since July 2011.

Dr. Alawode attended St Kizito Catholic Minor Seminary, Ede from 19701974.

PDP chieftain donates relief materials

BY FESTUS AHON GHELLI—CHIEFTAIN of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, Chief Godswill Obielum, has donated bags of beans, rice, garri, cartons of tomatoes, groundnut oil, palm oil, mosquito nets, among others worth millions of naira to indigenes of the seven Itsekiri villages in Warri North Local Government Area of the state, who were displaced during the last crisis in the area.

Presenting the relief materials, Obielum said the incident was unfortunate and commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives in the crisis.

Appealing to government to assist the victims, he said; “we must be our brother’s keepers because this is a sad situation that urgently requires that our brothers and sisters, who were displaced are assisted for them not to continue suffering".

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Ika indigenes hold ceremony

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HE 15th edition of Ika ethnic nationality known as ‘Ogwa Ika’ will take place on Saturday, August 17, 2013 at Agbor, headquarters of Ika South Local Government Area, Delta State.

A statement by the Chairman and Secretary of the Planning Committee, Dr. Kester Nwadiani and Benson Melekwe, respectively on behalf of Onu Ika Nigeria, said that the plenary session of Ogwa Ika 2013 would be held under the chairmanship of the head of the collective leadership of Onu Ika Nigeria, Mr. Daniel Usifoh.

46 — Vanguard ,

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THURSDAY THURSDAY,, AUGUST 15 , 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013 — 47

RCCG'S ORDINATION AT 61ST ANNUAL CONVENTION & GRADUATION OF BIBLE COLLEGE

Cross-section of pastors ordained during RCCG's 61st Annual Convention, at the Redeemed Camp, Lagos-Ibadan Another cross-section of the new pastors expressway, Ogun State.

Pastor Folu Adeboye, (left), performing the ordination of Pastor Moses Ajayi and others.

Pastor Folu Adeboye, performing the ordination of Pastor Victor Emmachukwu and others

Cross-section of graduands of Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Bible College, during the church's Annual Convention 2013, at Redeemed Camp, Lagos -Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State. Photo Shola oyelese

Pastor Israel Abaton (left), presenting certificate to Mr. Alex Oropo, during the graduation ceremony.

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Pastor Folu Adeboye, at the programme

Pastor S A Ilori, performing the ordination of Pastor (Mrs.) Seyi Ibiyemi and others.

Cross-section of pupils of RCCG school, performing at the event.

Pastor Abaton (left), presenting certificate to Mr. Adewale Makanjuola.

Pastor Peter Amekaruna (left), presenting certificate to Mrs. Bukola Dioro.

48—Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

5,000 PPN, APC, LP members defect to PDP in Ijebu North LGA

KWSIEC to conduct rerun election in Offa LGA, August 31

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AGOS—NO fewer than 5,000 members of various parties have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Speaking on the occasion which was held last weekend in Ijebu-Igbo, the Zonal Secretary of the PDP in the South West, Chief Pegba Otemolu said 3,250 came from the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), while the others were from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP).

Notable among the defectors are the former Deputy Governor and Chairman, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Ogun East Senatorial District, Chief Rafiu Ogunleye; former Commissioner for Education under ex-Governor Gbenga Daniel administration, Elder Yomi Akinwonmi; former chairmanship candidate of PPN in Ijebu North Local Government Area, Otunba Adeleke Adekoya, among others.

The duo of Akinwonmi and Adekoya, who were former loyalists of Daniel, said they dumped their former party and leader because Daniel could no longer give any plausible reason for them to move from the PPN to LP. A prominent leader of the PDP in the state, Prince Buruji Kashamu, said the defection of people from the three political parties showed that the ruling APC in the state was heading for the rocks ahead of the 2015 general elections.

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

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APC—From left: Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; his Ogun State counterpart, Ibikunle Amosu; host Governor, Tanko Al-makura of Nasarawa State, and Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, at the meeting of All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors, in Lafia, Nasarawa State, yesterday.

N25M REWARD: JTF faults media report on kiliing of Boko Haram leader

BY NDAHI MARAMA

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AIDUGURI—THE Joint Task Force (JTF), ‘Operation Restore Order ’ in Borno State, has faulted media report, yesterday, crediting the killing of the top Boko Haram Commander, Momodu Bama, to the Military Special Operation Unit, Mubi Battalion, Adamawa.

Operation Restore Order in Borno insisted that Momodu Bama was killed last week in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State by Maiduguri JTF troops, during the Boko Haram attack on Mobile Police Base and Bama town on August 4, 2013.

It would be recalled that a N25 million reward was promised anybody who could give information on the whereabouts of the Boko Haram commander.

The JTF Spokesman in Borno State, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, in a statement in Maiduguri, said the report was not only misleading, but not true as Momodu Bama, a.k.a Abu Saad, and his father, Abatcha

Flatari, were all killed during the attack.

Sagir said contrary to the report that a bounty of N10 million was placed on Momodu Bama by the security agencies, it was actually a bounty of N25 million, being the Second-in-Command to Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau.

Sagir said: “He (Momodu Bama) was on JTF wanted list of terrorist suspects who is an indigene of Bama Local Government Area, JTF had earlier placed N25 mil-

Plateau lawmakers seek proper account of SURE-P funds

BY TAYE OBATERU & DEMOLA AKINYEMI

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OS—THE Plateau State House of Assembly is to ascertain the total amount that has accrued to the state from the SURE-P Programme

Women raise alarm over disbursement of 13 % devrivation fund

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AGOS—A NASCENT Niger Delta Group, Professional Women in Oil and Gas Communities, have raised alarm over improper disbursement of the 13% derivation fund in oil producing states.

In a statement signed by officials of the group led by its National President, Dame Veralyn Omogiefor, the lamented that the oil producing communities were yet to be impacted by the fund which was being channeled though the states.

The said: “Over the years, government has turned deaf

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ears to the agitations, yearnings and aspirations of the people with regards to the proper disbursement of the 13% derivation fund. We as women, mothers, wives, sisters in the Niger Delta belief there is the need to unanimously clamour for the struggle of directly receiving and proper administration of the 13% derivation fund to the oil and gas communities.

“As women, we are face to face with the reality of the degradation, frustration and the embarrassing physiologi-

lion bounty on him, being a member of the Boko Haram Shurra Committee, but we have made a tremendous achievement in the recent Boko Haram attacks in Bama where we killed him alongside his father, Abatcha Flatari”.

Sagir noted that Abatcha Flatari was before his death, the spiritual mentor of Boko Haram in-charge of indoctrinating child foot soldiers who were mainly abducted children.

LORIN—KWARA State Independent Electoral Commission, KWSIEC, has concluded arrangements to conduct rerun election in Offa Local Government on Saturday, August 31, 2013.

Chairman, KWASIEC, Dr. Uthman Abdulrahman Ajidagba, said in Ilorin in an interview with journalists that the rerun election was in compliance with the February 22 verdict of the Court of Appeal which ordered a rerun election into the council in the appeal suit no. KWS/ LGET/2A/2012 between Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), now merged into All Progressives Congress, APC, Vs Abdulwaheed Segun Olanipekun and 98 others.

Ajidagba explained that the rerun election would also include councillorship election as further directed by the same court in the consolidated councillorship election appeal between Rafiu A. Ibrahim vs Musemil Giwa and 10 others delivered on July 23, 2013.

cal needs of the Niger Delta people.

“The Revenue Allocation Commission has been paying this money directly to the state governments. The 13% derivation, if properly utilized, will sponsor free education, build the needed roads and provide adequate needs for the people".

They warned that they were ready to go the extra mile to take drastic measures in order to realize their goal, if the authorities failled to address the situation.

of the Federal Government since inception and why the state is not involved in all aspects of the programme.

This was part of the resolutions of the house following deliberations on the report of a committee to set up to investigate the delay in the take off of the SURE-P programme in the state.

The committee was constituted recently following a motion by a member seeking investigation into why the impact of the programme was

not being felt in the state as in other states.

Presenting the committee’s report to the house, the Chairman, Dalyop Mancha, said information gathered revealed that a total of over five billion Naira had accrued to the state and local governments from the programme.

He said the committee learnt that over three billion Naira was in the SURE-P account for the state while over two billion Naira was in the account for local governments.

....SURE-P to employ 50,000 graduates Chief Kolade who spoke at a

K

WARA—Chair man, Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment programme, SURE-P, Chief Christopher Kolade, has disclosed that the Graduate Internship Scheme, GIS, of the programme target to recruit at least 50,000 unemployed graduates in 36 states of the federation and FCT in one year.

one-day sensitization forum for firms in Ilorin, said the scheme aimed to improve skills of unemployed graduates through work placement in registered firms.

He lamented that only 35 per cent of 2,000 registered firms had met minimum requirements for participation, adding that over 96,000 unemployed graduates had registered on the GIS portal.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013 — 49

50—Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

Anambra: PDP makes U-turn, clears Nwoye, Okeke

Obasanjo's verdict on corrupt leaders truthful — Junaid Mohammed

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

BY HENRY UMORU

A

BUJA—AHEAD of August 24 Anambra State primary election of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the leadership of the party yesterday made a uturn and cleared Tony Nwoye and Ugochukwu Okeke who were earlier disqualified by the screening committee.

With Nwoye and Okeke now given the go ahead to contest the primary election, the number has now swelled to 15, with the 13 earlier cleared for the election.

Speaking with newsmen, Chairman, screening appeal panel and former governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi, disclosed that four disqualified governorship aspirants appeared before the committee, following their not being cleared by the committee due to unresolved tax issues.

Bostwana to deport 7 Nigerians, detains 16

BY TONY EDIKE

E

NUGU—OFFICIALS of the Nigerian Embassy in Botswana have confirmed arrest and detention of 41 Nigerians for allegedly violating the country’s immigration law as several of them are to be deported soon.

The officials, however, said the arrest was illegal and a gross violation of international convention which gave those with genuine permits the right to reside in the Southern African country.

According to Mrs. Victoria Ojeka-Eje, Minister/Acting Nigerian High Commissioner in the country, 18 of the 41 Nigerians arrested in several raids conducted by security agencies last week had been released though their passports were still being held by the authorities.

She said seven other Nigerians were transferred elsewhere awaiting deportation, while 16 persons were still in detention, even as the crackdown on Nigerian citizens had continued.

C M Y K

F

ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, got support from a strange ally, when Second Republic lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, backed him for declaring some politicians as failing Nigerians in leadership roles.

Mohammed, an unrelenting Obasanjo critic, said the former president was right in criticising some politicians, who served during his tenure as President.

Delivering a lecture, Obasanjo made reference to former VicePresident Atiku Abubakar; former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; former Speaker, House of Representatives, Alhaji Salisu Buhari; former Bayelsa State Governor, Deprieye Alamieyesiegha; and ex-Edo State Governor, Lucky Igbinedion, as being among the younger generation of leaders with low integrity and probity records.

But supporting the former President, Mohammed said he could not have agreed more with him and asked those he named as failures to defend themselves if they had any contrary opinions about themselves and Obasanjo’s verdict.

The former lawmaker, who spoke in an interview with Vanguard, noted that despite an attempt by Obasanjo to praise himself, he spoke nothing but the whole truth concerning some politicians, who were still eager to rule Nigeria when, indeed, they had nothing to offer the people.

“Essentially, what Obasanjo said is true. Despite his attempt to promote himself, Obasanjo is right in his candid assessment of the persons he listed. That is the whole truth about those Nigerians, some of who are serving jail terms.

“Nigerian leaders should learn to speak the truth, no matter how bitter, like Obasanjo," he said.

Mohammed said apart from those Obasanjo accused of being corrupt and self-serving, they have no business still aspiring to lead Nigerians in any capacity.

Buhari should be wary of corrupt politicians Mohammed warned former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari, to be wary of those he was romancing with in his quest to rule Nigeria, warning that any attempt to run with any questionable character would truncate his ambition forever.

He said, “APC will have serious problems if the Buhari ticket is to be paired with one of those political leaders attacked by Obasanjo for possessing a questionable certificate and being corrupt.

“The sooner Buhari begins to look

for a credible running mate the better it would be for him and his members in the newly-

formed APC. “For the first time in a long while, I could not have agreed

the more with Obasanjo in his assessment of corrupt and failed politicians in Nigeria”.

Group asks Akande, el-Rufai to apologise to Jonathan, or....

BY SONI DANIEL & BEN AGANDE

A

BUJA—A group, Nigerian Young Professionals Forum, NYPF, yesterday, warned two chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Bisi Akande and Mallam Nasir elRufai, to tender an apology to President Jonathan for using bad language on him or face its wrath.

NYPF accused the two APC chieftains of insulting President Jonathan and heating up the polity, with a view to causing dissention in the country.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja, National Chairman of the Forum, Mr Moses Siasia,

warned Akande and his sympathisers to desist from engaging in acts capable of distracting Jonathan from delivering on his mandate and setting the country on the edge.

Siasia warned that, henceforth, unwarranted insults and attacks aimed at ridiculing and belittling the President and his office would not be taken kindly by his organisation.

The Interim National Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, had last weekend in Osun State, described President Goodluck Jonathan as a ‘kindergarten leader ’ who treated national issues with levity.

His criticism drew a strong response from the presidency,

with the spokesman to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, telling the APC leader to ‘respect’ his age.

But in a strongly worded statement, the Nigerian Young Professionals Forum urged the APC leader to apologise to the President and cease further attack on his person or face the wrath of the group.

Siasia, who was flanked by Alhaji Yusuf Waili, Mr Dotun Ajayi and Dr Uche Nwachukwe, representing the Niger Delta, North, South-West and South-East wings of the group respectively, further warned that any individual or group contemplating to subject the person and office of the President to ridicule would face their wrath.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013 —51

Where is Obi standing?

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

W

HO Governor Peter Obi supports to pick the APGA nomination ticket remains a wonder. Not too long ago, many swore that the governor was backing his erstwhile Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Chief Paul Odenigbo.

Given Obi’s earlier assertion that he would support someone from Anambra North to take over from him, many believed that he had found a worthy successor in Odenigbo who is from Anambra North.

However, when Odenigbo’s successor as SSG, Mr. Oseloka Obaze entered the contest, many believed that Obi had changed his mind given that Obaze entered the contest without resigning his job as Odenigbo did.

Now, speculations about Obi’s

Given the alleged investment and large share of Mr. Obi’s family in Fidelity Bank, fresh speculation is that Obiano could be Obi’s joker in the contest. After all, given Mr. Obi’s famed shrewdness with money, there

Party faithfulness is an issue T

•Obi support for Obaze is again taking a twist with the entry of another supposed protégée of Obi’s: Mr.

Willy Obiano, until recently an executive director of Fidelity Bank.

HE de facto chairman of the PDP, Mr. Ken Emeakayi had claimed that the traditional bickering associated with party members would not arise this year.

Many almost believed him, especially after the gubernatorial aspirants openly declared after a meeting with him that they would abide by the result of the primaries and support the winner of the election. It would be remembered that in 2007 after

Senator Andy Uba’s joker

I

F confusion had not emerged from the PDP ward congresses, many would have been surprised and hailed the party’s de facto chairman, Mr. Emeakayi as a hero. But as is traditional with the PDP, confusion trailed the PDP ward congresses in all 326 wards last Monday.

As at press time yesterday, confusion over the results compiled by the

Emeakayi faction and the validity of the exercise was still an issue. While many alleged that the congresses did not hold and that officials and godfathers sat down to write down results, others alleged that what held was illegal.

Senator Andy Uba, remarkably was the only one of the 12 aspirants in the party who absented himself from the ward congresses organized by the

Emeakayi faction of the party.

Senator Uba who is chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, it is claimed in some quarters, may be trying to uphold procedures by aligning himself with the faction of the party recognized

by INEC, that is the Ejike Oguebego faction. Significantly, the Oguebego faction of the party was installed by that ultimate godfather, Chief Chris Uba, younger brother to Andy!

Obiano, the political Ijele enters the stage COULD Chief Willie Obiano be the game changer in Anambra? Well some think so, given his largely apolitical stance until recent and achievements in the banking industry. That, they claim could be an advantage that could work for him, in the same way that Governor Peter Obi’s apolitical inclinations worked for him.

O

BIANO, who was until recently the number two man in Fidelity Bank, also has the advantage of being from Anambra North, the zone the outgoing governor wants to zone the office to.

Chief Obiano, his handlers say, carries a spark that lights up any arena he enters like a burst of fireflies in a dark, moonless night. The Aguleri High Chief who is also famously known as AkpokuedikeAguleri comes almost fully made with a rare combination of solid intellect and a common touch that makes many leaders wince with envy.

His sartorial style and regal elegance easily stand him out in any crowd. His infectious humour and kindred spirit strikes instant connectivity with anyone that comes his way regardless of age or class.

Obiano it is claimed has been able to squeeze into one C M Y K

could be no better person for him to trust than the man who keeps his money.

Remarkably, all three men variously described as Obi’s protégées are all from Anambra North.

•Obiano

personality, as much complexity as simplicity.

Until recently, the number two man at Fidelity Bank Plc, as the Executive Director in charge of Business Banking after a glittering banking career that saw him rise through the ranks.

Before his retirement, he headed virtually every important

segment of the bank including corporate banking, non-bank financial institutions, treasury, foreign operations, oil and gas financing, telecommunications, aviation and several other businesses where he showed tremendous leadership skills and a rare people’s touch.

Before he joined Fidelity Bank, Obiano had had an auspicious beginning at First Bank Nigeria and Texaco Nigeria Plc where he distinguished himself as the Chief Internal Auditor for years, driving change and initiating programmes that earned him the accolade of the top management of the global conglomerate.

At Fidelity, what mostly stood Chief Obiano out was his rare human touch; a deep connection with the people which resonated throughout the bank and a large reservoir of knowledge of the subtleties of banking and a keen sense of the present and how it

connects to the future, which most bankers who have fallen by the way side never seemed to have.

Obiano knew banking well enough to know that the banker’s reputation is like a house of straws; one bad move and all the years of struggle would go up in a plume of smoke. But Obiano left Fidelity on a high.

Not one shred of scandal trailed his years as a top-flight banker.

He was well loved by the ordinary staff and respected by the management and the board.

At the bank’s annual dinners and social events, AkpokueAguleri, as he was fondly called by friends and colleagues always stood out.

Being a man of style, his remarkable haircut and aristocratic fashion taste always marked him out in the crowd.

Against this backdrop therefore, Willie Obiano’s candidacy is a bold answer to the clamor among his people for their best and brightest sons and daughters to file out for the highest office in the state.

many of the aspirants for the governorship and other offices failed in the PDP, they decamped to other parties. In that year, party officials even encouraged losers to go to other parties. Mr. Tony Nwoye as chairman of PDP in 2007 was said to have left for Labour Party.

In 2010 the same phenomenon happened again. Senator Andy Uba who was the PDP flag bearer in 2007 after losing out in the 2010 primary contest moved to Labour Party and contested on that platform. Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu moved to Hope Democratic Party, HDP.

Transversing of political parties Mrs. Uche Ekwunife who came to the House of Representatives on the platform of the PDP has transversed through at least three political parties in her crave for the governorship.

She has moved from the PDP to PPA and as at press time, was still in APGA. Senator Annie Okonkwo like Ekwunife came to the Senate on the platform of the PDP in 2007, but contested the 2010 governorship on the platform of Accord.

Today virtually all of them have dumped the parties used in 2010 for new parties.

Senator Okonkwo is seeking his aim through the newly registered All Progressives Congress, APC, and even the PDP’s 2010 candidate, Prof.

Charles Soludo has resorted to APGA.

•Andy Ubah

52 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

Opposition is a bed of strange bedfellows — Sen Bwacha

APC:

SENATOR Emmanuel Bwacha represents Taraba South senatorial district on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. He entered the Senate following a stint in the House of Representatives. In this interview with journalists he responds to issues in the polity including the 2015 presidency contest and the slant of the opposition in the country. Excerpts:

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

W

HAT is your assessment of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan?

I am from a region that believes that the presidency of Goodluck Jonathan is charting a new road map for Nigeria. Why? Because we are beginning to look at the country like one that belongs to all of us.

The reason is if Jonathan who is from the minority South-South can become president of Nigeria, apparently in the nearest future a citizen of Taraba State can also be president of the country.

Secondly, it has also given us hope that power is divinely given, nobody can call the shot, only the living God decides who becomes the leader.

Food for thought This also goes to teach us some lessons that we as human begin should not be laying claims to certain things that don’t belongs to us.

Somebody will say it is only he who will decide whether somebody becomes this or that. I think this is a food for thought.

People appear to be forgetting certain aspects about the bold steps President Jonathan is taking to touch the lives of people but some Nigerians are more concerned about the turbulence we are facing in the area of security.

It is one of those challenges and some certain individuals are capitalizing on that to discredit the regime but I also know that it is a trial moment and the president has proven that he is up to the task and also has the ability to address the issue.

You know, we can be very sure that all is well and Nigeria is working. We are very happy and I am particularly consoled by the fact that we have commenced our journey to greater Nigeria.

So, would you want C M Y K

•Bwacha: I see the opposition as strange bedfellows Jonathan to continue in 2015?

Well of course, Jonathan has served one term. Like I said

he is coming from the Southsouth and if the South-South would have got its second

term after 2015 then any other region can have that opportunity.

It is not strictly on the basis that the entire south brings one side and the entire North brings one side, we are looking at Nigeria from the perspective of region, of course, if it goes to the North, it will either be to my own region or the North West. If it moves to the South, it is either to the South West or the East or South-South.

Now the South-South has taken its first term and it is going to take another term in 2015, we believe Nigerians should give him that opportunity so that all of us will have that sense of belonging.

How do you see the threat of opposition against the reelection of Jonathan?

Well, opposition is good because it will put the government on its toes but I can assure you it is not a threat. I see the opposition as strange bedfellows.

The build up of the opposition is good for our democracy because it puts the party in government on its toes but I am not looking at it as a threat that is capable of unseating the PDP government in 2015.

But the argument is that Jonathan is not doing enough…

These are individual opinions. But irrespective of whatever anybody is saying, I am a Northerner and I can tell you the preponderance of opinions, that an average northern minority wants Jonathan to continue in 2015.

Yes, Amaechi is stubborn concerning the truth — Peterside

H

ON. Dakuku Peterside, is a member of the House of Representatives, representing Opobo/Nkoro/Andoni Federal Constituency and Chairman House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream). He recently spoke to some journalists on the prevailing situation in Rivers State.

Excerpts:

BY OKEY NDIBIRE

A

S a key stakeholder in Rivers , do you see peace returning to the State?

I see peace returning to Rivers State. But that would happen after all those who destabilised the state for

their personal and parochial interest would have seen the futility of their actions. I have always known that evil will not triumph over good just as darkness cannot resist light.

Governor Amaechi represents light in many ways.

But opponents of the Governor have placed advertorials on the pages of newspapers and in the electronic media stating that Gov Amaechi is opposed to reconciliation?

Governor Amaechi desires and is committed to reconciliation but not at the expense of Rivers State interest. He has taken steps to show that he is not averse to reconciliation. The Governor has gone to brief the President and I believe that

the President is committed to the peace, progress and stability of the nation.

The implication of that for me is that the president will take steps to advance peace in all parts of the territory of Nigeria including Rivers State.

I am optimistic that the president will not allow political considerations including his own perceived ambition prevail over the overall interest of the country.

I know the president is

Continues on page 53

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013 — 53

Ogun: How we raised IGR from N700m to N4bn

within two years — Akinlade SENIOR Special Assistant on Taxation and Internal Revenue Generation to the Ogun State Governor, Mr Kunle Akinlade, in this interview explains how the state Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been able to raise the internal revenue profile of the state from N700 million to almost N4Billion within two years and efforts of Governor Ibikunle Amosun to reposition the state. Excerpts:

BY BEN AGANDE

O

N what is responsible for the huge rise in internal revenue profile of the state I think we should give kudos to his Excellency for being able to put a team together, for being able to square pegs in square holes. I have a background in revenue generation; the chairman of the board of Internal Revenue is a Fellow of Chartered Institute of Taxation; the other two SSA’s are accountants.

When we came on board, one of the things we looked at immediately was to invite all the stakeholders at the board of internal revenue; we looked at what was on ground. There are two ways to get revenue; one is generation and one is collection.

We looked at the processes on ground, which were mostly manual in terms of revenue collection. We looked at all the tax stations, the infrastructure on ground, mobility and training.

Most of these people even had to be trained for about five years; we looked at the qualification of some of the staff on ground and discovered that people who

studied English were handling jobs that a chattered accountant should be handling.

What we did first within the first five months was to restructure the board in terms of personnel and immediately we got that in place, we reshuffled the board totally, bringing those who are supposed to be in administration back into the offices to handle administrative processes, we moved accountants into the field, we set up a very viable enforcement team, we built up the Human Relations Unit; we increased publicity, in terms of enlightening the public.

Taxpayer culture What we met on ground was that because they were alienated, people were withdrawn; they did not want to hear about tax at all because of the way things were.

The governor mandated us to develop a society and a tax payer culture of voluntary compliance. so what we did was rather than go out there and run after tax payers, we actually engage tax payers in the process of

•Akinlade collection, that was the first step and then in the first one year what we did was to carry out some sort of enumeration, get to know how many tax payers we have, how many of these tax payers are active, those that are not active, where they are and who they are.

Between 2011 and mid-2012, we saw significant changes, an upward shift in our revenue cap from about N700million to about N1.4 billion, and that gave us the confidence that at least we were

doing something right. With that, we requested for the ministry, Civil S e r v i c e Commission, to send more or to recruit more accountant because we n e e d e d professionals to come in and do the job.

Immediately we got that in place, we were able to interface with the complaints and set very realistic targets for our team to go out there, interface with the tax payers and let them see exactly what we are trying to achieve, get them involved as partners, let them understand that we are partners, that they are not debtors and whatever money they pay will be spent judiciously.

His Excellency from the very beginning started to make people know that he is there to rebuild the state and because people were seeing that the money being spent is being used, they could see the roads, they could see the projects all over the place and the compliance level increased and

with that, it became easy for us to actually do our job and that is how we started.

How did you get tax payers to believe that the money would be judiciously utilised?

What we did first was to build confidence with tax payers. To build confidence, you have to get the man involved in the process of collection. For example we went through various associations in the state. People even thought it was impossible if we had to go through our associations but personally I had a different view.

I’ve always believed that once we get our associations involved, we will make progress because we had to look at the cost of collection on the part of the government, we had to look at the personnel we had to deploy if we are to run after people but when their associations are involved we’re looking at a hundred people with only one tax officer.

With one tax officer you will interface with the executives of the associations and they collate the names of their members. We agree on how much they want to pay, they do the collection and they remit to the bank. One tax officer’s job now is to make sure that money paid in is correct and to make sure that they receive their ETCC receipt for any payment which the association now gives tax payers.

Yes, Amaechi is stubborn concerning the truth — Peterside Continues from page 52 conscious of his place in history.

Can you comment on the allegation by the Governor’s political opponents that his stubbornness is part of the problem of Rivers State?

It is possible that Governor Amaechi is stubborn in upholding the truth. It is possible Gov Amaechi is stubborn in defending Rivers resources and Rivers interest.

But they should know that we are running a federal system and Governor Amaechi is accountable first to God and to Rivers people who elected him. Nobody has said Gov Amaechi is dishonest. It is true that Governor Amaechi has tremendous courage in a society where courage is lacking.

Can you comment on rumours making the rounds that EFCC is investigating Rivers State officials and the Governor’s wife’s NGO? The Governor is not averse to investigation because he is one of the most transparent

There is a subsisting court order barring the EFCC from investigating Rivers State.

Governor Rotimi Amaechi did not secure that injunction so EFCC must vacate it first before proceeding to investigate Rivers State and her officials.

On the threat to investigate ESI, the NGO founded by the wife of the Governor for which I am Chairman of the Board of Trustees, it is nonsensical as it is unlawful. ESI is not a government agency nor is it a statutory body.

Public interest

•Peterside: Nobody has said Amaechi is dishonest governors in Nigeria today.

He is equally vocal and thus cannot afford the risk of corruption.

But any

investigation by EFCC which is a creation of the law or legislation must be within the context of law.

No trustee of ESI has complained that there is fraud or that the non-profit group has acted against the spirit of the foundation on which it was established or acted against public interest.

It is only when a trustee of ESI complains to law enforcement agencies that you can call for investigation of its finances. We have too

many ignorant busybodies posing as party officials in Rivers State. I sympathize with them.

I sincerely thought we have gotten to a stage where the interest of Rivers State and Rivers people should be uppermost in our minds.

There is a threat by the current leadership of PDP in Rivers State to suspend you and other National Assembly members from PDP? You mean the persons parading themselves as party executives in Rivers State?

This threat shows two things; the first is that they are the ones who do not want reconciliation in the party because they are afraid of what fate will befall them.

Anything established on wrong foundation will certainly fail. The second is that it shows the degree of their desperation and ignorance of the provisions of the PDP constitution.

54—Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

Bits

AP Moller apologises over remarks

A

Tremendous respect In a statement, APMT spokesman said “I have known the President General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Anthony Emmanuel Nted, for over a decade. I have known him to be a great and respected labour leader who has contributed immensely to the growth and development of the Nigerian maritime industry. He is someone I have developed tremendous respect for over the years and will therefore not do or say anything that will be regarded as disrespectful to either his person or his office.”

“If in the course of making clarification on allegations levelled against us, I said anything that is viewed as disrespectful by the revered labour leader, I hereby tender my unreserved apology.

I have used every opportunity in the past to commend MWUN for maintaining peace and harmony in the maritime industry. Such peace and harmony could not have been achieved without the great leadership quality and maturity of Comrade Nted and his lieutenants.”

AGM: From left; Dr. Clement Illoh, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Mr. Larry Ettah, 1st Vice President, NECA, Chief R.U. Uche, President, NECA and Director-General, Mr. Segun Osinowo , at the 56th NECA AGM, Lagos.

NECA warns of unemployment implosion …Says FG policies, decisions must focus on job creation RECENTLY, employers in Nigeria, under the umbrella of Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, NECA, gathered in Lagos, at its 56th Annual General Meeting, AGM, to review socio-economic and political environment in the country in the last one year and as the impact on business operations.

BY FUNMI KOMOLAFE & VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

F

OR NECA every action, policy and decision of government should have job creation as target, to address the unemployment crisis in the country.

Addressing the gathering, President of NECA, Chief R.U Uche, lamented that in spite of government reported growth in the economy, “with our Human Development Index ranking 153 (out of 186 countries), coupled with lamentable ratings in health, education, and per capita income, Nigeria remains one of the poorest countries in the world and still bunched with the 30 poorest countries in sub-saharan Africa.

Henceforth, whenever our political leaders stand up to address the nation on the state of the economy, let them break their language down to the simplicity of the number of new businesses and jobs that have been created, the hours of uninterrupted power supply households and businesses have enjoyed, number of Nigerians with improved access to education, healthcare, housing, transportation etc, etc. These are the true measures of growth and development.”

Lamenting rising unemployment in the country, Chief Uche said “today, teeming population of our youths are unemployed.

This is indeed a scary reality- a ticking time bomb, which, if we

fail to defuse as quickly as possible, may erode whatever semblance of social harmony and stability that is left of our polity. We are, of course, not short of initiatives at all fronts: Federal Governments, state government, agencies and ministries, employers bodies, UN agencies, etc, etc.

However, outcomes seem to have been very miserable. In terms of quantity and quality of jobs created, we are merely scratching the issue on the surface.

While those various initiatives are commendable, I believe we need to go back to the fundamentals of our economy where such big issues like diversification of the economy, backward and forward integration, policy coherence, policy consistency and crosssectoral local content policy will be given their pride of place and execution impetus.

Constitutional amendment Every policy action and decision of government should be judged on the basis of its impact on job creation. We cannot, of course, ignore the factor of good governance, as aptly exemplified by the Lagos State success story, which has created the most basic of skills.”

“All the aforementioned policy options should be underpinned by a sincere constitutional amendment that will enthrone true fed-

eralism and resource control. We should aim for a political structure where federating units will contribute to the centre, thereby assuming the status of multiple centers of productive economic activities and development. This surely will spin off jobs in their millions and create sustainable employment.

Speaking, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, listed some challenges

Impediments to industrial relation practice Towards this end, it becomes necessary for NECA to address the following problematic which have constituted serious impediments in our industrial relations practice: What factors have constituted impediments to the success of social dialogue in our industrial relations practice?

What impacts do public policies and programmes bear on the practice of industrial relations? To what extent are judicial processes impinging on the practice of social dialogue and tripartism in Nigeria? To what extent does Alternate Dispute Resolution contribute to the development of our industrial relations system?

This administration has in the last two years embarked on several policies, projects and

,

P Moller Terminals, APMT,the largest container terminal in West Africa, has apologized to the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN and its President-General, Nted Emmanuel Anthony, over recent uncomplimentary press remarks.

A statement by APMT through its spokesman, Bolaji Akinola, while responding to a briefing by MWUN President General over a recent condition of service dispute, was alleged to have used uncomplimentary words on the union and its President-General.

Piqued by the alleged uncomplimentary use of words on its President General, the Dockworkers branch of the union, handed down a oneweek ultimatum to APMT and its spokesman to withdraw the words and tender unreserved apology, or it would declare the spokesman a persona non grata in the ports.

issue of poverty, unemployment, inequality and wages differentials; , the provision of good governance systems ensuring developments in democratic and representative institutions, especially at work and in the larger society and the changing nature of work and work conditions in view of the global implications for development and inclusiveness.

According to him, “In the realm of industrial relations practice, the country is undergoing a process where the challenges of impunity should be urgently addressed by the social partners with a view to installing a system that ensures the practice of rule of law.

Today, teeming population of our youths are unemployed. This is indeed a scary reality- a ticking time bomb, which, if we fail to defuse as quickly as possible, may erode whatever semblance of social harmony and stability that is left of our polity

considered germane to the social partners in view of their roles in labour administration and to the country quest for peace and progress.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Clement Illoh, Chief Wogu said the challenges included “the provision of productive and decent jobs for the teeming youth population in an environmentally sustainable manner; the provision of adequate minimal social security protection systems for the aged, unemployed, women, children, vulnerable members of society including the provision of adequate system of labour protection; the provision of relevant and adequate skills to march global developments in ICT; the raising of national productivity competitiveness in order to address the

programmes in the labour sector of the economy in order to address the above issues.

In the labour sector, the transformation agenda encompasses Key National Performance Indicators of various policies, programmes and projects which are aimed at: Employment generation and wealth creation; Improving national productivity and competitiveness; Improving health, safety and welfare of the workforce.

Enhancing industrial harmony and improving labour education and skills; Provision of social security protection and mitigating vulnerability at work; Enhancing skills development and certification and Improving the regulatory environment and application of international labour standards.

Vanguard,THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013—55

Over 500,000 employers now covered by ECS, says NSITF

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

T

HE National Social In surance Trust Fund, NSITF, has said no fewer than 500,000 workers have keyed into the Employees Compensation Scheme, ECS. It has also paid over N200 million employees that were injured at workplaces since the commencement of ECS. Managing Director of NSITF, Alhaji Munir Umar Abubakar who spoke during the inauguration of the Independent Investment Committee, said “The NSITF has paid over N200 million to injured workers from various sectors who sustained all kinds of work place injuries since the scheme began. We paid this sum out of about N500 million claims we received. It was after vetting and going through the processes that we paid N200 million out of the sum. We have registered over 35,000 employers. The Federal Government has also been mak-

ing its contributions and we have many states coming on board very soon. We have well over 500,000 employees covered under the scheme. We have been settling claims that we have received so far.”

According to him, “The work of the committee will serve as an assurance to the stakeholders that the funds collected and put in a pool would be invested rightly. We also have representatives from the CBN, Chambers of Commerce and Industry as well as the National Pension Commission (PenCom) which is the supervisory body of contributory pension scheme in Nigeria.

We believe that this committee is one of the most important committees we have in the Fund to help us drive the implementation of the scheme.”

On possible sectors for investment for e NSITF, Alhaji Munir Umar Abubakar said, “because we have set up this committee, it is their responsibility to carry out studies of the economy with

Dr. Mrs. Ngozi 0lejeme, NSITF board chairman and MD NSITF, Munir Umar Abubakar.

Pic- Funmi Komolafe a view to determining where it is most suitable for investment.

Nevertheless I would say that during the defunct scheme, the NSITF was the leading agency on the Nigeria Stock Exchange and also invested heavily in real estate. We must recognize the fact that the economy vagaries are steadily changing in reflection of the current happenings.”

Inaugurating the committee, Chairman of the Board of Directors of NSITF, Dr. Ngozi Olejeme, said the committee’s work would not only assist the board in arriving at sound investment decisions, but would go a long way in assuring con-

tributors to the scheme as well as other stakeholders that there was transparency in the way funds under its custody were invested.

Dr. Olejeme said, “Your assignment as an advisory body to the Board of Directors is extremely important in shaping the activities of NSITF. The assignment is a laudable innovation and practical recognition of good corporate governance practice which are not found in most other statutes. ECS is still new and so a lot needs to be done to ensure that the scheme stabilizes within a short period of time.”

The NSITF Board of Directors

xiii. Provision on Payment of Death Benefits (S. 8 of the Bill) In the course of implementation of the PRA 2004, PFAs became inundated with challenges of applying the provision of Section 5 of the PRA 2004 on Death Benefits. First, the provision yields itself to different interpretations and also appeared not to be in conformity with Succession Laws, which is a Residual legislative matter, an exclusive preserve of the States under the Constitution.

Review of pension Accordingly, the Bill seeks to amend the provision such that PFAs would only be required to hold RSA balances in trust for the estate of the deceased for onward transmission to the executor of a will or Administrator of the estate of the deceased, in conformity of Administration of Estate Laws of various States. xiv. Periodic Review of Pensions (S. 15 of the Bill) The right of retirees under the

Informal workers tackle Senate over life pension for legislators

BY VICTOR

AHIUMA-YOUNG

We support amendment of Pension Reform Act, 2004 —PenCom Continues from last edtion.

This is a continuation of the National Pension Commission, PenCom, presentation to the Senate and House of Representatives joint committee on pension. xii.Funding of the Minimum Pension Guarantee and the Establishment of the Pension Protection Fund (Ss. 82 – 84 of the Bill) The PRA 2004 provides for the payment of a Minimum Pension Guarantee (MPG) to RSA holders who have contributed for a number of years under the CPS. However, the Act did not make provision for the funding of the MPG. Accordingly, the PRA 20013 Bill provides for the establishment of a Pension Protection Fund (PPF) which would be used as part-funding for the MPG as well as compensation to pensioners in the unlikely event of financial losses sustained from investment of pension funds. The PPF will be funded through grants and contributions by the Commission and pension operators.

Chairman reminded the members of the committee of their functions which includes advising the Board on the investment of any money standing to the credit of the Fund under the Act establishing it and to carry out investment surveys in the economy and draw up a list of safe investments from time to time.

CPS to review of pension with respect to their accrued rights has not been captured under the PRA 2004. The 2013 Bill therefore seeks to align with the provisions of Section 173 of the 1999 Constitution dealing with the right of public servants to pension review every 5 years especially as it relates to their accrued pension rights. The amendment also seeks to avoid needless litigations seeking to enforce the constitutional provision. xv. Exemption of Income on Investment of Pension Fund from Tax (S. 10 of the Bill) Although Sections 7 and 10 of the PRA 2004 provide for tax exemption at the point of accumulation and payment of retirement benefits, the Act is silent on taxation of income from investment of pension funds. In order to ensure real returns on investment of pension funds and ultimately enhance the retiree’s retirement benefits, the income earned on investment of pension funds should also be exempted from taxation. Thus, Section 7 of the PRA 2004 is being amended

to include tax exemption on income from investment of pension funds. That was the position prior to the enactment of the PRA 2004 when the approval of pension schemes was under the purview of the Joint Tax Board. xvi.Upward Review of Minimum Rate of Pension Contribution (S. 4(1) of the Bill) Stakeholders have observed that the minimum pension contribution of 15% of employee’s monthly emolument is not adequate enough to generate the required retirement benefits for the worker. It has also been argued that the equality of the 7.5% rate of contribution payable by both the employer and the employee is not equitable especially because the employer has a stronger financial muscle.

Consequently, the PRA 2013 Bill proposes an upward review of the rate of contribution and the proportion of the rate payable by the employer and the employee.

The proposed minimum rate is 20% of the monthly emolument: 12% by the employer and 8% by the employee.

To be continued.

F

EDERATION of Infor mal Workers of Nigeria, FIWON, has faulted the decision by the Senate to make leaders of the National Assembly receive life pension, saying it shows the level of insensitivity of the senators to the mood of the nation.

FIWON in a statement by its General Secretary, Gbenga Komolafe, said “Nigerian working people in the Informal economy also view with utmost concern that at a time most of their children are at home due to closure of the universities and polytechnics, Nigerian Senators actually decided to pay the leadership of the National Assembly life pension.”

“This decision is even more irksome given the fact that over 90% of Nigerian working people especially in the informal sectors enjoy absolutely no social security while their agitation for same has so far received little attention. It is a decision that will also shoot up the humongous salaries and emolument of public officials which already gulps a disproportionate percentage of public expenditure leaving very little for development.”

56—Vanguard,THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

HIV: The myths and misconceptions

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

B

ARELY 30 years, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, AIDs, have been masked in many myths and misconceptions.

Unfortunately, these erroneous beliefs have prompted the very behaviours that cause more people to become HIV-positive.

Although unanswered questions about HIV remain, researchers have learned a great deal. Despite efforts of countries including Nigeria to check the spread of HIV, report shows that these myths have continued to fuel new infections.

However, researchers say knowing and overcoming these myths is a major key in stemming down the spread of the virus. Here are top 10 myths about HIV, along with the facts to dispute them.

I can get HIV by being around people who are HIVpositive: The evidence shows that HIV is not spread through touch, tears, sweat, or saliva.

You cannot catch HIV by breathing the same air as someone who is HIV-positive, touching a toilet seat or doorknob handle after an HIV-positive person, drinking from a water fountain, hugging, kissing, or

• HIV test kits shaking hands with someone who is HIVpositive, sharing eating utensils with an HIV-positive person and using exercise equipment at a gym. You can get it from infected blood, semen, vaginal fluid, or mother’s milk.

I don’t need to worry about becoming HIV positive — new drugs will keep me well: Yes, antiretroviral drugs are improving and extending the lives of many people who are HIV-positive. However, many of these drugs are expensive and produce serious side effects. None yet provides a cure. Also, drug-resistant strains of HIV make treatment an increasing challenge.

I can get HIV from mosquitoes: Be-

cause HIV is spread through blood, people have worried that biting or bloodsucking insects might spread HIV. Several studies, however, show no evidence to support this — even in areas with lots of mosquitoes and cases of HIV. When insects bite, they do not inject the blood of the person or animal they have last bitten. Also, HIV lives for only a short time inside an insect.

I’m HIV-positive — my life is over: In the early years of the disease epidemic, the death rate from AIDs was extremely high.

But today, antiretroviral drugs allow HIVpositive people — and even those with AIDS — to live much longer, normal, and productive lives.

AIDS is genocide: In one study as many

as 30 percent of African-Americans and Latinos expressed the view that HIV was a government conspiracy to kill minorities. Instead, higher rates of infection in these populations may be due, in part, to a lower level of health care.

I’m straight and don’t use IV drugs — I won’t become HIV-positive: Most men do become HIV-positive through sexual contact with other men or through injection drug use. However, about 16 percent of men and 78 percent of women become HIV-positive through heterosexual contact.

If I’m receiving treatment, I can’t spread the HIV virus: When HIV treatments work well, they can reduce the amount of virus in your blood to a level so low that it doesn’t show up in blood tests.

Research shows, however, that the virus is still “hiding” in other areas of the body.

It is still essential to practice safe sex so you won’t make someone else become HIV-positive.

My partner and I are both HIV positive — there’s no reason for us to practice safer sex: Practicing safer sex — wearing condoms or using dental dams — can protect you both from becoming exposed to other (potentially drug resistant) strains of HIV. I could tell if my partner was HIV-positive: You can be HIV-positive and not have any symptoms for years. The only way for you or your partner to know if you are HIV-positive is to get tested.

You can’t get HIV from oral sex: It is true that oral sex is less risky than some other types of sex. But you can get HIV by having oral sex with either a man or a woman who is HIV-positive. Always use a latex barrier during oral sex.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

S

OMETIMES when I have an erection and I don’t get to have sex, my scrotum will start paining me and the pain will last for hours. Is this an illness or what? I don’t understand what is going on and I am really scared – Ejiofor Ejiofor there is a condition that affects some men and it is commonly known as Blue Balls. It is a case where the scrotum anticipates an ejaculation when the penis is erect. If after getting an erection and there is no sex or masturbation leading to an erection, the scrotum begins to hurt. It is your body’s way of telling you that you need to ejaculate. So there is a possibility that this is what is happening to you. Next time you get an erection and it begins to hurt, try having sex or masturbating and see what happens. If the pain goes after you ejaculate, then you simply have a case of Blue Balls. If it doesn’t, then go and consult your doctor for in-depth analysis and tests – Uche Good day sir. I have been reading about the new products MaXtremeZen 2000 and Power Zen Gold.

I hear they are very good. Which one do you recommend? I experience weak erection sometimes and I have always had premature ejaculation. I need a solution to these problems – Solomon Dear Solomon, MaXtremeZen 2000 and Power Zen Gold are two new high grade performance enhancers that do it all. Both products enlarge the penis, stop weak erection, give hard erections, stop premature ejaculation, increase semen quantity and thickness and give the user the energy to perform at high capacity for days. They are both 100% herbal supplements as well. The difference however is in the gramage. MaXtremeZen 2000 comes in 2000 milligrams and therefore gives results that last for up to seven days with just one capsule. Power Zen Gold has a lower gramage of 1200 grams so the results it gives last for up to five days. That is basically the difference but they are both more powerful than all the other supplements we have been talking about.

MaXtremeZen 2000 of course is slightly higher in price as a result of its higher potency and longer lasting results. So you can go for any one. It all depends on you – Uche I experience pain sometimes during intercourse and it makes me say no to it. This is affecting my marriage – Margaret Margaret vaginal dryness is the most common cause of sexual pain. Women who don’t always lubricate well during intercourse experience this pain due to friction and sometimes the skin tears a bit in the process making them bleed. The easiest way to deal with dryness is through the use of a lubricant. Colt Slick Lubricant is very good for the elimination of dryness and the sexual pain that occurs as a result. It comes in an 8 ounce bottle which is quite big and will last you for years. Colt Slick Lubricant is also water based so it is easier to wash off after use – Uche Hello Mr Edochie and well done. Please can a pheromone be effective when one has other things they are using that are scented such as body cream, roll on and perfume etc.? John Dear John, yes they can. But if you are using a pheromone perfume like the Namiko pheromone body spray, you don’t need to wear another perfume on top of that – Uche I just used MaXtremeZen 2000 and all I can say is wow! The first improvement I noticed was that it handled my premature ejaculation and I could last much longer. I just feel recharged overall and a lot more confident in bed. Well done - Olayinka You are welcome. We wish you all a wonderful holiday. Zee Virtual Media will be closed for a one week holiday from the 8th of August and reopens on the 15th. Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can place their orders online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com.

We will process them when we reopen on the 15th of August, 2013. For enquiries, send your emails to custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013 — 57

STATE OF EMERGENCY IN EGYPT

Egypt Crisis: 280 killed, VP resigns •US, EU react A

T least 280 Egyp tians were killed yesterday after security forces moved in on protesters demanding the reinstatement of President Mohammed Morsi, and the government imposed a state of emergency as unrest swept the most populous Arab nation.

Troops opened fire on demonstrators in violence that brought chaos to areas of the capital and looked certain to further polarize Egypt’s 84 million people between those who backed Morsi and the millions who opposed his brief rule.

The state of emergency, starting at 2:00 P.M. yesterday was to last a month.

According to a Health Ministry official, quoted on the official MENA news agency, some 1,403 were wounded.

Egypt’s interim vice president, Mohamed ElBaradei, resigned after the protest crackdown.

In a resignation letter to Interim President Adly Mansour, ElBaradei said that “the beneficiaries of what happened today are those who call for violence, terrorism and the most extreme groups,” he said. ”It has become difficult for me to continue bearing responsibility for decisions that I do not agree with and whose consequences I fear. I cannot bear the responsibility for one drop of blood.”

Egypt interior ministry: 43 police killed Forty-three members of Egypt’s police force were killed on Wednesday in clashes with Morsi supporters, interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim has said.

Al-Jazeera English reported that Ibrahim made the remarks at a televised news conference in Cairo.

Ibrahim said the two protest camps in Cairo had been completely cleared. He accused Morsi protesters for heavily and intensely firing live ammunition to security forces. “There was an attempt by Muslim Brotherhood supporters to spread chaos around the country. Some attacked police centers” Ibrahim said. Ibrahim also claimed that the way security forces dispersed Nasr City was according to international levels of self-restrain with minimum causalities. “We acted within the mandate given to us by cabinet to disperse sitins and according to plan to minimize possibility of fall of victims. We gave clear orders not to use arms during the process to disperse sit-ins” he said.

Egypt PM: ‘We observed highest degrees of self-restraint’ Almost as soon as Kerry finished speaking Egypt prime minister Hazem El Beblawi addressed the television

A Morsy supporter sits under arrest at Cairo’s Nahda Square yesterday. cameras in Cairo.

He insisted several times that today’s crackdown on protesters was necessary. Security forces were “forced to intervene”, El Beblawi said, and he praised police for using “self-restraint”.

John Kerry: ‘Today’s events are deplorable’ US Secretary of State John Kerry has said that yesterday's events were “deplorable” and called for the government to resolve the crisis peacefully.

Kerry said this was a “pivotal moment” for all Egyptians in a short speech just now.

“Today’s events are deplorable & run counter to Egyptian aspirations for democracy,” he said. “We and others have urged the government to respect the

Supporters of Morsy take cover from Egyptian security forces during clashes yesterday

rights of free expression and to resolve this peacefully.”He warned: “There will not be a solution from further polarisation.” Muslim Brotherhood leaders arrested, according to reports Egyptian security officials and state television say several wanted Muslim Brotherhood leaders, including Mohamed El Beltagy, have been ar-

rested, Associated Press has reported. The officials say police detained El Beltagy, Essam El Erian, group spokesman Ahmed Aref and its chief theologian Abdel-Rahman El Bar. Hard-line cleric Safwat Hegazy, who is close to the Brotherhood, has also been arrested.

The 17-year-old daughter of Muslim Brother-

hood politician Mohamed El Beltagy was among those killed in Cairo today, El Beltagy has confirmed.

The NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, has released this statement on the events in Egypt: “I am deeply concerned by the situation in Egypt, and the continuing reports of bloodshed.

Egypt: Timeline of unrest The optimism of the Arab Spring has given way to a fresh wave of violence and dissent Jan-Feb 2011 – After 30 years in power, Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak faces mass opposition in the form of nationwide demonstrations.

Jan 30 2011 – Mohamed Morsi and several other Brotherhood figures escape from prison.

Feb 11 - Mubarak is forced to step down and a period of military rule begins.

Feb 15, 2012 – The Muslim Brotherhood wins nearly half the seats in Egypt’s lower house. The ultraconservative Salafis take roughly a quarter of the other seats.

June 16,17 - Mr Morsi wins Egypt’s presidential election with 51.7 per cent of the vote.

Nov 22 – Widespread protests begin after Mr Morsi, in one of his most controversial moves as president, gives himself a range of new powers. Citing Egypt’s economic problems, he brings in laws that make his decisions immune from judicial re-

view.

June 30 – The anniversary of President Morsi’s first year in office. Millions of Egyptians take to the streets of Cairo calling on him to step down.

Clashes outside the Brotherhood’s headquarters result in eight deaths.

July 3 – Morsi is deposed and detained by the military. Supporters of the ousted president begin mass sit-ins demanding that he is reinstated. Brotherhood figures are arrested by the military.

July 27 – Pro-Morsi sit-ins and daily demonstrations continue. Security forces clash with protesters leaving 80 dead at the two major camps.

Aug 11 – The Egyptian government declares it will remove the sit-ins within 24 hours.

Aug 12 – Plans to remove the camps are postponed as the authorities try to avoid bloodshed. The sit-ins grow as more protestors arrive, defying government warnings.

Aug 14 - Security forces take action against the protestors, using armoured vehicles and bulldozers, in scenes described by pro-Morsi groups as a “massacre”.

58—Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

I am not a tribalist, says Femi Fani Kayode HOSE that call me a tribalist and an Igbohater are simply misguided and ignorant. Perhaps they do not know the meaning of those words or the true import of their meaning.

Those that know me well like you can confirm the fact that I am not a racist or a bigot and that I consider such sentiments as being unworthy of a man of class, good breeding and culture. I am, however, a firm believer in the propagation of truth and I, like you, appreciate the value and importance of history. Sadly many of our Igbo brothers and sisters do not believe in that.

History for them consists of only one thing-how other Nigerians have always marginalised them and treated them badly.

If only they knew their own history, where they are coming from, what they used to be and where they were 100 years ago and what their forefathers did to the rest of Nigeria over the last 80 years they would know why they have always had such a hard time in this country.

Sadly because they dont know any of these things they cannot learn from it. And if they cannot

FEMI F ANI KA YODE FANI KAY learn from it they will continue to make the same mistakes.

That is why they can come to another man’s land and territory and call it their own and when we say ‘’no’’ they tell us to shut up and call us tribalists.

I was not a tribalist when I wrote a tribute to Ojukwu after he died or when I condemned the ‘60’s pogroms that took place in the north in which their people were slaughtered like flies. I was not a tribalist when I wrote against Yarima and child marriage in the north. Yet now I am a tribalist because I spoke the truth about our history and who we the Yoruba are. I was not an tribalist when I wrote essays defending the

rights of the Igbo and every other Nigerian nationality to exercise their right of selfdetermination and leave Nigeria if that is what they wanted to do. I was not a tribalist when I consistently wrote that Nigeria must have a Sovereign National Conference where the rights and obligations of all its various nationalities will be clearly defined and agreed upon. I was not a tribalist when I employed more Igbo people as a Minister of the Federal Republic than even my own Yoruba. I was not a tribalist when I wrote an essay, just two years ago, extolling the virtues of Igbo women. I was not a tribalist when I condemned the bombing of predominantly Igbo and catholic churches and the killing of the Igbo and others by Boko Haram in the north over the last three years.

I was not a tribalist when I risked my life by consistently writing against Boko Haram even though I live in the north.

I was not a tribalist when I wrote against political sharia.

I was not a tribalist when I wrote in defence of the Igbo when it came to the abandoned property issue. I could go on and on.These people have very short memories and anyone that does not agree with them all the time or that says one word against them at any point in time is labelled a tribalist for life.

They called Chief Obafemi Awolowo a tribalist, a genocidal maniac, a child-killer and an Igbo-hater simply because the man refused to join sides with them in the war yet they forgot that when Awolowo ran for the Presidency his running mate was from the east and not from the north. They called Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, Chief S.L Akintola and Sir Ahmadu Bello as Igbo-haters and tribalists simply because they saw through the Igbo agenda at a very early stage and they killed them for it. They called General Yakubu Gowon a genocidal maniac, a child-killer, an Igbohater and a tribalist simply because he stood up to Ojukwu and insisted on keeping Nigeria together and though he declared that there was ‘’no victor and no vanquished’’ after

the war.

They accused President Olusegun Obasanjo of being a tribalist and an Igbo-hater though he appointed an Igbo man as the first GOC in the Nigerian Army since 1966 and though he appointed more Igbos into key positions in his government than any President before him. They accused President Shehu Shagari and the northerners of being tribalists and Igbo-haters even though he pardoned Ojukwu and allowed him to return home after the civil war.

Magnanimity in victory They have accused the Nigerian people of being tribalist and Igbo-haters simply because we have not had an Igbo President since 1966 forgetting that Nigeria was magnamonious in victory and that she not only gladly welcomed them back into the fold after the civil war but that she also gave them the Vice Presidency only ten years later.

They have labelled the Yoruba as tribalists and Igbohaters simply because we have refused to accept their claims to our land and territory and though we were more charitable, hospitable, accomodating and generous to them than any other nationality in Nigeria after the civil war.

We have been too kind and gentle with them. That is the problem. They see our liberal and accomodating nature as stupidity and weakness. That is why they always like to go around calling the Yoruba cowards forgetting that the history of the Yoruba proves otherwise. It is now time to tell the truth. They despise the Yoruba and they only pretend to believe in one Nigeria as long as they can always have their way and lord it over others. Worst of all they have no restraining factors because

money and the acquisition of wealth is their sole objective and purpose in life.

Someone ought to tell them that this is not a virtue but a vice. It is a cultural deficiency which is borne out of not having any history. If they did they would be less aggressive, more restrained and far more civil to others. If speaking these bitter home truths and yearning and fighting for a better Nigeria makes me a tribalist then it is a toga that I would be happy to wear. I will not sit by quietly and allow my people, the Yoruba people of south western Nigeria, to be rubbished, insulted and cheated by anyone

,

T

unrestrained and crude in all their ways really are all those things and a lot more and second that they cannot put up any reasonable or serious arguement to discredit or refute the message so instead they are attempting to destroy the messanger. Meanwhile the two essays have been published in various newspapers in our country and outside and it will continue to be published by others long into the forseeable future.

The message is clear and it is already out there. It cannot be called back in. The horse has bolted from the stable and the falcon has left the nest. No matter how hard those that are attempting to intimidate us into silence may try it will not work and we will not be cowed. The message is already out there and the genie is already out of the bottle. Those that seek to continue to denigrate and belittle the Yoruba and lay claim to what is rightfully ours should desist from doing so.

They should grant us our peace and give us our due respect and they will get the same in return. If they do not do so those things will elude them and eventually history will repeat itself again in this country.

Meanwhile when anyone reads a rejoinder that addresses the issues that I raised in my essays and that has some level of scholarship

I will not sit by quietly and allow my people, the Yoruba people of south western Nigeria, to be rubbished, insulted and cheated by anyone no matter how aggressive that anyone may believe he is

no matter how aggressive that anyone may believe he is. I make or offer no apology for my views. My numerous assertions in my two essays titled ‘’Lagos, The Igbo and the Servants of Truth’’ and ‘’The Bitter Truth About The Igbo’’ respectively stand.

Meanwhile I have read all sorts of strange submissions in various newspapers and blogs that have held themselves out as rejoinders to my two articles.

Sadly other than the usual abuse and irreverant thrash not one of those so-called ‘’rejoinders’’ has been able to address any of the issues that I raised in either of the two articles, answer any of the questions that I posed in them or successfully challenge my presentation of historical facts The bellicose nature and vulgarity of these so-called rejoinders goes to prove two things. First that those that I have descibed as being collectively unlettered, uncouth, uncultured,

,

and intellectual content they should please let me know and I may well dignify it with a response. The shameless and emotional thrash and disjointed verbiage that have been described as rejoinders so far are just not up to scratch.

They are bereft of any scholarship and intellectual content. They also invoke pity in me for the the faceless plebians that wrote them and those they claim to represent.

When the Igbo, or anyone else, find a real writer that can cross swords with me and give me a good run for my money someone should please let me know. I am itching for a real debate with a worthy adversary on this issue.

Like the great Achilles I feel that I have no match. Are there no Hector’s out there? Sadly it appears that my accusers, traducers, opposers and haters cannot find one. All they have is their hate, their ignorance, their insults and their inbred crudity and vulgarity.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013 — 59

60 —

Vanguard,THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

Scandal

Continues from BP

a camp for the athletes that they brought here.

It is a shame. Only N15m was approved for the championships and the money, we gathered, was released after the delegation landed here in Moscow for the 14th edition of the World Championships.

It’s a long time apathy for which Solomon

Ogba, the President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria says the current sports Minister is determined to stop.

The effect of this here in Moscow came to bare when officials discovered that Ajoke Odumosu, the 400m hurdler is injured that she could not train well what more competing among the best in the world. But

Nigeria entered her for the event. And in order to avoid sanctions Ajoke had to line out for the event. And what did she do? She beat the gun two times and fouled out. Beating gun in a 400m event? And two times for that matter?

And in hurdles for that matter? It was simply ridiculous and Nigeria bore the shame that could have been avoided if there was even a

one week camping for the coaches to assess the athletes they were taking to the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. Ajoke has been a top athlete for Nigeria and one known for making sacrifices to don the Nigerian colours. She is among the only four Nigerians with A Standard qualification for the World Championships, the others being 400m runner, Regina George,

Gloria Asunmu, the sprinter and of course Blessing Okagbare who is a Long Jump silver medallist and who begins another medal chase in the 200m today.

Tosin Oke, the male Triple Jumper is also not fit. The coaches only found out here. And that’s how Nigeria has become almost a oneathlete nation. Track and field is an individual sport so the current form or fitness of athletes who train on their own and under their various coaches can only be properly assessed in closed camping shortly before championships which could be months after their qualification marks.

“We would not have had this problem if we had money to camp athletes for even a short time,” one AFN official lamented, adding “it’s a shame that this is happening to a Nigerian team in the World Championships.”

Another official said

that the media should help in educating the government on what their priorities should be when planning their allocations for sports development.

Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi is here in Moscow and he appears more determined to turn around sports in Nigeria. But the rot before he came was deep and his achievement would depend on not only planning but how he succeeds in making government approve more funds for sports and how he reorganises the NSC and ensures transparency in the management of the available little funds.

Abdullahi, however, leaves Russia a happy man as Nigeria broke a 14 year old medal drought in the World Championships. It is equally so for all members of the AFN especially Ogba who has been spending his personal money to run athletics in Nigeria.

NIS stastiticians join Mobil train

T

WO Statisticians of the National INstitute of Sports ( NIS) have joined the Track and Field Holiday Camping and training for Secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State.

Coaches and Officials of the two week long event were “ pleasantly shocked”on Monday when the coordinator of the programme Paul Bassey introduced two staff of the National Institute of Sports , Lagos as Statisticians forwarded to the training programme by the Director of the Institute Dr O. S. Ikhioya.

Dr John Dadi-Mahmud and Dr. C U Azubuike arrived Calabar to put the programme in proper perspective as is the culture all over the world.

According to Dr Azubuike, “ we are here to make sure that even before the students start their programme, we have enough data on them that will enable a data bank to be instituted.

Before the training commenced in earnest, the two statisticians were busy collating the

weight, height, body mass and other information. “ We are doing well. The only problem is the number. We were planning to finish all the data collection in about three to four days, but the way it is going we may take a day or two longer ” Dr Dadi-Mahmud said.

They also expresses gratitude to Mobil Producing Nigeria for initiating what they considered to be a worthy programme worthy of emulation.

After the introductory circuit training, the students were subjected to general endurance and stretching exercises.

By Wednesday they had graduated to techniques in relay baton exchange and drills on individual events.

Sylvanus Linus was delighted to be training on a venue that the Super Eagles play their world Cup Qualifiers. “ .......I cannot believe that I am using the same venue that my role models use. I am so excited” He said as he took in the impressive ambience of the U. J Esuene Stadium.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013— 61

Night massage in Cosmos ONOCHIE ANIBEZE'S Diary from Moscow

Brazil superstar Ronaldinho has dental surgery despite claiming his teeth make him ‘recognisable’

C

OSMOS Hotel is one of the best hotels in this city of Moscow. It is huge. It is magnificent and beautiful. It has 1,640 rooms on a massive 25- floor architectural masterpiece.

It’s hospitality knows no bounds. Limousines line up for hire. There are more than 20 of them waiting for hire at every time.

From cool lobby music in the day to the live shows that transport people into a mood to call for more drinks at night. You just find it soothing after the different large screens would have finished live transmission of the events at the Moscow Olympic Stadium where the 14th edition of the World Athletics Championships are taking place. When the atmosphere thrills and the guests are high, there are equally ‘high’ places to cool off here.

There are night clubs, Kareoki and strip dancing clubs in this hotel.

In these clubs, sex traders, with class, signal you for a massage. But they do it with class and everything about this hotel is about class. The girls are beautiful, some of them extraordinarily alluring. Their trade is legalised here, so they have the right to source resourceful clients. After all, they pay tax and this probably accounts for their charges which are higher than those of Western Europe.

Cosmos is a hub of activities. The interesting news is that it is in this same hotel that IAAF quarters majority of the teams and their officials here. It is sports in the day and fun at night. It is believed that the athletes are professionally minded and should be able to conduct themselves professionally.

Nobody is complaining. In fact, the delegations are enjoying it. As

Cosmos Iluminated at night with millions of lights in homage to the areas’ theme, Hotel Cosmos oozes character from the outside I write this at the lobby of the hotel, with some combination of rock and country music providing inspiration, the sea of guests angling for different action add to the poetry that is Cosmos .

And when the group played Hey Jude, a popular track by the Beatles and followed with Wonderful Woman by Nat

King Cole and some tunes from Luis Amstrong and Ray Charles, an Italian official told his colleague to my hearing that “I need a sex massage tonight.”

Cosmos is extremely cosmopolitan and providing succour to all here including journalists who make use of the wi-fi and refuse to leave

Surgery: Ronaldinho has undergone surgery to have his teeth straightened

the hotel even when they are not writing or sending stories. Ask them why and they will quickly tell you that aside the stadium, Cosmos is the place to be. They could be right. That is the right place to interact with athletes and get stories. That’s equally the place to get high. All work without play makes …

A black stranger in Moscow

I

ARRIVED here in Moscow two days after the 14th edition of the World Championships kicked off, no thanks to the flu that compelled me to re-schedule my flight.

Everybody for the championships was already either at the Olympic Stadium or in his designated hotel. It was possibly why I was the strange fellow on arrival at the airport in Moscow that Monday, August 12 afternoon at the airport, better put, the odd man out. The British Airways flight from London was a full flight. One or two airlines had landed almost at the same time. So, the arrival hall was full, perhaps more than seven hundred people.

I was the strange guy because I was the only black in the entire arrival hall. The immigration staff that attended to passengers on the long queue where I found myself robbed it in when his countenance changed on my turn. Before then, the man attend-

ed to every other passenger with ease and respect.

Stamping of passports was fast. But on sighting me, it all changed. A black man is here. Spirit don come.

He checked my passport, looked at me and started making calls before he proceeded to screen my document the way he never did to others before me. He asked me questions he never asked others. I boldly frowned at him and twitched my face mockingly or rather scornfully. In seconds, I quickly remembered that when Russia was awarded the 2018 World Cup rights, racism became an issue. A group even openly said that they would not welcome blacks and Balotelli, the black Italian, quickly reacted, saying that he would kill someone in Russia if any one abused him racially.

We are here for the World Championships for athletics, a sport that has almost zero record of violence, the type associated

with football. And all the volunteers have been nice to visitors including the blacks that the championships forced on them. Ordinarily, you don’t see them here. So far, it’s been good and interesting covering the events here but the immigration man reminded me of the banana-throwing fans in football stadiums here. The few black players in Russia would tell the story better.

•Balotelli

•All smiles: Ronaldinho It’s an image that still haunts David Seaman to this very day - Ronaldinho’s huge grin and celebration after he scored that goal for Brazil against England at the 2002 World Cup. The samba star ’s delight at putting his country in the lead with an audacious free-kick was there for all to see, as was his massive smirk.

And in a recent interview with French football magazine So Foot, the former Barcelona trickster explained he had no intention of having cosmetic dental surgery as his smile has made him recognisable to millions and is a part of who he is.

However, according to recent reports, it appears the 33-year-old had second thoughts and has undergone surgery to have his teeth straightened and realigned.

It’s believed a Brazil-

ian surgeon spent less than an hour carrying out the procedure, with the operation involving the insertion of porcelain veneers and surgery on the gums.

Brazilian newspaper O Globo say the twotime FIFA world player of the year had the work done on Tuesday in the city of Belo Horizonte and trained with his Atletico Mineiro teammates soon after.

Roberto Assis, the player ’s brother and agent said: ‘It’s part of his normal (dental) treatment and won’t affect him at all.’

Atletico take on Bahia on Wednesday in the Campeonato Brasileiro, the Brazilian top-flight, and it’s certain Ronaldinho will be keener than ever to score so that he can show off his brand new smile.

62 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013 — 63

C M Y K

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15 , 2013

S-C-A-N-D-A-L! Poor funding squeezes Nigeria in Moscow FROM ONOCHIE ANIBEZE, Moscow

T

HE poor funding of other sports other

Mandela challenge

Eagles hit Bafana Bafana 2-0 A

brace by Uche Nwofor, a second half substitute, ensured the Super Eagles romped to a comfortable 2-0 victory over the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in an international friendly tagged The Mandela Challenge at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban The African champions battled to a scoreless first half. after series of missed opportunities from both sides. After early raids of the South African vital area, the Eagles midfield showed signs of weariness and their hosts took over, initiating series of attacks. But the Eagles defence refused to yield.

Although the hosts could not get a goal, they

MASTERFUL: Eagles' Elderson Echejile in one of his dazzling moves in their 2-0 win over Bafana Bafana yesterday.

Photo: AFP.

ended the first half on a high.

The Eagles began the second half with more

purpose launching early raids in their opponents’ half. Their efforts paid off in the 49th minute

when Uche Nwafor who replaced Shola Ameobi put the Eagles ahead.

Nwofor received a short pass in the middle, he

scored with his back heel.

It was a tremendous effort and the goal was a world class one.

than football has had it’s toll on Nigeria here.

It is a scandal by all standards in sports.

Athletics Federation of Nigeria took athletes to the World Championships (equivalent of World Cup in soccer) without even a day ’s camping. They did not have money to organise

Continues on Page 60

Results Japan 2 - 4 Uruguay South Korea0 - 0 Peru Tajikistan 3 - 0 India Rwanda 0 - 1 Malawi Indonesia 2 - 0 Philippines Kazakhstan 1 - 0 Georgia Belarus 1-1 Montenegro Azerbaijan 3 - 0 Malta Estonia 1 - 1 Latvia Finland 2 - 0 Slovenia Chile 6 - 0 Iraq Moldova 1 - 1 Andorra Luxembourg 2-1 Lithuania Colombia 1 - 0 Serbia Romania 1 - 1 Slovakia Sweden 4 - 2 Norway

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Guard (5) 7 Identical (4) 8 Untouched (6) 9 Wide (5) 11 Nourished (3) 13 Dog (3) 15 Issue (4) 16 Youngster (3) 18 Centre (4) 19 Liberty (7) 20 Pipe (4) 22 Row (4) 23 Clumsy (7) 25 Rank (4) 27 Arid (3) 28 Legend (4) 30 Finish (3) 31 Illuminated (3) 33 Ration (5) 36 Promise (6) 37 Isolated (4) 38 Ruin (5)

DOWN 1 Seraglio (5) 2 Network (3) 3 Also (3) 4 Concealed (3) 5 Pig-pen (3) 6 Scrub (5) 10 Fever (4) 11 Prolific (7) 12 Disperse (7) 13 Funny (7) 14 Withdrawn (7) 16 Throng (5) 17 Fruit (5) 18 Bed (3) 21 Sheep (3) 24 Roguish (4) 26 Fireside (5) 29 Titan (5) 32 Poem (3) 33 Stitch (3) 34 Hatchet (3) 35 Moose (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Match 5, Seduce 8, Light 10, Rebate 11, Afar 14, Reduce 15, Mammoth 18, Wed 19, Eat 21, Newt 23, Devil 24, Read 27, Log 29, Teg 31, Charity 32, Profit 34, Pine 35, Effigy 38, Annual 39, Recent 40, Neigh.

How to Play Sudoku

DOWN: 2, Ace 3, Clammy 4, Hit 5, Star 6, Deaden 7, Effect 9, Genteel 12, Few 13, Rude 16, Axle 17, Havoc 20, Tighten 22, Wilt 24, Repair 25, Atop 26, Defile 28, Trifle 30, Gin 33, Teat 36, Fun 37, Gag.

TWO WEEKS TO LIVE

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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